Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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'This is fine…'

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'This is fine…'

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'This is…'

Ash paused, his head cocking slightly as he noticed a slight typo. It must have been a missed letter on his keyboard, hitting a k instead of an h. 'Ship, not skip', he corrected, noting that it wasn't the worst slip up that he could make with that word. Regardless, he carried on with his last minute work, hoping to get a last read through done before he'd be drawn away from it.

He was in an English lesson, as he always was first thing on a Monday. They'd been practicing speeches and, over the weekend, all students had been tasked with making an educational speech on a particular topic, with a key theme being 'strange reasons for being.' The idea was to learn about the obscure and interesting reasons from the past behind something mundane and unassuming in the present; for instance, how their small size, limited strength and happiness to work in tight crowds led to lemmings being commonly employed in early stock exchanges, the 1929 Wolf Street Crash and resultant hysteria then spawning the stereotype of them jumping off of cliffs. Or, as a different example, how faulty tinned food resulted in the current desk in the Oval Office.

Marks were to be given for the speech's diligence, clarity, and the ability to engage the audience, creative presentation methods being encouraged. He'd got his done the night before, though he'd put proofing off until now. He figured that he could fit it in in between others speaking.

Finally done with his read through, he looked up as the teacher called out for a new student to present their work. An uinta chipmunk, brown furred with white and brown slashes of colour pulling down from his ears to his nose, stepped up. He got to the front, shuffled his notes, before reading off.

"My parents met due to and are both in politics, having both stood for the ZGP, the Zootopian Green Party. However, today, while my mother remains in it, my father is a member of the Green Party of Zootopia, our other green party. Our city and country is unique in having two of them, but why? Why does my uncle, every time he visits, asks if a guy over there is the Popular People's Green Party, and why don't my parents like him very much? The answer is simple. Plate tectonics."

He paused for effect, before carrying on. "Since before the time of the dinosaurs, the Farallon plate, a sub plate of the Pacific, has been diving under the North and South American ones. All that's left now, in our part of the world, is the Juan De Fuca plate and its northern and southern fragments, the Explorer and Gordo Plates. This birthed the Cascade mountains and volcanoes, while accreting islands onto North America. Most of these were small islands. Zootopia wasn't. Zootopia was a continental fragment that slammed into the plate and began buckling it. It buckled it so hard that a great fault was created, through our land, the coastal ranges and then into the American interior. Rivers ran through this, out to sea and through the Zootopian landmass, even as it stuck out into the ocean, or into an inland are called the Great Basin. Tens of millions of years passed, the land buckled and started pulling the fault apart and, with numerous ice ages passing, glaciers dug it down further. At the end of the last one, the meltwater flooded the Great Basin and overtopped the divide. This cut deeper, pulling more water out, and today the whole Great Basin, from the outflow of Lake Tahoe to the meltwater of Ewetah's mountains, drains into the Kula river, through the steep and straight canyon, and into the sea via Zootopia. There, on the awkward lump of land sticking out into the ocean, it tumbled down the Kula rapids, dropping over half a mile before ending."

He paused, cleared his throat, and carried on. "Mexicat claimed Califurnia, to the south of the river, and the States and British claimed Oregon to the north. Zootopia was claimed by all, set up as a protectorate of all as a compromise, and then chose to remain independent. That's when our story starts again. The Kula could give shipping access to the wild west, to the goldmines, to boomtowns like Salt Lick City, Reno and Mesa City, but the rapids blocked this. So, they diverted the river. A small dam at the head of the rapids diverted the river into a holding lake, penned in by Cliffside Dam. A set of giant lifts pulled boats into one corner of the lake, while turbines were installed underground. The river was so big, and the drop so high, that far more power could be generated than sold. So, the city used it, at first building the small climate zones, and then building the climate works to employ mammals during the depression. Despite the crazy energy use, we still had spare energy to sell. While Zootopia grew into a giant city and energy use jumped, the system efficiency improved meaning we never ran short. But the output was limited, and we could now sell that excess power across the western states if we wanted to."

He looked up, flicking his papers, before continuing. "Because hot air rises, the hot zones use far more energy than the cold, and with all the humidity needed and the fact you can't vary with the seasons, it's the rainforest that takes the lion's share. In the early sixties, city leaders planned to build nuclear reactors, not for electricity but pure heat. This would keep the districts warm, while we could sell the dams electricity to the states. To fund it, they planned to use fast reactors, which could break down long lasting waste and breed new fuel, both things that we could sell. However, because it absorbs too many neutrons, fast reactors can't have water in the cores, so most systems use molten sodium which causes all sorts of issues. Zootopia's scientists planned to build a helium cooled one, which solved many of them, given how carbon dioxide cooled reactors were a proven technology. Most of the systems would be the same as British and Furench designs but, with no graphite moderator in the core, it would be denser and cheaper. However, this was also why this technology was rarely pursued elsewhere. Liquid metal, water or graphite in the core adds thermal mass, giving more breathing time if there was a coolant loss. With just rods in the core, and planned super hot temperatures to generate electricity, these reactors could quickly melt down if there was a power loss. But, as we only needed to warm water, the reactors would work fine in Zootopia. They could be run cool enough to flood the core with water if there was a problem. A small test reactor ran successfully, and the commercial prototype was built and ready for loading, but by that point the Green Party had formed and wasn't happy. They protested and obstructed it, claiming we had enough power already, and with new uranium reserves being found and the cheaper cost of burying waste than reprocessing, the plant was never started. But then came the oil shocks and fuel crisis, and it was almost started again, hippy protestors stopping that by blocking fuel deliveries. After that, the plant was abandoned. Things would go on just as they had done, were it not for something big. Climate change."

"-DUN-DUN-DUUUU…"

All eyes turned to a student at the back, who shrunk a bit as the teacher gave him a warning glare. Ash looked at him, before glancing back at his friend Maisy. He hadn't had a chance to talk with her after the weekend. He quickly looked away, his eyes briefly meeting those of Beavis, the chipmunk smirking, before he turned forward once more.

"Thanks to the climate works, Zootopia has by far the world's highest energy use per capita, but coming from the dam means it's also one of the cleanest. However, many mammals began to feel that the system was too wasteful. In the mid-eighties, a plan was proposed to cap all the climate districts with greenhouses, slashing energy use. Mammals hated it. As times have gone past, the technology has improved. The greenhouses would be better insulated, more open and cheaper, and would actually stop rain in Sahara square, unlike today. By selling the electricity to the US, it'd pay for itself and then make us the world's richest country by far, while supplying ten percent of their power. To many green supporters, it made perfect sense. Others felt it ruined something core to our identity, or was done out of greed, or would never be popular, something proven by polls. Some even think we should scrap the wall, sell the power, and invest the earnings in more green energy. Ultimately, the 'climate cappers', including my father, split to form the Green Party of Zootopia, all because of plate tectonics."

He breathed a sigh of relief, bowing a little as the class clapped out. A few questions were asked, a few things discussed, before it was the turn of the next student.

Kris's turn came next. Ash watched as he walked up to the front, cleared his throat and began speaking. "Antivulpinism: defined as a bias or hatred towards mammals of the genus Vulpes, alongside Urocyon, Otocyon, Cerocyon and Lycalopex, most commonly due to a perceived dishonesty, shiftiness, and untrustworthiness. As you all know, I recently emigrated to this city from my home in Canidea, more specifically Prince Edward Island. For those who don't know, it's my country's smallest province, about the size of the country of Zootopia, and one in five mammals is a fox. Half of those are silver foxes, many descended from the Raurfpeltz family and their followers. -It's also worth pointing out that I'm technically a platinum fox, not a true silver fox, despite my name. Most silver foxes are black furred with silver strands, like my grandfather was, but thanks to a dominant gene my father and I have this colouration."

"In any case, the Raurfpeltz were a Germanic dynasty who lost their lands in the Seven Years War but, thanks to their connection to King George III, received large portions of land on the newly acquired island. Both there, and across much of the world, antivulpinism isn't much of a feature of our lives. In Europe, Canidea and to a much lesser extent the States, foxes are commonly respected; many become cops, a vixen even being the Chief Inspector at Interpol, a stark contrast to Zootopia which only employed its first fox cop a few years ago, its second very recently and has its first vixen still in the academy. But why is this the case? Why is Zootopia 'noted' for its supposed antivulpanism? And, at the end of the day, is it a fair criticism? To answer that, we need to go back to the root of this problem… Earth's magnetic field."

Ash nodded at the back. He knew where this was going.

Sort of.

He was missing the middle bit, so he guessed it would be interesting. He settled down to listen in, only for the class to be broken off by a knocking at the door. Everyone turned to face it, the door unlocking and one of the senior teachers, a boar, leaning in. "Apologies," he said, glancing around. Ash could swear that he looked into his eyes, before facing the teacher at the front. "Just checking something."

There was an odd silence as he left the room, whispers bandying around, before the teacher silenced them with a solid Ahem. He looked over at Kris, then gave him a nod to carry on.

"-While many species have a rough ability to sense the earth's magnetic field, often without knowing it, red and arctic foxes have a unique ability, we can visually see the field. This manifests as a shadowy mark in our vision, likely evolved to assist with pouncing at buried prey. The theory is that by lining up this mark with the sounds of buried prey, we could more accurately dive onto them. Come the great uplifting and the stone age, this was no longer required, likely for millennia. As civilization progressed though, two unique uses became clear. Firstly, the ability drew red foxes to large iron deposits, helping to kick start the iron age. The second was its use as a compass, allowing early ships to go far further from the shore. In time, this led to old world red foxes becoming some of the richest mammals in the societal hierarchy. We controlled the iron, and soon all trading ships worth their salt had a fox navigator on board. The advantage only increased when it was realised that the angle of the mark against the earth could be used to roughly measure latitude, while, by observing the deviation from true north, as marked by Polaris, longitude could also be estimated. Old world trade was built upon foxes, and it built them too. Being an insular species, they invested the proceeds inwards, becoming a key part of the merchant classes, hawking, bargaining and forever penny pinching. In a world where the larger the mammal the richer, with Europe more often than not ruled by large carnivores, foxes made it up there. To this day, they're viewed as a 'higher' species there, yet why not here?"

Ash looked on, before pausing as he noticed something at the door. It was that teacher again, looking in. Their eyes met and he left, the fox left tilting his head.

"The Reformation of the church, as led by Martin Loomer, was a strike against everything he saw wrong with it and Rome. He resented the richer predators and their splendour, claiming how easy it was to pray and donate their way to salvation. He resented the corruption he saw everywhere, and he resented the tarnishing of what he thought was the heart of his religion, a simple and industrious life. Connected to the land, he idealised hard working flock and herd species and was disparaging towards predators, one type in particular. His writings mark him out as a noted antivulpite, claiming that 'you should trust no fox on his green heath'. He saw their abilities as trickery, a lazy way to make illicit gains off of common mammals, all while hoarding and profiteering from luxuries. When Loomerism was more widely adopted, the hard realities meant that the adopting ruling classes dropped many of these sentiments, especially in Britain due to the critical role of foxes in their merchant fleets and navy. Still, significant numbers of lower-class prey mammals harboured a resentment towards successful foxes, the exact kind of prey mammal that would jump at a chance to have a new life in the new world. Many communities left together, stayed together, and then grew together in their new home, their prejudices still held. This explains why many rural towns in the States can hold severe prejudices against foxes, or for that matter any species."

There was a pause as he cleared his throat. "In addition, most of the rich merchant foxes who initially settled in the thirteen colonies famously sided with the British during the Revolutionary War, a skulk almost killing Paul Revere during his famous gallop. In return, many were lynched, having their whole families tarred and feathered or their tails shaved before being run out of town." There was a pause, his ears lowering against the back of his head. "The latter is considered the ultimate degradation among many canines, foxes especially. These refugee loyalists then settled in Canidea's maritime provinces, including the Island, and the memory of those events lives on. Ironically, for the same reason that many in the States call foxes untrustworthy, in Canidea they are considered loyal. But still, fox cops have long existed in the States, so what makes Zootopia so different?"

That was what Ash was really interested in, or at least would be. However, the fur on the back of his head was beginning to stand up on end, a feeling in him that something was wrong. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

"Set up as an independent city state, a compromise between the British, American and Mexicat interests in the Pacific coast, it attracted a large number of followers of the 'Omnibus Locis' society. Both an evolution of very traditional the Loomerist church, similar to and inspired by the founding and independence of the Church of Latter Day Saints, and a highly popular intellectual movement, they believed that a true society was made up of mammals in their god-given places. Elephants were built the strongest, so would haul; beavers were industrious, and they would build; rabbits were small and scared, so they would be kept from danger to farm in peace. Many city founders belonged to it, the city constitution and laws inspired by it, and its promise that 'your species has a true place' attracted numerous mammals from both the States and Europe, especially the kind that was at the bottom of the pecking order and still held strong antivulpine views. They flocked to the city, while those foxes that came tended to be the poorest and least respected. After all, why would a rich fox leave Europe or Canidea? Judged as too small to be protectors, and with better technology now available for ship navigation, they were just normal mammals in a city with a general population that distrusted them."

That made sense, Ash noted, only for his ears to flick up. Everyones did, and they turned to see a police cruiser, lights flashing, pull into the car park below. A second followed, and then a third. The teacher stood up and walked over, peering out nervously before turning back to Kris. "Carry on," he said, only for his students to continue whispering to each other. "Quiet, now!"

They hushed and Kris continued. "The 'every mammal has his place' ideology has long since vanished, replaced with the more optimistic 'where anyone can be anything.' However, it is undoubted that reality takes longer to change. While most areas put in place performance standards for certain professions, like a fitness and strength test for police officers of certain size classes, Zootopia long favoured hard physical limits. At first this was species based, something ruled unconstitutional in the sixties by the 'Itsappe case', where a very large coyote was barred from the fire service due to his species, even though smaller wolves could apply. Since then, a police officer had to be a certain size and weight, regardless of their later performance. This was only revoked by the Mammal Inclusion Initiative, designed to pull the city in line with its neighbours."

"But what about antivulpanism? As a foreign fox, I'd heard some stories, but found most mammals open and nice." There was then a pause, his ears going down. "But the first time I met a mammal who spit out my species name as an insult, it was decidedly extremely hurtful. I've encountered a few since then, they still hurt and I don't like it. Sometimes it gets easy to wonder, is that mammal looking at you that way as you're a fox? Is that mammal nudging away from you for a reason? In a way, these thoughts and doubts can be far worse than the abuse when it comes. However, I chose to let it go, leaving the hate with those that do. In researching this subject, I found some interesting statistics. In studies to gauge perceptions of different species, mistrust of foxes followed a Pareto distribution, a small minority creating the vast majority of hate. It's undoubted that there is an average level of mistrust, and that certainly has a negative effect, but so do other things. Certain names, body modifications such as facial piercings, and so on can also have an equivalent or greater effect. I'm not saying that this is right; I'm saying that life is messy and complicated. But, going forwards, I can look at this city, my new home, and be confident that I can really be anything."

He finished off to a slightly subdued round of applause, a nervous energy filling the air. The teacher seemed to feel it too, clearing his throat before gesturing around. "Any questions?"

There was an odd silence, suddenly filled by the sound of heavy feet marching down the corridor outside of the room. Almost everyone seemed to sink a little in their seats, looking around in worry. Ash was one of them, slowly beginning to massage his sweat bands before closing his eyes and practicing a breathing exercise. What was happening? What was going on? He just hoped that this would be all over, go back to being an ordinary day, but it wasn't happening. He'd even be relieved if Beavis chose to ask some dumb question making fun of foxes, or even just himself, but the dreadful tension filling the air seemed to be getting to him too. He was absolutely silent.

His chair jolted a little as Kris sat down next to him, his paw hovering over his, offering support. Ash shook his head. He could get through this, whatever it was, by himself. He could. He could… The teacher looked down at him, as if wondering whether to call him up to speak, before shaking it off. He went back to the front of the room and looked out at his class. "I will confess, I don't know what's going on," he said. "I can understand you being worried though, so I'll go out and check. You can talk quietly among yourselves."

He left the room, those inside taking far longer to start talking again, and doing so with far less enthusiasm than their age and place would ever lead to be expected.

Ash breathed in, before looking over at Kris. "Nice speech."

"Thanks."

"Worried?"

"A little nervous."

"That bad?"

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head. "I've never had anything like this. I fear someone might have died, or…"

"-Then where's the ambulance?" a classmate in front of them asked. "Maybe they found a gun!"

"This isn't that States," another mammal countered.

"They could still get one."

The chatter was broken off by a sudden squeal of a chair on floor, all eyes turning to one of the girls. She'd pushed her chair back and begun slipping forwards, ready to duck and cover in a second's notice.

The room was filled by the ticking of the clock, the second hand's dull thwacks ringing out every felt-like-far-more-than-a-second, before the door clicked open. The teacher walked in, a stern looking tiger cop at his side. He looked forward, and Ash felt a shiver of primordial fear run through him as their eyes met, his burning into him for a second or two.

The tiger cut away, looking at the teacher. "Is that…?"

"-This is uncalled for," the teacher interrupted. He glanced to the side, Ash could almost swear it was over at them, before looking back at the tiger. "We can handle this far more discreetly, we can…"

"Or maybe these students need a lesson," the tiger almost growled out. "I think they could do with a visual demonstration."

"Listen…"

"No, you listen," the tiger shot back, Ash noticing his taser for the first time. He gulped, trying to find something else to look at but only managing to fix his eyes on the metal muzzle on his belt. He squirmed a bit in his seat, his ears going back. That really wasn't what he needed right now. "I'm the cop here, and I have authority. I'm sure all your students would want to learn about what's been worrying them."

…

"You know what," Beavis said, standing up. "I'm going to trust a cop on this one."

"Clever kit," the officer said, before waving around. "Come on!"

The clatter of chairs being pushed back rang out and, as their teacher looked on in defeat, the tiger waved them out. "Turn left, wait at the start of the lockers."

Trembling slightly, Ash joined them, unable to not notice the tiger fall in by his left, his teacher following right behind. Kris was by his side, offering a paw, but despite his trembles Ash refused. He rubbed his sweatbands as they carried on forwards, boxed in, marching towards the unknown.

They all froze, assembling in a line in front of a wall of lockers. The wall of lockers that he and Kris used. The boar teacher was there, alongside a bunch of cops, and Ash gulped as he realised that they were assembled around their lockers. His locker. There even seemed to be slight claw marks on its dark blue door, as if something had tried to claw at it to get at the heaped pile of snacks kept inside.

"Can we now?"

"Not… Not yet," the boar teacher replied.

"Listen, once we open it, I'm pretty sure we can find out..."

"-We already know," a different officer, a sniffer wolf, said.

"Not that," the tiger hissed, only to be cut off by the sound of hooves on the floor. Ash looked up, spotting the headmistress and her secretary coming up with another officer, the secretary holding a sheet of paper. The head looked up, before snapping towards the tiger cop. "Why are they here?"

"They should all see…"

"Don't be ridiculous! It's humiliating, degrading, what if you're wrong…"

"That's why you brought this," he said, grabbing the papers from the secretary. He scanned through, before nodding his head. "Tchhh, so be it." He then turned, waving over one of the school caretakers, a key in his paws. It went into a lock, turned, and, with a slam, the door was pulled open, everyone stepping back in horror.

There were gasps, shrieks of fears, cries and exclamations of confusion, and even the dull thud of a mammal fainting.

Ash just looked forwards in terror and shock at the items inside, resting on top of the neat stack of books. A foursome of small, round, shiny purple orbs.

Nighthowler pellets…

"But… but… but…" Ash gasped, looking on in shock. No. How. How did they get there? How, how on earth in that place. This… This was a dream, right? It had to be a bad dream!

The tiger looked forwards, his eyes bearing right at him, and a paw came out, a pair of pawcuffs held tight. Flicking his fingers, he opened it up, the metal ready to clamp down on its prey like the jaws of a waiting alligator.

Ash shot his paw out and held Kris' as the tiger loomed up, above them, anger in his eyes.

.

...

"Kristofferson Silverfox?"

Ash glanced to his side, finally able to look at the owner of the locker in the face; his cousin looked confused, but with a growing fear running through him.

He nodded his head a few times, as the tiger leant down and grabbed his left paw and tore it out of Ash's own, turning his cousin around on the spot. "You are hereby under arrest for possession of an illegal and dangerous substance, you have the right to remain silent…"

He did, but the rest of the crowd didn't. Friends were screaming about how he'd never be involved in that stuff, how he'd only just emigrated, how something must be wrong; others were screaming out 'oh my god's', unable to believe their eyes; some even started hurling abuse at the Kris, demanding to know why he had the most feared things in Zootopia in his locker, and whether he planned to use it like a school shooter. Others just cried, Agnes and Maisy in tears and almost coming together, only for the sheep to push the vixen away in a swell of fearful emotions. She stumbled next to Beavis, who stopped stammering about it being in Kris' locker and edged away from her. The teachers called out, telling the students to move back, to keep quiet, or lambasting the cops for all of this. Ash just looked on, trembling as he did so, as the tiger locked the cuffs around Kris' paws, reciting his rights as he did so.

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. As a youth, any interrogations will be conducted with an attorney and legal guardian present."

The silver fox's head darted around, glancing back before locking with Ash's for a second.

"If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you at government expense. Do you understand?"

His younger cousin looked at him, his mouth slightly parted as he took deeper breaths.

"Do you understand?"

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath in, relaxing himself. He looked at his older cousin and managed a little smile. "D-don't worry. There's probably a good explanation, I'll be fine."

"I repeat, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Kris replied, glancing behind him. He closed his eyes, breathing in and out, managing a calm expression on his face even as a massive paw slammed on his shoulder. The other on his cuffs, the tiger began marching him forwards, speaking as he went.

"Any biting or related threats will result in the use of a muzzle…" The crowd began surging forwards, the other cops darting out in front of them and blocking their way. "-Any attempts at escape will authorise the use of force…"

Pushing to the front, Ash saw him led on and started to run towards him, shouting as he went, only for the wolf officer to tackle him to the floor. "Kris!"

"-You will be taken to Precinct One immediately where contact will be made with your guardians..."

"KRIS!"

Ash's throat tingled from the scream and, looking up, he saw his cousin's eyes meeting his one last time as he was pushed around a corner and out of view. He pushed up, trying to charge forwards, only for the wolf office to hold on tight.

"Down boy! DOWN!"

He felt his drive fade slightly, still strong but not enough to push against the larger canine holding him in place. The teachers were ordering the class back into their room, waving them along, and when a hoof touched his Ash silently followed.

He looked up to see the headmistress, her expression wavering, pulling him along. The wolf cop tracked behind, and they turned away from the rest of the class before exiting the block. A wave of horror filled the red fox. "N-n-no, I don't know where those came from! He doesn't either! Kris didn't…"

He broke off as the headmistress stopped, kneeling down to pull an arm around him. "You're not in trouble," she said, before standing up again. "We're going to my office to tell your parents. You're dismissed from school today. Given the actions of some mammals, I might offer it to the entire class."

Ash carried on walking, breathing in a bit before nodding. "R-r-right…" he managed, as the wolf cop spoke up.

"I didn't expect Jones to make an example out of him either."

She glanced back at him, a venomous look in her eyes. "According to your partner…"

"-That is police business ma'am."

She paused, glancing down at Ash. "He has a right…"

"-Not now," he said, looming up next to her. "If you want what's best for your students, do not interfere with our investigation, understand?"

She paused, looking down at Ash as if she wanted to say sorry, before looking back at him. "Okay then," she said. "Not that I'll like it."

The rest of the walk was done in silence, the trio entering their office and Ash being offered a seat. He sat down, paws clasping as he stared at the floor, frozen in shock.

He didn't even hear the headmistress call his parents, only hearing her telling him that she had.

He glanced up at her, nodded, and looked back down.

.

.

…

"Ash?"

…

"Ash?"

"-Y-yes ma'am…"

"You don't need to call me that," she said, and he looked up to see that she'd pulled up a chair next to his, placing one of her hooves on his paw.

"I… I think it makes it… -I think it feels more normal, when I do, I…"

"You do that, then," she said, an odd silence filling the air.

.

.

…

"When I was a new teacher," she began, speaking out into the air. "I remember this one time having to tell the news that a member of faculty had died over the weekend to my form. Now, in this class, there was this boy… Jason Yakhmi… -Afghan descent, he always joked about it for 'sympathy'. He was the class clown, and always got into the most trouble with this teacher, and I don't know whether he hated him or enjoyed winding him up, or whatever, but it earned lots of complaints. And… and he was the one who asked if something was up, and I told him the news, and I'll never forget how his face changed in that moment. I didn't have him for the next lesson, but I had him for history after, and he still had that dead look on his face. Others said he'd just been at the back and quiet through the last lesson, so I told him he could go to the nurses office. I didn't see him again until near the end of lunch. I was walking down a side of the building and I heard some loud banging, and I looked into a tight alley to see him rutting and charging his horns against the wall. The dam had burst, you see, so I made myself known, and he asked to be left alone. I said I'd wait outside, and five minutes later he stopped. We walked back in silence, and when entering our room he thanked me…"

.

…

"You're in shock, Ash. I can't blame you. It'll take some time to come out or calm down and, whichever way it does for you, that's not a wrong way. Until your parents arrive, I'll be here for you. For whatever you need me for."

.

…

Sniff.

Sniff-sniff…

.

They weren't his first. Not by a long shot. She brought him a packet of tissues that he could use to dab his eyes with.

"You feeling okay?"

"N-no…" He muttered, his eyes rapidly misting up again. He chuckled, shrugging a bit. "I mean, why would I, huh? I… My cousin just got caught with bioweapons in his locker, I… Well, that isn't normal. He didn't put them there, did he? So, where did they come from! Where did they come from, huh? I… I… I don't know if more might appear, and I don't know what's going to happen next, and I feel like it was meant to be me and I don't know why and I'm scared! I'm cussing scared!" He sniffed and whimpered, brushing away a few more of his tears before inwardly wincing.

"It wasn't your fault, Ash."

Then why did he feel guilty? Why did he? Why did he feel that he deserved something bad? He was scared, scared for Kris, scared they'd come for him, but that wasn't the right punishment. He felt like there was just one type of pain he deserved, and his jaws and wrists began trembling as he imagined it.

Just a bite down…

Just a bite he deserved, that he…

He slammed his eyes shut and dug his claws into the furniture, clenching his jaw tight as he did so.

"Ash?"

"I'm not going to," he told himself, sniffing.

"Not going to?"

"Hurt myself again… Not again," he sniffed, looking at her. He looked down at his wrists, the sweat bands, and grit his teeth as he slipped one off. "D-Don't let me do it again. M-muzzle me if I'm going to…"

He was cut off as she hugged him tightly with her arms. "I won't let you. You're going to be fine."

He sniffed. "Then why do I feel so guilty? I… I didn't do anything but I feel like I did?"

There was a pause, and she looked at him with a terribly pained expression of sadness and guilt on her face. She looked up to where the officer, standing silently through all of this, was before looking back. "Survivors guilt," she said. "It's tough, but you'll get through it. Your cousin will be fine too, I'm sure of it. I don't think that he was capable of handling or using those for a second."

Neither was Ash. It didn't change the facts though, it was his locker where the terrible monster of Zootopia had been found.

He sniffed some more and looked forwards, before closing his eyes, pushing through with as many of Kris' meditation exercises as he could remember.

By the end he still felt depressed, but coping.

A knock on the door, and he looked back to see his parents enter. He ran straight to his mother, minding her pronounced bump and gripping her tight. She gripped back, as did his father and, standing up, he managed to turn back to the head and thank her.

"You're welcome," she said, before doing so again as his parents thanked her. They looked at her, before Mr Fox spoke.

"We'll be going to Precinct One. We have friends who are already on their way, while Kris' father will be there too."

"Good luck," she said.

They nodded and Ash, gripping his father's paw tight, followed them out.

.

.

.

Chapter Text

.

.

"What do you mean they found nighthowlers in Kris' locker?!"

Nick sighed, glancing over at Judy. "They found pellets, the real non-blueberry nasties, in his locker, Carrots."

"But he…"

"-Is an intelligent, well adjusted, nigh on pacifistic fox who we all love and would never be involved in that stuff in a million years," he interrupted, slouching down and cradling his head with a paw. He shook it a few times before sighing. "Oddly enough, I'm just as confused as you are."

Judy furrowed her brow, about to shoot back a response, only to check herself instead. Closing her eyes, clenching a paw, her foot drummed furiously against the train floor as if she wished to wear through it.

"I'm guessing," Jack said slowly, "that you think someone else put them there. Right?"

"Yes!" The two cops said at once, turning to face him.

"What if someone didn't?" came another voice, a quiet voice. Nick and Judy turned to its source, a meek looking red panda. Retsuko shrugged. "I'm just saying, what if…?"

"-He wouldn't have," Judy cut in, walking up to her. "We know him. He's kind, intelligent, charming…"

"Wasn't Bellwether that?"

Judy froze, closing her eyes and turning away. "No. It's not like that."

"What if it is?"

"It… it can't, it…" she began, stuttering a few times. She looked into Retsuko's eyes, biting her bottom lip with her buck teeth, before turning on the spot and marching into Nick. He hugged her tightly by reflex as she began sniffing.

"Carrots?"

She mumbled slightly, his ears peeling.

"Fluff?"

She mumbled a few more times, Nick only making out the word 'please…'

"Judy?"

"Please not again…" she whispered, pulling in another sniff.

"Again?"

"I… I don't want to be tricked again…"

.

.

…

"No…"

"Nick?"

"Carrots, Kris would have nothing to do with this."

"But she's…"

"Retsuko doesn't know him. We do."

"I knew Bellwether…"

"No, Carrots."

"But it's true," she sniffed. "I want him to be innocent. I think he is! But what if I'm wrong? It wouldn't be the first time!"

"Judy," he barked out, grabbing her shoulders and rooting her in place. "How well did you know her, huh? When?"

"My.. my graduation," she sniffed, still emotional. "Then three short meetings."

"So, what, not enough lines from her to count on your paws? And what do you and Kris have? The day he got his father back, our little meetups with the family, the baby shower! In just one of those, you probably talked to him more than you ever did to Smellwether. So, you know him, I know him, and if you believe that he didn't do it, I'm going to guess that you're right and he didn't."

…

She sniffed a few times more, before bottling it up and wiping away her tears. "I'm sorry, I…"

"-I know."

"I just don't want to make the same mistakes all over again."

Nick nodded, and he held her paw as she composed herself. "How about we get some Judy-on-duty, thinking this through, huh?"

She paused and nodded, turning back to Retsuko. "Okay. Understandable idea. However, from character studies, it's unlikely. For a start, what would the motive be?"

There was a quiet pause, before Haida, who'd been sitting behind Retsuko, put his paw up. "What about the obvious ones? Money, revenge, some political cause?"

"His father is a well respected academic and they're both well off" Nick countered. "As for revenge, he's a calm and patient mammal who teaches others meditation. He has a girlfriend, and being a recent immigrant, it's not like he has any beef..."

"-Language, Nick," Judy warned.

"Right," he noted, rolling his eyes. "It's not like he had any peas and turnips with Zootopian society."

"Recent immigrant?" Haida asked, his head cocking a little.

"From Canidea," Nick brushed off.

Haida's eyes went wide. "Prince Edward Island?"

"Yes, he…"

"-His father had an ice fishing accident, didn't he?"

There was a long pause as all the mammals turned to face him. "How did you…" Skye began.

"I met him on a bus, the day the howler warning came out," Haida stated, energy coursing through him. "Kristofferson Silverfox, remember Fenneko doing her thing?"

Retsuko's eyes widened. "Yes, I do now."

"Right. And, pinch of salt from an ex-Smellwether voter here, I don't see him messing with that stuff on purpose."

"What about fame?" Jack asked, gathering the crowd's attention. "Or infamy! The same destructive desires that drive those school shooters in the States. A dark, inwardly twisted ideology, fuelled by a nihilistic core, seeking to find release in carnage and immortality through fame…"

…

"Okay, those blank stares say no. Just an idea." He paused, looking up at Skye. "What do you think?"

She just shrugged, her paws coming out as she signalled that she didn't have the slightest idea. "All I know is that his Aunt's side of the family will be messed up. I'll be there for them, whether I'm actually good at it or not."

"Right then," Jack noted, looking forward. "SavageSkye out."

Nick nodded, glancing at the map on the train. "Next stop," he noted, before looking at Haida and Retsuko. "You two don't need to come, you know?"

Haida shook his head. "I'll be there. They're going through a lot, and if they need me…"

Retsuko nodded along too. "I was thinking that it would be interfering a bit, but Haida's right. A colleague at work was falsely accused of something a while back and it was hard, so if we can give some help here, why not? Anyway, what if you need support?"

Judy looked up and smiled. "Thanks, it's appreciated."

She nodded as the entire gang got up. Getting off at the next station, Savannah Central, they slipped past the queue for the stairs and entered a lift, given Skye's leg. Up, out, and into the light of watering hole plaza. Everything seemed both busy and peaceful, in a way that a normally operating city would be. Judy kept her eyes peeled, as if expecting a cop car, the fox family, or even some protestors. She was wound up tight, which only relaxed when she stepped through the doors of Precinct One.

"Oh Em Goodness…"

"Hey, Spots," Nick began, rushing forwards.

"Look at you and your little posse… Now, I'm excluding Judy from this, as I know you can't…"

"Ben…"

"-Call a bunny cute, but you have the ke-yootest liddle pack of friends I've ever seen. What are you all doing here today?"

"Did a family of foxes arrive recently?" he asked. "Three of them. Teen son and pregnant wife?"

"Oh, those guys," he said, nodding. "They came in earlier and asked to see their cousin who was taken in. They seemed pretty upset."

"Yeah," Nick sighed. "So are we. Where are they?"

"I let them into one of the private rooms, first on the left," he said.

"And the cousin. Kris Silverfox?"

"I don't know," he said, both Nick and Judy's eyes widened in alarm. "But we did have an 'anonymous vulpine' brought in earlier and put into an isolation cell."

Judy slapped her forehead. "Of course, youth protection… -Yes, that's him, thanks Ben!"

She raced off, Nick pausing to look at him. "If an older silver fox arrives, send him our way too." Ben nodded, before Nick followed on, Jack, Skye and Retsuko tagging along after. Clawhauser smiled especially at the adorable little red panda, his eyes then flicking up to the final member of the group, widening as he did so. "Oh Em Goodness!"

"Huh…"

"You look just like my nieces favourite stuffed toy!"

He groaned.

"-I mean it's such a coincidence."

"Actually…"

"Look, here on my phone. Just past all these pictures of Gazelle, musical genius and angel with horns. Look, there, you look just the same."

"Yes…" he grunted, checking the time and finding it far too early for alcohol.

"I mean, it must be amazing. I think I'd also make a cute plushie, you could have a donut stuck in my folds instead of your cute teefies…"

"Uh-hu…"

"I mean, what must it be like to have such an honour?"

"Exasperating."

.

.

Meanwhile, the rest of the gang made their way to the rooms. The goings on during cases could often result in grieving families, both of the victims and the perps, alive and dead. As a result, there were a set of private rooms off in one area of the Precinct for this purpose. After all, if a kit had just lost his parents and needed to be kept somewhere safe, the last thing anyone wished to do was put him in a police cell.

As a result, the rooms had comfy furniture, bold colours, selections of children's toys and a TV and, in all of that, Nick and Judy found the fox family, huddling up on one sofa, silent in their grief.

Ash looked up, his eyes red. "You came?"

"Yeah, Mr," Nick said, before making a spitting noise. "Of course we came. How're you holding up?"

"I…" he began to say, before huffing. "Rough."

"He saw it," Mr Fox said, looking up. "The arresting officer brought everyone out to watch the lockers being opened and then dragged Kris off, right in front of Ash. He probably thought that it might be him that they were going after."

"I… I did," he said, setting off a round of sniffing from his mother. She held him closer, grabbing him and holding him tight.

"D-don't worry," she told him. "Everything is going to be okay. I…" she sniffed again. "This might all be a bad dream."

She was cut off as Haida entered, their eyes meeting for a second.

"Oh thank god, it is a dream."

"Uuuuhhh?"

She chuckled. "A horrible dream where my nephew is arrested and my new kit's plushy comes to life."

"Oh-for-goodness," he began, before looking up. "Miss Hopps, you still have that famous carrot pen on you, right?"

"Yes," she said, picking it off of her belt. "Why?"

"Just want to borrow it for a second," he said, before turning to Mrs Fox, just as Catano entered the room, pausing as she spotted Haida and Retsuko.

"Oh, hello again."

The pair waved, as Retsuko turned to a confused Judy. "She came into our office one time and we talked a bit."

"Indeed I did," Catano said, before turning to her colleagues. "Ben told me you were here. Nick, Judy, quick walk and talk."

They nodded and slipped out, though it quickly turned into more of a jog and talk as Catano speed-walked out into the back of the Precinct. "We found the howlers all right, someone dropped a tip, and it led us to that courier."

"He's not involved," Nick said.

"Huh?"

"Listen, I know this kit. He's nice, kind, thoughtful, intelligent. I know him well, so does Judy. Unless it was completely unwittingly, he'd never get involved."

Turning a corner, they paused as they reached Bogo, the buffalo waiting in the observation room of one of the interrogation cells. Both Nick and Judy looked in and sighed with relief. There he was, sitting on a chair in a lotus position, calmly meditating.

Catano was silent for a second or two before looking back. "He certainly seems different to what I'd expect. The only suspects I've seen act like that are those breaking the law for 'religious' purposes. Usually spiritualists caught with certain drugs, and more recently some of those climate protesters. He seems at peace with himself, despite the trouble he's in."

"He's a very well adjusted mammal," Judy said, paws on her hips as she glared back at Catano. "He's doing it to keep calm, given that he just found nighthowlers in his locker and was dragged away."

Catano nodded. "So, is he a relative of Nick's?"

…

"Sort of," Nick confessed, turning to Bogo. "Remember that teen kit I saved a while back, you let me attend his therapy sessions later on."

The chief nodded.

"That's his cousin. I met him on that night, and we're friends with both their families." He paused, before looking up. "I'm going to be his new cousin's godfather…"

Bogo nodded. "Fair enough. But you do understand that this personal connection means that you're off the case. At least as long as he's a suspect."

Nick sighed, nodding his head. "Yes sir."

"Okay," Catano sighed. "If you know him that well, you can still help. What do you think of this case?"

"It has to be a plant," Judy stated.

"Why?"

"Because we can think of no reason for him to be involved," she said. "He's happy, well off, intelligent, kind, thoughtful, he…" She broke off, sniffing. "Yesterday he tried to teach me meditation."

"He hasn't even been in the city that long, little more than a year at most," Nick added. "He emigrated here so his Aunt and Uncle could look after him while his father was sick. His father then moved over too. That means no time to get to know the underworld, the recruiters, to get locked into the systems that were at play. He was too busy doing schoolwork and sports!"

Catano paused, nodding her head. "I'll keep that in mind. In any case, Oates and I will be interviewing him once his father arrives. Thanks for the help though," she said. "And I'm sorry."

The pair nodded, before making their way back to the other room. They entered to see Skye talking to Mrs Fox, the pair holding paws. The pregnant vixen looked up at them, her paws moving over her heart. "What's going on?"

"He's being held in an interrogation cell until his father arrives," Judy said.

"You saw him?"

"Yeah, and he seems fine. He was meditating to pass the time."

She nodded, taking in a calming breath. "Good, I… -He's like a son to me. As long as he's okay."

"What next though?" Mr Fox asked.

"They'll be interviewing him," she explained. "What happens next, I don't know, but Zootopia has very good youth justice laws. If they think he was suspicious, the worst that might happen is that he has to wear a tracker while things go forward."

"Did you put in a good word?" He asked.

"Lots, but they also know our relationship to your family."

"Which means?" Ash asked.

"We're off the case, conflicts of interest and such," Nick explained. "Though it seems that Catano will be handling it from now on. She's a good officer."

"As two non-biased mammals, we can agree with that," Haida piped up, gesturing at himself and Retsuko. "She was very committed the one time we met her."

Judy nodded. "And, once our two best detectives get back from their foreign investigation, I'm sure they'll get to the root of this before you can say…"

"-Where's my boy!?"

Everyone turned to face the door, ears and tails dropping as they saw Dr Silverfox standing there.

He looked terrible. His jaw hung down and quivered, lines of worry were etched across his face while his paws shook as if he was shivering. It all added up, crowned by his fearful eyes, and magnifying the frailty that his illness had left him with vastly. He looked old, weak and scared, and the room felt colder in his presence.

"Will…" Felicity said.

He sniffed once and then twice. "Is he okay? Is he…"

His sister in law struggled to stand up given her current state. Instead it was Judy that rushed up to him. "He's in a cell, meditating to pass the time," she said.

"Where? I need to see him, I need to see him."

Judy kept her face level and professional, nodding. "I'll take you to the place," she said.

His voice was silent, hanging there for a second or two, before he nodded. "Thank you."

She led him on, reassuring him as he went. "I'm sorry. But it's going to be alright, I promise."

.

.

.

One Year before…

.

"Hey…"

.

"Hey, kit. You can take that sign off of you, you know?"

.

Kris paused, thinking for a second or two before shaking his head, the unaccompanied minor sign beneath him jiggling left and right as he did so. "Thanks, but I'm good."

The beaver across from him, dressed in an Air Canidea uniform, nodded, pausing as he spotted the waitress come across. "Ah, there's the good stuff," he said as a tree-bark poutine was placed in front of him. "Well, good for airport food at least. -Though it is a Hoofer Hut after all."

"I've never actually been to a Hoofer Hut," Kris noted, as his food arrived too.

"Wait, aren't there any on the island? I mean, I know it's really tiny, my Ma comes from Kingston and they've got about the same pop as your entire province, but I'd still expect there to be a Hoofer Hut or two."

"They do," Kris said. "My father just never took me into one. The closest we got to that kind of place was on friends' birthdays."

"Hmmm, the more you know," the staff member muttered, looking on as Kris tucked in. The silverfox leant down with his fork and spoon, twirling up a helping of his smokey grub pasta before taking a bite.

"So, how's the first time?"

Kris gave a reasonable nod. "It's good."

"Ha. A lot better than what you might get on that plane of yours, though it seems you took the right option on getting a late nighter. Try and snooze on the way. It gets in at ten in the evening local time, but that'll be about one in the morning here in Otterpaw."

Kris nodded. "Though it'll actually be two for me. Maritime time zone."

"Ah, figures," the beaver said, moaning a little as he chewed on his maple-bark fries. "These are about perfect this time of year. -Though when homemaking them, if you have the time, you can cook them real slow to caramelize the sugar. Then freeze and deep fry like you would with regular fries." He moaned a little, nodding.

"Might I try some?"

The beaver paused, cocking his head slightly. "Now I know that I can eat little bits of pred food and you can eat veg, but I didn't know that you could eat bark."

"Well, most mammals can eat the inner white-bark. In small amounts, it's probably a very good source of fibre."

"Well, be my guest then," the beaver offered, handing one over. Kris scraped the inner bark up and took a bite, sampling the flavours before swallowing.

"Not a big fan, but I can get why you'd like it."

"For a start," the beaver said, taking the remaining bit of hard bark back. "-I also eat the best bit."

"Very probably," Kris agreed, before turning back to his pasta.

"And again, you can take off that sign."

"I'm good."

They both ate a little more before the beaver chuckled. "I'm sorry…"

"-Sorry?"

"No, don't worry," he sighed. "But I've helped a bunch of eight to eleven year old unaccompanied minors get on their flights and such over the years, and I can't remember just how many of them were big and bold saying that they were grown-ups, that they could do this themselves, and that they didn't need some beaver who was trying to be cool with them to guide them around. They've pleaded with me to hang their signs away, or hide them, -especially the eleven-year-old girls, who are both brash and really fashion conscious. But you're thirteen and a half, right?"

"That's correct."

"So, a good chunk above the minimum 'flying solo' requirement. You could do this without me, and I can trust you to slip away that sign when sitting down and such. I mean, you weren't accompanied during the hop over from Charlottetown, were you?"

"No," Kris said, pausing slightly as his ears lowered. "But a family friend could drop me off there, and it's not a big airport or anything."

"Yup, I remember flying there once on a turboprop before they built the bridge. I'm guessing you were on one too when coming here, a dash-eight most likely."

"A Dash-8 Q400."

"Hmmm. Plane fan?"

"I read the inflight magazines and cards."

The beaver nodded. "Reading the cards, keeping the sign on you, I'm guessing you're just a bit nervous, playing it safe."

.

…

Looking up, Kris nodded a few times, before turning back down to his food. It was good, and he was hungry, but he found himself messing around with his fork a little.

"Hey," the Beaver said, leaning forward. He slipped his paw onto Kris' and looked up at him. "Now, if you were doing this solo, some busybodies might have a problem with this, but I'm the one accompanying you here so they can go cuss off as I've got a job to do." He paused, breathing out. "I know that having a dear family member with a serious illness is horrible. I know it's got to be a whole lot worse for you, as you're still young and this is your dad and your only parent, and you're going across a continent to live with some far off relatives in a city that's recently been in the news for about the worst reasons I can think of. I don't know how much worse that is, so maybe these words are sounding crappier than the Saint Lawrence just east of Montrenard, but it's going to be okay. It's going to be okay, Kristofferson. It's going to be okay."

Kris nodded back, taking a deep breath in. "Thanks. I… -I am a bit nervous," he said, "about my father. But it's going to be okay." He paused, looking up at his escort before looking down at his sign, managing to crack a smile. "It's why I'm glad I'm getting this escort, and why I'm keeping this sign on me. Things can be rough in life, and things can go wrong. But there are rules in place to guide you, and they'll keep you safe and help to fix any mistakes if you respect them. Follow them, and they'll help sort it out and pull you back on track." He paused, before looking up. "And there's good mammals along the way to help you out."

"Why thank you."

"It's more than that, though," Kris said. "My Dad is really ill, and I'm going to be a burden on my new family. They're all relying on me to keep it all together. But I can do that: I can do my best, I can follow the rules, I can trust in others and let them trust me. I can keep my head clear and calm and make the right choices, even if they're little ones like keeping this sign on. They all add up, but I'll be making the right choices and doing the right things, and it'll mean that everyone else will get their happy ending too."

The beaver smiled, raising his cola. "Well, good sir, I can drink to that."

Despite his nerves, Kris felt good, and his raised his glass of apple juice and clinked it against the beaver's. He was at a very confusing and worrying time in his life, but if he followed the instructions, he was confident that things would turn out just fine. If he made all the right choices and actions, it would all work out for everyone. He was confident that he'd see his father again.

.

.

One year later…

.

…

This was odd… This was very odd. But Kris remained calm as the tiger officer took the sheet from the headmistress's secretary. He was looking through it, trying to find a reference? Was it to do with the locker numbers. "Tchhh, so be it," he muttered, before turning, waving over one of the school caretakers. Kris watched him move over with a key towards… -His and Ash's locker? No, he was going to the lower one. His one. Why was he opening his lock…

.

.

…

What…?

He knew what they were. He knew exactly what they were, even though he'd only seen them once in a newspaper article. But they fit the bill, and with this kind of reaction from the police and the others, fear and tears and anger, there could only be one thing that they were.

Nighthowlers…

Four of them, in his locker, and now the police officers were turning to him and…

-No…

This couldn't be real, right? How could they get there? He'd never seen them before, and now the pawcuffs were coming out, and the officers were coming for him. He felt Ash's paw grip his own and he suddenly realised how thankful he was for it, and how useless it was in the grand scheme of things. He knew how much trouble he was in, he knew exactly what was coming next, and there was nothing he could do. Nothing anyone could do.

"Kristofferson Silverfox?"

He needed to say yes, but he felt the words freeze in his mouth, only managing a nod instead. That was his name, yes. This wasn't stopping, no. Things were going to get worse.

The tiger leant down and grabbed his left shoulder, yanking in its socket and spinning his world around. He felt an instinct flash through him, calling back to his karate training, but he let it slip from his mind. That would make it worse. Just stay calm, and…

"You are hereby under arrest for possession of an illegal and dangerous substance, you have the right to remain silent…"

Okay… This was really happening. Just keep calm, just do what he says… But his ears peeled as he heard the commotion behind him, and he felt the bite as pawcuffs, actual pawcuffs, bit into his arms, locking them in place.

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. As a youth, any interrogations will be conducted with an attorney and legal guardian present."

He registered what was said, but his mind was still occupied by the noises around him. Looking around, scanning, locked in a semi-panic before he turned and found himself face to face with his terrified cousin.

He was panicking.

Was he okay?

"Do you understand?"

Kris closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. He needed to get this under control, he needed to make sure that Ash was okay. Refocussed, he looked back at his cousin. In his martial arts he'd had instructions on fighting in groups, with partners, and what to do if they were to receive an injury. Do what you need to do to keep them safe, so you can then stop worrying about them. He'd always worry about Ash, so he had to make sure that his cousin would be fine.

"Do you understand?"

-Right. -Silence, attorney, dad, nothing going on until then.

That… That was okay. He could manage that. He even managed to smile a bit, as if he played by the rules they could surely clear up this misunderstanding and everything would be okay. That cleared, he turned to Ash. "D-don't worry. There's probably a good explanation, I'll be fine."

"Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," Kris replied, closing his eyes and starting some breathing. Just keep calm for now, use some meditation techniques and this should float by.

He was jolted out of any pre-trance by the slam of a giant paw on his back, pushing him along.

"Any biting or related threats will result in the use of a muzzle…" the officer warned, another good reason to keep calm. "-Any attempts at escape will authorise the use of force…" As he said it though, the noise from behind him rose, cut through by a scream.

"Kris!"

Ash…

Kris closed his eyes. Keep calm, get this over with, stay strong for everyone. It's a simple mistake, it had to be.

"-You will be taken to Precinct One immediately where contact will be made with your guardians..."

"KRIS!"

The pain in the voice pulled too hard and he glanced back, getting a fleeting glimpse of his cousin before being pushed around a corner and out of view. He looked forward and carried on walking, just focussing on keeping calm. A few students peered out of the windows, and he heard the noise of them racing up as he was taken by. Down some steps, the tiger putting his paws on the cuffs, the metal biting in a little in a cold reminder, and they came to the exit doors. Pausing for a second or two, Kris closed his eyes and tried to calm himself again, succeeding at it. He felt calm as the doors were pushed open and he was marched out, passing a crowd of stunned students who'd been looking at the police cars, before finding himself in the back of one. The door was slammed shut and the tiger got in the front, before he lit up the lights and off they went.

.

…

"Aren't you going to say anything?" he asked, a growl in his voice.

Kris looked up at him. "I… I think it's best to stay quiet until I'm with my father. Then we can sort this mistake out."

"Mistake?" the tiger growled, flashing an angry glance back through the divider.

"I don't know how those things got there," he said, innocently enough. It was true! He had no idea but, once everything was ready, they could sort it out. The tiger was already starting a sarcastic rant, Kris' ears folding back as he realised that he thought he'd brought them there on purpose.

But he ignored him.

The officer had read them himself. There were rules in place to keep things safe, and he was going to follow them, as that way they could get everything fixed up. Closing his eyes, taking a deep set of breaths in and out, he pushed the sounds of the outside world out and focused on himself.

Keep calm, keep quiet, follow the rules like a good mammal, and soon he'd be with his dad and safe.

Soon…

.

.

.

…

"Out."

…

"I said out!"

Kris began waking from his meditative trance, only to be whipped straight out of it as the tiger pulled him out of the cruiser. They were in a secure area, underground, in what looked like a car parking lot. As he observed his surroundings, he noticed that he was in a fenced off area and, outside of that barrier, there were parked police cars.

He didn't get much time to see anything more though as his march on continued.

Just keep calm and keep quiet. Then all this can be sorted out.

Entering into a small room, the door locking hard behind him Kris noticed a height chart on one wall, opposite an officer with a camera. He guessed that this was where a mugshot of him would be taken…

An actual mugshot…

Though he tried to remain calm, he couldn't help but get a bit unnerved as the whole thing played out. He was well aware of the fact that he'd just been arrested, but each little step of the process just pushed home how real this really was.

"I am now going to uncuff you, you will take the board present and follow the instructions as your picture is taken. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Kris replied, keeping it simple as he picked the board up. He followed the instructions, standing in the expected positions as the pictures were taken, before being moved along.

Another room, in which a wolf officer, his ears lowering as he saw the young fox, performed a quick pat down. "The Chief told me to put him in an interview cell to wait for his father," he noted, the tiger nodding in return. The big cat turned to move away, but his gaze lingered on Kris as he went.

"Come on now."

Kris turned to the wolf officer, who was gesturing at him to move along. Nodding his head, he did so.

"Want a glass of water or anything? Hungry?"

"No thank you," Kris said. Keep it small, keep it polite. Walking through a mix of different corridors, they turned, and Kris found himself being led into a bland room with a table and chairs inside, along with what was most likely a two-way mirror. He walked in, moving towards one of the seats.

"Hey, you okay Kit?"

Kris looked back. "I think it's best to use my right to remain silent now, until my dad gets here. No offence."

.

…

"Probably the smartest move," the wolf noted. "None taken."

He shut the door behind him with a cold clank, and Kris let out a long breath. He'd just been arrested at school. He was now in a prison cell.

This…

This was bad.

He sat down on his chair and cradled his head in his paws. How… How could those things have gotten into his locker? How bad was this going to be…

.

.

…

Taking a deep breath in and out, he calmed himself down. He knew good cops, who could find out the real reason. He needed to stay calm and follow the rules for a little bit longer though, panicking would just hurt everyone.

But it was going to be okay.

After all, it shouldn't be long until his dad got here. He could be strong for him.

As he closed his eyes to meditate again, he could find true solace in that.

It kept him going until the door clicked open again, the familiar voice he'd been waiting for speaking out. "Kris?"

"Dad?"

Looking up, he smiled as his father rushed in, speeding over to embrace him. They hugged, tight and long, the older fox slipping his head over his son's shoulder and nuzzling into his kit. "Don't worry, we're going to sort this whole mess out."

Kris nodded, his muzzle rubbing into his father's. He savored the warmth and the connection, and he felt safe again. "Thanks," he said, suddenly feeling a bit emotional. It was funny in a way, the nerves and fear hadn't gotten to him, but the feeling that this silly thing could all be sorted out, and that he'd stayed strong for his father, had. He sniffed a few times, only for a female voice to speak out.

"I understand that this is an emotional moment, but we need you two ready if we're going to make some headway."

Glancing forwards, he noticed a cheetah officer sitting on the other side of the table, alongside two other mammals, a gemsbok and a horse. His father shifted away from him, turning to sit down. As he did so he held his son's paw with a tight grip, his son holding back.

"I am Officer Kii Catano," the cheetah introduced, before gesturing to the horse beside her. "Detective Oates and I will be interrogating you today as part of our investigation into the discovery of nighthowler pellets in your locker. In accordance with the Zootopian Youth Justice Act of 2003, both your legal guardian and a legal representative are here for the duration."

There was a pause as Kris turned to face the gemsbok, who was sitting himself down next to him. The large oryx turned and nodded, holding out a paw. "Peter Refu, nice to meet you."

"Kristofferson Silverfox," Kris replied, holding out his. "I'd have preferred this to be under improved circumstances."

They met and shook for a few seconds before the young fox took a breath in and out, looking forwards. The cheetah stared back at him for a second or two, before glancing down at her papers, shuffling them a little. Kris tried to feel calm, telling himself that he could answer their questions and they'd get it all cleared up, but he couldn't help but feel an unsettled pit of nerves twisting and growing in his stomach. They clenched harder and firmer as the cheetah looked up, her eyes meeting his, a decidedly predatory glint shining out from deep within. "Then let us begin."

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

.

The interrogation room was quiet for a moment or two before Detective Oates leant down to his side, pulling out a laptop. Placing it down and opening it up, he pressed the start button before speaking out. “Open emails… Open nighthowler pictures. Full screen.”

He nodded a little before turning the device around, the screen branded with the image that had shocked Kris just a little while before. His locker, the books neatly stacked, a cluster of refined nighthowler pellets laying on top like a clutch of tiny eggs. The large horse gave Catano a look as she turned on a recorder, stating out who it was they were interrogating, before turning back towards his prisoner.

“That’s a big name; Kristofferson,” he began, seemingly exaggerating his Texan drawl. “I gather you’re from out of town. Isn’t that so?”

Kris paused, looking up to his father and Peter Rufu for advice, the latter speaking up. “At this stage, just state your name and current immigration status.”

The young silver fox nodded, sounded sensible so he’d follow it. “My name is Kristofferson Emmanuel Silverfox. I’ve been living in Zootopia for about a year, first coming over so my Aunt and Uncle could look after me while my father was ill.”

Oates nodded. “Canidea, correct?”

Kris nodded, smiling a little. “Yes, Prince Edward…”

“-So, you weren’t here a few years ago,” Oates spoke, cutting Kris off abruptly. He paused, looking down at the laptop, the picture shining out and the horses’ voice darkening. “So, do you know what those things actually are?”

Rufu cut in, speaking to his client. “They might try and claim that you knowing what they are is proof you were familiar with them before. If the first time you knew what they might have been was when a cop read you the riot act, then tell them that."

He nodded. “I guess they’re Nighthowler pellets. I mean, I’d heard about them in the news, I knew from the reports that they looked similar to blueberries. When the door opened and everyone acted scared, I kind of worked it out.”

Kris’ lawyer nodded, while Oates’ nostrils flared. “Yes, and do you happen to know why they acted so scared?”

He nodded slowly, thinking back to that assembly a few months ago. “I gathered it must have been really rough for everyone living through it.” How much rougher was it now, he wondered, given that mammals might be thinking that he’d been bringing some in. He wasn’t stupid, he knew that was what those in front of him were thinking, that they were his. “But seeing how much it hurt my friends, I’d have never put them through the same kind of thing.”

“And what exactly would you put them through then?” Oates pressed, beginning to lean forward. His head alone was almost as big as Kris’ torso and his presence filled the room, beginning to press in on the mammal he was staring down. “Because the way I see it, bringing a few notorious bioweapons into school is sure to cause a bit of a ruckus, don’t you agree officer?”

Catano nodded. “This is serious, the laws around things like that are more severe than if you’d brought a gun to school.”

“Speaking of which, was that your plan?” Oates asked, looking up in the corner of the room as he thought aloud. “Because I hear an awful lot about what’s going on in the States, every month a new school getting shot up by some kid who wants his five minutes of fame and all that. Now, I don’t agree with an awful lot that goes on here in Zootopia, but that not happening is quite personally a pretty positive in my books…” There was a pause as he turned down, his eyes boring into Kris’ and his voice dropping an octave as it hardened. “Which makes me more than a little angry to hear that some foreign kit might be comin’ in to put his own twist on the thing, using our worst nightmare to make it stand out and all.”

Dr Silverfox looked at Oates with venom in his eyes, his tail wrapping around his son as he spoke. “How dare you even suggest that my boy would do anything like that!”

“You’re not the one that needs to be answering,” Oates said. “He is.”

“My father is right though,” Kris spoke. “-About me never doing anything like that. -I can’t even imagine why someone would. I like my school, I like my friends, I wouldn’t put them in harm's way. I don’t know where those nighthowlers came from or why they were in my locker, I haven’t even touched it since Friday.”

One of Oates’ ears flicked up as he moved to speak. Kris though couldn’t help but notice one of his legs brushing up against Catano’s, the cheetah immediately blurting in and cutting him off. “-So, you genuinely don’t know where those came from?” 

“No.”

“You have no supplier, nobody you were doing pick-ups or drop offs for?”

“No,” Kris said again, glancing over at the picture, still shining out with the pellets on full display. “I mean, if I were why would I place them like that?”

“-That’s something I was going to bring up,” his lawyer said. “If my client was involved in nefarious dealings, why would he place those drugs in such an obvious place? There is no attempt made to hide them, bury them, disguise them. Indeed, simply opening that locker up would put them at risk of being spotted. In addition, there’s the risk of other species smelling them. If this was part of a deal, then arguably only an idiot would bring them into school, yet alone store them like that.”

“Well,” Oates said, a crap eating grin on his face. “Given that he was caught messing with howlers, I think we can all agree that your client meets that definition.”

Kris bristled a little, only for his father to speak ahead of him. “Do not insult my son,” he hissed, this time nudging up to him and hugging him tighter, something received with mixed feelings given all that was going on. “Even if you ignore his grades and reports, I’ve got numerous friends, some of them your own colleagues, who can testify that my son is nothing like that. I don’t know how scared he’s been today, given what’s happened to him, but however much it is I’d appreciate it if you stopped poking him and actually worked on finding out who put them in there in the first place.”

Oates shrugged. “In that case, please step back while we ask our prime suspect a few more questions. Now, Mr Refu, in terms of the smell, few mammals know what nighthowlers smell like, especially in the city. I’d agree that if this were somewhere out in Bunnyburrow, you’d have something going on there. As for why they’re like that, maybe it’s so they’re easy to slap your paw down onto, or for grabbing and chucking at a nearby elephant when the time is right. I believe one of the teachers is a bull one, isn’t he?”

“My religious studies teacher, who I like and get on with, is one, yes,” Kris said. “But I’ve never seen those things before or want anything to do with them. I just want to clear this up and help you find who really put them in there.”

“So, you deny it was you,” Oates spoke darkly, Kris noting that, once again, he’d tapped Catano with his foot hoof.

“I’ve never seen or touched them before.”

“Are you certain?” Catano spoke. “If you’re just a cog in the machine, manipulated or not, we could strike a deal where you give up those higher up. Given that this is a serious but non-violent offence, you’d probably be in a reform school until you graduate. However, if you cooperate you could potentially earn weekend home passes from the get go. If you were under duress, so forced under threat of violence, you could leave here a free mammal.”

Kris’ lawyer began to speak, ready to explain what Catano was speaking about, only for Kris to pip him to the post with something completely different. “If I could help you I would but I can’t. I know nothing. Someone else must have placed those things there.”

His voice echoed around the room, the two officers looking at each other. Catano gave a look to the door, Oates nodding, and they stood up, the latter tapping the recorder off. “We’ll just be going out to discuss stuff in private. Ya’ll can talk about your stuff in here too. We’ll be back in a sec.”

“That seems fair,” the lawyer said, as the two stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

There was a pause, before Dr Silverfox grabbed Kris’ paws, looked into his son’s eyes silently for a few seconds before pulling him into his chest, hugging him tight. The young silver fox shook a little before relaxing, his own paws finding his way around his father. “Did I mess up there, at the end?” he asked quietly.

“Not at all,” his lawyer said.

“Good,” he said, relaxing. “Thought so, but…”

“It doesn’t matter,” reassured him. “You did well.”

Kris smiled. He always valued keeping cool, keeping his emotions in check; heck, it was why his friends jokingly called him Mr Calm.

But today had been rough, and even though he was certain that things were going to be okay, he was surrounded by good people after all, a little part of him was rather utterly terrified. Especially when he feared that he’d tripped up and messed up all the other hard work others were putting in to keep him safe. But it wasn’t to be, he’d kept calm throughout and hadn’t let his father down.

They held each other close, their lawyer holding off as they comforted each other, taking refuge in those they loved in this most trying time.

.

.

From the other side of the observation screen, Chief Bogo looked on, scratching his chin before turning to see Catano and Oates come in. "Well," he said, looking up at them. "We know how this one is pleading."

The large horse nodded before sitting down, scratching his head with his hoof. "I'm feeling a little rotten going on at him like that, but the way I see it he's either telling the truth or he's got a poker face you do not want to ever go against."

The Chief nodded, before looking over at Catano. "Offering a deal I see. Have the Detectives Dawson been rubbing off on you?"

She frowned distastefully. "No, I just happened to be lumbered playing the good cop this time. Not that it helped us."

"No it did not," the Chief noted darkly, turning back to face his suspect through the mirror. He peered down on the young silver fox, currently being filled in on his rights and situation by his lawyer. He did not envy him right now. "This is the best lead we have right now," the Chief said slowly, turning back to his officers. He couldn't help but kick himself for sending away his two newest detectives, right as everything flared up, but what was done was done. Of course, adding to all of this, was the fact that he'd had to take Wilde and Hopps off the case. Of all the mammals who had to turn up with the howlers in their locker, it was one they knew. Wilde's soon to be godchild's cousin. 

But that didn't mean he doubted that they'd get to the bottom of this. Oates was an old hoof at the game but not one to underestimate, while Catano was highly competent in her own right. "I want you to explore every avenue you can with extreme prejudice. Do you understand?"

They both nodded.

"Now, what do you think, and where do we go from here?"

.

.

Meanwhile, across the city, various other little chats were going on. Back at the school, hundreds were taking place as the news spread. Students talked or shouted or argued, staking their claim that one of their own was guilty or innocent. Originally it was only the class in question that was going to be returning home that day, the parents turning up and having their own, worried, chats with their children. However, the news about the nighthowlers had spread and soon more parents, from other classes or years, were turning up, trying to get their children away from any danger that might be present.

“-I mean, who knows if there’s more in the school?” a red fox tod said, shaking a little as he pulled his daughter away. That daughter, almost eighteen and with long locks of flowing blonde hair, was uncharacteristically accepting of his concern. “I mean if someone wanted to cause damage, they might have been slipping them into the canteen food. Into the soup or a salad or who knows what.”

The vixen in question nodded, finally slipping back and pulling her paw out of her father’s as they cleared the school grounds. “I guess so,” she said. “But you know I eat offsite.”

He paused, looking back at her and nodding. “I know, Brittany, but what if another animal eats them, I… -You know how concerned we were, I was, back then.”

She nodded slightly. “I know, we’re still getting through the toilet paper stockpile. But that was more because we feared that we might…” She left the rest unsaid.

“Yes,” he sighed. “I did too dear, I did too. But I was also scared that I’d be out one day and then a giant lion or a bear might come down on you or me. And now I’m scared that a kid might wait until he’s in a crowd to howler himself! Or hit an elephant! And he’s in the same room that you are, then…”

This time it was his turn to leave things unsaid. An awkward silence filled the air as Brittany looked around, briefly spotting a younger student from the class she was a prefect in walking on the other side of the road. Her heart flickered with concern as she saw the white ewe trembling and shaking, looking this way and that out of terror. “Maisy…” she called out, pausing as the younger student looked up and jumped in shock, practically running down the street to a waiting car, gleaming in the sunlight where it stood. Someone from inside pulled open the front passenger seat and she leapt in, the door closing as the massive black SUV rolled off into the distance.

“Huh, she was in a hurry,” Brittany’s father commented, before turning down to her. “Come on, let’s go home.”

The blonde haired vixen held still for a second or two before shaking her head. “Gah… Yeah, that sounds good.”

Off they went again, the air filled with an awkward silence which he occasionally tried to break. “I’m guessing you know her, right?”

“Yeah, she’s in the form I prefect for. Some stupid bullies must have made her life crap after Smellwether was taken in.”

“You think people might say that she did it?”

Brittany shrugged. “Not the craziest thing. I mean, there’s some people going around saying that this other kit in that form, Kris, was the one they found the howlers on.” She looked off to the site before barking out a tiny laugh. “I mean, they could at least try to be realistic. Seriously…”

.

.

Elsewhere in the city, three mammals skulked down in a small hidey-hole. They weren’t ones who liked to be seen, even as they did what needed to be done. Few mammals would understand their goals, their aims, their enemies. Few here at least. A long time ago in a different place, they’d been heroes, but that was a long and tiring battle won a long time ago. The lead one, his muzzle scowling as his eyes flicked over the incoming reports, let out a little growl. “A kit… He dragged a kit into all this!”

A delicate paw touched over his coiling one and he looked to the side. “Keep calm, dear,” she said softly as he broke off, huffing.

“You don’t understand, it’s not the first time... They always go after kits," he sighed. "Easy pickings, can't fight back, they're bullies and it makes them feel strong. Or just lets them hurt those around them, to prove that they can. Elementary students sent to juvie, for years, all to spite me!” 

The room fell quiet as she looked around. Whatever happy ending may have come out of those past exploits, that was still a terrible sore spot.

“-They were just playing dammit. They were kids, they were just kids…” He paused and sniffed as a third, much larger, paw touched his shoulder in solidarity. There was a deep rumble from behind them as the third, larger, member spoke up.

“I know you still part blame yourself for what happened to them, but it wasn’t your fault then and this isn’t like that at all.” 

 “-And then there was that teen he called by mistake,” the first mammal carried on. “He then humiliated himself in front of him, raged on at him for daring to mock him and then sent his lackeys out to bring him in for that little insult! That guy had to flee the state for the whole summer!”

“He literally stayed at a friend's house across the street, and we had it all sorted by summer's end.”

 The leader waved back dismissively. “Yes, but my point is still entirely valid,” he spoke, before adopting a more sober tone. “But, damn, I thought we were past that. I thought we were past bad guys who'd kits into it, but no. Our new nemesis is into it too. Maybe he did his research, worked out that this was a real sore spot for us, huh…”

“Maybe not,” the second member spoke. “Maybe this isn’t something personal between him and us.”

“It's not your name that he takes in vain you know.”

“I know,” she said, as he sighed. 

“-And I was so close before! So close, but he gave me the slip. I still wonder if I should have broken cover to the Chief, Wilde and Hopps, we were all together… Hindsight and all… But why this, why now?”

The third mammal spoke again. “Well, let’s say it’s a piece of his puzzle. How does it help him? A distraction maybe? It could be drawing us away right now while they take in that package my brother discovered.” He frowned a little. “And after how much I ribbed flyboy for letting the bad guys swipe that, I don’t want to make myself look like an idiot too.”

“As far as my research shows, that package, whatever they want with the Don’s last moments, is still in transit with ‘Elsa ’,” the second mammal spoke. “We’ll have some time before we have to deal with it. But that leaves this mystery unanswered. Any thoughts, dear?”

“I wish I knew,” the first mammal said, looking back forward as a predatory glean shined over his eyes. “But I’m thinking that some of his lackeys will be out there to guide things along the way that he and his gang wants them to go. We find them, we can follow them back to their leader.”

“And the kit?” the female member asked.

The leader looked back to his screen. “I gather he’s got some good mammals on his side. Briefly met them myself, same time I almost got him. But we’ll make him pay for this.”

The figure behind him nodded and smiled. “Shall I get out my big cussin’ stick?”

The leader smiled and turned back to the incoming data. “Yeah. I think we’re going to need it.”

.

.

“What...!”

The exclamation echoed out, its originator’s brow furrowing as he read on further. There was a slight clatter from the side, before he noticed someone much larger than him, but not really the person he wanted, enter. “A new problem, dear?”

“No, beautiful, no…” he said, as he opened up his phone and called a very important number. “Not yet at least, though knowing our luck it’ll… -Yes! Yes, this is important! Have you heard the news about the howlers and the school yet?”

The response filtered out as he nodded to it. “I hear that’s the very basics of it, not that I really care for the kid either way. What I want to know is whether he was one of yours or not?”

…

“Well, I’m sorry you’re short-staffed, but as we all say sacrifices have to be made, dear chap.”

…

“Well, from some more than others,” he said rather pointedly, grumbling a little. He listened on to the complaints coming from the other end of the line, his brow furrowing further before jumping up with a jolt. “-I’ll have you know that I’m still perfectly committed to our joint plan, thank you very much!”

…

“-Project Black Phoenix is being done on my own time, don’t you know,” he spoke, paw going to his heart. “Moreover, I would never go against my word to a fellow miscreant.”

What followed were a few little chastisements which he begrudgingly ignored, letting them sail over his head. All part of compromising really. In any case, he only really joined up with this fellow out of respect for the misdeeds he’d done in the past, and what he had planned for the future. Oh, not forgetting his own partner of course, the third side of this little triangle. Now there was a mammal who really could do stuff, and had. Not to belittle the guy he was currently talking to, of course. 

Indeed, he’d finally got the answer to his question.

“So then how did they end up there?”

…

“Well, we’ll have to see,” he muttered, having a various mix of dark feelings about this. Oh, it meant they couldn’t be betrayed or tracked back to, but it meant there was stuff going on that he didn’t know about. He really didn’t like there being stuff going on that he didn’t know about, and as he began digging and researching, he swore to himself that he would remedy that situation promptly. “You and your partner will have to do their best to gather up any information on this, you hear!”

…

“Good,” he muttered, looking on at the data coming in. Nothing classified yet, sadly. Instead there were the various ripples on the pond of social media, truly a dreary and depressing thing for someone like him to have to filter through. Still, he had to know. Not knowing meant that things could turn and coil up in the dark, striking you with no warning and from the angle you least expected. Knowing, though, knowing could open doors. He knew. It felt so long ago that he didn’t know about it, about that dark truth that couldn’t be spoken. But he’d found it, and like Adam and Eve biting the apple there had been no going back then. Years travelling, learning, discovering, getting the pieces together as he readied himself to truly enter history. Oh, if his old enemies could know what he planned, if they could begin to see and understand. He was a marvellous villain, if he did say so himself, one of the greatest. 

But in the grand scheme of things there was more than that. 

With this he would rise up, past the likes of his partners or the corrupt mayors and bloodied dictators, even past those unknown legends in the criminal shadows. He might even find out the identity of whoever ran his arms supplier, one of the great mysteries in the criminal underworld. Those who had been good to him would be rewarded, he was fair, but as for himself…

He hadn’t just bitten the apple, he’d harvested a bunch and was cooking them up into a very special baked treat as he spoke. There was one shadow to rule them all and it had once cast long and dark in the blackest of places, its presence even felt unknowingly in the lightest, but its place had been emptied. He would fill it again, and unlike the past occupier, this time he would not stay hidden. 

He mused on, quickly piecing together the real name of that anonymous vulpine. “Kristofferson Silverfox,” he said, rolling it over on his tongue. It rolled well, and he raised an eyebrow. An errant thought, most would dismiss it as nothing, but…

He typed on further, then further, then further as his brow furrowed and his eyes darted across the screen. There was a nudge from his side as his paramour leant down to get closer look, her eyes widening. “My word…”

He was too busy processing it to spare a response.

“Of all the chances and coincidences...”

“Of all indeed,” he said, a hundred different feelings flowing through his mind. Oh, this could be good, very good in fact. He had had no idea and, though things were less than ideal now, he was perfectly forgiving given that he wouldn’t have otherwise known. “So, how do we play our cards with this little treat then?” he spoke, smiling.

“Whichever way you feel best.”

He smiled wider, turned back down to the screen and let off a wicked laugh. “Oh, little Silverfox, thanks for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m afraid I’ve got some good news and some bad news. That bad news, unfortunately, is that things are going to get much wronger for you. The good news? Ah, well you see, the good news is for me and, sadly, not for you. But I can assure you that it is very good news.”

.

.

"Wait, a fox?"

"Yes, so I've gathered," a white-tailed deer doe spoke. She was not liking this conversation. Indeed, she rarely liked any conversation with this mammal and, as he was technically her boss, she had to go through a lot of them. Thankfully, though, he wasn't lined up to be her boss for much longer. Indeed, were they not caught up in a lot of nasty machinations above their heads then, following the popular sentiment, their positions should be reversed (and staying that way for the foreseeable future). But, in the here and now she had to put up with it. She grimaced at his subdued response, not the kind of one you'd want to hear from someone in his position. 

"Pardon me," he spoke, giving a fake cough as he tried to cover up what he'd actually let out. She wasn't fooled. "I think I'll take this from here."

She winced, glancing down to look at the picture on her desk. There she stood, the big burly arms of a mountain lion wrapped around her, his fanged mouth giving her cheek a little bite. "From what I gather, this isn't an adult, it was one of the stu…"

"I'll take this from here," he spoke again, and she winced, not knowing if he sounded frustrated at that development or excited. Were she able to cross her hooflets, she would, hoping for the former. 

"Are you certain? I can easily…"

"-I think this needs to be treated as seriously as a scared population would want it to be," he spoke. Again, she wasn't sure if he was angry or excited, though this time she felt that 'all of the above' could also apply. "I mean from someone like yourself, who must have been in so much fear due to a certain mayor's actions…"

She hissed, glancing down to her picture again. After all he'd said, how dare he…

"-Don't you agree?" He asked, this time with a definite glee in his voice.

"I'll be forwarding them on," she spoke plainly, "I see you've smelt blood in the water and are winding yourself up, I can practically hear you salivating. Good hunting." Hanging up, she took a moment to compose herself. She didn't share those sentiments, but she knew that he would be most irritated with her metaphor choice. Small victories and all, but now it was time to get to work. There wasn't anything that she could do and, in any case, his excesses would be hamstrung by the youth protection laws. Regardless, she felt she better warn those on the front line.

.

.

"Kris isn't going to jail, is he?"

Silence filled the room as the various mammals turned to look at Ash. He shied away from their gaze, looking down and fussing with his fingers as he tried to keep himself calm. It was broken off as a red paw touched his, stroking the top before working down and under to grip it hard. "Ash," his father said confidently. "As the head of the Fox family, let me tell you that we'll do each and every thing possible or imaginable before letting something like that happen to one of our own."

Ash held on a little tighter, only to look down at the floor. "Seriously though," he said.

"I… " Mr Fox began, before cutting himself off. He sighed. "We'll fight for him, fight for him hard," he promised, as Ash looked up at him. Their gaze held for a few seconds, the younger fox at least feeling a little less lost, before a new voice spoke up.

"Hey Mr," Nick began, before making a spitting sound. "Things are going to be okay, and even if something goes horribly wrong, which it shouldn't, then your cousin will not be going to jail."

"But…" Ash began, only to be cut off by his father.

"I think he might be right, we've got some pretty good laws, don't we?"

Nick nodded. "I think it was back when your father was off doing his ranger stuff, but back when I was in high school a bad thing happened with the youth justice system…"

"-Was this the thing with squirrel troubles," Haida asked. "I remember my mother pulling my sister from school after the reports began coming in."

Nick nodded, turning to Ash. "Okay, quick primer. Government tries to force red and grey squirrels to get along. Red and grey squirrels do not get along. Suspensions do not work, squirrel parents are happy their kids were fighting the enemy, so, oopsie number one, they let teachers make detentions be spent in Juvie. Oopsie number two, they think that teachers will be reasonable and use common sense. Spoiler, many weren't. Bad teachers with petty grudges made kits spend the night in juvie for basically nothing. The good news is that most people were mad at this, it all got scrapped after a few months. Better news, afterwards all political parties decided to work together for once and update the youth justice laws."

Ash nodded. "Okay, updated them to what?" 

This time Judy spoke. "The agreement was that the system should make sure that a hungry orphan street kit, stealing a little bit of food or something, should have no chance of ending up behind bars. For a start, all youth interrogations require a lawyer and legal guardian present."

"Which was why they couldn't start until your uncle came in," Nick added. "Besides that, on the other side of the courtroom fence, they really try to avoid Juvie. When I was a kit, this city had about a dozen. Now they just have one, and only the really nasty kids are sent there. I'm talking about your willful murderers, the mammals who beat others to a pulp, your sex offenders, your triple-repeating offender or escapee. I'm talking the worst of the worst. Your shoplifters, hackers and trespassers can get fines, ankle tracking and community service, while your car jackers and drug dealers can get sent to secure training centres. Reform schools so to speak. Which I've heard are more like boarding schools. Visits are easier, they don't have cells or uniforms, and if the behaviour is good they let you out for weekends or even holidays."

Ash nodded, still not liking the sound of that. They'd still be taking Kris away, from his friends, from his family, from his life and from his father. After all that time worrying and waiting, after finally getting back together again, the two were just going to get torn apart. Again. He brought his knees up and wrapped his tail around his legs, sulking as he closed his eyes, their corners misting up. He couldn't help but remember those angry looks and stares before the event, the look on his cousin's face as he last saw him, and how useless he'd been as he was taken away. 

"Ash…"

It was his father, but he shrugged it off. How could he understand? How could he even tell him about how he'd messed up, about how he'd…

"-Listen." It was Nick. "Kris will not be going away. Yes, they found those things in his locker, but do you know how strong that proof is in a court of law?"

Ash managed to peek up a little. "It seems like a lot."

"Does it?" Nick began, "yes, yet it does. But it can't stand on its own."

"After all," Judy continued, "those lockers aren't infallible. We've had drug cases in schools before, and every mammal can argue that someone opened theirs up and put something in. The police were called from outside, right?"

"I guess," Ash admitted. "They just turned up."

"Right," Judy agreed. "It's well known that a mammal could try that sort of thing. After all, I'm pretty sure you've heard of stuff like swatting. A good lawyer, something Kris should get, even before your uncle could hire one, can make that argument. Given that you need proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt for a conviction, you need something else too. Most of the time we check cameras, ask for witnesses, investigate the perps home and schedule, even doing a blood test. This usually gives a mix of things that paint the mammal in question as a user or dealer."

"And I know this is different," Nick carried on. "But the same principles will apply and they won't find all that other stuff, which means your cousin will not be convicted. -Unless he actually did do it, which he didn't, of course."

The last bit lightened Ash's mood a little, giving him a brief respite from everything. However, it all began to pool back again, along with another, scary, thought. One that seemed to tear through him, freezing him in terror, as a knock on the door rang out. Ash looked up, breathing in faster and faster as the cheetah cop stepped inside and turned to look right at him. “Hello, Ash Fox? Mind if we have a little chat?”

.

.

"Yes, understood," Chief Bogo spoke, sighing as he put down his phone. He looked up to his waiting pair of officers. "That was Assistant District Attorney Jeanette Deux, just warning us that the DA himself is taking over."

The reaction was more pronounced on the predator of the pair.

"Make of it what you will," he said. The pair nodded, gathering up the files they'd been reviewing and slipping off. Bogo turned and looked on into the interview room. Inside was a new occupant, a new fox kit, looking as scared as he'd expect the true guilty party to be.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4:

.

The two officers stepped into the room, pausing a little as they saw who was there. There was the youth who they’d been interrogating of course, his lawyer as standard, and the required parent or guardian standing by him, the identity of which raised a few eyebrows.

“Are you sure you want to be here, given your condition?” Oates asked.

A paw running across her ripening belly, Mrs Fox gave him a hard look back. “I don’t feel any less capable than usual,” she spoke out, letting the slightest bit of venom into her words.

“Just, maybe your husband would…”

“I decided it would be best if I was there for my children today,” she spoke, running her paw over her belly again; saying that in the plural, wanting to remind them what state she was in. After all, this horse was already making himself out to be a Good Ol’ Boy, and she knew a thing or two about them. First, they liked to fight and look good doing so. Second, they liked it to be honourable. Third, having to go up against a heavily pregnant vixen like herself was sure to throw him off his game, both making him go a little easier and helping him to underestimate her. After all, in all that faux concern, there was a little hint of belief that she might be a little more quote-unquote emotional than usual. 

Well, she was emotional, but it was just the one, unwavering, remorseless feeling that coursed through her. The way she saw it, she had three kits, and two of them were at risk here with the third potentially having to live with the fallout. As a result, she was going to play every dirty trick and every sly underhanded tactic that she could. Her husband would fight, he’d fight well, but he was like this horse. He’d be putting on a show, trying to one-up the opponent and enjoying the means as he worked towards the ends.

She, meanwhile, would just be winning it. 

The other officer, a cheetah, looked over at her and smiled. “Aaaawwww,” she said. “Congratulations.”

Felicity turned to look at her and stayed silent. She let her eyes stay focussed on the feline until her grin began to waver and fade, before letting a little smile grow on her own face. “Thank you.”

The cheetah managed a little smile back before turning to Oates and nodding, pressing the recording button as she did so. “Now,” she said, looking down. “Can I have your name, please?”

Mrs Fox turned, keeping her emotions in check as she looked at her son. He seemed terrified, she couldn’t blame him, not after the horror show he’d just had to witness at his school. Then, as he finally started to piece things together after being picked up, he’d been called up and put under the spotlight. He briefly looked up at her, her heart wincing as she saw the trembling in his eyes, before she held on to his paw and nodded her head. He breathed in and out and then spoke.

“A-A-Ash Fox,” he said, his words unsteady. She felt him fidget with his paw.

“Now then,” Catano began, slowly. “Can you tell me how you feel about your cousin’s arrest?”

“Huh!?”

“How do you feel about it?” she spoke again, 

Mrs Fox looked down on him as he paused, closed his eyes and began breathing in and out through his nose. She gently let go of his paw, letting him hold them thumb-claw to index-pad, only to be broken off by the horse detective.

“Listen son, you do know that wasting police time is an offence?”

He jolted out of it, beginning to mumble fearfully before Felicity grabbed his paw, holding it as tight as she could while she snapped to face the enquiring equid. “My son has just seen something utterly traumatic. I think you can see that he’s in intense emotional distress and, as he’s been taught by his cousin, he was trying to use some meditative techniques to calm down. Now, I don’t want you to waste our time by pushing him when he’s not ready. Have I made myself clear?”

The sharp tongued response cleared the air for a second or two, Ash using the time to compose himself properly. She silently noted that attempts at playing up the ‘emotionally unstable underdog’ card might not work from now on, given that she’d been scathing enough to make an elephant think twice. In that case then, that was how she would roll.

“-I understand that you’re being protective of your children,” Catano began slowly.

“You don’t seem to act like it.”

Her ears went down and her brow furrowed. “-But we need to hear this from him, himself. It’s important. So, Ash, how do you feel about your cousin’s arrest?”

Mrs Fox looked down as he breathed in and out. “Scared,” he spoke, the words sounding hollow.

“Anything else?”

“I…” he began, pausing to rub his head. There was a pause, a sniff, and Felicity made sure she was holding his paw tight, making sure her precious little kit knew she was there. “It just went all wrong, it just all did. It was over, it was good and things were going to be good. But now they’re not, and I’m scared, scared because you might be taking Kris away and he doesn’t deserve to be taken away, it’s not fair… I... “

“What went wrong exactly,” Oates asked.

“Life! And everything,” Ash said, shaking his head. “We’d got it all sorted, it was going to be okay, but now it’s not.”

“So, things weren’t sorted before?”

“No,” he began. “But I was getting better thanks to Kris, but now he’s gone.”

“Do you know why he’s gone?”

“Yes! He had night howlers in his locker, but…”

“-But why did he have them in there?”

“I don’t know!” Ash exclaimed, paws going out before his face crumpled into them. “He’d never have them there. Someone… Someone must have put them there…”

“Do you know why someone put them there?” Catano asked. Mrs Fox made sure to show her a paw, before bending down to hold an arm around her son. She wanted to get through this quickly, but seeing him so wound up was hurting her. He didn’t deserve this and he was right, things had all been good, but now everything had been pulled out from underneath him and they weren’t even giving him the chance to get back up again.

“Do you know why someone put them there?” Catano asked again, Felicity making sure to give her a death glare.

“Son, do you know?” Oates spoke, the horse then getting the same treatment. He was unphased. “This is important! This could help him!”

“-They were jealous?” he blurted out, then shrugging a little.

“-I’d like to make it known that my son just shrugged,” Felicity spoke, before looking up to their lawyer.

“Something I will second.”

She then turned to the officers, making sure that they were backing off as Ash began doing a breathing exercise, slowly getting his nerves back together again. A moment or two passed before he spoke again. “Okay,” he said slowly. “I can carry on now.”

“Let’s say that your cousin is in fact responsible for this,” Catano began. “Do you know any reason why? Any reason, however small?” 

“No…”

“Do you know any time or place he could have gone off to get some, anyone he was working with?”

“No.”

“And what about how he’d transport them, I mean he’d have to have wipes to make sure they don’t stain him or anything.”

“I don’t know,” Ash sighed. “But he didn’t do it! Someone must have put them in his locker.”

“Uh-hu,” Catano said slowly, nodding her head. “Okay then. How did your day start off?”

“What?” he asked, as Felicity looked over at them. This time, Catano had her paws up.

“We might be able to find an alibi or clue. Just go on.”

“Well I got up,” he said. “Had a shower, had breakfast, cycled to school. Went to registration, joined Kris in english, we were doing presentations and I was just taking the time to proof my one while others were doing theirs. Then things started going on, the teachers began acting odd and the police began arriving and I began to get worried and…”

“-Scared they were here for you,” Oates spoke out.

Ash said “Yeah,” before either his mother or lawyer could stop him. Suddenly in damage control mode, Felicity shushed him and snapped around to face off against Oates, the shark in horse’s clothing now smelling blood.

“Yes, and why would that be!?” he barked out.

“I…” Ash began, Felicity turning to him, ready to make him shut his mouth but instead caught between sadness and relief as he choked up, his ears going back.

“Of course you know why that would be, wouldn’t you?” Oates began, as Felicity snapped to him, only to hear Ash speak as she did so.

“Yes,” he said, before his eyes widened in horror. “-I mean…”

“Stop it!” she ordered, to the both of them.

“-No. I don’t know,” Ash corrected, panting hard and holding his mother’s paw tight.

Her guard raised against Oates, Felicity didn’t notice Catano, the cheetah butting in. “What do you know?”

“I feel guilty!” Ash wailed, his head going down and burrowing into his paws.

“We need a break,” his lawyer argued, stepping up.

“And that means silence!” Felicity almost yelled, her voice lashing so hard it must have disturbed her baby. She felt a slight kick, her paw defensively going down to defend it, her claws baring.

.

…

“Now listen,” Oates began.

“No, you listen, my son and nephew have been through enough!”

The horse shrugged. “Which is why I didn’t want their mother doing something that she would regret either,” he said slowly, sitting down and raising a hoof. Felicity took a moment or two to compose herself; she was standing out, her fur all on end and tail bottlebrushing. Her teeth were almost bared too, things she took the time to rectify. Then she turned to her son, her heart breaking as she saw him almost shivering, a few glistening tears running down his muzzle. She could do nothing but dive in and hold him tight. 

“It’s going to be okay,” she said. “Nothing is wrong.”

“Can I clarify something,” he croaked.

She held back and looked at him, before glancing up at the fourth adult in the room as he cleared his throat. “Let me hear it first,” he said. Felicity nodded, Ash whispering into his ear. He nodded, whispered back, then turned to the officers. “My client is going to clarify what he meant by that last remark. You will not interrupt or pressure him until it is over. Understand?”

Catano nodded and smiled a little, something Felicity had a not too faint desire to punch in. “Absolutely.”

Ash shuffled away, breathed in and out, and spoke. “I don’t know why,” he said faintly. “I… When the teachers and everyone started going around, I just felt they were going after me. They just seemed to be looking at me and, I know now that it was them looking at Kris, but I felt they were after me and then they were taking me out, keeping an eye on me. Then we got to the lockers, his is below mine, and I thought they were glancing at me. I thought they were there for my one. But then they opened his up and they took him away, but I still sort of thought it was me who they were supposed to…” He broke off, sniffing. “-Me who they were supposed to be taking. I don’t know why. I don’t. I’m scared of those things, the howlers, I don’t like them. I was there during the first scare! The head said something about survivor's guilt after, maybe it’s that. But Kris… Kris is Kris, it wouldn’t be him. I just kind of think it was meant to be me…”

A cold silence filled the room as the young fox trailed off, only matched by the pit of ice forming in Felicity’s heart. She immediately dived down, holding a non-resistive Ash, hoping, pleading, that this would somehow let him know that he was wrong. He was completely wrong. This wasn’t his fault, this wasn’t Kris’ fault, it was the fault of no mammal here and he should take any silly idea in his head that he was to blame and stuff it into the nearest correctly labelled rubbish bin. Her paw fussing around, catching his ear, she closed her eyes and breathed in, whispering into him. “Please don’t blame yourself. Please don’t.”

As she did so her lawyer was talking. “My client has clearly gone through something extremely traumatic, not helped by the shambolic way in which the officers responsible handled the initial arrest. I’m sure you’ve all experienced past events when responding to accidents or traumatic attacks, survivors’ guilt is not uncommon. What is uncommon, and in this case repugnant, is an attempt to use this kit’s survivor's guilt as a way of implicating himself.”

Felicity managed to gaze over at them. The cheetah cop’s ears were folded back slightly, though the horse was stonewalling them, his nostrils flaring a little. “So, it was extremely traumatic. I’m guessing you were close to your cousin then?”

There was a faint nod from Ash and Felicity broke off, sitting up and staring daggers at the horse, the occasional one given to the cheetah too. If they tried anything, she was ready to bite.

“Yeah,” Ash said weakly.

“Quite odd for cousins to be that close.”

“They lived under the same roof for half a year,” Felicity spoke harshly. “Like twin brothers. They’re in the same class, they work on their own projects together. Kris is like a son to me and he’s become a brother to my boy.”

“Yes, after a few hiccups along the way,” he spoke, and then Mrs Fox saw red.

“If you’re thinking about going where I’m thinking you’re going, you better not be,” she stated, standing up.

“Keep…”

“-How do you even know about how my son and nephew got along?”

There was a pause, then a shrug. “We looked up police records. There was an officer we all know who got quite involved in your family, and a partner who has always been dutiful about record and paperwork filing.”

“After all my son… -after all we’ve been through, I’m sure it’ll make you feel nice, big and strong rubbing all that in again,” she spoke.

“I’m not judging,” he said with a shrug, turning down to Ash. Felicity looked at him, expecting him to by crying or focusing on his breathing exercises. Instead he was staring out at him angrily, a scowl on his face and his jaw in the earliest stages of a scowl. His tail was bottlebrushing too, and she knew that this had a strong chance of not going well.

“Well I’m not jealous of him anymore,” Ash spoke, turning down and spitting on the ground. She’d usually chastise him on that, but she felt like giving him a break here. “I know he’s better than me at everything, but I’m okay with that. I know I’m still good at what I do, and one thing I am is a good cousin and a good friend! You think I put them in there out of jealousy, don’t you? You… you just want to throw both of us foxes in jail or something and call it a job well done! Well you’re not good cops at all!”

…

Oates looked down at the floor, before turning to the intercom and pressing in. “Just to be advised, the client did just spit on the floor. If he does it again or at one of us we might need to take precautions. Are there any alpacas or anything the size of foxes? We just might need an anti-spit muzzle soon enough.”

Felicity’s eyes bulged in shock, before she heard an embarrassed whimper from Ash. She turned to see him pulling his legs up into his arms, his lower jaw pulled back so his front teeth slipped over his lip and his ears folded back. She tilted her head a bit at the odd expression, especially as he briefly made eye contact before snapping his head away, pulling everything further back or closer in. 

“I apologise for any hurt feelings,” Catano spoke, slowly and levelling, looking at them. “But we have to explore every avenue and possibility. I don’t think we have any further questions.”

“No, we do not,” Oates spoke plainly.

“And I have none that I can say in front of my son,” Felicity spoke as she got up, a paw going onto Ash’s shoulder. He flinched a little, jittering away nervously before breathing in and out, composing himself. She silently guided him out, expecting him to jump into her arms as soon as they left.

Instead he seemed to want to maintain a small distance, something that continued until they reached a bathroom. “Can I just have a moment,” he spoke, slowly and plainly.

Felicity nodded, leaving him as he slipped in and going back to the room to tell the others. She kept it plain and she kept it quick, Nick especially wincing near the end.

“I admit, it’s hard when you’re on this end,” Judy spoke. She was slumped down, face in paws and ears drooping down in front. “They were trying to make the suspect trip up. I’m afraid I’ve done it before to different perps. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, it wasn’t you who did it,” Felicity said.

“I know, but had we not known you then it would have been, I…”

“-You’d have been more tactful,” Nick said.

“So, a worse cop.”

He pulled back. “No… A different kind of cop.”

Judy sighed, looking up at him. “Listen Nick. Given their records, Ash doing it out of jealousy to bring Kris down makes sense if you don’t know them. If I didn’t know them and read that up, it would be a possibility. Then guess what, I’d try and make him trip up or get so scared he’d fess it out too. I’d hurt him and you too…”

There was a clearing of a throat from the other side of the room, everyone turning to see the newest pair to make everyone’s acquaintance. Haida and Retsuko had largely been silent throughout everything, they had the least stake in it all, but the hyena seemed to have something to say. “So, in that case that’s what would happen. But it’s not what happened, is it? Even then, those cops were talking to Ash for a little bit and they probably ruled him out. Same for Kris. That then gets them closer to the real guy. I mean it totally sucks, but it just sucks for a moment, then fixes things long term.”

“-And I know certain mammals who are jerks a lot of the time but can have a soft side when the cards come down,” Retsuko added. “Sometimes you have to put up a face or something for work. That doesn’t make you a bad person. That’s just reality.”

Judy paused, thinking for a second or two. “Yeah, but I’m not sure Mrs Fox and Ash would forgive me,” she said, looking straight into the eyes of the vixen in question. A vixen who had had time to cool down. 

She paused, thinking for a moment, before speaking. “I suppose this whole event can be written off as ugly but necessary. As long as those officers are sincere in their apology once it’s all cleared up, then I could see myself letting them off.”

“Well, you’re very forgiving,” Judy spoke, as she then looked straight into her eyes, her paws going over her heart. “But I promise that we’ll help. That’s what we do at the ZPD, that’s what I do. It’s why I joined, to help all mammals, including ones like you. And I promise I’ll do everything I can to make things right.”

Felicity felt touched and nodded. “Thank you very much. We’ll all pull together. It’s what you do when others are trying to pull you apart.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Nick commented, a slight smile on his muzzle.

Jack nodded along. “I most enjoyed the subdued irony in that statement.”

There was a nod of agreement from Haida. “That sounds good,” he spoke, before turning to Felicity. “Letting them apologise sounds fair. After all, no permanent damage done, right?”

“Right,” she said, only for that word to trail off at the end. After all, with how Ash was and… -No! That was silly. He was strong, he was fine, he was taking an awful long time in the bathroom, wasn’t he? She paused, a sudden terrible chill gathering on her. If the men’s room was anything like the women’s, then the cubicles might have doors with a lintel going over the top. A lintel you could tie something on and around, like Ash’s hoodie. Which you could form into a noose or something, or why even bother with that when he might slip and start biting again! He’d been so rattled then, that might have set him off, and he’d been alone for so long, longer than if he needed the toilet, what if… The others were noticing it now, but she didn’t care, she was getting up. Her husband had seen it but she had to get past him, the second or two it took to explain might be a second or two too late. She might lose him. Oh god, her little kit. She couldn’t lose him, she had to get out, around the door and…

“Mom?”

She froze, seeing him walking the other way.

“Mom?” he asked again, his head tilting slightly, and she felt like she could faint from the relief. She heard her husband come around and hold her as her legs buckled, before she took a few deep breaths in. Her legs and back hurt a bit and she was out of breath, really not helped by her younger kit. Still, it was okay, her older kit was fine.

“Are you okay?” he asked, and that time, from him, it registered. She realised that her husband had been asking it too but she hadn’t really noticed. She sniffed a little.

“You were just alone for a long time, I just got scared.”

His eyes widened before he rushed forward, holding onto her tight. “I just wanted some alone time. I’m sorry.”

“I just get worried,” she sniffed. “It’s okay.” They returned to the main room and settled down. “You need to see your therapist,” she ended up saying.

“I am seeing her.”

“You need to see her more.”

“That… that would be good,” he agreed. They all waited there, tense and nervous, as the seconds and minutes ticked on, seeming like minutes and hours.

.

.

.

.

“Well,” Catano spoke, huffing as she entered the office. She looked up at Bogo, a blank look on her muzzle. “I think you can agree that we pursued that with extreme prejudice.”

Oates gave a snort, slumping down disdainfully. “I’m going to have to do a Wilde here and say that the only thing we managed with that was giving them an extreme prejudice against us.”

Looking at them, Chief Bogo rubbed his hoof against his head. “I can’t blame you there, except for invoking the name of that fox. I hope it made you feel better.”

“Can’t say it did.”

“Then please refrain from any more of that in the future,” the Chief said, sitting down and reviewing his notes again. 

“Will do, sir,” the horse noted, before giving another equine snort. “Anyway, where now, as that was a waste of time.”

“It was a long shot,” Catano said. “It would need for him to be the perp and for him to trip up.”

“Indeed,” the Chief agreed. “You pulled every trick you could. From hounding him to that clever little thing about the pellets ‘staining’ and needing wipes. Given that he could have said that he saw his cousin with baby wipes or stuff then, I don’t think he deliberately tried to set him up.”

“-Unless he’s now having second thoughts,” Oates pointed out. “That or he’s familiar with them and knew it was a trap. Still, this could have been him not meaning to do it.”

“Or a third party,” Catano pointed out.

“Yes, but who?” the horse countered.

“Or the mammal who we actually found the howlers with,” Bogo spoke, the pair turning to him. “After all, he’s the one we have the most evidence on.”

“Well,” Oates began. “I think that’s a matter of dispute.”

“Or a matter of a third party trying to confuse us further,” Catano suggested, shrugging. “If that was his aim, it’s worked, and if he wanted to hurt both foxes he certainly succeeded.”

Bogo was quiet for a bit before standing up. “Whatever the case, we do have to deal with those young foxes, and given that they are young things are trickier. Even if our DA wanted to charge the Silverfox kit now, him getting off would be a near certainty as soon as we share our evidence with the defence. He’d need more stuff and solid stuff but, until then, we’ll have to let them go.”

“We’re allowed to monitor him though, aren’t we?” Oates asked.

Bogo paused. “If he was suspected in a violent crime or we were actually charging him, a judge could write it off pretty easily. However, this is a bit more complex.”

“I guess you’ll just have to ask a judge and see what they think,” Catano said, shrugging.

Bogo nodded, and agreed. “You’d better tell the suspect then.”

She nodded, getting up to go out, only to be stopped as there was a knock on the door. All three paused, turning to look at it, as the Chief told whoever it was to come in. Nick Wilde entered. “Officer Wilde, I do believe you’re off this case,” he spoke, a deep unspoken warning to his words.

The fox nodded. “I know that sir, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be a character witness.” He looked over to Catano and Oates, sighing slightly. “Listen, I know you’re doing your jobs and you don’t want one of your own giving you the morality lecture. That’s why I’ll point something out to you. You think Ash set Kris up with the howlers, right? Not sure how you worked that out, other than the notes from when Hopps and I first met him, but that doesn’t matter now. A few days ago I was at the baby shower for his mother. Tons of friends, family, all sorts there, and during it his father announced that Ash had finished a comic he’d been working on; he sells it to one of the pulp magazines, you should try them sometime. Anyhow, Ash had originally put his heart and soul into writing these comics, so he could say he was good at one thing. He entered them into the open competition on the advice of an art teacher, but that same teacher also suggested the same thing to his cousin. Neither knew the other was entering it until they, post-announcement, dropped Ash’s comic for Kris’ late entry. That was what drove him over the edge back then. Anyhow, afterwards as part of their reconciliation they began collaborating on a joint comic, pooling their ideas and skills and whatever. So anyway, his father announces that he, just he, has completed it. If Ash was still jealous, if Ash still hated or resented his cousin, if Ash had even a smidgen of what was needed to plant night howlers in his locker, then he’d of happily hogged all that glory then and there, right?”

There was a long pause, the cheetah officer and horse detective slowly nodding their heads in agreement. 

“Instead, completely unprompted, he told everyone in the room that his cousin had done half the work, letting them give him the applause too. I don’t think Ash did any of that, which isn’t to say Kris did either. He’s one of the most kind and mature kids I know, and I think you know it too, why else would you begin to think that someone else, such as his cousin, did this? Well, you’re part right there. Someone other than Kris did do this, but it wasn’t Ash.” There was a long pause, then a sigh. “I’ll let myself out now, but please remember that I know these kits. I really do. It isn’t them.”

There was a long pause, before Catano nodded. “Your input is appreciated.”

“Thanks,” Nick said, before seeing himself out. The door closed behind him, silence filled the room, before Catano’s face sank into her paws.

“Dammit, I want to tell him…”

“Well the laws say that we can’t, so you won’t,” Bogo muttered as he grabbed the phone. Catano and Oates left the room, moving over to look over their thin case files again. Five minutes later, the Chief came in, and all three headed out.

.

.

.

.

Kris was calm.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t nervous though. 

After the two officers had left, he’d been filled in on the laws and regulations that covered him. Being a youth in Zootopia meant that he was fairly well protected. They couldn’t hold him in jail without a firm conviction, and even then it had to be a major one. Apparently, if he was found guilty of this, he’d be sent to a reform school due to possession of a controlled substance. It meant he’d have his own clothes, his own room, the chance to go out on different nights or spend weekends or even holidays away depending on his behaviour. However, that still felt like cold comfort. He’d be seeing his friends and family far less, he’d miss them. He’d miss his friends and his school and his father. 

He’d been meditating to keep calm but even he could have too much of a good thing; he’d broken off a while back and was sitting down in subdued silence, holding his dad’s paw. There wasn’t much to say, just a long time to wait. A time period that was broken off as the door was opened, the two policemen from earlier walking in. The cheetah cop sat herself down and spoke. “I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that we will be letting you go. The bad news though is that you’re still a mammal of interest, so you’ll have to wear a tracker.”

Kris heard his lawyer grumble and he knew why. Due to the same laws as before, they couldn’t keep him in jail and, if they were to charge him, they'd have to hold his trial within one month. Of course, they didn’t have enough evidence for it. As a result, they were using a stopgap order, made for situations like this. He’d wear a tracker for up to six months, though his life could go on as normal as they worked on finding more evidence. Whether they were ready or not, at the end of that they had to take it off.

-Still, it meant he was going home. Kris was happy for that. He’d hoped that things would work themselves out, there were good mammals and fair rules in place after all, and he could cope with wearing something around his ankle while they fixed what was left to fix. His lawyer put up a little fuss, but he nodded and walked on, sitting down at a desk as he was presented with a few forms to read and sign, before the item itself was taken out. Locked on around his leg, he noted that it was fairly conspicuous and was an odd weight. Then again, it wasn’t as noticeable to his school friends as what happened this morning. He…

He paused, his ears going back in concern. “I’ll be allowed back to school, won’t I?”

“Ash has the rest of the week off if he wants, so will you,” his father said. “I can arrange a meeting with the head, and we’ll go from there.”

“Okay then,” Kris noted, crossing his fingers. It was a worry on his mind, but that and anything else was swept away as they began walking out of the precinct. He’d been confined for a few hours at most but, as he walked out, a great feeling of hope was lifting up inside of him. He was getting out. They turned a corner, and walked up to a door, his father opening it to reveal the rest of his family.

“Kris!”

The silver fox couldn’t help but smile as his cousin saw him, relief etched into his face. “I did say I’d be okay,” he replied back, before his aunt came up and glomped him in a huge hug.

“Oh thank heavens you’re okay,” she said.

“Yeah,” he said, relaxing.

“You good, Kris?” his uncle asked, as he nodded back, slowly breaking away from his aunt to look around. He smiled as he saw Nick and Judy there too, giving them a wave.

“Thanks for coming.”

“Hey, no problem,” Nick said with a smile. “You know, if you wanted a VIP tour, you just had to ask.”

He chuckled at that one, before looking on at the rest of the crowd. Skye and Jack were there, as was a red panda who he didn’t know. There was also a large hyena, who was ringing a lot of bells. Kris’ head tilted ever so slightly as he thought before his eyes widened, the hyena’s half-lidding in response. “Hey, I know you…”

The hyena flicked up his paw, a carrot pen held within. With a flick of his claw, he pressed the play button. ‘ Okay, let me stop you right there. Yes, I look very similar to a certain line of stuffed toys. No, that isn’t a coincidence. I’ve just found out my ‘sister’ designed them and sold the rights for a graduate job about a decade ago. Yes, it is awkward. No, I don’t know what I’m going to do next. It will be ugly.’

Kris blinked. “Oh, okay then. I was actually going to say that we met on a bus ages ago.”

His gloomy mood lifted. “Yeah. Hi there, again. I’m Haida, Retsuko and I were out with Nick and Judy when we got the call.”

“Well, thanks for coming around,” he said, shaking his paw.

“Thanks, to all of you, for coming around,” his father spoke, as he took them all in. “This has been a horrible morning for all of us, but thank you for coming in and helping. Currently they’ll be monitoring Kris with an ankle tracker but, hopefully, they’ll get to the root of this soon.”

“Yeah,” Kris agreed, looking up and smiling.

“Come on, son. Let’s go home.”

The sentiment seemed to be shared with everyone as they began filing out. Kris felt happy as he walked away, things were still bad but he’d held strong and the worst was over. It would be getting better from here for everyone.

“-Hey,” Ash began, Kris turning to look at him. “You seriously didn’t recognise him from the plush at the baby shower. Or the one my therapist has?”

“I did. I just thought it would be nicer not to bring it up.”

“Yeah,” Ash agreed. “I wouldn’t like to be his sister now. Imagine having a sibling like that.”

Kris briefly thought about joking about having a cousin like that, but he decided not to. Sure, there had been a few snickered out rumours that he had fleas or worms, which may or may not have come from his once angry cousin (after all, there was a chipmunk in his class who could have easily contributed as well). But that was long past, and he felt no reason to bring up bad stuff from then now. They were walking out into the lobby now, the sun filled doors to the outside just ahead. He couldn’t wait to get out, he could feel the sun already. He didn’t even mind the tracker that much. This was all about to be over; he was going to avoid that.

“-Stop right there!”

They all did, turning to see a shocked looking hippo exiting out of the water entrance. Lumbering out, opening his arms as the dryer removed the clinging water from his skin and suit, he kept his eyes fixed straight at Kris, the young silver fox backing off ever so slightly.

“-Mr Wassermaim…” came the voice of the Chief, walking out.

“That’s District Attorney Wassermaim,” he boasted, before taking on an ever so slightly more-righteous-than-thou tone in his voice. “Do your officers call you Mr Bogo?”

“My apologies, District Attorney,” he spoke. “Please tell me why you’re here?”

He paused, then let an exceptionally proud smile grow across his face. “I’m here to do what you’re not doing, keeping the people of my city safe by making sure a certain dangerous terrorist does not go free.” He crossed his arms and gave a solid nod, his gaze briefly flicking over to stare down Kris.

The young silver fox felt a shiver run down his spine and to the tip of his tail as the megafauna smiled as if he’d just won the argument. Their eyes meeting, he couldn’t help but notice his grin turn ever so slightly predatory.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

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AN: Welcome back guys for the next chapter, plus a new cast list to help everyone out.  After all, this is now my longest fic, and my first to break the 300K mark! So I'm pretty sure a little help wouldn't harm anyone.

It’s hard to believe that it’s friday again, already… Being furloughed has done strange things to my understanding of time.

Thought for the day: Mondays are a social construct.

Question for the day: does that invalidate Garfield?

I hope quarantine is still going fine for you. Follow the rules, stay safe, be sensible and listen to advice, etc. 

Seriously, do it. 

And (quote-unquote) enjoy the chapter.

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Bogo frowned, his arms crossing as he stared at the newly arrived hippo. “Mr Wassermaim…”

“-That’s District Attorney Wassermaim, Chief Bogo,” he interrupted, his loud voice beckoning out through the ZPD atrium. The mammals in the crowd paused, glancing at each other nervously, their fur on end as they sensed that something was about to go down. Nick and Judy stepped forward, William put a paw on Kris, a nervous Retsuko brought up her phone while the District Attorney spoke on. “We just went over this, and being a professional I’d of at least hoped that you’d have kept your petty bias’ under wraps. Anyway, if you’re done disrespecting me…”

Bogo huffed. “In terms of keeping things professional and your bias' under wraps, I do not think that you’re one to talk. Regardless…”

“-Oh, because you’d treat someone like the Mayor with the same level of disrespect you've given me then, Chief?”

“District Attorney,” Bogo said, not enjoying it. “My comments were in regard to you marching into the middle of the Precinct and shouting out at the top of your lungs to a group of civilians!”

“Yes, ‘civilians’,” the hippo noted, before letting his gaze turn and land once more on Kris. The silver fox knew the story behind him, he read the papers in the school library here and there and his name had come up a number of times. His interest piqued, he’d then looked him up further, using a mix of official sources, blogs and EweTube videos. It hadn’t taken long to get the full context as to who DA Kurt Wassermaim was, why he was controversial and why that was bad news for him.

Originally a high ranking member of the District Attorney’s office, he’d largely kept himself out of the limelight before the Nighthowler Crisis hit, with the exception of a long series of failed cases against Lemming Brothers Bank CEO Murana Wolford and some critical analysis by a few journalists and EweTubers, most notably a fox called Anton Pounceheart. That changed when the predators began turning savage. He’d firmly stood up and stated that the savage predators would be tried if and when that was possible and he wasn’t going to hold back. That by itself was notable, but not enough to really make most mammals take notice. Pounceheart began ramping up his investigations, both on the DA and the wider ‘recidivism crisis’ as he put it, which he was putting down to the contaminated food theory. He also briefly joined up with another (overtly Ovinophobic) EweTuber called ‘Gruinard Gal’, before dropping her after what Kris thought was an uncomfortably long period of time.

What truly made Wassermaim’s name though was that, a few weeks into the crisis, the old DA resigned and it was Kurt, not the expected favourite Jeannette Deaux, who got the job. It was then that mammals began paying attention, especially as he began putting a lot of focus into ‘keeping the peace’. Many protestors and petty criminals began seeing far more of a spotlight put onto them, and it didn’t take long for mammals (first amongst them Pounceheart, who was claiming that an institutional anti-pred conspiracy was going on at this point) to notice that the bulk of the affected mammals were preds.

Questions had begun mounting, especially after a student sit-in protest at an elephant owned ice cream store, one rumoured to often turn away predators, was clamped down on hard. Three dozen or so mammals were charged with multiple counts of trespass and breaching the peace. As if to top it off, their court dates were set slap bang in the middle of exam season, many of them forced to miss their tests with the potential requirement to retake the entire year (though, after much fuss was kicked up, the universities in question allowed the students to have their exams at different dates). Pounceheart himself covered their trials and reported from outside, arguing that it was a precedent for the criminalisation of pro-pred protests, only to be publicly arrested himself (later confirmed to be by one of Dawn’s police rams) and charged with disturbing the peace by the DA.

This, the comparatively light treatment of anti-pred protesters, the ‘anti-savage’ rhetoric and the promotion itself (given that ADA Deaux, though a white-tailed deer, was in a relationship with a mountain lion) began raising questions. Bellwether’s only remark was that it was a scary time for all mammals and that most Zootopians felt safer knowing that there was someone out there trying to preserve what peace and justice they could in those trying times. Wassermaim meanwhile had got an interview of his own.

 Kris, curious to verify this, had looked up that TV interview on EweTube one night and watched as Wassermaim justified himself, talking at long length about the terrified, mutilated, savaged victims filling up the hospitals and how they deserved justice and closure. He mentioned how ordinary mammals, especially small and vulnerable ones, were terrified at how things were going so wrong, and that clamping down hard in other areas, against petty criminals, opportunistic rabble-rousers and anti-establishment 'professional' protestors, was needed to help keep everyone strong and focussed on ‘the true dangerous issue at paw’. This was potentially an infectious disease, and all these mammals were making it more likely to spread and upping the danger for everyone. They needed to be kept home for the safety of others, and if that failed then jail would do.

The interviewer had then commented on the fairness of planning to charge the afflicted predators, especially if it was a disease, and how this and everything else might point to a worrying bias. The hippo immediately took the offensive. He’d called the reporter out on air, saying that if anyone was a speciesist it was him. After all, ‘those savage preds’ could mutilate both their own kind and prey, making no distinction. He was the one inferring that this was a pred and prey issue and, by his own logic, he was saying that prey were not deserving of justice and closure. If it really was a disease, then they could just get off on insanity, couldn’t they?

Much of the talk had gone on like that, Wassermaim denying any biases and then turning any accusations around, claiming that he himself was the one striving to keep things fair. He said that if the afflicted predators truly didn’t have any part in this, then they could plead insanity like any other mammal. Just because they were preds didn’t mean they were above the purview of the law. 

Said interview was then dissected and analysed by Pounceheart, who stated that at this point full on active resistance to the conspiracy was required. Any idea that it was instinct or even a disease was fake news and mammals should break any curfews, stay at home orders or even ‘crisis normalisation’ advice to wear face masks and such. Indeed, he argued that masks (which some stores were requiring predators to wear) were just a stepping stone for laws that forced predators to muzzle themselves out in public, and that preds must actively refuse to wear them, call out those who did and protest places that required them. All on top of gathering in the streets to protest, organising into groups to resist and stopping those in charge from taking their freedom.

Of course, not long after, the truth behind the savage cases had come out. In a statement, Wassermaim had quietly said that the predators would not be facing any charges, before taking on Bellwether’s case himself. He’d made a lot of noise about that, as well as with a sweeping set of anti-corruption and anti-espionage stings; all to convince mammals that he was not Dawn’s puppet, but instead an independent striver for justice, regardless of any mammal’s species. He’d even boasted about how he had no qualms about ‘going against his own’, pushing heavily for the arrest of another hippo for espionage and insider trading (not that the case ever went anywhere, just like his latest one against Murana Wolford).

Still, most mammals weren’t convinced, including Kris. Pounceheart became one of the most popular EweTubers in the city after he’d called it (alongside Gruinard Gal too, who specifically pinned it on Dawn and other sheep from the start). He’d led a major protest march following the reveal, and had carried on in his reporting in campaigns after that, primarily for the purging of any prey potentially connected to the plot from state institutions.

The general view though was that Wassermaim would finish off his first term which would then not be renewed, letting him swap positions with ADA Deaux as she became the new DA. But, for the time being, he stayed in his position, with all the power it entailed. And now the silver fox was standing there, in Kurt’s crosshairs, the hippo pulling the exact same tactics that the vulpine had seen him use before.

“Of course,” he carried on. “One of those civilians is a terrorist, and we don’t want him escaping back out into the general population, do we?”

“Wass… -DA, we’ve investigated this case and, while it’s true that a certain anonymous vulpine was found with nighthowler pellets in his locker, that proves nothing.”

“Well, it does prove that he had night howlers, a certain dangerous bioweapon, in his paws, doesn’t it? I mean, weren’t you looking for them for the last few months? Didn’t you send a warning out to the entire city? I mean, the people must have all been terribly worried, I was. And now you’re letting the prime suspect just walk?”

Bogo huffed. “He is not our prime suspect.”

“Oh, then who is? Which mammal who didn’t have night howlers in his locker is it?”

“Listen, this case is very complicated, and so is the case of our prime suspect.” Bogo began, before pausing. He briefly glanced over to the crowd, Kris at first thinking he was looking at him but then realising his gaze was a bit off, more in the area of his aunt, uncle and cousin. He quickly snapped out of it and looked at the hippo. “The mammal known as Kazar is the core suspect behind this incident, with these howlers just the wreckage from the wreck we made of his plans. We don’t know why it’s turned up here, we don’t have enough evidence to pin anything firm on anyone.”

“Well you’ve got the mammal with the howlers in his locker.”

“-Which doesn’t legally prove beyond reasonable doubt that he put them there or is responsible, you know that just as well as I do,” Bogo spoke. “Either way, even if we were charging him right away, we’d still be sticking a tracker onto him and letting him out, as we’re doing here.”

“Yes, because terrorists are well known for following the law,” Wassermaim spoke. “You do realise that he could have more of those things out there? You do realise that he could cut his tracker off, fish them out alongside a pea shooter and, after finding a bunch of innocent elephants, cause hundreds of deaths before you even catch up with him?”

There was a pause, Bogo grinding his teeth. “Having actually witnessed his interview, I can say that this mammal does not appear to be the kind who’d do that.”

“And what kind would?” Wassermaim asked, his voice rising a little. Kris couldn’t help but note that Bogo had started digging himself a hole, and the only reason the hippo wasn’t burying him yet was because he wanted to see how far the Chief could dig himself in.

“I… You know what I mean!”

“No I don’t. Tell me, in your own words, what do you mean?”

“Angry. Hostile. Combative. Comes from a background that would support such views.”

“Oh, and what background is that?”

“The ones which traditionally held more speciesist viewpoints. Ones which include someone slighted or hurt by a predator in their past, or who gains from the hurting of predators.”

“-So, prey then?”

The Chief paused, trying to think of something smart to say but then furrowing his brow, gazing hard at the hippo. “Well yes, of course prey. Because why would a predator be interested in the movement of a bioweapon used to hurt his own kind? Things would make more sense if he was the kind of mammal that Kazar or Dawn Bellwether would hire, or…”

“-So, sheep then,” Wassermaim stated, having let Bogo dig to where he wanted and finally pouncing.

“Well…”

“-There’s no well about it, Dawn Bellwether’s cohorts were sheep and so when you go looking for night howlers you look for sheep. Good to hear that the Chief is happy to keep new-school ovinophobia alive. Though who knows, maybe there’s a bit of old school in there too? Never mind that there are hundreds of other things that those howlers could be used for; no, it’s for subjugating the poor innocent predators, the victims in this. And, when a predator is caught with them? Well then, it all must be some mistake. A predator would never do anything evil with them, would they? It’s not like, say, if a teenage ram from the poorer parts of the Meadowlands was here; you’d be taking every precaution against him, probably begging me to do what I could to keep him under your thumb.”

Bogo groaned. “Species has nothing to do with this…”

Wassermaim laughed. “Says the mammal who just said, and I quote, ‘the kind of mammals Kazar and Bellwether would hire’. We all know what you mean by that, don’t we?”

“-A ram or a donkey or even a hippo would all be treated the same as a wolf or a fox…”

“Yeah…” he said, rolling his eyes and nodding. “They would, wouldn’t they?”

Bogo’s gaze hardened. “Yes they would. You know why? Because, if they’re underage like our suspect here, they’d all be subject to the Youth Justice Acts. That means we can’t hold them, we can’t give them a trial far in the future as we look for evidence, the best we can do is stick a tracker on them as we try and find if there’s a case or not. That’s why our anonymous vulpine, or any other anonymous teenager – pred or prey – would be walking out of those doors right now and there is nothing you can do to stop it.”

There was a pause, Kris looking on and gulping as a huge smug grin began growing over Wassermaim’s face. He suddenly felt nervous, and sidestepped over to his father to hold his paw. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to be good.

Kurt spoke. “There is, and I’m using it, just like I did against Kazar and his cronies. I’m charging our suspect under the Nighthowler Act. I’m sure you’re all aware of that.”

There was a gasp from Kris’ left, and he turned to see Nick and Judy looking aghast. The bunny’s ears had collapsed against the back of her head, her paws covering her mouth and her eyes wide. Nick’s jaw meanwhile was doing its damn near hardest to hit the floor, his shocked gape almost comical. Kris didn’t know why, neither did the rest of his family or the bunny-fox duo’s other friends. But their fears were beginning to spread into the others, if anything only magnified by their ignorance.

Even Bogo seemed shocked for a little bit, something he quickly shook off. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“What’s ridiculous about it,” he said with a shrug. “I’m using a bit of legislation as it was intended to be used.”

“You know full well that this was not how it was intended to be used!”

“Oh right, I forgot. It was intended to be used against prey, read sheep.”

“Stop being obtuse!” Bogo shouted. “That piece of anti-terror legislation was made to be used against adults. Using it against a youth suspect, with limited evidence against him as is, is pure pettiness and cruelty on your part.”

“So you think it’s cruel to try and keep mammals safe? Right then. I, meanwhile, don’t believe that there’s anything in there that says it can’t be used in this way. Indeed, were it an ugly looking sheep teen that was brought in, you’d be phoning up and begging me to pull it…”

“-No I would not,” Bogo spoke. “Do not put these things into my mouth. I would never use this against any youth suspect.”

“-Use what!?” came a shout, as all eyes turned on Dr Silverfox, fear etched onto his face. “Use what? What is this Night Howler Act?! You keep on talking about this horrible thing that you want to use on my son and I don’t even know what it is.”

“Well,” Wassermaim spoke, turning to face him and smiling. “I’m glad you asked.” He reached into the inside of his suit and pulled down a small lever, a firm click sounding out as a waterproof seal opened up. From it, he pulled out a large plastic file, opening its waterproof seal to pull out a set of documents. “As I actually treat all bioterrorists equally, I did a lot of reading into the Kazar case and the interrogation that took place. In the words of Detective Oates: ‘ Are you aware of the Nighthowler Act? After the first crisis, and with the reasonable expectation that natural howlers would still be in use as pest control, it was decided to clamp down on anyone caught with refined ones. After all, their only real use is as bioweapons. So, if one was to be found with some, it's safe to assume that you're a bioterrorist….’” He paused, looking straight at Kris and raising an eyebrow. “Now, a bit of an interjection from the lawyer here, and the next part is Oates talking to said lawyer in regard to the suspect. I’ll talk to the Chief and the suspect’s father instead. ‘ Under the act we get to hold him for four weeks until having to formally press charges, due to his connection to the refined plants. Then, we have the right to hold you without bail until your trial, up to six months. While this is going on, we are instructed to hold you in the securest facilities. Aka, a full on maximum security prison, the type where your little sheep friends are not having a good time .’”

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…

“Mam,” Kurt said, finally breaking the dreadful silence that had filled the room. “You guys really hate sheep.”

“N-Never mind that,” William gasped, almost fox-screaming as he trembled in place. His shout broke Kris, who’d been in a stunned and shocked silence, out of his stupor just in time for him to be grabbed and held tightly against his father’s chest with a vice like grip. “This… This is my son. My kit! You can’t do this! You can’t!” He sobbed, holding Kris tighter just as what had been said hit the young fox like a freight train. They were going to send him away to one of those schools…! Six months until he even got a trial…? He… He closed his eyes and began breathing in and out. This couldn’t be right, right…? No, he had to keep calm, he wasn’t going to be taken from his dad again. There were good mammals on his side, they’d find a way out. Everything was going to be okay. His dad was scared, so he needed to be strong for him, but he could do that. Everything was going to be okay!

Kurt observed them before glancing back to Bogo. “So, the suspect was raised by a speciesist; another tick on your list, Chief.”

“Oh that’s petty and you know it!”

“What, is being concerned about ovinophobia petty now? I thought all mammals and all discrimination are equal. Or is ovinophobia, especially the seemingly institutional stuff in your department, ‘not a real’ type of speciesism?”

“NO!” Bogo shouted. “What is being petty is telling a father, who from what I gather was separated from his son for a long time due to illness, that you’re going to send that son away to prison for months. Then making a joke about something someone said a month ago, taken well out of context. THEN, when that terrified father tells you he doesn’t care about that joke, going around and accusing him of being a speciesist. And all of that coming from someone who I think we all know has a certain infamy about him and is probably the most speciesist out here by far. No matter what you say, I know that you’re pulling this against that kit because he’s a predator, because he’s a fox, because you can’t wait to get your own back against those who defeated your original bosses evil scheme!”

There was a long pause, before Kurt put his fists onto his hips. “Yup! If in doubt, accuse me of being a speciesist! No, an antivulpite! And being wrapped up in Dawn Bellwether’s stuff too. Because wanting to keep the mammals out there safe from another howler plot, wanting to treat all species as equal in front of the law, holding a fox to the same standard of a sheep is soooo evil, isn’t it? It’s very rich coming from someone who said a bunch of ovinophobic stuff earlier, while I don’t think I’ve said anything antivulpistic. Though of course in your worldview a claim of me being guilty of antivulpanism is far more terrible than any institutional ovinophobia on your part, as you believe that foxes are victims and sheep the oppressors, so it's all for the greater good.”

“Listen,” Bogo seethed. “Actions speak louder than words…”

He was cut off, not by Wassermaim but by Nick, the fox marching out with his arms outstretched. “Woah, woah, woah… Calm down Chief, it’s already dead.”

“Ah, see, a fox who shares my views,” Wassermaim said, exceedingly smugly.

“Yeaahhhh, no,” Nick spoke, his brow furrowing as he glared up at the much larger mammal. It was like David staring up at Goliath, yet he remained unphased. “Listen, I don’t like you just as much as the Chief doesn’t, but I think I’ve had enough of him digging his own grave while you supply the shovels. Right, first off, you think he’s favouring foxes over other mammals? Do you know what he said when he first saw me, when Lionheart’s wolves had taken Manchas and Hopps tried to use me as a witness to what had happened?” The expression on the hippo was unreadable, while that on the Chief had changed to one that someone would give when the crap was about to hit the fan. He almost looked ready to step in and stop Nick, only holding back to some hope that the fox had one of his genius schemes up his sleeves.

“No, I do not.”

“‘ You really think I’d believe a fox? ’”

The DA burst into laughter, eyes focussed on Bogo while Nick kept a straight face. “I mean, most of the time he looks like he can’t stand me. Case in point right now.”

“Yeah,” Kurt agreed, keeping his eyes on the glaring Chief. “I can totally see that. Your point being?”

“My point being that if he’s really going to give favouritism to any species, you really think it’ll be foxes? No, that’s not the case. Of course, that doesn’t matter to you. What matters is that, for whatever reason, you want that fox in jail. Except you can’t have him in jail, nobody can, because, as the Chief should have said from the get go, the youth laws state that he can’t be sent away and they override the Nighthowler Act!”

“Yeah… No they don’t,” Wassermaim said. “The Nighthowler Act says that any criminal caught with the howlers gets the treatment.”

“Which is funny, as the Youth Act pertains to any youth.”

“Yeah, but not in, and I quote, ‘ truly exceptional circumstances where the public is at great risk of harm .’ I think possession of bioweapons, with the risk of having some further out there, sort of meets that definition.”

“And, is this incident legally defined as an ‘exceptional event’?” Nick asked smugly. “Until you can prove it, then it isn’t, so my little friend here goes free!”

Wassermaim paused, breathing in and out before shrugging, a subdued glare levelled at the fox at his feet. “Okay then. If you’re playing hardball then so will I. In the name of protecting all the innocent mammals out there from their worst nightmare, I’ll take this to the Chief Justice right now and let him decide.”

Nick breathed in and out. “So be it,” he said, keeping his voice level. “If the judge lets him go, he’s let go. If not, he gets sent to one of the reform schools until his trial.” There was a pause, as his voice darkened. “I do hope you’ll give him the courtesy of giving him a fast one.”

There was another pause, Wassermaim folding his arms and looking down, his eyes ever so slightly narrowing. “Actually, I’ll be giving the ZPD and my prosecutors as long as I can to investigate this vitally important case and get all the evidence they need to build a good argument. I tend to think that you can't rush good justice!”

Nick’s lips pulled back into a slight snarl, though he kept silent as he walked away from the hippo, not giving him a chance to get back in. Returning to the group, he couldn’t help but let his heart sink as he saw the rest of his friends. Those less connected, Haida, Retusko, Skye and Jack, were all nervous and concerned; Judy looked heartbroken, shattered by the fact that she could do nothing against this potential injustice; Mr Fox and Mrs Fox had looks of ice cold rage on their face, as if they were just swearing a blood vendetta against the DA, and Ash looked shattered, holding onto his mother’s paw while staring forlornly at his cousin and uncle. Dr Silverfox’s eyes were misting up, and he held onto his son like a castaway to a piece of driftwood.

And Kris…

He was putting on a brave face, and that hurt Nick the most, as the young fox was trying so hard to not let them see that they were getting to him. But Nick looked into those blue eyes and he knew that, deep down, they were. Oh boy, they were.

“Oh, and by the way,” Wassermaim said, as he began lumbering out. “The law says that he’s to be kept in the most secure facility possible.” He turned and looked at them, and Nick felt his rage at that mammal grow and burn like an inferno as he saw his smile. It wasn’t a smile at a job well done, it wasn’t a smile born from winning a point against the ‘other team’ or even one born from a bit of petty schadenfreude. It was the smile he remembered seeing when he was eight, from a very familiar looking chipmunk as he rammed a muzzle onto his snout. It was a smile a mammal gave when he was sticking a knife in and twisting it, quite simply enjoying the pain and suffering it caused. “A reform school just won’t do. It said maximum security prison, and that’s what I’m going for, cells, uniforms and all.”

“-No!” came a shout, as he looked over at Judy, the bunny finally finding her voice. “You’re just abusing and twisting a bad law as is to make him suffer. You’re not the good guy here.”

There was a pause, before he laughed, Nick getting a terrible sinking feeling as that horrible grin was turned up to eleven. “Interesting,” he said, as if contemplating it. He opened out his notes and looked through them. “Back then, in the annotations, it says here, and I quote: ‘I happen to quite like this law.’ Said by one Judy Hopps. I’m glad we can agree on that.”

And with that he left, Bogo and the rest of them left standing. Judy looked broken, just broken, holding herself tight as Nick dashed over to hold her. She whimpered out a bit, sniffing. “Oh god, oh god…”

“Don’t listen to him,” he told her. “Don’t”

“Kris,” she spoke, her voice breaking as she began crying. “I’m sorry… I’m so so sorry…”

Nick just held her tighter as she turned away in shame. He didn’t know what to say, keeping his mouth shut until the cold silence was finally broken by Kris, a slight stutter to his voice as he spoke. “I-it’s okay… T-the context was different. It’s not your fault.” He didn’t sound like the peaceful fox who’d taught them meditation less than twenty four hours ago, he sounded weak and afraid. “I-if I get put away, will I be kept here then? In one of the cells?”

The pause was long and cold, before Bogo snapped to attention. “No. You can’t stay here, we’re an adult facility and any kit would have to be put in the isolation cells, which we legally can’t do for more than three days! So he can’t win there!” Nick couldn’t help but note the look of victory on Bogo’s face, as if he’d finally managed to checkmate the damn hippo.

“Then he’ll just have to be sent to the reform school,” he pointed out. “That’s not much better.”

Bogo paused and grunted, glaring back. “Well it’s not much worse. It’s something at least. He hasn’t gotten everything he wanted, has he? I mean where else can he send him?”

They were all broken off by a horrible gasp, and turned to look at Ash, the young fox staring back at Nick. “Y-you know where, Nick. You said it yourself.”

And then Nick felt his legs buckle and a shot of bile surge up his throat. He felt so shocked and horrid that a ghost of a muzzle began clawing around his mouth, trying to stop him from speaking, something he was barely able to do. “Oh… Yeah…”

He looked up to see everyone with the same scared look on their face. Everyone except Kris and his father. After all, they hadn’t been there when he’d spoken.

“Where?” William finally asked. “W-Where…”

Nick felt his body tremble. “You don’t want to know.”

“I do! This my kit here, Nick. Whatever it is, however bad it is, tell me now!”

Nick closed his eyes, drawing up as much strength as he could manage. “Back when I was a teen, Zootopia moved away from old school juvies, delinquents instead going through the reform schools, community service and probation… But… But there are teens out there too dangerous or sick for that, ones who deserve to go behind actual bars… Murderers, rapists, serial escapers and delinquants. Zootopia still has one large high security juvenile prison, filled with the worst of the worst and… I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry, but that’s where.”

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Not longer after, the group had moved to the nearby central courthouse. Like before, they were all in a private waiting room, though unlike the one at the ZPD this one was cold and austere, very much fitting the mood. Jack, Skye, Haida and Retsuko, bystanding it all but with their fingers crossed, waited on a sofa off to one side, while Nick and Judy were close to the two fox families. Bogo stood there with them. There wasn’t much to do, to say, to talk about.

They just waited, scared for what the future might bring when the decision was made. 

The Chief, having walked out of the room for a bit, came back in. “It’s under consideration. I gave my argument, Wassermaim gave his, thankfully not inferring any biases on my behalf.” He paused, before sighing. 

Judy looked on, nervously. “Which judges are looking at them? I mean, are they pro-predator, anti…”

“It wouldn’t matter,” Bogo remarked. “They don’t even know if our suspect is predator or prey, male or female. All they know is that someone came in, and that the Nighthowler Act is vying for dominance against the Youth Justice Act. These are two laws that have never clashed before, nobody expected them to, and now they’re working on a precedent.”

“I…” Judy began, before sighing. “I don’t know if that’s good, or bad. I just hate myself right now for supporting that stupid law.”

“Hopps,” the Chief began. “Nobody is blaming you for this. At the time it was a very useful law…"

“-Which I supported,” Judy said. “Which I thought was making the world a better place, only now it’s not. Something I supported, something I trusted, has turned out to be bad, again. I’ve let it happen, again, and all it's done is hurt others.” She sniffed a few times, before turning to Kris and his father. While he’d been using meditation to help pass most of the time, he’d been out of any trance since the news of the decision being close had arrived. He’d just sat there instead, caught in the dreadful tension, his future hanging in the balance. His father, meanwhile, was showing his emotions, holding his son tight against him as if this were the last time. Theoretically, Judy realised, it might be. That feeling gut punched her, while Ash seemed to have the same idea.

“If he’s found guilty,” he asked nervously, “how long could they keep him in prison for?”

Bogo looked down and away. “The Howler Act doesn’t impose minimum sentences, but it advises sentencing with extreme prejudice. The max is twenty years, but the Youth Act imposes a maximum term.

“Which is?” William asked fearfully.

“The offenders age when being sentenced. So ten years for a ten year old, the minimum age a mammal here is held as criminally responsible, to… how old is your son?”

“Fourteen, but he’ll be fifteen in five months,” he said, the words almost catching in his mouth.

“So he may be facing fifteen years then,” Bogo spoke, a gasp of fear running through the crowd. 

“He'd be older than me,” Retsuko said, looking sympathetically at the fox in question.

Judy did too, and she walked forward, paws out to grasp onto Kris’. She realised he was trembling slightly, and she wished, she dearly wished, she was providing him at least some comfort.  “I promise,” she said, looking into his eyes. “I promise, whatever happens, whether you go home today or you’re sent away or they put you away for that long. I’ll fight as hard as I can to make sure you are free.” She broke off, sniffing, before looking up to Dr Silverfox, tears flowing from his eyes. “I promise, I’ll fight for him.”

“-I might not be there,” he spoke, his voice hoarse and almost too quiet to make out. He shook and sniffed. “I might get ill again before they let him go, I might…” 

“I swear!” Judy said resolutely, as he just embraced Kris harder and harder.

“Hopps,” Bogo said. “Remember, you’re off the case…”

“But…!”

He held up a hoof. “So there’ll be some rules if you want to help them privately. One, you do it on your own time. You can book in your spare holiday days, Wilde can too. This upcoming week I will still call you in if needed, but after that you should be solidly available for helping them out. Two, you two do nothing that interferes with your regular duties or the ongoing investigation. Three, if you find evidence pointing towards his guilt, you will give it to us. Even if you don’t believe it or think something must be up. You can explain your theories about that when you hand it in. But if I find out you were sitting on it, then you’ll be handing over your badges as well. Do you understand?”

There was a pause, before Judy stood up and saluted hard.

Bogo nodded. “I do wish there was more I could do to help you,” he said, strolling up and looking into Judy’s eyes. “But there’s nothing I can legally tell you, not even an anonymous tip.” There was a long awkward pause before his phone chimed. He pulled it out and put it back in again. “They’re ready to give their decision. I’ll see you shortly. Think about what I've just said.” He paused, before looking over at Kris, sighing as he did so. “If you’re to be taken away, I’ll give you the courtesy of doing it myself. I suppose it’s the least I could do.”

And, with that, he nodded and left the room.

Everything was silent for a second or two, before Mr Fox spoke. “Okay, now that any serious enforcers of the law are gone, let’s review the options. Option one, rapid unscheduled holiday break from the country.” He turned to look at Skye. “Skye Autumn, Vulpes Velox, getaway driver, owner of a number of fast vehicles that…”

SLAP

He broke off, turning to his wife. “Foxy, please be serious here. ”  

“I think you’ll find I am being very serious. Serious enough to put all options on the table and…”

“-Listen, I’m sorry but we're not fleeing the country,” Nick interrupted. “Even if we could run and get out, that would make all of us criminals. The ZPD would just call up the police stateside and we’d be caught. Even if we made it to Canidea, then they’d just call up the mounties and the same would happen. We have to face and fight it here, there’s no other way.”

“Well,” he began. “Depending on the security measures in place where…”

“-No prison breaks either!”

Mr Fox paused, trying to work out what to do since all the logical solutions a stable mammal would come up with were ruled out, before looking back at Nick. “Well, what do you propose?”

He breathed in and out, before walking over to Judy. “I’ll help look into this with you, Fluff. Heck, I’m sure you’ll all help too,” he said, looking at the Fox family. Their eyes narrowed.

“Yes will we,” Mrs Fox said, Mr Fox nodding in agreement.

“We’ll pull every trick, routine, technique, advantage and quote-unquote hustle that I can conceive of before I give in.”

“Cuss yeah,” Ash agreed, standing up and taking a breath in. He turned, walking over to Kris, the nervous fox looking up at him. He managed a weak smile.

“Thanks.”

“It’s what family does. What friends do. You’re both, and you did it to me when I was just one of those to you. I’ll be here for you, little cous’.”

Kris managed a brief chuckle at that, but the cold nerves soon flowed back into him as he stared off into the middle distance. Still close to his father on one side, Ash came up close on the other.

“-Count me in too,” came a surprising voice from the other side of the room. Nick and Judy turned, looking right at Jack. “What? It’s doing more…”

Haida nodded. “Yeah. Retsy and I are thinking of becoming detectives, and if we’re not going to protect an innocent kit, then what’s the point?”

His girlfriend nodded. “We’ll still be at work during the day, but we can lend you our nights.”

Skye smiled, nodding. “Felicity, do you even need a response from me to know that I’m in too?”

“No. Thank you,” she sniffed.

Meanwhile, Nick smiled and looked down at Judy. “Seems you won’t be doing this all alone.”

“No,” she said, her voice picking up. She breathed in, held herself high, and briefed her new crew. “We’ll fight, and we’ll keep on fighting. If we can find the real culprit, heck, if we find something that proves it definitely wasn’t Kris, then we win and he is free. That’s our goal.”

There was a round of cheers, though as they died down one mammal was going down a lot further. “But what if Wassermaim’s stubborn?” Ash asked. “What if he ignores it, tries to keep it until a trial anyway? K… Kris might not go there for years, but he can still keep him there for the best part of one even if you do prove he didn’t do it! It’s… it’s... It’s just not fair!”

He almost yelled it out, before breaking off, huffing in and out. He glanced at Kris though and, with a deep breath in, tried to hold it together. Nick, meanwhile, had his ears and tail going down, his head soon finding itself in his paws. “Dammit, dammit…”

“Well if he doesn’t, we could turn the public against him,” Retsuko suggested.

“Okay,” Nick asked. “How?”

She smiled, bringing out her phone. “Social media. Protests. All that. After all, Haida and I have one other mammal as part of our group, one who’s a goddess with this stuff.”

“Yeah,” the hyena agreed. “Heck, Fenneko was probably born to do that, and to be our detective. I mean, she worked out who Kris was and found a picture of him on social media, just from me telling her about my meeting with him on that bus. She’s that scary.”

“Yeah,” Nick said confidently, before frowning a little. “Okay, not sure if I’m ready or not to see the results of any drunken shipping I did last night, but I suppose meeting Finnick again after all this time will be… an event.”

Judy looked over her army of helpers before turning around, paws to her heart as she looked at the two mammals she swore to help. She would put things right for them, she would work night and day to right this horrible wrong. She promised them then and there that she wouldn’t stop trying, and she wouldn’t know when to quit.

Kris, who, all this time, had been on a knife’s edge between worry and fear and a self enforced calmness and confidence that things, however long they took, would turn out alright (because that was how the world worked, and with how much worrying they were doing over him he had to stay strong for them), nodded. He took a breath in and, though still scared, managed a brief smile. If there was one thing he didn’t feel right then, at the nadir of this terrible wait, it was alone.

“Thanks,” he said, smiling a bit despite the nerves.

A smile that flickered away as the door opened, and Chief Bogo stepped in.

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AN: On a scale of 0-10, how evil am I?

Anton Pounceheart is a reference to the reporter of the same name from the fic ‘Three Months a Fox’ by WildeNick. In this story, he’s more modelled on the stereotype of a populist youtuber. Given that he was never seen or described in ‘Three Months a Fox’ (you only ever read his articles) I intend to follow the same kind of route here.

And, just to be clear (if I wasn’t already), just because he gives certain advice potentially ‘relevant’ to current events doesn’t mean I endorse it. I just find it makes everything all the more interesting. (And this is why, as said at the start, carry on following Covid advice. That stuff does exist, it ain’t a conspiracy, it isn’t all the fault of an evil sheep.)

Murana Wolford is DarkFlameWolf’s Zoosona and starred in her fanfic ‘In Darkness I hide.’ CEO of Lemming brothers by day, something else entirely by night, she’s also married to Anthony Wolford (of the ZPD) and has two adopted children (the Zoosona’s of Berserker and DrummerMax). They’ll all be popping up later on.

See you all next week.

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Cast list (at the end of Anonymous Vulpine (Chapter 5)):

Broken into: ZPD/ law mammals; Fantastic Mr Fox; Aggretsuko; Jack and Skye; other (in alphabetical order).

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ZPD /law mammals, friends and family.

Nick Wilde: the reformed ex-hustler turned cop, partner of Judy Hopps. Saved Ash Fox in ‘Different’, and was a family friend ever since. Lately named as the god father of Ash’s new brother.

Mama Wilde: Nick’s mother. Works as a lunch lady at Ash’s school.

Finnick: Nick’s former hustling partner, taking Nick’s joining of the ZPD badly. Formerly served a large period of time in Juvenile detention for some serious crimes and estranged from his family ever since. Currently started dating Fenneko.

Judy Hopps: Zootopia’s own bunny cop. Partner of Nick Wilde. Currently looking after a necklace for Kozlov.

Kii Catano: A female cheetah officer, first introduced in ‘Elementary Introductions’. Officially investigating Kris’ case with Detective Oates.

Detective Oates: Horse detective of Precinct 1, first met when interrogating Kazar in ‘Taking out the Trash’. Officially investigating Kris’ case with Kii Catano.

Detectives Dave and Basil Dawson: Husband and husband, the two mice are the ZPD’s newest detectives and incredibly talented. Had a long feud with the long missing Professor Rattigan, and are currently off on an ‘investigative holiday’ in Slavulpinch, Ewekraine, chasing up a lead.

Chief Bogo: Da chief.

DA Kurt Wassermaim: Controversial Hippo District Attorney, previously discussed but only seen in ‘Anonymous Vulpine’. Promoted by Bellwether during the middle of the Nighthowler crisis over the older favourite, ADA Jeanette Deux, and though never proven suspected to have been part of her plot. Seen to have had a bias against predators, and a grudge against bank CEO Murana Wolford.

ADA Jeanette Deux (borrowed from Ubernoner’s ‘Son’s of Efrafa’): White tailed deer doe in a relationship with a mountain lion and assistant to the District Attorney. Seen at the meet up in ‘So we’re Inters now’. Does not get on with her boss.

Officer Jones: Tiger officer who arrested Kris.

Chief Ramic (Cimar’s Zoosona): Kangaroo Chief of Outback island, big supporter of Inter rights. First seen in ‘So we’re inters now’. Secret co-founder of WildeHopps shipping club.

Eliot Fanghanel (borrowed from Koraru-San): White wolf officer and co-founder of WildeHopps shipping club.

Chloe Fanghanel (borrowed from Koraru-San): Thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) wife of Eliot Fanghanel. Sole member of the forks appreciation club.

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Fox/Silverfox family and co.

Mr Fox (Frederick ‘Foxy’ Fox): Ex-ranger, current newspaper writer and pest controller, father to Ash Fox.

Mrs Fox (Felicity Fox): Wife of Mr Fox, mother of Ash Fox, currently pregnant with a new kit.

Ash Fox: the angsty teenage son of Mr and Mrs Fox. Trying to embrace life after a very dark moment, despite coming off as a bit ‘different’ at times. Slightly older (but much shorter) cousin to Kris.

Dr William Silverfox: Mrs Fox’s brother in law, husband to her (deceased) sister, and father of Kristofferson Silverfox. Emigrated to Zootopia from Canidea after recovering from a serious case of double pneumonia, caused by an ice fishing accident.

Kristofferson Silverfox: Son of Dr Silverfox. Sent to live with his Aunt and Uncle due to his father’s illness. A very well adjusted, mature and gifted mammal, though due to the accident he has a slight phobia of the cold. Slightly younger (but much taller) cousin to Ash.

Kylie: Opossum sidekick to Mr Fox.

Remmy and Remus Packson (wolves); Mitch Dewclaw (wildcat); Maisy Calrama (ewe); Jenny Bourke (wombat): School friends of Kris and Ash. Maisy briefly met Nick and Judy in ‘Meditation Mediation’ but got worried and left early. Also spotted leaving the school at the start of Anonymous Vulpine.

Agnes: Vixen classmate of Kris and Ash, previously Ash’s girlfriend, now Kris’.

Beavis Chuckman: Woodchuck bully to Ash (and to a lesser extent others). Cameoed in Meditation Mediation.

Brittany Voxen (borrowed from Kittah/Variable Mammals): Vixen form prefect to Ash, Kris and those above.

Coach Skip: Albino otter coach at their school.

The principal: Female springbok head of the school.

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Aggretsuko crew:

Retsuko: A red panda office worker who blows off steam by singing death metal.

Haida: A dentally challenged spotted hyena, works with and loves Retsuko.

Fenneko: Social media goddess fennec vixen friend of the above. Distinctive laugh. Currently started dating Finnick.

Anai: Japanese badger graduate at their firm and cooking enthusiast. Noted for ‘standing up to his rights,’ being a perennial formal complainer in writing if he feels he’s being taken advantage of. (Do not piss off).

Ookami: A maned wolf worker, who also assisted Nick Wilde in an undercover operation (with Nick pretending to be a young maned wolf).

Kabae, Tsunoda: (hippo, Dik-Dik (dwarf gazelle)): Two gossip mouthed workers at Retsuko’s firm. In season 1 of the show, Kabae was briefly arrested on espionage charges before being let go.

Secretary Washimi and Marketing Director Gori: Secretary bird and gorilla friends of Retsuko. Also known as ‘The Baddest Bitches in the room’. Cameoed in Meditation Mediation.

PROTEIN: Retsuko, Washimi and Gori’s kangaroo yoga instruction. First glanced in universe in ‘Meditation Mediation’, only ever says ‘Protein’.

Director Ton: the overbearing literal misogynistic pig boss of the accounting department.

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Jack and Skye:

Jack Savage: Tehuantepec jackrabbit writer and director, previously knew Judy in a university drama society. Bar his acting, a notoriously lazy mammal.

Skye Autumn: Swift fox vixen, a mechanic who previously knew (and didn’t get along well) with Nick Wilde. Hired to help fix a broken set.

Buster Moon: The koala owner of the theatre. He means well.

Eddie (sheep): Buster Moon’s friend and financier.

Siwili Autumn: Grey fox and Skye’s adoptive mother. Of native American descent, but kicked out of her tribe when she married her swift fox army husband.

Sweetie/Skye’s sister: A sharp dressed army lieutenant and adopted red fox sister of Skye. Goes by her previous last name ‘Fox’ in order to avoid any nepotism. Currently stationed in South Korea.

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Other:

Dr Amy Lupuleli: Binturong psychiatrist to both Ash Fox, Nick Wilde and Honey Badger. 

Anton Pounceheart (borrowed from WildeNick’s 3 months a fox): An intrepid off-screen reporter/ Ewetuber, who very quickly learnt that stuff was up with the Nighthowler plot and by the end was trying to organise an active resistance. Held in a high standard for ‘calling it’ after the plot, has carried on campaigning. Like in the original fic, will be an offscreen only character.

Daz (Crewefox’s Zoosona): A nurse working at a Rainforest hospital, helped Skye with her broken leg in Skye’s Fall.

Duke Weaselton: small time petty criminal, previously (unknowingly) involved in the first nighthowler crisis. Had an unfortunate run in with a pair of big cats, before being arrested by Nick and Judy. Encountered at the end of his community service again in ‘Meditation Mediation’.

Frantic pig: The owner of Flora and Fauna (the store Duke stole from) in the movie. His nighthowlers being stolen kickstarted much of the plot.

‘Gruinard Gal’: An ovineophobic Ewetuber who briefly worked with Anton Pounceheart during the Nighthowler crisis, pinning the blame on Dawn Bellwether form the start.

Honey Badger: unstable sheep hating Honey Badger/ratel, being treated by Dr Amy in ‘The Bin and the Badge’. Formerly worshipping Nick and Judy for taking down Bellwether, had her faith shattered when they had to dart her after her escape from the mental hospital.

Jorin: Syrian wild ass and friend of Kozlov, resides in Slavulpinch, Ewekraine. Opposed to ‘Sizogo Orla’.

Kazar (from ‘The Wild’): A pred hating wildebeest, supposedly the 2^nd in command of an evil speciesist plot. Taken down in ‘Taking out the Trash’.

Kozlov: Former polar bear bodyguard to Mr Big, currently in Slavulpinch, Ewekraine, with Jorin. Motives and alliances unknown, but seem to be against ‘Sizogo Orla’. Has entrusted an heirloom necklace to Judy.

Madge Badger: Honey’s sister and the Dr from the movie. While never formerly charged as part of the missing mammals’ case, her experience scared her and, seeing her sister spiral out of control, requested her comital.

Murana Wolford (Darkflamewolf’s Zoosona): CEO of Lemming Brothers bank, and recipient of a number of spurious charges from DA Kurt Wassermaim.

Kazar’s benefactor: An unknown mammal who had once commanded Kazar, still out there and wanted.

Mysterious big cats: A lion and tiger who enquired about ‘Sylvester’, Moon’s sarcophagus trinket, in Acting Out. Once darted Duke in the face later by accident.

Mysterious three mammals: Shown observing the news of Kris’ arrest from afar, and one has supposedly encountered Nick, Judy and Bogo before, along with his enemy. May have had many other cameos going on.

Other fox cops: A second ZPD fox cop is mentioned, along with a vixen currently going through the academy.

‘Petey’: A goat mentioned by Duke as interested in him in ‘Special Little Mammals’, briefly looked for but not found early on in the case.

Professor Padriac Rattigan: Once nemesis of Basil and Dave, long since missing but presumed still out there. Had an entourage including Felicity Pawker, a cannibalistic cat and his lover, and Fidget, his bat lacky. Current status unknown.

‘Sizogo Orla’: Unknown presumed enemy of Jorin and Kozlov.

Unnamed Horse: Patient of Dr Amy and Uber driver encountered in ‘Skye’s Fall’. Generally very helping to his detriment, past survivor of something intense.

Vixen Inspector: A vixen inspector mentioned many times, working for Interpol (I’m sure none of you will mind me revealing that it’s Carmelita Fox (from Sly Cooper)).

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

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If a picture could tell a thousand words, then right then Chief Bogo’s face said just two; they struck down though with the force of a million. I’m sorry.

Kris felt like he’d been hit by a slow car, a heavy weight smashed into his chest, winding him yet creating an odd calmness in his body, as if he were in the eye of the storm. There was no waiting for a decision or fearing it anymore, just the dull and heavy chains of certainty.

He was going to prison.

The others weren’t like him, they made a noise. A huge noise. Gasps at first, and then some began sobbing or even begging. His father immediately grabbed hold of him and hauled him in close, his grip so hard that his claws were pricking his back. One dull shock replaced by another, Kris fumbled a little as he wrapped his arms back around him, listening in as he breathed in and out raggedly in between his sobs. “Y-you can’t… Y-you can’t take my son! You can’t take him! He didn’t do anything. Please don’t take him away from me…”

Kris winced as he heard the pain in his voice, hugging back slightly as he peeled his ears. Bogo was speaking.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “But the decision is made. Please don’t make it any harder.”

“Just shut up,” he hissed, in a rare angry tone. Kris felt himself get squeezed further as his grip tightened, yet he remained stuck in a mental limbo, not sure how to react other than to do nothing. He wished that he could close his eyes, meditate a little, clear his thoughts and find a sensible way to react. Instead he was left with a call to fight from the back of his brain, joined by its mental twin, screaming for him to run. A shaky spectre of fear haunted him, a logical conclusion to stand up and accept it spoke plainly, while all were caught in a deep pit of shock, keeping him lying in place and unable to decide.

“I have to take him…”

“No you don’t! You know it’s wrong too! You know my boy is good, but you just don’t have the guts to stand up against this! I-I do though, if you want to take him you’ll have to go through me! I’m not letting him go!”

There was a huff. “Listen. He’s coming with me, nobody wants you to have to join him.”

That sent a slight shiver of fear down Kris’ spine, while a wave of concern washed through him as his dad began to full on cry. “It’s okay,” he spoke, a paw going up to cradle the back of Kris’ head. “Daddy loves you. Daddy will keep you safe, I promise. I promise…”

The tears began to drip from his eyes too, as he closed them and took a breath in. The shock was wearing off and the heavy acceptance was winning out, and he knew what he had to do. But he didn’t want to. 

“Dr Silverfox…” 

He didn’t want to go.

“Go away, you gelding!”

He didn’t want to let go.

There was a huff. “I’ll let that slide if you watch your English and cooperate. Let him go or I will have to use force.”

He didn’t want his dad to get hurt either.

“Watch my English?” he muttered, before barking out a half mad laugh. Kris’ heart beat faster in a very unsettling way as his father’s teeth bared. “ You’re trying to steal my son and you tell me to watch my English! Okay then, how about French instead? I’m a bit rusty but I’m sure you won’t mind.” There was pause as a second, horrible, half-mad laugh, the laugh of someone with nothing else left to lose, was choked out of his throat, setting the furs on Kris back upright. “ Esti de câlice de tabarnak! Vous essayez d'emmener mon fils en prison et vous ne vous souciez que de mon Anglais!!! Je te promets, je t'enverrai là-bas avant de te laisser le toucher! ” There was a sob and a whimper, and Kris felt himself get cradled once more. “ Ne t'inquiète pas mon fils ,” his father said softly, “ tiens-toi juste à papa. Tiens-toi juste à papa. ”

Kris closed his eyes and wavered, but he couldn’t help but look over his shoulder at the Chief. He was huge. He was massive. He was patient but it was wearing thin, and he didn’t want his father to get hurt, and he had a horrible feeling that that was going to happen.

That was going to happen unless he...

He felt oddly calm as he pulled out of his father’s grip, his dad’s arms initially holding on but then falling away in shock. Going apart, their eyes met, and his father’s looked so lost. “Kris…” he whimpered.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. “I’ll be okay,” he said, as he fully stepped away. His father’s whole body was trembling, and Kris had a horrible recollection of him being on that hospital bed, barely able to move as he wasted away from the inside out.

But just like then, he had to go.

He breathed in and out, keeping himself calm, feeling calmer as the Chief came up to him. “This may be cold comfort, but that was very brave of you,” he said. Kris looked up, the buffalo was looking down at the floor as he brought out the cuffs. Silently he put his paws forward and watched them go on, tightening up. “There’s another two convicted youth prisoners being sent there today,” he said. “One is still to be sentenced, so you’ll be in a holding cell for a bit before being put on a bus. -I’ll use the time to inform the warden about your situation.”

“Thanks,” he said, as a heavy hoof lay down on his shoulder and began leading him away. This was happening, he was going to prison, there was nothing he could do. He felt like an empty canvas, though that shattered as he looked behind him. The friends Nick and Judy had brought along looked on with aghast faces, trembling or, in the case of the red panda girl, crying. The bunny herself was looking at him, trying to be strong. “We’ll fight for you!” she swore.

“You’ll be out in a week at most,” his uncle added, looking like he meant it.

He managed a small smile, even as his father collapsed to his knees. But then he burst into tears, and Kris’s heart hurt as his Aunt and Nick had to hold him back, stopping him from running after him. He almost ran back, fought, burst into tears and it took all his willpower to stop him doing so. That would just make it worse. He had to be strong, even as he was taken down a corridor. Away from them, away from the warmer part of the building and into the colder and greyer areas and, finally, into a cell.

He looked down as the chief undid his cuffs and showed him in. There were concrete walls and floors, a concrete slab for a bench or bed, a toilet/sink unit and nothing else. Was this his life now?

He looked up to the Chief as he brought out a key to undo his ankle tag. It wasn't like it was needed any more. As Bogo removed it, Kris spoke. “Any advice?”

There was a long pause. “I’d say don’t cause trouble, and trouble is less likely to find you. Cause trouble and it always will.”

“That… that sounds very sensible,” he noted, as Bogo stepped back and the door slammed shut.

He looked around the space, paced it a few times, before sitting down. The silence was deafening. This was it, he was in a cell, a prisoner.

This was his life.

He closed his eyes, pausing as he realised that they were misting up. His lips trembled and he felt a sob coming, but he closed his eyes and got himself into a meditative position, breathing in and out.

This was his life. He couldn’t change it. In that case then, he’d live with it, because it would only be his life for a short spell, one that might seem long but, one day, would be over. He’d live with it, he’d be strong, he’d avoid trouble, and with those good mammals fighting for him it wouldn’t be long before everything turned out good and right, and he’d be home with his father once more. He just had to hold tight and be brave, be brave for them, to trust in others and be a good mammal, and he’d be okay in the end.

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“There you are, that’s the last of them,” Mrs Fox said, as she prepped the last cup of tea. There was little else she could think of doing when they all got home, still reeling from what had just gone on, so she’d gone off to get some tea for everyone in the vain hope it might settle her mind. There was a soft clinking from the side, as one of her new guests picked half of them up and began carrying them over to the stairs. Her gaze lingered on him as he went, the striped jackrabbit who’d given her that baby box at her baby shower.

Her baby shower; she winced her eyes at the thought. That had been the day before yesterday. Things had been good, her family had been together, her nephew had given her and her new little kit a picture book he’d made, and now they were taking him off to jail. She felt her teeth grind from the pain at what had been done to him, and at how powerless they’d been to protect him. The only thing that cut her off was the slight prick of hot liquid on her fingers, the little pinch of pain clearing her thoughts for a second or two, long enough for her to gather them up completely.

Picking up the last of the mugs, she followed the buck up the stairs to the lounge, slowly as she went. Her little kit was getting heavy, she could feel him or her moving about a little, and were she not carrying the mugs she’d put a paw over her bump to settle them down. Moving out into the lounge and placing them down, she did just that, all while wrapping her free one around her brother in law to try and comfort him. She briefly worried that he’d flinch away or snap at her, why wouldn’t he? She’d pulled him back as the Chief took his son away from him, she hated herself enough for that now, even if it had to be done, so why wouldn’t he despise her?

Instead he did something different, but still notably, maybe even a little bit more so, unpleasant.

He ignored her. He stared forward with a thousand yard stare before slowly reaching out for his drink, cradling the mug with both paws before bringing it up and taking a slight sniff and a miniscule sip.

She glanced away in shame. “I don’t expect any explanation or apology to be sufficient,” she said. “But I am sorry that I hurt you.”

…

“It had to be done,” he said weakly, as she looked back at him. He turned to give her a sad look back, before staring down at the floor. “I was… I was acting irrational there,” he sighed. “It had to be done, I should have… -I should have been brave for Kris and been mature and thoughtful, like I’ve taught him to be in his entire life. But right then, right then when he needed me to be me that the most, I went mad. I just couldn't lose him again, Felicity. I couldn't...”

“They were taking your kit away to prison after he’d done nothing,” Nick told him, walking over and sitting on his other side. 

Mrs Fox nodded. “If they tried to take Ash away from me,” she said, sniffing a little and sparing a glance at her own son, sitting in the corner with a glass of untouched canine safe grape soda. “I strongly believe mammals would be hurt, William. You acted like anyone would, and there was no way…” She paused, sniffing again and wiping away a tear. “There was no way you let Kris down.”

“He was brave,” he spoke quietly. “Braver than I was. He stood tall and walked up to it, while I...”

Mr Fox cut him off before he could carry on. “While you happened to give a display to your son showing him that he meant the world to you, that you happen to love him very much, and that he can always count on your love. As a father myself, I think it’s safe to say that I would want my child, were he in such a situation, to know that he was still worthy of all my love and that he was the most precious thing in the world." He paused, looking over to his kit. "Confirmation of that please, most precious thing in the world?”

Ash blinked a few times, before nodding, his dour mood lifting a little. “Yeah, I would. Thanks Dad.”

“See,” Mr Fox announced, looking at William with a lecturing finger pointed up high. “In fact, I…” he trailed off a little, before then marching right over to a shocked Ash, pulling him into a huge hug. There was a little bit of resistance, more from surprise than any teenage induced angst, but the younger fox then settled and held his father tight. “Just to confirm that I do love you, very much, and I would put all options on the table to get you out of that situation if it was you in his place.”

“Thanks,” Ash sniffed, gripping his father much tighter. “Even the ones mom doesn’t approve of?”

“Especially those ones,” he promised, Mrs Fox frowning a little. Ash, meanwhile, gripped him tighter and took a breath in and out.

“That means a lot.”

“You’re still blaming yourself, aren’t you?”

“No. I never blamed myself. I just thought it was supposed to be me.”

“Well it wasn’t. My point still stands. I love you very much, and your therapist says she’ll call you and talk once she’s available.”

“Thanks,” he whispered, as Mr Fox got up and walked back over to William. 

“I can categorically say that your son did not, in any way, feel let down by your reaction just then. You’re a father, Will, you did what any father would do and what any son would want.”

There was a long pause as the silver fox glanced up, before glancing down at his drink. “You’re right,” he said, leaning down to take a sip, before reaching up with a paw and running it through his head fur. “Or not… I think I need some time to meditate or something, maybe after this, just to clear my head so I can think straight. How else can I help him?”

To his side, Mrs Fox managed a brief smile. “That’s right,” she said, letting her paw stroke down his shoulder. “No one is mad at you or anything. Take all the time you need.”

He looked up at her and nodded, before taking another sip of his drink. “Thanks. And I suppose nobody is mad at me, with the possible exception of my Grand-m ère ’s ghost." He let out a tiny chuckle, though it sounded like he had to put some effort into it. "After the things I said to that bull, she’s probably waiting up in heaven with a sink full of used dishwater and a scrubbing brush with my tongue’s name on it.”

“Uncle?” Ash asked. “Would she actually do that?”

“Oh that and bring a fur brush to my rear end too if I’d said that to her face.”

His head tilted a little. “It sounded like you called that buffalo a chalice of the tabernacle or something...”

“I did.”

The young fox gave his uncle a sympathetic yet unsure look, as if he was wondering how much damage in the past might have been done and how caring he should be. William clocked on to it though. “It makes sense in the context. I’ll explain later,” he replied, turning back to his drink.

Ash nodded, before walking up to him. “Anyway, I thought that if you wanted to meditate with someone, you could meditate with me.”

William briefly looked over at his nephew, before his features melted a little. “That… Thank you, Ash. That’s really appreciated.”

The young fox nodded back. “Yeah. Though I kind of want someone to meditate with too.”

His uncle briefly looked down before smiling, bringing Ash into a short hug. “Come on then,” he said. “It’ll do both of us some good.”

Ash nodded at that and out they walked, onto the lawn and around the corner to be in the sun. That left eight (and a half) mammals in the room. Mr and Mrs Fox, Nick and Judy, Jack and Skye, and Haida and Retsuko.

“Right,” Mr Fox said, looking around. “First off, major plans. Given the prison breaks are off, how about break ins? Get in, steal all the incriminating documents we can get on our hippo and blackmail him into letting my nephew go. All aboard?”

…

“Okay. Do we have any others?”

There was a stunted silence from the room, before Judy spoke up. “I don’t know, I mean we said we’d try and find evidence that it wasn’t him who put them there, and try to get dirt on the DA. But I don’t know where to start.” She sighed, her head going down into her paws. “Okay, come on Judy, think, think… He’s counting on you.”

She was broken off by an unlikely source, Retsuko. “Maybe we should wait a little bit, just get our bearings first. I find it hard to think when super emotional.”

“But time isn’t something we have on our side,” the bunny countered.

“Well,” Haida piped in, coming to his girlfriend's defense. “It kind of is.”

“-Well, not our time at least,” she pointed out, an edge in her voice.

“Hey… I mean, I guess,” he said, shrugging as he finished off his comparatively small mug of black tea. He put it down before noticing that Retsuko had barely touched hers, and was all too happy to lend it to him. “But the way I see it, a few hours for all of us to be ready to think straight wouldn’t harm him that much, right?”

“I…” Judy began, before looking at Nick. “Spending some time just calming down would be okay? Wouldn’t it?”

“Well yeah, I guess so,” he agreed.

Judy looked unconvinced, but nodded her head. “Okay then, we spend a little bit of time calming ourselves down.”

“I mean, it would be useful,” Retusko added, as she tapped into her phone. “After all, if there’s one mammal who could scan through this stuff and find out who was what there, it’s my friend Fenneko. She’s coming over here as soon as she can, and… oh, bringing her boyfriend too.”

Nick nodded, before turning down to Jack. “Remember. No comments about his size means no teeth based facial removal.”

“Ahem,” the jackrabbit said, crossing his arms. “I think you'll find I'd never forget something said with such vivid and Munchausian imagery attached.”

“Except for last night when you drank too much and forgot everything.”

“Before remembering it at the plot-convenient time,” he countered, smiling smugly. 

Nick rolled his eyes, before looking at Skye. “He’s very rough around the edges, just to warn you.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said, before pausing. “Though I might know someone else who could help. Haven’t talked to her in a while, but you never know. Also, Kylie might be someone we want here.”

Mr Fox nodded. “With our stellar mammal choice, I was thinking that he could fill in any roles left over at the end, but his feedback might have the potential for usefulness in the actual planning stage. I’ll see if I can get him in too.”

“Right then,” Judy said, brushing her paws. “We call in the troops, and then we brainstorm. For Kris.”

“For Kris,” everyone said, raising their mugs. Mrs Fox, with Jack’s help, then began collecting them all up for a refill. It was as she was promising Retsuko that she’d have a good search in the larder for some green tea that the phone rang, Mr Fox going over to it.

“It’s Dr Lupuleli,” he said. “I’ll go and get Ash.”

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“And… and then the Chief took him away,” Ash spoke over the phone. There was a soft pause, a tell that he was closing his eyes, pinching the brow of his muzzle and breathing in and out, before he spoke again. “But still,” I began, sniffing a little. “Some part of me still thinks that it should’ve been me who got taken away. Me who got cuffed and sent to juvie, not Kris, but… -Well, they say it’s survivors' guilt. What do you think?”

There was a long pause on the other end as Dr Amy Lupuleli dried her tears. This was meant to have been a happy day for her, a lot of good work done and great things achieved. It had been a while since she’d last seen the young fox, given how she’d been unable to go to his mothers baby shower despite an invite, and on being contacted by his parents she’d wondered whether it was to announce their new baby being born. She’d even had the briefest little flight of fancy that, were it a girl, she might have her name as a middle one or something.

Instead the words had been stark and cold, putting a cold dagger into her heart as she listened on. By the time that she’d heard Ash talk through it all, she’d had tears coming out of her eyes. Eyes she now had to dry, she had a young fox to help after all. “I think it’s probably very likely the case,” she said,  as she closed her eyes and tried to think through it all. To call it a clear case of survivors guilt was an understatement, but now she had to work out how to dig to the root of the issue and get the splinter of pain out of there. After all, she had to help her patient heal.

“Yeah. Thanks. But I still feel it…”

“Well, it’s only been a few hours,” she spoke patiently. “Trauma like this can take a night of good sleep to heal, a week of waiting, a month… But if I can help you understand it better, that should help you get better better.”

“I guess…” he spoke. She wondered if he was smiling a little on the other end from her wordplay. He was, though it was matched with a roll of his eyes. “I mean, is it because I failed to protect Kris? It’s not like I could have done anything, and though I should protect him any time I can, he’s family after all, it’s more that he’s been protecting me since… Well, since you and I met.”

Amy took it all in, rapping her claws along a copy of a signed release form that she hadn’t filed away yet. “Tell me, what cases have there been in the last few months of him protecting you and you protecting him. Not just from bullies or anything, in terms of helping out, like with homework and such?”

Ash paused, thinking back. He then brought out his paws and began counting off. “Well, he usually stands up more to any bullies in the class, he really doesn’t like them. I… when I was nervous about taking off my sweatbands and going into a pool, he stood by me during that.”

“Sounds about fair,” she noted. “Anything you did in return?”

“I…” he spoke, pausing before shaking his head. “Not really.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is that not really because you don’t think the things you did count?”

“I… Well I don’t think so,” he spoke, shrugging. “I mean, I let him borrow my towel and jumper when he was wet and cold, but that’s just a thing you do.”

“It’s a thing you did to help him back.”

“Well, yeah… I mean, he seemed to have a big problem with the cold, what else would I do?”

“I don’t know,” she spoke, leaning forward. “What else was there for him to do when you were nervous about uncovering your scars?”

“I… -that’s different and… -okay, you’re going to ask me why and I can’t think of why, so I guess they’re actually not different.”

Amy smiled. “Clever fox. Anything else?”

“I mean, we’re partners in our comic, but he does most of the fuller artwork and stuff. I’m important to that, I help out and all. -Oh, and when my father announced that I had completed my comic, I pointed out to everyone that Kris was just as important.”

Dr Amy nodded. “So, when you were given the limelight, you deferred some of it to him. When you try and describe your equal partnership in that comic, you make it sound like he’s the driving force. Yet, from what I’ve heard, a lot of its more creative twists and turns in the story were your idea. Correct?”

Ash paused, nodding a little. “I guess so. But what’s this got to do with everything?”

“Well,” Amy began, “remember some of the things we’d been noting in our last few sessions. That you felt, or rather were happy, to be in Kris’ shadow.”

“Well, I know not to be envious of how good he is of everything and to take solace in my own achievements,” he spoke, his eyebrows furrowing a little. “That’s what you taught me to do.”

She nodded. “It is, but did I teach you to downplay your own achievements? No, I did not.”

“Downplaying?” he asked, suddenly confused. “I’m not downplaying what I do…”

“Not mentioning helping him keep warm until pushed?” she countered. “Actively downplaying your role in that comic?”

“But they’re…” he began, only to lose his wording. “I’m not trying to… -you know.”

“You’re not trying or meaning to do anything,” she spoke. “But you’re still doing it, subconsciously.” There was a pause, then a sigh. “Ash, one of the things I was noticing towards the end of your sessions, and which I was thinking of raising in the future, was how you frame your place in the world against Kris. Now, I know that he, in many areas, is a more talented mammal.” Who’s now in prison, she remembered, the sad thought making her pause and sigh. “So yes, in many areas he will be better than you. That though does not equate to what you do being worth less or smaller in stature, many times it may be but not all of them. However I, and your parents, were beginning to worry that you were framing yourself as someone forever in his shadow. Downplaying everything you do in relation to him. Now, do you know why that is?”

“I mean, he is just, you know, a natural.”

She nodded. “Yes. However, may I ask you another question. Why do you wear sweatbands over your scars?”

On the other side of the phone Ash froze, his eyes glancing at the items of clothing in question before darting away, his ears folding down as he did so. “I don’t like looking at them. I don’t like people asking about them or having to answer questions. I don’t like remembering.”

“If there was one emotion you would attach to that, which would it be.”

He took a breath in and sighed. “Shame.”

Amy nodded. “Exactly. Ash, many mammals who’ve contemplated suicide have processed their past experiences in different ways. I’ve known mammals who feel regret for putting others through pain, fear at what might have been, anger that they ever let themselves do something like that. You, though, feel ashamed of it. That, and the feelings that led you to it, so you live your life covering up those scars and downplaying yourself when around the mammal who you envied so much it drove you to that state. You accepted a place by his side and made up, very healthy, but you almost found solace in being his shadow. Him helping you were acts of kindness, while you helping him was just ‘things you do’. This then leads on to your survivors' guilt.”

“How?” he asked. “Because I thought he was the better mammal?”

Her eyebrows raised a little. “Potentially, yes. That’s at least one of the possibilities. After all, you viewed him as a better mammal in general. He’d never be caught up in anything like this, if anyone would be, it would be you. So, by some strange logic, you believe it should have been you.”

“Okay,” Ash said, sounding unsure of it.

“If it’s any help, that’s just one of a few potential reasons,” she spoke, noting his little sigh of relief in response. “I can think of a few and, who knows, it may be all of them at play.”

“Right,” he said. “And the others are?”

“Well,” she said, “you admitted earlier that you regard your suicide attempt with shame. You even felt awkward saying it out loud to me. You don’t like thinking about it, being reminded by it, and when you do you feel shame. Now, who’s to say that you don’t process other traumatic events in a similar way, with shame as the dominant or related emotion?” There was a pause, and a sigh. “I’ll be honest, I don’t know Kris well. I met him at the group therapy session and bumped into him a few times since. I know him as a very mature and intelligent mammal, and I feel awfully sorry for him given what’s happened, but as you were telling that story I wasn’t crying for him, I was crying for you. For how much you were hurt.”

“But…” Ash began to speak, only to cut himself off and pinch the bridge of his muzzle. “Okay, this isn’t downplaying, I’m just stating here and now that he’s the one actually being sent to prison.”

Amy nodded, unable to stop a small smile growing on her muzzle even with the morose subject matter. “Well done being self aware there,” she said. “As for that issue, I don’t really know him, whereas I have a close connection with you. A very close one, given that you’ve laid your heart and soul bare for me. Even though you went through far less, it affects me far more because I’m much closer to you. Of course, you’re really close to Kris now, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” he admitted.

“So, that would be an incredibly traumatic event for you, seeing him being taken away like that. Your mind deals with that trauma by processing it as shame, an emotion very close to guilt. This all gets mixed up together and, what do you know, you begin to feel that you deserved it.”

“Okay, that makes sense.”

“You might also feel a kind of karmic debt to him, it being part of the reason why you were trying to make up to him,” she said. “Again, the shock of seeing that, both due to how serious it is for him and how it stops you from paying it back, urged you to take on the pain for him. Again, manifesting as guilt. It was your fault, as if it’s your fault it’s not his and he can be free, he can be safe.”

“Right,” Ash said. “But I only help him as it’s what you do, you know?”

“You mean being a good person, which is what you were doing,” she pointed out. “Again, self-deprecating.”

His eyes narrowed a little, and he stayed silent.

“Finally, in the early stages you two were sitting right next to each other, and in all that time they may well have been focusing on him. Of course, you didn’t know it and, in your view, Kris is never going to be in trouble. Occam’s razor suggests that, if any focus is put on you two, it’s because of you. As a result, you misinterpreted all of this as being focussed on you, something that you had a very hard time shaking off.” She paused, her features hardening viciously. “Something those police interrogators didn’t help.”

Ash took in and let out a breath. “No, they didn’t.”

Amy nodded, only to be broken off by a blip on an alarm clock. “I’m afraid I have other patients I need to be looking at, and I was only able to slip this call into a short free spot. However, we will be having a face to face meet up as soon as possible.”

Ash nodded and smiled. “That sounds good.”

She did too. “It does. In the meantime, here’s a little exercise. Write down all the points where you felt guilty, then work out an explanation for them. Were they looking at Kris, asking a certain thing to you, were you feeling something bad at the time? You don’t need to answer all of them, and we can go over them together when we meet up. Sound fair?”

“Yeah, thanks,” he said, feeling more confident.

“Good to hear,” she said, smiling. “Best of luck to you… And to Kris, as well,” she added, her ears and tail drooping down. “If he needs any help after this, let him know that I’ll be more than happy to be there for him.”

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “I mean, he’s Kris, he should be fine, but…”

“But prison changes mammals,” she spoke. “However strong and brave he might be before, that doesn’t tell you how it might affect him… Just keep that in mind.”

“I will,” he said, as they said goodbye and hung up. He got out and, after not knowing what to do for a moment or two, got to work with her suggestion. Out came a pad of paper and some pens, which he used to slowly write down all the times he’d felt it was meant to be him.

His mother popped in, asking if he was okay. He said he was and explained what he was doing. She left, he carried on, only for her to pop in a while later asking if he wanted anything. He asked for a few treats, which she provided a little while later, noting that those two other mammals had arrived. They would start the planning in a little bit, and it was up to him if he wanted to come.

He asked if he could just finish this one thing, which she said he could. So, he furrowed his brows as he filled in the easy answers before going onto the hard one.

His brow furrowed harder, his pen occasionally making a scribble or two but then stopping.

He paused, closing his eyes, breathing in and out, before meditating for a minute just to gather his senses.

Turning back to the questions, he gave them a bit more thought before blinking, his paws beginning to tremble. He scanned up and down a bunch, getting a new sheet out and writing out some things in a different coloured pen, getting ever more desperate as he did so. He closed his eyes, did some breathing exercises, yet it got worse as he returned to it. Looking around, his tail and ears lowering, he held his arms close to his body and ran out of the door.

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AN: Let’s do this again. On a scale of 1-10, how evil am I?

On a serious note, this would be a rough chapter for many of you. Don’t worry though, the next one will be a light break from all this angst for one reason. Finneko.

Chapter Text

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(art by Jaff96)

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"Right then, remember what I said, everyone?" Nick asked, looking around.

There was a collection of sighs and 'yesses' as the triple date crowd turned to him. Haida in particular was more than a little weary of the repeated warnings. "Listen, I trust Fenneko. And if she judges any mammal as suitable for her, then I trust that decision and… Uhhh... Even if… -How old even is that van?!"

The collection of mammals turned to see a battered old red van with a white replacement door and a highly interesting mural on one side race up the access road, sliding to a sudden stop next to them. A cloud of dust swept around it while the engine gave one last gunshot of backfire before turning off. Nick rolled his eyes and looked up at the hyena. "Honestly, nobody knows."

"Heeeyyooooooo Slickster!" came a shout from inside as the door was kicked open, Finnick jumping down off of his raised driving seat. Dressed in his regular black and red bowling shirt, with his black aviators perched on his brow and his baseball bat slung across his shoulders, he strutted around like he was twelve feet tall and ruled the roost. "Ya know, as apology gifts go, I'd say this one was a bit cray-cray." He stuck his paws out, buckling as a second, significantly taller, fennec dropped down into them bridal style. "Ahhhh… But I ain't complaining Slick," he said, turning to give her a kiss on the underside of her muzzle. "As I said before, consider us evens! Just no backsies, ya hear?"

"Not that I'd consider it," Fenneko spoke as he put her down. The vixen was realistically only a little above average height for her species, but standing next to the diminutive Finnick really made that hard to believe. She was easily a head taller than him and, if you were being generous, you could say that she was two. She still held herself as sure as he did though, any sense of intimidation only tempered by the fact that she wore a baggy but comfy sky blue hoodie, taking the edge off of what could otherwise be a certified power vixen. "Though I must commend you Mr Wilde on your ability to pick out a fine mate for me."

Nick's jaw hit the floor, the vixen bursting into laughter. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA…"

Finnick just gave her a sly look. "Oooh, not just 'potential' mate now, Mon Joli-Oreilli?" He swooned, leaning in and stretching up to kiss one of her ears.

"After this morning, I think we've gone far beyond mere potential," she smirked, Finnick cracking a smile.

"He-hehhh…" he laughed, before spotting Nick's reaction. "Bwahahahaha!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…"

Haida and Retsuko looked at each other, shrugging. "Guess they really have hit it off," Retsuko said, smiling as she looked on at the pair. She then turned to Nick. "Don't you agree they seem to get on well?"

"Yes," he said blankly.

Her eyes narrowed. "Now that you see they can get on well, are you feeling better now?"

He closed his eyes, breathed in, and gave her a blank look. "Do you think God stays in heaven because he, too, lives in fear of what he's created?"

"Oooh," Jack cooed from the side. "Now if there was ever any line held back by its movie," he said, glancing over to Skye. His eyes turned back though, landing on the mural on the side of the van, which he walked off to investigate. Skye, meanwhile, just looked at Judy.

"Should we just keep out of this?"

The bunny looked between the two fennecs and Nick, still part frozen up. "Yeah… for now," she said, as the smallest fox in the group moved up to the largest.

"Aw, C-mon Slick?" Finnick said, strolling up to him. Wazza matter?"

"Just wondering what the appeal is?"

"Wazza appeal?" he asked, paws going up. "Seriously, Slick, just look at her," he said, smiling as he walked back and slung a paw around her shoulder. She blushed a bit as he cosied up tight. "One, she's funny. Two, she's pretty. Three, she holds her own against me with her words and what not, keeps things interesting. Four, she's sexy. Five, she's real sexy…" He paused as she giggled a bit, giving her a knowing look, before turning back. "And you know what, we get on nice with each other and make both of us laugh and have a good time. So, there's the appeal in that, Slick!"

"I was asking her."

Haida nodded along, turning to Fenneko. "Yeah, I'm kinda interested in knowing what your type is. I mean, I didn't really peg you for a bad-boy type, I can see it now, but… you know?"

"Well," she said, bringing her paws together, palm against palm, pad against pad and claw against claw. "Remember that singles night I took you to, Retsy?"

The red panda paused, thinking for a second or two before nodding. "The one where I met Resasuke and started our relationship. I remember that, though I spent the entire night texting to him rather than talking, so I might have a bit of tunnel vision."

The fennec vixen blinked a few times. "Oh, you were texting him all that time?" She turned to Haida. "I thought she was just spending her time on her phone, that's how she ended up with him."

"Wait," Retsuko asked, her ears going a little askew. "Is there something I'm missing here?"

"Yes," she carried on, "because you were on the phone all the time with Resasuke. You missed me dismissing singles drinks nights and such as a waste of time, only to then stare into the eyes of a big powerful pallas cat sitting opposite me while I internally rescinded that statement. What can I say? I do like tough boys. In any case, while fun, that night didn't go anywhere due to our species difference, a difference promptly solved by the Finster here. He's tough, holds his own, has a bark and a bite that I certainly appreciate, is simultaneously badass and adorable and, when it comes down to his size, that only comes into play when I want to put forward my own little dominant side. Isn't that right?" she cooed, leaning down onto his shoulder and fussing his head-fur with her claws. His face stretched with lines of pleasure, while she gave them all a knowing look. "He's also a sweet romantic when he wants to be. He treats me like a queen and I treat him like a king," she said, smiling.

"Dat's right," Finnick added, smirking. "We're each other's royalty!"

"As if to top it off, a scan through the scarce social media field he has around him and into his past, along with the evidence of his temperament I get when talking to him, strongly suggests that he is what he is and nothing more. A confident bad boy who lives by his own rules, and I happen to really like that."

"Yeah," Finnick said, his muzzle still raised and teeth still gritted in pleasure as she worked his head and the rim of one of her ears with her claws. "We just click, ya know Slick?" he said.

"No I don't," he said, sighing a little. "But I guess that, like a drunk driver, I have to live with my deeds now.

"You right there, Red!" he announced. "Forever…"

"And ever…" Fenneko added, leaning down and planting her head on top of his.

"And ever…"

"And ever…"

"And ever…"

"And ever…"

"And ever."

…

"Well, that was terrifying," Nick summarised. "But we have more important things to discuss."

"Quite right," Jack added.

"Indeed," Nick said, his voice taking on a darker tone. "I…"

"-Is that mural on your van meant to be Popocatepetl and Iztaccíhuatl?" the striped bunny asked, gesturing over at it.

Finnick's eyes widened with glee. "YESSSS! Howz you know that?"

Jack looked on smugly, gesturing back at himself with one of his paws. "¿No crees que no conocería una parte famosa de la cultura de mi tierra natal?"

The fennec drew a blank look as Nick maneuvered himself in front of Jack and opened his mouth to speak, only for a new figure to then barge out of the door and cut in front of him. "Mr Fox, writer and professional problem solver!" he introduced himself. "I hear that you two are the best at assisting in solving problems, such as the ones we have, correct?"

Finnick paused, looking down to his bat and waving it ever so slightly. "Well, I wouldn't say just 'assisting'."

"Confident, I like it. Have you received the brief yet?"

Fenneko spoke up, scanning through her phone as she did so. "I've been notified about what's happened to your nephew and have already started doing some research. So far it seems that no major political or authority figure has revealed his name and situation, following on with the requirements of the youth justice laws. Unfortunately, the event at the school has caused a large amount of trouble, with a variety of revealing posts, both accurate and likely heresy, spilling out on social media. While better analysis along with greater context could lead us to more clues, at the very least I would suggest that we start a highly focussed misinformation campaign designed to downplay what happened. After all, regardless of how this case comes out, the things that are said here could stick with Kristofferson Silverfox for much longer."

Mr Fox nodded. "Reputation and all that, very important."

"Yeah," Finnick noted, before raising his bat up to point at the red fox. "And, if we start causing a ruckus on Chitter and what not, then maybe the people who start to come after us more often than not are those who caused this whole mess in the first place! If they want him in the slammer, they'll wanna keep him in there and turn his friends against him, and if a load of people on the internet are wantin' him out, you can bet that they'll try and do something against it."

"So drawing the snake out of his hole by stirring up the chicken coop," Mr Fox said, before turning to face Nick. "An excellent choice of allies, that dynamic duo will be invaluable. Come on in."

That they all did, the two fennec's bringing up the end. At least until they passed Nick that was. Finnick turned and gave the fox a wink and a smile, before hopping in. The red fox just sighed. "Right, this is reality now. Just gonna have to get used to it." And, with that, he followed in, joining up with the others as they prepared a briefing.

.

Inside, things were getting busy. Bringing out a projector and a laptop, the group were quickly setting up the main lounge as a base of operations. Fenneko was dealing with a bunch of bluetooth stuff, trying to get it so her phone could show onto the main screen. Skye, though admittedly mechanically minded and not software minded, did her best to help. The larger mammals were busy setting out tables and chairs, Finnick was talking to Mr Fox and laughing out loud, while Judy settled up next to Nick.

"Sooo…" she began, looking away and tapping her foot. "You do remember that talk Skye had with you?"

"About talking about me behind my back?" he spoke, looking down at her.

"Yeah," she said, "after I kind of went to town on her for potentially turning Haida and Retsuko against you." There was a pause, as she looked away and sighed. "I'm just kind of worried, or feel a bit hypocritical, with you going on about…"

"-About Finn?" He asked, looking back at her. "Yeah, I can understand that."

She nodded. "I mean I get why you doubted it. Heck, I doubted too. But seeing them now…"

He looked over and nodded. "I… It's hard to really say," he began, pausing as he watched the fennec in question break away from Mr Fox and walk over. He strolled up right next to them with his shades down, leant against a table and pointed at one of his ears.

"Deez things ain't just fo' show, yo' know?" he spoke, Nick groaning in response. "How bad waz it?"

"Well, after realising that I had just set her up with you, I felt I'd committed a crime against love. When asked why, I just admitted that you were once a very naughty boy, but your record is sealed."

He blinked a few times before glancing at Judy. "Dat true?" He spoke, his tone darkening a little.

She nodded.

There was a pause, before he shrugged, lifting his glasses up. "Eh, basically the truth."

Judy sighed with relief, while Nick smiled. "Thanks, good to hear you're not super mad."

"Oh c'mon," he said, gesturing over at Fenneko with a smile on his mouth. "Look at her. She's a fine lady, and you gotta protect dat!"

He nodded, before he focused on him with a critical eye. "Yeah, but are you willing to change for that?"

Finnick blinked a little, stepping back a bit. "What you going on about?"

"Listen, Finn," Nick began, as Judy looked up at him curiously. "Back how I used to be, back when we were hustlers, I didn't deserve to be with Judy," he confessed, staring at the floor as he did so. "It wasn't just cleaning up my act and joining the force, it was about working hard to be the kind of mammal that she deserved. That's what I needed to do to earn the right to be in a relationship with her. You, meanwhile, weren't even willing to drop out of hustling and make the first step. That's why I was so worried about you getting in with her, Finn. I know you came a long way since I first met you, but are you willing to take it the whole way? To clean off and work on your issues, to change, for her? To become the kind of mammal that she deserves?"

There was a silent pause, Finnick's mouth held askew, before his brow furrowed. "And did bunny cop change for you?"

Nick blinked a bit. "Uh, Finn. It doesn't work like that."

"And why not?" he said, paws going onto his hips. "Why is it us boys who have to change for the girls and all?"

The red fox tod facepawed. "Finn, you know what I mean."

"Yeah I do," he commented, before turning to Judy. "I mean, he says he's changed and all, but he's still a dour dog downer, ain't he?"

"Uhhh," Judy began.

"You know, the 'woe is me' and 'oh this world is sad' and 'this ain't gonna work' talks all smattered in with sad philosophicking about 'the true nature of society' and what not. Oh, and the melodrama! Just too much melodrama for any healthy mammal."

"Oh, that," she said, before nodding. "Yeah, but that's Nick, isn't it?"

The red fox just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Yeah," Finnick said. "And why can't Finnick be Finnick, huh? Listen Slick, you might be never pleased about who or what you are, but I'm happy being me. I know what I am, she knows what I am, and is there anything wrong with that? Why do I have to change it, or go away and turn myself into somethin' I'm not?"

Nick was left speechless, before he closed his eyes and breathed in and out. "Okay, yeah. I get you."

"Yeah, you say that," he dismissed.

"No, I'm serious," he said. "A while back, those kinds of things did get too severe for me and I tried to get further away from who I was. Even ignoring those I loved as I tried to do it, even while I was doing it for them.

Finnick blinked. "Dat true, Bunny Cop?"

She nodded. "It is, Finnick. But here's the thing. Maybe I didn't change myself, but I did other things instead. I promised to be honest, to care for him, to be there for him and to repay the love and dedication he gave me." She stepped forward, before glancing over at Fenneko. "Will you do that for her?"

This time it was Finnick's turn to be silent, looking away and scratching behind one of his ears. "Yeeesh! Don't you have big ears too? Didn't you hear me say I treat her like a queen? An' bein' honest with her? Yeah, I've been honest. She knows what I do, she knows what I did. She knows I was in the kiddie pen for five years; heck, she's even seen my jail tat!"

Nick gawked. "You have a jail tat?"

Finnick snickered, pulling up his shirt and ruffling the fur over his heart. Nick looked in closer, his head tilting, before he backed off. "Is that a black paw!?"

"Hey, back when I was a fifteen year old slab of angry fresh bug meat still getting used to having to wear black and white stripes for the next half a decade, they were my homies. That… That was a long time ago. But she's seen and she knows that I'm well past all of that."

"And if she wants you to clean up?" Nick asked. "If it's between the hustle and the vixen?"

Finnick stood still for a second or two before his ears lowered, giving out a huff as he did so. "Fine Slick. Yeah. I can clean up my hustles, though I won't be abandoning them. I'm not a suit and tie kind of mammal, you hear?"

"Yeah, right," Nick said. "And what do you mean by clean up?"

He shrugged. "Hey, she wants to be a PI? Maybe I can be her muscle!" He chuckled. "Partners in crime-bustin'."

Judy crossed her paws. "You know that she is thinking of doing it with her friends, including a hyena?"

"Yeah," Nick added. "And if you ever break her heart, he might be there to sic you."

Finnick snickered. "What? That 'yena?"

"Yes, the 'yena who's been standing behind you ever since I asked if you'd be willing to change for his best friend."

Finnick blinked, turning around and looking straight up into Haida's face. He paused for a second or two before sniggering. "Hey! How's it going with the mother in law?"

Haida suppressed a slight snarl. "It's getting better and thanks for that drink. Listen, I'm gonna trust you as I trust Fenneko. But don't hurt her, or I might have to hurt you."

"Hey," he shrugged, picking up his bat and looking at it. "I ain't gonna hurt her, which is good news as that means you won't get hurt neither."

He flashed a cocky grin back at Nick and Judy, only to suddenly flinch. Haida had dropped his foot down onto the bat and looked down at Finnick, unimpressed. The fennec scowled, tried and failed to pull it out, before looking back grumpily.

"Cool your jets, 'yena. I don't think anyone here wants a demo of why I might be a good pair of muscles... -too."

Haida stepped off the bat. "Listen, we're not really looking for extra muscle. A lot of our stuff might be whitecollar and financial stuff. So very suit and tie-y even if we don't wear those things."

Finnick's ears drooped down hard before he shrugged. "Well, maybe I can go bounty hunting or somethin'. Or join that cool fox over there on his jobs! Hey, Mr Cool Fox! You hiring, right?"

Mr Fox broke off from whatever conversation he was having and saluted across. "Potential slot still open!"

He looked back at Nick and smiled. "Yeah, that's what we was talkin' 'bout. He's legit, right?"

A slightly confused Nick just glanced at an equally confused Judy, then back at Finnick. "You, working for him?"

"Yeah," the fennec replied, a smug grin on his muzzle. "He's basically old you but with none of the sucky bits."

"I…" Nick began, before shaking his head. "Right. Might be very financially optimistic on his part, but you'll probably find a way somewhere." There was a pause, then a smile. "Welcome to the light side, I guess."

He outstretched his paw, Finnick looking at it for a second or two before stepping forward and shaking it back.

"Do her good," Haida added, the small fox holding back for a second or two before giving him a quick two fingered salute.

"I will, 'yena," he spoke levelly. "I will."

There was a brief pause as he walked his way, before the sound of a different fox clearing his throat rang out. "I'm guessing you did meet him."

"Yes."

"So…"

"-My girlfriend told your girlfriend. Ask her."

…

"Carrots…?"

.

.

Meanwhile, three girls were busy with a laptop, working away with both it and a phone while discussing some important matters.

"I have to say, that triple date did sound exciting," Fenneko said, busy tapping away. "It's a shame I couldn't come."

Skye nodded along. "Yeah," she said, "It was fun." She paused though, thinking. "Though maybe four couples would be a bit overcrowded? You could do rotating double dates instead if you really wanted."

"I happen to think the more the merrier."

"Yeah, well that's easy for an extrovert to say."

"I suppose it is," Fenneko noted. "Then again, I still feel that our presence would have improved that night for all, and provided a highly efficient social media chronicle of the events going on in it."

"Well," Retsuko chuckled nervously. "I suppose there's at least one good reason why you couldn't come. I mean, it was our drunken chats that ended up putting you two together… Late last evening... -And now you're super close. I mean, it's pretty scary when you think about how fast you two clicked."

Fenneko shrugged. "Hey, all I had booked in for that night home was internet and sleep. I can't have you beating me on the social media front with your fancy triple dates and, after finding out his van was parked not far from my apartment, I suggested we go out for a late night meal. A little stroll through the meerkat markets and soon we were laughing and smiling together."

"His van," she asked, pausing. "He lives in there?"

She smiled, looking up at her. "The interiors are pretty spectacular. Before we got your call in the morning, I was helping him set up an account on Preddit and guiding him through a drip-fed high interest generating posting arrangement for p-slash-cozyplaces."

Skye looked over at her before bringing out her phone and searching through, her eyes widening as she saw something. She passed it over to Retsuko, the red panda blinking as she saw it. "That's better than I imagined."

Fenneko waved it over before giving it a critical eye. "I wouldn't say so. Only two gold so far."

Retsuko rolled her eyes. "I was talking about the interior."

The fennec vixen smiled. "It has a certain charm, and it's surprising what a bit of opportune framing, lighting, and some tactical tidying of an otherwise functional living space can do."

"Yeah," Skye noted, looking at it. "It does look like a nice place. Still, though, living out of a van full time and all… I'm not trying to be judgemental, but…"

"-Such a thing is associated with unsavoury characters, isn't it?" Fenneko interupted, carrying on working on the laptop, her focus seemingly unwavering from it. "Ones who roam from place to place, stealing and looting where they go, using drugs and seeking women for short thrills or worse. Who knows? He could be an escaped sexual predator, who lurks the street trying to woo in innocent mammals, only to tranquilise them before taking them out to a secluded spot where he does unspeakable things before finally granting the long begged for mercy of death."

…

"Don't worry Skye," Retsuko said, reaching out with a paw and holding on to the slowly retreating swift fox vixen. "She's normally like this."

"That's not helping," she said, turning to look at the small vixen, still focussed intently on her screen.

"Hey, just saying," she said, shrugging. "In reality though, I was able to cross reference his pictures with the name provided and that of his sponsor, Nick Wilde. I found a quick back catalogue of pictures that had been taken, giving me a reasonable view of what he was like."

"Only reasonable?" Retsuko queried.

"If you're worried, that was due to authorship bias. It was pretty obvious though that most of that was teasing, especially after cross referencing with Finster's own, sparser, media posts. Suffice to say, in contrast to a number of captions, he was not a member of the extreme end of the ageplay community."

The two other girls gave each other an odd look, Retsuko turning forward again. "And what did you learn about him?"

"Well, from a variety of posts I found that he is a bit of a tough guy, he enjoys playing an electric guitar and generally keeping his vehicle in working order. He has an interesting taste in music, not the same as my own but this is real life and you can't have it all. He can be grumpy and a bit snappy at times, but after a hard day's work he can sit back in a bean bag with a beer in one paw and a contented smile of a day well spent on his face. He's actually impressively good at art and stuff, he didn't do that mural but he practiced how to touch it up and learned how to paint. Also, he follows baseball, similar to my minor interest in softball. We actually spent the night at the batting cages."

She brought out her phone to prove it, the pair scrolling through. At first there were a few selfies of them at the markets, sharing food or with him bursting out in laughter. There was a selfie of them holding up a margherita each, before the scenery changed. Dressed up in the correct padding, different pics showed them having a go swinging with his bat. The ones with him had him leaping up with a furious look on his face, cracking the ball with his bat as if he wanted to send it up into orbit. By the end, there was a picture of him with his mouth open, tongue panting out as he squeezed a flow of juice into his gaping jaws, all framed by the stark glow of a spotlight behind him. The next few pictures were filtered versions of the same one. "I like this one," she said, showing off one where the light behind had been dulled down and the saturation of his colours turned up. "Though he likes this one," she said, scrolling on, revealing a black and white version with a very noir like feel. On she went, showing a few pictures of her swinging that bat. It was clear she wasn't as good, but on one she was caught hitting the ball square on. The next few pictures had her jumping up and down in celebration. The one after that was a double selfie, Finnick holding her tight with a look of cool pride on his face.

"That's nice," Retsuko said, smiling.

"I know," Fenneko said, almost whispering. "So hot." She scrolled on some more, revealing Finnick taking her back to his van, showing her in, the two snuggling, then the pair beginning to pose and snuggle in decreasing amounts of clothing… "I'll stop there," she said, taking her phone back and scrolling to a different, resolutely clean, image in her gallery. "We had fun last night," she said, glancing up at Retsuko's wavering eyes.

"T-t-the real thing, that soon?"

"Oh no, it was all snuggles, kisses, tongue and paw stuff last night," she waved off. "It was after he brought me breakfast in bed from a store, along with some items from a pharmacy, that we did the real thing."

"Woah, TMI!" she said, backing off.

"Also, let me just say that his van is not compensating for anything," she said, giving a knowing smile at the slap-faced Retsuko.

"Uhhhh….. Uhhhhhh…"

They were broken off by a deep laugh. "Givin' 'em TMI babe?" They watched Finnick stroll over, planting a kiss on the side of her muzzle.

"Arguably less. Though maybe her overt reaction is due to a latent hyenid versus ailurid scale based fear she has due to her chosen species of mate. Any attempts or mentions of the act of making love, especially with well endowed men, sends her into a series of increasing nerves due to the fact that she either risks never fulfilling the full potential of her romantic relationship with him or she risks causing grievous and maybe even potentially permanent body harm to a sensitive area from over eager over stuffing. Of course, knowing her mate, that could send him into a tailspinning spiral of guilt ending up in estrangement or even suicide, all on her."

Retsuko's face was like a stone wall while Skye was taking an increasing number of steps back.

The two fennecs glanced at each other before breaking down in hysterics. "Bwahahahaha…" "HAHAHAHAHAHA"

Shaking her head, Retsuko put her paws on her hips and stared them down. "That was not funny!"

Mid laugh, Finnick looked up, trying to hold his laughter in but failing. "Yes it was! Yes it was! Hahahaaaaa…"

"HAHAHAHAHA… -Did I tell you he appreciated my sense of humour too?"

"No," she grumbled. "I mean, what if it's you getting it done to!"

"What?" Finnick asked, still bent over in laughter. "Like the van dwellers one? Oooh, I'm an escaped sexual predator. I'm going to make you beg for the sweet release of death. BWAHAHAHA…."

"Well," Skye finally said, feeling it was safe to approach them again. "I have to admit. They are made for each other."

"Yes," Retsuko said, pausing and clearing her throat. "What about him, you know, once being a 'naughty boy'?"

The two broke off, Fenneko bringing a paw out to hold Finnick back. "A few pics suggested he got out of a reform institution around fifteen years ago."

"Waz that the time ten years ago that Slick got me that five year old's birthday cake with the sparkler on it?"

"Yes. While a large number of comments you made on an online article about a past 'Kits for Cash' scandal in the States, particularly in conjunction with fellow commentator 'Eljaysliver', suggested that this stemmed from a bad experience in the youth justice system." She paused, glancing at him. "You might want to remember that for later."

"Uh-Okay," he said, not sure where this was going. Fenneko was carrying on regardless.

"However, it wasn't me who brought this up last night."

There was a pause, as Finnick's expressions darkened. "Yeah," he said, turning to the other two girls. "I did some dumb ruttin' stuff when I was a teen and I did half a decade of hard time," he said, looking to the side a little. "It was when she suggested we go back to my van and asked how tough I really was that I told her the truth and the whole truth and nuthin' but the truth about all that. She then said she knew, and that me telling meant an awful lot to her."

"Yes. For instance, the fact I really would be going back to his van."

Finnick chuckled, before cosying up to her, massaging one of her ears. "Never change, Mon Joli-Oreilli. Never change."

She looked at him and smiled, glancing over at her friends as well. "He's also quite the romantic," she said, before tapping a few times on the laptop. "And I think this should do the trick!"

Pressing the enter key it did, the projector behind them displaying a blank screen. There was a pause as the whole crowd slowed down, realising it was time. Nick and Judy stepped forwards; Dr Silverfox, his expression darkening gravely, sat down; Skye and Retsuko found a seat next to their boyfriends. Mr and Mrs Fox held onto each other and gave them a nod.

Fenneko brought up her phone, ready to begin, only for the door to the stairs to crash open. Ash staggered in, looking terrified. "I-I-I've worked something out!"

.

.

AN: Thanks to my ever dependable proof reader, Dancou Maryuu, for coming up with the zoot name for twitter.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

.

AN: This chapter and the next were interesting to write, both being the split up parts of a long meandering set of conversations where the initial theories and plan of action are hammered out. I ended up chopping and changing a bunch of stuff around a few times to get the scenes into a flow that worked, made sense, and ended on the note I wanted. Enjoy.

.

"I-I-I've worked something out!"

All eyes turned to Ash as he stepped into the room, nervously glancing around before scurrying up close to his parents, holding them tight. His mother bent down to hold him, hard, while his father's ears had picked up. "Excellent work son. What is it?"

He turned and looked up into his eyes. "It was supposed to be me."

There was a long pause, Felicity finally breaking it as she held him tighter. "Oh Ash… No it wasn't, it…"

"-It was," he stated, suddenly pushing himself out of her grip and looking around. "It was supposed to be me!"

"No, Ash, it wasn't…"

"It was!" he shouted, his mother suddenly backing off. He'd gone from looking worried to having lines of frustration riven across his muzzle, all while his fluffed-up tail beat back and forth behind him.

"Ash," his father began. "You did have that talk with…"

"-Yes! That's how I know it was supposed to be me. Now are you going to let me help Kris or not?"

Felicity's head tilted a little and she looked up at Foxy, the older fox paused in thought. "Okay Ash, tell us everything."

He looked at his father for a second or two before closing his eyes, breathing in and out. "Thanks," he muttered, before walking over to the centre of the group. "My therapist said that to help with my survivors guilt, I could start listing out all the times I thought it was meant to be me. Then I could work out an explanation for each time." He brought out a sheet of paper and began reading off of it.

"Okay, first off, all the stuff going on with the police. That just made me nervous and more insecure, so I began getting worried. Then, when the police began looking 'at' me and standing around me, they were actually looking at Kris. Well, I didn't think that then, I know when people are and aren't looking at me, and I think it even less now. But okay, they were looking at Kris. Then they got to the lockers, which they opened up after arguing over the name list. Kris' locker is right below mine, easy mistake. But then I was being led over to the principal's office, the cop still tough and angry standing beside me. I was nervous, right? Same thing I was when I was being interrogated. But, after that, when the Chief mentioned 'the true suspect' to the hippo, he looked right at me. Right at me. Then he paused and said it was Kazar. That, I can't explain."

"Well," Felicity began, stepping forward. Ash's eyes narrowed as she spoke. "Maybe there isn't a reason, or maybe he was glancing at someone behind us, or…"

"-He's right."

She paused, turning to her husband. "Foxy?"

"That police chief was most certainly looking at our family unit, or rather in between us and at about Ash's height, for an unusually long time."

"But still, there could be all sorts of reasons for that?"

"Or it was meant to be me, originally," Ash spoke. "It's not the only odd thing. Back when a cop was taking me to the Principal's office, she was mad at him for lots of reasons. But then she said that I had a 'right to know' and that she should tell me, but the cop ordered her to stay quiet. That's the big thing that made me realise this. They originally got a call telling them that the howlers were in my locker, not Kris'. Only, when they came to inspect it, they found them in the one below mine. That's why they were confused and needed to get the records. That's why the cops were all looking at me. That's why they gave me such a long interview at the station!"

There was a long pause, only broken as Judy clicked her fingers. "Of course! An anonymous tip!" Nick snapped to the same realisation too.

"Hold up," Skye said. "Wouldn't you have known if Ash had a tip against him? If he was interrogated, wouldn't that be the first thing they'd bring up?"

"Theoretically, yes," she said. "Except for the fact that this is a youth case."

"And that changes things how?"

Judy paused, taking a breath in and stepping forward. "Let's say you have a young gang member or suspect. They might know something important, or a less-than-ethical detective suspects them of something and point blank wants to see them put away. Now, they don't have anything on them. However, they or a friend could put in an anonymous tip. At that point, they say they have something on him and can use it to scare them. Add a few more tips, maybe from the same person as, guess what, nobody could tell the difference, and suddenly you've got a young and scared child who might jump at a plea deal or give up some info. It used to be used fairly often, which led to a law being passed banning it. Unless they have firm physical evidence, you can't say that an anonymous tip was levelled against them, given that it's an illegal intimidation tactic. Bogo's a by the book's Chief and against Wassermaim he'd do nothing that could give him leverage, he wouldn't even tell us confidential stuff like that off record, but he does want to help us."

Nick snapped his fingers. "There's nothing I can legally do to help you. Not even an anonymous tip. Think about what I just said."

"So that's why they were so mean to him," Felicity gasped, turning to her son. She walked up to him and, this time, he didn't resist her embrace. "They still suspected you, they thought it was you. Oh I'm so sorry Ash, I'm so, so sorry…"

His looking of comfort in her paws broke off a little. "You know it wasn't actually you who did that?"

She sniffed a bit. "Well, I'm so, so sympathetic doesn't have much of a ring to it," she said, gently kissing him on the forehead.

"T-thanks," he said, before stepping back. He looked around, his gaze eventually glancing to Nick. "That's it. I think whoever put them there called in an anonymous tip on me. It would have all worked too, only they got the wrong locker. Probably as they thought I'd have the lower one being the short kit."

Silence filled the room as Nick stood up and looked around. "So," he said. "We're not looking for someone who wanted to get Kris, we're looking for someone who wanted to get Ash. It could be anyone. After all, it doesn't take much effort to make your way into a school locker."

Judy nodded. "That's if it's true," she said, turning to Ash. "It is a good theory, but we need proof. Proof we won't get from the police."

"The head," Felicity spoke. "She does know, doesn't she? I can phone her up right now." She stood up and walked out over to the staircase before descending down. A long pause followed her absence, before Nick turned to Mr Fox.

"Don't you bunch have a cell phone?"

"Our old landline holds a lot of sentimentality, and Felicity always wants something to wrap around her fingers while talking" he said, shrugging. "The important thing is what we do with this new bit of information."

"Well," Nick said, turning to Ash. "Mr…" he made a spitting noise, "who hates you enough to try and do this to you?"

"I don't know," he said. "If I knew I'd have told you."

Haida nodded along. "That is a fair point. Also, surely whoever did this also needs access to the Nighthowlers in the first place. Maybe their family used to be one of Kazar's ex-goons. If you could cross reference the list of those arrested for that with, say, the student yearbook, you might be able to find something."

Judy pumped her fist and smiled. "Great idea! You might make a pretty good detective going on."

Haida blushed a little, his tail wagging. "Oh, uh… Thanks."

"-Also," Fenneko said, "you can forget about a yearbook." She began opening up browsers, typing in the name of Ash's school before finding a school photo of the entire staff and student body, their names listed beneath. Opening up a little tab in the website, she began entering in a few lines of code."

Jack looked on, astonished. "Hacking in the flesh…"

"Yup," Finnick said, cosying up to her. "I don't know what the heck she's doin', but I like it! We make quite a badass pair, don't ya think?"

Nick shrugged. "I think that 'Gruesome Twosome' is more fitting, but each mammal to their own."

Ash nodded, before his head tilted a little. "Hang on, how does she know which school I go to?"

"Just accept that she does, Kitto," Haida said. "It makes it easier."

"I wouldn't say that," Skye said nervously, before looking down at Jack. "Though, as you'd put it, it's very in-character."

He gave her a smile, only to be broken off by the fennec in question. "It's what I do," she said, looking up and giving a wink as she brought out her phone, Finnick jumping up next to her as she took a picture. "I take selfies and I know things. And done!" She hit the enter key and a line of text appeared before closing. There was a pause as she then switched to an excel document, a whole list of first and second names printed out. Judy nodded and then stepped over.

"I think I can find a list of those arrested on the Kazar raid," she began, beginning to flick through the web. Her interest was piqued, and she was going to get to the bottom of this. She was soon on the ZPD homepage, looking for the staff log-in. "If you set up your little thing again, we can get it down and…" She froze, her eyes lingering on a small article mentioning the first badger to try for the academy, his black and white striped face staring out. The sight triggered a memory, which hit her like a bucket of freezing water. "Oh…"

"Oh, what?" Finnick asked.

Judy looked down at him, before looking up at Mr Fox. She was shaking a little, her ears hanging down. "I'm sorry," she sniffed, as she suddenly felt dreadful.

"Sorry for what?" he asked, as Nick got up and walked over to her.

"Hey, hey, Carrots. What's the matter?"

She looked up at him, her lips trembling. "Do you remember the baby shower, when that Badger was talking to me?"

"Yeah…" he said, not quite sure where this was going. Just in case Mr Fox was getting any ideas, or rather one idea in particular, he shot him a warning glare, telling him to let the bun finish.

"He was worried that mammals who didn't like me, who wanted to… to hurt me… That they would go for Mr Fox instead, getting me through him," she said. She'd brushed it off then, it seemed implausible, but now... "But what if they went after Ash instead!? What if the whole reason Kris is going to jail is because someone wanted to hurt me!?"

"Hey, hey hey…" Nick said, leaning in and holding her. "It's not your fault…"

"But it would be…" she began, trying to get it across. The only reason he was suffering now, thrown away due to a law that she supported, was because she had put this family into the firing line. That was on her and she hadn't even thought about it, and now an innocent kit was suffering because of that, the guilt of it all worming its way down into her bones. "If I wasn't…"

"Hey!" he scolded, breaking her off. He looked into her eyes, hard. "Judy Laverne Hopps, let me remind you who first got in contact with this family, hmmm? And let me remind you who is friends with the targeted mammal? So, if someone was trying to harm one of us via hurting Ash, which would it most likely be, huh?"

She paused. He kind of made sense? Still, she felt bad. "I…" she began, before breathing in and out. She had to focus, otherwise how would she help him? "No, it's whichever mammal did this, isn't it. It's their fault."

Nick nodded. "Bingo. And there's one other point worth considering. I don't blame you if you've forgotten it, I only mentioned it a long time ago, but my mother also works at that school."

"She does?" Retsuko asked.

Fenneko nodded. "On the lunch staff."

"Yeah," Nick agreed, turning back to Judy. "So, if we were the targets, surely she would be a much bigger, more obvious one. They're much more likely to know who my mother is than know that we're friends with Ash, right?"

"Right," she said, looking over to Mr Fox and Ash. "Whether they were after us or not though, we will help. And if anyone thinks they can use you to harm me, if they think they can get away with harming Kris, then they're going to have to read up on what harm really is!"

"Tacit support of police violence," Mr Fox said, "I like it."

Nick rolled his eyes, only to then freeze. Just like Judy, a memory had fired in his brain. What Mr Fox had said, or the first part of it, had briefly reminded him of the kind of barb a certain someone would make and, as soon as it had entered his mind, it had begun to take root. His teeth began gritting, the fur on his back rising, and half his mind not wanting to believe but the other half screaming out about how much it made sense.

"Aaaaannndddd done," Fenneko said, before typing a few more lines of code. "Just put a comparison through and… -Oh, no match."

"It's not one of them," Nick spoke out loud, harshly. All eyes turned to him as he closed his eyes and pinched the brow of his muzzle, pacing around as he did so. "I don't believe this, I really don't believe this. This has got to be way too far for him. It has to be…"

"Nick?" Judy asked, watching as he sat down, his teeth grit in anger.

"A mammal who doesn't like us. A mammal who doesn't like Ash either and knows we know each other. One who thinks he was screwed over by all the three of us not once but twice, and swore to get his own back barely more than a day ago."

Judy blinked, her mouth gaping open. "No. Even he…"

"He can sneak in and out of that school and he may well have some howlers stashed away too. After all, we know he was wrapped up in the first plot too, don't we?"

"Who is this?" Fenneko asked, her ears tilting.

"Yeah," Haida added, Retsuko nodding along.

Jack and Skye leant forward while Dr Silverfox looked on in nervous anticipation. However, it was a member of the Fox family who eventually spoke.

"It was that weasel," Ash spoke, his father turning down to look at him. There was the sound of a door opening as his mother marched out, tail bushed up, only to freeze as she saw that something was going on.

"Ash? She asked. "What weasel? This isn't that one you mentioned, was it?"

He nodded. "All three of us were there when he got caught selling alcohol next to my school. He didn't like Nick and Judy, and he was angry at me too. Then we bumped into him yesterday, messed up his last day of community service, and he was mad at all of us."

"The embarrassingly useless one," Felicity added. "And also indescribably petty if you're talking about him for the reason I think you're talking about him."

Ash nodded as Dr Silverfox got up. "Kris mentioned him yesterday," he said quietly. "Talked about him getting mad at Ash and the two officers, promising to 'get his own back'. This is it…"

Nick nodded gravely. "Well, it isn't quite it. I still can't believe he'd do something this wicked, but it does look like he planned to stitch up Ash, hurting all three of us at once. Heck, with his community service ending who knows where he might have gone now. And though he framed the wrong mammal, if he was callous enough to do this in the first place he probably wouldn't care about it being the other young fox who created a mess for him getting into legal trouble. He probably still thinks that his call about Ash screwed him up."

"About that," Felicity said, a long pause filling the room. All eyes turned to her, her ears drooping a bit. "All she said was that she was told it was police business and couldn't comment. I tried my best; I was quite forthright with her."

"How forthright are you talking about?" her husband queried.

"Very."

"Yikes," he said. "That is quite forthright."

"So…" Ash began. "We don't really know if they called against me. -But it still makes sense, and out of all the mammals who could do this, this weasel makes the most sense."

"Or it could be someone completely different," Judy said, stepping forward. "She might have been ordered to stay quiet using those same youth justice laws, and it might have been called in on Ash, but we don't know. We need more information."

"Though, for now at least, we could try and get some more info on his whereabouts," Nick spoke. "Finn, Fenn, we need you to do a search for Duke Weaselton."

"On it," she saluted, as Finnick blinked.

"Wait, this is Duke we're talking about, here?"

Nick nodded, as Retsuko spoke up. "Who is this mammal?"

"I'll tells you who," Finnick spat. "He's a slippy, slimy, useless little bootlegger without a backbone in his body! I actually endured a year with him back when I was locked up in Juvie, he'd pickpocket and steal and snitch on anybody! All the time being this insufferable little prick in your face. If he's anythin' like what he waz back then, and the times I bumped into him since he's pretty much been worse, then he'd sure as cuss think nuthin' of sending some poor kit to the pen! Slick… You better get to him first… If he really did this, I might not be able to stop myself going all Lang family against him and biting his face off myself. And this time I literally mean it."

Nick looked at Finnick silently for a second or two, his ears folded back as he gulped. "Right, I'm actually believing you right now," he noted. "I'll do my best."

"Yeah," Finn said, looking over to Fenneko. "I think I've found myself someone I want to spend my life with here," he said, their eyes meeting as they shared a smile. "Don't think I can bear being split apart."

"Neither can I," the fennec vixen said, as she gave him a peck on his muzzle before turning back to her phone. "Any other information on him?"

Judy nodded. "He was hired by Doug and Co to steal the Nighthowler bulbs for the original scheme, when we tried to chase him up to ask questions about this latest one we ended up busting him for selling alcohol to minors. He pled down to community service by helping us with that case, though his lead led us nowhere."

"Which might have been the plan," Nick said. "He might have been lying."

"Well," Judy said, "he's going to really regret that if he did." She turned to look at Fenneko. "Any news?"

"I've not got a lot, this is not a socially media active mammal," Fenneko said, a pang of worry in her voice. "He has a barely used furbook page but… -ah! His flat mate does have one! It appears he shares an apartment with a ferret named Gus Pippman. A few posts and mentions have our mystery mustelid in the background, some are even in his room. As for this ferret, he appears to be a minor gang member, he has unusually large quantities of flashy jewelry he enjoys showing off so he's potentially a shoplifter or small time thief."

"Yeah, I bag that one as a thief," Finnick agreed. "He's also a Lobos gang member; not fun, and I don't think he'd rat out if Duke did it or not. He actually has street cred."

"Still worth a try," Fenneko said, as she began typing again.

"Not without me and Mr Bat," he said.

She paused, looking at him and flashing a little blush-accompanied smile, before turning back to her phone. "Also, it appears that he's got a bunch of Caveslist advertisements for different rooms in his place. Going back to the furbook page and looking at the pictures of Duke's room, there also appears to be a few bits of camping equipment put in place, an interest said landlord shows no evidence of interest in. I'm presuming that our weasel might have a fondness for outdoor activities, and may be using it as a cover to leave the city."

"Or the country," Nick spoke, walking over. "Go Stateside for a bit, he's completely out of our reach unless we can get an international warrant, which we're not going to get anytime close to soon." He paused and sighed. "He could be anywhere. We'd want to both confirm the tip against Ash and look at that roommate first, then maybe try and find him and, if worst comes to the worst, go out there and make him admit that he planted the howlers and then put in the tip."

"Which might not even exist," Dr Silverfox commented sadly. There was a pause, as all eyes turned on him. "I mean, it might not be a set-up against Ash and it might be someone else, and we'll spend all this time barking up the wrong tree while… while…" He breathed in and out, sniffing a few times as he reached for a tissue to wipe his eyes with. The whole room seemed to take on his morose expression, ending as he put the tissue up and looked over to the others. "What do we do until then?"

The grim mood held itself for a second or two before it was cut off by Fenneko. "If you remember, before we had the weasel lead I was trying to raise some issues about the social media impact of our mammal's arrest."

Dr Silverfox nodded gravely, his ears folding down. "How bad is it?"

Fenneko opened up a few websites and began scrolling. "It seems that the initial arrest wasn't captured on any recording devices, so the direct link to Nighthowlers is not there. However a few students recorded the police turning up, with one capturing a video of Kristofferson being led out and placed in a cruiser. It was posted to Dik-Dok and was then distributed. There are also two versions on Chitter, one on Furbook and, most worryingly, a version of Preddit."

Finnick nodded. "Yeah, we actually saw that one just before getting a call out. You fine if we play it, Pops?"

He nodded slowly, taking a breath in to steady himself while his sister in law put a paw on his shoulder, and the fennecs pressed play. The recording was shaky and grainy, but it showed a bunch of cop cars pulling up into the school and a variety of mammals jumping out. Whoever was holding the camera asked what was going on, one of the officers responding that it was trouble and that they should keep their muzzles out of it. Then it skipped forward, revealing the front doors of the building open up wide. There, led by a tiger cop and with his paws cuffed behind his back was Kris. His father breathed a sigh of relief, he seemed perfectly calm if not content, and though he glanced towards the recording mammals for a second or two he provided no resistance as he was put into the back of a car and then driven off.

"That... That wasn't so bad," he muttered, breathing in and out.

Finnick nodded. "Now, do you want the good news or the bad news?"

"I… bad news first," he said, bracing himself.

He glanced to Fenneko who carried on. "Let me prime you first," she said. "The website Preddit is a social media platform that takes on the form of a forum, with multiple sub forums. For instance, most countries and large cities will have their own sub-Preddit, set up by residents with posts about said area being put in. Mammals can then reply to said posts, up or down voting them as they like. Very popular posts have a chance of appearing on Preddit-slash-all, which is the closest thing the site has to a homepage."

"Okay…" he said. "I'm used to the standard hobbyist and academic forums, but I think I get this. I'm… I'm guessing that this post was put into the zootopia channel and then got upvoted to the front page."

"Not quite," Fenneko said, as she opened up P-slash-all and scrolled down a bit. "As you can see, it was put on P-slash-JusticeServed… Also, hang on… There's a second version that's been posted onto P-Slash-ImAtotalPieceOfCuss. Both are climbing highly, both, as you can see, say that he was taken in for having nighthowlers in his locker."

"I…" Dr Silverfox drew a blank. "Okay, what's the good news then?!"

"The good news is that if you scroll to the very end of the video," she said, opening it up and looking through. She pressed play, and the mammals there were talking for a bit. "Isn't that the new kit?" one of them asked. "Chris, right?" Someone else looked at him. "No, it's Christopher." And then the video cut out.

Dr Silverfox breathed in a sigh of relief, running his paws against his leg. "So, they'll get his name wrong… That's a relief. -But can't we take them down?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah, that'll be covered by the youth protection laws. Preddit will definitely take them down if ordered too, though the other social media sites are too decentralised to easily control. With Furbook especially it'll be like trying to beat out a burning fire, we may have already missed it and can only hope it dies down soon. On a lighter note, for the Preddit takedown we probably don't need to get a lawyer in or anything either. I can email the news to Chief Bogo and he can make a start on the injunction."

"Yeah," he said, "and speaking of lawyers I'm going to get my paws on one as soon as I can."

Nick smiled. "I have a shortlist of those guaranteed to make steam come out of The Chief's ears lined up and waiting."

"Great, I'll also march right over to the Canidean embassy, see if they can kick up a fuss there too."

Judy nodded, clicking her fingers. "Good idea. I heard about a previous case with a foreign national, and their embassy did put up a fight. All the more pressure on the DA to tone it down."

"Yes," Fenneko spoke, leading on. "That's probably the other big issue we have."

Nick nodded, sighed, and stood up. "She's right. Popping the weasel is all well and good, but it's about time we talked about the hippo in the room."

.

AN: Kudos to Merc Marten for coming up with Dik-Dok in his fic, 'Zootopia: Fire Triangle'. Given its size, I'm not going to tell you to read it despite how much I love it… I will tell you to read the much shorter and plot critical prequel, 'Escape from Zoo York'. That should get the addiction going...

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

.

“So,” Fenneko began. “From my research, I’m presuming that DA Kurt Wassermaim’s not one to easily cave into public pressure.”

Nick nodded. “If he were, he’d have resigned years ago. He’s calling the shots here, and he wants this to happen.” There was a pause as his teeth bared. “He’s enjoying this, I saw it, and there’s nothing we can do as he’s still got a term left to finish. There’s no way City Hall will renew him for another term and he knows it, so he’s got nothing to lose. Unless we can get a bunch of evidence to prove Kris didn’t do it, there’s not much we can do other than wait these four weeks out and hope they’ve got so little they’re forced to drop it when filing charges. Heck, even if we do have a bunch of stuff he may ignore it and try and bring Kris to trial anyway!”

Judy looked on gravely. “In which case we wait the seven months before making certain he’s freed at his trial. -But surely there is a way we can pressure him? Isn’t there a way we can force him out?”

“There’s that thing I suggested a while ago,” Mr Fox reminded everyone. “Break in, get sensitive stuff, blackmail?”

Before his wife could protest, Fenneko spoke. “An idea with merit, certainly. It could play well with my plan: working with some EweTubers who really don’t like him. Though to create real pressure we’ll need the non-alternative media on our side.”

“And that leads onto something I know,” Mr Fox said. “After all, I write for a newspaper. I’m also the oldest long term resident of the city living here and I happen to remember a few things.”

“Such as?” his brother in law asked.

“Such as a case ages ago where a DA was suspended by the Mayor on the claim that they were unfit to do their duty. However, it’s worth noting that said DA then took the case to a judge who ruled in his favour, and he stayed in place.”

Judy’s eyes widened. “So, if we can absolutely prove that what the DA did was wrong… Which it was, I mean we can just call the Mayor up and get him out pronto!”

“Except,” Nick pointed out, “the fact that a judge previously cleared what he did as legally valid. And I mean it’s been an open secret that Wassermaim’s part of Bellwether's old crew, but the Mayor hasn’t tried to fire him yet ‘cause there’s never been anything to prove it.”

“Yes, but surely with what he’s just done…” Judy began, only for Fenneko to cut her off.

“-He’s actually gained support,” she said, opening up preddit and scrolling through the comments. “As far as the common internet user knows, some school kit came in with these things that terrify them and was taken away, looking calm if not smug as he went.” There was a long pause as she scrolled down, the group giving each other worried looks as they read the comments. “Even if the truth about his holding situation becomes apparent, it’s unlikely to change public opinion. After all, while Zootopia has very strong youth justice laws, things like this are quite similar to what might happen in the States and even Canidea for really serious crimes. Given the particular notoriety of what he was caught with, I’m not sure if we can receive much sympathy from the general public.”

“Well,” Retusko began. “Why don’t we start our own story? The way I saw it, the police believed that a mammal wasn’t responsible for these things, was happy with the arrangement they were giving him, but then he barged in and overruled them all. From what I gather, there’s a bit of a sob story you could play up too, given that he only just got his father back.”

“Yeah,” Judy agreed. “We can scream out that he’s an antivulpite and make him so unpopular that the mayor is itching to drop him.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Haida said. “Listen, I don’t doubt that he doesn’t like preds and stuff after seeing him. But do you know what I’d think if I was just working in an office, hear that that a fox was arrested for handling nighthowlers, then tried to plead the whole fox discrimination thing? I’d be mad at that fox! I had to struggle and suffer through the first Nighthowler plot, scared I’d turn and hurt others, all while getting shouted at or being given dodgy looks, especially at the end. To hear that a fellow pred was caught with them fair and square, then to hear him claiming that it’s all speciesism against him. Well, I’d hope he was sent away for even longer, all while feeling sorry for all the other foxes who he was giving a bad name to. Unless you have some direct proof, and I would be happy to say what I saw just for the record, playing the fox card is really going to backfire on you.”

“I’m a fox,” Skye said, “and I’m afraid I pretty much agree with you too.”

Nick nodded. “Yeah, and just remember who we’re fighting against here,” he said, rubbing his temple. “If you take him at face value, what he’s arguing for isn’t bad and does make sense. Treat the criminal like a criminal, I’m putting my foot down given how much this stuff made the city suffer before; I’m not a speciesist, I’m just enforcing the laws and would do it to anyone equally. The trouble for us is that he reframes our argument, suddenly questioning us on something we didn't even consider was up for debate and considered a given, making us stumble. ‘Oh, you’re not happy about enforcing those laws? So, you’re happy to let a terrorist go? You’re happy to put other preds at risk? You’re saying that because he’s a fox, any attempt to treat him to the same standards means I’m an antivulpite? You’re saying that the law should treat some mammals differently to others?’ Objectively those are all perfectly fair points. Objectively he’s actually correct, and that makes him very hard to beat.”

“Yeah,” Finnick said. “It’s like when you asked me whether I was willing to completely change myself and all for my vix. You expected me to answer that straight. Instead, I asked why it was us boys who had to change for the girlies, something you was certain was the way things were always done. What did you say back,” he said, chuckling a little. “Finn, you’re doin’ it wrong. Finn, stawp… Finn, you know what I mean. Finn, hawlp plz...”

Nick grumbled. “Yes, point taken.”

Haida nodded. “Yeah. To be fair Nick, that whole change talk of yours may have come across with a tone of internalised misandry.”

“Really…?” Judy asked, an eyebrow rising.

“Hey,” he pointed out, frowning. “First off, serious thing with hyenas. Secondly, you’re saying that girls can’t have unrealistic expectations and unfair biases against boys, which said boys then feel they have to meet?”

“No,” Judy said. “I mean…” She paused, slapping her face with her paws. “Dammit. It does work.”

“Yeah,” Haida noted. “I wasn’t even trying then.”

“Unlike Wassermaim, who’s pretty much made it into an art form,” Nick said. “We need the perfect answers or he’ll flip us into a corner where we’re the ones in the wrong. Then he can just shrug us away, call us stupid, and a lot of people would believe him as he objectively makes perfect sense. Heck, I’m pretty sure that a perfectly fair mammal could easily act the same way, raising all the same points. The only reason I know that’s not what he is is because I saw him enjoy it. It wasn’t just doing his duty, it was that he was getting to hurt Kris, a fox. But we have to make others believe that.”

Judy sighed, while Fenneko nodded. “If you’re going to start a scheme to turn the public against him and win public support for our cause, you’re going to have to have some pretty big evidence.”

Retsuko nodded, bringing up her phone. “Like a video of the whole argument that I recorded?”

Fenneko smiled. “That’s some pretty big evidence,” she said, as Judy did a binky from excitement. 

“YES!” she said, jumping over and glomping Retsuko.

“Woah… Thanks there.”

“No,” came a new voice, as Dr Silverfox walked over. “Thank you ,” he said, a smile growing on his face. She smiled, before handing her phone to Fenneko, the vixen watching the exchange through and through. 

“A little bit of editing, and we can have an excellent bit of propaganda to start moving out with. Naturally though we will have to capitalise on this. Getting a public protest going will be an interesting challenge, but one that I sort of relish. I can get in contact with the regular crowd who always turns up to any type of protest, plus a bunch who would be eager to campaign against the current DA in general or this set of affairs in particular. I believe a certain EweTuber called Anton Pounceheart has had a long feud with our DA, and a strong reputation after calling out the nighthowler conspiracy itself.”

Judy nodded. “He’s quite well known in Bunnyburrow, though not exactly for the right reasons. He’s been organising full on boycotts of our regions' produce and businesses, trying to force the council to ban the Fox-Away brand; we’re one of the few places that lets them set up and manufacture, and where their corporate HQ is.” She looked down and frowned. “You hear other farmers grumbling about lower prices for berry crops and stuff, blaming him. -I can’t really misgive him for it, but it shows he has influence.”

Fenneko nodded. “We get the alternative media on our side, though I’ve also got my sights on the regular media too. Pounceheart isn’t the only pred that doesn’t like him, there’s also a certain bank CEO with some major ties to ZNN who he’s had a thing against. If we can get the ball rolling, get our edited video trending, if not going viral, we can egg on the Mayor to kick that hippo out. But, according to Mr Fox there, opinions count for nothing if we don’t have anything solid on him.”

Nick nodded. “So, rock-solid proof that he was connected with Dawn Bellwether. Everything so far was circumstantial.” He paused, before looking down glumly. “The ZPD didn’t get anything on him for that, so I don’t know what we can do.”

Finnick put his paw up.

“-Without resorting to physical violence.”

Finnick put his paw down.

“Any other, legal , ideas?”

Mr Fox and Fenneko grumbled. 

“Other than getting Dawn herself to confess,” Judy said, “no. That’s probably a bust from the start.”

“Again, about my previous idea,” Mr Fox began, “which involved the retrieval of incriminating items from his possession in a high stakes all or nothing mission… What about tricking him into confessing something?”

“So, what,” Haida began. “Getting him drunk? You need to get him drunk first.”

“Well,” Mr Fox said, “maybe a devious set-up involving pipes, switcharoos and other cunning tricks and hustles could get him drunk and me not drunk. Then, I press further, and he begins to spill his secrets. All while one of us records it from afar.”

Fenneko nodded. “An interesting proposal, with only one minor flaw.”

“Which is?”

“I find it unlikely he’d get into a heavy drinking contest against a fox, especially as he gets more tipsy and you don’t.”

“Well, maybe not any fox… but this fox!”

“The fox that was right there arguing with him,” Nick pointed out. “I don’t think any of us can handle this. So unless any of you have a heavyweight prey friend who could be seen in a social place like this, then we’re out of luck.”

…

“So, anti-Wassermaim public opinion push. Yea or nea?” Fenneko asked.

Nick paused and huffed. “Yes, no, I don’t know! I mean, now I want to focus back on getting Weaselton, but we only think he’s the prime suspect because of an anonymous tip we can’t prove happened.”

“So,” Skye said, “why don’t us civilians just go to the Head, en-masse, explain what we’re doing and ask for her to confirm it? Then, hopefully, we’ll have something firm to go on.” 

Judy shook her head. “Skye, the Youth Justice laws probably mean that she could lose her job if she tells us. We’re basically going up there and asking her to risk sacrificing her entire career, one she’s put decades of work into, all to confirm a hunch. It could destroy her. I mean, I might be willing to risk my badge, but I can’t ask her to do that.”

“Oh,” the swift fox noted. “These must be tough laws.”

“They’re youth protection laws and she’s a teacher,” Judy said.

“Yes,” Dr Silverfox hissed bitterly, cutting in. “‘Youth protection’ laws which you keep on saying are there for protecting kids, but are not helping us protect mine! If you’re not going to ask her about it, why don’t I just go and ask her about it?”

Judy frowned. “I don’t think those laws were made with this sort of situation in mind. I… I’m not going to say that I understand what you’re going through. But she’s scared that she can’t tell anyone, due to facing a law that, if she does, could take everything from her.” She paused and sighed. “She’s probably worried out of her mind by all of this, not able to tell anyone or get any help what-so-ever.”

“-What about a physiatrist?”

…

All eyes slowly turned to one mammal in the room. Jack Savage. He shrugged. “I mean, those guys or lawyers are supposed to be confidential. She could talk to them about it fairly safely, couldn’t she?”

Nick nodded. “Yeah. Client and patient confidentiality. In cases where someone is legally required to keep something a secret, they can still talk to professionals like that. But Jack, that means that they can’t tell us.”

“What happens if we just listen in?”

“That’s a breach of trust on our end, Jack,” Judy pointed out. “For a start, as no parties know that they are being recorded, we can’t use this as evidence. Secondly, we’d utterly betray the trust of Ash’s and Nick’s therapist or Mr Fox’s lawyer.”

“...Oh, right then.”

“-Hang on,” Retsuko asked, putting her paw up. “This isn’t like the stuff to get Wassermaim out. We don’t need this to stand up in court, do we? We just want it to confirm that the original call was against Ash.”

“That’s actually correct, but there’s still the second point,” Judy said. “I mean, unless one of us is a therapist or a lawyer and is willing to betray our profession…”

“-Or pretends to be a therapist or a lawyer,” Jack pointed out.

“Jack…” Skye began. “Is this going somewhere?”

He looked back and stood tall, walking out into the crowd. “Ahem, Skye, I think you’ll find that it is. Listen, I’ve been trying to do more, be more, for a while now. This is going to be a complication investigation, under the radar, and potentially involving a bunch of strange and dangerous mammals. We might need someone to go undercover, to get in close, and to really dig up the dirt on them. For that, someone who is able to take on various different roles and roll with them whatever may happen. Someone adept at improv, happy to wear the skin of someone else, someone who can be your secret undercover agent! Judy Hopps, Dr Silverfox, Agent Jack Savage is at your service.”

…

“Jack,” Nick said, a paw and finger coming up. “Isn’t that the plot of Team America: World Police?”

He leant over, pinched Finnick’s shades from his head and slipped them on, his face oozing cool as he did so. “America? Cuss yeah!”

.

.

…

“Skye,” Judy began, looking over at the vixen. “Seriously. What have you done with him?”

She just looked confused, holding her paws out. “I don’t know. But, I mean, he’s volunteering. That’s good right?”

“Not if it’s for something illegal.”

“Well, maybe there’s a sweet spot,” he suggested. “A profession it isn’t that illegal to interpret, who I can act as, and in doing so safely exude confirmation from her on this matter.”

Judy looked at him skeptically. “That’s still pretty dodgy.”

“Maybe it is,” Dr Silverfox noted, his voice tired. “But my son is on the way to prison right now so you know what? Honestly, I don’t give a damn.”

“I…” Judy began, before sighing. “Right. Of course, it’s just that it's other people and not me that I’m risking. And that’s even if there is a profession that fits all these roles.”

Jack smiled. “I think there is,” he said, bringing his paws together and chuckling evilly. Everyone looked at him, not sure if this was good or bad, but he eventually cut himself off. “Ahem. Also, I could act in a fashion that could draw out Wassermaim’s confession as well.”

“But won’t he remember you?” Skye asked, looking down at him.

“Well, here’s the thing about your memory,” Jack explained. “It’s usually pretty cuss. That’s something I know from writing plays. Say you want to sneak in something that flies under the audience's radar, but points towards a big twist or reveal at the end. Now usually you can’t spell it out because that makes it too obvious. However, if you place it as a random little mention in a spoken line or in the background, the audience is likely to forget it. As a result, you have to flag it, and I tend to use two options to do that. You either open a mystery or create something that’s odd and stands out from the start, that hangs on people's minds or brings them a laugh but who’s meaning can only become clear at the reveal…

“-Oooh,” she said. “Like how Nick laughed on first seeing Haida, we all figured that something was up, and it turned out to be that he knew why there’s a load of oddly familiar hyena dolls out there.”

Jack couldn’t help but binky in joy. “Yes! Got it in one, Skye. If, of course, all those events were set up in a play or performance or stuff. You could say the same about Fenneko telling Finnick to remember that thing about the Kits for Cash scandal. And given that I’ve just repeated that, if anyone were watching us they’d double remember that.”

“Question?” Fenneko asked.

“Yup.”

“No, not for you,” she said, looking over to Haida as he facepawed. He brought out a carrot pen, played his recording, Fenneko laughed, he said it was not funny, she kept on laughing, then they all turned back to Jack.

“Now, the other method is the story method. You make a story or notable thing out of it. This doesn’t create an initial mystery; most of the time it comes across as nice worldbuilding. Take the carving of the chess pieces with the rock hammers over the ages, then the talk of the blue waters off the coast of Zihuatanjo and the stone under the oak tree in Buxton… Or, as a counter example, the talk of Pai Mei and the five point paw exploding heart technique. Or maybe even the cutaway to the fourteen fists of McClusky where you see the first use of that flamethrower. Anyway, you remember that story, in doing so remembering the bits in it, and when one of those bits pops back into reality you know exactly where it came from.”

“Right,” she said, “so logically one of those two… -Ah! Let me guess, he was focussed on arguing with Bogo, against Kris and his father, and against Nick, picking on Judy at the end. So, he wouldn’t be that clear about who the others are. He’d likely remember that there were some foxes, a red panda, a hyena with a notable underbite and a large, striped, bunny! Your size and stripes would be the flag!”

Jack looked back at her like a father looking on at his kits first steps. “Yes. And, if I dye out my stripes…”

“There’s no way he’d connect you with all the others!”

Judy stepped forward. “Okay, secret agent Jack…” she said, still a bit sceptical. “So, you’re saying that you’ll somehow confirm whether the call was against Ash or not. You’ll also, somehow, convincingly, outdrink a hippo.”

“Via the magic of acting!”

“Actually,” Haida spoke. “I think I do know someone who can out drink that hippo and would really want to help us out.”

“Me too!” Retsuko realised.

“And so do I,” Fenneko said. “It’s quite obvious when you think about it.”

Jack paused, mouth agape, before shaking it off. “No worries then, it means that secret agent Jack can be reserved for other occasions or actions against our heinously horrendous hippopotamus. I could also go up against that weasel’s roommate, if you want. Heck, give me these roles!”

“I…” Judy began, before pausing. “Okay, it means that you can do stuff that Nick and I can’t do; not without jeopardizing our careers at least. But still, how will you stay safe? Heck, how will we keep in contact with you?”

“Well,” Skye said, putting her paw up. “I do have a lot of skills with mechanics and electronics.” There was a pause, then a smile. “You can call me ‘S’”

“I like it,” Jack said. “Also, I GET SPY GADGETS!”

“Cuss yeah you do,” she said, looking up to Judy. “I can do a lot of the work myself, though time is limited. I mean, if it wasn’t I’m sure I could call up my sister and get some military grade stuff in. That or there’s this weapons specialist, another swift fox who she briefly set me up with once, who she freed from a sort of similar situation to this; even if he didn't owe her or have some lingering feelings about me, he'd most likely help Kris out anyway. But he might be stuck miles away and it could take him days or months to come over, if he can. Thankfully, I do happen to know a different mammal who lives in the city and could start to help us from day one. I did some build-offs with her a year back or so. Heck, she probably has most of the stuff we need just lying around the place! We all go to her place and together we can get Jack kitted up for whatever mission we need.”

Judy looked on. She still felt a bit unsure, but she couldn’t help but let a little grin begin to grow on her face. “You know, we might have a plan out of all of this!”

“You know what,” Mr Fox said, as he walked over. “I think we do! What we have here is a multi-fronted, multi-mammaled, highly complex plan designed to do everything it can to get my nephew out of his current predicament. Along the way, it makes in a variety of mammals and makes the best use of all their talents and skills! Judy Hopps, Oryctolagus cuniculus, the queen on our chessboard and the heavy police hitter and driving force in this crusade for justice. Not to belittle Nick Wilde, Vulpes vulpes, either. Talented, sly, and cunning as a fox, he and his police partner are the perfect mammals to navigate the upcoming legal and investigative minefield!”

The pair nodded confidently, as Mr Fox moved on. “The other great front of this battle is the social media squabble for the soul of this city. Fenneko and Finnick, Vulpes zerda and Vulpes zerda , social media scanner and manipulator and her trusty heavy hitting backup. They can turn everyone they can against the corrupt mammal who’s most responsible for this current mess.”

The two fennecs nodded their heads, Fenneko speaking. “I’ll begin our social media campaign in earnest, while also looking out for any more clues on the whereabouts of our weasel. Moreover, I can study the movements of both our school principal and our horrendous hippopotamus, finding places in which to intercept them and extract our information.”

Mr Fox smiled, then stepped over to the next pair. “Assisting both sides will be the method acting and mechanics of Jack and Skye, Lepus flavigularis and Vulpes velox . Both are some of the best at what they can do, and they will be there for when they’re needed, helping to gather up the incriminating intel from the other side.”

…

“What about us?” Retsuko asked.

“-Haida and Retsuko. Crocuta crocuta and Ailurus fulgens fulgens… ”

“ -Ailurus fulgens styani ,” she corrected, grumbling. 

“My apologies,” Mr Fox said. “You have… -Excellent connections, which will aid in supplying the team with the talent you need. After all, you’ll provide the mammal who will aid in the first strike against our Hippo. A strike that we can only make thanks to your connection to Fenneko. Apart from that, you’ll be there to assist and support the rest of them along the way with your unique insights and perspectives. Maybe you don’t get the star billing, but you’re the mortar that holds the bricks of this investigation together!” ”

“And what about me?” Ash asked.

Mr Fox paused, sighing, before resting his paw on his son’s shoulder. “Listen, if someone out there is after you, I want to keep you safe.”

“I… I want to be safe too,” he said. “After all, what if they try and put nighthowlers in my locker again?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Nick said.

“Yeah,” Skye agreed. “I think I can work out something to help you there.”

Ash nodded. “Thanks. But I still want to fight. Kris helped me when I was a jerk to him, then we became friends. I can’t not help him back.”

Mr Fox paused, thinking, before smiling. “We’ll find a space for you,” he said.

His mother looked worried but sighed, walking up to him. “And maybe you can help him on the school front. When you go back, get your friends on board, maybe see if they heard anything. And, sometimes, just being there for the mammal in trouble is the best thing you can be.”

“Ash,” Dr Silverfox said, stepping forward. His nephew turned to face him. “Let’s be there for him, make sure he knows we’re there for him. He…” he paused, sniffing a bit. “I dread to think about what he’s going through. But let’s make sure he knows that we’re there for him, every step of the way.”

Ash nodded and stepped forward, holding onto his uncle, only to pause. He let go slightly and looked over to one of the new mammals. “Hey, you said you spent time in Juvie, didn’t you?”

Finnick’s ears twitched a bit, before he nodded. “Yup,” he said, shrugging. “Whole second half of my second decade.”

“What…” Dr Silverfox began, “-what was it like?”

There was a long pause, before the fennec sighed. “I mean, this ain’t like that, you understand? I was put away, what… Two decades ago? Yeah, and a lot has changed since then. I was thrown into a smelly city pen on the border between Sahara and Central. That place was old, and I mean old. Ever seen Clawshank? ‘Cause that’s the kind of place my pen used to look like.” He went quiet as one of his ears flicked, and he brought up a paw to rub between his eyes before stiffening his lip. 

“Being a smaller mammal, I had a little cell right on the bottom floor by the tables and stuff, which meant no peace and quiet whatsoever. I mean, bar the dead of night a jail like that is always loud, like livin’ next to a freeway loud, and I have giant ears and a sleep schedule that means I tend to have a reverse siesta in the small hours. They didn’t care ‘bout that, and with all those other inmates on rec time on the ground floor right by me I couldn’t get an earlier night even if I was dumb enough to try. So I was tired all the time, I had a wire mesh door locking me in with nothing but a rusty bunk, a metal toilet-sink thingy and a tiny shelf with what little I had to my name. Every morning I was woken up, and I’d remember just how much it stank there with all those musky mammals, and then we’d march off to breakfast which for me would be some porridg-bleuaaahhh...” 

His words morphed into a gag and he broke off a little before shaking his head. “Cuss me, just the thought of that crap makes me wanna chuck. I didn’t like it when I got in, never wanted to eat it again when I got out, and time don’t heal all wounds. But anyways then we’d go to school, which was still boring but the most interesting thing there, ‘part from when some fight might kick off. They weren’t that common though. We’d have lunch, then an hour of outdoor rec, then some more school. Some time in there they might fit in a meeting with a councillor once a week. Then you had chores to do or hygiene stuff, then finally dinner and rec time. I mean, I paid attention in that school cuz’ it might get you into the TV club during rec, let you borrow more books, getting good grades gave you a little tip in your dispensary which I needed as my family didn’t want cuss to do with me after I ‘tarnished their honour’. Heck, after my first six months I even got myself a little radio. Mam, did I love that thing. But yeah, that was my life all that time. It was boring, sometimes it was scary, the food was crap, everything was uncomfortable, I hated every part of it. But, even as I was getting out, things were changing, you understand?”

“Understand,” Dr Silverfox, his whole body trembling and his lips wavering, said, before bursting into tears. “Please! Tell me that things have changed!” Finnick’s eyes widened as the older tod collapsed on his knees in front of him and gripped him by his shoulders. “My son can’t be going there! Please tell me that! It can’t be like that anymore… It can’t be!”

“HEY,” Finnick shouted, shoving him off. “Keep it together old Mam! I said things ain’t like that anymore.”

“Go gentle on him,” someone scolded from the side, and he turned to see a red panda looking at him. “Maybe you didn’t need to go so detailed before?”

The hyena sitting next to her nodded his head in agreement. “You kind of did go over-the-top. I mean, I was getting the moving feels and stuff, and I’m the one who doesn’t have a kit going there.”

“Hey, he asked me to give the details. ‘Sides, that kit ain’t going there, you hear?” Finnick huffed.

“He isn’t?” Dr Silverfox asked weakly.

“They closed that place not long after I left, what with all the new youth justice laws and stuff. Now, back then, you had the long cons like me but most cons there were in for a number of months that you could count on your paws. I’d say two out of three were in for a year or less, and it included all the petty thieves and first time bullies and trespassers and all sorts. The city chose to stop sending them there and built a brand new place outta town for all the long timers like me… Now I’ve never seen it, I met a guy a while back who went to both and said the new place was miles better. Cleaner, quieter, just much nicer. He said it was like night and day…”

“Oh thank god…”

“Yeah, but it’s still a prison, and you don’t have all the wobbly kneed first timers padding out the ranks. It’s long termers like me. Now, I won’t lie, that means you bump into the nasty thugs and stuff a lot more. But I mean you’d have crazy new fish and chill longer termers, cuss I was one of the latter. Listen, I said it had changed and I meant it. It’s not hell he’s going to, it’s prison. But I guess if he does what they tell him to, he’ll survive.”

Dr Silverfox trembled, but nodded. “He… He’s clever… He’s sensible…”

Finnick nodded. “Believe me, that’ll go a long way,” he said. He backed off, pausing as he noticed Fenneko walking up to him. He showed her the palm of his paw and she stopped, backing off a bit as he took a breath in and out. He paused though, then looked past her to the computer setup, a certain mammal at it. “Hey, kit! What you up to?”

Ash looked up, then down again. “I wanted to see,” he said, as he typed something into the browser. “After all, it was supposed to be my home for the next six months, wasn’t it?” He changed the tab and the projector showed a Zoogle Maps image, Ash entering a search. The crowd watched as they zoomed away from the city, up beyond the edges of the climate districts, over the meadowlands, past the Kula Reservoir and Cliffside Asylum and even past the small city of Haverholt before finally focussing on a flat piece of green land. The outsides were marked with concentric squares going in, the lines of the patrol routes between them visible, while penned inside were identical barren grey buildings, each with their own small yards. 

Ash looked on with a nervous expression on his face, ever changing and tweaking with his thoughts. Dr Silverfox shied away, wincing in pain. The rest of the crowd just looked on with a sombre expression.

Above it all, a simple title spelled out three stark words.

Zootopia Youth Penitentiary.

Meanwhile, not far away from them all, a worried silver fox paced back and forth in his cell. He’d meditated for a while and it had helped, most of this long time slowly drifting away. But everything had its limits and he’d reached them not long before. He wasn’t sure what the time was or how much longer he had to wait. The rational part of him told him that it would happen when it would happen. It was the side that he wanted to win, but the other sides were slowly beating it.

It all faded into irrelevance though as a set of cold hard knocks rang out on his cell door. "Get ready,” a cold stranger's voice spoke. “It's time."

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

.

Kris closed his eyes and breathed slowly as the door was unlocked. A lion officer stood ahead of him, his expression firm and unyielding. "Paws out," he said, the young fox complying. He watched as the cuffs were placed on him and were tightened, before a heavy paw on his shoulder pushed him along. He couldn't help but think that he wanted to ask some questions, yet at the same time he couldn't really think of any. In any case, his read of the situation was that it was best to keep quiet and go along with it. Endure it until those on the outside could help him. It had been the same when his father had been ill, when he'd had to put his faith in the vets. Those terrible little thoughts and worries that had dogged him, telling him that they might fail, had been false. Today, he had Nick and Judy and his families on his side and they would get him out of here, he was sure of it. Until then, he could endure it silently and proudly like a mature mammal.

Turning a corner, he was faced with what the alternative was, and it was not pretty. Another guard was handling another prisoner, a small wolf pup who wasn't that much taller than Kris was himself. He must have only been ten, as that was the minimum, but he looked like he was eight or so and was acting like he was half that age. Howling and crying, shaking left to right with tears streaming from his eyes, he tried to yank himself away from the escorting guard. "I DON'T WANNA GO!"

"-Stand still!"

"I DON'T WANNA GO!"

"Right then," the guard hissed, "final warning before I get to scruff you."

"CUSS OFF!" He yelled, flailing his cuffed arms at him and diving in to take a bite of his arm. The officer backed off, barely missing the bite, as the pup made a break for it. He only made it a few steps before Kris' guard charged out and tackled him to the floor, one paw pushing down on the centre of his back and the other gripped his scruff, pulling it up tight. Kris cringed back from the action while the pup went limp, his free legs and cuffed arms only able to jiggle weakly, like a caught fish flopping around on the ground.

But oh, how he flopped, still crying and murmuring out, saying he did nothing wrong or he was sorry or it wasn't his fault. The guards just distanced themselves from him, not really looking as one grabbed a muzzle and lifted it over his snout. "You're lucky you didn't try that where you're going, murderer," one spoke, as he pulled the straps tight and began doing them up so he couldn't take the thing off.

"I'm not…" he sniffled. "I'm not…"

"Now listen pup," they said as they began hauling him to his feet again, struggling as he kicked and fought this way and that. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Make your mind up now."

They let go and he stumbled to the floor before getting up. He shook and cried, his tail dropped between his legs, but he stood still. "Good," the other said. "Maybe you should be more like your new friends here. They know how to behave."

Kris suddenly realised two things. The first was that the officer was looking at him, the second was that there was another prisoner in front of the scared pup. Unlike the two of them, he was a prey mammal, a tapir that Kris guessed was a few years older than he was and had decidedly had enough of the young pup's antics.

"-For criminals," the other guard muttered, before reaching over and grabbing a long chain. He threaded it through the tapir's cuffs, then the wolf pup's, then Kris's own before giving the order for them to walk forward. One of them stood by the crying pup, guiding if not pushing him along as they exited the room and walked down a cold corridor. Left here, right there, and then they stepped out of a door and right up into the back of a waiting minibus. Were it not for the small hanging chains on the back of the seats and the metal grating on the windows and behind the front seat, Kris could swear that it was just like the ones various schools had ferried him around in all his life.

Up the centre they went until reaching the last full row before the side door, where they were guided to their seats. The tapir had the solo window seat on the right hand side, sighing with relief as he got the isolation and leg room. The guard took a chain from the window pillar and locked him up before turning to the two canines. Kris realised they'd be sitting together, their double seat already wound up to a safe height for them, and he sat down in his window seat while the fretful pup was ordered up next to him. A guard ended up guiding him into place before doing up their binding chains. He moved back to a different seat in their compartment, knocked on the screen in front of them and together they waited.

Kris just had a brick wall to look at him on his left and the muzzled up pup on his right; he couldn't help but notice how messy his fur was or how threadbare some of his clothes were. Their gaze met for a second or two before he scowled, before elbowing Kris hard in the ribs.

Or rather trying to. The silver fox saw it coming and jolted forward, letting the elbow glide behind him before pinning it to the seat with his back. One foot out front and raised high, pressing him back into the limb, he looked back at the pup as he tried to jostle, seemingly forgetting the state of his paws. "Please don't," Kris said, keeping calm.

The pup growled a bit, his teeth baring.

"-I know karate," Kris warned, quietly and blanky. "I don't want to have to use it." First part was the truth, the second part a lie given that he'd already used a little bit of it to stop the pup's attack. He'd give himself a pass there, these were pretty exceptional circumstances, and if he could avoid a fight with the highly emotional pup then that would be in everyone's favour. It did have an effect, the wolf's furious face turning into one of gutterral fear. "I don't want to harm you. I don't want to be here, neither do you. Let's not make it so we don't want to be here even less," Kris said calmly, trying to get him to back down. He made the first big move and released the elbow, the wolf immediately withdrawing it. He kept a wary look on him as he shuffled away and ducked down, trying to bury his muzzled face in his cuffed paws.

As that happened the bus started up and, with a jolt, off they went. Kris looked out of the side window as they pulled out into the traffic, slowly making their way through the city centre. He found himself drawn to all the mammals out there, just walking around and minding their own lives, oblivious. A few glanced at the bus and then looked away. The bus windows were dark on the inside, and he was guessing that they were heavily tinted outside. Still, the few times that his eyes and those of a stranger seemed to meet sent a chill down his spine.

Slowly, their pace began to pick up, and it was the buildings that Kris found himself looking at instead. All so big and tall compared to where he grew up, monolithic yet vibrant in their own way. Many of the newer buildings had balconies jutting out, some holding kids toys or planting material or even wrapped up into little private shelters.

They left them all behind before diving through the sliver of green belt between Savannah Central and the Rainforest District; he peered out to see if he could spot his house or even Ash's. Nothing came from it, and soon they were winding through the rainforest, the visibility crashing as they hit one of the main downpour periods, scheduled in the fifteen minutes before five o'clock and the start of the evening rush hour. With nothing much to see, especially as they began to hit the growing traffic, he looked back to his two companions. The wolf had just been trying to curl up and was sniffing, the whimpers coming from him pitiable.

"You okay?" he asked, moving his paws over.

The pup snapped his head over to him, glaring angrily as he scooted further away, growling as he did so. There was a shout from the guard in front and he shut up, but not before giving Kris a warning glare. The warning glare of a scared child who was going to stand up to the undefeatable grown up in front of him, but a warning glare nonetheless.

"I'm not okay too," Kris said, looking down. "But keep calm and stay nice, things will get better."

His head tilted a little. "W-w-will they…"

"-No they won't," came a voice from the other side. Kris looked up to see the tapir looking at them, a tired look on his face. "Listen pup, we're criminals, we're going to prison. Suck it up and do your time."

The pup began sniffing again as Kris gave the prey mammal a cold look. "I'm trying to make him feel better."

The tapir blew some air. "Little bits of charity ain't gonna help you anymore. You've done what you've done and you have to do what you have to do. He doesn't need to feel better, he needs to mam up and not cry like a baby."

Kris' eyes narrowed a bit in annoyance. "You do see that he's a young pup."

"Yeah," he said indignantly. "You do know where we're going, right? You think you're trying to help him? I'm helping him too, and everyone else who doesn't want to deal with a screamer for the next two years."

"T-two years?" the pup asked, jumping up and looking at him. "I-I-I get out in two years, not ten?"

The tapir groaned. "No, you idiot, I get out in two years as I did a bad thing. You get out in ten as you did a badder thing. Now suck it up and grow up, criminal, if you want to make it out the other side at all."

The pup wavered for a second or two before sniffing, then breaking down into full on sobs. Kris couldn't help but think how they were the cries of a young child desperate for his mother, mouth (trying to be) wide open and tears streaming. He shifted his paws over and held them on his leg as they drove on.

Past the outskirts, past the Meadowlands and into the surrounding timber forests. The wolf went silent and Kris watched as they rose up and up, racing along the freeway, past a massive ship lift and huge electrical equipment, up through a tunnel and then along the edge of a long and narrow reservoir. They pulled back in and skirted around the edge of a nice looking town on its shores, before turning off the freeway and rolling down the country roads. A left here, a right there, and they slowed, slowly rolling up to a security checkpoint. Kris took a breath in and out and, feeling like he was about to dive off of the tallest board into the pool, braced himself. There were multiple lines of fencing, topped with razor wire, with guard posts and officers with guns walking about. Behind them were sets of cold, grey blocks, the only thing breaking off the monotony being a low slung building to one side, its small courtyard filled with nursery style play equipment. It didn't make much difference though. He was here, prison.

The bus jolted a little and in they went, through the wires and gates and then along the internal roads, finally pulling up into a small pen area. To his other side, he glanced out and spotted a bunch of mammals tending to the grounds, clad in black and white striped uniforms as if they were prisoners out of a cartoon.

"Welcome to your new home boys," the guard at the front of the bus spoke, before telling them what was going to happen next and how bad it would be if they caused any funny business. He kept an eye on the wolf pup as he said it, the kid shaking slightly and glancing around fretfully. The chains fastening them to the seats in front were undone, the one to the tapir held tightly, and then they were led off and out through the side door. Kris stepped onto the warm, coarse tarmac and glanced around, looking at the surrounding enclosures as he was taken inside. He crossed the threshold, the air seemed cooler, and they were led into a blank looking holding cell and uncuffed. "Now I'm going to unmuzzle you," he spoke to the pup. "But I can have it put right onto you. Understand, boy?"

He weakly nodded and the device was removed. The guard left, the bullet proof screen was slid back in place, and the three of them were just left to sit down. Alone. The quiet was palpable, as if nobody wanted to break the dreadful tension in case something terrible was about to happen. All they knew was that they were in here for orientation and that they should wait and stay quiet.

Or else.

…

"Cuss it," the tapir spoke, before standing up decisively. Kris looked at him, gauging his face. He didn't seem angry or mad, or even that determined. Rather, his mood seemed to be dominated by a non-chalantness to the whole occasion, as if it were something that just had to be done, whatever it was. Kris moved his paws into a position where they could spring into action, just in case, while also glancing to the pup. He also seemed to think that something bad was about to go down, so Kris added putting himself between the two into things that he might have to do. He didn't like the kid, not by a long shot, but he didn't like bullies or senseless violence either.

The tapir paused, their eyes meeting, and his narrowed. "What you looking at, fox?"

The tone that was said in; Kris had only begun to hear it about a year ago, when he'd moved to this city, and it was something quite unique in terms of how much he didn't like it. It took what was normal and everyday for him, what was him, and told him that it was filth, that it made him lesser, that he was so many things he was not, that his species was not, and that all that should be seen instead were some idiotic lies. Lies that would be championed by bigots as an excuse to try and bully him, or believed by idiots and taken as a reason to hurt him. It was nonsense all the way through and could be ignored, he knew that, but it hurt nonetheless. The unavoidable truth was that they looked down on him not due to how he was or what he did, but because he was born a fox and they despised that.

So, was this it? Was this tapir an actual mad as hell fox hater and about to do it? He probably expected to be able to blame Kris for it all, whatever happened, so the silver fox reasoned that he might have to play this smart. Keep on the defensive and deflective, making sure that whenever a guard might show up they could see who was leading this. "Just wondering what you're planning to do," he spoke, his eyes locked on and his body ready.

The tapir scowled. "Taking a dump, perv. So look away."

Kris immediately felt the tension leave his body and had to actively stop himself laughing from the release. "Sorry," he said, sliding to the edge of his bench and turning away as the mammal sat down on the open toilet. After all, it had been a long journey, hadn't it. Made sense for him to need the toilet, especially seeing as the processing was taking a while.

Still, he kept his ears peeled, to his displeasure, as the tapir turned out to be entirely sincere in his words, before turning back on hearing the sound of a flush. They carried on sitting in awkward silence, the boredom getting to him. Kris couldn't help but think about how confrontational he'd been just then. He'd naturally heard a few things about prison in general discourse, about how violent or not violent it was, and it worried him a little that he'd automatically swung to the worst end of that scale. Something to keep an eye on, for sure, he had to make all the right decisions here to get through and couldn't afford to make mistakes like that. He closed his eyes and entered a light meditation, still thinking it best to stay a little alert, and tried to let the time slip by.

The pup was bored too, but to everyone's displeasure he made it known. Pacing and then verbalising how he felt in the most literal manner possible. "Bored… bored… bored…"

"Shut up," the tapir muttered, making the pup freeze. Kris wondered if something was about to go down again, wondering the best strategy to keep them apart, wondering if this was just another over reaction, only for a guard to arrive and solve any problem before it began.

"Okay prisoners," she spoke, walking into view. She was a middle aged serval with a bored looking expression on her muzzle. Kris noticed it twitch as she looked into the cell, only for her to carry on. "We're going to play you the orientation video. You'll then be taken one at a time through processing before being put into your cells. I want no talking, no fidgeting and no funny business. Let's make it easy on all of us here."

Kris nodded back along with the others as she walked off, returning with an old cart, a portable television sitting on top. It had an in-built VCR player, and he looked on as she put in a battered old tape and pressed play.

What followed was a video that was a decade and a half old and showing it, not least with all the little video and audio glitches that fizzled in and out as it went on. A menagerie of mammals, supposedly volunteering prisoners, were shown arriving and waiting in the holding cell before being picked out one by one. They were shown placing personal belongings, such as money, an old fashioned iPawd and a Noyakia brick phone into an envelope and then signing a form. Pictures of family members (Kris realised that he didn't have one with his father, why would he though, he was just going to school this morning) and other such valuable mementos were placed in a clear pack with their own form, the monotone narrator stating that they would be inspected and then returned if approved. If they didn't, they'd be stashed with the rest. Then the prisoner would go behind a curtain to undress, all clothes going into a tray while they emerged in a pair of prison briefs. The serval spoke up. "We don't give them out any more, keep your ones on." Then the prisoner sat down on a chair and was inspected. A few mammals went through this process: a ram was shown getting their wool shawn and the tips of their horns blunted; a tiger had their claw tips clipped off; a porcupine having the same thing done to their spines; an unkempt bear had the messy fur trimmed neatly while a platypus had the spurs on his feet sealed with a specialised rubber syringe.

"-Bet the last one was an actor," the tapir muttered, only for the guard to draw him to attention with a rap of her truncheon on the plastic wall.

The prisoner then walked through a full body scanner, was waved down with a metal detector and had a sniffer mammal inspect him, before heading to the showers (the guard stating that you handed over your underwear here). It cut to a surprisingly neat looking mammal coming out the other end (though the mention of a disposable fur brush being provided made him think that there was a fur dryer on the way through), a black bar put in place. He was then sprayed down with anti-flea medication, a large drip of powerful stuff placed on the nape of their neck for good measure. They were then given the uniform, the sizes noted down, before having their mugshot taken and being taken into a room where their details and medical history would be reviewed. Finally, a few guides and self help books were given out, then the mammals were taken to their cells and locked away.

Further instructions ran on, talking about how they were woken up early in the morning and sent straight to breakfast. A short recreation period was given, then it was an hour of physical exercise and then schooling (good grades mean higher privileges and more money in your commissary!), before lunch, more schooling, and a second round of physical exercise. Then you either had free time (including visits), chores (such as cleaning) or private counselling. Then dinner, then a 'cell block activity', then free time out of your cell and then in it. There was a brief mention about how many books you could have in there based on your privilege level, as well as bonuses such as a private TV or more access to the antiquated looking (though not so much given the time period) internet labs, before the whole video ended.

"Okay," the guard said. She paused for a second, then looked straight at Kris. "You there, following afternoon schooling what things might you be up to?"

Kris thought back. Things… "Chores, free time and… -though before that you have physical exercise too, don't you?"

Her ears tilted back. "You might think yourself oh so smart and clever," she said, "but do not push your luck. Believe me, I can see right through you."

"I…" Kris began, not sure what that was about. "-yes Ma'am."

"That's Correctional Officer Sarrahson, inmate," she spoke harshly. She then turned to the wolf pup. "You there, you first."

He trembled, stepping up and weakly walking over to the door where he was led out.

Ten or twenty or thirty or sixty minutes passed in silence.

The tapir was taken.

Ten or twenty or thirty or sixty more, and it was Kris' turn. "Paws out in front of you," she said coldly, as Kris felt her tap him in the back with her stick, pressing it into the square of his back. She was watching him, her eyes boring in as he was led to the handover area. Then he was undressing and then he was in the inspection chair. A nurse was looking over him, and he complied as she peered into his ears with a light and checked his eyes. "Mind reading off of the board?" she asked, and he did so.

"This wasn't in the…" he began to say, only for Sarrahson to cut him off.

"-Quiet!"

The nurse inspecting him looked over. "Guess someone's run out of patience," she noted.

"Do not undermine our authority in front of the inmate."

"Yes," she said, getting back to Kris. "Just a basic medical check up," she explained. That made sense…

Then it was off, through the scanner, Sarrahson standing close throughout. Kris fully stripped and walked into the shower area, pressing the button.

He yelped back in shock.

The water was freezing.

"Just get through it," the serval ordered, "and if you don't clean properly you'll go through it again."

Kris looked back, his ears folding down, and took a deep breath. He could get through this… He could get through this…

He began whining the second he got under the cold water, quickly grabbing the shampoo and doing his best to clean him down. Why was the water so cold? Was it like this for all of them? He fumbled a bit with the bottle, his trembles almost making him lose his grip on it. No, he j-j-j-just had to get through with this. Pumping large amounts onto his pads, he ran it through his fur, even as the chill bored deeper inside of him. Okay, he wanted out now. He really wanted out, he did not like this. Finally, he was pretty sure that he'd got the suds out and he exited the shower, shaking himself down hard. Thankfully they did have a step-in fur dryer, the warmth a blessed relief as he took the disposable brush and worked through his fur.

Stepping out, paws over his groin, it was on to the next phase. The nurse held out a can and sprayed his whole body down with a noxious medication, occasionally asking him to lift an arm up. He'd thought he'd smelt bad stuff when a school had had to deal with a flea or mite problem, but this stuff was many times worse, making his throat itch and nose sting. "Trust me kit," the applying nurse said. "If you knew how fleas could spread through here, you wouldn't be complaining."

He didn't answer, just holding his breath until the spraying was over, though his nose still itched from the smell. He had a drip of longer lasting stuff put down onto his nape, before it was over to the uniforms.

From a design perspective, the universal uniform style that prisoners in Zootopia wore was both brilliant and terrible. It had to be something that could cover all the potential shapes, sizes and other factors that a city of innumerable species could throw at it, all with the lowest cost and least number of sizes possible. It actually did this very well, but for the same reasons they were an utter pain for the mammals that had to wear them, not that their opinions really mattered.

The first item was the underwear, a humble item yet one with a surprising amount of variety. After all, out in the city you might want to accommodate thin tails or thick tails, both in terms of the actual limb and the fur on top. Many would have a simple button, or a metal clip, or even velcro, with some others having a firm plastic 'U' put in on the back, the space open to accommodate a tail. Then there were the brands, the decorations, the styles that could be chosen. Boxers or briefs? Given that different mammals varied in regard to how well endowed they were and how much of that was internal or external, there was also the matter of whether a crotch was wanted or not.

Kris was provided with a pair of plain white Y-fronts with a surprising amount of tension in the elastic. However, it needed that as its solution for accommodating his tail was that it didn't. It went around his hips and front, and was then stretched below the base of his tail, making it permanently feel like it was about to fall off of him.

Next came a simple white vest, baggy and oversized for more flexibility. There was a pause, the guard suggested he try the size below; that was just a little bit too small so the bigger one it was. And then it came time for the uniform itself.

For cost's sake, it needed to be a one-piece suit, and due to the need for flexibility it was overly baggy too. That didn't matter though as the one-piece nature meant that his shoulders would support it, even as extra folds crumpled above his feet and the overly generous size billowed a little in the breeze. Of course, the issue of tail accommodation came up again, and the answer to that was simple. The zip was on the back. Pulling up the shoulders, Kris had to feel for the zipper and the start of the line, taking a few goes to thread it in before pulling it down, bending his body and transferring from one paw to the other as he went. He got to the base of his tail and then lifted the back of the suit up, making sure he'd done it up as much as he could. The suit then folded over itself on top of his tail. The design was simple, cheap, highly flexible, helped to prevent skunks from spraying out at others and helped to impede back access for certain dangerous attackers.

From the perspective of an accountant or correctional officer, it was excellently designed. For Kris, it was ugly, baggy, oversized, uncomfortable, awkward to get on and off, and made him feel like a little kit trying on his parents clothes; the fabric was hanging off of his shoulders, requiring a few turn-ups so that his hand-paws weren't covered, while the trousers were quite simply pooling into a bunch of folds over his foot-paws.

Finally, just like the various prisoner classes in Zootopia's system, it was colour coded. The silver fox managed to see himself in the mirror, clad in thick black and white stripes like a prisoner in a cartoon. He wondered if they chose that style for the youth prisoners just to rub in their new status as much as they could.

He didn't ask. Instead he was taken over to get his second mugshot of the day taken. The serval was waiting there, and Kris paused as the feline handed him his board, containing a glaring error. "You misspelt…"

"-Shut up, stand for your picture," the serval ordered.

"It's just you made a…"

"Made a what?"

"-Mistake."

There was a brief pause as a nearby door opened, another prison officer walking in. He was a red deer buck, his fur greying while his uniform was pressed and freshly cleaned. Sarrahson briefly noted his entrance, then turned back to Kris, her tone hardening. "We don't have time for this, inmate, and you will find yourself in hot water if you carry on."

"My name is wrong," he tried to say plainly. It was, they'd spelt it Christopherson, not Kristofferson.

"No, you're wrong!" she responded, holding her stick up and jabbing it hard into Kris' chest. He flinched back, getting worried. "I will not have a lying time waster…"

"-Mrs Sarrahson…"

"Thinking he can get away with wasting our time…"

"-Mrs Sarrahson."

"And acting like he's above us!"

"-Officer Sarrahson!"

She paused, glancing back at the deer, an unimpressed look on his already generally unimpressed looking face.

"I've seen his file, that does seem to be a spelling error," he spoke, his voice quite formal.

She paused and shrugged. "Maybe it is? How do we tell, then?"

"We just took his ID cards, didn't we," he pointed out, before looking over to the nurse who'd been in charge of fumigation. "Can you go and check them please, dear?"

She nodded and walked off, leaving the three of them in the room in an awkward silence. Kris felt oddly relieved that the nervous tension in the air seemed to be between the two guards and not at him. Studying them, he could see that the feline was irritated but holding it in. The cervine, meanwhile, was keeping a fairly straight face, though Kris was pretty sure that there was some curiosity, directed down at her, in there too. Looking more closely at the taller guard, he seemed to have a question on the tip of his tongue, but also a resolute determination not to ask it in this setting.

The nurse came back in. "It is spelt wrong."

The serval put her paw out, took the board back, and amended it. The deer cleared his throat a few times, she ignored him and handed the board back.

Kris held it as his prison mugshot in prison clothes for prison was taken. It all felt daunting again. A little printer popped out a few ID cards, which Kris was instructed to slip into a clear plastic breast pocket on his uniform, his picture displayed alongside his name and inmate number.

Daunting in extremis.

"Right," the serval muttered, looking up at him. "Get a move on…"

"Not so fast," the deer spoke, making her pause. "Before he goes off to see a counselor, the warden wants a word with him."

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

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AN: This chapter involves a few cameos from other works and creators, plus some external references. Due to reasons that will become self explanatory, I'll go into them at the beginning of the next chapter. Regardless, this was one of the funnest chapters for me to write and one of my favorites. Enjoy.

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Kris wasn't quite sure whether to feel relieved or intimidated. After all, the police Chief had said that a word would be put in for him, and this must have been that coming to fruition. So relief, especially after the intimidation of the whole booking procedure, was there.

But at the same time he was being taken along to the authority figure, the one who could dictate just how his whole stay here would pass, be it good or bad or anywhere in between. He had no power against him and was at his mercy, and yeah…

Kris felt a little intimidated.

Not helped by the fact that he was marching along a bleak white corridor flanked by two prison guards, his paws cuffed in front of him, his baggy prison stripes hanging off of him, and his underwear feeling uncomfortably low.

"Muzzle up, Silverfox," the deer guard spoke.

He matched that as they turned a corner and reached a metal door. A wave was given to the guard on the other side, an ID card swiped, and Kris was escorted out. Things felt a little less harsh here, the walls a bit warmer and the floor a softer carpet instead of the harsher linoleum (which he could swear was making his pads tingle slightly). There was some chatter off to the sides, and he glanced through some doors to see some generic looking office spaces, even a break room at one point. Normal looking adult mammals worked there and, though a few flashed him a look, none lingered on him. Finally they reached a large, heavy, office, the deer rapping it hard with his hooves a few times.

"Come in," came a response, and the door was opened. Inside it was just another generic office, if a bit bigger or wider. It felt like a slightly starker version of the one that the head of his old school… -no, still his school, had. He remembered being led there by his aunt on his first day as they sorted everything out, meeting the head along with his form tutor and prefect. There was a grim poetry between that act and this.

The warden himself, sat at his desk, was an argali, a short haired wild sheep with massive curling horns. He looked over at Kris, gesturing down to a seat, which he occupied. He couldn't help but notice that there was a thick rug on the floor, the soft strands feeling wonderful on his feet. "You can uncuff him, you know," he spoke.

The serval shook her head. "I don't think that would be wise. After all, he was confrontational and uncooperative during his intake. Wouldn't you agree, Mr Fulton?"

The deer kept a blank look on his face as he glanced over. "He happened to have disagreements with you when you refused to believe that you'd got his name wrong, and confronted you on that verbally Mrs Sarrahson. So arguably yes."

"And before that, before you got in," she pointed out. She paused, before her brow furrowed. "I have a better measure of the prisoner than you do."

He paused and held back, before looking to the warden. "Well, I think we can answer this situation quite easily. What is his conviction, warden?"

The argali flicked a hoof up. "That's the issue. I just want to wait until Terrance gets here…"

There was a knock on the door.

"Perfect timing. Come in."

The door opened and a giant river otter waddled in. Kris noticed that he was dressed in a much more relaxed fashion compared to the others (night and day against the deer, or Mr Fulton as he seemed to be called), only wearing the loose shirt with its clips and tags. On his lower half he wore a pair of gym pants, while a whistle hung from around his neck. "Afternoon," he spoke, before pausing as his eyes met Kris'. "Hey there kit," he spoke, walking forward. "Name's Terrance. I help with guidance and group therapy, along with the physical exercise. Holding up well?"

The silver fox was taken aback by his friendliness, but as the shock wore off he sighed. "I… Not really," he spoke, glancing to the floor. "Today's been… something."

"Tch," he said. "Nothing anyone else wouldn't feel in your position," he spoke, leaning forward and placing a paw down on his shoulder. They were both about the same size, so it provided some comfort. "Now, I don't care what you've done in the past. The important thing is that today is the day you start writing your future. Now, I know that may feel tough and daunting, but I'll be there to lend a paw throughout. Got it?"

Kris nodded, glancing up at the others. The deer had a blank look on his face, while the serval was gazing with a downcast look at the otter. They were broken off though by a short -ahem from the warden. "That's the thing," he spoke, bringing out some files. "Earlier today, Chief Bogo of the ZPD phoned me and said that we were getting a third new resident here today on decidedly short notice." There was a pause, as he brought out some files. "Moreover, he is one that he, and much of the ZPD, do not wish to be here."

"So what, the judge decided not to spare the rod on him?" Sarrahson asked.

The warden's eyes narrowed as he stared back up at her. "He hasn't been in front of a judge."

The room went quiet, broken off by the coughing of the deer. "Excuse me. What do you mean, he hasn't been in front of a judge? He does not look like an exceptionally violent offender to me, and even then a judge would have to consider it first before signing off for a transfer here."

"I mean that, against the wishes of the ZPD, the District Attorney sprung a specific set of legislation against him, forcing him to be held here up until his as of yet undecided trial date. Indeed, they have a month before they even have to charge him."

"I…" Terrance stuttered, glancing back at Kris before looking back at the warden. "Was he caught stealing nuclear codes or something!?"

"No," the warden spoke, bringing up a file. "In the first period of school today the police called to his school, reporting that refined nighthowler pellets…"

"-Nighthowlers!" the serval shouted in shock, glancing angrily down at Kris but otherwise staying quiet.

"Yes. That they were present there. An investigation found them in his locker, though there was no other evidence linking him to any crimes using them."

"Who needs that," she spoke. "He had nighthowlers on him!"

"In his locker," the warden spoke, raising his tone. "And you know as well as I do that anyone could have put them there, Sarrahson. Please let me continue. The ZPD knew that too, which was why they planned to release him with a tracker as they carried on investigating. However, the DA then got involved, using the Nighthowler Act on him. A chief judge agreed in principle, and now he's stuck here for up to a month, when they can press charges, and then sixth further months before his trial may start. All with no conviction at all."

There was a pause, silence hanging over them before Terrance shook his head. "-You said today, right? This all happened today?"

The warden nodded.

"Puta xingar…" he muttered, before turning back to Kris. "I can't even imagine what you're going through," he spoke, a paw lunging down to grab Kris'. "Listen. You shouldn't be here, and if there was anything I could do to get you out, I'd do it. But I want you to know that you have a friend here, okay? I was put down to be your private councillor too, so you can talk to me."

Kris breathed in and out before nodding. "Thanks," he spoke, smiling a little. "This… this hasn't been nice. But it's nice to know that you'll be there for me."

He nodded, before stepping back. "Regardless of that, we've got to work out what we do next," he spoke, pausing to think. "I don't think it would be wise to have that as your explanation for why you're here."

"I… Wouldn't it best to just say the truth?" Kris asked, suddenly confused.

"I'd normally agree, but I'm with Officer Riotra here," the deer spoke, glancing down at Terrance as he walked forwards. "Many of the criminal elements in there have a code of honour. Some crimes are worse than others, and they pick on their perpetrators to make them feel better about themselves. Let's an unreformable crook feel that he's a good person if he picks on someone who, say, hurt a child. Now I don't like those who hurt children very much either, but I have a particular contempt for those who feel that their business and life is in crime and then hold such an action as a badge of honour. I will tell you this, those kinds of mammals lived through the howler crisis and they were angry. Some even tried to use it as an excuse for why they are in here," he said, lashing the words with an angry hint of dismissal. "Given your situation, I think that Officer Riotra might have a point. I have a feel for the boys in there, they won't like it if they're in with someone involved in that stuff and a lie might make this unfair stay of yours more tolerable."

Terrance nodded. "But should the new story be that he's still waiting trial or hasn't been charged? Or should he say he committed a crime he didn't do? I mean, personally, most of them out there accept that they all did something wrong, but plenty of the others claim they're 'innocent.'"

"Whatever it is," the warden spoke, mulling it over. "It might have to explain why he's being pulled in and out to go to his trial."

"So, just tell the truth," Sarrahson spoke up, her arms crossed across her chest. "He dabbled in howlers, they'll hear it on the news, whatever. Let's just accept what's going on and move on, rather than making this complicated."

"They don't tend to watch the cable news that much," Terrance spoke. "We could easily turn the channels over when anything about this is coming up. As for the papers, that's easy. We read through and don't stock them when it mentions him. Heck, most of the time his name will be anonymous through all of this, so if it's a light general thing we could probably let it pass."

"Still," she pressed, her tone hardening. "These are some very exceptional accommodations."

"-And this is a very exceptional case," the warden argued, cutting them off. He then turned to Kris. "Listen, I'm putting this in place because, in my view, you should not be here and, due to what you're… -well, not even formally accused of yet, I feel there are some concerns for your wellbeing and safety. So we'll work on a cover story, and then you run with it, understand?"

Kris nodded. "Yes," he said. Despite his initial misgivings, it sounded reasonable.

Fulton stepped out. "He's not like the standard mammal in here, he's a cut above and they will know it."

"Being pretty generous there," Sarrahson noted, only to be ignored.

"So we need something to accommodate this," the warden spoke. "I mean, if you fell asleep with a kit in your bed and accidentally rolled and smothered him, that would work as a sympathetic reason for being here. Angry step parent accused you of murder or…" he paused, shaking his head. "Then again, as Mr Fulton said, they have codes of honour and killing a baby would fall pretty against it. They may not take it lightly."

There was a pause, then Terrance clicked his fingers. "Okay then. Maybe he was volunteering at a place, he seems like the nice kind of chap who'd do that, and serving food. Only he got an allergy or intolerance order mixed up by mistake and someone fell seriously ill, had to go into intensive care or even had cardiac arrest. He was charged with attempted murder and sent here."

"I'd of thought that, at worst, would be considered criminal neglect. For a first time offence, neglect like that seems like something that would get him a caution, maybe sent him to a reform school in an exceptional situation."

"Well, maybe it happened with the DA's favorite niece then," the otter shrugged. "He then absolutely threw the book at him. This upcoming trial is his appeal."

"I…" the warden mused, "it would work leading up to the trial."

Fulton nodded. "Yes, and if he is guilty, then the truth will be coming out anyway."

The warden nodded, then turned to Kris. "Given what you've been through today, whether you did it or not, this must have been terribly confusing and hard on you."

"-Indeed," Fulton noted. "The kit is undoubtedly brave and mature, facing all this with a straight face. Credit where credit is due."

"I also don't deny that all of us discussing this is difficult too," he carried on. "But I want to make this clear to you. We don't think you should be here, not now, not yet. All the others in there have been found guilty of something and think that everyone else is too, which is a worry. It must be intimidating for us to be talking about made up crimes that you did and you will lie about, but we're trying to make this so you don't needlessly suffer any more than you already have."

There was a pause, Kris nodding. "Thanks," he spoke, sighing as he looked down at his cuffed paws and prison uniform. "I… -I don't like this, I don't like anything, but I could try and fight and thrash around and just get tired and go under, or I could try and float with the current. I didn't do it, I have no clue how those got there, but I have friends and family who I trust will find out the truth. I just need to survive until then, for them, and if this makes it easier, I'll do it."

Terrance nodded. "Good lad. They may ask you questions. Do you know a place that could fit for this incident?"

"There's a coffee shop near my house in the rainforest district that I've been to a few times," he said. "My father and I had cake or a few breakfasts there. They have books you can borrow, and an area for megafauna…"

"Perfect," he spoke. "Any experience in a kitchen too?"

"I had a week's worth of experience in one a few years back," he said, "so I do know how a coffee machine will work."

"Good," he spoke. "They'll ask questions, and you can answer them without tripping yourself up. The best lies always have a bit of truth in them, don't they?" He cracked a little grin.

Kris breathed in and out. "Yeah."

"Anyhow," the warden said, "we'll inform the other staff. This is an exceptional situation, one that none of us here want, some obviously more than others." There was cold silence as he looked up at Sarrahson before looking down. "But behave, put your head down, and we should get through this."

"Aye, I think the kit will," Fulton agreed, looking down at him. "Just by looking at him, I can sense that he's not your standard criminal, or even one who did it in a crime of passion. There are those few out there who made genuine mistakes and are sorry for them, and he is like that without the mistake." He looked down and nodded. "Silverfox?"

Kris looked up at him.

"Keep your muzzle up high and face this like the man you are."

"I will," he said, only to pause slightly as he glanced at Sarrahson, the serval giving the deer a stink eye.

It didn't matter though. The warden was already standing up, waving the other two guards off. Terrance, meanwhile, tapped Kris on the shoulder. "Let's get to my office and have our chat. I'm your councillor after all."

Kris smiled, feeling a little ray of hope in all these shadows. "That sounds good, thanks."

And with that, the otter led him off.

.

.

Back at the Fox family house, things were quickly ramping up into action mode. Haida and Retsuko had left on a mission, Skye was on her phone and firing off a few messages, while her mate was being tortured.

"Ahhhhhh…."

"Ehhhhhhhh…."

"Oooooohhhh…."

"ARGHHHH!"

"-And done," Judy spoke, watching as he collapsed onto the nearby sofa, exhausted from all the jumping jacks he'd been doing. He briefly realised that he could work out a pun from that, but he hadn't got enough effort to even try.

"Why…" he muttered, looking over. "Am I…. Doing this…?"

"You want to be 'secret agent' Jack, then you need to get fit," she spoke, tapping a few things into her mobile phone.

"Who says…"

"I do."

"And who put you in charge."

She looked over, her eyes narrowing as she smiled. "Let's say that it was mutually and non-verbally agreed on."

"Undemocratic... bunneh…" he panted, sliding down the seat. "I feel like my spleen… is now a razor blade of pure agony twisting and coiling within me…"

"No Cuss," Nick spoke. "It's a right of passage."

"To your credit," she noted, checking an app. "You're a lot more fit than I expected you to be. I'm guessing it was from all the running around on stage you do."

"Oh thanks, that makes me feel real better…"

"And your lung capacity from all your long speeches," she mused, shrugging. "But! The important thing is that I've now calibrated your app." She handed it back to him. "You'll be scheduled up with frequent and small exercises, as well as targets on how far you need to walk, jog, etcetera…"

There was a pause as his phone buzzed. He picked it up, looking on at it curiously. "What's 'a plank?' I'm guessing it's not pirate related."

"Ho-boy," Nick said, walking in and crossing your arms. "I'd say it's a little pirate related."

"In what way?"

"Well, pirates say, Arghhhhh! A lot. And, doing the plank, you will also say Arghhhh a lot."

The jackrabbit groaned, looking over at Judy. "Remind me why I'm doing this?"

"Because you need to get fit Jack," she said, sighing a little as she walked forwards. "If you're going to be doing these things, you might come across mammals who really don't like you, who want to attack you, or get mad and try to harm you." There was a pause, then a sigh. "I don't have the time to teach you to properly fight and defend yourself in these situations. Yes, you'll be trying your hardest to avoid conflict with your acting, yes you'll have gadgets and weapons from Skye and her friend…"

"-She's in, and she says she'd like to catch up with me ASAP," Skye spoke, looking over.

Judy fist-pumped. "But anyway, Jack, things might turn ugly and if that's the case you need to be able to run. You need to be able to run as fast as your legs can take you and get out of there." She paused, before looking over at Nick. "When I picked up Nick, getting him to help me out on the missing mammals case, do you know how many times I put his life in danger?"

"I… -three?"

Judy blinked. "You actually got it right."

"Yeah, rules of threes, and what the maize and squash!?"

"First I dragged Nick into a position where he ran into someone who really didn't like him," she spoke, listing it off against her fingers. "-We were lucky to get out of that. -Next we had to run from a savage jaguar and almost fell to our deaths."

"You're counting both of those as the same event?" Nick asked, his head tilting a bit.

"Yeah," she said. "You don't?"

"No."

"Then where does getting trapped at Cliffside fit in?"

He shrugged. "Given that they'd just lock us up there, I don't think it'd count."

"You were literally going around saying that we were all dead."

He shrugged. "Hey, hindsight twenty-twenty."

"And what about the fall into a waterfall?"

"Given what I know of vulpine terminal velocities versus the impact of falling into water, I figured we'd be safe. Same principle as cats."

"Oh, never thought of that," Judy mused, all while Jack looked on in the background, slack-jawed. "So how many incidents do you count the train things as?"

"Oh, you dealt with the rams so that doesn't count," Nick mused. "And as there wasn't a cooldown period between the near head on collision and the crash and fire, that's all one. Followed by the second with the ewe of doom."

"So you count the train and explosion as one but Manchas and the vine as two?"

"Yeah, because I had the chance to leave in the middle. Two separate events," he shrugged.

"Oh, okay then. Makes sense," Judy agreed, before pausing. "What was I discussing before all of this?"

"About why I needed to get fit," Jack said slowly. "I think I get it now."

"Yup," Nick agreed. "Welcome to the Judy Hopps pain programme."

"Right," he mumbled, before his phone buzzed. "It really wants me to do this plank thing too. Okay then…"

Nick nodded and got down by him, ready to guide him through it. Meanwhile, Skye walked by, sitting down next to him and patting him on her head. "Don't worry. Keep these up, and I'll make sure my secret agent gets some special rewards."

Jack's morose mood lifted. "Right! One plank! Ready to go," he said, matching Nick.

Meanwhile, Judy was walking over to the fennecs, watching as they typed away.

"I've registered some interest in Duke's room," Finnick said, showing his phone. "We got a viewing early tomorrow, so your bunny agent better be ready if he wants to do what he wants to do."

"That he does," Judy replied, only for her ears to raise as she heard some mild screaming in the background.

Finnick looked on, his eyes narrowing. "I mean why don't I just do it?"

"Well, you can both go," Judy shrugged, before shrugging and looking at him. "And I mean, he does want to help. Surely that's a good thing. Kris needs us all to give a-thousand-and-one percent."

"Guess so," the fennec mumbled, as his girlfriend walked past him, speaking out.

"I've already uploaded the video in question and leaked it to various websites. Even better, a version is slowly climbing up P-slash-Zootopia as we speak. Meanwhile, political Ewetuber Anton Pounceheart will be hosting Mr and Mrs Fox along with the Dr to talk it over. Of course, if we want this to have any impact, we need to break out into the mainstream media world, especially the news networks. Thankfully, I think I've gotten the contact numbers of a few highly influential mammals, ones who can bring a lot to our side. I've already sent out appropriate communications," She paused, then shrugged. "Does the day after tomorrow sound good for a protest?"

Judy nodded. "It does," she agreed, smiling. "Thanks."

She saluted them, before glancing down at Finnick. "Remember what I asked you to remember for later, earlier?"

"Yep," he said, looking at her.

"I'll need you to contact someone too in a sec. Just working on getting his email."

"Right on," he agreed, as the two carried on working. Judy meanwhile headed back over to the sofa. Jack was current in Skye's arms, getting petted. "Judy," he spoke, looking over. "This would be easier if I were masochistic. What monster invented that thing?"

"It's an ancient evil," Nick groaned, finally getting out of his own plank. "Trust me there, Stripes. Trust me there."

"It is only due to vixen love and affection…" he began, before getting cut off by a few kisses to his side, "-that I feel I can cope with this."

His phone buzzed again and he groaned, looking at it. He then looked at Skye, showed it to her, and she held her arm out. He grabbed it and began groaning as he tried to pull himself up. Slowly but surely he raised himself above her arm, getting a little kiss in response.

"Nineteen more of those," Skye said, briefly kissing him again as he pulled himself up, then we can meet our helper and get you suited up.

"Count me in," Judy agreed, Nick nodding too.

.

.

Meanwhile, across town, some of those same appropriate communications were busy. Haida and Retsuko waited outside of the ZNN office building, their eyes peeled. Eventually they found their black and white mark and began following.

"Right," she said, feeling excited. "We're actually doing this!"

"Yeah," Haida noted, looking down and smiling at her. He brought out his phone and began reading things off. "Okay, common skunk."

"Check."

"Yellow shirt and cargo pants."

"Check."

"ZNN cap and a novelty backpack in the shape of an arctic fox newsreader."

"Check."

"Pine tree shaped car air freshener worn as a decorative necklace."

"Check."

"Reporter at ZNN."

"Highly suspected."

"Evidence of sad backstory."

"Sadly."

Haida nodded and scrolled on, only for his eyes to narrow. "Okay, T-M-I Fenneko, T-M-I…"

"Huh?" Retsuko asked, glancing up at him.

Haida handed the phone down, her eyes narrowing. "Suspected sufferer of spray dysfunction after highly negative review of rubberised underwear product. Quote: The scent blockers. They do nothing!"

She handed it back. "Yeah. Let's not mention that."

"-Mention what?"

They paused, noticing that the skunk in question had stopped, turning around to face them, his eyes darting up to Haida and back down level to Retsuko, before flitting between them. He looked a bit nervous, fumbling with his paws, before moving them to his rear. The pair shared a nervous look, only to relax as he didn't move them towards his tail hole, before unrelaxing as they saw his claw tips rest on a refillable scent can held in his pocket, an elegant spraying method for a more civilized age.

"Woah! We're just here to discuss business," Retsuko said, smiling.

He paused, thinking. "You're the one who messaged me earlier?"

"Well, a mutual friend was," Haida replied, before gesturing to himself. "Haida."

"Retsuko," the red panda introduced herself.

The skunk relaxed a bit, smiling, before looking over to a nearby bench. "Steven... -Steven Stinkman, Ace ZNN reporter!" he spoke, as he led them over.

Haida rubbed his chin. "Hmmm, I wouldn't say that just yet."

"Huh! Hey, I do good news," he said, almost pleadingly. "I do real good news, and reports; Mr Lagopus himself likes me."

"Well, given that your mother is Murana Wolford, director of the bank that practically owns the company," he began, only to pause as he saw the newly demoralised look on his face, "-Of course, you've also set yourself out as a real swell fellow, haven't you, huh?"

"Oh," he blushed. "Thanks."

"But what you need is a really big scoop!"

"Hey!" he shot back. Paw to his heart, the skunk looked genuinely hurt. "Firstly, it's only my musk gland. Secondly," he sniffed, before sniffing again, "when you're just a kit, and get taken and used for months as nothing more than a you meant the journalist kind of scoop, didn't you?"

They both nodded, before Retsuko spoke up. "Listen," she said, putting a paw forward. "We know that when you were a young teen you were a key witness in the trial of those behind the infamous North-Pier Musk Mill. I'm not here to ask about what that was like, I can't imagine it. What I can say though is that there's another kit, older than you were but not by much, who is suffering right now. And you can help him."

"Yeah," Haida agreed, "And make a big break while you're at it."

He looked on for a second or two, before his eyes narrowed. "Who's out there hurting a kit, and can I give him a taste of my own medicine?" he asked, ruffling his tail a little.

Retsuko handed over her phone, she and Haida explained the context, and Steven watched, enraptured and then enraged, his limbs shaking a bit. "Why that… that… that big tub of lard! After all the pointless crap he's put my mother through, he thinks he can hurt an innocent kit too! Oh, if he stinks he's seen Murana Wolford mad before, he ain't seen nothing yet! "

"Yeah!" Haida began, before pausing. "Though I'm curious. How did you end up being adopted by a banker wolf?"

"I… -Well…" he began, suddenly fumbling again. "My mother adopted me when my birth family couldn't be found after my rescue. I'm not sure if I should say this or not, but she's the reason that I and every other skunk there was rescued, and the reason why so few of those behind the mill reached the trial."

Haida and Retsuko's ears went back, the red panda chuckling nervously. "I… -We just want to turn public anger against the DA and for our kit."

"Right," he spoke, chuckling. "I mean, she doesn't do anything like that anymore, of course! But being a wolf, she was always very vocal of her displeasure at the DA, especially after she had to fight off a bunch of his over eager charges, all brought about by spurious claims and lies from dissatisfied ex-employees. But even before it became fursonal, oh she'd want to take him down for harming a child like this! I promise you now, with her influence she can turn ZNN into the one stop pro-Silverfox propaganda machine!"

"Yeah," Haida said. "And, you have some star witnesses here, right now."

"Yes I do!" he cheered, jumping up in glee, only to suddenly freeze. There was a slight pause as he sniffed the air before carrying on regardless. "Right, follow me, back to ZNN and the scoop of the century. This is going to make my career! I can see it now: David Frost, Jon Shrewart, Louis Caribou, Steven Stinkman!"

.

.

In a different part of town, a different mammal was about to learn the news too. He'd gotten home, chosen to log into his computer set-up rather than practice his guitar, and had been ready for a good time browsing.

A ping on one of his screens had distracted him. He didn't look at it, instead waving his paws in front of him. Staring up through his virtual reality goggles, he moved the 'screen' so that it was in front of him, then opened the email.

He paused, thinking. His fingers, jet black fur with wisps of grey, began gliding out across a virtual keyboard.

Eljaysliver: Hey, DF-243… You say you have something important for me?

DF-243: Yeah. You could say that.

Eljaysliver: Well, if someone I talked to once on a newspaper comment section a few years back gets my email and messages me out the blue, it's gonna be. You follow what I'm bringing out?

DF-243: Listen, Kit, if you are who my vix thinks you are, then you'll want to brace yourself for what's coming. Don't tell no-one, but I struggled too, and I deserved what happened to me.

There was a pause, before an email post containing a video and a set of notes came across. The computer owner quickly isolated them onto a quarantine drive, disconnecting it from the rest of his set up with a simple word command before dissecting it with a variety of protection programs. He then opened it up, watched and trembled, his teeth gritting. He had to hold himself from tearing off his headset, finally putting it down safely and marching away from his set-up, right towards a brick wall of his loft apartment. He made a beeline to a punching bag and hit it, hit it harder, fox screaming and gekkering as he laid into it, even timing his punches with some pounces.

He finished, landing down and panting in and out. The rage had subsided, it was now a controllable inferno. He marched back to his computer, eschewing the headset, and typed back in.

Eljaysliver: Yeah. I'm in. You want this done under the table or over?

DF-243: I'm around law types, so keep it over. We need presence for an upcoming protest. I hear you can get your paws on some pretty big mammal power, ha-ha.

Eljaysliver: Yeah. I'm following what you're bringing out. Cya there.

He broke off, pausing as he panted in and out. If he had any less control, he'd be trembling. Different country, different time, the place here certainly wasn't Granite Point but in his mind that was like saying that The Cooler at Stagen Luft 3 wasn't the Black Hole of Cowcutta.

He closed his eyes and spoke out. "Picture, Mom, Enter."

The screens all changed to the same image, that of a pretty cross fox vixen, held at the back of his memory but lost to the world far too soon. He stared at her long and hard before closing his eyes, making sure to recite her voice in his head and the songs she sung before giving it the order to close down again.

He thought of that other kit, right now.

It hurt him.

"Call, Mother, Video, Urgent."

The screens turned a different colour, briefly pausing for a second or two before a new face came online. A pure white face with two crescent moon earrings, that had come as a stranger and pulled him out of hell, who he'd come to love. Maybe he wasn't that good at showing it, he'd learned to hide all his vulnerability and live on his own long before they'd met, but he wouldn't give her up for anything. "-Dear…" she asked, a look of maternal concern struck on her face the instant she saw him.

"Something… something bad is going on, out there," he spoke, suddenly feeling tears beginning to well up in him. He shook his head. -That wasn't supposed to happen, not anymore.

"I'll send Felix to pick you up," she spoke softly, as he sighed with relief. "You can tell me everything."

He nodded. "Thanks mom," he spoke, wiping an eye. Dammit, he wasn't supposed to get soft. He shut down screen feed and stepped away, barking out an order. "Mother. Shut-down."

Not to any maternal figures this time. It was a fun sci-fi reference of his, and he watched as the computer systems of his home closed themselves off. He picked up a few things: some memento's, toiletries, one of his guitars, that damned algebra assignment. He got in the lift and went down, emerging onto the street as a massive jet black motorbike rumbled into view, a wolf's skull affixed to the front of the beast. A sidecar had been attached, and the mammal jumped and packed his things up, pausing as a hearty pat on the back came from the driver. "I'll get ya' there quick, kit."

"Thanks bro," he replied calmly, giving a solid nod of confirmation before they headed off, quickly cutting into the Rainforest District.

They didn't notice the sight of a bunch of other mammals making their way along a higher road in a beat up van with a funky mural on the side. It parked itself up, the fennec giving a wave before heading off.

Jack, Skye, Judy and Nick walked along the road. "Listen, I'll stick you guys on my insurance tonight," the swift fox vixen said, as she scooted along with her crutches. "Typically, the doctor said I shouldn't drive, which rules out my one auto." She paused, looking at them. "You guys know how to drive a manual?"

"No," Nick said.

"I do," Judy said, smiling. "Farm girl."

Jack, groaning, jogged up next to them, slumping down when his app told him he was done. "Maybe… Instead of this fitness thing… You could teach me… how to drive…?"

"When my leg is better I can," Skye said, before pausing. "Better check Retsuko and Haida too. I know she can drive, but not what type."

The others nodded in appreciation, as she checked her phone. "Right, this should be the place."

They'd arrived at a little nook like home near the bottom of one of the Rainforest District's artificial trees. Reached by a little wooden walkway, it seemed a little isolated, part backed onto a hill and with shaggy untrimmed grass around it. A few bin-bags were laid outside, one of them spilling out opened letters, another smelling of all sorts of rotten food. The windows were wide open too, and the sound of hoovering was coming from inside. Skye knocked.

"Hey. Just a sec!"

The vacuum went off and Skye smiled, before pausing as she noticed an odd look that Judy was giving. "Judy?"

She shook her head. "Sorry," she mumbled, shrugging. "Deja vu…"

"-Now, I don't want to get into this too much," the voice from inside spoke in a resigned tone, Judy's eyes suddenly opening wide with realisation as the door began to open. "But you gotta have some funky timing. You chose to call me at literally the earliest I could…"

She froze, everyone froze, as Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde looked once again into the eyes of Honey Badger.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12.

.

AN: So, you see why I moved the author's notes here. Also, slight confession, maybe I was flubbing the truth a little last time with the cameo's.

The big one is featuring Steven Stinkman, the 'sona of great guy, author of Born to Be Wilde, ever dependable reader and commentator, Berserker88. We missed out on featuring his hyena-rat-masked-luchador-lesbian pairing in 'So we're inters now', so I'll be making it up to him big time here and in the future. A few characters of his co-author, Mind-Jack, will also feature (or may have already been alluded to).

Also mentioned in that segment was his adopted mother, Murana Wolford, from the fic 'In Darkness I Hide.' Owned by Darkflamewolf, that fic features her as the adoptive mother of both Steven and a second very special 'Sona, who we will see coming up in twenty weeks time. It also goes into Steven's backstory, which was alluded to here.

Now, the other set involves who those three unnamed characters were. All will be revealed in due course and all are from different creators, though two had a very close relationship in one majorly awesome fanfic (which number 3, from a different majorly awesome fanfic, would very much want in on if he had the option). All I'll do is signpost you to two of my absolute favourite stories: Berserker's (and MindJack's) Born to be Wilde series, and Merc Marten's Fire Triangle series (as said before, reading the prequel will be enough (to both get a rough idea of the character (even if the backstory has been changed a bit for this setting), and get you addicted to a truly awesome story)). When they pop up again in the future, you'll get the full briefing, don't you worry.

Anyway, the big news is that Honey has returned, outta the blue. Let's see what kind of spanner that throws into the works.

.

.

"WAAARGGGHHHH!"

"Wait," Judy shouted, but it was too late, Honey slamming the door shut in front of her. The sound of deadbolts ratcheting shut rang out as Judy jumped into action, suddenly looking just as terrified. "We're not here to harm you!"

There was the sound of something heavy slamming down from inside, along with a curse. "That's OTT, way OTT," Honey panicked. "They'll use that…" Fear was laced in her voice as she spoke, a groan and a grunt then sounding out. "Ooops, just bumped something! Everything's fine, I'm fine, all is fine!"

"Yes, everything's fine! We didn't know it was you!"

"-Yes, yes, yes, all fine la-la-la, I'm fine, feeling fine…" the panicked ratel narrated, before the sound of a windows slamming shut cut it off. Judy looked on, paws to her heart and ears drooping all the while, as the house was locked down.

"You know her?" Skye asked. "You didn't arrest her one time, did you?"

Judy groaned, head dropping into her paws. "Trust me," she mumbled. "I wish it was that simple."

"Did you know that she was committed a while back?" Nick asked, Skye blinking a few times.

"No, not at all. You mean you…"

"We didn't take her in from her home, no," Nick explained, flashing a look of concern at the door, mumbles and sounds still coming out of it as the occupant did whatever she was doing. "But she escaped from the mental hospital, causing all kinds of carnage. We… kinda… brought her back in."

"We did more than that," Judy sniffed, turning to face Skye. "We pulled up in our cruiser and there she was, and the second she saw us she leapt up in joy. She thought we were there to save her!"

"Why…" the vixen began, before her eyes widened with realisation. "-Because you took down Bellwether, didn't you?"

Nick nodded. "So you knew about her sheep problem?"

"Well, she'd mumble very weird stuff very often," she said, sighing. "I always knew she had a screw loose, but I ignored that. We were working together on stuff, and we'd focus on that, bonding over it while I ignored the many things that I found bad about her. I knew she was pretty damn ovinophobic, but what does that have to do with building stuff? I… -That doesn't make me a bad person, does it?"

"No," Judy replied. "At least, I don't think. But you've got the gist of it. She came up hero worshipping us, saying that we were the fighters against the 'cudspiracy', that we'd take her and free her. She sounded convinced that she'd die or be brainwashed if we took her back. I tried calming her down, diffusing everything, but she kept coming closer and getting more energetic. We were her heroes. And then…"

"You tasered her," Skye said sadly.

"Tranq'd," Judy corrected, closing her eyes and stomping her foot. "Doesn't make much difference though.

"Yeah," Nick agreed, before pausing, looking at the door. He walked up and knocked it. "Hey, Honey was it?"

"I'm… I'm fine," she said, her voice nervous at first but picking up.

"You were just discharged," he spoke. "Got home, cleaning out all those letters that had piled up and things that had gone off in the fridge." He paused, shrugging. "I could give you a refund for that."

"Y-yes," she spoke. "The doc has me on drugs now, which aren't poisoned or anything, so I'm fine, we're all fine in here… -I mean I am! Singular, just me, no alternate personalities or anything so not crazy that way. I'm just fine. -How are you?"

"Good," he said. "But we need your help."

"Um… -Too bad. Kinda busy in here! Putting my life back together. Fine. Thank you. Boring conversation anyway. No help needed."

Nick nodded and was about to speak, only to be cut off as she began stammering out. "-Except medical help of course! Need that! Really need that, and I have it, I have it good! So no need for police help or anything! You can go now. I'm good… I'm good and fine and you can go now, I swear…" There was a pause, then a sniff. "I swear…"

"Hey," Nick began, only to pause as he heard her sniff again.

"Please, I'm better now, I swear. I really… I really swear! I don't wanna go back though! Please don't make me go back!"

"We're not going to," Judy said firmly. "A friend said that you could help us with something, and we really do need your help. Please, let us come in. And… I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry that I hurt you, that I broke your heart, that I couldn't think of a better way and that things didn't work out the way they could have." Judy broke down; her eyes were red and misting up, her voice cracking. "Honey. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry that I couldn't be your hero."

There was a long pause, before the sound of some of the bolts unlocking rang out. The handle turned and, slowly, the door was let open on the chain, Honey's red and puffy eyes looking out. She looked over them, bottom lip sliding beneath her teeth to be chewed on, before she spoke. "T-this is just rational safety checking, you hear, but empty your pockets."

Nick and Judy did so.

"You two too," Honey said, Skye and Jack nodding.

"I didn't know you had a history with them," Skye confessed.

"Funny," the ratel said, her eyes narrowing. "I didn't know you did either."

"Nick was in my school, but we didn't get along until very recently," she explained. "After the Howler Crisis you never asked."

"Well, guess that makes logic," she mumbled. "I mean, you've been busy too. Got a bunny BF and a busted leg while I was locked up..." There was a long pause, before she took a breath in and opened up the door, letting them all in. The inside was basic and smelt a bit dusty, though a big cleaning blitz had been helping out. The bunnies and foxes were led to some threadbare sofas and sat down, while Honey walked over to a kitchen cabinet. Her guests' eyes followed her, pausing as they noticed a bookcase by the front door, half of the books on the floor, swept into a pile. "Uhhh, -that's nuthin'" she dismissed, before reaching up.

"I'm okay, thanks," Judy said, only for the ratel to return, holding out a pill tray in front of her.

"See," she said. "They have me on medicines now. Helps to stop my moods swinging and my B-P-D, my borderline personality disorder."

Judy nodded. "I'm glad you got the help you needed," she said, smiling. "I'm proud of you."

"I…" she began, pausing, a small smile growing on her face. "Thanks…" she said softly, taking them back. "I… I see why they're needed now," she spoke. "And I do feel different, and I can tell that that is good. Even if it's kinda scary."

"How come?" Judy asked.

Honey sat down, head going into her paws. "I… Before, I knew who was bad and who was good, and I knew which side I was on," she spoke. "I knew that sheep were evil, and just thinking about them I worked out how more and more evil they were, and it all made sense! It all made sense. But… But now…"

"You don't know who the enemy is," Judy finished.

"Yup," Honey spoke, gritting her teeth. "I don't, and I realise sheep aren't all that bad, and a lot of what I was saying was cray-cray. But I still don't like them, I still have a bit of a grudge, you know what I'm saying? But I know now that it's dumb an' stupid, that a lot of what I did was bad and stupid, and I keep thinkin' that I was the bad guy here and that there are other bad guys out there hiding and I don't know what's going on anymore. It's… It's scary…"

"It's hard," Nick spoke, walking over and sitting next to her. "-Changing yourself. Realising that you were lying to yourself for so long, and trying to come to terms with it. It's hard. But the change is worth it, believe me, and you are doing good. Look at you, thinking that sheep are just as much a bunch of jerks as the rest of us."

She guffawed a little. "I… Thanks…" she spoke, before looking at him, her expression fading somewhat. She nudged away, looking off into a corner of the room. "It's… I know why you did what you did, and you had to do what you had to do," she mumbled, sniffing a few times. She looked down, beginning to cry. "But it hurt, you two, it really really hurt… You were my heroes, and…"

"I know you may never forgive us," Judy said, "but that's fine."

"I don't feel like doing so," she said. "It never entered my mind, an' when I think back it still hurts. Then today you show up and I'm scared. I'm real scared because you might be taking me back again, and I really don't want to go back. I… I don't wanna go back there."

"And we're not taking you back," Judy said firmly, walking up to her. "Here. Hold my paw."

She glanced at it, then looked away.

"I'm not going to bite," she promised.

Honey looked down nervously, slowly reaching her paw out and touching it. They held on, getting firmer. "Maybe… Maybe I can never forgive you for that," she spoke. "It's nothing personal… Just… My body and mind says no forgive, and if that changes I'll say and do, but otherwise I tend to listen to my gut. But maybe we can work together, have fun that way, right?"

Judy paused and smiled. "Yeah, right."

Honey took a deep breath in and out. "Whew…. Hoo boy, real emotional stuff there," she commented, walking up and over to her fridge. "I guess I could grab some drinks. Snacks too. I got honey comb, honey chomps…"

"You do like your honey, Honey," Nick commented.

She guffawed a little. "Yeah, some people may think my parents are weird for callin' me that, but I'm thinking they hit the nail on the head."

"Well put," he smiled. "I'll have some coffee."

"Tea," Judy said, Skye agreeing. Jack asked if she had any sports drinks or anything to help out, especially now his app was making him do star jumps.

"I'll grab some water," she said, bringing out a tray and then a glass, filling it up as he exercised.

"I'm surprised you're not asking why he's doing that," Nick mused.

"Well I kind of figured it was his thing. We all have things, don't we?" she said, as she grabbed a mug, spooned in some instant coffee and added the hot water, a teaspoon of sugar, some milk and stirred. She then did the teas, one cup at a time, each step done in order.

"Well, it's a new one for him," Skye commented.

"-Annoyingly," the hare added, panting for breath.

Honey shrugged. "Hey, things gotta start somewhere." She then filled a bowl with cereal and milk, spooning some honeycomb fragments on top like massive sugar crystals. She brought everything over and settled down, picking up her bowl and beginning to munch away. "I mean, I always have this in the morning, but just then I figured why not snack on it now?" She took a spoonful and chewed it, her eyes squinting about before she swallowed. "Feels a bit odd, cereal in the afternoon."

"Hey," Nick replied. "A bugburga in the morning has the same effect on me."

"Really!?"

"Yeah," he replied.

She smiled a bit. "I am a bit like Nicky Wilde," she said, her grin growing as she took another chomp. "And this is real good."

"I'm happy for you," Judy said. "But we do have business to discuss."

"Right," she mumbled, nodding. "I 'member hearing you mention that."

"Yup," Judy agreed, taking a deep breath. "I'm certain you didn't enjoy your stay in a mental hospital…"

"That's a hella nope."

"But it was done by mammals who wanted to make you better, and once that was done they let you out."

"Figures," she grumbled.

"But earlier today, something happened," the bunny said, bringing out her phone. What came next was a simple explanation of everything going, the plans involving Jack, Skye and the others, and what was needed from Honey.

She looked on, slurping the last of her cereal before breathing out. "Queen of the hive," she mumbled, stepping up and pacing around.

"You okay?" Skye asked.

"I…" she began, before shrugging. "I was going to say that that DA reminded me of who I used to be, who I was on my Ewetube channel and stuff. But…"

"He's worse," Judy finished.

"No," Honey said firmly, looking back. "I was way worse. That's the freaky bit. After what you told me about him, I do not like him, but in everything he said I kinda get the idea. Even if you don't like his history, politics, the way he works, yadda yadda… There's still some sense to it. What he's arguing makes logic. Go across into the states, 'specially certain parts, and what happened to your kit would be what happened to any kit in that situation. They'd lock him for however long it took before takin' him before the judge, and tough luck with that. There's a logic behind what he did. With me though, it didn't make sense. I… I can see that now," she mumbled. "It was just nonsense, and hate filled nonsense at that. I just rambled it out, coming up with new ways of why sheep were bad, posting it and posting it, going on and on and on."

"But you thought you were doing the right thing, didn't you?" Judy asked.

Honey cut it off with a snort. "Yeah, and I bet you my tail that so did Smellwether and all her bunch, him too!"

"But he's enjoying this," Nick said.

"And I didn't on seeing Bellwether busted?" Honey countered. "I certainly loved it when some newspapers started calling out sheep for their privilege, or some university places campaigning for sheep to be fired and preds put in their place. I enjoyed it when I saw a video of this old ram, campaigning against ovinophobia for years, being shouted at and bullied out of some meeting or other on species tolerance. Cuz it was our side fighting back, honey for the drone." She sighed, looking down and fidgeting with her paws. "See, this is why I don't like these new drugs sometimes, I… I was so sure, so certain, back then. And even though I knew there was this great evil, I knew how things worked. It's… it's just too complicated now."

"Well what isn't complicated is this, Honey," Nick said. "He enjoyed the fact that Kris was going to suffer, I can be sure of it. I'd also wager my own tail that he was one of Bellwether's cronies and in on the nighthowler plot, through and through. Finally, there is a mammal out there who did have access to those pellets and he chose to try and frame an innocent kit for them out of spite. We want to bring them both down and find the truth, and don't you agree that that's a good thing?"

"I…" she began, before nodding. "You know what, yeah. I got the idea that prison sucked big time compared to where I was at, so let's get your kit outta there!"

"Yeah," Judy said, pumping her fist.

"Oh, Bunny Cop?" she asked, smiling. "You're gonna work big time on this, aren't you?"

She turned and nodded. "For him, for his family, for you, absolutely, one-hundred percent."

"Right," she said, looking over to Jack. "And with you, I'm gonna be working with Skye to make up some funky spy gadgets. I like the sound of that!"

"Yup," the jackrabbit moaned. He'd previously been doing some push-ups.

"We'll also want a bit of security for Ash, the one we think this was supposed to be against in the first place," Nick noted. "After all, if it's not our weasel then it's someone else, who might try again. We just want to get a little bit of insurance, in case someone tries to get into his locker once more."

"Something I should be able to do," Honey smirked, leaning down to pick up the tray. "After all, I remember my sister grumbling about mammals being able to pick her locker in high school."

Nick chuckled. "Mammals like me! Though I went to twenty-second street high."

"You went to school in the ghetto!" Honey jibed, standing up.

"Grew up in Happytown Heights," he replied. "You'd never know it, given the fact that I can count to above ten."

"Must have had the same supplier," she mused. "My sister went to the Rainforest Magnet School, at least until she got her scholarship to Zoo-U. Which school did your chap go to?"

Nick paused, thinking. "Oh, Woodland Grove High, nice schoo…"

He was broken off by the clattering of the tray hitting the floor.

"You okay, Honey?" Skye asked, Jack walking over.

"Let me help you with that," he said.

"Yeah, yeah," she rushed, glancing around before dropping down, hurriedly piling the glasses back on. There was a pause, before Jack looked up.

"What did you realise?"

"Uh, nothing! -Nothing at all!"

He folded his arms. "I think we both know that isn't the answer."

"-Did you know that those two also arrested my sister!? Lionheart contacted her and hired her to work at cliffside, saying it was a national emergency and official secret and all that. Yup, that's who it was. I mean, trying to make the world a better place but duped a bit, right? Hope nobody has to ever deal with an actual zombie-'pocalypse, especially with the two super cops there. Would it count as torture, abduction, mutilation of a corpse or all three?" she chuckled, picking up the tray and taking it back. She opened up her dishwasher and began putting things in, humming a tune as she went, quickly finishing and turning around.

She looked at them and sighed.

"Honey?" Judy asked.

"-Please don't be mad."

"About what?"

"-This… -I knew this before I was treated, okay!" she shouted out, an edge of fear in her voice. "I knew it before, and I don't wanna say it because you might think I'm relapsing, going off against sheep and all again. But I'm not!" She sniffed, first one time and then a second. "I'm not… I don't wanna go back, I don't wanna go back…" She broke off, pacing off into her living room, Judy and Nick following.

"If you think there's a sheep involved in this, that's okay," Judy said. "Maybe some angry sheep did do this, who knows? But if you don't tell us, we don't know. We need everything."

"I…" she began, looking back, her voice hitching and eyes watering. "You promise. You promise that you won't… you understand that this isn't, I'm not…"

"I do," Judy said, nodding as she walked over and held her paw.

Honey looked on, nervous yet stoic, before walking back into the kitchen. "I used to dream of bringing you guys down here," she commented. "We'd plot to bring down the sheep and win freedom from it." Leaning down, under her sink, she pulled open the doors and cleaned away a bunch of the cleaning products to one side. Nick and Judy weren't sure what she was doing, but their eyes widened as she lifted up the bottom, revealing a submarine-like hatch. Straining a bit, she pulled through the rust and twisted it open, hauling it up and then descending down. "Come on in."

.

"You could ride out the apocalypse down here," Nick gasped, looking around. Carved into the very roots of the tree tower was a bunker. Wide enough for three wolf sized beds, and at least five times as long, it had an arched roof of corrugated metal and was stocked with all sorts of supplies.

"That kinda was the logic," Honey noted, as Skye came down, balancing herself as she got her crutches back on before looking around.

"This is amazing!" she gasped.

The ratel blinked. "Y-ya think!?"

"I think we all do," Judy agreed. "I mean, okay, my house is made out of loads of these kinds of tunnels. But you did it all by yourself!"

"I…" she began, smiling a little. "Yeah, I did." Her brief happiness was broken off as she glanced to the side, her eyes going wide. "Oh, hold on, no-no-nooooo…."

"What?" Nick asked.

Honey glanced up mournfully, holding a big box and sniffing. "My moths of freedom have all died…"

She tilted the box forward, revealing a pile of white corpses. Judy gasped. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry…" She'd never been into keeping insects, but from her university days she knew one wolf who'd been really into beetles. They could get very emotionally connected.

Honey sighed. "Nah… It's fine, didn't have much of a purpose now, anyway. No need to release them on attacking sheep, now I know things are different and such."

"I…" Judy began, pausing, "Would that even work?"

"I thought it would," Honey replied. "Or at least provide a distraction for all the other stuff."

The group glanced around, realising that there was an awful lot of stuff in the bunker specifically aimed for the clipping, messing up or outright removal of wool. From giant hedge-clippers and garden shears to paintball guns and burr launchers, she had a significant arsenal of debatable effectiveness.

"As I was saying," she mumbled. "Old me, and…"

"Hey, skeletons in the closet," Nick shrugged. "What is it that you want to show us?"

Honey took a breath in and led them to a desk at the back of the bunker, a massive conspiracy board spread out. Various pictures of sheep, interspersed with notes, clippings and even memes were laid out on a map of the city. "This… This is where I was laying it all out," she said, matter of factly. "Which sheep did what, who their allies were, you even have our DA there." She pointed to his picture. "All connected to the cudspiracy, well almost all of it."

"-Almost?" Judy asked.

Honey pointed to a small area in the corner, disconnected from the rest, showing a picture of a red and grey squirrel going around, taking in the sights with some cameras. "One time I just saw a red and grey squirrel getting along and…" She made a mind blown gesture with her paw and head.

Nick nodded along, while Judy's ears drooped lightly, a fed up look on her face.

"Thought I'd follow them around a bit, thinking they were a part of it but never finding the connection. There was a bit of them dealing with some big cats, or this wolf with an eye patch, some comments about some friends and an old enemy. They even stopped to visit a florist a few times, before talking to each other in a foreign language. I mean, I was even able to work out how The Dark Flame Wolf meshed into the cudspiracy, but that lot… Complete blank."

There was a snort from Skye. "Long time since I heard that urban legend. Did you figure out where the mothmammal fits in too?"

"I," Honey began, before turning back to her board. "Uhhhhhh… Hmmmmm…"

Nick, his ears tilted back, gave Skye an odd, half-condescending half-envious look, before turning back to the ratel. "I guess they're foreign businessmammals then," he said.

Honey looked back and nodded. "Oh, right… Yeah. Makes logic. Before I was going for North Korean spies, but whatever… Anyway, anyway…" She trailed off, taking a breath in. "I was tracking Bellwether back when she was simply running under Lionheart. Not just her, but her contacts, her friends, her family. That all became more important after she was revealed, because who else could try and finish her work other than her heir?"

"Bellwether's heir?" Nick asked.

Honey nodded. "Dawn had a boyfriend at the time, not Doug by the way, and no children. She had a younger brother though, who had a family at an early age, given that they're a rich family and he got into banking and such. They… After the fallout, they… They changed their surname, moved jobs and schools and I tracked them. And when you said the name of that school, it rang a bell, because that's the school her heir, her niece, goes to."

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers," Judy said, her voice cracking hard. Nick looked at her in concern, realising something bad was going on. Honey carried on as normal.

"Her name is…" She was cut off as Judy walked past her, touching a blurry picture on the board.

"Maisy," Judy sniffed, shivering slightly. "Maisy Calrama."

Chapter Text

Chapter 13

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AN: Major thanks to Giftheck, who did an artwork of Maisy Calrama for me, currently up on the A03 version.

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“Right then son,” Mr Fox announced, slipping into his office. “As part of our multi-faceted multi-pronged multi-thought-out plan for solving this issue, we need to get a hippo incredibly drunk.”

Following on, Ash nodded. “Right. How would we do that?”

“Well,” he spoke cunningly as he opened up his desk. “There are two simple schools of thought. One, you increase the potency of what he’s drinking. Two, you decrease or remove the potency of what you’re drinking. I, naturally, go for both of them. First off, should I ever wish to make the other side more drunk, I have this!”

He dove in and pulled out a key. Ash blinked a few times, before rolling his paw to tell his father that he needed to get on to the next step.

“Not just any key!” he announced, before diving down below his desk, grabbing the floorboards and lifting up a hatch. A shaft and ladder were revealed, which he grabbed and sailed down. “-Now, back when you were into clearing this old bootlegging tunnel to the nocturnal district out, did you ever notice a certain safe by the side?”

“Yes.”

“In which case, you must have been ever curious about what was in it. Well, today, it is revealed!”

Mr Fox emerged out again, putting down a cobweb covered bottle with a loud thud. The ceramic was faded and cracked, the labels long since decayed off, unlike the multitude of black ’X’s’ which covered it like a cheetah’s spots. “This is not like that cider, son. This is not a drink for mammal consumption, this is a drink for tactical warfare!”

Ash’s head cocked a little, and he leant forward to open it up, only for his father to block him. 

“Let me just,” he began to say, looking around. “-Right, no open flames, go ahead.”

Ash did so, only to back off in a fit of coughing and spluttering. Waving his paw in front of his nose, he leant outside of the room to get some fresh air, before looking back in. “Okay, so we lace his drink with that, right?”

“Right, sort of,” he said. “This mammal we’re facing didn’t get anywhere by being unintelligent, so it stands to reason that he’d be able to detect when a drink or such had been amped up with this. At least, of course, with his usual faculties. So, this is our, as your generation might put it, quote-unquote finishing move.”

“Okay, and do we use some kind of hidden tube system to put it in or what?”

“A hidden tube system is exactly what we’ll be using,” he said, bringing out a length of thin pipe. “Stuff this in your sleeve, point it over his drink and give your armpit baggie a firm squeeze whenever you want to apply some. Skye is working on a rough set-up as we speak.”

“And do we use a seperate baggy to pull our drinks out of their glass?” he asked. “Use some valves and stuff… Or maybe a paw-pump in your pocket!”

“Excellent ideas which I’ll be running by Skye,” he said. “Though usually I stick to the classic funnel under the jacket approach.”

“But that relies on your target looking the other way,” Ash reasoned. “Whereas sucking it out slowly could happen right under his nose, especially after he’s already had a few.”

“Which is why both ideas have perfect validity,” Mr Fox carried on. “Indeed, Discreet Drink Disposal is a long and proud tradition. I remember my first time, using the handy dispensary that was Kylie’s pouch…” He phased off, looking up and reminiscing.

Ash’s face screwed up in confusion. “You’ve done this before? -With Kylie? -His pouch…?”

“Yes, yes and yes. He is a marsupial, after all.”

“And a man. He doesn’t have a pouch.”

“Yes, which is why we faked one.”

“But… He’s still a man.”

“Ah, but they didn’t know that,” he said with a wink. “It was a role he was born to play, I didn’t even have to change his name.”

Ash tried to imagine the opossum in drag, then tried to obliterate that mental image from his mind (with greatly reduced results).

“Anyhow,” he spoke, “all different methods in which to greatly reduce the amount of intoxicants that our party is taking in, while increasing the amount that the opposing party is taking in.”

“But, we’ll still be taking in some.”

“You know, you sound just like our secret agent bunny there,” Mr Fox commented. “Regardless, our techniques will do enough.”

“And I suppose that as Retsuko and Haida are planning to recruit someone, and we also have Jack, we could swap them out at the mid-point.”

Mr Fox paused, blinking a few times. “An excellent additional card up our already well stuffed sleeves. Well done.”

Ash stood up proud, smiling, before jumping up in the air. “Oooh, another idea!”

“Hit me.”

“Some of the alcohol will go in our guys mouth, right?”

“Right.”

“So why not get it out of there before it’s swallowed?”

“That would require major surgery and would probably be incredibly painful.”

“I… -Well, why don’t you absorb it?” he carried on. “Some cloth or something either side of your teeth,” he explained, hooking his lower lips with his claws to reveal the space between his gums and his muzzle. “You slosh the drink into them, they suck it up, you fake swallow and, when you can, you swap them out!”

Mr Fox nodded his head, considering it. “Maybe you could, but you would require some kind of high absorbency microfibres, which may be well out of our means to procure.”

Ash balled his fists and held them against his hips. “That’s not your attitude. Of course we can procure them!”

“Well, maybe, if we knew the right place or supplier. But it might be an order in job from a specialist supplier, and it may be too late anyway.”

“Or we may already have some,” Ash suggested.

“I severely doubt that.”

“I severely don’t doubt that and am willing to bet on it.”

“Bet on it, hmmm?” Mr Fox questioned, a sly smile growing on his face. “What are your terms.”

“My allowance. Quadruple or nothing.”

“Agreed,” Mr Fox began. “And now you’re likely going to go down that tunnel and bring out something you found down there and make me look stupid.”

“Oh no, you brought in our high-liquid absorbing solution.”

“Did I now?”

“Yes.”

“Starting a week ago to two days ago.”

“Are we on the same page here, as I’m getting nothing.”

“The two days ago one was when they had a mega-sale on the jumbo pack down at the mother-and-cub store.”

“Oh, disposable mammalian waste absorbing undergarments. I’d forgotten about those.”

“Right, and now my allowance is quadrupled.”

“Not so fast,” Mr Fox countered. “Let’s recap, because if this doesn’t work it’s nothing. You’re suggesting that, in order to avoid ingesting any alcohol during this scheme, our guy sticks my as yet unborn second kit’s diapers in his mouth.”

“No. I was more thinking that you could stuff the fillings from them into a kind of cheese-cloth sausage thing, that you can then stick in your mouth. -You can paint them pink too, to blend in. If they’re in your top lip, they’ll be hidden throughout and avoid over-saturation from your own saliva. -And we could have some set-up to help swap them out often.”

Mr Fox blinked a few times, before getting onto his knees. “Son. That is a sly, cunning, brilliantly thought out scheme. I’m proud of you.” He lunged forward, hugging him tight. Ash couldn’t help but smile.

“Thanks.”

The soft moment of father and son bonding was cut short though by a banging on the door, the older fox looking up. “Ah! Fenneko, Vulpes zerda , got the location where we will launch our sting yet? Or is it time for us to meet this Ewetuber of ours.”

The door slammed open and a tired looking grey bunny marched in. “Judy Hopps, Oryctolagus cuniculus ,” she spoke, before slumping down on a chair. The two foxes briefly noted that Nick, Jack, Skye and a female honey badger ( Mellivora capensis ) were also there, before the bunny continued. “We have a new suspect.”

“On top of the weasel?” Mr Fox asked.

“-Apparently so,” Fenneko chimed in, walking in after the others. “Given the suggested story, it does line up. Also, your meeting is coming up, but we have the time to drop one major bombshell.”

“Who is it then?” Ash asked, before frowning. “And why are you looking at me like that?”

“We think…” Judy began, before breathing in and out. “We think that one of your friends might have planted them.”

He blinked, his ears folding back. “N-no…” he said, shaking his head, his tail drooping down between his legs. “I mean… You say friend, you don’t mean an actual friend of mine, right? You’re just meaning that in a general sense of mammals I know in school, whether they are friendly to me or not. Right…?”

…

“Not right, then,” he said, looking down.

Judy nodded. “This here is Honey,” she said, gesturing back to the ratel.

“Hi there.”

“Hi.”

“She kept track of a lot of…”

“-Used to keep track,” she interrupted harshly. Judy broke off, looking back at her, her ears drooping as she face-pawed.

“Sorry, I…”

“Accepted,” she grunted, walking over to Ash. “Hey. I used to think all sheep were evil, I got treated and don’t now. But back then I tracked down all those connected to Dawn Bellwether and her plot, and basically your friend Maisy is Bellwether’s heir. She might have done it.”

Ash blinked a few times. “-Maisy…? -But she trips over her own tail to be good to preds, especially given all the hurt some gave her for being a sheep. Why would…” He trailed off, frowning. “What do you even mean by her being Bellwether’s heir?”

“She’s her niece,” Judy explained. 

“Yeah,” Honey carried on. “Born Maisy Bellwether to Dominic and Alicia Bellwether; Dominic, Dawn and Dexter Bellwether being children of Astor and Sandra Bellwether. After the initial plot, Dexter, the oldest and unmarried child, kept his surname and position as a professor of medicine up at the University of Barkley. -He was very cooperative with the investigation, so they didn’t need to extradite him or what not, but it’s up in the air whether he was hella deep in or completely clueless, ‘specially given that without him Doug and Dawn would never have met. Ramses was his Master’s student going back and they even did some research papers together, before Doug went into the whole evil pred darting sheep industry. Dominic and Alicia though, the former got rich from trading stocks as a teen, landed himself a job at a hedge fund when he was twenty, then married and had a child super young, did the opposite. Left their jobs, changed their surnames, reapplied hoping to avoid all the heat.” There was a pause, and a sigh. “Heat from mammals not even as bad as I was. But the point is that their daughter, Bellwether’s niece, is the ewe that you know as Maisy Calrama.”

Ash looked at her, then shook his head. “Do you have any proof?”

“-I tested it for her,” Fenneko said, turning her computer around. “Maisy Calrama, Furbook profile, alongside various other social media accounts. All started within the first few days of each other, two weeks after the arrest of the former mayor and unravelling of her plot. Meanwhile…” She typed a bit. “Maisy Bellwether… Last posts and freezing of accounts, the same week.”

Ash began to tremble as he viewed the two profiles. Tracking back through Maisy’s profile to the earliest pics, and then glancing over to the last ones on the other. From oddly thin wool back to thick stuff, but the sheep beneath it all was the same. He looked over and scrolled through the earlier posts, seeing his friend talking about how the hated ex-mayor was good, how she was doing her best, how she was proud of her, how the claims that she was behind the savage cases was crazy. And then there was a picture of them, together, all smiling. The young fox backed away.

.

.

“-Also,” Fenneko spoke, “if you compare fandoms, interests and the key hobbies you’ll…”

“-I get it!” he shouted, only to break off trembling a little. He closed his eyes, breathed in and out before growling. “But… But she’s not like that! She’s different. I… I trusted her, and you really think she tried to hurt me? Why?”

“To hurt us,” Judy spoke. “Nick and I took away her favourite aunt, turned her world upside down, and then she finds out that we have a friend in you. Frame you up, and she can cause us the same pain that we caused her.”

He frowned. “That’s dumb.”

“She’s young and emotional,” Judy sighed.

“I wasn’t saying she was dumb,” he said, his voice flaring up. “I’m saying the idea is dumb. She’s scared and self conscious of being a sheep, because of…” he trailed off, rubbing his eyes. “Because she thought that people would link her to Dawn. It… Was it all a lie?” He looked up at his father, fearfully. “Was she lying to me all this time?”

“Well,” Honey began. “She was certainly omitting a lot of the tru… -OW!” She backed off from where Judy had elbowed her, rubbing it and scowling. “Hey!”

“It was just a light tap, as now wasn’t the time,” Judy explained.

Honey backed away, Nick nudging in. “Don’t worry, just a light bit of honey badger abuse, you’ll get used to it.”

“She’s mean.”

“I’m…” Judy began to say, only to grunt, pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing. She looked back to Ash. “She was a transfer to your school, right?”

“Yeah, but it was at the start of the last calendar year. That was almost a full sixth months after all that went down.”

“They may well have hired a tutor or something for then,” Judy replied. “They’re a rich family. She then chose to go back into schooling once all the attention had gone down, entering in and meeting up.”

“But…” Ash began. “But she was nice to us. She didn’t have a problem with predators!”

“And I didn’t think Bellwether did, either,” Judy countered. “She mainly went after them for her own power. Sure there was resentment, especially against larger preds, and she levered the resources of some who really did hate preds. But put her in a room with them and you wouldn’t know… I didn’t know.”

“I… -Maybe she was forced!”

“Ash…”

“No, I’m serious here,” he spoke, a desperate edge in his voice. “Maybe her parents forced her to do this, against us. Maybe that’s why she did it against Kris, as she thought he could weather it better and the whole wrong name thing would cause the cops confusion. She’d have to get the howlers from somewhere, right?”

Nick clicked his fingers. “He has a point. If it was her in any way, shape or form, her parents or a parent were likely involved as well. Maybe they had a small cache of the things that they were keeping safe for Dawn? If it was her idea, she could have asked for them. But if she was being coerced, and given how fretful she seemed in our brief encounter and how much you trust her, I’m leaning more towards that, they’d have provided her and told her what to do.”

“And if she was forced then she can tell us and be safe?” Ash asked. “She doesn’t have to go to jail or anything, or be punished, as they were making her. Right? Right…?”

“That would need a formal plea deal,” Judy explained. “But if she liked you and didn’t want you to suffer, why would she tell her parents if they were the…” She trailed off, her face going pale. “Oh sweet cheese and crackers. I’ve done it again.”

“Carrots?” Nick asked, as her face slumped into her paws.

“I’ve messed it up again! I’m such a stupid, useless, fox-harming DUMB bunny…”

“Uhhh,” Honey began. “I think I’ve missed something here.”

“Join the club and just enjoy the ride,” Jack replied, gesturing to himself and Skye.

“Nick and I went to a meditation class hosted by Kris,” Judy explained, turning to Jack and Skye. “Before our date. Yesterday! He and Ash are there, and they bring along Maisy Calrama too, that’s how I knew her and she knew me. She sees us, panics, walks away and I think it’s just been because of bullies picking on her because she’s a sheep and her being self conscious. But oh no, it’s because she realises that we might know about her, or her parents might find out about us and exactly this happens. So she leaves, hoping for it to never come up again. Only, what do you know, I’m a BIG dumb bunny and ask Ash and Kris’ friend Agnes to send a text, telling her how much of a big group of friends we all are together. Given what that family might be up to, who wants to bet that they might read her texts and messages, or it pings up while she’s in the room with them. So they see it, and get angry that they didn’t know before, and then she’s ordered to slip a howler into someone’s locker, all in the name of revenge.”

“You don’t know that,” Nick said.

Mr Fox nodded. “Though it would explain an awful lot.”

Nick shot him a look, before looking down at Judy. “You weren’t to know.”

“Tch… Just like I wasn’t to know about how I’d draw mammals in against this family. Just like I didn’t know that Duke might go against us. Just like I didn’t know about how that law I quite liked would be used. Just like I happily went on my way and hurt Honey, and hurt you Nick, and hurt all those predators in Zootopia because of my dumb words and now, whoopsie, the two predators in zootopia who weren’t hurt back then as they weren’t here have now been hurt because I messed up.”

“Ever heard of the butterfly effect?” Ash asked, Judy turning to look at him. “Each word I speak might nudge a hurricane into a city or something but I don’t worry over everything. Doing so is just dumb.”

“It is when you can’t make a firm connection; I can.”

“What, crazy connections like how that worried sheep was Bellwether’s heir,” Honey asked, frowning as she marched up to Judy. “Now, you listen here. If you’d have been able to think or guess about that back then, then your mind would have had to be running at a million miles an hour, and you literally thinking of a bajillion or so different crazy ideas at the same time. You’d literally become old me, and old me had to be sent to the looney bin to get fixed!”

“I…” she began, biting her bottom lip with her buck teeth. “Okay, yeah, point taken,” she admitted. “I’d probably try and bust out too…”

“Oh totally,” Nick agreed.

“Can I be the one to tranq her this time?” Honey asked. “Y’know, even stevens?”

“Be my guest,” the bunny said, dryly. “But… Urgh… Every time we come across a new clue or new idea, it’s something that I had a paw in. Some way that I, without knowing it, messed up. And yes, we all make mistakes, we’re all different. But those mistakes have landed a sweet, mature, innocent kit in a hardcore prison. So, I come in and I want to try, try and help him in whatever way I can. And now we’re discussing ways to fake our identity and dupe a distressed head teacher who’s probably beating herself up about all this. We’re talking about suspecting a friend from school and setting up a way for her to sell out her parents. You over there are basically talking about how to spike a public official's drinks! I’m recruiting help from a mammal whose heart I crushed, betraying her when I was her hero, and who’s still scared to some extent that I’ll send her back to the asylum…”

“-Nah, I’d say that’s over,” Honey said. “The scared of the asylum bit, not the crushing betrayal bit.”

Nick groaned. “Started out good, went downhill.”

She shrugged. “Just being honest, honest.”

Judy groaned. “Listen, on top of all of that, all of this might be because, way back, I decided that the best way to get some information out of a weasel was to use my mob connections to threaten his life. And now he hates me and may have tried to harm the ones that I love. How many more will hate me after this?”

There was a long pause, before Skye came forward. “Hey, Judy? If what I remember about that mob connection thing was true, it was never intended. You saved an innocent mammal's life and he felt indebted to you. As for that weasel, you getting the information out of him helped save this city! I was starting to plan a permanent move out to Vegas given what was going on, but then you saved the day. You did what you felt needed to be done at the time to do the right thing, and don’t let anyone take that away from you. You saved a life. You saved a city. Now go save a kit.”

Judy looked up, her eyes hardening with determination. “You know what, you’re right. I’m Judy Hopps of the ZPD, and I do NOT know when to quit! Maisy Calrama might be involved, might be being forced into this by her parents? Well, we can inform the ZPD, inform them about all our theories and stuff, and let them run the official investigations as well. In fact, I’m pretty sure we had to do this anyhow, but attack from two fronts is better than one. I can walk around, asking questions. I can pour through the jam cams, seeing if I can see where our weasel went or not. I am going to try more than I have ever tried, and save Kristofferson Silverfox or die trying!”

“Yeah!” Mr Fox cheered. “Bar a slight quibble with the last three words, that’s what I want to see. Skye, we can work together to deal with the whole alcohol thing. Thanks to a cunning plan by Ash, even my wife’s knitting and culinary skills may come into use.”

“I can help too,” Ash spoke. “I go to Maisy’s school, don’t I? I can do my own investigation there. Tomorrow, I’m bringing home homework and the truth.”

Honey smiled. “I can help, I guess. Gadgets here, old sheep intel there… It’ll be fun to see what scratching against the right tree is like.”

Fenneko smiled. “Together with our intelligence networks combined, we can rule this city as fennecs and ratel.”

“Fennecs?” she asked, getting a screenshot of her and Finnick in response. “Oh, he’s cute. Very very cute…”

“Sorry, but he’s hot as heck and all mine.”

“Nah, I didn’t mean it like that,” she waved off. “Though now you mention it…-no, can’t get distracted. We’re on a mission!”

“Yes we are,” Fenneko agreed. “Anyway, one bombshell over, Mr Fox, you, your wife and brother in law have an interview to go to with an Ewetuber. And talking about missions, Jack, I’ve located a potential position to intercept our headmistress. Your friend from the theatre delivered your disguise. Are you ready to rumble?”

He stepped forward and nodded. “Secret agent Jack Savage, reporting for duty!”

Chapter Text

Chapter 14

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AN: Many thanks to the guys on the ZAA server who read this and suggested a few fun little additions.

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Corner of 119th Street and Lakivot Lane.

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"So," Nick asked, looking around the van. "The plan?"

"Yes," Judy pressed. "The not-illegal plan. What is it?"

Jack, busy applying some fur-dye over his body to hide his stripes, smiled. "That would ruin the surprise."

"This isn't the time," the grey doe pressed, her foot beginning to tap.

"If it's any consolation," Fenneko began, "I checked the local bylaws and it isn't illegal. Just arguably highly immoral depending on your viewpoint."

"Also," Honey spoke. "You can't just go ruining a surprise."

"I'm beginning to think that we should have left you at the house," Judy grunted, only to pause as Skye cleared her throat.

"She brought over her voice recording glasses and knows how to set them up," the swift fox vixen explained. "So she can help."

"Yeah," Finnick grunted. "And it's not as if my van ain't lacking for space."

"Whereas we are lacking for time," Fenneko explained. "Because, if my theories are correct…" She stood up, slipping into the front and peeking out over the dashboard. Eyes narrowing, she scanned around, her vision focussing on a bespectacled springbok. "Eyes on the prize, here comes our big game."

"Right," Jack spoke, as he fished around in his bag and put on the rest of his costume. A pair of light tan green trousers, a black collared shirt, and an army green jacket on top. Picking up the glasses, specifically a pair with broad and round lenses in a thin wire frame, he placed them on. "Testing, testing."

"Picking you up," Honey said.

"Hang on," Judy realised. "We don't need a recording for this."

"No," Jack said, shrugging. "But I do like the glasses. Helps me get into character."

"He does look very genial," Nick pointed out. Indeed he did. His jet black shirt tucked in, he looked a little scruffy but had an underlying smartness to him, helped by the glasses (which gave him an older and more educated look) and the covering of his stripes (making him look like a regular black-tailed jackrabbit). The red fox, being used to acting a role in old hustles, would label him off as a very convincing warm and gentle (if a bit of a maverick in his field) university professor. Probably teaching history and archaeology.

And then he reached into a bag and brought out two last pieces of clothing, hanging one around his neck and fitting the other into his collar, and Nick couldn't help but speak out. "Oh, now that's clever Stripes!"

Judy looked less convinced. "Seriously, Jack?"

"Oh don't worry," he said, his voice suddenly softer. "I can assure you that the local bylaws say that this is quite legal. Now, if you excuse me, I think there is a soul in need of guidance."

And, with that, he slipped out and walked over, entering into the same coffee shop that the principal had done, watching and waiting.

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"Hi Angela!" The cheery caracal barista asked. "Your regular?"

The springbok looking back sighed and nodded, watching as a cup of mocha and a pasteis de nata were slid over. She blankly held her card over the reader, letting it beep, before leaning over to grab the items.

"I'm guessing it was a tough day," the feline spoke.

"You could say that…"

"Well, tell you what! I'll…"

"Sammy," Angela spoke out, looking down as she did so. "I… -This is something serious, and I understand if you're trying to cheer me up, but this is a situation where it would not work. I wish I could explain why, but I can't, which is part of the whole problem. So, if you could, could you please just give me some time by myself? Thank you."

Sammy's ears drooped back severely, gulping. "Cream and marshmallows?" she suggested, weakly.

The springbok gave a slight smile. "Yes please. Thank you."

It was quickly served up, a sprinkling of chocolate powder on top and a flake in the side as a final flourish, before Angela took it off.

"Feel better soon!" she cheered, as the school principal made her way down to her usual seat. Sliding out her drink and food, she looked at it blankly while fumbling with her bag. While primarily in an administrative role now, she was still a teacher at heart and did still host some lessons; albeit in the politics module, which was only an option in the final two years and little favoured. She had four separate classes, two per year, which took up twenty hours of her week, excluding homework and marking. After work every day, she'd usually settle here and spend an hour or two reviewing the work done. Today though she didn't have the heart in it. She could only sip her drink and look out of the window of Catpuccino. She didn't feel like a failure, yet somehow it made it worse.

Dammit, she didn't know what to think and do about all of it and had no-one, absolutely no-one, to turn to. A sip of her drink, the added sweetness doing nothing to lift her mood. She wondered how his cousin, Ash, was doing. She could speak from her heart to him and, in her gut, she felt that she'd done the best she could. She'd helped him, and with his family and such he'd be okay. But he wasn't the mammal in peril right now, a mammal who she hadn't even had the chance to help. What could she even say if she'd had the chance. Well, there was one thing, but would it even…

"-Oh, excuse me, mind if I sit here?"

She looked around, before blinking a few times as she saw a booster seat being walked up to the end of the table. While they were mainly used for baby calves they were also designed for smaller mammals to use and, as such, had ladders at the back. A pair of ears emerged from above the varnished wooden back, rising up and up. She was guessing from their size that it was a jackrabbit. After all, with regular bunnies you didn't have the light from the other side coming through the narrow skin, whereas with this buck you could even see the darker outline of the veins. Up his head came, giving a warm and gentle smile, before her curiosity piqued a little as she saw his white collar and cross necklace. "Sure, Father."

"Thank you very much, dear child," he said happily, as he slid down onto the white padded seat. He poured out a bottle of apple and mango juice while slowly opening up a blueberry muffin, seemingly appreciating each newly revealed face.

"Guess it's always a bit crowded in the small mammal area," Angela remarked, taking a sip of her own drink. She noted that he had a slight hispanic lisp in his voice, and she wondered where he came from and what he was doing here (and not just at this large mammal table).

"Well, it often is, often isn't, but it's more the low ceiling," he sighed, glancing down.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Oh, I'm a hare, not a bunny you see," beginning to roll it out.

"So not a burrower," Angela finished. "Claustrophobia?"

He chuckled every so slightly. "Thanks for saying it out for me." He picked out a small bite of his muffin and held it up, nibbling on it a little. "Still a bit of a sore subject."

She felt a little bit of kinship, and wondered whether it would be selfish or not to ask him about it. Would it be giving her closure if she could help him whereas she couldn't help…

"I was on an exercise out at Yena when it happened…"

"-Yena?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Ah yes, you wouldn't know," he mumbled. ""Yena Proving Ground, a war game site for the United States Army."

"You're a veteran?"

"Not of any wars, thankfully," he spoke, rolling his paws around. "I was once a young, dumb buck, thinking that my country and guns were the greatest things in the world." There was a pause and a chuckle. "I was about twelve or so when the first gulf war hit, and I got it into my head that I wanted to be a tank driver after hearing about the Battle of 73 Easting. I was a fighter back then, like plenty of young bucks I did a lot of lapin weight boxing, and my blood was hot."

He paused, noting her slight confused expression, before his paws briefly turned into an air-beating blur. He stopped after a second or two and shrugged, smiling warmly.

"So, age eighteen after getting flat out drunk one last time on the beaches of San Dingo, I rested it off, said farewell to mother and the four younger leveretts before walking myself down to the recruiting office. Oh, I had fun there for a time, and being in a tank certainly did give you a bit of excitement. They like smaller mammals in the tanks, given that it's all largely electronic now. I was a gunner assistant, helping to feed the ammunition up, so I was holding on in the bottom and rocking along as we went through the desert, blasting out rock music or maybe Ride of the Valkyries as we went. We drove an M3 Batley, which is a light tank used for scouting, and one day this fox who'd trained on heavy tanks was transferred over to us at the last minute. Mother never really liked foxes, but he was a kindly fellow, as much as we knew him." He trailed off, looking down sadly.

"I'm guessing though that he was expecting it to handle like a heavy tank. We were on a wargame, scouting out, aiming to cross a river a few miles upstream of the main force to recon. So we were rolling ourselves along and laughing, him sticking out the top with his fur blowing in the breeze, when he must have missed a bern until the very last moment. I remember him swearing, jamming left, I was shaken to the side and then we slid over and rolled into the water, him taking the full force of it, rest his soul."

There was a long pause, Angela sighing. "I'm sorry."

"Well, I suppose you can figure out the rest," he shrugged. "It's a desert river, not deep, but it flooded the bottom half, or top, or whatever of the vehicle and three of us were stuck in there for a few days before the army realised that something was up and finally found us. The hatch to my compartment was jammed, so I was stuck in a tight space and… Well, never really liked tight spaces after that."

"So I'm guessing you left and then found your calling."

He smiled. "Well, fearing for my life and locked in there, I remembered back to that battle that had once inspired me. All those mammals, sitting in their vehicles only for it to be hit, burning and smoking as they were trapped inside with their dead brothers. I had to think long and hard about what I wanted out of life, and what I owed other people after that."

She nodded. "I happen to be a teacher. The head of a school, actually," she said, sighing. "I always had a desire to help young…" She choked up a bit, glancing away, the memory of his young fox friend and a young, wide eyed, optimistic fox who she knew colliding harshly. "Young mammals," she continued.

"A very valiant calling, and I'm sure all your students look up to you," he remarked. He took a few more bites of his muffin and a drink of his juice. "Must be hard being a child these days. I wasn't in the city for the horrible stuff that happened a few years ago, but I feel for those who had to grow up, their formative years spent with so much hate and anger flying about."

"I…" she muttered, trying to think of the right words. "Many of them did take it hard. But kits… -I think you'll find that children can be more resilient, brave and mature than many give them credit for. They survived. They'll survive." She breathed in and out, before reaching down to grab a napkin, dabbing her eyes. Dammit, she hoped that she was right.

"As long as they have someone to talk to," he remarked. "I think everyone needs someone to talk to."

"Yes," she sighed, gritting her teeth. She reached down to her drink and took a few deep gulps, trying to focus on the taste over anything else.

"You seem upset, child?"

She hissed. "I'm afraid I am," she spoke. "Let's just say that something bad happened at my school. And thanks very much for the offer to hear me, I would gladly take it if I could."

"And can't you?"

"You were in the army, weren't you?" she remarked. "Surely you understand that some things are confidential, right?"

He nodded. "I do. Though not so much from the army. From the priesthood though… -I could have a mass-murderer come in and say that he's killed a dozen young cubs and will go on to slaughter a dozen more kits. I'd have to keep that to myself."

She paused, looking over. "Wouldn't it be better to admit it?"

"Can't," he remarked. "Confession is between us and The Lord and nobody else, even the law. I legally can't be required to testify it even if I wanted to. And oh, I've thought about what happens if you do get such a person coming in, it's a mighty fright and I feel sorry for any fellow mammal of the cloth put into that position. But we all have our crosses to bear, don't we?"

"I… We do…"

"Though some can help others carry theirs…"

She looked around, her eyes dropping to stare at her tart. "In the army," she began, "could you confess to the priests?"

"Even if you signed the official secrets act. You could spill it all to them and be fine."

She took a breath in and out, before looking down. "There's a student," she spoke. "A recent transfer, he was mature, clever, intelligent. A credit to his family and species and… -Well, they found something serious in his locker earlier today and hauled him off, straight up cuffs and all."

"All souls are at risk of trespass," he remarked. "What is youth for if not for making mistakes?"

"The thing is I think his arrest was a mistake," she said. "They came because of a call to the police, saying that the stuff was present. Only it wouldn't be in his locker. It was meant to be in his cousin's locker, the one above, so maybe there was a mix up or a mistake. But I was taking that cousin back to my office after. All the police were suspecting him before and the poor kit had obviously realised that something was up. He was distraught, and he'd already had a tough few years. I wanted to explain it all, I'd have thought that it was his right to know that the call was originally against him, but the assisting officer told me to shut up about it. Now there's all these laws about what I'm allowed to say or not, I'm not sure where I lie, and his mother, who was always a sharp one, is questioning me and is likely on to it too." She sighed. "I'm not sure what to do, and all I know is that there's two scared mammals who could be helped by this information, but I can't tell them without risking my job, career, and everything. Then again, isn't that selfish, going against why I joined this profession in the first place?"

The jackrabbit priest nodded. "Well, it certainly is an awful predicament you're in. Tell me though, have you ever heard the phrase that ignorance is bliss?"

She nodded. "So it's best not to tell them?"

"Well, maybe right now they don't know what's going on. The one the call was out against might fear it, but he could write it off as paranoia or survivors guilt. You tell him though, and he has the dead certainty that it was put against him. Again, this might have been mistaken identity on the reporter's behalf. But if, say, it wasn't either of them responsible then there's a weight over his head that might be coming down at any moment. If not, if it was the kit or the cousin who put whatever it was where it was, then that might fuel resentment between them when they need to be together as much as they can. Sometimes, indeed, ignorance is bliss."

"And what if they figure it out via my moments of silence?"

He shrugged. "Then they work it out, and you saying or not and risking your career and all is a moot point. Maybe you feel that's selfish, but consider this advice I got about the whole mass murderer confession situation. How many mammals do you think turn to us for advice, for comfort, for guidance in their darkest hours?"

"Millions?"

"Likely more," he said, smiling warmly. "And they go to it because there is this sanctity. An unbroken seal of trust. Yes, in one of those million cases you might have a situation like the one I outlined and yes, telling might save a few lives in the moment. But, you then break that seal. And the seal is sacrimont. Without it, the faith in all those millions of cases is broken. You wouldn't have been able to speak your worries to me just now, as you couldn't have fully trusted me. If you, truly, as an individual feel that it's worth throwing it all away and living with your loss, then that is your choice. But in my mind, you are likely a wonderful teacher. Even in this situation, you gave guidance and support, and in the future you will carry on doing so. I think that the life giving advice that thousands of young mammals will receive from you is not worth giving away today. Arguably, to do that for the feeling that you need to help out would be the selfish option. Right?"

Angela looked away, before smiling. "Thank you, Father." She felt relieved. Things still sat uncomfortably with her, she didn't doubt that they'd sit comfortably for anyone. But, thanks to him, she'd been able to speak. It was a weight off her shoulders, and she had the feeling that she'd made the right choice. She'd go on making it. "Thank you indeed. It feels good… to talk."

He smiled and nodded. "It does. And best of luck to you and those poor kits. May The Lord watch over them."

"May he indeed," she remarked, breathing in and out and taking a bite out of her pastry. At least Kristofferson was back with his father, his family back together and able to support each other and find out the truth about this.

The priest gave her a few rights in latin, before finishing his food and slipping out.

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Jack slipped back into the van to cheers and a round of applause. "Mission one. Successful," he smirked, as Skye grabbed him and hugged him tight.

"You were brilliant!"

Nick agreed. "Way to go Stripes!"

"Naturally," he swooned back, or at least tried to. Skye had him held tight, and was fussing with him.

"Clever, clever, clever, clever… Though it's good luck you didn't try and pull that one against my family," she said, smiling as she booped his nose.

He blinked a few times, giving an exaggeratedly mirthful gaze back in response. "Oh, and why is that, Skye?"

"Well," she said, "my Dad and sister both served in the army," she continued, booping his nose. "And while our springbok was ignorant, us Autumn foxes know that machine." She booped him again. "And would ask you about the big door they have on the back, and why you didn't use that." A third boop rounded it off, the Swift Fox vixen smiling.

Jack blinked a few times, before smiling back in faux-outrage. "Ahem, Skye, you wouldn't accuse a priest of lying, would you?"

He waved his paw back at himself and shrugged as the two fennecs burst into laughter. "Damn you secret agent bun!" Finnick cheered. "I know why they call you Savage!"

"Well, my choice of career pseudonym has more than a little basis in reality," he said smugly.

Finnick nodded along. "Neat! Heck the damn whole thing was."

Fenneko agreed. "Even after a quick think through, I couldn't say it better myself."

"Don't you know it," he said, glancing up at her and winking as she returned the gesture.

"Yup," Judy said, bringing up her phone. "Technically not illegal, and given your words of support I think I'll give you a pass. But we never speak of this again."

"Oh beans and sweetgrass, yes," Jack remarked, a paw slipping behind his rear. He shivered. "Remember how Dr Silverfox said his grandmother would wash his mouth out and tan his hide? Well, if my mother heard about this, she'd rub in the face all the times I called going to church pointless when I was a kit. -She'd also throw out her furbrush and go shopping for belts."

"And Bogo will probably have our badges too if he hears that we condone this," Nick remarked. "But the critical thing is that we know the call was made against Ash, not Kris. So, maybe it was a mistake by Duke or Maisy. Maybe it was Maisy trying to sabotage whatever plans her parents had. The ZPD will know and be looking into it. Our job now, though, is to try and dig further and faster and get our kit out as soon as we can.

"Damn right," Finnick saluted, as he slipped forward and fired up the van.

Together, they headed home. Nick and Judy slipped off at the Fox family household while Jack, Skye and Honey went on to the vixen's workshop to work on more things.

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"So, how did the interview go?" Nick asked.

"Good," Felicity said. "Got the basics down, showed him the video. He'll be working hard on it. Foxy and I left while Will left for the embassy."

"Is he still there?" Nick asked, as he received a cup of tea from her. The red fox vixen nodded.

"Making sure that whatever is going to happen from that front is done hard and tough."

"Well, fingers crossed that Kristofferson's country is on guard for thee."

The pregnant vixen sighed, sitting down. "I thought it was," she said, a hint of venom slipping in at the end.

Nick paused, thinking it through for a second before getting it. He nodded silently. "What about Ash. How's he taking the news that it was called against him in the first place?"

"I think he's feeling a bit better, oddly enough. He said that at least now he doesn't have to worry about it."

"Yeah…" Nick agreed. "I mean he was dead certain about it before."

Felicity nodded, about to speak only to be cut off as Nick's phone cut in. His ears perking, he reached down and glanced at the caller, his head tilting slightly. Pressing to accept, he held it up to his ear. "-Hey Dr Twirly tail. Fancy you calling today?"

"Evening. Nicholas."

His ears folded down and he gulped. "Did I miss something?"

"I think that any pretense of confidentiality has already been broken at this point, so I'll just go ahead," she remarked. "It's come to my attention that you've been in contact with a certain patient of mine, one who you may have previously come into contact with after she escaped the mental hospital."

"Oh, Honey! Yeah, a friend knew someone with skills we needed and we didn't realise that it was her until we knocked on the door. I didn't realise that she was out."

"You didn't as she didn't make any requests to talk to you," she explained. "At least it seems that this was initially just an innocent mistake. However I'm now hearing that you're dragging her onto all sorts of crazy stuff!"

"She's just helping out," he defended.

"She's just got out, calmed down and trying to get a grip on normal life," the binturong therapist on the other side exasperated. "Nick, she suffered badly through her treatment, it was long and hard and I was hoping for her to get out and begin to settle down into a normal life. She was ready. Wobbly on her legs, but ready! The last thing I want for her to do is latch on to a new cause, a new crusade which she'll fall entirely behind at the expense of literally everything else!"

Nick's eyes were wide as he stood up, beginning to place around. "When we got there, she was terrified we'd be throwing her back in the asylum. We calmed her down, mended the bridges, and she was honest about how she feels about sheep. Heck, she was honest about herself, talking about how down the rabbit hole she was before. I don't think she's going back to her crazy sheep hating."

"That's not the point, Nick," she said. "Just having one rabbit hole changed for a different one changes nothing! I don't usually get this worried or angry, but you need to back off of her and put her down safely, for her own good. I mean, what are you planning to achieve by dragging her on to whatever mission you're dragging her on to?"

Nick paused. "Are you aware of the mission we're on? And who it also…"

"-I have a well founded suspicion," she interrupted. "And yes, it's horrible, truly. But the point still stands. If a patient is addicted to eating a hundred tubs of vanilla ice cream every day, the solution isn't to get them hooked on eating a hundred apples."

Nick paused, tapping his feet for a second or two before speaking back. "Ash talked to you about his survivor's guilt, didn't he? I've been with him most of this day and I saw him walk off to do it and then come back. You gave him an exercise, listing out all the reasons he might misinterpret it that way."

"You may have a well founded suspicion," she spoke back, and Nick couldn't help but imagine a weary smile on her muzzle.

"Well, your diagnosis was sensible and logical, but also wrong."

"Huh?"

"Doing the exercise he realised there were some things that didn't fit in with survivors guilt. We believed, and just now confirmed, that an anonymous tip was originally leveled against Ash, not Kris."

"Oh heavens."

"We were thinking that one suspect might have done it. However, Honey, all while trashing all of her previous research as garbage, happened to realise that there was a second, potential, suspect. One we'd have never thought of were it not for her."

"I…" she began, before grumbling. "You see now I'm in a sticky situation. I believe in letting mammals get into a sticky situation, making mistakes and all that, if it's all in the aid of a strong end purpose."

"Ditto that hustle with Jack Savage and the acting."

"Exactly."

"-Well, seems like the karma train came-a-callin'."

"Annoyingly so."

"Oh, by the way, I happened to introduce Jack to a vixen, not a friend at the time but is one now, and they're now a very cute couple."

"Oh, nice to hear, I guess. Never met them of course."

"Good point," Nick remarked.

"Yes, but anyway, I'm an end justifies the means mammal. And now I find out that you, in doing something that's ringing alarm bell after alarm bell to one of my patients, have potentially done a great good for a seemingly innocent mammal in a horrible situation. So, what now?"

"Well," Nick began. "We didn't ask her to do research or anything. We wanted her to get on the team because Skye, Jack's vixen, worked with her in the past. She's a mechanic, Honey is good at electronics, and had a bunch of odd spy stuff left over. Her old research, which she's largely disowned, just happened to have a useful lead. Heck, she didn't even want to tell us at first."

"Was that disgust at it, or a fear you'd take it the wrong way?" Amy pressed. Nick could hear her raised eyebrow over the phone.

"Good point doc, though I'd say there's bits of both in there. She genuinely seems to think that her past stuff is nonsense… There was a definite hint of melancholy."

"And if this thing turns out to be right, will that change it?"

"Ehhhh, million buck question, but I'd wager on no. Hopefully."

She grumbled. "I suppose that there's nothing we could do if it was a bad sheep behind this other than live with it. Now, going forward, you've let the genie out of the bottle Nick. I can do damage control, but I need you to too."

The fox nodded. "Seems fair."

"Right. Easiest solution is just to say that she's off the little investigation you're doing, period. But… But… There is another option. We use this as a learning experience for her. Sometimes you can't repress certain behavioral habits, and our mammal of interest is highly compulsive, inquisitive and obsessive. Black powder for a conspiracy theorist. Now, I had no way of tempering that so it was avoidance I chose. However, if you can show her the 'right way' to do these things, absolutely policing her and instructing her on the red lines and such, it might prove beneficial. But I'm trusting you Nick, I'm trusting you absolutely on this. Can you do that for me? For her?"

Nick closed his eyes, breathed in and out, and nodded. "I will. I'll look after her. I'll make sure that she knows that we're working as a group, and we're doing what the group decides, and we're doing this to help a mammal in need."

"I… Okay, I trust you Nick. Look after her."

He nodded. "I will."

"Thanks. And how are you doing?"

"This has been scary, but I'm holding up. I'm good, thanks. Ash seems to be too."

"Well, if you look after her as you look after him, I don't think I've got anything to worry about."

Nick smiled. "Thanks. And you'll be there to look after Kris too, when you can, I presume?"

"Yes." She said. "Poor kit. When you get him out, I'll be there if he needs me. Good luck."

"Thanks," he said, hanging up. He looked over to Felicity. "Tell Judy that I just need to talk with Honey in person. I'll be back when I can be."

"Will do," she said, as he walked off. Calling a Zuber and exiting the house, he sighed. The sky was turning dark, the sun that had risen with six mammals nursing hangovers and amnesia slowly setting, all while a dear friend was about to spend his first night in prison. He shivered, hoping he was holding up.

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Kris held his paws in front of him as they were cuffed up, the fox being led off by Officer Sarrahson from the therapy office. It had been a nice talk in there, Terrance Riotra being warm and acting like a friend, all while trying to put down any lingering fears he had. He said that he trusted him, that he seemed like a very mature and clever kit, that he was level headed and would get through this.

It felt good to have at least one friend here.

The serval marching him on was hard and silent, giving orders to stop, go and wait. It wasn't harsh per say, though he had no doubt that the serval didn't like him. He wondered if he could have worded his name correction better, though he had the sinking feeling from her overall actions that it was intentionally harsh. She seemed like a bully.

And on top of that all, there was one thing that he noticed about her in particular that gave him strongly mixed feelings. Her ears were splayed down, her fur raised a little, her claws peeking out from their sheaths slightly and her tail was forcing itself down near the floor, its tip flicking about in annoyance. While much more used to being around canids than felids, he'd shared a class with a bobcat for most of his youth. She was stroppy and rambunctious, and had often been given a telling off or sent to the office. And on coming back, bubbling from a perceived unfair and humiliating scolding, she'd been slouched down with folded ears, claws peeking out and fur slightly raised, while her low hung tail had given flicks of irritation.

He didn't know what had happened with her and anyone else after he'd left that office, but he felt confident in making a guess, one who's answer could mean many things.

Still, her actions now were more institutional than anything. But everything here was. The whitewashed brick walls, the various locks on the doors and cameras fitted to the ceiling, the fact that most of the sparse furniture in the corridor was shining stainless steel bolted firmly down. Then there were the cuffs, the low hanging underwear which he wanted to pull up, the baggy black and white striped uniform that felt thick but drafty as well. He wasn't sure if the itch he was feeling on his skin was from the clothes or the potent anti-flea spray that still clouded his sense of smell.

He was ordered to a halt in front of an imposing door, his reflection briefly showing. He looked like the little mug-shot picture on his ID tag, he looked like a prisoner. And now he was going through an airlock like corridor, a door shutting behind him before the one in front could open. He could hear noise up ahead, and smell the smell of hot and unwashed mammals. He closed his eyes and breathed out to stay his fears as the door was opened, walking out before his escorting guard could shove him.

Up ahead was the cell block, branching out in two wings to the left and the right in a sort of boomerang shape. In each wing there was an access terrace on either wall, made out of bold green metal tubing and metal sheets with regular round holes stamped into them. It almost felt like something you'd see in a school built around the turn of the millenium. As they went further away, they rose, the cells beneath getting larger and those above smaller. However, even the smallest of the upper level cells were bigger than the largest of the lower level ones, the smaller mammals staying on the ground floor.

The area dead ahead of him though, where the wings met, didn't have any cells branching off of them, the terraces ending a distance away as the two far walls on either side bent in to meet each other. Instead, the enlarged area included parted off sections containing library books, vending machines, well guarded and controlled computers and even a bank of phones. He then realised that the ceiling directly above him was notably low and, looking up, he realised that it was the guards observation area, overlooking everything. Two steep stairs came down from it either side of him, while the far side wall was entirely armoured glass, several doors allowing prisoners free access into the fenced off (and well observed) yard area.

Some were out there, some were walking past him or using the nearby facilities, a whole mix of white and grey clad mammals giving him a bare glance at most. There didn't seem to be any type or species over represented in the whole of the crowd. Most mammals though were at the far ends of the two wings. On the blank walls, a television was fitted, large crowds sitting beneath and paying them idle attention while talking to themselves.

It was cleaner than he'd imagined.

It really did remind him more of a school than a prison. White walls with flashes of coloured metal and the occasional dark blue noticeboard as opposed to oppressive grey with cold metal bars. It was lit well from the big yard window and the roof lights up above, with large bright strip lights taking over now that the sun was setting outside. There was still noise, a lot of noise, and the smell of all these mammals too, but it was better than he'd imagined.

He felt himself relax, doing more so as he was uncuffed, led towards an open cell and put in. He'd be spending his night here, 'settling down' as they put it. Were it not for the metal toilet/sink unit to his right, the place could have been a low budget hotel, youth hostel or dorm room. He had a wooden bed unit (solid and likely fixed in place), with three tall plywood upstands, the tail end one hiding the toilet from view. The other end, by the window, had a small desk and chair attached, the latter free to move but the kind of metal and plastic type that reminded him once again of his early school days. There was nothing much after that. Some basic shelves on the other wall, mostly empty but with some basic reading material, advice guides and plugs and wiring for a small television to be fitted (if he earned the privilege). At the far end was a narrow and tall window, which he peered out of, getting the grand view of a different cell block's wall no more than a few feet away.

The sound of a door unlocking pricked his ears and, looking back, he saw the door to his cell (not bars or plexiglass, but one more like a school fire escape, even having two tall and narrow windows) open. A guard placed down a tray of food and left silently, locking him back in. It was pizza slice, some basic vegetables, a chocolate flavoured (but zero-theobromine) predator-health protein shake, and a small pot of grape flavoured (canine safe) jello.

Nothing really tasted delicious, though the two sachets of ketchup helped with the pizza. Overall it was… okay. He sat down on his bed. The bare plastic mattress was a bit hard and the sheet and pillow felt a bit threadbare, but it was okay. He looked up and breathed in and out. It was okay, he told himself. It was okay. It was okay…

He could get through this.

He moved into a position to meditate, to help pass the time, only to pause as he thought he heard something. Moving his ear up to the wall, he could hear balling and crying coming from the cell next door. It was that pup, racking out sobs and crying for his mommy, over and over again.

Kris backed away and sighed. Maybe he'd be okay… That pup wouldn't be. He was going to have to occupy himself here, maybe for a long, long time. He was strong, he could survive, but that pup wouldn't, couldn't.

He settled back down to meditate. Tomorrow would be a new day. He was going to be okay. He was going to help that pup be okay too.

Chapter Text

Chapter 15

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Day 2

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Tuesday morning, and across Zootopia mammals were waking up. For most, it would be an ordinary day.

For some, though, everything had changed.

Dr William Silverfox sat down at his empty breakfast table, holding a piece of toast in his paws but having little to no will to finish it. He sighed, putting it down before taking a wander. He rarely went into his son's room, but he felt drawn by it today. A gentle knock on the door, to let him know that he was coming in, before he went in anyway.

No…

He wasn't there after all. He'd been hoping that…

He sighed, sitting down on his bed and looking around. It was neat and it was tidy, and it felt dead. His son was meant to be here, the mammal he loved and cared for, the closest family he had left.

His gaze flicked around, before landing on a little picture frame resting on the bedside cabinet. Holding it up, looking at the tiny kit smiling joyfully in it, not knowing where he was or what would happen today. He closed his eyes tight, opening them as he looked over to his wife. "Roz…?"

She remained silent, just looking out joyously like her son, the pair blissfully ignorant to their fates. "I'm sorry," he choked, a finger wiping at the corners of his eyes. It wasn't fair, it wasn't! Why her? Why not him?! Where had he gone wrong?!

Why couldn't they all be together again, back at home, with another son or daughter or maybe both in the family. He shivered. He didn't like being alone, and if Kris was anything like him…

This wasn't like before, when he had his aunt and uncle. He was alone right now, and could be alone and scared for years. He felt his heart ache. "Kris," he whispered. "Stay strong, please stay strong. We're going to get you out of there."

He took a breath in to steady himself before standing up. Placing the picture down and wiping the front he stepped out of the room and past the food on the kitchen table. Normally it would all be tidied away as a point of principle. Today he couldn't draw on a single ounce of energy to do so. He was going to wander over to Felicity's place, to see what was going on, only to be cut off as he received a text. He froze, looking at it, bracing himself as he turned on the television and sat himself down.

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"Yes Buchō, understood."

Ookami slipped his phone down before taking the last sip of his coffee. A few bites to finish off the last chunks of wolf-apple in his morning salad and he placed his dishes in the machine, making his way over to the bathroom. His television was playing, and he idly listened to the news report as he added a bit of toothpaste onto his brush and turned it on, slipping it into his mouth and slowly working on his fangs.

"-And in other news, the District Attorney Kurt Wassermaim has come under fire from Chief Bogo of the ZPD after overruling their judgement on a case involving a youth suspect and refined nighthowlers."

The maned wolf's ears perked up and he walked over to get a better look. He'd heard that correct, right? They'd found a lead in this whole nighthowler situation? He wondered if Nick had anything to do with it.

"-Early yesterday, a small sample of refined nighthowler pellets, similar to those used during the nighthowler plot, were discovered in the locker of an anonymous vulpine in one of the city's major schools. After being arrested and interviewed, the ZPD initially planned to release him with a tracker on his ankle, monitoring him while investigating further. Instead, the District Attorney invoked the Nighthowler Act, requiring the youth to be held at Zootopia Youth Penitentiary until the date of his trial."

Ookami mused on it a bit. That seemed fair, he guessed. After all, that kit or whoever was found with the things in his locker. It seemed fair to put him in custody until he was tried. Dumb fox had probably screwed up his life, but given what he'd been messing with, he didn't feel any sympathy.

"This was directly against the wishes of ZPD Chief Bogo, who argued that the chemicals could have easily been planted there, and that there was little additional evidence. A video was captured of the exchange, as shown by field reporter Steven Stinkman."

Ookami looked on curiously as a shaky camera phone showed the hippo facing off against the cape buffalo, one arguing against the other. The narrator described the confrontation as taking place after the planned release of the anonymous vulpine (his grey figure pixelated out), fitted with a tracker for monitoring. Through the thrumming of the toothbrush in his mouth, the large canid felt his thoughts shift a bit. As the narrator described how easily such a plant could take place, and how it could fall in line with actions such as swatting and false sexual assault claims, Ookami felt himself feel a bit of sympathy with the fox in question, especially as a blurred figure (likely the father) begged to know what the Nighthowler Act meant. Then again, the hippo did have a kind of point…

Walking over to spit out the suds, the maned wolf thought it through. Sure, someone could have put those howlers in his locker, but surely the more reasonable explanation was that they were his. In which case he agreed that sending him behind bars was probably the safest option, and the fairest. You shouldn't mess with that stuff, period! Especially if you were a predator and knew first paw how much pain it had caused. But then again, hearing that he could be away for up to seven months… If there was a chance he was innocent, get him to a speedy trial. Three or so months sounded fairer.

At the same time, it wasn't the fox making the opposing arguments. It was the Chief of Police, who likely knew more about this than anyone. He thought it was fair and safe to let the kit out, being monitored, so maybe he believed he was innocent. Ookami wasn't really sure what to make of it. But then he saw Nick Wilde himself there, arguing for the kit, saying that the youth justice laws overruled the other ones. In that case then, Ookami's mind was set. He trusted Nick, so he knew which side he was on.

The news feed cut to a skunk reporter, standing outside of the ZPD building. "After the disagreement, the case was referred to the Chief Justice to figure out whether the Youth Justice Act or Nighthowler Act took precedence, the latter eventually being chosen. The anonymous vulpine, who started school yesterday thinking it was an ordinary day, was then sent to Zootopia's hardest juvenile prison, alongside convicted murderers and sex offenders. As of today, and potentially for the next four weeks, he hasn't so much as been charged with a crime."

Ookami frowned. Okay, at this point the District Attorney was taking things too far. Couldn't house arrest or something have done the job?

"If this smells funny to you…"

-Cuss yeah it did.

"Then you're not alone. No one at the ZPD has elected to comment, with all officers and Chief Bogo himself stating that they couldn't comment on a case in progress. Two witnesses though, who saw the incident go down and recorded it, were available to speak."

Ookami almost collapsed coughing as Haida and Retsuko appeared on the screen, sitting down in an interview room. "So?" the reporter asked. "Do you think that the District Attorney sprayed too far?"

"Well yeah," Haida spoke. "I mean, I was there with various family members, friends and cops, and they all thought this was a mistake. We're talking about a perfect student here, and nobody could work out how he'd got them."

"All they knew was that those things had ended up in his locker," Retsuko spoke. "But anyone could slip them in there. The police were saying that they'd need more evidence, and the real culprit was likely still out there. The kit was going to be let go, he had an ankle tracker which the Chief of Police felt was perfectly adequate to keep an eye on him. Nobody seemed angry that he was walking out like that."

"Except the DA," the skunk reporter said.

"Yeah," Haida spoke, his eyes narrowing. "He barged in, calling the kit a terrorist and a menace, which he wasn't! He talks the talk about trying to protect preds like us, but do you know what I think? I think he was having fun sending the kit away because he was one."

"All he could do to argue back after we said he was going too far was saying that we hate sheep."

"As we saw," Stinkman agreed. "Given your opinions, what do you say to those who stink that he's getting just desserts for messing with Nighthowlers?"

"Well, you'd better hope that whoever placed the things in his locker doesn't find you next."

The skunk reporter nodded. "Who do you think had the interests of the city and its residents at the front of their minds that day? The Chief of Police or the DA?"

"The Chief," they both said in unison.

The camera cut back to the front of the ZPD. "On reaching out to Wassermaim last night, we only received this short reply: 'I simply applied the law as it's meant to be applied. Nothing more, nothing less.' No further comment was made. On speaking to Councillor Aurelina Canidae, original author and co-sponsor of the Nighthowler Act, on whether it was meant to be used to send suspected kits to a high security youth prison for months before trial, she had this to say."

The video changed to that of a morbidly obese black wolf with a mane of (presumedly dyed) pink hair, coming down in long locks or tied up in buns with knitting needles threaded through for decoration. Ookami couldn't help but wince at the style disaster that was her pink fleece jacket, over a dusty pink and black dress. The purple-ish dab of lipstick at the end of her muzzle was the gaudy cherry on top. She stood there blinking a few times, before responding. "Uh… No...?"

The image cut back to the skunk. "Stark words. As of today, the anonymous vulpine is waking up to a new life, away from his friends and family and surrounded by hardened criminals. Even if he did nothing wrong and the charges collapse at his trial, it could be his future until the start of next year. This is Steven Stinkman, live from outside the ZPD. Back to the studio."

It switched back, the picture changing to the familiar news readers, shuffling their papers. Fabienne Growley started to speak again, her voice clipped off as the outside feed took a second or two to switch off (her 'in other news' muddle up with Stinkman's 'holy crap I finally got to spray that.')

Ookami looked on and thought, before jolting out of his revery as he saw the time. Leaning in to pick out a new shirt, still smelling fresh from the launderers, he buttonned it up before getting ready. He was now on the side of this fox kit, whoever he was, and he'd likely be that way even if his friends weren't. Quickly slipping on his bluetooth speaker and shades, he locked up and entered the lift, slipping down to the basement. Starting up his car on roaring out, he flicked through the contacts before pressing the one marked 'Daz-Senpai'. He was curious to know what he thought. Heck, he wondered how much of a fuss this would all pick up.

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While he was leaving for work, others were arriving.

Officer Kii Catano was looking through her emails as she waited inside the ZPD central precinct. Her mouth twitched from side to side, before her ears rose as the door to the room opened. Oates and Bogo walked in, both looking tired despite the night of rest they'd had before. Oates, at least, managed something vaguely in the same family as a laugh when he saw her. "No surprises seeing you here."

She shrugged back, before looking back at the horse. "I'm pretty sure Bogo will have told you about the kit."

"Yes, he sure has," he grunted, swivelling out his chair and collapsing down on it. "Snivelling water cow…"

Bogo glanced at him. "Just remember that Higgins is part of this precinct too, Oates."

"Well he's not a craven scumbag, so I think he'll know about the difference," he remarked back, giving a loud nostril flaring snort.

"We need to keep this professional," Bogo spoke, "things have been quiet so far, but they might flare up. There was a journalist outside pressing for my take on this…"

"A skunk?" Catano asked, the cape buffalo nodding.

"You saw him too?"

"He asked me about it," Oates said. "And I didn't answer, saying that it was all part of an ongoing police investigation. But he was also asking me to collaborate what had happened, so I'm guessing he had other witnesses."

"Of course he had," Bogo remarked. "The kit's family, another fox and bunny pair, a red panda and a hyena in need of the mother of all dental braces. If I were in their situation, I'd go to the media. Nothing came on last night, but keep your eyes out for the news this morning. I, meanwhile, have had a call from the mayor's office. It seems that our District Attorney has just caused a diplomatic incident."

Oates groaned. "Don't tell me, the kit's father's gone and run to the embassy."

"Yes, and they are not happy," Bogo muttered. "The thing is though, this stuff usually relies on us actually listening to outside pressure. I do not think that our District Attorney will do that."

"What about when he learns that the call was originally taken out against the cousin?" Catano queried.

Bogo snorted. "Oh he knows, he just doesn't care… -Don't tell Wilde that! I'll probably get asked about how it feels... But Wassermaim knows it so well that he's holding us firm to rights on the youth protection laws, stopping us from bringing it up. It'll only come up at the trial, at which point six months will have gone by."

"But still, there's not enough evidence to convict," Oates added. "At least, with a halfway decent lawyer, which this kit will certainly get."

"You're right," Bogo agreed. "Not enough evidence yet in either direction. Which brings me to the topic of the day. How are you two doing?"

"Well, despite missing our two best detectives, we made a start yesterday," she explained, opening up a folder. Bogo looked in, finding a rough map of the school, the locker room, classroom they were in and main entrances lined up. "We don't know how long those things were in there. The lab report stated that it's been about two months since the pellets were manufactured, presuming they were done to the same composition and formula as Doug Ramses' product. However, if the kit didn't do it, then logically they were most likely to have been planted early in the morning or late on friday night. Sadly though, the school only has very sparse camera coverage period, yet alone in the area in question. A mammal could have slipped in and out undetected. Lab reports also show no trace of any mammal on them, whoever did this wore gloves and took great care."

"Which I'd say would be a stroke against our kit being the perp," Oates remarked. "As, on top of everything else, if he was so careful there why would he be so obnoxious to put them all up on top of his books like that?"

"It isn't much, but that does seem to suggest that someone else wanted them to be found," Catano mumbled. "That cousin could have slipped them into there easy as pie."

"And then called out an anonymous tip on himself," Oates rebuked, only to pause. "Well, if it was the case, it would certainly work to confuse us. It's confusing us now."

Catano nodded. "Reverse psychology from a fox living up to every nasty stereotype they're labelled with." She looked away distastefully while Oates snorted.

"Crazy like a fox, huh? Or maybe our anon vulpine stored his things like that just to confuse us if we did find out?"

"But why," Catano rebuked. "The cousin at least has a semi-plausible motive to throw the family's golden child under the bus. Not like he hasn't done crazy stuff due to it before. Even if it's weak, it's the best the two of us have come up with."

Bogo looked on and nodded. "Still, these are just conjectures and baseless arguments. Meanwhile I'm beginning to face some blowback. Both ADA Deaux and Chief Ramic have contacted me, stating their deep reservations about these goings on and assurances that they're willing to stand and resign with me if I try and take a stand. I stated firmly that us dropping out would be a victory for him, but if this gets piped up in the news it won't be long before a lot of people who don't know what's going on will start coming after us. It'll get easier when the detectives Dawson get back, I'm regretting getting my own back on them already, but until then we need to do the best we can."

Catano nodded. "Fortunately, we do have other leads."

Bogo paused. "You said that that was all that you and Oates had found."

"Yes. Oates and I."

Bogo blinked a few times, before a little smile grew across his muzzle. "What have Wilde and Hopps stumbled across then?"

Catano waved the two other mammals over to her laptop and showed them the email that she'd received. "They believe that a mammal with a vendetta against them tried to frame one of the kits for this, getting their own back."

"Bit full of themselves," Oates remarked. "And 'one of the kits'?"

Bogo crossed his arms. "They may have guessed the whole anonymous tip thing." He shrugged, unable to stop a sliver of a smile grow across his face. "After all, it kind of makes sense."

"It does," Catano remarked, "especially given the comments regarding the two leads."

"Two?" Oates remarked. "Dagnammit, those two will have me outta a job before I know it."

"Yes," she said. "First one, known to all of us, is Duke Weaselton."

Bogo groaned. "Our first ever nighthowler arrest. Didn't he cooperate with us last time he was busted?"

"They suspect he was giving false information, in which case he'll get the book thrown at him when we get him."

Oates nodded in agreement. "It'll be good to finally give him just a one way ticket to the pen."

"Anyhow, he was arrested back then on suspicion of supplying alcohol to minors, taking a plea deal to get out of it. Moreover, and this is where more things make sense if they suspect the issue with the tip off, the cousin, Ash, was there to witness it and 'helped' bring him in. Helped in terms of just being there and pointing out what they already knew. Apparently some insults and dismissals were given and then, on Sunday, they bumped into him on his final day of community service, accidentally causing a mess from him. They tried to apologise, he just got angrier, swearing he'd get his own back."

"So he then sneaks into the school at night," Oates filled in, "tracked down the red kit's locker and put in the howlers, only he messed up and got the wrong one. He then dropped the tip, sat back, and watched his revenge play out."

"Unfortunately no," Catano said. "They say he seems to have gone AWOL."

Now it was Bogo's turn to groan. "In which case, we can send out a call to bring him in for questioning and check out his home, but that's about it. If he's left the country, we'd need more to get a warrant."

"I could scan the school cameras," Catano replied. "Catch him coming in at night, if he does come in at all."

"Hold up," Oates cut in. "Now, I know that this mammal has spent time in the past for burglary and such, and schools were never that well protected anyway, so he could easily sneak in and out. But how would he know which locker to open up?"

Catano shrugged. "He could have bribed or asked a naive student to tell him, or gone into the main office first and found the records for who had what locker. Either way, when getting to them he could have easily made the mix-up mistake."

"Right, I'm still a little less convinced about that one. What's this other lead then?"

"This," Catano began, "is the interesting one. Apparently, they found out that Bellwether's niece goes to the same class as the boys."

Oates coughed a few times, while Bogo rushed up to the screen. "Wouldn't we have known it before?"

"They changed their names and moved careers and schools," Catano said. "On the same day they met that weasel for the second time, the boys tried to introduce her to Nick and Judy. She panicked and ran off."

Oates huffed. "Seems the apple doesn't drop far from the tree then."

"I wouldn't say so," Catano said. "They suspect that she doesn't want to do it and tried to get away so her parents wouldn't know. Only, out of worry, they sent a text outlining the situation to her, which her parents may have seen. At which point…"

"At which point," Bogo carried on. "She was ordered to do the deed."

"Obviously too scared to rat her parents out," Catano spoke, pausing to think. "You know, I just made it sound easy there, but thinking it through…" She shook her head and sighed. "Urghh… I'm being silly. She was probably scared and confused, and they think she did try to do something to limit the damage."

"Go on," Oates said.

"Maybe the whole tip-suspect mismatch wasn't a mistake."

Oates smiled a bit. "Well, clever girl if that's the case. Just a shame we had a nasty DA who wasn't interested in playing fair. Throw the weasel idea out, I think this is our big lead."

"I respectfully disagree," Catano spoke.

"How come?"

"You know, I think this calls for a practical demonstration. Let me show you," she said, standing up and walking out. The others followed, curious to see what she had to show them.

.

.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mrs Fox asked, looking down. A bunch of other faces: familial, friendly or just recently familiar joined hers.

Ash nodded. "Kris would do it for me," he said, as he slipped his bag onto his back. It felt scary, going back to school so soon. But he needed to be there for his cousin, he needed to be there to fight for him. He could play a part. He could find out what Agnes had texted, before looking into Maisy herself. He was going to do what had to be done.

"I've told the principal that you're still a bit worried, she says that you can still take any day of this week off… Stay safe, please."

He looked up and nodded. "I will."

"I know you will," his father said, walking up and hugging him. Nick was there, behind him as well.

"Investigate your heart out, Mr…" he began, before making a spitting noise. Ash stood up tall, nodded and walked out to the salute and applause of foxes, fennecs, bunnies and even a ratel and opossum alike. With that, he was out of the door and on his bike, racing down to fight for his cousin. It wasn't that he had a favour to repay, it wasn't due to some sense of adventure, it was because he had to fight for him, period.

The mood he'd left in the Fox family house went quiet, everyone seeming to be holding back, waiting for someone else to make the second move. The fennecs had returned to busily tapping away on their computers, Fenneko directing her mate on what to do and him nodding along, interjecting here and there with a new point. There was a comment about the ZNN report, which they'd all taken a break to watch, another about the Pounceheart video that had just gone up. Mr Fox was busy working with Skye and Honey on devices for discrete drinks disposal, while Jack, groaning as he did so, was doing some push ups, helped by Nick. Haida and Retsuko were back at work, but busy finding a large mammal to help with the mission, while Mrs Fox was sitting by her brother in law, currently working away on some important emails.

Jack groaned as he completed the last of his exercises, slumping hard onto the floor.

"Yeah, that's natural for a beginner," Nick commented, sitting down next to him. He paused for a second or two, before looking down at the tired bunny. "Say, what's happening with your play, now that you're busy with us?"

The bunny blinked a few times, his eyes widening. "Oh… ehhh…"

"Jack!" Nick said, standing up and glancing around. It was broken off though from some laughing from below.

"Payback…" the striped buck panted. "For bunneh torture."

Nick frowned. "Seriously though…"

Picking himself off the floor, Jack shrugged. "Oh, with Buster Moon organising all of these, all I had to do was mention the slight potential usefulness of a delay, and he's pulled back the release date by a few weeks. We'll be starting after the half term holidays, which works for him as he gets to employ all the other actors in one of his child friendly matinees through the week."

"Which makes pretty good business sense if you think about it."

"Yeah… But for the love of god don't tell him. Don't want to give him any more ideas."

"Will do," Nick agreed. There was a pause as he looked around, spotting everyone at work, before looking back. "I could also give you some basic self defense lessons too," he said.

"Okay then. Yeah!"

"Right, first off," Nick spoke, grabbing a cushion with his paw, "let's see this lapin boxing in all its glory."

Jack narrowed his eyes, before letting out a flurry of paw beats, the pillow rumbling and pulsing as the hare's paws drummed on it. There was a sudden rip, a tear, and the whole thing was disemboweled, chunks of feather stuffing tossed onto the floor.

"You two are cleaning that up," Mrs Fox said, the pair nodding. Nick looked back to Jack. "Interesting, Carrots doesn't do anything like that," he said.

"It's because it isn't effective at knocking out larger enemies," Judy said. She'd been busy on her own computer, but slumped away from it, ears drooping, as she walked over to have a look. "I had to relearn how I fought to pass the academy, getting used to landing hard fast strikes at pressure points at exactly the right time, so that larger mammals had their weight and momentum turned against them. Lapin style boxing doesn't give any forward momentum." She began moving her arms in a slow motion version of Jack's boxing technique: her shoulders acted as the pivots, her elbows swayed back and forth and her wrists moved up and down, straight in line with her lower arm. The result was large bats down with her fingers.

Nick nodded. "Good point. Also good point, Jack isn't going to be taking down giant mammals. Many might be his size, and with the larger ones he just needs to run. So maybe his style boxing can help?"

Judy paused, nodding slightly. "Okay then, we could do some practice," she said, breaking off to yawn. "Sorry, spent last night checking the cams."

"Found anything?"

"Duke seemed to go home, then definitely left, taking an old bike out on the main route out of the city and country. He was also wandering around in between, but I couldn't track where he went, the cover isn't universal. However, had he called a zuber or something in a blind spot, he could have easily got to the school, spent a few hours there, then come back, all in the right time frame."

Nick frowned. "And no coverage of the school?"

"Only one side has a public camera covering any part of it," she groaned, "and even that has blindspots. All we know is that he had the potential. I'll just keep looking, seeing if I can identify a car or anything." She nodded, then turned and slipped off.

Jack glanced at her, then at Nick. "Wasn't she going to give me some practice?"

"Yes, I thought that too," he replied, turning to face him. "Okay, here's an idea for fending off an attacker a bit larger than you. Box, kick, run."

"Go on, go on."

Nick nodded, taking the time to slip over to Skye and Honey and borrow some safety goggles, pulling them over his eyes. "A short, sharp, spell of boxing over the eyes, making him shy away. Then you jump and twist, giving a kangaroo style kick in the groin to shock them." He stuffed the remains of the pillow down the front of his pants as he said it. "Finally, you use that speed to scarper away. When against larger mammals, you can turn and run faster and jump longer. Reach a crowded or tight place, you win."

"Okay," Jack said, "I mean, I'm not really sure abo... " In a flash he leapt, his paws drumming out. Nick's goggles were almost torn from his face, only kept on by the presence of his muzzle and even then nearly exposing his eyes. He instinctively closed them, shying away from the pain of claws scratching down and thundering down on his brow before leaping forward, paws out, to catch the hare. He winced back as the kick to the groin came, thankfully dulled, before carrying on, eyes finally able to open again. His left paw grabbed Jack's trailing left leg and drew him back in. His momentum torn away, he fell hard to the floor, panicking for a second before flipping himself over, drumming his free foot onto Nick's paw. The fox hissed, diving in with his other paw to restrain his leg, only for Jack to curl up. A flurry of lapin boxing stayed his paw for a second or two, while surprising him enough to let a hard kick loosen the other one's grip. Another kick, along with a pull, and Jack was free, scrabbling along the floor. Nick pounced forward, landing hard on top of the hare and rolling to his side, taking him with it. Pinned to his chest, the fox's legs wrapping around the hare's, Nick panted for a second or two before smiling. "You're dead, Stripes."

He let go, letting Jack slip off, the hare panting and shaking as he got to his feet. Their eyes met and, through a pant out, the striped bunny flashed a smile.

"Fun?" Nick asked.

"Crazy…"

"Like a fox and mad as a march hare," Nick replied. "Seriously though, if I didn't have combat training you'd have gotten away from that, even with the padding and goggles. Nice work not giving up and fighting off my first capture too. Not bad for a first timer."

Jack stood up, an infectious grin on his face. "I wanna know kung fu."

"Don't know it, but I'll keep training you," Nick said, pausing to look at Judy. The bunny blinked, slapping her face.

"Cheese and crackers, sorry… Just, been busy, not enough sleep."

"There's not enough hours in the day, period," Skye added, nodding.

Nick did too, only for his ears to go down. "Except if you're our anonymous vulpine," he grunted. "Right, how are we on the plan to check out Weaselton's place?"

Finnick looked over. "Might be about time to get going. Stripes, Slick, cool fox, get in the van with the two mechanics. You coming too, bunny cop?"

Judy looked up and nodded. "Might be worth it in case something goes wrong."

"Yeah," the fennec nodded. "You can bunk in the back too, get a power nap while we're on the way."

The bunny smiled. "Thanks. I need one."

"Right," he announced. "Come on gang, time to go investigating!"

They nodded and packed up their things, slipping away. "Good luck," Fenneko saluted, before looking back at her screen. "Good luck to the other teams too."

Chapter Text

Chapter 16

.

.

It took Kris a few seconds to realise that something was wrong.

This didn't feel like his bed.

He'd fallen asleep in one bed only to wake up in another a few times in the past, often due to his father picking him up late at night from whoever had been childminding him while he was off on a visit to one of the mainland cities. Returning home at the airport (or across the bridge, had he simply been attending a seminar in Halifox or Frebearicton), his father would drive home, pick him up while he was still asleep and then tuck him in.

The next morning, he'd wake up, confused for a second or two before feeling a wash of deep familiarity and comfort.

This wasn't like that. It wasn't his bed he was waking up in, it felt completely different, but there was a familiarity from the night before. It was more like his first few nights sleeping under his Aunt and Uncle's roof, or then with his father in their new place. Yes, he'd fallen asleep in this bed.

In prison.

His eyes opened and he sat up, looking around the cell. "Oh…" he sighed, as the memories came flooding back in. "That's right."

He didn't know the time or anything, though it sounded quiet outside. Inside too. He felt oddly alone, vulnerable too. That thought could be explained by his nightwear. Just a thin vest and a pair of underwear, the latter of which he instinctively tried to pull up before remembering that they operated that way. He'd taken off his striped jumpsuit the night before, folding it up and placing it on his desk, so he quickly went over to put it back on. Legs first, then the front up, arms going up the sleeves. It was then that he remembered the whole back zip thing, and the fact that he might as well go to the toilet before doing it up fully.

A bit of awkwardness sitting down on the cold seatless rim, and a while later that was out of the way. Fumbling with the back zip, he did it up, washed his paws and then made his bed. The mattress was hard and coated in plastic, which made it crinkle as his weight shifted on it and felt cold to the touch, noticeable even through the bedsheet they provided. The duvet was thin and light too, requiring a bit of wrapping it up around him to get some comfort out of it. Sure, he currently, or now that he thought about it, previously slept under a sheet, given the biome he'd moved to, but most of his life he'd been used to sleeping under thick comforting duvets, which this new one wasn't.

When sleeping under his sheet, he tended to grip a pillow while falling asleep as a substitute, something he couldn't do here as he only had one, probably too thin and un-fluffy regardless.

Still, it just about did its job in supporting his head, just as the duvet did in stopping him getting cold and the mattress did in giving him something not hard to sleep on. He hadn't had a bad night sleep, just an austere one.

Walking around, he looked out of the small window slits in his cell door, thinking he noticed a bit of movement in one or two cells across the hall. There was a pause as he noticed a few guards walking around, paying little mind to anyone looking out.

He retreated, picking up the schedule off of his shelf. The quick readthrough was broken by a shrill bell screaming out, which meant he had ten minutes until he was unlocked. He could spend that reading through the other documents, giving himself a bit of a refresher. His train of thought was broken off though by a definite shriek from the cell next door. Kris' ears went down. The pup. Probably woken up and remembered where he was, poor guy.

He read on until a second bell rang, his signal to stop what he was doing and stand by the door. Thirty seconds later, the sound of it unlocking rang out and he stepped out, paws hanging down by his side, just like all the other mammals who'd stepped out.

Ones that didn't include the pup. A guard, the serval Sarrahson, checked her clipboard, saw it and walked over, sweeping right past Kris and making him flinch back. "Come out," she ordered.

"Noooo!" Came a wail from inside.

Her ears went down. "I'm going to count to five. One. Two…"

"I can't!"

"Three… Four…"

He walked out, trembling, dragging his duvet around his waist. Kris was breathing in when something tingled inside of him, triggering a few further exploratory sniffs, a slight instinctual nervousness running through him on sensing a particularly pungent odour. In an instant, he realised exactly the pup had been so shy.

Sarrahson didn't, and had torn the duvet away before anyone could say anything. The pup tried to shield the area between his legs with his paws, but the massive wet stain on his white stripes was still clear for everyone on the other side of the block to see. They burst into laughter, pointing and giggling, all as he began bawling. Sarrahson's reaction did a flip, her ears going down as she went forward and held him. "Don't worry," she spoke, as the crowd began taunting. Some called out to ask if his mommy had forgotten to change his diapers, others just straight up calling him a baby. The serval snapped to look back. "Shut up! NOW!" They didn't, and her anger grew. "Three until you all lose everyone's free time! One… Two…" They got themselves under control, merely coughing here and there (though Kris could swear that some of them were laughs). The serval told him that it would be okay, before asking if he could put his paws out. She cuffed them, before throwing the duvet back in the cell and locking it, leading the still crying boy out. "Just going to the nurses office to get you cleaned," she said neutrally.

There was a pause, before one of the other guards spoke. "Okay, at ease. You're third for breakfast this morning, so off you go."

There was a general mumble as the crowd moved out. Kris found himself joining a naturally forming line of mammals from his half of the cell block, which merged in with a line from the other half. He found himself wondering how many there were. There were fifteen cells on each side of the ground floor, six on each side of the top, two wings which meant eighty four overall. He guessed though that one third were empty, which meant that there were fifty six mammals here. A quick count seemed to suggest that that was about right. He also counted eight or so preds, one in every seven, though that didn't include him and the pup. Preds tended to get into more aggressive trouble than most prey, operative word being most. Many of the prey here were rutting mammals, bighorn sheeps, deer, along with razorbacks. In the same way, he knew that many 'meeker' prey were more commonly arrested for theft, rats and rodents for white collar crimes and fraud, while bunnies, generally very law abiding, disproportionately committed sexual crimes.

He couldn't help but notice that there were actually six or so bucks here, a mix of rabbits and hares.

Part of him wondered why he was keeping track of all of this, before another part reminded him that he didn't really have much else to do, other than wander down a long corridor and settle into a small holding room.

"Hey," someone spoke from up ahead. "They've turned off the news!"

There was a sudden chorus of cheers and clapping, broken off as a capybara in glasses next to Kris shouted out. "What have they put on instead?"

"Adverts."

"What after, you dingus," another mammal shouted.

"Well I don't know."

The capybara huffed. "If they've put on 'Everymam gets on with Desmond', then the news is better."

"Cuss," the first mammal spoke, looking up. "Come on, preschool channel."

A bunch of other mammals began crossing their fingers and hooves wishing for just that, Kris stuck in the middle of it, staying silent on the surrealness of it all. He could only look on and think like before, though he now guessed that it did have a purpose. If he was going to survive and stay strong for his friends outside, he had to understand how everything worked here. After all, how could he make the right decisions if he didn't know how things worked?

"Come on, gimme something," a tall wolf spoke, standing away from the rest of the group with his own posse: a hare, two bunnies, and a few other prey mammals.

The mood in the room flipped completely, many of the mammals turning and telling him to shut up, often interspersed with calls of him being a perv. One did so in particular, a massive polar bear who dominated the room. He turned, glaring severely, before yelling out in a russian accent. "You! Nobody wants your opinion on this! Shut up, leave us alone."

The wolf's ears and tail drooped and he did just that, just as the adverts ended. An energetic little mouse was then shown at a desk with a puppet flower to her side, happily presenting the little kids channel and being met with a thunder of applause by the teenage prisoners. It only increased as she cheerily announced that Luna the Moon Princess was up next, the reaction this side more akin to one expected of a live Gazelle concert or… well, whatever they actually enjoyed.

For the next ten minutes, Kris watched on with the joking crowd as the wolf resident of Aphowlo Castle got ready to take her little brother out on a trip to the beach, promising that they'd be swimming happily in the sea of tranquility. On being warned that there was a light meteor shower, she told him to stay by the door, saying that she'd slip out and see how bad it was. The crowd held its breath in anticipation as she went offscreen, before bursting into laughter as lots of 'Ooo's and Eeee's' came out the other side, the princess running back in with lumps on her head (even pointing out that her crown had lumps). She then began working on all sorts of ways to let them go out and enjoy their day on the beach regardless. From working with their resident mad scientist on a giant umbrella (which got blown away by solar wind), to a giant magnet that would suck all the rocks to it (it didn't, but it did steal a moon rover (with made in China written on its bottom)), to asking NASA to see if they could do anything (No, they couldn't, and on being asked what their point was then, they said: 'well, not that'.) The frustrated princess then went to her parents, asking them to ban the meteor shower or something, so that her brother could go to the beach. This then led to the moral of the story, that sometimes there are unfair things that you just can't change, and have to live with until they're over.

Kris frowned. It wasn't quite the message that he needed reminding of. The episode ended, the credits playing to 'the best, best dance, the moon, moon dance,' just as the door at the back opened, the wolf pup (in a fresh prison suit) walking in. "Why's that baby show on?" he asked.

"For you," someone called, and then the crowd was laughing again, pointing again, taunting again. His ears went back and his lips wobbled, especially as some mammals began giving his rear a light slap, or even grabbing his tail and poking their nose in to give his rear a sniff. He began flailing about, shouting at them to stop it, and Kris made up his mind.

"Stop bullying him," he spoke, walking up to him and putting his paws out, waving them off. It quietened down as he looked down at the pup. "Don't worry, stand by me, I won't taunt you for a common disability."

He kept quiet as Kris put his arm around him, leading him into an empty area. One mammal, a goat, stood up to him and laughed. "Hey, crying to daddy?"

Kris walked to the side, pulling the pup with him, their backing off met with the pointing goat advancing, Kris quickly deciding to take some preventative action. The goat thrust his hoof forward and the silver fox grabbed it, twisting it and pulling it past him, the goat yelling in pain as he was pulled away, Kris making sure to take the pup out of his reach. The caprid looked back, nostrils flaring. "You're going to regret that, filth!"

"I don't want a fight…"

"Yes you do chomper!"

"I don't want any bullying," Kris said, plainly, though inside he was worrying. Was that the right move, or had he just made a terrible mistake?

"As if, you lying pelt!"

Did it even matter? Thankfully he didn't hold the goat in any high regard, even before he outed himself as one of those… He could easily let the insult flow over him, even though he really didn't like it. What was far more worrying was what the hateful goat would do next.

The pup scowled and spoke up. "He knows karate! He'll beat you up!"

Kris held up a paw to hold him back as the polar bear from earlier stepped between them, sparing him a glance before staring the goat down. That was the end of that. By that point, the next episode was well underway, and everyone was back to watching it. As the credits rolled, Kris realised that they'd probably changed it from the news because of his situation. He wondered what was going on outside.

No time left for that though, as a door opened and they walked into the canteen. It was loud and noisy, the large area split into two. One half was full of other prisoners, busy pushing through their food, the other was being departed by what must have been the first bunch in that morning. Kris and the others just lined up, grabbing trays and getting their food. A few slices of toast with some butter spread, and the option to take some jam, honey or marmalade (Kris felt like the latter), followed by some baked beans and the option of cereal, oatmeal or a silage salad. They only had soya milk and he wasn't a grazer, so the silverfox went for the middle option, also choosing some fruit (apples slices and some berries) and receiving another one of those predator protein shakes.

There was some wining behind him, the pup naturally complaining that he didn't like the look of any of it. Thankfully he seemed to be making his mind up quickly. Kris used the time to swap his marmalade for honey (he could use the toast to mop stuff up, while he felt the oatmeal could do with some honey) before guiding the pup onward. The tables were already filling up, and Kris took stock of who was where.

Most of the tables were only filled with prey, it made sense given the majority. One particular bunch had the goat who'd bullied the pup before, so that was ruled out, even before he and some of his friends began giving the two sideways looks. On the other paw, a different table had five of the predators, half of them. Kris wondered if they were a gang, and whether they'd accept the pup, given that some were looking at him darkly. The only other tables with predators on them were mixes of pred and prey: one had the tall wolf and his posse of bunnies and others; one had a racoon, the capybara with glasses and a few other pawed mammals, including a kangaroo; the last contained a civet, most of the other bunnies and a few sheep and others.

The last one seemed to be the most invited, a few of them were waving them over, Kris beginning to make a move. He paused though as he realised that the pup was wandering off to another waving table, the one with the wolf and bunnies, all putting on big smiles. An alarm went off in his head and he walked over, grabbing the pup and stopping him.

"He can sit with us," the wolf said, looking down. "Come on, you can be in my pack. You can both be my betas."

Kris scowled, only for the pup to tug away. "I wouldn't," he warned.

"But… But I can be a beta!"

"Yeah," the wolf carried on, "cute little beta."

"We'll treat you both nice," a pig said.

"Cute silvy fox too," the wolf spoke, smiling.

Their happy faces then morphed into fear as a shadow approached from behind Kris and the pup, the group looking away. Kris looked up behind him, just as the polar bear from earlier lumbered up, staring the table down. He then glanced at the pup, who was quivering. "You stay away from those sick mammals," he spoke, "unless you are sick like them. Are you?" the pup shook his head. "Then sit there." He pointed to the table that Kris had been going to, the pup wandering off as the bear looked over at Kris. "Come with me. I have many things to talk about, but we eat food first."

Kris nodded and followed, settling down with the rest of them and eating up. The food was bland but edible, the honey helping with the oatmeal. Kris was mopping up the remaining bean sauce with his last piece of cold toast when they were given the order to pack up and go. Eating on the fly as he moved out, Kris' ears rose as the bear spoke. "So, tell me. Why do you look after pup?"

.

.

The city centre of Zootopia was beating like usual that morning, hundreds of thousands of mammals swarming in for another usual day of work and sometimes play. Amongst them all, three mammals were entering one of Yakatomi Plaza's elevators. "Morning," Anai said, sitting back in the lift and looking at his phone. Haida and Retsuko glanced at him and nodded.

"Morning," they both replied.

"You weren't in yesterday, so I didn't get any lunch orders for you," he added.

"We'll get takeout," Haida said. The Japanese badger nodded, turning back to his phone and scrolling through.

"Do you know where Fenneko is?"

The two glanced at each other. "She was feeling unwell," Haida said, as he pressed their floor button.

"Fair enough," he said, before frowning a little. "I'd completed some work for her and was hoping that she could check it."

"Well, I can do that after clearing my urgents," Retsuko reassured him, as they began to rise.

"Say," the badger asked, looking up. "Have you seen Pounceheart's new video?"

The two glanced at each other, knowingly. "You mean Anton Pounceheart?" Haida asked.

"Yeah! He's the guy who called the nighthowler crisis. Now the DA is going after an innocent fox kit."

"Huh?"

Anai looked up. "Someone tried to stitch him up by planting howlers in his locker," he said, looking down and shivering slightly. "Now he's abusing the laws to send him to prison. Even the Chief of Police said he should go home!"

"Can I have a look?" Retsuko asked, peering over. Anai opened his phone again and played out the video. It was near the end, the fox presenter in question turning away from Dr Silverfox and Mr and Mrs Fox to look at the audience.

"Let's be clear here, this is not justice. This is an act of pure revenge against a fox, done because he's a fox, by the remnants of Bellwether's speciesist schemes. Three years ago, we didn't defeat them. This wasn't our Battle of Bärlin, it wasn't our Kurshka, Stagengrad or even Mooscow. They are still out there, they can still win, and the establishment is happy for them to still be out there, within them. It's not just our DA, but thousands of prey within the rank and file civil servants, contractors, mid and low level officials and members of local government and councillors. All part of her flock, all hiding behind their fake smiles and white wool, all sympathetic to her cause and secretly hating predators and looking for ways to put, us, down! I said it before, I'll say it again, we need a complete purge of all prey potentially connected and a restart from ground zero, otherwise the attack on this innocent fox will just be another page in the middle of a long book. They didn't give up after the first crisis, they won't give up even if we defeat them in this one, and all the while we'll suffer from institutional discrimination. If anything, Kurt Wassermaim is the useful idiot for all the sympathisers, his big attack distracting us from their thousands of miniscule, individual, unseeable little attacks going on every single day that all add up into death by a thousand cuts! But that's for the future. First things first, we need to show them that we won't back down. Tomorrow we'll be organising the first of many protests against Kurt Wassermaim and bringing the fight to them. Please, join us there."

"Pretty on point, right?" Anai said, slipping his phone back down. "Not like the TV news would have the guts to say that. I remember his arguments about their institutional speciesism, I used them for my complaints to ZNN after the truth came out."

The two other mammals looked at each other, quietly sympathetic towards whoever had to deal with all of those, as they reached their floor, the doors opening.

"Haida! Retsuko! I saw you on the news!" They turned to spot Ookami walking up to them, cup of tea in paw. "What was going on there?"

"They were on the news?" Kabae asked, the hippo joining up with them. Anai looked on, utterly confused, as a few other office workers began crowding around, Retsuko calming them down before giving them the cliff notes: going out with their friends, the call, meeting the family and then seeing him get taken away. Most looked on and listened in, whether they'd seen the news report or not. Both workers couldn't help but notice Kabae begin to shake and shiver, eventually bursting into tears as they recounted it all. There was a pause, Haida offering to help, only for Ookami to hold up a paw and do it himself, wrapping an arm around her and leading her off.

"She's a mother, isn't she?" Anai asked rhetorically. "Must be rough imagining one of her children in the same spot." Retsuko couldn't help but think the same thing. She'd seen how distraught Kris' father had been when they'd taken him away, while she herself had felt a gut punch about everything that had happened. There was also the fact that children were something she wanted too in her life, likely via a sperm donation now given her and Haida's biological incompatibility. She wanted little things to love and be loved by, and imagining them being ripped away… It sent a shiver down her spine, and that was before imaging how bad it must be for them.

"Yeah," Haida said, nodding. "Also, you hadn't joined when it happened, but someone falsely accused her of espionage."

"You weren't in either, Haida," Komiya the meerkat pointed out.

"No, I had pneumonia."

"And Tsubone had a broken wrist while we were all doing the end of month accounts! Do you know how much of a nightmare that was?"

"Probably not as much as it was for her," Retsuko said, glancing over. "Or her family. But we thought that if we could help this kit, then that was a good thing to do."

"Yeah," Anai agreed. "Maybe I can try and help out too."

"The more help the better," the red panda agreed. There were various nods of support and calls, only for them to fade off as Director Ton walked around the corner.

"Come on, we're running behind. You're not paid to stand around you know?"

The various parties split off to their various workstations, quickly logging on and getting to work. Retsuko in particular had a small backlog, which she needed to focus on and clear as quickly as she could. Plugging herself with a coffee, even though she'd never been a fan of the taste, and slipping in her little Bluefang secret radio, she got to work, making sure to send a certain email off to a certain someone first. Some critical information requests had come in yesterday, which she quickly began filling in. Then there was some other data, handed in with her in charge of updating the central files. Much of it was rote copying, not helped by the fact that some of the specialist business plan spreadsheets did not react well to straight up copying and pasting. The fact that she could gently rock along to the music tunes certainly helped though, especially as it kept her thoughts in line. Even so, as she worked she couldn't help but think about what it must be like for Kris, or what he was doing, or how he was coping. The musical and chemical stimulation kept her productive though. Typing through, then scrolling back up, she finished all of yesterday's work as the time hit eleven.

"And now the news update,' the little earpiece spoke. " District Attorney, Kurt Wassermaim, has been accused of abusing power after going over Chief Bogo and the ZPD in order to use a piece of anti-terror legislation to imprison an anonymous vulpine accused of nighthowler possession after four refined pellets were found in his school locker. In a statement, the ZPD has stated that they didn't believe the evidence was high enough to warrant charges, and there is strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that it was a set up. Regardless, in stark contrast to the Youth Justice Laws, Wassermaim invoked the Nighthowler Act. The anonymous vulpine is currently being held in Zootopia Youth Penitentiary and could wait one month for formal charges to be served, and a further six until his trial date. There are claims that this was due to antipredator sentiments of the DA by eyewitnesses to the event. In contrast, the District Attorney has released this counter-statement."

There was a pause, before his voice spoke up. "For all those claiming that this is due to antipredator sentiments, how does that square against the fact that the Chief Justice, knowing nothing about the species' involved, decided that my judgement was fair and appropriate? I used the law as it's meant to be used, unless of course someone is saying that they don't apply to a fox? Something that sounds pretty speciesist to me. Mammals want us to be hard on those still dealing with these things, so I'm being hard on them. The predators of the city can sleep easy at night knowing that I'm willing to keep anyone messing with these things off the street, all while being fair in my judgement, paying no heed to the suspects' species, age, sex or creed."

Retsuko's brow furrowed and she felt her internal rage light switch on. Shut your mouth you big fat hippo! You just want him to suffer, your mouth needs a zipper! Pred Hateeeerrrr… Pred Hateeeerrr…

She finished typing, bringing her paws off of the keyboard and slamming them down on the desk, all while the DJ decided to play an 'appropriate song'. Retsuko listened on curiously, only to frown as a set of drum beats ramped up, followed by hard electric guitars ripping along. 'Breaking rocks in the, hot sun… I fought the law and the, the law won.'

Frowning, she turned it off and put it away, closing her eyes and breathing in and out. Too soon, too hard, too rough.

Without the music though, her mind wandered once more. Back to Kris, back to how he was doing, back to how he must have felt waking up that morning. She pondered and thought for a while, before finally getting pulled back to reality.

"-Uh, Retsuko?"

"Oh, yes Anai?" she asked, snapping out of her mental stupor and looking over.

"I sent the documents you said you'd check over."

"Right," she mumbled, turning back to her emails. She paused, spotting that a reply to her earlier email had come back. Reading through it, she glanced at her junior. "I need to go in an hour. Do you have anything left to do until lunch?"

"No."

"Right," she said, noticing a small set of updates, similar to those she'd been doing earlier, which had come in today. "Mind updating the reporting files with these?"

He nodded and she sent them across, before she clicked through his work. A bit of a rush at the end, but she saw that he'd got it all correct, just in time too.

Away from her desk, she spotted Haida and gave him a nod, him returning it, before she went up three floors. Exiting out, she looked up and saw a large sign hanging in front of her.

.

'Marketing Department'

.

"Retsuko!"

Looking forward, she smiled as she saw Director Gori walking up to her. After all, who else was best to drink the DA under than her. A massive gorilla, a long term friend, emotional enough to easily fall right behind the cause and confident enough to do it. That DA was about to meet the baddest bitch in the room. "Hi Gori!"

"Why didn't you tell me about the Triple Date?"

"Uhhhh…" she blanked. "Y-you know about that?"

"Of course," she said. "Washimi told me."

"Washimi knows?"

"Of course she knows. But how was it? What went on? Give me everything! I need to know!"

"Right," she mumbled. "I'll do that, but first, I need you to do a big favour."

"Ooooh, what is it?"

"Well…"

"I'd be happy to do it, whatever it is."

Retsuko felt an odd mix of relief and annoyance, swallowing it down before carrying on.

"-As long as it doesn't include alcohol, of course!"

Retsuko blinked. "Uhhh…"

"Oh, didn't you know?" she asked, gesturing to an area just above the right side of her pelvis. "I was having some gut pains and it turned out my appendix was inflamed. No worry, I just have to take a course of antibiotics, but that means no alcohol for the next two weeks. Still, we can do lots of stuff together, can't we?"

"Y-yes," Retsuok mumbled, internally grumbling. Of all the weeks for it to happen!

"Say, do red panda's have appendixes too? I'd think so, given that it's only rabbits and such where they become cecums."

"Yes, we do," she replied, bitterly. "Say, if you weren't undergoing medical treatment, would you be willing to help out-drink a corrupt government official in order to expose him and help free a wrongly imprisoned child?"

There was a pause, then a gasp. "This is about the thing you were on the news for in the morning! I was going to ask about that after the triple date, but of course I'd have done it." She stood up, doing a supermammal pose, then stretching one hand up into the sky and gazing heroically up at it. "I'd have been an awesome crusader for justice, helping free an innocent mammal! It would have been amazing. Incredible! I'd have done you so proud!"

"Yes," she sighed, looking down.

"Ah. Are you internally death metal raging about the stupid timing?"

"Yes."

"Can we talk about the triple date now?"

Retsuko huffed. She really wasn't in the mood.

"Washimi will be buying lunch for both of us at that place you really like. Sound good?"

"Yes."

"Feeling better."

"Yes."

"Good. And don't worry, whoever else is helping you will likely be having better luck on their side. This is a super exciting endurance marathon, not a sprint."

Glancing up, the red panda smiled. "Thanks. I'm feeling a little better, and hopefully they are having better luck than us."

"No worries, it's what friends do. Now let's get lunch and talk triple date!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 17

.

AN: Something I meant to mention last chapter but forgot. Remember that Jack-Skye pic I did for Skye's Fall chapter 3 ages ago (present on A03). Well, I've been practising with digital art and completely re-did it. Its re-uploaded in place of the old one for anyone that wants a look

.

Wyllas Street was an unremarkable street in an unremarkable part of Downtown. On the south side was a nearly uninterrupted row of old brownstone buildings, built for a mix of small to medium sized mammals. The few interruptions included an ugly concrete community centre and an empty plot of land, currently used for parking. Finnick rolled his van up to it, slotting a buck into a metal can by a small cabin, making sure to take a picture as he did so. The old mouse inside looked up from his computer and scowled, but gestured him in anyway. They came to a halt with a jolt, the back doors opening as Honey jumped out. “Yaahhhh….” she half groaned, half yawned, stretching out her legs one by one. “Is it me, or did downtown traffic get worse while I was in the funny farm?”

“Cuss if I know,” Finnick mumbled, peeking out too. His eyes narrowed and he got out his phone, scrolling through.

“Cuss if we do either,” Mr Fox, ‘The Leader’, announced, stepping out into the open and staring up into the air, a two-tone badass guitar riff <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh > sounding out as his fur blew awesomely in the breeze.

Jack’s voice fangasmed out of the van. “Is that the Hugo Staglitz intro riff from Inroarious Basterds !?”

Finnick meanwhile blinked a few times, before chuckling. “You’ve got a badass-introduction guitar-riff box on you?”

“Of course,” he spoke, as he pulled a little box out of his pocket and let it fly into the air, flipping over itself. “For my introduction as the team leader.” It landed in his other paw and he pressed the button again, the badass guitar tone ringing out for a second time. <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh >

Finnick crossed his paws and nodded. “Nice, do I get one?”

“Yes you do Finnick, the getaway driver <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh >,” he spoke, Finnick, raising his glasses and smiling as his own riff sounded out.

There was a rattle from inside the van, as Nick leant out. “You do know that he’s going to be doing the investigating too, so not strictly a getaway driver.”

“Good point, Nick Wilde,” Mr Fox said, raising the box. Nick saw it and slipped his black specs on, crossing his arms. “That’s why you are, the killjoy.” <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh >

“Cuss-yeawhaaat?” he asked, pulling down his specs. He then grumbled as he spotted Finnick, rolling on the floor and laughing. He frowned, looking up at Mr Fox. “I didn’t get a say in this.”

“You didn’t get a say in me being the leader <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh > either.”

“That doesn’t prove any point.”

“And that right there is why you are, the killjoy <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh >.”

A small rattle came from inside as Mr Fox’s old sidekick, Kylie O’Possum, poked out. “Thinking back to the baby shower job, I think the killjoy is a real good fit for you.”

Mr Fox looked on and smiled. “Which is why you, Kylie O’Possum, are… <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh > the trusty sidekick.”

“Nice.”

Nick shrugged, deciding to let it be. “Okay, okay, I’m the killjoy. And, living that role, who made that box in the first place?”

Honey’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I did! I did!”

“That’s right, Honey Badger, <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh >,” he spoke, the ratel beaming. “Mad scientist.”

She trembled a bit in excitement. “Man, that’s as awesome as I imagined it would be.”

“Yes, quite,” came a posh voice from inside as Jack poked out.

“Jack Savage, <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh >, the spy!”

“Naturally,” he spoke. “-Ooooh, what’s Skye?”

They looked back into the van, spotting the vixen there. She looked back and shrugged. “Oh, I don’t mind.”

Nick opened up his paws. “You can have killjoy from me. I think it suits you.”

“Ahahahah,” Mr Fox spoke, gesturing in. “Skye Autumn, <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh >, regular scientist.”

“Regular?” Kylie asked.

“As opposed to mad,” Mr Fox explained, gesturing over to Honey. “And, last but not least, Judy Hopps. <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh >. Super cop!”

They all looked back in, not seeing the bunny but instead hearing her. She’d been snoozing on Finnick’s bed ever since they’d set off. The fennec in question nodded, before bringing up his phone. “Right, Duke’s place is that weird one we just passed on the other side. You guys ready?”

Jack, sans disguises but with a pair of glasses, stepped out. “Jack Savage, the sequel. Ready!”

“Mr Fox, at your command,” Mr Fox replied. Unlike Jack, though, he was in disguise. He’d swapped his usual ensemble for a new costume, despite a few protests at first. As Jack, and then Nick, had pointed out, they needed something sufficiently downmarket to suggest that Mr Fox, suave as his manners and voice may be, was as down on his luck as any mammal would need to be to look for a spare room here. Consequently, he’d suggested swapping outfits with Nick, which was why he was now dressed in a pair of tan slacks and an incredibly loud red pawaian shirt, complete with white hibiscus flowers and orange plumeria amongst the palm fronds. 

“Wait just a sec,” Nick spoke.

“Ah, Mr Killjoy, am I going to learn that my down-classing is not yet complete?” he asked, as Nick worked his paws around Mr Fox’s collar, pulling it up.

“Yup. I’m looking for the real Wilde style.”

He brought out a tie and slipped it on, pulling down the collar. Mr Fox immediately did up his top button and tightened the tie completely.

Nick flicked his paw away, pulled down the tie a little and undid the button. “I said the real Wilde style.”

Out came a pair of jet black aviators, pushed onto Mr Fox’s muzzle. Nick drew back, paws going wide as he beamed on in pride. “Perfection.”

The dapper vulpine raised his eyebrows and fiddled with his near eyewear, testing the weight before looking back. “I for one am still a goggles mam.” <Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh >

Kylie meanwhile blinked a few times. “I find this change disconcerting.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Finnick mumbled. “Just stay away from me, I didn’t know slick’s terrible dress sense was contagious. Now come on fella’s, we gotta job to do!”

Off he went, Jack, Kylie and Mr Fox following, leaving Nick to retreat into the van with Honey. Inside, he sat down by Skye, the vixen looking through a video link to Jack’s glasses.

“Oh,” Honey jumped in, cutting in front of her to press a few buttons. “‘Member to put on the video recorder.”

Skye looked on, confused. “We can’t use this as criminal evidence or anything, can we?” she asked, looking to Nick for confirmation. Nick nodded on, growing a little concerned as he turned to an excited Honey.

“-Oh no, it’s just so we can go back and review it after. Don’t want to miss any clues.”

Nick blinked a few times. “Oh, okay then… Makes sense. Good one, Honeybun.”

She blinked. “Did I give you Honeybun privileges?”

“Hey, just a nickname, Honeybun.”

She blinked a few times, smiling. “-A nickname? A nickname!”

Despite his slight concern, Nick felt himself smile. “Why yes, yes it is.”

“What was what…?” came a groan from the floor. All eyes looked down to see Judy, blinking a bit as she got up, wobbling on the water mattress inside Finnick’s secluded ‘cave’ area. She pulled aside the leopard print curtains, blinking a second or two, before jumping out. “We’re actually here?”

“Yes,” Nick said.

“Why didn’t you wake me earlier?”

“Because you looked so peaceful.”

Frowning, Judy walked up, gave him a light punch, before leaning in, her eyes narrowing at the sight on the screen. 

Meanwhile, the four mammals were busy making their way back along the street.

Meanwhile, the four mammals were busy making their way back along the street. Passing the community centre on the south side, they walked over to the north, where the mix of buildings was more eclectic. Segments of the brownstones remained, but in many cases they’d been knocked down over the years and new things put up. One large block of flats dominated them, their front a featureless monotony of bricks and equal-sized windows, all built for large mammals such as antelopes and lions. A small break in the ground floor frontage included a large metal grill with an in-built door, a warning sign telling the world that this was ZTA property and that blocking vehicles would be closed.

Jack paused to look at it, his ears straining, before he nodded. “Thought I heard a train down there.”

There was a chirp from his side, as he heard Skye’s voice getting played to him. “ Construction access for the eastern-downtown subway line, built in the sixties. ”

“Most fascinating,” Jack spoke, as he and the others carried on, slipping past another chunk of brownstones before reaching an odd looking concrete building. Along the bottom were the fronts of small flats, built for mammals the size of Finnick, which opened onto small gardens. Above them were rooms sized for mammals around Jack and Mr Fox’s size, with their own balconies. Then above that there was a floor for wolf sized mammals, then larger ones for lion sized, then rhino sized and, on the very top, four two story apartments for elephants. Under each window, brightly coloured plastic sheeting was fixed, overall trying to give the whole blocky, boxy, ugly thing a bright and cheerful look but instead landing in some kind of architectural uncanny valley.

Slipping through a driveway to one side, the group saw that the building's weirdness didn’t end there. In fact, it had only just begun. The fennec sized flats only went a little way back, then facing onto car parking spaces and an access road for them. Overhanging all that was the ends of the fox sized flats and their access balcony, reached by a small staircase in the middle of the structure. Where they ended, up in the air, the fox sized car park began below, itself overhung by the wolf sized flats and their access deck, accessed by a pair of stairs that climbed over the fox sized ones.

And so it went on in all three cases, each larger set of flats overhanging the next (and occasionally sending down some beefy support columns), their car park butting on, and their staircase going over the other. In effect, it meant that no mammal had to walk up any more than one flight of steps to reach their home.

“Right,” Mr Fox began as they walked towards them. “Weasel is a bit larger than a fennec, so second set up.”

Finnick looked at the address in his paws and grumbled. “Nope.”

“Things are going to be awkward for us,” Kylie guessed. “So top floor.”

“Yup.”

“Wasn’t he sharing it with a ferret?” Mr Fox asked.

Finnick looked at him and put his paws up. “Hey, I’m just as confused as you. Same as stripy bun, too.”

“Oh, I’m not confused,” Jack replied, casually.

“You’re not?”

“No, I’m concerned.”

“Concerned?”

The pair halted as they caught sight of the elephant sized steps, each one coming up to Mr Fox’s waist.  

“Concerned.”

“Ah C’mon!” Finnick cursed, stomping on the ground. 

“Hmmmm,” Mr Fox pondered.

“Logically there would be a way for a small mammal to get up…” He carried on walking around. “-And there is.”

He flashed them a wink as they joined him, finding out that a side of the steps had been filled in as a ramp, letting them climb up. They soon reached the top, taking a second or two to catch their breath, before carrying on to the end. Finnick looked at the address again and grumbled, before pulling it down, smiling a little as he saw a small doorway that had been fit into the wall near the main door. The trio knocked on it and waited.

“Urghh…” Jack groaned, glancing back at the awkward staircase they’d just walked up. “Who designed this upside down house thing in the first place. Too many size classes, just mixed together.”

“Most likely the architects that saw that over there being put up,” Mr Fox said, gesturing through the railings at the hulking figures of happytown heights, lying not that far away. “Decided that they didn’t like the whole species size segregation thing, and wanted to go back to the old ways of mixing it all together.”

“But why do it upside down? It makes sense doing the largest on the bottom, then going smaller as you go up. Instead, I had to walk all the way up here.”

“Only because we’re going to the elephant sized houses. Were we going to our own sized ones, we’d only have a little way up to go, unlike ‘the right way up’ where the smaller you are the higher you have to climb.”

“Ahem,” he spoke, gathering himself up. “There’s this wonderful invention called the lift. This stair thing is just an excuse not to put a lift in, like potato wedges are an excuse not to peel the potatoes. The results both times are massive disappointments.”

“Or it saves money by avoiding the lift,” he said, shrugging. He was broken off as an impatient Finnick knocked again. “Although savings there were largely destroyed by the cost of having to put in external columns to stop it all tipping over, which was why only five blocks of this design were ever built. Still, it was considered a return to form and paved the way to the common subsidised megafauna housing unit template, merging a less ambitious three size classes and keeping them all on the same footprint, which is still built to this day!”

…

“Am I interesting you?” Mr Fox asked, before looking away. “Or is the presentation of my insightful knowledge just boring to strangers now.” He turned back down to Jack. “Surely as an artist you know that feedback is appreciated.”

“I’m just wondering how you knew all that…”

“I interviewed the architect,” he said, smiling. “I do write for a newspaper, don't you know?”

Jack pulled up a finger. “That makes sense. Also, Skye’s telling me that it was.”

Finnick gave them a glance. “Look alive boys,” he spoke, before turning forward again. There was a rattling at the door opened, Duke’s roommate peeking out.

.

.

For her demonstration, Catano led Oates and Bogo into the men's locker room, pausing as its one current occupant noticed them. 

“Uh, Kii…”

“At ease, Clawhauser,” Bogo spoke, as they found a spare locker. Catano looked at it and nodded.

“As I thought, exact same type as in the school.” She then held up two stiff metal pins, similar to the types often used by porcupines to keep wayward spines in place. Bending them out, she dug them into a lock. “Very basic, and easy to…” there was a click as it unlocked. “Fun thing we got taught at a ‘think like the enemy’ class at the academy.

Oates nodded. “I remember that same class, certainly an entertaining distraction.”

“Right,” Catano nodded, handing them over. “Your turn.”

He paused, then frowned, holding up his flat hooves. “There’s a reason you don’t get any equine pickpockets, you know?”

Catano nodded, before turning to The Chief. “Your turn.” Bogo took them in his hoof fingers and had a go; it soon became very apparent that he was struggling, badly. The pins jostled and slipped against the hard keratin, again and again in a long exercise in frustration. Eventually, after a few final huffs and groans, he finally managed to slip them in, pushing them around to open it up.

“How much longer was that?” he asked.

“Three minutes versus my ten seconds,” she summarised. “And I’m pretty sure that our sheep is even more of a beginner than you were. Unlike the weasel, who has experience. More importantly, she’d be stuck doing this during school hours. You could easily have a pawed mammal slip in and out. A hoofed mammal trying to pick a lock would be painfully obvious.”

“Or, being from such a well endowed and prejudiced family,” Oates mused, “she had a specialised tool that did it before you could say jiminy cricket. I get your point Kii, but that family connection there is sitting out like a sore thumb pad. We’d be foolish not to get into their house and turn it over.”

Bogo snorted. “With all his mock caring about ovinophobia, do you really think the DA would permit it without any evidence? We’d have to do plenty of interviews first and get something firm.”

“And if that lamb works out we’re onto her, she’d squeal to her parents and they’d wipe everything. They probably already have!” Oates countered.

“Well,” Bogo groaned. “We’ll have to tread very carefully. I think we’ve got no option other than trying to question that family and putting out our warrant for our weasel. Other than that, we’re a bit limited.” He paused, looking at his two officers before smiling. “Knowing Hopps and Wilde though, they’ll probably be discovering even more leads before we can. Not that that’s the ideal situation, is it?”

“No sir,” they replied.

“Good. I’ve got to prepare a statement for the media. You two, carry on,” he replied, before walking off. 

Oates looked down at the lock and frowned. “Bet that’s the first time our sheep is feeling lucky to not have paws.”

Catano nodded, looking at his flat hooves before glancing down at her nimble paws. “How much does it affect your life?”

“Oh plenty, but there’s no use kicking up a fuss. It is what it is,” he huffed. “I will say though, text to speech is a godsend. It wasn’t long ago that some were saying all horses would be ‘surplus to economic requirement’ or whatever. Still, it’s what’s up here that counts.” He pointed to his head. “Just a shame most horses still look back to the time when we paid our way with our broad shoulders and not much else. Can’t deny it has a big appeal though…”

“I guess it’s like with us cheetahs and running. Every cheetah wants to be an athlete when they’re young.”

“-I didn’t!”

They turned to spot Ben, finishing getting dressed. Kii smiled. “Well, maybe not every one.” She turned back to Oates. “Still though, you had plenty of horse empires in the past, didn’t you? The Moringols, the Great Horse Hordes, the Don Cossak Horselords... I don’t think there was ever a cheetah empire.”

Oates smiled. “Well, the way I hear it, those Khanates and whatever only existed due to our alliances with pawed mammals. Sometimes red and corsac foxes or marmots, by the time of the Horselords wolf packs, who’s alpha stood alongside their leader… I think Gabrielli the Thunderer’s one was called Luka? Well, whatever he was, they lived with the horses and handled all the fiddly crafty stuff which we couldn’t. Heck, even putting our armor on and taking it off. Of course, out here you get some apple-drunk morons who think that predators are the reason we’re the poorest species.” He frowned and spat on the floor. “Pardon me.”

“No worries.”

“Still though,” he mused. “I’m curious how they knew that that schoolmate was Bellwether’s heir or whatever.”

“Oh, I know.” They turned, spotting Ben walking up to them. “Or at least I think I know. There’s this Ewetube channel I used to watch a while back, and I think one of the videos mentioned tracking down Bellwether’s heir. Been a while, but we can check it out.”

“Sure,” Catano said, as she and Oates walked out with him, leaving the lockers behind them.

.

.

Meanwhile, in front of the locker where everything had gone wrong, Ash frowned. Working a bit with his paws, checking his phone, he nodded and locked up his locker, pausing before glancing down.

Kris’ locker. Someone had taken the door off, before pulling out everything that had been in there, leaving nothing but a bare metal cave. 

“If I’d have been the tall one,” he muttered, his eyes hanging on it. He and Kris had joked about how they should swap lockers around once, the higher one for the tall fox and the lower one for the short one. If that had been the case, if they’d have matched up, would the mammal who’d done this have made the same mistake? If it was the weasel, had he seen these two and thought that as he was the short one, it was his?

Or, if it had been…

He closed his eyes and walked away, ignoring the glances that he was being given. The hall, usually filled with loud chatter and shouts, was instead simmering with cold whispers. Did some of them think that he’d done it?

He looked up, his eyes meeting with an armadillo student. A few awkward seconds later and she gave a nod in solidarity before carrying on on her way. The good mood was cut short not long after though, when he heard some students laughing. “ I mean, if it was gonna be any species… ” someone was joking.

Ash looked away and shook his head. He was going to be strong for Kris, like Kris would be strong for him, as that was what you did. It didn’t take long for him to reach the science lab where he was registered, entering in and experiencing the volume inside drop, hard.

“How you holding up?” 

It was Mitch, the wildcat walking up beside him. Ash sighed. “Not good.”

“No cuss. I was told you’d be home for the rest of the week.”

“Yeah,” came another voice, one of the Packson brothers.

“I just kept on thinking about him. Maybe here I’d be kept busy,” he waved off, before scanning around. Where was she, where was she…

“Ash.” Looking up, the form tutor came up. “If that’s what you feel like, that’s fine. But in case it becomes overwhelming, I’ll tell the head staff that you might be coming in. Just tell them and you can go home.”

“Thanks,” he said, nodding.

The teacher stepped back, clearing his throat. “As you all know, something serious happened to one of your classmates yesterday.”

“He was going to cussing howler us!” someone shouted, immediately triggering an angry shout from a different student. Ash frowned, his teeth gritting as the whole room began to split, some saying that it was a stitch up, the others yelling that they knew what they’d seen. Pushing past Beavis, the chipmunk mercifully keeping out of it, he yelled out.

“My cousin was framed and I know it, so leave him alone!”

Annoyingly it didn’t work, the shouts carrying on. He was about to yell again, only for the teacher to beat him to it. “QUIET!!!!!”

The room went still, looking at him as he crossed his arm. “An assembly has been called, right after registration. They’ll tell you about the basics of what’s going on. However, if I hear anything going on against Ash, or Agnes for that matter, you might be spending some time after school thinking about it. Understood!?”

There was a mutual collection of yes-sir’s, before he turned. “Register?”

Brittany stepped up, looking like she’d scene a ghost. The teacher read through it and nodded, before waving them off. Ash walked out, the whole crowd near silent.

“It really was him…”

He looked up to see Brittany, walking by him. He nodded. “Technically, yes.”

“I… -what do you mean, technically?”

“He was framed,” he said. “And I’m going to help clear his name.”

She stopped walking, standing still, Ash doing likewise. They stood there, part-blocking the hall for a second or two before she dove in, holding him tight. Ash squirmed a bit before noticing that she was shaking, hard. He hugged her back, before she let go. “You… You’re a good cousin,” she said, still looking conflicted as she stood up and carried on walking.

Ash’s eyes narrowed. “I am,” he spoke, looking around. “Hey, has anyone seen Maisy?”

“No,” someone said.

“Don’t think she came in,” replied another.

Ash grunted. Of course she hadn’t come in, had she? Walking on, he guessed that if she was innocent, this would be due to fear. Same for if she was guilty, though in that case she could have come in to reduce the suspicion, couldn’t she? Or would that be exactly what she thought others would think? He grumbled… Everything was a moot point if it wasn’t her, which he wished to be true. After all, he still wanted to be friends with…

With Bellwether’s niece... 

It just felt wrong thinking that. She was nothing like her! 

Or was that an act? And what would happen if the news got out? Well, if she was innocent and her friendliness really was her, then it shouldn’t change anything.

And then there was what would happen if her parents had forced her. Could he forgive her? Would he even be meeting her again, given that her parents might decide to make this absence permanent.

Cuss it, it was too much to think about! It was too much for any of them to have to think about. Why couldn’t it just go back to normal, with everyone doing their lessons and looking forward to the holidays and thinking that dumb things that didn’t matter were the end of the world. He looked down and fumed, only for his ears to perk as he heard someone speaking.

“-I don’t trust them… That sneaky fox tricked us and brought those things in, and now the news is taking his side and…”

He was cut off as Ash marched up to him, his teeth bared. “Just shut up!”

The pig put his hooves up. “Dude, chill.”

“Maybe I will when you stop hating on foxes, fox hater!”

The pig glared back, pushing Ash away. “Hey, I only have a problem with bad foxes. You’re not a bad fox, are you?”

“He didn’t do it!”

A crowd was forming, a circle slowly drawing out, just waiting for something to go down. The pig gave an oink. “Oh, of course you’d say that. This is why some mammals don’t trust foxes, you know.”

“-He didn’t do it.”

“Yes he did,” he said, marching past. “I don’t trust him, and now I don’t trust you, and that’s your fault, not mine. And don’t you dare call it speciesism too. If you can’t take the scorn, don’t do the sneak.”

Ash looked at him angrily as he vanished into a crowd, before closing his eyes, taking a deep breath and walking on. Eventually they all lined up in the hall, where the principal once again stood. “I met an interesting person yesterday,” she spoke. “Someone who was thrown into a terrible place, lost someone he knew, and had time to think, time to reevaluate what he wanted out of life. He helped me process this news and, from it, I can say this. There’s nothing wrong with needing someone to listen to you. There’s nothing wrong with being able to just throw out all your thoughts and conflicts and letting them take them in. It doesn’t have to be to give advice, or offer words of wisdom, it can be there just so you can put everything you’re feeling into words. That’s something that can help more than you can imagine.”

“Yesterday morning, as you may have heard on the news, one of our students was found with refined night howlers in his lockers. He was arrested, questioned, and after being due to be let go under supervision, had the book thrown at him by the District Attorney. He has currently been charged with no crime, undergone no trial, it must not be overstated that in the eyes of the law he is completely innocent. An innocent mammal, currently… currently held in a youth prison, until he is cleared or found guilty…”

There was a gasp from behind Ash and he turned, spotting Agnes. Paw to her heart, she began to pant, her breaths getting harder and harder. Standing up and racing over, he began helping her up, supporting her as she shook and trembled. Realising that there was a pause from the front, Ash glanced back, his eyes meeting that of the head. She flicked a paw at him, nodding, as he turned back to Agnes as her legs gave way, the shocked vixen collapsing into him hard.

“Come on,” he said, wrapping a paw around her and helping her towards one of the exit doors. The head cleared her throat and carried on. What followed next was a plea to remember that he might be innocent, and if that was the case then he was going through hell. A plea to stand by each other, as everyone had been hurt by this, regardless of how they got there. A plea to tell them anything, anything at all, that might lead them to the truth, wherever that lay, and not to let themselves be divided by speciesism or anger.

Ash wasn’t sure whether or not Agnes could hear it or not as they reached one of the doors, a teacher waiting there to carry on supporting her. Ash kept pace, occasionally trying to help. “Don’t worry... He’ll be okay… We’ve got people trying to help him…”

They were walking along to the path where the nurses office was when she jolted to a stop, her sniffs and tears suddenly beginning to overflow. “He’s in prison....”

“We’re going to get him out…”

“My boyfriend’s in prison…”

“We’re going to get him…”

“He’s a criminal,” she wailed, Ash jolting as her legs gave way. He and the teacher sat her down as she balled into her paws. “He’s a criminal now, and…”

“He’s innocent…”

“I know he didn’t do it…”

“Yes, and we’re…”

“But he’s a criminal now… He’s in prison…”

“He’s innocent.”

“But he’s a prisoner…!” she wailed, face buried in her paws. “Kris is a criminal, he’s been to prison, and… and…” She couldn't say anymore, instead just crying into her paws, rocking back and forth, as the shock and grief overwhelmed her.

Chapter Text

Chapter 18

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“So, you’re planning to enter the PI business,” secretary Washimi spoke. Retsuko nodded, looking on as the delicate (yet ruthless) sentient secretary bird scooped up some of her noodles with her chopsticks, slurping them down. They were together at a familiar ramen place, Ram-Don, sitting together in a small area to the side that they often frequented. Retsuko had the feeling that it was for Washimi’s sake. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d known that a few wild bird species had a surviving sentient species as well, just like it was known that non-sentient versions of some mammal species still existed far out there. Still, rare was underplaying it, and unless you went to Polynesia, Antarctica or New Zealand, the chances of stumbling into one on your days off were slim to none. 

A secretary bird especially, given its origin in Africa. The only sentient bird she’d seen (in mammal at least) before Washimi was a California condor she’d bumped into when she was eight, sitting in the back of a store they’d popped into on a road trip down to the magic kingdom in Anaheim and scaring her half to death when she’d seen him, his gnarly fleshy head poking out of his reaper like cloak of feathers. She’d had nightmares on all the following nights of the trip, and a good few after too. In many cases, he’d morphed in those dreams, his feathers going cold like metal and his eyes going wide, burning like a crematorium furnace with hate. Something was so chilling about it, so demonic, and coming so naturally to her imagination. It was only much later that she wondered what it was like to be him, the remains of a lost path of evolution, stranded in a world not built for his class.

With the benefit of hindsight, she’d learnt that, like all vultures, evolution had designed him that way, building the ultimate scavenger. Of course, then came the great uplifting, and with mammals now practicing burial rights or handing over their dead to the predators, the niche they had so specialised in had become redundant. When the uplifting had finally reached the birds, condors and vultures were one of the few where the advantage over their non-evolved counterparts was enough to justify their continued existence. To the point that they were one of the few cases of sentient birds being more numerous than their non-sentient counterparts, in some cases to the point of the non-sentients going extinct. She couldn’t shake the feeling though that he and his kind were not winners in all this. She tended to think that the only sentient birds that could be called that were the ones down in New Zealand, even after mammals finally arrived there. She also noted that it wouldn’t necessarily make her first introduction any better.

After all, a dozen twelve foot tall Moāri dancers doing a haka in front of her wouldn’t be the best introduction, would it?

Regardless, after that her only encounter with sentient birds was through the media, where their rarity acted as a novelty. Arguably the most famous comedy troupe of all time had once involved four sentient birds: a yellow canary with a notable faux-feminine/ camp personality, who enjoyed playing the oblivious bystander/victim to his feline partners ultimately foiled exploits; a rage fuelled semi-mad black drake who was the bad guy and foil to his calm, smart-aleck bunny partner; a massive white brahma rooster from kentucky with a southern drawl as long as his slow burning penchant for mischief; and a roadrunner with a love of silent comedy shared by his coyote partner, to the point where they were known as the kings of slapstick. Closer to the present, there was a cult mockumentary/reality show supposedly about the gay interspecies relationship between a racoon named Rigby and a sentient blue jay named Mordecai… with each episode always spinning out into abject surrealness by the end.

In any case, all of that aside, the fact was that she’d had a doubletake at Washimi on first seeing her, and it had taken a while for the novelty of such a creature working in her office, as the CEO’s secretary of all things, to wear off. By the time they’d start going out as friends, she was used to it, but she couldn’t help but imagine what it was like for Washimi, being so out of place. Everyone all around you, turning their heads, double taking, staring. Was she used to it? Retsuko guessed that she had to be, how else would she cope, yet alone be so confident and strong. Still, places like this where she could sit in private with only those who knew her must have been something that she valued, even if she didn’t say it.

 Looking over to Gori, Retsuko wondered if the same thing was true with her. Gorillas and primates were nowhere near as rare as sentient birds (or reptiles), but they as an order had never really come and settled in Zootopia for whatever reason or other.

Which contrasted sharply to red pandas, who had a history of migrating to the west coast of North America from Asia. Given Zootopia’s neutrality in WW2, many mammals of Japanese descent had then moved there from the western seaboard in order to escape internment. Two of her grandparents had done just that, with a third moving years after getting out of the camps. It was also why the city had large numbers of tanukis, more than the rest of the States and Canidea combined, much to its benefit. Some of their businesses had grown into global giants while still headquartering here, Nook Incorporated in particular coming to mind. 

Whatever the case of all this, Washimi had asked a question and Retsuko quickly answered it. 

“Sort of, yes.” She quickly explained how things had started with the email that Ton ignored, going to the tax agency, the initial invitation there and then so on and so on. “I mean, the idea of being a tax investigator does sound really interesting to me, but being a full on PI on top of that… It’s like the difference between being offered some very nice mochi ice cream, or being offered a full on sundae. The first is really good, but the second is even more really good.”

“Oh yes, I really know what you mean,” Gori agreed. “It’s like having a spa day, versus going to a wellness-rejuvenation experience, complete with manicures and pedicures. Though that might not be so much of an increase for you, given that you have claws, not nails.”

“Oh no,” Retsuko chirped. “It’s a very good analogy.” 

“Fun to hear.”

Washimi nodded, finishing off a noodle with a very quiet and dignified slurp. “Or the difference between standard udon noodles and these.”

Retsuko looked down, cocking her head. Washimi’s noodles were best described as absolute units, making normal udon look like (her preferred) thin ramen. “No, I don’t get that. I didn’t even realise they made noodles that thick.” 

“They’re for megafauna,” she spoke, bringing up another one and slurping it down, singular. “But they let it go into smaller mammal bowls too. Most of the time it’s mongooses or meerkats, but the principle still stands.”

“What principle is that?” Retsuko asked, nervously.

“They are very effective snake analogues,” she replied, completely deadpan, before slurping down another one whole.

“Oh, right, of course…”

“Let’s not talk about dietary habits,” Gori chided. “I’ve heard about the triple date and the PI stuff. What about this plan to free the silver fox kit? What role was I going to play?”

“Well,” she spoke, breathing in and out. “We think… no, we’re pretty certain, that Wassermaim was involved in Bellwether’s plot. He’s throwing this kid in prison out of spite. Our plan, while also looking into who did it, is to get him to confess by having a friendly mammal get him drunk and probe him. We can then record it, release the tape, and that should help give the silver bullet that can be used to get him out of office, getting in someone who’ll rescind the nighthowler act charge.”

“So,” Washimi spoke. “You’re not actually involved in the investigation itself.”

“Fenneko is,” Retsuko countered. “And she and Haida would always be in it with us. She’s the one driving us towards this thing, leading the way.”

“-Oooh,” Gori spoke. “You’re her Watson to her Shirelock.”

“Yes!”

“And you’re okay with this?” Washimi asked. 

“Yeah,” Retsuko said. “I mean, I’m taking a back seat in this, and while I’d like to do more I can get why we’re doing what we’re doing. We’ve got the hero cops of Zootopia working for him, along with some really talented gadget mammals, Fenneko and her new boyfriend and the boys family themselves, who are all pretty talented.”

“Like Spiderpig in civil war,” Gori summarised. “You can have your own solo adventures, but right now you’re letting the established stars battle it out!”

“Not that I get the reference,” Washimi said, “but that does seem reasonable.”

“And we’ve done work already,” the red panda said. “After all, I recorded the big confrontation in the ZPD, Haida and I made contact with the reporter and got him on our side and our interview will hopefully bring the city onboard.”

There was a pause as Washimi slurped up another one of her extra thick noodles. “So, not investigation, but helping out with the total war.”

“Yeah, and if I get the taste for it, I sign up for official PI training. Most of that stuff is supposedly looking at accounts anyway, which I’m good at.”

“Wait,” Gori said. “Looking at accounts?”

“Most of the private stuff is financial in nature, not all guns ablazing.”

“Aaaahhhh… That sounds far more boring.”

“I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing,” Washimi countered. “Tell me, do you know why old incandescent lights usually failed when they were turned on?”

“Uhhh…” Retsuko began, not sure if she’d heard that right.

“-It’s because of the thermal shock of them suddenly heating up as the electricity pushes through them. There are old lights which have easily stayed on for a hundred years and can carry on for another hundred. What breaks you are the rare moments of extreme intensity. If you want a thrilling job, that’s up to you, but you want to manage your thrills. No-one wants to ride roller coasters every day.”

“You can speak for yourself,” the gorilla said. 

“Yes I can,” she said. “A while back, we stopped you going off with Tadano because we feared that you were going to throw yourself into something that you didn’t want, but had convinced yourself that you did. What you’re talking about now is certainly unique, but it sounds like you’ve thought it through and do want it, at least as far as you’re aware of it.”

“What does that mean?” the red panda asked.

“It means that you’re happy with the experience so far, but if you commit to this path there might be far harder hurdles further along, ones you don’t know about, can’t see, don’t realise that they’re too high. I wouldn’t say it’s a reason to not go along that road, after all, doing so is the only way you can come up across them in the first place. I’m just advising you to keep it in mind, though with the tax-detective route it seems you already have.”

Retsuko paused and smiled. “Thanks. I think I know what you mean. Coming across someone dangerous, right?”

“Right. Have you ever come across someone dangerous before?”

“Well, one time, I returned to my apartment and found the door open,” she recounted. “Someone was inside.”

“Oh my gosh,” Gori spoke, leaning forward on the edge of her seat. “What next?”

“Well, at first I was terrified,” she admitted. “I ran, I called the police, but then I calmed down a bit and saw an old wrench on the floor. I grabbed it and sneaked up to my place, ready to face the threat.”

“What next!?”

A little smile grew across the red panda’s muzzle. “Turned out my mother had copied my keys and was inside, doing housework. That was something and a half to explain to the cop who came.”

Gori’s mouth hung open. “Mothers really are annoying creatures…”

“I KNOW, RIGHT!”

“It’s in their DNA, it has to be!”

Retsuko nodded, as did Washimi. “I have to say, I’m impressed,” she said. “Fear of the unknown is arguably the worst fear of all, and when defenseless you acted in the right way. On finding a weapon and coming up with a plan though, you bravely confronted that fear.”

She blushed.

“-Still, there is one other type of stress you might have to get used to.”

“What’s that?”

“Failure.”

“Huh?”

“Tell me,” she said. “What happens if you have clear evidence that this kit is innocent, but it doesn’t matter. He’s kept inside, he’s found guilty, he loses years of his life and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“I think I’d have to keep on trying.”

“Sometimes persistence is a lost cause…”

“-But she owes it to her friends,” Gori countered. “She owes it to him, to free him, to get him out, to always try!”

“And sometimes bad things happen and you can’t do anything about it other than rolling on. Case in point, my first and only marriage.”

“What if you were locked up, would you expect me to give up on you?”

“If all reasonable avenues were exhausted, then it would be the regrettable thing to do. Vice versa…”

“Vice versa, you’d mean you’d…” Gori spoke, beginning to sniff up and tremble.

“Don’t take it personally,” Washimi spoke. “Same counts for Retsuko.”

The red panda blinked. “Oh…”

“Again, nothing personal.”

“Right…” she mumbled, looking away.

“You cannot win everything, and the higher the stakes the bigger the losses. The more personal it gets, the more crushing the failures. You’re like Gori, you have a big heart, but that makes it easier to be stomped on. I’m not against you following this path, I’m just warning you of what you might come across on it.”

Retsuko nodded and looked up. “Understood, thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. 

“I mean, I kind of had one of those today with Gori being on antibiotics.”

“That was very bad luck, but it is the kind of thing that will happen.”

“I’ll have to warn Haida about it, then we can replan. Though I don’t know who else could fill in for us.”

She looked up, the two friends in front of her glancing at each other and shrugging. Retsuko sighed. “Though I guess it’s only two weeks. Marathon, not a sprint.”

“Exactly,” Gori said. “Don’t give up.”

“-Just yet,” Washimi added. “But for now, let’s enjoy our food. Weakening yourself helps nobody.”

Looking down, smelling her ramen, Retsuko couldn’t help but agree on that point at least, even if she agreed with Gori on the other point. So owed it to him to always keep trying, for one simple, solid, reason.

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“So tell me. Why do you look after pup?”

Kris looked up at the polar bear from his breakfast seat, resolute in his answer. “It’s the right thing to do.”

“People who do the right thing do not end up here,” he spoke, his voice hardening. “So why do you do it?”

“Because he’s scared,” Kris said. “He’s young, terrified and the last thing he needs is bullies attacking him.”

The bear nodded a few times. “So, you do it because you are honorable?”

“If that’s your view of what honour is, then yes.”

“And is it?”

“Mostly.”

The bear paused and nodded. “What is other part?”

Kris thought for a second or two. “Being willing to accept your mistakes and take them. Being brave. Being strong for those who need you to be strong.”

His eyes narrowed as they turned and walked back into the cell block, automatically making their way to a table in a corner, sticking in the same groups as in the canteen. “I did not hear that another child of the family was getting in here,” the bear mused.

“Family? As in crime family?”

“Yes,” he said, staring down. “And if you are not in my one, then just who do you belong to?”

Kris felt a chill go down his spine, the bear was staring a bit closer, the other members of the small table (all now sitting down) glancing fretfully at each other. “I don’t belong to any crime family,” he spoke, truthfully.

The bear was silent. “I would have no problem if you were a Big like me, or in the Firm, or under the Red Pig, a Lobos, a Razor, or one of Lang’s children. We are predators and we stick together, so I do have problem if you are a liar. Tell me, white fox, you speak of honour but you are not one of the families. So, how did you end up here?”

Kris closed his eyes. He had the truth, he had a cover story that had been worked on. The latter was meant to keep him safe and out of trouble, but given what the polar bear might or might not have a problem with… Still, the people who came up with the plan likely had a far better idea of what these mammals were like than he did. Best to stick with it. “I was tired and made a mistake,” he said, sighing. He bent down, rubbing his head. “I lived in the Rainforest District, working part time at this coffee shop. Making drinks, handing out treats, keeping the library books in order… It was just a busy day and I’d pulled an all nighter before, and it was near the end of my shift. I hadn’t drunk any coffee as I just wanted to go home after and sleep, and I just had this one cussing order left to deal with.” He paused, breathing in and out and sighing. 

“A bunch of hippos, a whole family, they were loud and noisy, and one of them saw that I was a fox and was shouting out loud, saying that she’d call the manager and everything. And they were arguing, and it was noisy, and they were shouting out different orders and changing them and explaining their intolerances and I was just going through saying yes-yes-yes. I just wanted it to end. I wrote it all down, the lady said that she wouldn’t be giving a fox a tip and her daughter saying that her mommy wished that I was dead. I looked up, said that I hoped speciesists like her got what was coming to them, and left. I put the order in. I didn’t deliver it, I was leaving when I heard screams from that table, a bunch of them coughing and spluttering, collapsing to the floor. I panicked, walked back in to check my ticket, before relaxing as I saw that I had written down that they had an allergy. No acorns, we tend to get a lot of squirrels so we have a few things using them and acorn meal and flour. I took a picture with my phone, went home and fell asleep. When I woke up I found out that the police wanted to talk with me.”

He rubbed his eyes. “I explained it all, even showed the picture. They said that they had an acorn allergy and I did all the right things. Then they showed that they had the ticket, and a recording that one hippo had been making. They didn’t say that ‘My family has acorn allergies.’ They had a corn allergy, and most of our drinks take corn based syrup… None died, but most were injured. The police were happy to rule it off as an accident, but then I found out it was the District Attorney’s family. They charged me with attempted murder. The video with my ‘get what’s coming’ word was their evidence, me taking a picture of the ticket was my attempt to cover myself. My lawyer did his best, we’re lining up for a strong appeal as soon as we can, but…”

Kris shrugged, glancing around before looking back down, his eyes catching his uniform. If anything, he wanted to look at it now and not the bear. For all he knew, he’d seen right through him. This… was a mistake. Truth had been the right option, hadn’t it? Or he’d messed up the delivery...

He felt a paw come down onto his shoulder, gently. “Look up, brother.”

Kris did just that, the bear looking at him softly. “I am Timofey. Member of the Tundratown family. Back during Nighthowler crisis, many of my family hit hard, so I stand up and did jobs to keep them well. After a caribou was mauled by a bear like me, a gang tried to smash and burn uncles store. Young prey punks. I showed them who was boss and threw their firebombs back at them, chasing them down the street to hit the last one with own molotov as he begged for mercy in an alley.” He shrugged. “They say that flips it from self defense to grievous bodily harm. So here I am, doing my time. I can blame the evil sheep mayor, I do quite a bit, but it does not matter now. What matters is I have eight months left, and they know never to hurt my family again.”

“I threw acid on a pig bailiff throwing us out of our home,” an ocelot said, his fur going up. “I was in the police station when I heard that the mayor had done it! It told the court as much, that I was defending myself from her and if they sent me away for that they were just as evil, but they were just mad that she lost so here I am. My family lost their jobs and house because of her and I lost my freedom!”

“I stabbed a guy to death,” a dingo said, shrugging before thrusting out his paw. “Nothing to do with that sheep. Still hate her guts, wish it was her I got.”

There was a burst of laughter around, Kris joining in, albeit a little nervously. It was only the bear and ocelot who claimed that they were here in part due to the howler scare, though there were other preds in other cell blocks, and plenty more who’d stolen, got into scuffles or been victimised, only touching the lower ends of the legal system and now out. Regardless, the sentiment was universal, they despised her, and Kris began feeling better about his cover story. 

“Your name?” the bear asked.

“Kristofferson,” he said, before remembering that he had a nametag with it on. Then again, he hadn’t looked at the bears, which said his.

Timofey shrugged. “Long name, I like it. Everyone calls you Kristofferson, unless you want it shorter. I am Timofey, nothing else. Leader of the pack.”

“The pack?”

Timofey gestured around to the small set of predators on the table. “The pack. We are predators, so we stick together, and we are honorable. You showed yourself that by looking after screamer.

“You mean the pup?”

The bear nodded. “You recognised the sickos and steered him clear.”

Kris nodded, glancing over and spotting the wolf and his small posse in one corner. “Those guys.”

“Sickos,” the bear said angrily, spitting on the floor. “Sick mammals, feel no remorse for perverted things that they did. Lowest of the low. But not all mammals who do that stuff are sickos.”

“Huh?” Kris asked.

“Many grow up and are raised by sicko parents,” Timofey explained. “They do not know it is wrong. But when caught and learning it, they either see no problem and become sicko, or become horrified at what they did and wish to make it right. Those often become founders.”

“Founders?”

“-Yeah,” one of the pack said. “‘Cuz they’ve found Jesus Christ.”

There was a giggle of laughter, even from Timofey. “Many are founders. Not all believe in god, most not ex-sicko’s. They are friendly, ones who took in the screamer.”

“Right,” Kris nodded. “So, are these gangs or cliques?”

“Both,” he shrugged, “you get the idea, smart fox.” He then gestured over to another cluster of about a dozen mammals, including the racoon and the capybara with glasses. Most were ones with paws, such as large rodents and even a marsupial, a grey kangaroo. “Those are the nerds. Not just computers. Some very clever, some rich in here, untouchable. Also very nice. But then we have the herd. The herd and pack stay on different wings, we not mixing. They all prey, half of them normal mammals who just want protection. The other half are the pred haters. Not so bad early on, but they really filled up after the howler plot was solved.”

“Right, so steer clear,” Kris said, again feeling more at ease with his cover story. Pred haters were one thing, but pred haters seeing a pred messing with their howlers… In a way, it was daunting that he was locked in with mammals like that, and the sickos. But there were others around here and he was feeling more confident. Keep his head down, be polite, be sensible, be friendly. He could get through this.

Timofey nodded and smiled. “What did I say? Clever fox. Do any other stuff?”

“I do know karate. I can draw…”

Timofey laughed, looking up to the rest of his pack. “He might be very useful fox too.” He looked back down again. “Do not worry. We will not use you for violent stuff.” There was a pause, as he looked over to the rest of the prisoners, his eyes narrowing. “But drawing is useful, and I can do stuff with diplomat.”

Chapter Text

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"Right, and let me just… Ah, it was this one right here," Clawhauser spoke, smiling as he navigated the desktop computer. He opened up the relevant link and sat back, smiling.

"Ben," Catano spoke, turning to them. "What the actual Cuss?"

"W-what?" the portly cheetah asked. "Just a Ewetube channel that I used to enjoy…"

"-Used to enjoy," she exclaimed, frowning as she pressed the play button. A background of somewhere looking suspiciously like a scottish loch, complete with a castle, appeared, with the deck of a cartoon yacht overlayed. Sitting on that deck, laid back in a chair, was a fairly nondescript cartoon figure of a mammal, a paper bag with a question mark on the front on its head and a bowl of what looked suspiciously like honey chomps on its chest. And then, whoever she was, spoke.

"Hello fellow resistance! This is Gruinard Gal, with this week's episode of The Sheerer, giving all of you lot your free update of the goings on of the Great Cudspiracy. We're starting this week with a big slice of news comin' from the bay area! Now, ACS pharma, who I think I'm gonna call Avine Collaborating Scum pharma from now one, have been working with a certain sheep." An indent in the screen appeared, showing a picture of a scientific paper. "Not just any sheep mind you, oh no, this is one of the big ones. Professor Dexter Bellwether, cuss yeah he's related to that one, has been collabing on an investigation with Avine Colabbing Scum on mixin' up antihistamines and other drugs and stuff in inhalers! Inhalers! Now, the cover story for all the sheeple is that it's to try and 'pre-protect' the lungs of those with breathing difficulties and stuff, like we don't know which species is behind that little number rising so much." The picture changed to show a couple of sheep farmers looking stoically over a chaparral covered slope burning and smoking away, the Hollywoo sign poking out in the far off distance. "But this just shows how far the cudspiracy has infiltrated the media and like. Is no-one else blowing the whistle or sayin' hol'-up! Letting a howler handler like him make medicine for frickin' kits. In fact, the only mention of this is by the other mammal in charge of this study, a pred standin' up for him. Now, let's all guess which mammal it is, huh?" The picture changed to show a wolf standing at a lecturn. "Yup, another one of their braindead sheep-dogs, poor dumb-dumb. They got that lot a looong time ago. Now, I'm gonna say that this is a perfect chance to inject the same taming serum into kits, cubs and even calfs across the world, one quick huff and they're loyal servants to the sheep hivemind. But maybe I'm wrong, who knows what things this could lead to, but I tell you this. If you ain't a sheep, it ain't good!"

Catano slammed the space button hard and stood back, paws open in a W-T-C motion, demanding an explanation from Ben.

"What? It's just a crazy silly thing. It's not wrong to enjoy that, right?"

"Crazy, silly…" she began, mumbling. "You do realise how ovineophobic this is?"

Clawhauser frowned at her. "Hey, just because you can't understand satire, doesn't mean you have to stop others from enjoying it."

The female cheetah's anger dissipated significantly, instead replaced with a subdued frustration. "Ben, this isn't satire. It's literally someone believing that sheep are evil sub-mammals."

"It is?" he began, before shrugging. "Well, I mean it's still silly. Not like I believe it."

"It's not silly. I mean, do you even know what the name and backdrop is a reference to?" she asked.

"No."

"In the middle of World War Two, the British experimented with anthrax weapons, aiming to perform a test on the uninhabited Gruinard island up in Scotland. Some of their best experts on diseases were sheep, who'd been working against foot-and-mouth previously. One came from nearby and got his cousin's lumber firm a contract to help out. It was meant to be a test on chickens and geese, the regular workers going up there to survey and put in the infrastructure, well before the nasty stuff was delivered. However there was a clerical mix-up, some of the bombs going on the first load instead. When a stack of crates toppled, they exploded, and the surveying scientist ordered the boat to leave for the mainland, stranding the infected there until quarantine facilities could be set up."

Catano paused, thinking back. "It also took a while to find and call up the few hyena doctors in the country, who are naturally immune to the disease, and fly them up there. By the time it was all set up, most of them had died, most of the rescued ones quickly joining them. Thankfully those on the boat were unaffected. However everything was classified until the late nineties, so rumours of sheep taking a bunch of red deer, cows and some preds out and doing horrible experiments on them began to spread. Never mind that a third of the fatalities were also sheep. It's often considered the start of the crazy sheep conspiracies, with the truth just written off as a cover story."

"Ouch," Clawhauser said. "But, it's still silly. You wouldn't really believe it."

Oates leant in. "What about the comments?"

The group scrolled down, wincing as they saw multiple ones in agreement with what the video hoster was saying. Indeed, it had lots of likes and views. "Oh Em Goodness…" Ben muttered. "I mean, I don't believe it… But I mean it's still funny! Listen to her, she's funny. I mean, hold on…" He typed a bit further, revealing a new video. Almost like a telemarketer, she began showing off various improvised anti-sheep weaponry, ranging from burr-launchers to giant sheers and moth grenades to giant razors. Ben chuckled as he watched it. "I mean, it's even funnier now. She genuinely expected those things to work. -It's actually the second video of hers I saw, the one to make me interested in her stuff."

"What was the first?" Catano asked.

"Oh, one about a threat to the honey chomp factory," the cheetah said. "Just looking up cereal reviews, and it popped up in my display. Then, -whoop, down the rabbit hole. Hmmmm, I'll have to ask Judy if that's offensive. -Anyway, oooh. The episode when Nick and Judy busted Bellwether is also really good, lemme just..."

He was broken off by Catano's arm, the cheetah frowning. "We can't watch this," she said.

"It's not like I believe any of it, I just find it funny," Ben justified.

"Ben, don't you think it's odd that you wondered about offending Judy with that statement, but you were happy to go back to watching that video?"

Clawhauser shrugged. "I was just thinking out loud on that one, I mean I'd never think that cute could be offensive, but then Judy came in and you know the rest."

"And what if this was a channel talking about how all preds were savages and working out ways to eat us," the cheetah pressed, frowning. "Or it was hosted by a fox, telling us that all the cute little bunnies are busy on their fields multiplying and multiplying, taking over the world's food supply with the aim of making all preds slaves and then starving everyone."

"Heh," Oates mumbled. "Listening to Pounceheart?"

"There's a fox doing that…" Ben exclaimed before pausing, looking back at his computer. "Oh," he mumbled, "but I mean, I wouldn't believe it."

"But others would," Catano said.

"Yeah," Oates said, "and I was just joking about Pounceheart. He just wants us to boycott burrows' produce until they ban the Fox-Away brand."

"Seems fair," Clawhauser agreed. "I didn't think I was doing anything wrong…"

"But you were," she said, looking down. "These kinds of mammals are out there, stirring up hate between species and against those they don't like. You may think you're above it, but many take their words hook, line and sinker. Then they go out, causing misery and who knows what."

There was a laugh from Oates. "Say, back during the howler crisis, I heard the funniest thing you ever heard. Down on Flock Street, some elderly sheep were just playin' chess, and this ferret or somethin' walks up to them, covered head to toe in cotton wool! He then says the 'codeword' baaa, ram, ewe, and begins asking the sheep if they're really trying to take over the world, an' then beggin' them to at least spare Bugburga as he can't eat grass!" He broke down, laughing and braying a few times before shaking his head. "Now I always thought he was just a few straws short of a hay bale, but I bet you what, he was watching this channel!"

Catano smiled, shaking her head. "Oh, mammals… I mean, I suppose that's harmless. But it often isn't. Remember Esther Akinonyx?"

"Wasn't she a sprinter?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, from Canidea. She was a cheetah, found doping and then banned for a while. It wasn't even malicious, it was due to some medicine she was taking or something and they let her back in after. Harmless, right? Except for mammals like my cousin. Apparently in sports, her favourite subject, others were bullying her, saying that she was a cheater."

"She is a cheetah," Ben spoke.

Oates snickered. "With an A, sonny boy."

"Ah, right."

"Yes, and they teased and teased and teased her. You know how angsty and nervous we can get, she was coming home and breaking down in tears, shivering up and lashing out or running away when her parents tried to comfort her."

"Oh dear."

"Yeah," she spoke. "And it wasn't just her, it was many cheetahs across the whole of North America and even in Europe. Turns out you had some furbook posters going around, 'There's a reason they're called cheetahs'."

"Right," Ben agreed. "I get it now. So watching this, and then sheep…"

"Uh-hu," the female big cat nodded. "I mean, surely you know how hard sheep have had it recently."

Oates shivered. "Trust me kitten," he said, looking at Ben. "You don't wanna."

Catano looked up knowingly at the detective, before down at the rotunder member of her species. "I do the school outreach programmes here and there. Especially after the howler crisis, you had lambs shying away from us, and other mammals blurting out that they'd been up to no good. Even recently, my mother talked about a story contest at her local school. Do you know how many had speciesist sheep as their bad guys? Snooty nosed rams and ewes who rolled around in their limos and had no emotion other than hate, calling all preds filth and treating foxes like they were evil incarnate. Heck, you even whole evil sheep towns, planning to open concentration camps for predators, and killing any that tried to stay there overnight in the meantime."

"Yikes. I guess those are kids though," he said, "but I mean as an adult I can watch these things and say, 'hey, I don't agree with that.' I'm not doing anything wrong."

"You're complicit," she said. "You need to take a stand against this stuff. Anyways..." She trailed off, looking around. "Ever notice that there are far fewer sheep officers in Precinct One today? Only a few were with Dawn, but even those completely cleared began filtering away…"

There was a long pause. "Right," Ben said, looking down at his computer. "I remember officer Longhorn looking real down before he left. He asked me if I still trusted him, thought he was a good mammal and all that. I knew that he was getting side-glances and cold shoulders from others after the howler crisis, but never connected it with this..."

"Right," she agreed. "I mean… -That DA, he kept going on about how we were ovinophobic. We threw it out as it was a dead-cat tactic. But, are we?"

"I don't mean to be," Ben said.

Oates frowned. "Well, I'm definitely not."

"But what if we are and we don't realise it?"

Ben looked away, scratching behind his head and thinking. Oates just frowned further. "Well, I very much am definitely not!"

"Me neither," Clawhauser added meekly. "Unless... -is Beep-Beep I'm a Sheep bad too?"

"The song?" Kii asked. "I'm pretty sure that sheep like that. I mean, it was their answer to Carrot Pop's Hey-hey Mr Fox and all made by sheep about sheep. So if Mr Fox isn't antivulpistic, then Beep-Beep certainly isn't ovinophobic."

Oates smiled. "And the music video is better too."

Ben blinked. "No it isn't, it's boring. Mr Fox though has that fox actor who… Say, is it me or does he really look like Nick?"

"Ah," Oates replied. "I meant the sexy Beep-Beep video."

Catano groaned, rolling her eyes. "Boys…"

Oates chuckled a few times. "And I take that fox actor and raise that wolf actor that looks suspiciously like Wolford."

"I've never seen that video," Ben confessed.

"Ah, your loss. Anyhow, back to this 'Gruinard Gal', I think I know who she is."

"Huh?" Catano asked, before smiling. "It seems she hasn't been posting for a while. Please tell me you arrested her."

"Her name was Honey Badger, and she was a Honey Badger. Like daughter, like parents I guess," he chuckled. "But, she's the one that Nick and Judy caught after escaping from the nut house."

"It was her? Also, don't call it that."

"Okay then. The funny farm."

"We don't need another Wilde," she said. "But yeah, I remember her clearly. Honestly though, after all the horrible things she's said about sheep, she should be in jail. There's got to be some hate crimes in there, nasty mammal."

Oates nodded on, before pausing. "Hey, look there on the side."

Catano did so, before blinking. "Uh-oh, now those mammals have heard of this case."

"Well, it's Pounceheart," Oates said, gesturing to Catano to press it.

"And that makes a difference?" she said, as a fox was shown sitting down in an interview room, three others sitting across from them. "I… It's the parents! They're getting him involved too? I… -Well, I suppose after how the authorities treated them, I can't blame them for striking out. But still, ZNN was covering them too. Did they really have to throw in with this lot?"

"I wouldn't say it's stooping low," Oates said. "I first heard of that Pounceheart guy during the middle of the howler crisis. I hated his guts, given how we were trying to hold the city together and he was going on about how it wasn't the savage predator crisis, it was the 'recidivism crisis' and all that. Especially when he began saying that we should let these opportunist crooks go free, was encouraging mammals not to listen, how there was a conspiracy going on and by the end mammals should go out, rebel and kick up a fuss. But then I found out it was the mayor! Didn't call it exactly, but he'd worked out something was up, something we all missed, and he was doing what any decent mammal with a spine should do in that case. I've respected him an awful lot ever since. I met him at the start of the wider investigations, it's how I learnt about Honey Badger being Gruinard Gal, they briefly colabbed before he dropped her. Anyway, he's a swell guy, and the stuff he'd found was the perfect starting point for the investigations, he saved us an awful lot of work."

Catano looked on, thinking for a second or two. "So, he being right wasn't a broken clock is right twice a day thing, like her," she said. "But, he still worked with her."

"And he said he dropped her after deciding she was a bit too crazy," he said. "I think with ones like this, you do have to watch them in order to work out whether there's something interesting going on there."

"I'd have thought you'd have been able to work out if they were a nasty mammal like her from the get go," Catano said, still frowning. "And maybe one occasionally gets stuff right, but how many are out there pedelling nonsense that dumb mammals will just lap up? Stuff they then use to go out and hurt others. Is the odd diamond in the rough really worth it?" She paused, spotting the time. "Right, we better get back to work."

"That we should," the horse agreed. "That we should." He watched her walk off, before glancing around and leaning down next to Ben. "Quickly, type in Beep-beep, what a hot sheep."

Ben did just that, the horse sitting down, arm around the cheetah and with a wide grin on his face.

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Back in the van, they all looked on. "He's Gus alright," Judy commented. Just like his picture, he didn't have a full mask of his darker fur on his face, instead having a brown triangle of fur coming down to touch his nose, along with little crescents surrounding his eyes. He had a black backwards facing baseball cap on his head, an expensive looking gold watch on one wrist, a pair of blue jeans down below and nothing on up above, leaving him mostly naked.

"Name's Gus," he introduced.

"Xavier," Finnick spoke, the screen blurring as Jack nodded along.

"Diego," he said, his voice carrying a heavy latin accent.

There was a pause, before Mr Fox spoke. "Fred."

"What!" Judy exclaimed. "NO! You're supposed to use fake names, not your real name!"

"To be fair," Skye countered. "Nobody ever calls him Fred… -I only just remembered he technically is one."

"Yeah. He's not really the Fred type," Honey agreed.

They were broken off as Kylie gave his name. "Kylie."

Judy just furrowed her eyes and remained silent as they walked on in. The inside was surprisingly decadent, or at least had been at one stage. A long time ago, whichever elephant owned the building decided that he didn't need the little area in the entrance hallway beneath the stairs and converted it into a small mammal annex. A wall had been placed to shut it off from the larger apartment and its door, leaving it with the side window. While the bottom half had been blocked in to allow the door installation, the top half still let light flood into an atrium, various floors opening out onto it as they went up. Judy guessed it could house a dozen or so mammals her size without feeling crowded, a dozen more comfortably and, were it near a major university, it almost certainly would be filled up with students. It wasn't though, and being a cheap small mammal flat in the middle of somewhere unremarkable it had to compete with every other cheap small mammal flat in the middle of somewhere unremarkable. This flat effectively being on top of a mammal made hill also didn't help.

Still, Judy thought, the place would not be that bad, were it not for the mess that the current occupant had made of it. She watched the camera feed showing Gus lead the trio through bags of trash or just trash, slipping past some gym equipment and waltzing over into a huge kitchen area.

"Ooooh," Nick commented. "I'll bet a nickle that whoever built this found a template for easy-build student digs and followed that, thinking it'd be a gold mine."

Judy nodded along, watching as they were shown into a tiled off area, two downstairs toilets, before walking up, Gus giving the tour.

"First floor is my floor," he said. "All mine, from the bed to the bath!"

Judy frowned. "Hang on," she spoke, leaning over to the microphone. "Say, ask if any of the other rooms have baths."

Skye blinked. "What!?"

"I'll explain later," she said, Nick nodding along.

"Thankfully," the red fox added, "your mate isn't as bad an actor as you are."

Indeed, Jack asked the question, Gus laughing. "Nope! What kind of place you think this is? You get en-suite showers and toilets though."

"Yeah," Finnick grunted. "Need something decent to hawk this place given how much you'z charging us for it."

Gus looked at him and frowned. "Hey, my rent buys two very special things. One, no questions asked. Two, you get to pay in cash."

Back in the van, Honey smiled. "Oooh, I get it. Your Weasel lives here as he hustles, and no-one would take him without a real job under his belt."

Nick looked over and nodded. "Yeah, though I already kind of knew that. Before I saved up and got my place, I lived in a bear's basement."

The honey badger looked back at him, sighing a bit. "Hey… Just trying to be helpful. I mean, this is my redemption, you know?. I'm gonna ace it!"

The red fox looked on, concerned. "Well… It's more that you're just helping out, giving us a paw. I wouldn't say it's a redemption or anything."

"It's not?"

"No," Nick replied. Judy looked up to him but he waved her down, taking the mustelid off to the side. "Listen, it's good you're interested in helping Kris out, but we don't want you becoming so obsessed with this that it's like you and the sheep all over again."

"That…" Honey began, before frowning. "That doesn't make logic. I mean, with the sheep, I was coming up with new ways about why they were evil and stuff as I hated them. Here… here I'm trying to help out your friend. Your friend."

"Yes," Nick said, "and that's great. But what happens if you begin to think that everything hinges on that? You start building your world around it? It becomes your world…"

Honey looked at him for a second or two before breaking off, blinking. "I…" she began, beginning to shiver a little. "Okay. I think, that here, I'm trying to answer a big question. Who did this to Kris. As long as I keep my mind on that, on answering that question, rather than proving that it's Duke or Maisy or someone else… Then I'll be okay. Right…?"

Nick smiled, nodding, patting her on the back. "Yeah, that sounds fair."

"It does?"

"It does."

"Phew…" she sighed, shivering a bit. "I was… I was getting a bit worried there."

"No worries," he replied, beginning to lead her back to the screen.

"-Nick?"

"Yeah?"

She paused, holding onto his paw. "Please tell me when I'm getting to the edges and stuff. I want to think I can make the choice myself, but…"

The fox nodded, as they sat down once more. The group were moving on up to the next floor, Judy thinking it through. She leant into the microphone and spoke. "Ask if any other rooms are occupied."

Back in the flat, Jack silently acknowledged the order. "Hey, apart from you, are there any other hombres we might be bunking with?"

Gus looked behind and shrugged. "Just a weasel. Two floors up."

"He in?"

"On holiday," he remarked, as they turned a corner and he waved the three along the open landing. Multiple glass faced doors opened up onto it, long and narrow rooms behind that. "Anyway, all the rooms are like that, basically."

Nick dove in, speaking into the microphone. "Tell him that Xavier always had a Napolion complex and always prefers to be up high. It's why he went to this high up place to begin with."

Nick's advice was redundant, given that Mr Fox had taken his own initiative. "Well, Gus, or shall I call you Mr Pippman? It's always nice to hear that all rooms are the same and that great care has been put into egality; it almost mirrors the ideals behind this building here, even if the complete monosize pattern of the room scales is paradoxically the greatest insult imaginable to the original designers. But, while all rooms are equal, some are more equal than others. -I happen to believe that something to that effect was on a sign at a cult that committed mass suicide, -the one fairly near us, as opposed to the more famous one in south america which had 'those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it' on their sign. I digress. In short, I'd like to view all the rooms, to judge their sun and view potential."

The ferret looked at him, blinking for a second. "Dude. What are you on?"

"A love of life and me in life."

"-And Jesus Christ," Jack cut in. "Don't worry, he's not always like that. When he's chill he's chill, you know? Anyway, we'd like to go up and see the views."

Gus shrugged. "Sure thing."

Up they went, Jack (on Judy's orders), advising Mr Fox and Kylie to take Gus higher up, leaving him and Finnick to inspect Duke's room. Along they went, quickly finding the evidence of mammal occupation, small bits of litter trailing along the ground and a stack of old pizza boxes by one of the doors. Finnick sniffed a few times before looking up and nodding, the pair reaching a door. Holding the handle and turning it they found that, unlike the others, it was locked.

And, while it did have a window built into it, a curtain was drawn over the front, blocking their view inside. They knew this from their reconnaissance of course.

Back in the van, eyes were also on a print out, showing the few pictures of the room that they had. Long and thin, bits of mess across the floor, some areas contained electronic equipment and a printer, for his bootlegging business, while in another area there was a pile of camping equipment and some fishing rods.

Also, highly encouragingly, was a corkboard, filled in with printed off pictures. The resolution was too low for them to view it, so they'd have to get inside. Ideally in a way that didn't count as breaking and entering, and wouldn't raise too much suspicion.

The fennec and hare pair nodded at each other, Finnick peeking over to make sure Gus wasn't looking while Finnick brought out a little thing courtesy of Skye. While Honey might be the crazy gadget mam, the swift fox had her own areas of expertise. Being a mechanic, she often needed to get into and discover faults in very tight spaces, which was why she happened to own an endoscope.

Jack slipped it beneath the door and looked inside. "Yeah, this is it." While he could use the controls to make the end twitch around, most of the movement came from his paws. Combined with the range, it meant that they couldn't just scan the pinboard, they had to get in. Naturally, Finnick had suggested that he just pick the lock. Judy, however, had felt a bit concerned by that, given that it could be argued to be breaking and entering. Nick had countered that the laws were a bit iffy around these informal sub-lets, given that they were in the property itself legally and 'being nosy' wasn't a crime.

Finnick himself thought it was stupid, just go in.

Instead, a more complicated plan had been formulated, with plenty of input from Honey and Skye. He looked on as Jack brought out what they'd come up with. A strip of metal foil, one side coated with a grey paste.

A grey paste made of saltpeter, icing sugar and some woodash. Using the endoscope, Jack pushed it in, slipping it beneath a small fridge that they knew was there from the pictures. Then, adding a little gadget they'd slipped onto the end, they created a small glowing hot ember, soon pressed down on the surface hard. It began to glow, then smoke.

Smoke like there was no tomorrow.

Pulling the scope out, the pair packed it away before carrying on their casual walkaround. Like Mr Fox's distraction one a while back, it served a secondary purpose. Sniffing for any nighthowler. While fairly unique, the strong flora smell of them could still be picked up by canids like Finnick and Mr Fox. Not recognised exactly, but in a place like this there wasn't much else that it could be.

Checking the other rooms, sniffing for any signs that Duke had kept them in there, they soon worked up to the top landing, pausing as they saw that Mr Fox had somehow got Kylie and Gus into a fitness battle.

Both were doing pull-ups over the side, Kylie hanging on by both his feet and tail, Gus' feet held down by Mr Fox.

"I think my point is proven," the opossum spoke, doing another flex up before relaxing down, unhooking his legs and just hanging by his tail.

The ferret grunted, doing another pull-up. "You don't look like you work out. What's your bench press?"

"I don't…"

"See," he grumbled, pulling himself up and over. "You just cheat as you're made to do this."

He gave Kylie's tail a slight flick, the opossum yelping a bit as it began to slip through, only to tighten again. Mr Fox leant over and gave him a paw to get back up.

"So, had a good enough look around?" the ferret asked.

"I'd say so," Finnick said. "But this flatmate. How's he to live with?"

Gus shrugged as he walked past them, beginning to make his way down the stairs. "Keeps to himself," he said. "That's about it."

"Sounds fine by me," Jack replied, smiling. "We were once with a guy who came in shouting and screaming each time the cops picked him up on something."

"Duke just grumbles to himself, a lot. Really did so before going on his holiday."

"Where's he going."

"Oh, he just goes camping in the States, I…" He paused, sniffing a few times. Mr Fox looked at him oddly before raising his nose, sniffing too.

"Do you smell smoke?"

"Yes," Gus grunted, dropping down onto all fours and racing down the stairs, the others following after him. They spiralled down before cutting onto Duke's landing, the ferret swearing out loud as he saw the smoke. "Duke you idiot!" he yelled, leaning in and smashing at the door. He growled, before looking around. "Dammit, anyone have a paperclip?"

"I have some fishing hooks," Kylie spoke, picking a large one out of his hat and handing it over. Gus snatched it, then another, and then began working on the lock. It wasn't a proper lock or anything, just designed to stop people barging in uninterrupted instead of keeping thieves or anything out, so the ferret had it open in seconds. With a swift kick he knocked the door open, racing in with the others following swiftly behind.

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AN: Y'all should follow Oates' advice, XD. And kudos to Merc_Marten for introducing me to that little ol' video there.

Chapter Text

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After finishing their ramen, Retsuko, Washimi and Gori went back to the offices, splitting off on their way in. The red panda got in an empty lift, got out on her floor, and then slammed herself against the wall as a bawling Kabae ran past.

"Waaaah…." she screamed, almost getting turned into an ailurid pancake by the emotional hippo.

"Retsuko, change of plan!"

She then turned to see Haida run up to her, down on his knees and panting. "Sorry, but it seems we've lost our mammal."

"Wait, what?"

"Kabae," he said, gesturing over. "The obvious one for our mission. I started explaining it to her and she had a breakdown, so she's out."

Retsuko stared at him blankly for a few seconds before shaking her head. "Wait-wait-wait-wait… Kabae? Gori's the obvious one for the mission."

"No she's not," the hyena countered. "I mean, for a start Kabae is a hippo, so she can match him. She's also been wronged in the past by the legal system, so she has a strong motive. She's the obvious choice, you came up with her too."

"No I didn't. I thought you'd come up with Gori too!"

"No…" he said, his face blanking out as he realised something. "I didn't actually say out loud that it was Kabae."

"I didn't say it was Gori, either. I just thought…"

"That you naturally had the same idea… Oh right. Ooops."

"Yeah."

"You weren't thinking what I was thinking."

"Turns out I wasn't."

"Hmmm…" Haida mused. "But still, Gori is a good substitute. Better than nothing."

"Actually, she's on antibiotics right now, so can't do it."

"Oh come on!"

"Still," Retsuko mused. "Maybe Fenneko had her own idea too?"

"Yeah," he said, clicking his fingers. He then paused as his phone buzzed. Picking it up, he slapped his head. "Hmmmm… Now I really didn't think of that one" He then turned it to Retsuko.

"Have you recruited your…" she read, blinking. "That is not obvious, even when you think about it. But, it might work!" she announced, bringing up her phone. Dialing in, she waited for it to connect.

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Meanwhile, in Sahara Square.

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The gentle strumming of a legally 'unconsciously plagialised' acoustic guitar riff rang out, the chords shifting up and down every few beats. They were soon cut over by a sharp, high pitched and slightly distorted guitar, followed by the voice of one George Hareison. "My sweet Lord… Mmmmm, my lord. Mmmmm, my lord. I really wanna see you. I really wanna be with you. Really wanna see you Lord, but it takes so long my lord..."

A few mammals noticed the sound of 'My Sweet Lord' playing out of the locker as they stripped all the way down to their undies, and then beyond. Nobody bothered it though. In fact, most were appreciative. They smiled as they heard it, before walking out, stark naked, into the mystic springs oasis.

A few of them even passed two figures, sitting cross legged, meditating together. One, a yak, hummed softly. "Ommmmm…. Ommmmmm…."

The other had his own, unique, mantra.

"PROTEIN!"

…

"PROTEIN!"

…

"PROTEIN!"

…

"PROTEIN?"

The massive kangaroo raised his ears, before his trance deepened. He knew about the request for help sent to him. He began to feel intune with the universe, the cosmic balance, the great disturbances… The wounded family, and those that came to aid them, who…

He shied away, almost losing it, as he sensed something dark. It was not the thing that had brought that gang together, oh no, he could sense that solitary noble soul holding on elsewhere. Instead, it was a feeling of something that existed in the background of all that was and would ever be, the great fault and schism eternally at the heart of the balance of this world and many others. In a way, it was what the western mystics once called original sin. An origin in innocence and good, only turned in like an ingrown claw before life itself, infecting on and on until it became a bottomless pit of wrong, only exorcised within his own fleeting lifetime. And now, an orphaned satellite of it was in their paws, he wondered if they knew? He recognised it now, it was the woodpecker's burden; he was off, far away, with his comrade in failure. And what of the reformed one, who had once been beside the main body while it still existed, only to redeem himself later and battle alongside both this kangaroo's mentor and the vanquishers of the great evil. Ah, he was still in the city too, where he always was. It was likely still under control. He'd warn his fellow order about all of it for certain, though he was greatly allayed as he sensed the greater of the two great vanquishers very nearby. In the city, sleeping the deepest longest sleep he'd ever felt, but in there nonetheless.

Back to the matter at paw, he felt the presence of a familiar soul… Yes, a student of his. He sensed what was needed, and knew what he needed to do. He reached out, into the strings of longest light that whipped around, before telling them what they needed to know.

.

.

Yakatomi Plaza

.

.

Getting back to their workplaces, Haida and Retsuko paused as their phone buzzed. Seeing who it was, the red panda's eyes widened. "He answered back!"

She openned it up as Haida fistpumped. "Yeah! With Protein on our side, we'll be unstoppable!"

Retsuko nodded, before reading on. "His religious powers require him to be a teetotaler."

.

...

"GODDAMMIT!" Haida yelled.

Retsuko grumbled too, stashing it back into her bag. "Come on, there's gotta be someone…"

"SOMEONE TO WHAT?" came a shout, and they both flinched as the ground shook. They turned, gulping as they saw a very angry Director Ton marching up to them. He glared at them, hard. "I've heard that you've been making an awful ruckus."

"Uhhh…"

"I…" Retusko began, only to be cut off.

"Both of you, my office, now!"

Their tails between their legs, they dragged themselves into a small office, Ton following. A sign was hanging from the door, similar to the open-closed ones on certain stores. He made sure to flip it over, so everyone could see what it read.

'Bollocking in progress.'

.

.

.

.

"Mornin' Officer Jones."

The police tiger looked up from his desk to see Detective Oates standing there, looming over him. The large horse had a wheat straw in his mouth and was chewing it slowly but surely. The tiger frowned. "Cut the cowboy act, Slack Jaw."

"That's Mr McGraw to you," he spoke, his Texan accent if anything even more Texan than before. The tiger rolled his eyes as the massive equid sat down hard next to him. The chair groaned and shook a bit as he went down, the big cat glancing at it as he wondered whether it would break or buckle. Oates glanced down at it before looking up again. "Y'all know my Ma' used to tell me not to eat so much chinese food in my school days, else I'd turn into it. You are what you eat, that kinda thing. But Ma' knows best. Look at me now, I grew up to be a one-ton."

"Let's get to business," Jones said, turning to face him. "This about the kit?"

"Yeah, Jones…" he said, pausing as he pulled out another wheat straw and offered it, only to be shrugged off. "Or can I call you Ralph?"

"Ralph or Jones, it's fine," he answered, as Oates let him take it.

"Okay then, Ralph Allen Jones! What on earth was going through your mind when you made that a public spectacle!?"

The big cat flinched back. "It was nighthowlers," he spoke, paws out. "That stupid kit was messing with those things, he deserved everything he got!"

"Yeah, which kit was that again?" Oates asked. "Tell me about the mismatch."

"I… -Okay, there was a bit of a mix-up with the lockers," he confessed. "We were given one number for the fox we'd had the call about, but after checking that he was still in class, the sniffer said it was from the one below. So we sent off to get the caretaker and the list, we thought it was the cousin's locker but wanted to confirm, and then the teacher of the class came out and started asking around. So I went in, saw those two foxes sitting there, and as the kits were already scared at that point I thought I might as well go ahead and get the deed done."

"What, so publicly scaring them more?! Humiliating those two kits…"

"-They were criminals," Ralph said, throwing his paws up in the air before looking down.

"-Suspected criminals!" Oates shouted back. "And one of them was. Not two, one, and you didn't even know which at that point!"

"Who cares, they were handling Nighthowler!"

"Well, I happen to care quite a bit," Oates said, giving his piece of straw a chew before spitting it out the side of his mouth.

"Well, you would for them," the tiger remarked, glaring at him. "I mean, all through the nighthowler crisis you weren't scared. You could fight off any savages, heck you looked like you were looking forward to the challenge, and it wasn't like there was a chance you'd become one. Wasn't a chance that you'd get hit or be attacked by one of those empowered prey punks. Wasn't the chance that you'd get put on admin leave, which happened to me; though out in the city it was getting fired that you'd have to worry about. I and every other pred got screwed over by those things, and then those two little fox punks think they can just deal with them scot free and get away with it? Think they're better than every other pred and can? Oh no. You may think that what I did wasn't pretty, but have you seen a savage pred in the flesh? That is not pretty!"

There was a long pause. "Two little fox punks?"

"-I meant one. There was one criminal…"

"-No, no…" Oates said, his eyes narrowing. "I think I know what you mean, and why y'all did what you did… Especially with the last comment. Which 'they're' are you talking about, may I ask?"

Jones blinked, before scowling hard. "How dare you accuse me of that. It was just a slip of a tongue."

"Cat caught it?" Oates said, grinning.

Ralph stayed silent, growling a little.

"Punks… criminals," Oates began recounting. "Didn't you mean sneaky, conniving…"

"You're just putting words in my mouth at this point! Nothing more. I have nothing against foxes, but if he tries to throw the fox bias card in to try and get off with a slap on the wrist, he's deserving of every stereotype speciesists throw at him."

Oates put his hooves up. "Let's step back a bit. Say y'all were angry with them both as they both had a potential connection to this stuff. Is that a fair interpretation of your words?"

Scowling, the big cat nodded.

"So you take it out on both of them, in public, amongst all their friends."

"Maybe those friends deserve to know…"

"-Know what?" Oates shouted. "Because I tell you this, boy. We don't know a thing about this case. There's the chance that the fox with the call planted the pellets in his cousin's locker. The chance it was all the cousin. There's the chance that a third party planted them and…"

"-Oh come off it, that's ridiculous."

"We have two very strong suspects for just that!" Oates yelled, the tiger freezing slightly.

"How was I supposed to…"

"You weren't," he said. "Nobody was, so y'all were supposed to act like it. Now normally, had you confirmed right away that it was the small fox's locker, you'd have had a single cop come in and take him away. Take him to the locker, ask a few questions, then read him his rights and lead him off. I suppose at least you did that last part right! Now, had it been the other fox, y'all should have done the same thing. Wait for the confirmation, bring him out, read him his rights and take him away. Instead, y'all chose to make it a spectacle for the both of them…"

"Oh who cares!?"

"The first child's parents, for a start!" Oates yelled. "Their kit had serious survivor's guilt after all of that, y'all damn well near traumatised him more than the kit you arrested. Heck, it looks like you scared him far more. So, bravo, good job. You terrified an innocent kit, one whose father writes for the papers." There was a long pause, the massive horse leaning down and up into the tigers personal space, giving a long nostril flaring snort. "You feel like a big cat now?"

"Well, he'll know now what happens to…"

"And the others, huh? What about them? They're terrified too. You think you're scared of the howlers, what do y'all think those kids think huh? So tell me, who's the big cat now, boy? And what if the one you hauled off in front of them is cleared? They'll all remember seeing that happen to him, and if any, any, are half as thick at getting an idea out of their skull as you are, then they'll still look down at him, still suspect him, going on for the rest of his life because of how you screwed up! Especially those that share your particular brand of biases."

Jones slammed his paws down. "The only biases I have are towards preds who go out and betray the rest of us!"

"And what if y'all were wrong? I mean, the original savage preds had nighthowlers planted on them by prey. Planted at a very high velocity mind you, but planted nonetheless… If they wanted to make a new kind of fear, they certainly succeeded, and you helped them far more than Officer Hopps' press conference mess up ever did!"

Jones seemed mollified for a second or two, before he looked away. "I… Maybe I overacted," he defended, his face scowling. "But I did nothing wrong. We've busted into houses and had to arrest parents in front of children many times before, then taking said children into care. We've got caught in fights on the street between kids younger than those ones and had to break them up. We've dealt with kids barely into double digits using their size advantage to do stuff to species much smaller than them. Heck, one even straight up pushed a mammal into traffic and said they deserved it because of their species. -Besides, even if we'd kept it quiet then, they'd have known soon enough."

"Who says? Pass it off as a health problem with one of the parents, keep it quiet, and as for all that other stuff... Those were all things you were forced to do, this was something you chose to do. There's the difference boy!"

"So, fine," the tiger grumbled. "You're not going to let this go. So, what are the consequences then?"

"Well, for our investigation, y'all poisoned a bunch of potentially critical witnesses straight off the bat, something that's only going to cascade all the way down! They'll tell others, who'll tell others, and wrapping it up with all this stupidity from the DA…"

"-What's stupid about what he did?" the tiger asked with a shrug.

For a second, he was in danger of a hoof to the face before Oates restrained himself. "What's stupid is that any chance of investigating this properly is getting smaller and smaller the more that wrecking balls like him and you have a go at it! We might have students in there who knew things but are scared to come out now. Or who might have remembered things that could have been useful, but now your actions have coloured them all, throwing them off. When it comes to trial, if it comes to that, and any are useful in any way, I bet you that any competent defense attorney will be grilling them alive over biases around that. And let's not forget that the father is a well respected, well paid academic, and this case is already building up the sympathy points! Lawyering up, he could be going after someone like Sam Burmowitz, Eric Badge and Delilah O'Possum, or god forbid Vern Rodenberg for his son, who can have adult witnesses bawling out in tears on a good day. And never mind the witnesses, this whole treatment thing could have a major influence on the entire case and trial itself, potentially throwing any chance for real justice off of it. That's what it means to us! What it means to them is that a bunch will need therapy and the kit, if he is innocent, may lose a bunch of his friends anyways. Both of them may well end up traumatised, and we may end up with a bunch of lawsuits coming our way. As for you, I've talked with your Chief and you're going to be put on review."

"What? Come on! If you think you can label me as a fox hater..."

"Who knows," Oates said, smiling. "I can certainly interpret the evidence in that particular way."

Jones crossed his paws. "Well I interpret it a different way."

Oates shrugged. "Well, your new commander's trademark comes in use here. Y'all be transferred to our Precinct, Precinct One, as of tomorrow, and put under the command of Chief Bogo until your hearing date. Say… a few months away?"

The tiger looked on angrily, only to relax, trying to shrug it off. "When that's over, I'll still be me and I'll be back here and you'll have wasted your time for nothing."

Oates harrumphed, standing up. "And I'm pretty sure that y'all be busted down a rank or two, a tiger with a few stripes of his removed. We'll see. Still, whatever the case, it'll be a bump up after what Bogo will have you on." He turned and left, the tiger crossing his arms.

"Oh noooo, parking duty, Bogo's famous punishment of doom. I'm so scared."

Oates turned back, raising a hoof. "You would be boy, if you've seen the quota he's expecting."

And with that, the horse detective left. He had more work to do, as did Catano. He wondered how his partner was doing right now.

.

.

Turning the wheel hard, Catano maneuvered her cruiser around the sharp bend. Quite unusually for a West Coast city, Zootopia was not built on a grid layout. Then again, in some parts, doing so was out of the question anyhow. Such was the case for the Peak District. The name was likely a joking reference to the mountainous region in England, but it was certainly apt. While the Rainforest and Tundra Town were split in two by a sharp backed ridge line, said formation split into two by the time it reached the crux of all four districts, a massive raised hill sheltered between the two lower ridge lines. This was what gave the city its iconic skyline, arguably the most recognisable in the world. The city planners, eager to capitalise on it and knowing its value as an area equidistant from all areas in the city, chose to zone the area itself as the skyscraper district, doubling up the effect as the already raised area soared even higher.

There were drawbacks though.

While there was a roughly square mile of plateau up there, perfect for building super tall buildings, the edge involved a long and just too steep to drive up escarpment leading down to the second highest tier, itself split from the main city by another similar escarpment. As a result, roads would turn and hairpin on their way up, weaving through the still-tall overspill from the central district. The result was an awkward and tricky drive up, requiring lots of sharp turns and plenty of hill starts at traffic lights. Catano relaxed slightly, thankful for the fact that the police cruisers were automatic. She didn't like the idea of doing all of this in a manual (then again, she didn't like the idea of a manual period).

The lights changed and she slowly started on her way up again, weaving up through the ever towering structures. She supposed that this geography affected all transport users equally. After all, the height difference was why the metro system had some of its famous glaring faults. While the Snowcastle Line from Tundratown had a reasonable pre-made slope up, it still came in deep; both Lionheart Avenue and the line's terminus at Peak Street were far down. Then there was the Inner Loop. The original version was just that, an inner loop, serving all four districts, with a shuttle branch then added in Sahara Square, peeling off and out from Heat Street before terminating at Dead End.

For the new business district though, it was planned to send those shuttle trains onto the main line for a bit before cutting west at the closest point in Sahara Square, Olive Street. However the trains at the time had no chance of climbing straight up, so instead the line had to take a long spiral up to and then around the middle tier (probably a good thing, given that (again) due to the geography, the original Inner Loop didn't serve it), passing through Herd, Troop, Flock, Pack, Trip and Hill Street stations (going from a deep tunnel to a viaduct along the way), briefly slipping into the Rainforest (Old Growth City, to be exact) to link up with the many sky-tram termini at Fruit Market before entering the top tier from the west and reaching a much shallower terminal at Peak Street.

It explained why there were no subway connections between Pack street, western most of the bunch, and the earlier inner loop station at Grass Street. The vertical climb from one to the other was massive, with the links instead provided by cable drawn trams (which, while today mainly running on electricity, could still clamp onto the cables in these regions).

However, capacity soon became a major issue, as well as long commute times from Sahara Square given the round-about loop. As a result, a new line was built from the Outer Loop station at Tundra Gate (closest to the climate wall on the desert side) straight up to the Peak District (with two stops along the way, one connecting to the Inner Loop at Cactus Grove). While displayed as part of the Outer Loop, it was completely separate, and had to be. The only way to make the climb was to build it as a rack railway.

Even now, with the planned North-South line, the geography made it hard. Modern trains could climb far steeper gradients, but even so the line had to go out of the Savanna Central tunnel and up on rising viaducts, hitting the lower escarpment mid-way up before passing through its new platforms at Troop street. The branch up to Peak Street did the same thing again, rising out of the ground, onto a viaduct, before entering the cliff part way up; they also had to build new platforms for it, even deeper than the to be abandoned Snowcastle Line terminus, before it then merged with said line just before Lionheart Avenue.

Pulling off again, Catano shook her head. -Why was she recounting this?

Probably to keep herself distracted. She was weaving up in the area around Hill Street, one of the most expensive parts of the city. Not just for megafauna, or large fauna or even medium sized mammals. No, this was expensive period, even rodent sized housing selling for more than the equivalent in the famously overpriced Little Rodentia. Turning one last corner, she pulled up to a large condo complex, shaped like a semi-circle sticking out of the earth but with cladding and decorations inspired by curled ram and goat horns. She felt she was just a bit too tall for it, something reinforced as she pulled up on the road (hanging her police ID on the vehicle) and got out. She'd have to duck to get through the doors and her ears would likely brush the roof going through.

Still, she had a job to do. She walked into the reception, spotting a young looking and well dressed markhor: a mountain goat with long pale grey fur, a long dark beard and two spectacular horns which looked like ribbons corkscrewing up out the top of his skull. With him and the building design, she was sensing a theme, one that made sense given the gradient of the ground that they were on. He stood up, adjusted his suit and tie, before looking at her. "Afternoon, Maaaaa'm," he spoke, part of a bleat working its way in. "How can I help you?"

She smiled, bringing out her badge. "Hello, I'm Kii Catano of the ZPD. I'm here to talk to the Calrama family, are they in today?"

"Sure," he replied. "Floor four, flat 6." He brought out a card for her. "Have a nice day."

She smiled. "Thanks, I'll try to." She silently noted that it would be a tall order as she entered the lift and made her way up. It was at the end of the building and plated in glass, primarily giving her a view of the other tall buildings. In one half though she could see the view out and it was spectacular. On one side, the sharp cliff cutting off the Rainforest district swept down, wisps of clouds curling off of its peaks. Beneath it, framed in, the city descended, revealing itself beneath her. The tall buildings gave way to the mid-rises of the poor Pack Street neighbourhood, before descending again into the dense sprawl of Savannah Central. All throughout, the building colours were peppered with green, before it met the blue of the ocean.

The lift came to a stop and she walked along, noting that the flat in question would have that view. She came to a stop and knocked with a quick flurry of knuckle-raps.

…

"Coming," came a (male) grunt from inside, followed by a pause. "Who are you?"

"Kii Catano, ZPD," she said, professionally.

"Oh," he said, suddenly bitter, angry, aggressive. Her ear flicked back. "Do you have a warrant?"

"No, I just want to…"

"Then cuss off. You hear me? Cuss off!"

"Listen," she said, her ears going down as her face scowled. "I just want to ask some questions, and…"

"And why would that be, huh?"

She bit her tongue, stopping herself from saying something that would be unbecoming of a police officer. Given who his relative was and what she'd done, if he wanted mammals to be nice to him then he should at least try and help out. If he was innocent, of course; if he was guilty of this or connected to the old plot in any way then his reaction made perfect sense given his deplorable actions. Indeed, when Dawn fell he didn't stand up and decry her like his older brother. Instead, he'd tried to run and hide, burying it all and trying to vanish away the past. Then again, part of her wondered, maybe that was understandable given that there were mammals like Gruinard Gal out there…? She shook her head. Whatever the morality, she had a job to do. "You're Dominic Calrama, yes?"

"Yes."

"But it's not your first surname."

…

"I know what happened at that school," he said, blithely. "Honestly, it was only a matter of time before you came to bother us."

'Well, duh…' She thought. "This is just a fact finding mission, I…"

"-You say that, but I bet you have all the facts that you need already," he spoke. "However, you don't have a warrant, so…"

"-How long do you think it'll take for us to get one, hmmm?" she asked, choosing to just go into no-nonsense mode. "And you need that to search the property, not to ask questions. I could take you into the station, for police questioning, something which I have no doubt would be distressing for all of your family. The same would be true of your daughter. If I really wanted to search the place, I could get a warrant, too. Just a matter of time. I just want to ask some questions."

There was a long pause, before he spoke again. "I'm going to record this. Say that again, then I'll let you in, just to talk, and we can discuss these things. I might even let you search a few things, not like I have anything to hide… Not that I think you will believe that."

"Thank you," she said, relaxing. She knew that many mammals didn't trust the cops but, in cases like this where they were offering an olive branch, there was no reason not to take it. She repeated her assurances and there was a shake as the door was unlocked, before it opened up to reveal the ram in question. There really was no doubt about it, he was Dawn Bellwether's brother. He had had the same round green eyes, glasses (sleek and narrow rather than warm and round) placed over them. That was what struck her the most, even before she realised just how small he was. A head taller than Dawn at least, but still notably small for a sheep, though he made up for it in terms of girth. He wore his wool thick, yet still dressed smartly in some black trousers and a grey dress shirt. He had her ears too, very long and thin ones, similar in shape to those of a bunny but firing out the side of his head, not the top. Then there was the face structure, a bit squarer but similar, with two tiny nubs of horns sticking out. Finally there was the way the wool grew around it. He had her big head poof, though here it was cut into a sharp 70's style fro, and her mutton chops, though the wool here was shaved down into a sleek frizz. All in all, he looked sleeker, more dapper, but the cute, innocent, sweet, adorable and evil mayor was still in there.

If you didn't know, you'd never guess. If you did know, you'd wonder how you could ever miss it.

"Are you going to stare at me for much longer?"

"-Sorry, I…" she said, trailing off. "Just you look so much like her."

"Well of course I do, I'm her brother," he said, as he let her in.

.

.

AN: A few references given to some of the best fictional lawyers out there in the fandom. Can you place them? Might we bumping into any of them later? Well, guess you'll have to wait and find out.

Chapter Text

Chapter 21

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"What the…?" Gus gawped, dropping down to glance at the space beneath the fridge. He darted up, grabbed a ruler, before pushing it under and pulling it out. All that was left was a twisted bit of foil, covered in a light ash. "What the…?"

"Yeah, what the fuzz is that?" Finnick asked, coming in and leaning down. He picked it up and gave it a sniff. He flicked his fingers a few times. "I've seen something like this before, but…"

Gus looked at him, then down again, all oblivious to the actions of the other mammals. Mr Fox was walking around, sniffing deeply as he tried to detect nighthowler scents. Meanwhile, Jack wandered over to the corkboard. Most of the air had cleared so, through the little hidden camera, those in the van had the perfect view of Duke's pictures.

"That's crater lake!" Judy said, pointing at an old picture, Nick nodding in agreement.

Skye nodded. "Look at that picture of a volcano up there, Jack."

The bunny nodded, peeking in. Judy looked at it and smiled. "Looks like Mt Shasta."

Skye frowned, shaking her head. "No, that's Mt Hood."

"You sure?"

"Certain," the swift fox vixen said. "Passed it on a bike trip up to Stergis years back. Back me up here, Honey."

The honey badger looked closer, an eyebrow rising. "Well it's not St Helens…"

"Doesn't matter," Judy cut in. "We can check later. Keep on scanning around."

Jack did just that, giving a quick overview of the rest of the board. There was a picture postcard of a small squat lighthouse, the title giving it as the Cape Bears light. Lower down, there was a picture of a loosely packed coastal town amongst the trees, cliffs rising to the side and some arches off in the distance.

However, Judy's eyes were focussed on one thing in particular. "That picture there," she said, "with the water tower at the back." Jack nudged over, revealing a photo-film era selfie of Duke. Behind him was a low slung garage on the outskirts of a town somewhere, a large water tower poking up behind it all. Judy scowled as she saw that only a smudge of the town's name was present, completely indecipherable. What interested her the most though were the facts that the lot was surrounded by old camper vehicles, a weasel in the background giving one a wash. Judy couldn't help but notice that Duke was sniggering slightly as he gave the oblivious presumed family member a middle finger. "Get in close."

Jack did just that, giving a few wide scans of the corkboard just in case. Backing off, Jack looked down at Kylie, the opossum shrugging and shaking his head, before pointing off into a corner. The camping equipment was gone.

Jack nodded, before turning back to the discussion with Gus. As planned, they'd given an explanation about a grease-stained bit of foil. A takeaway had coated it, it hadn't been thrown away and slipped behind the fridge, getting dried out by the heatsink, before a static spark or something lit the fumes. Not the most likely explanation, but it gave something logical that Gus could latch on to, and he nodded, agreeing, before looking out over the mess on the ground floor uncomfortably. "Right," he mumbled, before glancing around. Jack broke away, looking over at the picture board again.

"It's okay, Jack," Judy said. "We've got that."

The bunny ignored them, scanning closer.

"Uh, Jack…"

"-Hang on, I think I know what he's doing," Nick said with a smile.

The girls looked at him for a second or two before being broken off, the sound of Gus' voice speaking out. "-You looking at Duke's pics?"

"Just swear I saw some of these places before," he replied. "I recognised crater lake, but I'm not sure where that town is."

"Me neither," Gus replied, walking over.

"And I swear that rings a bell," the hare said, tapping on the picture with Duke and his presumed relative.

"You could have asked Duke were he in," Gus replied. "He has a cousin who worked at a camper rental place, ended up buying it a few years later or so. He'll have slipped over there to pick one up, then going wherever he goes."

"I thought you said he was going camping?"

"Eh. Camping, camper vanning, basically the same thing."

"Ever been in a scrappy tent during a thunderstorm? It's not."

Gus cracked a smile. "Guess so."

"Well, hopefully he'll have decent weather in his van anyways."

"Yeah," Gus shrugged, "wherever he is."

Jack nodded, before stepping out the door with the others. They gave Gus a wave, slipped back out, down and around, before making their way all the way back to the van. Nick opened the door, and they all jumped.

Mr Fox looked around, smiling. "So, how much of a success was all of that?"

Judy got up and nodded. "I'd say it was pretty insightful."

Mr Fox smiled and slipped his borrowed aviators back on. "I'd say it was…" Duuuh-Duuuuhhhhh "Fantastic."

.

.

Catano ducked down and through the door before standing up again, her ears almost hitting the ceiling. Most of the rooms appeared nice, the pair turning and entering a big lounge. It had a floor to ceiling window with sliding doors, giving access to a grassy terrace, complete with a small pool. Beyond that was the same amazing view of the city.

Inside were the two other members of the family holding back and staring at her. Alicia Calrama, or Alicia Bellwether as she'd once been known, was much more like a traditional ewe, wearing a big blue flowery dress to cover her thick white wool and with the usual brown rectangular eyes of her species. They threw Kii off a bit and she tried to ignore them. By feline standards, she wasn't pretty, but the cheetah guessed that by sheep standards she was. She was nothing like Dawn too: regular sized, even a bit large, for a sheep and with much shorter ears. Her head itself had no thick wool to the sides or on top, it was all a very thin black fuzz bar around her mouth and nose where it turned white. She also had two horns that swept out and down from the top of her head and completed half a loop before ending.

Maisy was a mix. Her ears were short, her wool worn long, her height normal sized for a sheep and there was no giant head puff, just a little white curl up on top of her solid black face. Her eyes were her father's shape but her mother's colour, while her face… The different colour was a throw off, as was the fact that it was a bit longer, but now knowing the truth it really began to ring some bells (no pun intended). She turned away though, burying her head in her mother's side, physically shaking as the ewe hugged her, sending the big cat a warning glare.

Catano couldn't help but shy away. The poor girl was terrified: could it be because of her guilt, or might it be just regular fear? Did she know about mammals like Gruinard Gal?

"You're here to talk to me," Dominic warned. "You so much say a word to her and I'm pushing you out and getting my lawyer onboard. Understood?"

"Understood," she repeated, "though, if she's willing to answer, I can ask questions to help with the investigation."

He turned to glare at her.

"If she wants, she can just stay silent, and you can be there by her side," she repeated.

He didn't look impressed, giving her a warning look before leading her on. Dominic pulled out a key from under a plant pot and unlocked a nearby door. They went into an internal room, the door shutting behind them. It was used as an office, some computers and a desk chair laid out and with band posters (mainly Ewe2) hanging up on the side. He pulled down a fold down table from the wall and brought out two chairs, Catano pausing as she saw that the rear end was covered with a curtain.

He saw her looking and snorted. "You probably hate me already, so this won't matter."

He pulled the curtain away, revealing a huge display case, full of pictures. All of them containing one huge point of commonality; Dawn Bellwether – Alone, in a group, on the mayoral stand, as a lamb, with Lionheart, with Maisy at points in her childhood. Catano scanned it all, briefly catching a glimpse of the other Bellwether brother, the eldest. He looked very similar to the rest, the family resemblance between the three siblings and two parents obvious.

"Well, go on," he spoke, sitting back and opening up his hooves. "Get it out of the way."

For some reason, she couldn't. Sure, she knew what he was talking about. Had this just been the pictures of Bellwether then she'd have been rightfully angry at what was essentially a shrine for a monstrous criminal, even with the family connection. She'd seen things like it before, you still had occasional prey-supremacist 'truthers' who claimed that her arrest was all a conspiracy, even down to her carrot pen recorded confession. She'd endured one long and painful interview where an angry ram had gone on about how the predophile Judy Hopps and her preydophile 'pelt' had set it up and lured her in. She'd called the cops, fearing for her friend, only to be met with a betrayal, a police sting and a deep-faked or impressionist created 'confession'. After that, some rams were picked off the street and labelled as her co-conspirators, Jessey and Woolter blackmailed into making their false confessions. The ZPD had then used fake data trails to justify a purging of all anti pred-supremacy mammals that they wanted to remove, leaving small mammals once more at the mercy of savage preds like her.

When asked why the savage predators had then stopped appearing, he said that the predators had chosen to stop doing it, helping to sell the ruse. It wouldn't be long before they could start it up again, this time knowing that the worse it got, the more blame and vitriol could be thrown at random prey mammals like him.

A rather nasty bunny meanwhile had fully accepted everything that Dawn had done, and had then said she was a hero for doing it and that preds like her deserved everything they got. Both had made shrines to Bellwether, in each case the sight sending a little shiver down her spine and a thrust of bile up her throat. But this one, though, with the evil ewe so ensnared amongst family life, birthdays, parties and all sorts… She didn't feel that. "It feels strange," she said.

"Huh?"

"I'm not sure what to think," she said, sitting down. "Tell me, do you believe she did it?" She'd encountered family members of major criminals before, some of whom just couldn't process the fact.

"Of course," he spoke, looking down. "Maybe I held onto a faint hope at first, but after first seeing her a day after her arrest and asking her, well…"

He left it unsaid, Catano nodding. So he did know, but still kept them all.

"-Maybe you only know her as the monster of Zootopia," he began, cutting her off. "But I've known her all my life. She was there when I was tiny, fussing over my wool or waiting by my bed for me to wake up, joking that she was 'the dawn'. We did everything together, I loved her as you would your brothers and sisters. Do you have any?"

"No," she answered, truthfully.

"Well, given that she was older, imagine that it was a parent who did it. How would you feel?"

"Angry," she said. "Furious that they could do such a thing, mad that they could break my trust like that. I'd get rid of the pictures and publicly call them out."

He held quiet for a second or two. "I love her too much for that," he spoke, plainly. "She'll always be my big sister, I'll always hold onto the good memories and focus on them. Not denying she did dreadful, evil, things, but I can split apart both of those things and try and enjoy the memories she left me."

Catano nodded. She remembered Clawhauser's comments, enjoying those videos while knowing that they were nasty nonsense. He wasn't bad or anything, he was a good mammal, but in her view that was a bad thing he was doing. She felt the same here, though added in was a sense of sympathy. He just didn't want all his cherished memories to be tarnished. Regardless of their differences though, she had a job to do. "Very well. So, are you aware of what happened?"

"A fox had night howlers in his locker. Now you lot have decided that, being a fox, it couldn't have been him. My daughter going to the same school, ah now there's someone politically correct to pin the blame on."

Her right ear twitched a bit. "Is that why you think we're looking at you, political reasons?"

"Well, why else?" he asked.

"I mean, why on earth would a fox have that stuff in his locker?" she asked, her paws going up as she cast her line out.

"I don't know," he replied, crossing his arms. "Maybe he planned to transfer them to my daughters locker but was caught before he had a chance. Maybe, if you insist it was a plant, they were going for her locker but got the wrong one. Ever thought of that? Perfect bit of revenge on the Bellwether family there, nobody would question it, we'd all be guilty the moment it was revealed. But it was found on a fox and, if it was him, then it would be part of a plot that involves him showing certain negative attributes or characteristics." There was a pause. "Ones, often unfairly, thrown out at vulpines, something that's rightfully a great embarrassment to this city. Of course, society wants to look nice and clean and innocent and modern, and those in politics and the police want to make sure that no-one can accuse them of such backward and nasty things as accusing a fox of being sneaky and untrustworthy. Perfectly understandable."

"I'm following you," she said. Given the tip-offs and what she knew, his daughter being the target was, as far as she could see, out of the question. She was tempted to let him know that, so that, if innocent, he could at least be at ease there. But that would be giving too much away. It was best to let him talk on.

"Of course, we then get a fox doing just that. You don't want to look bad, you don't want to ruin all your good work, you don't want to put the narrative back in the paws of the nasty mammals who hate innocent foxes for no reason. Heck, if it had been others reporting this before the big discovery, you guys would probably label them as those kind of fox hating mammals too and throw them out, however much they tried to come back and beg. They're just trashy scum to you, not worth your time."

"-I'd listen to them," she said, butting in. "I took a vow and part of that is to act with integrity."

He nodded. "Maybe you're a better cop than most. But some aren't, same for those further up the ladder. And, for them, having a fox be the bad guy here was a no-go. A sheep, though? Ah, well who cares about sheep. Look what they tried to do to our city, they're the bad guys in it."

"-I don't think sheep are evil," Catano butted in, wanting to make that clear.

"Fair enough, again, not every cop. You probably know about ovinophobia and all that, and all the horrible things recently said about my species. In fact, you probably don't want it to be a sheep at all. But, you then learn that the nearest sheep to him was Dawn Bellwether's niece. Now, every mammal can get behind that story. There's no fox being shifty or untrustworthy, no sheep being prey supremacists and all in league. It's just an angry relative, seeking revenge, and carrying on her aunt's evil work. She gets put away, everything goes back to normal, everything is fair again, they all live happily ever after. The end." He spoke it out, before his lips trembled. "Except for my innocent daughter, her life stolen, forced to think back on the unfairness of it all as she spends every day locked inside a small cell, hated and beaten by those around her."

"That wouldn't happen," Catano assured him.

He snorted. "Knowing you lot, you'd have her in a chain gang or something."

Catano frowned. "Don't be ridiculous."

.

.

Earlier that day

.

"Okay dudes," Terrence shouted. Kris and all of the other mammals were outside, standing in the large yard area in between the two wings of his cell block. The sun was mild and the air smelt fresh; if he was going to try and focus on the bright side of life, he supposed that there was a place to start.

He and all the others had had their discussion cut short, all being moved out for their first hour of exercise. One of two that they were given throughout the day. It seemed that fitness was taken seriously here. The giant river otter, dressed in a white tank top and some blue gym shorts, certainly did, though he paused as he waddled up between the prisoners, all moping about lazily. "Come on, give some enthusiasm. Let's get ready. Are you ready?"

"Yes," they moaned.

"Suit yourselves," he spoke. "Time's already started though, and we're doing the throw and kick circuit first. Line up from smallest to largest, then filter out."

The seeming laziness from before was replaced with a hurried rush as the mammals seemingly ignored him, going straight to their final positions. The smallest ones faced off against each other at the narrowest point in the yard, while the mammals got progressively larger as they went out. They then all took four steps to the side, something that hadn't been in the instructions at all.

Kris, the tapir and the little pup were lost in the middle of it all. Terrance chuckled ahead. "You forgot something," he spoke. "We've got new guys here. Right, Kyle. Over between that goat and the kangaroo." The tapir nodded and walked over, spotting a space being made. "Right, and Matt?" Kris looked up to see the pup look up. He was given a place, before going over. "And Kris, between that capybara and hare."

Off he went, slotting in between the two. The latter was huge, brown coloured and probably months away from his 'graduation'. Worryingly, he was a member of the 'sicko's' and not 'the founders', though he seemed to be keeping to himself. The capybara though, the one with glasses, was the leader of the nerds, and someone that Timofey had asked him to keep an eye on. Just why had been cut short by the call to go outside, but Kris believed (and hoped) it was for friendly reasons. After all, the giant bear said he wanted the use of a diplomat, and they tended to be used for diplomatic stuff.

Ideally he'd want a much better read on the whole political situation here before doing anything, but on the other paw there was a giant and, so far, friendly polar bear pushing him on. It was an unideal situation nestled in an unideal situation… But he felt it was the best option to go ahead with it for now.

"Okay, I won't start the timer yet as that would be unfair," Terrance said, garnering a massive sigh of relief. "-But we've got some new guys here, and lost some old ones, one for very good reasons." There were a set of whistles, cheers and claps which almost seemed to catch on but didn't. "So, we do a drill first." He gave a small-ish ball, twice the size of a scaled basketball for the smallest and the size of a baseball for the largest, out. The small mammals began throwing it to each other, slowly working its way further out. There were a few misses here and there, in which case the mammal in question would dart out, retrieve it, go back to his place and pass it along. A big groan came out as the pup failed to catch it, then missed with his throw, the catching mammal having to jog out to get it and bring it back. Soon, Kris saw the ball coming straight at him. Moving a bit, he caught it (realising it was an indoor ball made of squidgy foam covered in plastic) and throwing it along. It carried on up. Terrence, jogging up, limboed beneath it and held up a thumbs up, before watching as Timofey caught it. End of the line.

Then, he kicked it back, the ball making a long return trip on the ground. The hare to Kris' right received it, kicked it fast and high to its recipient, going out to stop it, before returning to his place and kicking it over to Kris. Without thinking, he kicked it straight on to its recipient, the one who'd thrown it to him earlier. He didn't have to move to intercept it, and kicked it back to the capybara, who then pushed it back across, his partner having to take a few steps but overall not going out of his way. The ball made it back to the pup, or Matt, Kris realised. He caught it and gave it a strong kick, making it fly up. Surprisingly it was accurate, albeit requiring his partner to catch it; though he then just dropped it on the floor and passed it on. "Careful now," Terrence said, jogging back the other way. He stopped as the ball returned to the finish.

"Okay," he said, looking around. "I know it'll take longer today as we've got some new guests in, but I'll be a bit sneaky and pro-rata up the numbers for this and the other exercises. Sound good?"

He was met by a bunch of cheering, before he passed the ball on, letting it start its journey for real. "Don't tell anyone!" he joked, met with a bunch of chuckles and 'no sir's.' He soon put in another ball, then another, and by the time one reached Kris a fifth. He caught it and threw it on, before a voice spoke up.

"You want to do it as fast as you can." It was the capybara.

"Why's that? I mean, everyone is obviously into their sports here. I'd presume there's some kind of competition."

"Cuss yeah there is," he said, as he caught a ball and chucked it on, its recipient having to lean out and down to catch it.

"So what's the reward?" Kris asked, catching the ball and throwing it along perfectly.

The big rodent looked at him and smiled. "First dibs on lunch!"

"Huh?"

"I said first…" he began, only to cut off as he grabbed a ball and chucked it on. "Dibs on lunch. You know how we and the other cell blocks rotate for first time in for breakfast?"

"Yeah," Kris said, catching a ball and passing it. He paused as he saw the very first ball rolling back his way on the floor, before kicking it off.

"Well, for lunch, the more your cell blocks score…" he cut off to kick the ball on. "The earlier you get let in. Same for dinner. Better chance of getting the good options and not being with the leftover crap."

Kris blinked before nodding, pausing as another thrown ball was coming up. He let the capybara throw it before carrying on. "I suppose that's a good way to encourage us to exercise."

"Cuss yeah," he chuckled, "clever screws."

The ball came and Kris, having an idea, hit it back like a volleyball. He was just about the right size for it to line up, and off it went, straight to his partner as a ball was kicked back. Kris kicked it back over.

"-You're good!" the large rodent said.

"Thanks."

"Preds will like you," he said. "They just get one meat option, plus pizza. There tends to be a veggie salad too. If you don't like the meat…" he began, pausing to kick the ball on. "You wanna be in early, get something else before it's out."

"I guess it's similar for sides and desert?"

"Clever fox," he said, catching a ball and throwing it on. "I got in not long after the howler crisis," he said. "Cussing herd was filling up with arrested pred haters, and the old boys still hadn't calmed down after it."

"Right…" Kris said, throwing on the ball.

"So they striked, trying to screw over preds," he muttered. "But all other blocks did that, and the screws made strikers go super last, which just helped the preds. So they then tried going 'slow'."

"But with all the other blocks," Kris began, kicking a ball on.

"Yup! Stupid thing only lasted my first month. They like good food more than they hate preds. Say, what you in for?"

"Well, it's a…" he began, only for the mammal to his side to cut him off, even as he kicked off his new ball.

"-No sob stories!" he grunted. "I did serious assault."

Kris' head tilted slightly. "That's not a legal…"

"Who cares? It's the basics," he said, carrying on his motions with the balls. "Your turn."

"I…" Kris began, before spotting two balls, bunched together, coming over his way. He kicked them on. "I accidentally poisoned a family."

"What did I say about sob stories," he said, as the balls, a bit further apart, came to him. He stopped and kicked the first but missed the second, going back to the wall to grab it and kick it on. The recipient was already holding a ball, waiting to throw it on. Looking further down, Kris realised that Terrance was spending a lot of time with the pup, helping him catch and kick. Teaching him and doing the technique, but occasionally doing it for him with a smile on his muzzle. The others around him seemed to appreciate it, though they would have given that it was helping their block.

"I asked…"

"I was just giving context," Kris replied, punting on another ball, then kicking on a second. "I was a waiter in a cafe. It was an accident, they were loud, noisy, I misheard them talking about which allergy they had… They said it was deliberate and filmed an argument I had with them. My family is going to get a good lawyer and appeal."

"Well good luck," he said. "I yeeted a mouse."

Kris was stuck with the image of the seemingly friendly rodent next to him chucking a much smaller member of his order like a baseball. "Why would you yeet a mouse?"

"I was cussed off about an argument with my step dad after he'd stolen my computer… -I built it with my own money! Went for a walk on some scrap of land, a mouse began screaming at me about trespassing and I lost it. So I went down, grabbed him, and chucked him." A ball came his way and he kicked it off; it flew up and bounced away, its recipient having to jog out and intercept it. "Cuss," he spoke. "Didn't mean to do that."

"Is he okay?"

"Landed in some brambles."

"Those are big for mice," Kris couldn't help but note.

"I remember at my trial," he said, bringing up his paw and drawing a long line down his forearm. "Schuuuuuuck…. -Said they almost have to take it off." He turned back to pass on his balls.

"Do you regret it?"

"Well I'm stupid for doing it," he grunted. "But I only got two and a half years, and I've less than one left. You?"

Kris punted a ball along. "Five," he said, seeing as it was what had been agreed for his cover story. Enough so that it covered all the time he'd spend here if…

It took a ball hitting his foot to break him out of that. He kicked it on, before feeling a wash of fear and worry come over him. He closed his eyes and focussed. No, his friends were going to fix this. It would all be okay. He could trust them, be strong for them. Be strong for his father.

"-And I mean my scat-dad being the start of the argument, then saying I didn't deserve anything more than a court lawyer and that what I got I'd deserve…" He broke off to kick on. "Well, my mother finally kicked him out and he's no longer my scat dad." He paused and smiled. "So, by dumb luck I think I came out of this okay."

"O...kay?" Kris asked.

The capybara turned to him. "Once you get used to it, this place isn't bad," he said. "And prison is for two and a half years. A scat dad is for life."

"I guess it's a good thing to look on the brighter side," Kris mumbled out, pausing as a whistle blew. Terrance walked out. "Okay! Double-looping now."

What followed involved all the mammals getting into two loops, one (smaller mammals) inside the other. They then had to jog in circles, unable to overtake so stuck at the pace of the slowest in the group. However, four mammals from each circle could stand out, swapping in with any mammal with their paw up once they'd completed a lap (marked by Terrance, who stood between the two, organising and counting everything). Kris was in the size area where he could go into either but, feeling fit, he went into the outer one. He didn't need to swap out during the running, though by the end he welcomed the rest. Others had taken longer out, especially Matt, who he'd seen kneeling by Terrance and catching his breath on exactly seven of the twenty nine laps they managed in the time given. The otter, who'd been shouting encouragement or patting mammals on the back throughout, then directed them into push-up, sit-up and other exercises, finishing off with a modified version of a beep test.

Once more, mammals lined up from smallest to largest, the bigger they were the longer the distance to the other wall. The beep sounded and mammals jogged forward much faster than Kris would expect; he went along, finding that either the beep was much shorter than usual or Terrance could make it sound as soon as the last mammal was in. Then they went back again, the beeps getting closer and closer together, until the first mammal (Matt, as expected). Dropped out.

"You can still take part, but it only counts if you complete it."

For the next few runs, he stayed put, soon joined by a few others. However, after a rest they tried joining in again, while he stayed put. He was soon getting shouted at, especially by the other predators. They told him what was at stake, telling him that he'd be sorry if they came last and got bad food.

Terrance marched up and ordered them to stop it, and that he better not hear about any bullying because of it unless they wanted him to go 'drill sergeant nasty' mode.

Kris struggled on, finally missing one beep and sitting down for a rest. The others ran across to the other side, the beep went off, and Terrance blew his whistle. "Okay, brilliant job you guys. It's over now, have fun in school."

The mammals began wandering off, Kris joining them. It had been a thorough exercise session and his limbs were tired. Sitting down in a chair, just having to listen and write stuff, that felt good…

Passing Terrance, the otter gave him a wink and a thumbs up, Kris returning a smile and a nod.

It then occurred to him. Were he the kind of angry mammal who would cause a lot of mischief, he wouldn't be feeling like that now. Too worked out. Of course, Terrance and the whole prison staff probably knew this.

After all, why stick two bouts of physical exercise into the schedule, one before school and one before the long evening free time period.

He smiled and rolled his eyes. He had to admit, the mammals running this place certainly knew what they were doing. He just hoped that he did.

.

.

Presently.

.

Dominic Calrama shrugged. "Oh, you'd find some way or other to give her your punishments."

Catano took it in, annoyed but nodding along. His confrontationalism was a pain, but this was his daughter she was talking about. She could calm him down, or she could work with it as part of a Hail Mary to solve the case, and she knew right away which one she'd choose. "So, you think mammals would like to blame your daughter for this, for hurting this fox in particular, all as a means of getting revenge for her aunt. But why?"

"Because she's her niece," he said. Slapping his head. "Because she's a sheep."

"That wouldn't be enough."

"Oh of course it would be."

"No it wouldn't."

"Have you even been listening?"

"Yes. Why would she do it?"

"You haven't, have you?"

"Why this fox?" She asked, silently wondering whether they knew or not, or whether he'd lie or not.

"Because he knows Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps!" he shouted.

Catano blinked, before smiling. "And how do you know that?"

Chapter Text

Chapter 22

.

.

"Drink it."

Agnes briefly looked down through her tear filled eyes at the mug of tea that Ash had given her.

"Or don't," he said, sitting down on a couch next to her. They were in the nurses room, sitting down in muted shock, trying to process what was going on. The nurse herself was sitting nearby and dealing with a pig who'd had an incident with a porcupine. She'd started to talk with them only to get nowhere, the vixen largely unresponsive before asking her to leave her alone. After that, Agnes had just sat there, shaking slightly.

"We're going to get him out," Ash said, taking a drink of his grape soda, the pangolin nurse breaking from her operation to scowl at him. She'd insisted on checking that it was treated to be canid safe, even though all processed food and drink generally were (with potentially dangerous foodstuffs having massive warning signs), yet she was still wary. "My kidneys feel fine," he muttered, turning back to the vixen. "We know that he didn't do it…"

"But he's in prison," she whispered, turning to look up at him.

"Yes. It's not fair, we're working on it. You'll get your boyfriend back."

…

"He's not my boyfriend."

Ash blinked. "What, did you two break up?"

"He's in prison, Ash! Prison!"

The fox tod frowned. "Do you think he wants to be there?"

"I'm not sure anyone does…"

"And you can go and visit him. Besides, how many times do I have to say it. We're going to clear his name! Then he'll be out and you two can carry on being girlfriend and boyfriend. Happily ever after, the end."

The vixen's teeth gritted and she shook her head. "You don't get it! He's been to prison, even if he was innocent he's been with them, he'll…" She broke off, head dropping into her paws as she clutched herself, hard.

Ash looked on, blinking. "So even though he did nothing wrong, you're going to abandon him?"

"I don't want to, but it's too late now, it's…"

"-Did someone you know go there?" he asked. "Did they change, for the worse, is that what you're scared of?"

"Nobody I know has ever been there," she said. "But that's what will happen, he'll… he'll change or, and I can't…"

"You will!" Ash shot back, angrily. The nurse glanced up at them, giving them a look before turning back to her own injured charge. "You will as you're his girlfriend."

"I… -we're in highschool," she justified. "I… It's a dumb highschool romance, it's not supposed to be crazy but… but now it is and that wasn't supposed to happen, I wasn't asking for it."

"Do you even love him!?"

"Yes!"

"So... -Girl up and do something."

"But…"

"No buts!" Ash scolded. "If it was him in your place, would he just leave you alone in there? Or abandon you even when your name is cleared and you get out?"

"I… I mean I'd expect it, but maybe not from him, I don't know! I don't know anything…"

"And how would it make you feel?" he asked, "getting dumped like that, after every other scary thing."

"I'd be sad, but…"

"-You know what," Ash spoke, looking down. "I don't care that you dumped me."

Her ears went back as she blinked. "That's… this isn't about…"

"I didn't say it was," he said.

"I mean maybe, if Kris is gone, I guess…"

"-No, no, no, no…" He cut her off, his tail swishing hard behind him. He scowled down at her. "I wouldn't even want you back after all this. I remember being told that if you dumped me, you weren't worth it anyway, and right now I think that's right. Boyfriends look after girlfriends and girlfriends look after boyfriends, that's what they do. Maybe you say you never signed up for this, but maybe that's you, just dropping out at the hardest times and coasting on the easy. Kris wouldn't do that, he'd be there for you all the way through, not that I think you deserve it. After all, I was right about you."

"Right? How?"

Ash kept a cold, level, piercing gaze on her. "You're not loyal."

He leant in, took her tea back (she didn't deserve it), and sat down, keeping away from her as she cried a bit. He'd wanted to comfort her but he was just angry now… He'd have understood it if she'd known someone who'd gone to jail and come back bad, maybe she thought that would happen to Kris. But why? Why did she think that? After all, Kris was Kris. Or did she think that him being a natural would also include being a natural at crimes?

"Why do you think prison will change him?"

"I… It's just what it does… Prison changes people, and he's a kit, and…"

"And he's Kris," Ash spoke, turning to face her. "Do you really think that he'll come out of there angry, violent, into crime and stuff?"

Her mouth opened and her ears were back and she looked like a deer stuck in headlights as she gave an ever so slight nod.

"Oh come on. It's Kris," Ash spoke, slumping back down in his seat. "Do you know what he'll be doing right now? He'll be trying to help out. Trying to be the model prisoner. He'll be teaching others meditation, and helping the kids who killed their father reconnect with their mother or things like that. But do you know what he'll also be doing?"

"No…"

"He'll be crying."

She blinked. "He doesn't really cry…"

"He does when he's alone," Ash said, looking away and thinking back to their first night together, when Kris was a stranger and he was a jerk. "When he's scared. When he's lonely. When he thinks that nobody around cares for him."

Agnes was silent, wiping her tears slightly. "I… But him coming back, it sounds scary…"

"Like he wasn't before?"

"Huh. He wasn't..."

"You do realise he knows karate," he said. He knew – he'd seen it once, and he'd resolved to never pick a physical fight with him until his growth spurt hit and carried him up to wolf size.

"Yes. But he's with criminals, in prison, when he gets out he might start using it more, and…"

"-Do you think he'd ever use it on you?"

…

"I… I don't know."

Ash closed his eyes and shook his head, groaning in frustration. "Are you just scared of all this, and mammals coming out of prison, and Kris being changed there, for no real reason other than that you're scared of it?"

"Yes!"

.

.

…

Ash breathed out, looking at her. "Do you want that to not be the case," he spoke. "So you're not scared of him and, when he comes back all the same, you two can pick up where you left off?."

"Yes," she sniffed. "But I just know that he will be different when he gets out. I just know it."

"Maybe… Maybe you can stop that from happening. You can phone him, maybe even visit him with us, and be there to just… just remind him not to change, okay?"

…

"I… Visiting sounds scary… But I'll… Is there a number I can call?"

Ash sighed. "I don't know. But his father might! Give me your phone, I'll put his number in."

"Okay," she said, sighing in and handing it over. Taking out his own phone, Ash copied the number and entered it in. All the while, he remembered the mission he was on.

"Have you seen Maisy around?"

"No," she said, shaking her head.

"Hmmm, maybe she texted back," he said, going out of the contents page and into the messages folder.

"Might have?" she asked, looking over.

Ash nodded and looked in, pressing down. There was the text that Agnes had sent her on that last day of normality, when they were in the park enjoying themselves. Nothing had been returned after.

"I guess not," she said, taking the phone back.

Ash nodded, looking down and remembering what he'd just read. A great big mention of Nick and Judy, making it clear that they were the Nick and Judy. Potentially, Agnes' text had been the first hit of the domino chain, ending up with Kris' current predicament. Ash could tell her that, explaining it all, but he chose not too…

He flinched as he felt a paw on his knee, flexing on and off, gripping it tight in tune with her slight sobs. Ash put his paw on top of hers and held it. He thought back to what he'd said, about what would Kris be doing right now. He'd believed it.

He wondered though. How was life really going for his cousin?

.

.

The lessons were…

Lessons.

Kris wasn't sure if there was any other real way of describing them. After the exercise session, all the prisoners were led into the schooling block and split up, going to where they needed to go. He'd been given a timetable and followed it, sitting down to do some maths work that he'd done over a year before. They were given instructions, he went through it swiftly, before double checking them and raising his paw.

"Right," the teacher, a zebra, groaned. "What do you need help with?"

"Nothing," he said. "I'm done."

The teacher paused. "Right, just… Skip through there until you find something you haven't done."

Kris did just that, getting to the end of the book and shrugging.

"I'll ask them to stick you up a year," the teacher said. Kris nodded, only for his ears to raise as he heard someone facepawing. "Who was that?" he asked, looking around before settling on a sable antelope from a different block. The perpetrator shrugged, giving a look of mock innocence but otherwise radiating guilt. The teacher, not impressed, got him to write the workings and answers on the board. Two guards stood in the room, silently observing, so it wasn't like he had much choice.

Later, when leaving the lesson, he walked up to him. "Yo, you new here?"

"Yes."

"Okay," he said, looking around. "Only telling you this as none of the herd from my block are here, but don't ask to go up."

"Why not?"

"-Didn't you read the rules? Good grades means better rewards. You coulda' coasted it like me, but no… You're going on to new stuff."

"So you know this stuff?"

"No," he said. "But it's easy and I can coast it. Better gettin' an A+ every time and full rewards than strugglin' to get B's and C's, you hear?"

"I think so," he replied. "But I'm certain I covered next year too."

"So stay there, partner," he said as they turned a corner, another line of mammals walking past. Kris glanced at them before being knocked to his side without warning. "-Stupid pelt!" the antelope cursed, Kris looking up, muscles tensing into a fighting position, only to pause as he saw him winking. He put his hooves up, glanced behind him, before looking down. "Sorry. Members of my herd. Keepin' up appearances. We never talked, clear?"

"Clear," Kris said, as the two split. He remembered what Timofey said, many in 'the herd' didn't hate preds, they just wanted protection. Messy politics, but if he could just keep his head down, he could handle it.

After that came a generic science lesson, not really specialising in the subjects. It was mostly chemistry and, apart from one joker who was forced to stand in the corner after asking whether they'd learn how to make meth, it went fine. Incredibly unchallenging work, but Kris didn't complain. The way he thought about it, he could either optimise his strategy for either a short or long term stay. He tried to focus on the former, pushing the possibility of the latter as far out of his mind as he could.

The final lesson before lunch turned out to be a stark reminder of where he was. They were doing a history lesson on the Roman Empire, and how they moved and settled different species across Europe for different jobs, creating the mix of species known today. Horse couriers pulling wagons along the roads; armies of lions from North Africa and wolves from Europe; elephants from Carthage building roads, bridges, cities and even Hadrian's wall; pawed mammals, pred and prey, firing ballistas or riding on top of war horses and elephants, shooting arrows. Then came a worksheet, various important species listed, the students describing what critical role they played.

All had been good, up until the teacher asked for volunteers to come up and speak. A bison stood up and, selecting the wolves, spoke out. "Wolves didn't do anything for them! They're savage idiots who…"

"Down, now!" she ordered.

"-were worthless slaves at most, like all preds here! You're just ramming pred propaganda down our throats." He smiled and threw up his hooves, as a gang of other prey mammals cheered him on.

The teacher, a bear, growled. "Stand in the corner, we'll have a word after class."

"What," he mocked. "For telling the truth?"

Kris looked on, noticing that some of the other preds in the room were glaring at him, more growls beginning to rise.

The teacher looked up at one of the guards and nodded. "Take him out."

"Come on," she said, as Kris noticed that it was Sarrahson.

"Oh, what's the mean kitty gonna do?"

"I have a TASER and I don't want to use it," she warned. "I don't like paperwork. Now get out you filth."

"Look who's talking," he mocked, as she growled.

"Paws out."

"Oh what if I don't, Chomper," he mocked, putting them up.

She grumbled. "Three…"

Kris guessed that he was just coaxing it out as long as he could, teasing them.

"You're just a worthless savage."

"Two…"

"Wish you'd got darted."

"One," she said, as he put down his paws, only to be whacked across the head by a flying book.

"Dart yourself prick!" a lion roared, raising his fist. Other preds screamed out, chucking their books too, and the bison turned and charged, screaming, only to crash down as a buzz rang out. Sarrahson was on him, cuffing his hooves behind his back while the other guards waved their stick at his prey buddies. The teacher meanwhile ran over and grabbed the lion's paw, holding him while screaming at everyone to put their paws on their desk.

Kris' heart beat fast as he did just that, his eyes fixed on Sarrahson as she and a rhino guard pulled the slur-spilling, explanative yelling bovid up. "Okay," she hissed. "Now I have to do paperwork." She glanced over, her furious gaze briefly hitting Kris before it flicked up slightly, mellowing as she saw the teacher, paws on the lion. "He threw that?"

"It's nothing… I'll deal with him," she said.

The serval relaxed. "Okay, good," she said, turning as he led the bison out.

…

"So," the teacher began, hauling the lion up and staring at him. "You can tell us all your answers, before writing them up in essay form for next time."

Somehow, Kris thought, he didn't mind.

After that they all went back to their cell blocks, Kris filing in as the announcement came in. They'd be going in last. A collection of groans went out, as he settled down by the Pack table. Timofey, busy shuffling a deck of cards, looked at him. "You know poker?"

"The basics, yes."

The bear gestured to a nearby vending machine. "Get some M&M, we play."

Kris did just that, scanning the barcode on his nametag and pausing when he saw he had fifty dollars in his account. His finger hovered over the button. "Thanks dad…" he said, suddenly feeling a soft comfort knowing that he really wasn't alone, his friends and family really were out there, doing their best and…

"Get on with it!"

He jolted, turning down to see the pup, Matt, standing there next to him. Kris did just that, getting his bag, before it was the pup's turn. He scanned his card and pressed the button before pulling back, blinking. He pressed it again, and again, then banged the whole thing. "Work!"

"Calm down Matt," Kris said, leaning down and holding his arms. He looked at it and frowned. "You don't have any money in there."

"But why do you?"

"My Dad gave me some."

"I… That's not fair. Your dad isn't a useless flea bag!"

"No… he's not," Kris replied, not sure how to react to that.

Matt's ears went down, before going up again. "My mom will put more on! She will.. Then I'll be okay."

"You will be," he said, turning down and reassuring the pup. Matt looked up and stepped back.

"Why are you nice to me?"

"You seem scared. I thought I could help you."

"But you're in prison. You're a criminal!"

Kris flinched back. "Yeah, but I'm not supposed to be here. I'm innocent, and my Dad and my friends are trying to get me out."

"I'm innocent too!" he said, "and my Mom will get me out. I know it, I really do!"

"Right," he said, nodding. He took a chance and held his paw forward. "Tell you what, if you're scared or worried, you can talk to me. I'll try and help you. Does that sound good?"

The little wolf looked up at him and frowned, taking a step back before pausing. "No tricks."

"No tricks."

Tentatively, the pup leaned forward and grabbed his paw, shaking it. "Can I have some?" he asked, pointing at the bags.

"If I win any, you can have those."

"Win?"

"We're playing a game…"

"-Can I play!?"

"Do you know how to play poker?"

"...-Can I watch?"

"We'll see," Kris said, as he led the pup back to the table. The other members of the pack turned to him and frowned, before Timofey held them off with a paw.

"He stays quiet, he can watch," he said, as they dealt and played on. Kris whispered some of the basics to him as he went, winning some, losing some, but generally being successful. As they walked off to lunch, Kris gave Matt the snacks, Timofey turning to him. "I wanted to speak earlier, but we speak in evening. Okay?"

"Okay," Kris agreed, turning to Matt, who was following close behind. "You'll have to leave us alone for that."

The wolf nodded as they joined the lunch line, Kris not sure what the options would be. In the end, the pizza was all gone, but the preds had a choice between a rather dry looking grub pie (baked in a massive tray with a single sheet of pastry over the top), a vegetable lasagne and a dal curry with rice and cheap naan-like bread (other options were available, but often included grasses and hay). Kris went for the curry, Timofey the pie (which was helped along by a massive serving of mustard) and Matt the lasagne (with lots of ketchup). Sides and desserts were also taken and they and the pack sat down on their table to eat, trading here and there before it was time to move on again, the next part of the day starting.

Were he at his school, he'd be looking forward to going home, meeting with his dad again.

He thought back to him, his eyes ever so slightly misting up.

.

.

Dr Silverfox sighed, massaging his head with his paws as he looked on at his emails, up and displayed on his home computer. He'd returned home, needing some time to think, and so he could be back near his son's room, trying to feel some of him…

He wished that he was doing more, even as he knew that he was doing the best he could. The ambassador had stated that, though they couldn't do anything firm about the current situation, they could try and add additional diplomatic pressure. Behind the States and Japan, Canidea was Zootopia's largest trading partner amongst other things. Talks could be put up with the mayor, about the whole issue of the laws themselves.

That was another thing.

The Nighthowler Act could be repealed if the politicians wanted it to be. After seeing the interview in the morning from Aurelia Canidae, he'd made sure to contact her. Yes: She'd co-sponsored and promoted the bill in order to reassure preds after the whole situation was over. Yes: She confessed that she'd originally envisioned it being used to mop up the laggards of Bellwether's plot and any imitators. Yes: She'd imagined them as sheep. No: That wasn't ovinophobic as that, quote: 'fat tub of lard' said so. No: In no way was it meant to be used against a child.

However, for the big question at the heart of this exchange was a very political answer: Depending on public opinion. For all she knew, the public were happy for this tough justice to be extended to preds and juveniles, or they were appalled. In principle, though, she did support putting through an amendment; one that would mean he'd be released and under monitoring until any charging and trial date.

Of course, with applied political pressure from one side and public pressure from the other, things should be getting a move along. Those two fennecs were insistent that they'd be getting a lot of mammals together, ready to protest his son's imprisonment the next day. That wasn't counting all those stoked up by that Ewetuber he'd had an interview with the day before. A message Pounceheart had left him not too long before had said that support was very strong, and that it could be the start of a series of such things. Each one breaking onto the news and drawing more in. He crossed his fingers, he crossed them hard.

Small steps, he told himself. Get him out first, then focus on the long legal battles. Peter Refu was nice and likely competent, but damn it his son was going to get the big guns defending him. He'd already sent out requests to some of the most police-hated mammals in the city (as recommended by Nick and Judy): Sam Burmowitz, Vern Rodenberg, Eric Badge and Delilah O'Possum (the latter unrelated to his brother in law's marsupial dogsbody)…

Of course, now came the long wait for replies.

A long wait that was eating into him.

He glanced down at his emails, pausing as another one pinged. Looking in, he observed that it was from the paleontology department, more specifically Dr Kristen Soren, a skunk who he'd had the delight of working with a few times before, albeit exceedingly briefly. While her area of study was based around extinct animals (both going millions of years back to the trilobites and just a few hundred for other species), her familiarity with dating techniques resulted in her often assisting the archaeology department. Being a linguist at heart, he also tended to help them, which had led to their occasional meetings.

In any case, she was contacting him about an object which she'd encountered and was doing some tests on at the museum. She didn't go far, only to say that her dating systems were picking up some unusual abnormalities, but she was wondering what he thought of the writing on it.

He paused, opening the file and seeing one of the most hopelessly fake egyptian artifacts he'd ever seen. Sure, Kristen was a paleontologist and only helping out, but surely she could see that! They didn't have metal after all, and that ugly sarcophagus was clearly made out of it.

Still, she'd asked him to have a look and, though he wasn't an egyptologist, he still had a rough recollection of the language. Looking down at the pictographs though, he couldn't help but slap himself.

Two things to note about ancient egyptian: One, it was based on sounds. His name, William, had seven letters in english. In ancient egyptian, it could be broken into six. Tutankhamun was broken into seven too: T, U, T, the ankh, A, M, N. The T was a loaf of bread, the M an owl, the ankh was an ankh. Hence, it was a loaf of bread, an owl, a loaf of bread (joined close together as it was one syllable) and an ankh. However, the Amun part was based off of the god Amun (connection to the word amen theorised), who was symbolized by three symbols arranged in a specific order, which together would come after the rest. All of that was preceded by the symbols of the egyptian royalty (itself made of three symbols) and/or enclosed in a cartouche to show that he was a pharaoh.

Individual symbols could represent words or concepts too, ranging from what they displayed to more complex things (the ankh symbolised life, meaning King Tut's name translated to 'Living image of Amun'), while there were whole complexities around the grammar, displaying things like plurals and so on. As if to top it off, spelling and even the order in which you read it could vary depending on the context, the ancient writers taking the laissez-faire approach in assuming the reader could work it all out.

This writer, though, was evidently not ancient. It was very clear that he'd taken the syllabilistic approach and just changed english words straight into egyption. The second word was made up of a lasso, waves of water and a reed: the word one. If they had a word sounding like that, it'd probably be shown with a quail chick, vulture and then the waves. 'Wan'. Of course, were it the number one, they'd just make a single mark.

He read it all through and laughed, shaking his head. The whole thing read: 'Contents: One Happy Camper'. It then clicked for him…

He went over his emails and typed out a thanks to Dr Soren for trying to cheer him up, only to be broken off by the ringing of his bell. Standing up, he walked over and looked at the monitor, pausing as he saw an unusual sight. A fox, a red fox like him but with seemingly no markings, he was just red. He stood there, dressed in a blue overcoat and trousers. "Who are you?" he asked.

The fox looked up and smiled. "A friend," he said, bringing out his badge. "Slylock Fox, PI."

Will's eyes widened and he opened the door, letting the mammal in. "Are you here about my son?"

"Indeed I am," he said, putting a paw forward. Will shook it eagerly. "No clues yet though. You see, I'm working for another client. One who's been tracking the remnants of the nighthowler plot."

Will's eyes widened.

"-More importantly, he has a vendetta against them. Some of his studies and experiments were perverted and stolen to create the terror that plagued this city long ago."

"-And you think that they framed my son?"

"Someone connected to them, certainly," he mused.

"So, Dawn's niece, or the weasel they used to steal the first howlers."

Slylock tilted his head slightly. "I'm not aware of those leads. How did you find them?"

"Officers Nick and Judy Hopps of the ZPD, along with a bunch of their friends and family, have been performing an investigation. Come aboard, the more mammals the greater the chance."

The fox sighed, bringing up his paw. "I'm afraid, I'm currently fully employed by the first mammal and busy as is, investigating from his end. This was only a courtesy call, to tell you that I might find something, but I'm glad to see that you're making great headways yourself."

"Indeed my friends are. If you're busy now, I could forward the details."

"Perfect!" he said, whipping out a business card. "If we find anything useful, we will contact you. Though, my employer might ask a small favour from you."

"Small favour?"

"Yes," he said. "You see, he's a historic collector, and…"

"A translation?"

"Translation work and advice, yes," he said. "He's interested in this… bunny culture from Turkey if I do remember correctly."

"-Efrafan?"

"That's the one! Including looking for some items from this old temple in Armyeenia or somewhere."

"Nildelienes," Willaim said. "I was there years ago. Studied it so well I know it like the back of my paw."

"Yes. He says he's after some things that fell into the Tsar's paws from there a long time ago, and to have you of all mammals able to look at it…"

"-Were these normal times," he said, "I'd be happy to look at something like that for free." There was a pause, as he glanced down. "Though these are not normal times."

"Well," he said. "If you give me your number, I'll send anything helpful your way."

"Likewise," William agreed, handing over one of his cards. "Hopefully something they found will help you, too."

Slylock nodded, before stepping back with a bow and walking off.

William immediately went to his computer, typing on about the discoveries they'd made. Of Duke Weaselton and Maisy Calrama. On and on he went, getting near the end only to pause as he heard his bell ringing again. Walking back to the door, he looked out of the camera only to pause, hit with a sudden sense of deja-vu. This time it was a normal looking red fox vixen standing there in a flowing red trench coat with brass buttons shining out. Beneath that was a pair of black tights, a black form-fitting shirt and black boots. To top it all off, she had a golden scarf around her neck and flowing black head-fur, crowned with a wide red fedora.

"Who are you? We've just had someone like…"

Her eyes widened. "Of course, what name did he use this time?"

"Uh… Slylock?"

"Tch…" she muttered, "the fox of venice, he could at least try and stay contemporary."

"-I'm sorry," he said, cutting her off. "Who are you, what do you want, and what are you talking about? I am not in the mood for pranks."

"And I'm not in the mood for dangerous mammals like him taking advantage of vulnerable ones like you. I cannot help you free your son, I wish I could, but I need to know why he is interested."

He paused, his paw over the doorknob, before he sighed and let her in. In she strode, adjusting her hat and flashing a smile. "William Silverfox, I presume?"

"Yes, and you are?"

"Carmen," she replied, adding a little spanish flick to her words. "Carmen Sandiego Fox."

.

.

AN: Coming up again are those lawyers. Badge and Delilah O'Possum belong to Mindjack, writing partner of Berserker88, and come from their wacky and awesome Born be Wilde series. Sam Burmowtiz comes from BvB: Butting heads, by PresidentStalkeyes. Finally, the great Vern Rodenberg belongs to Merc_Marten, and comes from his (ever recommended by me) fic: Fire Triangle. Dr Soren belongs to Tinbuzzard, and has a big role in his excellent political thriller, Sandcastles. However, I think you've all got bigger things on your mind right now, am I right?

Chapter Text

Chapter 23

.

.

Kris was tired. He just wanted to sit back, relax, and just let the end of the day come quickly.

End of his first day in prison, he reminded himself, looking down and letting his paws pull off his striped uniform. Looking around, seeing the other prisoners come in after their second exercise session, he felt the whole weight of everything crash into him again. Only, it was like being hit by a wave at the beach. He was steady on his feet and, though it pushed him back, he held firm and was standing up again afterwards. That was what it was going to be, stay strong, stay smart, he was going to get through this.

They were going to get through this too. They were going to get him out.

"Hey, new kit." He turned, seeing one of the guards walking over. "Need to get you on the chore list."

Kris nodded, walking over and looking at the timetable that was provided. "You're a medium," he mumbled, pausing to think. "So, I'll put you in group C. That means you've got today off, but tomorrow you've got the laundry hauling. Got it?"

Kris nodded, before watching him walk off.

A shadow grew behind him, and he turned to see Timofey, standing there. The massive bear was panting, a pile of fresh clothes in his paws as he pointed towards the showers. "Walk with me, I have yours" he said, Kris quickly deciding that he had no choice. "How was first day?"

"Interesting…"

"You learn lots?"

"I guess so," Kris said, before recounting everything. From the wake up and his first meeting with Timofey, to the morning exercises and talk with the capybara, to the lessons and interaction with the sable antelope, to outburst from the bison and all the way forward to the here and now.

Timofey smiled. "Good to hear that bison got zapped."

"I'd… prefer if it had never come to that."

The bear snorted. "Prey supremacist scum deserved everything he got. I not like that guard, I not dislike either. But wishing she got darted… Rugat'sya!"

Kris nodded along, slowly. Turning a corner, they entered the changing room. Most mammals were peeling off their clothes and chucking them into the bins, walking around fully naked. Their talking, the sound of the showers and the roar of a walk through fur drier masking their conversation.

"He is member of herd, so was antelope. But there is difference," Timofey explained, as he put down his new clothes, transferring over his ID card, and passed a smaller pair to the bench in front of Kris.

"Thanks."

"One joins as he hates preds, other joins as he wants friends."

"Couldn't the antelope have joined another group?" Kris asked. Card swapped, he found his zip and began undoing it. "Say the founders, or the nerds?"

"The founders," he began, thinking as he effortlessly shed his clothes. "Maybe. But even though they don't ask for it in you, they like Jesus. He is put off for some."

"Like Muslambs?"

"Sort of. They are, how you put it, interfaith? But Jesus sort of overshadows rest, putting him down. Some mammals just don't like founders. But many not allowed to join, like Armando… -Capybara you met."

"I…" Kris began, before clicking his fingers. "They want you to be sorry for what you did."

"Yes, and many are not. I am not. I did what had to be done. He regrets the action, but thinks overall thing is good with loss of his step father."

"But maybe he didn't think that originally. Or is still sorry, and just sees it as a bonus."

"Good point," the bear said, shrugging as he balled up his old clothes and chucked them into a bin. He stood there stark naked, not caring, just like everyone else. "But he is better off in nerds anyway, and hooved mammals rarely join nerds."

"It's dexterity," Kris said, bringing up his paws and wiggling his fingers. "Are they artists there?"

"Artists, ones who like computers, so on. They tend to make and play lots of these games made on power point, you can join in if you want. But the art is why they are the highest of the high."

"Why is that?" Kris asked, tilting his head as he got off all his clothes. Figuring it would just delay the inevitable, he chucked them in the bin, before letting his paws rest over his sheath.

Timofey chuckled. "Patience. You will see! But anyhow, back to story." He waved him on into the shower room. It was just an open hall with many fixed shower heads up at the top and no dividers. Timofey found one first and pulled on the lever, sighing with pleasure as the water hit him. There didn't seem to be any way not to turn it on and not be hit, so Kris just hoped that it was still warm. He pulled and, thankfully, it was, just about. The showers were actually very hard, they needed to be to work on big mammals like the polar bear, and Kris turned it down quite a bit while adjusting the temperature up until it was nice and hot.

"Many mammals do not fall into the founders or the nerds, and sicko's are hated by everyone," he said, squeezing one of the soap dispensers and starting to rub himself down. Kris nodded, pausing as he saw that wolf of theirs wandering around, looking on at the others for an awkwardly long time and them staring back, hard. "That leaves herd for prey, pack for preds. The pack, we tend not to be violent. Only in self defence. The herd, though, after savage cases?" A deep frown appeared on his muzzle. "Pred supremacists soon learn how outnumbered they are. Prey ones have safety in numbers, many numbers who do not believe them… Most, who do not believe them." He paused, trying and failing to pull the temperature lever even further to the left. He growled slightly. Kris, looking on, paused. The suds from there were flowing down past his feet, and they were cold. Right out of the tap, almost freezing, nice to drink on a blazing hot summer's day cold. Timofey saw his look and shrugged. "Bit too hot, for my liking," he said, bursting into a laugh.

Kris looked up at his water, currently pounding down on his head. "Quite nice, for mine," he remarked, getting a slight snigger from the bear as he began soaping himself.

"I have plan to split the herd."

Kris looked up, pausing. "Between the supremacists and non-supremacists?"

He nodded. "But that needs other groups talking to them." There was a pause and a frown. "I fear, even sickos. But! I can't talk to them, as then they will know something is up." He looked around, then looked down. "Also, I am not so good with words. You are. They have seen you helping out with the screamer too. I need you as a diplomat, talking to them as my messenger, getting them on board. The plan is that their prey members, come a signal date, begin talking to the herd members all at once. Draw off the non supremacists and then…" He grabbed a waiting bar of soap and squeezed it hard until it shattered, the two halves flying out."The herd is broken."

Kris looked away, thinking it through, wondering how this could go right or go wrong. He'd only been here a day, and he was potentially about to be used. But, not going along with it could strip him of a major ally… Though… Though with his own drawing skills, it wasn't like he couldn't join the nerds if the pack threw him out. Or for that matter the founders, though… How would they react to his cover story?

Then again, maybe Timofey's idea was good? It wasn't based on violence or anything, and it was actively trying to stop it. Just… Was it all thought through? He pondered it for a while, before his mouth twitched. "That sorts out our block? What about all the others."

"Maybe they not split, maybe they do. But we only bump into them in classes and at lunch. Not often enough for it to count, or for it to really backfire. Though, if it does spread, I suppose a nice bonus."

"If you think so," Kris said, only to freeze as he felt a heavy shoulder on his paw.

"You know what I think?" he asked.

Kris knew karate. He also knew that the largest land predator in the world currently had him in his grip, in a prison shower. This was, in no simple terms, a game over if a fight started. Which meant he had to try and stop a fight starting as hard as he could. "No," he said, maintaining a calm facade. He still flinched ever so slightly as the paw lifted, to his surprise.

Timofey harrumphed a bit. "Well, first that you are scared, though I did not want that. Sorry."

"No worries," he said, relaxing.

"Second, or rather the first, I…" he shook his head and shrugged. "I forget that it is your first day, I just see potential. I like potential. So I rush you, forgetting that you are scared and worried but taking it well."

"T-thanks."

Timofey nodded. "Get to know the other groups, the nerds and the founders. Wait around a bit, see how things go. Then decide."

"You're okay with waiting?" Kris asked.

Timofey let out a hearty laugh. "Kristofferson. Whole point of this place is to make you wait. I am used to it."

The silver fox couldn't disagree. He nodded on it, only to pause as he saw Matt walking in, covering himself and looking around. He leapt into a running shower just across from them, where one of the soap bars had landed.

He looked down at it, his head tilting, and, slowly, the heads of the mammals all around him began to turn.

Kris looked around, beginning to tremble, and his ears pulled back as his feet got into position. He glanced up at Timofey, the bear looking down and…

His face was blank.

Kris turned, spotting Matt begin to bend down, seemingly unknowing, and he began to move forward when an iron grip fixed itself onto one of his arms.

He looked up, shocked to see Timofey shaking his head.

"Let go," he ordered, readying a fist to smash into his. The bear raised an eyebrow, Matt leant down and grabbed the soap, his tail raised high…

-A mammal somewhere gave a long wolf whistle, the pup bolting upright as everyone began to burst into laughter. If anything, he just looked confused, seemingly not knowing why all the other mammals were currently doing the same thing, wolf whistling, gyrating, blowing kisses, shouting out 'hubba hubba' or things to that effect or, in most cases, just laughing.

Laughing hysterically.

Kris felt himself relax, just as the bear relaxed, chuckling. "I like you, fox."

He frowned. "That…"

"We do not do that thing here," he said, laughing. "Maybe I should be insulted you think we do, but I like your fight, for the pup." He leant forward and turned off the water, shaking himself down. Kris flinched back from the barrage of cold water. "But no, that does not happen… Nobody is dumb enough to try it except that sicko wolf, one time." He paused, spotting the kangaroo hopping in. "Luka! Take this shower."

"Get lost, I don't like freezing my tail off."

The bear rolled his eyes, pulling it back on and fixing it to a warm temperature, jumping out of the way before it hit him. "There you go. Now, tell new fox what you did to sicko wolf when he went full sicko."

"Fine," he said, hopping over and testing the water before getting in. He looked down. "Was it you or the screamer who dropped the soap?"

"Matt, the Pup…"

"The sicko wolf actually tried to do the thing one time. I was near by…" He waved over to a part of the room, Kris noting that all the tiles there were cracked, hard. Something big had smashed into him. The silverfox looked back at Luka, the kangaroo giving the air a quick one-two punch before balancing back on a leg and his tail, the other kicking out and stomping the wall, hard. He smiled and shrugged. "Yeah. That. He asked for it. I served him right. It was awesome."

Kris nodded, before finishing off, drying himself, getting himself changed and heading back to his cell. They were told that they were going in at mid-time to dinner, and soon enough (after Kris had whistled through the rather simple homework tasks and picked out a few books from the small library) they were off. The meat course this time was fish fingers and chips, something appreciated by all the predators. They chowed down before returning.

Coming in, it was time for the 'cell block activity'. Terrance was there, getting out a projector and a screen, earning a bunch of whoops and cheers from the crowd. "Okay, okay, no popcorn I'm afraid," he said, paws up. "One day we'll get it in a vending machine. In fact, I bet you all that it'll be the day after you get out."

There was a ripple of laughter through the crowd, even Kris managing to smile a bit.

"Okay, okay, I picked a few for tonight. We could just have one of the Star Paws films, though I'll only let you pick one or four. And after that the next nine nights are booked out. Or…"

"-Silence of the lambs!" someone shouted, bringing a bunch of whoops and cheers.

"We've got some younger kits in here, remember."

"Yeah, but they're all psychos!" another mammal joked, bringing a ripple of laughter.

"I'm afraid we don't have it anyway," the giant otter said, rolling with it. "We have Clawshank."

He was hit with a range of responses, varying from 'heck yeah' to 'show us something we don't know.'

Terrance offered them a racing film and a comedy one, before flashing his final option up. "Okay, anyone for 'the fox and the hound'?" he asked, flashing up a DVD cover, showing a cartoon wolf and fox in cowboy gear, looking out longingly at a mountain. A bunch of the crowd laughed, while a variety began calling out 'gay' in funny voices. Kris looked back at them. Having seen it once years before, he had to say that 'gay' was certainly an interpretation of it.

"-Hey!" someone shouted, standing up. It was a snow leopard from the pack, a tough silent mammal who was pretty much a mystery to him. "I've seen that," he said, his voice holding over the crowd. "And it will make you cry."

There was a long pause, everyone looking around, as Terrance held it up. "Yea or nay boys?"

The yea's won it, and everyone settled down as he put it on. Kris joined them, only to be broken off by a tap from his side. He looked over to see Terrance, the otter waving him out. "Not in trouble," he said.

Kris followed him over into a quieter area, sitting down across from the massive mustelid. "How you coping, kit?"

"Okay, I think," he said.

"Making friends?" he asked.

Kris held back, not sure how to act. After all, how much of what he might tell could be construed as telling on others?

"I saw you with Timofey," he said, Kris blinking. "Don't worry, he's a good mammal… Just a shame he was born part of a crime family, and all the horrid nonsense that comes with it. I… I'd trust him, there are some here who go around trying to cause fights, but he's one of the ones always trying to put them out."

"That's good to hear," Kris said, feeling relieved.

Terrance nodded. "Listen to me. You good?"

"I'm good."

"Well tell me if you ever aren't," he said, "there's no shame in that."

"Thanks," Kris said. "I… I'm trying to keep my head up, I know if I act strong I can get through this, and I need to act strong for my friends and family outside. But it's good to know that other mammals have my back."

Terrance smiled. "Good to hear that you're holding on in there," he said, before pulling something out of his pocket. "Officer Fulton was able to get this and asked that I give it to you," he said.

Kris looked at the piece of paper and smiled. He still remembered what was written on it, so it being given was a moot point, but it felt good to be reminded of what he still had. "Thanks," he said.

Terrance nodded. "You're welcome. Now let's get back to the movie."

.

.

Catano wondered whether Dominic would pause or flinch or err when asked how he knew about Kris' connection with Nick and Judy.

Instead, he came straight out with it. "Because she came home early from a trip out with friends on Sunday, all worried and nervous. Then, the next day when it happened, she mentioned that she met them there. She was worried that they'd personally come after her sooner or later." There was a slight pause as he leant forward. "I don't know whether to be impressed with her intellect or disappointed with reality."

"I'm sorry this happened," Catano said. She'd pressed him hoping for the ace in the hole, but instead the explanation seemed to be an innocent one. One born of worry. She felt a bit guilty, deciding that now was the time to try and make him at ease. "It's unfortunate for everyone that it occurred, but I'm sure you understand why we'd want to talk to you too."

"Oh sure," he said. "I do."

"Listen," she said, calmly. "I know you're angry…"

"Angry?" he asked. "I'm terrified. Terrified for my daughter. I had to leave my old career, almost all my old friends, cashing in some favours with the few I kept in order to get a new job where no-one knew who I was. I changed my name, my family changed their name, all so my daughter could have a normal life. A life where no-one will hurt her for what her favourite aunt, her one-time hero who'd she'd talked about in school and wanted to grow up to be like, had done. I mean, it's still bad for her. Do you know what it's like seeing your little girl live in fear? To see how she feels she has to apologise for the species she was born as, how she was born as part of the 'bad guys' and is somehow at fault, how she's come to believe that her kind has it easier than others, meaning her struggles don't matter so much and that she must pay some kind of penance for her 'privilege'. You know, whatever nasty ideology took over and destroyed the sister that I loved, it was based around some mammals being lesser, inherently evil or just inferior to others and deserving punishment for that… I wonder what Dawn would think if I told her that the species that she put into the target sights was her own and the only mammal she converted was her beloved niece. What do you think?"

Catano looked on, her head dropping down. Either that was some excellent acting or… Well, it hurt her, she felt for Maisy. "It's wrong, period, she shouldn't have to feel anything like that."

"Well, she does," he said. "And you haven't helped, have you?"

"No," she admitted, now beginning to feel a bit rotten herself.

"So, any other reason why you're blaming a sheep over the fox who was caught purple pawed?"

"There's evidence that it wasn't him, along with character witnesses that make it seem incredibly unlikely," she said, truthfully.

He didn't look impressed. "Well, most nasty crimes against someone tend to be done by someone close to him. Does he have any enemies, mammals who don't like him, relatives who he's wronged?"

She paused, thinking back to his cousin. There was certainly bad blood in the past, but from what had been said it seemed to have passed. He'd also got through his interrogation without slipping up. "We've already looked at a range of suspects."

"And cleared them? Do they have all their alibis in order?"

"I…" she began. It was very unlikely to be Ash, but he was still a potential suspect, however remote she felt it was. "No, but there's no tying evidence and an awful lot against it being them. We're keeping all avenues of this investigation open, and as part of that broadening our search to the next most logical suspects."

"Yes, the next most logical," he muttered. "Tell me, are you always going against the most logical suspect, or the most emotionally cathartic?"

She frowned a little at the slight on her integrity. "The next most logical."

"Promise me," he said, and for once she saw some worry, some hope, some desperation in her eyes.

"I promise I'll go after the most logical," she said.

There was a long pause after as she tried to think about what to say next. No trip ups, no unwanted aggression, he'd known about Nick and Judy but had a perfectly reasonable explanation… One other thing struck her. If he'd gone so far to get a new life for his daughter, why would he throw it away for such a petty revenge? Not even against Nick and Judy, but against their friend. She filed him being involved as incredibly unlikely but not cleared, same as the cousin. His wife… Now there might have been a real wildcard, either completely out of touch or doing it by herself. She looked over at the pictures on the wall. Alicia was spending plenty of time with Dawn, many of them showing the two ewes having a great time together. The same could be said for Dawn and Maisy. Incredibly close.

"I think I'm done here," she said. "Though I have a few questions for your daughter."

Dominic looked at her, hard, before raising a hoof. "If she chooses not to use her right to remain silent," he spoke, making sure she knew.

She nodded, and they stood up. She could ask Maisy if she was okay, if she could recount what had happened first. She could then tell her that she'd be willing to protect if she did what other mammals told her to do on threat of force, maybe opening her up if she was directed to do something. Then, ask her about the meet up with the boys on Sunday, not mentioning Nick and Judy but letting her tell the whole story and checking it against her father's. Finally, she could ask her if she knew about anyone who'd throw in a threatening call about Ash. Seeing how she'd react to that, and then exploring, might tell her a lot. Reveal to her directing parents that she'd messed it up, have her carry on without noticing the issue, who knew…? She suddenly felt bad, doing all this, especially if the girl was innocent. She'd been through so much already. But this was police work, and she had to explore all avenues.

Not admissible in court against her, given the lack of an attorney present, but enough to justify a further investigation, and maybe even get some release papers for a silver fox signed.

She paused as she turned to find only Alicia Calrama standing there, her arms crossed. "My daughter doesn't want to answer any questions."

"Right then," Dominic spoke. "You can be on your way then."

Catano chewed on her lip. "Can I hear that from her?"

"Why?" she asked, marching forward. "Do you think we're forcing her not to speak?"

"I just…"

"-Not a no, then," Dominic said, crossing his hooves. "Get out of our house."

"I just…"

"Get. Out." he spoke, angrily. "I still have my recorder on, it's backed up to the cloud, and believe me, if I have to rename and relocate again as the price for dragging you through the courts to show the police what happens when they harass my family, that may well be a price worth paying."

The cheetah pulled back, only for her ears to swivel as she heard a new voice, calling out but unseen. "I don't want to talk, okay!" Maisy cried.

"There, happy now?" her mother asked.

Catano nodded. "Yes. Sorry for disturbing you."

She turned and walked out, pausing as Dominic shouted out. "Nice work keeping your promise." He then slammed the door shut, making her ears flinch back before she sulked down a bit. Yeah… Nice job indeed… After all, most logically, they were a scared family hurt beyond belief and trying to put their life back together again, trying to look after their daughter.

Could she really say that going after them was the most logical thing?

Maybe there were still plenty of chances that something was up with them, but there might be in other places too. Most logically it was someone close to that kit or the kit himself. Most logically, she should go back to basics.

And, as she glanced at the door, most logically she'd have never considered them if it wasn't for who they were…

-No, she told herself. That was silly. Who they were was the whole reason, the whole motive. But still…

Thinking back to the discussions earlier, did she have something against sheep? Was she ovinophobic without realising it, just a diluted shade of the same nastiness that Gruinard Gal was? Was she trying to show and make excuses for why it wasn't the foxes, because she didn't like the idea of sounding like an antivulpinite?

She breathed in and out. The world was black and white, but it was greying in front of her and she didn't like it. Whatever the case though, Dominic may have already thought she'd broken that promise, but she was going to make sure that she followed it through.

.

.

Haida and Retsuko cowered under the angry gaze of Director Ton, the heavy sweaty pig scowling at each of them. "Do you know why I'm berating you in the privacy of this room, rather than out in the open where everyone can hear you?"

The pair glanced at each other, before Haida looked forward, a finger raised up. "If this is about whoever filled in between the dot and the rest of the 'i' on Anai's nametag, that wasn't…"

"-Of course it's not about that," he yelled. He grumbled, turning away and massaging his brow with a hoof. "You don't think that I know that no-one who knew him would do that? It's probably some cocky intern from the trading department who was walking through one day and had an idea." The pig bristled. "Though I'd do that meeting in here anyway to stop any risk of relapsing. Speaking of relapsing, that's one of the reasons you're here!"

"Oh," Haida said, glancing down. "With Kabae I…"

"-We'll get to that," the pig grumbled. "First off, Calendar Girl, why were you off gossiping to your friends in marketing?"

"It was just a little catch up, then I was invited for lunch. I used my lunch break," she justified.

Ton didn't look that impressed. "Busy talking about your new TV career, huh?"

"Well, yeah…"

"I suppose you learnt how useless pixels were last time, so couldn't be bothered."

"We didn't really get a choice," she said meekly.

Haida nodded. "And I think the format is a little wrong for that."

"Shame, I preferred your face when it was all blurred up," he snorted. "Do you know what our company handbook says about your private behaviour?"

"I'm…" the red panda mumbled.

"Don't do anything stupid?" Haida suggested.

"Well if that was the rule, I'd be the only one left in this office! No, it says 'no behaviour that could cast the company in a bad light."

"And was this… that?" Haida asked.

Director Ton's eyes narrowed. "You tell me."

The pair gulped, glancing at each other.

"Well," Haida said, mumbling.

"Ummmm…" Retsuko pondered, twiddling her fingers.

"I…."

"Not that…"

"I mean we didn't act…"

"I don't think so…"

"-Yes, exactly what she said," Haida rushed out, Retsuko briefly glaring at him.

Ton looked at them hard. "Neither would I, but with how you've been acting after, I was wondering how long it would be until you might cross that line." He glared at the red panda, his height and mass dwarfing her. "You, gossipping to friends and stuff about it." He then glared at Haida, the fact that he was a predator with the eighth strongest bite strength in the animal kingdom and had a stomach that would digest whole bone fragments not really mattering that much anymore. Then again, hyenas were immune to rabies and would shrug off anthrax with a mild fever at worst, but Haida had still been hospitalised with pneumonia after getting caught in the rain. "And you, you've tended to not be much of an issue. But then you go around, talking, upsetting other workers. Tell me, what exactly have you got out of this?"

The two looked down, shamefully. "Well, not what we hoped for…" Retsuko almost whispered, angrily.

"Huh, what was that?"

Her anger began to grow, and she repeated the words, each one enunciated separately and served with a slice of anger. "I said: Not! What! We! Hoped! For!"

"Well what was that, huh!?" Ton exploded. "Everyone bowing down at your feet, telling you how good you were?"

"-Someone to help us!" she almost shouted. "To help the innocent kit who's currently suffering!"

…

The room was quiet, Retsuko reeling in after her outlash and Ton a silent, scary, unreadable facade. Haida glanced at them and spoke. "If you've seen it, you'll know that the DA railroaded that kit! Listen, we're working with his parents and friends. We all know that this guy was a Smellwether sympathiser, but the mayor can't chuck him out as there's not enough proof. He'll sue for unfair dismissal, he'll get back in again, yadda yadda. So, we had a plan to get him tipsy and make him confess, using discrete drinks disposal techniques and all that to help out. The trouble is, we needed someone to drink with him, and in terms of prey friends all we had was a bunny and a hare. So, we thought we'd asked around. Retsuko, a gorilla friend; me, Kabae… -As I thought she'd want to stop that kit going through what she went through." He looked down and sighed. "I didn't realise the whole idea would upset her that much, I just thought that she's a hippo, he's a hippo… -You know… I'm sorry, though, to her."

Very slowly, Ton looked over at Retsuko. "This true?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Who were you asking?"

"Director Gori."

"I can see that."

"She's on antibiotics, though…"

"Yeah," Haida replied, "not much luck."

The pig nodded, before standing up, towering over them. Hoof in hoof, he cracked his knuckles and snorted. "Well, I think I have one last question," he said, growling slightly as he did so. "I didn't want to have to ask this, and I can't say how disappointed I really am in you, which given your already low expectations is far worse than you think."

The pair gulped, holding each other's paws.

"So," he asked. "Why didn't you ask me first?"

.

.

AN: Thanks to Danou for giving some suggestions for the dialogue back there.

Chapter Text

.

.

"Uhhh," Haida gawped.

"Wait, what?" Retsuko added.

Ton snorted, sitting back down. "Answers. Now."

"Well," Haida began, his paws fumbling together. "I mean, I wouldn't really picture you helping us… Ever."

"Fair point," he grumbled. "But maybe I will help you here."

"But why?" Retsuko asked, scratching the side of her head.

"Simple," he said, leaning forward. "Because you are my workers. That doesn't mean I'm doing this out of the kindness of my own heart, oh no! But, if someone is about to hurt you, I will drag you back in and, if someone has hurt you, then it gets personal."

"So, because he hurt us…" Retsuko began, only to be cut off.

"-This isn't for you, not by a long shot," he interrupted. "Remember back in the howler crisis, that guy talking on about how the afflicted preds should face trial and how he should clamp down on petty crime."

"It got lost in the mix," Haida explained.

"Well, some mammals remembered, and afterwards he wanted to salvage his reputation. Oh no, he isn't against predators, he's against crime period and he set out to prove that. Prey criminals would be caught too, would have the library thrown at them too, it would all be equal opportunity hardcore policing." He snorted. "I'm not sure he's that anti-pred, and normally I'd be on his side. But then, he went too far."

Haida's eyes began to widen, as did Retsuko's.

"He didn't just want to show that he'd go after prey, he wanted to show that he'd even go after his own kind with no mercy. Hippopotamuses. Of course, you need one to go after, and what do you know, there were a few shreds of circumstantial evidence linking a certain mammal of that species to a data leak from this company."

"It was him, personally, who..." Retsuko muttered.

Haida buried his face in his paws in shame. "Kabae… No wonder she panicked so much!"

Ton nodded. "Anyone could see that there was nothing to it. It was bad luck and hereasy on her part, but he needed a hippo and he got one. Even better, she worked in financial services, and after all the similar junk claims that he's thrown at Lemming Brothers ever since Murana Wolford became CEO, it had double the propaganda value. 'I treat a hippo like I do a wolf, and if I'm really anti-pred, why have I left Tom Nook and his company out of this, huh? Because those tanukis keep their noses clean, and I hunt down all crime, that's why!' Wasn't even that big of a deal for the 'victim', he probably thought. She was only held from Monday to Friday before being cleared of everything and going home. Only it is a big deal."

He glanced over at Haida. "You weren't there." He then glanced at Retsuko. "You were just useless that week anyway. But, I was hearing her call from her cell, shaking and blubbering and begging for help to anyone, terrified. Terrified about where she was, about what might happen next, about how her little children would cope, or deal with it, or whether she'd have to see them growing up from behind bars as they grew up without their mother."

There was a long pause, Ton beginning to fume. "I have kids too, so I felt that." He looked up. "And as he hurt one of my workers, he's in my bad books. Nothing I can do to get back at him though, until now…" He smiled, his porcine features beginning to look distinctly predatory. "Drinking him under, huh? I can do that. Tell the kit's family that they have their mammal!"

.

.

William blinked at Carmen's words. "That name sounds familiar."

She smiled. "I am the first cousin once removed of Inspector Carmelita Montoya Fox of Interpol. Her father is my great uncle and, in our family, we share a love of high fashion, high heels, and high justice."

"And I just want my son back," he said, frowning. He looked on before shaking his head. "This is stupid. Just stupid, I... -I'm thinking that this is an elaborate disguise or something and you are up to something!"

"You think… maybe correctly," she said with a sly smile, making him blink a few times in surprise. Her eyes bore into his. "And what about Shylock? What makes you think that he was legitimate too?"

"I…" he began, before shaking his head, paws out. "-What reason has he for not being?"

She closed her eyes. "He's someone me and my associates have been following for a very long time. He's a dangerous mammal who came to this city and is up to something, moreover we believed he's joined with other dangerous mammals, ones we do not know, to work on some nefarious scheme or other. What it is, I don't know, but after wondering whether what happened to your son or not was linked, I was able to follow him here. Fingers crossed my associates can catch him on the way out, but I'm not holding my hopes high."

"I'm… I'm sorry, I'm lost here," he said, shaking his head.

'Carmen' nodded. "Join the club. Let me explain this in another way. Imagine you're playing chess, normally it's you up against an opponent, dead ahead of you. You can see all he's doing and take action against it. We toppled our first king years ago. Now, imagine a new type of chess, where behind the first enemy is a second, and then a third, and on and on and on. And as we've moved forward they move back, into the fog of war and into places we do not know, with strange new players at different states of play. We don't know the whole board, we don't know if they're neutral or against us or for us or whatever. We're flying blind, trying to figure it out as we go along, and that figuring out has led us here."

William paused, looking at her, head tilted hard to the side. "So you're saying that your story... is colliding with other people's ones... -and they're not meshing; you don't know the full story, you just have peeks at it which you can't make sense of."

"Indeed," she spoke. "The only way we've been able to fight so far is to pre-empt their moves, making sure to take things of value to them without even knowing what they're for." She paused, before smiling. "I see you're still confused, so would you like an example?"

"I... suppose…"

"To give one, lately we learnt that they were going at great lengths to recover the black box of a long lost airship. Maybe you have heard of its story? Maybe you have not. Built by the Kirov airworks in the USSR, it was an experimental aircraft that was mothballed when the wall fell and then stolen by a band of modern day pirates. Flying under the name Iron Vulture, they looted the northern skies for a decade before vanishing in the Sea of Okhotsk in the early dawn of the new millennium. When her black box was recovered in Magadan a few months back, our enemies wanted it for some reason, even getting one of the world's most powerful and secretive arms dealers in on the job, simply to ship it over! We don't know why they want it but they do, meaning we must deny them it, whether it provides us with any clues to their motives or not. We're setting up an intercept as we speak."

William began to shake, hard, only broken off by a paw on his own.

"-Your son is not embroiled in this giant plot, nor are you, and we won't force you to be," she urged. "But something about his case has caught their interest. I don't know what, so I need to know everything that went on between you two. Everything!"

"And… And why should I tell you?" he asked. "He might get my son out…"

"-So might we," she said. "We have no interest in your son being in prison, but I think he has no interest in him being out. We'll carry on our investigation and anything we find we'll send your way. That's a promise."

William blinked a few times before his confused features hardened like cooling obsidian. "That's what he said."

She shrugged. "And you accepted it. So, double up your chances. What do you have to lose?"

He held back, only to relent. He warily recounted the basics: how he'd come to talk, how he'd learnt of the ongoing Nick and Judy led investigation, how he'd mentioned having a sponsor, interested in ancient Efrafa…"

"That other thing wasn't Efrafan…" she commented, only to shake her head.

In the end, Dr Silverfox finished, looking into her eyes. "So, does that help you?"

She looked back at him. "The fact that you sent him the basics, no. The fact you didn't send him the details, yes. You've thrown us many more jigsaw pieces, but none of them are edges or corners. As for your purpose in this, I..." She was broken off by the bleeping of her phone, which she brought up, her eyes widening. "Well, sweetie, seems like our time is up!"

She jumped up, running to the door, Dr Silverfox racing after her. "Just hang on a minute! Wait!"

"Stay with Nick and Judy, and best wishes for your son! We'll help if we can."

"Just stop…" he began, before feeling a swift paw to his chest. He was knocked back, stumbling to his knees before getting up again.

"Wish I could chat," she said, sadness in her eyes, as she raced out of the apartment. Confused, Dr Silverfox walked out into the corridor, spotting her enter a lift and vanish. Going back in, sitting down, he held himself. As he did so, he couldn't help but think of another way to describe what she was trying to get at.

He could see the tip of the iceberg, but nine-tenths were still underwater, and he had no way of knowing whether he was in danger or not. He packed up his things and left. The day was coming to an end, and it was time to meet up with everyone and see how things were going.

.

.

"Okay everyone!" Nick shouted, ringing a glass as they all piled into the Fox family lounge. He, Judy, the three (and a half) Foxes and one Silverfox, Jack, Skye, Honey, the fennecs and Haida and Retsuko were all gathered around. "Status update, status update. Good news from us, first."

"Yes!" Judy said, marching forward. "We know that Duke did leave the city for the states after his community service ended, likely on a camping trip to Oregon. I know that that is still a really wide area to look at, BUT, we have a lead. His roommate said he'd be going to a relative of his who owns a camper rental place, one which he'd have gone to in order to pick that camper up. If we can find where it is, we get one step closer to our weasel."

Fenneko nodded. "Having received it, it seems the key to this mystery will be that water tower," she explained, bringing up a picture. "I'll be putting a picture of it up on p-slash-oregon and asking if anyone can recognise it."

Finnick nodded. "Yeah. Fingers crossed, we can then check it out on Zoogle Street View before going out there ourselves!"

"Yeah," Judy cheered, bringing up a round of applause.

"Or," Nick countered, "we try and get an international warrant out on him, bring him back. Might be a bit easier."

"I…" Judy began. "-Good point, though you know that that would be slow."

Nick nodded slowly. "I know, but who knows how far he's going? We're just assuming he went local from here. How do we know he's not on the east coast right now?"

"Also, a good point," Judy said, turning down and letting her foot-paws rap hard on the floor in thought.

"Why not do both?" Ash asked.

"Both?" Honey chirped in, the young fox turning to her.

"Both."

"Both!"

They turned and looked at Nick and Judy. "Both is good!"

The bunny and fox cop nodding along. "Right," she said, "that's good progress along the weasel front, but…"

"-The Bellwether front?" Honey asked, buzzing a little with excitement as she turned to Ash. "So, what's the news, what's the news?"

Nick looked on, suddenly awash with concern, though he held back as Ash spoke. "Well, I checked the text. She would know."

"So she might be involved," the ratel followed on, Nick relaxing a bit.

"Might be, yeah. But she wasn't in class today."

"Sounds like she's running scared."

"Well whatever the case, she would be," Nick pointed out, walking forward. He gave Honey a long look, and she nodded and shrugged.

"Either because she did it…" she began, slowing down before suddenly rushing forward. "-or she thinks that mammals like us would think she did it! I mean, rock and a hard place, am I right?"

"Right," Nick said, looking down. "Good work on your side too, Mr…" he made a spitting noise, before looking up to Haida and Retsuko. "As for you, did you get your mammal?"

"I…" the red panda began.

"Well…"

They were met by a bunch of disappointed faces, the pair immediately rushing out to assuage them. "-We kinda succeeded."

"-We got someone."

Fenneko looked at them, pausing. "So you don't have Malcolm?"

…

"Wait?" Retsuko asked. "Protein's real name is Malcolm?"

"All this time you've just called him Protein!?" she exclaimed, as Finnick burst into laughter

"Yes!" she said. "That's what everyone calls him! You wouldn't call a Pikachu Ryan, would you?"

"I…" Fenneko began, before having to concede the point.

"And you know his real name?" Haida asked, as Judy stepped forward.

"Wait, this is the yoga teacher, right?"

"Right."

"You wanted their yoga teacher to do it? I… why?"

"I second that motion," Nick said, as Jack, Skye and a bunch of others third, fourthed, fifthed and so-onned it.

"You do realise that in his former life he was a roady for a major rock band, right?" Fenneko began. "Malcolm Jumpili, roady for 'The Oscars', a big band around the turn of the millenium, during which they had mammoth tours that left a trail of crushed beer kegs, defenestrated television sets and exploded hotel toilets galore. Given that connection, though a long time ago, I was expecting him to still have a high alcohol tolerance."

"And how did Malcolm… Get to Protein?" Haida asked.

"They went through a brief spiritual phase, bringing on a shaman called 'The Guru of the Stone'. While they moved on, it appears that Malcolm trained as his apprentice and then successor, before eventually earning the title of Master."

"Master Protein," Retsuko said, nodding. "Only he's sworn off of alcohol entirely."

"Ah…"

"And, it seems we all had different ideas for who our most logical obvious choice would be," Haida added.

"Oh, so you got one of your friends onboard!"

"Well… not entirely."

"I asked Director Gori," Retsuko explained. "…who'd have loved to do it, but is currently on antibiotics so she can't."

"And I thought Kabae would be good. She's a hippo, right? Given her bad experience with the false accusations before, I thought she'd be happy to fight against it. Turns out she was terrified."

Fenneko blinked. "Wait, so who's doing it then?"

The hyena and red panda glanced at each other, coughing and tugging their collars. "Well," he began, "on getting the full explanation, he…"

"-Volunteered!" Retsuko blurted. "Said it was revenge for Kabae."

"Who was actually falsely accused as a political move by Kurt himself. I didn't make that connection."

"Neither did I. Nor would we make this one here. So, not our ideas."

"Just kind of had to settle for it."

"Yup."

"Please don't be mad."

"Please don't be…"

Fenneko looked on, head tilting. "You got Tadano on board?"

The pair blinked, turning at each other. "Why didn't we think of that!?" Haida shouted.

"I don't know," Retusko groaned, face falling into her paws.

"Would that work?"

"I don't know!"

Skye then stepped in. "Wait, the Tadano? Tech genius."

"Long story," the two office workers cut her off, as Fenneko marched up.

"Just tell us all who it is!"

The pair looked at each other, held each other's paws and faced the music. "Director… Ton…"

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…

"What species is he?" Ash asked.

"Pig…" Fenneko said, with a thousand yard stare.

"Should work, right?"

"Yep," Mr Fox said, "Brilliant news. I think that this new member of our crew will perform excellently. Well done Haida and Retsuko!"

They were met with a round of applause, all mammals except the Aggretsuko crew happy about the step forward. Finnick nudged up to his girlfriend and whispered into her ear. "You really think I'll let him treat you bad?"

She relaxed significantly, before bringing up her phone. "As for operation protest, it seems that we'll be getting a lot of turnout tomorrow."

"Which is good," William said, stepping forward. "The original creators of the law are thinking about amending it if there is enough public support. He'll still be in legal trouble, but he'll be home. We show them the support, and…" he trembled, taking a breath in and out, his fist out and holding tight.

"Yeah," Mr Fox said. "Combined with my writings, that should really get public opinion on our side."

"Writing?" Retsuko asked.

"He writes for newspapers, remember?" Mrs Fox explained, off from her chair in a corner (or the nearest thing to that in the round room).

"I may have forgotten that," the red panda said.

"So did I," Haida agreed. "We should communicate more."

Mr Fox nodded, as did William. "Yes, quite," he said, fumbling with his paws. "About that, something weird happened… earlier."

All eyes turned to him as he went on about the strange foxes he'd met earlier. He mentioned how the latter one had talked about 'pre-empting' the other side's moves, and all the strange things talked about. He finally ended by saying that he hadn't sent off the hard details, yet.

"Okay," Honey said, stepping out. "This… Woah, this is actual spy stuff!"

"We don't know that… We don't know anything," Nick said, getting up and pacing. "Who they are, what side they're on, but they now know about our investigation so far."

"Oh gosh," William said, "I'm so sorry, I…"

"Only the very basics," Nick said. "So not too bad. They know we're after a weasel, and a relative of Dawn's, but not who or even where they are… So we've got a head start, at the very least."

"Hold off, hold off," Judy said. "Maybe he just wanted to get involved with us, see whether he could help out. That was what she thought, right? Or maybe wanted to see if he could get you onboard for whatever they wanted. But what use would they have for you?"

"Smuggling, counterfeiting, verifying stolen items," William suggested. He shook his head. "We're just seeing the top of this iceberg. I'm scared about what else is down there."

"Me too," Nick spoke. "Maybe Basil and Dave would know?"

The bunny stomped her foot. "Why do they have to be off on their wild goose chase now, of all times!"

"They'll be getting back soon," Nick reassured her. "Who knows, maybe their mortal enemy guy is behind all this?"

"I don't know."

His ears drooped down. "I don't either. This… That thing they talked about, about being stuck looking into the unknown. Yeah, I get that."

"Oh totally," Jack agreed, along with Skye.

"You know what I think," Finnick said, walking forward. "We have no clue what's going on over our head or which side we wanna be on. But we know that there's a fox out there who needs us rescuing him, so rescuing is what we're gonna do!"

Judy nodded. "Right. I'll type all of these things up and send them off to Catano. Maybe she and the others can make sense of it. But, for now, they're just loose threads that we don't know how to tie. We keep on searching, we keep aware..."

"-Especially if they suddenly find things on Maisy," Nick said, raising a finger. "They might know that she exists, and it might be in their interests to hurt Dawn's niece and have her take the fall." There was a pause, as he looked over to Dr Silverfox too. "You should be careful too… You might be important to their plans, you might not be. I don't know."

"Right," he said, nodding.

They all settled down to do some more work, getting partway through it when they were broken off. William's phone was ringing and, bringing it out, he answered it, his eyes widening. "KRIS!"

Almost immediately the room went quiet, everyone running to be around him. He turned his phone onto speaker, wiped away a tear and spoke.

"H-how are you?" he asked.

"I'm holding up well," he said, his father buckling with relief. "I mean, you hear these things about this place… That's an exaggeration. I'm going along, not causing a fuss, I'm making friends, both with the staff and the others. Bogo told the warden everything, so those in charge know. They made me use a story for the others but I'm happy they did, knowing them now. Sometimes it does hit you… You remember where you are, or there's a sudden thing going on between others." There was a long pause. "I can survive though. I really miss you, but I can survive."

Tears were dripping from his face. "I really miss you too. -We've found two mammals who could have done it. We've sent it to the police and are looking in ourselves. We're even playing the politics game. We're going after that hippo and we're pulling some politicians on your side too. We're going to get you out, then get this charge dropped, and you'll be home! You'll be home so soon, and we all love you."

There was a sniff from the other side too. "Thanks," he said. "Just had one of those moments."

"Don't worry about it," his father said.

"I won't. I'm staying strong. Staying calm."

A smile flicked onto his muzzle. "Of course you are…"

A soft silence filled the air as Ash leant in. "We're going to get you out. Hold on in there!"

"You're going to be there to meet your new cousin come hell or high water," Mrs Fox added, a paw on her belly.

"We're rooting for you," her husband said.

Soon everyone was cheering on, clapping, making him sure that he knew he wasn't forgotten. That they were all here for him.

"We're going to do everything to get you out," Judy said. "I promise."

"Thanks," he said softly, a slight sniff coming out. "Thanks."

Dr Silverfox nodded. "Well, I need to talk to you in private, but I hope you know…" he began, pausing to dry his face. "You know how much we care for you."

"I do," he said. "I do…"

And with that he flicked his phone onto regular mode and went off to find a private room. Meanwhile everyone else relaxed. "He's doing okay," Retsuko said, visibly relaxing.

"Yeah. Brave kit," Haida agreed.

A little smile flicked on Finnick's mouth. "Knowing from experience, you can harden yourself up in somewhere like there… But he's doing well. Very, very well. Good for him."

"And when he sees how many mammals we get on his side," Judy agreed, bringing herself up. She had a big smile on her face as she looked at Fenneko. "You said it's gonna be big. How big?" she asked, pausing as her phone rang. She quickly brought it up, nodding along, as Fenneko double checked all her work. Computer down, she looked up as Judy hung up.

"You wanted to know how big it's going to be?" Fenneko asked, smiling. "It's going to be very big."

"I know," she said, a decided grump in her voice. "Nick and I have just been called back to the ZPD. They need us for protest control."

Chapter Text

Chapter 25

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AN: And so another day is yet to dawn, and with how this one spun out as I wrote it, it is going to be a monster with lots going on. Following on from some advice, I'll be doing a few things to help my readers. Firstly, where applicable, I aim to have better lead-ins for different scenes, reminding you of who, what and where. Secondly, I'm putting up an updated cast list here. Whether it's helpful or not, it might be a good idea to have a reminding read through. In any case, I hope you all enjoy all I have coming next.

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Cast list (at the end of Anonymous Vulpine (Chapter 5)):

Broken into:

Concepts (Not characters)

ZPD/ law mammals

Fantastic Mr Fox and school

Aggretsuko

Jack and Skye

Current suspects (and relations) and (potential) bad guys.

ZNN and Media.

The prison.

Other (in alphabetical order).

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Concepts:

Efrafa: Based off of the antagonistic warren from Watership down or, more specifically, Ubernoners integration of them into Zootopia world history (from the fic 'Sons of Efrafa). A breed of hares, originally bred as battle slaves in the bronze age, with a strong and heavily defined martial culture. Primarily live in southern Turkey, truly establishing themselves after the defeat of the Don Cossak Horselord Gabrielli the Thunderer (based off of the fic: U Methrah Thlayli). Mrs Fox and Skye's sister both knew an Efrafan in the rangers, who was taken off by an eagle, only an eye ever recovered. An Efrafan, Jacob Raibert (Ubernoner's OC) works under Skye's sister in Korea.

Kehaar: A hawk demon in the Efrafan mythology. Some hares took to worshipping him at a site called Niedelienes in the foothills of Mt Ararat. The Efrafans razed the site out of disgust, the ruins eventually looted by the russian Tsar's army, thinking it might be Noah's ark. Dr William Silverfox's first true expedition was as part of the first true survey of the site, in which his linguistic skills were invaluable.

The Iron Vulture: An experimental airship built by the soviet union for use in Afghanistan. Delays and the war ending led to it being mothballed, then stolen by a band of modern day pirates. The ship vanished in the Sea of Okhotsk just after the turn of the millennium. Reportedly, the black box was recently recovered, and a secretive arms dealer is delivering it to Zootopia.

The rangers: A band of (primarily) predators who fight off birds of prey to keep smaller mammals safe. Mr and Mrs Fox and Skye's sister are all ex members, having met through the service.

Outsiders with Outsiders (OWO): The primary interspecies relationship support group in the city (said relationships aren't as accepted as straight species ones, but have historically been far more so than same sex relationships).

Strigiphobia: A common fear of owls, primarily amongst smaller species that would be their prey, but amongst some larger mammals as well. The owl is often considered as to the devil as goats are to satanism in our world.

Antivulpanism: The general term for hatred of foxes. While red foxes were generally highly regarded and prosperous in the old world (their documented ability to 'see' the earth's magnetic field used for navigation and locating iron ore, while their culture promoted inward investment), certain mammals held anti-fox views (Martin Loomer being an example). Many anti-vulpites were poorer peasant mammals who migrated to the new world and settled together, increasing the concentration of prejudice, not helped when most foxes sided with the loyalist forces in the war of independence (though this led to a much more positive reputation in Canidea). Zootopia is particularly noted for this prejudice, the city founded by a set of mammals with the belief that all mammals had a role they best fit in for the prosperity of all. This did not include foxes. It's worth noting that this ideology led to the ZPD's previous species and then size restrictions. Species restrictions were ruled invalid in the 60s and 70s after stopping a large coyote joining, even though some enlisted wolves were smaller. Only with the mammal inclusion initiative and the 'where anyone can be anything' rebranding drive were blanket size restrictions lifted, letting any mammal try out.

Ovinophobia: The general term for hatred of sheep.

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ZPD /law mammals, friends and family.

Nick Wilde: the reformed ex-hustler turned cop, partner of Judy Hopps. Saved Ash Fox in 'Different', and was a family friend ever since. Lately named as the god father of Ash's new sibling.

Mama Wilde: Nick's mother. Works as a lunch lady at Ash's school.

Finnick: Nick's former hustling partner, taking Nick's joining of the ZPD badly. Formerly served a large period of time in Juvenile detention for some serious crimes and is estranged from his family ever since. Currently dating Fenneko.

Honey: Formerly sheep hating conspiracy theorist, is trying to find a new purpose in life after being rehabilitated in a mental hospital (which she briefly escaped from before being recaptured by Nick and Judy). Had a highly ovinophobic Ewetube channel under the alias 'Gruinard Gal'.

Judy Hopps: Zootopia's own bunny cop. Partner of Nick Wilde. Currently looking after a necklace for Kozlov.

Kii Catano: A female cheetah officer, first introduced in 'Elementary Introductions'. Officially investigating Kris' case with Detective Oates, and takes a hardline against all speciesism.

Detective Oates: Horse detective of Precinct 1, first met when interrogating Kazar in 'Taking out the Trash'. Officially investigating Kris' case with Kii Catano.

Detectives Dave and Basil Dawson: Husband and husband, the two mice are the ZPD's newest detectives and incredibly talented. Had a long feud with the long missing Professor Rattigan, and are currently off on an 'investigative holiday' in Slavulpinch, Ewekraine, chasing up a lead.

Chief Bogo: Da chief.

ADA Jeanette Deux (borrowed from Ubernoner's 'Son's of Efrafa'): White tailed deer doe in a relationship with a mountain lion and assistant to the District Attorney. Seen at the meet up in 'So we're Inters now'. Does not get on with her boss.

Officer Jones: Tiger officer who arrested Kris. Currently transferred to Precinct one, awaiting investigation given his conduct.

Chief Ramic (Cimar's Zoosona): Kangaroo Chief of Outback island, big supporter of Inter rights. First seen in 'So we're inters now'. Secret co-founder of WildeHopps shipping club.

Eliot Fanghanel (borrowed from Koraru-San): White wolf officer and co-founder of WildeHopps shipping club.

Chloe Fanghanel (borrowed from Koraru-San): Thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) wife of Eliot Fanghanel. Sole member of the forks appreciation club.

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Fox/Silverfox family and co.

Mr Fox (Frederick 'Foxy' Fox): Ex-ranger, current newspaper writer and pest controller, father to Ash Fox.

Mrs Fox (Felicity Fox): Wife of Mr Fox, mother of Ash Fox, currently pregnant with a new kit.

Ash Fox: the angsty teenage son of Mr and Mrs Fox. Trying to embrace life after a very dark moment, despite coming off as a bit 'different' at times. Slightly older (but much shorter) cousin to Kris.

Dr William Silverfox: Mrs Fox's brother in law, husband to her (deceased) sister, and father of Kristofferson Silverfox. Emigrated to Zootopia from Canidea after recovering from a serious case of double pneumonia, caused by an ice fishing accident.

Kristofferson Silverfox: Son of Dr Silverfox. Sent to live with his Aunt and Uncle due to his father's illness. A very well adjusted, mature and gifted mammal, though due to the accident he has a slight phobia of the cold. Slightly younger (but much taller) cousin to Ash.

Kylie: Opossum sidekick to Mr Fox.

Remmy and Remus Packson (wolves); Mitch Dewclaw (wildcat); Maisy Calrama (ewe); Jenny Bourke (wombat): School friends of Kris and Ash. Maisy was revealed to be Dawn Bellwether's niece, her family getting a new identity after her arrest, and is now under suspicion.

Agnes: Vixen classmate of Kris and Ash, previously Ash's girlfriend, now Kris'.

Beavis Chuckman: Woodchuck bully to Ash (and to a lesser extent others). Cameoed in Meditation Mediation.

Brittany Voxen (borrowed from Kittah/Variable Mammals): Vixen form prefect to Ash, Kris and those above. Noted for having long blonde hair.

Coach Skip: Albino otter coach at their school.

The principal (Angela Van Der Horn): Female springbok head of the school.

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Aggretsuko crew and related:

Retsuko: A red panda office worker who blows off steam by singing death metal.

Haida: A dentally challenged spotted hyena, works with and loves Retsuko. Currently not getting on with his family after finding out his sister had sold his likeness to a toy company.

Fenneko: Social media goddess fennec vixen friend of the above. Distinctive laugh. Currently started dating Finnick.

Anai: Japanese badger graduate at their firm and cooking enthusiast. Noted for 'standing up to his rights,' being a perennial formal complainer in writing if he feels he's being taken advantage of. (Do not piss off).

Ookami: A maned wolf worker, who also assisted Nick Wilde in an undercover operation (with Nick pretending to be a young maned wolf). Currently dating Daz.

Daz: Crewefox's zoosona. Worked in a hospital and looked after Skye, currently dating Ookami.

Kabae, Tsunoda: (hippo, Dik-Dik (dwarf gazelle)): Two gossip mouthed workers at Retsuko's firm. In season 1 of the show, Kabae was briefly arrested on espionage charges before being let go. Revealed to be a political move by Kurt Wassermaim.

Secretary Washimi and Marketing Director Gori: Secretary bird and gorilla friends of Retsuko. Also known as 'The Baddest Bitches in the room'. Cameoed in Meditation Mediation.

PROTEIN: Retsuko, Washimi and Gori's kangaroo yoga instruction. First glanced in universe in 'Meditation Mediation', only ever says 'Protein'. Real name revealed to be 'Malcolm Jumpili'. A former roadie for the rock band 'The Oscars', adopted his new persona after studying under 'The Guru of the Stone' (who's from a different IP to Aggretsuko).

Director Ton: the overbearing literal misogynistic pig boss of the accounting department.

Tadano: Onager tech guru, briefly dated Retsuko in S2. Unseen but mentioned.

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Jack and Skye:

Jack Savage: Tehuantepec jackrabbit writer and director, previously knew Judy in a university drama society. Bar his acting, a notoriously lazy mammal.

Skye Autumn: Swift fox vixen, a mechanic who previously knew (and didn't get along well) with Nick Wilde. Hired to help fix a broken set.

Buster Moon: The koala owner of the theatre. He means well.

Eddie (sheep): Buster Moon's friend and financier.

Siwili Autumn: Grey fox and Skye's adoptive mother. Of native American descent, but kicked out of her tribe when she married her swift fox army husband.

Sweetie/Skye's sister: A sharp dressed army lieutenant and adopted red fox sister of Skye. Goes by her previous last name 'Fox' in order to avoid any nepotism. Currently stationed in South Korea.

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Current suspects (and related) plus (potential) bad guys:

Note: some of these may be good guys, bad guys, and some different ones may be one and the same.

Duke Weaselton: The Duke of Bootleg himself. A mammal with a strong reason to plant the nighthowlers in Kris' locker (mistaking it for Ash's). Currently out of the city, presumed to be in Oregon.

Duke's Cousin: A weasel running a camper rental place in Oregon.

Gus Pipman: Duke's flatmate, seemingly knows nothing.

Maisy Calrama: Formerly Maisy Bellwether, living under a new identity after her aunt's arrest. Attending Ash's school, nobody knowing, she and her family are joint suspects.

Dominic Calarma (formerly Bellwether): Maisy's father and Dawn's younger brother. Is a dwarf sheep with a dapper look, made his money in banking, and helped her on her campaign. Denies involvement but still loves Dawn.

Alicia Calarma (formerly Bellwether): Normal sized sheep (scottish blackface) and Maisy's mother.

DA Kurt Wassermaim: Controversial Hippo District Attorney, previously discussed but only seen in 'Anonymous Vulpine'. Promoted by Bellwether during the middle of the Nighthowler crisis over the older favourite, ADA Jeanette Deux, and though never proven suspected to have been part of her plot. Seen to have had a bias against predators, and a grudge against bank CEO Murana Wolford.

Kazar (from 'The Wild'): A pred hating wildebeest, supposedly the 2nd in command of an evil speciesist plot. Taken down in 'Taking out the Trash'.

Kozlov: Former polar bear bodyguard to Mr Big, currently in Slavulpinch, Ewekraine, with Jorin. Motives and alliances unknown, but seem to be against 'Sizogo Orla'. Has entrusted an heirloom necklace to Judy.

Jorin: Syrian wild ass and friend of Kozlov, resides in Slavulpinch, Ewekraine. Opposed to 'Sizogo Orla'.

Kazar's benefactor: An unknown mammal who had once commanded Kazar, still out there and wanted.

Mysterious big cats: A lion and tiger who enquired about 'Sylvester', Moon's sarcophagus trinket, in Acting Out. Once darted Duke in the face later by accident.

Mysterious three mammals: Shown observing the news of Kris' arrest from afar, and one has supposedly encountered Nick, Judy and Bogo before, along with his enemy. May have had many other cameos going on.

'Petey': A goat mentioned by Duke as interested in him in 'Special Little Mammals', briefly looked for but not found early on in the case.

Professor Padriac Rattigan: Once nemesis of Basil and Dave, long since missing but presumed still out there. Had an entourage including Felicity Pawker, a cannibalistic cat and his lover, and Fidget, his bat lacky. Current status unknown.

'Slylock': A 'detective' claiming to be interested in helping Kris' father, and asking for some information on his work (on ancient Efrafa). Tricked him until Carmen arrived, casting doubt on his claims. Current allegiance unknown.

'Carmen Sandiego Fox': Initially claiming to be a relation of Carmelita Montoya Fox of interpol (from Sly Cooper), later admitted that it was a ruse. Claims to be after an unknown set of enemies, including Slylock, but didn't divulge any more information.

'Sizogo Orla': Unknown presumed enemy of Jorin and Kozlov.

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ZNN and other media mammals.

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Anton Pounceheart (borrowed from WildeNick's 3 months a fox): An intrepid off-screen reporter/ Ewetuber, who very quickly learnt that stuff was up with the Nighthowler plot and by the end was trying to organise an active resistance. Held in a high standard for 'calling it' after the plot, has carried on campaigning. Like in the original fic, will be an offscreen only character.

Murana Wolford (Darkflamewolf's Zoosona): CEO of Lemming Brothers bank, and recipient of a number of spurious charges from DA Kurt Wassermaim.

Steven Stinkman: Skunk reporter at ZNN. Berserkers 'sona, and adopted son of Murana.

Max Thrash: Adopted raccoon son of Murana Wolford.

Gruinard Gal: Former Ewetube alias of Honey.

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The prison:

The warden: An argali, sympathetic to Kris' situation.

Fulton and Terrance: Guards, deer and giant river otter, the latter acting as the coach. Also sympathetic.

Sarrahson: Serval guard, far less sympathetic to Kris.

Armando: Capybara, head of the nerds, in for 'yeeting a mouse.'

Luka: Grey kangaroo, crime unknown, friend of Armando.

Timofey: Polar bear, connected to Big's mafia, in for hunting down and attacking a vandal (well past the point of self defence). Head of 'The Pack', respects Kris.

Matt: A very young canine, crime unknown. Murder mentioned but he claims to be innocent. Kris attempting to befriend and help him.

'Sicko' Wolf: A wolf implied to be in for a sexual crime, noted for acting creepy around Kris and Matt. Hated (with the rest of his friends) by the rest of his block.

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Other:

Badge and Delilah O'possum: Potential lawyers for Kris (from the Born to be Wilde series)

Councillor Aurelia Canidae: Character created by lovelymayor. An obese black (wolf) who initially sponsored the nighthowler bill, not intending for it to be used in this way.

Dr Amy Lupuleli: Binturong psychiatrist to both Ash Fox, Nick Wilde and Honey Badger.

Carmelita Montoya Fox: Famed interpol inspector (from Sly Cooper franchise).

Frantic pig: The owner of Flora and Fauna (the store Duke stole from) in the movie. His nighthowlers being stolen kickstarted much of the plot.

Dr Kristen Soren: OC of tinbuzzard (from the fic Sandcastles), a paleontologist working at the same university (but different department) to Dr William Silverfox.

Madge Badger: Honey's sister and the Dr from the movie. While never formerly charged as part of the missing mammals' case, her experience scared her and, seeing her sister spiral out of control, requested her comital.

Other fox cops: A second ZPD fox cop is mentioned, along with a vixen currently going through the academy.

Sam Burmowitz: A potential lawyer for Kris. (From the fic BvB butting heads)

Unknown Vulpine and wolves: Contacted by Finnick on request of Fenneko. The vulpine is picked up by a large male wolf on a bike, to be taken to an older female white wolf he considers his mother.

Unnamed Horse: Patient of Dr Amy and Uber driver encountered in 'Skye's Fall'. Generally very helping to his detriment, past survivor of something intense.

Vern Rodenburg: A potential lawyer for Kris. (From the Fire Triangle series)

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AN: Well, that was a lot, and I hope it covers everything as we move into day 2. Thanks to the great guys at the ZAA discord for giving me some tips and advice on the upcoming bit. Hope you all enjoy.

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The next day.

Flat 6A. 15 Greenbug street. L.R

5:04 AM

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For all that could be said about modern technology, to some mammals there was one inalienable truth. Despite all the convenience, affordability, practicality and general superiority, it just wasn't working out for them. Which was why some most definitely preferred to avoid it, even with all the inconvenience, unaffordability, impracticality and general inferiority that that meant.

Such could be exemplified as two little grey paws grabbed either side of a cd case, hanging off the wall like a painting, and placed it down in front of him. Gripping one side, the grey furred paws pulled open the lid before pressing down on the centre mount, fitting both paws through the hole of the disk and lifting it up as he took it to the waiting player. It looked more like he was carrying a bicycle wheel than getting ready to listen to anything and even he himself considered it a bit schmaltzy, but it was the way he liked to do things and he felt that here, in his own house, he had the right to do it that way. Down it went, into the turntable-like player (most definitely not an ancient second-paw walkmammal as many others had once used), before he pulled down the lid and pressed play. He turned the music on low, knowing that his adult niece, lodging here while studying, was still asleep, before making his way over to the bathroom.

Snap…. Scraaaaaa…..

"Huh… Missy?"

He looked around the main room of the loft, finding nothing. Still, he heard something… His gaze raised itself up. At the front, the room was one storey, but the roof climbed up in a steep mansard before levelling off, reaching the back floor two storeys high. There was a mezzanine there, originally reached by an orange climbing tube but swiftly replaced with a staircase, which gave access to the guest area where she was bunking…

Another scratch came out, seemingly from higher up, his ears raised to listen to it but getting nothing before the music cut it all out. Come Dance with Me, as sung by Frank Chincillatra, the title track of the album. Big band brass music followed by the legend's deep swooning voice called out of the speakers, its sole listener shaking his head.

It was a twig or a leaf or something, almost certainly. Blown off the trees surrounding the rodent district, coming to a halt on his roof. It wasn't even uncommon, though with a slight caveat. It usually happened in Autumn, shed leaves or sycamore seeds floating in on a gust of wind. It wasn't like he was up close to the border fence or anything, so you needed lots of the stuff being shed and a decent breeze. This was not the time of year that you got those, nor was the wind sounding particularly high out there.

Still, there was a chance, and it made sense. It was either that or it was a stray songbird or something, swooping in and roosting on the ridge line. He rolled his eyes. If it was, then that bird had some real chutzpah! (the good kind).

Ignoring it and slipping into the bathroom, he pulled off his japanese bathrobe and plain nightwear before slipping into the shower, quickly (but trying not too quickly) to wash himself. He told himself a few times to relax, to let it go slowly, which he did his best to do, all the while listening to the faint noise of the song coming through the walls. It struggled to beat the noise of the shower though, and given the antisocial hours he wasn't going to turn it up or anything. One of these days, he was going to buy a pair of cheap ear-pods for larger mammals and set them up like speakers in here…

One of these days…

It just so happened though that his schedule, as always, was always full, not that he'd have it any other way. And, being a small mammal, getting music systems installed and such was always a bother. After all, home music was never a thing for the smallest mammals until cassettes came out, and they themselves were very impractical and expensive. It was only when CD's with data compression had been developed that all rodents could enjoy recorded music; it was why every mouse, rat, shrew, etc. family had at least one copy of Direwolf Straits Brothers in Arms somewhere or other, one of the main reasons for it still being one of the world's best selling albums. He remembered it well, his mother, peace be upon her, couldn't help but talk about it during his visitation time.

Shaking his head, getting out and wrapping the robe back around himself, he left the bathroom, drying himself as he walked. It turned out that he'd managed to stay in for over ten minutes, which was progress! Maybe the quick shower habit was finally on its way out.

With that in mind he slipped into his den and pressed his work answerphone. One message: "Hi Vern. This is Fru-Fru… Sorry I'm calling you at this hour, little Judy just woke me up and… Well…" There was a sigh. "I'd just like to say thanks for everything, even if it didn't work out this time. This isn't on you, it's on him. Best wishes. Night…"

Despite the sad case that was around, he felt relieved. Despite his reputation as a legal miracle worker, there were limits to what could be done. His old patron and financier had dug himself too much of a hole this time and, despite fighting his strongest fight, that was that. It was the way of the world though, at least this time there was the solace in knowing that the mammal going away strictly did deserve it.

Still…

No more high cost legal defenses from there meant that Rodenberg Law had lost one of its big sources of income. He had other lawyers, paralegals and clerks that he had to pay, plus his own PI. Given the focus on pro-bono work, their efforts were never big in the way of moneymakers. Still, they had savings, they wouldn't need to make cut backs or anything in the short to mid-term future, so it wasn't all bad. Worst coming to the worst, they could switch more to a 'pay what you can' model.

Speaking of which…

He went out into the main room and pressed pause on the music, instead pulling out a tv remote and settling down. There was that scrambling again, he was now pretty sure it was a bird, as he turned on the news. It didn't take long for it to cycle through to the item of interest.

"The DA's office treats every case the same," Kurt Wassermaim spoke in a recorded interview, seemingly captured as he left his office the night before. "Be they pred, prey, male, female, canine, feline, ovine or bovine." He smiled and shrugged. "Various mammals have called me bigoted or extreme, something that I entirely reject. I am a classical blank slate enforcer of justice, believing that each mammal is accountable to their behaviours and should be held accountable. This includes this anonymous vulpine. All I ask is that the media classes, just like myself and the silent majority, treat this case with care, caution and maturity."

The screen flicked off, the rat scowling. That hippo, the chutzpah (NOT the good kind) of what he said!

"Well, it's a good thing I'm in the mood for a new long term project," he said, standing up. He was feeling cooler, a brisk chill catching his still damp fur, and he stretched his ageing bones and muscles a bit before walking off. Given some of the mammals captured in the videos, it wouldn't take long to get in contact with that family, and he was sure that something could be…

He paused, his gaze fixed on the doorway out to his balcony.

His open doorway out to his balcony.

"Missy?" he asked.

He paused, looking around and frowning.

"Melissa?"

He shook his head, no she was not up, as was expected. So then why was that door open? He was certain, certain, it hadn't been like that before. He paused, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. He'd lived through worse. This was nothing. In fact, it was probably just down to another classic design fault of Little Rodentia Property.

There was a slight absurdity to the fact that his house, however nice it was, probably cost more than a respectable fox or even wolf sized place in a cheap part of town. Central location (doubly so for rodents), no ability to subdivide larger homes, no new land to develop, the collapse of its crime problems a decade ago and the fact that the district had crazy planning laws and Nimby problems that made the likes of the Bay Area look like a developers paradise all contributed… Of course, the real cherry on top was that 'in order to preserve the rodent skill base' all homes here had to be built 'properly'. Most rodent homes and stuff were mass produced on a conveyor belt or, more recently, 3D printed. Here though you had to have rodent sized construction crews, cranes, even excavators and piling rigs (especially since a certain weasel and bunny cop highlighted the poor quality of foundations). That and the small sizes and tolerances meant that the expensive to build properties here often had settlement, fitting and all sorts of other issues. There'd even been a recent spate of complaints around one developer using recycled popsicle sticks in his properties! Nothing wrong with the principle, other than the fact the idiot hadn't bothered to wash them, which led to all sorts of pest issues a few years later.

While he himself had never had anything like that, there had been a few cracks here and there. Maybe the floor had been settling a certain way and the tiny bolt or lock had come loose. If that were the case, maybe it was time to bite the bullet, learn how to fly a drone and sell this place before the crash hit, buying a rodent sized mansion on someone's roof somewhere.

He came up to the door only to freeze. The lock had come undone, and was lying, separate to the door, at his feet. He gulped, looking up. Maybe a magpie had decided to have a peck at it? He…

The light cut out, leaving him in near blackness. There was another round of scrabbling.

From inside…

Back against the wall, he began sidestepping around. The oven clock and other little lights were off, something had cut the power at the source. This…

His jaw was tight like a vice. Worst case scenario, well, there were two. The first was there was an owl on top of the house, somehow working its way in, but to be fair anything involving owls tended to file itself into worst case scenarios for anything smaller than a fox (and many things larger too.) -Damn nascent Strigiphobia.

More realistically, something was in here and after him. For all the complaints he had about Little Rodentia, one thing was sure, it was safe and secure from larger mammals with something against him (and there were plenty of those). When establishing his legal career, there were certainly rodent sized problems (and lots of them) that had scared him and many others away, but after two fine gentlemice had fixed that problem the district had become the safest (and most expensive) place to be. Not that he'd relocated here right away.

Oh no…

That had come after the defence of a bunch of the Lang family in a large case, the biker wolves easily cleared of the dubious charges levelled against them. Unfortunately, someone in the rather less noble Razor gang had taken offence to that and tried to kill him, via tarantula.

Which, though highly impractical and besset with technical issues, still counted as the single most terrifying moment he'd ever encountered, which was saying something.

Almost made him wish for an owl instead…

Almost…

Still, after surviving that he could survive this. There had been no shakes or anything from larger mammals coming past, meaning it had to be something singular and small. That meant that he had a chance, especially if they were underestimating him, something that was very easy to do.

He began sidestepping along the wall, feeling his way around. Foot slowly over leads, back bending out to go around the bookcase, head down so he wasn't silhouetted against the light from the window.

There was a strange burst of white noise, in the upper range of his hearing. He wouldn't have thought anything of it were it not for the fact that it stopped. Then started again. Then stopped. Then started again.

More sidestepping, heart still hammering as more scrabbling rang out.

It was up, over by the mezzanine and likely on it, backdropped against the darkness and close to Missy's room. Close to his niece!

OY vey! Not her. Not the one member of family he was still close to!

More scrabbling, and he began picking up the pace. It was moving, but where, and there was more of that odd white noise. He was close now, just move around the stand-up clock and get to the kitchen, find a knife… Just get around, and…

"Got-tu-by-tha-clock!"

He froze as its garbled voice rang out from above him. He looked up and saw something black, two eyes opening as it burst into a midnight shadow and leapt down at him. "MISSY!" he cried, running over to the kitchen and grabbing a knife. Heart beating hard in a way it hadn't done for years, he gripped the handle tight just in time to meet the oncoming monster. There was a rush of air and a clatter as the utensils went flying off, some of the bespoke rodent made plates even smashing on the floor.

"Uncle!" came a cry from up above.

"There's something inside!" he cried as it leapt up. He thrust his knife out but the attacker somehow parried it with force. Not that it was met unopposed, grey paws pushing the blade back towards its void like mass but not hard enough, the knife glancing to the side and burying itself into nothing. A claw emerged from the blackness and gripped the rat tight. "Ahhhhh!"

Another gust of wind and he was pulled forward, over the counter, soon being dragged towards the window, the knife dropped. "Youcomewithme. Youcomewithme," it said, as it jostled on. Its captive saw that it was leaning down, a hooked peg leg in front banging along the floor while it leant down on the front claws of it's two wings and…

"BAT! IT'S A BAT!" he yelled, suddenly realising that he was still larger than it. Grabbing its rear leg and twisting it, fighting back, its claw was painfully ripped from the rat's chest only for the hooked peg leg to push back over his arm and pull. He yelled as he felt something sharp dig into his armpit and he fell forward, unable to get his bearings until they were out on the balcony. His niece was screaming, he was scared and mad. This was not how it was going to end for him! No way!

He pulled up, ready to bite it if that was what it took, all while it tried to take flight. It dodged, its prey pulled back, it flapped, the rat hooked a foot on the railing, it kicked his head with its foot and then let go with its hook. One last kick and the victim felt his balance shift, arms left spinning, hearing Missy scream as he fell over backwards, tumbling down and hitting the empty road below lightly.

Thank goodness he was a rat.

His blood still pumped though, it'd be coming back. Paws scurrying, small grey feet raced over to the nearest wall, his back hard against it as he looked up, scanning the air for the assailant. Nothing. Nothing at all. It must be there though, waiting, searching. He ran to the front door of his building, slamming into it and knocking hard. His arm, his writing arm no less, hurt like heck and he was only in a bathrobe and he was scared. No key, stuck outside, trapped. Turning, ramming the intercom button to his flat as hard as possible, back hard against the door, heart hammering, getting ready to fight it when it came.

Getting ready.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Where was it?

Was it toying with him?

There was a soft buzz and he nearly fell backwards, scurrying inside and slamming the door shut. He was safe.

Was he?

He was!

He was!

"Uncle!" came a shout and he turned, sighing with relief as he saw Missy running down to get him.

His knees felt weak as he stumbled up, collapsing into her.

"Uncle… Are you okay."

"I've seen worse in my time," he managed to say, the endorphin rush managing to morph a smile onto his mouth.

"That's not good news!"

"Oh mazel tov, give me this one," he managed to say, even as his arm pulsed with pain. "Now let's call the docs, quickly."

They did just that.

.

.

It wasn't much longer before Kris woke up.

Getting out of his bed, there were some guards waiting outside, quickly taking him out of his cell and turning left and right, soon sitting him down on a hard plastic seat. Visitation time, something he felt glad for.

Paws rapping on the little desk, eyes looking around, he looked down to see his long legs and tail, the fur messy and unkempt. Somehow, he thought, he felt much bigger, which only made the space seem more cramped. His eyes dropped down to the glass pane, as a set of figures began approaching.

"Uncle? Aunt?"

They nodded, though he couldn't help but notice that they were hunched over, their fur darker. They were older. Much older.

"Well, it seems our previous failures can be put aside for now. This is the last time we'll be here, before you're getting out. Took the long way around, but hey, it's still a way around!"

"What…" he began to say, only to pause as he looked down at his Aunt, her baby bump gone. "What happened to your baby?"

"Do you mean me?" someone asked. It sounded like Ash, but no, it was different. There was a kit about his age standing next to them, looking like his cousin albeit in far better shape. "I grew up while you were in here. Don't you remember?"

"Of course he does," his uncle said. "It's been fifteen years."

"Tha… that's right Cous," came a voice. Ash's, but weaker, hoarser, and he saw a strange figure approach. His cousin had grown a little while he was inside, but everything else had been a step back. His ears were torn, his fur patchy, his movements twitchy and unsure.

"Ash?"

"I tried my best by myself," he said. "I really did! And I managed with… with… without your help, didn't I?"

"You got here," came a voice, Nick. "It was a struggle, a big one, given that there wasn't a certain someone to look after you. But hey, if you couldn't have managed without him, it was his fault for getting himself into this mess."

"I didn't!" Kris protested, looking around. But he had, he remembered now, he was in here for fifteen years, the statement pounding and twisting his heart hard.

"Well, you say that, but the law didn't care," Judy added, smiling. She had a bunch of teenage fox and bunny kits behind her, going around, some playing with Nick's tail. "But hey, our lives just kept on going."

"Yeah, no biggy," his Uncle added, standing up. "Come on, the convict still has a bit of his conviction to spend out!" Up they all stood, turning and walking off into the mist.

"Wait!" Kris shouted. "W-where's Dad?"

They kept on going.

"Where's my dad?"

They soon disappeared, all except Ash, the shivering reduction of his cousin giving him one final look, hardened into a glare. "You broke his heart years ago. Where do you think?"

And then he vanished too, and Kris was alone. He looked around, he tried to walk away, he began crying out for his father but his father would never hear it, it was too late. It was all too late, he was gone, and Kris was alone. Completely, utterly, impossibly alone. He wanted to run away but he couldn't. All he could do was curl up into himself and cry into himself.

Cry into his pillow.

Curl up tighter, his sheets shifting on top of him, and…

And…

He brought his head up and looked around. He was back in his cell, back sitting on his bed, back in Juvie on his second day and that… That had just been a dream.

Just a dream.

A few more tears dripped from his eyes but he wiped them away, going over to the small sink to wash his face before sitting down. Each cell had a fur brush fixed to the wall by an elastic cord and, stripping down, he began working out all the knots and tufts on his body.

It didn't take long for a new sound to come in through the wall. Muffled, quiet, but there nonetheless, a shrill scream followed by a sob. Matt…

Might it be worth it finding a way to talk to him? Morse code or something through the walls. After all, while the rules said that you couldn't have personal electronics or anything to communicate with the outside, there was nothing strictly against communicating between cells.

Okay… It was technically pushing the boundaries and not doing what you were supposed to do, but there was a terrified little boy next door who might be put at ease by it.

Boy…

Boy, pup, cub, Kris' ears drooped. It was an apt description for the little wolf, one that made him think. One guard had called him a murderer, yet he'd said he was innocent. What had he done to get in here?

The alarm bell rung, they'd be getting out soon, and he looked out of the window of his door and spotted a guard brush past. There was the sound of Matt's cell unlocking, and then some talking. He watched as the guard walked back past, a blue plastic sanitary waste bag filled with something carried in his hoof. Thinking back to Matt's incident the day before, he had to concede that that was probably the most dignified way of handling that medical issue.

It was strange, his earliest memory, the precious one with his mother, had her praising him for getting through the night dry, nothing back then including a diaper or anything. Yet here that pup was… He had to have been ten, maybe not long after his birthday or something?

Maybe, if he was innocent, he might be younger than ten. Yes, it was supposed to be the minimum age, but that was presuming that everyone was good and working with good faith. However much he didn't want to think about it, that wasn't a confirmed certainty.

What was the one he'd heard about in… It was definitely on the US east coast... That was a scandal involving corrupt judges taking bribes and a bunch of juvenile facilities, one brutal one especially… It was annoying, he couldn't remember the name, just that the whole thing was called 'Kits for Cash'. However, while an article about a judge being sentenced had included a mention of the ages not going below ten, there had been one commentator on the internet comments section who had, in very colourful and angry language, sworn up and down that it was lies, that there were younger ones, that he had been younger.

Though with the laws and stuff in Zootopia, that couldn't be the case, right?

Well, he thought, he'd have to find out. In position, the door was opened, he stepped out and Matt was there, looking a bit sheepish but otherwise okay.

They were given time off in the cell block before they were called for breakfast, and they walked over next to a television. "You okay?" Kris asked, looking down at Matt.

The young pup shook his head.

"Bad dream?"

"Uh… yeah! Bad dream," he gushed out, his ears folding back as he looked around. "I… I don't want to be here."

"I don't either," Kris said, as he sat down on a stool across from him.

"And… and I didn't do anything wrong! Neither did you, but I didn't. It's… it's scary here too."

Kris looked around. Nothing violent was going on, it didn't look spooky but, well…

"Yeah, it is," he agreed, looking down and holding the small canine's paw. "I had a bad dream last night too. About not getting my name cleared and growing old in here."

Matt looked up at him warily before batting away his paw, flinching back and wrapping his tail around himself. There were a few whines.

Kris looked at him, before looking down at his rejected paw. "Why did you do that?"

"I… I dunno," he mumbled, beginning to sniff. Kris reached over to put his paw around his shoulders, only for him to jolt back, claws swiping out. The silver fox dodged them as Matt seemed to realise what he'd done. "I… I'm sorry!" he yelled.

"Apology accepted," he replied, only to pause as he saw Matt flinch down, covering his head as if he expected to be hit.

There was a long awkward silence.

"It's okay," Kris said. "I'm not going to hit you. I'm just going to look out for you."

Matt looked back with an unsure look on his face, one broken off as he glanced at the kids tv programme currently being shown. A bunch of neon coloured superhero bunnies, along with a purple caped racoon and a silver coloured fox (not a standard 'black with grey' silver or a platinum like Kris, he was silver all over) were speeding along in crazy carts, off to save the day.

"It's the S-T-R-I-P-E-S!" Matt cheered, his face lighting up.

Kris relaxed. Getting close to him would be like going out on ice. Slow, steady, stepping carefully. There was more to his story, and it wasn't like he was pressed for time in working it all out. So, he sat with him and settled down to enjoy the adrenaline fueled cartoon go-kart/ bike/ superhero action (just like many of the other prisoners). There were even protests as someone walked up to the screen, though he said that he was only there to change the volume.

"I can't find the remote," he said.

"Couldn't yesterday too," someone else said.

"And they've locked the manual controls."

"Who cares!"

"I do, I want it louder!"

Kris remembered the media blackout the guards were doing, on his behalf…

More than that, last night, his father had said that there was a big protest gearing up on his behalf. They'd called in contacts, got a bunch of media mammals on their side, and things were going well…

He crossed his fingers, hoping that it would all work out and wondering what everyone else was up to.

Chapter Text

Chapter 26

.

Meanwhile in Precinct one, a cheetah and horse were getting ready for the new day of investigations.

"Say, Oates?"

The great horse spared a glance down at the small cheetah, busy looking through the recently sent documents. A whole list of write-ups, speculations and downright weird information was provided, albeit in a clear and concise way. If there was one thing that Catano could say about Judy, it was that she was thorough.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Tell me… Did any of your family ever do bad things?"

"Huh. Well, stupid, certainly. Do you want the list?"

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head. "I mean, really bad things. Unforgivable things."

There was a long pause, his jaw chewing air a few times. "This about Dawn's family?"

The comparatively tiny looking big cat nodded, glancing back up at him. "How did you guess?"

He smiled, hoof touching his detective badge. "This little ol' number here helps. I'm guessing they still have feelings or stuff for her?"

"They have a shrine," she said. "Locked away, behind a curtain, but it's there. All their old pictures featuring her. Were it any other house or any other mammal, I'd look down on them with disgust for celebrating Hellwether like that. But… Well, when he showed me it, he was expecting just that. He told me to go ahead, read him the riot act, tell him what a terrible mammal he was."

"And did you?"

"No," she said. "I mean, I know that it's still his family, something he went on to explain in length. She was his big sister, he doesn't remember a time without her as there never was a time without her, they had a happy childhood and he loved her and so did his niece. If I was in their place, I'd be heartbroken and then angry that someone I trusted so fully could do that to me, I'd feel that every moment before was tarnished and they were no longer my family. But… But I also know cases where the parents of criminals just get stuck in denial, saying over and over again that it wasn't their fault or there were other things going on… And in those cases I understand them, but I almost pity them."

"So, what did you feel here?"

"It was odd," she replied, scratching behind her ear. "They knew what she'd done, they weren't like any of those disgusting 'Bellwether truthers' or even apologists for her actions. They were heartbroken, ashamed, they changed their identities to get away from the stigma. And yet they couldn't come to throw out those older good moments. They seemed scared, lost, and so on, and at the time I felt guilty for putting so much pressure on them. But now, thinking it through, I'm having new ideas, ones pressing down on them which are making me feel more guilty in a way, even though they make sense."

"So, what are they?" he asked.

"Well, mainly, it could all be a front. It could all be an act. They, or the parents at least, were involved in the original plot and they burned those bridges to try and start again. Not the plot, mind you, it's like war criminals going to a new country to find a new identity and live on. Of course, they still care for their sister in arms, so they put in place that little shrine to remember her sacrifice to whatever terrible cause they were after. Then, after seeking their new revenge, they pull this whole thing to guilt me. Before I left, I made a promise to Dominic Bell… -Calrama. Look at the most logical options, rather than the most 'emotionally cathartic'. Afterwards, I was told his daughter didn't want to speak. I asked if I could hear it myself. They then guilted me, saying I'd broken that promise, going for the cathartic idea that they were forcing her to stay silent and covering up for them. I did feel ashamed, at the time, for breaking the promise. But…"

"But?"

"Well, I'd say that it was an equally valid and logical idea to her just being scared. So, I think it was a good thing that I asked them about it, and that I still suspect them. But knowing about how much crap they might go through, I… Urgh… Still feel a bit rotten about it."

"Listen," Oates said. "You gotta do what ya' gotta do. I thought that was the first lesson y'all got in the police academy."

"Yeah, along with the dangers of stereotyping different species," she carried on. "Not that it stops some… Not that it excluded sheep, either."

"Ah, so this is about Gruinard Gal or whatever? I... Yup, there's a look of disgust if I've ever seen one."

"Don't remind me," she said, her hackles raised. "That garbage... whatever she is… -Honey badger, that was it." There was a pause and a sigh. "I was thinking about her throughout that whole talk. Is this family having to deal with the likes of her? How much abuse are they getting…? Am I ovinophobic?"

There was a long pause. "Do you hate sheep?"

"No! But… Maybe I distrust them or something more than others and I just don't know," she sighed. "Maybe all this stuff here is due to ovinophobia?"

"That's odd. I thought it was due to them being Dawn's family and the daughter going to the same school?"

"I mean, of course it is," she exclaimed, Oates smiling smugly. For a brief second, Catano was unimpressed, glaring at him while her tail gave a few whip like swishes. Finally, though, she conceded the point. "I just don't want to be another mammal like that one."

"And you're not," Oates reassured her, putting a hoof down on her shoulder.

There was a pause, before she looked up. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, do you want to hear what I think?"

"Yes."

"Well, I think that this is a messy situation and whatever you try and do, you're gonna hurt a bunch of young, scared, impressionable mammals. As I said before, you gotta do what you gotta do. But that doesn't make you someone like that whackjob, does it?"

"No."

"Cuss no it don't. After all, you hate her guts!"

Kii smiled, nodding. "Yeah. It's just… -I'm still having to get over the fact that Ben watched her. I mean, yes, I know he doesn't take it seriously, but he still endorses her. He still endorses the horrible things that she says, that make mammals suffer, which try and radicalise young people."

"And what do you think of me?" Oates asked. "I saw those things, found the whole thing funny, not that I'd watch any more of it."

"Well, that's okay, as you're not endorsing her," she summarised. "And you won't be watching on and start thinking 'okay, she has a point here', which then becomes 'she has some points', which then becomes 'oh I agree with most of what she says,' which then becomes 'screw sheep, they're not even mammals'. You cut the line with her." There was a pause, as she rubbed her chin. "Thinking it through, that actually helps a lot. The Calrama's didn't entirely cut ties with Dawn, arguably it's impossible to do so, that means it is fair to suspect them and to at least be able to consider that they're up to something not good. Though, I concede, they're most likely a scared family who need to be looked out for, cared for, and just want and deserve respect. I've got to do the first while making sure I do the second, and to be fair I don't want it to be them. I want to come in one day and tell them who it was, that they're clear, and that I'm sorry for putting them through much stress."

"Well, that sounds like the right attitude to have," he reassured her, the cheetah smiling back.

"Thanks. I suppose it's tricky as it is a grey area, not a black and like one with Gruinard Gal. I mean, if you're watching, following, helping her, you're a bad mammal period. A terrible mammal, even, just like her. And maybe you say you're only dipping your toe in, but that's still being complicit in the mammal hurting evil that you know is there. Unlike you, who saw it, made the right judgement, and will be leaving it alone where it belongs."

"Well, thanks to hear," Oates replied. "Glad I could have been of assistance."

"Yup," she replied. "Anyway, I was reading through some of Judy's stuff and…" she was broken off as the bunny in question walked into the room.

The word walked being generous.

She was slumped over, ears crashing down, her steps taken as if her feet were made of lead. Nick sauntered in after her, looking normalish.

"Well, well," Oates said. "Wilde looking more together than Hopps. Well I never, seems like the early bird between you two has done a swap."

"Shaddup…" Judy groaned, "need caff-fee…"

She plodded over to the waiting percolator, pouring herself a helping. Nick looked at her, before holding up a paw to stop Catano. "If this is about the documents she sent last night… Just look at when she sent them."

The cheetah nodded, looking closer at the email. It was listed under '6 hours ago', which meant that…

"Yeah," Nick replied. "She had a late night earlier this morning getting that to you. No, she's not ready to answer any questions… yet."

"Understood," she said, looking over. "I wasn't going to ask, it's really thorough. Thanks."

Judy glanced up and smiled. "You're welcome," she said, before turning back down to her cup. Her nose twitched a few times as she sniffed in the dark bitter scent, before she tipped it up and began taking it down. Nick joined her, finding much more enjoyment out of it, even if right now he needed it less.

"I'm serious though," Catano replied, filing through everything. "The reports should be enough to get the authorities stateside to put a warrant out for our weasel, fingers crossed he hasn't gone too far. And hearing that this friend did send a text to Maisy Calrama does help to keep that possibility open." She paused a bit as she said it, not sure if she wanted it to remain open or not, before shaking her head. This was police work. "However, on that thing about a Shylock and a Carmen Sandiego Fox…"

"You'll have to speak with Kris' father to get more information about those," Nick filled in.

"Yeah," Judy replied, taking a few more sips from her mug. Her ears were slowly rising.

"But we can get right on it thanks to you sending this in first," she said, raising a finger up. "I was also thinking of checking out the school later. You up for that Oates?"

"I'm busy, but if you get one of the sniffer certified officers who handled Duke before, you could get a scent link," he replied, walking over with his own (massive) cup of coffee. "And what about you two? I thought you were off private investigating?"

"Bogo had to call us in for protest control," Judy grumbled, taking another sip. "For our own protest."

Nick took a sip of his drink and smiled. "The irony is almost as delicious as this stuff."

"Well, if you were setting up anything violent, jokes on you," Oates replied. "Still though, I heard that most mammals are turning against our DA. If that wolf that first did the bill decides to put through an amendment to it then well done, you've done the main thing and made a fool outta him."

"And got Kris back home," Judy said, through another sip of her drink.

"I apologise," Nick said, looking down. "Judy's sense of humour hasn't quite loaded yet."

He received a punch to his arm.

"Naturally though, her fox abuse protocol has."

With a final sip, the bunny finished her drink and shook her head. "Yeah, that's number one on the list," she replied, her voice picking up. "I've heard from our friend organising it that it's going to be big. I didn't plan to go into politics, but hey, making the world a better place, right?"

"Right," Catano agreed, watching the bunny and fox nod along. She turned back to her work only to pause, an errant thought working into her brain. It was odd, really, but she couldn't help but say it out loud before really thinking it through. "We'd do the same if it was Maisy, wouldn't we?"

There was a brief pause, before Judy looked back. "I… Yeah, of course!"

"I mean, we'd know about it later and second paw, so we wouldn't have that killer recording or anything" Nick countered, his tone darker. "With that and the fact she is a sheep, I don't think we'd get anything like the turn out to support her, especially if mammals knew who she was. But we'd still look into it."

"Fairly?" Catano asked.

"Of course," Judy insisted. "I mean, I have nothing against sheep, some of my best friends growing up were sheep."

"I'd guess we'd be more professional than crazy eager like this though," Nick said. "I mean, it's a dear friend vs a friend of a friend, I… -Don't give me that look Judy, I'm just being realistic."

Catano nodded along. "I guess so," she said. "I suppose it's lucky that it was he who got this, not her… Unless she did it of course."

"Who knows," Nick replied, shaking his head. "Who knows."

With that, the pair left, Catano and Oates getting busy packing up. The cat in particular thought over what they said. Was it species, was it family, was it fair? It was all hard and complex, and the only answer she could give was for the last part, and that was a resounding no. Judy would try her best, Nick was trying to be realistic even if it meant not going for the ordeal. What would have happened if Bellwether's own niece had been dragged in front of her two days ago, nighthowlers in her locker?

From what she'd seen, she'd have been distraught, terrified, lost. As for herself, she felt a chill go down her spine as she realised that she might have gone in without mercy, interviewing and pulling her over the verbal coals. It would have been logical, enjoyable, getting out her rage at what Bellwether had done. And if Maisy had said it was a plant, someone wanting revenge on Bellwether by proxy, would she believe her?

She'd believed Kris after his interview.

Would she even want to believe her?

She felt her face sink down into her paws again. Most logically they were a scared family, realistically they were suspects due to who their relative was. It wasn't due to them being sheep, though…

Well, you had as much choice as to which species you were born as as you had choice in who your Aunt was.

She was almost grateful for the tap on her shoulder by Oates, telling her to get up. She had the school to check out, he had his things…

Someone sometime had to talk with the kit's father. Strange foxes coming in to talk to him, wanting him for something, stories about missing items and large conspiracies. It seemed like it would be right up Basil and Dave's alley.

Urghhh… She missed them. They'd probably have worked it out by now. Stupid timing…

Still, it was Wednesday today, and they'd be back on Sunday. Not long in the grand scheme of things. As she got up and went out though, she couldn't help but wonder where they were and what they were up to.

.

.

Slavulpinch. Kyiv Oblast. Ewekraine.

.

The hot sun was slowly coming down over the dusty windswept grasslands, the heat of the day slowly giving way to the cool of the night. The sky was still blue, cloudless, and it came down to meet the dusty golden earth to form a perfect replica of the nation's flag. It was a truly serene scene.

It was anything but quiet though.

The chirps and buzzings of insects filled the air, along with the evening songs of birds. But mammal kind had its own contribution to make.

RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM-RUM…

Pulling out of the trees, an old red tractor emerged, an aged syrian wild ass in a Russian army officer's uniform perched on top and driving it while a massive polar bear jogged alongside, panting in the heat and stripped down to just his underwear. Behind it, they pulled a trailer, full of strange bits of electrical equipment all fitted together.

None of them paid attention though to two little Babushka dolls sitting in the corner. None of them saw one turn to the other.

"Basil," the one whispered, its partner turning to face it. Suffice to say, if you looked closely there was something a little odd with their eyes. For a start, they blinked.

"Yes?"

"I don't think we thought this through."

"Oh of course not, old chap! Look, maybe it's not what we expected, but these two certainly are up to something!"

"Yes, and do you know what?"

"Well I can certainly make a reasonable explanation with a bit more investigation! I personally believe we have everything we need to get to the truth of this mystery."

There was a grumble from the other little doll.

"What was that?" Basil asked, curiously.

"Nothing," his husband muttered back.

"No, no… It certainly sounded like, uhhh… howl about a transistor… -Ah, no! How about a translator!?"

"Yes…"

"Oh, we don't need a translator!" he said cheerily, just as the polar bear panted out.

"Von tam?"

"Da," his companion replied.

Dave gave a pronounced clearing of his throat and waited.

"Well," Basil mused, "there was a yes in there."

Any grumbling was cut off as the tractor suddenly ground to a halt, jolting the babushka dolls over and sending them rolling, little pairs of legs kicking out from underneath. They skittled around before coming to a halt, jolting themselves upright as the ass kicked the machine hard. "Cyka Blyat!"

"Oh, and I know what that one means," Basil filled in. "It translates to 'Cussing cuss.'"

"Thank you," Dave said grumpily, as the two came around. They sat in a corner as Kozlov, formerly Mr Big's right-paw mam and currently on a long and strange sabbatical in this country, took the equipment out and set it down on the floor. It certainly wasn't picking up the feared Rattigan, returning him to his city after a long exile, as they'd once believed. As for what it actually was…

Fully deploying it, they set up what almost looked like a miniature anti-aircraft gun, testing how it moved and panned before setting its sights on a rusting old Laika Riva sitting across the field. "A weapons test?" Dave summarised.

"Yes, yes, I… Hmmm, they're starting a generator up," Basil agreed, as the roar of a diesel engine filled the air. "Some kind of electrical weapon? I mean, you remember at Interpol, they like their shock pistols."

"Quite, what was it that that vixen inspector said? 'This pistol packs a paralysing punch?'"

"Well, this isn't a pistol, that's for certain," Basil said. There was an odd crackling as the machine seemed to rev up, the pair looking at it tentatively. The polar bear had grabbed a long measuring line and walked over to the car, now returning back.

"Dvesti metro rovno."

The ass, who they believed was called Jorin, huffed, chuckling a bit as a grin grew on his face. "Tak chto eto dolzhno zanyat' odnu sekundu."

The bear nodded, stepping behind the weapon with the ass, a cord in his paw.

"Building their own directed shock weapon," Dave murmured. "Maybe through off the shelf parts, putting them together in ways that the police force wouldn't recognise until it's too late… Which could give any criminal outfit armed with them a terrifying advantage in the short term."

"Such as a bunch of criminal bears who've just lost their mafiosa," Basil said, a chill running down to the tip of his tail.

The two little babushka's turned to glance gravely at each other, before turning back to watch the spectacle unfold. "Dlya polenta dvoynoy nol' sem'!" the bear spoke, his companion making a sign of the cross behind him. "Dlya pyat'desyat shest'! Dlya moyego brata!" he continued, the last word mixed with a soft and sad tremble. "Dlya vsekh zhertv Sizogo Orla! Tri, dva, odin, OGON!" He pulled the cord and there was a crackle as their machine buzzed with electrical sparks before ejecting them, an unsteady shimmering orb sent flying off and onto the target in no more than a second. The old vehicle popped and fizzed, sparks flying before it was left sitting there, smoking, fuming and burning as its attackers celebrated.

"Odnu sekundu!" the Jorin cheered, hooves into the air. "ODNU SEKUNDU!"

Kozlov just gave a hearty chuckle, turning to his partner and putting a paw around his shoulder. The mice looked on from their position. "You filming this?" Basil asked.

"Of course."

"Do you ship them?"

"Of course."

"Ah excellent. Hmmm, we'll keep on spying on them as long as we can, then head home. It'll be a shame though."

"Hmmm…"

"Well, they'll have been having a nice peaceful time back there, and we'll come in and drop the bombshell about a new weapon the underworld might be about to use."

"I do see your point," Dave agreed, his babushka doll slowly rocking backwards and forwards in a nod of appreciation. After all, this would be a real rain on their parade back in peaceful Zootopia.

.

.

"Okay, riot control! Any tips, Carrots? Any carrot tips?"

Judy shook her head vigorously in response. "Well, it depends what crowd we get."

"Ahem," he reminded her, slipping on his belt before leaning down close to her ear and whispering. "It depends on the crowd we've gathered."

"That Fenneko has gathered," Judy quickly countered, slipping on her own belt and taking a breath in and out. She hopped on her feet a few times before getting down into a bunch of stretches, talking as she warmed up. "I mean, back during the Nighthowler crisis, the actual protestors were fine."

"Huh?" he asked. "But I thought…"

"-It was the counter protestors you had to worry about," she said, crossing her arms. "Now, fingers crossed that you won't have any of those here today. In that case it should all be good!"

"Just should?"

"Oh, hush you," she said, giving a quick flick out. Nick though saw it coming and hopped to the side.

"Nice try," he said, with a wink and a finger gun salute.

"I mean, you've got no idea what kind of mammals you'll get, but it shouldn't be too bad right? I mean, this Pounceheart guy who's getting most of them in, he was on our side during the Nighthowler Crisis…"

"Though by the end of it he was telling all of us to break quarantine and fight the system," Nick warned, with a finger raised.

"I…" Judy began, her nose starting to twitch. "Okay, I wasn't in the city right at the end," she conceded, "but it should all be fine. Get the fences up, look around, get rid of any particularly troublesome mammals, and it'll all be over nice and easy."

"If you say so," Nick said, flashing her a wink. He checked his equipment before looking at Judy, the bunny saluting him off. With that, they walked out, gathering with the rest of the officers before making their way out. The protest was being held out on Watering Hole Plaza, so there was no need for the pair to hop into a minibus or anything, though plenty were arriving, bringing in officers from other precincts so that no single one was down too many mammals. Instead they just strolled around, Judy hopping and skipping here and there, both keeping their eyes open for anything untoward. There weren't many here yet, but it was clear that something was going on. Various mammals were gathering together, getting placards out. Most of them were young, around Judy's age and down to eighteen or so, while the majority were predators. There were plenty of prey too. As for the police, they were hanging about, keeping an eye on it all while also setting up simple metal barriers in places, such as around flower beds or water features that a large crowd might accidentally bump someone into.

Getting a wave over from some officers in Precinct 4, pulled in from the Rainforest district, the pair helped to haul some over, slotting them into each other and giving them a rattle to check that they were secure. Judy in particular gave them a big, strong energetic shake. Nick looked on, mildly amused. "I see that coffee's worked its way into your system."

"Huh?"

"You're bounce-bounce-bouncing everywhere, little bunny cop," Nick said, pointing at her and smiling as he watched her shuffle from foot to foot.

"Yeah! I mean, whooo…" she swooned. "I really needed it after my late night getting things sorted for Kii," she said, moving over to the next set of barriers, currently being hauled over by two moose officers from Tundra town. "-Do you think she'll find anything?"

"Well, yeah. She's a cop. Cops tend to do that."

Even through her buzzed state, Judy was able to pull herself down and give her fox a smarmy half-lidded stare.

"Seriously though, probably…" Nick said, shrugging as he did so.

Judy nodded in agreement. "Great! I…" She then froze, pausing, her nose twitching.

"Uh-oh, trouble?" Nick asked, turning to face where she was looking. He saw a glance of Pounceheart over in one area, currently livestreaming or something, but that didn't seem to be it. Instead he followed her line of sight to an unfamiliar tiger officer, looking around with an irritated expression. "That it?"

"Yup," she said darkly, her arms crossing in front of her.

"Right…" Nick followed on. "Behind the tiger?"

"It is the tiger."

…

"Okay, now there's a role reversal I never imagined before. Mind telling me why?"

"Have you met him before?"

"No."

"I bumped into him a few times while you were in the academy," she spoke, her words pronounced and hard. Nick was already on edge; even with the miraculous boost of coffee on her side, she hadn't used his admission to refute his boast of knowing everyone. That meant she had one heck of an attention grabbing grudge against the tiger, but why? Looking back, he stared closer at his face before blinking, slapping himself as Judy carried on. "His name is Officer…"

"-He arrested Kris."

"Yes he did," Judy said, her foot beginning to drum rapidly on the floor. "Yes he did."

"I didn't recognise him at first as the video was unclear, but…" he began, not sure how to carry on. He was annoyed. No, he was angry. He'd heard about how he'd dragged everyone out to show the arrest. That tiger had hurt his friends… No, his future family, and he couldn't help but think that his species had a part to play in it. He was still used to the odd jerk looking down on him as a shifty fox, but this was a major jerk in a uniform, and he'd used it. He'd used it good, something the red fox was not going to allow to stand. A faint snarl was coming out of his muzzle, only to break away as Judy power marched past him.

"I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind!" she warned, only to be held back by Nick's paw.

"Careful young Hoppswalker, anger is the path to the dark side. Besides… If he has something against foxes, let's serve him something fox style in return."

Judy paused, before looking at him and nodding, giving him the go ahead.

"Officer Jones? Officer Jones, do you copy?" Nick asked into his radio, masking his voice a bit so that it wasn't quite clear that it was him.

Standing not too far away, the tiger picked up his radio and answered. "Yeah, that's me."

"Hi there, just a rookie from third. My superior had to dash to the little mammals room, and said I should keep in touch with you while he was gone."

Blinking a few times, the big cat smiled. "Yeah, that's fine. Anything to report?"

"No, not really. Just making sure the line works in case I do."

"Smart move."

"Yeah… Say, any idea what this whole thing is about."

With that, the tiger's face collapsed into a scowl. "Urghh…" he groaned wearily. "It's literally the stupidest thing. Okay, quick question, are you pred or prey?"

"Pred."

"Right, you'll get it then. See these idiots out here?"

"Looking at one right now," Nick smiled, his gaze never leaving the back of the tigers head. Judy bounced up and down on her feet next to him, carrot pen out and recording as she eagerly waited to see where this was going.

"Well, they're protesting to release a stupid fox kit who was smuggling night howlers in his locker! I mean, can you believe it…"

"No. I thought you needed more evidence to show that it wasn't a plant or anything."

"-What! You too!?" he asked, exasperated. "Listen, don't you or any other predator here remember what we went through?"

"I remember the classes about burden of proof…"

"I don't believe this," he hissed.

"Well, I mean I heard they're all here following orders from this mammal who called the nighthowler plot."

"-What? Pounceheart?" he asked.

"Name rings a bell."

Jones paused, blinking a few times before slapping his head. "Dammit," he sighed. "I thought he was cool," he scowled, kicking a tuft of grass with his foot. "Only now he's on this whole 'we're above the law' thing that the rest of them are. I mean, seriously… We're not supposed to say foxes are sneaky or untrustworthy or anything…" Nick and Judy listened on, leaning forward, the latter with her pen out and up against the receiver. "-But you have to admit that there are some who really lay into that stereotype," he carried on, complaining like one would about bad traffic. "Must really suck to be stuck as a fox with those mammals in your species giving you a bad rep. -But what really ticks me off about foxes is how smug they all are. I mean, don't you see that?"

"I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about," Nick said, eyes closed and muzzle tilted up in mock humility. Judy nodded up and down like a yo-yo.

"I mean seriously, have you ever met any foxes," Jones carried on, idly talking. "There's this way that they carry themselves, like they think they're better than us. Above us. It's sort of this foxy arrogance, in some cases that they can out-trick us or hustle us, but usually that they just like to look down on us. I mean in the old world they're right at the top of the social totem pole, I wonder if that's it… Hmmm. What do you think?"

"Uhhh, Jones," Nick carried on, looking a bit confused. Judy leant in too, half curious as to where this would go and half curious as to whether Nick had finally met someone he couldn't hustle. "I don't really have an opinion."

"I mean you've got to have an opinion!"

"Nnnnoooope…" he said, beginning to walk. "Just a blank slate here."

"Right," he carried on, pausing to laugh. "I mean, that's probably ideal for your superiors. No ugly, messy, opinions to deal with. But I mean seriously, every fox you meet. Heck, even Pounceheart was like that, just he used to be on our side and got things right once. I don't know."

"Well, me neither Jones," Nick replied. He was turning the corner, so that the tiger could see him if he looked the right way. "Me neither. I'll just keep an eye out for any smug foxes."

"Me too, me too," the tiger replied.

"Yeah, walking around, like they own the place. Sticking on a uniform or something…"

"Yeah, trying to impersonate that one fox cop we have, I… Hang on, talk of the devil, I think I just spotted one now. Over."

"Over," Nick said, glancing up. Jones was power walking over, and Nick waved at Judy, making her nudge away. "Okay," he conceded, "the jerkass will kind of have a point with this one, but… -he is still a jerkass, so it's fair game."

"Ten-four," Judy saluted, stepping back into the crowd, carrot pen at the ready. Nick waited, walked a bit, bounced on his feet a little and watched the tiger march up out of the corner of his eye. Fingers cracking, heartbeat racing, he felt the thrill of the hustle come and…

"-Morning Officer Wilde," the tiger said, as he speed-marched right past him.

Nick stood rooted to the floor, looking around, his mouth piqued. He then frowned, his ears folding back, as a peppy Judy stood next to him, bouncing up and down on her toes. Nick gave her an aside glance, raising up a lecturing finger. "You do realise that none of us won here, right?"

"Yes," she quipped, smiling. "But not all of us lost, did we?"

Nick grumbled, only to pause, his eyes widening with worry. "Uh, Carrots?"

"Yeeeessss…" she swooned, not noticing his change in demeanor.

"If he's not coming for me, then who's he going for?"

Judy's smug face shattered into worry. "Oh sweet cheese, uh…"

"Uh, indeed," Nick began, quickly taking off after the tiger, Judy in fast pursuit.

"I mean, maybe it's a fox dressed in a blue jacket? He won't go mad on him, right?"

"Counterpoint," Nick replied, picking up his pace. "I read somewhere that a second fox joined the ZPD a while back. -And I think we're about to meet him!"

Chapter Text

.

.

“You there! Freeze. You’re under arrest for impersonating an officer!”

Nick and Judy broke through the crowd just in time to see the tiger standing by another one of the barriers, glaring down at what was most definitely a fox in a cop uniform. Presumably a fox cop too.

He was small and thin, only coming up to Nick’s shoulders and wearing clothes that seemed to hang off of him. His ears were small round things and he had a short, child-like muzzle, along with a striking fur pattern: his back was black, contrasting with his white belly fur, the two meeting and mixing on his face to give him a soft, mottled look. The white on his stomach went up along the underside of his muzzle and around his jaw line, just like with Nick’s belly fur, but it also went up around his eyes, where it met with the soft grey on the upper side of his muzzle which dappled in. All was framed by his black back fur, though the pure white insides of his little round ears shone out of that in turn. 

He wasn’t any unique fox species though, nor even a unique colouration. Both Nick and Judy knew exactly what he was, an arctic fox in his summer coat, the more familiar bushy white fur shed a month or two ago. What they didn’t know though was how this whole mess was going to go down.

The arctic fox cop glanced up at the angry tiger cop and immediately spoke out. “Right!” he said, paw going up into a crisp salute. He then immediately swung around, looking through the fence in the direction that the big feline had been pointing. “Uh, sir. I don’t see the perp.”

The tiger’s face grimaced with anger. “Listen kit, if you think that this little act will get you out of this, you’ve got another thing coming!”

The fox cop kept on staring out through the fence, before stepping back and pouncing up so that his head was hanging over the railing. “No… I can’t see anyone, I -heyyyyy….” He was cut off as the tiger grabbed him and pulled him off his feet. “-Thanks, but I still can’t see anyone…”

Nick and Judy began running along, ready to stop this all, when a new voice did it for them, cutting through with an angry Latina accent. “You there, what are you doing with my partner!?”

Both the tiger and the fox cop turned to see a very angry hyeness standing there, her arms crossed. The fox cop blinked. “Hey Carla, he’s just helping me find someone who was impersonating an officer.”

The tiger blinked a few times, before frowning. “Officer Jones, newly assigned to Precinct One. RJ-16373. Tell me, Officer Ca…”

“-Carla Hyenandez, CH-27301.”

“You’re pulled in from Sahara Square, right? ” He enquired.

“Yes.”

He frowned, hard. “So then why is your ‘partner’ an arctic mammal from Tundratown?”

The hyena blinked a few times, before her voice got a lot angrier and shoutier. “I don’t know! Don’t you think I asked my superiors that, huh!? Why are we out in Sahara square getting an arctic mammal!? Why isn’t he back in Tundratown? But all I get from los mamiferos idiotas in charge is that he’s coming to us and that’s that! Back before he lost all his white fur we had to fill up bags full of ice from the precinct drinks machine and fill tubs full of it on his off time so he could cool down…”

“We called them ice-cuzi’s,” he added happily, as his partner continued on, now beginning to frantically wave her paws in the air.

“I had the aircon down so low that I had to have blankets in the car. And then they say, oh, maybe you can both transfer to Tundratown instead? I’m even less built for that than he is for the desert! Do you know how long it would take my wife to knit me a jumper? I’ll give you a clue, she’s a rat in a wheelchair, -caused by a freak wrestling accident, not involving me. So it’ll take a long, long time! So don’t ask me why he’s in my precinct because I don’t know why, all I know is that I’m having to suck it up and I do not need mammals like you mamhandling my partner!” Her paw dove into her pocket and pulled out her badge. “Now let him go, or I will beat you and then arrest you for aggravated assault!”

There was a long pause, as the tiger slowly put the fox cop down. “Name and badge?” he asked.

Smiling, the fox pulled his one out and showed it off. “Officer Jimmy Frost, JF-12345! Now, about that mammal impersonating a police officer?”

“My apologies,” the tiger said quietly, tail between his legs. “I didn’t recognise you… At ease.” He then turned, walking off, leaving the two mammals looking at each other.

Jimmy blinked a few times before his face contorted with shock and sadness. Pointing a paw out, he gestured at the receding officer. “He…” He then pointed back at himself. “I…” Carla looked up, then glanced down at him as he tried to gather his thoughts. “-I knew I should have dyed it all white,” he said, pointing at his fur. “But mom was like, ‘ I love you the way you are all seasons… ’”

He carried on talking, watched from afar by Nick and Judy, their mouths piqued. The fox looked down at the bunny. “Okay, that went… better than expected.”

“I guess it did. Though I heard that our tiger’s been transferred here before an internal review. Were it not for this protest, he’d be on parking duty. But, if we can get them to chip in…” A grin grew on her face, Nick joining in.

“Sly bunny, I like where you’re…”

“ SQUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEE…… ” The pair shook as the sound of an ecstatic fox scream rang out, before looking over to its source. “It’s you, it’s you, it’s really you!” Nick looked down as Officer Jimmy Frost, 2nd Fox in the ZPD, ran up to him, jumping up and down on his feet even faster than a caffeinated Judy. “-Hi-Officer-Wilde-I’m-a-really-big-fan-you-inspired-me-to-join-the-ZPD-you-are-so-cool-and-I-finally-get-to-meet-you-and-this-is-so-awesome-and…”

The first fox cop looked on, shocked at first but then with an ever widening grin on his muzzle. It was soon toothy wide as he put forward a paw, Jimmy shaking it eagerly. “Carrots,” he said, looking over to her. “Can I keep him?”

“No, Nick.”

“Pleeeeaaaassseeee…”

She crossed her arms and shot him a look. “You know that I’ll end up having to do all the work.”

“But I promise…”

“-And-I-finally-get-to-meet-my-hero-in-real-life-and-you’re-as-cool-as-I-imagined!”

“Cuss yeah I am,” Nick replied, bringing out his black shades, flicking them out, and slipping them onto his head.

“ SQUUUUUEEEEEE … I, oh hi Officer Hopps. You’re cool too!”

“Thanks,” she said, as Nick glanced down.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that you’re there for when the second bunny cop arrives. Say, Jimmy was it?” he asked, looking back. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-two!”

“And fresh out of the academy. Any other bunnies making their way through it?”

“No, but the first vixen in the ZPD started training just as I left. She’s a corsac called Aliya Sari, and knows Judo. It’s almost as scary as Carla’s luchador wrestling.”

“-I do not know what you’re talking about,” the hyeness said, stepping in. “We have a job to do, Officer Frost.”

“Yup! Of course,” he said, looking back to Nick and giving a firm, proud salute. “Duty calls.”

“-Actually,” Judy interrupted. “-That tiger. He’s coming up on a discipline tribunal in the not too distant future, about his treatment of some foxes in the past. With you as witnesses, maybe…”

“Yes,” Carla replied, blankly. Judy was taken aback by the bluntness.

“Just yes?”

“Yes.”

Nick snickered a bit, before recovering, Carla giving him an odd look. “What’s the joke?”

Nick was sorely tempted to just say yes again, but instead paw-waved it off. “Ah, nothing. Anyway, better be off. Duty calls. And, for our second fox officer…” He brought out a junior detective sticker and placed it on Jimmy’s chest, his tail sweeping around in joy. “ Eeeeh…. Thanks! Though I think Wallace wants one too!”

“Wallace?” Nick asked, his ears going askew as Carla facepawed. Jimmy meanwhile reached into his pocket and brought out a stuffed white wallaby plushie, dressed up in an officers uniform. 

“I got him on a holiday to Outback Island! Isn’t that right?”

Paw on the wallabeanie™, he rocked it back and forth, ventriloquising as he went. ‘I come from the land down under! Where beanies grow and mammals wonder…’

“We better run, we better take cover,” Nick added out of the corner of his mouth.

Judy looked on from the side nervously, nodding in agreement. Carla just looked at them grumpily. “I apologise for my partner making this weird. Thankfully, this is as strange as it gets.”

“Aaaand... you’ve just jinxed it,” Nick said.

“There is no such thing, I…”

They were broken off by the earth shaking as a massive mammal landed right next to them. He towered over even Carla, had massive muscles, a determined look on his face, and had only one thing to say. “PRO-TEIN!”

“Said you jinxed it,” Nick said, before looking up to the massive red kangaroo yoga instructor. Judy joined him, waving. 

“Hi there. I’ve seen you before. Mr Jumpilili, correct?”

Hey gave her a blank look, before bringing out his paw and pointing it at himself. “ Protein. ”

“Ah… right, Protein it is. Nice to meet you. Here for the protest?”

“Protein.”

“Uhhhh…”

“Ooooh, I think that’s his translator,” Jimmy said, as another mammal arrived. Bent over, using a cane to walk, dressed in a pair of shorts, a red cloth on his head and with tribal markings painted on his face, an ageing koala walked up next to them. “What does Protein have to say?”

The koala nodded. “Huuuhunnuu hunnu. Hunnu hunnnu hunnn. Hun hun hun, hun-hun-hun.”

Jimmy blinked, turning back and shrugging. “You got anything Wallace?”

“ No. But Carla shouldn’t have jinxed it .”

“Por el amor de Dios,” she grumbled, tearing out some pads from her note book and handing them a pen each.

The two mammals looked at it, at each other, and began writing.

“Pro-tein,” one said, handing over a note to Judy. ‘We’re going to meet with some friends out in Bunnyburrow soon. Do you know anywhere that serves food for both pred and prey, offers megafauna sized portions and is wheelchair accessible?’

“Well, Gideon’s bakery,” Judy said with a shrug. “He can serve horses in there, and being a modern building it meets modern disability regulations.”

“Protein,” he said, solemnly, bowing his head. He brought back the piece of paper and wrote some more on it. ‘Thank you very much. These are troubling times, so please stay safe. You are important to this city.’

The bunny couldn’t help but blush a little. “Well, just making the world a better place.”

“Protein,” he said, adding some more. ‘As am I. Sidenote: I’ve heard there’s been a new jewellery thief operating around, stealing out of mammals' homes. Just hearsay, but I thought I’d let you know.’

“Thanks,” she said, nodding. She gave her head a little shake, another thing to keep an eye on. Still, lots to do, lots to do. For now, she’d make sure all her valuables were locked up safely, especially Kozlov’s necklace. Whether he was on their side or an enemy, he’d still entrusted her to keep that thing safe.

“Protein,” he said, one final time to her. He then turned, joining with his koala guru as they looked up at Officer Carla Hyenandez.

“Am I of use to you?” she asked.

“Hunnnuhunnuhunu hun hun.”

“Protein,” he agreed, as the smaller marsupial wrote out a note and handed it to Jimmy.

“ Dear Officer Hyendez. As part of our meet-up, we’d like to give a gift to one of our friends and former students, who to this day is a big fan of your artwork… -Oooh, you’re a painter Carla?”

“No,” she groaned. “Just get it over with.”

“ A long time fan of Lucha-Libre… -can you sign this poster .”

Nick and Judy looked at each other before looking at Carla, the hyena frowning. “Am I not allowed to have a life outside of work?” The pair stayed silent as a poster was unwrapped, showing a hyena in a wrestling ring, pinning down a lion beneath the bold title ‘La Mala Perra’. Despite the skull mask she wore, the similarity was obvious, even if the wrestler in question seemed to be in the middle of a laughing fit.

The koala gave Jimmy another note. “ Sign at the bottom .”

Carla brought out a pen. “I want to make it known that I’d be happy to engage with my fans at any other time than my day job,” she said, as Jimmy carried on.

“ To my biggest, boldest, bravest fan… ”

Meanwhile Nick and Judy glanced at each other. “Well this has been fun,” he said.

“Yup,” the bunny agreed. “Better than other protests I’ve supervised, for one thing.”

“ -yes, like the river in Australia, but starting with ‘The’. Put your full name first, and then your stage name with a bit of a flourish. ”

Carla did just that, finishing off. “And done,” she said, handing it over. “Stay safe, obey the law, you all know the drill.”

“Protein.”

“Hunnunu hunnunu.”

And, with that, they left, leaving the four cops.

“Well, this has been nice,” Nick said, “but I must bid you adieu.”

“Yes,” Carla said, slapping her head. “Before anything weirder happens.”

Nick slapped his head. “Don’t jinx it!”

“I do not believe in…”

“‘Scuse me, I stink I can set up here,” came a new voice, as a skunk with a ZNN cap, a pinescent necklace and a microphone came jogging up. “Steven Stinkman, ZNN reporter! Hi, mind if we can set up here?”

“Looks good,” Judy said, looking around.

Meanwhile Nick was staring up at the hyena, giving a smug gesture over.

She frowned back. “This proves nothing.”

“Shhh,” Jimmy said, whispering up at her as he pointed at the reporter. “Don’t say anything to annoy him. I have the feeling that he could make our lives really miserable if we annoy him.”

“ Yeah, ” ‘Wallace’ added. “ Like having a bunch of lovestruck vixen assassins chase Jimmy across the city, or have an evil bat put you in a deadly escape room with tickle boots attached to your feet, or mama Frost not washing me with fabric softener. ”

The reporter didn’t seem to hear, instead gesturing over to his small crew as he set up a camera and gear. They found their places as he stood tall. “Great, this is real important, my mother said she’ll be coming in with my brother too, so we all have to make it look good!”

There were a few rolling eyes and mutters as he frowned.

“My adopted mother, Murana Wolford… ”

There was a sudden buzz of activity, the camera and sound crews hurrying around to get things set up. The skunk reporter, paws on hips, sighed in happiness before looking back. “Oh, anything you can say about the case?”

“Police business,” all four of them said, Wallace agreeing along after. And with that, the ‘five’ mammals finally said their goodbyes and split. Nick and Judy walked around, watching the crowd slowly grow. More young mammals, plus some older ones, plenty with different banners and signposts too. They glanced Pounceheart again, this time going over to talk to the reporter, everything seeming to be going okay.

Judy’s ears rose as she heard some panting, looking over to see Honey coming up.

“Hiya… hiya… -I made it… Wooo, I’m…” She collapsed, paws on knees. “Outta…” she panted. “You know…” Taking a large breath in, she steadied herself and looked up. “This is looking good!”

“Yeah,” Nick agreed. “What’s the plan?”

“Oh, well Haida and Retsuko can’t come, cuz they’re on the nine to five and we need their boss mam. Mr Fox and Mr Silverfox say they’re coming soonish. Pounceheart will be around, somewhere. Skye is working back on her gadget stuff, don’t know nothing about Jack....”

“The fennecs?” Judy asked.

“Still doing their IT stuff.”

“Great,” she replied, waving the honey badger off. Together they began walking on and around. Nothing much was going on, which was a good thing. When something exciting finally did come, it wasn’t from the crowd.

“Yup, ten-four, Spots,” Nick said into his radio. “Uh-hu… Oh… Hmmmm…” Putting it down, he turned to an expectant Judy. “We need to high tail it over to Little Rodentia. Apparently there was an attack, from the sound of it an attempted kidnapping, early in the morning.”

Judy looked on, confused. “Why isn’t Precinct 0.5 looking at it?”

“Because the attacked mammal specifically asked for Basil and Dave, and in lieu of them, us.”

“Right,” Judy said, her ears going down. “We better get over there. It must be an old friend of theirs.”

Nick looked on. “He may be, he may not be, but I do know he’s a pain up The Chief’s backside, and in a few weeks he might have been our best friend in the whole wide world. Heck, you’ve even been in the same room as him.”

“Huh, when?”

“At Fru-Fru’s wedding.”

“Have I?” she asked, thinking back.

Nick nodded. “The best defense lawyer in the city. Vern Rodenburg.”

.

.

Ash stepped into his form room and scanned around, taking a few sniffs for good measure. It almost seemed normal, the various different mammals filing into the science lab, talking, chatting, the wheelie stool long since claimed by a pronghorn and current circling around his regular table as his friends pushed and tapped back.

The red fox found himself sitting down at his regular table. The Packson brothers, Remmy and Remus, were there, along with Mitch Dewclaw the Scottish wildcat, Jenny Bourke the wombat and Agnes.

Kris wasn’t there.

Neither was Maisy.

A quarter of their members were gone, and so was all their soul.

“Any idea what’s going on?” Jenny asked. “How is he?”

“He called us last night,” Ash said,looking down and fumbling with his paws. “He’s… He’s not good but he’s not bad. He’s surviving.”

The wombat waited for a second or two for a clarification that never came, before breaking to the point. “Surviving ‘everything’s meh’ or surviving ‘drinking your own piss?’”

“Woah, what?” Mitch asked, eyes wide.

“That’s not true, right?” Remmy butted in.

“Of course it isn’t,” Agnes said quietly, as Ash spoke up.

“Surviving ‘he’s doing okay’! He’s doing okay… He’s doing okay,” he said, breathing in and out. “Listen, he’s Mr Calm, right? And it’s not like he’s been sent to a dungeon or anything. Just prison.”

“ Just prison?”

“Yes, it’s just a building they sent him to!” Ash shouted, standing up. “Not for long even, we’re going to get him out!” 

…

He couldn’t help but look around, the now quiet room looking at him before turning back to each other, trying to act like they weren’t looking on by failing miserably. The red fox tod’s eyes narrowed on the pronghorn on the wheelie stool, currently rock firm still.

He was pointing his head down as if he was focussed on his phone. He was a liar.

“Still, the news and stuff are saying he didn’t do it, right?” Mitch began. “Or that he shouldn’t be there.” There was a long pause as he looked forward, eyes focussed on the red fox tod in front of him. A little smile grew across his muzzle. “Who is this we’re that you’re part of and where’s the application form?”

“A bunch of awesome mammals, me and a verbal agreement will do.”

“Pawshake?”

“And that,” Ash said, paw going forward. Mitch grabbed it and shook it hard, Ash then moving onto the Packson brothers. Their paws both lunged in and shook hard, the pair then tilting their muzzles up and howling out loud.

Jenny looked around, breathing in and nodding. “Yeah, if there’s anything I can do.”

Agnes just nodded. “Thanks, for all of this. We’ll do anything. So would Maisy if she were here.”

The mention of her name almost caused Ash to freeze. He managed a nod and looked down as he began to think. Might they know anything about her? Might they have seen anything? Did they know ways of talking to her…?

What would happen if he told them the truth?

“Worried about her too?” Jenny asked, before frowning. “Stupid bullies,” she said, glaring up at a certain woodchuck off in a corner. Ash looked up, their eyes briefly meeting before his darted away, as if he’d just touched a hot plate. Was he scared of him now? Thinking that the foxes (or fox) he once liked to rib were capable of getting dangerous.

“Has he been picking on her lately?” he asked, glancing over.

“Not really, no,” Remmy said. “I mean, she’s been gone since the…” He gave a double whistle and slight paw shake. Nothing more needed to be said.

“With her parents then,” Ash carried on. Truthfully, though she was his friend, he’d known nothing about them before. Might anyone else? 

“Well, yeah,” Jenny said.

“Ever meet them?” he asked, shrugging to give it a casual air.

“No,” Jenny said. “But I heard they’re nice… they got really hurt after Bellwether’s fall though.”

“I can imagine,” Ash said.

“Yeah,” the wombat growled. “Thrown out of their job and everything. Purged because they were sheep, no doubt thanks to that speciesist piece of crap Pounceheart.”

“What?” Remmy balked. “Hey. Do not diss Pounceheart. He called the Nighthowler plot!”

“No he didn’t,” she rebuked. “He just worked out that something dodgy was going on, tried to get everyone going crazy and then decided to be an ovinophobic bully.”

“He’d be leading the resistance if she hadn’t been taken down by Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps,” the wolf rebuked. ”He’s a zootopian hero!”

“Huh… No-one who hangs out with mammals like ‘Gruinard Gal’ is a hero,” the wombat said. “Especially if they then go around in politics.”

“What’s wrong with Gruinard Gal?” Remmy’s twin, Remus, finally asked. 

“Guess you don’t know,” the wombat began. “She’s this… I think it was a wolverine, and she…”

“I know that,” he said. “Well, not that she was a wolverine. But I followed her channel, before she stopped a while ago.”

“You what?” she reacted, her mouth trembling open. “How could you?!”

“The internet,” he said, his brother breaking down into laughter.

“It’s not funny!”

“I mean it is,” Remus said. “That’s why I watch her. Or watched her…” There was a long pause. “She hasn’t been updating in a while.”

“Good,” Jenny said, glancing at Maisy's empty seat. “The amount of crap she throws at sheep, it’s horrible! Thankfully it’s mostly nonsense… I guess that’s how you enjoy it.”

“Well, she is funny,” the wolf said. “And I wouldn’t want her running anything, of course. But she has good points here and there and it’s worth listening for those.”

Jenny looked away, not really wanting to speak about it, while Ash got out his phone. Who was this ‘Gruinard Gal…’ 

Was it Honey? 

From what he knew, it kind of made sense. He’d text his dad, asking him to ask her. Meanwhile, Remus had begun to calmly say that Pounceheart really was someone that everyone should listen to. “I mean, he’s right. I know it must have been harsh on Maisy’s parents, but we did and still do need to purge the government! Do you know how many Bellwether sympathisers might still be in there, undiscovered, working away and helping mammals like that evil DA? Her flock, all hiding behind their fake smiles and white wool. It’s systematic. They all need to be cleared out, and if some innocent mammals get caught up then that’s sad, but they’re well off. They can cope.”

“Do you know how many innocents?” Jenny asked, her voice hardening.

Remmy looked at Remus and Remus at Remmy, the two wolves looking back. “You wouldn’t get it,” Remmy said.

“You’re not a predator,” Remus added. “You weren’t the victim.”

“Huh… I lived in fear for three months…”

“Less fear than we did,” Remus countered, a lecturing finger pointing out harshly. “Again, you’re not a predator.”

Jenny’s eyes narrowed. “And you’re not sheep, with their white wool and ‘fake’ smiles. Look at Maisy now, how much bullies empowered by those two have made her suffer. How much she went through due to the backlash. Tell me, if she was here, would you be saying this to her face?”

There was a long pause, Remus shrugging. “Hey, I’m not an idiot. But facts don’t care for feelings.”

“Facts are facts and you’re ignoring the question,” she pressed.

“Okay, you want a fact, guess who’s the one organising everything for Kris, huh?” 

There was a long pause, Jenny slowly turning to face Ash. “Is…”

“My Dad’s a newspaper writer,” he said. “So he knew about Pounceheart and all his fans. We went to him as soon as we could because we want Kris out as soon as we can.”

There was a long pause, the wombat nodding. “Okay. But you do admit that he’s still a bad mammal.”

“I…”

“You do admit he has lots of good points,” Remus countered, Remmy nodding along.

Mitch and Agnes just looked lost.

The wolves and wombat looked like they were about to speak again, only for Ash to cut to the chase. “I’ve never watched them. I will watch them so I can judge for myself,” he said. “But I’m fighting for Kris here. Are you going to, too?”

There was a pause, as they all nodded. 

“Fight every way we can, as that’s what we do,” he resolved. 

“Just don’t mention those two EweTuber’s when Maisy is around,” Jenny said, her brow furrowing. “Though it’s probably too late. She probably heard us and it scared her off.”

“Huh?” Ash asked, as he saw her gesture with a nod. He turned around and his heart skipped a beat. There off in a corner and glancing around fearfully, having just come in and being talked to by an energetic Beavis, was Maisy Bellwether. 

.

AN: A long time ago, I was catching up with Berserker’s Born to be Wilde series. And it just so happened that I didn’t get to a certain set of chapters in time to include his character Carla and her wife in that scene from ‘So we’re inters now’. Regardless, I vowed that, one of these days, I’d give his fun characters a chance to cameo in my fic, and here they are.

Chapter Text

.

.

Precinct 0.5: Little Rodentia.

.

Little Rodentia had always had a police force, though the state and name of that had long varied. The city within the city had always been proudly independent from the rest of Zootopia and resistant to any integration and cooperation. You don't mess with our affairs, we don't mess with yours. That was the deal.

And, combined with how larger mammals had generally ignored it and the 'harmless' little residents, it had resulted in it becoming a literal hive of scum and villainy. In the past, at the height of Padriac Rattigan's reign, the minute (in more ways than one) police force in there had almost been a token to the idea of law and order, and that was before bribes, corruption and just plain bad practice were factored in. While they may have all been turned into an art under the former crime lord, they had been long present before that. Something, Nick pondered, that a certain mammal knew very well.

Things had changed though, in no part due to Rattigan's toppling long ago by the ZPD's newest rodent detectives. Basil and Dave, though investigators at heart and not police organisers, had helped push for reform, leading the new detective service while pushing for full integration with the rest of the ZPD, something that benefited everyone. Little Rodentia received a functional police force, the rest of the ZPD had officers and resources able to handle the 'rodent diaspora', the sixty percent of rodents in the city that didn't live in the minitown, and both were able to collaborate in taking down the once thriving cross-border crime business. Indeed, when the tax mammals went after Mr Big, Precinct 0.5 officers had checked in with his records keepers in Little Rodentia, similar rounds of cross cooperation shuttling around until the deed was done. Something that not even the best defence lawyer in Zootopia could hold back.

"That's it, right?" Judy asked, pointing up ahead.

"Hey, I'm the newbie in this partnership," Nick defended. "Don't ask me."

Judy nodded, only to break off with a long loud yawn. Her paw came up and covered her mouth, then massaging her face after she'd finished. "Sorry," she moaned. "Not sure what came over me."

"It's called a caffeine crash, sweetheart."

Judy groaned. "Urghhh… Is this how you feel in the morning?"

"What the coffee giveth, the coffee taketh away."

"Right," she moaned, giving another yawn.

"Do you also need the little bunny room?"

Judy's mouth opened in surprise, before she scowled, her nose twitching hard. "Yes," she moaned. "Fingers crossed this is the place."

It turned out it was, or rather was half, of Precinct 0.5. A very debatable half, admittedly. Inside the district were around a dozen small precinct buildings, all connected by little road tunnels the size of sewer pipes. These then fed back under the wall and perimeter street, to a large nondescript office building. The Bunny-Fox cop duo stepped inside into a large waiting room, immediately heading up to the receptionists. A quick flash of their badges and in they went, Judy briefly darting off to relieve herself before coming back, giving another yawn. "What it taketh away…"

Together they slipped up a few flights of stairs and into a corridor, the words 'Non-secure' painted in green letters on its door. Inside were doors on both sides, the pair taking the third on the right and finding a little meeting room waiting for them; painted an anonymous white, the only decorations were a utility clock on one wall and a painting of a block of swiss cheese on the other. Two chairs sized for big cats sat in front of them, designed to give those visiting a good view of their mammal of interest, up on what looked like a desk.

Nick and Judy were not big cats, and even if they stood on the chairs Judy wouldn't be able to see above, and Nick would barely.

"Hey Booby," came a call from above, and the two spotted a grey rat peek over the top. He smiled, his whiskers twitching a bit, before he gestured down. "Hop up here. I was planning to meet with someone on my level in the first place."

"Right," Judy said, perking up a bit. Though she looked tired, she easily gave a double hop up, Nick giving a pair of pounces to join her. Together, they sat crossed legged, looking down at the mammal who'd called for them. Vern Rodenberg was a grey rat either in his late fifties or early sixties and was dressed plainly, bar the kippah perched on his head. It was this that suddenly sparked Judy's memory, she had seen him during the Fru Fru's wedding, though they hadn't spoken to each other. Something she was about to change. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," he said, reaching a paw forward. Judy took and shook it, Nick following on. "So," she began, slipping her buck teeth over her lower lip. "You were Big's lawyer?"

"Am," he corrected. "He may have fallen, but he still has rights to defend, you know?"

"Sorry," she said, yawning a little. "Not feeling the best right now. So, you wanted to speak to Officer Basil and Dave. Old friends?"

He huffed a little, smiling. "I wouldn't say that. We're not enemies either. But I'd say I can trust them, that's the big thing."

"Understood," she said, pausing. "So, is this something to do with Mr Big's arrest? New evidence?"

He blinked a few times, chuckling. "Now I know you're not a schmoe and I'm pretty sure I told the cops what happened. Let's start again, shall we?"

Judy blinked a few times, before slapping her face with her paws. "Dammit, sorry. Just stuck in my first caffeine crash."

He smiled a little, shrugging. "No harm done," he said, before glancing up to Nick. "You're not dropping off like her, Booby?"

"Nope," Nick said. "This fox is entirely functional."

"Good," he said, his tone taking on a darker tone. He slowly took off his shirt and revealed a set of white bandages around his shoulder, holding a large pad into his armpit, the odd red tint spreading out. Nick looked on and winced. "I'd only trust Basil and Dave with this, as all they care about is the truth, not 'justice' or their grudges or anything."

"I understand," Nick said slowly, nodding.

"-But if they trust you, I trust you," he stated. There was a long pause as he let it sink in. "How much do you know about their old enemy?"

There was a long, long pause. "Rattigan?" Nick asked. "They told me the basics. Before that, I knew rumours."

The rat nodded, glancing away. "I got rumours too, up until I started my new career and found just how real they were."

"Didn't you bump into many of his goons while..." Nick began, before waving off.

"You think they'd get in trouble with him calling the shots?" he asked, before shaking his head. "No, no… They were all protected through and through. But I heard the rumours from others. Lots of rumours."

Judy glanced between them, pretty sure that there was some context that she was missing.

"So," Nick began. "Has he returned? Asked you for work?" There was a pause, then a smile. "I'm guessing you said no."

He smiled and shrugged, only to wince from a flash of pain in his injured arm. "You Yutzi you," he muttered to himself. "No. If he paid me enough, I'd certainly work for him in an honest legal capacity. Same for Big. But it wasn't him, it was one of his henchmammals. A bat…"

Judy's eyes widened. "Yes, he… '-Fidget' wasn't it?"

He turned his paws up in the air. "I don't know," he said. "But listen, I know it was him. I've heard about him enough to know, and that means a lot from me. Do you know how unreliable eyewitnesses and memory is? Let me give you a primer. Let's ignore cases where a crooked cop leads a witness, pulling up a single suspect or someone they've cuffed and asking the witness 'is this your guy' or not. Or the same in a court, which is known to completely skewer your memory and stuff, I'm not going to quote those studies here. Let's ignore that."

His voice rose slightly, and he took a deep breath before carrying on. "Seventy five percent of false convictions are caused by bad eyewitnesses, and in properly conducted police lineups a quarter, a quarter, of mammals pick a filler, not the perp. Which means if you're some poor innocent schmuck in hauled off the street and get put in one of those, the chance of it coming out on you is getting two tails on a pair of coin tosses. Now I'm not one to call that reasonable doubt. Now, I did not know this Fidget mammal in person until he attacked, I still haven't seen him face to face, and he attacked me at night, in my apartment, while I was still waking up and then up on adrenaline. He was on the roof, cut the power, then came in and stalked me. Tried to haul me out and take off with me, but I broke free. It wasn't like I had any amount of time to look at him. So, with all that, I want you to know how serious I am here. How serious."

The pair nodded.

"It was Fidget. Do you want to know how I know?"

They nodded again.

"What other bat talks in gibberish and has a peg leg."

Nick and Judy glanced at each other. "Did he have one?" she asked. "I can't remember."

"Me neither," Nick said. "We'll have to ask them when they get back." He then turned to Vern. "Any idea why he might have attacked?"

"No," he said, paws up as he shook his head. "I… No, nothing. Listen Booby, you know what I do. Maybe I got someone he didn't like off, I don't know. He said nothing, says as much in my report. Just along with the fur samples they got. -I don't think they ever had his stuff on record, but if you do catch him I expect you to run the test, just in case someone was trying to stitch him up or anything. I won't testify otherwise," he said, a slight grin growing on his face. "You lot don't have any excuse not to be certain."

"Nope," Nick said, flashing a wink. "And thanks. We'll pass this on to the detectives."

He nodded. "And good luck with the fox kit too," he said, glancing at his arm. "I'd have been happy to be there for him, though now with this…" he began, gesturing to his injury as he shook his head. "If that shmendrik hauls him out long, I'd be happy to help. Though by then his father will probably have someone like Burmowitz onboard. Heh, take it from a rat, that's one talented cat."

"Thanks," Judy said, nodding. The two cops slipped off of the desk and walked back out, Nick immediately looking down at the droopy eared, saggy eyed bunny.

"Okay," he said, "you can ask it."

She looked up at him, immediately sighing with relief. "Thanks," she swooned.

"He…"

"-I'll get a coffee after, I really need another."

She took off, Nick left standing in place and blinking. "Uh… Where you going?"

She turned back. "Little bunnies room, thank you coffee" she grumbled. "Then more coffee. I can't believe I forgot that you said he'd been assaulted..."

Nick nodded. "Meet you in a bit, then."

.

.

Meanwhile, in the fox family house, a different meeting was going on.

"I say no, Foxy."

"You know, this is quite the common statement that others say around me. It kind of exemplifies all of my most recent life experiences."

Most mammals wouldn't be able to hear what was being said on the other side of the phone. Finnick 'Danger' Camaro (changed from Finnick Iziah Ibn-Zerdain circa 2002) wasn't most mammals. He was a fennec fox, sporting some of the most oversized ears in the animal kingdom and he wasn't bothered to deliberately not use them. So, as he sat next to the currently ignorant Kylie O'Possum, he easily heard Frederick 'Foxy' Fox's editor reply to him.

"Well I'm sorry, but we can't have you writing an op-ed about your nephew's arrest! You're just too close."

"So, up at the coal face, famous for publicity aiding visits by those up top," the red fox pitched, walking around. "Why bother sending someone out there when you can get the fresh black stuff delivered to your door."

"You could write an op-ed about your feelings about having family members in trouble."

"Yup. Or, we could just cut out the wishy washy 'about your feelings' bit," Mr Fox retorted. "After all, as the writers say, show not tell."

"As the editor says, no."

…

"Am I not coming through to you?" Mr Fox asked, his brow furrowing. "As I feel that I'm not coming through to you."

"Yes you are, and I'm saying no."

"You know, this reminds me of all the other times when emotional busy bodies have pulled me back. I am a fox of action! Ex-ranger, dueler with danger, and after all that was forcibly tamed down as part of an incredibly generous compromise in the name of marital matrimony, I was left trying to find new exploits. Now, newspaper writing has not turned out to be one of those, but this might be. I have an idea in my head for an actually insightful, intense, emotional and quite, quite angry article that I could write. Don't you feel a slight tingle about the prospect of writing one of those, hmmm? And I get the chance to write one, which has the added main bonus of helping out my nephew! For me and this career, this is kind of the inciting moment of the film plot, if you're into that kind of stuff. My friend the theatre bunny isn't here to clarify, but oh well. This is the part where I'm lifted out of my mundanity, and shoot for the excitement and eventual glory at the end. A glory of pumped up readers, high reviews, new possibilities and not to downplay it one free nephew."

"So… You're not satisfied with your current work, are you?"

Finnick burst down laughing, pointing at Mr Fox, much to the confusion of Kylie. "I think I'll stay out of this," he said, paws up. "That seems like the most least offensive solution here."

"Least fun, too," Finnick jibed, looking back at Mr Fox.

The larger vulpine though seemed unphased by either of his two detractors.

"Quite simply yes."

"And you think that all your current work, which I've paid you handsomely for over the last decade or so, is beneath you?"

"Also yes!"

There was a long pause. "And everything you write isn't insightful, intense or emotional?"

"No, indeed not," Mr Fox began. "After all, when initially looking for what I hoped would be a job in journalism, one where I could put my foxy instincts to use in hunting down and tracking the goings on in the world, I quite clearly remember writing a short and brief piece of work on my time in the rangers. Just a little twirl of the pen and nothing much else. Your newspaper picked it up, enjoyed it, and asked for more of the same. In fact, it has done for the last decade, and I have dutifully done just that. In all honesty, I think it's quite a remarkable feat, given that, bar the odd current event, all the good stuff was gone in the first year."

There was another, long, pause. "So, let me ask a new question. If you think this way should we even still employ you?"

"Now, what would you say to my small but very active and outspoken fan base about firing their favourite fox while he's fighting for the freedom of his nephew and about to have a new kit?"

"Right… In that case, carry on what you're doing."

"So, creating a wonderful article to help with the release of my wonderful nephew!"

"No! Just carry on writing your normal articles and stay out of this case. It's not me putting this down, it's basic journalistic ethics. We can't have you hijacking a weekly column for a political commentary."

"What about if I do my own commentary on this side? I believe you call them 'quote-unquote' opinion pieces."

…

"Fine, cuss it. If it gets you off my tail, send it in tonight."

"Will do, along with any other journalistic scoops I get."

"Urggghhh! Foxy?"

"I'm guessing I'm not meant to enjoy what comes up next."

"No you are not. You are not an 'investigative journalist' Foxy. If you are able to pull your head out of your ego for one second, you'll realise that you're just a mammal who used to do cool stuff and can spin an entertaining yarn and that's it. Grow up and get real."

"Well, I won't," he said, slamming down the phone on the line. He turned, glancing at Finnick, just sitting there. His brow furrowed and he then went back to the phone and dialed in again.

"Yes?" the mammal on the other side spoke.

"And I mean it!"

He slammed the phone down once again and walked off, brushing his paws, the fennec fox looking up at them appreciatively. "Way to own that guy."

"In the sense you mean it, quite certainly," he said, smiling. "Don't you agree, Kylie?"

The opossum looked around nervously. "What way did he mean it?"

The little fennec chuckled. "Ahhh, forget it," he said, looking up to Mr Fox. "Still, couldn't help but hear on," he said, shaking his head slightly. "Seems you're a bit like Slickster too."

"Officer Wilde, I presume?" he asked, smiling.

"Yup. Both turning themselves over and changing themselves, 'fer the girl'." He frowned and shuddered. "Here I thought you had a spine."

"I did, and also a kit."

"Ahhhh," the fennec noted. "Well, there's your mistake."

"I think the correct term is accident, or rather happy accident, thank you."

"A very happy one," Kylie added.

"No probs," Finnick said. "'Part from not finding a good outlet sooner. You may still be awesome, but that don't change you bein' stuck in a midlife crisis, my Mam."

"Well, this whole stuff has an air of a crisis around it," he said. "And I wouldn't say it's my mid-life yet. I'm only thirty seven."

Finnick's jaw hit the floor. "I'm…" he began, pointing up. "What's your birthday?"

"6th of May, 82."

"24th June! Thirty days out! And you've…" he paused, gesturing up at the house around him, the pictures of his wife and kit, everything…

"Ah, you can thank the wonders of inheritance for this," he said, winking. The fennec sighed with relief a little.

"Still," he began, "took me a bit longer to find my Vix, but I think she's one where the only compromises I need to make are the ones I won't mind a bit. I think I'll go at my own pace. Make sure I'm never having to mess with myself unless I want to."

"Well, I hope it works out for you."

"Likewise," Finnick said, before pausing. "Say… You still shouldn't take no for an answer, you know?"

"I know," he said with a little smile, giving a cunning glance to his historic partner.

"He knows," Kylie spoke, breathing in and getting ready for something.

"Yeah right you do!" Finnick carried on. "He says you can't be that, he wants to give you stupid rules to follow, dragging you around and stuff. Screw him!"

"Screw them until you've assembled your flat pack," Mr Fox agreed, paw up in the air. "Finnick, I'm planning on going on a short, impulsive, unplanned and made up on the spot Hail Mary mission. Are you in?"

"I… And aren't you gonna ask your old teamy too?"

Kylie shrugged. "Well I mean, me coming along is basically a given. Him asking feels redundant."

"Fine be me then," Finnick agreed, turning back to Mr Fox. "So, what's the mission?"

"To find and convince the original councillor behind that law to amend it so it's adult only, putting a bill through ASAP and circumnavigating all sorts of public pressure and media plays in the process, not that we'll abandon them of course. Our hippo needs to squirm too. Finnick, my mam?"

"Yup?"

"We are going above and beyond investigative journalism! We're going to become a kind of mammal that strikes fear, awe and great controversy whenever it's mentioned. Kylie, get your platinum card ready as today, we are going to live in infamy! We, for today at least, are going to become: lobbyists!"

…

"Shall I bring my bat?"

.

.

Precinct 0.5: shortly after

.

"Well, good luck you two," Nick said, flashing a smile. He was at a spare large mammal desk in precinct 0.5, the small file on the attack lying open at the end off to the side. "-Oh, before you hang up, put me on speaker…"

...

"Hey Little Toot-Toot!"

...

"-Foxy, do not hang up…"

...

"-Ignore the fennec who only wants to do things if they are 'true to him'."

...

"-When have I ever taken things out of context?"

...

"Uh-hu…"

...

"Maybe…"

...

"I beg to differ!"

...

"Now you're just being pedantic."

...

"Do you know what I was going to do?"

…

"Okay, so you 'say' that you only dressed up in the elephant costume and acted as a kit as you didn't care that much, the other parts of the work was enjoyable, and it gave you plenty of free time…"

...

"No different to a regular job?"

...

"-Right, more personal freedom and far more relaxed compared to the wage slavery an ex-con like you would be stuck in."

...

"Exactly indeed, little Finnster. I mean, that particular past qualification makes you perfect for this new mission. We all know they're criminals after all."

...

"See, actually funny! And you'd have got none of that if you'd of just hung up, expecting some joke about you finally coming out with your ageplay kink."

...

"HEY! Did I say you had one? I said you'd have missed my actual compliment if you'd just hung up, expecting me to make that joke."

...

"With respect, I was making a joke at my expense and my unoriginal selection of jokes at your expense…"

…

"Yes, nothing more."

...

"Watching me? Honestly it's you listening to me that I'm more worried about."

...

"THAT WAS A LAUGH!"

...

"Sure, only a little one. Anyway, cya later."

Nick hung up and slipped his phone away, taking a deep breath in. "-He's-got-a-spare-nursery-you-could-enjoy-for-a-week-you-know?"

He sighed, relaxing. "Would have been so good… Shame I want to mend things with him."

"What's this?" came a voice, as he looked up to see Judy walking up, a cup of drinks machine coffee in her paw.

"Oh, Mr Fox and Finnick are planning to visit the councillor who put the law in place in person and do a bit of lobbying."

"Should I be worried?"

"Of what exactly?" he asked. "That they might backfire? That they might screw up? Or that Wassermaim might use this to further his points?"

"The first two… And now the third. Might he?" she asked, her ears going back.

Nick rapped his fingers on the table and glanced away. "I'll be honest, that original law was a bone thrown to all the really angry predators in the city when the farming lobby opposed a complete nighthowler ban. 'We're listening to you, any more of those cuss holes will suffer and suffer BAD.' Now, I remember why you opposed a ban like that and despite everything that's happened I agree with you. But this law, annoyingly, probably was designed with exactly what Wassermaim has accused us of in mind. Clamping down on speciesist prey, most likely sheep. It's just like how we're all governed by laws against noxious bodily spraying, not just skunks… Of course, laws don't work like that, and if you don't want it used on preds you need to get rid of it completely."

Judy looked on, nodding tiredly.

"-Thankfully, this whole issue is about whether it should apply to youths or not. Now he was banking that everyone would see this as pred favouritism and that preds were mad that he was dealing with howlers. So far, we've kept it on the youth issue, bar the accusations on himself, and it seems that we've got the preds against him. So, unless the politician involved comes out and tries to be super pro-pred, 'we're above all suspicion', we should be fine."

"And might she?"

"Well, she introduced a spiritually super pro-pred law," Nick listed off. "She'll only be doing this if preds are behind this, is likely spurred on by the fact that her law is being used to 'attack preds', and likely plans to bank on this as another bone thrown to the preds…" He glanced up at an increasingly concerned looking Judy. "But, she is a politician, so she should be able to handle this in a way that doesn't screw up everything. So plenty of 'it's the right thing' and 'think of the children', not 'predators would never do howlers'."

"And if they fire this through the government?"

"Kris comes home. Not out of trouble, but he comes home."

Judy sighed with relief, smiling. "That's the main thing," she said, bringing the cup up to her mouth. "BLEAUGHHH!" Nick nodding as she winced, looking up to him. "Is all machine coffee like this?"

"Well, I avoid the stuff like the mange, so I guess so."

She looked down at it, her nose twitching. "I don't like coffee, but this is watery and weak, which makes it even worse…"

"Yup."

"And it's so hot you can barely drink it."

"Tell us something we don't know."

"Why would you coffee drinkers even settle for something like this?"

"Why would you ever settle for one of the Carrots for One's?" he asked smugly.

Judy grumbled. "Now I know why everyone lines up for the pot in the precinct."

"Yeah," the fox nodded, looking down. "That stuff you have there really is that bad."

Judy pursed her lips, trying to hold it in, but couldn't help it. Out came a wet raspberry before she broke down chuckling. Wiping her face, she looked up, tired but relaxed. "Thanks," she said softly, before looking at the case files. "So, any reason why Rattigan might have gone after Rodenberg? I mean, I gathered he worked for Big, but Big's already fallen. If he was trying to topple Big, he'd have done this ages ago…"

Nick nodded. "I don't think it was an abduction."

"So what, attempted murder?"

"Not that, either."

Judy looked at him, blinking. "Listen, my brain isn't working that well, but he did come in and attack this rat, didn't he?"

"He did, Carrots," the fox agreed, "but look here." He tapped at a small part of the witness report, then another. "From him, and his niece, saying there was a slight time lag between him getting dropped out onto the street and him being let back into the building."

"So…?"

The fox leant out onto a nearby laptop and typed in his password. A few clicks later, and a grainy camera was playing. Judy watched on, jolting back as they saw Vern fall onto the road and scurry back against the door

He was up against it.

He was up against it.

He was up against it.

It opened, and he hurried in.

"I… He could have been attacked a second time during that?" Judy asked.

Nick nodded. "Easily enough time for this bat to swoop in, pick him up, and try to carry him away again."

"Well maybe he was just too heavy, the bat realising he couldn't take him, so he flew off."

"If we have this ruthless villain calling the shots, do you really think he'd take failure as an option? Or he'd send his minion to abduct a mammal he couldn't lift in the first place?"

…

"No, but…" Judy began, only to shake her head. "He still failed, didn't he? Or am I missing something."

"I think he was sent in to spook Vern Rodenberg. Not kill, to spook. I feel that this is an intimidation ploy more than anything."

"Okay then, intimidate him against what? Surely there'd be terms given, ones he'd bring up with us. And what does it achieve? Who important is he defending?"

"Well, all the main crime bosses in Zootopia for a start," Nick began, pausing as he saw Judy's eyes widen.

"Wait, what?"

"He wasn't… isn't just Big's lawyer Fluff, he's the best in the city and both he and the mobs know that. It's also another reason why I don't think Rattigan would abduct or kill him, he'd unite all the criminal factions of the city so hard against him that he might deserve a nobel peace prize for his work."

"So… Is Rattigan going to try another move like he did on Big, say hit The Red Pig and take over Sahara Square… Or whoever it… -Vladzotz Fangpyre, and the nocturnal district?"

Nick shook his head. "No. It's someone that even Vern himself admitted he couldn't defend anymore."

The bunny thought for a second or two, before her eyes widened with the realisation. "...Kris?"

Nick nodded.

"But… -why Kris?" she asked out loud. "Why would Rattigan want Kris in jail? Heck, why would a big time mob lawyer like that even want to defend Kris?"

There was a long pause as Nick sighed. "Back before, I thought that you'd ask about this."

"About… what?" she queried, not sure where he was going.

"About Vern Rodenberg, and how he acts and stuff. I… -have you ever seen the Clawshank Redemption?"

Judy, now thoroughly confused, nodded her head.

"Okay, now imagine if Andy, rather than spending those twenty years digging his tunnel and then escaping, spent twenty five doing multiple correspondence law degrees, gathering evidence, practicing on other inmates before finally appealing and winning his freedom."

"Twenty five…" she began to say, only to trail off, her ears drooping hard against the back of her head.

Nick saw it, his ears going back too. "From what I heard, his original conviction, made before either of us were born, was a travesty," he explained. "A mix of ignored alibis, police misconduct, useless legal defence and a pinch of speciesism to boot, all getting him life without parole. After his appeal they didn't rule him not guilty, they ruled him innocent."

Judy huffed, looking down at the floor, hard. Nick sighed and leant in, holding her tight. "But why the mob then?" she asked. "Why?"

"A long time ago I asked him myself. At first at long of it was anger at the police, and 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' kind of stuff. I can't blame him, though he mellowed out a lot given time. He said, 'if it's better to let ten guilty mammals free than imprison one innocent, then I think it's fair to keep one guilty mammal out to keep a hundred innocents out too.' Once he'd completed his 'outside degree' at Zoo-U and set himself up as a miracle worker, he charged the mobsters an arm, leg and tail. He then uses that to fund all the pro-bono stuff that his firm does."

"I…" she began, a small smile forming on her mouth. "Change starts with you," she said, shrugging a bit.

"Yeah, there we go," Nick said, pulling back. "As for why Rattigan would want Kris in jail...? For reasons we don't know," he confessed. "But reasons that are out there. Remember what Dr Silverfox said?"

"Various mammals want his help. So, Rattigan…"

"-Might want Dr Silverfox for whatever he's doing," he said. "And getting him into a debt with him is the best way to do that. What better way to do it than to be the one who can, or has, freed his son."

"So… -Vern doesn't take the case, Kris goes to jail, it means whatever they have is what can get him out, so William works for him."

Nick nodded. "Or, remember here that Rodenburg and Rattigan are the same species, Rattigan is able to impersonate him later on."

"Hang on," Judy cut in. "What about the other lawyers."

"Huh?" Nick asked, his head tilting.

"Rodenburg wasn't the only…"

She was cut off as Nick's paws slammed down on the table. "CUSS!"

"Huh?" She asked, as her partner pulled up his radio.

"Clawhauser? Claw… -Listen, there's a chance that whoever attacked Rodenburg might be after some of the other top lawyers. Burmowitz. Badge and Delilah… Yeah, rain check for now. Over."

He put the radio away and slumped back down onto his chair, sighing. "I hope it's just a possibility. I hope…"

Judy nodded to, leaning forward and holding his paw. "You did the right thing, calling it in." She smiled. "Clever thinking."

He let out a snort of a laugh. "Well, I wouldn't have thought of that if you hadn't mentioned those other lawyers in the first place. Still, those are just the top ones William was talking about and may have mentioned to 'Slylock'... There are others, are there not."

She nodded. "He can't spook all of them, after all."

"If it is him, if they are connected, if we're not just crazy paranoid and grabbing at straws. I mean, what could he even want from William?" There was a long pause, before one of Nick's ears gave a slight flick. "Though didn't he vanish in Armyenia? That's near where Dr Silverfox did a lot of his work. The work that was asked about..."

"I guess," she said. "But it all seems so far fetched. I mean, framing Kris to save Kris to get his father in his debt? And if he's the one who planted them, how do we prove that?"

Nick slumped down, head in paws. "I don't know Fluff, I really don't know… Though, again, I have a feeling. Maybe someone else framed Kris for their own reasons, then Rattigan… or at least someone, saw it and the chance to pursue his own motives. If he exists, if it's him, if this bat is his bat."

There was a long pause, before Judy's ears began to rise. "Hold up."

"Yup?" Nick asked, as he watched her pick up her coffee cup. It had cooled to the point where she could chug it, even if she didn't like it. Slamming it down with a disgusted Bleaughhh… she jumped off her chair, pacing and jumping around as if it had already taken effect.

"It makes sense from my view, because this bat could be the same bat that I spotted, that stole the Nighthowlers right at the beginning."

"From Flora and Fauna."

"But he has a peg leg! So surely that might have caused some scratches in the duct work, or some tears along the insulation in the void he used to get in, right?"

Nick's eyes widened. "Maybe! Hang on, did they ever do a scan for any fur or stuff in there." He turned to the computer and began typing away. "Ah! Various small traces of fur from a variety of species were found, including a bat! Fur traces we could cross reference with stuff picked up from Vern's place!"

"So we could prove the connection!"

"Yeah," he said, slipping off the chair. "We should also pop into that place again, have a quick chat. If he's fine with it, we call forensics to have another look around."

"Perfect," Judy said, as she followed him out.

.

.

Vern Rodenberg belongs to Merc_Marten, and is probably my second favorite character from Fire Triangle, even though he only shows up in a pawful of chapters. Given how he owns every scene he was in, I wanted to include him, even if it was just a bit part. I don't plan to include him any more, but I hope you all enjoyed his little visit... and the dark thoughts about what that incident might mean.

Chapter Text

Chapter 29

.

.

“Officer, I hope that this visit will be more professional than last time.”

“I can assure you that it will be,” Kii said, trying her best to assuage the hard glare of the school principal. To be fair, she could hardly blame the springbok’s cold reception given her previous encounter with the police and how that had turned out for those she cared for. Still, she had to try her best, both for her sake and to show that that was NOT how the police conducted themselves. “I was ashamed of that officer's handling of the arrest, and hope to provide a true example of police conduct.”

She kept a cold glare on her. “I hope so too, Officer Catano.”

“Likewise, Principal…”

“Van Der Horne,” she said, “though for simplicity you may call me Angela.” Her tone suggested that, though technically on first name basis, they weren’t there spiritually. Still, Catano and her partner would do their best.

“Thank you,” she said, sitting down before gesturing to her side. “This here is Officer Wolford, here to help me out.”

The grey wolf nodded and brought out a paw, Angela shaking it in return. While the cheetah would normally have Oates by her side, the nature of what they were doing required someone with a keener set of nostrils. Anthony Wolford was an experienced officer, his lower rank not nearly doing him enough service. The fact of the matter was that he’d been on the force for a good while longer than Kii, and the only reason he’d not moved up, as was his right, was that he felt his place and purpose was on the beat. This kind of investigation then wasn’t quite up his avenue, but, combined with his nose, he had one more ace up his sleeve that made him incredibly useful right here and now.

“Sniffer duty?” Angela queried.

He nodded. “I happen to have a lot of experience with a major suspect in this case,” he said. “Both with him and his scent.”

“I guess that it would be police business to ask about who this mammal was?”

“No, not at all,” he said smiling. “A weasel named Duke, who has some circumstantial evidence against him.”

The springbok’s eyebrows rose. “Hang on, was he ever arrested for selling bootleg stuff by the school grounds?”

Catano nodded. “He was.”

“I’ve had a few reports about that mammal harassing some of my students,” she said. “Seems like you finally took notice of our calls and brought him in a while back.”

“We’d wanted him for questioning, and found that he had alcohol on him, potentially for sale to kits. He took a plea bargain and got away with community service that time,” Kii explained.

Angela gave a distasteful look as she learnt of his crimes. “And that leads into this time how?”

“That is police business,” Catano said.

“Yeah, but trust me, if we find his scent here, that’s great news for everyone.” Wolford added. “We finally get to give the annoying pest a one-way ticket to where he belongs.”

The principal's look was nigh on impossible to read, but the broad strokes painted it as hard and unsympathetic. “So, what do you need from us?”

“He’d need to know where to find the locker, and for that he’d need the records. Where do you keep them?”

She nodded and led them forward. Along a corridor, passed the locked door and constant sounds of the reprographics department, currently busy printing out exam paper after exam paper, and into a small storage area. Passing by a mink who was busy filling stuff away, Angela grabbed a key and led them to a large filing cabinet, marked with an ‘L’.

“Despite how much of an idiot he is, he could find this,” Wolford said, Kii nodding in agreement. Out it came and there, back in ‘LO’, were the sheets. Catano brought it out while he began sniffing around. There were two different sets of documents for this year, one set by last name and one set by locker number. Scrolling down, Kii quickly found Ash’s locker number, before carrying on to find Kris’. Each was a column number followed by a letter, primarily A-D but in a few cases flowing further up the alphabet. It was very plausible that Duke read Ash’s 273C and misremembered it as a 273D. That and the fact that the smaller (but apparently older?) cousin had the higher locker.

“Any reason why they had the lockers that they had?” she asked, turning to the principle. Wolford gave a tap on her shoulder, gesturing to the sheet, which he took before giving it a strong set of sniffs.

“Each form gets a set close to their form room, and we naturally have a twenty percent overcapacity,” she explained. “When his cousin got in, I saw that there was a spare locker right under his cousin’s and it made sense. Ash would be showing him the ropes, acting as a guide, and thus it just made sense.”

“Can’t blame you,” Wolford said, sniffing further.

“What about swapping them around, wouldn’t it make sense for the tallest fox to have the higher…”

“Kii,” Wolford interrupted, almost sounding exasperated. “Have you ever dealt with kids? Logic doesn’t come into it, and above the age of three rubbing in that one is smaller than the other is a recipe for trouble.” 

“Ah, right… I didn’t know you had pups.”

“My wife had an adopted adult son when I married her, and we have an adopted twelve year old too.”

She looked up at him. “I didn’t know that. You don’t tend to talk about your personal life, do you?”

“No I do not,” he replied, frowning as he handed the sheet back. “Can’t sniff the weasel on there or here either.”

Catano winced. Dammit, she’d been holding out hope. Wolford saw it and cut in. “Which doesn’t rule out him being here. He’s a sneak thief, so he’ll be familiar with industrial strength musk mask and scent control procedures. You’d be surprised how cheap a rubber suit can be bought for. Now, their noses are nothing against mine, but they’re probably enough to know if he’d leave a trail that you could still smell after a few days.”

“So, he’s still under suspicion, but we have no proof,” Catano summarised, watching as the sheet was put in and the cabinet locked up. She leaned in closer to inspect the lock, but it was old and worn, plenty of scratch marks covering it. Any sign of the lock being tampered with would be long lost.

She sighed. “No, nothing,” she said, shaking her head. “We disprove nothing either, but if he did work out who was in what locker then he might have found out another way… Say, you said that students were harassed by him, right? He might have asked them about it.”

She nodded. “Mainly the oldest students, those who could have lunch off site.”

“Ah,” she said, shaking her head. “No use.”

“Not exactly,” she said, raising her hoof. She walked over to a new cabinet and opened it up, beginning to filter through. “Now, plenty meet him before or after school too, and I’m sure that for every student that complained there were a hundred who ignored him. BUT, in terms of those who did complain, there is one who I know knew where Kris’ locker was.”

“And how’s that?” Catano asked.

“Because she complained to me in person about that weasel, and she met Kris in my office on his first day. After all, being his form prefect, she was also in charge of looking after him, and that involved showing him his locker.” Out came a timetable, which she scanned through. “Here we go. Brittany Voxen, age eighteen, red fox vixen currently in a free period… However, she tends to head to the gym a lot so you might find her there. She has some spectacular blonde hair that puts Gazelle’s to shame, you can’t miss her.”

Catano nodded, and off she went. 

.

.

Meanwhile, Mr Fox, Kylie and Finnick rolled up to city hall on the formers motorbike, the fennec perching himself on the front of the saddle and holding on to the red foxes thighs. He glanced to his left and let out a whistle. “It’s gettin’ busy!”

Mr Fox looked over and nodded as Kylie got off his back. The crowds at the protests were slowly increasing, Watering Hole Plaza looking increasingly full as more and more mammals trickled in. “Your vix is certainly good at getting a crowd together. For want of not looking useless, I’m going to have to pull my own thing off even better. She’s also very good at motivation, so the amount of better has just increased further.”

Finnick chuckled a little. “Boyo, the cavalry ain’t even here yet!”

“Even bringing the horses into it,” Mr Fox commented as he slid his bike to a stop and began chaining it up. “Let us increase that better even further.”

“Nah… Not horses!” Finnick said, hopping off. “Something pretty special that we’ve been keeping secret.”

“Ah, a surprise,” Mr Fox remarked. “Now that’s just giving me nothing to judge myself against. Do you know how unfair that is in a competition? I’ve now got no ballpark as to how spectacularly I need to pull off this little scheme.”

“Yup,” the fennec remarked, looking out. 

“Though, on the other paw, I do like surprises.”

“Well, that makes you,” he said, smiling. “I don’t think that Flopsy the Copsy and Slick’ll be very pleased when they find out this one. Why d’ya think we never told ‘em?” He gave a few hearty chuckles, Mr Fox nodding along.

“And, why we won’t tell them about this, either.”

“Nope!”

“And now onward, to mischief!” On they went, skirting around the protests and making a beeline for city hall. The front entrance had several lines of fencing around it, defended by a large number of officers who were assembled behind it. Others were manning the gaps to the side, briefly giving each mammal a glance before letting them in. Finnick, who’d (regretfully)  left his bat with the bike, went first, the guard barely paying him any attention. Even less was paid to Kylie. As for Mr Fox though…

“Reason for visit?” he asked, giving a glance at the assembled crowd, currently chanting ‘ Hippopotamustgo !’ and clapping to a rhythm. 

“Mr Fox, part time newspaper columnist and observational writer. Just going in to…”

“-Press,” he moaned, waving him in. He joined up with Finnick before walking through the doorway, entering the massive atrium of Zootopia City Hall. Realistically it was a full parliament for the city-state, though given that, excluding the domestically autonomous burrows, four fifths of Zootopians lived in Zootopia and the mayor acted as head of state (with city scale decisions taken by district representatives), it was still known as City Hall. As a result, security in some areas were pretty tight. Ahead of them, the building split into two towering halls, skewering out at angles. On the outer sides were many of the offices for day to day administration work, the civil service that Anton Pounceheart so thoroughly campaigned to be purged and replaced from the ground up. The inner sides though were blank, containing within them the debating chambers. Down on the ground floor were the security checkpoints, mammals going through airport style checks before being let into the public access areas. The two foxes dutifully lined up and waited, all while sparing occasional glances up at a large TV screen, displaying the ongoing debates. Most of what was going on was clouded out by the general background noise though, with his ears, Finnick began tuning in. He wanted to hear what they made of the whole protest outside…

“-Regardless,” a zebra mare was saying, “this industry has always been a method of trying to funnel some money back into the hooves of large prey with low wages and large food and housing costs. But, as has become ever clearer, recent changes in the labour market have left elephants and giraffes relatively unaffected, their strength and height still opening up many lucrative niches from which they can earn large amounts of money. In comparison, the already bad poverty among large equines has continually been increasing. It’s all well and good saying that a more technology based society will give us chances to move up, but when you need dexterous fingers to input and interact with that technology at a competitive rate, the point is moot. We didn’t ask for no fingers!” 

She thrust her hoof up, before carrying on. “Large equids are the poorest demographic, end of; something that is continually sidelined and put on the backburner when each new, trendy, cause is introduced, be it anti-predhate or anti homophobia or anti whatever. History will judge you for ignoring our plight. This ask isn’t the cure, it’s merely a single step in a long road, but it is a step. Prioritising and promoting equid milk as the prime choice for citizens and the only for public sector procurement would massively increase the demand for it and, in many equid families, open up a new income source that could stop the fridge running empty at the end of the month.”

Finnick frowned, particularly as a jaguar got up and began going on about the right of choice, and how cows milk was oft considered the favourite choice for premium quality and elephant milk on a cost basis. It wasn’t even down to the fact that the fennec himself hadn’t drunk milk for years (and when he had it had been under the table non-regulated goats milk purchased from a neighbour). It was the fact that the stupid zebra was going on about milk and stuff while an innocent kit was locked in prison and a massive protest about that was literally right outside the building. Sheesh… Boo hoo, flat hooved mammals were all poor. He lived out of a van. Welcome to the club.

Up the mare went again, angrily talking about horse families often going on ‘grazing picnics’ to local parks, and having to ration their foals’ diapers (which were apparently expensive, both due to being large and needing complex pull cord tightening systems given that ‘sticky tabs’ were too fiddly). He braced himself for a jibe about how he’d naturally be an expert in the subject…

-Before remembering he wasn’t with Nick!

He was with Mr Fox, who hadn’t said a peep!

Yeah, this fox was awesome!

In any case, they were pretty much at the security checkpoint. Dumping his phone and wallet into one of the trays, he hopped through the scanner and let a sniffer wolf have a little nosey at him. The fennec ignored him, now listening to the mare say that careers such as drivers (train, bus or otherwise) should have been species locked for them and set up with high wages as compensation for the dock layoffs back when containers were brought in. Urghhh… So now she thought they were owed certain jobs and others could get stuffed…

Besides, those were the kind of roles where you put the sloths! It was only their movement speed that was slow, their thinking and reaction time was fine and, as long as their claws were all on the important buttons and it was fully calibrated, you could hardly tell that a sloth was driving you. Instead the DMV had decided to take on the role of giving them all a job, despite all the filing and mammal interaction that was required… Yes, it was already a slow joke and mammals didn’t have any competitors that they could go to, but still… If you were gonna give horses a job, why not give them ones there?

Politicians were stupid. Regardless, he was waved through the checkpoint and met with Mr Fox on the other side. The whole area around them was filled with mammals going off to various places and another. There were a variety of meeting and conference rooms, different booths for different pressure groups (such as the food importers, the Bunny Burrow Cooperatives, the transit union and the housebuilders federation) or media outlets and even a large glazed off area that official looking mammals had to use a swipe card to get into and out of. But, what Mr Fox had in mind was an entirely different place.

...

“-They have a bar in here?” Finnick asked, blinking.

“No, of course not. They have two,” he said, starting to walk forward before pausing. “Where’s Kylie. Kylie!? Ky… -Ah, there you are.”

They walked back over to the opossum, his head tilted up. 

“Hey,” Finnick began. “Come…”

“Shhhh…” the small mammal interrupted, pointing up at the screen. “I’m trying to follow this.”

The two foxes looked at each other, before shrugging and leaving him to it. Going back to the previously discussed catering establishments, they walked into one and sat down. While mostly enclosed and out of public view, they were looking at, for all intents and purposes, a restaurant complete with a bar. It was semi-busy too, filled with a number of mammals having brunch. There were even a few children in one area, tucking into their food. “Now, this happens to be a pretty popular chain and, like all members it should have…” He went over to a kiosk area and picked something up, moving over to the bar and paying a good few bucks for it. Back he went, showing off…

“A dessert coupon?”

“A one free dessert, no questions asked, coupon,” he corrected, before walking out again. Finnick followed him, curious as to how this would fit into the plan. Annoyingly, Nick had always been the one who worked out those extra complex multi-stage hustles, and so he struggled to work out how this would help, racking his brain in thought. Not helped as Mr Fox’s phone rang. “Yes Kylie? A mammal of interest, you say? Right!” He glanced down at Finnick. “Follow me.”

Finnick nodded, tracking on as Mr Fox turned left, turned right, began going faster and slower, evidently trying to intercept the target. He looked up, focussing up high and trying to peel his ears for the sound of heavy thuds. Where was he, where was that hippo! He was focussing so hard he didn’t notice who was in front of him until the moment he collided hard with a soft, fluffy mass.

“Woah…”

“‘Scuse,” Finnick said, at least able to recognise that if anyone had failed to look where they were going, it was him. He looked up to see a particularly small sheep looking at him. Almost as small as Dawn Bellwether, speaking of which…

“Sorry,” Finnick said, bowing his head and putting his paw forward. After all, it could just be a coincidence, but then again… “I should’a been watching my step. The name’s Finnick.”

“Uh… Dominic,” he replied, his tongue tripping over itself a little. “I… -no worries.”

“Nice name,” he said, slipping past him and looking up to Mr Fox. Mr Fox looked back, giving a single hard nod. He got it too. They both kept an eye on the sheep as they parted company, the woolly mammal looking oddly nervous and apprehensive compared to those around him. As he stepped out of view, Kylie turned up. 

“Found him?” the opossum asked.

Finnick nodded. “Bumped into him,” he said, turning back to Mr Fox. “Any change of plans.”

“Not yet, let’s see how the main mission goes first. Don’t want to overextend ourselves, do we? Not unless we know we can reach it and grab it all up!” He sauntered up to a kiosk and held out a paw. “Three tickets to the viewing gallery please. I want to see democracy, in mammal!”

.

.

Fauna and Flora was not far away from the protest, and by the time they arrived Judy could already pick up some of the noise thanks to her ears. Nick strained to pick it up too. “Ooooh, is that a ‘Down with this sort of thing’?”

The bunny next to him, already perked up from her latest coffee and with synapses ablaze, couldn’t help but smile as she shot out her response. “Careful now.”

“Ah,” he sighed smugly. “The classics are the best. There are three universal constants about protests, Fluff. One: you’ll have funky homemade placards. Two: whatever’s being protest, most of the professional looking placards will be from ‘Zoocialist Mammal’ and say that socialism is the answer. Three: Down with this sort of thing.”

“Careful now,” Judy added with a smile.

 With that he pushed the door in, the bell ringing, and the pair entering a shop that they had first stepped into back when this whole mess had begun.

“Oh, you two, what a surprise!” They turned to see the proprietor, Mr Trottington, sitting there, listening to some classic music as he waited. Flipping up a remote, he turned it off, before walking up to them, paw out. “I’m guessing you’re here due to the protest.”

“Well, originally,” Judy said, stepping up to him, paw out. “But we got a recent lead on that old case, and we thought we’d come and just chase a few things up.”

“Ah,” he said, walking over and flipping the sign on his door to ‘closed’, before pushing up one of the locking bars hard. “Is it from all these recent events? With the silverfox kid?”

“Yeah, I…” Judy began, before pausing. “How do you know his name?”

He paused, blinking a few times. “Oh, that’s his name?” he asked, pausing. “Oh dear, I… -I’m not in trouble, am I? I just saw the video, I saw a silverfox, so…”

“Technically a platinum fox,” Nick corrected, “but I’ll give you a pass.”

“Yup,” she said. “Anyhow, we actually got a separate lead, and we’d like another look at your storage room. You know, just to see if there’s anything we missed at the time that lines up.”

There was a long pause as he fumbled with his hooves. “I’m… I’m not sure how to put this, so I guess I’ll just show you.”

“Show us what?” she asked. 

He waved them on, the pair retreating back into the storage room that had been broken into. Opening the door, they were met with a blast of warm humid air, sweet smells and the whirring of fans. The dusty storage room was gone, replaced with a high tech clean room, almost completely full of sealed shelves. Each one was filled with LED lighting: pansies, morning glories and all sorts of other small simple flowers growing in them. Judy’s stomach couldn’t help but grumble, they looked delicious.

“In my defence, that, exactly,” he said, pointing at her stomach. “Flower cuisine is big among some species, but unless you get a garden and can eat it when it comes, you have to settle for dry stuff. I thought, ‘fresh flowers whenever you want’, sounds like a good idea.”

Nick gave a whistle, flicking one of the growing units with his claws. “I am not totally envious that I didn’t think of this.”

“Yeah, thanks,” he said, smiling warmly. “-But after the theft, I thought I’d get rid of those howlers and do something with this space. But of course that meant tearing out all the places the thief could get in and out. I mean, I called you guys and you said that it was fine to do! I hope this isn’t…”

“-It’s fine,” Judy said, smiling. “These things happen, and it was a long shot anyway.”

He froze mid-speech, visibly deflating as he relaxed. He wiped his brow, before looking forward, a smile on his face. “Thanks.”

“What happened to the howlers by the way?”

“Oh, you guys took them. Well, not you guys specifically, but you know…”

“I know,” Nick said, as he and Judy walked out. He closed the door behind him and locked it up, before pausing, an eyebrow rising.

“You know, the roof is still the same. Tell you what, if Miss Hopps goes up there and has a look, I could have a talk with Mr Wilde.”

“Sounds great!” Judy said, before jumping up to catch the keys as they were thrown her way. Coffee perked up, she marched off, turning a corner before vanishing.

“Right,” the florist began. “You know…”

He was cut off as Judy marched back in. “Actually, it would be better if Nick did it. You’ve been up to the roof before, haven’t you?”

“Guilty as charged,” he said, as he caught the keys.

The pig kept quiet, watching the two as they swapped, Nick going up to the roof. Judy, meanwhile, smiled, looking up to him. “Anyway, you can talk to me instead,” she said, a perked up smile on her face. He shrugged and led her on to a small alcove, sitting down amongst a bunch of non-descript nettle like plants. “Isn’t this catnip?” she asked, leaning forward and smelling some.

“My feline customers may enjoy this nook quite a bit,” he said, before pausing. He stepped up and walked away before coming back, a small bowl in his hoof. “If it’s any consolation, here’s some of the things that replaced your evidence.”

“Oooh,” Judy said, salivating a little as purple and pink morning glories were set in front of them. She took a mouthful, tastegasming. “These are amazing!”

“Why thanks.”

“I… -consider me a patron.”

He nodded, thinking a second. “We could set up a subscription, that was something I was pondering. Beats taking these things through that protest.”

“I guess so.”

“Yup. What do you think of it?”

“Huh?”

“The protest,” he pondered. “I mean, I used to have to go through all sorts of loops and regulations, and I could have lost my business if I’d messed up with the howlers. So I think the whole custody thing is harsh but fair…”

“Personally, it’s not fair,” she said, her nose twitching as she cut him off. “I mean, I knew that kit before…”

“-Did you now?”

She nodded. “Nick’s friends with the family. And I knew him as a sweet, mature, kind mammal, and one who wouldn’t do it. I mean, I was with the Chief, thinking that he hadn’t done it and it was probably a set up.”

“Oh heavens,” he said. “The poor family.”

Judy nodded. “What’s worse is that his aunt is about to have a new kit, it was supposed to be a happy time for all of them, but everything’s been ruined!”

“Oh gosh, oh gosh, I… -It might not be much, but I could send them some flowers. If you give me the address, I could…”

“-That would be great,” she said, smiling. He brought forward a sheet of paper, and she started writing it down.

He smiled too. “I’m guessing you’ve been investigating it then. Right?”

“Well, not officially, conflict of interest and all,” she said. “But we’ve been helping the family look itself up by themselves. We’ve made a lot of real discoveries, which we’re both looking into ourselves and handing back to the police investigating it themselves.”

“Amazing,” he said. “I mean, it’s fascinating. What kind of monster would decide to frame a kit like that?”

“Urghhh…” she groaned distastefully. “We’ve actually got two suspects…”

“-Two?”

“Yeah. I can’t really tell you who the second one is, other than someone who had an indirect connection to the original nighthowler plot. The first also had one. He’s the mammal who stole from your shop.”

“Duke Weaselton?”

She nodded. “And we’re pretty sure he left the country and is in Oregon right now.”

“So you’re waiting for the police to bring him in, or trying to do it yourself?”

“We’ve got some friends who’ll go out and try and get him, when we know where he is.”

“Remarkable, remarkable,” he said, shaking his head. “This whole thing. Still, it must be amazing for that family to have so many good friends.”

“Well, it’s what friends do.”

“Right… Just like enemies do what they do. Why would that weasel do it to him?”

“Well, we think it was a petty revenge ploy,” she sighed.

“And the others, the same?” 

“Yeah,” she said, sighing, her foot beginning to thump. 

“But why?”

“Well…” she began, before pausing. “No, I can’t tell you. It’d be unfair if it turned out not to be them.”

“Them?”

Judy sighed, standing up. “Let’s just say they were close to Bellwether and leave it at that, okay?”

“Okay,” he said, nodding. “Just want to know how I could help and all.”

“Unless you’ve seen our weasel friend after, then no…” she sighed. “I mean, you said it yourself, you disposed of the howlers that were left.”

“Seemed like the wisest choice,” he said apologetically. “But no weasel anytime before then, though he probably had a cache somewhere. What species were the others?”

Judy paused, thinking. “I guess Ican tell you that. Sheep.”

He shrugged. “Plenty of sheep here and there, everywhere. If I had a name…”

“I’m pretty sure they’d use a false name or a friend or something. That or having their own cache too,” she said, thinking back. After all, with so much effort already put into changing their identity…

“I mean, if you ever change your mind…”

“We’ll keep you in mind,” she said, turning back as Nick came down, a slight frown on his face.

“Nothing that stands out,” he said, “but I got a call from the precinct I’ll tell you about outside.” He looked at the two. “Had a good chat?”

“Yeah, sure,” she said, only to pause. “Though we got sidetracked, I think. What did you want to talk about at the start?” she asked the pig.

“Oh, I just wanted to catch up. What with everything going on. And it seems that I can help too. I’ll have those flowers over as soon as I can. Most I can do for refurbing out your old lead.”

“Well, it’s deeply appreciated,” Judy said, waving goodbye. She marched out, purpose in her step, before jolting hard against the locked door.

“Ah,” he said, trotting up and pulling down the bar. “Best of luck with the protest.”

“Thanks,” Judy said, as she and Nick stepped out. The noise from the protest was like it was before, a quiet thing off in the distance. In fact, it seemed to be fading against the noise of traffic. The bunny paused, her ears raised; was that right, or was the noise of traffic increasing?

Nick scanned around. “Badge and Delilah are safe. But their childhood friend, city prosecutor Kyle VanDal, was caught in a hit and run late last night. He’s recovering in hospital, they’re supporting him, meaning they’ve stopped taking on new cases.”

“Sweet cheese,” Judy muttered, pausing for a second. She was about to ask if that VanDal was related to another mammal of the same name, a war hero who’d been caught in a bunch of legal issues a while back, only for Nick to carry on.

“From what I gather, Sam Burmowitz leapt off his penthouse balcony due to a tactically placed cucumber.”

“-WHAT?”

“Thankfully he guided himself down onto the pavement, not the road, and is fine,” he carried on. “Sprained paw, but not his writing one, and he’s arranged some protection going on. There was a mention he’d be increasing his workload to spite those who did this.”

Judy relaxed, shaking her head. “Thank god he’s a cat,” she said, relaxing. Her ears flicked up slightly as she thought she heard some more strangely loud traffic noise, only for Nick to carry on again.

“So it seems we were right, they were trying to keep the lawyers off the case, but they failed.” He glanced down and smiled, relaxing. “I guess we did here too, but… Well, nothing lost, is there” he said. “And it seems that protest is keeping itself nice and non…”

He paused as a roar of an engine shrieked through the air.

“-violent…”

It returned again, and the pair turned to see a large chopper bike, a massive biker wolf sat atop it, race past.

Nick blinked. “Okay, he probably just heard about it…”

More engines roared, and five more biker wolves raced past.

“And brought his friends…”

Looking back, they saw a whole pack of them speeding down the road.

“Oh… Cuss,” he said, “She did not. She did NOT!”

“What?” Judy asked, her ears shying away as the massive convoy began roaring past, heading straight towards the protest. Nick meanwhile had his phone out and was dialing in, hammering the numbers.

“FINNICK!? Is your girlfriend there?”

…

“Because when she said she’d get together mammals to protest this thing, I didn’t think it would include the cussing Lang family!”

…

“-Kind of instructed you!? Someone who was their friend, I… -You do realise that we’re the schmucks who have to deal with them?”

…

“Okay then, I will talk with your Vix, even if I do end today on a feeding tube.” He hung up hard, a worried look on his face as he nervously looked to the side, yet more biker wolves roaring past.

“I… This can’t be that bad, right?” Judy began, her nose twitching. “I mean, this ‘Lang Family.’ It’s not like they’re out of Mad Yax or any…” She trailed off as a doof warrior like guitar riff filled the air. They both turned, spotting a massive wolf on a massive bike roar past. On the other side of his vehicle was a sidecar, the heads of the offending instrument peeking out over the bodywork.

They both turned to each other, her nose twitching and his ears folding back. There was a buzz as their radios went off, both pulling them up.

“Yes! We’re coming!” They replied, before turning and hurrying off.

Chapter Text

Chapter 30

.

.

"Heyoo Slick…"

…

"No. My vix ain't here. Why you after her, anyways?

…

"Oh that. She kinda instructed me to contact someone who was kinda their friend apparently…"

…

"Well who decided to be one of the blue boys, huh? Listen, you wanna take this up with my vix? You take it up with my vix!"

…

Finnick hung up his phone and slipped it away.

"Important team communication?" Mr Fox asked.

"Nah. Just Slick complaining."

Kylie raised his paws. "That could just be your interpretation, you know?"

"Maybe so, maybe so," Mr Fox rounded off. "In any case, morale always nosedives when valid concerns are suppressed, so some healthy grievance sharing is always welcome," he said, pausing as he saw a pair of security rhinos march past, an angry looking ferret in a trenchcoat and a protest sign held in a cage between them.

"Sheep supremacy must be opposed! Sheep tyranny must be opposed! Bellwether was the beginning! Oppose those who want to carry on her anti-pred system of oppression. Purge the government!"

"You could have spouted this crap, outside," one of the guards huffed.

"It's only crap to you as they pay you off, wool licker!"

"No protests or campaigns inside city hall," the other grumbled. "Now do you want your fine to become a month in jail?"

"Ovine privilege is ovine violence! Prey silence is prey collaboration!"

"Jail it is!" he said, as he left the secure area of city hall. Finnick looked around, peeling his ears. Everything seemed… quieter. Many of the mammals, especially up in the overlooking office areas, dimming the chatter.

"I don't think that was welcomed," Kylie slowly commented.

Things slowly got back into motion though, Mr Fox leading Kylie and Finnick up to a set of stairs and a lift marked 'viewing gallery'. The fennec gave a glance around, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Dominic Calrama, likely known around these places as Dominic Bellwether. He didn't really have the heart to call him that, having changed his own name to get away from a jerkish family himself. Okay… His lot involved favourite playing jerks whose only vision for him was as a line toer in their miserable controlling religion and as a receptacle for constant height jokes and petty insults (before he became a non-person to them). With Dominic, he didn't want to be associated with the most despised mammal in the city, though whether he was with her or not was a different matter.

He was still a suspect, and he tapped Mr Fox as they approached the lift. "Want me to tail him?"

"Or you could stick with me, see my cunning plan, and be out in time to carry on."

"...Totally on you if he's gone."

"Totally on me in the exceedingly unlikely case. Also, when I say 'ooh interesting', have a massive coughing fit."

"Right on," he said, as the door closed and they rose up. It quickly opened again and, turning around, they were soon moving along a wide corridor. Mammals of all sizes, from giraffes and elephants to tiny shrews in little carts, moved along, eventually arriving at their destination.

Zootopia's upper house, where all elected representatives sat.

Finnick looked on from the public gallery, walled off by floor to ceiling glass panels, spotting that zebra he'd seen earlier sitting down. Right now, a short wooled sheep… No, was it a goat, had the stand. Like a number of mammals, he was in his own little plastic box, in this case being circulated with cooler air. "The fact remains that the high taxes on 'mammal goods' and the low taxes on imports mean that all Kashmir goats like myself living in the city get a terrible deal for their wool. Now, some mammals might go on about how this 'opens up more opportunities' for those of my species in our traditional, poorer, habitat. They say it helps alleviate poverty. But don't forget that many terrorist organisations, including those responsible for terrible crimes against women and children, get much of their funding by confiscating their wool and selling it through the black market. Treatment for fleas and ticks is also far harder to come by, leading to more issues, especially in kids, when they are forced to hold onto their whole coat up until it moults. Regardless of these considerations, it's simply against our cities interests to actively kill our own, drop in the ocean, kashmir industry."

Finnick was annoyed again. Why weren't they talking about the stupid protest going on outside! Stupid politicians, all the same. And why the heck was that opossum watching it like it was a blockbuster movie! Regardless, he kept quiet, idly walking around with Mr Fox as a hyrax stood up, talking about the large tax take that such levies brought in and questioning how much the goats still got per year (making the point that mammals were never meant to live off of such sales, they were just there to act as a nice bonus).

On they slowly walked, before pausing. There, below them but a few rows away, was an obese black wolf in a gaudy pink coat. Councillor Aurelia Canidae, original writer of the act that was used to put Kris away. Up above her, looking through one of the regular gaps between glass panes, Mr Fox's eyes narrowed. Flexing a paw and pulling it back into his sleeve, he stood around, acting like he was just waiting for someone. His arm made a few testing motions, before he looked down at Finnick, his mouth opening.

"-Wait," Kylie cut in, staring up. "I really want to catch the next bit!"

SERIOUSLY!? Finnick almost shouted up, but he caught a look from Mr Fox. The big vulpine and the opossum were looking at each other, Mr Fox waiting for a signal from Kylie.

An asian palm civet was up and speaking. "In terms of the taxation regimes, there is a major distinction to be made. There are those items that grow anyway: wool, ivory, antlers. They are sold as luxuries, they aren't necessities, they don't take any real time and effort to remove for sale. Indeed in many cases they have to be removed or even fall off anyway. They are luxuries and, while they can be sold as a bonus, there is no reason not to tax them. In comparison, with milk, you have an essential food source that takes more time and effort to extract. Equipment, the regulations, herbal remedies to stimulate lactation before or well after childbirth and, lest we forget, the time in which heavy physical activity is stopped. In this case, taxes are counterproductive, especially given how the income can heavily augment that of certain larger species who can produce in major quantities, especially those who are dexterously challenged." He gave a nod to the zebra mare from earlier. "Thus, as is right, no taxes should be registered here. However, a terrible imbalance and injustice exists here, given that species with the ability to refine foodstuff have their produce charged and taxed in the luxuries range. For instance, with the coffee variety kopi luwak…"

He was met with a collection of groans from the entire house floor. Indeed, the only mammal that seemed interested in what else he had to say was Kylie, who looked on and nodded. Mr Fox, watching him, spoke. "Oooh, interesting."

On hearing that, Finnick immediately coughed. He coughed again, he began doubling over as he hacked out and wheezed. His noise drew a number of stares, all of them missing Mr Fox briefly flick out his right sleeve, something small flying out from it. No one in the debating chamber did too, being in the middle of half lidding their eyes in annoyance or full on facepawing.

That was until Councillor Aurielia Canidea heard something hit the seat next to her, bounce up into the back of the desk in front of her, and then land on her lap. She jolted, glancing around before looking down at… A gift card?

Oooh, free desserts, no questions asked! She turned it over, seeing 'Enjoy a terrific treat' written on the back. Well, a break was coming up soon and she was getting a bit peckish. Hey, never say no to free desserts, right?

She licked her lips, never noticing two foxes and an opossum walking along the viewing gallery above them, their little hustle going completely unnoticed. Finnick, recovered from his fake coughing fit, was now having to hold a real one in! Kylie was smiling, while Mr Fox just had a 'yeah, I know' look of supreme smugness on his face. They traversed the whole gallery and went down again, making sure they were in a corner before either made a noise.

Mr Fox gave a double whistle and twin tongue click trademark, as Finnick burst into laughter. "You Madmammal you! That… You…"

"Was fantastic."

"Heck yeah," he said, pumping his fist up before turning to Kylie. "You too, how did you…"

"I follow politics," he said, shrugging.

"Haha… Thanks for taking that one for the team."

"But I enjoy it…" he spoke.

"Yeah, sure you do," the fennec said, before looking up at Mr Fox. "Now what?"

"And now, for me, I lie in wait," he said, looking smug.

Finnick nodded, before looking out, spotting a certain sheep making a move. "You do that," he said, flexing his paws and cracking his knuckles. "I'm off to do my thing with politics possum!"

Kylie blinked. "Oh, okay then… I guess." He gave a glance up at a shrugging Mr Fox, before following Finnick on, unable to not feel just a little unfaithful.

.

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It didn't take long for Wolford and Catano to reach the gym and, just like had been said, Brittany Voxen was unmissable. The red fox with long blonde plaited locks was currently on a weight bench, straining and panting hard as she pushed a dumbbell up and down, listening to music as she went. "Come on," she muttered to herself. "This is past for the academy, this is for you…" Waving a paw to hold Wolford back, the cheetah stepped in, standing over the young fox for a second or two before she took notice. Frowning a bit, she stopped her pushes and sat up. "You want me?"

"Hi, I'm Officer Kii Catano," she introduced, Brittany's ears folding back hard as she said it. "Do you mind if we talk in private?"

"Uh-hu," she replied. "Can I at least get some more stuff on first?" she asked, her eyes flicking down. She was only in a crop top and exercise shorts, so the cheetah let her get changed first, before leading her into an alcove area. Compared to how she looked when exercising, she seemed to be the exact opposite kind of girl. She wore summer a dress, the fabric a warm orange that seemed like a mix between her yellow hair and red fur. Its sleeves only went to the elbows and the pleated skirt section, pinched off at her waist by a decorative chain style belt, only just passed her knees. Her mouth piqued a little, obviously seeing an unnoticed raised eyebrow. "Hey, I like it. It's pretty and comfy, 'kay?"

"Sure," Catano said, "no judging. Though it's a bit rare seeing a girl doing weights, especially one with such good fashion sense."

Brittany smiled. "Thanks. Yeah, I…" She then froze, her eyes narrowing. "Is this you buttering me up?"

"Just being friendly," Catano said, paws up. "So… you could say so."

"Right," she said, rolling her eyes before sighing. She paused, letting them hang on the ground for a second or two. "I know what this'll be about, I… -I had no clue he was doing anything like that. Heck, going home that day I was joking to my dad about idiots spreading rumours, the one about it being Kris especially! I was like, 'heh, they're saying it was Kris, at least try to be realistic.'" There was a long pause. "But it turns out he was doing that stuff and… Most of me thinks that what was seen was what was seen, and I get why so many are thinking it couldn't have been him. But if not him, then who else? But the way he was treated by that DA was totally unfair, sorry to say that."

"Why would you say that?" Catano asked, pausing as the vixen's head tilted.

"I mean, you're the police, and he was caught with nighthowlers. Lots of mammals are now kicking up a protest and everything against what you did…"

"Against what the DA did," Wolford cut in. "Trust me, cops don't like mammals who think that others should get a free pass. But we hate those who meddle with our work even more, especially when going over our Chief. Enemy of and enemy it may be, I heard a lot of cops are more for those protestors than against… Though let's see if how they act today changes that."

"Oh, okay then," she said, shrugging. "But, apart from that, I can't say anything," she said. "Just… I'd like to know why he did it. It's such a waste…" Looking down and sniffing a little, she didn't notice Catano reach into her bag.

"We're not actually here about him," she said.

"Huh?"

"We're here about this mammal." She pushed forward one of Duke's mugshots, Brittany immediately frowning.

"Gah! Him? I thought that you guys had taken him away."

"We did a month or two back, but could you repeat what you know about him?"

She shrugged. "Well he'd set up shop outside the school and try and sell you this useless junk. Knockoff pens or leaky water bottles. And he'd always pester us into buying stuff, acting like we owed him. What's the matter then, was he selling bootleg stuff again?"

"Did you ever talk with him?"

"Urgh, only to tell him to get lost."

"So, nothing about stuff inside of school. Did he ever ask any questions about stuff like that which you answered?"

"No, I…" she trailed off, her eyes widening. "You think that he's involved with Kris?"

"I cannot confirm or deny…"

"So yes," she said, jolting up. She almost doubled over, paw to her heart, breathing in and out as a massive smile grew on her muzzle and her eyes misted up. "He… he might have stitched up Kris… He was innocent?"

Catano kept calm and professional. "I can neither confirm or deny…"

"You're confirming it by proxy," Brittany sassily interrupted, sitting back down again, shaking with excitement. "Okay, he went missing about two months ago, I haven't seen him since. But on that day Ash, Kris' cousin, said that Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps arrested him for selling alcohol or something. I mean, maybe it was revenge for that. How he knew about Kris I don't know, but maybe he was going in after Ash's locker, they're basically next to each other. I, -ah, you want to know if he asked anyone about the lockers!?"

Catano couldn't help but chuckle, she was a clever one. "Did he ask anyone?"

"No," she said, her tone darkening. "-At least as far as I know." There was a long pause as she scratched her head. "Buuut… He tended to sell stuff out on one of the fields, which wasn't that far from the back of the canteen and the loading area. Go there and ask around, it's a long shot but someone might have seen him."

The cheetah nodded. Just like before, it didn't help a case, but it didn't mean that the scent trail was dry either. At the very least, though, she was happy that she'd given this mammal hope. "We'll check it out," she said. "And thanks so much for all your help, it was very useful."

"You're welcome."

"And with that kind of mind and the effort you're putting in there, you'll make a great cop too."

There was pause as Brittany drew a blank, before shaking her head and laughing. "Gah… No, I'm not training up to be a cop. It's the fire academy I was talking about. Call me crazy, but I wanna be a firemammal," she said with a shrug and a smile.

Wolford crossed his paws and smirked. "I'll call you a hose dragger instead, hose dragger."

"Yeah, and when did anyone ever sing cuss the fire department?" she retorted with a smile, standing up. Catano waved her off, and she and Wolford were on their way again.

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Running along, Nick and Judy didn't get a chance to talk until they'd reached the protest site and found that, thankfully, an uneasy truce was holding. The massive pack had dismounted, their bikes stored and guarded in a small corral to the side, and were now merging with the protest. On all sides, the officers were busy lining up along the barricades set up to protect important buildings: the city hall, the museum, the train station and Precinct One. Catching his breath, Nick almost glibly pointed out that the barricades around the pools and ponds were deserted, the ZPD obviously not minding if any of the protestors got bumped in and wet. He didn't though. Those little islands of defence were isolated and, call him a little claustrophobic, he did not want to be stuck in there surrounded by a protest about the mistreatment of a kit that was filled with Lang wolves.

The canines themselves were putting on their own display. Coming to the front of the crowded but not yet fully packed protest, many of them lined up with each other, shoulder to shoulder, and with one deft motion they put a foot paw forward and scraped a line into the earth. Taking a united step back, they left a solid line in front of them and nodded hard, staring forward.

Nick, behind his own line of metal barriers, nodded back, glancing into the eyes of a red furred she-wolf clad in tan alligator skin leathers. He understood.

They did too, seeing the tacit understanding in the rest of the police line and responding in the obvious fashion. They tilted their heads up in a long proud howl, one that dragged in wolves across the protests and from both sides. It was like a thundering downpour after weeks of stifling humid heat and, as its mournful cry faded, mammals everywhere seemed to relax a bit, the fear and dread in the air cleared away and replaced with a tense but peaceful arrangement. Nick visibly deflated, Judy turning to him as he did so.

"So, not as bad as you feared."

"You can say that again," he said, a faint smile growing on his muzzle. He was still a little tense, most certainly, but it seemed that today it would be okay.

"So, not as bad as you feared."

The smile grew. "Sly Bunny."

"You know I am," she said, with her usual (even if coffee powered) optimistic bunny perk. Many of the officers around were pulling back a bit, making sure that no line crossing would be taking place. Indeed, one of the wolves had his paws up and was coming forward, saying that there were a few frayed nerves going on in the crowd, and that they'd be fine with some cops in there just keeping tabs. He did insist that the cops cross the lines at certain points, but that was a fair compromise. Judy, happy to go on, quickly scooted forward, a slightly concerned Nick tagging along.

"Relax, Nick."

"Hey just because they're acting genial doesn't mean we go up to them and sing 'Kumbaya'!"

"Good thing we're going behind them," she countered, an annoyed look on his muzzle as they crossed through a gap in their line. On the other side, the crowd was still the same as before, though they still met the occasional group of pack mates. On about the third occasion where Nick steered her away a little, the bunny's nose was twitching enough for her to finally speak out.. "Okay Slick, who are they?"

"Huh."

"Nick, you know that I know that you know about them, and still feel that they're bad news despite the stuff back there. Any reason why?"

Taking a breath in he shrugged. "Well, seems like we'll be here for a while, so I might as well tell you," he began. "Remember what the academy taught us about Wolf Packs? The types?"

"Familial and Found," she recounted, remembering that it wasn't just wolves, but many social canines, that operated such a pack structure. The difference was simple. Familial packs were hereditary based, a literal family. They could range in size, but, even if weak between the edges, they were still bound with blood. Found packs meanwhile were ones that the mammal chose to join or was inducted into. The ZPD pack, for instance, encompassed all wolves, coyotes and many other canines working in the ZPD. Heck, Nick had gotten an offer to join, though he'd declined. Given their more isolated nature, foxes were on the edge: some would join, some wouldn't. Other found packs could involve sports teams, jobs, or just local areas or customs. There were some caveats, given that many wolves would already be part of a familial pack, thus it was acceptable to be part of one of each type, but never more. In terms of pack status, they'd also have to choose to commit to one, which they would rise up the ranks of while staying as a low ranker in the lesser one. If the packs were to ever come into conflict (very rare, but it did happen), then they'd side with whichever one they'd committed to, leaving the other.

Nick nodded. "Well, this one's a bit of both."

"Huh?"

"Orphans, runaways, estranged children, joining together to make their own family," he narrated. "The Lang family. They're one of the oldest, if not the oldest, found pack in the city. And given the background, there is one thing they absolutely abhor. Those who harm children."

"That doesn't seem so bad…"

"-I know, it doesn't sound bad. A lot of the time they just turn up to a hospital or courthouse or whatever when an abused kit is involved. They then line up like back there or escort their vehicle in formation, making them feel protected… -yup, you know the lot I'm talking about, it's these guys." He paused, pushing his paws open in front of him as he began verbally pitching. "'Hey there, those scary mammals who hurt you might be out there, but you have a ton of badass biker wolves on your side'. It's why they're here today. If it was just that, I'd be fine, but it isn't Judy…" He took a long look around, making sure no other officer was overlooking, before staring down. "They're more than a biker gang, arguably they're a full on crime family with the head being a crime lord. Mostly protection stuff with some loansharking, but…"

"But…?" Judy asked.

Nick gave another long look around, before looking down. "They often hunt down and kill child abusers. Can't be proven, but the mammals of the underworld know it. I remember, once, years back when I was tagging along to a meeting with Mr Big. There was an up and coming associate of his, George Macquarie, AKA 'The Penguin Broiler', an elephant seal who was getting an iron grip on Tundratown's pinniped communities – so seals, sea lions and walruses. He hated walruses, Judy, and he was boasting about how he was forcing them to sell their tusks to his own ivory shops at pennies to the dollar."

He paused to let her take it in, before carrying on. "Now, Mr Big did not like it, but he was putting up with it as those were the one holdouts in the district against his rule. He was putting up with it until Georgy boy mentioned ordering his loyalists to get their children to bully the calves of those who refused. Mr Big… He was shocked, he ordered George to tell him that that was a single incident. The idiot then boasted about it being his main method for enforcement, and how he even had teachers under his control, to get the bullies off, make the bullied take the blame, and give them terrible grades and detention after detention too. And how, if the parents held out even after all that, he'd then get adult goons to start robbing and beating the calves until their parents caved in. He actually said out loud, 'I go to bed at night dreaming of how many mustachy-mutt kids are sleeping in hospital on my orders. It is the most wonderful feeling.'"

The fox kissed his paw and let it out into the air, leaving it hanging, Judy's face contorting with a mixture of anger and disgust. "What… next?"

"Mr Big told him that, being the exceptionally generous and too merciful shrew that he was, that he was to transfer all his millions of assets and organisation to him, only keeping a hundred thousand bucks and a one way ticket back home to the bottom of the world to his name. He had twenty four hours to leave the city. George laughed. He had some of his mammals in there, and elephant seals are massive Fluff. With the weapons in their flippers, they could have fought their way out against Big's bears. Even Kozlov was scared, Kozlov. The giant polar bear who, according to who you ask: was in the Soviet version of Seal Team Six, was the guy in charge of the mammals who acted like the KGB to the KGB, was the first mammal to spend ninety seconds shovelling on the roof of reactor four, or was so feared in Afghanistan that mammals there still flee in terror on the site of polar bears…"

Judy's nose twitched. From their brief conversation, the second seemed chillingly likely.

"Anyhow, the Broiler asked Big how the hell he expected him to agree to that, and why he shouldn't kill the shrew and become Tsar of Tundratown then and there. I… I was terrified, Judy. I thought it might be the end for me. But then Big looked at him and said something I'll never forget. 'In twenty-four hours, I'll send a recording of this discussion to Lady Lang. Kill me now, it goes out now'. And then it was George's turn to be terrified. He panicked, agreed to the terms, and hammered out the details then and there. Ten hours later, I stood witness for Big as Macquarie cast his icebreaking yacht off and sailed away to somewhere nice and south of New Zealand."

There was a long pause. "I… Surely they can't have been that bad?" Judy asked.

He looked at her gravely. "George got to where he was because he was brutal and, despite everything, clever. One of his top lieutenants tried to carry on, he may have lost the money but he still had the command structure. He refused to stop the practices, and three days later he was found dead. A new one tried the same thing. Four days. A new one. Two. A new one came up and said that he'd stop any attacks on walruses. He was still headstrong, but a few days later he came in, bruised and shaken. Mr Big supplied some of George's money, and he gave it to all the calves that had been targeted, before falling in line."

Judy gave another glance up at a pair of wolves walking past, her nose twitching. "But couldn't he have taken all his assets when he ran?"

…

"Those killed were all incredibly lucky. None of them got hit by the thing they really feared, a thing that probably wouldn't think twice about hunting down George to the bottom of the world. "

Judy remained quiet, nudging up to him and holding his paw.

Nick spoke, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Ever heard of the North Pier Musk Mill?"

She nodded, a bit confused. "That was skunks being held in cages and milked for their musk," she said, shivering and grimacing at the memory, sanitised for true crime television as it may have been.

"Bucks, does and kits," he said. "Imprisoned until some mammals or mammal attacked and freed them, half burning down the place in the process. None of the victims were killed, but many of the perps were. Many escaped too, only for their bodies… or what was left of them, to be found later, burnt to a crisp."

Judy looked queasy.

"They weren't the only ones. There's been no more for the last three or four years, but back in the day, before and after North Pier, you'd hear about it often if you were in the right company. As far as the ZPD officially knew, and I even checked the records, it was a sick new trend amongst mobsters. Criminals who did terrible things to women and children, found burnt to death… Officially all done by different mammals and unconnected to each other."

He paused for a second or two. "The few witnesses, mostly criminals who'd never say anything to the cops, all said the same three things." Judy's nose was twitching and, as he looked away, she felt him tighten his paw, more and more. "One, the mammal who did it sprayed them with a slow burning chemical, like methylated spirits or something, which took long and terrible hours to do the job. It was long and terrible because, two, they'd be tranquilised before. There was one mammal who was struck with a dart but not attacked, just a low level thug, wrong place wrong time. He said he fell down and was trapped in his body. Mammals could kick or punch him, a porcupine fell on him and he felt nothing. But he was aware of everything going on, and so would those who…"

"Sweet cheese… Oh Sweet cheese…"

"The third is that the attacker was always a female wolf, dressed in red. And so, though an urban myth at most to the public, in the criminal circles it became the monster under the bed. Don't hurt or injure women or children, or 'The Dark Flame Wolf' will get you."

Judy blinked, clicking her fingers. "Didn't Honey mention that?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah, it was on her board. She probably has, or had, her own theory about who, or what, she was."

Judy nodded, trailing off into a long pause. "The Lang family. You said that their leader was 'Lady' Lang?"

He nodded. "Original name: Annemarie Luna. I saw her picture once. A white wolf with crescent moon earrings, I'd say she'd be in her sixties right now. From what I heard, 'The Dark Flame Wolf' was a normal coloured wolf, but hey. Fur dye, am I right? But what you're thinking is what most others in the underworld believed, and still believe. I wasn't one of them, but I still think that, whoever it is, is one or more of their pack members."

"So, that's why you're scared of them," she said, gesturing to a pair of Lang wolves walking past.

He nodded. "Well, more that they'd just cause chaos. But still, there are some out there who have no qualms doing things like that…" He looked out, absently gazing. "You don't know what it's like to fear them…"

Judy nodded, thinking a second only to blink with a realisation. They only harmed those who... and Nick feared… "-Wait, hang on. You said they only…"

"-Crap, wait. Let me explain," he urged, paws out. "Remember the musk mill?"

She nodded her head.

"While known before, that was the first time everyone realised just how determined 'The Dark Flame Wolf' could be. The mill wasn't an individual with bodyguards, this was an operation a few times bigger than Lionheart at Cliffside. Wiped out in one evening, and it was still in everyone's… well, in certain company everyone's memory a few years later, when I fell out of favour with Mr Big."

"Out of…" she began mumbling, before her eyes widened. "The Skunk Butt rug."

Nick nodded, with a sigh. "I mean, that rug was nice. It was gorgeous, velvety soft and it smelt beautiful. I didn't know it was a skunk butt rug, Mr Big didn't until one of his bears told him, and let's be honest, if you had an amazing sheep wool rug that you saw and loved, only to find that it was made of horsehair, would you be that angry? I mean, yes, it came from a skunk, but unless you were a raging speciesist that didn't spoil what it was. No. The real reason that Mr Big was mad at me was because, back at the musk mill, they would shave the butts of their skunks to get clean tube access. The rumour was that they repurposed that fur, for instance into…"

"-Rugs."

Nick nodded. "I mean, it's absurd. The amount you'd make from them is tiny, especially as the fur would definitely be contaminated with spray given what they were doing. And if you were trying to keep it a secret, why the hell would you sell traceable DNA evidence on the open market? But what's logical isn't always the public sentiment, or criminal underworld sentiment for that matter. A skunk butt rug, especially such a fine one, would be viewed as coming from that mill, even years after its closure. I didn't realise that it was a skunk butt rug, and when some of the bears began telling me, I wasn't just angry that they were insulting what I'd worked hard to find. I was angry that they'd insinuate that I was supporting that evil enterprise. Never mind that I thought that rugs coming from there was stupid, I knew what they meant by it. It just made me angrier, more stubborn, and more resistant to considering that I'd made a mistake…"

"And when Big learned the truth," Judy began. "He thought it came from there."

"I tried to say that I thought it was a wool rug, and that even if it was from a skunk it wouldn't be from there… He said that at best I was careless, at worst I was a swindling disgrace of a mammal. Either way, I was a persona non-grata anymore, due to the risk I'd tempted."

"But it was only a rug, well after the event, and you were still scared that 'The Dark Flame Wolf' would…"

He nodded. "It didn't help that, after the musk mill incident, she, whoever she was, began using skunk spray bombs in her missions. What happened there was personal, everyone knew it was a sore subject, and that you weren't going to take any risks. However small it might have been, Mr Big felt it way too large, given what she could do. I was thrown out, and for a small while, even I feared that I might…"

He was broken off as Judy's arms wrapped around him. "Well, whoever she is, she was probably smart enough to know that you did nothing wrong there."

"Yeah," he said, relaxing. "And it's been a decade or so, so I'm pretty sure I'm in the clear."

"Good," Judy said, paws on her hips. "After all, if she came after you I'd probably get badly injured defeating her."

Nick gave her a smile, raising a warning finger. "Don't get cocky, Kit."

Chapter Text

Chapter 31:

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AN: Welcome back. For those who were at the ZAA read through, that scene is in the next chapter, meaning this one is all stuff you haven't seen. Enjoy.

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"-While generally seen and worn as the defining factor of the religion, it is but one of five key aspects. Moreover, it was originally meant as a symbol of an elite warrior caste. The Khalsa."

Ash closed his eyes and thought to himself as the elephant teacher reached down to get a new sheet out for his projector. The lesson was coming to an end, and with that he had to find a way of speaking with Maisy, coaxing in and getting at the truth. It was an unenviable task, and he didn't really know how to do it.

It wasn't like he could talk with anyone either. It didn't feel right to destroy Maisy's new identity.

Maybe, at a pinch, he could talk with Jenny? She was prey, so she'd be less likely to react badly…

Less likely.

He was pretty sure she didn't know, and it could still affect the friendship. Arguably Maisy's strongest one.

He grit his teeth. Arghhhh… What to do?

A new sheet was up on the projector, displaying a mix of drawings, ranging from a small comb and some white shorts to the taj mahal and some red buildings.

"The tenth Guru, originally Gobind Rai, came to power amidst the continuing rule of the Mughal empire," he spoke, pointing to the Taj Mahal. "This was a powerful muslamb dynasty that had ruled the entire subcontinent for centuries. However, they originated from without. The first Mughal, Babur, was a Caspian tiger from central Asia. Descended from key allies of Genghis Khan's Moringol invaders, centuries before, they still held on to their own religion thanks to his empire's policy on religious freedom and had strong alliances with local prey mammals. Bactrian camels and bactrian deer especially. With them, he pushed through Afghanistan and, within fifty years, his empire held the northern half of the subcontinent. While not forceful in their religious policies, it is undoubted that the Hindu majority were second class citizens. Worse could be said for smaller, upstart religions, such as Singhism."

Ash's notes were brief at best. Agnes wasn't sitting by his side as usual. He spared a glance around, was… -There, she was sitting by Jenny!

Good, he thought. After all, if she was sitting here, it would usually be in close proximity to Beavis. She did not need him teasing her about it right now.

"Rai asked for a mammal to stand up who was willing to die for his religion," The teacher spoke. "One volunteered, and was taken into a tent. Those viewing saw a swish of a sword, their guru coming out with it, blood on its blade. Four more volunteered, four more times the blade was swung and, by the time he was done, five mammals came out. They were baptised and given a new surname, Singh, Sanskrit for lion. Guru Gobind Singh took it too, though no guesses what species he was."

Then again, Ash mused, that annoying woodchuck had been very quiet through all of this. Looking to his side, there he was, taking down his notes and not trying to annoy or tease him. Yes, there was a sizeable distance between them, but that hadn't stopped him before. Maybe this quiet was just him having a go at planning for a change, thinking through some devious plot so that, when unleashed, it would have ten times the impact of his usual spontaneous barbs.

"This all took place at the Mughal's height of power. Based in the red fort in Delhi," he explained, pointing at one of the drawings, "they controlled virtually all the sub continent. To defend the religion, the Khalsa would stand as a warrior caste, both men and women and from all social standings and species, a rejection of both Muslamb views on women and the Hindu caste system."

But maybe this was just all too much, even for him. Maybe even he had standards and, two days ago, they were broken. Something that was beyond the pail for even him to make fun of.

"They would wear five symbols. Kachera, the shorts. Kirpan, a sword or dagger. Kara, an iron or steel bracelet. Finally, they would wear Kesh and Kangha: uncut body parts and a wooden comb to tame their long fur. This ranges from singh elephants having enormous tusks, to lions having enormous manes and thick shaggy fur, kept in order via combing and mane turbans. It's also the reason that Singh sheep were never really a thing." He paused to let the class have a short laugh before carrying on. "Now, it's worth noting once again that the mughal elites were tigers and camels, not elephants. Thus, they had no concern about levying enormous taxes on the ivory trade, booming given the demand coming from European and far eastern merchants. Of course, by not selling the ivory, they cut off a small but notable income source for their oppressors. And that's about it for today. Given that the 'eleventh' Guru was their holy book, I want you all to do an essay on the life of one of the ten Guru's ready for next week. Class dismissed."

With that everyone began packing up, heading off in silence. It didn't take long to file into the form room again, his brain still working out how to approach this sticky subject, only to be immediately derailed as a vixen grabbed his paw. He jolted back, looking up at Brittany. "Come with me, quick."

"Huh?"

"Quickly," she said, pulling him out. "Don't worry, the teacher knows!"

"Knows what?"

"That I'm doing this," she said, as they hurried along to a staircase and began running up it, the pair going around and around before reaching the top. There was a small dog-leg at the top landing, which she pulled him into before wrapping her paws hard around him in a tight hug.

"I'm…" he began, startled. "I'm not interested, I…"

"Ewww," she rebuked, pushing him off. "I'm not… You think… You're only fourteen!"

"Yes, I… So…?"

"Half plus seven rule," she said, paws out to shield him off. "Add two years or wait three… or four…"

"-I'm almost fifteen!"

"-Then two and a little bit."

"-Really?

"I… Uhhh… -Listen, I got you here as I've got amazing news about Kris!"

"Huh?" he asked, his head tilting to the side. She knelt down looking side to side, panting hard with a smile on her muzzle.

"The police talked to me earlier. They think that the weasel you helped bust is the one that stitched him up! He's innocent! They have a suspect. They…"

"I know all that," he said quietly, causing her to break off. She blinked a few times, before cutting in before he could continue.

"Gah, stupid me," she said, shaking her head. "Of course you'd know. They've probably interviewed you before. It's how they know."

"Yeah," he said, deciding to keep it simple.

Brittany though was calming down, standing up and resting against the wall. "Phew… I… -I just found out today, and thought you really needed to know," she said.

"Thanks."

"I'm also guessing you don't know who told that weasel about which locker was his."

"No," he said, only to pause. Brittany blinked, catching on.

"Ash?"

"Sorry," he said, trying to ad-lib a cover for himself. "It's nothing, just… -It's a lot, all of it."

"Tchh, don't I know it," she said.

"Though, I might have some new ideas," he began, tapping his foot. "I'll contact the cops when I can."

"I mean, they are snooping around the school right now, trying to find someone who told him. I could go get them."

"If you want," he said, before pausing. "Though maybe you should tell Agnes the news too."

"Of course," she said, clicking her fingers and turning on the spot. "I'll be right on it. Feel free to go back or stay here or whatever."

"Will do," he replied, waving her off before sitting down, knees up into his chest and his finger pads beating across his forehead. They were thinking that someone had told him where their lockers were, instead of him finding out the details himself. Of course, Maisy was still an option, both on her own or together, which might be something he could lead with! But… But… He couldn't help but let the furs on the back of his neck rise as he thought back.

The very same day that he bumped into the weasel again, who else was there, hanging out with the mean mustelid himself, than a mammal who knew and wouldn't think twice about giving away the information.

Beavis Chuckman.

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.

"So, what exactly do you like here?"

Kris held his tongue as Matt scanned the selection of food. They'd come in third for lunch, meaning there were still a lot of options for him to pick from. That didn't help though when he was trying to look after a pup who was decidedly picky. "Well, the pizza," he managed to say, looking down at the slices waiting on the hot plate. The predator main course today was breaded fish with a side of chips, nice by itself but Kris guessed that the young wolf didn't like that (or just liked pizza more). That wasn't what he'd meant when he'd asked the question.

"I mean, the sides. Do you like a tub of berries or an apple."

"None of them…"

"Okay, and desert. The rice pudding and jam…"

"-It looks like sick with blood on it!"

"Okay, I see that. But do you like that sponge cake?"

"I think…"

Sniffing a bit, Kris picked it out. "It smells like lemon cake."

"Not fair," he whined. "I don't like lemon. They had a nice cake, they put lemon in and ruined it!"

"I thought you liked lemon…"

"I like lemonade and orange juice, but not lemon and orange."

"So it's the cookies then," he said, spotting them.

"But they have spots in them…"

"So, it could be chocolate?"

"They never put chocolate in. It's always raisins. Nobody likes raisins."

"-Is not raisins," Timofey spoke, from behind them. "Canines can pick raisins out, horde them, till they have enough to poison themselves." He smiled. "So here it is all chocolate chips. Canine safe ones, yes, but no big difference." He shrugged. "One good thing about prison," he said with a laugh.

Kris smiled. Credit where credit was due, Timofey could spin a joke. He turned back to Matt as they approached the servers. "Okay, I like apples and berries, so you get an apple and I'll get some berries. Then we'll both get some of the cookies, and I'll give you one of mine. Sound good?"

"Uh-hu," he said, nodding. They were soon ordering, Kris turning to their tables, the previous occupiers just leaving. He paused as he saw a hulking figure off in the background, the giant bison who'd made a ruckus earlier. Okay, keep quiet and keep away, they didn't have to meet. Indeed, he was walking over and talking to two mammals from Kris' block. The goat who'd bullied Matt, and who he'd briefly fought with, and another bison. They were pointing and gesturing in their direction, only to be cut off by an order from the side.

"You lot, stand there."

It wasn't angry, but it was forceful, and Kris watched as the deer guard, Mr Fulton, marched out. The goat shrugged, hooves up. "What, all three of us?"

"Well since you want to join in, you can come here too," he retorted, clopping his hooves to a hard marching style stop and bringing out an arm. He gave a two hooflet gesture towards himself before pointing down, watching as the prisoners assembled in front of him.

"I know the schedulers put a lot of effort into keeping you two apart," he said, waving between the two bison.

"We get on with each other…"

"That's exactly the problem," he said, arms crossing. "It's my job, which I do with firm dedication and pride, to keep this place free of any mischief and bigotry, things that you two are bound to cause together."

"Why do you say that?"

"Why are you two here," he fired back, his tone rising slightly to cut them off. "I am a fair mammal. You can write to each other if you want, but what you write goes through me so I can check it and make sure that it is clean."

They stayed quiet, looking at each other.

"What was that?" Fulton asked softly.

"Nothing," one of them said, glaring at him.

"I think you meant to say, 'Yes sir, it won't happen again sir."

…

"WHAT DID YOU MEAN TO SAY!?" He shouted out, flipping into full drill sergeant mode in an instant. The pair flinched back, one of them putting their hooves up to the ears. "ANSWER WHEN SPOKEN TOO, OR ARE YOU TWO BOTH KINDS OF DUMB. WHAT DID YOU MEAN TO SAY!?"

"Yes sir!" they blurted out. "It won't happen again sir."

The enraged deer flipped back in an instant, standing tall as he crossed his arms. "Good. It may be foolish, but I'm going to trust you two on that. And hold you to your words." He turned to the bison who'd been tazed the day before. "Come on, move it." He escorted him out, leaving Kris standing with his tray. He didn't realise that he was doing that until he felt Matt hiding behind him.

"Hey, it's okay. He was just a bit loud," he said.

"He's a bully…"

"He is not a friend like otter guard," Timofey said to both of them. "He is good mammal, fair, but not a friend."

"Right," Kris said, thinking about the fact that, back in the office, he did seem quite friendly. "Does he have a thing against prisoners?"

"Pah, is there snow in Tundratown? He thinks us once criminals, always criminals, all without honour. Though could be worse. He is not hypocrite, he has honour. Can even take joke at his expense. As I say, good fair mammal. But not our friend."

Kris nodded, grabbing his tray and walking out to the table. "He shouts a lot," Matt said as he picked up some orange juice, eyes narrowing. "And thinks he is better than others, and can pick on them."

"A bully?" the silverfox asked.

"Yeah. I hate bullies. I hate them!"

"I don't like them either," he said, smiling. They were splitting off to go to their benches, Kris turning around and looking at the pup when he felt something hard hit his legs, pulling them out from under him and throwing them back. He threw his tray forward and put his front paws out to catch him, just as something hard hit him in the gut, winding him as it cut upward and threw the breath out of him. He looked over to see the goat from earlier, hiding under the bench next to theirs. Two hooves on the stools, he'd swung out to give his double kicks and was now dragging his feet back behind himself, the sharp keratin edges scratching into the linoleum as they swung back and rooted down hard. Hand hoofs pulled as he kicked out, charging forward, horns pulled down and on a collision course with his side. Kris had already started pushing himself up, there was nothing he could do other than roll with it. He swung a paw out and grabbed one of the horns, pushing himself back. His hips hit a stool, he pushed, the goat kept charging, he swung around. Head under the table, hip arching against the metal, wrists straining as they carried the charge. His back hit a support and he grit his teeth as he was bent back, throwing out with his arms and letting the goat charge through and hit the stools on the other side.

He was dazed but fine, turning around again as Kris scrambled up onto all fours and began to fall back. His enemy couldn't charge fast under here, and the fox could get behind cover. Duck and weave, he dodged the crazed hoof-punch assaults as he gave quick strikes of his paws against his attackers eyes.

"Come here! I'm getting you this time, Kung Fox!"

"We don't have to fight, and it's karate," Kris said, getting himself into a defensive pose. His arms were pulled back, paws coming together with his fingers and claws forward, ready to puncture and pierce.

"Oh shut it Pelt, I'll…"

He was cut off as a splash of orange juice was thrown into his face, followed by another, then another, then another. "GET LOST BULLY!" Kris couldn't help but blink in shock. Matt was attacking, and attacking well. The goat was bleating out, his eyes winced up from the acidity, his hooves useless in clearing any of it away. He trashed around instead, trying to reach Kris but missing, letting Matt come in with a flurry of uncoordinated and underpowered kicks. They were frequent and frantic though, and definitely had an effect. The goat screamed, turning to lunge at the wolf pup, only for him to plant two paws on the stools and kick down hard with all his weight, forcing the side of the goat's head back down to the floor.

He then scrambled down, his mouth opening wide, and Kris realised with a shock what he was planning. He acted first, lunging forward and gripping the attacking caprid by his hooves and forcing him back. He twisted around, a full three-sixty, only giving half of that to his enemy who was shot out from under the table on his back, then immediately kicked away hard by a heavy white paw.

A white foot quickly joined by a black and white stripe clad body as Timofey got down onto the floor, his paws on his head. He looked straight at Kris and gestured down. It was only then that he began hearing the shouts of the guards, ordering everyone down. "Front on the floor, hands on head!" Checking to make sure that none of Matt's orange juice was in the way, he did just that, figuring it best to just stay underneath as various hooves and paws began walking past him and standing to attention.

"Whose is the fish?"

It was Fulton, standing over Kris' tray… -Oh, that had survived. "Mine, sir."

The deer bent down, looking underneath the table, right at him. "What are you doing down there?"

"Front on the floor, hands on head."

…

His right foot hoof tapped a few times, his expression unreadable. "I feel generous today. You can do it here instead." He pointed down and Kris crawled out, while he marched off. "Now, I know that you lot would never tell on each other. Your sense of right and wrong was mixed up on the outside, so I can't expect it to be straightened out in here. Thankfully, we have cameras!" He marched over to a guard post and quickly began playing through.

…

"Oh dear… Oh deary dear," he said, smirking as he stood up, marching back out to the canteen area. "Does this have anything to do with what your bison friends were talking about?"

The goat stayed silent.

"Stand up…"

…

"STAND UP NOW!"

He scrambled up to his feet, facing the guard but glancing down and away.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"It was payback, he attacked me yesterday."

"LIAR!" came a shout, Kris snapping to see Matt speaking. "He attacked me! He's nothing but a bully, but then Kris got him off me. He's just mad Kris stopped him bullying me with his karate!"

It took a second or two for the pup to begin to regret saying that as Fulton marched over, his feet rooting themselves just in front of his muzzle. The deer looked around, before glancing to the whole canteen. "Is this true?" he asked, his voice clipped.

Closing his eyes, Kris followed his gut. "I pulled him out of trouble, sir. And when the goat came for him, I did use a wrist lock to defend myself and get him away. I..."

"-Enough," he cut in. "I want you all to speak. Is this true?"

"Yes," Timofey spoke, soon joined by a chorus of agreement. Even the herd were doing so, and Kris realised that he was in big, big, trouble.

"Enough," the guard spoke, before waving Matt up. He walked over, looking down and waving Kris up. He walked up to the goat, the caprid's legs looking like they were made of jelly.

"Look at that boy," he said, pointing hard at Matt. The goat glanced away. "I SAID LOOK AT HIM!"

This time he complied, even though the shouting seemed to have more of an effect on the little wolf.

"HOW OLD DO YOU THINK HE IS?"

"I…"

"HOW OLD!"

"-Eight…?"

"HOW OLD ARE YOU!?"

"Fifteen…"

"VERY BRAVE MAMMAL YOU ARE! PICKING ON SOMEONE YOU THINK IS ALMOST HALF YOUR AGE! DISGRACEFUL! THIS IS WHY YOU'RE HERE! LOOK AT YOU, THE PREY SUPREME! THE STRONGER MAMMAL! SO STRONG YOU CAN ONLY PICK ON CHILDREN YOU COWARD! EVERYONE, LOOK AT HIM!"

They all did, as he glanced around, shaken.