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Chapter Text

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Nicholas Wilde.

Fox.

Hustler.

Stunt Mammal.

Superhero?

Can you call yourself a hero when you mortgage your soul to a demon, maybe the devil themselves? At the very least a demon with designs on becoming the top baddy, and the power to back it up. 

1

Wilde Times Amusement Park

At its start, Wilde Times was a park, started in secret, and specifically for predators. A place to be free of their Tame collars, if only for a few hours. To let their fur down and relax.

It was a place to let their heart rate spike. A place to roar, howl, gekker, or scream. It was the only escape for most predators, and so its existence was protected jealously, almost religiously, by the predators of Zootopia.

Still, as with such things, its origins were not nearly as laudable. The plan for Wilde Times, when initially established, was to make as much money as possible, as quickly as possible. Thus allowing the owner, one Nicholas Piberius Wilde, to buy the way for himself and a few select friends, beyond the influence of Zootopia and freedom from their collars.

Yet, as is also often the case with such things, Wilde Times took on a life of its own. Even once they had enough money to escape, Nick, Finnick, Honey, Emmett, Skye, and Ben, could not bring themselves to abandon it and the predators of Zootopia. They kept their plans should they be found out, but also prepared to fight for what they had created. It is because of this that the powers that be discovered Wilde Times, and made to destroy it.

As it grew, they added rooms, much like a hotel, where many a new predator was conceived, their parents free to be with each other without fear of electrocution. Over the initial ten years of its existence, Wilde Times became one of the biggest reasons that the plans for the eradication of all predators within the influence of Zootopia was stymied. This fact drove the city's rulers to seek its destruction all the more.

The plan was simple. Send in a recently minted ZPD officer, and the first rabbit, Judith Hopps. A country rabbit from Bunnyburrow on the borders of Zootopian influence. It was assumed that a rabbit would be terrified of uncollared predators and just as specists as those who sent her into Wilde Times. That she had been attacked as a kit by a fox, not unlike the proprietor of Wilde Times, Nick Wilde, was assumed to ensure her reaction.

The plan included the insurance to ensure success by swapping the tranquilizer in the darts of those sent to respond to her call for help with the extract of the Nighthowler flower. The concentration sufficient to drive the darted predators savage, then kill them within a few hours. Thus proving the Zootopian administration's contention that predators needed to be eliminated. That putting the predators down would be a mercy.

The plan however, backfired. Quite spectacularly.

Judy instead saw their joy, the animation of the predators within Wilde Times. A stark contrast to the predators within the city itself. She listened and realized that the collars were the devices of torture and slow genocide that the predators knew them to be.

At the end of the confrontation. The truth was revealed. The lies of the Zootopian administration were laid bare, and the citizens of the city turned on its government. The Bellwether dynasty fell, and as punishment, the leadership, from Mayor Dawn Bellwether, her mate and head of security, Doug Ramzies, and anyone else who knew the truth, became the only mammals wearing the collars. Although what they wore was missing the most evil and diabolical part.

The collars worn by predators were designed to not just shock their wearer, but had a small vial of Nighthowler that could be triggered remotely, and was, whenever the administration needed to stoke a bit of fear in the population. ZPD policy had been changed so that they would put down any predators who went savage, once tranquilized. Most officers not knowing that the tranquilizer counteracted the Nighthowler, and if they had but waited for it to wear off…

Despite the collars being gone, Wilde Times remained an outlet for the city's predators. Nick and crew, with Judy, were lauded as hero’s.

Over time, Judy rose through the ranks of the ZPD, and Wilde Times expanded. No longer needing to maintain secrecy, that expansion included attractions for prey mammals and themed areas.

Judy and Nick grew closer, and were the first open pred\prey couple married in the city. They were the first to prove that predators and prey were not so different either, as they welcomed five hybrid kits as well as adopting three who had lost their parents to the collars and the Nighthowler within. Born to the WildeHopps were Nicholas, Bonnie, twins, then Stewart, Lizz, and John as triplets, and in that order. Adopted into their family were Eric, a Wolf-Tiger hybrid, Janice, a rat with gigantism making her as large as a capybara, and Melanie, an arctic/red-vixen.

As they grew up, Judy and Nick instilled their strong sense of right and wrong, and of doing the right thing, into their kits. Bonnie, Stewart, John, and Lizz all took over the running of the ever expanding Wilde Times, as it grew into a larger and larger theme park, eventually turning it into a resort. Eric, Janice, and Nick Jr. became cops, while Melanie found her calling under the tutelage of her Auntie Maria, becoming a superstar, yet always performing a concert at Wilde Times whenever she was in town.

That is how this story plays out, but not exactly the reason why it happened as it did. Just two weeks after Nicholas and Bonnie's 12th birthday, members and sympathizers of the Bellwether dynasty sought revenge against the mammals they saw as must responsible for their fall from power and into global disgrace. Judy had retired from the ZPD as a senior detective after being shot for the tenth time, and this time finding herself unable to heal to the point she was able to return to work. Although she still consulted for the ZPD on major cases. This had the benefit of giving her more time with her mate and kits.

The Sympathizers got their hooves on a sample of a third generation Nighthowler variant, shooting both Judy and Nick with it as they exited Wilde Times. Their kits there to watch as their parents became nothing but animals. While tranquilized quickly by security, current and former ZPD officers, the damage was done. The city nor the ZPD took kindly to the attack, and the perpetrators were apprehended within a day. That however left two mammals in a savage state that did not cure itself after being tranquilized.

After three months, both mammals were still savage, while they were able to be together, and even needed to be. Their mate bond seemed to have been far deeper and transcending their instincts. They were still savage, and the scientists were unable to find a cure, or even a treatment. It was revealed to the WildeHopps family that, due to the shock and stress on their bodies, Judy and Nick would die within the month. This is where we join this story.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

Secure wing - Savannah General Hospital

The WildeHopps family, along with their closest family friends stood outside the small enclosure where Nick and Judy were being kept. Separated by thick plexiglass. They could be seen, curled around each other, sleeping, but that is not what had the attention of the collected mammals. They all turned to the vets and scientists that had called them all there.

The head vet, a capybara, looked over the assembled. “I know that you suspect why you have been called here, and I know without question what you hope my answers will be.” Wiping a tear. “It is my most sincere regret to inform you that we simply cannot find a cure for their conditions. While they are no danger to each other, and putting them together reduces stress on them both, the stress that this new variant of the Nighthowler is putting on their bodies will eventually kill them.”

Several shouts of rage, disbelief, denial, and sobs are heard. The doctor holding up a paw. “Please. I want to assure you. I promise you all that we will not stop trying to fix this. Even if we put them in an induced coma, the toxins will continue to attack their organs. That is in fact what is killing them. It is a miracle that they have lasted this long. At the rate their bodies are deteriorating, their livers will shut down from the damage within three weeks, and once that happens, it will be a matter of days at most before they die. The truth is, we expect Judith to go first, and Nick to follow shortly thereafter. Being a fox, and the fact that he is clearly fully bonded to her, there is no way we expect he will survive her loss.

I promise you this. Again. We are not stopping work. We will keep trying until they pass, and even then, we will find a cure so that no others may suffer this fate. If you are praying mammals, then do that. Pray for them, and pray for us, that we may find a cure. I truly wish I had better news, but we wanted to set expectations. The way the variant they were exposed to is formulated, if anything, tranquilizing them seems to have extended their lives, but also set the toxins in such a way that their bodies are not able to clear them out. Do you have any questions?”

Finnick stepped forward. “So you tellin me, that after all they done. Everythin they been through. Those bastards have won? That they succeeded in steelin these kits parents from dem?”

The doctor nodded. “I’m sorry. I don’t pray, and I have been. Because we do not have a sample of exactly what they were exposed to, we are having to reverse engineer it from what is in their bodies, and that is incomplete. We’ve tried many different things, and nothing seems to work. We’re currently trying a series of engineered antibodies and enzymes, built to target the toxins that we have identified. While it worked in the lab, it seems that their immune system has been engaged, and it destroys the antibodies and enzymes before they can do their work.” Further discussion and questions were asked by the adults in attendance.

Chapter Text

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2

Unnoticed by anyone but Bonnie, Nick Jr. had run from the room after the revealing of the failure of the antibodies and enzymes, tears flowing freely. He ran from the hospital. Ran until he couldn’t run any more, blinded by the tears, until he collapsed to his knees sobbing. Eventually he calmed down to take stock of where he was, and found himself very lost. There were train cars and tracks, and he could hear a highway nearby. He assumed that he was in or near one of the city's shipping hubs.

Turning around, he started following his own tracks back towards a street. Figuring if he can find an intersection, he could find his way home. Checking his phone and finding he had no signal, he figured he might also find some signal once he was clear of the large buildings and structures of the shipping yard.

As he approached the street, a mammal stepped from a nearby shadow, startling Nick. Jumping back, he glared at the mammal, not able to see much more than their feet, which appeared to be those of a predator. “Hey. What do you want?”

A dark chuckle that sent shivers down Nick’s spine and puffed his tail was the initial answer. “Don’t you worry little one. I mean you no harm. In fact, I may even be able to help you. Depending on what your problem is, and for the right price.”

His hackles raised. Nick knew there was something wrong with this mammal, his instincts were screaming for him to run, but he didn’t know where he was, and running without knowing where he was going is how he ended up there in the first place. “What makes you think I need help?”

A Cheshire like smile gleaned from within the shadow hiding the mammal, the voice taking on an almost caring tone. Neither of which did anything to calm Nick. “Come now. No one runs that hard, with that many tears, without hurting and needing assistance. Surely it cannot hurt to tell me what the problem is. Worst case, it is something I cannot help you with. But if it is something I can help you with, wouldn't it be worth it?”

Still upset, his emotions completely out of whack, the logic seemed good to him, so Nick relaxed slightly. Moving slightly so his back was to the street, and so this mystery mammal was no longer between him and said street. “Fine. What do I get if you can’t help me?”

“Directions to get out of this place. It is certainly no place for a kit such as yourself.”

Nick nodded. He couldn’t disagree with that. “My mom and dad were attacked with Nighthowler. Because they’re the ones that brought down the Bellwethers. Only the vets can’t cure this version. They said it’s going to kill them.” Sniffing and wiping his eyes as the tears threatened to take hold again. “They said… They said that they’ll die soon, in like a week or two, if they don’t find a cure, and the vets said everything they tried isn’t working. Just making it worse. They’re going to put them down. I know they are. It’s just like before. Like they tell us in history class.”

The mammal nodded, their grin still present. “I see. That is unfortunate and terrible. If I could cure them, what would you give?”

Nick looked down. “I don’t want to lose my mom and dad. I know I have uncle Finnick, auntie Honey, Uncle Ben and Aunt Skye, and the others. I’ve got my sibs. But I don't want to lose them. I don't have anything though. Just my phone. I’ll give you that if it would be enough.”

“Oh, you have quite a bit that I might want, young one.”

This caused Nick’s hackles to raise again as he took a step backwards towards the street. “What is it you want?” His voice shaky with fear.

“I can cure them. But I will want something in return.”

Nick was quiet for a moment. Thinking he knew what was going to be asked. He made his decision. “I’ll do anything, if you can actually save them. But… I want you to do it so that those that did this get caught. Better yet, I want to be there when it happens, and I want it so that the vets and scientists are able to help anyone else that gets attacked like my mom and dad.”

The chuckle from the mammal returned, still only their toothy Cheshire grin and a flash of red eyes, almost like they were glowing for a moment. “So selfless. Any other conditions? I would normally not be so giving, but you are young, and I’m curious.”

“Whatever price it is, my parents have to be cured first. Then you can take what you want.” Nick was shaking at that point, convinced he knew what this mammal was going to want.

“Acceptable.” The mammal was suddenly standing before Nick, and he was no longer sure he knew what this mammal wanted. It appeared almost feline, but had horns like the father of one of his friends, a mountain goat. Its grin splitting its face unnaturally. Taking Nick’s paw, a searing pain flashing across his pads.

Pulling his hand away, Nick looked and saw a symbol appear on his palm in flames that went out, seemed to scar, and then vanish. Looking up at the strange mammal. “What just happened?”

“That is the mark that says you belong to me now, Nicholas WildeHopps. Now it is time for you to return to your parents. Turn left at the street, and it is a straight shot to the hospital. You are much closer than you realize. Just over the hill. You will not see me again until I come to collect payment.” With that, the mammal simply vanished, leaving Nick alone.

Spinning quickly, Nick turns left, catching sight of the top of the hospital just beyond the hill described. He quickly runs towards the hospital, terror gripping his heart, and yet hope too. He didn’t know how he knew, but he needed to hurry. His mom and dad would be waking up soon.”

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Savannah General Hospital

10 years later

Nick Jr. stood outside the hospital having just stepped outside. In the decade since his parents were dosed with a variant of Nighthowler, they had recovered and returned to the doting parents they always were. Today however was different. The vets said that, despite the cure, it seems the damage was still too great for them to fully recover. As such, they were dying, again. And again, the vets saw no way, save another miracle breakthrough.

His mother would die first, sometime in the next few days when her organs gave out, and his father no more than a few hours later. There was, again, nothing that could be done. At least this time they were going to be able to say goodby.

In the ten years since his experience in the rail yards behind the hospital, Nick had graduated high school 2 points behind his sister Bonnie, and 3 ahead of Eric. The three of them taking the top 3 academic spots. Nick lost 4 points due to an injury that kept him from turning in an assignment on time. That injury incurred while completing, successfully, a world record motorcycle jump. 

The injury should have been lethal, yet he woke up, three days later, with only bruises. Nick explained it away as luck, just looking worse than it was, and a credit to the safety gear. He also knew, without question, having felt his bones splintering and breaking, that he should be dead.

Since then he had completed his BS in criminology with a minor in occult studies, and was due to ship out to the ZPD academy in a few months. His occult studies told him why he was still alive. He now understood the Faustian deal he made as a kit to save his parents. He knew now that his soul was likely forfeit, but found himself okay with that. He only wished he had known as a kit to clarify that his parents wouldn't have any lasting consequences. At least he got 10 years.

Lighting a cigarette, Nick took a long drag, glancing towards an unnaturally deep shadow. "I know you're there. Is it time to collect on a deal you made with a kit desperate to save his parents and not knowing what he was getting into? Though you still haven't paid up on the part about being there when those that did that to my mother and father were dealt with.”

The same being as before, a being Nick now knew as a demon, stepped from the shadows. “Greetings Nicholas. You are correct, but that part of our bargain is coming soon, and as such, I am not here to obtain my payment. No, I actually have a proposal for you. A new deal, if you will. One that I think you will find agreeable.”

Taking another drag from his cigarette, Nick nods. “I’m listening. I know what you are, or at least I am pretty sure. Heck, I think I may even know your name. Not that it would do me any good, since we already have a deal, which renders such knowledge useless.”

The being nodded with its Cheshire grin. “So very true. You have grown. So here is my proposal. I am in need of some… assistance, on this plane of existence. As you are I am sure aware at this point, our deal hinged upon your soul, and short of destroying me, that soul belongs to me. However, given my needs, I’m willing to barter back your soul in exchange for 100 years of service to me on this plane. You see, the place you would refer to as hell, my home, is a place where many mortal souls end up, as I am sure you have guessed and realize it is not quite as black and white as most religions would have you believe.” Nick nodded. “Those souls can occasionally escape back to this plane.

What I propose is that you, as my agent here on this plane of existence, capture and return souls to hell that have escaped. You do this for 100 years, and I return ownership of your own soul to you. Now, fear not, I will be granting you power to complete this task, and you will also be given a list periodically. As my agent, regardless of who may have owned the soul originally, any soul you send to hell becomes mine by default. There are also agents of others like myself here on this plane, you get extra credit if you can take them out. It improves my standing, and anything that does that is worth something to me, and therefore you.”

"Interesting. So, I work for you for the next century, and I earn my soul back? Is this a full time gig, or?"

The demon nodded. "I suppose it could be seen as both part and full time. As my agent, the souls you send to hell are mine, and if I send you after specific souls, those become mine too. If I give you a soul, I expect you to collect it promptly. Otherwise, I simply expect you to send me souls on the regular. A few a month, plus any specific souls. Your upcoming job will play into that well, no?

You'll be given power. You will be able to fight these souls, because they will not go willingly. You will be able to sense them, and also tell what souls are truly evil, and which are only slightly tainted, or clean. No point wasting your time on marginal souls, or those going the other way."

Nick nodded, putting out his smoke."I'm not averse to this deal, but I have a condition or two, of my own."

The dark chuckle arose from the demon. "Let me guess. Correcting an oversight of your younger self."

"Correct. I work for you for the next hundred years as your enforcer, your collector of souls. You give me power to do this, to collect these souls, and to be the one to actually take down those that attacked my parents and brought us to our initial meeting. You also make it so the damage done to my parents, by weapon, claw, or chemical, is undone. They're healthy again, immediately, and when they do pass, it is their due and proper time. At the end of this century, my soul is mine again, and should you still need my services, we can negotiate terms at that time. Sound agreeable?"

"Your terms are acceptable." The demon puts out his paw, which Nick accepts and shakes, A familiar burning pain from his paw reveals a new symbol searing into his flesh.

Nodding, Nick turns back towards the Hospital, then looks over his shoulder. I am going to go check on my parents. Once I know you have satisfied this part of our bargain, I expect you will have a soul or three for me to collect?"

"I will, indeed. I will text you what information I have." Laughing at Nick's look of surprised confusion."What? I find modern technology so much more useful."

"Good enough. That makes it easier. But do remember that I will be entering the academy. Barring something very unusual, I will be out of pocket until I graduate."

The demon shrugged." Not unreasonable, but I expect you to catch up." Nick nodded again, then turned and reentered the hospital. The demon vanished as it had before the first time.

Just beyond the smoking area, Bonnie WildeHopps stood there wide eyed in shock having observed her brother. This was beyond anything she could have imagined. Did he really just make a deal over his soul, for their parents? He made one in the past? Shocked and terrified, she runs back around to the front of the hospital and just barely makes it into their parents room when Nick Jr. arrives on the floor.

A few days later, an experimental treatment was tried, utilizing new technology called nanites. It took less than an hour, but both Nick and Judy WildeHopps were on their feet as if they were twenty years younger once completed. Though much to their frustration, they were made to ride a wheelchair out of the hospital. Rules, and all.

Chapter Text

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3

Wilde Times CEO, Bonnie WildeHopps Office.

5 years before present day

Police Officer III, Nick Wilde, Jr. stretched out in the comfortable padded chair of his sister's office. His fathers smirk that he inherited pasted firmly on his muzzle as he waited. She demanded that he meet her, and while he knew she would be late, he showed up early anyway. No better way to give your sister a hard time, even if she is a busy CEO, and keep her from giving you a hard time for being late.

Looking around, his smirk switched to a smile of pride. Youngest CEO in the history of Zootopia. Second youngest to earn a master's degree, at 19. Second youngest to earn a doctorate as 22. Her office was well appointed, yet not over the top like so many CEO’s were typical of. Like the rest of the family, Nick didn’t need to worry about money, he worked because he wanted to. He was a cop because he felt called to do it, and it put him in a position to more easily keep his part of a very dark bargain.

Those thoughts brought a frown to his muzzle, which quickly vanished when he noticed his sister enter the room. He admired and reflected a moment on the juxtaposition of himself and his sister. They were the spitting image of their parents, Him of their father, her of their mother, though she was only two inches shorter than him, not counting the ears. Something she always counted, as a counter to his point of being the older twin, by 2 minutes.

While he was all fox, but with silver highlights instead of black or white on his tail tip, ears, and paws. His sister was the spitting image of their mother, save the crimson highlights instead of their mothers black and cream. And of course their eyes. His were their mothers amethyst, while Bonnie’s were the rich emerald of their father.

Grinning as he saw her reading something as she walked on autopilot, clearly not seeing anything in the room. He was tempted to trip her with his tail, or yip to scare her, but decided not to. She asked him there for a reason, was very urgent and insistent, and for some reason, he didn’t feel like angering her just then.

Waiting until she had placed what she was reading on her desk and was seated. “Hey sis!”

Bonnie WildeHopps was a busy mammal. CEO of Wilde Times Ltd. and working to expand the business from a simple theme park into something more. She had already pushed the company into other areas as well, establishing a new hotel that would eventually link to the parks, both PredSide and PreySide. She was also working to secure a major land deal that would expand the WildeTimes holdings in such a way that they could spread out. It was all but a done deal, and by the time those that were selling the land realized what was happening, the deal would be over with.

She had been going over the last items for that very deal, making sure everything was ready for her signature later that day, when her brother's voice, in her office, took her completely off guard. “GAH! Nick?! What are you…” Suddenly remembering she had asked him to meet her. “Gods, what time is it?”

Smirk back in place, and glancing at his watch theatrically. “Just after 11am, sis. You are, as seems to be your style, exactly two minutes late."

Growling at her brother, Bonnie is unable to keep the return smirk from her muzzle." I'll never live that down, will I?"

"Nope. Just as you'll never let me love down that you are taller, with ears included. The only mammal I know that insists that the ears be counted, other than you, is uncle Fin." Their sibling pot shot ritual over as Bonnie rolled her eyes, Nick got serious. "Now… What is it you needed to talk to me about so urgently? I know your, it's urgent, tone."

Sitting back, her ears falling behind her, Bonnie sighed. "Not sure where to start. I've tried to keep it to myself, but I can't. Not anymore. I've confirmed so much at this point. I know what happened, Nick."

Raising an eyebrow. "Oh? What would that be, exactly?"

Bonnie frowned, then laughed, though with little humor. "You always were the hustler. Without parents, Nick. I don't know all the details, but I know enough. When you ran off, after they were attacked with Nighthowler. Something happened to you, but just as you got back, they figured it out and cured them.

Then… When they were gonna die because of the damage from that episode. I followed you to the smoke area. I heard your conversation with that… I assume that they were a demon. You sold your soul to save our parents, but now you are kind of buying it back. Right?

The experts say that there was no way for the nanite treatment to have worked the way it did. The tech was, and is, too unpredictable. The odds… No one would bet on those odds. Yet, it worked, and three vials also went missing.

Now there are reports of some flaming mammal attacking drug dealers and other scum of the city. Suffering from their eyes being burned out. Their bodies are still alive, yet as if soulless. I assume that is you? The power that thing said it would give you… Let's you do this? Makes you into this flaming demon mammal? A vigilante?”

Nick knew better than to try and hide anything from his sister. She truly was the only one that he couldn’t hide anything from. So instead, not trusting his voice, he nodded.

“I see… So that means, what? If you get caught, they’ll send you to prison, Nick. Then how will you pay that debt?”

Nick chuckled. “I actually considered that. Think about it. Prison would be a veritable gold mine. Keep in mind, I don’t get my soul back until the end of the century, and even then, I still have to work for this demon for another 60 years. It isn’t as if I’m doing bad things. I mean… I can tell how dark a mammal's soul is. I’ve had further conversations with my employer, as it were. The darker the soul, the more credit I get. As of last night's raid on a drug deal, well… I’ve worked off a full year of my deal with him, just with last night alone.”

Slamming her paw on her desk, Bonnie growled. “Nick! It is a demon. You have to get out of this?”

Nick sighed and slumped back in his chair. “Bon… There is no getting out of it. That fact is, I’m lucky. That demon needed something that I could provide. In hell, souls are currency. They’re power. The more souls, and the darker they are, the more evil they are, the more powerful they are, and therefore the more powerful the demon who owns them. That also means, a more evil soul, one that is more powerful is more likely to break free of its chains and try to return to our world. That’s where I come in. I am feeding him. I am making him more powerful, which is allowing him to move up in the ranks within hell. His deal for the soul of an innocent gave him bragging rights, but he now gets power, wealth, and to claim that he twisted that innocent soul into his enforcer. It doesn’t matter that I will get my soul back, or that my reasons were the purest. It’s all about image.”

Clearly frustrated with her brother, Bonnie wiped a paw over her muzzle and ears. “That is not the point, Nick. It’s a demon. Their entire existence is to trick us into becoming or doing something evil. I’m sure capturing the soul of an innocent kit was quite the coup for him. But what is it with what he’s turned you into? My gods, you’re killing mammals! I know they are monsters in their own right, but Nick!”

Nick sighed and looked down sadly. “It doesn’t really matter, Bon. I have made this bed. I have a degree in studying this stuff, remember. There was a reason I did that, and while useful in my job as a cop, especially when I make detective. There was a much more personal reason for it. I know his name, rank, everything, but all of that is useless to me without a soul that actually belongs to me. This is a long game, Bon. And it is something I have to play on my own.”

“Nick…”

Shaking his head. “No, Bon. I have to do this on my own. I won’t keep you in the dark if you don’t want me to. You’re my sister. My twin. Despite our different appearances, we are more alike than anyone but a true identical twin. We have always complimented each other. But in this, one thing, the most I can ask of you, is to let me do this alone. Just be my sister. Let me vent, if needed. But don’t interfere. I have a plan, trust in that.”

"Nick… I…" Seeing the determination and begging look from her brother, Bonnie sagged in her chair. "Fine. I am not happy about it." Pointing a very non-prey claw at Nick. "But you will keep me informed about what is going on. You will keep looking for a solution that doesn't involve some half baked hustle of a gods be damned demon! Or just sticking out this agreement for the next century. Nick! What are you going to do when you get old?"

Nick chuckled, his smirk returning. "Bon. That accident that cost me the top spot at graduation. It was 100% lethal. I felt my bones break when I hit. I've been stabbed, shot, crushed. When he made the initial deal, he was planning on making the updated deal the whole time. I'm not immortal, but I am pretty close.

There is more, but I am still learning. I love you, Bon. Focus on your job. Let me do mine, both of them. But know your brother. I am not just going to roll over."

"I still don't like it, and you know I will do my own research." Holding up a paw. "No, I won't try making a deal to break yours. That never works in the movies, it sure as hell ain't gonna work in reality. But if a solution is out there…"

Nick looked sadly at his sister. "There is one. Technically, I was too young, and not informed. So I could void the whole thing."

Bonnie felt a cold finger up her spine at that. "There must be a reason you haven't done that."

Nick nodded. "Yeah. If I were to do that. Mom and Dad would die, quickly, and painfully. Everything they were saved from, would hit them all at once. It would be horrific. I'd rather he take my soul now and never have a chance than have that happen. So, I am stuck. But I do have a plan. I promise you that."

"A plan you're not going to let me in on it."

"Nope!" Giving a wide smirk. "I will let you know when it is time"

Chapter Text

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4

Canal district - Abandoned warehouse

Nick flinched and pulled himself back to the present as another large mammal round blasted through the crate he was crouched behind, nicking his ear. Hissing at the sting, the nanites he stole from the treatment of his parents and injected himself with, doing their job.

When he made the second deal with the demon Mephisto, Nick wasn’t sure what the fix would be. Though from experience with the previous time, it was likely to be some fringe idea or experimental treatment that would miraculously work. When they proposed using experimental nanites to try and heal the damage his parents had suffered and they worked. He knew he needed to get some into himself as well. So while everyone was crying and celebrating, he snagged three vials and injected himself with them. Wasn’t necessarily the smartest thing. It only took a half vial for each of his parents, and he gave himself three.

The nanites he took and injected himself with shouldn't work, just as his sister told him. But, since they were fixed by a demon so they would heal his parents, Nick had figured they would work on him too. And they did. Really well. They also hurt like hell when doing their jobs, because unlike with his parents, he didn’t have the computer control unit that directed them so they were working on their own. It was however a trade off he'd make again, because they meant that he didn't have to tap into his other abilities to heal minor, or even some major injuries.

That said, his current situation wasn't going to leave him much choice but to tap into the other part of what he had become that day. At least not if he didn’t want to be the only member of his team that survived.

Once he made detective, Nick had been given the typical cases for a first year detective. He got, and solved a dozen robberies, eight murders, and dozens of other cases, including a major drug ring with a nighthowler derivative. Then, as he was walking through the precinct on his way to his desk, having just dropped off a murder suspect, he noticed one of the white boards full of photos and information.

This wasn’t all that unusual, it was what Nick saw that made him pause. It was clearly a series of murders, and the detectives were confused, actually arguing over what some symbols meant. Symbols Nick recognized as demonic script.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

Precinct One - 4th floor Detective offices

3 years prior to present day

Nick looked over the board from the doorway of the conference room, shaking his head.

Senior detective Bensen, a large elk, pointed at a photo of some symbols that were clearly scrawled on a wall. “I’m telling you, Oats. This is some kind of cult, I can feel it.”

Oats, a painted stallion, shook his head and snorted. “And I’m telling you, that is all there to put you off the scent! Whoever did this is using new age crap to distract you.” Nick chuckled at that, having stepped into the room behind the two senior detectives. Oats looked down and snorted again. “Something funny, Wilde?” It was clear there was no disrespect, as Nick had more than earned the respect of the other detectives and was clearly on a fast track.

“Not funny, but I do have to agree with Carl on this.” Stepping closer. “That is demonic script.” Pointing at the symbols in the photos. “It’s a bit hard to read, given the lighting. But… It appears to be part of a prayer to a demon called Glephetic. Lets see… Praise be, lord Glephetic. We offer… Can’t make that part out.” Pointing to a section of the symbols that were smeared. Then pointing to some others. “Power over… Yeah, the rest is unreadable as is. I assume it was written in the blood of several different mammals, both prey and predator?”

Oats looked on in shock as Bensen looked Nick over critically. “Before I ask anything else, how is it you know this?”

Nick grinned. “I took more than just criminology in school. I minored in occult studies. This wasn’t just some new age wanna be occult stuff, I had an entire class specifically on the various scripts attributed to demons, angels, and other such creatures. Being my mothers son, I took it upon myself to actually learn to read those languages. The structure is a bit weird sometimes, because it is used for more than just writing things down, but it reads generally like Zootopian common. One of the things you have to remember is that for the various powers, demons, angels, etc… Souls are power, currency, status, so that plays into the way they write and think.

Now that symbol, there.” Pointing to a different photo. “That is neither demonic or angelic script. It’s actually a language called Ratokian. It’s an ancient language that predates current mammalian civilization by a lot. We also don’t really have anyone that can read it. Well, I mean, I can, kinda. It doesn’t translate well. That symbol is one of power. Something you would use as part of a summoning for a powerful being like a demon that you plan on trying to strike a bargain with.

Most cultists believe that they have the power to call or summon any being they want, and then force them into a deal. A demon like Glephetic may be physically small, but he’s a third tier lord. So if he bothers to show up, it is either from pure boredom, or he has a plan. Likely the latter if he showed, but I would need to see the scene directly to know that. The fact is, most deals with entities like demons happen when the demon in question wants something.”

Bensen laughed. “You have a degree in this stuff?” Seeming Nick’s nod. “Well, then come with me.” Bensen led the way, Oats following with Nick trailing behind wondering if he stepped in it.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

Present Day

Shootout in a Canal District Warehouse

After some further conversation with Chief Wolford, Nick found himself reassigned to Detective Bensen’s unit. Which is how he found himself in his current predicament. Pinned down behind a collection of wooden crates, in an abandoned warehouse in the Canal district.

Working with Bensen’s unit, Nick had managed to be promoted to Senior Detective himself and was clearly being lined up as Bensen’s replacement when he retired at the end of that year. Nick however had two cases that he had not closed out. The oldest, and most frustrating for Bensen, was locating the vigilante known as the Demon Rider. A being that looked like a fox, was the size of a wolf, wreathed in flames, leather, spikes, a flaming chain that seemed to almost be alive, and with their head a flaming skull. 

The other, being the initial case of the cultists that had gotten Nick assigned to the unit to begin with. They had multiple other crime scenes, and determined that the cult was trying to obtain power by sacrificing homeless mammals and addicts. They were unfortunately very smart, and had managed to cover their tracks. That is until the previous month, when one of them had shown up in the hospital. They’d been clumsy, and cut themselves, badly, with the ceremonial knife.

Nick had been there with one of the other detectives on the team to interview someone for a different case, now closed. He saw the cultist, and knew instantly just how dark their soul was, and why. Figuring to leverage this, he maneuvered them into arresting them for another crime, just enough to get them into an interview room. The questioning started, and by the end, they knew everything, including when the next ceremony was going to take place. They didn’t know however where, or who else was in the cult.

That left them to wait, and watch. They knew the kind of place that would be used, and since they knew when, they were able to stake out the areas most likely to see the ceremony starting a week before. They figured out where it was, and were just supposed to be doing a sneak and peak. Just to confirm it was what they thought, and not something to turn over to the drug team, or the organized crime team.

Sadly, while they had radioed in that they were going to sneak and peak. Nick, Bensen, and a tiger named Herrison, who was currently being held by the cultists as part of the standoff, because he was an idiot and thought he could just charge in. To say he was off the team was a foregone conclusion. If that is due to his untimely demise or not was a different question. One Nick needed to decide, very soon, if he wanted to have a chance to affect the outcome.

Looking over at Bensen, Nick sighed and relaxed against the crate, holstering his weapon. Bensen saw this and hissed. “Nick, what are you doin mammal?”

Shaking his head, Nick sighed again. “You know, Herrison is a moron, and not a good mammal. At all. I am saving his tail right now, only because he is not a complete waste of oxygen and has the potential to be saved. That said, I’m sorry about this, boss. I’m kinda the reason why we have never been able to pin down the Demon Rider.”

Bensen turned fully towards Nick. “What’s that now?” Flinching as a round from the cultists chipped one of his antlers that was exposed when he turned.

Nick gave a dark smirk, and then frowned, looking behind Bensen to see a very large skunk with a red and silver stripe. “What now? If you’re expecting the souls of these cultists, they’ll be on their way to you shortly. And what’s with the different look?”

Mephisto shrugged. “Those cultists. You know my appearance is affected at least somewhat by the perception of those in the area. Anyway, those cultists are a sure bonus, for several reasons. Not the least of which being that all the souls they’ve sacrificed become mine as well. At least those that would be headed my general direction anyway, so don’t stress yourself. It isn’t healthy. But sadly, no. I am here for a much different purpose. I have a few new acquisitions for you. No rush, just when you get a few moments away from things like this.”

Bensen looked at the creature with a mix of horror, terror, and shock. A nearly wolf sized skunk, with odd coloration, and the coiled horns of a mountain goat. “You, who are you and what are you doing here? You need to get down.”

As if to make Bensen’s point, a round from a very large weapon passed directly into Mephisto’s chest. Looking down at the massive hole now in his chest, then behind himself where the bullet blew a hole in the shipping container behind him. He shrugged and gave Nick a wink, Bensen a smirk, then vanished in a puff of smoke.

Bensen turned to Nick in shock. “What?”

“Long story for another time over some very stiff drinks. As I was saying. I am sorry, but can’t exactly help you catch myself, now can I?”

With that, Nick tapped into the other power he possessed. The power given to him by Mephisto in order to act as his enforcer, and collector of souls. His clothes morphed into spiked leathers, a flaming chain appearing to snake around him in an almost sensual hug. His fur burning away, leaving only bone and flames. Somehow giving a smirk, the bone itself seeming expressive, Nick, now the size of a large wolf stood up. His voice now gravelly and powerful. “Again, sorry boss. We can talk later. Allow me to deal with these cultists and save our moron compatriots tail.”

With that, Nick, now in his Demon Rider, form, leapt over the container. With all weapons of the cultists now focused on him. This gave Bensen the opportunity to peak out and watch in a mix of fascination and horror as bullet after bullet was expended into the body of the Demon Rider, who he now knew as his recommended replacement.

What terrified him more, however, was not seeing with his own eyes the fact that bullets had no effect on the Demon Rider. All reports they had confirmed that already, even if seeing it was something else. No, it was the terrifying efficiency with which he dispatched the cultists. Seeming to brand each one of them, causing them to collapse in pain and then unconsciousness.

As he reached the final few, one of the cultists held a gun to the head of Herrison, all but screaming. “Stop! I will kill him!”

The Demon Rider chuckled, turning his focus to that one cultist. “Go ahead. His soul is already claimed, though not dark enough for me to bother with. All killing him will do is cement your place in hell.” 

The cultist moved to pull the trigger on their weapon, the Demon Riders chain lancing out faster than even that, destroying the gun and piercing through Herrison’s shoulder and the cultists chest. Both Screaming. Stepping up to the two fo them, held up by the chian connecting them. The Demon Rider locked eyes with Greg Harrison.

The flaming eyes of The Rider seemed to burrow into Greg. His heart feeling a chill, despite the heat from the flames coming from The Rider.“Greg Harrison. Your soul is tainted. You are not a good mammal. You are not unredeemable the way this other mammal is, but your soul is darkened and stained. I ask you this once, an opportunity afforded few. Do you seek repentance? Do you seek atonement? Do you seek to right the wrongs you have done in this world?”

Harrison felt the initial chill deepen, and knew true fear and dread. Not of death, but of what would follow his death, were he to die just then. Nodding his head rapidly. “I do. I don’t know how to undo what I have done, but I swear! Give me the chance, and I will do whatever it takes to fix it. To make it right! I’ll stop being a cop. I’ll admit to anything. Just don’t kill me.”

The Rider laughed, though it was not a pleasant sound. “I do not kill, normally. I have no need under normal circumstances. I give you this chance. Do not squander it. Though before I release you, know now a measure of the pain you have caused. That you understand the measure of what you must undo.” WIth that, flames leapt down the chain into Herrison, as well as a flare from The Riders eyes, and Herrison screamed.

After a few moment, the flames and flare receded and Herrison passed out, falling to the side, the chain simply passing through him. Dragging the chain forward, the cultist screamed in pain as the chain twisted inside his chest. The Rider grasped him by his throat, the flames from his hands singing the cultists fur.

“Arock Genhalla. Your soul is blackened. Dark and withered. A thing to be pitied. It is rotted and twisted in ways few ever achieve. I would end your miserable existence right now, and no one would think ill of me for it. I will, however, not do that. Because you deserve to be tried for your crimes, and while I am vengeance give life. I am righteous vengeance. So you will instead suffer a measure of the pain you have inflicted upon this world. Every day, until your death and to your reward do your go, will you burn, knowing the fires of hell unlike any other living mammal. For one hour will you burn, and this agony you will feel… Know that it is but the barest fraction of the agony and horror you have inflicted. Know that when you die, what you will experience now, will be but the palest reflection of what you will experience then. What you will feel then will make you wish for a return to what you will suffer now.”

The flames again leapt up the chain into the cultist chest, up from The Rider's hand, and from his eyes. The cultist screamed as he was dropped to writhe in agony. While The Rider had dealt with Herrison and the cultist, Arock. Bensen has rounded up the rest of them. The sound of sirens approaching rapidly caught The Rider’s attention.

Turning to Bensen. “It would appear that your backup has arrived. As such…” The Rider shot his chains off up into the ceiling of the warehouse, rising up said chain and vanishing into the darkness. In the depths of the warehouse he then transformed back into Nick. Nick then walked back into the area where the cultists were, backup having arrived. “So, boss… It seems that this was all of them. I found their vehicles, no one in them. If there was anyone else, they bailed as soon as the shooting started.”

Bensen shook his head and glared at Nick for several seconds, clearly considering what to do or say. “Good. Hopefully any nearby cam’s will have caught them if there was someone, as well as the Demon Rider.”

Nick nodded. “We’ll get someone to check those as soon we get back to the precinct.” Stepping right up next to Bensen. “So, boss…”

Bensen glared down at Nick and hissed quietly. “Nope. We are NOT talking about this. Not here. Not right now. Tomorrow. 10-7. After shift. There is paperwork to be done before explanations can be made.”

Nick nodded, his ears flicking back for a second. “Okay, boss.” He then turned to help handcuff the remaining unrestrained cultists, and help take stock of the mammals the cultist had bound, gagged, and blindfolded to use as sacrifices.

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

5

The 10-7 bar.

After shift  the following day

Nick sat in a quiet booth, away from the rest of the patrons. One of the few booths with an electronic ordering pad. It was where cops like Nick would sit when they needed to discuss something that really can’t be heard by other ears. When you ordered a drink, it would signal you that it was ready and the wait staff wouldn’t bring it over until you acknowledged. Giving you the chance to pause a conversation until the wait staff was back out of hearing range.

His third whiskey in paw, he took another sip while he waited. When he saw Bensen arrive, he was initially hopeful, until he saw both Oats and Wolford appear right behind him, all stopping by the bar, collecting a drink, and then heading in his direction. “Fuck…” He downed his drink and quickly ordered a double, which was delivered just as the others sat down opposite him.

Nick smiled. “Boss. Oats. Chief.”

Chief Wolford simply nodded in Nick’s direction and slid into the booth. Oats gave him an unreadable look, while Bensen just rolled his eyes. All of them took several hits from their drinks before Bensen finally spoke. “Okay, Nick. We’re off duty and away from the precinct. So please, explain to us so we understand how you are some supernatural vigilante that has been terrorizing the underbelly of this city for the better part of a decade? Although I assume your knowledge of the occult has something to do with that?”

Nick took a long drink and sighed. “Not the way I expect you are thinking. There is a story here.”

Bensen nodded. “I figured. So tell it. Help us understand why we’re not throwing you in a prison cell right now.”

Chuckling darkly. “Well, for one, because it wouldn’t work unless I chose to stay there. But that isn’t the point. You all know who my parents are. Do you remember what happened a bit over 20 years ago?”

Getting negative head shakes from all three mammals, Nick finishes off his drink. “Okay. So about 23 or so years ago, mom was still a cop and dad was running Wilde Times. Predators had been without their collars for several years, and things were generally positive in the city. I was 12. Some sympathizers, along with several members of the Bellwether dynasty, attacked my parents with a version of Nighthowler for which there was no treatment. One that had been deliberately engineered to thwart treatment.

After months, the vets got us together and explained that mom and dad, in their savage state, were going to last another week, maybe two. Mom would likely go first, and then dad would follow, probably within a day from a mix of fox biology and the strain from the Nighthowler. I ran off. Only Bonnie saw me go, everyone else too focused on the vets to notice.

I ran and ran, until I came upon a rail yard a few miles behind the hospital. There, I encountered a being. A being I now know to have been the demon, Mephisto. He made a deal with me, and as a desperate and innocent twelve year old, I accepted. He marked me, essentially branding my soul as belonging to him. In exchange, I would get to be present for the apprehension and punishment of those that attacked my parents, and he would cure them.

As a kit, I didn’t know to be more specific, so while he cured them, he didn’t heal them. Ten years on, and my parents were dying again. This being just before I joined the academy. I wasn’t okay with them dying due to the long term damage caused by that initial attack, but hey. I got ten years. I knew by then what the deal was that I had agreed to. It’s why I took the minor in occult studies, to try and figure out what happened, and how to get out of it. There is an out, but it is not one I am going to take, and Mephisto knows that.

So he meets me again, only this time he wants to modify the deal. I can earn back my soul, which I sold at twelve in exchange for my parents' lives. In exchange, I have to work for him, on this plane, as a sort of collector. As I have discussed with you on a number of occasions, Carl. Souls are currency, power, and a lot of other things. The more souls you have in your bank account, the more powerful you are, as a demon, angel, or whatever.

So he gives me the power I need to act as his agent, and I get to work for him for the next century in order to earn back my soul. The rub here is that what I do while The Rider, reflects on that soul I don’t even own at the moment. So I have to be very careful. I brand the souls of those I go after. Thus attributing them to Mephito and increasing his power. I will, with those like Herrison who are not yet irredeemable, make them feel the pain that they have caused. Try to drive them to make things right and not end up where they were headed.

Others, like the cultist. Well… I can see what they have done, sense it. I can read a mammals soul and know if they are good, bad, or like those cultists, and beyond reach. That one will spend an hour a day, screaming.” Giving a wicked chuckle. “I should have made it so he only got an hour per day reprieve. 

So yeah. That’s what I do, as The Rider. I find evil souls, punish them, and brand them as belonging to Mephisto. He will also send me information on souls that have escaped hell, and if I capture them and send them back, they too go towards his balance. When I am not The Rider, well… you know who I am. When I am The Rider, I’m harvesting souls and punishing the evil of the city in order to earn back my own soul. All in exchange for the lives of my parents. So, questions?”

Oats was the first. “So, if you could undo all this, but won’t. Why not?”

“To undo it would undo what saved my parents. They would, in short order, suffer an truly agonizing yet somehow slow, withering death, not actually succumbing to death until their bodies were in the state they would be in, had they died the initial time, 23 years ago.”

Oats shivered. “Oh gods.”

Nick nodded. “Exactly. Not an option.”

Chief Wolford nodded. “So, my only real question is this. What of the murders and deaths?”

Shaking his head, Nick sighed. “Not me. For the most part. There are three, early on, when I didn’t understand the strength and power that I had been given. It was a drug deal, high end. Literal pallets of Coke, Nip, and Nightshade. One of the people there was a crooked cop out of Precinct 4, and another was an undercover that was out of Precinct 6, thankfully so the scumbag didn’t know them.

I descended on that deal like a demon, which I suppose I kinda am. That is what you see when I am The Rider. It is a demon or spirit that possesses me. Specifically a demon or spirit of righteous vengeance. It’s why I can make those with evil tainting their souls experience the pain they have inflicted. I’m basically making them feel that taint upon their souls. The stronger and deeper the taint, the more painful, and it is not something you can just pass out to get away from, because it isn’t actually a physical pain.”

Wolford nodded. “I remember that scene. What that undercover described. Well, were it not for the video, we’d have thought him to have OD’d on the Nightshade that was there. I’ve seen the video, one of the few mammals that have. You threw a hippo like a stone across a pond. He actually skipped, four times, before sliding more than a hundred yards. That said, I don’t feel all that terrible, he was the supplier and because of his injuries, he will die in prison. And that is if the international court doesn’t mandate his release to them for all the rest of his crimes, globally.

If that happens, he will be put to death. The crooked cop. You snapped both his legs, and shattered his rib cage. He was just checking out of the hospital when the investigation finished and his arrest warrant finished. Lizz and I got to meet him as he left. He didn’t even know. Thought we were there to give him an escort. I rather enjoyed the look on his muzzle when Lizz slipped the cuff over his paws, and spun him around. Had him cuffed and stuffed in the cruiser before he could figure out what was happening.

As for the one that did die? That wasn’t actually on you. He committed suicide. Screamed something about hell could not be any worse than the torture he felt every moment. You broke his neck with that perfectly executed german suplex. Mammals don’t realize, those moves from wrestling can do real damage if done right, or wrong, depending on your point of view. He had partial use of his right arm and would spend the rest of his life in pain, because the nerves were just damaged enough to immobilize him, but let him otherwise feel everything.

So, can’t say I support what you did, officially. But you probably saved thousands of lives by stopping that deal. We had a ten year drop in illicit drug supplies in the city that lasted for almost two years. Every time you hit one of those deals, we get another drop. So, I find myself in a bit of a conundrum.

You are not deliberately killing anyone. It’s obvious that most of the deaths attributed to you are not. They’re clearly someone using fire to try and make it seem like you to cover their own crimes. Yet, you are also acting outside the law. Something we both know your mother would be very much against. That said, it is also obvious that I can’t stop you, and in fact you have to keep doing what you are doing.”

Nick nodded. “This is the dilemma I have fought with since the day I got my badge. I can in fact kill. If I chose to, and depending on the circumstances, just like the three of you, it would not stain my mortgaged soul. Had I killed one or all of those cultists, it would not have hurt me one bit. It might have even cleansed it slightly.

Mephisto was not happy about what demon/spirit attached itself to me, but he was also not in control over that. He was hoping for one he had at least some measure of influence over. He has none over me, other than the fact he currently owns my soul. This means that outside of the limitations of the agreement, he can ask nothing of me without offering a modification of the deal.

I have to keep branding souls for him, though there isn’t a set number in a given month. I can do one soul one month, thirty the next, as long as they keep happening. Then, whenever he sends me a name or names of escaped souls, I have to collect them. There are other collectors out there for other major demons, and if I take one of them out, he’s agreed to knock a decade off the agreement. I’ve done that once. Got lucky.”

Wolford nodded. “And did you kill them?”

Nick shrugged. “That’s hard to say. I destroyed them, which I supposed could be construed as the same, but they were not a mammal. They were actually an ancient lizard being that the demon in question had resurrected to act as their enforcer. I think they let me win, cause they had been stuck doing it for a thousand years.”

Wolford gleaned towards Oats and Bensen, who nodded at his silent agreement. “Okay. So we discussed this. Your performance on the job has been exemplary. I’m sure your mother would not tolerate anything less.”

Nick barked a laugh. “You know it! You partnered with her until she got hurt. How are Lizz and the pups, by the way?”

“They are fine, and expect their cousin Nick to swing by at some point. When he is not out there taking out evil. Which leads to what we have decided.” Nick’s ears perked forward as Wolford continued. “Neither Lizz nor I are going to be retiring any time soon, and she will be returning to the job next month when Oats retires along with Bensen. Lizz will be moving into Oats job, and you will be taking on Bensen’s.”

Wolford grinned at the shocked look on Nick’s face. “The fact is, we cannot have you out there playing vigilante, so… We’re going to deputize The Rider side of your life.”

Nick’s jaw hit his chest. “You’re going to WHAT?!”

They all three laughed for a moment at Nick’s look of unbridled shock before Wolford continued. “Yep. We have it all planned out. First, there will be a press conference, Oats, Myself, and Bensen, to discuss that we have finally made contact with the Demon Rider, who will be known as The Rider. That after some discussion, and in recognition of the good they have done for the city in taking down evil in the city, like those drug deals. We will also mention the most recent intervention with the cult where you saved the lives of not just some of the ZPDs finest, but the dozens of mammals they had planned to murder in their ceremony, and all the others that would have been killed in future ceremonies. Along with bringing them to justice.

We’ll go through all the usual rigamarole, take some questions, and some time in the middle of that, you, as The Rider, will roll up. You’ll speak. Be dark. Be Mysterious. Be all that. You will be assigned to operate under Bensen as an external contractor. You will have to, in your Rider persona, go through a short course at the ZPA. Come up with whatever backstory you want, but we absolutely want to keep the fact that Lieutenant Nick WildeHopps, in charge of one of the most successful investigative units of Precinct one, and The Rider, who you will be in charge of, are one and the same mammal.

I suggest that you have some sort of law enforcement background. The rest I leave up to you. The purpose will be that you, as The Rider, will be called in for swat missions, because you are bloody bullet proof for the gods sake! You will be called in for cases like the cult, because you’re a damned supernatural being. Who better to consult? That means that you will be able to act and actually arrest mammals that you tag, or brand, or whatever. You will however have to keep the punishment to a minimum. If you do it too much, it could cause issues with prosecutions. And you know for a fact that any defense attorney will go after you for it.”

Nick shook himself violently. “You cannot be serious! You are going to make me, as The Rider, essentially a cop? Well, more like a bounty hunter.”

Bensen nodded. “Actually, exactly that. A ZPD endorsed bounty hunter. There is precedent for it. You will have to play by the rules more. But you keep that to a minimum. Say only the really, really bad ones. Like the cultist. You should be fine. You have less rules as The Rider, save when you are pulled in to act directly, but you’ll have a badge as The Rider.”

Nick stared at the three mammals sitting opposite him in shock, then realization, ending in laughter that had him falling out of the booth. After several minutes, he climbed back into the booth and ordered another drink. After it, and refreshes for the other three were delivered. Nick shook his head with a chuckle still in his chest. “Okay. So. When does this happen?”

Bensen grinned. “Well, you know that vacation you have been begging for. The one I have kept denying because every time it comes up, a new case appeared.” Seeing Nick’s eye roll, he powered on. “Yeah, that one. Well, you’re finally going to get to take that time off. Starting next Friday. The following Monday, The Rider will be expected to show up at the ZPA for training. Now, given everything, the rider will not have to be on site the entire time, since it isn’t full training. Once that is over, you, Nick, will get back from vacation, three days after The Rider graduates. The Announcement of the change of positions will happen sometime thereafter, once Lizz and Oats get a chance to do a full turn over, etc…”

“So, when are you going to tell Lizz? She is going to have to know. I mean, I know you want me to come up with a story, but that story is for the media and to protect my family. Which includes you three. But family needs to know, especially Lizz, so she can have a story ready herself.”

Oats nodded. “Yep. So that means that you have to tell your family. At the very least your mom and dad. Maybe not the whole truth, but most of it.”

Nick’s ears vanished against his head. “Oh, that’s going to be a hard pass. Bonnie knows. Isn’t that enough?”

Wolford shook his head. “No. At the very minimum, Your mom and dad, along with your brother Eric and sister Janice. My suggestion, tell them, and Lizz all at the same time. And yes, we’re putting Lizz on you. I want nothing to do with that. She’ll be pissed enough at me as it is.”

Nick whined, but nodded. “Fine. But AFTER the announcement.”

Wolford nodded. “That’s fair. Just let me know how and when you are going to do it.”

Nick nodded again, downing his drink. “Now I really wish I could get drunk.” Seeing the confused looks on their faces. “Side effects of a few things, but I’d need to drink like an Elephants sized bottle of Jack, in a very short period of time, to even think about feeling the effects of alcohol, or just about any other drug.”

Bensen laughed. “So, you’re telling me you cannot be tranq’d?”

Nick shook his head. “Nope. Faked it, all three times. Claiming high resistance is just how I explained away waking up without the migraine and being unaffected afterwards.”

They continued to discuss the details of the reveal, which was decided to happen that following Wednesday afternoon. Who in the ZPD, city gov, etc… Would be brought into the know of the actual Identity of The Rider. Nick would be off that day, making it simpler for him to arrive as The Rider.

<<<XXXXX>>>>

Wilde Times corporate headquarters

Bonnie WildeHopps office

Bonnie shook her head as she paced. “Oh my gods, Nick! Are you kidding?”

Nick shook his head. “Nope. Uncle Mike’s idea, in fact. Fleshed out by Bensen. That’s why I’m watching the news, here. Once the presser starts, I need to head out so I can arrive on time. Don’t want to be late for my big reveal.”

“My gods. Uncle Mike is insane. You have a good story lined up?”

Nick shrugged. “As good as it is going to be. It’s going to be vague, but believable. That’s the best I can do.”

Dropping into her chair. “Fine, but what are we going to do about telling mom and dad?”

The door to the room opened, Lizz, Judy, Nick Sr, Eric, Stewart, Melanie, and Janice walking in at just that moment. “Tell us what, dear?” Asked Judy.

Bonnie laughed. “Well shit.” Glaring at Nick. “The office is sound proofed and checked for bugs constantly. This morning actually. You planned this, didn’t you?”

Shrugging, Nick smirked at his sister. “Figured it was the best and easiest place, and they wouldn’t suspect as much. You wouldn’t mind securing the room, would you?”

Smacking her head on the desk a few times, Bonnie sat up and glared at Nick. “Fine. You own me for this. I don’t know what I’m going to demand yet, but you will owe me for this.”

The rest all stood just inside the room and watched the interaction between the siblings with some concern. Judy finally speaking. “Nick, sweetie? What is going on?”

Nick waited until he heard the bolts engage in the door, the window covers dropped, and they all flinched as the electronic popping engaged preventing any transmissions out of the room. Turning to everyone. “Okay, I have a bit of reveal for everyone, but before I do that, I need everyone’s phone. Turn them off and on the desk, please.”

Judy frowned as she pulled out her phone and turned it off, setting it on the desk. Giving her son a mothers barely suffering your BS look. Nick visibly finched. The others followed her lead, Nick being the last with his own phone.

Stepping away from the group, Nick turned and faced them. Closing his eyes, he took a long breath. Judy decided she was done waiting. “Nicholas Piberius WildeHopps Junior. What is this about?”

Eric, Bonnie, Janice, Stewart, Melanie, and Nick Sr. all flinched. Lizz chuckled. “Damn, boy. She full-named you, with junior.

Nick Jr. Chuckled. “Damn mom. Give me a chance to at least lay it out there before you run me over.”

Her ear falling to the side, Judy raised an eyebrow. “Nick, you called us all here, I’m sure with different crap reasons. So what is going on? If you’re gay, we don’t care. Did you do something and you’re getting arrested? Is that what the press conference is about?”

Smiling, Nick shook his head. “No mom. I’m not being arrested, though the presser is about me, or a part of me.”

Lizz’s eyes went wide. “No fucking way!”

Nick nodded. “Yeah, but let me get there. Though I suppose I will start with this. So soon, Bensen and Oats will be retiring, basically at the same time. I will be taking on Bensen’s job, while Lizz will be taking on Oats position. The press conference deals with the fact that the Demon Rider is going to be essentially deputized as a sort of ZPD endorsed bounty hunter and consultant. He’ll be called in for things like SWAT raids, as well as anything dealing with the occult. For obvious reasons. He’s a supernatural being after all.

He will be going to the ZPA to do a short course and be authorized to arrest mammals. Basically he will no longer be a vigilante. He will have to keep his supervising officer apprised of his activities, so they can have officers ready to respond. The Rider will be listed as being under the supervision of Bensen and his unit. Which when he retires will be my unit.”

Lizz facepalmed while Nick chuckled at her reaction and continued. “Now, while The Rider is at the ZPA taking his courses, I will finally be getting some long overdue time off. There is however a reason for that, and it isn’t for me to actually get time off. This is where the story takes a wild, no pun intended, turn.

When I was twelve, I made a deal, and that deal is what saved your lives.” Indicating his parents. “Ten years later, I made an updated deal. Which again saved your lives. I was also the one that stole the nanites and injected myself with them. They allow me to heal without tapping into the results of that second deal. However, it is that second, updated deal that brings us here.

As part of the deal I have made with Chief Wolford, my future boss, and my family, have to know the truth. So here it is. That deal I made. It was with a demon, the same demon both times. The second version of the deal gives me the chance to earn my soul back. To do that, I have to work for that demon for the next century, well, 70 ish years or so left at this point. There are a few things I can do that will knock some time off the deal.

Anyway. As part of that, I was given the power I need to be able to collect souls that escape hell on behalf of the demon that holds my soul. I also can mark evil souls, such as those of the recent cultists we took down, therefore making them owned by that demon.

So…” Shifting into his Rider form. “I am the Demon Rider.”

To say that all but one mammal in the room was shocked would be an understatement. Even then, while Bonnie knew, she had never actually seen Nick as The Rider in person, and never seen him transform. The impact was impressive as he was nearly as large as Lizz, the flames filling in for flesh and shifting when he smiled, seeming to crackle and snap off his tail as the skeletal appendage flicked and swayed. Two distinct flames for ears would flick and even lay back as if wind blown when his ears might have normally folded back, or pop forward, seeming to almost float away when focused.

Further explanation was of course needed, as well as much screaming, yelling, recriminations, and apologies. Along with begging, pleading, bargaining, and more. At least one slap that was felt by all in the room, even if the receiver of said slap is generally invulnerable, you still feel it when your mother slaps you. You also feel the hug that immediately followed.

Nick explained in more detail, as well as what would happen to Nick Sr. and Judy if he forced the release. It took doing, and Judy openly stated that she would end the demon if she ever got per paws on him for taking advantage of her kit. While Nick explained that he was not sorry it happened. He got to keep him mom and dad, and that was more important.

Nick was nearly late leaving to make the press conference.

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

6

Precinct One Lobby, Press conference

Oats, Bensen, and Wolford looked out over the assembled press mammals, watching the clock at the entrance. At exactly 2pm, Wolford stepped up to the podium and the press corps got quiet. Everyone knew that state would not last.

Giving the press his patented scowl, borrowed from and trained by his predecessor, Chief Bogo. It served him well as Chief of police, and Alpha of the reconstituted Wolford pack, Zootopia. The press, properly cowed, waited nervously for him to start, their nervous fidgeting making it hard for him to not smirk and maintain the scowl.

"Mammals of the press.Thank you for coming today. We have a few announcements today,so please hold your questions until we get to the questions section. As always. If we waste time with you yelling questions and me waiting for you to shut up, you will just have to deal with the press release.

 As I am sure you are all aware, we recently took down the murderous cult that has been terrorizing the city for the past few years. Detective WildeHopps, and Harrison, along with Supervising Detective Bensen were staking out a warehouse in the Canal, when they saw the cultists moving multiple bound mammals into the building.

Calling for backup, they were informed it could be as much as an hour due to the protests and the anti-predator riot. Deciding that they did not want to risk the lives of the kitnapped mammals, they made entry to the warehouse in question. They ended up pinned down, planning to simply wait the cultist out until backup could arrive. They could not know, due to the building blocking their radios, that backup was delayed.

Detective Harrison ended up a hostage and the cultists had additional mammals arrive, which included more weapons. The Detectives, hoping for backup, were trying to figure out a way out to regroup and found themselves with no way out.

Credit where credit is due. The Detectives were preparing themselves for their literal last stand and to take as many of the cultists with them that they could. Fate it seems had other plans as the Demon Rider made an appearance.

Under normal circumstances, I do not support or approve of vigilantism. The Rider however saved the lives of all three detectives, one of which had an illegal lethal firearm to their head, along with the lives of the dozen plus mammals the cultists planned to murder for their twisted ritual. 

I now pass this over to Senior Supervising Detective Bensen who was on scene and had the opportunity to actually interact with The Rider.”

With that Wolford stepped back and Bensen stepped up to the podium. “Good Afternoon. As Chief Wolfrod stated, we entered the building despite the lack of backup due to the concern that the cultists could end up completing their murderous ceremony before that backup could arrive. Our hope was to secure the hostages and detain the cultists, but at the very minimum we hoped to keep them distracted until backup could arrive. We were successful in distracting them, unfortunately, they were heavily armed and had us pinned down, as well as capturing Detective Harrison,

Detective WildeHopps and myself were hiding behind a collection of wooden crates, which their bullets from the weapons of the cultists were thankfully unable to go through. That is until more of them arrived, and one of them was a large mammal, with a much larger weapon. At that point, we were looking at ending our existence in that warehouse.

Detective WildeHopps and I came to an agreement, we would go down swinging, and take as many of the cultists with us as we could. However, before we were able to rise up and go out in a blaze of glory, The Rider appeared and quite literally wiped the floor with the cultists. Saving the lives of Detectives WildeHopps, Harrison, and myself, as well as the hostages. All without killing any of the cultists.

Detective Harrison was injured by one of the cultists when The Rider appeared, but was thankfully not killed, though knocked unconscious. I sent Detective WildeHopps to recon the rest of the building and identify any other cultists hiding within the building or outside, though he was under order to not engage them. He was thankfully able to confirm that there were no others, and if there had been any outside, they had left.

Later review of our dashcam footage, which had been left running per procedure, confirmed that there were no other vehicles and there was no one that ran away from the building. There were two vehicles that drove past, and we are following up on those. One was the owner of a nearby business going in to do some paperwork, the other is still being tracked down, but was reported as stolen from the rainforest. We suspect it was just that, though we will confirm that, and the car thief will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

As The Rider finished dealing with the cultists, I was able to interact with him. I have to say, that was an interesting experience. While the ZPD does not in any way endorse vigilantism, I have to admit some significant bias, given that he saved my own life.

In speaking with him, I came to believe that The Rider has some sort of law enforcement background. I convinced him to meet with me again, as well as with Chief Wolford. To which he agreed."

Chief Wolford stepped forward again. "At that meeting, The Rider made it clear that he wished to operate legally, but it is hard to apply for things like a bounty hunter license as a flaming skeleton. To which I have to admit, he had a point.”

A light chuckle passed through the reporters as Wolford continued. “After further discussion with Detective Oats, Bensen, and ZPD legal department. We found a solution. The Demon Rider, or just The Rider, will be deputized by the ZPD. He will operate as a licensed bounty hunter, and consultant who can be called in for SWAT raids as well as to consult on cases.

He will be overseen by Detective Bensen as an extension of his team, given their speciality with things of the occult. Oats will review all actions with Bensen and myself to ensure that The Rider stays within the law. He will have rights to arrest after attending a course at the ZPA to ensure he is ready to take on this new role.

To assuage any concern about this role, there is in fact precedent for it. It has been used to empower former ZPD officers and officials from other agencies to be able to operate within Zootopia. It was actually used just last year to allow officers from Crotonus to pursue a violent fugitive that was hiding here in the city. Just as will be expected of The Rider, they had to keep a supervising officer apprised of their activities, call for backup, and get sign off on any raids, including obtaining a warrant when the supervising officer determined it was needed.

Now, I will answer a few questions."

The yelling of questions was nearly deafening, forcing Wolford to fold his ears flat and hold up a paw for quiet. Once the press was quiet, he shook his head. "I will call on you. If you're just going to all scream at once, I will simply walk away. Now." Ponting. "Angie."

A silver she-wolf smiled and spoke up. "Thank you, Chief. Angie Howlerton, Pack Times. Chief, do you really expect some sort of demonic entity to follow the laws of Zootopia, let alone operate under the supervision of a mortal mammal?"

Wolford smiled. It was not friendly. "I do, in fact. The Rider welcomed the opportunity to make his activities legal. While he may be something more than just a mammal. He is in fact a citizen, who, given his power, seeks to protect the citizens of this great city, to make the world a better place as the great Judy HoppsWilde might say. Edward."

"Thank you. Edward Swineson, Meadowlands Daily Chronicle. You imply that The Rider is a citizen, if that is true, who is he? Why has he not revealed himself?"

"That is an easy answer. I'll answer it with a question of my own. If you had his power, but also had normal family, friends, loved ones, who are not bulletproof as you are. Would you want it known who you are, or were, before you became this? I know my answer is an emphatic, no. As I am sure would be yours as well.

That security, that his true identity be kept absolutely secure was one of his requirements, and why he operated as a vigilante up until now. Something for which I cannot blame him. The legal department has confirmed that, given the special circumstances, and the sign off of myself, legal itself, and Detectives Oats and Bensen, his true identity can be kept off the paperwork. Peter."

A large moose smiled with a nod. "Chief. Peter Moosebridge, ZNN. Will he be held responsible for the murders reportedly committed by The Rider, the assaults, and other crimes?" A murmur of agreement greeting the question.

"Well, Peter. The answer to that is no. He is not going to be charged with, or held accountable for crimes he did not commit. The murders you refer to have been confirmed to be committed by other criminals trying to cover their actions by attributing them to The Rider.

In several instances, when he is supposed to have killed someone, he is actively taking down some other criminals in another part of the city. Kinda hard to kill someone in the Rainforest, while on camera taking down a drug dealer in Sahara Square.

As to the assaults. As Bensen said, he has some familiarity with law enforcement. As such, everything he has done, while right on the edge, is still within legal limits under the citizen enforcement and arrest statutes. As I said, ZPD legal has signed off with no reservations. Also, I am a bit disappointed in you."

Peter shrugged. "Figured it was better I ask it, than one of the tabloids just run with it."

A weasel yelled out. "Hey! Uncool, Peter."

Peter snorted. "Eat it, Weselton."

"It's Weaselton, you half assed hack. I'm more concerned with the agony he seems to leave in his wake. Sure, they're criminals, but he leaves them screaming. I've seen it. That cannot be legal."

A deep, gravelly voice echoed from the entryway, everyone turning and gasping as The Rider walked around the press to the podium. "Actually, Weaselton. What you are referring to is not physical, but rather spiritual pain. One of my abilities is to make a being feel the taint upon their soul. So it could be argued that they are doing it to themselves. So, for someone like Clair, it would have no effect. Actually might be pleasurable. Question, Clair?"

The red fox vixen shook herself. "Uhm… Mr. Rider, sir. Clair Crim, SBN (Skulk Broadcasting Network). Do you have a name other than Demon Rider? Why now agree to go legit?"

The Rider smiled. "A legitimate question, or was that two? I do have a name, but I will not be revealing it. I am actually possessed by a demonic spirit of vengeance and righteousness. As such, Demon Rider, or just The Rider is simpler. As for why go legit? Simple. My goal. My mission is to fight evil in this world. Thus the ability to make a mammal feel the taint upon their soul. Henry."

Henry, a springbok frowned." Henry Bounden, ZBC. Firstly, how do you know my name, or Clair's for that matter? What are your powers, exactly? I mean, bullet proof and able to torture a mammal with the evil on their soul, but what else?"

The Rider gave a dark chuckle. "The answer to your first is the answer to your second. I can read a soul. I can see the taint on a mammals soul. With that, I know their name and much more. As for other abilities. Well, I am kinda made of fire. I am strong. Not going to say other than that. Jannifer."

Jannifer was a younger Jaguarundi, and smiled shyly. "Thank you, Mr. Rider."

"Just, Rider, is fine. As it is both descriptive, and Rider is an actual name. Actually…" Glancing at Wolford. "I can simply be, Rider Demon."

Wolford barked a laugh. "Accurate and derivative, yet functional. I suppose that will work, Rider.*

Jannifer nodded. "Okay, Rider. Can you tell us anything about yourself? Something you can reveal without risking exposure or the safety of others?"

"A good question. Let's see. This is not what I look like all the time. I could stand next to you and you'd never know it. At least until I transform into this. The appearance is dictated by the spirit that inhabits my body. I studied the law carefully so I could stay just on the right side of it. Something the police never mentioned, but a reason the convictions of those I have taken down were able to stick. I have always left the needed paperwork behind, per the citizen enforcement and arrest statutes.

This change will allow me to do what I am called to do, while helping to ensure that the evil mammals I take down, receive the just punishment for their crimes. As such, the ZPD has requested that I not, or at least minimize the infliction of penance, which is what I call it, upon the criminals I take down. While that will be hard, as that is part of my drive, to punish the wicked and avenge those upon whom evil has been inflicted. I will try my best to minimize it. Although I will remind you, it requires there be the taint of evil upon a mammal's soul to work, and the deeper and darker that taint of evil, the worse it is."

Wolford spoke up. "Final question. Rider has agreed to hold off his activities until he completes the ZPA course, as a demonstration of his dedication to the agreement and the trust we are placing in him. Kendrik."

"Kendrik Kenna, Zootopia Times. What about the money you will earn bringing in bounties?"

Rider nodded. "A portion of the money will go into a fund that will be paid out to orphanages and other worthy causes. The rest goes into an account that I can access when needed in my day to day existence as not.” Indicating himself. “This"

Wolford spoke up. "Thank you all for coming. All other inquiries should be sent to the ZPD media liaison office.” With that, he led Bensen, Oats, and Rider back into the ZPD. 

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

ZPD Precinct One - Secure Conference Room Three

Wolford looked over the Oats, Bensen, and The Rider. “Well, that went well. You ready to play the role needed?”

The Rider Grinned, a very wicked looking thing. “I am. You were not lying when you stated that I have been looking for a way to be legit, but…” Motioning towards himself. “It’s kinda hard without revealing who I am when not wrapped in flames. I can say, the spirit is also quite pleased with the development.”

Oats shook his head. “How can it be pleased? It’s a demon, isn’t it?”

The Rider shrugged. “The world of the supernatural, demons, angels, and other things, is not quite so black and white as mammals would like to think. Being a demon does not default you to being evil any more than being a sheep means you supported the Bellwether dynasty without question, and would seek a return to it. Do you think that the Horse lords of three thousand years ago were right and all non-equids should either be slaughtered or enslaved?”

Oats let out an outraged neigh. “NO! That was no better than what Bellwether was doing!”

“Exactly my point. Being a demon is what you were born, it doesn’t define you beyond that. You can think of it as being a species. Vastly more powerful than a mortal mammal, sure, by that’s it. In truth, much like foxes, raccoons, etc… A large number of demons end up going the evil route because, what choice do they have?”

Oats stared at the rider in shock. “You’re kidding?”

Shaking his head, the flames swished with the movement. “Nope. It is more complex than that, to be sure, but boiled down, that’s how things filter out. If you want, I can let you speak with the spirit, the demon, itself.”

Wolford straightened up. “You can? Yes!”

Frowning, The Rider nodded. “Shouldn’t have offered. It is not pleasant. Oh well.” Giving a shrug.

After a few moments, the color of the flames deepened into a true crimson, from the more campfire look it had before. What appeared to be flesh appeared, though it seemed to be made more from lava than actual flesh and bone. The voice now deeper, smoother, and with exponentially more menace. “Greetings, mortals. I am the spirit that has bound itself to this mammal as part of the bargain it has made with Mephisto. I chose to do so due to the reasons that the initial bargain was struck, and why they agreed to the modified bargain. There are many reasons a mortal will agree to sell their soul, the reasons this one did was righteous, self sacrificing, despite their age at the time. They understood what had happened and accepted the price.

I am also attracted to their sense of righteousness, their desire to do right, to right wrongs, and bring those that do evil to justice. I will tell you now, that I must feed, and I feed on the evil that taints a mortal soul. So when you ask that this mortal, as what you are calling The Rider, to not induce the penance, you are asking him to not feed me. This I cannot allow to end fully. I will allow a reduction. But when we find a truly evil soul, I will feed. For I must maintain my strength, and by extension, his.

Otherwise, I am quite happy with this circumstance. Allowing us to operate within the laws and rules of your society is a great positive. I will look forward to learning more of what is expected of us in this new state.”

With that, the flames returned to normal, and The Rider sat down in a chair. “Wow… That wasn’t nearly as bad as the last time. So what did he say?”

Wolford smiled. “He said everything we hoped to hear. I just hope what he said was truthful.”

“It was.”

“That, sadly, will remain to be seen, but my confidence in that is much higher.”

The door burst open and a wolf officer ran in. “Sir! There is someone in the lobby…. Holy Luna! The Rider!”

Wolford snapped his fingers, pulling the officer's attention back to him. “Who is in the lobby?”

“A Gunman! He is holding the press hostage, and demanding The Rider appear and submit to him or he will start killing mammals. He is wearing some kind of armor, so we can’t tranq him, several officers have tried and have been shot.”

A deep, vicious growl erupted from The Rider. “And this is why spreading who I am cannot be allowed. I will deal with this.”

Wolford put up a paw. “No! You can’t.”

Giving the Chief a look. “What would have have me do? I cannot bow to this mammal, and I cannot allow them to murder innocents. Besides, he.” Indicating the officer. “Stated that you have already tried dealing with him and his armor is preventing that. Besides, we both know you cannot actually stop me.”

“No, but I can rescind the offer.”

“Then what would you have me do?”

“Tell me what you are going to do, we will suggest alterations to that plan if needed. That’s the whole point!”

Clearly realizing his mistake, The Rider nodded. “Very well. You are correct. Not used to this as yet. So my plan is to exit the building and enter either through one of the walls or the front, where they are not looking. Restraining them while disarming them and/or destroying the weapon. Yes, I can pass through a wall, without damaging it. Then remove the armor so that they can be dealt with. I’ll warn you now, we’re hungry, so if they are an evil mammal, we will feed.”

Wolford frowned deeply at that. “With the exception of the feeding, fine.”

The Rider shrugged. “It doesn’t mean that this mammal is going to be fed upon, that being applying the penance. Didn’t know that was what was happening until now. He’s actually sharing more with me now that we’re going legit. So yeah, just means I’m going to need to go find someone nice and evil.” The Rider chuckled darkly. “The nastier, the tastier it seems. I guess he is still a demon, even if he is marginally on our side. Anyway, let's get this done.”

With that, The Rider stepped through the wall without causing any damage. Bensen looked at Wolford and Oats with a chuckle. “That actually answers a few things on how he gets in and out of places without leaving evidence of his entrance or exit, or setting off any alarms.”

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

ZPD Precinct One - Lobby

Pacing back and forth in front of the front desk, a medium to large mammal wearing some sort of homemade armor akin to ancient knights. Only this armor had carbon-fiber joints and a darkened plexiglass faceplate to protect the face and muzzle. The design clearly meant to prevent tranq darts from being able to reach the wearer.

"Where is he?" Waving a clearly homemade weapon strapped to the armor. "I know he was just here."

The desk sergeant, a maned wolf, kept his paws in view. Trying to hold the mammals' attention away from the press and others. "We sent an officer to speak with the Chief. The Rider left with the Chief, like I said. They also said that Detective Bensen will be in charge of them and Bensen is with the Chief. So even if The Rider isn't still here, they'll be able to get ahold of him. Just stay calm."

The deep gravelly voice of The Rider echoed off the walls. "Yes Stay calm. Explain yourself."

Spinning around, the armored mammal looked for the source of the voice. “Because you are a demon. You cannot be allowed to roam freely! I must exorcize you from whatever poor mammal you have possessed.”

The Rider stepped through the wall behind where the armored mammal was currently facing, his voice coming from the direction they were facing. “And what if I said that I am a willing participant? That it is a partnership? That I do not want to be exorcized? What then? Would you label me evil for no other reason?” Stepping to stand directly behind the mammal, his chain sliding out to just touch the floor. “What then?”

“I will still exorcize you for there is no way a mammal would willingly allow themselves to be possessed by a demon. You must have tricked them somehow.”

“Perhaps, in your mind, but that would not be true.”

The Rider’s chain flashed up, wrapping around the armored arm with the weapon, constricting like a snake and crushing the weapon and the armored arm as well, causing the mammal in the armor to scream in pain. They then snapped out their other arm, a blade extending, covered in runes, which they drove into the chest of The Rider.

Grunting, Rider looked down, up at the mammal through their helmets plexiglass protection, then back down again. Looking back up, they cocked their head to the side. “Really?”

“You didn’t think I came here unprepared to do battle with you? The runes on my blade will hold you and bind you to it. The runes of my armor will protect me from your evil glare.”

“Got it. You’re not well and need mental help.” Reaching up, Rider grabbed a seam of the helmet, his claws flashing with flames as he cut along the seam of the helmet causing it to fall off to reveal a maned wolf.

The maned wolf desk sergeant audibly groaned. “Oh Greg. Mr. Rider, he’s my little brother, and clearly off his meds again. Please try not to hurt him too much. Though he probably welded himself into that armor.”

Rider nodded. “I figured. He’s not evil, just as you say, in need of help.” The chain wrapped around Greg in his armor, then zipping around like a saw blade, the armor falling to pieces around them.

Greg yelled, trying to pull away from Rider. “NO! You should be powerless!”

Glancing down at the blade still in his chest, Rider pulled it out and removed Greg’s paw from the gauntlet it was attached to, dropping blade and gauntlet to the side. “Sadly, no. I don’t know what mammal lied to you or what new age crap you have been listening to, but nothing on this blade could harm anyone like me, and only the blade itself might harm you.” Grabbing Greg by his arms, held against his body, Rider lifted him up so they were fully eye to eye, bringing Greg up about three inches off the floor. “Let's just see what has got you so broken.”

Rider’s eyes flared and seemed to bore into Greg, who screamed in terror but could not look away before passing out. After a few moments, Rider laid Gred down gently then looked to the desk sergeant. “Officer Belecos, I will provide a report on what I have seen so that his doctor can better treat him. Detective Bensen will provide it once I have given it to him. It will hopefully help get him out of this cycle.” Frowning down at Greg for a moment. “A question, if I may. His meds. Does he get the prescription filled at a pharmacy, or is the doctor just giving them to him as he needs them?”

Officer Belecos frowned in turn. “The doctor gives them to him directly. Claims they’re not covered by insurance.”

Rider nodded. “I thought as much. You will likely want to find him a different doctor. His current one seems to be filling his head with all sorts of nonsense. It was his doctor that gave him the runes he carved into that blade. I’d also have those pills tested by the lab, they’re probably a placebo, or some other untested drug.”

Belecos growled. “I told mother that doc wasn’t to be trusted. Thank you, Rider.”

Wolford stormed over. “You said you wouldn’t hurt him if he wasn’t evil!”

Cocking his head to the side and looking down slightly at Chief Wolford. “I didn’t hurt him, save his arm that had the weapon attached to it when I destroyed that. It’s broken in four places. As for what I just did, his scream was one of terror. I was reading his soul to see what has him in such an unstable state. Something I will be providing to his brother, through you, so that his doctor can better help him. Or rather, Detective Bensen. He has unaddressed trauma as well as issues made worse by an unethical doctor, but once he is helped with that, I think he may not even need medication.”

The Chief frowned, glancing down at Greg as other officers picked him up and started collecting the pieces of armor, treating it all as a crime scene. “You can do that?”

“Not easily, but he was in such an agitated state that it allowed me to do so, his fear actually making it easier. It is also very likely there is more than what I saw, but it will provide him a pathway to dealing with it and whatever else may haunt him. I just hope he gets help and not prison. He truly believed he was doing right and saving the city. Sadly, this was because others have abused his fragile state for their own ends.” Looking ot Bensen. “I’ll add that to my report as well. Once I have a login.”

Bensen nodded. “Lets go get that taken care of now so you can file that, and provide me with what I need to get to Belecos.”

With that, they walked into the back to get Rider set up in the system and fill out a report or twenty. Much gravelly voiced complaining could be heard about the paperwork, to the great amusement of all the officers still in the building.

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

7

ZPA - Training Day, One.

Rider arrived at the ZPA an hour early, the last thing he wanted to do, given everything that had led to this point, was be late. Not a good look. Zarthros seemed to agree with this sentiment.

Ever since the reveal and confirmation in the Precinct One lobby, Nick had been able to commune with the spirit that possessed him and gave him the powers of The Rider. Now that they were talking, after a fashion, he had learned a lot, even if that communication wasn’t in spoken words.

He checked in, the receptionist a bit taken aback. Despite knowing it was going to happen and actually seeing a wolf sized, fox-like creature, with just flames and its skeleton visible, is still quite a shock. 

Once checked in, Rider explored a bit, seeing if things had changed much. It hadn't. With still an hour to go, he found himself waiting with a few others in the front quad. The four others included a sheep, two wolves that were clearly a couple, and a rabbit he recognized as his uncle Zack.

Using his sight, he quickly found them all to be decent mammals. Nodding, he approached the wolves. "Hello."

Looking nervously over Rider, they were a black and silver wolf and a molted brown and gray wolf. The black one nodded nervously. "Uhm… Hello."

“Worry not. I'm here for much the same reason you are. As you may have seen on the news. Chief Wolford has given me the chance to be legit in my activities."

"So it's true. The ZPD is sponsoring you."

Rider nodded. "After a fashion. If anything, they're putting a collar on me. That said, I think I can do a great deal more good this way."

The rabbit approached. "I saw the news where they introduced you. Then the whole thing after. You really hurt that mammal."

Rider looked down at his uncle. "Hello. Zachary Hopps. I wonder if your sister knows what you are up to?"

Clearly shocked, Zack tried to rally. "So you can just read a mammal. That must make hunting bounties easy. Kinda cheating if you ask me."

"Not quite that simple. I'm familiar with you. Fifth Hopps clan rabbit seeking to break out of the stereotype of being a farmer. Third to attempt to make it as ZPD, almost successfully. Injured during training just before graduation. Would have graduated 3rd in your class, but forced out instead. I figure, given that you've already been through the ZPA, going bounty hunter and PI, makes sense. The injury precludes your becoming a cop, but while there are some physical expectations, they're not the same."

Zack nodded. "All correct. Color me impressed."

"Judy and Nick Wilde are hero's of mine."

The brown wolf chuckled. "My mate here, Greg, is a super fan. Careful. He's probably already trying to figure out how to hustle an autograph from you."

Zack rolled his eyes. "I have a few in the car. You guys make it through, and I'll give you one"

Greg grinned with a slight fist pump. "Awesome!"

The brown wolf laughed. "You've just made a friend for life. I'm Jacob Wolford, and the mega nerd I call a mate is Greg Wolford. We're distant cousins of Chief Wolford, from different directions in the family. You know how they talk about being seven degrees from Kevin Bacon? I mean, I understand owning a name, like foxes owning the slur, slick, but taking it as your actual name, when you are a boar?” Shaking his head. “Anyway… It’s about knowing someone who knows someone, who knows Kevin Bacon, and with most mammals, it only takes seven to get to KB. But if you trace Jacob and I, we’re separated by like thirty."

Greg laughed and gently smacked Jacobs shoulder. "If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black. Calls me a mega nerd, yet he can quote from every SciFi and horror film of the last fifty years. His favorites are movies few mammals have heard of. What was that one? A talking bomb or something like that."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "You're talking about Dark Star, and you said you liked it."

Rider chuckled. "Detonation will occur at the programmed time."

Zack laughed. "Nothing quite like teaching phylosophy to a bomb capable of blowing up a planet."

Laughing, Jacob fist bumped Rider and Zack. "My mammals."

The deer stepped up. "You are false data. Therefore I shall ignore you."

Rider grinned, something truly terrifying. "False data can act only as a distraction."

Zack continued. "Therefore I will refuse to perceive you."

Laughing, Jacob continued. "In the beginning there was darkness. And the darkness was without form and void."

The deer stepped in again. "And in addition to the darkness there was also me."

Rider spoke. "And I moved upon the face of the darkness. And I saw that I was alone."

The deer laughed and finished." Let there be light. Jason Herdson. Excellent movie. I own several copies in different formats."

A new voice joined in. "And Boom, the bomb detonates. Just like your potential careers if you don't fall in line, now!" The group snapped to attention quickly, facing the imposing and very old cape buffalo who chuckled. "Never gets old. Relax, you're here primarily to get tested to check your knowledge levels. Go through some training to fill in gaps, add to your knowledge, and generally make sure you don't become criminals while trying to bring them to justice.

Greg, Jacob. Don't embarrass your cousin or his mate. Hopps… Your sister will kick both our tails. Jason, your brother pulled more than a few strings to get you past the background checks. However, much like Zack's sister, I believe all mammals deserve a second chance. Given the fact that Rider here hasn't gone after you, speaks volumes."

"His soul is no more tainted than the others, and actually less than yours. The stains on both of your souls are self-inflicted. Unlike him." Pointing to a younger polar bear approaching the group. "Raymond Demetrius Ivanov. Son of one of Adamovich Volkov Biggeleski’s best enforcers and right paw mammals. Your soul is stained darkly and worthy of penance, but your intention in being here is in fact pure."

Raymond balked upon seeing Rider and what he laid out. "Wha… What?"

Bogo chuckled. "He said that you have been a very bad mammal, and given who your father is, that's not really a surprise. Both of your presence here was a test for each of you. A test of your control, Rider, which you passed. A test of your intentions, Raymond. Which I am very happy to hear are honorable. As such. Welcome. Let's get into the classroom and you can take your initial assessments."

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

The testing lasted several days, and included lots and lots of classroom time, which was entertaining. They learned that the fire suppression system needed to be turned off, as it tried, and failed, to put Rider out. After the testing, they were given a list of classes that they would need to attend, Rider actually needing the fewest, which brought suspicion to Bogo specifically.

The morning of their physical tests, Rider was called into Bogo’s office. The tests themselves were really just to confirm that they were able to aim a dart gun and hit their target. Such tests, for non-officers, were not pass-fail, but more intended to give the mammals taking them a sense of their own abilities. Something to help keep them from getting in over their heads.

Rider stepped into Bogo’s office, thinking to himself how intimidating the old Buffalo was, while also smirking, seeing the family photo, showing Bogo, his wives and husbands. Bogo glowered at Rider, which had no effect. “Sit. We need to talk.”

Rider took the seat for a much larger mammal, though thinking about how his mother described never having a seat their size, it was clearly intended to intimidate him. “Bogo, sir. The intimidation techniques are not going to work on me. I’m not exactly a normal mammal.”

Snorting, Bogo sat back and crossed his arms. “No. You are not, but I feel I know you. You are clearly a currently serving officer. You have also had training beyond that. Something I don’t understand, but I intend to.”

Rider nodded. “With all due respect to you sir. Who I am when not like this has been agreed upon to be kept a secret of the highest order. If it were known who I was, normally, then those I love and care about would be instantly at risk. Chief Wolford, knowing who I am, agrees with this.”

“I assume that is also why you were given this chance?”

Rider shrugged. “Somewhat. I have explained to him, and to my family, how I came to be like this. The long and short of it is simple. I made a deal with a demon, more than one, actually. The results are like this. I hunt souls that escape the afterlife and when I capture them and send them back, the demon that I made the deal with gets to claim them. I also go after the worst of the worst. Those I tag, get added to his number as well.

In hell, or whatever you call it. It’s really not as simple as mammals want to think. Anyway, in the afterlife, if you will, the immortal souls of mortals are power, currency, and many more things. Form a soul into a coffee cup is a chest pounding statement of just how powerful you are. Because you have so much power, you can waste a soul on such a frivolous item. I condemn the souls of the worst of the world to this fate. It would have been their fate anyway. I just bypass the fighting and such that might occur over who gets to claim the soul.

There are others like me out there, serving other demons, angels, and other beings. If I manage to take one of them down, all the souls that belong to that being and were claimed by that servant, become the property of my demon.”

“I see. And you don’t share with me, who you are beneath the fire, because the more that know, the higher the risk to your friends and family.”

Rider nodded. “That is correct, sir. With respect. As much as I might wish to tell you, and I respect you in the highest. I must keep this secret.”

Bogo snorted. “Mike told me you would say that. Worse. Lizz apparently knows and laughed her tail off when I asked. Told me I’d never believe it.” Glaring at Rider for a few more moments. “Fine. Get out of here. The physical tests are next. Not that I expect you to have issues with them.”

Rider grinned. “Very unlikely, Unk-Adri” With that and the thunderstruck look on Bogo’s face, he opened the door and left.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

The physical tests went as one might expect. Zack has some trouble with a few things. He could walk and run fine, if not as quickly as one might expect, but he simply couldn’t jump like you would expect a rabbit to be able to. His injuries made such actions impossible for him, and was why he had to fail out.

Greg and Jacob did as well as any wolf would be expected to, and Jason showed himself to actually be deceptively strong. Shrugging, he stated that he had worked out since he was a teen, but always focused on strength and not muscle building. That, and he supposedly had moose in his background.

Raymond, being a polar bear and former mob enforcer, showed that such training translated well to this new path he was setting for himself in life. He was strong, fast, and surprisingly agile for a mammal his size.

When the testing finally came to Rider, it was comically ridiculous. His strength was beyond their ability to measure. Even the stuff designed for Africat Bull Elephants was lifted easily by him. His speed and agility were absurd to the point that even using high-speed cameras, when he put himself to it, he was a blur. All of which ignored the fact that he could control his chains at range, even when not touching them, as if they were tentacles, as well as the hellfire that appeared to make up his flesh.

Over the following four weeks, they attended various classes as a group, or individually. Needing to audit classes that the ZPA regular recruits were currently taking. Rider, being the alter ego of Nick,an active ZPD detective, mostly had to audit classes on ethics and use of force. He had to fulfill the full time, and they were concerned, given his power, that he may over do it. So he found himself in classes with ZPA recruits nearing their graduation and barely able to pay attention themselves, having a flaming supernatural entity in their class.

Rider was also entertained as Bogo tried to figure out which WildeHopps kit he was. Rider knew calling Bogo, Unk-Adri, was tipping his paw, but he just couldn't, not tease the old bull. 

The day before their graduation, the last set of tests done and passed, they were each called into Bogos office to review their results. The others each exited the office with a smile, but none bigger than Zack. He immediately walked up to Rider and hugged him.

Patting the rabbit on the back. "Hey, Zack. What was that for? Everything okay?" Rider was actually concerned about his usually reserved, for a bunny, uncle.

Releasing Rider, Zack's ears fall behind him in clear embarrassment. "Sorry. Just… Thank you. This job is going to be different than being a cop. The rules are similar, but different enough. Your study sessions made sure I passed."

The others echoing the sentiment, Gerg nodding. "He's right. We started going just to hang out with everyone and the Demon Rider. Yet, you insisted on actually studying. I have to say, at least I wouldn't have done half as good without those sessions. The mix of chilling and studying just made the information stick."

Zack whispered up at Rider. "I know that technique. Don't know which of my nephews you are, but thank you all the same."

Leaning down, Rider chuckled and whispered back. "Don't know what you are talking about. It's an ancient technique perfected by my mother."

Rider then left them for his own graduation interview. Sitting in the chair opposite Bogo, he smirked and waited as Bogo glared at him.

Bogo finally snorted. "Still not going to tell me who you are beneath the flames?"

Rider shook his head. "Nope. It's for all our protection. So how did I do?"

"As if you don't know. If this was the ZPA actual graduation, you'd be valedictorian. An accomplishment, given every one of them did better than any previous class. Your fault, according to all of them. Something about study sessions."

Rider shrugged. "I was gonna study anyway. I just invited them along for the ride."

"Whatever. You passed with flying colors. You are still beholden to the agreement and supervision. You will need to keep the assigned detective apprised of your activities and plans."

Rider nodded. "When I go after someone like the butcher, then yes. If I'm just collecting a random bounty, not really. I do know that I will need to keep my penance activity down."

"I dislike that as much as Wolford does, but he explained that it is kinda a function of being you. Be here tomorrow to receive your certificate and badge. You know this, but I'm still required to tell you.

This badge does not make you a cop, even if you are in your other life. When you are this, using this badge, while you are an officer of the court with the ability to detain, restrain, and transport mammals that have outstanding warrants. It does not empower you to enforce the law as if you were a cop."

Waving a paw in the air. "I know. I know. Citizens arrest and all that. Keep the detective up to date on what I am doing. Etc… etc…"

Mephisto appears. "You may get it, but I don't. How do you expect to keep our agreement this way?"

Bogo jumps up. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

Ignoring Bogo, Mephisto, looking very feline at the moment, focused on Rider/Nick. “Well? Can you assure me that you will be able to keep up?”

Rider gave Mephisto a look, flaming ears falling to the side. “Really? You’re going to ask me, that? Seriously? You must have burned through some souls lately to be so desperate. Not to worry though, while you won’t be getting as many low level souls from me. In this new position, I’m actually empowered to go after the big fish.”

Mephisto grinned wickedly, the smile far exceeding what a normal mammal's mouth should be able to do, just as the number of teeth showed exceeded a normal mammal. “Wait. You weren’t kidding about going after The Butcher? Oh my! He’s Kelligors, but if you could snag him for me…” Mephisto actually shivered in pleasure. “So you're saying that the quantity will go down, but the quality will go up to make up for it? I can live with that.”

Rider rolled his flaming eyes. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying. If you know of any of my compatriots that are also working in organizations such as the Rainforest mob, then do point me to them.”

“You just want to earn off your sentence faster.”

“Of course I do, but we both also know how much that would benefit you. Now, if there is nothing else. Unless you want to make a modification of the deal?”

Mephisto looked thoughtful. “Hmm… There is something I am considering, but it isn’t time yet. I still need to think on it. I’ll let you know.”

With that Mephisto vanished and Bogo growled. “What the hell was that? That was not a mammal.”

Rider shook his head. “Nope. That was the demon that I sold my soul to in order to save my parents lives, and who updated our deal a few times now. Initially, I just lost my soul, but got another 10 years out of my parents. Then, he updated the deal. I got turned into this for the next hundred years, and as long as I meet my half of that second bargain, I get my soul back. To do that, I have to send souls his way, tagging them in this life so that when they finally die, they belong to him, or claiming for him those that were tagged by others. It’s a whole thing.”

Bogo looked at rider in shock. “So… But all you kits were like, well… kits. How can you make such a bargain.”

“Technically I couldn’t. I wasn’t old enough, but I did, and since I will never dispute it, the deal stands. Plus, since it was modified since the initial deal, probably why he did it, to make sure it stuck, its kind of a moot point. Sure, I could still dispute it, again, I will not do so, and then my parents would in an instant experience all the pain, all the time and agony, all the horror that they should have, but did not experience due to my deal.”

Bogo cringed at that. “Oh… I can see why you wouldn’t choose to rescind said deal then.”

“Exactly. I would be a worthless mammal indeed and deserve to have my soul tainted by such an act. To me, to do such a thing would be worse than selling my soul. At least by selling it, I gained something. The health and wellbeing of my parents and my family as a whole, the betterment of the entire city for the good that they did and continue to do. Instead, I would inflict such horrific suffering on them? Never. They raised me better than that. Also, to assuage your concern. One of Chief Wolfords requirements was for me to tell them all, so my family knows. Mom was not happy, she was the opposite of happy. She was decidedly UN-Happy. Even the spirit that possesses me and gives me this power was concerned about what she might do.”

Bogo chuckled. “I can only imagine. I would not want her mad at me. Not at the level I would think she would be after such a reveal.”

Rider nodded. “Yeah… Then she broke out the waterworks. It was a whole scene.” Bogo and Rider, chuckling at that.

They chatted about the course a bit more, and then ended the meeting. Bogo sitting back in his chair wondering still, which of his essentially adopted nephews Rider was. He had one nephew that was blood, and dozens that had adopted him over the years. There was only one family that took to calling him Unc’Adri. With a sigh as he turned to the final paperwork, it was at least slightly reassuring that Rider was from that family. He knew that Judy would not stand for inappropriate actions by Rider, whichever kit he turned out to be. Although, Given his appearance, there were only two it really could be, and only one that he suspected it likely was. That was, however, pure speculation.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

At the graduation, there were more mammals wanting to get in than there were seats, and that included the press. Normally the graduation from the Hunters program was short and informal, sometimes taking place in the parking lot. But, due to one of the graduates, it had taken over the entire ZPA parade field and was being broadcast live.

This forced them to come up with a more formal ceremony off the cuff. It was still pretty informal. There were no gowns for the graduates, and it was going to last only about 30 minutes, at most. The big change really being the coordination for the press coverage, something that had never happened before. Though, as the ZNN representative put it, it wasn’t every day you had a supernatural enforcer graduate as a licensed, authorized, and certified Hunter.

As it turned out, the news had of course done some research. There were several types of licenses a mammal could get. There was the Private Investigator license, which only required passing a test and you were off to the races. There was the weapons addendum for that PI license, which included a practical test and deeper background check.

Then there were the Hunter licenses, of which there were three levels. The base level was much like the PI, and was really just an addendum to the PI license. It was a second test and provided a mammal access to lists of lower level offenders that had skipped bail, missed court appearances, and that sort of thing.

The second level, or considered the true Hunter, was more rare as it included a very extensive background check, along with lots of testing. It was however still just a license, though it included greater access to the wanted lists and an authorization for weapons use beyond basic tranq guns, etc…

The final or third level turned the holder into an actually deputized officer of the court. While it does not make them officers of the ZPD, it did provide them full access to the ZPD. This access included shared office space in the larger precincts, computer access to ZPD systems, access to traffic camera footage without having to pay and wait sometimes weeks. It also includes the ability to call in ZPD backup if things were to go sideways when trying to take down a wanted mammal, as there is an expectation that mammals at that level would be going after higher level, and therefore higher risk, offenders.

It also meant that they can be called in by the ZPD when needed and deputized as Officers during times of crisis or other needs of the ZPD. Such as the promise that Rider would be called in to participate in certain higher risk SWAT raids.

It was also a fact that there were very few mammals that held this higher level Hunter status, given that it also provided authority beyond the borders of the city. Meaning a mammal could hunt a perpetrator far beyond the boundaries of the city if needed. Something even the ZPD would have to ask permission to do. This because it was actually a federal level program, instead of state level, which is where the ZPD falls.

The current class was the largest, and the first successful graduation in the past ten years. Few mammals knew about it, fewer tried for it given the cost, you had to pay for the classes, testing, and certifications up front and as needed. This meant that if you only needed to take five classes, you paid for five classes, after the initial fees. Need ten classes, you’re paying for ten classes, after the initial fees and evaluation. Due to the expectations, and rights afforded, it was designed to filter out applicants.

Due to this, even fewer managed to actually graduate. The previous class had only three mammals. Two dropped out half way through, unable to cover the costs, and the third ended up arrested themselves due to the depth and breadth of the background check. The previous classes did not fare much better, a handful of mammals, sometimes only one, and more often than not, dropping the program due to the cost, or just finding the expectations and requirements to be too much. Which was kinda the point.

Rider being the exception and requiring quite a lot of legal wrangling and a sealed pardon for past actions in the background to get him into the program. None of which was public knowledge. Also using a trick none of the previous applicants knew about, the fact that you could have as much as 50% of your bounties put towards the cost, plus interest accrued. Which was how they were going to handle covering the cost of Riders participation.

Given the number of mammals at the ceremony, the ZPD was there in force, along with many invited dignitaries, who insisted on being invited so they could be seen there at Riders graduation as a Hunter. From the opinion of the ZPA, Bogo who was in charge of the program, and the graduates, the entire thing was an absolutely absurd fiasco and demanded that their appearance be fuzzed out on the broadcasts and any photos published.

The press of course pushed back on that, given that the licensing was public record, so much to the frustration of all the graduates but Rider, their muzzles were going to be on the news. Though there was the reassurance that the press only truly cared about Rider. Or so they thought until the actual ceremony.

As the ceremony progressed, they all realized that they were getting far more camera time than expected. It seemed that the press looked into all of them, and decided, now that they were there, that they would run a story on each of them.

Approaching Jason, a ZNN reporter, a bobcat, tried to smile warmly. “Hello, Jason Herdson. I’m Carl Marks, ZNN. You are one of a very few prey that have ever attempted to become a badged Hunter, and more to the point, other than your fellow student, Zack Hopps, are the fifth and sixth prey to actually succeed. To what do you attribute that success?”

Jason looked down at the slightly shorter reporter. “A few things. Firstly, I was adopted as a newborn fawn to the most unlikely of parents. They were my spiritual parents, or god-parents, if you will. Friends of my parents who were murdered by the butcher.” The reporter looked shocked. “Yeah, the butcher doesn’t kill infants, lucky for me. He does however have a serious problem with prey and predators being friendly.

You see, the mammals that raised me, my parents, are Bengal Tigers. I grew up around tigers and predators of all stripes.” Chuckling at his own joke. “So I never learned any fear of predators. My first crush was a marble fox, not a prey mammal. Most prey wouldn’t have anything to do with me because of who was raising me, who I hung out with, who I considered my brother and sister. My aunt is Lizz Fangmeyer, and while I’d never met them, I knew of Greg and Jacob through Uncle Wolford and Aunt Lizz.

So, that is one of the biggest reasons I am here. I don’t expect I’ll ever go after someone like the Butcher. He’s prey, if you didn’t know. He is the literal proof that prey can be far worse than any predator. However, if you want to know why I am graduating comfortably, and not just squeaking by, then I can only blame Rider and the study sessions he organized. Or as he called them, hang out sessions. He’s the reason all of us did as well as we did, and at this point, I consider him a friend.”

The reporter was clearly taken aback. “I… Uhm, wow. That’s something. Raised by Tigers, as a deer?”

Jason nodded. “Yep.” Giving a smile that turned to a long suffering frown as a large tiger grabbed him in a headlock and commenced to give him a noogie between his antlers.

The tiger was laughing and grinning the whole time. “Look at you little bro! You did it! Gonna be a badass hunter!”

Jason rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Hank. Now let go of me. I can, and will, kick your ass.”

Rider stepped up with a smirk on his skeletal face. “So this is the infamous Hank.”

Hanks' ears disappeared as he met the skeletal canine eye to eye, finding himself the same height. Leaning over to Jason, who he had let free of the headlock, but still had an arm around his shoulders. “Bro. He’s taller than you said.” Then gave a very unfeline like eep sound as Rider was suddenly a good foot taller than him. “What?”

Rider grinned down at Hank wickedly. “I can be as tall as needed. So, Hank… Anything you need to atone for?”

Eyes going wide and tail poofing, Hank shook his head. “No… I don’t think so.”

Returning to his normal size, Rider laughed along with Jason. Giving Jason a fist bump, he then offered a paw to Hank. “Hello Hank, nice to meet you. Jason has actually spoken well of you as his brother. Doesn't mean he can’t organize a good prank, now… Right?” Glancing at Jason. “You were right, his reaction was perfect.”

Hanks' ears popped forward, then folded back again, his tail falling as he glared between Jason and Rider. “Oh… Oh, hell no!” Snatchin Jason into a hug from behind, pinning his arms to his sides, and slipping his head between Jason’s antlers. “Now you must pay!” His paws shifted to Jason’s flanks as he held him, his longer arms letting him reach across.

Jason struggled while laughing. “No! I can and will destroy your shins!”

Rider chuckled and looked down at the reporter. “Hello Carl.” Putting out a paw. “Nice to meet you. Rider.”

Shaking the paw as he watched in fascination as Hank tickled Jason who commenced to kick at Hank's shins. Hank just laughed as he kept going without flinching, yelling about having worn shin guards. Two much older tigers stepped up ordering Hank to release Jason, who after catching his breath, embraced the tigers as his parents.

Carl looked up at Rider. “Well, that is not something you see every day.”

Rider nodded. “It isn’t, but it is becoming more common as the city evolves into what it was supposed to be. Jason told us about what happened, and I’d say he was lucky to have the Grrlson’s as his godparents. I mean, look at them. Species is utterly irrelevant to their interactions. I mean, his brother knew how to get his brother, and protect himself from what is clearly a common counter-attack. Jason knew exactly how to give his brother a proper spook, and engaged me to pull it off.” Leaning down to Carl as they stood next to each other. “And if you look closely, you’ll see a giant red squirrel now on Jason’s shoulder and hugging him.”

Carl nodded. “I do.” His jaw dropped as the squirrel leapt over to Hank and began boxing his ears, poking and punching the tiger all over his head while dodging his laughing attempts to catch her.

Hank grabbed at the squirrel, missing again and actually bopping himself in the nose in the process. “Damn it, sis! Your punches still hurt, you know.”

Having gotten her licks in, the squirrel leapt to Jason’s antlers. “Yeah? They’re supposed to, you big meanie.” Sticking her tongue out at him.

Hank rolled his eyes. “Real mature, sis. You may be the smallest, but you’re also the oldest. What kind of example are you making for Jamie?”

A mammal that was clearly a hybrid of some form stepped up. “Hey, don’t bring me into this. If Sue is kicking your tail again, you deserved it. Lemme guess, you were torturing Jason again?”

Jason grinned and gave a hug to the hybrid that appeared to have canine and feline attributes, as well as ibex like horns. “Hi, Jamie. How you doing? College treating you well? How did you get the time to come for this?”

Jamie grinned. “Extra credit, actually. My journalism and creative writing professor heard me talking to Eddy about my brother graduating as a badged Hunter. It’s a rare thing, bro. So proud of you.” Giving Jason another hug. “So my professor, hearing about my brother graduating as a badged Hunter, decided this would be a good extra credit assignment for me. I have to interview you, and the other graduates and then write an article based on that.”

Carl gasped finally. “You… You’re an experiment!”

Everyone’s ears folded back as Jamie turned to face the bobcat. “Yes, I am. One of the few whose genetics are stable enough that my body didn’t just tear itself apart.”

Rider looked down at Carl. “Smooth Carl.”

Ignoring everyone else and the disapproving looks, Carl stepped forward, seemingly mesmerized. “I’m Carl Marks, ZNN. You’re beautiful. I mean. Gorgeous. I mean. Stunningly sexy.” Clamping his paws over his mouth, his eyes going wide and ears folding back, though not before everyone saw the insides go bright red.

The frown from his earlier statement faded as Jamie smiled at Carl warmly. “Is that so? Well, Carl Marks with ZNN. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Come, let's chat. As someone looking to become a journalist myself, I rarely get the chance to pick the brain of someone who has already made it.”

Shaking himself out and blinking a few times, Carl smiled. “I’d love to talk shop with you. However, I am actually on the clock. Now, after the graduation and everything is over, I have to write up and submit my story, but after that I’m free. I usually do my work at a Snarlbucks, so if you are up for putting up with me while I work. I’d be happy to have you and chat. I’d even let you review the story and I’ll explain why I make some of the choices I do.”

Grinning widely, Jamie nodded. “That sounds wonderful. I’ll be sure to hang around, just don’t go wandering off without me.”

Carl shook his head, almost violently, still clearly unable to tear his gaze away from her. “Never.”

WIth a giggle and smile that made Carl’s tail poof slightly, Jamie wandered off towards her assigned seat. Carl finally managed to get his brain fully engaged and turn his attention back to Jason. Jason however gave a laugh. “Well, Carl. You’re in trouble now. She’s very much not used to more normal mammals finding her attractive.” Glancing up at Hank. “While Hank and I would normally threaten you, I don't think that will be needed in this case. She’s more than capable of defending herself. The cultists have stopped trying to snatch her up for that reason.”

Rider groaned. “I hate those morons. As a supernatural entity, I can promise you with certainty, their beliefs are absolute and utter dung. They have no bearing in any reality. Sacrificing someone like her is not going to do anything but end the life of someone with a rather beautiful soul.”

Jason turned to Rider. “Do I have to worry about you too?”

Rider shook his head. “No. I have someone else in my heart. I’m just saying. I can view mammals souls as you know. And hers. It’s beautiful. My penance state would do her no harm what so ever. She might even enjoy it.” WIth a chuckle, Rider turned to Carl. “So, Carl. Any question for me?”

Carl shook his head. “Nothing you’re going to answer. Like who are you under the flames and skull? I mean, we all know by now that there is a regular mammal under there somewhere, possessed by a demon, which has an obsession with justice. Something that doesn't make a lot of sense to most mammals. Can you speak to that maybe?”

Rider nodded. “It’s pretty simple, actually. What most mammals think of a black and white, good and evil, etc… Is not. Being a demon is no different than being born a bob cat, or a skunk, or a roe deer. It's the species you’re born into. That in no way makes you a better or worse person. Consider Bellwether. A supposedly timid and fearful sheep, and also an absolute raving psychotic who very nearly succeeded in committing genocide against the entire predator population save those few she sought to turn into mindless slaves.

So being a demon, or an angel, which isn’t even their term for it, by the way… Doesn't make you by default bad or good. The reality is that yes, there is a war of sorts going on, but it doesn’t follow the moral expectations of mortal mammals. Some of the greatest atrocities committed were done by so-called angels, and for the absolutely worst possible reasons, at least from the view of a mortal and moral mammals such as yourself.

That said, the souls of mortals are power to them, on both sides. It’s why they fight over us. Angels and Demons of power hold souls as batteries. They get fashioned into furniture, and if you have enough power to have a chair made from a soul, that’s a status symbol. Now, before you freak out. Most souls aren’t going to be put into such a situation. Only those that commit themselves to a given being end up that way.”

Carl frowned. “That implies that there isn’t an afterlife.”

Rider shrugged. “Nothing is again as simple as mammals, especially those pushing a specific religious interpretation, would have you believe. There are lots of afterlives, and each one is specific to the mammal. A truly evil being like Bellwether, well… I’m quite sure she’ll end up being someone's throw pillow. You, Jason here… No telling until you die where you will end up, or if you will find yourself just simply reborn. Not much of an answer, at least not one you can put in your article, I’m sure.”

Carl laughed. “No. It lends far more credence to the Atheist position than anything, and that coming from a mammal possessed by an actual demon.”

Rider shrugged. “At the very least, the Agnostic position.”

They continued to chat, Carl talking with the other graduates as well.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

Finally, after the ceremony was over, they stood around chatting again. Jason gasping. “Oh wow! It’s the WildeHopps. Zack, you didn’t tell me your sister was going to be here.”

Zack turned and saw the approaching Judy. “Oh shit! She’s pissed.” Looking up at Rider. “Hide me!”

Judy for her part was locked on Rider, who gulped. “I’ll second your Oh Shit, but I don’t think she’s after you.” Stepping forward in hopes of deflecting or derailing his mothers rage. “Greetings Mrs. HoppsWilde. It is a pleasure to meet you, and the rest of your family.”

Judy glared up at Rider/Nick. “Nicholas Piberious WildeHopps Junior. Cut the shit. I will not tolerate this any longer.”

Rider looked down at his mother, and even the demon was terrified, asking in his head. ‘How is it that I am terrified of that rabbit?’

Rider responded back. ‘She’s my mother. I’m half fox. She has been a force of nature her entire life.’

‘Fair point. This is all you.’

Mike walked up with a smile. “Judy, so nice to see you. Can I talk to you for a moment.”

Judy glanced at Mike and he flinched but kept steady. “Not now Mike.”

“I’m afraid I must insist. Please, walk with me for a moment. Nick, you too, if you would.”

Zack looked up at Rider. “Well, that explains a lot.”

“Not now, Z.”

Jason looked around, it was just the three of them. “What’s up with that. She approached looking pissed and mammals almost literally ran.”

Rider shrugged. “Always been a force of nature. Not sure why you didn’t notice.”

“Oh, I did, just didn’t realize it was coming from her. More something I would have expected to feel coming from a savage polar bear or something.”

Rider laughed. “You have no idea.”

Zack nodded. “Yeah. One thing we all learned early on, especially when she first got with Nick. You do not want to earn her ire. There were a few of the siblings that decided that Nick had somehow duped her and tried to separate them, beat him up. First, we found out that he was no slouch, yeah… I was one of those idiots. Following that, we learned the hard way that once he was done with us, because she made it very clear that he was to defend himself, she then commenced to kick our tail, on the front lawn for everyone to see. She trained to take down the likes of a savage polar bear. A few rabbits doesn’t even make her break a sweat.”

Rider nodded. “True that. As such, she has a bit of a presence.”

Jason nodded. “Okay, that makes sense, but she addressed you as something other than Rider.”

Rider groaned. “Yeah. Long story, but it goes into how I ended up like this. The TL:DR version of it. Demon sets up a kits parents to be killed in a very nasty way. Kit runs because they can’t deal. Encounters demon, makes a deal for their soul. Parents saved. Demon sets parents up again, meets up with kit, makes new offer. Now kit can earn their soul back, but has to work for the demon, basically collecting souls for him. Fast forward to today. Kit is now in a very weird position.”

Jason nodded. “I see. Yeah, well don’t stress it. I won’t tell anyone. Not that anyone would believe me.”

Zack chuckled. “Yeah, same here. Except maybe her. I’m guessing telling the direct fam was part of the deal to put this version of you in this spot?”

Rider nodded. “Exactly. I’m too powerful, so I am not a direct target.”

Zack and Jason nodded and responded in an echo of each other. “Right…”

Zack then continued. “But… The fam doesn’t have your ability, aren't bulletproof, etc…”

Rider nodded as Judy and Wolford approached again, Judy glaring up at Rider, still clearly pissed. “Rider. It’s good to meet you. I expect you to do the right thing from now on.”

Rider glanced at a clearly terrified Chief Wolford and nodded. “Of course.” Kneeling down and whispering so that only she could hear. “I will be home for dinner as normal, and both I and the being that possesses me will answer all the questions we can.”

Punching him lightly in the shoulder. “Good. Don’t be late.” Her eyes going hard. “You get me?”

Zathros took over his voice. “Yes ma’am!” Then speaking to Rider internally. ‘By the deepest pit, she is terrifying.’

Rider nodded as he watched her walk away. ‘I know. I grew up with that.’

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

8

Rider, as Nick, arrived home for dinner early. Zathros, after experiencing her focused ire, was not going to let them be late. They swung through Happytown and judged a drug dealer and pimp to satiate his hunger on the way. After dinner, Nick, Nick, and Judy retired to the study and a full police style interrogation commenced, with Nick Jr. and Zathros trading off who was the target.

Over the following few years, Nick as Lieutenant of the ZPD led his task force to take down many nasty mammals, murders, cults, three serial killers, a drug kingpin, and more. Although his mammals changed over time, he determined early on that those that worked for him for more than a short assignment, but were permanent members of the team, should know that not only was he in charge of Rider, but he was, Rider.

His reasoning being based on an event three months after he took over the task force and was Riders handler. They were performing a raid, but the intel was off, and there were a LOT more mammals present than expected and backup would not get there even remotely in time. Thus his team got to watch him transform and save their collective tails. After which a meeting in the dark, private corner of the 10-7 was required. After that, he decided, if you were going to be a permanent part of the team, after signing a non-disclosure, you got to learn the truth about Rider.

With that, Rider did well for himself, collecting enough souls to reduce his sentence to 65 years, having taken down a few lower demons, two additional serial killers, and recapturing dozens of escaped souls. He was actually a decade ahead of the game.

His current problem however was one that quickly got out of paw. He had discovered another collector. He had then, as Nick, stalked them, planning, and worked out an ambush. This was a very powerful, very high ranked collector. Working for a demon that was a direct competitor to Mephisto, but who had been at it a lot longer. Literally hundreds of years.

His ambush worked, but they were powerful, and while he had hurt the other collector, it had not been the decisive victory he’d hoped. Even Nick’s own demon wasn’t expecting it to fail. Thus, he found himself sailing through the air and then slamming into the asphalt in the middle of a major intersection. Groaning, he stood up. That punch had hurt, not really hurt him, but he definitely felt it. Creating a ring of hellfire around the intersection, driving mammals back, his opponent laughed.

“What’s the point of that?” walking through the ring as if it didn’t exist. “Hellfire cannot harm me.”

Rider shrugged and set himself. “Wasn’t for you. It’s to keep the locals back from us. Can’t claim a soul for our masters if they die as collateral damage. Right?”

“Fair point. Not that I really care. You and your soul is what I care about, the rest of these ants are nothing compared to that. For how short a time you have been at it, you have been fabulously successful at it. Bagging you will move my master up a full two ranks.”

With that the other collector charged forward, flaming claws flashing and deflected by Riders chains. They were a tiger and nearly twice Rider’s size, both an advantage and drawback, given that they were otherwise equal in all other ways. Rider stepped inside the swipe with a double axe handle strike turned uppercut, knocking the other off their feet and into the air. Before they could land, his chains impaled them from a dozen different directions. Wrapping around light poles or anchoring into the street to keep them suspended. Hellfire flaring down the chains and into the body of the other collector.”

Laughing, the other collector struggled to free themselves. “Again with the hellfire? It doesn’t hurt me any more than it does you. And being impaled on your chains only inconveniences me. You seem to not understand our nature.” Rider chuckled but said nothing. He wasn’t going to give away his strategy. He just kept up the assault, another chain wrapping around the others chest and constricting like a snake. “There is no point to this. You cannot destroy me.”

Finally ripping the chains from his opponent violently. “It’s not about destroying you. You’re not worth much of anything to me, destroyed. Well, you are, but not nearly as much as claiming you would be.”

“You think you are going to be able to do that? You’re more a fool than my master thought. We knew you were following us. You cannot cover up the scent of hell.”

“Wasn’t trying to. Now then, are you ready to yield?”

The other laughed. “You think you can claim me? Krath? Demon of Rage? Master of the Dark flame?”

“Actually… Yes.” Stepping forward. “I think I already have.”

The other tried to stand, only to fall to their knees, then falling back, landing on their tail. “What? How are you able to do this? You cannot defeat me, and where is the rage that fuels me?”

Rider chuckled. “Funny thing about that. I have learned that the old guard like yourself really don’t understand the rules nearly as much as you seem to think you do.” Pulling what appeared to be a tranq dart from the tigers leg, although it’s appearance seemed wrong, infernal somehow. “You all rely on your power only, but never learned to truly use it. You are a blunt instrument, effective but limited.”

Rider lifted the tiger off the ground, growing in size to match. “I hereby claim you, Krath Felic Groootell, in the name of my master, Mephisto. You now serve him, and all those souls claimed and marked by you, now below to him.”

Rider opened his mouth far wider than should be possible, the skeletal jaw clearly dislocating like a snake. Hellfire erupted from his mouth enveloping the tiger, clawing at him and pulling the demon out of the body and down Riders gullet. The demon screaming and howling as he was consumed.

Finally, the withered body of a tiger, literally hundreds of years old was all that was left, riddled with holes and injuries taken over the centuries, the most recent and openly dripping blood, those that were caused by Riders chains. The tiger gasped and shook as Rider laid him down gently.

Looking up at Rider he manages to smile. “Thank you. My soul may now be headed for hell, but at least I know what I have in store, and I will no longer be tortured by that demon.”

Rider nodded. “Really sorry about that.” The ring of hellfire going out and mammals beyond it all holding up their phones. “I knew he wasn’t maintaining the body, just using it as a tool.”

Coughing up blood. “I’m not long for this world. May I see the true face of my savior?”

Rider transformed into Nick. “Nick WildeHopps. Nice to meet you.” Then turned back into Rider again. Zathros speaking. “Not to worry. I claim as my right your soul. Your reasons for your deal were just as righteous as my hosts. You have suffered for that choice long enough. Take my brand, willingly.”

The tiger nodded and Rider reached down, the hellfire flaring and searing a brand into the tiger's forehead. The tiger gasped one last time and then collapsed. Laying their head down gently, Rider stood up as ZPD officers, ZFD ambulance, etc… arrived. Looking up, Rider noticed the almost literal hundred plus mammals standing just outside the slightly scorched ring that the Hellfire created, and every single one of them with their phone out and pointed at him. He cursed internally, loudly, and with gusto. Even his demon flinched.

A ZPD sergeant walked up. “Rider…” Looking around and the damage to the street. “What the actual rutting fuck happened here?”

Rider chuckled. “Taking down someone similar to myself, only far less civilized and who has been terrorizing mammalian civilization for about five centuries. I’m possessed by a demon, or spirit of vengeance. His was one of Rage, and embraced just that. He cultivated gangs and drove mammals to be their worst. The Ragel, North 13, and Grunheil gangs are not all. I’ll admit, it got a bit out of paw, but he’s been around for over five hundred years, so not an easy mark.”

Looking down at the very ancient appearing tiger. “How can he give you a fight?”

“Because he was possessed by a demon, just as I am. It was the demon that was the power, the body of this poor mammal was just the vessel, and as you can see, the demon couldn’t be bothered to properly heal or maintain the body.”

“Wait, do you mean that you’re immortal?”

“No. Not in the way you imply. My demon, unlike his, actually does heal me when I’m hurt, because a healthy host is, well… Stronger and better able to do the job. His demon didn’t understand or care, thus what you see. I used that to my advantage, further damaging the body until it couldn’t continue, thus weakening the demon and allowing me to vanquish it.”

“Yeah, you’re gonna need to write up a report on that.”

Rider nodded, then frowned as one of the officers ran up with their phone out. “Yeah, kinda assumed that.” Then addressing the officer. “I’m going to guess the video of this whole thing is online already?”

The officer nodded. “Uhm… Yes sir. Lieutenant. Sir.”

Rider shook his head and sagged. “Just Rider, while I look like this, okay?” The officer nodded as the sergeant took the phone and watched the video, several times, eyes getting wider with each viewing. Then looking up at Rider in clear shock and confusion. Riders flaming ears folding back until they vanished into the flames of the rest of his head. “Just Rider. At least like this.”

Nodding, the sergeant returned the officer's phone. “Yeah. Well, the video showed just what you were fighting before you vanquished him, as you said. I wonder why you showed yourself though?”

“Last request of a dying mammal that has spent the last half millenia tortured every second of that time by a demon possessing their body. Their reasons for making the deal were honorable enough that my demon, one of vengeance and righteousness, yeah it’s a thing, felt them worthy of being claimed by him personally. For someone whose soul is headed that direction, there could be a lot worse things to have happen.”

“I’ll take your word for it. So what now?”

“I kinda gave you my verbal report, and you have the video. I guess I will head to the precinct and put in my report. See if I can get that done before the Chief …”

Over the radio the voice of a very angry Chief Wolford sounded. “Whoever can hear this, tell Rider to get his flaming tail in my office, YESTERDAY!!”

Rider chuckled darkly, looking down. “Well, so much for that idea. I guess I'll be reporting to the Chief first.”

“Sounds like it. I do not envy you.” The other officers all flinched in response to the voice over their radios and then glancing in sympathy at Rider.

Rider’s demonically possessed bike arrived at that point, rolling through the barricades and coming to a stop next to him. He mounted the bike and with a two fingered salute rode off towards Precinct One.

Arriving at Precinct One a few minutes later, he parked in the officer parking garage and entered the Precinct. Officers who had grown to know him in both his capacities now looking at him in a mixture of shock and confusion. Finally stopping in the middle of the squad room he looked around. “What? Secret identities are not secret if everyone knows who you are.”

Some mumbles of understanding followed that and fewer looked at him with suspicion. One voice echoing out. “I knew it! I won the pool! YES!!!”

Rolling his eyes, Rider shook his head and finished making his way the chief’s office. He didn’t need to knock, as the door was open. His supervisor as Lt. WildeHopps already in the room, along with the mayor, assistant mayor, and two senior city council members. Wolford indicated the chair in the center of the rest of the mammals, which Rider stood in front of but otherwise waited. Lizz closed the door and locked it. Turning she shook her head. “Sit down.”

Rider looked over at her and nodded, then did as such. Looking over the assembly again, he turned his attention to Wolford. “It was inevitable, sir. We know that when this whole thing started. Most of the senior squad already knew anyway, as well as all full time members of my team.”

Wolford nodded. “Which is what I was explaining to the council members here. That the mayor knew that it was an officer in this precinct already, though not who for the protection of themselves and their families. That is why The Rider, even before, had always seemed to walk the very fine line of legal versus true vigilantism.”

The wolf council member growled. “Yet here we are, with you exposed. Now what? Your family is in danger now. You’ve painted targets on your fellow officers. Let alone the optics for the city.”

Rider rolled his eyes. “Depending on how you, council mammal, react to it. If you over-react and panic. Put out obviously oblivious statements condemning and calling for all sorts of stupidity, investigations, etc… Then yeah, the optics will be terrible, and that will be caused by you. My family has known that I would eventually be exposed as Rider, and have planned accordingly. I’ll remind you who my mother is. Mephisto himself tried to intimidate her. Once. It did not go well for him, a senior duke of hell, I might add. And, consider her as well when you start making statements and such.

Your panicked reactions in this room make me wonder what kind of stupid, unthinking response you have already given the media. You didn’t bother to wait until you heard from the chief, did you? You didn’t bother to find out if contingencies were already in place? Surely upon learning my non-demonic identity, you thought that maybe, just maybe, some forethought had been given? Or did you even bother to question that at all?”

Seeing the look on both council members' faces Rider laughed. “Oh. It’s even worse than that. You made some wild assumption about who in the ZPD I am, and haven’t even bothered to check on who I actually am. So your statement looks even dumber now.” Turning to the chief. “I assume that the presser is already being put together?”

Chief Wolford nodded. “We’ll let the council members speak last, so they can try and clean up the mess they have made. They’re also the only ones that did make a statement, the rest of the council had enough sense to only state that they were looking into the video and had no comment at that time.”

The boar council member snorted and glared at the wolf. “You moron! I told you making any statement was premature, that we needed to learn more first. But no, you had to jump out with that reactionary statement. I agreed with it in principle, at the time and with only the information we had, we still should have waited. Now we are going to look like complete idiots.”

The wolf turned to the chief. “You will be letting us speak first, not last at this presser, or you can forget about any of the funding you are counting on.”

The chief laughed. “Nope. It’s my press conference, and make another threat like that and you can organize your own.” Glancing to the other council member.

The boar shook his head. “Hell no. I’ll speak at the end, I just signed onto the statement, I can spin it easy enough. If anything, speaking at the end for me is best.”

The chief nodded with a grin at the other wolf. “You’re not my alpha, as I am the Wolford pack Alpha. You are also not a member of my pack and therefore have no influence over me, nor are you even the alpha or a council member of your own pack. Your authority is only that of a city council member, and a single voice at that. I suspect you are going to find yourself standing alone. You were already unpopular due to your reactionary stance on things and tendency to jump to wild conclusions and conspiracy theories.”

The mayor nodded. “I think this little episode will pretty much end your chances of reelection. Might help you though, Jacobs, if you can spin it right.” Indicating the boar.

The boar nodded. “Yeah, I’ve already got a plan for how to spin this. I’ll tweak it as the presser goes.”

Chief Wolford sighed. “Very well. Council mammal Helkit, will you be joining us at the end, or?”

Rather than responding, the wolf stormed out, then quickly rushed down to where the press conference was being set up in the Precinct lobby. The press getting wonderful pictures of him screaming at several officers that were preventing him from getting up on the dias, as well as the wild threats and specisit epitaphs levied at them.

Chief Wolford let Lizz, Rider, Council Mammal Jacobs, the rest of the city council, along with the mayor and assistant mayor. Approaching the microphones, Chief Wolford waited for the press corps to go quiet. “Thank you. Myself, the Mayor, the city Council, and Rider himself will all have statements. We will not be taking questions until the end, so let's all behave ourselves and hold those questions until the actual questions section.”

Getting silent nods from the press corps, Wolford took a deep breath. “First, let me address the video. Yes, we. That being ZPD leadership, have known the non-flaming identity of Rider from the very beginning. It is the very reason why even before he became the far more public version of himself, that he never actually crossed the line into true, law breaking, vigilantism. Reporting at the time to myself and his supervisor at the time.

When his notoriety grew too large, it was decided to take the path we did, have him, as Rider, become what you have all known him as. Placing Rider under the apparent supervision of himself was a bit of misdirection. He in fact continued to report to his supervisor and myself, in both of his capacities. Our jobs to make sure he stayed on the correct side of the law, while also allowing us, and him, to leverage his abilities as The Rider, to help make the city a safer place for all mammals.

The knowledge of his identity was kept to only the very few that needed to know, and while the mayor knew that rider was an active Officer, given that the mayor, assistant mayor, and city council change over periodically, and the likelihood that someone, such as council member Helkip would try and use that knowledge to their political gain, the actual identity of Rider was kept secret.

Anyone that has already read council mammal Helkit’s statement can tell that he never bothered to read even the most basic of briefings on the ZPD or Rider. Not that I expect that surprises anyone. Nor did he bother to watch the video at all, let alone in its entirety, in order to actually know what he was talking about when he spoke. I’ll now invite Lieutenant WildeHopps and Rider’s actual supervisor, Captain Elizabath Fangmeyer up.”

Lizz stepped forward. “As the Chief stated, knowledge of who Rider was, was known from the start. When he became Rider, he approached the Chief for fear that he would be precluded from being an officer, given such a condition. I’ll not go into his needs as The Rider, only that they exist, and careful monitoring and communication was kept in place between then Officer WildeHopps, Chief Wolford, myself, and the officers assigned supervisor, as Rider, at the time.

As the Chief also stated. When his presence in the city ceased being a wild rumor and became a fact, the decision was made to alter the way the relationship was portrayed. The incident with the cult at the time simply provided a simple vehicle for us to use to effect that change in state.

At all times, ZPD legal and the prosecutors office was aware of the goings on, if not the identity of Rider, to ensure that prosecutions and arrests were beyond question. Thus through careful oversight, Second Lieutenant WildeHopps was able to grow as an officer, protect the city as said officer, and as the entity known as Rider. If anything, he was under greater scrutiny than any other officer in the ZPD for this reason, given his dual roles.

All of that was taken into account to protect his family and his identity, because we all know that multiple attempts have already been made on the WildeHopps family, and that only the past few hours since the video went viral online. However, because of the secrecy we were able to maintain, they were able to take the needed precautions. Besides, his mother is Judy HoppsWilde. Only a damn idiot would go after that rabbit and her family, even now. I’ll now invite Council mammal Jacobs up.”

Council mammal Jacobs stepped forward. “Thank you, Captain. Chief. I admit, I signed onto Helkit’s statement before I had all the facts, and at the time, before gaining more information, I felt that was reasonable. Now that I understand the full situation, and the careful care that the ZPD leadership has shown in this situation, as well as Lieutenant WildeHopps own care in action and deed as both Rider and in his capacity within the ZPD. I find myself regretting signing onto that statement and wish to retract my agreement with it.

While certainly more conservative than most of my fellows, I should have known better than to sign off on a statement with a reactionary mammal such as Helkit. Just because it seemed reasonable in the moment, does not mean, once all the facts are in, will that same sentiment remain reasonable or even remotely correct. As such, I apologize to the ZPD, Rider, the council, mayor, my constituents, and the city as a whole, for my lapse in judgment. Thank you.”

Stepping back, one of the other council members stepped forward, a white tailed deer buck with a very impressive rack. “Thank you for that, member Jacobs. The council was aware that Rider was an officer during their regular life, and was under very strict scrutiny and supervision in both aspects of their life for that reason. Now that their identity has been revealed in that video, one that is equal parts shocking, amazing, and heartwarming. Given that he revealed himself, exposing himself to the world in order to fulfill the dying wish of the mammal he essentially saved from centuries of demonic possession.

Given all that, the ZPD has now read the council in on the level of supervision and scrutiny he has been under, and I for one am quite surprised he was able to weather such. Every action he took was scrutinized and analyzed to ensure that it would never trip over the law, or place a prosecution in jeopardy. Most actions he took as Rider were examined, discussed, and planned out before he took said action, to ensure the same. As such, I believe the ZPD leadership, and Rider himself have proven themselves far more trustworthy than we have often given them credit for. Thank you.” He then stepped back.

Rider then stepped up to the microphones. “Thank you council mammal Grazer. The reasons why my other identity, that day to day mammal that I am, was kept secret is pretty obvious at this point, and covered well by the Chief, Captain, and Council members. So I will address the events of today that bring us here. The being I fought today was a being much as myself. A mammal possessed by a demon, in his case, a senior demon of rage. He was possessed by that demon over five hundred years ago, and in that time has twisted and condemned the souls of countless mammals. Not just those that were evil to begin with, but actually, actively sought to corrupt mammals who he could then claim for his master.

As stated at the very beginning. While I do this as well, the demon that possesses me is one of vengeance and righteousness. Given that, corrupting a mammal just to claim their soul is antithetical to their nature. One of our jobs therefore, and this is partially self appointed, is to take down such beings. Not that there be only one of us in the world, but to stop them from bending the rules, if you will.

What you saw in that video is me vanquishing the demon that possessed that poor mammal for all those centuries. Once vanquished, his literal age, along with all the damage done to his body that the demon never bothered to heal properly, something he very much could have done, caught up with him. He, as a last act, asked to see the true face, my face, of his savior. During all those centuries, he was tortured every second by the demon that possessed him.

His reason for agreeing to become that which you watched me fight was to save his daughter who was dying of starvation. You all know well why, if you pay any attention to history at all. So let us not go there. So that is what happened. The damage to the city I regret, but know that there are four very violent gangs in the city now without a leader, the gang unit taking action as we speak to inflict further blows to those gangs.

All of this organized before I acted, in coordination with Chief Wolford and Captain Fangmeyer. The fact is, he was simply more powerful and expecting me, so while my initial attack did damage, it wasn’t enough to take him down. Thus the fight you witness in the video being the culmination of about three hours of combat between the two of us. What you see is the end of the fight, not the entirety of it.”

Rider stepped back and Chief Wolford stepped up again. “Okay. Questions?”

The press glanced at each other then back up at the podium. One mammal lifting a paw. “So… All this time, you’ve known who Rider was and carefully supervised his actions? Basically the ZPD has had a super powered, demon possessed, officer on the payroll and has been using this fact to what? Terrorize the criminal element?”

Chief Wolford laughed. “Well, if the criminal element was terrorized, then so be it. Not all that worried about them being scared. If they were, then great. I would hope that would hold their paw somewhat. Now that this secret is out, the relationship as mentioned before changes again slightly. He will continue to act as he has, under the direct supervision and review of the ZPD leadership. He will act as an officer to the highest standards of the ZPD as he has up to this point, and is the reason he holds the rank he does.

The only difference being, he doesn’t need to worry anymore about when he shifts from one to the other, such as during a drug raid. I expect he will simply go in as Rider, providing extra protection for the ZPD officers that will follow him into such a situation. That said, he is still only one mammal, and cannot be everywhere at once. So the ZPD will continue to operate as it has. We will not become complacent, just as we have not up to this point.”

The rest of the questions were just verifications of the information, some questions about past events Rider was involved in and how the ZPD leadership could justify X or Y situation, being quickly shut down as the reporter taking things out of the context of the events or deliberately trying to inflate things. 

Council mammal Helkit held his own press conference, full of ever increasingly wild claims that even those more fringe publications that would usually listen to and agree with him without question, even supporting him, couldn’t bring themselves to publish. A few weeks later, he was recalled through a referendum in his district and replaced with a mammal who, while still conservative, was not diving deeper and deeper into clear mental illness. When the story about Helkit being taken away for evaluation by the state mental health system, was almost a non-story and greeted with an, about time, attitude by most mammals.

After the initial shock wore off, and the fact that other than the video, no one ever saw Nick transform into Rider, the typical denialist sorts kicked into high gear. They tore apart the video, the fact that the street sign was not clear, the shakiness of the video, even the seeming absurdity of flaming chains that seemed to move at Rider's whim. Never mind the fact that it was a video taken on a mammal's phone, which was several years old and didn’t have any stabilization tech for the camera. That said mammal also openly admitted to not having the steadiest of paws, and the fact that they were essentially filming two demons throwing down in the middle of the street.

None of that matters to the conspiracy mammals, and quickly Rider, Nick, and the entire situation was out of the news cycle. As far as most mammals in the city were concerned, the ZPD knew about it and had it under control. The council and the mayor were on board, so it quickly became a nothing burger. Nick or Rider, or both, would occasionally make the news, but simply as a point of note because they took down some major bad guy. Otherwise, save showing up at schools for don’t do drugs presentations, or guest starring on a season of Scared Straight, no one cared.

Though he was asked back for a second season, Rider refused. His season was the truly most successful, but he was away from the ZPD for nearly six months. He was also prevented from feeding because the entire point was to drive the young mammals on the show to fix themselves. Having a demon who can read your soul and tell you exactly what you have done and where that is going to land you, is really all that was needed.

Chapter Text

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9

Four years after Rider was exposed, Nick as Rider was exiting a drug den. His demon, Zathros, quite fully satisfied. The drug users were all terrified and promising to seek help, every one of them taking a card to the ZPD drug treatment and intervention program. Something proposed by Nick’s brother after the family helped him get over a drug problem he developed while on an undercover operation.

The dealers, the pimp that was working to recruit the users. They were branded for Mephisto, and then each given a little bit of the penance stare. Enough to feed the demon, but not leave them useless vegetables. Though they wouldn’t be recovering for a few days, by which point they would be found by the drug task force. The number of them was more than enough to satisfy Nick’s demon, despite only taking smaller bites, just nibbling on each, as it were..

Standing outside the drug den and lighting a cigarette with a fingertip of hellfire, Nick groaned. Turning he watched as the shadows coalesced into Mephisto. “What do you want? Come to update me on my current sentence?”

Mephisto nodded with his unnatural grin. “Actually, yes. That is one of the reasons I am here. I’m also here to offer you a modification of our deal.”

Ears perking forward as he took a drag, Nick nodded. “I’m listening.”

“So, you have done very well. Better than any collector, ever. I suppose it is the motivation that you have the chance to earn your freedom early. At all, really. Something I think I will use in the future. You are quite the enigma though. Anyway, you are down to a mere fourty years. A good twenty years ahead of the game. I’m however looking at some information recently discovered by some thralls of mine as they dug through some very ancient archives. That information leads to a contract signed by an entire town. Some of the most twisted mammals, or beings, really, in the universe. So twisted that their evil was enough to make even demons such as myself blush.

I want that contract, and with it the power that comes with such souls. Souls that dark, that twisted, that power hungry, will serve me in my own efforts quite well, just as your efforts up to this point have accelerated my plans with the souls you have claimed for me, by actual full centuries. Like I said, you have been beyond successful. I actually almost hate to release you, you are that good. However, a deal is a deal.

So, here is what I propose. Obtain for me the contract of the town of San Bengalis and I will return your soul free and clear at that point, your service to me ended. The value of that contract in fact likely exceeds the forty years you still have on you. Fail, and you continue working for me for another century.”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “That sounds nice, but being able to fail implies a timeframe. How long are you giving me to locate this, and what information are you giving me to point me in the right direction?”

“As astute as ever.” Mephisto nodded, his grin only widening. “I’m actually going to tell you exactly where the town is. The contract is somewhere in the town. You just have to find it. I’ll also give you until dawn, one week from now.”

“Okay, that’s the time frame, but not the where. What point would it be to agree to this modification of the deal if this town is in the wastes, three weeks travel from here. I’d lose this bargain before I even had the chance to try.”

Mephisto frowned for a moment. “You trust me so little? Never mind, of course you don’t. It’s fair. I would do such a thing, but no. It is only a nights ride from here, although it is in what you refer to as the wastes. There are mammals there that have rejected your civilization.”

“So this is one of those old frontier towns then. Fine.” Nick thought internally. ‘Well? Think we can pull it off?’

Zathros responded. ‘Can we pull it off, yes. We should be able to sense such an evil document easily enough. Mephisto can only want this to help him form an army. Such souls would be good for no other such thing. I expect he means to move up in stature, and to do that, he has to knock off one of those above him. You helped him when you took down his immediate rival. When we stopped the tiger and turned all the souls attributed to him to Mephisto, it essentially collapsed her power base. They’d essentially based their entire power structure on what they had gained from him.

Since then, Mephisto has been able to concentrate in his drive to gain more power, rather than holding onto it. That is my concern. Although, depending on who he knocks off, it could in the long run benefit the multiverse.’

Nick nodded mentally. ‘Mephisto, despite everything, is generally honorable. I’m sure there are far worse out there.’

‘Without question. This is your soul on the line, your continued enslavement to him if you agree.’

Nick nodded, his attention returning to Mephisto. “You have a deal.”

Mephisto’s grin went beyond anything before, his head all but split in half by it. “Excellent!” Shaking Nick’s paw. I’ll see you there.” Handing Nick a map and vanishing.

Nick opened the map and looked it over, seeing where the town was indicated, he took a few moments to determine where Zootopia was. “Well, there is an advantage. Due to the mountains, dawn will be much later in San Bengalis than here in Zootopia. That’s the only good news, this is in the heart of the wilds. I didn’t even know that there was a town there. We will leave tonight. I’m going to prepare. We’ll need weapons, ammunition, food, water, and more importantly, a more recent map.” He only got a cautious acknowledgement from Zathros. “Don’t worry Zath. We talked about this. I’m not going back out on that. No matter what.”

Heading into work, Nick scanned the document into the system and set a program to match the map Mephisto gave him to current satellite maps in order to pinpoint the location, as well as identify anything in the records about it. He then pinned it to one of their empty boards to look at while he started making a list of things he would need. As he was getting ready to make a call to make sure he had everything ready, one of his subordinates came in.

“Hey, boss. We still haven’t gotten any hits on that wiretap. Any suggestions?”

Nick looked up at the wolf and smiled. “Hmm… This is the Jaksoon conspiracy case, right?”

“Yep, that’s the one. I still don’t know how you manage to keep it all straight.”

“I blame my mom and dad. Drilled us with all sorts of mental and physical exercises. They were worried we’d be bullied and didn’t want us to get hurt too badly. Keep our grades up while also fending off mammals. Anyway. We know there is a leak in the department, it’s part of why we’re on the case. So… Keep monitoring it, but let slip to the mammal we suspect the most that the tap has expired. We both know it won’t, but no one but you, me, and the judge knows that.”

Smiling with a nod. “I see. They’re not using the tapped line because they know we’re listening. Well, I mean, they’re using it, but not for anything we want to hear.”

“Exactly. Give it a few weeks, if nothing changes, let it slip to the next mammal, and so on. Eventually they’ll start using it. Either because one of those we suspect told them, or they figure they’ve waited us out. It’s a literal game of patience on that one.”

“Got it. So what new craziness are you working on? This one looks like it’ll deal with another cult.”

Nick chuckled. “I wish. No, this one is the real deal. Got the map from Mephisto. There is something there he wants. Something that if I can get it, will clear my ledger, but if I can’t, I’ll be stuck working for him for an extra century.”

Eyes going wide. “Wait? You’re telling me that you really sold your soul. That isn’t just a some line to haze the new guys?”

Transforming, Nick, now Rider shook his head. “Nope. Very real.”

The wolf just looked at him in a mixture of terror and confusion, but otherwise didn’t move. Lizz stepped into the office and noticed this. “I think you broke the new guy.”

“Yeah, he thought that the whole sold my soul, possessed by a demon thing was a bit of hazing.”

Chuckling, Lizz shook her head. “Well, I’m sure he will get over it shortly. Now, the reason for my visit. Your map match came back, along with the search for items of interest in that area. It got flagged to me and the Chief and won’t be released to you unless we authorize it. What in the name of everything holy and not, are you wanting information on the wilds, that specific area, and San Bengalis specifically? Do you have any idea what happened in that area?”

Nick shook his head and he looked up at Lizz. “Nope. I know that there is something there that Mephisto wants, and if I can get it for him, I’ll be free of him. If I don’t, then I have to work for him for another century. So… While Zath isn’t hot on the idea due to the politics of hell and all that. Something about turning souls into soldiers for a war. It doesn’t really affect this plane.”

Lizz looked at Nick for several moments before her eyes went wide as she confirmed that, yes, he was serious. “Oh… Wow. So, yeah. Things that went down in San Bengalis included kit sacrifice the likes of which the cults you have put down over the last few years can only wish to be like. The small town that it was, about five hundred mammals of them medium to large variety, both predator and prey, would sacrifice their own young, eating them according to some of the reports. 

I only skimmed some of what came in from your query, but it's some horrific stuff, and even then most of the information is even redacted from me to view.. To be honest, if it wasn’t you that put this request in, I’d have had you put in lockup while we tried to figure this out. There are notes that its existence was very deliberately scrubbed from any history texts, etc… It was on the surface, the ideal, like Zootopia wants to be. Only…”

“Only, while Zootopia wants to be that and tries to get there. That place was only on the surface, hiding absolute horrors. Yeah, I kinda figured that if an entire town signed onto a contract of some kind. One that no demon up to this point has had the stones to call in. The more I know, the better then. So I know what I’m getting myself into.”

Lizz nodded. “If it were anyone but you, I would still say no. You’ll have to view it in the archives, and only after both the Chief and I put in our creds to unlock it. And it is all logged. Something about the last mammal that went there came back and went stark raving mad. He was a goat, he started eating like a, well… Me. And when that didn’t seem to be enough, he went on a murder spree and ate his kills.”

Nick shivered. “Yeah, that’s no bueno. Still, I need this information. I need to head out tonight. It’s at least a day's ride away, and I only have until dawn a week from this morning to find what I need.”

Lizz nodded and motioned for Nick to follow. An hour later and a repeat conversation and explanation, Nick was sitting in front of the secure terminal the full, unredacted, data was located on, which was inside a faraday cage and had a small power generated inside to provide power for the system. There were certain files that were deemed too dangerous to be accessed otherwise, and even then, so long as the power generator was running, the cage remained sealed. Only with the generator off would the magnetic locks release.

After going over the files on San Bengalis, Nick felt like he wanted to be sick. Feeling Zathros chuckle darkly inside his head. “What? You knew all that already, and probably more as well.”

“I did. It was in fact worse than those reports suggest. The town was actually established three centuries earlier, and the contract we’re after is one of the founding documents. It applied to all residents, and each time a new resident reached the age of consent, a mere twelve in those days, they either got to sign it, or were sacrificed. It was an escapee, as you read, that brought an end to the town, and even then it took twenty years. The number of souls that contract represents, and the evil they reflect. Just one would keep me fed for a millenia.”

Nick nodded. “I see. Well, we shall just have to see what happens.”

Zathros twitched inside Nick’s head. “You’re planning something. What are you keeping from me?”

“Just a thought. Nothing planned really. I believe that planning is a bad thing when demons like Mephisto are concerned. Rolling with the punches is the only way to pull it off.”

“This is a true statement.”

Nick checked to see if he had missed anything, taking the map print outs into a secure folder, he then shut down the computer and the power unit. After five minutes of waiting, the capacitors finally drained and the magnetic locks disengaged. Exiting the cage, the Chief then locked it up again using a one of a kind lock that included a six sided key to engage a collection of permanent magnets and two inch hardened steel bolts. It would be simpler to just cut into the cage itself. Although doing that would sever the circuits hidden within the cage walls. When that happens, the power unit would turn on, electrifying the cage with enough energy to put down an elephant while simultaneously activating a physical destruction of the computer hard drives with a thermite charge.

Once back in his office, Nick compared the maps he had now in his possession against the map provided by Mephisto. He then compared those to the satellite maps of the area. Once he had memorized the lay of the land currently against what was there in the past, including building locations and designations, he created his own map based on the satellite maps, adding notations from the older maps, including a planned path to the town.

He then mapped out a trip there. He would be deep in the wilds. The closest bit of civilization was a small town just off the intercity connection. His fastest way would be to go inland from that town, and use the intercity connection to get there. It would be much slower going once he got there. He could see some old logging roads on the satellite images that would get him closer, but the last bit of the trek would be pure off-roading.

No matter what way he looked at it, it was going to be a long, hard, trek. With that, he collected the maps and such into a protective folder, along with his notes. He then left the precinct. He was going to need supplies that he would not normally need, and there was only one mammal in the city he could get those from. He had already told the Chief he’d be making a visit, and Wolford, given everything else, knew better than to ask any question he didn’t want to know the answers to.

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

10

An hour after leaving the precinct, and having changed into his riding gear, Nick arrived at a large Tundra town mansion. The polar bear at the gate smiled down at him. “Well, hello. What can we do for you?”

Nick smiled up at the bear, taking his helmet off. “Hey Koz. I need to see Auntie Fru. I need to ask a favor, as myself.”

Looking down at him seriously. “You sure about that, Nikky?”

Nick nodded. “In this case, yes. This is the only way I can get what I need in the short timeframe that I have.”

The bear nodded. “As long as you are sure about that. I wouldn’t stop you from seeing her, but if you are going to be asking a favor, make sure it isn’t something that you’ll regret later.”

“It may just make it possible for me to be free of my contract by the end of the week. So, there is a lot worth that.”

Surprised, the bear nodded as he lifted the gate. “I imagine that might be worth quite a bit. Good luck.”

“Thanks Koz.” With that, Nick drove into the compound and parked his bike under cover near the door. As he approached, the door opened and a smartly dressed badger appeared.

Master Nicholas, always a pleasure. Your auntie is in her study.”

Nick nodded. “Thank you Jacob.”

A few hallways later, Nick knocked on a door and then opened it, entering the large room with a smaller room mirroring the larger one, set up on a table in the center. The older, but still high pitched voice of his auntie Fru sounding from the table. “Nicky! What brings you here today? Is there a problem?”

Nick smiled warmly. “Hi auntie. I wish this were only a social call, but I wouldn’t say that there is a problem. In fact, I am here to ask a favor of you, and I am willing to offer quite a bit. You see. Mephisto, the demon with whom I made the deal. He wants something that I can retrieve for him. If I succeed, I will clear my contract with him in full. If I fail, I have to work for him for an additional century.”

“Oh my! Have you told your mother?”

Nick shook his head. “Absolutely not. She’d want to come with me, same with dad, or anyone else. Heck, I expect you are going to try and make me take someone else with me, and I’m telling you now, that’s not happening. Not after what I read. I’m going to a place called San Bengalis.” Seeing Fru flinch at the name. “I see you know the name, and as such, you’ll understand why I have told very few and plan to keep it that way. At least until I return, successful or otherwise. I need to leave tonight to give myself enough time to get there and find what he wants.”

Fru nodded. “Yes, I know the name. I won’t try and talk you out of this, as I understand why. I can only pray that you succeed.”

“I appreciate that.”

“So what is it that you need so quickly that you come to me, asking favors?”

“I need weapons, of the lethal variety beyond my own weapon. A shot gun, and other things, and the ammunition to go with it, along with a pack to carry it all in. I also need other equipment as I will be in the wilds for the next week. I come to you, because I need to leave by tonight. Sooner is better and it is already late afternoon.”

Fru Fru nodded. “Ah. That makes more sense then. So what are you offering?”

“Considering the ask, I’m not sure what this will cost me. I can offer information, but we both know you already have your own sources in the ZPD. The best I can do is offer something as Rider. You know I won’t kill, but I can certainly see my way to pissing off Chief Wolford by taking down a rival or such for you. I expect there would be plenty of opportunity for my demon to feed while I was at it. SO a win-win?”

Fru Fru nodded with a laugh. “While that is tempting. I will only ask that you make sure your mother visits me. We haven’t talked in over a year. So you drag her here, kicking and screaming if you must, and I’ll call us even.”

Nick bowed deeply. “You are beyond generous Auntie. I will make sure that happens, whether mom wants it to or not. I suspect part of it is that they moved back to Bunnyburrow early last year. They’re getting old and the current head of the burrow took ill. So someone had to fill in, and you know mom.”

Fru Fru laughed. “AH! That most recent message I got from her makes sense now. I may just have to make a trip out there at some point, but I’ll still hold you to getting her here for dinner, soon.”

“You know you can count on me, auntie.”

“I know I can. Now, let's get you equipped for your trip. I really hope it is successful. You have done such good in this world given your circumstances. You deserve a reprieve.”

“Thank you, auntie”

From there, Fru Fru called upon a bear that had been standing silently in the back corner of the larger room. Carrying her, they led Nick through the mansion to sections the entire family knew existed, but no one but perhaps Nick Sr. had ever visited, given that he worked for the Bigs at one point.

Deep in the mansion they entered a more secure area and inside was an arsenal that would give some military armories, feelings of inadequacy. Nick could only whistle at the sight as Fru Fru laughed. “Well, here you go. Just make sure Ben catalogs everything you take, and good luck sweetie.”

Nick nodded. “I’ll be as careful as I can be.”

“I know you will.” With that, Fru Fru left, leaving Nick looking around.

His gaze finally falling on an arctic wolf sitting at a desk looking at him curiously. “You must be Ben. I really expected her to just lend me few things. I noticed her signal you. I take it that it isn’t a loan.”

Ben laughed. “Nope. Don’t know who you are, but she seems to like you.”

Nick laughed in return. “Nick WildeHopps. She’s my god-mother, amongst other things.”

With that Ben laughed harder. “Oh, wow. You’re one of the cops that are family, but not actually compromised, or you were. So, what do you need?”

“I’m heading into the wilds. Deep into the wilds, and I need a lot. I need multiple handguns, a shotgun, and a few other things, given I have basically free reign here. That said, I want everything to be clean. I’m not here as a cop, I’m here as someone who needs the content of this room quickly, but I also don’t want to have too many questions asked after this is all said and done. So, let's get to work.” Giving Ben a smile.

Ben shook his head and got up from his desk. “You’ll want that wall over there. Nothing there has ever been used outside of the range, and no, no one was at the other end of the range, save maybe the picture of a disliked mammal.”

Nick nodded. “Good to know.”

Over the next three hours, Nick selected an advanced backpack with storage for ammunition, most of his weapon selections, as well as new body armor, a long rifle, and other things. Although he looked over several options, including some stock Mouserman and Smiths and Weasel, in the end he went with all Black Phoenix Arms (BPA) equipment. Although BPA may have been new on the market, they were, simply put; the best, most reliable, and simplest to use. They also had weapons that were not just modified for his size class, but actually designed for his size class.

2 - BPA DarkFox-XL 9mm (Based loosely on the Sig Sauer P365XL)

1 - BPA JackRabbit 9mm (Based loosely on the S&W - M&P Shield)

1 - BPA DemonFox-R9 bullpup 9mm (Options for single shot and 3 round burst - Based loosely on the KEL TEC RFB)

1 - BPA BlackWolf SX20 bullpup semi-auto 20 gauge (based loosely on the Rock Island Armory VRBP-100)

6 - BPA medium+ mammal concussion grenades (30mm dia x 60mm length)

3 - BPA medium+ anti-personnel fragmentation grenades (30mm dia x 60mm length)

4 - BPA medium+ smoke grenades (30mm dia x 60mm length)

4 - BPA medium+ flash-bangs (30mm dia x 60mm length)

4 - BPA ARC explosive bricks (100mm x 70mm x 30mm - The ARC explosive is the same used in the grenades and is a factor of magnitude more powerful than C4, thus allowing the smaller size for medium+ designation of something otherwise so small.)

2 - BPA Hellfire incendiary explosives (100mm x 70mm x 30mm - Can hit 7000 degrees in optimal conditions, typically exceeds 6000)

10 - Remote and phone-app triggered detonators for ARC explosives

10 - Remote and phone-app triggered detonators for Hellfire incendiary

10 - 15 round mags for DarkFox-XL

4 - 30 round mags for DemonFox-R9

4 - 10 round mags for BlackWolf SX20

2 - 7 round mags for JackRabbit 

600 rounds - 9mm (400 - standard steel jacket, 100 - HVHE (ARC explosive), 50 - XXL (mega-fauna), 50 Armor piercing)

100 rounds - 20 gauge (40 - standard shot, 20 - flechette, 20 - ARC explosive fragmentation slug, 20 - BPA Hellfire tipped incendiary)

1 - thigh mounted tactical mag holder. (4 - DarkFox-XL mags, 2 - DemonFox mags, 2 - BlackWolf mags, 30 rounds 9mm, 20 rounds 20 gauge)

2 - belt holsters for DarkFox-XL mags (4 mags total)

1 - tactical thigh holster for DarkFox-XL

1 - over the tail holster for DarkFox-XL

1 - Ankle holster with spare mag for JackRabbit

1 - multi-tool with belt pouch

2 - tactical folding knives with spring assist, inner-lock, and pocket clip (1 partial serrated 1 smooth blade - based loosely on Tac-Force MT-A705BL)

2 - tanto style boot knife with sheath

2 - Titanium duty knife (based loosely off TAC OLL-OO5)

1 - Camping hatchet

1 - Machete/sword (based on United Cutlery Honshu Spartan Sword)

2 - Rechargeable Neck-reading light

2 - Rechargeable Multi-function 1000 lumen max, flashlight/spot-light with UV light, magnetic base, worklight, and emergency strobe functions

2 - Rechargeable 350 lumen pocket lights (OLIGHT I5R EOS 350)

6 - Batteries for the lights (Assumes all lights actually use the same battery)

4 - BPA Sparrow Micro-sentinel Drones with phone app. (Used for sentinel duty and recon - 5 hrs of flight time per charge)

2 - BPA Falcon Scout drone with weapon mounts (Used for recon and can be rigged to carry a weapon, such as a DarkFox-XL -- Flight time: 4 hrs, 3 hours with a weapon mounted)

2 - Solar charging power bank

2 weeks of predator food bars

1 set of Black Phoenix Arms tactical armor (Includes Chest, Arms, Legs, tail-base, tac-gloves, and boots)

3 pairs of reinforced cotton polymer weave, rip, claw, and knife stop, jeans

3 reinforced cotton polymer weave, rip, claw, and knife stop, long sleeve, shirts.

2 - BPA tactical red dot sights (1 for the BlackWolf and one for the DemonFox)

1 - BPA BlackHawk sniper scope for the DemonFox

4 sets of BPA ClearBlue flash suppressing shooting glasses (These are intelligent glasses with an internal LCD layer in the lenses that can black out for a fraction of a second when a sufficiently bright flash hits them and can tell the difference between high-beams and a flash-bang, allowing them to be worn at all times. They even have a sunglass setting and filtering for those same high-beams of oncoming traffic, and are polarized.)

4 sets of BPA Dull Roar, smart filter shooters ear-plugs with bluefang (Like the ClearBlue glasses, these are intelligent hearing protection. They react to noise based on settings in a phone app, providing better protection than over the ear units, while also letting you take calls, listen to music, and hear ambient noise while putting rounds down range.)

1 - BPA Mark 20Fx advanced fox sized tactical backpack with secure ammunition storage, solar panel to charge phones and other equipment, hydration pack with straw, etc…

1 - BPA Mark 35Fx compartmentalized tactical duffle to carry the additional ammunition, magazines, the DemonFox-R9, BlackWolf SX20, most of the food bars, his armor, and everything else.

1 - BPA DireWolf arctic blizzard rated medium mammal tent with self inflating floor, insect-guard mesh vents, rechargeable interior LED lights, and integrated support ribs and anchors. (Collapses to 50cm length x 10cm dia) and has integrated storage straps

//For those that are not aware, you use the UV light to locate things like scorpions in your tent before you zip up and go to sleep. They glow quite nicely, but also not something you want to sleep with.//

Once everything was packed up and signed for, Ben looked it back over and shook his head. “Damn. You act like you’re going to war.”

“I’m going somewhere that was carefully wiped from the history books. The only information really available on it can only be accessed by the Chief of police via a secure and isolated data terminal, because of what happened there. It’s more than a day's ride from here and a good eight hours into the wilds from the nearest small town along the Intercity. I’m going so deep there will be no backup unless someone sends in the military. There are a lot of things out there, and while I might be one of those things that go bump in the night, I prefer to be the one that does the bumping.”

Ben nodded. “Fair point. Good luck. You’ll have to tell me if you run into any giant intelligent snakes or apes.”

Nick laughed and nodded. “I’ll do that and try to get pictures too.” They shared a chuckle as Nick put on the backpack and slung the fully loaded duffle, getting a surprised look from Ben, given the weight seemed to be almost ignored by the fox. With that, Nick left. All the weapons stored in the backpack and duffle, as well as all the holsters and such. He’d put things in place once he got outside the city limits. Getting on the highway, he pulled up his phone on bluefang and started making calls. Last thing he needed was his phone going off unnecessarily while he was out in the wilds.

After three rings, the line picked up. “Okay, Nick. Why are you calling?”

“Hey, Chief. Just letting you know that I’m heading out of the city now. I have picked up the equipment and supplies I wanted. So if I get stopped, I do hope you’ll cover and explain that I do have the right and permission to be carrying what I’m carrying.”

Wolford groaned. “I’m literally terrified to find out what you are now carrying. You are leaving the city with it, yes?”

Nick chuckled. “I am. Nothing too crazy, considering where I am going. Although I did splurge on a few things. I can assure you that it is all clean, and as legal, for most of it, as possible. I’m keeping my badge with me, but just in case you get a call to confirm.”

Wolford gave a long tired sigh. “Okay, anything specific I should know about. Explosives, things like that?”

“Yeah, I’ve got some grenades, some explosives and detonators. Things like that. All fully untraceable, of course.”

“Of course.” Nick could actually hear the Chief rolling his eyes. “Anything else?”

“Just some 9mm and 20 gauge specialty rounds. Best you do not know until I’m actually out of the city. You’ll get an email with the full list when I stop for a charge, well outside the city limits.”

“Very well. Do try to keep off the radar though. I just know that when I see the list I’m going to get a migraine.”

Nick chuckled. “Probably. Well, I need to go, boss. Got a few more calls to make.”

“Very well. Do try and succeed and make it back in one piece. Your mother will hang me by my entrails if you don’t make it back, or come back injured.” Both giving a nervous chuckle at the truth of that statement, Nick ended the call and dialed the next mammal.

After four rings, his sister answers. “Nick. To what do I owe the pleasure of my brother's phone call. A brother that has been absent from family dinner and such for nearly a year now?”

“Sorry… Been busy with my dual life.”

“So, if not calling to tell me you’ll be at dinner tonight, why are you calling me?”

“I needed to let someone in the family know what is going on before it goes down. Mephisto offered me a new deal.”

“Which you obviously took. How much more time are you going to have to work for that creature now?”

“If you’d let me finish…”

‘Fine. Go on.”

“Yes, I’ll have to work for him for another century, if I fail. If I succeed in obtaining what he wants, I’ll earn my freedom. Thus, I’m heading out of the city and into the wilds. What he wants is in a very dark place and from a dark point in history that was literally scrubbed from the history books. I need two things from you. Do NOT tell mom what I’m up to until this time next week, and two, if I don’t make it back by then, make sure you drag her to dinner with Auntie Fru. That was her requirement of me in order to give me access to the family armory.”

Bonnie gasped. “Are you serious? You might earn your freedom?”

“I am. I have until dawn a week from this past morning to locate what he wants and give it to him. If I pull that off, I’m free of him and have my soul back.”

“I take it, despite being a supernatural, demon possessed thing, this is not going to be easy.”

“I doubt it, and I’m trying to not use that for as long as possible. Keep my aces close to the chest. Thus the load out I got from auntie Fru.”

“Okay, Nick. I’ll make sure mom makes it to Dinner. However, you had best make it back too, and in one piece. I need my brother back fully.”

Nick grinned. “I have no intention of not making it back, just being realistic, given how deep I’m going and how dark the history of the place I am going is. I have no idea what I’ll encounter.”

“Alright. Be as safe as you can. Oh, and Zath, that means you too, by the way.” With that, Bonnie hung up.

Zathros seemed very confused. “Uhm… Did she just address me directly?”

Nick laughed as he drove. “Yep. After this long, they consider you family too. You’ve been a part of me long enough.”

“Huh… Okay then…”

Nick kept to the speed limit and normal traffic rules for bikes as he left the city. The last thing he needed was to get stopped and have to try and explain why he had a one mammal war worth of weapons and equipment on him. That would seriously delay him, and he just felt, internally, that such a delay could cost him his success, so he did his best to not bring attention to himself.

Stopping in Bunnyburrow, he recharged his bike and got a meal at the Hopps diner, harassed relentlessly by his cousins working the late shift. Why was he there? Was he visiting? What was all the equipment for? What was in his bags? Etc… He managed to keep most of them at bay and deflect their questions.

After the meal, he was on the road quickly, pulling onto the Intercity just as he saw his parents truck pull up to the diner. His phone rang a few minutes later.

“This is Nick.”

His mothers irritated voice came over the phone. “Nicholas Piberius WildeHopps Junior, just what do you think you are doing? You stop in at the diner but don’t answer any question and run off without so much as waiting for us to get here to say hello.”

“Hello, mom. Sorry, I am on a very tight timeline and couldn’t stay to visit.”

“What’s this Jacob said about you being armed to the fangs?”

Nick chuckled. “I thought I heard the zipper on my bag. Tell him he should have kept his nose out of my business. Yes, I’m armed. I’m dealing with something that I expect will require it.”

“And what, pray tell, might that be?”

“Can’t go into it right now, mom. I’ll tell you all about it when I get back.”

“He said he saw grenades.”

“Now he’s letting his imagination hop away with him.”

“Grenades he has photos of, and is that a shotgun?”

Nick groaned. “Yes, and yes. Mom, must I remind you that I am currently possessed by a demon and have been for several decades. I am functionally immortal, but that doesn’t mean that I want to tip that ace in the hole for every interaction. I’m going somewhere that I am not known. As such, keeping that in my back pocket is kinda important. The farther I can get without becoming The Rider, the better off I will be. And before you ask, I am not going to and cannot tell you where I am going.”

She huffed loudly and Nick could hear his father chuckle in the background. “You’re going to be safe? I mean, seriously? Grenades? Where did you even get such a thing?”

“Auntie Fru Fru gave them to me, in exchange for a favor. And again, before you freak out because I can hear your blood boiling, she has not asked anything of me that I cannot freely and happily give. So if you want to help me out, you should see her sooner, maybe stop in for dinner. She misses you and dad. Mostly you.”

“Did you see Judy?”

“No. I wouldn’t have wanted her to see me, given the reason I was there. I’m sure she was in bed already, given her class load.”

“Okay. Fair point. You’re sure you didn’t promise anything problematic for you and your job?”

“No mom, and you know Auntie wouldn’t ask such a thing from me unless what I was asking was already compromising.”

Judy huffed again on the other end of the line. “Okay, but what I see in this picture worries me. I know you can handle yourself unlike any other mammal on the planet, but I’m still your mother.”

“I know, mom. I have a very long ride before my next stop and I’m about to hit the zero limit section of the intercity so I gotta concentrate.”

Judy groaned. “Oh rotten cabbage. On your bike? The one you had Skye and Fin fix up?”

Nick chuckled. “Yep. I’m finally going to get to see what it can do when I’m not, Rider.”

Nick Sr. spoke up. “Awesome, now she’s less worried and more jealous. If you have a FurPro, make sure you turn it on first.”

“My FurPro is always running when I’m riding. I’ll send you the video when I get to my next stop.”

Judy sighed. ‘Alright. Be safe, and when you come back, you had better actually stop in and at least visit for a meal. I’ll also make a trip to the city to visit Fru. She’s always so busy though.”

“Stop in for dinner and shopping the next day. You know she’ll rearrange things for you. Besides, you are not a cop anymore, mom. So, as long as you don’t see or hear it happen, it didn’t happen. She knows that and will keep things you don’t need to know about safe from you.”

“You’re right. You’re right. Okay, sweetie. See you when you get back. Love you.”

“Love you, son.”

“Love you guys. Give hugs to the fluffle from Unk Nick. Oh, and Zathrus isn’t quite sure he believes that he’s family now.”

Judy laughed. “Of course he’s family at this point. He’s done nothing wrong himself, even for being a demon, at least as far as we are concerned. If anything he has done right by you and us by being willing to work within the system. Unlike some of those poor beasts you have taken down, like that tiger you took down on camera.”

Nick could feel Zathros’ shock. “Well, I’ll be sure we stop by on the way back to tell you all about it and then you can tell him directly.”

“Sounds good.”

With that the call ended and Nick breathed a sigh of relief, while also making a mental note to scare the living hell, literally, out of his cousin. “Taking pictures? What the hell was he thinking?”

Over the next hour Nick rode on, having perhaps overestimated when he would reach the zero limit section of the intercity. At the entrance and exit of the zero limit section, there was a massive archway and a turn-off. If you were not up to traveling at speeds well in excess of what most mammals felt comfortable with, then there was a road that ran parallel with the intercity, an offshoot of it, where the limit was set to 160 km/hr.. Nick was not taking the side road.

Passing under the arch, Nick took a deep breath. He was actually not as speed crazy as his parents. That said, he did enjoy some speed when he could get away with it. It’s why he had his aunt Skye and Uncle Finnick modify his motorcycle. Letting that breath out, he downshifted and hit the throttle hard.

Despite the weight on the bike, it took off like a rocket, the front wheel actually coming off the road for a few seconds. After just shy of a minute, Nick was in his top gear and doing 321 km/hr. The grin on his muzzle could probably be seen through his helmet. However, he was not done. He had a long way to go still, and his bike still had a few tricks.

Flicking the cover off a recessed button with this left thumb, Nick glanced again at the speedometer. If it were normal, he’d have it pegged already, it wasn’t normal, he was at about three quarters of the dial, and it had a digital display as well. He was covering a munch field length per second, once he hit that button, he’d be going even faster. He knew what to expect, but had never done it while actually riding down the road.

Checking the feel of the bike, the pack on his back, the duffle strapped down behind him. He gave another deep breath, focusing on the road in front of him and hit the button. An external observer might not have initially noticed anything, but Nick felt it. There was the slightest vibration from within the bike itself.

The first thing that happened was stabilization fins extended in multiple locations from the front forks to the tail of the bike folding out and looking similar to a bird's tail. The windshield extended slightly, the rear pegs his feet were on shifting backwards as Nick laid further over the tank until the back of his legs were pressed under the duffle behind him, tail over the top of it. He then felt a few protrusions reach up as the bike essentially held onto him.

Once those changes were done, the acceleration hit, and for several seconds, it felt like he was standing up and had an elephant standing on his shoulders. The stabilization fins kept both wheels on the road. Even once the acceleration stopped feeling like he was standing on his toes, it was still hard for a good ten seconds. He dared not look down at the speedometer, though he didn’t need to. He had a display in his visor that was paired to the bike and told him the story. He had hit 800 km/hr. and was still accelerating.Once he was at top speed, his display indicated he was going 925 km/hr..

This would get him to the town that would be his last stop for food, recharging, and a few minutes rest, in four hours. He blew through Podunk while he was still accelerating and he could see Deerbrook coming over the horizon already. It was actually surprising to see just how quickly he reached the town, and even more so that he went through it fast enough to blink and miss it.

Speaking loudly, even with the intelligent noise canceling in his helmet, the sound was loud. “Zoogle. Dial Uncle Fin.”

A moment later the phone was ringing and a very cranky voice came over the line. “What is is Nick? Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“Sorry uncle. Just wanted to let you know that the mods to the bike are working perfectly.”

“Yeah? That’s great. … “ The gears clearly turning on the other end of the phone. “Wait… You said, are working? As in, right this second?”

“Yep! Display says I’m doing 920 to 925. Stabilization is keeping everything feeling like I’m going normal speeds, even if I know I’m not. Don’t need the bike to hold onto me and keep me on it at normal speeds.”

“Oh, wow. Please tell me you’ve got your FurPro running.”

“Of course. All the telemetry should hit you and Skye’s emails by morning.”

“Well crap. Where are you doing this? The Intercity?”

“Yep.got a long way to go and little time to get there in. Heck, I’m fully loaded and still stable. You’ll see it all in the telemetry. Just wanted to let you know so you could look for it in the morning.”

Fin’s voice was clearly in shock. “Greater than 900. Tell me, is that with or without the booster?”

“Without. I’m holding off on that unless I need it. Might try it on the way back. This is already going to get me where I need to go in four hours.”

“Oh damn, fully planning on putting it through its paces.”

“Well, how else do we know for sure? Besides, I have faith in you and aunt Skye.”

“Okay, then stop talking to me and focus on the road, you’re covering like ten munch fields a second at that speed.” With that, Fin hung up. Nick knew he’d be calling Skye next, so he didn’t bother making that call himself. Instead, he ordered up a playlist from his phone and settled in to breaking records that no one will ever know about.

About an hour later, Nick came upon his first vehicle, and passed it just as quickly. They were probably doing 300 km/hr. and he essentially blew their doors off. It was a nice new looking Porcine Cayman 720. A few minutes later he passed a sheriff in a pursuit car doing probably 400 km/hr.. They didn’t even bother trying to catch up to him, by the time they realized they had been passed by something, that something was already dozens of km away.

This happened a good dozen times, especially when he was close to the various communities that the Intercity touched. As Karma Built my HotRod (Jesus built my hotrod) started playing he hit the longest open stretch. The likelihood of encountering any other vehicles was low. Deciding he might as well, as it would be an hour and a half at his current speed, Nick flipped a second cover off a button and hit it.

He again felt like he was standing for a few seconds as the booster kicked in. It wouldn’t last for more than about twenty minutes, but it would cut an hour off the trip. Once the acceleration stopped, his display indicated he was doing between 1150 and 1200 kph. He could feel the stabilization working much harder and was very glad his tires were not normal rubber. The high-temp polymer his aunt Skye switched them to was holding up, and while hot, hitting nearly 500 degrees, that was well within the safe operating temperature of the tires.

In fact, everything was in the green. A couple of commands later confirmed that yes, everything was still in the green and none of the sensors were in error. He knew his uncle and aunt would be happy with the data. He was however slightly concerned. The ride was going too easy. Given that, he expected the trip, once he left Grizzgow, would only get harder the closer to San Bengalis he got.

The booster shut down after 25 minutes and left Nick with only about 30 minutes of travel left. With 15 minutes left, he shut down the super-speed function. What that really did was allow the bike to coast, deceleration that way for a good ten minutes until he was down to about 400, at which point he hit a third button. This caused some of the stabilizers to turn in such a way as to act as air-brakes, slowing him down to just over 250 Kph, at which point the bike returned to its normal configuration and he exited the Intercity at Grizzgow.

Parking at the local diner, Nick stretched after getting off his bike. He had the computer running a diagnostic on all systems, the battery, etc… while he ate. The battery was down to 20 percent. The bike could handle many hours more at top speed, but the battery would need a good twenty minutes on the charger, plus an extra thirty to charge the booster back up. He wasn’t worried about that. The diner actually provided charger hookups, and while they were not as strong as the ones at the recharge station down the street, they’d get him to about fifty percent while he ate, and were free, as long as he did eat.

Getting comfortable in a booth, his duffle on the opposite bench and backpack next to him. Nick pursued the menu, deciding on a sesame chicken salad with extra chicken. As this was going to be his last real meal until he came back to civilization, he figured to treat himself. The hard decision was going to be what to have for dessert. They had a strawberry rhubarb, a blackberry, and a blueberry pie as options. Knowing he couldn’t possibly find something better than Gideon’s blueberry or strawberry rhubarb, given that his son who had taken over the business still used Hopps fruit. The decision was easily made.

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

11

As Nick was finishing up his salad and starting in on the pie. It was decent, but still not up to snuff compared to Gideon’s. He’d gone with the blackberry. Nick sensed a shift. It was something he had learned he could do, if he was paying attention. Something bleeding over from Zathros. Like an extra sense. It didn’t tell him a lot, but it did give him fair warning that trouble was brewing. It could be something as simple as not getting hit with a speeding ticket, to the drug dealer he was about to bust was going to go for a gun. It had saved his tail a few times, meaning he didn’t have to tap into being The Rider to survive certain situations.

And that sense was going off hard. As he chewed a bite of his pie, he watched a local cruiser and a sheriff pull up, and block his bike in while they were at it. He groaned internally. Taking his phone out, he sent a quick texted code, and then dialed chief Wolford, adding Lizz, and an evidence recording service the ZPD maintained. Leaving his phone on the table, he pulled his wallet, placed a hundred dollar bill on the table, then left his wallet out, badge against the table but easily flipped over, with his paw next to it.

Zootopia had come a long way and was close to actually achieving what the bumper sticker claimed. His mother and father played a huge part in that, and he had his own part in that as well. The rest of the country, not so much. There were pockets and towns that were even better than Zootopia, and pockets that might as well have still been two centuries in the past. He looked all the world like a fox, and a pretty big fox, being several inches taller than his father. Add to that his bike is clearly modified and a top of the line electric. The equation was pretty easy to complete. He was about to be hassled, and he had a literal arsenal in the booth with him.

The officers didn’t exit their cruisers right away, and that just told him it was going to be worse than just a little harassment. Speaking loudly enough to be heard by his phone. “Two cruisers. One local, one sheriff. Blocked my bike in. Bike has been parked since I arrived and on the free charger offered by the diner, Grizzgow Family Diner, since I arrived. 38277 North Bruin. The signs state that it is free to charge your vehicle, so long as you eat and spend at least twenty. There are no signs suggesting any restrictions on who can eat here.

I ordered a sesame chicken salad with extra chicken and blackberry pie. Had three cups of tea with my meal. Refills are not free. Total should come out to about 28. I have a hundred sitting on the table held down by the salt shaker. My wallet is on the table, badge facing down but at paw to be flipped over. Sitting in a booth, three booths from the entrance door, so the fourth booth. I have also called Chief Mike Wolford and Deputy Chief Lizz Fangmeyer. As well as the ZPD evidence line.”

Wolford spoke. “Chief Wolford present and listening.”

Lizz then spoke. “Deputy Chief Fangmeyer present and listening.”

Nick nodded to himself as he felt Zathros almost growl. “They still have not exited their vehicles and now a second local has arrived. Note also that Zatrhos seems particularly eager, suggesting that the officers in question are not good mammals. In fact, he seems to be giving the impression that they would make excellent meals. So there’s that. Given the purpose of this trip, unless forced to, I will not be turning into The Rider. However, given the purpose of this trip, I will not allow them to delay me.

Considering the items in the duffle bag sitting on the booth bench opposite me in the same booth, and the backpack next to me. Given the fact that they are blocking my bike, it is clear that just harassing me for being a fox, even if I am actually a Fobbit, is going to be the least of their intentions.”

Glancing out the window as the doors opened and three deer, a very large pig, and a moose exited the cruisers. Nick took quick stock of them. “They have now exited their vehicles. Two white tailed deer. They look similar enough to be related. Both have the rank of Officer, though I cannot tell beyond that. The red deer appears to have lieutenant bars as does the pig. Cannot tell what the moose has for a rank, the lighting won’t let me see his rank. I cannot make out names yet.

They’ve removed a boot from the first cruiser that arrived. That is the one the two deer that look related got out of. They have booted my bike. The moose is trying to pick up my bike. The red deer and pig are helping him. My bike has now been put into the back of the sheriff’s cruiser. That is the cruiser the moose got out of. He is wearing a sheriff's uniform, but it looks off, like he thinks he’s in one of those old western movies. Good, bad, and ugly, or something like that.”

Nick watched them through the corner of his eye, sipping his tea as he had finished his pie. The waitress walked up. “Anything else I can get you sir?”

Nick noted that she wasn’t afraid of him at all. “Do you have anything to go for someone that is going to be camping in the wilds for a few days? I have some meal bars, but if you have ever tasted one, they may do the job, but flavor wise…”

She gave an understanding chuckle. “Oh, those things are terrible. You’re right, they keep you fed and going, but they taste like compressed trash. I think we might have something. Let me check. I’ll get you the check as well. How many days do you think you’ll want, if we have something?”

“Two or three days worth would be wonderful, if you have it.”

Picking the up hundred she smiled warmly, then glanced outside and frowned with a groan. “Oh crap.”

Nick looked up at her, he had seen her look up out the window. “Is there a problem? I didn’t see any signs that said no predators or anything like that.”

Shaking her head she groaned. “No. It isn’t you. It’s the Deeringson twins, along with my ex. Mister full of himself and drunk on power, lieutenant Jeddia Forrest. His new fling and partner Kevin Swinton, and yeah, he’s a distant cousin of the Zootopia Swinton and seems to think that is a badge of honor. Then finally. Sheriff Reginald T Justi, who thinks he lives in one of those old west movies. I swear, the only reason he keeps getting reelected is because mammals are afraid of what he would do if he lost.”

Glancing out the window then back at her. “You’re an ewe.”

“I am. Is me being an inter an issue for you?”

Nick chuckled. “Hardly. I’m actually a Fobbit. Take after dad, while my twin is mom’s spitting image. No, I was just recording your species, Jessica, for the record. I didn’t catch your last name.”

Cocking her head to the side. “Recording?” Nick nodded and indicated his phone, then flipped his wallet over for a moment with a smirk before flipping it back over so his badge was down again. Jessica bleated a laugh. “Oh, that’s beautiful. It’s Jessica Sheerington. So, do you want me to try and run interference for you, or?”

“Don’t do any more, or less than you would normally. Treat it as if you didn’t know.”

Jessica nodded. “Can do. Let me look into those tastier rations for you.”

With that she left, and seeing her leave and head back into the kitchen, the officers outside entered the diner. Other patrons quickly exited through either the kitchen or the side emergency door. Nick spoke again, slightly lower, but still loud enough for his phone. “They have entered the diner and the other patrons have exited through the kitchen or side emergency door. The alarm is clearly disabled with expectation of things like this as it did not go off. They clearly know what is about to go down and want nothing to do with it. It also indicates that this is something that is quite common. Common enough that the waitress has a usual sequence of events and the other patrons bailed out.

I’ll note that the other patrons were all prey. None of which gave me any sort of bad looks, and if anything, the last one to leave seemed hesitant and looked down right apologetic when our eyes met briefly. They are now all in the diner and approaching.”

Nick sipped his tea and waited. The deer took up position past his booth blocking things so that Jessica wouldn’t be able to get back to him. The pig and red deer blocking the other direction, and the moose looking down on him. Nick looked up, putting on a mask his father would be proud of. “Good morning officers. Is there something I can help you with? I was about to order some coffee while I waited for my bike to finish charging to half.”

The moose took on a look of pure disgust towards Nick. “You’re well mannered, pelt. However, we don’t like your kind in this town.”

“I see. Well, I am only passing through. Just stopped long enough to eat, get to a full charge, and then I’m headed right out of town. I’m on a tight schedule. So, if you would kindly return my bike, which is properly registered and insured. I’ll hit the charging station down the block and then be on my way, just as soon as the lovely waitress here brings me back my change.”

The red deer glared at him. “Watch your tongue, pelt. That’s my mate you’re talking about.”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Well congratulations are in order then, she is quite the fetching ewe. If we both were not already otherwise attached, I might consider asking her out.”

Jessica’s voice sounded out from behind the twins. “Jeddia, we are not together and will never again be together. We were barely together when we were together. I’m telling all of you to get out of here and leave this mammal alone. Return his bike and go harass some actual criminals.”

“Shut it, female. Your input is not needed or wanted in this situation. Uppity pelts like this need to learn to not show their muzzles in this town. So we will be kind enough to escort this pelt to the city limits, and he should consider losing his bike as fair payment for not also getting a beating before we see him out of the city.”

Nick sighed. “Officers. You really, really, do not want to do this.”

Jessica chuckled darkly. “You really don’t.” Holding up the diner’s portable phone. “I’ve already got Judge Eggerlet on the phone. He can hear the dung you’re saying.”

“That would require this pelt being around to do any testifying.” 

One of the deer spun around, grabbing the phone and smashed it on the floor. The other sneered at Jessica and back-hoofed her. “Stupid female. Now he gets to get the beating after all. So he understands not to come back into town.”

Nick let a growl out. “Now you’ve done it. They have just assaulted the waitress.” Nick moved to stand and the pig put a hoof on Nick’s shoulder, holding him down in the booth.

“Now, now. Don’t go gettin too excited there, boy. You’ll just make it worse.”

Taking a calming breath, Nick nodded. “You are quite right.” Flipping his wallet over so his badge was visible. “Captain Nick WildeHopps, ZPD. Everything you have said up to this point, and continue to say, has been recorded and will continue to be recorded per Federal evidence rule 1002.a. You can expect federal officers to be on-route at this time. You’re best bet is to unload my bike and make a run for it, as there is a GPS tracker in it that is accurate to within 2 meters.”

The moose looked at the badge in horror, while the twins simply looked confused. The pig looked at the red deer with anger and the red deer himself looked absolutely incensed. The moose simply cursed. “Shit.” He then turned and quickly made for the exit, dragging the twins with him.

Nick chuckled. “The moose and twins have left, although the twins do not yet seem to understand the situation. Swinton is glaring at Forrest with daggers in his eyes, while Forrest himself is looking at me like he wants to murder me.”

At that point Forrest recognized Nick’s phone sitting on the. “Kevin! Get the phone and destroy it. As long as there is no recording, they can’t prove anything.” At the same time he grabbed Nick and dragged him out of the boot, balling up his hoof and tried to punch Nick in the gut. The look of shock on his muzzle when Nick blocked the punch with seemingly no effort was quite genuine.

The further look of shock, fear, and lack of understanding of what was happening was also quite genuine as he found himself being hip thrown over the counter to slam into the wall and then slide down the wall onto his head, breaking off both antlers.

Swinton had made a grab for Nick’s phone, but had frozen when a voice sounded out of it. “Officer Swinton, this is Chief Michael Wolford of the ZPD. The recording Captain WildeHopps was referring to is not local to his phone. There are also four mammals listening in on this call in addition to the recording. Doing anything but surrendering will only add charges and and make things worse for you.”

Swinton looked at the phone in pure horror, turned to Nick who just smirked at him and raised an eyebrow, then back at the phone. He then looked over to the unconscious Forrest in a heap behind the counter. Making a decision, he spun on his hoof and ran from the diner like he was running for his life. In effect, he was.

Outside, the moose and deer had unbooted Nick’s bike, placed it back where it had been, failed to figure out how to plug it back in, then loaded up in their cruisers and took off, lights and sirens going. They clearly wanted to get away from the diner and to something less traceable than a cruiser, quickly.

Nick walked around the counter to Forrest, pushing him over and then putting cuffs on him. Officer Forrest, as you are currently unconscious, I’m not actually going to bother with your rights, as you should already know them anyway. That said, you are under arrest for specisist threats, unlawful detainment, grand theft, namely my bike, terrorist threats, obstruction, and I’m sure the federal prosecutor will come up with many more. Not to mention that now I have to wait for the feds to get here, and that is going to slow me down.”

Nick then picked Forrest up and maneuvered him into a different booth. Returning to his booth, Nick looked over at Jessica. “You okay?”

Jessica nodded looking around and at the unconscious form of her ex. “Uh… Yeah. Not the first time they’ve hit me when harassing a mammal like yourself. I’ve learned how to turn with it so it looks worse than it was.”

Nick frowned. “You shouldn’t have to have learned such a skill at all. That again said, I’m glad you are okay. Although now I’m delayed multiple hours while we wait for the feds to show up. I believe I heard you say they were on the way, Chief?”

The voice from his phone was not the Chief. “They are, Captain. This is MBI (Mammalian Bureau of Investigations - think FBI) senior director Erikson. You shouldn’t be delayed overly long thanks to this recording, which I assume continues until you actually end the call?”

“That is correct sir. It is a security precaution, and since I’m calling from a ZPD issued phone, the call cannot actually be just ended. I have to put in a special end code before it’ll let me end the call, although if I hit end-call like you normally would, it will look like it and mutes the speaker, but ups the mic pickup.”

The director chuckled. “Michael, whose idea was that and why haven’t you been sharing?”

“That would be the fox, or fobbit, in question. Jason, please meet Nicholas WildeHopps, son of Judy HoppsWilde.”

“Ah! You did say that you were a Fobbit. Very well. I’ll leave you to it then. I’m going to follow up and make sure that the agents are not taking their time. We don’t need to give these clearly corrupt mammals a chance to go to ground.”

The Chief then spoke again. “Nick, I assume you’ll leave this recording up until everything is closed up?”

Nick nodded as he spoke. “Of course sir. Standard procedure and all that.”

“Good.” With that the click of the Chief hanging up was heard. A moment later, from a different line. “Well, love. Shall we get breakfast since Nick was so kind as to wake us up?”

Lizz’s voice could be heard just before the call ended for her as well. “Oh, breakfast is on the menu, but I think I’ll have a helping of wolf, first. …”

Jessica looked at the phone in confusion. “Hold on.”

Nick shook his head with a grin. “Yes, you heard that right. No, she is not a wolf. Bengal tiger, actually.”

“Oh my!”

“Personally, I feel that, if things had been slightly different when my parents met, mom would have dragged dad into being a cop himself.”

Jessica nodded. “Oh, from what I’ve heard, your mother is a force of nature. Anyway, we do have some camp rations and I’ve packed those up. Meal and everything is on me.”

Nick shook his head. “Nope. Keep the change for whatever the meal and rations cost as a tip, unless that’d be more than the hundred, then just let me know what the difference is.” Pointing at his phone. “Can’t accept handouts, even if the intent behind them is legit appreciation and thanks. Make a donation to the ZPD or other Officer support fund if you feel the need.”

“Okay then. You going to be okay? You look disturbed.”

Nick nodded. “Yeah, just arguing with my demon about feeding off your ex.”

Jessica looked at Nick like he was crazy. “Say what now?”

Chuckling, Nick glanced behind him at the groan from Forrest. “Guess it's more of a Zootopia thing. Haven’t really left the city much so I guess there is that. Surely you have heard of The Rider?”

Ears flicking, Jessica looked at Nick closer. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope, that’s my alter ego, as it were. Zath, that’s the demon that possesses me, and I have come to an arrangement of sorts. Your ex was a VERY bad mammal, and if Zath hadn’t fed recently, he’d be trying to take control so he could snack on your ex. He’s that bad a mammal. You’re lucky he hasn’t actually hurt you worse.”

Jessica frowned. “He hit me many times when we were together. Always apologized. Promised that he wouldn’t do it again. The usual sort of thing, and for almost two years, I believed him. Until he hit me again, and that time he really hurt me. I guess getting put in the hospital woke me up. It’s why I left him. After I left him I learned that he wasn’t even faithful to me. I’m so very glad I got out of the relationship with him.”

Forrest growled from the next booth. “You had it good. You didn’t want for anything, but then you had to go and push those domestic violence charges. Damn near cost me my job ya damn slut.”

Nick twitched as Zath almost begged to get a piece of Forrest. “You’re unlucky, Forrest. Losing your job back then might have saved your tail. Now, you’re going to be going to prison for a very long time.”

Forrest didn’t have anything else to say but to curse Nick and throw specist epitaphs at Nick and Jessica.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

3 Hours later the first fed vehicle pulled up to the diner and the supervising agent got out. Entering the diner he walked over to Nick. “Good morning. I take it that the deer in cuffs and giving the deadly glares is one of those we’re here to pick up.”

Nick nodded. “Yep. Y’all sure took your time.”

“We’ve been in town for a good two hours. Just been hunting down the twins, and the now former sheriff. Caught them as they tried to sneak out of town. Just need to pick this one up. Although I got a call from a Chief Wolford of the ZPD. Said something about letting you feed on at least one of them before we shipped them off. Not sure what he meant by that, but as you’re a fox and their prey, I think I’ll not do that.”

Nick laughed. He laughed hard, long, and clutched his stomach, which clearly disturbed the agent. Once he got himself mostly under control. “Thanks, I needed that laugh. I guess I just assumed that tales of the demon possessed a cop that fed on the sins of evil mammals like this guy.” Indicating Forrest. “Would spread beyond the borders of Zootopia. I suppose since I haven’t really operated farther afield than Podunk and such communities around Zootopia, that it hasn’t.”

Slipping out of the booth, Nick grabbed Forrest and pulled him so they were almost nose to nose. His eyes suddenly transforming into the pits of hellfire they were as as Rider. “Look into my eyes. Know the pain of your deeds. Feel the agony that you have inflicted upon others. Know that hell awaits you, and this agony you feel is but a fraction of what awaits.”

After a few moments of Forrest screaming, Nick released him with a grin and licked his lips as his eyes returned to normal. The agent and Jessica looked at him with a mix of horror and fascination. The agent recovered first. “What the hell did you just do?”

“I made him experience the pain and suffering that he has inflicted on other mammals. Only about a year's worth, but more than enough to satisfy my demons hunger and then some. I very rarely inflict a mammal's entire debt on them. They don’t recover when I do that. If I had done that, his eyes would look like charcoal and he would be catatonic until he died. As it is, he’ll be unresponsive for a few hours at most, and likely very compliant for a few days. Skittish even. True, heartfelt apologies are not uncommon once fully recovered. I do need to see the sheriff and the twins before I head out. Don’t worry, I won’t be doing that to them. Don’t need to.”

“Okay, but what is with the mark on his forehead that I don’t see anymore.”

“Oh, that’s why I have a demon in me. Just tagging his soul.”

Jessica shivered. “So, you are saying that he’s so bad that you were able to inflict a years worth of hell on him, and he’ll only be out of it for a few hours? Can you do that to any mammal?”

Nick shook his head. “No. Mammals such as yourself, the agent here. Every mammal out there has a little bit of darkness on their soul. Someone with a completely clean soul that isn’t younger than about six. That would be like finding a true unicorn, and not one of those horses that have a horn surgically implanted. I mean, from what I understand, the genes are there, but dormant in all horses and other related species.”

The agent nodded, a palomino patterned horse. “Yeah, it’s true. The last true unicorn was killed for his horn, by a prey king, a good six hundred years ago. We, as a species, have been trying to reclaim our horn ever since then.” Leaning his head down. “As you can see, I have a bump. It’s what the doctors call a proto-horn. Every member of my family has one, so we have all submitted gene samples for study. See what genes are active in us that aren’t in other horses.”

Nick nodded. “Awesome. Very cool to know that we may see actual unicorns again in a few more generations. Now, back to business. I need to tag the twins and sheriff, and then give you what you need so I can end the recording and get on about my business.”

The agent shook his head. “This whole thing is way outside my paygrade at this point. For me, I’ll just need the information to be able to obtain an evidence copy of the recording. I’ll take statements from the citizens of the town, etc… As for you. The twins and sheriff are in the car out front. Once I have access to the recording, I don’t really need you. At least not until charges are being pursued in court, and with the recording, I might not even need that.”

Nick nodded. “That’s why we, the ZPD, created the system. I guess your deputy director is a friend of my Chief, and he seemed a bit put out that it hadn’t been shared.”

The agent nodded. “Sounds right.”

Nick turned to Jessica. “I do hope you don’t think less of me for all this, or letting Zath feed on your ex.”

Jessic shook her head. “You’re possessed by a demon and have control. That’s a bit much to take in. I honestly don’t know what to think.”

Giving a smirk. “I’ll ask again when I get back. With any luck at all, my situation may be changed.”

With that, Nick left the diner and approached the car. Once there, he opened the door, hopping into the back with the handcuffed mammals. The sheriff glared at him. “What do you want, pelt?”

Nick looked them over, reading their souls, and they were as dark as he expected. “Huh… Almost wish Zath wasn’t completely full right now, sheriff. You’re soul is actually blacker than Forrest’s. Lucky you, you don’t get to experience hell until you get there. Ask Forrest about it later.” With his palm glowing, he quickly slapped all three mammals on the forehead, branding them for Mephisto. “There you go. Now you will get to where you need to go when you die.”

One of the twins spoke, shaking his head. “What? What did you do?”

“Just branded your soul, so that everyone with the sight to look will know who you belong to now.” Hopping out of the car, he closed the door behind him and walked back into the diner, only to have the agent’s weapon pointed at him. “Uhm… Is there an issue, agent?”

“Yeah. There’s an issue. What the hell are you doing with all this hardware? My gods, you have explosives!”

Nick shrugged. “I’m heading into the wilds from here. About 12 hours that way.” Pointing. “The demon that owns my soul currently, which is not the one that possesses me, wants something in the town there called San Bengalis. Given how far in the wilds I have to travel, and not knowing what is between me and the town, or what I will find in that town, I am going to be prepared. Feel free to contact my chief to verify that I have authorization to have all that.”

Stepping up on the agent. “You’ll also note that I am basically immune to bullets, so shooting me is only going to piss me off, and irritate Zath.”

The agent stared at Nick for a few moments, then put his weapon away. “Just get the hell out of here. I am not paid enough to deal with demon possessed foxes.”

Jessica chuckled. “Fobbit, actually. Takes after his dad.”

“Huh?” The agent glanced back at her confused.

“Nicholas WildeHopps Junior. As in Judy HoppsWilde, and her husband and mate, Nicholas WildeHopps Senior. So yeah, I’m a Fobbit. Take after my dad, while my twin sister is the spitting image of mom. The difference being, I got mom’s eyes, and she got dad’s.”

The agent shook his head and walked over to Forrest, poking him. Forrest’s only response was a low moan. “You said he’ll be coherent in a few hours?”

Nick nodded. “Yep, and in his current state, he’ll respond to just about any simple instruction. Forrest, exit the booth and stand up.” Slowly and with very unnatural movements, Forrest did as instructed. “Just keep it simple. Two, maybe three instructions are the most he’s going to be able to deal with, and keep them simple. Telling him to exit the booth was a maybe.”

The agent nodded. “Forrest. Walk to the door and wait.” Forrest did just that. “Okay, that’s going to take some getting used to.” The agent, giving Forrest simple instructions, left.

Nick took the bag of rations from Jessica, slipping another hundred under the salt shaker on his table. “Thank you, Jessica. You have made this delay as pleasant as it could be. Just so you know. I wasn’t kidding. You are a very beautiful ewe, and I wouldn’t mind taking you out, if you can deal with sharing a meal with a demon possessed fobbit.”

Smiling with a blush. “Thank you, Nick. I don’t know just yet. Ask me again when you get back.”

Grinning, his tail giving a happy, hopeful wag. “Thank you. I will do that. Should be back sometime around this time next week.”

After packing up the rations in his backpack, Nick slung the duffle and made his way back to his bike. He quickly made it over to the charging station on the corner, just a block from the diner. Twenty minutes later his bike and every portable battery he had with him was fully charged.

Taking out the maps, he oriented himself, located the road he needed and set out. “Next Stop… San Bengalis”

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

12

The first two hours were completely uneventful once Nick was on his way. He was also still within what one might call civilization. Paved roads, and when that gave out, well maintained and manicured dirt and gravel roads still traveled by mammals regularly. In fact, he passed multiple homes as well as still being on good roads, which allowed him to make good time. It was once he was off those good roads and onto the old logging road that things got a bit harder. The logging road was itself generally fine, but it wasn’t really meant to be taken on a bike. He found himself suddenly wishing he’d accepted Fin and Skye’s suggestions to make his bike a convertible. Yeah, it would have made it look a little funny with the double wheel, but… Right then, it would have made the going a lot easier.

Still, he had the smart tires, and they quickly adjusted to the rougher terrain. After about an hour, he actually stopped and overrode the smart system and just had it go full off-road mode. From there, the going was a bit easier, if slow. Charge on his bike was still good, though a bit lower than he’d like it. It was why he overrode the smart system, it kept expending energy changing from off-road to just high traction and back almost constantly, because the going was so varied. He’d get a few hundred meters of smooth, and then be almost as if the road wasn’t there, and back. The smart system just ended up, in that situation, wasting energy.

Overall he made good time. Around noon he stopped in a large clearing to have a snack and let the bike charge some off the portable solar charging station he’d brought with him. In the city, where there is a branded charging station on nearly every other corner, it isn’t a big deal, and not something one needs. However, in the wilds, or the edge of the wilds where he now was, the closest charging station was the Solaris Mega-Charge station by the diner where he had charged before heading out.

The unit he had packed with him was a top of the line model and had him at full charge in just under three hours, so by four in the afternoon, he was moving again. After another hour he reached the end of the logging road and the remains of an encampment there. Given the state of the trees in the area, and the state of the encampment, Nick figured that in about five more years, it would be populated by a few dozen mammals again. The conservation process reduced how many trees they could take out of an area, and certainly increased the cost of lumber, but at the same time, they never had the risk of serious erosion from the clear cutting techniques that nearly ruined the landscape two centuries previous.

It also meant that what they did cut down, only slightly thinned the forest, keeping it healthy. Meaning it was always strong, healthy trees, which made for strong lumber that didn’t have to be replaced as often. Plus, with some of the modern building techniques, most of the wood was now used for things like high end custom flooring and such. Less and less of it was used for actual building, thus making it more expensive due to the reduced demand, but also supporting the more sustainable harvesting.

Nick considered all this as he stood on the edge of the natural clearing that the encampment was set up on. This was as literally as anything one could find for the true border between the rough, open public lands where a mammal could stake a claim like the houses he passed earlier in the day, after the road ceased being paved, and the true wilderness had begun to make itself known. Looking beyond the encampments borders, he could see the truly untouched, unadulterated wilds, that no civilized mammal's paws had likely touched, save maybe a camping trip of the more adventurous, in at least three centuries.

He could almost see it on the ground, a few hundred meters past where he stood, an invisible line with a sign that said, Beyond this point, no help is coming. Beyond this point, you are on your own.

He knew there were small, insular communities out there with no direct connection to civilization as he knew it. Mammals that still lived, for whatever reason, the way mammals did a century, two, even three or more hundred years ago. Some for religious reasons, others because civilization had simply moved on without them, forgetting about those tiny communities.

There were actual teams of mammals whose job it was to travel out into the wilds and locate those communities, guided by stories from campers and satellite mapping. Always at least one predator and one prey mammal of the same size class. Lots of wolves and Deer. They would locate and mark them on the map with GPS coordinates, and when allowed, take a census of them. They always tried to document the reason why they were out there. That way, those that wanted to remain isolated could, and the why was listed. It was part of the modern ethos of self determination. It also helped them by allowing updated maps for campers and naturalists to know where to avoid.

The news just a year ago had documented one such community that had been discovered. They had originally been a doomsday cult. Five hundred years prior, during a big conflict, several hundred mammals had sought to escape that conflict and gone deep into the wilds. There they had set up a community to ride out what they saw as the end of the world. 

Imagine their shock, after centuries of being out in the wilds alone, to find out that the war, the end of the world they feared, never happened and the war ended only a year after their ancestors left civilization. That the world had advanced so far that there were now several cities where the climate was actually controlled in such a way to allow just about every possible mammal to coexist.

Nick chuckled at that. They chose to rejoin civilization, and a project was created to pave a road to their community and others. A power station was built and with some sudden influx of education, they became yet another small town, just like the one he just left. Now part of civilization, but also where a mammal who just couldn’t take the big cities anymore, could get away. Small towns had their own culture.

With a nod to himself, knowing he really was only one day into his trek, and the fact that it was only going to get harder from there, Nick set up camp. Taking advantage of the buildings of the logging camp. He set up the charger again to top up his bike and set about making a small fire in the cast iron stove to warm up the rations he got from Jannice. It would keep him warm and dry pending the real part of this adventure.

He hadn’t done it yet, because he was still technically in civilization, and he did ride past quite a few homes. Would have delayed him if someone happened to look out their window as he rode past and reported a fox on a bike looking like he rode out of one of those post apocalyptic movies like Mad Maxim. Now that he was on the literal border and would be crossing it in the morning, it was time. As his bike was charging, he unpacked everything, laid it all out, and then redistributed things. 

Nick put on his armor after taking a very cold shower in the camp's gravity shower. The DarkFox went into their holsters and then were strapped onto his person and the Jackrabbit was strapped to his ankle under his pant leg. Knives were hooked into their appropriate locations, in his boots, off his belt, etc…

Spare magazines were loaded and placed in their holders. The DemonFox and BlackWolf were strapped into their carriers on his bike. He set up the sparrow drones in the windows to watch outside while he slept. Since they wouldn’t be flying, their charge would last all night and then some. He would hook them up to charge off a power bank he brought for that purpose in the morning before heading out.

Once he was done, the only thing in the duffle was excess rations, loose ammo in boxes ready to be loaded if needed, the explosives, and the other odds and ends Nick felt may be needed. Like a tooth brush and waterless cleaning paste, and his chew rods. His sister used a small grinder for her teeth, he had tried, but just couldn’t do it. It felt too weird, and the noise and smell… He just couldn’t take it. So, he resorted to good old fashioned chew rods. It also provided no end to entertainment for him as mammals would look at him very confused as he chewed one of his rods.

After that and he had eaten, Nick pulled out his phone and found that, being up on the side of a mountain as he was, he had a signal. With a grim smile, he emailed the video from his FurPro to his mom and dad, and then made a call.

His mom answered on the first ring. “Nick? Is everything alright? Do you need help? Where are you?”

Smiling, Nick sighed. “I’m hold up for the night in an old logging camp building. I’m about a hundred meters from the edge of everything. The edge of civilization, and I have a long way to go. I figured, since I had a signal, I’d give you a call. I promised I’d tell you where I was heading, or maybe I didn’t. I figured, you deserved to know.”

Judy sat down as she looked into the phone at her son. Looking past the phone she spoke up. “Kelly, please go get Nick for me. Let him know Nikky is on the line.”

A voice sounded from off camera. “Sure thing Aunt Judy!”

Judy looked back at the phone. “Okay. He’s just out in the barn, so he won’t be but a minute or two. So you’re in a logging camp right now? They welcomed you?”

Nick chuckled. “Nah. It hasn’t had mammals living here for a few decades. Probably won’t be populated for a few more years yet.”

“And you’re right on the border of the true wild?”

Nick smiled. “Yes mom, I am, and we both know that you’ll not figure out where I am before I’m gone in the morning. This is something I have to do. It’s potentially a good thing, I promise.”

Nick senior could be heard approaching. “Hey, son! Just got the video. Haven’t had a chance to watch it.”

“Hey dad. Not why I called. Wanted to let you guys know why I’m doing what I’m doing.”

Nick Sr. appeared on the screen and saw what Nick was wearing. “Oh, wow. Full armor. Whose tail you planning on kicking?”

Laughing, Nick shook his head. “Hopefully noones, but I gotta be real about it, given where I am going. Mephisto offered an updated deal.”

“Oh, how much more time is it going to cost you, and why did you accept?”

“It’ll cost me another century of services, if I fail. If I succeed, and this is why I accepted. If I succeed in obtaining what he wants by dawn a week from yesterday morning, I earn my freedom and my soul back. That means, no more modified deals.”

“Wait! Does that mean you’d be free of Zathros as well?” His mother asked, clearly shocked.

“No. As it turns out, the part about being possessed by a demon isn’t actually part of the deal, it’s just a side-effect that allows me to be more effective as a collector. It’s technically a curse, one that I fully intend to embrace and keep.”

“So, if you get whatever it is that Mephisto wants, you get your soul back, but you’ll still be possessed by a demon.”

“Yes. The whole possession thing is a different part of the equation that I’ll deal with another time. Besides, Zath and I have come to an understanding that works really well for both of us.”

“Okay sweetie. Can you tell us what it is you are after?”

“Mephisto wants an army. There is a town. Well, the remains of a town deep in the wilds that was named San Bengalis.” Judy gasped. “Figured you might have read about it. Well, there is a demonic contract there in the town for all their souls. Hundreds of years of the darkest souls imaginable. If I can get him that contract, I will be freed from him.”

“That’s a pretty big if, son. You’re sure you can pull it off?”

“It’s worth the risk. Zath’s only real concerns are the use that Mephisto would put to it. The army that it would allow him to create. It would be a shake up of the power structure of hell. Zath doesn’t actually care, it’s just a point of note. Doesn’t technically effect either of us, save the opportunity for my soul to belong to me, again.”

Judy nodded, holding back tears. “So, you’re going to that unholy place, all alone. Did you read what happens to mammals that go there? They don't come back, and when they do, they’re… different. Crazy. Changed.”

“Mom. I am possessed by a demon. When I read those reports, what I read was some poor mammal that was possessed by a tortured, evil spirit. Probably one of the souls from the town. I have a literal in-built defense mechanism in the form of Zath. I’m already possessed by something a bit more powerful than the spirit of some wicked mammal from centuries ago. Not to say that they won't be powerful, but they won’t be able to possess me.

In fact, I expect that those that don’t return are still there, possessed as well by the spirits of that town and made to continue what they were doing before the town was razed for what they did.”

Judy nodded. “Okay, honey. But still. Be careful.”

“Your mom is right. Despite all that, we’re going to worry.”

“I know you will, and I love you both for it. Now I’m going to get some sleep because I expect I won't be getting much once I leave in the morning.”

Judy sighed. “Okay. Just, promise you will come back to us. I hate to say it, but I’d rather you get stuck with that extra century than not making it back.”

Nick nodded. “I know mom. I promise, one way or the other, I will be back.” Ending the call, Nick curled up, checked the cameras on the sparrows keeping watch, and then went to sleep after setting an alarm.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

The next morning, Nick woke before his alarm went off. He hadn’t really slept much, but he did rest. He made sure everything was organized, in its place, had another of the rations from Jessica. It was basically a chicken jerky, berry, and protein powder based trail bar. It had oats, berries, some nuts, chicken jerky, and other things. They were actually really good and Nick made a note to himself to ask for the recipe.

As he went to mount his bike, he found himself thrown by a sudden blast of wind. When he stood, he did so as Rider, chains out and flexing like coiled vipers. Searching around he didn’t initially find anything. He knew there was an evil soul nearby, but neither he nor Zathros could detect exactly where it was. Then a demon appeared. He knew this wasn’t what had attacked him, but whatever had was probably one of the demon’s minions.

Rider glared at the demon. “What do you want?”

“You, Rider. I want you. It is very simple. You will serve me now. The contract you are retrieving for Mephisto, you are getting that for me now, not him. Simply put, you work for me now. Once I have that, we will discuss your further service for me.”

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

Rider heard Zathros speak in his head. “He goes by Blackheart. No one is sure of his real name. He is actually one of Mephisto’s spawn. One of his very ambitious spawn. It would seem he has figured out what Mephisto is up to and plans on taking it for himself. He is not honorable, but also far too powerful for us to take on. If I could fully manifest I could take him, but not as we are. He will never release you if you start serving him. He also doesn’t understand that unless Mephisto agrees, or you are vanquished by one of his collectors, something he doesn’t have, your soul belongs to no one but Mephisto.”

Rider glared at him. “And if I refuse?”

“Simple, I will visit all manner of calamity and horror upon your family.”

Zathros spoke in Riders head again. “He will do it, too. He has no care or concern for the rules. It won’t matter that he has no contract with you. He will do it anyway.”

“You don’t leave me much choice. What reason do I have to believe that you won’t just do that anyway.”

“You don’t have a reason, other than as long as I am happy with your performance, you don’t have to worry. But don’t worry, you’ll have my dogs to keep you company. I brought a few souls with me. They’ll keep an eye on you.” With that, Blackheart vanished and three evil souls appeared. Rider stared them down and they stared back in contempt.

“So, you’re his, dogs. Considering you are all canine, are you really comfortable being referred to in such a way.”

The apparent leader growled at Rider. “We serve him, so he can call us whatever he wants since he has freed us from hell. Just as you will.”

“I guess we shall see.”

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

13

Nick mounted his bike, thinking furiously. Just what he didn’t need right then was some evil souls wandering around and he didn’t have time to hunt them down. That said, they’ll be following him around so he should be able to hopefully pick them off. Time would tell, and he was late starting out thanks to the interruption.

Crossing the invisible line into the true wilds, Nick rode for several hours, periodically checking his maps and GPS location. Finally stopping in the early afternoon he set up the charger for the bike in a clearing with a good few hours of sun left and had a ration. As he was sitting on a fallen log, the senses he had for evil souls in his vicinity started tingling, something he had picked up after being possessed by Zathros for so long.

He knew the soul was nearby, and likely one of his new minders. He also knew he didn’t want to have them around, and at no point had Blackheart said he had to tolerate them either. Plus, if he tagged them for Mephisto and sent them back to hell, they likely couldn’t tattle on him for doing it.

Focusing, Nick invoked his chains, but only his chains. It took a lot of effort to do, since he wasn’t otherwise transforming. He snaked them through the shadow of the log he was sitting on towards the soul. All he needed to do was ensnare the soul with his chain.

The soul growled at Nick. “What are you doing? You need to keep moving.”

Nick turned to look towards the soul that was standing only a dozen meters from him. “I have to charge my bike so I can actually make it all the way there. Or would you rather I walk?”

“Just transform and ride that way. Nothing will mess with you and you’ll be there in hours.”

“You seem eager for me to succeed.”

“Your success means our continued freedom from hell, so yeah. So just transform already.”

“Can’t. Sun’s out.”

The soul rolled its eyes. “That’s not true. You’re not evil, and technically neither is the demon that possesses you. Means the sun isn’t a limitation unless you let it be one.”

Nick stood, fully facing the soul. “Is that so?” Nick then transformed with a wicked grin. “Well, what do you know?” The chains snapping suddenly around the soul, wrapping around it.”

The soul screamed in rage. “What are you doing? You need to get the contract.”

Stepping up to the soul, Rider chuckled darkly. “So yeah, it seems I can be like this in the sun. I appreciate the information. However, it takes a lot more to maintain, so I’m gonna let my demon feed on you before we send you back to hell. Though you don’t have to worry, you won’t belong to Blackheart anymore. Look into my eyes!”

The soul screamed as the hellfire from Rider quickly encased and seemed to consume the soul. Rider quickly returned to his normal state. He wasn’t kidding, that took a lot of effort to maintain. He might be able to do it, but it was something he quickly filed away for emergencies only.

WIth that done, Nick checked the charge on his bike, and seeing it topped up, he put things away and got back on the move. After several more hours Nick made camp. It was taking longer than he really wanted it to, but the terrain being what it was, and the need to constantly stop to check his position, meant he wasn’t making nearly as good time as he wanted. That said, he was still well within what he had planned for.

Setting two of the sparrow drones up for patrols with proximity alerting, he set up his tent and tried to get some rest. Getting up in the middle of the night, he swapped out the drones for fresh ones, putting the first two to charge. He woke up just before dawn when his senses went off again. Exiting the tent he found another soul, but this one seeming to be at the center of a small dust devil.

“What are you doing? Why are you wasting your time sleeping! You need to hurry up!”

Transforming, as it was still well before dawn, Nick and Rider growled. “You don’t seem to get it. What Blackheart is doing is not how things work.” His chains snapping out but passing through the soul.

Laughing, the soul picked up several large rocks and hurled them at Rider. “Fool! You can’t touch me with your chains. I am the air itself. I am the whirlwind!”

With that the small cyclone that the soul seemed to be at the center of expanded, picking up larger and larger objects and flinging them at Rider. In response, Rider started spinning his chains, lanced out so they acted like a corkscrew, forming his own cyclone of sorts. The soul screamed in rage, trying to fight against the suction Rider was creating.

Rider laughed wickedly. “You are far more powerful now than when you died. However, you are still just a damned soul that belongs in hell, and it is quite literally my job to catch you and send you back. So…” The cyclone Rider created having fully captured the soul, but not able to draw them all the way to him, ignited with the hellfire from his chain’s, becoming an inferno that quickly consumed the soul. Once gone, the wind the soul had created dissipated.

Frowning, Rider shook his head and cast his senses wide. There was a massive miasma of evil in the direction he was heading. It was powerful enough to sense at such a distance that shocked Rider, although Zathros just seemed to grunt in acknowledgement of that fact. Beyond that, he couldn’t really sense any evil soul or anything else nearby. 

With that, and it being just before dawn, he knew trying to get any more rest was pointless. He reverted to his normal state and began cleaning up his camp site, ate something and got ready for the last leg before he got to the town itself. Some six hours later, he found himself at the base of the mountain the town was on the other side of. In truth, the town sat in a bowl-like valley surrounded by mountains.

Checking his map, Nick located the pass, sort of, that broke through the mountains. Based on the satellite images he had pulled up, it was a stream fed by the small lake on the inside of the bowl. It was actually a really smart, defensible location to put a town. Good water source, clear of a lot of trees inside the bowl, but decent enough sun to allow small-scale farming, while the mountains themselves had lots of trees to provide the lumber needs of a small town. If he didn’t know what had happened there, Nick would have been surprised to not find a thriving town.

Deciding to camp at the outlet of the stream, he turned his bike and rode for another two hours. As he set up camp, Nick thought with some surprise that he hadn’t had any really significant issues thus far, save for the souls left behind by Blackheart. As his senses detected multiple evil souls approaching suddenly, he chastised himself for tempting Murphy, even in the privacy of his own mind.

Knowing he only had a few minutes, he quickly found a hide between a large boulder and the cliff that made up one side of the pass through which the stream cut. Stashing his bike there, he used a light to quickly confirm that there was no apparent access through the other end, at least not without digging. He then slung the DemonFox over his back and readied the BlackWolf.

He carefully launched a pair of sparrow drones, setting them for an initial high altitude recon of the area, then having them slowly work their way down until they located the mammals approaching. He knew from his sense that they were not souls like he had taken down during lunch. These were actual mammals, they were not nice people, and they likely knew he was there but not that he knew they were coming.

Whoever they were, they were not being quiet, even if he hadn’t sensed them coming, he would have heard them. They were literally just smashing their way through the brush. If anything, it didn’t sound like they were quite sure how to walk in their bodies. They sounded more like they were just lumbering.

Deciding that he wanted to be slightly more subtle, given his apparent opponents, Nick switched to the DemonFox from the BlackWolf. The BlackWolf still slung in a ready position on his back. As he waited, he quietly screwed a suppressor onto the DemonFox. Slipping in a set of the smart earplugs and his smart ClearBlue flash suppressing goggles.

Checking the video feed from the sparrows, he found they had located what was approaching him. Four wolves, three moose, and a sheep. However, they were not moving like normal mammals. Their movements were jerky, almost mechanical, and they looked very dead. Locating himself on the video by having the drone fly up until he was able to see the stream and the boulder he was hiding beneath, Nick checked the other sparrow. Confirming that there were no other mammals, he slunk out of his hide and around behind the apparently undead mammals.

One of the wolves that still seemed kinda lively spoke, though its voice was clearly problematic. “Fox. We do not come to harm thee. We wish only to welcome you.”

Nick spoke from where he was on a boulder above and behind them, crouched and sighted in on the moose. “Is that so? Then what’s with the big blades?”

“They for to protect you.”

Nick chuckled. “Riiiight. And I’m the Zootopian ape.”

“We do not know what ape is.”

“Tell me this. Why are you moving like you don’t know how to use that body anymore? How come the sheep looks like he’s walked right off the set of the Walking Dead?”

“What is this?”

Deciding he wasn’t going to waste time explaining TV to what he suspected was an evil soul possessing the body of some unfortunate mammal. Nick switched his aim to the worst looking of them, the sheep, and put two rounds in its head. Something that did not immediately drop the animal “Yeah, y’all ain't real mammals anymore, are you.”

“What you do?” The wolf asked.

“I shot the clearly undead sheep in the head, twice, and he’s still standing. Ain’t nothing normal about that.” Switching to one of the wolves that looked very dead. Nick put two rounds in its head and one through its chest. It also did not fall. “Yeah, don’t know exactly what y’all is, but normal mammals you are not.”

Nick quickly safed the DemonFox and swapped to the BlackWolf. He then swapped in the magazine loaded with the ARC Fragmentation slugs and Hellfire incendiary. The wolf that was speaking now seemed upset, perhaps angry. “You no do this. We no hurt you. We protect you. We protect all in town.”

“So, you are the sentries. You find unsuspecting mammals, draw them back, willingly or not, to the town so you can add them to your number or possess their bodies, maybe both?”

“You not know this. Cannot. You die now.”

Charging the BlackWolf, Nick sneered. “Doubtful. I have far too much to live for. You, on the other hand, are already dead I suspect. Which means, I’m going to have to do enough damage to these bodies to force you to vacate them.”

He then put an explosive round into the sheep and the following incendiary into the wolf he’d already shot. The sheep became a scattering of clearly rotted chunks of mutton, and the wolf did not last long as it burned up from the inside out. He then put an explosive round into the first moose, the next incendiary into another wolf, and the next explosive into another moose. He repeated the process with another wolf and moose pair, leaving just the talkative wolf left.

He watched as the evil souls left the now destroyed bodies, joining up with the soul that clearly possessed the wolf. These were clearly not normal souls. Hopping down off the boulder, Nick approached the last wolf that now had eight souls in its body. As he approached, he could sense a ninth soul. 

That ninth soul wasn’t evil, and clearly suppressed, the body still actually alive. Seeing as they were in the deep shadow of the trees and mountain, Nick shifted into Rider. His chains encircling and binding the wolf. “You will all leave the body of this wolf, or I will burn you out.”

“We will not. He belongs to us, just as the others do. He signed. He agreed. He is not innocent.”

“No, he may not be, but unlike you, he is not evil, and clearly his agreeing and signing was done without truly free choice. Release him.”

“You hold no power over us, Demon!”

Opening his jaw like a snake, much as he had done with the tiger those many years ago and many times before and since. The hellfire reaching out from his open maw and flaring up from his chains. The souls screamed in an odd harmonic as all eight did so with the same voice before being pulled into Riders flaming maw.

After a few seconds, only the original soul of the wolf remained. Carrying the wolf back to where he was going to set up camp, Rider quickly tied up the wolf. The soul may not be evil, but there is no telling how sane, or not, they would be when they finally woke from such a nightmare. Once that was done, he transformed back to himself and set about making camp

While he waited for the wolf to wake up, Nick charged the two sparrows he had used and launched the other two to keep watch on the area. About an hour later, as Nick was eating, the wolf woke up, screaming. This came as a shock to Nick and he ended up choking on his bite. After coughing it up, Nick looked up at the wolf. “Damn, dude. You’d think after being possessed for that long, you’d know how to not wake up screaming.”

Looking around wildly the wolf gasped again, panting heavily. “What? I… What?” Where am I?”

Nick looked over the wolf. “Okay, let's start simple then. Name?”

“Kyle Jarrel.”

“Age?”

“Twenty three.”

“What year is it?”

“What year? Weird question.”

“Look, Kyle. You have been possessed by a very evil spirit for the gods only knows how long. Knowing what year you think it is helps me, and you, understand how long you have been possessed.”

“Where is that… Thing? It tortured me.”

“I have no doubt of that. Your screams and agony likely fueled it, kept it fed, as it were. So yeah, not shocking. Now… What year?”

Kyle looked at Nick like he was crazy. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”

“Okay, what song was popular when you came out here?”

“Oh, that’s easy. Eweverly Brothers, Dream. Such a great song.”

Nick pulled out his phone and then pulled up the song on Ewetube, very glad he had included the extra cost for unlimited satellite data stream. “This song?” After a few moments, the wolf nodded, staring at Nick’s phone in confusion.

“What is that?”

Nick smirked at Kyle. “Oh, this? Just the latest Zoogle Pixel 24. I hate to break it to you, old mammal, but you are over a hundred years old. It would seem that, unlike the others, or maybe them too and they were just older, the soul possessing you, kept you alive. Once you recover, you’ll age normally again. Although you will have a lot of catching up to do. What possessed you to come out here anyway? Were you prospecting? Looking to set up a homestead?”

“Me and a bunch of my friends were out here looking for the treasure of San Bengalis. The legends say that, before the town was raised, they had amassed a huge fortune in gold and gems. Things that they didn’t retrieve when they burned the town. One of my friends managed to locate some maps from before the town was reduced to anything but rumor and legend.”

Nick nodded. “And you decided to ignore the warnings and seek out your fortunes. In exchange, you earned yourself more than a century of possession by an evil spirit of San Bengalis and a one way trip into the future. You managed to miss the horrors of the Bellwether administration. Never had to wear a collar, or watch your mate and pups do the same. I wonder how many others were taken in by the evil of this town for the same reason.”

Giving Nick a nasty look. “And what, are you, as a simple fox, going to do? You’ll be possessed in moments.”

“Well, first of all, I am immune to possession by such evil spirits, as I already have a demon hitching a ride. Which answers your question as to where that soul is. It, and the other evil souls, got a one way ticket to hell and the ownership of the duke of hell that I have a deal with. Which is how I come to be possessed by a demon.”

Kyle’s eyes got wider to the point of panic. “You’re possessed by a demon? That’s worse than what I went through.”

Nick shrugged. “Not really. Zath isn’t what you are thinking of. While he is a demon, he is also an aspect of sorts. He’s a demon or spirit of Righteous Vengeance and Justice. So, as I’m a cop back in Zootopia, it works out for both of us. He feeds on the evil mammals do, so he gets to feed off the drug dealers, gangsters, etc… that I take in. In exchange, I get to be essentially bullet proof.”

“Okay…”

Shifting, Nick gave Kyle a skeletal and flame enwrapped grin. “Oh, I’m quite sure.” Shifting back as Kyle started screaming. Nick laughed hard enough to hold his gut, and resulted in Kyle glaring at him hatefully. “Oh gods, that never gets old.”

“That was terrifying, not funny.”

“You didn’t get to see your face. Now, if I cut you free, are you going to behave?”

“You’re a fox, possessed by a demon, and unless I misunderstand what I’m seeing, are armed to the fangs.” Seeing Nick’s nod. “Yeah, not going to cause you trouble.”

Nodding, Nick untied Kyle then offered him some food. While Kyle ate, he swapped out the sparrows for the freshly charged ones. Something that had Kyle watching in rapt fascination. “You’re wondering what those were?”

“Yeah. Some sort of tiny flying machine?”

Nick nodded again with a grin. ‘Yep. Top of the line sparrow drones. Now, Kyle. I’m willing to escort you back to civilization. However, I have some things I have to do in San Bengalis first.  So you may be stuck here for a few days.”

“I want nothing to do with this place. I don’t care how much treasure is there. And I need to get away from here before another spirit decides to take up residence in my body.”

“Well, that is at least something I can relieve your concerns about. You’ll be essentially immune to possession by just about anything for several months, and even then, most things that would be able to do so won’t be interested in you. You are, used goods, as it were. Besides, your body wouldn’t last long. Possession is actually pretty hard on the body. That you’re as old as you are indicates that the soul that possessed you liked the body and wanted to keep it up. It therefore made sure to eat, and do all the other things of life. Also, it willed you to remain young, or at least younger. Even then, you look like you're approaching fifty, not a tender twenty five.”

“I suppose that is reassuring. So you expect me to just wait here?”

“You could follow me, or you could venture out into the wilds and hope to find your way back to civilization. The nearest town is at least four days walk from here, and that is just to get to the logging camp that I stayed in. It’s another two days walk to the town proper.” Pointing. “Generally that direction. Without a map, you could easily miss the town and, well… I suppose you might find a town once you hit the ocean and pick a direction. That is, however, a good two months' walk.”

Kyle nodded. “Yeah. I think I will wait here then.”

“Smart. So, I’m going to get some rest. I will be starting out very early in the morning and head for the town. Once I get there, I’ll take care of my business, and then come back for you. Have some sense. Do not agree to any deals. I’m offering to escort you back as an officer of the law.”

Kyle shook his head. “This is insane. I guess I will wait here for you, at least until the food runs out.”

With that, Nick climbed up a tree and slept for a few hours. Waking, he jumped down, finding Kyle keeping watch. “Not sleeping?”

Kyle shook his head. “I… I can’t sleep. I tried. Every time I close my eyes, I get visions of what was done by my body while I wasn’t in control.”

Nick nodded. “Ah. Yeah, sorry. Didn’t think to warn you about that. Unfortunately, you will remember just about everything that happened while you were possessed. Being possessed doesn’t stop the normal body processes, including the brain storing memories. You’ll be able to tell the memories made while you were possessed and those that are natively yours. That won’t however mean that you are not going to need counseling. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to escort you. As I said, I’m a cop in Zootopia, and the fact that I have a demon along for the ride is a known thing. I can get you hooked up with some mammals that will be able to help you deal with it all, and the memories.”

Kyle looked at Nick in surprise. “And you’re not asking anything in exchange?”

“Nope. Just that you wait here so that I can help you when we head back to civilization. On that note, I’m heading out. Any information you have about what I can expect?”

Kyle shook his head. “I… None of the memories make sense.”

“Wouldn’t happen to know where the contract is stored?”

Kyle laughed. “Yeah, actually. There is a very strong memory for that. It’s in the church.” Taking on a look of confusion and horror. “Yeah. It’s in the church, and that is in the center of town. There are hundreds of mammals there, Nick. Most look like they’re about to fall over because they don’t look alive anymore. There are also a few newer ones. I guess, try not to kill those that could be saved like me. There is also a whole mess of pups, kits, and others. Young mammals that haven’t been converted yet. … Oh gods! They… They eat the ones that refuse to join. They use the bodies they possess to create more. Oh gods… I have so many pups… Pups that are not old enough. Pup that were and refused. That I… Oh gods… I ate them, Nick.”

Nick grabbed Kyle and shook him. “That wasn’t you! Take in the feeling of the memory, it’s detached, like a memory that isn’t actually yours. Because it isn’t. You were not in control. You are not at fault, and if there are kits in that town, I will do all I can to save them. That’s what I do. That’s what my demon does. He may be a demon, but he’s one of the good guys.”

Kyle took several shuddering breaths before nodding. “Yeah. The memories are weird. Like the memory of watching a film, but you were a part of it. Like the memory of a nightmare.”

“Right. Remember that. You’re going to have a lot of that. It’s why I want to hook you up with the help I can. You’re going to need it.”

Kyle nodded, still clearly disturbed. “Okay… I”ll… I’ll try and sleep.”

“Expect nightmares.”

“Yeah. I think at this point, those are going to be the only dreams I have for a while.”

“Probably. Do try and be here when I get back.”

“I will.”

Nick then turned, collected his backpack and duffle, and headed up the stream towards the town and his hope for obtaining his freedom.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

A mere hundred yards upstream, Nick turned back, moving around to come back towards the camp from the side. He had been sensing two other souls that Blackheart had set as his minders. They hadn’t bothered him because he took out their friends, and he hadn’t deviated from what was expected of him. That didn’t mean that one of them wouldn’t make a play for Kyle.

As Nick approached the clearing, he could hear the soul trying to convince Kyle to a deal. “I can help you! I can take away the nightmares, the memories. They can all go away. It will be as if you fell asleep and then woke up here.”

“Nick told me not to make any deals. Almost like he expected someone like you to show up.”

Leaping into the camp clearing as he shifted, Nick turned Rider’s chains flashed out trying to ensnare the soul. “I very much expected this.”

The soul managed to dodge the chains and hissed. “No! I am free now. You will not send me back. Not without a soul belonging to me that I can barter with!”

“You had one, and you sold it off. That’s why you are in the position you are in now.” His chains still whipping about trying to grab the soul. “Now hold still.”

With an evil howl, the soul wove through the flailing chains towards Nick. “I’ll take your soul, and claim your demon. Then Blackheart will free me!”

Grinning with his wicked, skeletal and flame enshrouded grin, Rider pulls a transformed version of DarkFox. The soul screaming just as he fired, putting three rounds of hellfire bullets into the soul. This stunned and knocked the soul back, allowing the chains to wrap around it like pythons. “You are now rebranded. Owned now by the one that owns me. Back to the pit with you.”

Opening his maw wide, his flames reached out, drawing the soul in and he appeared to swallow it. Once finished, he turned to an utterly horrified Kyle and smirked. “What? I sensed it in the area and knew as soon as it thought I had moved on, it would go after you. It was under the mistaken belief that it could earn power by claiming your soul for itself. It lacked the ability to do that, because it could not do what it was promising it could. That’s one of the requirements of such a deal. In order to be able to take ownership, you have to be able to satisfy your part of the bargain.”

Kyle nodded, staring at Rider. “But, did you have to eat them?”

Rider laughed. “I know what it may look like, but I didn't actually eat them. Shortest route back to hell. I basically have a portal to hell inside me.”

“If you say so.”

Shifting back, Nick nodded. “I do say so. You shouldn’t be harassed now, but the point remains. Don’t make any deals with hell souls, demons, etc… Yeah, I know I’m possessed by a demon, but I am also not trying to offer you deals or promise you anything.”

Kyle took a shaky breath. “Yeah… I get that. Still freaked out.”

Shrugging, Nick turned and headed back up stream again. “I’ll be back. Again, do try and be here when I get back. The help I offer you is as an officer of the ZPD, that’s it.”

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

Nick knew the last minder soul was up stream, in the stream, having fled when Nick went after the most recent one. He didn’t know if there were more, but four seemed likely to be the most Blackheart would put in play. Souls typically gained some elemental abilities after a time in hell and then when they made it back to Earth. The last last two clearly had some kind of affinity for air, the way they were able to fly and spin through his chains or simply ignore them. The last one, he was betting, had a water affinity. It could be trying to trick him, but unlikely. In his experience dealing with souls that had escaped hell, they were not generally that bright. If they had an ability, like water manipulation, that’s what they would do. Typically not bright and not very creative.

After several hours of hiking, Nick exited the mountains into the deep protected valley that contained the town. To his shock, the satellite images were wrong. So wrong it was very worrying. The town was not in ruins, it was quite intact, and heavily populated. The amount of evil pouring off the town was staggering. He’d felt the miasma of it before, but the hit of it now, unfiltered, was shocking.

It was no wonder both Blackheart and Mephisto wanted the contract. If you were the one to call in this contract, you would have a force and power that would be quite shocking, even to the denizens of hell. Whichever of the two that obtained it, it would change the face of hell.

Nick moved along the inner rim of the valley and up a distance. This allowed him to take out his scope and look over the town and try to plan his way in. Overlooking the town, it was bustling and looked for all the world like any moderately small town in the world. If it were not for the fact that most of the residents looked dead and moved like they were on the set of a zombie movie. Night of the Dead. Brains… BraINs… BRAINS!!!!

He could see the church where the contract supposedly was. There were zombies, he was just going to start calling them that, going in and out of the building. Looking towards the opposite side of town, he could see a fenced and walled off area that clearly housed the children. What he saw there raised his hackles, puffed his tail, and pulled a very demonic growl from him. Zath was just as displeased by what they saw.

The kits were basically in prison, and clearly made to work. The entire situation just made him angrier. It would almost be a mercy to simply call in an air strike, flatten the town and then collapse the mountains down around it to bury it beneath a million tons of stone. He knew that there were innocents down there though. The children, and many of the bodies wandering around were possessed by the evil souls doing this.

It suddenly mattered less who took possession of these souls, and more that they be claimed and dragged to hell where they belonged. Thus freeing those that were still alive enough to survive and saving the possibly hundred plus kits he could see. His instinct, and Zaths own drive was to charge into the town and kick some tail until there was nothing left. Nick however knew that to save the kits, so as to not kill any innocents, they were going to need to be a bit more strategic. His drones, and the explosive he brought with him were going to be put to a great deal of use.

To pull this off, he was going to have to channel his father, his auntie Skye and Uncle Jack, as well as every fox and sly rabbit, ever. Forming the plan in his mind, he would use the sparrow drones to deliver some explosives to strategic locations. Setting it up so that it would seem like a directed attack. As he was thinking, he started working. Opening his duffle, he pulled out the explosives and parsed out the ARC explosives into 10 sections of various sizes, each with a detonator.

He then rigged one of his Falcon Scout Drones with one of his DarkFox pistols and the only extended magazine he brought. He didn’t think he’d actually need it, hadn’t even loaded it, but was now very glad he gave into the whim to grab one, loading the 30 round magazine with a random selection of HVHE ARC explosive and XXL Mega-fauna. He then loaded magazines for his DemonFox with the Armor piercing and locked the scope to it.

While he waited for the first sparrow to get into position to drop the explosive charge, he began reloading the magazines for the BlackWolf. While he hoped that the distraction he was going to lay down using the explosives and Flacon with the DarkFox mounted to it would be enough. If he needed to fight his way out, the BlackWolf would be his primary tool in doing so.

Over the next several hours, he reorganized his magazine load out, parsed out the HellFire incendiary into eight sections and used the Sparrow to deliver those as well. He then set up the non-firing Falcon with a program to buzz over the area his attack would be coming from, with one of his 1000 lumen flashlights set to emergency flare strobe. Thus adding a nice aerial distraction to the whole thing. The explosives set to go off in a programmed sequence ensuring that the whole thing should last nearly an hour. Hopefully enough time for him to get in, and back out.

Once everything was set, he sat, watched, and waited. He would make his move in the early evening. About an hour after the sun fell beyond the rim of the valley, but still technically not night. He used the scope on his DemonFox as well as the Sparrow drones to watch and try to get a feel for how they went about their lives. If you can call shambling along in the rotting, functionally dead, stolen body of some poor mammal, a life.

It was clear as he watched that, even those that looked healthy, were possessed. It was only the kits, younger than about 12 or so, that were not possessed. Some of the teenagers might also not be, but it was hard to tell. They were being used for hard labor, so there was no telling. It was clear to him that he would have to call in assistance once this was done. Either that, or he would be leading a massive train of mammals, mostly kits, out of the wilderness.

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

14

That evening, Nick saw things change. The kits, including most of the teenagers that were out in the town, were all locked down in the prison area. Those teenagers that were not were clearly older, and what Nick saw through one of the windows took his rage to an even higher level. Worse, he also confirmed that there were armed guards around the kits, and their intent was clearly not to keep mammal’s out, but keep the kits in, with lethal force if needed. 

With that, he adjusted his plans, the program for the explosives, the path and targets for the Falcons, and his plan of attack. He would free the kits first. Even if it cost him the extra century, that was better than risking the kits being killed, any of them, by the twisted souls that possessed this town.

Once in the position, Nick readied one of the concussion and flash-bang grenades, pairing them to his phone and then setting them to go off at the same time as the first explosive. The concussion was put right in front of the main entrance to the prison area. He knew there were guards on the other side. The Flashbang went through the window into the guard shack area. 

Once he’d tossed the flashbang he triggered the program. Chuckling darkly as he heard the guards ask. “What’s that thing?”

“Don’t know.” They didn’t get farther than that before it went off.

The concussion grenade successfully caved in the doors, and Nick was around the corner and into the building as the first explosive went off towards the center of the town. From the sounds of it, the building it was on collapsed. With his BlackWolf up, Nick began to clear the room. While these were not as decayed as most of the bodies in town, probably why they were there, Nick did not have time to try and bind and suck out the possessing soul. The BlackWolf made quick, if not messy work of the occupants of the room. He could sense the souls, both the possessing soul and the soul that the body originally possessed leaving said body, or what was left of it.

He almost laughed as the souls of the possessed bodies did not however leave. Instead, they went on the attack. Just the distraction he needed. It would prevent the possessing souls from reporting that the prison was under attack sooner. He quickly set up a tripwire across the entrance with one of the frag grenades, then moved into the building, closing and blocking the door behind him. He’d be leaving from one of the outer walls using one of the grenades to knock a hole in it.

Moving through, he found the remaining guards he knew of huddled around the door to the dorms where the kits were, and arguing over what to do. “What do we do?” Asked a deer.

A wolf, clearly the leader, responded. “We stay put. The kits cannot be allowed to escape. We cannot afford to have any escape and have to be put down. It takes too long to get them to breeding age, let alone for possession.”

“Yeah, but one of those explosions sounded like it was really close.” A different wolf said.

The lead wolf spoke again. “It’s just the acoustics.” Another explosion went off, sounding closer. “See. That sounded close again. Could have even been an echo. The others will deal with this attack just like every time before. They cannot withstand the power of the sourcer or the fact that we cannot simply be killed. Let alone that we can just possess their bodies and turn their own weapons against them.”

The original wolf nodded. “I guess you’re right. So do we spread out then?”

Nick readied another frag grenade. Popping around the corner, pin pulled. “Sure, let me help. Catch!” Tossing it over to them as they looked to see who had spoken. The lead wolf catching it. “What the?”

The original wolf screamed ‘grenade,’ just before it went off. There wasn’t much left of them, and just like the guards before, the released souls of the bodies original owners went on the attack upon being freed.

He could hear whimpering and crying from all the kits. Approaching the door which had been damaged by the grenade, he kicked it in, causing several screams and more crying. “Hey kits. I’m Nick WildeHopps. I am not one of these possessed scum.” Looking around he was shocked by how many kits there were. They were squeezed in, and huddling together. “Is this all of you?”

One of the older teenagers, a black and gray jackrabbit with a damaged ear stepped forward. “Except those that are out in town being used, yes. You should leave, before one of them decides to possess you.”

Nick smiled. “I’m actually immune to the kind of possession that they would try. They could try, but well…” Grabbing the soul that was trying to make its way into the room. It screamed in rage making the kits cower further. Nick then opened his mouth, hellfire shooting forth to entrap the soul and draw it into his maw. Giving an exaggerated belch. “Trying to possess me is a one way ticket for them to hell. So let's get you all out of here.”

Getting the kits to get clear, he put several rounds into the wall to create a hold, then slipped another concussion grenade into it. Transforming he used his body to shield the kits. Looking back at the kits, they were looking at him with a combination of fear and fascination. Rider smirked. “And this is why I can’t be possessed by the evil spirits here. I already have a spirit of Righteous Vengeance in residence. I’m also a cop in Zootopia, and everyone knows I’m like this. Once I take care of the souls in this town, I will make sure all of you are taken care of.”

One of the other teenagers. “Taken care of like, how? Killed? Possessed like you instead of them?”

Rider shook his head and turned back into Nick. “No. Placed with families that will take care of you, love you, help you get an education, and do whatever in this life you want. I don’t know what they tell you about the world, but it is not nearly as bad as I expect they claim.”

“They claim that the world was destroyed by war and that there is nothing but unthinking beasts out there.”

“Yeah, no… The world has certainly had some war, some ugly wars where lots of mammals lost their lives. The world has not however destroyed itself. It has mostly gotten over itself and most mammals, predator and prey alike, live together in relative harmony.”

A silver gray rabbit doe with slate gray eyes, probably 12, stepped forward. “Then what do predators eat?”

We have huge farms where we raise birds like chickens, as well as bugs, and there are non-meat based protein substitutes as well.” Kneeling down. “My mom is actually a rabbit and my dad is a Red fox. I take after my dad.” Grinning so his teeth showed and tapping his front two, very rabbit-like, teeth. “Still have some of my mom's traits though.” Standing again he turned to the teenagers. “You have a choice. Take the chance. Lead all the kits out of here and up into the forest. Then work your way around the valley to the stream that flows out of the valley. Follow that stream and then wait once you are beyond the mountains.

Or… You can stay here and hope that more of them don’t show up and murder you. Or decide that you are old enough to be possessed, or taken for other purposes. Your choice.”

The kits all looked at each other, the teenagers nodding in agreement. “We’ll go. I truly hope you are what you claim.”

Nick smiled and handed the buck his badge. “That’s my badge. When you get out of the mountains. Pry it open and press the red button inside until it clicks. Don’t do that before you are clear of the mountains.”

“What will happen if we do that?”

“Help will come. Lots of it.”

With that, the kits all filed out, Nick providing them cover. Once they were clear, he made his way back into the town and towards the church. He still had a job to do, the reason he was there to begin with.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

Nick made it to the street across from the church when the final explosive went off. Unfortunately for him, there were four very large guards outside the church. Two rhinos, a bull elephant, and a bull water buffalo. He stood across the street, as they glared back at him. All four were clearly well past the sell by date for their bodies.

Nick adjusted his shooting glasses and made sure his earplugs were seated correctly. He then swapped the mag for this BlackWolf, the one that was alternating ARC explosives and Hellfire incendiary. Once he was ready, Nick looked up at the large mammals with a wicked smirk. “You four are well past your expiration date. Been riding those bodies a bit too long. What say I help you vacate the premises?”

The water buffalo snorted and growled. “I don’t know how you got here, fox. If you are with whatever force is currently attacking the town, you will simply be turned or used like all those before you.”

Nick shrugged, popping his neck. “Doubtful. I’m unlike anything you have likely dealt with before. However, what I’m here for is behind you in that church somewhere.”

“There is no treasure. Only your death or conversion.”

“I guess we shall see. Well, I will. You, not so much.” Putting a round into the bulls head which effectively made his head vanish. “Oh look, a magic trick.” Grinning evilly at the other three remaining guards, they moved to charge and Nick unloaded into them. They fell before they could get even a few steps, their deteriorated bodies unable to withstand the high explosive and incendiary rounds from the BlackWolf.

Slinging the BlackWolf, Nick switched to his DemonFox and entered the church. Sweeping it quickly, he found it to be mostly empty, and moved quickly towards the document, a book really, upon the church altar. The book reeked of evil and the stench of corruption. It was so evil, there was an odd rot that appeared to be eating at the stone of the altar upon which it lay.

Looking around one more time, Nick flipped the pages of the book, seeing dozens, hundreds of names inscribed in blood upon its pages. Closing it, he slipped it into his mostly empty duffle and put it over his shoulder. Turning, he found himself facing a dozen rotting mammals and one elk that looked perfectly healthy.

The elk smiled at Nick, although there was nothing friendly about said smile. “Welcome to San Bengalis, friend. “You must be the one who attacked us. Smart to keep us occupied with the distraction. Strange devices you have.” Holding up a broken Falcon, the one with the flashlight. “What magic do you wield that lets you produce such things? Especially the light made by this thing?” The flashlight still shining.

“No magic. Just simple technology. Now, if you will let me pass, we can all go about our business and no one else has to get forcibly exorcized.”

“You have done a good job of that. What surprises me is that you have somehow not become possessed in the process. What magic protects you? I suppose we will find out soon enough. I’ll ask you kindly to return the book to the altar. It is of no value to you or anyone of this world.”

“It is actually of great value to me, the reason however is my own. Now stand aside.”

“I respect your determination. However, you will join us, become a vessel, or die here. There are no other options.”

“I beg to differ.” Flipping the switch on the DemonFox to three round bursts, Nick started dropping mammals.

The elk chuckled. “Your weapons are amazing. The world has grown in its ability to deal out death.”

Nick, moving slowly to one side, nodded. “We have, although most of the time we use non-lethal methods. Things like tranquilizers delivered at range. We will kill if we have to, but will avoid it if we can. The residents of the town however fall into a slightly different category. Since they are all possessed by horribly evil spirits, other willing members of this town, and the moral and literal horrors you commit daily. Well… I will take great pleasure in razing this town to the ground again, and ensuring that it can never rise again.”

“If you think the mammals here are the only ones that have signed that book of their own free will. Well, there is a bridge in Zootopia I would like to sell you.”

“Depends on the bridge. I might be up for buying.” Dropping another mammal that made a move for him.”

“While you are entertaining, it is time you surrender to the inevitable.”

Nick nodded. “I agree.” Tossing another frag grenade into a group and then lighting up the elk. 

The grenade did its work well, the problem being, all nine rounds he sent, on target, to the elk, never actually reached him. They detonated against an invisible wall a few inches from the mammal, who was laughing. “Oh, my. You are quite the firebrand. However, I think that is quite enough.” Nick was staring in surprise at the fact that the elk still stood, and what happened with the rounds he fired at him. So, he was surprised by the invisible fist the size of an elephant that slammed into him and drove him into the wall. “Now you will learn what true power is. The power one gains from within themselves.”

Nick groaned as he pulled himself out of the wall. “Ouch. Not appreciating that. What the hell was that?”

Zath spoke in Nick’s head. “That was actual magic. He’s the sorcerer that we heard mentioned. His is the one that twisted this town originally. We must mark him. However, if we transform he will know what we are and be able to respond.”

“Then we’ll just have to get nasty, and up close and personal.”

“What’s that? You are still able to move? Impressive.”

“Yeah, I am not a normal fox. I’m a fobbit, actually. So I’m a lot harder to put down. Charging, Nick dodged to the side as another invisible fist drove directly into where he was. It wasn’t actually invisible, but it wasn’t exactly visible either. It was like a vague heat mirage.

The elk smiled. “Impressive. You will however not be able to resist me.”

“We shall see about that.” Pulling his remaining DarkFox, Nick dropped the remaining mammals inside the church. A wall of the same shimmering energy slammed in front of the exit, Nick however was counting on that and bouncing off it, using his powerful legs, leapt up and over the elk, emptying the magazine and reloading as he landed. “I wonder how long you can keep that shield up.”

The flashbang he had dropped next to the elk went off, surprising him. Nick fired again, three rounds. Two hit the same shield, the third however got through and clipped the elk in the shoulder.

Calling out in pain and slapping his hoof over the wound, he glared at Nick. “What magic is this? No matter your weapons, you should not be able to get through my shield.”

Popping two smoke grenades, Nick laughed. “Told you, I’m not a fox, I’m a fobbit. I take you you don’t know what that is. Perhaps I’ll tell you just before I end you.”

“What now? How do you summon smoke like that? I sense no magic in use.”

“That’s your problem, Sourcy… Not everything is magic. Hell, even I know a few parlor tricks.” Grinning as the smoke filled the room, Nick was able to see through it thanks to the polarization of his glasses. He had considered the fact that he was able to transform in the sun, even if it took extra energy to do so. He could summon his chains without transforming, and even transform just his eyes to Pennance the deer at the diner. It suggested, he could do more than that, and given the situation, it was worth a try.  “How about this for a magic trick.” Transforming just his paw and the DarkFox held in it, Nick put three rounds of hellfire into the elk. All three cut right through his shield and scorched him.

“Impossible! How can you summon Hellfire? How can you hurt me? There is nothing in this world that can touch me.”

Nick put two more rounds into the elk, then dodged back and to the side as the fist, now easily visible as it moved through the smoke, displacing it, tried to smash him again. Moving through the smoke, Nick continued firing the hellfire rounds into the elk, the sound from the weapon echoing so other than the direction they shot came from, there was no telling where Nick was due to the smoke.

Finally seeing the elk limping, Nick managed to target one of his hooves. This ended the attacks of the invisible fist. Nick also noticed that the barrier that protected the elk was failing. There were holes in it wherever he had put the hellfire through. Using that, he put several regular rounds through those holes into the elk.

At this, the elk backed up away from Nick. He was initially concerned that the elk could see him, but the fear in his eyes and the way he looked around wildly said otherwise. “This isn’t possible. You wield powers even I lack. What are you? Who are you?”

“My name is Nicholas WildeHopps. Half fox, half rabbit. All, your worst nightmare, and more.”

The smoke cleared slightly as the grenades exhausted themselves, the elk bolted for the door, only for it to be barred by hellfire encased chains. “No! You summon hell itself? Impossible! You are no sourcerer!”

The chains snapped around, encasing the sorcerer and constricting so he could not move. Before he could do anything, Nick put a round into his undamaged hoof causing him to scream in pain. Stepping up to the sorcerer so he could be seen in the smoke, Nick looked up at him. “Now then. This was fun and all, but I have a purpose here. That being to claim the contract for the one who owns my soul.” Transforming and increasing his size so that he was slightly taller than the elk. He pressed his palm to the elks forehead, branding him. “You now belong to him.”

“You’re a rider?! But… How? How are you able to do all this without me sensing you?”

“Because the demon that possesses me does not control me. You, on the other hand, took such wondrous power, that could have helped mammals and reshaped the world. Instead, you twisted it and yourself, and for what? Not that I care, but I am curious. What did you gain?”

“Immortality. Power. I am a god here.”

The chains constricted further, wrapping around both hooves and crushing them to the elks scream of pain. The hellfire covering them, searing his flesh where they touched it. Rider pulled the machete/sword from his sheath down his back, the blade glowing and wreathed in hellfire, having transformed with him. Runes visible along its length. With two quick motions, he removed the elk's antlers. An almost electrical arcing sound happened at that and the elk slumped, his power now gone.

“You now belong to Mephisto. It took me some thinking to figure out why demons like him and Blackheart would want the contract. Then I realized. You defeated the demon you made the contract with. Thus granting you everything you wanted from it, but also freeing you from it, so long as no new demon claimed it. Now, even if no demon were to ever claim it, you belong to Mephisto.”

Bowing his head the elk nodded. “And with my antlers gone, I have no power to resist.”

At that moment, the smoke cleared, flowing out of the room as it sucked out and Blackheart walked in. “Well done. You exceed the bragging of my father. I look forward to what wonders you perform under my service.”

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

15

Nick glared at Blackheart. “I do not work for you, no matter what you think. We have no agreement, despite your claim to the contrary.” Blasting hellfire and chains at Blackheart, who simply shrugged them off.

“I am no minor demon, and I have no soul, so your powers here are of no consequence to me.” Ripping open the duffle Nick had dropped while he fought the elk, he removed the book with a grin that split his head in half.

“You have a soul, it just isn’t one that my powers would affect. So what are you going to do? Turn all these souls into an army that you can take hell with?”

“That’s kinda the plan, yes.” Blackheart didn’t bother looking up as he flipped through the book. “So many souls, willingly given. Sure, there are a few that signed under duress and thus will be freed once I make my claim, but hardly a noticeable amount. This will be glorious.”

“I’d think you’d want to absorb them and the power they represent.”

This idea seemed to surprise Blackheart. “What? Why would I do that? I’m a major duke of hell already. I have power.”

“Sure, and while leading an army of evil souls like this is certainly intimidating. How much more intimidating and establishing of your true power would it be if you, yourself were that army? Think about it. Sweeping through hell, your adversaries would throw their minions at you, only for you to easily overwhelm them and then claim them as your own. Your power such that you can turn back their own as your minions. Giving you the chance to effortlessly overwhelm them and take their power as well. Sure, you’re powerful now as a duke of hell, but that would make you its master. None could stand against you.”

Zath hissed inside Nick’s head. “What are you doing! Are you insane? If he does that, he literally becomes what you are suggesting.”

Responding, a grin in his mental voice. “Sure, but he has to be able to use it. Once he has absorbed even a single one of these souls, he’s got a soul that we can affect. If he absorbs all of them…”

Zath was clearly surprised. “Then we could judge those souls, and by extension, Blackheart himself.”

“Exactly…”

“Okay, but this is a crazy risk.”

“What choice do we have? It is really the only play we have to stop him and not end up enslaved by him.”

“Fair point.”

Blackheart in the meantime seemed thoughtful. “An interesting idea. Having such power would make me not just a duke, but the king of hell. It would let me expand as I claimed the power of all those beneath me.”

Rider nodded. “Right! It would make you unstoppable. As for me. Like I said. I don’t work for you, but… If you were to become that, you would be worth working for. Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven, no?”

Blackheart laughed wickedly. “You have the right of it. You think you would deserve to serve under me?”

Rider shrugged. “Well, at that point everyone would, wouldn’t they? In some form or fashion? You would be the king demon, after all, and even if my contract remained under Mephisto, you would still have right and power to command, no? I figure at that point, serving under you directly would be smarter than being the lackey of a lackey.”

Blackheart's laugh was horrible, enough to curdle milk from a mile away. “Oh, you are a devious one. I believe I agree with you, and your terms. We shall make it official shortly.” As Blackheart held the book in front of him, Rider shifted the BlackWolf into paw, its transformed state making it a massive cannon. He didn’t figure it would stop Blackheart, but it should distract him long enough to get close. “I am Blackheart, grand duke of hell. This is the contract of San Bengalis. I claim it as mine, and the souls within so inscribed! I claim their power, their essence and make it mine!”

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

A terrifying howl arose from the town, and across the world beyond the valley in which it resided. Damned souls whose name was inscribed within the book screamed as they were ripped free of the bodies they possessed. In moments there were souls swirling around the inside of the church, screaming their rage before slamming through and into Blackheart, before being absorbed by him.

Blackheart’s eyes glowed a bloody, hellish red as he gasped in almost orgasmic pleasure. “I can feel it! Each soul amplifies upon the last and those I have already taken as my own! Their power… It is a thousand times what I expected!” His voice started to take on a resonant quality, as if dozens or more voices spoke as one. “The power. It is exquisite. I will be unstoppable. The heaven’s themselves will be unable to withstand my power.”

The unresisting bodies of the town fell as the possessing souls were forcibly ripped from them. Those bodies that were continuing only because of the possession released the soul entrapped within with thankful, joyous gasps. Those whose bodies were still viable curled up in agony, often both physical and emotional as the horrors done by them, by their bodies while controlled by the possessing soul washed over them. For many, it was far too much, and they quickly ended their existence on this plane in any way they could.

Others went almost instantly mad, attacking each other and anything and everything around them. Many more died in the ensuing melee. Not that any of those souls would complain, it freed them of the horrors of their continued existence. The last group, simply curled up as they weathered the agony and horror.

The children, huddling together in the forest saw this from a distance, observing in rapt fascination and horror. Wondering what had happened, and remembering how Rider had consumed the soul of the one that had intended to possess one of them.

In the world beyond, mammals who had been possessed by the souls of San Bengalis fell to their knees, screaming in ways a mammal should not be able to. Those around them looked on in shock as a dark soul was clearly ripped out of the body, leaving the original owner to gasp in relief as they collapsed.

Shocking to many was the sheer number of mammals that were labeled as serial killers. Mammals barely considered that, and sitting in prison for life, if not awaiting the gallows in some form, had dark souls ripped from their bodies. The mammals crying out in relief. Many of the absolute worst of mammal civilization, oft in plain view of other mammals, succumb to this as the far flung souls of San Bengalis were summoned home and absorbed by Blackheart.

Laughing, Blackheart’s voice was now clearly the voice of thousands spoken as one. “We are power. We are many. We are Legion! None shall be able to stand against us.”

Rider cocked his weapon. “Good. that’s what I wanted to hear!” He then unloaded an entire magazine into Blackheart, causing him to be blasted into pieces. Pieces that quickly pulled themselves back together.

“You cannot hurt us with such weapons.”

“Wasn’t my intent. It proves to you that you are now more powerful. For while it would not have injured you, it would have hurt. Did that hurt?”

Laughing in his legion voice. “It did not! We will be unstoppable.”

Rider was standing right in front of Blackheart, his chains slipping around and around him, though not yet constricting. “That may be true, save one thing.”

“Oh, and what is that my minion?”

“Now you have a soul. Plural. Look into my eyes!” His chains constricted in that instant, and the hellfire of his eyes and penance stare lept out encompassing Blackheart.

“What? NO!” At that, Blackheart screamed. The pain, the suffering, the evil done by every soul he had absorbed inflicted on him in its full horrific glory. As he burned, even his own actions, his own original soul that Rider could not normally touch, now linked and bound by the souls he’d taken in, was not immune. 

They stood there like that for several minutes as more and more souls finally made their way back to San Bengalis and merged with the rest, only to be judged as they did so. At the end, Blackheart's eyes looked like cooling, cracked magma, a deep bloody red glow from the cracks in the seemingly blackened surface. Rider released him and he collapsed, twitching and moaning in his still legion like voice.

Turning as Mephisto manifested, Rider shook his head. “So… San Bengalis.” Picking up the book, he held it out to Mephisto. “Here is the contract.”

Mephisto looked at it and chuckled. “Nice try, but we both know the agreement was for what that contract represented, and Blackheart claimed it instead of me.”

Nick shifted and nodded. “I figured as much.”

Mephisto lifted Blackheart up. “Interesting.” Turning to Nick. “It would seem you and I have an accounting to settle up. You failed to obtain the contract of San Bengalis for me, as such, you owe me another full century per our agreement.” Nick’s ears folded back. He knew that was going to be the results, but he could see no other way out. He was not able to take Blackheart. “However…” This had Nick’s ears perking up. “It would seem that you have still provided me all the souls of San Bengalis, all in one special little package, and in the process claimed for me Blackheart himself. Something, had he not done as he did and absorbed the souls, would not have been possible.

This places me in quite the predicament. You fail, and yet in the process you succeed. The number of souls clears even your extended debt, and then some. Add to that not only vanquishing Blackheart, by branding and claiming him for me. In doing so, you place our scales not just slightly unbalanced, but excessively so. I now owe you far more than you ever owed me, and that cannot stand.

What do you ask of me? What grand favor do you ask that will balance our scales. Your soul is yours again. I can free you of the curse that binds you to a demon? Power? Riches? Females? Males? I care not. What can I grant you to bring our scales even?”

Nick looked up at the demon lord that had owned his soul since he was twelve. “There are so many things I might ask for, so many things I could demand of you. I will not ask for release of my curse, as Zathros and I have come to an understanding. I will own this curse, and now that I am free of you, I will put it to good use. No, I will ask other things of you.

You will owe me a favor at some future point. Undefined and to be answered at the time of asking, even if that asking is upon my arrival in hell. We both know that’s where I am going to end up. No, what I demand of you is that I am able to access the full power of Zathros without needing him to fully manifest through me. I will be in control, always, unless I willingly grant Zathros control.”

Mephisto nodded. “Done. What else. I cannot express how unbalanced our scales are, even with those two items, as absurd as they are.”

Nick looked beyond Mephisto to the town beyond the doors of the church. Seeing several of the formerly possessed mammals in their clear death throes, as their bodies, used up as they were by the possessing spirits, gave up their last. “The mammals that were possessed by the souls of San Bengalis. Those that wish to still live, have their health restored. Those that chose to end their existence here because of what was done by them while possessed, be held untainted by that decision. We both know that many of them signed that contract, but were not summoned by it because their signature was tainted and not truly of their own free will.”

Mephisto nodded again. “Done. Damn selfless requests. Yes, you are likely to end up in hell, in the end, but your soul is not nearly as corrupted as you think, sadly. You seem nearly immune to the corruption of having a demon, even one such as Zathros possessing you. Despite his nature, he is still a demon, yet you are nearly untouched by that fact. Our scales still remain unduly unbalanced. Is there anything else?”

“The mammals who were possessed by the souls of San Bengalis. Let leniency reign in their treatment by other mammals. Let madness not take them that they may seek help to deal with what happened while they were possessed.”

WIth a final nod, Mehpisto began to fade. “Done. While our scales remain unbalanced, with your open ended favor hanging over our heads, they could be seen as balanced, depending on what that ask ends up being. So for now, you and I shall have no more dealings, until such time as you require that outstanding item of me. See you in hell, when you get there.”

At that, Mephisto vanished and Nick fell on his butt. He was free. He could also feel the absolute tsunami of power wash over him as Mephisto satisfied their new deal. He could sense it as it also washed over the town, reviving the bodies and healing them, their souls rejuvenated. He could hear the collective gasp across the town as the pain dissipated and their bodies recovered.

Zathros appeared before Nick, Kneeling and looking down on the fobbit. “Well, that did not go as I expected. Mephisto got what he wanted, and more. You removed a major thorn in his side by dealing with Blackheart. You have in doing this, changed the face of hell. My power is now yours, and without me needing to manifest through you, thus why I can manifest like this. We are still bound, but no longer as before.

This was a dangerous gamble you have played, Nicholas WildeHopps. Even more so that you still have something you can demand of Mephisto, and such an open ended ask, too. I suspect this may end up falling under a saying of you mammals. Be careful what you wish for, you may just get it.”

Nick nodded, looking up at Zathros. “Well, that may be true. I just hope I am up to the task. Also, you are still family, you know that, right?”

Zathros frowned. “You were serious? Your mother was serious?”

Nick nodded. Yes. We’re a family of hybrids and freaks. Adding a demon to our ranks is hardly a big lift.”

Zathros nodded. “I see. I suppose, when you get home, I will have to manifest then, and see if their opinion stands.”

Nick watched Zathros vanish in a puff of smoke and smiled. “They will, Zath. I’m sure to your surprise, they will.”

Nick then picked himself up and retrieved his duffle and weapons. Making sure they were all still loaded and ready, he made his way out of the church to start taking stock of the mammals still alive in the town. He had a phone call to make, and needed to get out of the valley to do so. He had checked his phone and found that he had no signal, not even a satellite, inside the valley when he first got there. Checking again, he confirmed, no signal.

The first mammal he came across was a wolf, who looked surprisingly like Kyle. Helping the wolf sit up. “Hello, what’s your name?”

The wolf looked at Nick confused. “I’m Jacob. Uhm… What?”

Nick smiled. “You’ve been possessed, for a very long time. You’re free of that possession now, as the souls of this town that did that to you are now all in hell where they belong. Since you are still alive and talking to me, you clearly don’t want to end it, while others did.” Indicating another wolf who was very clearly dead. “The question being, what do you do from here? That is something I cannot answer for you, but I can help you. The first thing we need to do is organize all those still alive in this town and get them out of this valley. Once we are out of this valley, I can call for help to get everyone back to civilization.”

The wolf nodded. “Okay. You haven’t met my brother, Kyle. Have you?”

Grinning, Nick nodded. “Yeah. He should, hopefully, be waiting just beyond the valley exit. I thought you looked related.” Lifting the wolf to his feet, a look of surprise on his muzzle that a fox was able to do that. “I’m not a normal fox, obviously. I wouldn’t have been able to end the sorcerer that created this nightmare or arrange the recovery of all the mammals in this city that still wished to live. So, come on Jacob. Sadly, there is no rest for the weary in this case, at least not yet.”

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

Over the next day, all the mammals of the town were collected and directed out of the valley. The kits were found still slowly working their way around the edge, terrified of being caught, especially as they witnessed all the souls in the town flying about and screaming. The silence more terrifying than the screams.

Claiming his badge back, Nick did one last scour of the town, before following the last of the mammals out. Once beyond the valley, Nick pulled out his phone to see he again had a satellite signal. Dialing Chief Wolford he waited.

After the third ring the line was answered. “Nick? Is everything alright?”

Nick laughed. “Yeah, I suppose you could say that. San Bengalis is no more. However, I have about five hundred mammals that I need to get transported back to civilization, many of whom have been possessed for decades, or longer. All of whom are going to need a lot of help, both to reintegrate into society, and just in general, given what was done by them while possessed.”

“Yeah, there are a few hundred mammals throughout the world who are now free of that possession. Who knew that the town had such reach. The satellite images were doctored, although I suspect you know that.”

“Yeah, bit of a shock. I also suggest that you ask the military to do some training exercises in this canyon. You know, things like aerial bombardment in a protected canyon. Keep their skills up, and wipe any trace of the existence of that town from the world, permanently.”

“I think they’ll agree to that. There were high ranked members of the military that were possessed, and it seems had been since they were young, as such, they were possessed during their entire careers. It’s an absolute mess.”

“I believe it. Also, I’ll be calling mom next. There are over a hundred kits that are going to need homes. A lot are hybrids. Regardless, I think mom will be perfect to help make sure they get the care and help they need.”

“Kits? Oh gods. Tell me they weren’t.”

“I’ll tell you no such thing, so I am not lying to you. It’s bad, Mike. It’s really bad. A good third of the population, despite being able to live free of the possession, chose to end their lives due to what was committed by the spirit that possessed their bodies. A lot of the adults were children that were used as vessels and have grown up. A lot of the kits are the young of the adults. It’s bad, Mike.”

“Understood. I need to make some calls. I’ll call you back with an update.”

“Thanks.”

The call ended and Nick looked up to see Kyle approaching him. “You did it! You freed everyone!” Kyle was suddenly tackled from the side by Jacob.

“Kyle! You’re alive!”

“Yes, and free thanks to Nick. We’ve been away for like a hundred years, Jacob.”

“That’s why Nick was telling us all. That the world has moved along, and we are all going to have a lot of catching up to do. Some of us more than others.”

At that moment, a military transport flew over, clearly taking stock of the mammals collected at the exit of the valley. Nick watched as it circled and then headed a distance off to land. Advising everyone to stay back, since it was too soon for his boss to have gotten assistance sent out, he would deal with whoever was there. (Think of the Quinjet from the Marvel movies, just bigger.)

Nick stepped into the clearing as the transport officially set down, a dozen military special forces wolves jumping out, the transport taking back off immediately. Nick held his badge up high as he approached. Making himself clearly seen, the soldier's weapons quickly trained on him. “Evening. Thanks for joining us, but what we need is transport for a few hundred civilians, including kits.”

The lead wolf shook his head. “Nothing personal fox, but there are standing orders. Nothing leaves this area alive. That means you.” Pulling the trigger, the bullet evaporated before it could hit Nick as he transformed.

“I think you’ll find I am not quite so simple to dispatch. I am Rider. The town and its residents are free of the possession that warranted that order. Given what we know about high ranking members of the military being possessed by souls from this town, that order may itself be invalid at this point. You may want to check in with your command before you take further action that forces me to take action. I will not allow you to hurt these civilians. They have already been through horrors you cannot fathom. They do not deserve to be treated as criminals.”

One of the other wolves gasped. “Holy crap! It’s Rider! Dude, you look different in person.” Glancing over his shoulder at their leader. “Alpha, there is nothing we have that can hurt him. I think we should radio in.”

Their radio’s squealed and then a voice spoke over it. “Team Alpha One, stand down. Standing order is on hold until reevaluation is completed. Confirmation that General Hellit and Commander Ferrel were compromised by the souls that order was created to contain.”

The alpha looked at his radio in shock. “Clear read. Confirm Alpha One, Tack Tack, Six Two.”

There was a pause and then the voice spoke again. “Confirm order. Alpha One, Tack, Six Two One One Bravo. Hold position but take no action unless attacked. Be advised, there is a non-standard heavy present, likely protecting possible civilian survivors.”

“Confirming, command. I’m looking at him.” Seeing Rider's flame enshrouded smirk. “He is definitely outside of what we can handle.”

“Roger. Updates pending. Keep separate from the civilians, but take no actions unless attacked.”

“Alpha One, confirms.” The alpha then looked Rider over. “Yeah… We’ve dealt with a few mammals trying to get out of the town, and they don’t go down easily, but they do go down. Then one of those weird dark shades exits the body. We’re required to wear these weird symbols on our body armor. Never understood why.”

Reverting to Nick, Nick smiled. “If it is what I suspect it is, it’ll be some runes that protect you from possession. Meaning, whoever set the order for you to wear those symbols was familiar with what was really happening here and provided you protection. The town is empty now, and hopefully someone will have your friends with the big planes do some bombing training in that valley until it is nothing but a glassed out crater. The reason the souls remained here to do the possessing has been removed. They are all where they belong, in hell.”

The alpha nodded. “Fair enough. Is that a real ZPD badge?”

“Yep! Lieutenant Nick WildeHopps, at your service. Or Rider, when I look like a flaming skeleton. Maybe you can request a few cases of MRE’s? Have them dropped off, then you can stay at one side of the clearing while the mammals recently freed from possession get some real food into their systems?”

The alpha nodded. “Yeah. I’ll make the request.”

Nick’s phone rang. “Hey Chief, what’s the word?” He put it on speaker.

“Are you seriously facing down a Marine special forces team right now?”

“I wouldn’t call it facing them down. We’re just having a nice, nervous, conversation where one of them tried to shoot me.”

“They what?”

“Yeah, well. I guess there was a standing order to prevent any mammal from leaving the area. They have protective runes on their uniforms so they can’t be possessed.”

He could hear the chief roll his eyes. “Of course they do. Well, we’re finally able to get clean images of the town. I think I said that earlier. So the military is considering what action to take. If you haven’t called your mom yet, do so. I need her backup in getting the right reaction.”

Nick frowned but nodded. “Alright. I was about to call her when the operators showed up.”

“Roger that. Then get to calling her.” The chief then ended the call.

Nick glanced up at the concerned looks of the wolves, the alpha groaning. “Oh gods. I know what that means.” Grabbing his radio. “Command, this is Alpha One, over?”

“Go ahead, Alpha One.”

“If you are even thinking about ordering me and my team to murder several hundred civilians, you can just eat that order right now. Not happening. Not that I think the non-standard heavy you mentioned would let that happen. He’s heavily armed, and from what I could tell, his weapons change to match him.” Seeing Nick nod, his ears folded back.

Nick in the meantime, dialed his mother, who answered on the second ring. “Nick? Are you okay? Is everything alright? What happened? Chief Wolford told me to expect your call.” Worry clear in her voice.

Laughing lightly. “I’m fine, mom. It was just a bit more complex and harder to deal with than I expected, but I got through it. The town is clear now, but there are several hundred mammals that are no longer possessed that need help, along with nearly a hundred, maybe a hundred and fifty kits, all of whom need help, love, and a home. However, the military had a standing order to not let anything leave this area, with kill on sight orders. Those orders are suspended, but not revoked while they try to determine the correct course of action.”

Judy growled over the phone. “Oh, I know what that means. I take it you are not going to let that happen?”

“You know it, mom. That wouldn’t sit well with Zath either.”

“So, you’re not free then?”

“It’s a bit more complex than that, mom. We’ll talk when I get home. In the meantime, Mike needs your help in making sure that the military comes to the right decision.”

“Say no more.” The call then ended with Nick smirking back up at the wolves.

The alpha cocked his head to the side. “What did she mean by that?”

“That was Judy HoppsWilde, my mother. That means she is currently starting a group text with mammals like Vice Admiral Hopps, Lieutenant General Wilde, Major General Hoppersan, etc… Along with a few phone calls.”

The Alpha groaned. “WildeHopps. I missed it because her name is HoppsWilde. Your dad was the Wilde part of that, wasn’t he?”

Nick nodded. “Yep. Take after dad, but I’m one hundred percent half rabbit half fox.”

“Figures. It’ll take some time to filter out, but yeah. There should be actual transports arriving in a few hours then. And not to just carry out bodies.”

Late that afternoon a dozen transports arrived full of personnel. They were mostly military, with some ZPD officers along for the ride, such as Chief Wolford, and Judy HoppsWilde. They also carried dozens of medical mammals and those with clerical skills and the computers to back them up.

In addition to that, there was a military mammal, a large black furred wolf, with an unusual uniform that included a long trenchcoat, carrying a walking stick with a crystal embedded in the end. He swept through the collected mammals from the town as well as the kits, as if he was searching for something. Returning to the transport he nodded to the higher ups that included the Chief, Judy, and a pair of generals. “The mammals are clear, there is however one supernatural presence here I haven’t been able to locate.”

Nick chuckled. “That would be me.”

The mammal turned towards Nick, eyes glowing. “You’re possessed by a demon! I will exorcize you!”

Nick frowned and transformed. “You will do no such thing! I am Rider. I did not just go through all of this to have you undo what I fought to obtain. The demon and I have an understanding. I keep him fed and I get to use his power. Our dynamic is a bit changed now, but the deal we have struck still stands. So, if you try it, I’ll be forced to put an end to you! It was a sourcer like you that did this! Their desire for power and immortality created this horror that has lasted for centuries, and what have you or your ilk done? NOTHING! So don’t get all high and mighty about it!”

“But, your soul, while not deeply tainted now, will be. Over time, no matter what, it will be tainted.”

“Something I accept because of the good I can do in the meantime. A sacrifice I give freely.”

“What do you feed this demon?”

Smirking, Rider glanced as his mother and boss. “He’s a demon, yes, he’s also a spirit of righteous vengeance and justice. So… I feed him the suffering of evil mammals when they are judged by me. Burned as they experience the evil they have committed. So, feeding him isn’t that hard.”

The sourcer nodded, his eyes ceasing to glow. “I see. You are correct, we did nothing, but that is because we could do nothing. The power and spells he had in place, the power of the souls bound to him, made him all but untouchable here. Unless he left this sanctuary, we could do anything. We did our best to control the outreach of his minions of possessed souls. We did our best to keep them contained here. That’s all we could do.”

Rider nodded. “I see. Well, he is no more. The souls that powered him are now in hell where they belong. And I own my soul again, and will own this curse of being possessed of a demon, a spirit of righteous vengeance and justice. Yeah, he’s a demon, but on the balance of things, he’s one of the good guys. Though you and I both know it’s a lot more muddled than that.”

“Fair point.” The sorcerer turned to the generals. “Sir!” Giving a salute. “The area is clear then. The civilians were clearly possessed, and I do not understand how they are in such as good a condition as they are, given some of them are more than a century old, but they are no longer possessed. They are all going to have a long road to getting used to the world as it is now.”

Nick shrugged as he returned to his normal state. “My fault.”

“How so?” The wolf asked.

“I came to be this way for selling my soul, and then having the demon I sold my soul to offer modifications to our deal. My efforts here was to claim for him the contract of San Bengalis. If I succeeded, I would earn my soul back. If I failed, I would serve him for an additional century. I failed, yet still succeeded.

You see, our modified agreement allowed me to earn my soul back with evil souls claimed on his behalf.” The wolf nodded, familiar with the idea. “Only, with me, the modification is where I became a Rider and was bound to the demon that you sense. At that point, I was to serve for a century. I had essentially a quota, and if I went over that quota, or scored a nasty enough soul, I’d earn some extra time served as it were. I was down to about fifty years left, when he offered to clear the ledger, if I could claim the contract for him.”

“To which you agreed, but that put another century of service on the table if you failed. Yet you said your soul is your again?”

Nick nodded. “I did. Another demon, Blackheart decided he was going to claim me as his own. We know he couldn’t do that, but I guess he figured he’d bully me into doing his bidding. Especially as I could not take a senior duke of hell. Not as I was.”

The wolf shivered. “Blackheart?” Looking around. “I assume he is gone?”

With another nod, Nick continued. “Yeah. With a quick and dirty plan, I talked him into absorbing the souls instead of just claiming them as his army in Hell.”

The wolf frowned and a distinctly British accent took over. “Are you properly insane?”

Nick chuckled. “Well, I knew I couldn’t touch Blackheart as he was. He may have a soul, but isn’t of this plane, and therefore I couldn’t affect him. However, if he absorbed all those thousands of souls, that would change the equation. I could judge them and by extension him, because they were now a part of him. I distracted him with some talk about ruling in hell instead of serving in heaven and wanting to be on the winning team. Then I judged him, and all the souls he had absorbed. Boom. Defeated.”

The wolf laughed heartily. “Oh, that’s brilliant. Risky as hell, if you’ll forgive the turn of phrase, but brilliant nonetheless. His ego I am sure was more than enough to play that card on him.”

“Yep. Talked about how much more powerful he would be. Leading an army is one thing, being the army itself, able to turn his opponents armies personally. Able to turn his opponents themselves.”

“Ha! That’s well played. But that didn’t relieve you of your contract with Mephisto.”

Nick shook his head. “Nope. That put that extra century on me without question. I failed to obtain the contract for Mephisto. But… On the balance, when you consider just how evil and how many souls there were, I more than earned the return of my soul, even with the extra century. Then add to that the fact that, by being able to judge Blackheart himself, and wrapping him, all his power, and all those souls up in one neat package. It left the scales a bit unbalanced.”

The wolf’s eyes just about bugged out. “Holy hell! I didn’t even consider that. What did you ask for?”

“A few things. As you know, I am still possessed by a demon, but that relationship is different. I now have full access to his power, but without needing the demon to manifest in full through me.”

Zathros appeared at that moment, a wide smirk on his muzzle. “Hello Hairry. How have you been?”

The wolf, Hairry, stumbled back. “Bloody hell! Zathros!”

Zathros put an arm around Nick. “I’m the one attached to Nick here. So you can stress a bit less.”

Hairry shook his head. “Yeah, and no. Not based on what he’s saying, but the who, yeah.” His full attention on Nick. “You realize that channeling that much power will burn you up, right?”

Nick nodded with a smirk. “Of course. I’ve studied a few things, and now with the relationship with Zath altered to what it is now, I can start using some of the things I have learned. Besides, it isn’t like it’ll burn me out instantly, and if I’m in a situation where I have to manifest his entire power on this plane, well…”

Hairry nodded. “Okay, yeah. You have thought this through.”

“I have. Anyway, I also asked that the residents of the city that wanted to live, be allowed to and that their bodies be returned to health. I also asked that those that chose to end it were not tainted by the decision given it was being made due to what was done while they were possessed. A few other things as well. Nothing bad.”

Hairry nodded as Zath grinned at him and vanished again. “Well. That’s pretty damn selfless of you. Although knowing who your mother is, that isn’t as surprising. I’m sure that irritated Mephisto something fierce.”

“Oh, very much.”

Smiling widely, the wolf held out a paw. “Hairry Drezz Den, sorcerer extraordinaire. You and I should meet up for a coffee or drink some time soon. I suspect we have a lot to share with each other.”

Nick smiled and shook the offered paw. “I’m sure we do. Stop by Precinct One some time. We’ll get lunch, or that drink.”

“I’ll do that.” Turning to the generals. “Sir’s. I have other business to attend to. You know how to call me if you need me.” With that, he pulled out a pocket watch, checking the time, looked up at Nick with a smirk and a wink, waved his paw in the air and then vanished. Nick laughing. The others gaping at his disappearing act.

One of the generals grumbled loudly. “I hate it when he does that. If he wasn’t so damned necessary I’d throw his tail in the deepest pit I could find.”

Chapter Text

<<<<XXXX>>>>

16

Epilogue

How it all shook out in the end.

It took three days to transport all the mammals back to civilization. Their first stop was a military base where they were put through some basic tests, given some initial counseling, and a short course on what the world now was like. The kits were then transported to Bunnyburrow and the Hopps burrow complex where they were started into schooling and given all the love they could stand.

The testing included genetic tests to confirm who the parents of the kits were. Given what was in Nick’s report, as well as the description by the actual mammals in question of what happened while they were possessed. An effort to determine the parentage of the kits was completed using samples taken from the survivors and the various bodies left behind in the town. The results were kept for the kits so they would at least know their parental medical history. The adults and kits were given the option of finding out who their parents or kits were, depending. Although given how they came about, there was no obligation made, other than to inform.

Interestingly, due to how old some of them were, some of the adults were the kits of some of the other adults. In one case, there were five generations alive, four adults and a ten year old kit, all of the adults seeming to be the same age.Most however chose to be a part of the lives of the young that they spawned. All of whom moved to Bunnyburrow once released to be near said kits.

After a few years, they established a new town, essentially an extension of Bunnyburrow called Salvation. The town expanded quickly, and while still part of the larger Bunnyburrow farming community, it hosted many additional businesses that welcomed the influx of mammals seeking good jobs away from the city. It included processing facilities for bug and bird products, the farm products of Bunnyburrow and surrounding communities. It also added some manufacturing jobs and other than farming jobs, quickly became the major employment center of the region outside of Zootopia itself.

As for the town of San Bengalis itself. The bodies were recovered and given proper burials. No one wanted to try and figure out which body was of a mammal that was a willing member, and which were like the survivors, but couldn’t take the horrors committed by the spirit that had possessed them. The town, and the valley it resided in was then used to test various weapons and military techniques.

Once the valley was a blasted wasteland, Engineers went in, planted explosives and fully demolished the inner walls of the valley turning the sloped sides into sheer cliffs and burying the rubble of the town. A dam was then created and it became a mammal made lake, seeded with fish, and turned into a wilderness resort when purchased by a resort conglomerate. All information on the town that once existed there was erased. The militaries files, the ZPD’s secure files, everything but the memories of those directly involved, be it the survivors, or mammals like Nick.

Nick/Rider completed his tenure with the ZPD as a Deputy Chief of Police. Given his status, everyone agreed that he simply couldn’t go any higher. He’d end up actually supervising himself, and that couldn’t be allowed. It didn’t bother him. His brother made it all the way to Assistant Chief of Police and his sister the actual Chief of Police.

Judy and Nick finally expired of old age shortly before Nick retired from the ZPD. As expected by anyone that knew them, Nick died first, and Judy followed only a few hours later. Mephisto tried to cash in the outstanding favor to extend their lives, but Nick did not bite.

Nick returned to Grizzgow and ended up dating Jessica for about a year. It never went past that however. They were good together, but him still being possessed bothered her in the end and they ended things amicably. Later, Nick finally found the love of his life, a Coyote/Arctic fox vixen and they had five kits. All but one look like foxes, the last, named Judith Piberius WildeHopps, looked the spitting image of her paternal grandmother, save the heterochromia, giving her one emerald eye and one amethyst eye, both of which were primal slits from birth.

Once he left the ZPD, and unaging so long as he and Zathros remained linked, Nick joined several superhero groups, and continued to use his Hunters license. It turned out that Nick was hardly the only mammal with abilities far beyond those of the everyday mammal. They just didn’t go around advertising it the way he had. Hairry introduced Nick and he found comradery with these other mammals who could relate to his own experiences. He was also called in to the ZPD and other organizations to consult on matters of the supernatural, cults, and the like.

Before his parents passed, Nick worked with them and his siblings to work out a set of criteria. The purpose being, should Nick ever figure out how to pass on his power to another mammal, they figured they would want a mammal that would continue all the good done by Nick. He never did mention to anyone that he already had a way to do that. The outstanding favor that Mephisto still owed him.

Over the years, Zathros became a regular sight within the Hopps burrow, and after some coaching about what stories were acceptable to tell the kits, he was even trusted with overseeing them. Most of the kits and even a good number of the younger adults came to know him as Uncle Zath, or just Uncle Z for the youngest kits.

At two hundred and fifty years old, Nick finally decided to call in the favor he still had outstanding with Mephisto. Before doing so, he worked with Hairry to create an amulet that provided a small measure of the powers and abilities Nick himself possessed. Nick was then seen wearing said amulet for several years, even going so far as to not seem to be able to transform unless he was wearing it.

Once he had established an apparent link between his powers and the amulet, Nick summoned Mephisto and called in his favor. He asked for, and was granted the ability to transfer his power, as is, to a new mammal who would willingly accept it. That they too would be able to transfer that power to a willing mammal, and on down the line. It was also established that the power would transfer on its own if needed to a worthy mammal, according to the set of standards that determined the worthiness of the mammal the power would attach itself to. He thus created a legacy into the future of the Demon Rider, a force for good and justice.

<<<<XXXXX>>>>

Nicholas Piberius WildeHopps Jr.

1st born - 2 min before Bonnie

Appears as a Red fox, but with silver-gray instead of black or white markings

Bonnie Victoria WildeHopps

2nd Born

Appears as a Rabbit, though slightly larger, nearly as large as a fox, and while Grey like her mother, her markings are crimson instead of black

Stewart Arron WildeHopps

1st Born - 2 years and 2 weeks to the day after Nick Jr.

Appears as a mottled Grey and black rabbit

Elizibeth (Lizz) Francine WildeHopps

2nd Born - 30 seconds later

Appears as a silver fox, but with longer, rabbit like ears and slightly shorter tail

Johnathan Erin WildeHopps

3rd Born - 3 minutes later

John is the true hybrid of the group, appearing as a true cross of his parents.

Eric James WildeHopps-WolfordFangmeyer

Actually 2 weeks older than Nick Jr.

Eric is named after his grandfather, his parents being some of the last to have their collars removed, but not before the administration triggered the Nighthowler in all collars to try and create enough chaos to escape. His parents were killed by ZPD officers who knew what was actually happening but killed them anyway. Those ZPD officers were tried and executed on his 10th birthday.

Janice LuAnn WildeHopps

Born at the same time as Lizz

Janice was born early due to the triggering of her mothers collar before it could be removed. She had actually come to the hospital to have it removed. Sadly, it cost her her life due to a corrupt ZPD officer shooting her with his lethal firearm. They were however able to perform an emergency extraction of Janice, saving her life. Judy was actually the one that shot and killed the officer that killed Janice's mother. Thus the reason John was born a few minutes later.

Melanie Artcticia WildeHopps

The youngest, 2 years younger than Nick Jr. and Bonnie

Her actual birthday is not known, though estimated to be around the same time as Nick and Bonnie, so that is when it is celebrated. Her mothers collar was triggered while she was in her home in Trundra Town, and while she birthed Melanie, she did not herself survive. The vets did confirm that she was able to nurse Melanie for a few days prior to succumbing to the toxins and shocks from her collar. Due to this, Melanie's eyes are permanently in a feral state, due to her secondary exposure to the toxins. Her mothers name was Artcticia, and she was named Melanie based on a note left in the home.