Show Me the Way
Leodore Lionheart cleared his throat and smoothed his white dress shirt down over his broad chest. The mystifying purple tie drew focus from the terrible elementary school backdrop behind him. Hexter shifted the web camera so the lion's face was front and center. Pearl, the undersized male white fox, hopped up on the edge of the desk to apply a little bit of makeup to the lions broad muzzle. Anything to keep glare from the overly bright floodlights overhead at bay. Lavender, the very beautiful skunk, smiled, urging the lion to smile so she could look at his teeth. When she was satisfied, she leaned in and brushed his hair one final time.
“Are we ready?” Leodore asked giving them one more look over to make sure they're in order before tapping them into a pile.
“Just about, once everyone's out of the shots we can start the camera rolling,” Hexter mumbled doing one final adjustment to the lights to keep Leodore from squinting.
“Do you think this is going to work?” Nick looked at Judy, who was thumping her food on the concrete.
“I think so. I have all the codes for the emergency broadcasting system. I think once you input it into the website you can disrupt all programming. I've never done it but how hard could it be?”
“Is this illegal?”
“Most definitely.” Judy shot Nick a look.
“Well, here's our basket. Might as well load up all our eggs in it.”
Judy giggled and hugged his arm. “Dumb fox. You'll see, it'll be fine.”
“And, three...two...”
Hexter motioned one with his index finger before hitting enter on the keyboard. He reached up and pushed the button on top of the web camera. The red light signaled that it was time to begin and Leodore Lionheart cleared his throat once again.
“Citizens of Zootopia, my name is Leodore Lionheart but most of you know me as Leo the Lion. I interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcasting to bring you the news. More aptly, a concern of the utmost importance. Even as we speak the senators, our senators have passed a bill allowing the further mistreatment of predators, despite Mayor Dawn Bellwether stance on this type of backdoor policies. They've gone over her head and sought help from an outside source to instigate this. And the government is working so hard to cover this up as they have for a long time now. I, as a predator have spoken out time and time again about these collars we wear. Even though I understand why we wear them, it is wrong.”
“It is made further wrong by the fact that officers at the ZPD have been ordered to carry these devices.” He held up the small black device. “Earlier today, I fell victim to one of these. It allows the officer to activate the collar and electrocute the predator wearing it. I don't even need to tell you how wrong this is. If this thing fell into the hands of a pro collar fanatic, they could torture anyone wearing a collar. Was anyone made aware that the ZPD came in possession of such items? The government only issued them after their last objective failed.” Leodore held up several blueprints and pictures.
“The objective, for which I speak of, is calling for camp to be established outside of our fair city. These camps would house thousands of predators. If you look closely you can see that there are fences, barbed wire, holding pens. The government is asking for predators to be arrested and sent to live in these camps. This was sign off on by our own governor, Alabaster Lambert. This is his signature. This was the last straw for so many ZPD officers. They refused, they resigned, and now they are labeled as second-class citizens.”
Leodore Lionheart slammed his fist down on the table. “This is NOT the world we were meant to live in. Predator children suffer daily because they want to play, they want to experience life, but they cannot as long as they wear these collars. I'm asking the ZPD, Mayor Bellwether, and all prey and preds against these terrible collars to meet me in front of city hall. I know that Zootopia wants to be free of this, well then we have to band together. We have to put aside our ancestry and build a more perfect union. Hand in hand, we can overcome this, all we have to do is show out stripes, show our spots. We may be different, but we are all mammals. Join me at city hall tonight at 7 PM and we will make our voices heard. Thank you.”
“And we're out,” Hexter called and the whole room exploded in applause.
“Well, if that doesn't get them, nothing will,” Bartrand whispered into Nick's ear.
Nick swallowed hard and looked back at Honey. “I want you to say here.”
“What?”
“I don't know what's going to happen out there but I don't want anything to happen to you or the baby.”
Nick took her hands and kissed the back of them. “Please, stay here and take care of the kids.”
“Dad!”
“I don't like it, but he's right. That's my grandbaby you got in there. I don't want any harm to come to them.”
“Lavender, Pearl. Stay with Honey and help her keep an eye on the kids. Everyone else come with us. Leodore you're in the lead.” Nick never much liked issuing orders but this time, it was important.
***
The square was on fire, the flames were the words of tens of thousands of mammals. They were separated by two crosswalks on either side of the three-way stop. On the fourth side was the capital building reaching high into the early evening sky. The city was painted orange with the setting sun, giving it an even more fiery appearance.
On one side, were a group of armed ZPD officers. They didn't carry guns, they carried remotes. Behind them, were a multitude of prey shouting profanity at the other group. The other side of the square was a wall of officers that no longer toted their badges. Behind them was a perfect mixture of prey and preds gathered to help heal the wounds that the collars created.
In the center of it all was a small sheep, who nervously looked back and forth at the two groups. With her were two large tigers dressed in black suits. Their necks purposefully free from their collars. The sheep had a demure nature, her green eyes darting around behind her thick black framed glasses. Her eyes bloodshot from tears she'd shed as well as the threat of tears to come. Dawn Bellwether had been mayor for nearly a decade and she never wanted this. Always a lobbyist for the removal of the collars that was the reason her two tiger bodyguards didn't wear them. Zootopia was her home and now, thanks to the government, it was her prison as well.
“Attention.” Her mousy voice was shattered against the shouting.
The crowd started cheering causing Dawn Bellwether to jolt. She looked at the other group, who was pulling out their remotes preparing for whatever was going to happen.
“No!” She yelled her voice was small compared to the large group of mammals but she was determined to yell herself hoarse if she had to.
The crowd parted and the tall lion stepped through. Behind him was Nick and Bartrand. Clawhauser followed along with almost all of the adult inhabitant of Wilde Times. They mingled with the group forming a tighter wall so that Finnick had to shove his way through so he could stand next to Nick.
“Oh, Leo the Lion. I'm such a huge fan.” Bellwether ran over to stand at his side.
“As am I of you, Mayor Bellwether. You're lobbying for the removal of the collars has been very inspiring. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here today.”
Bellwether giggled in spite of herself, waving him off clumsily. “No, you're just...shush. You're making me blush.” The mayor was blushing, she went from a white to a pink in seconds. “Things don't look good, Leodore.”
“No, they don't but if we stand together. I know we can make a change. Mr. Clawhauser, bring out our ace in the hole.”
“Ooh, how mysterious.” Bellwether gave a breathy giggle.
The crowd parted and Benny sidled through with Judy on his shoulders. The crowd on the other side of the street went rampant. The hollering and shouting caused Judy to reel but Benny held her tight so she didn't fall.
“He's not wearing a collar!” A voice from the crowd pointed out.
“None of them are!”
A large cape buffalo pushed his way to the front. “Hopps, are you alright?”
“I'm fine, I've just had an eye-opening experience,” Judy called back gripping the cheetah's ears as if she were riding a motorcycle.
“She's wounded!”
A large mustang, an officer ran out from the other crowd and hammered the cheetah upside the head with something that shatter. Benny's glasses flew away, blood from the freshly opened wound splattered the pavement. He fumbled to the ground sending Judy down with him. Both groups advanced and a war was imminent. Judy was up on her feet in seconds, yelling and pushing back both groups.
“No! God dammit, I said no. You're acting like a bunch of animals. Bogo, please help me!”
The cape buffalo erupted from the group swinging his riot shield. He was armed with a large can of pepper spray. “You heard her maggots, get back in line.”
A large elephant used her trunk to sweep a group of them back onto their side of the line. “That's Judy Hopps, she's done more for Zootopia than any of you. You will listen to her.”
“Thanks, Francine.”
Nick and Bartrand knelt down to help Benny, who was at least sitting up. Blood ran from the side of his head and down his cheek. Bartrand pulled a handkerchief from his pocket pressing it to the wound. It immediately soaked through. Nick frowned as he slipped his button up off handing it to the badger. Bartrand nodded and started tearing strips from the shirt.
“Benny, are you alright?”
“Yeah, I guess those guys aren't horsing around are they?” Benny huffed a weak laugh.
Bartrand laughed despite himself. “Lad, you're sick.”
“Seriously, buddy. A joke, at a time like this?”
“You get hit in the face, Nick. And tell me how you feel. If I wanna make jokes, I'm gonna.”
“Point taken.”
Nick turned and saw Judy working the crowds. There was something majestic about the way she moved. Her hand gestures almost hypnotized the masses. She paced back and forth a quickly showing off her physic, letting them know that she was in charge of the situation.
“As long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a cop. I wanted right the wrongs that plagued this city. Catch the bad guys. Make this place safe for our children. I never once thought that I was one of those bad guys.”
Judy's words brought a hush to the crowd. Nick looked down at Benny, who smiled and nudged him to go to her. Nick, in turn, looked at the badger, who nodded as they both got up. Bartrand moved to stand next to Judy while Nick stood on the other side. The one named Bogo and the other named Francine stood directly in the center between the two groups. Bellwether looked up at Leodore, who gave her a warm smile. He beckoned for her to look back to the bunny as she started talking again.
“The collars are wrong and we are wrong for forcing preds to wear them.”
The opposite crowd erupted again. A bottle shattered against the ground near Judy. Nick stepped in front of her, shielding her from the shower of broken glass. When he stepped away, Judy was seething.
“Stop this, all of you! The collars are hurting them more than just the little shock we were told they gave. The collars are genuinely hurting them, not just physically but emotionally too. Hurting their ability to show and feel real emotions. To live a normal life, to feel things that you and I take for granted. If someone told you that you can't be happy because your wife is pregnant, you'd be pissed, right? If they told you, you couldn't get excited about kissing your first girlfriend or boyfriend, you'd be furious. If you...couldn't cry for a loved one because you were afraid of pain. That would just be... monstrous. They deserve to feel things the way we do.”
“What are you on about Hopps?” Bogo grunted lowering his can of pepper spray.
“A fox, no! A friend named, Nick Wilde, showed me what we're doing.”
Nick raised his hand waving to the other group as merrily as if he were saying 'hello' across a picket fence. “Hello there.”
“Why would you believe a fox?” Bogo stood tall, his large arms at his side.
“Lots of reason. One; he saved my life even after I threatened to arrest him. Two; he's done some amazing things to help predators, to help right our wrongs. He's gone to great lengths to make life worth living for so many.” Judy took the fox's hand smiling up at him. “It took this fox, to open my eyes. I wore one of the collars for all of sixty seconds and it was the most terrible thing I've ever endured in my life. How any of you have lived your entire life with these collars on, is beyond me.”
“You wore one of the collars?” Francine, the elephant asked.
“Yes and I've never wanted to die so badly in my life.” Tears welled up in Judy's eyes.
Francine reached up ripping her badge from her chest. She dropped it on the concrete with a hollow ting and crossed over to stand behind Judy. Bogo looked at her and then down at the small bunny. Nick could see that he realized Judy was no longer wearing her badge. He hung his head the weight of the pepper spray can and shield became too much. They slipped to the ground with a clank as he pulled his own badge free.
“It's all a lie.” His sad voice rumbled.
He threw it down onto the concrete and moved to stand with Bartrand, his massive arms resting across his chest. Judy smiled up at him and gave him a nod. Even though the cape buffalo tried to stay stern, he smiled down at the little bunny.
“I felt fear, pain, despair. It felt trapped in my own body.” Tears ran trails down her cheeks. “We're torturing them, punishing them for just being born. They're not the bad ones, we are.”
“They're dangerous!”
“Yeah, maybe but so are we! Look what we've done to them. If you think they're dangerous fine, but what about them?”
Judy turned pointing at the crowd behind her. It parted slowly and Nick saw Honey standing among the crowd. Behind her were eighty pred cubs, all from different species. They all walked with their heads held high, each of them wearing a collar. One by one they walked to the center of the intersection, removed their collars and dropping them into a pile.
“My name is Conner. I've never hurt anyone. I was taught that it's bad to hurt others.”
A teenage tiger stepped forward dropping his collar to the ground before looking back at Nick, who was desperately trying not to cry. “My man, Nick, taught me how to be a hard worker and help those mammals smaller than me because it's my right as a bigger mammal to do so.”
A little fox girl threw her collar on the road. “I know how to cook because of a fox named, Gideon Grey.”
“Thanks to Nick, I can watch sports without being shocked.” A chubby raccoon shouted, dropping his collar on the ground.
“I can get mad when I get caught cheating at a game.” A lion confessed causing the crowd around him to rumble with laughter.
Honey stepped forward pressing her hands to her stomach. “Nick, me, and so many other predators have worked hard to raise these kids to be good. To try their best to not hold on to the hatred that these collars instill. Can't you find it in your heart to give us a chance to prove that we can be good, that we can be trusted? Give my baby a chance to walk through the streets of Zootopia without a collar keeping them from being the best they can be.”
A sheep of only nine-years-old pushed through the crowd and ran up to a small Badger that had just thrown his collar to the ground. Her mother burst through the crowd yelling after her.
“Mary-belle, get away from him.”
“But look, mama, he's so cute.” The sheep shyly reached up. “Can I...touch your neck.”
“Yeah.” The badger raised his chin.
The sheep ran her fingers softly along the coarse fur of the badger's neck, a smile coming to her lips. “So cool.”
Soon more and more prey children came out of the crowd curiously looking at the collarless pred children lined up. There were mumbles and exciting screams. A teenage gazelle caressed the tiger's neck, tears were in her eyes.
“I've never seen a pred without a collar before.”
The tiger blushed, chuckling. “I've never been touched by a prey before.”
More and more prey animals crossed their line, their hands raised in peace. They were greeted in the intersection by preds, who were more than willing to meet them halfway. There were doubters on both sides, it was obvious. And things would be rocky for awhile but for now it was a day of discovery.
“This is amazing.” Bellwether touched her own neck out of excitement.
“Have you ever touched a predator's neck before, Bellwether?” Leodore asked coyly.
“No, never.”
Leodore knelt down leaning close enough so she could smell his cologne. “Be my guest then.”
Bellwether melted into a fit of giggles as she reached up and caressed her fingers along the lion's neck under his mane. There was no fur on his neck, it had been rubbed away from the years of wearing the collar. But Dawn Bellwether didn't care, she ran her fingers along the soft skin and then up through his mane to his strong jawline. Her face was positively on fire. Her green eyes were heavy behind her fogged glasses.
“Oh, this...this is something I could get used to. I mean...” Bellwether cleared her throat. “This...I mean the collars going away is a good idea. It's what I've always wanted, but how?” Bellwether fanned herself against the heat of her face.
“Mrs. Mayor.” Leodore took her hands in his. “If I may, I have some ideas that might help. If you're interested in sitting down to discuss them.”
Bellwether giggled again resting her chin on his large hands. “Oh my, I'd be honored, Leodore.”
“Good, because now is the time for a change. And we can't hope to succeed if everyone's not willing to lend a helping hand.”
“I couldn't agree more.”
“I can't believe this worked.” Judy wrapped her arms around Nick's neck.
“You were spectacular, kid. I'm so proud of you.” Nick hugged her back.
“Ahem,” Honey wasn't afraid to let her presence be known.
Judy didn't care, she just moved on to hugging the unsuspecting badger, who hesitated to hug her back. Finnick came up and gave Nick a playful slap on the leg. Bartrand embraced his daughter. Nick looked out at the pred kids talking and playing with the prey kids. It was amazing how a child's instincts took over as soon as they met other kids. The fox knew it wasn't going to be perfect, not for a while but at least, it was a start.
