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volpereborn · 7 years ago

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ZooDystopia: The Happytown Incident

Chapter 1: Opportunity

"With eyes undimmed, no hunger or fear.

Beings without urge to chase or flee.

To walk simply as animal, Hunter and Prey no more"

The Covenant of Coexistence, Fauna City Natural History Museum.

-Fauna City, twenty years ago…

The horn of the train was deafening at this hour. It rang out as a shattering cry which pierced the silence of the trainyard and could be heard echoing in the nearby cityscape. It was far too early in the morning for most; only the determined, the unlucky, or the dependent would be awake before the sun was up. The train stood there for a heartbeat, not making a single movement before it opened all its doors and the train's passengers made their first step into a brand-new day. The wind was fierce as they stepped onto the concrete walkway, causing many of them to shudder. A thin female cheetah was completely unprepared for the weather and was taken aback by the wall of cold which hit her. She quickly tore off her pack and dug out the long-sleeve shirt she had taken off earlier. She continued to walk and put it on as she made a desperate attempt to fight the cold. A nearby deer in a suit was also visibly irate at the weather as he could be seen tightening his scarf and making a beeline for the Snarlbucks. A large bear stood taller than most of the crowd and his size was only accentuated by the large coat he was wearing. Though no one could see it, in his mind he was smiling at the schadenfreude which he experienced witnessing others embracing the cold. Amongst the various faces in the crowd, there was one anomaly which could be seen by those who are more observant. A lone shadow could be seen zipping in-between the brave figures which made their way on the solemn platform. It was a small shadow, which quickly managed to tag animal after animal before turning the corner and hiding in a small alcove. The shadow was revealed by the light of the sun which had managed to peak its way above the top of a nearby tall building and brought light to the trainyard. Standing there in the corner throwing his head in every direction was a small opossum clutching a fat wad of dollar bills. He stared unblinking at his ill-gotten currency as he counted them with experienced fingers. When he got to the last bill he cracked a smile, he was eating good tonight…for once.

The opossum, Will Ken, stuffed the bills into his pockets and turned the corner joining the last dregs of the crowd as they exited the trainyard. He threw his hood back and revealed a brightly colored fringe of fur which hung loosely over his dark colored sunglasses. Over his hoodie the opossum had a jean vest which was spiked and covered in patches. With minor difficulty, he carried a bright purple backpack which made him look like a twig carrying a grape. Most gave him no mind as for the most part he was under the eyeline of most animals. However, those that did see him did stare for a second at his outlandish head fur. Will followed the crowd as they walked up the steps at the end of the walkway to make it to the open streets of Savannah Central. It was not often he came to the main land of Fauna City, as his eyes were far too sensitive to handle the sun and as such made the Nocturnal District across the lake his home. There, in the perpetual night provided by its simulated sky dome was he able to live comfortably. However, a change of scenery was always appreciated and his brief excursions to the main land allowed him a break from his normally cramped living environment. The buildings of the main city weren't limited by the space provided by the dome and as such could expand as much as they required. Having space between the tops of buildings was like a novelty to Will and he enjoyed being able to walk through the neighborhood without running into someone or being almost stepped on by some animal unaware of him. This enjoyment always came at a great cost to him, as the train ticket was not always something which he could afford. Will preferred to describe himself as "Financially challenged" though this was merely a humorous way for him to save face amongst his peers. The truth is that Will hadn't had an honest job in a couple of years. He had survived since he ran away from home purely on petty theft, the kindness of strangers, and the will to live.

"All of that is about to change," Will thought as he pulled a slip of paper out of his vest pocket and held it up to his eyes with his white fingers. A simple address was printed on the paper but to Will this address was the opportunity he had been looking for. He might not have had enough money to survive, but he was willing to spend most of it, if it meant that he was guaranteed a future of payed labor. With the money he had snatched from the people coming off the train platform, Will was looking forward to ending the day with more money than he had ever held on to in his life. Crossing the street, Will consulted a map that was on the back of a bus stop. The train had taken him only to the edge of the western part of Savannah Central's Haymarket neighborhood and he was still a couple of blocks from his destination. With his paws in his pockets, Will turned tail and continued to walk down the street. He walked quick at first however, slowed down when he checked his watch and found he still had some time before he had to arrive. The neighborhood of Haymarket was in the beginning stages of the day, with only a few stores being opened at this time and a handful of employees to staff them. What animals that could be seen walking the streets marched with grim resolve in the morning hours or walking merrily and wondering why every had such solemn faces. The street Will was walking on opened at the end and revealed a large park which Will eyed as he strode on. A variety of city workers and volunteers could be seen cleaning and setting up booths. Animals, both predator and prey of various species worked in fervor and delight as they set about their work. For them this wasn't a chore but an opportunity to take part in a task which they enjoyed.

Today was a very special holiday which was celebrated in Fauna City and was one which took most of its residents in, Covenant Day. On this day, everyone payed respect to the Covenant of Coexistence, an ancient law amongst animals which raised them from mere beasts to civilized animal persons. Predators and prey would live together in a peaceful coexistence to secure a brighter future than what would be available if they were apart. Though it would be contested by some who said that such an agreement was against their origins, it was eventually accepted by the majority. The covenant allowed animals to survive for centuries and as such the city celebrated it every year on the aptly named Covenant Day. While many things had changed over the years the one thing that never changed was that the holiday was a day of revelry and could be used by anyone as a valid excuse to party until they couldn't stand. Which it often was, much to the chagrin of insomniacs everywhere. In the early morning air it was plain on the faces of the animals in the park that they were looking forward to a day of nonstop partying. Will had a similar expression on his face as Covenant Day was always a day which brought him a satisfying meal. Large festivals, especially todays, always meant animals bringing their wallets full of cash to purchase food with a calorie count that they ignored. He made sure to make a mental note of the park's location just in case his job ended quicker than expected. He would go, get paid, swing back, steal what he can, and make it back to the train station with something warm to eat. As he neared the end of the block, he could hear a band somewhere behind him start their rehearsal for the festival. They played horribly but everyone who would hear their performance later would be so smashed that it would be called high art.

At the end of the street, Will took a left turn and found himself supposedly near the address he needed to be at. However, Will became puzzled at the sight before him as the quaint neighborhood which he had been previously traversing through had taken a turn. The homes and shops weren't as well kept as the buildings not too far away, and the street was littered with various forms of refuse. There could be seen graffiti on every surface reachable, and some windows were even boarded up. The only animals which could be seen walking these streets where the local homeless and the few which called this neighborhood home. Will continued unfazed despite the rougher feeling of this part of the city. In truth, such an environment was one that was close to his heart and therefore he knew how to traverse without being bothered. Living in a city such as Fauna City provides the unique experience of not only having to deal with others but also having to deal with others as well your own obvious physical differences. The majority of animals choose not to let these differences affect their decision making in how they treat others but the ones that do, know exactly how to exploit them. Will was no stranger to others looking for a quick buck and having no qualms about stealing from someone too small to do anything about it. Fighting was never really an option for him, after all what could he do; get caught in their throat? Instead he focused his efforts on learning how to not get into fights or as his father would call his tactic "The Art of Running Away".

Not wanting to take his chances in the event someone was waiting to rob some unaware animal, Will dove into an alleyway putting on a pair of gloves from his pocket. He decided that it would be quicker and safer for him to travel his way rather than the way that everyone else did. On the wall to his right, there was a long drain which ran up the side of the building next to him and up to the gutter above. Will dropped to a low crouch and with one smooth motion, jumped. He clung onto the side of the drain with audible thunk which rattled it. Taking only a moment to situate his grip, he managed to scurry up the drain in a matter of seconds. Reaching the top, Will pulled himself up onto the top of the building and gazed at the addresses around him. The address he was supposed to arrive at was in this neighborhood as the building numbers showed that he was close. Though he would normally bail in the event of being led to a shady area such as this but his need outweighed what little good sense he had left. He walked across the building and looked at the street opposite from where he climbed up. Down the street there was a small food market which seemed to provide the only sustenance for the whole of the neighborhood. An "open" sign could be seen hanging from the window. This was his destination, just as it was described over the phone. Checking his watch, Will cursed when he saw that he hadn't much time to get there. Breaking into a full sprint, he leaped onto the roof of the building next to him and landed hard, causing some strain on his knees. Brushing off the pain, Will continued running and jumped again onto the next building. He slowed down as he reached the end of this building and stepped into the gutter. He threw a leg over the edge and with his toes grabbed a hold onto the drain. He then threw his other leg over and lowered himself until he was vertical. With precision, Will loosened his grip and slid down to the ground slowly and safely.

The door to the food market burst open as Will barged through, his gasps for air heavy and labored. Had he not run he would have surely been late, but due to his speed he managed to arrive just in the nick of time. He hung onto the rack of chips under the counter next to him in an attempt to help steady himself. The giraffe working the register above him was deep into his sudoku book and mistook Will's labored breathing for his air conditioning unit. He gave it a couple of slaps just as Will was catching his breath and then settled back into his book. Will looked around at the market and immediately started to think about how he could best steal something to drink but then stopped when he remembered that he actually had cash for once. Lots of other animal's cash yes, but Will learned to forget that part. Moving to the back of the store, Will fished out a small can of cola from the drink refrigerator as well as a cricket bar from the adjoining snack aisle. He didn't know how long it would be until he ate again but what he did know is that he wouldn't be waiting hungry. Walking back to the front of the store, Will stopped underneath the register and inhaled.

"Oi, Shopkeeper! I'm ready to make my purchase!" Will called out from down below the counter. His voice was loud enough to get the attention of the giraffe above him, who looked around for the voice which tore him from his book. Looking down at Will, he came out from behind the counter and took the items from him. As he was ringing up Will's purchase, the door to the market opened and sunlight came flooding into the store. From outside came an animal whose appearance Will could only describe as "odd". He was a sheep, there was no mistaking it. However, instead of having the trademark large fluffy wool that his species was proud of, he had opted to crop it short to his skin. This was true everywhere except his head which he had cut in a shorter version of what was the standard cut for facial sheep grooming. His horns had been shaved back, giving him, a more youthful appearance as opposed to the large spirals which older male sheep coveted. He was also rather short for a sheep which only added to his oddness. Were it not for the wool he could have easily passed for a goat. In sharp contrast to his physical appearance, the sheep's wardrobe consisted of simple trousers and a tucked in shirt which made him look like a poindexter. What probably was the oddest thing about the sheep was that not only were its eyes on Will, but that it was also walking straight to him with a large toothy grin.

"Hello, hello, hello! Is that you there Mr. Willoughby Ken?" The Sheep said as he made his way over to Will. The Sheep took off the sunglasses he was wearing and put them into a glasses case which he pulled out of his pocket. He closed it with a crack and slid it back into his pocket, making sure to smoothen out the wrinkles when he was done.

"I-prefer to go by Will. Are you the Charles Mansley that I spoke with on the phone last week?" Will said as he eyed the Sheep. He was used to him being the oddest looking one in a room so not being that guy for once was new to him.

"That's me all right," The Sheep named Charles said with a quick bow before rising back up with a smile. There was something about the way which he moved which revealed an almost barely contained exuberance just beneath the surface. Much like Charles was just as likely to dance as he was to be the prize-winning firework for The Covenant Day Festival. "I hope you are ready for work today!"

"Oh yeah, born ready ssssir-you just tell me what to do and I'll get it done," Will said, straining to acknowledge anyone let alone his employer be in a position above him.

"Excellent, just what I like to hear," Charles exclaimed with a smile "Now that I have you, we must be on our way. We have a lot to do today and we still have more people to collect!"

"Right on, boss man" Will said as he paid the giraffe at the register. Not even as soon as he had received his change did Charles take him by the shoulder and start to guide Will out of the store. Normally, Will would have come to blows over someone touching him. Today however, he managed to swallow his pride and restrain himself as Charles's hoof never left his shoulder. As the door swung closed behind them, Will was jerked suddenly to the left as Charles turned without warning. The two of them continued walking down the street

"So, have you done much camera work Will?"

"Y-yes, I just…like love cameras you know. Like, I love being able to just capture things. I try all the time to-," Will lied.

"Excellent, would you say that you are good with working with others?"

"Yeah, I can work with anybody," Will lied again

"Sounds great, I remember something you said on the phone…something about climbing?"

"Yeah, I can climb most things," Will said, this time the truth.

"Wonderful, you are just what I need to make sure this production goes off without a hitch. Now come, my van is parked down this dark shady alley and I don't want to burn anymore sunlight than we need to," Charles said as he pointed to his left suddenly. Will looked down the alleyway and could see that there way indeed a white van parked in the alley. Charles took his hoof off Will's shoulder finally and took out a set of keys as he walked up to the van. Will followed in suit, entering an alley way which he would normally avoid following anyone in. Charles unlocked the van and opened the passenger door for Will once he had got in. Will climbed in with little difficulty and placed his backpack on the floor of the van once he had sat down. The van's engine roared to life as Charles turned the key and without a moment's notice he floored the gas pedal. The van shot out from the alleyway and veered precariously as Charles jerked the wheel, nearly tipping the van over in its attempt to turn. Will was completely unprepared for this as he had only just put on his seat belt before he was pushed back into his seat by the third law of motion. With Charles at the wheel, the van sped like a bat out of hell down the street, zipping in-between cars freely. Will was jostled side to side, making his desperate attempts to open his soda and cricket bar much harder than it should have had any right to be. As they left the neighborhood of Haymarket, Charles made another near death turn to get on the freeway. It was only once he had reached the access ramp did his driving become less erratic.

"So…boss what exactly is it we're doing? Your ad only said that you were looking for a camera man," Will said in between mouthfuls of cricket bar.

"Ah yes, I am glad you asked. I own a production company which specializes in filming commercials. Normally, I would use my main crew to film but unfortunately it is not considered 'legal' to have any of them work on holidays, especially todays. Poppycock I say but what can you do. Now, recently I have taken on an order by a well-known drink company to produce a commercial for their new flavor. I haven't much time to make the dead line so we must maximize as much time as I have left. Since I can't use anyone that I would normally, I require the help of some young self-enterprising capitalists like yourself who are willing to work when others can't."

"What…does that mean?"

"It means you do work for me, I pay you, and no major laws are broken."

"Works with me boss," Will said as he took a sip of his drink.

"You brought your camera correct?"

"Yeah got it right here," Will said as he pulled his backpack onto his lap and opened it. Sitting there in the bag was a small state of the art camera which Will had stolen from a house party a week prior. He knew very little about cameras except that they could be sold quickly on the street. In fact, he was on his way to sell the camera when he just so happened to see the ad which would eventually bring him to sit in this van. It was a risk, a huge risk but the reward would be more than worth it.

"Good, we are going to put some miles on that thing today. Put it away, I gotta take this exit real quick."

Will managed to close the bag just in time for Charles to swerve suddenly to the right to reach the freeway exit ramp. Savannah Central grew smaller behind them as the van sped down the highway at breakneck pace. Glittering in the distance the wild and stylized buildings of downtown Fauna City could be seen approaching. The silhouette of the city was punctuated by buildings which seem to have been made with the design philosophy of being as individually unique as possible. Each building top was different in design, with one being in the shape of a horned animal whose skin was a brilliant golden color and was detailed in a dark green stone. Another was a large swirling building which looked like a tentacle reaching upwards. The designs were never the same but they did flow into each other and gave the city an instantly recognizable shape. Will did not visit downtown often and stared awestruck like always as they got closer. The bright lights of the entrance tunnel which consumed the van as they entered downtown was the only thing which could snap Will back into reality. Charles continued driving with the gas pedal flat on the ground, passing any car he could in an attempt to shave time off the commute. Will's fingers dug into the fabric of the bag, fearing that it would be destroyed should his strength fail. A bright light in the distance rushed at them and opened to reveal that they were deep within the center of the city. Gargantuan sky scrapers rose from the ground all around them, towering above them like trees in a forest. Much like ants walking on a path, the cars on the highway were miniscule compared to the buildings which surrounded them. Animals of all species could be seen walking the streets, talking merrily amongst each other. As Charles drove, Will could see that several streets which they had passed had been blocked off and extravagantly decorated for the day's festival. Taking an exit, the van started to angle upwards as they began to climb the small mountain that the center of the city was built on.

The large office and government buildings which made up downtown gave way as they rose in elevation. Towering buildings gave way to smaller buildings which were only a quarter of the size. Will wrinkled his nose in confusion as Charles continued the ascent. The stores in this part of the city offered several types of luxury goods such as handbags and designer clothing. There was a car lot which sold cars which cost the average animal a life of saving. Even the streets where of higher quality, looking freshly cleaned and tarred. Will's head spun as he struggled to look at everything at once however Charles stared on unfazed, almost seeming unimpressed with the posh homes which passed them. A wall of green rose suddenly to the right of the van as they passed a large hedge. The sheep flicked his wrist and as he almost managed to crash the van into a limousine, turned into a road which cut through the hedge. Will's head was thrown into the armrest, causing him to see stars for a second. As his vision cleared, his breath was taken away by the house that Charles was pulling up to. Hidden by the hedges from the main street was a large mansion which seemed to radiate with wealth. The driveway formed a large loop at the end with multiple expensive looking cars being parked near the house. The van drove to the end of the driveway and parked with the passenger side facing the main door. A small pedestal rose from the ground and presented a call button on the driver side, which Charles pressed with a closed fist.

"This is the house of one of the actors who is going to be performing today. He is the son of one of my business partners, so treat him with respect," Charles said they waited for a response from the microphone. He brought his wrist to his face and checked the time.

"Ok no pro-"

"Ah look at that, still a couple of hours till noon. Also, his sister died last week so try not to bring up anything like that."

"Wait, what?"

BZZZZT- "Ay! I see (crash) you guys. Just give me like (belch) 3 minutes and I'll be out (bottle breaking) real quick," said a deep voice which spoke from the speaker and then was silent. Charles took both hooves off the steering wheel and began to rummage in the backseat for something while they waited. Will looked at Charles, expecting to get an answer to his previous question but was met only with silence. Whatever Charles was looking for was apparently not within immediate access because he eventually took off his seat belt and leaned waist deep into the back. Will's ears pricked up as he heard the large metal front door of the mansion swing open and looked to see a figure walking toward them. Stumbling towards them failing in his attempt to look sober was a tall male cougar. His muscles bulged through his blindingly white polo shirt, which was tucked in at the front to show off his designer belt buckle. He wore a hat that advertised a bar which sat on his head next to his diamond ear piercings. What completed the look was the large golden medallion which hung proudly from his neck on a thick chain. As the cougar reached the van, Will could smell the cloud of alcohol which clung to the big cat. Charles noticed he had reached the van and got up off the floor and unlocked the door. The cougar sat down in the seat behind Will, his knees came through the back of Will's chair and pressed into the poor marsupials back. The cougar must have felt it too, as he quickly apologized and pushed his own seat back. As soon as the click of the cougar's seat belt was heard, Charles started the car again and began speeding down the driveway. This time Will was ready, with arms, legs and tail affixed to something as soon as Charles started the car.

"Raymundo my boy, you look like hell. Have you been sleeping?"

"Not really, man. I stared at the ceiling last night."

"I can pick up what you're putting down there. I remember this time years ago when I was younger I got a cheap apartment in the Rainforest District. No one told me to make sure the window screens were secure before I bought the place. Bloody mosquitos ate me up that night, nearly took out half my blood the little devils."

"Mmmhmm."

"You haven't started performing again have you?"

"Nah…I've been on break from the studio."

"Ah…yes, I remember your father telling me now. Odd, I remember the lunch we were eating but not the conversation we were having. I remember everything now perfectly. We were having lunch at the top of the Palm Resort and Hotel in Sahara Square. I was having the quinoa salad, way too much lime juice by the way, and he was having a salmon fettuccini. We talked at first about business but then we moved over to personal topics."

"Yeah, he said he hung out with you."

"I know that taking time off your schedule must be aggravating for you. After all, your fans are probably missing you to death. However, I know that times are rough for you. I…heard about what happened with Isabelle. You should know that I offer you my sincerest apologies. She was…too young to leave us…,"

"Thanks…Charles," Raymundo said as he lifted a paw to his medallion and clutched it. The center of it had an etching which bore a family crest.

"…And because I know that times are so rough for you, I decided to get you this," Charles continued as he pointed with his hoof to the seat behind him. On the seat was a grocery bag, which seemed stuffed to the brim with an assortment of candy. Raymundo's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull as he exclaimed in glee. With claws unsheathed, the cougar attacked the bag; consuming box after box of high calorie treats.

"Yo, how did ya know I'm cheating on my diet?!" Raymundo said as he tipped some hard-shell candy into his mouth.

"Well, your father mentioned that you took a cheat day for the funeral and it turned into a cheat week. I thought to myself that as long as you know you are going to stop soon that you should enjoy what time you have allowed for yourself. Now before you inevitably give yourself lock jaw from the sweets I suggest you say hello to our camera man Willoughby here."

"Uh, where is he?" Raymundo said as he looked around the van.

"Oi Whiskers, I'm down here!" Will said as he popped his head out from the side of the seat.

"Oh shit. Sorry about that little dude," Raymundo said as he extended a paw towards Will.

"My name is Will by the way, not…the other longer version," Will added as they shook paws.

"It's all good with me," Raymundo said as he returned his focus on the bag of candy which he placed on his lap.

"Oh look at that, we are getting along! This is going to go swimmingly," Charles said as he began to increase the speed of the van. They had left the prim and proper area of upper down town and were now speeding downhill. With near surgeon like precision, Charles managed to swerve in-between countless near-death experiences while Raymundo continued to eat and Will sat quietly watching the scenery go by. From his angle, he could see out and far over most of the city with the Nocturnal District's sky dome visible in the distance from across the lake. As the van flew downhill, Charles changed lanes several times. Every car which didn't allow him over caused him to curse loudly as he was adamant that he take the short cut he had in mind. This short cut took the form of the Tundratown tunnel entrance. Will loosened his seatbelt enough to let him get a better view as the light at the end of the tunnel came closer. He had never gone to Tundratown before and was excited at the opportunity to get a good look for the first time. As they exited the tunnel there was an audible fwhump sound that could be heard. The snow machines where set on high and large heavy snowflakes fell from the sky. In the distance, Will could see that the buildings which made up the central part of the district where covered by a large cloud that he could only imagine was a blizzard. Will started to feel himself get excited at the thought of the van traveling through the storm and making his first visit something unforgettable. However, he was immediately disappointed to see that Charles took a street which began to lead them away from the center of Tundratown. Will could do nothing but watch as his chance to go visit creep steadily back into the distance.

They couldn't have been in Tundratown for more than several minutes before Charles had driven them to the southern border biome wall to Sahara Square. Continuing along with breakneck pace, the lights of the tunnel whizzed by in a blinding strobe effect. There was a bright flash of light at the end and the whole of Sahara Square was revealed to them. Not missing a beat, Charles blasted the air conditioning as soon as they had exited the tunnel. As they drove closer towards the center of the district, the buildings in the distance became clear. Closer now than before could be seen the giant Palm Resort and Hotel whose massive sun panel leaves could be seen from any location in the district. The buildings which passed them on either side of the road were varied in their architecture, changing from regular buildings to ones which had been carved into the mountains themselves. The most remarkable of these mountain buildings was a large plateau which had been hollowed out and redesigned into the biggest shopping mall in the entirety of Fauna City. Though he had never been inside, Will had once heard from a friend who had that it was possible to stay inside for a week and not see the same store twice. He looked forward to a future financial windfall which would allow him to test out the theory.

Charles lowered the driver side visor, causing a dark shadow to slash across his face. He sat back reclined in his seat with his sunglasses on and a smile on his face. They had gotten off the main highway in Sahara Square and took an off-road street which took them out east towards the Canyon Lands. The road which they drove on took them to a small collection of mobile homes that were placed near a bend in a river. The surrounding area wasn't the same as the previous desert since it lacked the same amount of plant life. In fact, the landscape was quite desolate and lacked any evidence of life save for the trailers which gathered together in infrequent clumps. The antennae on the tops of the trailers reflected the sun and could be seen for miles before they arrived. The animals that were seen here looked as if they had seen better days. The clothing which they were wearing was tattered and frayed, holes more common than not. The fur on their faces was rough and unkept, whether out of lack of care or ability it was not easy to discern. They stared at the van as it passed them, eyeing the travelers with weary caution and curiosity. Just the fact that the van wasn't rusted was a cause for interest. Charles followed the road for quite some time before coming to a seemingly random collection of trailers and stopping. They had been waiting for some time before Will broke the silence.

"Are they coming?"

"Hmm?" Charles said as he opened one eye lid slightly.

"We've been sitting here for like half an hour waiting."

"Oh, it shouldn't be much longer. This is normal for her."

"…Her?"

"Yes, the leading lady of our produc-," Charles began to say before he was cut off by the sound of knuckles rapping on the side of the van. In response to the sound he hit the button which unlocked the van's doors. The door opposite of Raymundo opened and a woman quickly sat down, closing the door with a solid thunk sound. He stared at the woman; she had surprised him enough to cause his tail to poof. Her form was concealed by the very large coat that she was wearing. She held the lapels up which blocked her mouth, while a mop of dark hair covered her face.

"Drive," she said quickly.

"Well if it isn't miss-"

"Drive!" she said much louder. Charles eyes shot up to the rearview mirror and wordlessly ignited the engine of the van. He seemed to take no offence to the quick snap of the new passenger. The woman who had entered shook visibly, curling into a small ball in the seat as the van began slowly moving forward. Will, curious, pulled down the visor in front of him and looked into the mirror. Behind them coming from out of a small dodgy gas station was a buck with huge antlers. It was apparent from his body language that he was irate as he searched around the area, looking for something. Will could only naturally assume he was looking for the woman. She stayed silent and completely still until Charles announced that they had left the Canyon Lands. Upon hearing this, she threw off the coat and revealed herself to everyone. Laying there in the mounds of the coat fabric was an emaciated looking doe. The clothing which she wore were designer but were so weathered that they could have easily been mistaken for rags. Her most obvious physical trait was the large scar that stretched across her face. As she shifted up in her seat, Will noticed that her mop of long dark hair was actually a wig since it became lopsided when she shifted. She was quick to fix it but not enough for Will to see part of her scalp. The fur was thinning and missing in some places.

"Mind if I smoke?"

"Blow it out the window," Charles said in a sing song voice as he got back onto the main road towards the highway.

"K, thanks," said the woman as she pulled what looked to be a hand rolled cigarette from a pack in her coat. She breathed in deeply when she lit it and exhaled slowly, watching it drift from her mouth to out of the window where the thick cloud dissipated. Will noticed that the smell of the cigarette was familiar to him. A friend of his, a mole named Boone, used to be fond of the black-market smokes which circulated throughout the cities underworld. It was a self-rolled cigarette that had been dipped in one of the chemicals from the snow machines in Tundratown. They were called "Snow Clouds" because of the trademark thick exhale as well as making the smoker feel like they were floating amongst the clouds. Will had never taken interest, as it was noted to be incredibly addictive as well as poisonous to the system. It was difficult to be a user, as too little chemical meant no high yet too much could mean death. It was a poison which stayed in the system for a while, slowly accumulating in the liver until the organ was forced to shut down. Boone himself nearly died, only being saved from death by the virtue of passing out in front of a hospital. The doe sat back in her chair, her eyes rolling back into her head as her body relaxed.

"Everyone I would like to introduce you to Tamara, she is going to be our leading lady for today!" Charles said with a glowing smile.

"What it do?" Tamara responding in monotone, holding up the peace sign while she held a vacant expression on her face.

"Yo," Raymundo said as he rolled the empty candy bag into a ball and put it into his pocket.

"Hello," Will said as his tiny paw reached out from the corner of his seat, waving at her.

"Ah…everybody together at last. Finally, we can get this show on the road," Charles exclaimed. The van swerved onto the freeway entrance, taking the loop quite fast. The occupants of the van were silent as they traveled, still awkward in each other's presences. The only person to make any noise was Charles, who cursed and carried on at every car who dared not to move the millisecond he turned on his turn signal. Raymundo was content to listen to his 8-track tape player, tapping on the arm rest with his paws in rhythm to the beat which he listened to. Tamara steadily took hit after hit of her narcotic and when she was done, tossed it out the window. With her arms folded across her chest, she laid her head back with her eyes closed and shut out the world around her. All Will could do was sit quietly and watch the scenery change as the van sped down the highway carrying with it the oddest group he had ever been a part of. After passing the surprisingly huge Palm Resort and Hotel, the highway curved around and pointed them back in the direction of Savannah Central. Unlike the northern border of Sahara Square and Tundratown which was separated by the biome wall, to leave by the western border to enter Savannah Central meant crossing a bridge. Between the two districts was a large inlet which allowed water from the lake which the city was built on to create a natural barrier between them. The inlet also featured several small islands which were connected to each other and the two neighboring districts by bridges. Charles took an exit as they reached one such island, getting off the main highway and driving down to the small neighborhood below. Will spotted a sign which passed over them upon their arrival; a small billboard which proudly read "Welcome to Happytown!"

They had parked not too far from the park in the middle of Happytown. Charles had backed up the van down a secluded alley off the road and instructed everyone to follow him. Raymundo handed Charles a duffle bag from the back of the van as everyone exited. Will got out just happy to be on stable ground while Tamara followed sleepily behind him. The beep of the alarm being set echoed down the alley as they walked quietly with Charles. They stopped as he came across a nearby door on the side of the building. The sun was nearing the middle of the sky as Charles began searching through a large ring of keys he had pulled from the duffle bag. "Eureka," he said as he pulled the apparently correct key and slid it into the key hole. He opened the door with ease and held it aloft to Raymundo who held it open in turn for everyone as they all filed into the building. The door slid closed behind him with a slight click as he entered the building, the last of the group. Inside they walked down a dark hallway, passing several doors and turned at the end to enter a large room which had a window that had the curtain pulled down. The flick of a light switch was heard and the room became fully lit, revealing the interior. The layout gave the impression that the building they were in was some sort of empty industrial office space. A large folding table took up the corner of the room and had several chairs placed around it. On the concrete floor in the large space next to the table were several lines and x's which had been made with tape. Other than these things, the rest of the room was just plain empty with no further decorations, furniture, or embellishments of any kind. The ceiling lights hung low on their exposed wires, filling the room with a dim glow.

"Well I say, despite all that could have gone wrong, we managed to get here with just enough time," Charles said as he placed the duffle bag down in front of the chair at the head of the table. He pulled two scripts from it and laid them down in the middle of the table.

"Yeah, woo hoo," Tamara said disinterestedly as she pulled out a chair from the table and sat down. She slouched back against the wall and looked apathetically into the air. She gave no visible reaction as Will pulled out the seat across her and climbed up to it. He placed his backpack on the floor, using it as a foot rest. Raymundo leaned back on the wall next to them, his arms folded across his chest.

"Oh come now Miss Cervino, the day hasn't even started yet! You can have plenty of time to be down after you are done working. At least then you will be tired enough to have a reason," Charles proclaimed with a smile, he stood there with one hoof on his hip and the other on the duffle bag.

"Sure," Tamara responded, laying her head in her arms on the table.

"Splendid," Charles said with a chime in his voice, "Before we begin anything everyone I just wanted to say that even though we have managed to get here in time, we don't have that much time to rehearse. Being conservative, I would say we have about an hour and half maybe to get ready. We need to maximize our time while we can! Before we begin however if I could just speak to you, Raymundo, in the other room for a second?"

"Yeah fo-sho," Raymundo said as he turned to follow Charles back down the hall.

"Hey, weren't you the one who just said we don't have much time?" Tamara said, raising her head off the table. Raymundo froze in place, one foot in the air. He looked at Charles awkwardly, waiting to see what he would say.

"I also said that we should use our time wisely…perhaps you could start practicing your lines now. Unless you feel that you can't do that without us?" Charles responded, chuckling a bit when he started.

"Whatever, sure," Tamara said as she laid her head in her arms on the desk. Raymundo unfroze and followed Charles out of the room, the sound of a door closing from the hallway echoing loudly seconds later. Will took a second to shake off the second-hand cringe and after he steeled himself he looked over at Tamara. There was something in his brain which had been turning for a while now and only now had it just clicked.

"Hey…Tamara?" Will asked nervously.

"Hmm," Tamara murmured into her arms.

"Charles said that your last name was Cervino…right?"

"…..Yeah,"

"I just…..didn't know it was you."

"You…remember me?"

"Yeah, I used to see you on tv when I was a kid. You won that child singing competition, it was all over the news."

"Hmm, yeah I guess it was. I didn't think I got big enough to be worth remembering."

"Well I remember, judges said you amazing. It's weird though, I remember you being on tv one day and then it was like you-"

"Disappeared?" Tamara interrupted, raising her head.

"Well I mean…"

"Look, everyone who finds out wants to know what happened. They want every excruciating detail of why I'm not famous any more. Well fuck that I'm done saying it when those smug pricks can just look at me and get their answer!" Tamara said, her voice raising with every word.

"I…didn't-"

"I know I know, you didn't mean it. I just…have had to do that a lot. To answer your intended question, I'll just say my agent didn't like to work with broken goods and leave it at that. Left me after I got into a car crash and took with him my dreams…..what a fucker," Tamara said as she sat back in her chair and began absent mindedly flipping through a script. Will shuffled in his seat, if that was the result of a simple question then he preferred to stay quiet. The two of them sat silent in the room they were in, not aware of the events which were transpiring in the room next to them. Down the hall in a storage room, Charles stood on top of an over turned trash can consoling a crying Raymundo. The cougar's heavy heaves of breath threatened to knock Charles off his perch but his clutch on the big cat's shoulders kept him up. Raymundo encircled the sheep in a tight embrace, tears dripping from his eyes and falling to the carpeted floor below. Charles patted him with his hoof, allowing Raymundo to cry as long as he required.

"I..I-just..ccan't"

"I know buddy…we all knew how much she meant to you."

"N-no sleep, t-two days!"

"I can't even imagine the hell you must be going through."

"She was h-here one day, then gone the next…just like that."

"I was shocked when I heard the news; dropped what I was holding and ran to call your father."

"Fucking shit! I can't close my eyes without seeing her. I didn't even get to see her before she…she."

"Woah there now, let's not go down that rabbit hole right now let's stay here ok. I know there is nothing I could say to make you feel better right now, this is just…terrible no matter how you look at it. You want to know something though?"

"What?"

"I know you. You are so strong and you don't even know it. I remember when you called and told me that you had started to make those uh…"

"Mixtapes?"

"Yeah there you go. I remember when you started making those and how sad you were when no one was buying that 'dope shit' you were selling. You were worse than I had ever seen you before. You looked like you had given up on life."

"It's my passion man, it's what I want to do."

"Right and what happened that turned you around to the success you are now?"

"I…wrote my lyrics while on drugs?"

"What? No not that…I mean maybe but not mostly. The actual answer was that you didn't give up and found the strength to continue."

"Oh…yeah that's right."

"Look, the point is that you were able to overcome adversity because you found the will to persevere. Just like I know you will be able to overcome this. I know you have it in you, even though right now it hurts and it feels like nothing will ever be better. I know you will get through this…Isabelle would want you to get through this."

"Thanks Charles…you're a great friend."

"Eh, don't mention it."

"We should probably get back to the others by now."

"You still good for today? I don't want to force you to do this if you aren't ready to be on camera."

"Yeah I'll be alright to do my part. Besides it's Tamara who's the one doing the talking. I just got to make sure I don't crash between now and then."

"Oh…are you in need for a pick-me-up?" Charles asked, reaching a hoof to his pants pocket.

"No…no way you brought stuff."

"Come now, you know who I am. I always got stuff on me! How else do you think I get through the day?" Charles said as he brought out a bottle from his pocket. Inside one there were tabs which had one side colored red and the other blue.

"Woah what are these?" Raymundo said taking the bottle in his paws.

"These my feline friend are some of the most expensive pills I have ever bought, supposed to be rare or something. Got them thinking should I ever need to pull an all-nighter that I should have something for it."

"Cool, does it have a name?"

"Yeah, it's called Aggressorim. I believe they are quite interesting to be honest. You cut it in half and take the blue one first to relax and soothe the muscles. You have until the high wears off until you must take the red one to really get the party started. If you know what I'm saying?"

"Oh, I know what you are saying! So…how much?"

"Beg pardon?"

"How much you gonna sell me a pill for?"

"Oh, fuck that just take one. I'm not going to charge a close family friend. Besides I need you to be in the right mind for today so I would consider it an investment if anything."

"Wow, thanks man."

"Don't worry about it. Oh, and here is a pill cutter."

"Well don't mind if I do," Raymundo said as he took the cutter from Charles and popped the top of the bottle open. He cut off a blue tab and tossed it into his mouth. The remaining red tab he put into the coin pocket of his pants.

"Ready to get the show on the road?" Charles said as he hopped off the trash can and started towards the door.

"I am now," Raymundo said, catching the door Charles held open for him and closing it behind them. Though the pill he had taken was minor compared to his usual fare, he could already feel the effects. It felt like a warmth was creeping from his shoulders and was slowly moving up his neck. As he and Charles rejoined the other two in the main room, the warmth had already filled his entire body. He felt as if he had laid down in the sun with a faucet pouring liquid warmth all over him. It was like a weightlessness which spread through him, removing the weight of grief which consumed his waking thoughts.

"You ok there, Whiskers?" Will asked, he could tell Raymundo had taken something. After all no one looks like they are battling their own personal hurricane and not look suspicious.

"Oh….yeah man, I feel great!" Raymundo said as he stretched his arms and took a seat at the table. He had a look in his eye, one which looked through what was in front of him. He began to tap in rhythm on the table as Charles came up beside him to sit at the table. Charles sat at the head and zipped open the duffle bag. From the inside of this bag came out a large metallic brief case which looked way too heavy for Charles to lift. However, he simply laid it down on the table as if it didn't bother him in the slightest. After closing the duffle, he pulled out his chair and got up on the table; eye level with everyone now. The group quickly broke from their chatter and stared in confusion as Charles began to pace up and down the table.

"Ok everyone, now we can finally get started with today's production. Firstly, I would like to first start by thanking you all for showing up. With all of us working together we will be able to get this thing done in time to meet my deadline. Now you all must be probably wondering what you all will be doing today. Well it's very simple my young capitalists, we are hawking the drink du jour. The name of it is, ugh, 'Prowl'. Such a generic name don't you think? Well the shtick for this one is that it's an energy drink so laden with sugar that it will make you want to run like our ancestors used to. Now with this concept I could imagine quite a bit for how I would film a commercial. However, I have instead been given specific instructions that I can only deviate from should I want them to find someone else to do it. Since we must follow them so strictly, we are going to break up the scenes to give us more time to do each as they want it. The goal for shooting today is to accomplish their want for 'a scene of a prey animal handing a predator a can and then the two run down an alley'. If it sounds easy then you are going to be disappointed because they also want us to film it all from several angles so that they can choose the best. Oh, and by several, I mean like twenty different angles. With all that said let's get started shall we. Raymundo and Tamara, you two will practice your lines and movements over there with the tape on the floor. You, Will, are going to come with me. Well…what are you waiting for?"

Will was about to get up but Tamara slammed her hoof down on the table, surprising everyone.

"Hang on short stack, no one is going anywhere!"

"Heh, is there a problem Miss Cervino?" Charles chuckled.

"You bet there is a problem. Your diatride didn't mention nuthin about our pay. What's our cut for the day cause I know we ain't working hourly," Tamara responded, unaware of the bits of spittle flying off her lips.

"Well, my diatribe, was meant to inform you about only about what you were all to do. You should already know you are getting paid an amount enough to keep you silent about our activities today. However, if it is motivation you require to get through today…then allow me to oblige," Charles said, putting a hard emphasis on the spelling correction. He reached down to the brief case on the table and entered the code to the lock. It popped open in his arms and he turned the case to face the group. In his arms was a brief case that was filled to the brim with money. There were crisp 100-dollar bundles laying in the velvet of the brief case. The room became silent enough to hear a pin drop as the three animals in front of him stared. Their jaws firmly planted on the floor. The group broke their stare and the sounds of scraping chairs filled the room. Raymundo and Tamara did as they were told, taking script in hand and beginning to block the scene. Charles casually put in the complex code for the lock and tossed it on the table as he jumped off. Will scooped his bag from the floor and clumsily put it over his shoulders as he ran to follow Charles who didn't seem to pay him any attention. The door at the end of the hallway opened with a blinding flash of light which revealed the light of the noon day.

As the beep of the van's alarm went off, Will could hear there was an audible indistinct sound which could be heard in the air. Getting into the van, Charles pulled out a tube of chap stick and applied it liberally to his lips. He swirled it around, looking at himself as he adjusted the rear-view mirror. He fired up the van's engine and took the two of them to back out on the street. Participants, both sober and not, of the day's holiday littered the streets in droves. With shoulders rubbing at each other's, the crowds meandered throughout the sidewalks and cut off streets reveling in the celebration. The intensity of the crowd grew the closer the van got to the central park in the center of the island. Will marveled at the fair which had been assembled in the park by the city volunteers. It's various rides and booths stood in stark contrast to the festival as it was celebrated in the Nocturnal District. Everyone here partied in an orderly and controlled matter were back home the festival compared to a city-wide rave. The denizens of the night lived in the dark to party in the light for one day per year.

However, there was but one issue which caused conflict during today's proceedings. As the van drove down the street which encircled the park, there could be seen several small groups which could been seen carrying signs. They were protesters, members of various communities who disagreed with the covenant. Though it was not unheard of for a prey to feel uneasy around large groups of predators, these were animals who took that to the next level. The group consisted mainly of larger prey animals such as hippos, rhinos, and bulls who acted as bouncers for much smaller prey who acted as orators. They stood atop the shoulders of their protectors; allowing them to look down on the crowd as they shouted their ideology. They were all carrying signs in opposition to the mixed nature of Happytown's population. Signs which contain messages warning prey that the predators which lived near them would eventually kill them and that Happytown would be better as a prey only sanctuary. It was not uncommon to see these groups during the holiday or hear about them during legislation regarding species equality. It should be noted that it was more common to see prey animals protest than their predator counterparts. That is because the ones that do are in the minority compared to those that just immediately turn to violence. Will lowered his ears as he watched the protesters pass by the van. Though he cared very little for politics, he had always found these separatist groups distasteful on account to witnessing their crimes while living on the streets. He watched in the mirror as the protesters were being led away from the park by several members of the police. Amongst their group were children, who carried signs of their own.

"Are you paying attention there, Willoughby?"

"Huh? What?" Will responded, shocked out of his daze. He hadn't noticed that Charles had been talking to him.

"I was telling you about your role today and what you needed to do."

"Ah sorry, got uh…lost in space for a second."

"Well listen up because we are coming up to it quick. See that tall building in the yonder distance there?" Charles said as he pointed a hoof to a building ahead of them, a three-story apartment complex which look recently developed.

"Yeah, I see."

"You can climb that right?"

"That thing? No problem, piece of cake."

"Good, that's what I like to hear. I need you up on top of that with the camera pointed that way," Charles said as moved his pointed hoof to an alley way which was directly across from the apartments, cutting right through the park.

"Uh sir, what about all the other animals? Won't they get into the shot?"

"I presume you know what a zoom button is?"

"Oh yeah, how could I forget that," Will chuckled nervously.

Charles could only shake his head as he continued to drive. He pulled up slowly next to the apartment building and instructed Will to perform a tuck and roll. Will looked at him with confusion but then quickly undid his seatbelt, realizing that Charles was probably serious about not slowing down. True to his suspicion, Will had to literally jump from the still moving vehicle to get on to the side walk. He stood up with bated breath as he checked the camera to see if it was broken. Breathing a sigh of relief at it being intact, he began to search for something which would allow him to climb.

Raymundo was still feeling the dregs of the blue pill as he and Tamara finished their first take for their scene. His mind was still hazy but was at least at ease for the moment. Their muscles ached from the rehearsal which that had just recently finished. True enough to the diminutive sheep's words, their scripts did in fact have oddly specific instructions to how they were to present themselves. They had changed out of their regular clothes and into the costumes that Charles had provided for them. Raymundo had no real problem with his clothing but insisted that he could keep his medallion, to which Charles obliged. Tamara's mood didn't improve when she put on what was most likely the nicest thing she had worn in years. However, she didn't get worse so if anything, it was better than nothing. The two of them could see as they finished their scene that the park was reaching its highest number of participants. Remembering that he was still in time limit, Raymundo popped in the other half of the pill which he had brought along with him. He began stretching, attempting to alleviate his sore arms and legs, while Tamara leaned up against the wall of the alley. The sun hung high overhead, bathing the two of them in the light and heat.

"Ugh, it's too hot for this shit. Fuck today!" Tamara said as she adjusted her wig.

"Aw, what's wrong Tam-Tam? I though you wanted to get paid today?" Raymundo said with a half-smile. The effects of the red pill must had started to kick in because he was starting to loosen up more.

"The fuck did you just call me?"

"Come on bro, did you see that fat fucking case of cash!? Look, I don't know about you but look at it this way. All we have to do is run down a hallway twenty times and we all get bundles of cheddar! What's wrong with that?"

"Well nothing, but when you say it that way I sound like a bitch."

"Yeah well, don't be that way then. Be like be baby, look how light I am. You know what that is? Calisthenics, every Thursday," Raymundo said as he began doing hopscotch on the sidewalk next to them. His steps both jubilant and erratic, lacking any sense of shame.

"Pffft, yeah sure. Whatever you say you weirdo," Tamara said, unable to hide her laugh.

"I'm serious man look," he said as he grabbed his leg and jumped, pulling the other leg through the loop and sticking the landing. His medallion making an audible clinking sound.

"Whoa, ok there, save it for the shoot m'kay? We are running remember?"

"You just jealous you can't do it," Raymundo said as he straightened himself up.

"Sure I am, look I am going out to the other side of the street to give the signal to that other guy to start filming again."

"Sounds good to me!" Raymundo said as he waved at Tamara while she turned the corner down the alley. As she went out of sight, he began to do jumping jacks. Staring out into the street, he began to notice that even though he had been putting in the same effort to jump, his rise and decent began to slow down. His whole vision became blurry and pulsed with every heartbeat. The heat on his fur felt like an irradiated aura which clung to him tightly. The tree which rose from a hole in the sidewalk looked to him as if it had been painted, each bush stroke visible to him. Raymundo stopped his jumping and caught the light post next to him to steady his balance. The metal of the pole seemed to morph underneath his touch, turning from new to old to rust in a continuous cycle. He stared in disbelief as he looked around him, seeing faces in the leaves of the tree, the puddles of water in the gutter, and the shadows of buildings. Whispers creeped into the back of his mind; echoes of previous conversations. Discussions which grew quieter as a single voice grew amongst the rest; a voice which Raymundo knew to be familiar. He looked around, craning his neck in a desperate attempt to hone in on the voice. Letting go of the pole, he stumbled to the ground trying to follow it. The cougar rested on his knees, his breathing and pulse quickening as his body became flooded with adrenaline.

"Raymundo," a voice said to Raymundo's left. He turned to the direction of the person who had called his name and witnessed a figure which made his heart skip a beat. Standing there at the end of the alleyway was a young woman. She was a cougar like him but smaller, not as muscular. She wore a white blouse and had a long skirt which hung at knee level. Her two dark amber eyes looked at him with a kind face which bore only love. Raymundo could feel his tears falling down his face to the sidewalk below him. The woman turned, her diamond earrings flashing in the sun, and began to walk down the sidewalk away his view. Raymundo scurried to get to his feet and lunged down the alley. The distance of the alley stretched twofold with each step he took, causing him to sprint in desperation. He waved his arms and began to shout in an attempt to get the woman's attention but it was to no avail as she didn't react to him at all. Exiting the alleyway to the street next to the fair, Raymundo crashed into a young moose couple. Ignoring their shouts of anger at him, he got up off the ground and continued chasing after the woman. Not paying any attention to the people around him, he cut through the large crowd with reckless abandon. As he came closer and closer to the woman, Raymundo could feel the first inkling of true happiness leak from his heart. Reaching the woman, he put a paw on her shoulder and pulled her to him in a tight embrace.

"Isabelle!" Raymundo said as he began to cry loudly and openly.

Hundreds of feet away, Will could only watch in horror at the events were transpiring. Tamara had walked out of the alley to give him the signal to start filming. He had taken his eyes away for just a second and when he looked through the eye piece, saw something which made his stomach turn. Raymundo came running down the alley on all fours, pounced on her, and then began to maul her. His clawing and biting was not the technique of a highly evolved predator but that off pure rage and hatred. As he straddled her and swung his arms at her, the only thing she could do was shield her face and shout obscenities. The fair goers around them turned to the noise and froze in shock and disbelief at the turn of events. Some, those unaware of the severity of what was going on, thought that it some sort of prank that was being pulled. Tamara's cursing soon turned to pleas for help, shouting that she was getting attacked by a predator in the vilest of terms possible. The crowd, which stood still in bewilderment, was spurred to action by the sudden shouting of a group which had begun to run across the park. The separatist group had come back to set up a protest line and were present to witness Raymundo's initial lunge. They took their signs in their paws and hooves and charged with fervor.

"We told you! We told you!" one of the smaller animals from the group said.

"You did nothing to prevent this and look what happened!" said another, putting every single ounce of hatred inside of them in each syllable.

"The administration is useless, we'll kill him ourselves and then they will listen to us!" a voice shouted as the larger animals of the group ran towards the psychotic cougar. The police, what few were assigned to the small neighborhood fair, tried in vain to calm the now panicking crowd. It was to no avail as they were too outnumbered to even be heard over the crowd. Caught completely off guard, there was nothing they could do as the crowd came closer to Raymundo who was now covered in blood from the waist up. Tamara had managed to protect her face and throat however the rest of her body was covered in claw and bite marks. Seeing the small crowd which began to circle around him, he leapt over a surprised wildebeest and ran on all fours into the much large crowd behind them. The separatist's scrambled to follow the rampaging Raymundo, as he clawed and scratched at wild abandon. Those who had children and the larger families ran in every direction, trying to get away from the violence as fast as they could. Moving at first with no discretion, a wave of paranoia swept the animals as prey began running in droves away from any predators. The confused predators either didn't notice or shrugged it off as they were the members of the mob who seemed to get away at all costs. They tripped and fell over each other in a desperate scurry to leave with their lives. Several large predators, the brave and the drunk, ran to Raymundo; trying to see if they could capture him peacefully. The separatists came up behind the predators and instead of working with them to stop Raymundo's carnage, began to fight the other predators which were attempting to help. A couple police officers, entered the fray as well, armed with radio's and pistols; several gun shots ringing out in the air. Adding to the crowd was members of the fair who felt sympathetic to either side. A symphony of agony and strife rose from the park, ringing in Will's ears as watched helplessly from the rail of a third story balcony. He did not hear the sliding glass door open behind him.

"HEY ASSHOLE, GET OFF MY BALCONY," a voice shouted from behind Will. His tail's grip on the railing loosened and the camera nearly dropped from his arms. Trying to catch it, Will lost his footing and both he and the camera dropped to the street below. Breaking his fall on an awning, Will laid still for a second not sure if he was still alive. Looking up at the balcony he fell from, a bear peeked over the edge back at him. Realizing he was still in the land of the living, he reached over to the camera beside him and was delighted to see that it was undamaged. He ended the recording and sat up, hastily stuffing the camera back into his empty back pack. The fighting in the park raged on next to him as he rolled over the edge of the awning and shimmied his way down a nearby drain. The side street was still clogged with noncombatants attempting to flee from the scene before them. Will was nearly kicked and came close to being trampled as he turned the corner and hid in a nearby dead-end alley. He bent over, clutching at his heart and trying to catch his breath. This was too much, way too much; he did not sign up for his. It was supposed to be quick, simple. All he had to do was show up, get his money, and leave but instead his plan had fallen to pieces. Now not only was he a few bills from being flat broke but also, he was in the middle of a battlefield. To top it off, it was all being created by Raymundo who had abandoned his chill for randomly attempting to murder Tamara. What was the reason? He had been acting like normal only a minute ago. Why did he have to flip the crazy switch now of all times? Sinking to the ground, tensing up in frustration at the unfairness of the situation. Will even let out a shout as he got up and kicked a soda can at the wall. He didn't know how he would do it, but he had to make it back to the train station in Savannah Central to get back home. He would have to escape Happytown by bridge and brave half the city on foot but he would do it if it meant he could see the light of another day. Taking a step forward, he cursed as he remembered that he couldn't just leave without telling Charles what had happened. He almost ditched this thought entirely but then thought that maybe he could get his cut of the pay in return for the single take of footage he did have. He figured it would be a better bargaining chip than coming with his paws swinging. Taking a deep breath to center himself, Will jumped to his feet and looked out from behind a trash can.

Raymundo, sporting several cuts of his own, stood in the center of the chaos which consumed the park. The police, predators, and separatists continued their brawl around him; long since abandoning him as the main priority. He turned his gaze to a fleeing badger and sprinted in its direction, leaving the park and disappearing from view. A high-pitched siren grew louder as collection of police vans flew out from the corner at the far end of the park. They screeched to a halt one by one and threw open their doors, unloading waves of riot gear clad officers. They were far enough away that they still had to walk some distance to get to the fighting. Assembling quickly in a line by orders of their commanding officer, they began a slow march towards the brawl. Will scowled as one of his possible escape routes was taken from him. He considered taking the roof tops but was dissuaded by several helicopters which appeared over the tops of the buildings. A door on one of them opened and an officer shot a can from his gun into the crowd. The can burst open in a cloud of choking white fog, causing the tight crowd to disperse. Taking it all in, Will weighted that the quickest route to get back was straight across the field. It was suicidal and stupid but with Raymundo loose in the neighborhood it wouldn't be long till the whole island was shut down by police. By then Will planned to be on the train back home with his payment and all of today behind him. Will shook his head as his back was literally against a wall in this. Looking at the remnants of the fair which were left, he judged that he would be able to get across before the police could reach them. Not wanting to let the advancing police officers get too close, Will burst into a full sprint from the alley way.

Jumping over the side walk, Will stepped on the grass as a grey blur. Holding the straps of his back, he hauled ass in-between miniature skirmishes between members of the mob. He ducked behind an overturned booth as he came up close to a lion and horse fighting. The lion fought with punches instead of extended claws but the horse was not so merciful. With a great swing of his sign he bashed the lion on the side of the face. He fell against the booth Will hid behind and turned over, attempting to get up. He coughed out blood unknowingly onto Will, covering the marsupial. Wiping the blood from his sunglasses, Will ditched his cover and continued his sprint down the field. A bull from the separatists saw that one of his fellow protestors was grappling with a predator and began running towards them. He shifted his weight down and just before reaching them, extended upwards headbutting the predator in the jaw. Several of his teeth came flying out in an arc across the grass, some landing in Will's hair. He brushed them out with one paw, his body shuddering in disgust. His eyes remained unflinching as he never moved them from his goal of the alleyway in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye, Will could see that riot officers were descending from lines of rope from one helicopter. They chased and swung at anyone in the vicinity, attempting to subdue anyone they could. Will continued his sprint, despite his now quickening heartbeat. A dark shadow loomed over him, averting his gazed for just a second. An elephant that was fighting several wolves had become encumbered as they climbed on top of him. He lost his balance and started to stumble and lean back. Will managed to dodge in-between his heavy footfalls, not stopping to look back at whether the pachyderm was victorious in his struggle against the swarm of teeth. Coming close to the alleyway, Will could see Tamara's body laying in a pool of blood near the opening. He could feel his stomach begin to turn as he got close enough to see the edges of skin around each slash on her. She was breathing and could only weakly move her arms. As he reached the end of the park, Will saw that Tamara's wig had been fallen off her head and laid in the street in between them. Not allowing himself to pause or flinch, he nearly choked on the vomit in his throat as he passed her to enter the alley.

"Hm?" Charles said as he looked over. Will had burst through the door and ran into the room. He fell to all fours, out of both exhaustion and an attempt to catch his breath. Charles sat there with his feet on the table as he sat back in his chair eating a sandwich. He chewed slowly as he waited for Will settle himself, taking a casual sip from his soda.

"Sir…," Will managed to get out between gasps of air.

"What's up Mr. Ken? Aren't you supposed to be filming my commercial?" Charles said as he took a bite from his sandwich.

"Sir…please…,"

"What of Raymundo and Tamara? Am I to presume there are burning our precious sunlight doing nothing while you are here with me? Also, what is the reason for you being covered in filth, did you fall in a gutter?"

"It's not…like that…,"

"Oh, out with it man! What are you doing here because the thing I see you doing is working your way out of a job!" Charles snapped suddenly.

"Sir…Raymundo attacked Tamara. He just fucking went insane, started clawing and biting at her!" Will said as he finally managed to get a complete sentence out.

"What?" Charles responded.

"It's true I swear! We were starting to set up for another shot and he just came running at her. It got so bad that it caused a fucking riot; I had to get through it to get here."

"So, let me get this straight," Charles began to say as he put his sandwich into paper bag that was on the table. He placed the bag inside the large duffle and got up off the chair. "You mean to tell me that Raymundo, a close family friend of mine, just went and attacked poor defenseless Tamara for no reason?" he continued.

"Yes, I swear I am telling you the truth!" Will said as he stood up.

"And because he was attacking her there was a riot which involved everyone at the fair?"

"I ran through it but I got here. I swear I literally just ran through that crowd. This is fucking blood all over me!" Will said as he stretched out his arms. Charles merely stood there, not reacting in any way to Will. He merely stood there with arm wrapped around his side and the other resting underneath his chin. He stared at Will with a look of inquisitiveness.

"Oh well, what can you do?" Charles said as he chuckled slightly, breaking form.

"Wh-what?"

"There is a saying in my business, cheap things aren't good and good things aren't cheap. With the types of people I hired, I figured that things would go to shit," Charles said as he collected his possessions from the table and placed them in the duffle bag.

"I would say that things went worse than shit. This was a catastrophe man! I had a lot riding on this."

"Yes, I'm sure," Charles said quickly as he started to dig through the contents of the bag.

"I'm sorry about your commercial and all but I really got to go. I don't know how much longer till they block the bridges to find Raymundo. He ran off and I haven't seen him since."

"Taking initiative, I like it Will. Oh, by the way you said that you were in the middle of filming is that correct?"

"Yeah, I hit record as soon as I got the signal from Tamara. Literally like seconds later she was getting attacked by Raymundo."

"You managed to get it all on tape?"

"Yeah, I managed to get quite a bit of that and the riot. Just the beginning part because I fell from some dick's balcony."

"Ah I see, interesting."

"I still got the camera. I figured you can cut out the attack and the riot with that movie magic you studio types know how to do. So, can I just give you this so I can get my money and leave. This day has just been the worst," Will exclaimed with a heavy sigh. He longed to return to the couch he slept on at his friend's place.

"Sure, just give me the camera and you will be on your way out of here." Charles said, his back still turned to Will. The marsupial took off his backpack and pulled the zipper open. The camera was still intact despite the mad scramble to get back to the office. He held it out with two paws as he waited for Charles to turn to take it.

"Alright Mr. Ken, here is your payment," Charles said as turned to reach for the camera. He grabbed it with one hoof and with the other brought out a wrench from the duffle bag which he smashed into Will's knee. He fell, clutching at his knee as Charles let out a laugh which filled the empty room. Charles took the camera and walked over to the table to place it in the duffle bag. He then stood over Will with a ceiling light directly above him, causing him to take on a bright halo that made him focus on Charles's face. All Will could do is look up as Charles twirled his wrench.

"What's with the long face Will? I thought you got what you wanted; you know…your payment?"

"What the hell is wrong with you, you stupid bastard! Why my knee?!"

"Camera's worth more than you, simple as that."

"All this for a stupid commercial? If you just wanted to rip me off then why not just do a bounced check!"

"Oh Willoughby, bless your heart. You still have no idea what is going on do you? I got to say I am disappointed that you are only as interesting as your clothing. I think you might actually be the stupidest person I have ever met. Except maybe for that cougar but at least now I don't have to deal with him or his family anymore. All according to plan I'd say!" Charles said as he returned the wrench to the duffle; picking it up after he had zipped it shut. He stepped around Will and tried for the door.

"Wait…wait! What the fuck are you talking about! What was the point of all this?" Will shouted at him as the pain in his knee prevented him from standing at the moment. Charles froze in place for a second and then loudly cracked his neck. He dropped the duffle bag to the floor and turned to face Will.

"Look Will, I would love to sit here and monologue with you about every single little detail your greasy black little heart desires. Here's the thing though cupcake, I got shit to do and the last thing I need to do is sit here and shoot the shit with a kid like you," Charles said, taking small steps towards Will. "After all we all have our parts to play. Raymundo's is to be the belligerent savage and as for Tamara…well I am sure she will get over it. After all, she knew what she was getting into."

"What are you talking about? What does Tamara have to do with any of this, she was just mauled to within an inch of her life,"

"Yeah and she was in on it. Maybe she didn't know she would be the one to get attacked but hey, her face was probably worth it. Raymundo probably improved her appearance anyway. After all there is only so much you can do with 'damaged goods'. Oh, and while I am at it, fuck Tamara. I let her ride on my coat tails as a favor but she still acts like a shit all day. So ungrateful, but after all what can you do with types like her," Charles said as he reached Will. "Now if you will excuse me, I got to go run this tape to the person that paid for it."

The sheep turned to leave but then walked back to Will. He stooped down and took his hoof and pressed it lightly on Will's nose.

"Boop! Wanted to do that since I met you. Anyway, goodbye Willoughby! Maybe you will get a better name when you stop being a cub and learn common sense!" Charles said as he exited the room and walked down the hallway, duffle bag in hand.

"Our young are called 'Joeys' you prick!"

"Whatever!" Charles continued as he sauntered casually down the hall towards the door.

The door slammed behind him, leaving Will alone in the empty room. He laid there clutching at his knee, silently cursing at how events had transpired for today. His mind was a blurred mess which struggled to piece together the truth of the events which he had experienced. In the end, Will pushed it out of his mind; not caring about anything else but himself. With nothing left to do but survive, he gritted his teeth and began to crawl towards the door that Charles had left through. With his injured leg dragging on the floor, Will mustered all the force he had to continue through the pain. He came up next to one of the chairs near the table and used it to try to stand. The pain that shot through his leg hurt enough to make him see stars but Will was able to get balanced. Taking a tentative step forward, he winced at the pain of his first footfall. Slowly, he managed to waddle pathetically towards the door.

"Fuck…Fuck…Shit…Fuck…" Will said between gritted teeth. He clung to the side of a light post as he tried to keep himself standing. The pain in his knee throbbed and he could already feel part of it begin to swell. Slowly, with great effort, Will walked down the sidewalk of the ruined streets. The rioters were more than just what was seen at the park as the street which Will walked on showed the telltale signs of looting. Fragments of shop windows and doors littering the ground, making the place look like a warzone. As he walked, Will looked at the refuse with a gaze of weary acceptance of his surroundings. Just like this place was trashed and a remnant of its former self, he too felt just as tarnished. What was supposed to be the day that shot him out of poverty had turned out to be a cruel ruse designed by a miniature sheep. Whatever plans he had had mattered not now. The only thing which kept him walking forward was the deep seated need to live no matter what. Passing by a trashed bakery, Will looked in sadness a place that had at one time brought happiness to others and was now nothing more than derelict space. He silently decided that after today, he would be happy if he simply forgot everything that had happen. At least then it wouldn't hurt him as much as it did now. A sudden sound behind him caused his ears to twitch and swerve in its direction.

"Any signs of the savage?"

"I saw none; keep looking for him!"

Will turned to see over his shoulder that a gang of large prey were walking down the street towards him. With pulse rising, he searched around for a place to hide. These people were not known to be the types to ask questions first and Will doubted they would care for the reason why he was covered in blood. Knowing that he had to get out of sight as soon as possible, he grabbed his injured leg and began forcing himself to walk normally. The pain was excruciating but it did allow him to advance with some purpose. Craning his neck to look for cover at the nearby stores, Will began to get desperate as he heard the voices behind him get closer. Try as he might, Will could feel it in his heart that he knew he would be captured. A bum leg in a bad neighborhood was a recipe for disaster but a bum leg in a rioting neighborhood was a death sentence. Not wanting to get caught empty handed, Will picked up a shard of glass of the ground and held it at the ready. Looking around, he could feel his chances of living lowering the longer he kept on the street. He had almost given up hope when he spotted a store that looked as if the rioters had passed it altogether. Sitting at the end of an alley as a small store which was out of the way from the main street. The door was simple and unembellished in anyway and the curtains in the windows were drawn together with ribbon. There was a rough hand painted sign which hung over the door that proudly read "John's Tailor Shop". Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, he turned down the alley and made his way for the door.

The interior of the tailor shop was pitch black and silent, an area of stasis which kept its luster in spite of the events outside. A beam of light shot out from the mail slot and pierced through the darkness. The mail slot in the middle of the door popped open for a second; a piece of glass falling from it to the ground. The mail slot opened again and there could be seen a very small pointed muzzle which stuck out. With teeth gnashed in a snarl, a sudden push caused the muzzle to extend into full head. Will blew his hair fringe out of the way as he wormed himself through the mail slot. From his neck came his shoulders then waist and finally the rest of his body slid out. He fell to the floor with a solid thump, causing him to groan loudly. He had had to maneuver a trash can to get up to the mail slot, a feat for him and his bum leg. Worming through the mail slot had also put a great stress on him, leaving Will wanting nothing more than to just take solace in the floor he lay on. He laid there for several seconds, allowing the pain in his leg to stop before he got up. Will sucked in a deep breath and with significant effort, brought himself to his feet.

Standing up to brush himself off, Will looked around the dimly lit shop. The interior was made of a dark wood and all upholstery was off a dark velvet material. Large cabinets locked by chain made up the walls of the store, each one holding a variety of fabrics and patterns. A golden bell sat proudly on the front counter next to what appeared to be a vintage cash register. The ceiling was high and a small gaudy chandelier hung from the ceiling. A coat rack sat next to the door as well as a pair of roller skates which hung from their laces on a nail. The air smelt sweet and slightly perfumed, the scent of lavender being detectable in its profile. The room consisted of the main room which Will stood in as well as a side room which contained amongst many things, several chairs, a table, and a collection of angled mirrors which shown his reflection. Will was about to take a step forward into the room when he froze. He could hear the voices of the animals which he had evaded on the streets. Holding his breath, we waited for what seemed like ages as the voices grew louder and then quieter as they passed. It wasn't until they were completely gone did Will release his breath into a loud exhale.

"Dad?" a child's voice came from out of the darkness.

Will frantically searched around the dimly lit room, attempting to find the voice. As he whirled around to find the source, he turned to see that there was a large shadow looming over him. In the dark of the room, the claws and teeth of the shadow were illuminated by what light was available. Reeling backwards in terror, Will fell over onto his back. He reached around blindingly, looking for anything which would allow him some chance for survival. The large shadow came slowly closer to him, a single arm outstretched towards him. From the tips of his fingers, Will felt something flat and sharp that was just out of his reach. He reached backward just as the shadow peered over him and thrust forward the shard of glass which he had dropped previously. The glass sunk into the shadow, making a sound much like a knife stabbing into a watermelon. The shadow froze over him, crying out a shriek of pain. From the glass shard came out a stream of blood which pulsed with each heartbeat. The blood fell with heavy drops onto the floor below them. The paws of the shadow reached around the shard of glass, clutching at its chest as it began to stagger backwards. With his heart banging in his ears, Will's body was flooded with adrenaline as he witnessed the creature before him fall backwards with a loud bang. Scrambling to get off the floor, Will lunged at the small animal accessible light switch on the wall. The lightbulbs in the chandelier turned on in a dazzling array of refracted light, shining light on the room. In front of him, laying in a pool of his own blood was a somewhat middle-aged fox. He was wearing a three-piece suit with a long pocket watch chain and spats. He had some grey fur coming around his muzzle and had styled his head fur to be slicked back lightly. The shard of glass remained lodged in the center of his chest, where a large crimson stain had pooled there. His eyes, tired but bright, now looked at the ceiling with the remaining inklings of life escaping through them. He laid eagle spread with one arm outstretched above his head, a paw reaching towards the cabinet behind him. Will stood next to the door, mouth and eyes wide open in shock and horror.

"Daddy…What happened? Did you lock the door?"

Will couldn't hear anything as his mind only became a series of pictures barely connected by the tactile feeling of him running. He unlocked the door and threw it open, flying out without knowing that his leg was flaring in excruciating pain. The alley way which he came out of became a long hallway with each brick morphing into the face of the fox he had just killed. They stared at him, not with malice nor contempt but instead looked at him the same way his corpse stared at the ceiling. Turning the corner, he could hear the sharp scream of a child behind him, spurring him to quicken his pace. Vomit rising into his throat and tears beginning to creep at his eyes, Will put his head down and put his all into running. Why…why did he have to get up this morning? What was going on with Charles? What was the point of all this chaos? All these thoughts went through Will's head as he sprinted down the street. Not paying attention to where he was going, he ran into someone at the corner of the street. Tripping both him and the person who he ran into, they both fell to the ground like sacks of potatoes.

"Hey! Watch where you're- "both Will and the other person said. They stopped just short of their sentences when they saw who they were speaking too. Will, in his haste to escape from the neighborhood had run into the legs of a buffalo who was partially clad in riot gear. His clothing looked slashed up and his one of his horns had broken off. The officer looked young, way too young to be in the uniform he was in. Imagine his surprise to find that he had just been run into by a small animal covered in blood in a neighborhood undergoing a crisis. He looked at the opossum with confusion as he slowly started to piece together what he was seeing. He had heard the cry of the child and looked over Will's shoulder to the direction of the tailor shop. Will didn't wait for the buffalo to get his senses, picking himself up and running before the other could get up. The officer, now understanding what was happening, picked up his broken horn he had dropped and stuffed it into his pocket as he ran after Will. They both flew down the street, getting closer and closer to the edge of the island. The small marsupial wincing in pain as he made each step-in front of the advancing officer. The buffalo himself struggled to chase after Will, his running stance and foot falls haphazard rather than trained. Will pushed over trashcans and empty newspaper stands as he tried desperately to gain distance away from the chasing officer. The buffalo called out to him as he stumbled over the obstacles which Will threw at him. The two ran through the neighborhood, both equally inept in avoiding and chasing the other. This continued till the end of the street which came up next to the bridge which connected them to the rest of Fauna City. By this time both had ran out of breath and staggered to a halt in the middle of the bridge. The sun hung low in the sky, casting the two of them in an amber light as they struggled to catch their breath. They stared at each other, waiting for the other one to make a move.

"Stop…running…you…quick…little…bastard," the buffalo said.

"In…your…dreams…cud chewer!" Will spat out between deep breaths. He knew that this was probably the end of his freedom. Too many things about this looked bad and there was no way he could talk his way out of it. However, Will wasn't a quitter and he wasn't about to just let them take him in without a fight. The officer had caught his breath first and with one hoof on the railing, started to inch his way to Will. Will pulled himself, arm over arm, with the railings as he tried to drag himself away. The waters of the lake churned below them as the two figures got closer and closer to each other. Will looked over the railing and saw a boat which was coming to pass underneath them. It was a garbage boat which was piled high with bags and boxes of various types. With nothing left to lose at this point, Will winked to the officer and with one last push threw himself between the bars of the railing. He looked up as he fell and saw the buffalo's face peer over him in shock. His timed his jump for just as the boat was drifting underneath them. Seconds later, Will landed in a pile of packing peanuts which filled an otherwise empty box. The bridge crossed high over his head and a shadow fell on Will's face. He did not attempt to shield his eyes when the sun's rays fell over him once again. He lacked the energy to put up a fight anymore. He didn't want to be Willoughby Ken and he didn't to think about everything he had done today. As he laid there in the filth and muck of the barge, Will closed his eyes. He still could see the fox's dead eyes staring at him and he knew that the sound of the child's cry would haunt him for years to come. Opening his eyes again, Will wished he had been attacked by the still missing Raymundo; at least then he wouldn't have to live with it. He didn't move a muscle as the barge carried him away from Happytown, past the city, and off into the distance. He knew not where he was going…neither did he care.

Continued in Chapter 2

#Zootopia #zoodystopia

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