Zootopia: Project Paradox

(A/N: Hello my fellow readers and writers, I come with a new story for you hopefully to enjoy. I know I still have two other stories I'm working on at this current point, but I wanted to get my last story I wanted to work on out there. Besides, I couldn't continue my other new story without starting this one. The two stories do happen to share a form of a common theme after all.

Regardless, this story, while a human in Zootopia story, will also feature one of the more realistic ways a human has come to Zootopia in fanfiction, while at the same time retaining many sci-fi elements.

Without further ado, I hope you all enjoy this new story and have a good day wherever you are.)

Prologue: Oh My World, What Has Become of Thee

It was a partly cloudy day in the city of Chicago on a slightly warmer than normal march day. In the city, the citizens of the city moved about on their daily lives, no deviation from what "the controller" has deemed of them. Many stuck at jobs they didn't like and living where they despised the most, the citizens of Chicago moved with a lack of energy and a lack of desire to continue the day. However, there would be no deviation from their assigned duties for fear of punishment by "the controllers", the people in fear of death and vanishing from the public eye.

"The Controllers" were none other than the tyrants of the world commanding their forces of order and security. It was not, however, for the benefit of us, but for them. Every day, the citizen of the world suffered under the iron fisted control of them, undergoing random home searches, arrests on the street and assault by the forces of brutality and corruption, all in an effort to keep the population in check through fear.

They were known as Vanguard. Emerging after the first half of the 21st century, Vanguard took control of the world country by country through every avenue from bribery to political assassinations. Their reach and power spread through the four corners of the world like a disease through its host. At first, they said they were here to protect us…but that was before the death squads.

Every day, the citizens of the world, caught in the eternal struggle of oppression by Vanguard, were left to question the motives behind Vanguard. While the organization certainly tried its best to not let their name find its way into the public circle, this was ruined by a whistleblower in the early years of Vanguard's rise to power.

Before the tyrants and despots of Vanguard took control of the world's affairs, in the last years of an era waning away like the last ember of a fire, reports were leaked that Vanguard's intention was to preserve humanity…no matter the cost. Vanguard claimed that humanity was in great danger, but the reports never claimed any actual threat.

To us, these pawns of Vanguard, the soldiers and enforcers, weren't our neighbors, no matter where they lived. To us, they weren't our protectors, no matter how many crimes they stopped. They were just simply order…control…ruthlessness. Was humanity indeed in great danger, or was Vanguard the real danger here?

After only a few years of their global control of every facet of life, dissenters began to rise up from the ideologies of an old world. A world based on freedom through self-direction. A world in which man was free to make decisions based on their own desires. Who to marry…where to live…where to work…

Of course, not everyone rebelled against Vanguard. Fear was a weapon they used to keep the populace in check sure, but another equally effective tool was to promote loyalty to the rule of Vanguard. The tyrants gifted pampered lives and stability onto those the organization trusted, creating a separate world of luxury among the new world elite from the disparity of the new world majority. My family and I were not part of this gracious minority in this new world order. We kept our heads low and under the radar out of fear. However, there was one fateful day when that life would change…

In the suburbs of Chicago, on this slightly unusual march day, it was unfortunately like any other day in Chicago. Vanguard Enforcers patrolled the streets, policing with an iron fist the streets of the windy city. The children in the suburbs were just coming back home from school, buses dropping them off at designated stops. A group of elementary school kids walked past a squad of Vanguard Enforcers, clad in red and grey composite armor. Having been born after the time Vanguard took over the worlds affairs, these kids thought nothing of the imposing men and women armed with high powered rifles and pistols. The kids were trained in school to never oppose Vanguard or risk bringing danger to their families. However, as these school aged children were returning home, walking down the neighborhood streets, they walked past a single story ranch house that appeared from the outside to be in disrepair. The siding was degrading and the paint chipping away from the exterior walls. Inside this house, the only occupant was currently a 13 year old boy, a boy named Nate Roberts.

Nate had stayed home from school today, a request that was made by his father. Nates father didn't tell him the reason why he wanted Nate to stay home, stating only that he was absolutely to not answer the door for anyone until he and his mother got home. Nate was currently engaged in his favorite pastime. Rather than watching the usual propaganda filled T.V. programing that Vanguard ran every day and night, Nate was engaged in reading some of the many books that his father kept hidden in his study behind a secret false wall. The boy's dad had claimed that knowledge of the old world was more important now than ever before, but it went far beyond that as a mere fact or a text. Knowledge was a power and a reminder of how far humanity has now fallen. It gave us the strength to change our future and the means to do it. Nate's dad said this is what Vanguard feared…to lose power.

The books Nate was reading were that of his favorite subject…history. A window into the past and lessons of great triumphs and fools falls.

Currently reading about ancient Rome and their political system that sought to protect its power, but also showed some effort to protect its own peoples, the ancient world of the times long forgotten fascinated Nate.

Nate was about to finish reading his current chapter, when he heard the front door open and a voice cry out, "Nate, We're home. We have company."

Nate closed the current book as he put all the treasures of knowledge back into the bottom shelf and covered it with the false wall once more. He then walked into the entry area for the house, and was greeted by the sight of his parents who were talking to a guy Nate had never met.

"Hey guys, who's this" asked Nate as he approached the three adults?

Nate's dad, Vincent Roberts, then said, "Nate this is a friend of mine from work." Vincent then looked at his son and said, "Did anyone show up when we were gone, Nate?"

The boy shook his head and said, "Nope dad. All's quiet on the home front."

Vincent smiled with relief and said, "Oh great." Vincent then looked towards his friend and said, "Al, I think its better we discuss…pressing issues sooner rather than later."

Al nodded and said, "Yes, of course Vincent."

Vincent then whispered something to his wife that Nate couldn't hear, to which Nate's mother, Samantha, then said, "I understand. Hey Nate, I need you to come with me to the ration depot. We need to pick up our weekly food rations so I can start to make dinner."

Nate sighed slightly as he was hoping to finish reading his book on ancient Rome, but he didn't want to disobey his mother and then said, "Yes, mom."

Vincent then said, "Come Al, we have much to discuss. Let's go to my study."

Al nodded and said, "Lead the way."

The two men went towards the study. Nate was thankful he thought to hide the books behind the false wall before leaving the room.

Nate and his mother then got ready and left their house to head to the ration depot only a few blocks over.

Upon leaving the house, Nate took in the world beyond the confines of his family's home. Nate was born before the time Vanguard took over and thus remembered somewhat the old world. He remembered that his parents were much happier then and kids at his age would be playing outside on a day such as today. According to the history books he's read, it was a time when all nations of the world were free to choose their own fate, rather than being guided on strings by their puppet masters of today. It was when fear and tyranny didn't unite the world, but rather governments led their own peoples and freedom, however restricted it may have been, reigned over much of the old world. Even in history, the flaws of the old world paled in comparison to the tragedies of the new.

Down the street his home was on, Nate could see the usual Vanguard patrols, although there were a few more squads out on the streets than usual. Nate treated the Vanguard squads with distrust and hatred, careful to never let it show to the soulless Enforcers who were among the lucky elite that Vanguard rewarded for their loyalty.

As Nate walked down the street, he spotted a Vanguard armored vehicle, clad in its grey paint scheme driving down the street. The Armored truck like vehicle drove slowly as if with a purpose. It stopped two houses down from Nate's residence and idled there, no activity visible from the van. Nate thought nothing of it and kept walking down the street with his mother.

About 45 minutes later, Nate and his mom were returning with a few boxes of food they acquired from the ration depot. Nate looked around him as they were a few blocks away, noticing that there weren't any visible Vanguard patrols, which was highly unusual for any day. Suddenly, Nate heard from a few blocks over several loud bangs in quick succession.

Gunshots…

The two of them jumped at the sound as Nate then said, "What was that mom?"

She looked at the direction she thought she heard it from and said with a quivering voice, "Something bad."

"Hey Nate" said a voice not of his mother. Nate looked around confused at who would be speaking to him. There was nobody out in the streets right now. Nate then heard the voice then shout, "Yo, Corporal. You okay?"

The world around Nate blacked out in a second as someone jostled him back to reality.