Epilogue:

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Flying in from the west, over vast pine forests and sweeping hills, you can see a ridge of mountains coming up in front of you, their weathered peaks blocking the view beyond. And as you pass over them you see in the distance, over the expanse of a great azure bay, a gleaming city that's getting larger by the second as you come in close. Carrying on over land once more, as you follow the path a great wall with a baking desert on one side and freezing tundra on the other, you approach the great forest of gleaming towers in the city's centre, all perched together on top of a hill. Weaving through them, past offices and penthouses alike, you begin to sail down across a great expanse of houses and flats that sprawl out in front of you.

"This is my town," the voice of Nick narrates, proud and confident as you swoop down low, passing over roof after roof before making your way across another wide bay, heading straight towards a set of brightly painted warehouses on the other side, all of which are bustling with activity.

"Zootopia"

Inside, screams of joy and happiness are ringing out as hundreds of mammals play and unwind, enjoying every second of their time there. Through the bustling crowds and running children, Nick Wilde walked forwards, a swagger in his steps as he looks left and right at the many patrons he's busy entertaining. His ears perking up at the sound of something making a springing noise, he glanced over his shoulder and looked on at a trio of Arctic Fox vixens bouncing up and down on a set of diving boards. Facing away from the ledge, they built up the energy in their legs, as they jumped up and down several times before leaping off backwards. In perfect sync, they tuckered in their limbs and tails and performed a flawless double backflip before they landed head first into a deep pit of soft snow with a satisfying crunch. Their legs and tail sticking out, the former kicking helplessly away at the air, they seemed stuck until the whole heap erupted into a flurry of powder as their giggling heads emerged, shaking about to clear off the snow trapped in their fur. They started to help each other up before jumping back in surprise at another loud crunch as a familiar looking gazelle dived in feet first next to them, burying herself down to her neck in the soft powder. She gave them a quick smile before all four women flinched back at the sound of an almighty thud, as a well-built Tiger belly flopped in next to them before letting out a pained groan.

"Land of opportunity…"

Smiling as he took his eyes away from the snow dive, Nick spotted a familiar looking Bear in a Wilder times uniform waving in a bunch of patrons. As he waved over to the Bear, and the Bear waved happily back, the crowd of mammals continued to walk over, congregating around a small stall manned by a portly fox who was busy selling stacks of baked treats and pastries.

"Where any mammal can achieve their dreams…"

Putting his paw down, having finished waving to Jorge, Nick looked over to the jump and stick where a Tiger cub had just landed on the velcro wall, sticking to it firmly before several other young predators followed. There was a short paused before a portly Hippo crashed into the wall beside them before tumbling off, laughing all the way.

"And if you're a chomper?"

Somewhere in a park, Nick and Judy walked along a path holding hands, taking in the sights around them while Clawhauser and Honey followed in much the same fashion, albeit licking a shared pawpsicle every now and again. The Fox's ears pricked up as he heard someone calling his name, before turning down and looking at two mammals standing by him. One was a Bunny Kit, not far off from being a teenager, and holding his hand was a shy looking bat who was holding up a pen and notepad. While Nick smiled and Judy swooned from the cuteness of the scene, they took their turns to sign their names before shaking the children's hands and walking on.

"AKA. You're descended from a line of mammal that, like thousands of years ago, ate other mammals…"

Carrying on down the path, Nick paused as he looked up at a billboard advertising Wilder Times, his grinning cartoon visage on display with two proudly raised thumbs, only to look away again as he saw the graffiti scrawled all over it. A frantically buzzing collar around his neck, his teeth drawn out into evil fangs and eyes glowing a hateful red, Nick looked away before he could register any more. He didn't make out the jagged claws sticking from his fingers, the blood pooling and dripping out from his mouth, the muzzle fixed tightly around it, the straps at the back and metal at the front replaced by barbed wire. He didn't read the scrawling messages, telling the world not to trust a fox, or a chomper, or to beware of a Pred, or telling him to go home to the jungle… He didn't even spot the small drawing of a rabbit in a police officer's uniform, all mangled up while a large label called her a chew toy. Instead, he looked down at Judy and held onto her tight as they walk away.

"I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to say it's all fine…"

In a derelict part of town, three Foxes stood alone outside a smashed and ruined storefront. The two older ones just looked at the floor, shuffling their feet slightly with heartbroken eyes. The lighter one, a Vixen, rubbed her eye with a paw to dry off a stray tear, before she jolted slightly and smiled. Looking up, seeing her son rest a gentle arm on her shoulder, she slowly turned to walk away.

"That everything's going to get happy and nice overnight…"

In the heat of Savannah central, an adult polar bear walked down the sidewalk with his son in tow. Despite only wearing shorts and no shirts, they struggled with the heat, panting as they went. Suddenly the little cub looked up and his eyes opened with delight as he ran forwards, jumping up and down with glee as he stopped and stared inside a huge ice-cream store, stocked with frozen treats and run by a bunch of elephants. Only he's pulled away by his father, despite protesting, and only receiving a sad look in explanation. Glancing back at the store, his frantic pointing ended as his eyes fixed on a small sign placed discretely in the corner of a window, not understanding what it meant but knowing that it wasn't nice. 'No Chompers'.

"But you know what? Those who go out of their way to hurt us, it's their loss in the end."

Walking on, the little cub began to cry only for his face to light up as his father walked him into a different ice-cream store. Getting into the long but fast moving line, the cub looked around in glee at ludicrous variety of ice cream being eaten by large Pred's and Prey alike. Before he knew it, he's at the front counter and giving his order to a large rhino who has a warm smile on his face.

"As, with a little trust and faith in each other, we can do great things."

Near the centre of Zootopia, John and Marie Anne Wilde, with Nick in tow, fitted a sign to the top of a corner store that sat at the junction of five streets. Proudly reading 'Suitopia', the three mammals took their time to stand back and look at it with pride before Nick rested his paws on his father's shoulder. His Dad gave him a quick look back, smiling and sniffing slightly, before holding his hand and walking in, the rest of his family in tow.

"Now, am I saying we should forget the past? Well, if I am then I'm the pup of a maned wolf…"

Bumbling down a high street, a rather dim looking Hippo stopped at a daycare centre and knocked the door. As it opened, she asked a quick question to the surprised Mare in charge before wandering off, despite the horse's protests. One hand outstretched, she held up a Fennec Fox vixen for all to see, tightly clasping her by the scruff of her neck. While her captor babbled and gurgled a variety of baby talk, cooing about how cute she is or how she shouldn't run away from day-care, all while roughly fussing with her limp tail, the helpless Fox just hung there paralyzed. Eyes closed as she tried not to look at all the mammals seeing her complete humiliation, all she could do was slowly cry until a loud shout jolted both mammals to attention. Before the Hippo could react, another Fennec Fox leapt up onto her snout before marching along the bridge of her nose, yelling furiously as he held his baseball bat up high. Getting the message, the Hippo released her captive and ran away while Finnick stepped over to her. Shaking as she got up onto her feet, the vixen, slightly younger and taller than her saviour, sniffled slightly as she tried to clear her tears. Feeling something warm around her shoulder, she looked up to see Finnick silently comforting her. Smiling, and saying thanks in return, she let him lead her to somewhere where she could regain her bearings and composure.

"Because we can't ignore or forget what happened…"

In a dark and gloomy sitting room, ex-mayor Swinton was watching the TV out of the corner of her eye while idling through her phone. She was a mess, her clothes comprising of a crumpled and ill-matching pair of pyjama tops and bottoms, while her face was baggy and tired. Hovering over the contact for Brad Wurst, she paused as she messed a bit with her chaotic hair, before her ears perked up as she heard something on the TV. Looking over, her eyes opened with shock as she saw the recording of her getting shot at Animalia play out. Closing her eyes and grimacing out of horror, she looked away, desperately clawing for the remote before finally grabbing it and managing to change the channel just as the first degrading squeal rung out, the sound sending a shiver down her spine.

"But rather than hold on to all the pain and anger, we should let it go and become the change we want, rather than the change we wish to come to us."

Standing tall in her police uniform, Judy stepped forward to pin a badge onto one of the new recruits, a rabbit just like her. As he saluted her, his eyes wide and alert as he looked on at his hero, she moved over to the next new officer, a white wolf whose muzzle was wearing a wide grin as he smiled pride. As he bowed down to receive his badge he glanced to the side, past the cohort of other waiting mammals standing tall in their parade blues, both Predator and Prey, and fixing his eyes on a crying she-wolf with the three young girls by her side.

"And while it may seem like there are many on their side that won't let go…"

Outside the central courthouse, Woolly was led out of a car by a set of officers, his hands in cuffs as he went in to receive his sentence. The whole event, being filmed from the side and narrated by the new snow leopard news anchor, was going smoothly until he saw her. His eyes scowling furiously, he lunged forward and almost slipped free from his escorts, the vile screams of 'chomper' coming from his mouth scaring the reporter and making her flinch away.

"And many on ours too…"

Deep in the depths of the winter palace, the Razorbacks sniffed around for evidence while Judy, dressed in the same TUSK uniform and wearing an irritated scowl on her face, interviewed a laughing Kozlov. Her ears pick up and she turned to see the squad moving out, their shoulders hunched over as they huffed in defeat. Wrapping up her interview, she gave the mafia boss a quick apology before following suit, leaving the bear alone in the giant freezer. Glancing to his side, he wandered over to a giant popsicle and spun it around, chuckling as he did so and revealing the frozen corpse of a familiar looking weasel inside, his tame collar still attached. Turning it around to hide the victim once more, Kozlov dusted his paws and left the place.

"Just remember that there are so, so many more who, with a little bit of help and guidance…"

Thousands of mammals were taking up their places in the Oasis stadium, sitting down and eagerly awaiting the upcoming performance. While, in the back, the pop diva Gazelle and her dancers signed their autographs for a rather excited chief of police who was currently heading her security detail, Clawhauser sat in the crowds trembling with excitement. As he looked on Honey leant over to cuddle next to him, planting a quick peck on his warm cheek and receiving one in return. Nick, looking up at them from the seats below, smiled and looked over at Judy who was sitting next to him. As they sat together, munching popcorn from a shared tub, he slowly leant in with his arm outstretched only for Judy to shoot hers out, snagging him around the back and pulling him in tight. Nearby sat Nick's parents, looking up at their son and chuckling before turning forward, their heads resting tenderly on each other's as the crowd erupted in applause. Even Finnick, the eternally disinterested Fennec Fox, had his interest piqued. Tipping his head down, he let the black glasses along his muzzle slide forward, letting his eyes spot Gazelle and her dancers arrive on the stage, rising up from below. Amazingly, a small smile formed on his mouth, before it was stretched out wide by the arms of the familiar looking Fennec vixen sitting next to him. Shaking her off, he, she, and the rest of the crowd went silent and looked forward in anticipation.

"are happy to try everything..."

"OH OH OH OH OH…"

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"Try everything…"

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AN: Previously included in this version, a massive authors notes detailing the research and inspiration behind each chapter, and a revised storyline, has been moved to the A03 version. This is due to one of my stories being deleted with no warning, and me not wanting to give the admins any excuse. I advise you check it out, over at A03 . com