Proxy's Note: I hate this. I really, really do. Apparently, 0P3RaGh05T received a comment which got him thinking. Not that it's a bad thing, but he concluded it was necessary for him to take a step back to get things in order again. According to him, this story lost something along the way. No idea what, yet since it's his tale to tell, I've got to go by his decision.

Now, that isn't to say he's quitting. He's simply taking an extended hiatus/sabbatical to work on it.

In the meantime, I'm almost free. Last day is this Friday. I had someone ask about the new story I'll be posting as a proxy. Well, a good buddy of mine, who actually goes by Prox in RL, once requested I ask permission from another author to continue their story, which they technically abandoned. After months of waiting, we got it. Problem now is that he's on deployment in the Middle East (Kosovo specifically) with shoddy WiFi. We keep in contact via satellite phone (a gift from O.G. actually). As for the story: An Unlikely Love by ficfantic.

Prox has stated the original story will be considered ACT ONE while his should be considered ACT TWO since it's an almost direct continuation-slash-sequel. Other than that, I got nada.

Enough of this though. On with the show.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Beginning of the End

The Big Residence – Tundratown – Zootopia

Antoine de Medici-Borgia, Bearnard Kozlov, and Scarlett Reddington stared out of the window at the deserted streets of Tundratown. The Big residence had remained relatively untouched by the explosions that devastated the district. The arctic shrew, polar bear, and red fox vixen needn't say a word, knowing they each shared the same thought: This fucker must die.

"Is Fru-Fru safe, Kozlov?" Mr. Big inquired. The arctic shrew hadn't spoken to his daughter since sending her away to ensure she and her own daughter were safe. Seeing the destruction outside, he had felt the need to confirm they were safe.

"She is, sir," Kozlov answered. "There is no need to worry. Nothing bad shall befall them as long as they remain with their protective detail. I've also instructed those protecting them that they are not to let Lady Fru and Little Judie leave their sight."

"Good. You've done well, Kozlov," Mr. Big commended. Turning to Scarlett, he said "I think it is time for us to make our move. I'll set things in motion. You, on the other paw, have a phone call to make, do you not?"

Nodding slowly, Scarlett hoped that Skye would pick up. The line rang four times before it connected. "Skye? Look, don't speak. I don't have that much time, so I need to make this fast. The mercenaries from Zootopia's criminal elements are already on the move. Their leader is a grizzly by the name of Torbjörn Schwarzenberg. He's already been informed of you and your crew, so there's no need for you all to worry about that. But, that's beside the point. The reason for this phone call is that my condition has gotten worse. I don't know how much time I have left, or if I'll even survive long enough to see this through to the end. I want you to know that I love you and that I'm so proud of you. As we both know I'm not good with goodbyes. Therefore, I'm going to end this call saying this: Don't you dare die. I expect you to live your life to the fullest. If you join me before it's your time, I'll spank your ass in the afterlife. I love you, Skye." Hanging up before her daughter could speak, Scarlett let the tears fall. Covering her muzzle as she began to cough, Scarlett pulled her paw away to see blood.

Elsewhere in the district of Tundratown, M was sweeping the streets, looking for evidence that the Chancellor was in the vicinity. So far, he hadn't found anything that gave him any indication of the Chancellor's location. The margay also hadn't heard anything from the others, so he determined that they had yet to find anything either.

The first sign of life that the margay came across was a supporter of the Chancellor, which he quickly dispatched. Knowing that it was unlikely that the mammal was alone, M quickly continued on his way. A short while later, the margay reached the location that had previously housed one of the bombs. Dropping down into the crevice, M scanned the area for any sign that someone else was there. Finding nothing, he carefully made his way to ground zero's center most point to examine what was left. Not surprisingly, there wasn't much.

Performing a careful sweep of the area, M found something that caught his attention. It was a fragment of the explosive device, but not just any piece. This was part that he identified as one of the triggering mechanisms. The thing that he had an issue with was that he recognized the design. 'This isn't good. This isn't good at all. I've got to let the others know asap.'

Meadowlands District

Skye didn't allow herself to shed any tears. It was neither the time nor the place for her to do so. However, the vixen promised herself that once she was alone, she'd mourn properly. Right now, she had to focus on the task at paw. A chirp from her earpiece alerted her that someone was contacting her.

"If you can read me, I need you all to listen." M's voice came on over the line. "Don't go anywhere near the bombsites. Stay as far away from them as you can. I repeat, stay as far away from the bomb sites as possible. I'll explain later." With that the line went silent.

"Anyone have any ideas what that was about?" Shay inquired from nearby. "He sounded a little bit uneasy to me. Did any of you get that same feeling?"

"I did." Honey replied. "I have a few ideas as to why. Not one of them is good. I suggest we heed his warning though."

"I concur." Jaxon seconded. "Besides, we're supposed to be looking for any evidence as to where our allies are located. Has anyone found anything on that front?"

"Not a thing." Skye stated, as she crept further into the district. A flicker of movement caught her eye. "Wait! I have movement at my ten o'clock. Approximately half a kilometer in distance." Moving swiftly, Skye approached the location in which she had seen it. Getting closer, the vixen's breath caught.

Slowly bleeding out onto the ground that had clearly once been a flower bed, Ma Li stared up at the sky overhead. The Ferghana stallion wasn't sure exactly how he had ended up where he currently rested, but it didn't matter to him. From his last lucid memory was the explosion that had taken the right side of his body. Besides that, short snippets of what memories he could recall led him to believe the explosions had resulted in his current position. Ma Li couldn't move or even feel anything about his own body.

Staring at the sky, Ma Li wondered if Fatima was safe. His mind went back to the night he first met her. It was an evening party hosted by some of the higher echelons of the city. Li had spotted her enjoying herself in the company of a fox tod and, in a fit of jealousy, taken it upon himself to steal her away. Never had he thought he'd fall in love with her for real. Li recalled reading a story about the tod later. He had made it as a reputable divorce lawyer. It had surprised him that Fatima and the tod remained good friends until the tod moved away.

'I was a hypocrite.' Ma Li finally admitted to himself as he laid there, knowing he was going to die. 'I advocated for inter-order relationships, but I hated the idea of a tod and mare enjoying such a thing. I even went and stole the love of someone's life away from them because of it.' He had seen the expressive emotions within the tod's eyes back then. Li had hated it, hated the thought that a mare would even consider someone outside her species. Thinking back on it now, maybe his adamant resolve to advocate for inter-order romances was born of his subconscious guilt.

Hearing someone approach, Li let his head loll to the side. It was a vixen with fur as white as snow, wearing armour and an expression of sadness, as if she knew that he was going to die just as much as he did. "Tell…tell my wife, I'm sorry." Li choked out, blood spewing from his maw as he spoke.

"I will," the vixen replied with sincerity. "I'll make sure she gets your message. This I promise you."

"T-thank you." Li told her as he breathed for the final time. He didn't know what came after death, but he wasn't frightened. Li watched as the world darkened, felt as his heartbeat slowed and eventually stop beating altogether.

The Ferghana stallion's dead body laid before Skye, who carefully closed his eyelids. Saying a short prayer, Skye stood and made her way back to the others of Beta Team. Shaking her head at their expressions to let them know it wasn't a subject she was ready to talk about, Skye continued to lead them through the district.

Shay noticed what appeared to be an outpost in the distance. "Guys. Outpost at 2 o'clock. I'd estimate a distance of a few hundred meters, maybe eight." Looking at them, he asked, "Anyone know our exact location to give us an idea of what to expect?"

"If I recall correctly," Jaxon started saying. "That should be the old church that acts as the border landmark between the Meadowlands and the Rainforest Districts. We'll have to move slowly. The ground there probably came loose during the explosions. If we're not careful, we could end up in a pinch."

Heeding those words, they slowly and carefully made their way in that direction. Sure enough, just as Jaxon said, the outpost was in fact the church that acted as the landmark that separated the Meadowlands from the Rainforest District. There was a sentry on guard, a battle-scarred grizzly bear wielding what looked like a turret.

"Halt!" Torbjörn Schwarzenberg shouted. "Identify yourself. If you don't, I'll blast ya to smithereens."

"You first." Skye hollered back. "Besides, I think you find that we won't die so easily even if you shoot us with that thing." As she spoke, Skye sensed Jaxon moving stealthily towards the bear and behind him.

"You got balls, lass. Name's Torbjörn Schwarzenberg. I'm the leader of the mercenary forces allied with the ZPD and the military against the bloody tosser called the Chancellor." the bear replied. "Your turn now."

"Skye Reddington." Skye responded, using her mother's maiden name for the first time in ever. "I think my mother informed you of my impending arrival." She watched as Torbjörn lowered his turret.

"Aye, that she did. That she did." Torbjörn stated. "Ye a lot earlier than expected, I must say. Come on. We've got work to do." Leading them inside, the grizzly bear had them sit amongst the church pews. "Our forces are spread a little thin. A lot of 'em didn't make it though. There were a lot of 'em that died when the city was sent sky high. A lot of my good friends."

"My condolences." Jaxon replied. "However, as you stated earlier, we have work to do. So, let's get to it, shall we?"

"Right." Torbjörn answered. "We've got reports that show what mammals in the city that support the fucker are based in an old warehouse in The Docks. Although we're the furthest from their position, it'll be up to us to handle 'em. We'll coordinate with everyone for a major strike. I suggest you prepare yourselves. It shouldn't be too much longer now."

The Streets of Zootopia

Racing through the deserted streets of the city, Jameson was making his way directly towards Nick, Judy, and the others. Right on his tail was Fenrir, Carlos, and M. Josef was still at the Emergency Trauma Center working out of the main floor of the Palm Hotel and Casino. With the location of the Chancellor currently being tracked and broadcasted via secure text message updates, Jameson wasn't going to waste any time. Arriving at their destination, Jameson and the others stopped.

Nick, Judy, Harrison, and Zannah were already present at the rendezvous point. Nick turned to his father as he approached. "So, the Chancellor's in there?" he asked, pointing to the remnants of what had once been City Hall.

"Underneath it would be more accurate." Jameson answered. "He's hidden himself in the Catacombs. It's a secret graveyard built beneath City Hall for the mammals seen as heroes of the city. The Founders have also been buried there in a special area known as the Vault of Legends."

"This is where the Chancellor plans to make his final stand." Fenrir stated. "When we're down there, we'll all need to be on our guard. There's no telling what he's got prepared."

Pulling out the fragment he had taken from the bombsite he visited earlier, M said, "Keep your eyes open. The explosives he used are highly volatile. They may no longer have the biomaterials, but there was enough C4 packed in each that the possibility remains that setting off any down in the Catacombs will bring the whole place down on top of us."

All nodding in understanding, the group began making their way into the structure. A few supporters of the Chancellor resided within and started firing at them, but it proved futile. Returning fire, they took out most of the hostiles quickly. By the time they had, each of them heard nothing but clicks from their firearms, signifying they no longer had any ammo. Discarding them, everyone drew their melee weapons.

The further into the building they got, the clearer the murmurings that echoed throughout the air became. The nonsensical ravings that reached their ears made it apparent the Chancellor was suffering from some kind of hallucinatory attack. Jameson signaled for Nick, Judy, Harrison, and Zannah to head one way while he, Fenrir, Carlos, and M took another route.

Splitting into two groups, each went its own separate way. Nick led his group the long way around, while Jameson led his the more direct route. Everyone exchanged glances as they signaled they'd see each other when they regrouped.

Within the Catacombs, the Chancellor felt fear, anger, hatred, and despair as the hallucinations continued their mental assault upon his mind. He could feel the emotions of each of his attackers crash into him upon landing their blows. Whether by instinct or intuition, the red wolf turned to see a black-furred fox tod with a firearm leveled directly at center mass. "So, you found me."

"Wasn't that hard really." Jameson retorted. "That first bullet I fired into you during your assault on Fatima Ara was marked so that I could track you later. I had planned to utilize it earlier, but never got around to it."

Huffing, the Chancellor said, "I should have figured that when you tracked me to Camp Bastion." Turning to face the tod fully, the red wolf revealed the horrendous state of himself. "As you can obviously see, the nanomeds have begun to fail. They were never very stable to begin with, were they?"

"Nope." Jameson replied. "That was one of the main reasons they never made it to mass production." Gripping his sidearm tighter, he added, "Looks like their beginning to break your body down instead of reconstruct it." Locking eyes with the red wolf, Jameson added, "I'm guessing it's also affecting your mental health."

During this conversation, Fenrir, Carlos, and M got into position slightly above the heads of Jameson and the Chancellor, ready to strike at the tod's command. They watched as the red wolf revealed a pawheld device. A tingle erupted in the back of their minds, warning them of imminent danger.

Toying with the remote, the Chancellor stated, "You know, when I first started planning all this, I never imagined that all it would take to cause everything to fail." Staring at the black-furred tod, he smiled. "Mervis Swinton truly was a swine. It was because of him that all this even happened."

"I'm aware." Jameson eyes were flicking back and forth between the Chancellor's own and the remote in the red wolf's paw. "He thought everything would go the way he planned. Clearly, it didn't, and he failed miserably. However, that doesn't excuse you for what you've done."

"I never thought it did." The Chancellor responded with sincerity. "I just wanted everyone to know what I felt back then, to make sure that no one ever forgot what he did to me." Running his thumbpad over the button of the remote, he added, "In doing so, I became the same thing I loathed so much." Resting his digit on the button, he said, "I still plan on seeing my ambition through to the end." Saying that, he pressed the button.

The explosions that happened as a result wracked throughout the Catacombs. The remaining structure of the former City Hall came crashing down. As the dust settled, the Chancellor clawed his way out of the rubble. Coughing, he raised his head to see a sight that had him reeling.

Before the mammal that had destroyed their home, Nick and Judy stood, swords drawn. Harrison and Zannah were helping Jameson recover Fenrir, M, and Carlos. Nick pointed one of his blades at the red wolf, wearing an expression that seemed to darken the world around them.

"Zugzwang." Nick stated. He watched as the Chancellor stood and prepared himself for the impending battle. He felt Judy do the same beside him. "This ends here and now."

With a bloody smirk, the Chancellor replied, "I can't help but agree. This is where it all comes to an end." Those were the last words he spoke before he lunged forward to strike.

The Chancellor's Warehouse – The Docks

It was the explosion that had them spring into action. Skye, Jaxon, Shay, and Honey led the combined forces of the coalition of ZPD, military troops, and mercenaries as they descended upon the remaining followers of the Chancellor. Bullets flew through the air as the final battle for Zootopia erupted.

Their enhanced abilities gave them the advantage over their opponents, but it did nothing for the rest. Jaxon held nothing back as he revealed to all why he'd inherited his father's codename of Savage. Those in his way didn't see a jackrabbit bearing down upon them, but a creature from the depths of the Netherworld. Shay, following Jaxon's example, was viewed as a hellhound, tearing through those who stood against him. Not a soul remained unfazed by the sight of the two leaving a trail of mayhem in their wake.

Chief Tobias Bogo and his father, General Andreas Bogo, along with Torbjörn Schwarzenberg and ZIB SSA Raoul Mauler, led the second wave of troops in the attack on the warehouse that housed the Chancellor's supporters. They unleashed a flurry of bullets, mowing down all those that were in front of them. Even as bullets filled the air, the whistles of RPGs could be heard and were shortly followed by the explosions upon their impact. Still, no one flinched, continuing to march forward to end this once and for all.

A swarm of mice, shrews, rats, and other tiny mammals slipped into the warehouse, attacking from the inside, sending the opposition into disarray. Among them was the son-in-law of Mr. Big, who had chosen now was the time to cast aside his fears and do something that he himself deemed right. At his command, the assorted rodents tore through and demolished the interior of the warehouse, leaving nothing that could aide their enemies.

In the mobile command unit not too far away, Ian Wilde was acting as the tactical advisor, instructing the troops on where to strike next. At his side was Mr. Big himself, coordinating those under his command in time with Ian. Through their combined efforts and tactical advice, the coalition quickly gained the advantage over Predopurge.

Honey and Skye took turns picking off those who tried to flee. The badger was set up on one end of the compound, the vixen on the other. Communicating through their headsets, the two didn't let a single one escape. When Skye eventually worked her way through all of her ammo, she took to using the grenades in her rucksack. The destructive force of each had those attempting to get away quarantined out of fear.

It took about two hours, but finally the skirmish came to an end, with the majority of the Chancellor's extremists captured. Those apprehended were bound and deposited into armoured transports for delivery to face sentencing. Those who had willingly surrendered were placed in a separate transport, but were otherwise faced the same fate.

As the members of the coalition tended to their wounded, Skye gave Jaxon a kiss then ran off to find her mother. The vixen was literally picked up by Kozlov, who swiftly brought her to a converted cargo container only a few meters from the mobile command unit Mr. Big occupied with Ian. Inside, Scarlett was stretched out on a cot, breathing shallowly.

"Mom?" Skye whispered as she approached the ailing older vixen. "Mom? Can you hear me?" Gently taking hold of Scarlett's paw, Skye sat on the edge of the cot.

Cracking open her eyes at Skye's voice, Scarlett peered at her daughter. With a tired smile, she softly said, "Hey. There's my beautiful little vixen." Coughing up a bit of blood, she whispered, "Sorry." Drawing a shaky breath, Scarlett asked, "Is it over? Did we win?"

"I...I think so." Skye answered, brushing a paw over her mother's brow. "We haven't gotten confirmation that the Chancellor's either dead or captured. We did get his fanatics though."

"That's good." Scarlett replied. "I don't doubt that he'll receive proper punishment." Coughing more violently, Scarlett whined in pain. "This sucks balls. There's so much I want to do with you, so much I must make up to you."

"Hey now." Skye scolded. "Don't you dare talk like that. Yes, I wish we could spend more time together, but look at it this way: Dad's waiting for you."

Laughing softly, Scarlett asked, "I wonder what he'll say when he sees me." Frowning, she added, "I wonder if he'll still love me after everything I've done. I've done a lot of terrible things, you know. Some of them unforgivable."

"That may be, but I'd like to think he will." Skye stated. "I never knew him, but I wouldn't be here if he didn't love you. Plus, you know us foxes. We mate for life, both in this one and the next."

"Yeah. You're right." Scarlett replied as she looked upon her daughter. "You are so much like him. I'm probably going to hear it from him. 'How could you let our daughter turn out like me? I'd have hoped she'd be more like you!'."

Snorting, Skye shook her head. "Heaven help Jaxon if I were too much like you." Swallowing at the sight of her mother's eyes losing that light within them, Skye asked, "Hey? Could you tell me something? Before you go?" Hearing her mother's questioning hum, she inquired, "Did you get them all? The ones responsible for Dad's death? Or are there still some out there?"

"There's one last one." Scarlett whispered. "I wasn't able to find her, no matter how hard I tried. She was the one his parents had planned for him to marry. Her name's Felicity Wightpaw. She's the one who originally put the bounty on your daddy's head." Giving her daughter a serious expression, Scarlett warned, "If you plan on going after her, be on your guard. She's a vengeful bitch. Intelligent and manipulative as Hell, too." Gasping suddenly, she looked skyward. A smile crept across her muzzle as she whispered, "Always the perfect gentle-tod." With those words, Scarlett Reddington passed away.

Skye tried her best to hold back the tears, but at the feeling of Jaxon's arms wrapping around her after slipping into the container, she couldn't any longer. Skye let out a wail of sadness that could be heard by everyone outside. The canids that were present let out a mournful howl to let her know that she didn't mourn alone. Jaxon just held her tightly as she shook in his grasp, whispering words of comfort and understanding into her ears.

Relief Camp Zeta

Bonnie Hopps was delegating tasks to her kits when an older wolverine arrived at the relief camp which they had been assigned to by General Bogo. He was carrying medical supply cases in each paw and appeared to be searching for someone. Approaching him, Bonnie asked, "Can I help you, sir?"

Josef looked at the doe for a couple of seconds before smiling. "Just the doe for whom I was searching." Setting down his medical supplies, he extended his paw. "I'm Josef Wolverin ma'am. I'm an…acquaintance of your daughter Judy."

A bit surprised, Bonnie shook his paw. "I, uh, I see. Are you looking for her? If you are, she isn't here."

"No, ma'am. I'm not looking for her. I'm here because this is where she will be in due time." Josef explained. Gesturing to his cases, he added. "I'm also here to deliver medical supplies. I had a surplus of them I didn't end up using so I've been distributing them to all the relief camps."

"Oh!" Bonnie stated with a big smile. "Thank you. I'll make sure they're put to good use. Do you have to leave now? Or can you stay for a bit?"

"I'm afraid I must take my leave for now." Josef replied, a bit of sadness tinting his voice. "I have other relief camps I need to visit to deliver supplies. However, I'll do my best to return here when I can. There's a couple things that I must discuss with you concerning Bryan Jonathan Lapins." Leaving a stunned doe behind him, Josef quickly made his way to where Jameson had told him he would be. The wolverine had a feeling that things weren't going as simple as they hoped.

Back at the camp, Rey Vulpes was getting bandages put on his wounds by fellow ZPA cadet Tasha Wolver. Letting out a hiss as she tightened the bandage she was currently tightening a little too much, Rey said, "Can you loosen it a little bit? I think you're cutting off the blood flow."

"Sorry." Tasha muttered softly. Loosening the bandage just a tad, she said, "You got pretty banged up, didn't you?" It was a rhetorical question that didn't need an answer, but it was the only thing that came to her mind.

Rey looked at Tasha as she tended to him. Had it really only been a few hours since they met and became good friends? He wanted to call his parents and ask them why they were so dead set on him finding a vixen, but it would have to wait for now. His primary focus was easing the mental and emotional turmoil he could see plaguing Tasha. "Hey." he whispered, causing her to lock eyes with him. "I'm alright. I'm still alive, and right here with you."

Gulping, Tasha nodded. It was crazy, wasn't it? Finding out that despite always thinking that you were only attracted to your own species you had formed an emotional attachment to someone of a different species, that is. Tasha had dated a few wolves growing up, but it was something she had done because it was expected of her. She had always had a bunch of friends that spanned across all species, or more accurately all canid species. Rey's sudden appearance in her life had turned it upside down. Her mother's lectures on purity reran through her mind repeatedly, but it no longer carried the same weight as before.

'Wolves should only ever mate with wolves.' her mother had told her. 'As my daughter, I expect you to understand that to keep our family pure you're to take a wolf of superior pedigree as your mate.' she always reminded her. The memory of when her mother had found her in the company of males that weren't wolves had Tasha mentally cringe. 'I don't care if you have female friends of different species, but you will not befriend males that are not wolves. If I find you in such company again, I'll have you excommunicated from the pack.'

It was a painful memory, but one that had left an impression on Tasha she couldn't erase. "Rey?" she forced herself to ask. "If…if we…you know…got together and my family forced me out, what would you do?"

Sighing, Rey looked up at the sky. "To be honest, my folds would probably do the same thing to me." Seeing her downcast expression, Rey smiled, "However, as long as I had you, I'd be totally fine with that. We'd start a new life together free of the hatred and fear of our families. We'd go on adventures together, see new places, experience new things. It wouldn't matter where we'd be because home would be wherever the other is."

Cheeks burning, Tasha gave Rey a shy grin. "I'd like that a lot, but I want to keep it a secret for just a little while if we can. Not because I'm ashamed though. In one year, I'll be old enough to declare myself emancipated. After that, no matter what my folks say, I'll be able to take my inheritance regardless of to whom I'm seeing."

"That sounds like something a vixen would say." Rey told her with a smirk. "I'll even do the same thing. My folks have me lined up to inherit a big piece of land just north of the Meadowlands. I'll be allowed to take ownership in only three months."

"Sounds like a plan." Tasha stated before giving him a lightning fast peck on the lips. She giggled at Rey's flabbergasted expression. He really did look adorable like that.

The Chancellor's Flattop Stone on the fringes of Zootopia

A funeral pyre was burning atop the flattop stone once used by the Chancellor. In the center of it was the body of Andrew Bellwether. Standing at attention around the burning pile, Liam, Doug, and Randolf watched the body of their friend as it turned to ash. Zebrina was also there, a few paces away, unable to witness the proceedings take place. Despite their best efforts, they had failed in saving Andrew's life. Surprisingly, Zebrina had taken it the hardest, having been the one performing the operation to save him.

"The Chancellor is still alive." Liam stated as he continued to watch the fire burn. "I mean, I haven't heard anything that indicates otherwise. What do you all think we should do?"

There was a moment of silence as they all thought about what their options were. There weren't that many available to them. No matter what they did from that point forward, none of them would ever be able to show themselves in Zootopia again for as long as they lived, knowing that they had played a key role in its destruction.

"It's only the Chancellor left." Randolf finally stated. "We're Mammalia-Non-Grata here. There's nothing more we can do. If we remain here, we'll either be imprisoned for multiple life sentences or put to death."

The reindeer's words were harsh but true. Their only real option to evade either of those conclusions was to start new lives elsewhere. It wouldn't be an easy thing to do; however, they didn't have any other choice.

Parker and Liam clasped each other's paws firmly. Randolf walked over to Zebrina, placing a hoof on her shoulder. Only Doug remained standing before Andrew's funeral pyre, staring into the flames.

Doug had kind of expected himself to bawl his eyes out, yet that didn't happen. Instead, he stood there feeling somewhat responsible for Andrew's demise. True, it wasn't his fault, at least not directly, but still, a part of him believed it. His decision on how he would move forward was simple: turn himself into the authorities. He wouldn't reveal anything concerning Zebrina, Randolf, Liam, or Parker, but he would accept whatever punishment the courts deemed fit.

This would be the last time any of them saw each other. Exchanging hugs and paw/hoofshakes, they promised that if ever a time came that they needed one another, they'd answer the call. Parting ways, only Doug remained behind, saying a final goodbye to Andrew.

Standing at the edge of the clearing, far enough away that he wasn't visible, Andrew Bellwether watched as his best friend mourned his passing. Zebrina had, in reality, managed to save him, but he had requested that she inform them all of his death. It wasn't that he wished to see how they would react to the news of his demise. No, this was his way of moving forward. He wanted to call out to Doug, reveal that he was, in fact, alive. Yet, he refrained. Andrew knew that Doug wouldn't face a heavy trial, he had made sure of that. He had given documentation proving that all of Doug's actions were at his request.

'Someday,' Andrew thought to himself. 'Someday I'll come back here and answer for my actions. Until then, this will be my penance.' He turned away, leaving everything that Andrew Bellwether is, was, and would ever be behind.

Otterton's Floral Emporium

Kris Otterton and Martino held each other tight. They were tangled within the sheets of her parents' bed and in each other's arms. Neither of them remembered ever having experienced such intensity while mating. Maybe it was a result of the explosions happening around them that caused it. Perhaps it was the thought that this would be the end of them both. Either way, the resulting mating session had truly branded itself within their minds.

Cracking an eye open to peer at Martino's sleeping expression, Kris smiled. It was times like this when she saw Martino without stress lines adorning his muzzle. A pang of sadness plucked her heartstrings as the thought of Martino's lifelong pain entered her mind. She had listened to him weave countless tales of romance during their outings together. Each seemed so real, as if they had actually happened. It had led her to investigate Martino's past. What she found had caused Kris to feel nothing but pure ire for the stupid sow of a female otter who broke Martino's heart.

Carefully slipping from Martino's grasp, Kris made her way to inspect the damage outside. Kris's breath hitched as she saw the state of the city just past the threshold of her parent's flower shop. The first thought that flashed through her mind was they shouldn't have survived. The second was that she and Martino had to get out before the earth under the shop opened up and swallowed it whole. Racing back upstairs, she shook Martino. "Martino! Martino, wake up! We need to get out of here!"

It was the panic in Kris's voice that woke Martino. Wearing nothing but his boxers and sleepshirt, Martino followed Kris downstairs to see why she was so panicked. After seeing it for himself, Martino agreed they had to get out quick. The only problem was that there was no way of knowing what sections of flooring were stable enough to cross. Spying some of the stones Kris's parents used for gardening, Martino had an idea. Grabbing a few, he tossed them one by one at varying distances. Depending on how unstable certain areas were, even the slightest shift in weight would disturb the balance, revealing the areas they needed to avoid.

Following Martino's steps, Kris felt herself on the verge of a panic attack. She wanted to get out now, not later. However, it was Martino's words of promise that kept her from reaching the tipping point. They were a few steps away from the door when the sound of earth sliding registered.

"Run!" Martino ordered, grabbing Kris's paw and taking off as fast as possible. The ground beneath their paws was beginning to shift dangerously. The two didn't stop running, knowing that if they did, they wouldn't escape the pull of the sinkhole that was forming just behind them. Martino only paused long enough in order to throw Kris onto his back before he resumed.

Watching as her parents' flower shop sunk into the ground and out of sight, Kris could stop the tears that formed in the corner of her eyes. That had been her home, a place where she had made so many memories, and it was just gone. Kris recalled the day her father came back to that tiny little hovel they had previously called home, saying that he had found a sponsor willing to give him the start up capital to open his shop. She remembered the first time entering the place, knowing that it would be the place they'd call home from that point forward. So many memories: the first time she wasn't embarrassed to invite friends over after school, her first real birthday party with classmates, all the times she and her father spent together making bouquets for weddings and make believing that it was her own.

Reaching the point beyond the sink hole's reach, Martino stopped and set Kris down. He watched as she retreated a short distance back towards their starting position at her family flower shop. He had an idea of what she was going through, but let her be, knowing she was trying to come to terms with it all. "I'm sorry, Kris." He knew it was lame, but it was the only thing he could think of saying.

Memories of last night entered Kris's mind at Martino's words. Those were the ones that hurt the most. She hadn't just lost her home, but also the place that she had imagined Martino returning to her every night after work. That thought had only come to her the night before, yet it hit her harder than any other loss. Falling to her knees, she let out a broken sob.

It tore him apart seeing Kris in such a state, so Martino got onto his knees beside her and pulled her into a strong, heartfelt embrace. There was no way of knowing for sure how long it would take for the ground to resettle, if it would ever resettle. Martino knew that, and he knew that Kris knew it too. Even so, he found himself saying, "We'll rebuild it. It'll be bigger than before, and better too. When we do, we'll be able to provide flora that you could previously. Rare specimens that one could ordinarily find in the most exotic areas of the world. It'll take time, but we'll do it."

Her sobs turned to wet hiccups of laughter at Martino's words, yet Kris couldn't find the right words to express herself or her thoughts. To hear him say that was something like a dream, one she never thought would come true. 'I fell in love before I even realized it.'

Otters weren't one of the species that was known to mate for life, but that didn't mean it never happened. It was probably why the few times that Kris had rutted with another otter other than Martino she always felt so sleazy. It made sense now that she thought about it.

"Martino," Kris whispered softly. "I'm taking that as a marriage proposal." She felt him huff in amusement, but he didn't let go of her. "You're not going to run away screaming?" she teased.

"Not a chance." Martino retorted. "I was being serious earlier with everything I said. I may not have meant for it to be a proposal, but if you're willing to take it as one, then it only means that I finally got something good out of my dreary, humdrum life."

"Just so you know, I'm totally going to rub it in your ex-fiancée's muzzle." Kris told him, with a hint of her previous ire at the thought of that otter bitch. "I'll make sure she knows exactly what she gave up. I'll have her so jealous, she'll try any- and everything she can to win you back."

Giving Kris a look, Martino said, "Oh, I'm sure you will. Just promise me that you'll take a ton of pictures of her face when you do if I'm not around. M'kay?"

"It's a promise." Kris vowed, kissing him. Pulling back before they did something indecent, Kris said, "We should try and somewhere safe." Standing, Kris pointed off towards where she remembered the old church being. "Let's head in that direction. The church should be that way." Taking Martino's paw, the two of them started walking, wondering where their path would lead them.

Coalition HQ

The new base of operations for the coalition's forces was quickly set up in the remains of the Metropolitan Teaching Hospital of Zootopia, which turned out to be the sole surviving building that hadn't toppled to the ground during the devastating, citywide explosions. Supreme Commander Deego and Attorney General Hoover were sitting across from one another holding a discussion that would determine the fate of Zootopia. The topic? The currently ongoing battle between the newly revived Cipher Squad and the Chancellor.

"You have a lot of faith in them, Supreme Commander." A.G. Hoover commented. "How do you know for certain that they won't fail? I'm not saying I won't agree to leaving it in their paws, but I need you to provide something that will prove your faith in them isn't just some gut feeling."

"With all do respect, sir," Deego replied, tone indicating no respect was intended. "You no longer have any say in the matter." Slapping a sheet of paper and sliding it towards the chinkara, he stated, "An official inquiry was filed, without my knowledge, by an unknown party. It only took the Data Centre a very short length of time to confirm the accusations made against you. You're no longer the Attorney General of Zootopia, nor do you have any of the authority that goes along with the title or station. Effective as of now, you're just another civilian."

Staring in utter shock at the canid that sat on the other side of the table from him, Hoover took the sheet of paper to examine it. It was indeed the findings of an official inquiry with him as the sole focus of investigation. Reading the findings, the chinkara knew that there was no way to deny allegations. Everything was there, in black and white, and highly detailed. "When did you get this?" was the only question he could ask.

"It was only delivered to me right before I came in here." Deego answered. He glowered at the elderly chinkara with pure malice. "You share equal responsibility with Mervis Swinton for the events leading up to all that has befallen this city. If you had confessed to everything earlier yourself, this could have possibly been avoided."

"Fat chance of that." Hoover retorted. Sighing, he set the sheet down. "Things were very different back then. I had only just been graced with the position of Attorney General. I wasn't expecting to be ensnared in Mervis's web of deceit. By the time I learned of the truth it was far too late to stop it or even make a difference." Raising his eyes to meet the canid's evenly, Hoover said, "Shall I entertain you with a story? I'm sure you'll find it most informative."

"You see, it all started some twenty odd years ago. A young mammal named Mervis Swinton had the belief that all preds would one day revert back to their primitive, savage ways. So, he came up with a plan to rid Zootopia of them. The only issue he had to face was exactly how he'd get enough mammals to support him. Then, a thought came to him: Why not run for the Mayoral office? Surely, if he had that position, he could get the right mammals to follow him on his crusade. Gathering a few friends with similar beliefs, Mervis began his campaign."

"Now, during that same time, there was another young mammal named Jacen Carno. He was a red wolf who preached pacifism to those who lived in the village of Shiregrove just beyond the limits of Zootopia. The village had been founded by his ancestors many generations back, and was considered a safe haven for preds who didn't want to be subjected to the hate of prey. Jacen Carno had lost his wife to hate crimes during a visit to the city at the paws of mammals who supported Mervis. Jacen Carno and his daughters mourned the loss of their loved one, yet didn't retaliate. This sparked another idea that Mervis would use later."

"For many months, Mervis would campaign, all while plotting how to best purge predators from Zootopia. So many concepts were devised, but none of them seemed to be favored by his followers. Eventually, one of his close friends suggested an idea that was, at the time, viewed as 'reasonable'. What was this idea? The answer is tame collars, which were in actuality shock collars designed to torture predators in the hopes of 'revealing' that they were still savages. All it took was one predator to step out of line for the citizens of Zootopia to 'see the brilliance of the genius Mervis Swinton'. His party garnered more supporters than any previous campaign in history."

"Back in Shiregrove, a young psychiatrist named Hannibal Hyector met and came to know Jacen Carno, who would one day become the madmammal known as the Chancellor. During a short stay in Shiregrove, the two discussed many topics, none which seemed relevant at the time, simply small talk between to educated individuals. Another young doctor, Loretta Pouncer, met Mr. Carno's young daughters, learning of their mother's death, which hadn't been properly investigated and her body remaining in cold storage. Upon returning to the city, Dr. Pouncer signed for the release of Mel Carno and promptly returned her remains to her family."

"Shortly thereafter, Mervis was elected to the position of Mayor. With a new mammal in office, it only seems fitting that changes would be made to who had what governmental position. He filled each spot with mammals he knew would back his plans. What he hadn't counted on was the arrival of a young chinkara who was to take over the position of Attorney General of Zootopia. This led him to adapting his plans to a much slower pace to ensure it went how he wished. The Tame Collar Law went into effect only two weeks after he was in office. Predators, instead of behaving as he expected, held silent protests and filed lawsuits in every type of court that would accept it. Mervis wasn't the least bit pleased, and so, he chose to make adjustments to his plan."

"While that was happening, our newly appointed Attorney General had yet to make the acquaintance of Mayor Mervis Swinton. His first order of business was to acquaint himself with those whom he would work closely, such as the Police Commissioner at the time and the different Precinct Chiefs. It was a couple of weeks before his first run in with Mayor Swinton, who had done his research in preparation for their meeting. Mervis spun a tale that did little to sway the Attorney General. After their meeting, the young chinkara took his time in reading over all the documents outlining the Mayor's policies and laws. Deeming them inmammal, he abolished them. Little did he realize that by doing so, he had made a grave error."

"Back in Shiregrove, mammals that were followers of Mervis's administration were vandalizing the properties of the villagers. These occurred repeatedly over the course of several weeks, stretching into months. The upset caused by the Attorney General forced Mervis to react the only way he knew how: aggressively. He ordered what supporters he had desecrating the village of Shiregrove to do whatever it took to run them out of there. Mervis had plans for that land and the young chinkara's actions had pushed him to accelerate his timeline."

"One night, the Mayor invited the Attorney General to dinner with him and his family. Not sensing anything amiss, the young chinkara agreed. At the same time, a large force of Mervis's followers launched an attack on the village of Shiregrove, unbeknownst to the Attorney General. As dinner reached it end, the Mayor informed the Attorney General of what was taking place. In a fit of rage, the Attorney General stormed off to file charges of corruption, not knowing that the officer taking his report was a firm supporter of the Mayor."

"Days later, it is brought to the Attorney General's attention that still nothing had been done concerning the Mayor. After having an epiphany, he decided to do the one thing that he felt could be done. Make it impossible for Mervis to gain ownership of that land he wanted so badly. Using a series of complicated legal maneuvers, he thwarted every attempt Mervis made to acquire the land. It was this that led the Mayor to confront the Attorney General. A heated debate ensued, which resulted in the Attorney General in forcing the Mayor into taking a trip out to his desired land, a trip from which the Mayor never returned."

"Now, fast-forward twenty or so years. The Attorney General had retained his position for more years than any of his predecessors, thanks to the incredibly high opinion the public had for him. However, what he never imagined was that during those twenty years, Jacen Carno, the only survivor of the Massacre of Shiregrove, had plotted to destroy the city that had done the same to his home. He remained unaware that a series of low-level crimes were connected to a far larger conspiracy. It wasn't until the disappearance of the Shadow Ledger that anyone knew that a storm was brewing just past the horizon line. In an unexpected turn of events, young up-and-coming Mayoral candidate Leodore Lionheart garnered the affections of most of Zootopia, securing him the position of Mayor."

"Dawn Bellwether, Leodore Lionheart's Assistant Mayor and secretly a member of the then unknown anti-predator movement Predopurge, secretly began to carry out the Chancellor's wishes. Through subterfuge and deceit, she, with the help of her co-conspirators, revamped Mervis's 'Savage Predators' plan. What neither she, nor by extension the Chancellor, anticipated were the actions of a singular bunny doe and a red fox tod who worked together to expose Dawn Bellwether, albeit it took three months, but still. The rest you already know."

At the conclusion of the former Attorney General's story, Supreme Commander Deego found himself facing a dilemma. What was this dilemma, you ask? There was not a single soul that could confirm nor deny the chinkara's tale. If it was up to him, Deego would have Hoover sentenced to multiple life sentences for every death that was a result of what happened all those years ago. However, it wasn't his decision, it was up to the courts. Regardless, something about the chinkara's story didn't seem right. "Why didn't you press charges against the Mayor back then?"

A wry chuckle passed through Hoover's lips. "Believe me, I wanted to charge him for everything. Unfortunately, back then, you needed irrefutable proof that could in no way be misconstrued to favor the defense. Plus, Mervis was smarter than your average mammal. He made sure that nothing could be directly linked to him at all, in any way, shape, or form. I even contacted friends throughout the Zoolympian Empire for assistance. Not one was able to provide me with advice. In the end, I had to make a choice. Either I force him to face what he had done by going to Shiregrove, or kill him myself. I never in my wildest dreams thought that Jacen Carno had somehow survived. There was no evidence of the possibility. When Mervis didn't return, sure there was an investigation, but nothing panned out. There was no body, no signs of foul play, nothing to indicate anything. It was as if he simply vanished."

"Looking back on it all now, I should have suspected that there was at least one survivor. After all, that string of random low-level crimes clearly indicated that someone had survived the Massacre of Shiregrove. Yet, everyone simply turned a blind eye on those crimes, since nothing ever became of them. One might describe it as Chaos Theory. A series of seemingly unconnected and unrelated events that results in one singular conclusion. You often hear mammals say that if they knew then what they know now they'd have never let things happen the way they did. I'm of the same mind. If I knew back then this would happen, I'd have done something to stop it." Folding his hooves in front of him, Hoover sighed heavily. "I don't expect you to understand why I did what I did. I don't expect forgiveness for it either. All I want, if I'm allowed it, is that I'm incarcerated for multiple life sentences and not given the death penalty."

It was a reasonable request in the Supreme Commanders mind. After all, one could view that as a fate worse than death. "I'll put forward a motion for that," he stated, "No guarantees, though. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other mammals to whom I must attend." With that Supreme Commander Deego stood up and walked out of the room.

Emergency Medical Center – Mystic Spring Oasis

Delgato considered himself very fortunate. According to the doctor, if the piece of glass had only been a couple of millimeters lower it would've lacerated his kidney. He'd read reports where officers had received a lacerated kidney while on duty and perished en route to the hospital. Yes, Delgato considered himself very, very lucky. The sole complaint he had was the fact that the Emergency Medical Center they had brought him to was Mystic Spring Oasis. The memory of that dare from when he was in high school concerning this place had scarred him for life. That lioness still called him every Saturday evening.

"You're looking better." Grizzoli stated as he took a seat on the folding chair next to Delgato's cot. "Thought you'd like to know, word is your family made it out okay. Your mom's been calling me every hour on the hour demanding updates on your condition. I finally just told her you'd call her when you could."

"Thanks, Griz," Delgato replied. He looked around at all the other wounded mammals that were scattered around the place. "Hey? Would you think less of me if I admitted how scared I am?"

"Nope. I'd actually call you an idiot if you weren't. Why?" The arctic wolf looked at his colleague to see a sad expression on the lion's muzzle.

"I'm scared, Griz," Delgato admitted. "I mean, look around." He made a wide, sweeping gesture with one of his paws. "I can list exactly how many mammals were brought in after me, with wounds much more severe than mine, that they could have gone to help. Yet, they kept tending to me despite my insistence they go tend to others. I'm scared that I'll be the reason someone doesn't reunite with their family after this."

"Why does that scare you? I mean, it's not like they were operating on a lost cause." His poor attempt at a joke was met with an expression that the arctic wolf knew too well. "Wait. Are you saying you're dying?"

"Feline Leukemia," Delgato answered morosely. "I've only managed to get a pawful of treatments within the same span of hours. The doctor said that there's a good chance I'll survive, but I need to be prepared in case I don't."

A heavy silence ensued between the two. Grizzoli shifted a little in his seat as he tried to think of something to say. Delgato watched as the trauma medics hauled another wounded mammal away for intensive care. Neither seemed to have any clue with how to proceed, so they simply observed the actions of those around them.

Clawhauser came up and sat in the chair on Delgato's other side, a box of donuts in paw. "I heard that they got all of the Chancellor's lackeys during the attack on the warehouse. Also, Nick, Judy, and the others with them are currently engaged in combat with the Chancellor himself. No one's willing to get too close, seeing as how a single swing of one of Nick's swords is powerful enough to create dust devils. Plus, Judy's own sword strikes are only visible as a glint of light, reminiscent of a lightning bolt."

Staring at the cheetah in utter shock, Delgato and Grizzoli whisper-shouted, "WHAT!" Seeing the cheetah nod once in confirmation, the two looked at each other with wide eyes. Both made a mental note that if Clawhauser was telling the truth, don't mess with the fox or the bunny.

Passing a donut to the lion and the arctic wolf, Clawhauser asked "So, how're we feeling? I know about Delgato's 'condition' from Chief Bogo, but what about you, Grizzoli? Have you heard anything about your folks? Did they make it out?"

Not at all surprised that Clawhauser knew about his condition, Delgato chose instead to focus on the question concerning Grizzoli's family. He had never met them himself, despite the few times they had gotten paired as partners. Delgato was always a little curious as to why Grizzoli never mentioned them to anyone. He was also curious about why Clawhauser seemed to know anything about them.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Grizzoli answered "Yeah, they made it out." Scratching his throat, he said "It's funny, you know. First, they want nothing to do with me because of that decision I made before I joined the force. Then, they're all worried about me when the city's gone to shit. Now, they're back to wanting nothing to do with the child who brought shame to their family. They need to make up their damn minds."

"Uh, I'm a little lost here," Delgato confessed. "Not to intrude or anything, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but what's going on between you and your folks. I thought wolves were one of the more family oriented species."

A barking laugh escaped Grizzoli's muzzle. "Yeah, wolves are all about family. As long as you don't bring shame to the family, that is." With another heavy sigh, Grizzoli leaned forward with his arms resting upon his knees. "Look, you told me something personal, so I'll do the same." Swallowing nervously, Grizzoli admitted "I'm wasn't always a male. I was born Henrietta Grizzoli. When I was 18 years old, I took what cash I managed to save in hopes of undergoing sexual reassignment surgery. I didn't tell my folks, because I already knew how they'd react. I had just enough money to pay for it. When my parents heard, they were furious. They didn't outright kick me out, but they did keep me a secret. Eventually I just moved out, got my own place, and enrolled at the ZPA."

"Wow," It was all Delgato could say after processing what he just heard. "That's rough, and terrible. I take it that this is why you never shower with any of us."

"Yep," Grizzoli replied, popping the 'p.' "For all intents and purposes, I'm a male. Got all the equipment and everything. Just a bit self-conscious about how it looks."

"I only know because I accidentally walked in on him while he was taking a shower," Clawhauser explained. "It was a very long and very emotional conversation. Of course, the Chief had to be informed since it wasn't something noted in his file. That was awkward, embarrassing, and stressful. But, everything worked out well in the long run." Munching on another donut, Clawhauser added "I had to admit though, when I found out I about lost my mind. It was the first time I ever really interacted with a transsexual. Knowingly anyway."

"Well, now that we've both revealed a secret about ourselves, it's your turn, Benny-boy," Delgato stated, smirking. "Make it a good one. After all, you know something about each of us only a few no about. It'll only be fair that we know something just as guarded."

Thinking for a moment about what to reveal, Clawhauser kept chowing down on his donuts. After some thought, he decided on what to tell them. Sighing, he thought 'Here goes nothing.' "So, you know how there's always been talk about who at the precinct has the worst luck when it comes to relationships?" Seeing them nod, he steeled himself. "This will be a bit difficult for you to believe, but I swear it's true, and I've got plenty of mammals, male and female, who'll corroborate this if you want to verify. However, despite what many of you think, I'm actually the one with the worst record when it comes to dating." Seeing their deadpan expressions, Clawhauser sighed. "I'm a virgin. I've never managed to have a relationship last long enough that we were comfortable talking about rutting or anything like that. I've had tons of boyfriends who ended the relationship because 'it just didn't have the magic anymore.' My last committed relationship was with Tito Stripetower, who was my roommate until he became a backup dancer for Gazelle's entourage. After that, I swore off dating, until just recently. My current boyfriend is going to remain a secret until he's ready to out himself. If you really want to know how embarrassing this is for me, then consider the fact that I haven't touched a single donut while telling you this."

Both Delgato and Grizzoli heard every word Clawhauser just said. They even understood it all. The only part that stood out to them was… "You're still a virgin?"

Glaring at them with a patented 'Bogo Death Glare,' Clawhauser hissed "That's the only part either of you bothered to hear?" He watched as both Delgato and Grizzoli cringed under his gaze. "I didn't give either of you a hard time about your secrets. Shouldn't I get the same courtesy? You know what? Screw you." Standing up and marching off, Clawhauser left a totally stunned and mildly frightened lion and arctic wolf behind him.

Swallowing thickly, Grizzoli said "I think we screwed up royally." Getting a nod from Delgato, he added, "We're going to pay dearly for this, aren't we?" Another nod from the lion beside him. "Any ideas on how we're going to get ourselves out of this situation?" This time was a headshake. "Swell."

Across the compound, Tobias Bogo had just walked in, running directly into Clawhauser. Seeing the cheetah's expression, Bogo frowned. "What's wrong, Ben? You don't normally have such a sour look."

Huffing, Clawhauser said "It's nothing, Toby. Just…" Sighing, Ben looked up at the buffalo. "Secret swap didn't go the way I hoped. I'll get over it." Hugging the buffalo, he asked "How're you doing?"

With a heavy sigh of his own, Bogo patted Clawhauser on the back. "I'm…alright. Got a lot of work to do when this is all over."

"What about Nick and Judy?" Clawhauser inquired worriedly. "Are they alright? Have you heard anything?"

A grave expression came across Bogo's snout. "No. Which worries me."

Proxy's End Note: I should have the next Chapter of Eternally posted by June 9th. For a chapter that's taken so long, it's rather short. Oh, well. Is what it is.