Ask the Felidaes and Zach; The Family Religion

 

Vanna: We're almost all practicing Binduists, although to different degrees. Thankfully it's a pretty flexible religion by its nature, so generally our beliefs don't tend to clash with others.

Padparadscha: It's often referred to as a 'family of religions', because by design it is very open to embracing other religious viewpoints, and even taking them into itself at times.

Zach: Not that y'all had to worry about clashin' with my belief system too much to begin with anyway Kitten, I'm more of a passive Volkenist instead of a devout one...not that Volkenism is a very 'my way er' the highway' belief system to start with.

Lucero: Well one does not have to be a devoutly religious person to be uncomfortable with another mammal's religious practices. That said, I'm proud to have a son-in-law who was so open and willing to accept our daughter, along with her very traditional family.

Myra: Not 'that' traditional...*Laughs*

Vanna: Says the least devout of all of us.

Myra: C'mon Sis, if Mom and Dad were so traditional they definitely wouldn't have let you marry Zach! Heck, they wouldn't have even let you pick who you married!

Padparadscha: I would be a hypocrite if I had held rigidly to my parent's beliefs on species and caste, as well as a monster. *Shakes Head* And I would have never met the love of my life had I given in to their ridiculous demands.

Lucero: *Clutches Pasha, and nuzzles sweetly into her hair.* Oh Pasha, my love...to think of a world where I had never met you would be unbearable. You are my soul...

Padparadscha: *Purring softly as she nuzzles Lucero back* I would endure a thousand lifetimes returning as the lowliest cockroach if it meant spending just a minute more with you...

Vanna: *blushes slightly* Perhaps, this is a good moment to explain some of the Binduism belief system, considering my mother just touched on one of the tenets.

Myra: Okay well, reincarnation is a thing. We believe in the 'Samsara', or the 'Wheel of life' philosophy. Birth, death, rebirth, ad infinity.

Vanna: Infinitum.

Myra: Whateves. Oh, also unlike most of the religious systems Binduism stands alongside, we don't have a name or species for whoever created it. It's sort of an amalgam of local species traditions and beliefs all coming together to build an overall...like philosophy for life.

Lucero: Although each species who practices Binduism likes to believe it was one of their own kin who truly founded it, and I am no exception.

Vanna: *Rolls her eyes* Dad. 

Lucero: Truly the primary dharma could be crafted by no other species than a wise, great and noble tiger. *Laughs proudly* 

Myra: *Mumbles* If he was so wise, he wouldn't have pushed for arranged marriages...or allowed a 'caste' to form in the first place.

Lucero: Myra, come now...do not forget all religions have had millennia to be obscured and darkened by those with sullied Dharma. We have no way of knowing if this tenet came from divine inspiration or the muddled mind of a mortal mammal. I choose to live my life leading with the tenet of reverence for all life equally, a tenet which has no place for specieism or caste.

Vanna: Which is why we would stop and pray before each dinner of fish or chicken in order to thank the animal that has blessed us with its sacrifice so that we may eat.

Myra: You still do that?

Vanna: Sometimes...

Myra: Fish can't even feel pain...you can't expect me to believe they have a soul too...

Zach: I-I don't really think there's anythin' wrong with bein' thankful fer a good meal...

Lucero: *Chuckles* It is quite alright Zach, do not feel the need to step in as though you are diffusing a potential fight. Pasha and I agreed long ago that we would not push our beliefs on our daughters. Everyone's life is a journey of spiritual education and self-discovery. We all must find our own way, on our own path. Besides, no disagreement in philosophy is worth losing touch with our daughters over. *Laughs* And again, we'd be pretty huge hypocrites if we demanded obedience like our own parents.

Padparadscha: Mostly my parents. Your's were quite accepting of me if I remember.

Lucero: It's true, my parents were quite open and flexible when it came to their own beliefs in Binduism, and I've tried my best to lead by their example. It certainly makes for a much less stressful life. *Chuckles*

Vanna: I really miss our trips out to Mane to see Grandma and Grandpaw...they were always so much fun.

Myra: Yeah, Granpaw was a kick! If you think my Dad is wild Zach you should have met ol' Raj! 

Lucero: *Laughs heartily* Yes, my father deeply loved life, and he instilled that in me as a young kitten, though even now I still pale in comparison to that towering, joyful, boisterous old tiger. If any mammal in all of Animalia had achieved true Dharma, it was him.

Vanna: Do...you guys remember the...thing with the log?

Lucerio: Ah the Cago Tio! You girls used to love that!

Zach: Caga what?

Padparadscha: Although...that's not really a Bindian tradition...more of a local...Catalonian thing...

Vanna: I didn't love it per say...but it is amusing to think back to those Yule mornings...with all of us trying to get the Caga Tio to...produce presents...*Stifles a snicker*

Zach: What is this thang? Like a Yule log?

Myra: It's a log you pretend to feed leftover food to, and then on Yule morning you beat it and then it shits presents.

Zach: What? *Pft* What 'ya mean-Kitten what does she mean it "shit's presents?"

Vanna: *Shaking with laughter as she tries to hold it in.* Y-you heard her.

Zach: *Clearly confused but trying to stifle his own laughter.* Myra?

Myra: Then it shits a fish out to let you know it's done pooping presents out for the year. *Myra is now stifling her own snickers*

Pasha: *Now laughing* You forgot about the part where you sing songs to it in between beatings to encourage it to...make. *laughs*

Lucero: As if beating it wasn't encouragement enough! *Cackling* 

Myra: The beatings will continue until the present output improves! *Laughs*

Zach: Y-yer all serious? *Snickering*

Myra: As I said, Grandpaw was WILD!

*Everyone starts cackling*

Ask Dawn and Vern; Mammal Size Classes and the Tusk Party

 

Vernon: Aw, well I guess we never really talked about how...er' size classification works in Zootopia...though I'm surprised to hear from someone who's never heard that sorta thing since I think most countries have it.

Dawn: There are plenty of countries still out there that don't really have a system like ours, usually due to them being largely homogeneous when it comes to the diversity of species. 

Vernon: Well I guess we should kinda explain that to help explain just what makes a mammal a 'mega' er' microfauna...and the average.

Dawn: Well the Zootopian average anyway...even so, almost all of this has to do with a height and weight standard in regard to classification. Obviously, there are some species that are almost always born into a certain height and weight class to start with save for some special cases. Giraffes, elephants, and rhinos are generally seen as being 'Megafauna' by default. But basically, any mammal that cracks about eight feet tall and over three hundred pounds is classified as a 'Megafauna Class Mammal'.

Vernon: Below that class would be the 'large' class o' mammals. This hits about everythin' from five to eight feet in height and under three hundred pounds. This includes Wolves like me, Hyenas, Tigers, Deer, them sorts o' mammals. This class covers a lot more mammals but is still sorta high up there which is why we ain't considered the 'average'.

Dawn: The 'average' class is naturally the most common rubric used in Zootopia, at least in terms of structure and accommodation. This class is made up of mammals between three to five feet tall and up to about two hundred pounds. Generally, this group includes foxes, sheep, other smaller canids and felines, etcetera. Under normal circumstances, I should also be a part of that group, as ewes are generally around four feet tall, whereas rams tend to hit the five-foot marker. However, I'm one of those 'special cases' I mentioned earlier. I was born a runt, and due to...repeated injuries during my formative years, my growth was pretty badly stunted. I'm not considered a 'dwarf sheep', but only medically and by the grace of having a few inches on how tall most dwarf sheep would stand.

Vernon: So that puts my Honey Lamb in the 'Small' Category...not that I mind. Just makes her easier to cuddle...

Dawn: Aww...Puppy...*gestures him to lean down and places a kiss on the tip of his snout.* You're sweet.

Vernon: Not as sweet as you Darlin'. Gave ya the nickname Honey Lamb fer a reason...*Chuckles* Well, a few reasons...

Dawn: *Dawn Blushes* Puppy, shh! *Ahem* The 'small' class of mammal covers mammals between one to three feet tall, and between about one hundred to two hundred pounds, although most small-class mammals tend to skew toward the lower end of the weight scale. Here you find mammals like bunnies, skunks, otters, opossums, red pandas, and so on.

Vernon: After that, it gets a little more complicated...er' rather, at this point they had to cram about two different distinctions in about a one-foot range...

Dawn: Right, below 'small' class is the 'tiny' class. This class covers mammals specifically between half a foot and a foot tall. Weight is less of a consideration in this class to try and make classification less confusing because the next two classes are so close to one another. 

Vernon: Basically, y'all need to satisfy the height requirement first and foremost as the weight can stand to push mammals over a category line despite bein' too short to use 'tiny' specific amenities.

Dawn: The weight ballpark is generally around fifty to hundred pounds in order to be considered 'tiny' if you're going to use it. But, it's really more like under eighty pounds...I think they were just aiming to keep the numbers cut into nice little groups of fifties and hundreds, but I don't think I've ever met a 'tiny' mammal that hits over eighty pounds. Unless it's on one of those 'reality shows'.

Vernon: Like "Little Rodentia's; My Hundred Pound Life?"

Dawn: That's what I was thinking of, but I mean seeing it on tv versus seeing it live are two different animals altogether.

Vernon: *Chuckles* True...

Dawn: Anyway, Tiny mammal groups include squirrels, ferrets, martens, stoats, and so on.

Vernon: Right, and below that ya got 'Microfauna' which, I mean, I've heard that ain't the right word y'all should use to describe 'em.

Dawn: Well, the term microfauna was originally created to describe microscopic organisms if I'm not mistaken. But it became a sort of cultural thing to call really small classes of mammal microfauna due to the fact that 'Megafauna' was so commonly bandied about to describe mammals on the opposite end of the spectrum. It ended up sticking, and thus it eventually became the 'official' classification term used in many nations, with 'Microorganisms' replacing the original term for Microscopic life. Though now some 'Microfauna class' mammals are starting to push to get the name changed because of its association with microorganisms.

Vernon: Wait, it's offensive now? Why?

Dawn: Some um...'extra-tiny' mammals don't appreciate sharing the formal title given to microbial life due to the association with viruses and other disease vectors. Naturally, most rodents already have a strong stigma levied against them due to the plague-based persecution, and that name just makes it worse.

Vernon: Ah...I guess that makes sense...so...'extra-tiny' it is then.

Dawn: Yes, extra-tiny works just fine. Anyway, the Micro-er...'extra-tiny' class of mammals is basically made up of the remaining range of height and weight. So basically under six inches tall, and under fifty pounds. Naturally, this category includes mice, rats, moles, hamsters and so on. 

Vernon: So mammals like my co-worker Moira fit in here...and Judy's friends in the Big family.

Dawn: Right, you don't get any smaller than them, and so that's basically the bottom of the classification system. Now, with all that said, you should have a better idea of exactly what sort of goals and priorities the Tusk Party might have. It was initially founded by mammoth and elephant species, and extended to cover the needs of giraffes, rhinos, and all the other species that make the 'Megafauna' classification requirements. However, like most other parties in modern society, they are generally open to all those looking to join.

Vernon: However, don't be too surprised iffin' y'all go to a 'Tusk Party' meetin' and need a ladder to reach one of the chairs. Or y'all can't reach the buffet table...

Dawn: Yes, while they are open to all species, the membership does tend to skew Megafauna...and so most of the venues they work out of are...super-sized. 

Vernon: Same goes fer the Packrat Party...which we actually went to one o' them meetins'.

Dawn: Oh yes! I remember Moira wanted me to speak at one of their functions...*Giggles* it was pretty awkward.

Vernon: Yeah, we had to sit outside the restaurant they was meetin' at and basically peek in the windows to watch the other speakers...and the food...well...it was...less than fillin'...*Chuckles*

Ask the Author; Zootopian Summer Vacation

 

Wasty: I think it's kinda dependent on just where you are in Zoot, as much like in our real world, summer vacation is sort of dependent on climate. Back when I went to school, we went from September to June, and I had relatives in the south who went from May to late August because it was hotter there generally...even if it didn't feel it compared to where I was. Generally, Zootopian schooling has less days and hours across the board, but the way they'd be distributed would more than likely differ down to the district since almost all of them have dramatically different climates.

In the North and South Meadowlands, as well as Alpine Glade, I could see school pulling a start in October, and ending in June, which would be the template for the cooler climates.

This would largely be matched in Savannah Square and its downtown area. Where we start to depart from the average would be places like Savannah Central and the Rainforest district. Because these places are hotter than average, they would probably see a start about a month sooner in September, whereas they would end closer to mid-May to get ahead of the brunt of the worst of the season's heat. Tundra Town would more than likely would adopt a similar scheme, but instead of try to get ahead of the warmer season, they would be trying to make the most out of it as possible before returning to those rapidly cooling months after September.

The only District that's up in the air is the Nocturnal District, which cavern climate sets in a somewhat different situation than all the others. I feel like what they'd probably have to worry about the most is a rainy season, or heavy melt season, depending on what other district is feeding into the caves the most. I'm going to go with 'melt runoff' being the primary concern, as the Noceternal District is positioned mostly under snowcapped mountains. This would probably put them starting school somewhere around August, and being let out in April to keep travel minimized during 'flooding season.'

Ask AU; Childhood Friends AU

 

Wasty: I think the difficult thing here...aside from bringing the ages in line, is figuring out how to have them all grow up in the same general area while still maintaining large elements of their initial upbringing. What I would probably do would be to drop everyone in roughly the same area, and the one that's most accommodating for everyone involved would be in between the North and South Meadowlands, with Nick living in the more suburban Southern Meadowlands, and Judy and her family being shifted up to the North Meadowlands either with them moving or having always lived there. I'd also shift over Gideon Grey and Sharla and her brother to keep Judy's Kithood mostly consistent.

Starting off, I think Dawn and Judy would become friends first, what with both being fairly small mammals. Considering young Judy's personality, I think she'd notice a very shy and timid Dawn and feel sort of compelled to befriend her. She'd also usually be the one to stick up for Dawn against bullies even if her efforts to do so were easily blow off by most mammals since she was just a 'weak little bunny'. Through that connection Dawn would also be befriended by Sharla, as Judy would have met the little black lamb before Dawn and brought her along. Vernon would come along shortly after, with the same situation occurring that brought them together in the first place, only this time there'd be a distinct difference. The bully would be Gideon Grey. I imagine Judy would miss school semi-regularly due to having to help with the family farm, which would end up leaving Dawn without a defender, and after several attempts on picking on the ewe spoiled by Judy going Hall Monitor on Gideon, the first absence since Judy started stepping in for Dawn would leave an opening to good for the fox to pass up. After all, the tod knew there was no way Sharla would step in without Judy. Sharla would run to the teacher to get help, but by the time she got help the situation would have already been handled by a certain grey wolf pup.

Vernon would still leap into the fray, pulling the same stunt he always did by recklessly fighting a bully, but he would more than likely win this one, as despite being a runt, he'd still be bigger than Gideon. The next day Dawn would introduce Vernon to Judy and Sharla and tell her about how he sent Gideon wailing for a teacher, and Vernon would immediately earn the rabbits' friendship. In a short time, Judy would become super enamored with Vernon's family after finding out just what they did, and would probably get to the point of driving Vernon and his brothers nuts by asking endless questions about real police work. As they grow up, she even develops a little kithood crush on Vernon's Dad for a while because he's just 'So COOL!" in her words. And unlike her own parents and most of those in the community, Dorian and the Hunters, (Save for Yuri), are super supportive of Judy's dream. Dorian even allows her to train with the boys, much to Yuri's annoyance.

Dawn and Vernon's friendship is still briefly broken up by Aster about a month after the trio unites. However, Dawn having multiple friends in school rather than just one wolf gives Clover the extra push she needs to leave her husband the night he breaks Dawn's friendship bracelets, (As there is now a bracelet from for both Vernon and Judy.) At that point, Dorian brings Clover and Dawn to the Hunter Ranch to stay while Clover files for divorce and looks to find a new home for her and her daughter. They end up staying a year before, with the help of Dorian and Judy's Parents, managed to find a small townhome relatively close to both the Hunter Ranch and the Hopps farm, thus allowing Dawn continued easy access to her friends.

Nick would come along later, shortly after the 'Ranger Scout' incident. I figure Nick's Mom would be a mixture of heartbroken and livid that her son was treated the way he was, but knowing she wouldn't be able to get anyone to do anything meaningful about it, and that Nick would still have to go to school with those kids that teased him, she calls on her cousin in the North Meadowlands and with their help quickly relocates her and her son out of the suburbs. That cousin is Gideon Grey's mother, and while part of the intent of moving Nick up there was so he'd be able to be friends with his second cousin Gideon, and have a fox friend, the pair immediately rub each other the wrong way. It doesn't help that they're forced to live under one roof while Nick's mom attempts to find a new job and a new home for the both of them.

Fairly quickly the two get in a fight after Gideon finds out that Nick is still holding on to some of his ranger scout uniform and teases him mercilessly over it, eventually sending Nick running out of the house in tears. Nick walks alone for a while, wandering the local roads of the North Meadowlands until he gets to a small bridge over a river. Nick, still crying considers tossing the last of his Ranger scout gear into the water when he's discovered by an awkward little billy goat who mistakes him for a new recruit to the scouts he hasn't met yet. After Nick reluctantly explains himself and what happened, the little goat refuses to let the young tod throw away his ranger gear, instead promising to get Nick into his own troop. This little billy, if you haven't picked up on it by now, is Gustav Hornsly. 

With Gus vouching for him, the fox is inducted, (reluctantly on the part of the den leader), into the North Meadowlands Ranger Scout Troop. Of course, that reluctance came more from his being related to notable troublemaker Gideon Grey more than anything. But being friends with the weird sickly little goat is bound to get you picked on, and thus a similar situation happens to that of the initial bathroom swirly scene where Gus met Vernon. Only now, Gus is quickly dropped in favor of Nick when the tod steps in to defend his friend. Of course, his charisma isn't enough to save him, and so the tod finds himself about to get the crap kicked out of him by a lumbering teenage cheetah when Vernon enters the bathroom and breaks the whole mess up. Nick tries to play off needing the wolf's help, but Gus undermines him by thanking the wolf for saving both their hides. Gus and Vernon become fast friends, with Nick tailing behind as the friend group is finally connected.

A lot goes on from that point in terms of character interaction. Gus and Vern start the school's BnB club together, dragging a reluctant Nick along with Dawn, Judy, Sharla, Broomie, Joel, and Claire. Judy ends up joining the ranger scouts and being one of the few mammals aside from Gus willing to work with Nick, the pair become fast friends. Dawn still briefly dates Gus in this timeline, and then the 'singles' prom situation plays out similarly, only now Dawn has a significantly larger female support group advising her as to what to do, and the same goes for Vern with his male support group. Of course, being friends with Claire, Dawn knows she has feelings for Vern and that does cause friction when Dawn develops her own feelings for the wolf. And as for Vern, you can bet Nick mercilessly teases Vernon over being a prey chaser. Of course, that's before actually going to the prom, and the wolf actually catching feelings for Dawn, at which point Nick is oddly sympathetic and encouraging.

Meanwhile, ol' Gideon Grey has been out of the picture for a while, at least in terms of picking on members of the group. It is only when he comes to see Nick and apologizes to him that everyone learns the chunky tod has been seeing a counselor and has mostly mended his ways. He apologizes to everyone in the group and is eventually absorbed into it. In the lead-up to prom, Gideon and Sharla really warm up to each other, but it still really shocks the group when Gideon asks Sharla to the prom, and even more shockingly she agrees. Naturally, this puts Sharla in the best position to really rally behind Dawn when her own romantic feelings for Vern begin to form, as well as makes her the best to confide in about her feelings next to Judy.

After graduation, Judy is the first to rocket into the local police academy, with both Dorian's training giving her a head start, and a written recommendation from the law wolf forcing a lot of the instructors to push aside their misgivings about a rabbit aiming to be a cop. According to Dorian, starting out in the North Meadowland Police would make for a great stepping stone to getting into the ZPD, a goal that the doe is eager to shoot for. By this point, Nick and Judy have become really close, and so she ends up encouraging him to follow along with her into the NMPD, and after some training with ol' Mam' Hunter, the fox signs up for the academy as well.

Vernon is reluctant to go into the police academy. He feels...sort of pigeonholed by his father to take up the work and definitely feels uncertain about the whole thing. But with two of his friends in the academy, the wolf decides to go for it. As for Dawn, encouraged by seeing all of her friends enter, especially Judy, and having endured the 'Hunter Family' police regiment herself, and done quite well in Dorian's eyes, Dawn follows swiftly along with her mate. While Vernon and Judy prove to be strong in the athletic portion of the training, Dawn, and Nick really shine in the more mental investigation and observation aspects of the work. The four are hired onto the NMPD shortly after graduation, and while Vernon and Dawn stay in the North Meadowlands and rise to the ranks of deputy. Judy transfers out to the ZPD about two years in, with Nick following shortly behind his partner. 

Though now separated, the four meet up fairly regularly and remain close friends even into the present. Although the four of them have begun to muse about the prospect of creating a private investigation business in Zootopia to run together. Whether that happens or not, who can say? It was a fun little tangent nonetheless.

Yearbook Transcript

Yo Gus, hope summer camp won't keep ya too busy. Me and Dawn are gonna really miss havin' ya around. Plus without you around to stem the flock, these ewe's 'er gonna eat me alive.

-Yer best friend "Sheepdog" A.K.A. Vernon Hunter

I'm sorry things didn't work out between us Gussy. I hope we can always stay best friends! See you after your Ranger Camp stuff.

-Dawn Bellwether

Howdy Gus, Sorry I'm not great at the BnB stuff! Still had fun though!

-Love, Sharla Baker

Thanks fer makin' me feel welcome after all I did ta most of ya. Thanks for the second chance.

-Gideon Grey

Hey Gus, have fun at Ranger Camp! Much Love,

-Claire Baahley

When you get back, you owe me a pocket mammals rematch!

-Yer Bud Dylan Broomie

Ey Shatterhorn, hate to admit it, but I actually had fun "playing pretend" with your other nerd friends in club. See ya in the Ranger Scouts Summer Camp. Heads up! I'm coming for that merit badge record!

-Nick P. Wilde - Your 'better' best friend.

Hey Ranger buddy! Looking forward to summer camp? I know I am! Hope you prep a campaign or two for the slow nights! I'm really digging this roleplaying stuff.

-Judy Hopps

Hey Dude, have fun at summer camp! Promise I'll have a bunch of Mamanga's to share when you get back! I swear to keep the porn ones to a minimum.

-Joel Pacal

(And here's a 'yearbook signage free' version of Gus' yearbook page for the BnB club. The characters are around 16 to 17 here.)