Ask Nick and Judy; Judy's Virginity

 

Judy: *Huffs, blushing intensely* That's...really rude! Just going and asking a doe something like that!

Nick: *Opens his muzzle, only for Judy to stare daggers at him*

Judy: NICK, DON'T, EVEN-!

Nick: *Holds up his paws defensively.* Hey, hey, relax, relax Jude. I wasn't going to out you or anything...

Judy: DON'T PHRASE IT LIKE THAT! NOW YOU MADE IT SOUND LIKE I WAS A VI-I! *Judy places her head in her paws and groans*

Nick: I'll keep this as clean as I can and tell you there's two competing stereotypes when it comes to bunny bumpkins. One is the very conservative, wait-till-marriage types who believe holding paws is considered first base. And then there's the second group who says all that same stuff, and sleeps with half the bucks in town on the sly.

Judy: You're making it worse! *Judy groans, muffled through her paws.*

Nick: Now with Judy, I'll just say I was not her first, but I'm in the low single digits...*Quirks a brow* Is that safe to say? Or is that too much?

Judy: *Her head remains buried in her paws* I-I dunno...*Huffs*

Nick: What if I reveal my body count? Will that help?

Judy: *Says nothing, but nods into her paws.*

Nick: *Pulls Judy into as side hug, petting her head as she switches to burying her face into his chest, the tod shakes his head* I'm three, counting Judy. *Feigns a look of surprise* Shocking I know, scandalous even. A handsome tod like me with such a low count? Surely I should have been drowning in-

Judy: *Bumps Nick with her head softly, letting out a clearly irritated grumble*

Nick: *Nick chuckles* Sorry, I know, laying it on thick... *Shakes head* Really though, I've always been a romantic at heart that took the whole dating scene very seriously. That's mostly my Mom's fault. Even though my Dad died when I was very little, they were always so happy together. And even after he was taken from us, my Mom never really stopped loving him. *Shrugs* I guess...I dunno, that inspired me as a kit. I wanted what they had, and so I didn't-...*Sighs, running a paw through his head fur* Of the many foxish traits I leaned into in life, being a serial date, rut and dumper wasn't my style. Which I'll have you know was quite hard at times. *Chuckles* Being a charmer wasn't simply a fox trait I leaned into in order to take advantage of others, I'm just naturally charming.

Judy: *Her snickering is muffled, and while she doesn't pull her head out of his chest, she wraps her arms around him, hugging him tightly.*

Nick: What!? I am. *Laughs* Charmed you didn't I?

Judy: *Finally pulls head out of Nick's chest* More like wore me down Slick...*Laughs*

Nick: *Feigns offense* Carrots, honestly. You're own mate swoops in to stand up for you, and you mock him for it...for shame...I am wounded Carrots. *Draps paw over his eyes and leans back dramatically.* Stabbed in the back with a Carrot shaped knife!

Judy: *Ribs the tod in his side while chuckling* Knock off the schtick Slick. You're only amusing yourself.

Nick: *Laughs* Why can't I amuse myself? Besides, you laughed.

Judy: *Rolls eyes*

Nick: I will say, Judy was my first in terms of going outside of my species..so technically I was a virgin there.

Judy: *Elbows him harder, flashing him a glare* NICK! Shush!

Nick: *Quirks a brow* What!? It's true, why is that- Oh...did you think I was imply-...?

Judy: *Clasps paws over Nick's muzzle* Shhh! Garret listens to the podcast, I don't want that getting back to him or Sha-...*Judy's ears flatten, and she withdraws her paws only to clasp them over her own muzzle* 

Nick: Oh...You thought I was talking about...no, no Carrots...I was just talking about me, I wasn't even thinking about your first time...

Judy: *Looks horrified, blushing and sweating heavily* S-Sweet cheese and crackers! Delete this! Nick how do you delete the file!? Is it this button!?

Nick: No...that would be the send button...

JUDY: NOOOOOOO! It can't send while it's Rec-?

Ask Elizabeth; The Skunk Reputation

 

Elizabeth: I mean...I suppose yes and no. Mostly because I'm well...I'm in a very unique position as a skunk where....well, my burn scars tend to take precedence when it comes to what other mammals first notice about me. I can cover up most of them, aside from my face that is...*Sighs* Which is why I do tend to keep my head down when in public, and most of my love for wintertime is based solely on the fact I can cover most of my face up...still, it tends to be the feature of mine that gets the most attention first. So it sort of...skews my experiences in terms of dealing with skunk-specific discrimination. But that's not to say it hasn't happened to me.

If I'm in a situation where there's a 'smell' in the air, most mammal's eyes tend to fall on me. Whether that's because we're in an elevator and someone was able to use the skunk in the crowd to hide passing gas or waiting at the bus stop while the city works on a sewage line a block over, and all the mammals near you are giving you the stink eye...*Shakes head* And no, that pun wasn't intended.

Omari: So you say my dear...so you say...

Elizabeth: *Giggles* You know I don't do puns! It's not one of my talents, unlike literally all of my uncles.

Omari: By the gods, what did they all get a crash course when they became parents? They're all pretty bad, even my Dad, but Uncle Zach and Uncle Vernon are by far the worst offenders.

Elizabeth: *Tries to stifle a smirk.* What was that really bad one Uncle Vernon tried to slip in at the last family reunion...it was so awkward...

Omari: It was after he picked you up and hugged you, then he pretended his back hurt and said *Omari puts on his best drawl impression *"Ooh, you've gotten bigger lil' Lizzie, think I might a' pulled a 'Musteloid'". *Rolls eyes* 

Elizabeth: *Snickers* Punctuated with the cheesiest grin I've ever seen him make, and bobbing his eyebrows for emphasis that he had indeed done that on purpose...

Omari: *Laughs* Does that count as skunk discrimination? Cause that pun was practically a hate crime.

Elizabeth: *Let's out a giggling snort, before pressing a paw to her snout and swatting at Omari* Omee! You made me snort...you know I hate doing that!

Omari: *Feigns defending himself* But I love it!

Elizabeth: *Rolls her eyes* Anyway...I should mention, as a lot of mammals probably don't know it. But A.) Skunks have a gland responsible for their defensive spray. If you aren't actively spraying, there's no smell. 

Omari: Unfortunately media is largely responsible for painting skunks as constantly stinking, mostly thanks to the character actor 'Pepe le pew's' performances.

Elizabeth: And B.) Most skunks have the gland removed shortly after birth, as it's considered more of a hindrance now that our species isn't walking around on all fours anymore. I haven't had those glands since I was a year old.

Omari: These days you'll find very few skunk pups with those glands unless you're dealing with a very 'naturalist' family. And nine times out of ten those pups will go on to have them removed as adults when they can legally do it themselves... Mostly because of all the issues and teasing that arises from growing up with one...or so I've seen.

Elizabeth: You know what's very interesting, and this isn't limited to skunks, but every so often you'll run into a mammal that knows Skunks are omnivorous. And Mam'...the insults I've gotten thrown at me for being omnivorous is...it's actually worse than the skunk stuff. 

Omari: Diet purism, especially in this day and age, is still so hard for me to grasp. For the god's sakes, most mammals thought to be strictly carnivores or herbivores have shown to periodically eat foods traditionally from the opposite side of the dietary table. It's necessary to boost levels of nutrients that can't always be provided by sticking to the stereotypical species meal plan.

Elizabeth: We should know, we were raised by wolves, and I've seen my fathers and uncles eat all sorts of things, and not...*Chuckles* I know Uncle Vernon has actually been struggling to get meat back into his diet, as he's almost gone full herbivore by virtue of living with Auntie Dawn for so long.

Omari: *Snickering* Struggling makes it sound like it's his problem. I remember distinctly Aunt Dawn and Allison begging Uncle Vern to eat some wings at the last reunion. But he was adamant it would upset his stomach. I hate to agree with Dad and Jabari, but I feel it was just easier for Uncle Vernon not to cook multiple meals once our cousins moved out, and Aunt Dawn didn't realize how much of a problem that could be until he became conditioned to it.

Elizabeth: He looked so thin...and that leg of his isn't going to get any better without protein in his system...*Shakes head* Anyway, we've kind of strayed from the topic at paw. The point I was trying to make is that there are still quite a lot of mammals out there who see being a carnivore or herbivore as...almost as if it's like supporting a sports team...or a political party.

Omari: Considering several well-known political parties use diet as part of their descriptors, that's less of a comparison as much as I'd call it evidence.

Elizabeth: There are more mammals than you'd think out there that turn their snouts up at species that...*Chuckles* As my Dads would say, 'play for both teams'. We're trusted less, and seen as shadier because of it. So needless to say between that, my skunk scent, and my...burns, I've had a lot of things I can't really control working against me in life.

Omari: True, but most of those mammals who look down on you aren't award-winning, highly respected concert violinists...With a particularly handsome Pawdiatric Oncologist mate to boot...

Elizabeth: *Snickers* And here I thought it was Jabari that was the braggart brother. *Shakes head* What did I get myself into?

*The couple shares a laugh*

Ask Zach and Vanna; Zach's Cool Down Corner

 

Audrey: No more than the rest of my Pups...*Chuckles*

Vanna: It only works because it's so ingrained in him...And even then I do think he fights me more on it...I generally have to resort to the...erm...tiger grip, rather than the ear pinch. I sort of...I mean, that's more of Mom's thing.

Dawn: Tiger Grip?

Vanna: *Winces* I erm....well, if he puts too much of a fight I sometimes...grab his shoulder and...squeeze...

Ada: *Raises brow* Full force?

Vanna: Almost...*Blushes* Sometimes he just blacks out right there...

Ada: *Cackles* I wish I could pull a Wofcan neck pinch like dat! It'd shut ol' Mookie up dat's for shoi. Even if he goes to sit in da corner, he still mouts off!

Audrey: That's because you girls haven't landed the glare yet. With a bit more practice you'll have them boys scurryin' to the cool-down corner with their tails between their legs.

Vanna: As for the Nyantendo switch...I mean, we don't exactly have one. Zach games a little on PC, but he's not much of a...gamer per-se...outside of the occasional trip to the arcade. And he's more of a skiball mammal when he's there.

Ada: Yuri and I prefer da go-karts if dey have 'em...do we get kicked out of dem places a lot for treatin' dem like bumper cars! *Laughs*

Dawn: We have a switch, it was Vernon's, then ours, and now the families. That said, taking it away isn't exactly the first thing to come to mind when Vernon and I don't see eye to eye on something.

Ada: Does ya do dat ting where you swear off ruttin' him?

Dawn: *Laughs* What? Are you kidding? I'd be punishing both of us!

*The girls, save for Audrey, share a cackle*

Dawn: I find simply threatening to not talk to him is more than enough...Puppy can only go about an hour before he's begging me to talk to him again.

Audrey: Ah! Now that there was one of the most effective weapons in my punishment arsenal. Always worked way better than takin' away personal effects er' groundin' 'em...Not to say I didn't ground them, but I only did that in the most extreme cases....and almost all of those cases were strictly Yuri. *Snickers*

Found AU; The Meadowlands Six and Metal Music

 

Dawn: I don't think that's too much of a surprise...

Vernon: Course, we got some experience with that sorta thang between both Alice and Trevor...*Chuckles* Alice is still strugglin' with admittin' she likes dance more than sports...and Trev...well, lookin' at him now no one would expect the boy to be writin' the kinda stuff he does...though I get a sneakin' suspicion once he starts goin' through puberty the dark clothes and hoofnail polish will start showin' up like with Ully's goth phase...

Yuri: Everythin' he grew out of except the hair...Ully's still got that saggy drape o' messy fur over his eye...I dunno why he thinks that looks good...

Zach: I don't think Ully 'thinks' in them sorta terms. *Chuckles*

Dawn: The overall point I'm trying to get to though is that lambs, especially in their teenage years, can sort of...well, they're figuring themselves out...so really, nothing should be too shocking...

Dorian: There's also the simple life lesson o' never judge a book by its cover.

Dawn: *Giggles* Exactly. Whether it's a phase or not remains to be seen, but Marcus seems to enjoy it for now, and it isn't hurting anyone...

Vanna: I will admit, it is quite a contrast to his classical music interests. *Vanna is bouncing Rose on her knee as the little hybrid babbles away happily*  But I wasn't all that surprised upon discovering it. Marcus is sensitive, but also very passionate. And I think Punk-rock allows him to vent those passions and maybe even traumas from his past in a very visceral and cathartic way.

Zach: Sometimes y'all need to get a scream er' too out to cleanse the soul. *Chuckles*

Vanna: We're just glad it makes him happy...

Zach: And glad he ain't leanin' into the idea of becomin' a professional baseball player. *Chuckles*

Dorian: As fer the recent recording of Marcus and Aiko...I wasn't aware that Ully bein' the one to record it was the story we was goin' with now...*Flashes a judgemental glare at Zach*

Zach: H-Hey, I didn't! *Huffs* I admitted and apologized fer it...

Yuri: We know you did, so where exactly did this change to the story come from?

Zach: *Twiddling his fingers nervously* W-well...I mean...I...may have been workin' on a cover story just...in case Marcus finds out...

Audrey: *Shakes her head* Oh Zach...

Zach: What!? I can't have him know I-I mean Rose-I mean...look, it was Ully's trail cam! *Whines* It's just easier to say he was filmin' fer catsquatches and caught them by accident....iffin' it comes up I mean...

Dorian: Fer shame son...*Shakes head* Fer shame...

Zach: It would be embarassin' enough fer the boy iffin' he found out that was taped, and his family saw it fer that matter! Imagine how much that might hurt our relationship if he finds out it's my fault it got recorded in the first place!

Yuri: *Crosses his arms* He'd probably never trust you again...

Zach: *Whines*

Dorian: As much as I'm loathed to go along with this...I'll admit I don't want to take a chance of that boy losin' trust in his Pa considerin' how fragile that sorta bond might be fer him right now...so I think it's a half decent cover I suppose...provided Ully will go along with it.

Zach: Fingers crossed...*Whimper*

Dorian: That said, you pull a stunt like this again, and you ain't gonna get any backup from the rest of us. I'll see to that myself...

Zach: *Ears flatten* I told y'all, I didn't do it on purpose! I wasn't tryin' ta-!

Yuri: Would you give it a rest already?! Just keep yer head down and accept yer blame. Sweet Sawgrass! You not filmin' that boy on purpose is a harder to swallow pill than it bein' Ully accidentally doin' it.

Zach: *Crosses his arms and huffs* F-fine, fine...Ugh, where's the trust in this family...?

Yuri: *Snorts* Iffin' that ain't the pot callin' the kettle if I ever heard it...*Laughs*

Found Ask; Genderswap; A Guiding Paw

 

Vera: Phew, that's a lot ta' cover there...*Laughs*

Don: Indeed. You left us a miniature interview rather than a question or two. *Chuckles* I'm not sure I'm fully prepared without some time to gather my notes.

Vera: Iffin' ya want the shorter answer, we ain't super concerned about...*Vera hesitates* Most of the pup's interests. I mean ta say we encourage 'em to pursue what they want to pursue and reassure them there ain't nothin' wrong with them interests.

Don: Leon aside? *Snickers*

Vera: *Glares at Don* You know how I feel about that whole...interest in cop stuff! I don-.

Don: Exactly how Doreen felt about you going into architecture?

Vera: *Huffs* It's not the same thang!

Don: It is exactly the same thing Puppy Love.

Vera: I-I'm not sayin' he can't 'er nothin'! *Whines as her ears start to sag* I just...I don't want my sisters 'er Ma groomin' the boy toward that field...

Don: *Rolls his eyes.* Not to drift too far away from Alex or Tiff, we've spoken to Alex and tried to make him comfortable about pursuing dance if he wants it. As someone who most rams would consider not...traditionally masculine, I've tried to impart to Alex that being 'masculine', being 'ramly'  is...well, there's no right or wrong way to do so.

Vera: We also pointed to Uncle Gazelle as a prime example of bein' both a handsome fella considered masculine by a whole lotta folks, but also bein' a heartthrob dancer and singer/songwriter. *Vera Blushes softly* Of course, explainin' Alex doesn't have to be dancin' in tight pleather pants with his shirt off...

Don: Our little Tiff got a similar talk to sort of nip any feelings of discomfort she might have in the bud about being interested in all things that most would consider dark and off-putting...

Vera: Though I ain't sure I'm lookin' forward to Tiff's inevitable goth phase when she hits er' teens...*Chuckles* Well, I suppose as long as she stays her polite little self, and stays respectful to us, I can tolerate the heavy makeup and the broodin'...

Don: *Shakes head*Because you handle the bugs in jars so well my dear?

Vera: *Huffs* Hey, I only yelped the first time! I've gotten better with 'em since then! 

Don: And we return to Leon...which we sort of discussed....though not how closely he stuck to Vera...

Vera: *Chuckles* Hey, I didn't mind. I love that lil' cuddle bug. It's gonna break my heart iffin' he starts to drift away from me cause he gets 'too old' fer snugglin' up to his Mama.

Don: Would you really hate if he became serious about police work? Is it that much of a sticking point for you Puppy?

Vera: *Whines softly* I mean, I ain't gonna lie...you know I'd support Leon with whatever he wants to do...I just, I'd be worried about him...

Don: We already worry about all of our Pups...

Vera: I know, I just...Police work is dangerous...I grew up seein' the aftermath with Momma, and my sisters and...I don't know if I can take it...*Sniffles* I don't wanna stifle my boy, but I just...I want him workin' somethin' safer...

Don: Wolfy...*Don caresses Vera's cheek reassuringly.*

Vera: I know, I know...I don't want ta' turn inta Zelda over this...I just...I want to protect my little Knight in shinin' armor...

Don: But you also want Leon to pursue what makes him happy right?

Vera: *Sighs* I do...

Don: I'm just asking you to be careful...while I'm not asking you to heavily encourage him if you are worried, and hoping it's a phase, be careful not to discourage him because of your fears...He's going to be an adult someday, with his own life, and he needs to live that for himself...like you did.

Vera; *Whimpers* You know I would never put whatever his interests are down...*Scratches back of her head* At least, as long as it's organic I guess..not planted by Ma and my sisters.

Don: And if he decides that's the career he wants, you'll support him?

Vera: I...I will....*Sniffle*

Don: I love you Puppy Love...

Vera: I love you too Honey Ram...*Vera swabs her eyes clearly trying to tamp down her tears*

Don: As for Sir Callibre, I'll admit it was quite a shock...I don't think I'd ever seen a Prench Komodo Dragon before...so I just assumed he was a little monitor lizard...

Vera: I'm just glad the pups took to a reptile rather than a bird...I can handle a reptile. *Sniffles slightly despite her chuckling*

Don: Still, he's going to be quite large...and already he favors crawling up into my head wool and perching there...Not to mention he's quite hard to remove without the lambs or Vera to extract him. *Laughs* The gods know what that's going to be like once he's fully grown.

Vera: That boy could grow to the size of an elephant, but he ain't never gonna outgrow my glare...*Snickers*

Don: *Laughs* Yes, but you're not home all the time.

Vera: It works through the phone, just muzzletime me and I'll get him off yer poof in two seconds flat...*Giggles*

Don: I certainly hope that works...we'll need to field test it the next time you're at work. *Chortles*

Vera: Anywho, to answer yer last question, the pups were purty excited when they found out they was gettin' a little brother, especially Leon. 

Don: Though Alex I feel, was a little nervous that you being pregnant meant that we would be giving them back to the orphanage...

Vera: *Shakes head* I don't wanna say that's ridiculous cause...I don't know what that sorta struggle is like fer an adopted pup... but we made it real clear that we wouldn't give them up fer the world. They was just as much our pups as lil' Petey. As far as I'm concerned, I birthed all them pups. *Chuckles*

Don: *Chuckles* If that's so, then my goodness you were quite busy before I came along.

Found AU; Genderswap; Marigold fitting into the Family

 

Varun: Initially we were quite worried when it came to Marigold attending public school. Being the only one of her species that was...previously unknown, we were certainly fearful that the bullying could be...quite extreme.

Zelda: I mean, it ain't like we got a few...Hmm...How do I say this without it bein' taken' wrong...*Zelda scratches her head.* Um...

Varun: The North Meadowlands is largely populated by wolves and sheep, with other caprine, cervines, and canids filling in the gaps. But occasionally you'll find a mammal family you wouldn't normally expect to see out here...such as a tiger like myself...

Zelda: Right! I guess what I was tryin' to say is that the more...exotic species o' mammals out here are few and far between.

Varun: And thus, among kittens those odd mammals out will get teased more than others...it's just the way kittens are sometimes...

Zelda: So with lil' Mari, we were real scared that she'd get it worse than everyone else...even with me and my Big Cat as her parents... Thankfully Marigold fell into a real nice group o' pups real early on when we adopted her. Before she even started goin' to school no less!

Varun: *Chuckles*

Zelda: *Puts her paws on her hips and glares at the large tiger.* And just what is so dang funny?

Varun: A 'nice group of pups' huh? *Shakes head* I didn't think you were a fan of revisionist history Mi corazón lobo.

Zelda: *Huffs* A-alright, maybe I was a little...untrustin' of them when they first showed up, but I-.

Varun: *Cutting Zelda off* You thought they were a gang, and that they wanted to corrupt Marigold. You tried filming them without their knowledge or consent multiple times in order to prove that.

Zelda: *Crosses her arms and pouts* I was lookin' out fer Mari's best interests! 'Sides, like yer one to talk, considerin' that talkin' to ya gave her lil' boyfriend Akio...

Varun: *Furrows his brow* He's not her boyfriend. *Varun huffs slightly* Besides, Marigold is much too young to be thinking about such things...

Zelda: Considerin' we've caught them almost kissin' twice now...I th-th-...*Realization is hitting Zelda midway through her rebuttal, and the wolf shifts from annoyance to bawling uncontrollably at the drop of a hat.* Mah-Mah-Mah Baby girl's growin' up! *Begins to bawl*

Varun: *Rolls his eyes* And here come the waterworks...*The large tigress chuckles before opening his paws and allowing Zelda to throw herself into his grip as she buries her muzzle into his chest.*

Zelda: It's too fast! *Whine* She's growin' up too fast! *Whimpers*

Varun: I know Mi corazón, I know...but that is the nature of life itself...and hey, Ryan has just begun his own journey for us to walk with him through. 

Zelda: *Buries herself so hard into Varun's chest her words are nearly totally muffled* I-I just want more time is all! *Hiccups. Snorts* Oldwyn's great grey muzzle! This must be what Pa felt like watchin' us grow up! *Whine*

Varun: I must admit, my heart aches with pride and sorrow with every milestone I see Marigold break. it's bittersweet. But at the end of everything, we are her parents, and we always will be...

Zelda: *Grips Varun tighter* Oh Darlin'!

Varun: And if it's any consolation, Akio doesn't seem like a bad boy. *Huffs Slightly* He clearly cares for Marigold.

Zelda: *A few stray laughs slip out between sobs.* And h-he survived yer interrogatin' session and still came back...

Varun: *Nods, looking mildly surprised.* Indeed he did...though I'm not sure he fully understood what I was trying to convey...that, or perhaps I've lost my touch...

Zelda: *Pulls back from Varun, giving him a dull glare.* I think y'all made it purty clear what you meant when y'all put yer revolver on the table Darlin'...

Found AU Ask; Human Integration into Animalia

 

Snow: It was admittedly, not the smoothest process if I'm being honest. There was very little time for the city to...recover from the bombshell revelation that an entire civilization had been hiding underneath...well basically everyone's snouts before having to actively begin the integration process. And I do mean this from a global perspective, although the cities that were actually close to these human enclaves were particularly shaken by the reveal.

Hart: It's one thing to learn of a previously unknown species living somewhere on Animalia far away, but in the case of our own city, this was right under most mammals' feet.

Snow: And then to have to go into discussions within the week about how this discovery was going to be handled, and whether or not Subterrania would want to be incorporated into Zootopia or exist separately had many mammals reeling, especially those of us tasked with actually handling the affair.

Ruddy: The meetings were so exhausting...mostly because I don't think in all of Zootopia's history, save for maybe during the Sheep-Wolf War in the Meadowlands, World War One, and the Rodent Exile Crisis in Roarope have we ever had so many crisis meetings back to back. 

Snow: In the case of Subterrania, it was in better shape than most of the other human cities, at least politically and socio-economically. However, like most of the other settlements technology and development were all over the place and sometimes quite...confusing.

Hart: On average, they were about 50 or so years behind contemporary Animalians, which was better than the others that were lagging nearly a century behind. But they had managed to find roundabout ways to tap into our communications systems and make primitive hodgepodges of computing and other contemporary technology. 

Dawn: I've seen some of those actually...most of the humans were using what looked like...old green and black text PCS made out of old tv monitors and typewriters.

Snow: They scavenged a lot of broken materials here and there, not counting the fact they also did trade with other settlements in secret...

Ruddy: In truth, they didn't have any real reason to have their district absorbed by Zootopia, at least not a dire reason. Sure, there was the technical argument as to whether or not their settlement legally counted as the Nocturnal District, and who settled what land first. And there was the aspect of just how much infrastructure and utilities the settlement had leeched from the other districts without their knowledge. But there was no real...how can I can put this *Scratches chin thoughtfully.* 'major incentive'  to join us.

Snow: I think the push to offer integration into our city, and the desire of Subterrania to merge with Zootopia was largely driven by both public sympathy for the humans based on what had been seen of the other settlements, and Leon Heartman's...rather idealistic desire for unity...along with those in the city that supported him.

Hart: He was very well versed in Zootopia history despite the circumstances, and Richard Lionheart, and the founding of Zootopia was a deep inspiration to him. 

Ruddy: Plus there was the incentive for free trade and freedom of movement. And on top of that, we agreed to wipe off the utility debt and start with a clean slate.

Snow: So it was put to a vote among his citizens, and despite how quickly the vote was sprung on the populace, they voted overwhelmingly to become Zootopia's 14th district.

Dawn: There was some pushback on both sides, but most were limited to some light protesting within the months that led up to and followed the vote and ratification...but that's tapered off and is next to non-existent now...

Ruddy: Save for a few 'petitions' that haven't managed to crack 100 signatures between them. And as for Leon, despite his age, he's integrated into the District Rep Council quite well.

Snow: He's quite a likable young male, with a good head on his shoulders. Despite his new position not holding the same level of prestige his former title held, he's still quite humble, and eager to learn.

Hart: We've all sort of...taken the boy under our wings so to speak, showing him the ropes and helping him lift his city up to contemporary standards...not that he's needed that much help in that regard.

Snow: Yes, he's managed the integration, budgeting, and infrastructure elements of the transition very well with little guidance from us. Sufficed to say, he's very bright, and I believe he's got a long and respectable career in politics ahead of him.

Dawn: As for human migration to the surface, I think the district that has seen the most human immigration has been the North Meadowlands. 

Ruddy: Well why not? Our District is wonderful. All the quiet comforts of the countryside while being just a stone's throw away from the big city! *Laughs*

Dawn: To be fair, I think a large part of that too is the North Meadowlands is a very large district, with wide open spaces and arable land. I mean, if I had to live in a dark, claustrophobic underground city for most of my life, and then was suddenly offered the chance to move to the countryside on the surface I'd snap it up in a heartbeat. Especially considering humans aren't nocturnal...

Hart: *Shudders* Sounds like my days in the Zootopian Reserve Navy, spending months in a cold, damp metal tube shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of other mammals...*Shakes head* Whenever shore leave came around, I'd jump out of that sub and run for the hills as fast as I possibly could.

Ak Wasty; Glitz and Chips AU Villians

 

WT: Hmm...I'm thinking sort of a mixture of corpos and government figureheads...essentially a 'board of shadowy figures' ala Clone High, but with one exception. There is a...I'd call him an antagonist really, that is still in the concept phases for the eventual last fic in my series, "The Bellwether Legacy", (If I can actually get back to god damned writing) which kind of flip flops between the present (in terms of the fic universe, around the time Paige is born) and twenty years into the future following Paige starting at the ZPD. The main conflict in that section of the fic is meant to be two rival factions of pred and prey supremacists that are in an arms race against each other. However, both factions are being driven on and supplied by these two very commanding and charismatic figureheads.

The spoiler and twist are that both of those figureheads are entirely fictitious, fake personas being managed by the same mammal who is riling up both of these factions to make money paw over fist on illicit weapon sales. To add a further form disparity, while the figureheads would be something like a Tiger for the Preds, and a Stag for the Prey, it would be revealed the actual mammal is something small and omnivorous, like a prairie dog. 

So that said, I could very easily see this villain becoming sort of the leading force of the shadowy council, playing as his two 'counterparts' as needed. That said, I think arms dealing and blackmail would be his bread and butter. Arms dealing to approved insurgents and armies to keep the public in fear and clamoring for these despotic figures to protect them, and blackmail to keep his fellow council members on board. 

Also, in the fic, while it was going to be set 20 years later, I'm not sure how 'advanced' the tech would be in terms of helping him keep up the illusion of being two other mammals. Initially, I thought it would be cool to have this guy have full robotic suits of each of his personas that he piloted as a mech, but now I'm leaning more toward an AI model of his personas that only ever appear on screens or recordings because I feel it would be more feasible and realistic. Maybe even some holograms that give the illusion of actually existing since we see that tech now to some degree.

In Glitz and Chips, however, I could go whole hog with the Cybernetic robot suit idea, and make this mad prairie dog a true force to be reckoned with on the day of the showdown. Lord knows those suits would be the most cutting-edge weapons tech that DecoPunk Zoot had to offer.

Thanks for the ask!

Found Ask; Genderswap AU; Vera's Pregnancy

 

Vera: O' course we was shocked! *Guffaws* I couldn't believe it!

Don: We both were. Although I think at first I was terrified because I was in the middle of being a guest on a debate show when I got the call Vera had collapsed at her job...

Vera: I'd been dealin' with mornin' sickness fer weeks, but I had no idea I was with pups cause...well I mean, we figured that was impossible. But I remember standin' up at my desk cause I was feelin' sick to my stomach and wanted to make a run fer the toilet, then I got hit with a wave o' dizzyness that felt like I got punched in the head, and a'fore I knew it I was out like a light...

Don: I was petrified...I was out of that studio in a flash...I've never ran so fast in my life. Thankfully the hospital they took my Puppy Love to was just a few blocks away...

Vera: O'course once we found out I was carryin' my Honey Ram's little present, it was his turn to pass out...

Don: I was still recovering from my impromptu jog! *Chuckles* I had barely caught my breath only to have the news knock it right back out of me.

Vera: We was just so happy. I don't think I stopped grinnin' fer the whole week...and Don couldn't keep his hooves off my stomach...not that I minded my lil' Floof... 

Don: I was just in awe I think...I still am. In awe of my mate...of our lamb...of that the gods saw fit to bless us so much up to that point, and then to bestow such a wonderful gift on top of everything else...I'm still reeling.

Vera: Me too Darlin'...*Vera grips Don into a hug, nuzzling him affectionately.* Me too...

Don: As for the delivery...it was...a bit nerve-wracking...I suppose that's underselling it actually. It was rather touch and go...*Winces*

Vera: My Grandmomma on my Mom's side, Alda, she passed away cause of somethin' called placenta previa. Basically, the placenta settled at the bottom of her uterus, and they didn't know. So When my Ma was born, she ripped up that placenta on the way out, and it cause my grandma to bleed out...

Don: And Vera inherited that...

Vera: Thankfully the docs picked up on that with how close they was monitorin' me, and so they planned to do one o' them c-sections fer my safety...

Don: The issue was they wanted to wait until Peter caused Vera to go into labor naturally because they weren't sure how much time he would need in his mother's womb to develop considering the gap between sheep and wolf gestation periods. 

Vera: So we had to wait till my timer done popped, then rush down and get Peter cut outta me, hopin' that he wouldn't breach the placenta while tryin' to find his way out...

Don: Thankfully Peter was able to be safely removed via c-section, but the Placenta was nicked during the procedure, and there was a terrifying moment where Vera...started to fade a bit...

Vera: I just got real sleepy...wasn't sure whether I was on my way out er' not...I think all I was askin' Don was if lil' Peter was alright...

Don: Thank the gods they were able to stabilize you...I don't think I would have ever forgiv-.

*Vera places a finger on Don's lips, stopping him short of finishing his sentence.*

Vera: Now, now, don't you talk like that...I'm here. Lil' Pete's here. 'Sides, even if the worst happened, as much as I'd miss y'all, I would never regret havin' yer pup. Not fer a second...

Don: P-Puppy Love...

Vera: And iffin' they asked me at the doors to them hollowed halls of Vallhowla what the greatest moment in my life was, I'd tell 'em it was carryin' yer lamb Honey Ram...

*Don hugs his mate tightly, burying his face into her chest as she wraps her paws around him.*

Don: *Muffled* I love you so much Puppy Love...

Vera: *Chuckles sweetly* I love ya too my little Honey Ram...

Ask the Cops; The Dumbest Lawbreaker

 

Nick and Judy: Weaselton.

Bogo: *Groans* Weaselton...

Wade: Even I know who Weaselton is...we've picked him up a few times in our district. One of them times that idiot got his tongue stuck to a lamppost while tryin' ta make off with some ol' lady sheep's purse.

Nick: Seriously? *Laughs* How?

Wade: Well, based on the witness testimony, and the evidence at the scene, seems like he tried ta yank the purse away, and whipped around to run without fully gettin' his bearin's while tryin' to flee as fast as his legs could carry him. He barley made it two steps before collidin' face-first into the pole, and his maw was wide open.

Judy: Knowing Duke, probably because he was laughing like a maniac...

Wade: By the time me and Mavsa got to the scene, the ol' ewe had been wailin' on him fer a good ten minutes with her cane...*Snickers* She couldn't really hurt him all that much considerin' the gal was kickin' around her nineties, but even weak little thwaps can start to wear y'all down after ten minutes...

Nick: What about you Finn?

Finnick: *Scratches chin thoughtfully.* Hmm...still you Nick...

Nick: *Nick feigns being slighted* Ouch, Francis you wound me...

Finnick: *Growls* Keep my first name outcha mouth Wilde...I've only gotten better at taking down mammals ten times my size since joining the ZPD. I won't even break a sweat dealin' with you...

Nick: *Laughs* Hey, what I lack in physical strength I make up for in being charismatic and quick on my feet...

Judy: *Gets between the two tods, holding her paws out to keep them at a distance from each other.* Alright, alright, guys. You're both pretty, so please stop winding each other up. I don't want to have to arrest two of my fellow officers.

Nick: Fine, fine...I'll save my barbed wit for another target for now...like the other Hunter Officers perhaps?

*Dorian glares at the tod, causing him to shrink into his shoulders.*

Nick: *Coughs* N-not you of course Sheriff...

Dorian: A 'course not Officer Wilde...but do try and cut my boys some slack alright...y'all should know by now what with bein' a fancy city cop how hard police work actually is...

Nick: R-Right...yessir...*Gulps*

Dorian: Up where I'm from we got a few...dim bulbs flickerin' in and out of the station every so often. The Baah'ly Brothers fer one...usually startin' bar fights er' vandalizin' folks crops...they've even tried their hooves at hoaxin' a few crop circles which got my boy Ully's hackles up...Then there's old George Boarson's son, Billy Boarson...that boy ended up on the sex offender registry thanks to stickin' his willy in a buncha places it don't belong, and several o' those times we got called to pull the poor idiot out of whatever he got himself 'stuck' in.

Judy: *Cringes* Do I want to know this?

Dorian: He's purty harmless...mostly got caught with his pig pecker in a bunch of inanimate thangs...Although there was one time he tried to get frisky with one of ol' Shetland's Ostriches... *Winces* That was the one that got him bumped up from local sex pervert to registered sex offender...As well as a nasty talon scar on his face fer his trouble...

*Yuri and Trent look at each, a mixture of disgust and amusement on their faces as they stifle a laugh*.

Wade: What's so funny?

Yuri: Nothin' nothin'...just *Snrk* Got a bunch o' jokes about Billy Boarson stuffin' bird hittin' my brain all at once. *Pft*

Trenton: *PFFT*Thank the gods it weren't just me... remember the ol' rhyme they had kickin' around when we was teens...

Yuri: *In a sing-songy tone* Billy Boarson boffed a bird.

Trenton: *Now joining in Yuri's tenor* Although I'm sure it sounds absurd.

Yuri: He grasped and gripped while the big bird squirmed. And sprayed its feathers with ropes of-.

Dorian: *Cuts Yuri off* Alright, alright, I know how it goes...I know we're all cops here, but try to keep the gutter talk to a minimum boys...

Yuri: *Rolls his eyes* Psh, fine...I'll just talk about my dumbest perps...most of which are o' course, gang members...Usually pups so y'all expect 'em to be dumb.

Dorian: Anythin' serious?

Yuri: Not from the young ones. Usually, they get busted fer spray paintin' er' dealin' nip er' toad drops er' lichen gum...I've picked up a number of 'em just walkin' down the road with a crate o' booze, lookin' nowhere near eighteen...Then me and Lance get to listen to them struggle to make excuses fer themselves 'er adamantly declare they're adults but fergot their wallet. The dumbest stories they're just prayin' we'll take at face value and let 'em off...

Trenton: How long do you let them go on for before taking them in?

Yuri: As long as it takes to hang themselves, which don't take long fer 'em to do... Of course, we let 'em go longer iffin' it's real funny. *Chuckles*

*The assembled cops laugh knowingly*

Yuri: We also got a homeless guy called ol' Gus, kind of a crotchety old jaguar who spends most of his days proletizin' about the end times on street corners...*Laughs* Kinda reminds me of Ully actually...just without a handler in Honey. 

*Dorian snorts, clearly unimpressed by Yuri's comparison of Ully to a crazy homeless mammal*

Yuri: We take him down to the station from time to time iffin' he has one of his more aggressive days, er' needs to sleep off some booze fer the night. Dumb as a box o' rocks but loves to talk to anyone who will listen, so me and Lance get subjected to a lot o' his crazy stories...

Trenton: Sounds more sad than dumb...

Yuri: Well, one o' my favorite dumb perp stories features Gus just walkin' into a carrot phone store and yanking a tablet out of its stand. Then he goes out the nearest corner and just plops down there to toy with it...So we get called out, and he tells me, Lance, and the manager standin' there, watchin' him use the tablet that he always had it. Despite the fact he'd never got past the lock screen...and the metal brackets and torn USB cable were still hangin' off the damn thang...

Dorian: Sound like them kids you was talkin' about earlier...

Yuri: Yeah, well those kids wouldn't have been as dumb as to start writin' a grocery list in Sharpie on the tablet, thinkin' that's how tablets work.

*The cops share a laugh*

Wade: What about you Trent?

Trenton: Eh, my job ain't got much to tell...I'm a trooper, not a cop. So most o' my dumb perps tend to come in the form of folks lyin' to get out of a speedin' ticket. I can't tell ya how many times I've had bunnies tryin' to convince me, totally stone-faced and serious that 'clearly my radar gun is broken, cause they were only goin' 55...' Meanwhile, I'm flippin' through the highway cams up the road catchin' stills of these folks blowin' past everyone else like it's a fast and furrious movie...

Dorian: It's really somethin' just how many folks will try to convince y'all, right to yer face, that they didn't break the law...it's like they got no other option but goin' fer broke...

Nick: I think that's the universal sign of a dumb perp. 

Judy: At the very least a desperate one...

Finnick: Actin' like you didn't try your paw at that sorta crap when we worked our side hustles...

Nick: *Shrugs* Hey, I didn't necessarily think they'd go for it! I just figured maybe I could charm my way out of the situation...it worked...*Winces* Well sometimes...Till Carrots ruined my streak of good luck anyway...

Judy: More like dumb luck...

Nick: Hey, I'll take any luck I can get...*Laughs*