zootopian-creators

Gazelle was known by many mammals for many different things, whether it be for her record breaking music, her vocalness on her support of predator rights, or just her fabulous appearance, nearly everyone knew or at least heard of her before. Unfortunately recently Gazelle’s music wasn't doing as well as in her early years and she was really lacking inspiration for new music. Gazelle tried everything in the desperate hope for inspiration, but no matter how many places she’d seen, personal events in her life she tried remembering, or anything else she tried were all in vain, but there was one thing left that she never even considered trying that would change her life forever. Gazelle was scrolling through the internet without any pacific goal in mind when suddenly she found something, she didn’t really remember how she got here or why she even clicked on it but it was a good thing she did. It was the official page for a place called “The Mystic Springs Oasis,” a very popular naturalist club that she had actually heard of a few times before. Out of curiosity she didn't click on the page, instead decided to read deeper. She read all about the club from its humble origins, the apparent many benefits, reviews from people who visited and loved it, and the general type of stuff websites like these feature. Gazelle was getting curiouser and curiouser to more and began to wonder what exactly it was like. Now Gazelle had always lived by the motto of “try everything” but as Gazelle started getting thoughts about trying this herself she began to cringe a little inside. “What I’m i thinking! I can’t do that, It’s to embarrassing and what if someone sees me,” Gazelle remembered the infamous scandal that happened only a year prior when a different celebrity had naked sunbathing photos of them spreaded all over the internet, and thinking of herself being in that kinda situation made her shudder in embarrassment. “Then again these reviewers seemed to really enjoy their experience, and I guess it kinda looks like- NO! No no no no no, don't even think that.” Gazelle was split on what to do and flip flopped on it for nearly an hour, but eventually decided to do something else, “A vacation! That's what I'll do, after all I've been needing a vacation anyway.” Before Gazelle could begin she had to decide where to go, after all she couldn't just go out in public without any cloth. Gazelle remembered a little cabin she had bought not too long ago, it was in the middle of the rainforest district, hidden within the forest. Gazelle had bought it after criminals and looters broke into her vacation home and reporters followed her there, but she never used it before. “It’s perfect,” she thought. Gazelle packed what she needed into a suitcase, some cloth, food, makeup, hair supplies, some books, and her phone. Gazelle got into her car and made her way towards the rainforest district. Gazelle drove along the secret road leading to the cabin, it looks just as the last time she saw it. The cabin was neither big nor small, with two floors and plumping, electricity, and airconditioning already installed (though she did have that personally installed). Gazelle parked the car close to the cabin and took her things, but as Gazelle stepped out her car the hot, humid air hit her right in the face, it felt all sticky and made her very uncomfortable. Gazelle quickly made her way into the cabin, heading to where the circuit breaker was installed and turning it on. The generator sputtered to life as cool air washed over the entire cabin while lights flickered on brightening up the dark cabin, before Gazelle could take a breather she checked all the room for squatters, thankfully finding none. Gazelle sat down on a wonderfully soft couch and did what she mostly did on vacation, watch some TV, check up on her socials, do her daily cardio, read a chapter or two of one of her books, eat, then go to bed. Before all that Gazelle had to write a tweet informing her fans about her current vacation, as she did Gazelle began to wonder why she found it necessary to do this every vacation but brushed that thought off to the side. Gazelle was in the bathroom about to take her daily shower, Gazelle turned on the faucet and to her confusion no water came out, “odd?” she said. She waited for a few seconds, after all it hadn't been used before, a minute went by, then two, then three, and by then she realized something was definitely wrong. Gazelle giggled the handle back and forth and tapped the shower head without even a drop coming out, “Well Great, just Great!” Gazelle was slightly irritated but quickly calmed down, “oh well, I guess I can go a day without a shower.” Gazelle went to turn on the sink so she could brush her teeth, and the same problem happened again, she still brushed her teeth despite this. Gazelle got into her nightgown and laid into her bed, today wasn't anything special but it was nice to finally get some peace and quiet in quite a while, unfortunately she still hasn't found this inspiration she so desperately craved. The next day Gazelle decided to go outside to get some fresh air, it had become even hotter and humid outside than before, but she really wanted some fresh air so decided to wear a bikini so she wouldn't overheat, besides it's not like anyone would see her like this. Gazelle sat down in a lawn chair she dragged from inside, and layed down letting the fresh air go through her lungs and sun summer raiser hitting her face. About ten minutes in she decided to check up on her socials and see what's new, it didn't take long before she began getting swarmed by mosquitoes. Gazelle would swat them away only for them to return seconds later, and it took about three layers of bug spray to do the trick. After that she continued what she was doing but as she scowled endlessly through the endless posts from endless users Gazelle realized something, “why do I care so much about this?” It was a daily ritual that Gazelle would spend at least an hour just scrolling through all her social media without purpose, and it was only now she began to question this. All she ever read on there was just drama and hatred on basically every site, things Gazelle really didn’t like. Of course it wasn’t all that but too bad really seemed to outway the good, and Gazelle was getting a bit tired of this. “Enough is enough,” Gazelle had decided to put her foot down, “I’m taking a break from the internet, at least for a while.” Gazelle returned inside exchanging her phone for a book, then returning to the lawn chair. The book was one she hadn't gotten to read yet. It was an adventure/romance story about a knight who was a prey, and a princess who was a pred, who fell in love and ran away from the evil step king and queen to find the princesses real parents. Gazelle read up to the first chapter and found the story interesting and the writing engaging, she read through the second chapter but the chapter left on a cliffhanger which compelled her to continue reading, this trend continued with each passing chapter, Gazelle couldn’t resist but read more. Gazelle had read nearly one fourth of the book before she was interrupted by a growling sound, she was so engrossed in the book she didn't notice until it happened again. Gazelle got a bit spooked by the sudden sound but was slightly embarrassed when she realized it was just her own stomach. Gazelle checked the time, “goodness! It's already half past lunch.” Gazelle quickly finished the chapter she was reading and set her book down where she was sitting. Gazelle thought about what she should have for lunch when out of the corner of her eye she saw a large beautiful patch of grass. As Gazelle continuously watched the blades ever so slightly wave in the wind she couldn’t shake off the urge to just try a nubble. Gazelle felt her primal instinct taking over and couldn't resist any longer, the grass just looked too delicious. Gazelle cautiously made her way over to the grass and grabbed onto a few blades and took a bite. *munch munch* It was good. She took another bite, *munch munch* it was even better. Then Gazelle ripped a chunk out of the ground and began chewing it. *munch munch munch munch* The grass filled Gazelle’s mouth with delight, in a way she couldn't quite place into words. Gazelle ate and ate until her belly was full once more, “that was the best meal I think i've had in, well forever,” she said to herself. Gazelle got up from the ground, dusting herself off and began reading her book again where she last left off. Gazelle spent nearly the rest of the day finishing up the book, she didn't even realize it took five hours, she closed the book with a loud clap sound, “I really should read more often,” she thought. The rest of the day she watched a few more hours of mindless TV and some scrolling through some streaming services. Just as before Gazelle went to take a shower, hoping in vain that yesterday was a one off and the shower was working now. Gazelle turned the knob and... nothing. Gazelle facepalmed in anguish, she didn't even try to see if the sink was working. She gave a long sigh, “fine, I guess I’ll wait until I get home to take a shower, it would be that bad, right? It was officially one whole week since Gazelle had first arrived at this cabin, and Gazelle was surprised at how much of a wonderful time she was having, with a few “minor” issues. Having all this time to be outdoors, read through some books she had been wanting to read, and to just get away from all the drama and internet use was extremely relaxing for her. In Fact she had actually managed to read all four books she brought with her. Gazelle was a bit sad that this would be her last day of vacation, but there was one thing that she was all the happy to do when she got home, taking a shower. Gazelle wasn’t sure how or why but the plumbing in the cabin was broken, causing her to spend an entire week without a shower and it showed. Gazelle was covered in sweat from the hot and humid weather, and she stunk worse than anything she smelt before, and her hair was super oily and frizzy from the humidity. It was so bad flies started swarming around. Gazelle had just packed up all her things when she decided she wanted to do something special since it was the last day. She decided to take a nice stroll through the forest, but just a short one. Gazelle put on some cloth, her iconic red dress, and began her walk through the forest. Gazelle was beginning to become lost in thought with each step as the calming sounds of the tree and general nature, the feeling of air and the few piercing shreds of sunlight on her skin, it was just so nice and relaxing. Gazelle kept walking and walking as her mind drifted into thought, “I wonder if this is what those naturalists feel like? If so, I'm surprised, but I think I can understand a bit of the apple now” But unfortunately all the peace in her mind would soon shatter when she finally turned around to go back and she realized something that made her very soul sink, she had absolutely no idea which direction led back. Gazelle started to panic, she was so absorbed into her surroundings she hadn't been paying attention to where she was even going the whole time. Gazelle frantically tried to find her way back for hours with negative thoughts bombarding her mind, “what if I never find my way out? What if I starve? What if someone else happens to see me like this!” Soon the sun was going down, it would soon be night. To must it would seem like all hope was lost, but for Gazelle there was one glimmer of hope. You see one of the books Gazelle had happened to bring along with her was actually a Rainforest survival guide, well not exactly. The book was advertised as a mix of a real survival guide and a fiction story, it had good reviews and piqued Gazelle’s interest so she bought it one day, and thank goodness she already finished it just yesterday. Gazelle took a deep breath which helped calm her down though she was still a tad scared, took some large branches, dead leaves and bark, and a few long vines and created a crude shelter for the night. Gazelle layed down on a bed of leaves and found herself surprisingly unafraid by her situation, “it’s almost like camping” she told herself. As Gazelle drifted off to sleep she began to feel a lot more confident about her situation, coinciding in the fact that it was highly unlikely anyone would see her out here and that it wouldn’t take long until she found her way back to civilization. End of part one It was quiet in the forest with nothing but the sounds of wind and nature to fill the void of the lacking noise, and not a soul in sight. While the forest was populated by other mammals there were only groups far from each other, leaving many of the large forest unpopulated. It’s a nice place for if you want to get away from the stress of everyday life and have a moment of peace, just remember not to get lost. As of this moment though that silence was about to be shattered as a long and loud sound of excitement that could be heard for miles, breaching the silence. “YYYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOO!” From the tree’s an individual wearing nothing but the skin was swinging from vines, an expression of pure joy and adrenaline was plastered on their face with their long wild hair flying in the wind. This individual, who appeared to be as free as a bird, living two whole months stuck in the forest all alone, surviving only with the little knowledge they knew, was the one, and only, Gazelle. I bet you're wondering what happened during those two months aren't you. Her first week for Gazelle wasnt to worst experience of her life but differently wasn't the best. The first few days Gazelle did not dare to stray too far from the little shelter she had made for herself, so not much progress was made on escaping. In terms of food she only had the natural grass to munch on and the little container of water she lit on her walk, which Gazelle didn't complain about. What Gazelle did complain about was her increasing smell, which somehow smelled even worse, causing even more flies to swarm her, and she had begun to get covered in dirt from rolling around on the ground at night. Yet the strange thing was that gazelle wasn’t concerned with her increasing BO, or the endless flies, or even all the dirt, sure she wasn’t ‘thrilled’ about it but all those things she surprisingly found she could deal with, rather it was the sticky and uncomfortable feeling from the buildup of sweat and grime. On the fourth day she decided she couldn't take it anymore and needed to find some body of water to clean herself in, plus she was running low on water. Gazelle walked around directionless for a while when she heard a faint sound in her ear, the splashing of water. Gazelle turned her head in the direction of the sound and followed as the sound grew increasingly louder, Gazelle poked her face out and became wide eyed at the sight of a beautiful shimmering pool of water, a small waterfall was pouring water from above. Gazelle, having spent nearly ten days without any kinda bath, wasted no time throwing herself into the water, without even thinking of taking off her clothes before jumping. She dove head first into the water, feeling as her body quickly submerged under the water. Just being in the water made Gazelle feel cleaner and so much better, she could have stayed under the water forever if she didn’t need to breathe. Gazelle spent about half an hour bathing in the water and cleaning herself thoroughly, making sure to get every bit of dirt and grim and soaking her hair clean of oil. Gazelle eventually had to step out as much as she didn’t really want to, shaking herself off and turned her attention to the water soaked cloth she was currently wearing. “Oh dear, I got my cloth all wet,” Gazelle knew she couldn't be wearing wet cloth as it would make it harder to dry but if she did she would be completely naked. Gazelle quickly decided to suck up her pride and take off her dripping cloth, hanging them around a low tree branch to dry. Gazelle sat down on a nearby rock and pondered what to do now. Of course she wasn’t going to take any chances and lose access to water so first she needed to build another shelter. The second shelter took less time to build then the first and was even better with more wiggle room. While Gazelle was building the shelter she could feel wind brushing her skin and fur, sending soft chills through her body. She had to admit, it wasn’t all bad, “perhaps those naturalists are onto something,” Gazelle blushed at the thought in embarrassment. Crawling into her newly crafted den she could feel the dirt she laid on and the leaves that lay on top, the beautiful sound of splashing water cradling her to sleep. As the days passed, eventually turning into weeks Gazelle grew more confident and comfortable in her situation. She lived off the grass and leaves that surrounded her and drank from the waterfall. Gazelle had cleverly found a way not to get lost among the trees by using vines as mackship ropes, tying them around trees to make an easy way back to her shelter. When the temperature started to overheat her she would cover herself in a thick layer of mud, while dirty it was a price to pay if she wanted to stay cool and not covered in sweat, plus there was one other reason. The very first time she tried it was on a particularly hot day, and Gazelle was overheating and was sweating profusely. All of the sudden Gazelle remembered hearing something about how covering yourself in mud could cool your body. At first Gazelle was absolutely against the thought, getting a bit dirty was one thing but coating herself in mud was another thing, but in this brief moment of distraction she tripped, landing face first into a large waist deep area of mud. The landing covered the entirety of the front of her body in thick sticky mud, raising her head out of the mud she spat out the mud that found its way into her mouth. Gazelle was completely disgusted, struggling in an attempt to get out of the mud which only covered the rest of her in mud. Grabbing onto a nearby tree root that was sticking out of the ground she pulled herself out of the mud, leaving a travel of mud behind. Wiping the mud from her eyes Gazelle scanned over her mud covered mody with disgust, she was thankful she was wearing clothes but she quickly realized the cooling sensation that overcame her, it was the coolest she had felt in days. It was pleasant, and ever seen whenever the weather became too much she would just cover herself in mud, albeit a lot less mud then before. Overtime Gazelle began to see how the passing time had begun affecting her hair and fur, all of which had grown long and unkempt. Her fur was long and shaggy, matted and covered in dirt, and her brows grew thick. The most obvious part was her hair, usually styled in a long beautiful golden lock of hair, had now become more of a puffy and messy mop of hair which was slowly covering her eyes. This of course made it quite hard for Gazelle to see, having to blow it out of her eyes every few minutes. Through it all though Gazelle had learned to entertain herself to brighten up her predicament. She’d make up stories in her head inspired by the books she read, skipping stones (with very little success but it was still fun to see the splashed) swimming, taking mud baths, along with a few other things she’d been doing to keep herself from losing her mind, but out of everything her absolute favorite, was vine swinging. It would soon be a month since being lost in this forest and Gazelle wasn't any closer to finding a way out. Gazelle was continuing her search for escape and went tripping once more, learning from her last trip she quickly grabbed on a dangling vine, giving it a hard forceful tough. Gazelle was confused as the vine had not been ripped off its branch yet. So Gazelle gave a tough, progressively growing more forcefull and the vine still held its ground. After the 5th tug Gazelle thought of something she always wanted to try, she took the vine in her hoof and took a few steps back and then rushed forwards, lifting her legs up as she swung back and forth like a swing. Gazelle found joy and a bit of adrenaline leaping forward and swinging around. She did it a few more times, then she saw another vine close by and became determined to swing onto that vine too. She stepped as far back as she could and sprinted forward and grabbed onto the other vine, she swung between the two vines, her messy hair flowing around gracefully, as a smile of joy formed on Gazelle’s face. After a few more minutes Gazelle was finally done swinging and went back to work trying to escape the forest, “That was almost as fun as singing, I should really do that more often. Thus we return to where we began, with a gleeful gazelle swing from the vines clothless. By now Gazelle had fully embraced her more wild side. Most days she didn’t bother putting her clothes back on since they would just get dirty again and she didn't really care much now. Her fir had grown a couple inches longer, becoming even more shaggy, her brows formed together into what looked like one large brow, and her hair grew wilder and longer, completely covering most of her hair. Her body was covered in dirt, mud, grass, twigs, vines, and leaves, but Gazelle stopped caring about that long ago. Flies often flew all around her, particularly around her head but like how messy she had become she also paid no mind to them. Gazelle realized she enjoyed the freedom she felt living in the forest, without having to worry about social norms or being judged, and she couldn’t be more happy. Course she knew eventually she would have to leave, she did have family and friends who must be worried sick about her but the thought came up every little in her mind. It was also during this time Gazelle made a discovery about herself, she grew to like not having to wear clothes, not being constricted by cloth and fabric, it felt liberating. Gazelle even thought about that naturalist club back in zootopia, and the possibility of potentially joining. One day though as Gazelle ran through the forest without a care in the world she had accidentally finally found her way back to the cabin she had been trying to find all this time, “oh yeah, I completely forgot about this place,” Gazelle thought to herself. It was becoming nightfall again and Gazelle was too lazy to travel all the way back to her shelter so decided to stay the night at the cabin. Stepping inside Gazelle didn’t bother turning on the AC or electricity, after all she did just spend two months out in the wilderness. All of the sudden Gazelle heard a ping sound coming from her phone, it was still charging like it was all the time ago, out of curiosity she decided to catch up on what she had been missing all this time, and what she found made her jaw drop like a brick. The first thing she read was a news line titled, “Famous celebrity pop star goes off the radar, have they gone deceased?” and tens of hundreds of similar articles about her disappearance for over two months, along with rumors about her either being kidnapped or even dead, she couldn’t believe it, “oh dear, have you really been out there that long?” Gazelle saw the date and became mortified, she saw it had been two months. Gazelle was in both horror and a strange sense of...accomplishment, maybe? About this and knew that she needed to head back home. She raced back into the bedroom and pulled herself some generic clothes so she wouldn't be as easily recognized when returning home when she looked at herself in the mirror for the first time in all of these two months. Through the large clumps of hair she saw her naked self, all covered in dirt and mud, and what had been stuck in the mud. Pulling past her hair to get a better look at her face she saw a shaggy dirt covered face staring back. She saw her once long flowing magnificent hair turned overgrown mop that grew past her muzzle, and a light brown eye with a large thick brow looking back. The old Gazelle would have screamed at the sight, but the new Gazelle didn’t scream, or cry, or wine, or even gasp in shock, instead as she gazed upon herself she liked it, almost loved it even. Gazelle wasn’t sure why, perhaps it was because of her new care free energy, perhaps it was because it helped cover up her nakedness, but maybe, just maybe it was because after what she had experienced these past two months, with all the emotions and memories, combined with her new look, was just the inspiration she needed for her next big hit. End of chapter 2 Change so Gazlle originally doesnt plan to actually take off her cloth (also she doesnt want to join but look around Gazelle had finally returned home flopping herself onto her couch like a limp sack of potatoes, she missed the forest but couldn’t deny she was ecstatic to finally lay down on something soft again. Gazelle felt too tired to move but after shere effects she got up in a seated position, slouching. Gazelle was tempted to shout from the rooftops proclaiming her return but decided to wait until she was ready for her next song. Some time later Gazelle got immediately to work writing the lyrics to her new song, it was about letting go and embracing your wild side, but something was missing but she couldn't place her hoof on it. “Darn! All I need is that last bit of inspiration and this song will be complete, but where could I find it?” It was then Gazelle remembered a thought she had while in the forest, and she knew just the place, the naturalist club. Of course Gazelle wasn’t planning on actually joining the club, it was more just to see what their like for that final bit of inspiration. Unfortunately for Gazelle there was just one problem, while she was gone hundreds of thousands of mammals began searching all over zootopia and even outside of zootopia trying to look for her, reporters trying to dig up as much dirt on where she could have been, and she knew that even with most of her face being disguised by her overgrown hair she would still most likely be identified, and she didn’t want that to happen, she needed to create a disguise. Gazelle couldn’t just go outside naked nor wear something that was associated with her, so she decided to dig up something that was just right. What Gazelle ended up with was an unused halloween costume she planned to use last year but ultimately went with something else. The costume was a hippie costume that came with a tie dye dress, vest, peace symbol necklace, flare jeans, sandals, headband, pink tinted glasses, and artificial clip in flowers for your hair. It was the perfect attire, no one would suspect she would ever wear something like this casually. Gazelle got dressed, slipping on her sandals, and placing the glasses over her large pile of hair she drove off to the club. Gazelle arrived not too much later, the building was very large with a single door, Gazelle could faintly hear something from over the walls. The front door led to a darkly lit room, the light coming from large crystals on the ground. At the end of the room was what looked to be a receptionist desk with many candles on both sides of the desk. The mammal sitting behind the desk was a male yak who was meditating, one look was all it took for Gazelle to immediately recognize him. The lack of cloth, the smell, the flies, the hair that looked much like her own, it was all coming back to her, she’d seen this person before. It was a few years ago, during the prime of her musical career. Gazelle had just finished another one of her live performances and was walking backstage towards her dressing room to get ready to leave, she noticed two police cars parked close by, lights flashing. Gazelle was both concerned and curious about the presence of police, compelling her to investigate the matter. Turning the corner to take a peak, before gasping in shock and hiding back behind the corner, her face red as a tomato. Two police officers were taking a handcuffed yak into their car which wasn’t too shocking, but it was the lack of any clothing that surprised her. Gazelle quickly glanced back again just to make sure she wasn’t seeing things, and sure enough he was completely naked. The yak was also saying something that was hard to hear from where she was standing but she could make out him saying something about “first amendment rights” and something called “naturalism.” That was the first time she ever heard about naturalism and was what led her to learn about it and about the club, so in a way he’s kinda the reason she’s here in the first place. Gazelle walked up to the desk and waited a couple of seconds to see if the yak would notice her presence, he did not. “Um, excuse me?” Gazelle quietly said, but he continued doing his meditation. “Excuse me.” Gazelle said slightly louder, but the yak didn’t budge, in fact his meditation was louder. “Excuse me!” Gazelle was getting annoyed, her annoyance wasn't helped by the increasing volume of his meditation. Gazelle slammed her hooves onto the desk, startling the yak awake, falling off his desk with a thud. “Hey man, there’s need for such hostility, I'm awake.” Gazelle covered her mouth, his fall looked and sounded painful, “I’m terribly sorry, I was just trying to get your attention and-” the yak cut Gazelle off, “Oh, yeah sorry about that. Sometimes I get lost in the vibes you know."He climbed back up onto his seat, he parted the hair in the way of his eyes and looked over at Gazelle, “hmm, say, do I know you from somewhere? You are kinda familiar.” Gazelle was already prepared for this question, keeping as calm a posture as she could and responded with a simple, “I don’t think so,” trying to sound as casual as possible. “Yeah your right, I definitely would remember someone wearing that unique getup, must've been thinking of someone else.” Gazelle wasn’t sure to take that as a complement or not. “Anywho, what brings you to the Mystic Spring Oasis Ms?” “Gazette!” Gazelle mentally facepalmed, “Gazette? Really! Couldn’t have chosen ANYTHING else.” “Gazette? I like it, it suits you.” At least he liked it. Gazelle continued, “I’ve recently found myself interested in the whole naturalism thing, and was wondering if maybe I, have a look around.” The yak smiled, “Well of course, we're always happy to show folks around” Gazelle softly smiled, “Thank you. Is there anything I have to do first? Any fee or something?” The yak laughed at the question, “Oh no no no, nothing like that, just sign your name on this visitor's pass.” He handed Gazelle one of those stickers you write your name on, Gazelle wrote her false name down on the sticker and stuck it onto her shirt. “There, so could you tell me where I need to go exactly?” “Sure, before that though just know the changing rooms are down the hall.” Gazelle was flustered, “um, sorry, but I don’t think I’m fully ready or comfortable with being naked around other mammals yet. Could I maybe keep at least some of my clothes on, at least until I get familiar with the club?” “Sure, most new mammals that come around feel the same way when they come here, in fact I myself once struggled with that too, but if you decided to change your mind just let me know.” Gazelle thanked him for understanding as he brought her to the large door. “By the way I just want to say I really like your hair, it kinda reminds me of mine.” Gazelle thanked him for the compliment but had to admit he pulled it off way better. The yak opened the door as bright light poured out, Gazelle went redder in the face than ever before. Dozens and dozens of naked animals everywhere, splashing around in a pool of glistening water, bears scratching up against trees, others bathing in mud and some just lounging around or taking a nap. Gazelle wasn’t sure what to be expecting from this place but it definitely wasn't this. “Yelp I gotta get going, I have some important meditation to finish, have fun.” Before Gazelle could even react he was gone. Gazelle was left alone, frozen in place with intimidation. Gazelle suddenly felt a deep pit in her stomach, slightly due to her fear of them somehow finding out her true identity but also general uncomfortableness about being surrounded by nakedness. Gazelle quietly shuffled herself into a corner and sat down quietly, lucky everyone was enjoying themselves too much to notice the fully dressed shaggy Gazelle that had just arrived. Gazelle found herself a nice big tree to sit under, casting a cooling shadow around her. She sat and watched what everyone else was doing, and their joyful expressions. She used her alone time to think, taking it all in, and pondering about what all those naturalists were feeling. “They really look like they're having fun,” she thought. Gazelle was almost jealous about how much they were enjoying themselves, sure Gazelle did understand the kinda joy one can get from not having to hold onto to societal bounds, her two month trip to the forest was enough proof of that, but she couldn't understand how one could be comfortable doing it surrounded by others. As Gazelle questioned she was reminded about her very first concerts, back then she was just like any other gazelle. She usually sang at open mic nights and sometimes bars, Gazelle only did cover songs though as she didn’t have enough confidence to ever write something of her own. She could vividly remember nearly every thought and emotion that would go through her head, every fearful and anxiety inducing thought. What truly caused all that fear was the feeling of being watched with those judging eyes, piercing through her soul, not helped by that fact her whole family would usually also be there. She felt as if every little stutter or mistake she made was noticed, and only added to the worrying feeling of their judgment. Yet as the more performances she did and the more practicing she didn’t feel it as strongly anymore, and her confidence began to grow and grow, to the point where she didn’t even see the staring as a bad thing, quite the opposite in fact. She began to see not just their eyes but the rest of their faces too, and their happy expressions while hearing her sing, something she hadn’t noticed before. After every performance Gazelle didn’t hear the thoughts of negative judgment but instead heard the crowds clapping and cheering. Her realization that others actually enjoyed her singing, and the praise her family gave her was just the confidence boost she needed to begin writing her own songs, which was what brought her to where she is today. It was then Gazelle realized that what she felt all those years ago was similar to what was happening to her now. The same feeling of judgment about something she actually enjoyed doing and the thoughts of self doubt, of course it wasn’t exact but it was similar enough to where she could see the similarities. It was right then and there Gazelle knew what she needed to do, Gazelle took off her clothes, the wind blowing through her fur and hair, and decided to join the fun with full confidence. It was a few hours later before Gazelle arrived back to her home, she had so much fun. She did basically everything the club had to offer and it was a blast, swimming, sun bathing, mud baths, volleyball, yoga, she even made a couple friends too. Gazelle took a shower in order to clean all the mud and grime out of her fur. She sang to herself while bathing, the song that she had finally finished writing after over two long months. Gazelle dried herself off and brushed her hair out to give it more of the wild untamable look she had grown to love, put her cloth in the wash, and snuggled into bed, ready for the big day she had been waiting for. The news spread quickly all over zootopia, “GAZELLE RETURNS AFTER TWO MONTHS!” All of her fans were thrilled not just by the fact she wasn’t dead, but that apparently she was going to do something special. Everyone was speculating on what this “special” thing could be, some believed it to be some kinda partnership or brand deal, others believed she would announce her retirement, and of course many believed that Gazelle was about to debut a new song. Before the night of the surprise a reporter managed to get an interview with Gazelle, though only over a phone call. The reporter wasted no time getting straight to the point, “Ms. Gazelle, where have you been these past two months?” “It’s a long story, let’s just say I had myself a little vacation and I may or may not have gotten lost, for a while.” Gazelle awkwardly laughed. “Well what about this ‘surprise’ that mammals are talking about? Is there any truth to these rumors?” “Yes, I’m proud to announce that while I was away I wrote a song about my experience.” “Are you willing to give a date?” “Tomorrow,” that single word sent Gazelle fans crazy. On the night of the concert everyone waited in anticipation, just barely holding it in when Gazelle walked up onto the stage. Everyone was confused, “who is this hairy, hippie dressed gazelle?” The crowd thought that this couldn’t be her, or it was some kind of joke, but everyone was pleasantly surprised once they heard music beginning to play and the all too familiar singing voice of the one and only Gazelle. She sang about someone being held down by self conscious thoughts about being judged, but after letting their wild side show itself feeling as if they could do anything, finding acceptance in others with a similar wild side too, it was a hit with the crowd. Over the following day’s Gazelle would tell the world her story about being stranded in a rainforest and everything that happened, and the news ate it all up. Her new song was a complete success, topping the charts. The naturalists club had also gained an increase in members due to the song, while never mentioning naturalism in the song many who listened to the song wanted to try letting their wild side out, and what better place to start but with the one and only Mystic Spring Oasis. As for Gazelle she had embraced her new found fondness for naturalism, and decided to keep the hippie costume as one of her main outfits. Gazelle spends a lot of her time hanging out at the naturalist club, as she became a full fledged member, sitting in the shade and relaxing, happy that she decided to try one more thing. The End.