New Zoo (Original Series by Wallace111)

New-Zoo-Jaguars

The night was becoming increasingly dreary, as if a bad omen was within the very air as the nearby apartment stood firm. It was as if it was the sole beacon of hope within the surrounding area.


Within the apartment, John was currently hunched over in a chair. He was staring at the tape directly on his coffee table.


The tape that had caused this situation. The tape that was responsible for raising the stakes.


"Was it worth it?" wondered John, quickly dismissing such thoughts as he noticed Lauren approaching from the side. He turned to face her, wondering what she was about to ask.


"Would you like a cup of tea?" asked Lauren, noticing John's change in expression, if only for a moment he seemed genuinely happy.


"Yes, I would," said John simply, Lauren frowning for a moment as his expression had almost immediately dropped. She departed towards the kitchen nevertheless, knowing the cup of tea would help ease John's nerves.


As Lauren stood in the kitchen, placing the kettle on to boil she found herself in thought once again. She prepared two cups, one for John and one for herself, placing them on a tray as she couldn't help but let her mind wander. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't help but feel resentment building up within her as familiar thoughts returned once more.


"Why do you keep ignoring me John?" thought Lauren, stewing within her frustrations as she thought back to the last few weeks. Ever since Amanda had gone maverick, John had become more withdrawn. It was as if his entire existence centred around bringing the New Zoo to justice.


Lauren sighed as the kettle blew out steam, indicating the water was boiled as she grabbed it from the stove. She poured the hot water into the cups, brewing the tea as she picked up the tray, walking back into the living room where John was still sitting.


"Thank you," said John, noticing Lauren placing the cup on the table as he turned to look at his phone which was beside the tape.


"I don't think she's going to ring," said Lauren, settling near John as she tried to put him at ease. "Why don't we call it a night? I could find something on tv?" offered Lauren, feeling something building up in her chest. It felt familiar...like that night they went to the movies together.


"Lauren" started John, sighing as Lauren's good mood immediately deflated. "This is important. The Zoo needs to be brought down, for Amanda, for Andy and Mindy, for..." said John.


Lauren had zoned out at this point. She couldn't help but become increasingly irritated by John when he went off justifying his investigation.


"For once, I just wish you'd pay me more attention than that bloody Zoo John," thought Lauren, irritation building up in her being. "It's like he's teasing me" continued Lauren as she felt her irritation building further as she barely suppressed her anger.


She began to pay attention to John once more, trying to distract herself from her thoughts as she saw John looking at her.


"I just fear that Amanda' going to put herself in danger," said John, his expression concerned as Lauren felt a sense of confusion come over her.


"He's acting almost like he's her father" wondered Lauren internally as she looked back at John. Despite her irritation with her, she felt she should at least reassure him.


"I'm sure Amanda can take care of herself, she wouldn't think of doing anything stupid," said Amanda, noticing Johns's expression remained the same. She was beginning to feel rather annoyed at how John seemed to be paying more attention to Amanda than her.


"I'm bored of always being last place," thought Lauren, barely holding back her frustration as the phone suddenly rang. Before she could react, John had already picked up the phone as he answered the call.


"Hello, John," said an ominous voice on the other line as John looked at the phone.


"Who is this?!" asked John, confused as he checked the caller id. There was no name on the other line.


"I figured you'd know me by now. Especially since you've been interfering with our business for long enough" stated the voice, her tone mocking.


"Cut the theatrics already!" demanded John, his anger causing Lauren to move back slightly, not used to seeing this side of John.


"You're no fun," said the voice mockingly. "Fine, Charlotte's my name and profiling people is my game and you've...certainly been fun to profile," said Charlotte, her voice giddy as if she was barely holding something back.


"The Zoo, you're from the Zoo," said John, the words hanging in the air as he looked back to the phone, fearing that things were about to go from bad to worse.


"Good," said Charlotte, taking a moment before continuing "you certainly catch on quickly. Hopefully, you're everything that the others say you are."


"What do you want?" demanded John, wanting the person on the other line to get to the point already.


"Simple, you stole something that belongs to us. We just want you to return it" said Charlotte. "To ensure your cooperation, we have your friend Amanda," said Charlotte as noise could be heard on the other end.


"John, Don't do it! It's a trap!" implored Amanda, her voice sounding as if she was begging.


"Ivan, control her please" demanded Charlotte as John could only listen to Amanda's screams on the other line.


"Amanda, you're a fucking moron!" thought Lauren, barely holding back her frustration as she turned to look at John. In contrast to how she was feeling, he seemed rather tranquil about the situation.


"You're sick," said John, finding himself at a loss for words.


"I guess, however, this never would have happened if your friend here didn't try breaking into our property" explained Charlotte. "Still, I want the tape and you're going to give it to me. Otherwise, Amanda will die."


"You can't kill her," said John, his voice small as the reality of the situation began to sink in.


"Wanna bet?" replied Charlotte, John could almost imagine the smile she was wearing on the other line. "I don't think she can take many more controlled shocks," said Charlotte.


"Ok, where should we meet?" asked John, his assertiveness slowly reemerging.


"Come to the Zoo, I'll be there. I figure it goes without saying if you want to see Amanda alive come alone" said Charlotte as she hung up.


John stayed still for a moment, the dial tone ringing as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. Lauren moved slowly towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.


"It's obviously a trap" stated Lauren, finding herself at a loss of how to reassure John.


"Obviously but...I cannot leave Amanda in their hands" replied John, standing up as he looked directly at Lauren. He then began to move towards the front door, grabbing his coat as he did so.


"Where are you going?" asked Lauren, unsure as to what exactly John was planning.


"I need some time to think alone," said John, turning back to face Lauren. "Lauren, I need you to stay with the tape" continued John, noticing Lauren's look of frustration despite her effort to hide it.


"Why, what's your plan?" asked Lauren, not even trying to hide her frustration.


"For once...I don't have one" admitted John as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "But you need to trust me on this one. I'm counting on you to keep the tape secure. Without it, we have no bargaining power. Amanda's life depends on us now." explained John as Lauren nodded, despite her internal frustration, what John said did make sense.


"I'm being sidelined again," thought Lauren frustratingly as she noticed John opening the door. He departed as he entered his car, pulling out of the parking space as Lauren watched him go.


She shut the door, locking it as she headed back towards the living room. The phone and tape were still on the table where they had been left. Lauren sat down in a nearby chair, trying to reconcile her emotions as she felt great uncertainty about the future.


Within the Transport:


Charlotte was currently sitting within the transport which had been organised to transport her and her hostage to the Zoo. She turned to look back at her hostage, Amanda still reeling from the controlled shock she had been given only moments ago.


"Perfect," thought Charlotte, noticing the look Victoria was giving her. Charlotte couldn't help but smile as it appeared to be a combination of horror and scepticism. Victoria was clearly wondering just what all this was going to amount to in the end.


Charlotte felt the transport coming to a stop as the smile she was wearing grew. She was one step closer to accomplishing her plan as she unclicked her seatbelt, standing up as she looked towards Ivan.


"Ok Ivan, I need her off the transport," said Charlotte as Ivan took another glance to Victoria who signalled to him to do as he had been asked.


The back of the Transport opened up, whirring and clicking as a ramp began to form. Ivan picked up the chair Amanda was trapped in as he began to walk down the ramp. The weight from the chair and Amanda barely slowed him down as he noticed a small squad of his men exiting the transport as well.


"Form a perimeter around the Zoo Alexei, as previously discussed" explained Ivan, turning to his comrade who nodded. Alexei then directed the squad, causing them to take positions which gave them a good sweep of anything approaching the Zoo.


Ivan continued to carry Amanda, Charlotte and Victoria not too far behind as the group walked under the stone archways into the Zoo.


"Place her there" directed Charlotte, pointing towards the centre of the Main Hallway as Ivan shifted Amanda into position.


"What are you hoping to accomplish with this?" demanded Amanda, her defiance still remaining despite the burns that now covered her skin.


"Everything will be clear soon" replied Charlotte, a wide smile adorning her face as Amanda felt rather creeped out. She tried to struggle against her binds once more but as she saw Charlotte about to direct Ivan to shock her once more, she immediately stopped, accepting her fate.


"Guard Amanda Ivan, I need to have a private discussion," said Charlotte as Ivan nodded, taking position beside Amanda as Charlotte began to walk towards Victoria.


"I need you to get the police on speed dial but do not call them yet," said Charlotte confidently, Victoria still a bit on edge after everything that had occurred this evening. "Also, make Rebecca and Elizabeth feel welcome when they show up. I don't want them to miss what comes next" said Charlotte as she began to walk deeper into the Main Hallway.


"Where are you going?" asked Victoria.


"I need some air for a moment" replied Charlotte as she left, leaving Victoria and Ivan within the Main Hallway. The pair seemed rather confused but knew that all would soon be revealed.


Within the Apartment:


Lauren hadn't moved from the chair she was sitting in since John had left. She was still staring at the phone as resent began to surface once more. She couldn't hold it back any longer as she got up.


"Why is this so important to him?!" shouted Lauren, her frustrations boiling over as all the times John had rejected her advances began to playback in her mind.


"If he wasn't interested in me, I wish he'd just say it!" continued Lauren as she stared at the phone, considering whether to throw it against the wall.


"No, I'm going to solve this problem...my way," said Lauren, forcing herself to calm as she picked up the phone. She proceeded to check the call history as she rang the last number called.


She heard the phone ringing as she felt her anxiety growing. She felt doubt begin to enter her mind which was quickly beaten down by the channelled rage she was feeling.


"Hello?" asked Charlotte on the other line.


"Is this Charlotte?" said Lauren, holding back the annoyance in her tone.


"Yes, it is, what do you want?" replied Charlotte, her tone indicating she seemed a bit fed up.


"I have an offer for you" stated Lauren, doubt coming to her mind once more as she wondered if she was doing the right thing. She pushed on regardless, her resentment forcing her to continue.


"Go on," said Charlotte simply, almost sounding bored as Lauren couldn't help but feel minorly frustrated by her.


"I'll give you back the tape, hell I'll convince John to drop his investigation but you need to promise that Amanda will be returned to us alive," said Lauren.


"Hmm" wondered Charlotte, taking a moment as she pretended to contemplate the offer she had been given. "Ok, I accept, come to the Zoo so we can make arrangements" finished Charlotte as she hung up.
Lauren looked at the phone as it hung up. She then turned to look at the tape.


"Can I really do this?" wondered Lauren, shaking her head as she grabbed the tape, suppressing the guilt she could feel was beginning to develop.


"I hope John will one day forgive me for this" mumbled Lauren as she put on her coat, departing via the front door as she proceeded to walk towards the Zoo.


Charlotte was standing within the Outside Section of the Zoo. It would soon be time as she smiled, heading towards the Penguin enclosure where she knew the Spirit would be.


"Everything's going according to plan," thought Charlotte joyously as she skipped towards the enclosure, excited for what she knew was about to happen.


On the Dark Side of Town:


Harsh winds had begun to pick up, thumping against the buildings within this area of town. It was an unspoken fact that you didn't want to be alone around these parts after dark. Too many people had gone missing as the area had begun to build quite a negative reputation.


There were very few people on the streets, most choosing to occupy shelter from the increasing winds or thought to have been scared off by the reputation of the area.


Surprisingly, within a nearby payphone which was currently being battered by the winds stood John. He appeared deep in thought before appearing to ring a number.


"At least I should be undisturbed," thought John, allowing his guard to drop as he began to feel rather unsure of how to begin.


Nevertheless, fearing the worst, John pushed on.


"If this is the last time I get to speak to my family, better make it count," thought John as the line picked up.


"Hello?" asked a woman on the other line.


"Hello Ariel, honey, how have you been?" asked John, his tone surprisingly optimistic.


"I've been ok, Sakura is just looking after our son now" replied Ariel, feeling a little put off by her husband's tone. "John, are you alright? you sound a little uneasy" asked Ariel.


John considered whether he should tell for a moment. He soon relented as he knew his wife would only force it out of him regardless.


"It's been a difficult day at the office, Amanda who I've previously mentioned has been kidnapped" admitted John.


"Oh, I know you were becoming close to her...not too close I hope" replied Ariel, saying the last part in a joking tone.


"What did I do to deserve such an understanding wife?" wondered John internally.


"I guess you're going after her, is this you trying to say goodbye?" asked Ariel seriously, trying to get to the crux of the matter.


"I...I don't know," admitted John. "It's a very delicate situation but she's been held hostage by the Zoo. I've told Lauren to stay put, even told her about you" continued John.


"Good, I disagree with how long you strung her along but as you said...this is a very delicate situation. I think you kissing her was a bit far but I trust you John" replied Ariel.


"I only hope Lauren trusts me as well" admitted John, his tone unusually insecure as his wife pondered how to change the subject, rubbing her hand against her wavy red hair.


"Daughter?" said Ariel, John hearing her calling out to his daughter. "Can you come here for a moment, your father's on the line?" continued Ariel as he could hear sounds in the background.


"Hello?" said a new voice, it was rather small, barely audible as John couldn't help but smile despite the situation.


"Daughter? how have you been?. Hope you've been staying out of trouble" asked John, the last part coming out a little jokingly.


"Of course I have, daddy" replied his daughter, taking a moment before adding "My little brother keeps me busy." She chuckled softly at that, John doing the same as the pair enjoyed a small moment together.


"When will I see you again daddy?" asked his daughter as John hesitated on the other line.


John took a moment to consider his words carefully. He was unsure of what to say that would make his daughter feel better. He began to feel doubtful that tonight would work out. However, he eventually decided to be optimistic, for his daughter's sake if not his own.


"Soon, I promise it'll be really soon," said John, hoping internally for the best so he could live up to that promise.


"I miss you, daddy," said his daughter.


"Me too, sweetie" finished John as he heard a noise in the background.


"Gotta go, need to help mummy with dinner," said his daughter as John heard the dial tone, indicating she had hung up.


Back at the nearby apartment, John's daughter had approached her mother, intending to help prepare dinner.


"Sakura, be a dear and lay the table for me," said Ariel, Sakura nodding in response as she got to work, blissfully unaware of the situation her father was caught in.


Speaking of which, John was currently still holding the phone, feeling uncertainty come over him as he couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation happening to him.


He reached into the pocket of his coat, pulling out a small flask as he stared at it intently.


"Wouldn't be the first time I've found my courage in a single drink" thought John as he took a swig from the flask, the alcohol calming him somewhat as he smiled, content that he could confront the Zoo with no regrets.


"I guess it's time to go be a hero" mumbled John as he exited the payphone, walked over to his car which was parked nearby and prepared for the confrontation ahead.


Final Preparations:


Charlotte had arrived at the Penguin enclosure as she looked within, noticing the new additions. She admired them for a brief moment before shaking her head, she was on a tight schedule and didn't have much time for detours.


"Spirit, show yourself!" called out Charlotte as she noticed something beginning to form. She watched a green glow come down as it expanded, taking on the form that Charlotte had seen in the mindscape.


Its hair puffed out, turning turquoise before becoming rather voluminous as it curled out, brightening with energy as Charlotte smiled, glad that the Spirit was able to bring the energy with it. Its light blue t-shirt with a picture of the Zoo's entrance was shining with bright energy alongside its turquoise jacket.


Its bright green shorts had become even brighter from the energy as energy began to sparkle out from its irises, settling down after a brief moment as Charlotte noted the Spirit's sandals which seemed rather dull against the rest of the majestic display.


"You seem well," remarked Charlotte as the Spirit only nodded in response.


"I take it, it's time for me to play my part?" said the Spirit.


"Yes, thank you for trusting me to get this done" replied Charlotte sincerely as she held out her hand. "As a reward, I'm giving you the chance to know what I have planned ahead of time," said Charlotte, the Spirit looking at her in confusion for a moment. "I haven't told anyone else, I want this to be a surprise, to show people they shouldn't underestimate me" stated Charlotte, ending the last part on a borderline rant as she felt a small calming sensation.


"It's ok, I've seen the part you want me to play but I wish to witness the spectacle without...spoilers, I think is the correct word," said the Spirit.


A small beeping interrupted the pair as Charlotte stared at her watch, noticing it was getting closer to showtime.


"Guess we should head back, the others will be here soon," said Charlotte as the Spirit nodded.


"Agreed, I can feel Elizabeth getting closer as we speak" replied the Spirit as Charlotte stared at it for a moment.


"I'll have to ask Elizabeth about that at some point," thought Charlotte, putting the idea to the back of her mind as she felt herself be surrounded by a sudden glow.


As Charlotte opened her eyes, she found herself back at the stone archways as she saw the 'car' pulling up. She saw the car coming to a stop as she waited for her friends to appear.


She didn't have much time to react as she noticed Elizabeth running up to her. She had even less time to react as Elizabeth pulled her deeply into a hug which, after taking a moment to realise what was going on, reciprocated.


"I'm sorry about what happened" stuttered Elizabeth, almost sounding like she was going to cry. As the hug deepened, she couldn't hold back the tears as Charlotte began to comfort her friend, rubbing her back for support.


"It's ok, I promise it's ok" reassured Charlotte, continuing to support her friend until Elizabeth calmed down. "It's all water under the bridge now," said Charlotte softly as Elizabeth regained her composure.


As Elizabeth looked around, Charlotte looked around as well, trying to account for Rebecca's whereabouts. She noticed her nearby Amanda as she walked up to her. She noticed Rebecca seemed a bit off-balance as Elizabeth also approached.


"Don't mind her," said Elizabeth, Charlotte turning for a moment to face her friend. "We weren't expecting a call from you and...I think she's had a bit too much to drink." admitted Elizabeth as Charlotte nodded.


Rebecca turned to face Charlotte, a small smile on her face as she made an effort to correct her balance. "I've seriously underestimated you Charlotte" began Rebecca, turning to face Elizabeth. "Both of you" continued Rebecca as she moved towards Victoria.


"Victoria...what're you doing here?" asked Rebecca as she noticed Ivan nearby, ready to take action if required.


"Could ask you the same thing" deadpanned Victoria, noticing the distinctive smell of white wine on Rebecca. "Really? the first thing you decided to do was get wasted?" stated Victoria.


"Says the woman who intended to destroy my dream" snarked Rebecca as the pair shot a glare at each other.


Before the argument could escalate, a sudden clapping was heard which silenced the room. Everyone turned to find the origin of the noise, eventually realising it had come from Charlotte who was currently standing in the centre.


"Ladies and Gentlemen, I welcome you tonight to witness me putting on a small show for you all" began Charlotte, her smile widening as the only person who didn't look confused was Elizabeth. "Consider this my attempt to prove myself to you all. Show you why I belong amongst you" finished Charlotte as her smile could only widen further, demonstrating that she was currently enjoying herself.


"Now sit back as we wait for the guest of honour to show up soon to claim their prize," said Charlotte as she began to instruct the group to move into position.


"Ivan, check with Alexei to make sure your men are in position," said Charlotte as she turned to Victoria. "Keep the police on speed dial but not just yet" explained Charlotte as she stopped and stared at Amanda, bending down to meet her at eye level.


"Enjoy the show, you made all this possible after all," said Charlotte bitterly as she grabbed Amanda's head, forcing it upwards as Amanda had no choice but to look straight forward.


"What have I done?" thought Amanda, fear filling her very soul as she realised that whatever Charlotte had planned tonight, she would be forced to watch every painful moment of it.


The Show Begins:


Lauren looked around curiously as she walked under the stone archways, entering the New Zoo. She noticed the group within the Main Hallway as she moved closer towards them. She noticed the looks of confusion that some of them were giving her as she felt slightly nervous regarding her plan.


"What is she doing here?" thought Victoria, taking a small glance towards Charlotte who appeared unsurprised as she inwardly shrugged, guessing that this was just all part of her plan.


Lauren had taken her attention away from the group as she noticed Amanda who was still strapped into the chair, visible burns all over her body as the smoke had subsided for the moment as Lauren could only look in a mixture of worry and anger.


"What were you thinking, Amanda?" asked Lauren, her tone exasperated as Amanda glanced at her, noticing the stern look in Lauren's eyes as she faced the floor once more, unable to maintain the strength to stare directly at Lauren.


"Fortunately, you have John and me to look out for you, isn't it?" said Lauren as she turned away from Amanda to look at the group once more. She glanced towards the group, noticing one of them walking forward. She had short red hair and was wearing a large pair of glasses that covered most of her face.


"You're Charlotte?" asked Lauren, still feeling a sense of unease about what she was about to do.


"Yes," said Charlotte simply as she held out her hand towards Lauren. "Now the tape...please," said Charlotte firmly.


Lauren reached into her coat, pulling the tape out from within as she held it in her hand. She began to move towards Charlotte as she eyed Amanda once more, stopping in her tracks.


"You promised to release Amanda" stated Lauren, her tone sounding as if fed up with this whole situation.


"And I will...just give me the tape first" replied Charlotte, her tone slightly smug and partially condescending. It sounded as if she was talking down to Lauren as Lauren was beginning to feel rather annoyed by the situation.


"Why should I believe you?" asked Lauren, beginning to regret this whole idea. However, it was far too late to back out now.


"It's a bit late to be asking that question" explained Charlotte, her tone once again condescending. "Although you do pose a good question" continued Charlotte, a smile forming on her face.


"What would that be?" questioned Lauren, feeling like goosebumps were forming on her skin. However, what it actually was would be far worse for her!.


"Since when do bad guys honour their deals?" said Charlotte, her grin widening further as it looked downright malicious.


Before Lauren could react further, the goosebumps she had been feeling began to intensify. She could feel a cramp in her back as she realised what was happening.


However, before she could get much further, her back gave way. It forced her to the ground as she found herself unable to get up. She lost her grip on the tape as it fell to the floor, just a little out of her reach as she found herself at the mercy of the changes she knew would be happening to her.


"We had a deal!" cried out Lauren, still finding herself unable to get up as the sensations began to spread over her body. Lauren could only watch as Charlotte walked slowly over, picking up the tape as she turned back to look Lauren directly in the eyes.


"Knowing our career choice, why did you expect us to play fair?" said Charlotte smugly as she stood off to the side, Lauren wondering what she was planning as she realised she was now completely at their mercy.


"Time to do your work Spirit!" called out Charlotte as Lauren barely managed to look up.


"Wait...what's that?" mumbled Lauren, still unable to react as she noticed something forming.


The Spirit took on the familiar turquoise form that had become familiar to it as Lauren could feel the magic surrounding her clothes.


Lauren felt strange as her clothes began to feel very weird. Soon after, she could feel as if they were disappearing from her body as if they were fading away as the glow began to subside.


Soon, Lauren was completely naked as she yelped, trying to cover herself up. She could hear a few snickers from the crowd as she attempted to glare at them which only caused them to chuckle further.


"Don't worry about it, animals don't wear clothes, remember?" said Charlotte as Lauren could feel changes beginning as she began to feel extremely itchy.


She managed to look down, noticing brownish-yellow fur forming from her feet as it began to spread upwards, she could feel cramping in her feet as her toes shifted and morphed, crunching together as her nails began to shift into long claws which scratched softly against the floor.


Lauren could feel her new paws scratching against the floor as the fur began to spread upwards, causing her to feel warm as she got a view of the spots that were forming on her new fur.


"I'm becoming a leopard?" said Lauren, noticing Charlotte's look of confusion for a brief moment before she regained her composure.


"Nope, we've already got a pair of those" replied Charlotte, moving towards Lauren as she was unable to move away as Charlotte studied her forming pelt for a moment. Lauren felt embarrassed as she could only wait as Charlotte continued to study her.


"See these?" said Charlotte, pointing towards one of her rosettes. There were several spots clustered around as a spot was within the centre. "These rosettes are what you see on a Jaguar, which is what I've decided you and John will be becoming" stated Charlotte smugly as she backed away, leaving Lauren at the mercy of the transformation.


Lauren gritted her teeth, trying to resist. Even as she felt the magic begin to focus on her rear, forming what she knew would be her tail, she continued to stare at Charlotte in defiance.


To Lauren's surprise, Charlotte could only laugh as Lauren's composure changed as her expression became one of confusion.


"Sorry...It's just so funny you think you have a reason to keep fighting" said Charlotte, her tone condescending as Lauren glared at her once more. Charlotte couldn't help but laugh once more as Lauren became confused once more. Even some of the group watching the show were confused.


"I know you love John," said Charlotte, relishing in Lauren's eyes widening in realisation as she continued "Funny...how you try to steal away a married man."


Lauren found herself at a loss for words as her resistance began to crumble, the sensations getting stronger. Charlotte saw her expression and, already enjoying the moment, couldn't resist twisting the knife more.


"Oh yes, he's already married, even has a couple of children. We'll be getting to them real soon" said Charlotte mockingly as Lauren felt part of her world crashing down around her as Charlotte smiled.


"Don't worry though, the animal kingdom doesn't have any rules on being faithful to your mate" said Charlotte mockingly. "You'll even have John all to yourself once he arrives" stated Charlotte as she could sense Lauren's resistance shattering.


This caused her changes to pick up pace as Lauren could feel something beginning to grow out of her rear. She could feel her spine growing longer and longer as it flexed out. It began to grow fur similar to her lower body as spots began to form on it, forming a rather beautiful pelt as Lauren found herself unable to hold back the changes any longer.


She could feel her vagina shifting, moving towards her new tail as it shifted directly under her anus, becoming truly animal as Lauren could only stare at Charlotte, fearful as she predicted that Charlotte had something truly terrible in store.


Within moments, Lauren's lower half was now entirely a Jaguar's as the changes seemed to slow down for the moment. The group that had been watching the performance could only watch in awe.


Of particular note, Rebecca was particularly surprised, having noticed similarities throughout which began to creep her out a little.


"This is beginning to feel like Diana all over again," thought Rebecca, confused as to how Charlotte could be aware of those circumstances.
"Has she...has she been profiling us as well?" wondered Rebecca as she began to feel a lump in her throat, she began to realise just how much she had underestimated Charlotte.


Speaking of which, Charlotte took a small moment to look at the crowd, smiling as she noticed their reactions. They seemed genuinely impressed as Charlotte heard something coming from Ivan.


"Someone is approaching the Zoo just now, it appears to be a small car. Alexie had just ID'd that it's John" announced Ivan as Charlotte smiled at him.


"Perfect, right on cue," thought Charlotte as she turned to face Victoria. "Call the police now, this won't take long" ordered Charlotte as Victoria nodded, complying as she continued to watch, curious to see the rest of what Charlotte had planned.


The Final Curtain:


It was only a few moments later that John exited his car within the car park of the New Zoo. He looked towards the stone archways as he noticed what appeared to be light glowing coming from within.


"What's that?" thought John, feeling confused as he considered the possibilities. He shook his head, not wanting to admit what he felt.


"She didn't...she couldn't...could she?" said John as he quickened his pace towards the stone archways as he entered the Zoo.


John immediately noticed the spectacle as he saw Amanda, still strapped to a chair as she took one glance, noticing John before lowering her head, feeling unworthy of even looking at him.


"Amanda, what did they do to you?" thought John, noticing the burns on her skin, still rather fresh from the evening as he turned back to the group which were around her, recognising the Managers as he glared at them.


"Good to see the guest of honour has finally arrived," said Charlotte, walking forward a little as she stared directly at John.


John took a small glance over to Lauren, halfway towards becoming some kind of cat. He was trying to consider his words for a moment as he felt unable to find any appropriate response to what he was witnessing.


"Animals, all of you" mumbled John, turning back to look towards Charlotte. "What did they do to deserve this?" asked John, his disbelief beginning to dissipate.


"Well...Amanda broke into our storage compound...as you know" started Charlotte, John only able to look towards Lauren.


"And Lauren here went behind your back. She thought she was being smart, trying to return the tape. She was willing to compromise everything you've done against us for...love" said Charlotte, unable to resist breaking out into laughter at the end.


John took a moment to collect his thoughts, looking towards Lauren who could only glance back at him mercifully. He sighed, reasoning that there was little reason to try and argue with her now.


"Maybe if you didn't string her along this entire time, none of this wouldn't have happened" started Charlotte, intending to break John further.


"I didn't, I told her about my family earlier tonight" replied John, Charlotte shutting up in surprise, wondering who she had managed to misread the situation. She quickly regained her composure, however, reasoning that it ultimately didn't matter.


They had John now, and whether he knew it or not, he was trapped!.


"Lauren," said John, looking down towards the partially changed woman who was only staring pitifully at him. "I guess you zoned out on me" stated John, feeling unable to hold a grudge even if he wanted to. "I just want you to know..." said John.


"Enough!" shouted Charlotte, startling everyone as her composure had changed. Something had obviously deviated from her plan as she quickly regained her composure. "I'm sure you realise that the terms of our arrangement had changed," said Charlotte, her voice returning to normal.


"Still...I wonder what your wife would think, your children, your daughter perhaps?" said Charlotte curiously.


"Leave them out of this" replied John firmly, glaring down at Charlotte who seemed mildly surprised by his change in tone.


"Surely you jest John, we're a Zoo...a place for families" replied Charlotte, regaining her smug composure that she had been wearing the whole night. "I guess you realise that you're trapped now" added Charlotte as John glared at her once more.


"I know there's no escape, do your worst" challenged John, his tone mildly scaring Charlotte. Fortunately, she quickly regained her composure as she turned back to Elizabeth and Rebecca.


"Hear that, he wants us to do our worst," said Charlotte, motioning Elizabeth and Rebecca to join her. She nodded as the Spirit joined the group as they stared directly at John. John was still appearing defiant even as they began their work.


John continued to glare at the group even as he could feel sensations coming over his body. He began to feel uneasy as he knew that his transformation was beginning.


John began to feel cramping in his hands as he knew what was happening. He continued to resist even as his digits thickened, his little finger bending back into his palm as he saw fur beginning to grow from his hands. Soon, his new claws formed as pads began to develop under his palms as he recognised his new distinctly feline paws.


He began to feel rather warm within as he saw the fur spreading from his new paws as he continued to resist. The fur growing began to slow down to the confusion of the Managers.


"Wait...is he resisting?" thought Elizabeth, confusion on her face as she could feel her and the Spirit channelling their power. "How the fuck is he resisting?!" continued Elizabeth internally, feeling a sense of panic which was quickly neutralised.


"Keep calm, we're breaking through" informed the Spirit to Elizabeth via their shared mind link. "Just need to keep going but...his resistance is truly extraordinary" finished the Spirit as it returned its focus towards John.


"This is surprising, I'm not sensing any reason why this should be this difficult" mused Rebecca, shaking her head as she returned to assist.


"Finally...a worthy opponent," thought Charlotte as she returned her attention to John, eager to finish breaking him.


Despite his resistance, the changes continued to commence, the fur continuing to spread across his body, leaving no skin spared as it covered him in a fine pelt. It was similar to Lauren's lower body, brownish, yellow with spots arranged throughout in rosettes.


John felt a small glowing over his body as he quickly realised his clothes were vanishing. Soon, his fur was exposed to the group as he continued to glare at the group. He took a small glance, noticing the rosettes within his spots. He took a glance at Lauren before turning back to the Managers.


"A Jaguar?" said John, confused. "You're turning us into Jaguars?" stated John, his confusion still present.


"Good to know someone got it" replied Charlotte, taking a moment to point towards Lauren. "Your friend here clearly doesn't know her big cats like you do" finished Charlotte as she returned to assist her friends, causing John to feel further sensations that began to focus around his lower body.


He didn't have much time to react as he felt changes in his rear. He felt something stretching as he looked back, noticing his developing tail. It stretched longer and longer, growing to the true length of the animal he was becoming. It moved from side to side, feeling rather strange as John began to feel something within his mind, something causing the tail to feel natural to him.


John then felt himself become forced to the ground as his hips angled and popped. Unable to support himself upright any longer, he moved down to the ground, settling down on his haunches. His back clicked, ensuring he would never be on two legs again.


Even as he felt his feet changing, nails popping off to give way to claws as his little toes bent back, ceasing to exist within moments as the remaining digits thickened, forming true back paws for the developing Jaguar.


Even as John felt the changes come over him, he continued to resist. He took a glance towards the Managers and...whatever the other thing he could see was. He noted how they seemed to be tiring, smiling a little as he knew they were having to work hard.


"Good to know this isn't easy for them," thought John, affording himself a rare moment to be smug. Even as he felt his groin begin to shift into the animal equivalent, spines developed as it pushed back, stopping under his tail. He came to a bitter realization of what they probably intended to do.


He was proven right as he felt the physical changes slowing. However, the onslaught on his mind which soon followed was proven right as he felt his mind beginning to shift. Even as he continued to resist, he could feel his human thoughts being forcefully altered, becoming something truly animal. He could feel instincts crawling into his mind and despite his resistance, the animal thoughts were ultimately winning out.


"Time for the finale to commence" thought Charlotte, as the magic began to shift slightly, taking attention away from John and returning some focus on Lauren who had been unable to move during all this.


As John's mind was changing, Lauren could feel instincts developing within her. She began to feel a heat coming from her rear as she realised she was going into estrus. Despite her guilt about what was happening, she couldn't help but give out what sounded like a roar. It terrified her when John complied, realising like him what was about to happen.


"John, please no. Think of your wife!" begged Lauren as she tried to move, still finding herself unable to as her lower body began to move, presenting herself to the soon to be male Jaguar.


"I don't think he can understand you anymore" stated Charlotte darkly, smiling as he looked Lauren dead in the eye. "I thought you wanted this...guess you should be careful what you wish for" finished Charlotte as she stood back, rejoining the group as they proceeded to bring the show to a close.


As John approached Lauren, his Jaguar instincts compelling him to come closer and closer as they picked up a female in heat. As he began to move forward, his chest puffed out, muscle developing as his shoulders moved closer together, losing mobility in favour of muscle as from the neck down, he was now a complete Jaguar.


Lauren could feel her own upper body shifting, mirroring John's in many ways as her arms thickened with muscle, her shoulder moving closer together as it no longer felt uncomfortable to be trapped on all fours as her body adjusted to match. She could feel her breasts shrinking. They began to migrate slightly as they multiplied, forming teats for her future cubs to nurse from. Fur spread from his lower body, covering her upper body as it stopped at her neck, leaving her in the same state as John. Speaking of which, she could feel John against her rear now, her developing instinct to mate overriding any possible thoughts of running away.


She barely had time to react as she felt John slip into her. The awkwardness of the sudden intrusion quickly faded away as the intense pleasure she was feeling at that moment took precedence.


John could feel the fur spreading over his head, quickly covering it like the rest of his body as his hair thinned, blending in with the rest of his fur. His teeth sharpened as he could feel another instinct emerging, to bite down on the nape of Lauren's neck, to claim Lauren as his own.


Lauren could feel the same, his face beginning to stretch out into a muzzle as her fur continued to spread across his face. Her teeth sharpened as whiskers began to push out from her cheeks. She could feel her blond hair falling from her head, the final indicator that she was ever human as fur spread across to take its place. Her changes were complete as she felt herself moving towards an inevitable climax.


John could feel the final changes coming over him as his whiskers grew out like Laurens. His face began to push out into a muzzle as his eyes darkened, the iris's widening and becoming golden as his animal instincts took full control. Any remaining human thoughts were quickly eradicated as they were replaced by feral enthusiasm.


As John's changes were complete, he clamped down on the nape of Lauren's neck, claiming her as the pair climaxed. They yowled, their vocalisations now completely animal as they crested over that pinnacle, continuing to vocalise their pleasure with yowls and snarls.


As the pair began to come down, John dismounted from Lauren. His mind was now completely a Jaguars as he felt a little woozy but proud.


The Managers and the Spirit felt the same, John clearly having taken more out of them than they had anticipated as they looked to the newfound pair of jaguars.


"Worth it," thought Charlotte as she admired the majestic nature of the new animals, feeling they certainly didn't disappoint. She held her hand up in a small motion, silently instructing Ivan to play his part.


The After Party:


As Lauren regained her senses, she looked around, observing the world from her new position as she felt a small sense of confusion come over her.


"Wait...I'm still me?" thought Lauren as she didn't have time to react as she felt something 'prick' her new pelt. She managed to turn enough to see, noticing a tranquiliser with her as she felt herself limp off to the side, becoming unconscious within moments.


John quickly joined her, having also been hit with a tranquillizer as the pair were soon unconscious. They had managed to fall close together as Rebecca got out her camera, taking a picture of the pair.


"They look so cute together," thought Rebecca as she smiled with satisfaction, happy that this could finally be put behind them.


"Lauren still has her memories," said Elizabeth, having sensed it via the Spirit. She turned to Charlotte, confused for a moment. "Was that intentional?" asked Elizabeth.


"Yes, now...she'll never forget how she betrayed John and cost them everything" replied Charlotte as Elizabeth nodded.


"You're forgetting someone," said Amanda, her defiance having spiked up again after being forced to watch the transformation as she glared at the Managers.


"Oh yes, how could I forget you?...the one who made all this possible?" said Charlotte mockingly as she heard police sirens nearby.


"Looks like you lose" mocked Amanda, feeling a small sense of satisfaction. It seemed as if the night was beginning to look up for her.


"What makes you think that?" asked Victoria, looking down to look at Amanda. "I called them, they're here to take you for breaking and entering into our private property" explained Victoria as Amanda's eyes widened.


"Wait, what?" questioned Amanda, trying to free herself from the restraints. Try as she might, she found herself unable to get free.


Eventually, Ivan gave her a small smack across the face as she found herself out of energy. Another smack placed her on the verge of unconsciousness as she noticed a blurred image of what appeared to be Victoria speaking with the police.


"I'll bring you down...one day" was Amanda's final thoughts as she fell into unconsciousness.


A few moments later, the police were carting Amanda away, still being detained within the chair as she was taken out of the New Zoo. She was loaded onto a police van and carted away, the van getting smaller in the distance as the Managers felt immense satisfaction.


"I guess she's not coming out?" asked Rebecca, turning to face Victoria.


"Not a chance, the Governor pays their salaries, they'll ensure she's taken good care of" replied Victoria.


"I hope you all enjoyed the show" announced Charlotte as the group turned to face her. She took a small look at the Spirit, considering her words. "Thank you for being a helpful assistant," said Charlotte as the Spirit nodded.


"I was...honestly impressed," said Victoria, motioning to Ivan to prepare an extraction for the new Jaguars.


"If you're telling Ivan to extract the Jaguars, we also have a waddle of penguins and a Serval to be taken back to the Compound," said Charlotte as Victoria nodded.


"I suggest you go and see the others, I can take it from here," said Victoria as she turned back towards Ivan.


Charlotte turned to face her friends as they hugged, truly enjoying the moment together as they realised they were reunited.


Despite the adversity, their friendship had survived and like the New Zoo, would only grow stronger over time.


Shortly after, the Transport had been loaded up as Victoria turned back to the Managers.
"Need a lift?" offered Victoria.


"No, that won't be necessary" replied Charlotte, pointing towards the 'car' as Victoria nodded.


"I look forward to working with you in the future," said Victoria, her previous frustration having faded as she continued "Although, are you sure you can control whatever that Spirit is?."


"Yes, we can handle it" replied Charlotte quickly, not allowing Elizabeth to get annoyed as Victoria nodded, entering the Transport as it pulled away, leaving the Managers within the Zoo.


"I suggest we don't add anything else until remodelling is done" stated Charlotte, facing the group as they began to feel joy once more, happy that they had a future.


"Agreed, we should focus on who we plan to add as staff," said Elizabeth. "We already have Dominic and Valeria. We should look into more" continued Elizabeth.


"Already taken care of, I sent an offer to John's family, particularly for his daughter. I think we should keep an eye on them" replied Charlotte.


Elizabeth nodded as Rebecca looked on at the pair, feeling rather happy at how the duo had grown into the role as she realised that she would have to treat them better than she had been.


She realised that now, she'd have to treat them as equals as she smiled, happy that she would be able to continue her work.


Happy to be able to continue her dream.


The Stinger:


Sakura was in her room, looking out of the window overlooking the city. She sighed as she wondered whether her father would ever be coming back. She saw a shooting star shoot across the sky as she chuckled slightly, remembering her childhood for a moment.


"I just wish I could see my daddy again," said Sakura, realising the notion was childish but it made her feel better nonetheless as she yawned, preparing to settle down for the night.


Little did Sakura know that she would be seeing her father again real soon.


That day would be the day a new hope would rise!

(F in the chat for John and Lauren btw :()