Zootopia: ZPD Mysteries: Case #2: On Dimm Avenue

Chapter 11: A Tale of Two Speeches

One week later...

"And now," the suit-clad young chimpanzee behind the podium announced, "I give you Ms. Gazelle Angela."

At this, the entire assembled crowd in front of the Palm Hotel and Casino broke into thunderous applause, cheering on their heroine as she took the stage.

Out in front of the Palm, animals were gathered in a mishmash cluster of reporters, onlookers and avid fans of Gazelle, standing on the flat concrete sidewalks arranged in a semicircle around a small platform and podium. The heat from the mid-day sun soaked through their feet and into their bodies. Most were dressed in loose clothing, to ease the discomfort, and to make it easier for sweat to evaporate away. Only the reporters, a select few from the Zootopia Times, ZNN and XOF News, were dressed in business suits. They knew that they were gathered for a monumental occasion. Only a few artists had ever been known to receive a diamond record label, and the citizens of Zootopia were proud to claim one of their own.

Gazelle stepped up to the stage, dressed in her newest attire. Her dress was a shimmery light blue, made of the finest silk, which shone under the light of the sun. It left her gold-furred shoulders exposed to the elements (all the better, it was extremely hot that day), and fell down to her mid-thigh. The hem was extended a bit by long clusters of diamond-colored beads that rattled as she walked, continuing the trend set by her concert costume for G.A.E.A. Elaborate blue sandals wrapped around her feet and stretched up her lower legs, almost like boots, and around her neck she wore a long, beautiful necklace of solid silver, like a piece of spun moonlight hanging from her neck.

She was beautiful as always, and, stepping boldly onto the stage, she walked towards the chimp, who was eagerly holding up a translucent, faceted circular object in the shape of a record disc as he stood behind his podium. Her skirt swished lightly as she walked, like wisps of smoke around her.

The chimp held Gazelle's award aloft, and, with the natural grace she was born with, she gingerly took the award in her hooves, like she was performing some delicate surgery.

"Congratulations, Ms. Gazelle, on winning this award," the chimpanzee whispered as he handed it off to her.

"Thank you, Chim," Gazelle replied. "This is an honor to say the least."

"Do you have a few words to say to the crowd?" Chim asked, curious.

Gazelle nodded as she took her positon behind the podium. The beads around the hem of her dress rattled slightly as she put her award down on the surface. She placed both hooves on the podium as she collected her thoughts and finally voiced them to the crowd.

"Hi, everyone," she said to the crowd.

The crowd responded with a collective "hello" as they snapped a few pictures here and there of the beacon of hope in Zootopia.

She paused for a brief moment, continuing to gather her thoughts.

"If you thought I'd be all happy and excited to get this award," Gazelle began, "don't worry. I am excited to receive this award. It's been a long time since 2004, when I first debuted. My fans have been extremely loyal, and when I think of the legions of supporters on MuzzleBook, on Tweeter, and on Zelledom.net, my blog, I can't help but marvel at how far things have come.. I've enjoyed performing for all of you across the state. I promise to stay humble and continue to produce fantastic music for you all. But I couldn't do it at all, first without the One that provides for us all, and second, without my devoted friends. You all know I started out with a group called Difursity, out of Capital City, correct?"