Posted on 2020-06-19 09:27:24
Score: 2 (vote Up)

Below is a medium-long story from the source link explaining how they got in this situation with the hypnotic bells. This story could also be considered spoilers for Zootopia the movie.

Chief Bogo and Officer Clawhauser waited paitently in the city hall waiting room. They had an important meeting with Mayor Lionheart. Clawhauser was excited to be invited to what he thought was the start of an important mission, but Bogo was more annoyed than anything else. It wasn't unheard of for the Chief of Zootopia's police force to have a closed door meeting with the mayor, as he did report directly to him, but to personally invite Clawhauser. That part left the buffalo a little confused, however he had no choice but to just hear the mayor out.

"Isn't this exciting Chief?" The cheetah was kicking his feet with anticipation as he looked up at the buffalo with a broad smile. "This could be a big step in the life of Clawhauser, Oh!. Maybe I'll soon become traffic cop Clawhauser! What do you think Chief!?"

"Don't push your luck." Bogo scoffed and stared straight ahead. He was adamant to not play into his colleague's excitement too much, or else he'd egg him on even moreso than necessary. "Try to keep your composure when you meet the mayor, okay?"

"Ah yes, of course. I wont let you down Chief!" Clawhauser gave a proud salute to the buffalo. He really was excited about his job. After a while of waiting, one of Lionheart's secretaries came out carrying a clipboard and a few books.

"Bogo. Clawhauser. The mayor is ready to see you now."

"Thank you." Chief Bogo said sternly as he stood up. Clawhauser on the other hand practically jumped out of his seat.

"Oh boy oh boy!" The cheetah hopped around the office. The secretary was almost afraid he was going to put a hole in the floor with how heavy he possibly was.

"Yes... Of course. Follow me." The secretary stepped forward but was stopped by the Buffalo.

"Don't worry. I know the way and I'll be better handled to hold this one down if need be." Bogo stated. He was blunt, firm, but honest.

"No, I insist. Please, follow me." The secretary glared at the buffalo and began to lead the two police officers down the hallway. Bogo followed her, along with Clawhauser in tow. He wasn't really a fan of following, but he had no choice and it was better to do what she said than to cause a fight. He was already going to have a hard time meeting with the mayor with Clawhauser. Why did Lionheart want him there anyway? He would have to ask.

The secretary stopped in front of the mayor's office and turned around.

"Open the door."

Bogo was confused. He really didn't need to be told to open the door, but it was easier to just open the door like he was told. He was going to open the door anyway. He had to in order to see the mayor. He reached forward and turned the knob. It was odd, but he felt good opening the door. A quick passing feeling that he brushed off as they stepped inside. Clawhauser excitedly followed behind, closing the door perhaps a bit too loudly.

"Oh, welcome Bogo. And I see you brought a friend with you too." The mayor was sitting behind his desk behind a load of paperwork. He was in his usual attire, a black suit with a red tie.

"Yes? You wanted to see us didn't you?" Bogo looked at the mayor with an inquisitive stare.

"Did I? I don't remember scheduling an appointment with you." Lionheart began to shuffle through the papers, attempting to find his calendar. "Maybe it's a different day?"

"No, it was definitely today." Bogo stepped forward into the room. "This one," he pointed at Clawhauser, "wouldn't shut up about it."

"Yes sir, hello, my name is Clawhauser, I work the dispatching and secretarial work for the ZPD!" The cheetah wasn't ashamed to show every last ounce of excitement he had bottled up over the week. "It's a great honor to meet you sir!"

"Ahh yes. Likewise, however I really don't remember having anything to talk about with either of you." Lionheart scratched his mane as he began to think. After a brief pause, he spoke. "What gave you guys the idea to come here?"

"We received a letter from your office sir! It was stamped on official city hall paper too!" Clawhauser dug through his pocket and pulled up a rather crumpled piece of paper. He was eager and quickly extended his hand to offer the letter to the lion. Lionheart took the paper and unfolded it meticulously. The room was silent as the mayor began to read over the typed letter thoroughly. Before the mayor could finish reading, Bogo spoke up.

"Does anything look out of place? I'm getting suspicious."

"No, it is city hall stationary and that is our seal, but I didn't write this. It doesn't sound like me at all." The mayor put the letter on his desk and began to think. However, he was quickly interrupted by an unforeseeable event.

Down from the ceiling, dropped two two cowbells. The ringing echoed throughout the room as the bells were tugged by their strings from the force of the decent. All three men stared both in shock, and confusion.

"What's going on!?" Bogo shouted, but his words were drowned out by the ringing.

"How did those get up there?" Lionheart questioned, ignoring the buffalo's concern. The bells continued to ring, as if they were being tugged at manually. The frequency increased as the room filled with ringing. Nothing but the ringing of the bells. It was getting hard for either of them to formulate a sentence, let alone a thought.

Bogo moved forward to grab at one of the bells, but something stopped him. What was it? He couldn't tell, but he couldn't bring himself to stop the bells. Lionheart also didn't make a move. Bogo couldn't tell if he was stunned just as he was, or if he was waiting and watching to see. Clawhauser of course, didn't want to make a move past his superiors, so he just stood their and listened to the ringing.

That ringing. It kept going, unstopping. It wasn't just echoing throughout the office. It was echoing throughout their minds. Bogo tried to lift his arms to cover his ears but he couldn't move them. They stayed at his side, obediently. He wanted so bad to just reach out and stop the bells. Just grab them and tear them down, but he couldn't. The ringing blocked any thought he could have. The ringing halted any movement he could have made. The ringing ceased any resistance he might have been feeling.

It was beginning to annoy him. He didn't know why he was acting the way he was. Why was he feeling the way he was. The confusion left the buffalo with a rather bewildered expression. His mouth stood agape and his stare became rather empty. What little thoughts he had were developed to the ringing and to trying to figure out why he was how he was. It was rather tough, almost too tough, but soon he managed to formulate the reason. He managed to figure out why he was acting the way he was.

"I am not a buffalo. I am a sheep." Bogo droned. His expression had hardly changed as he vocalized his revelation to the room. Clawhauser stepped back with concern.

"Chief? What are you saying?" Clawhauser stepped forward and examined the buffalo. "Are you okay? You're acting funny."

"I am not a buffalo. I am a sheep." Bogo repeated again, his stance stiff and his face blank as the ringing clouded his mind. Clawhauser turned to the mayor, hoping to find some support or an answer from the man in charge.

Lionheart was staring ahead as well, his face was marked with a grin. A rather wide smile was spread across the mayor's face as he stared ahead, standing up stiffly just as the chief of police was. In his mind he too was having the same confusing thoughts as Bogo was. Why was he acting how he was? Why was he not taking action? It was when Bogo spoke that the mayor began to smile, because Bogo had given him the answer his mind was desperately searching for.

"I am not a lion. I am a sheep." Lionheart droned on with the buffalo. The two of them standing stiffly by each others side, listening to the ringing and chanting their mantra. Clawhauser stepped back. He was afraid now. He didn't know what was going on but something about the bells was making the two men act differently. The cheetah bolted to the door but he couldn't open it. No of course he couldn't, he wasn't told to. Bogo opened the door when he was told to, but Clawhauser wasn't told to open the door so how could he. He was scared, worried, and concerned as his feeling reflected on his face. The ringing continued, joined in by the choir of the two men behind him.

"I am a sheep."

Of course. He wasn't a cheetah. It made sense now. Clawhauser knew what he had to do. This is why he was so excited. He stood next to his Chief and began to chant.

"I am not a cheetah. I am a sheep." Clawhauser droned on. All three of them now continuing their mantra as the bells led them.

"I do not lead, I follow.
I do not think, I obey.
My head is full of wool.
I am a sheep."

On and on they continued to drone on. Neither of them knew how long it had been and neither of them had that thought. After all their heads were full of wool, not thoughts. Somewhere along the process they had been undressed, with bells of their on placed around their necks. That way they wold stay docile obedient sheep, their own bells reinforcing them every time they moved in line with the rest of the herd. Perhaps the same thing was happening to predators throughout Zootopia. One by one falling victim to the bells incessant ringing. Being collard and belled just like the other members of the herd. Of course Bogo couldn't care anymore. He was just another sheep, along with the rest of them, following orders and obeying his commands just like a good sheep should do. He followed, and he was happy.

Posted on 2020-06-21 02:50:44
Score: 0 (vote Up)

I absolutely LOVE this mantra! It's so mind-numbing...