Here is the 69th installment. Hope you enjoy it.

Notes now live at the end of the chapter, so here is the obligatory, on with the show.

Sadly, I do not own and thus can claim no rights to Zootopia or its characters. They belong to Disney.

Here it is everyone, the BIRTHING!

If you are seeing this as a re-post, someone pointed out that in Chapter 63 where Lizz got an ultrasound, the count of young is different than I wrote here. So, I've made corrections to the birth to match that.

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Delivery Room - Hop General Emergency - City-State of Von

Ten minutes later and a dozen collective contractions, Lizz and Judy were set up in the delivery room, size appropriate nurses and a spare doctor, an obvious weasel/rabbit named doctor Yetterbuilt attending Judy under the watchful gaze of Jan, Domi, and doctor Anderton. Doctor Fangmeyer, present as well in case the process of the labor caused any relapse or issues from the poisoning.

Jan and Mike marveled at the technology in place for the birthing. It included monitors that were able to differentiate the heartbeats of the different kits, and an imaging system that showed a live representation of where the kits were, how they were oriented, etc… displaying as a projection above the bed of both mothers.

Grins on all four parents' muzzles as they were able to really see their young in much more detail than before. Nick turned from the display and looked at Judy, holding her paw and ignoring the vice-like crush she was currently applying as she underwent another contraction. Doctor Yetterbuilt nodded at some readings that only he seemed to be able to see. "Very good. The first kit is almost in position, and you should be pushing shortly. I'll let you know. Looks like it'll be the Box female."

Nick kissed Judy on the forehead. "You're doing great, love. Once this contraction is over, I'll call your parents." Turning to the doc. "Box?" Not noticing that Elli had walked in with her phone out.

Doctor Yetterbuilt grinned. "Yes. Box. Sorry, I forgot you are from Zootopia. We have so many hybrids here, we actually have names for them. It is based on the primary traits displayed at birth. In the case of who appears to be planning on being first born, she is a Box. Meaning Bunny/Fox, her primary traits being from her mother. That doesn't mean as she grows up that she won't take on more of her foxy fathers traits, like I did. I was born a Beasel. A Bunny/Weasel, and save for my tail, you wouldn't have known I was a hybrid when I was born. But, when I hit puberty, well, dad's genes kicked in a bit." Giving a warm smile. "As for calling her a Vixen or a Doe, we usually go with the fathers species designation, but it is a personal decision. She'll be listed as female on her birth certificate. So, by way of example again, I refer to myself as a buck instead of a jack."

Judy and Nick grinned back. Judy spoke with a shiver as Nick caressed her cheek and ran an ice cube up her ears to help her cool down. "That's great. So much better and it makes sense. Later in life, if she wants to refer to herself as a doe, that'll be her decision."

"Exactly. Now, when you feel the next contraction start, I need you to push. It's time."

Judy nodded. "They're not too big for me?"

The doctor shook his head. No. Their bodies are a lot more flexible and compressible right now than they will be even a few hours after they're born. They're also not nearly as large as you think. They won't grow bigger than your body can handle."

Nick nodded. "That's what doctor Reddillis said, but it's good to get confirmation. We were worried about that."

Judy grunted. "Here it comes. Pushing…" Her grip on Nick's paw became truly painful, not that he showed it to his mate. Giving a grunt. "Grrrr… There's the contraction." A gasp as she kept pushing.

Doctor Yetterbuilt nodded. "You don't have to push quite that hard, but keep pushing until the contraction ends. You're trying to help the contraction along, not force them all out at once."

Bonnie's voice came over Elli's phone. "He's right dear. Don't push too hard, just help it along."

Judy grunted with a nod. "Got it." Falling back against the bed as the contraction ended. "Damn it, doc. That rutting hurt!" Then realizing she'd heard her mothers voice. "Mom?"

Bonnie chuckled. "Yes, dear. It seems Jess realized that you and Nick had spaced on calling us, so she had your friend Elli call us." There was a click and the screen on the phone split.

"Nick? Judy? Are you okay? What's going on? Are you in the delivery room? Oh my gods! You're having the kits! Where are you?"

Nick chuckled. "Hi mom. Yes. We, that is Judy, is having our kits. Sorry we didn't call you, but it's been a bit hectic, what with someone trying to poison Judy, causing her and her friend Lizz." Pointing, Elli pointing the phone over to the other bed for a moment. "To go into labor. We are currently in Von. They broke their secrecy to send transports for us. So, Von is real, and just as advanced as you might think. The technology is amazing. It lets you see the kits." Elli showing the display before turning back to the parents.

Vivian laughed. "Oh my gods. You guys are clearly okay though? Right?"

Judy nodded. "We are, and for a lot of reasons. The fact that Von is real and has such advanced medical tech being just part of it. Anyway. Thank you, Elli." Then noticing the view on the Hopps side shift. "Oh, gods. Mom! You do not have this projected on the big screen?"

"Of course, you're half a continent away, plus. We knew that we'd never make it in time unless you were doing the inducing thing. So, we planned for a call like this."

Judy rolled her eyes and shook her head as Nick chuckled. "Hi everyone." A loud chorus of Hi's.'' Responded back.

The doctor didn't respond or pay attention, clearly so long as Elli stayed out of the way, he didn't care. Putting his focus on the monitors that were showing him the state of the kits and the mother as the next contraction approached. He summoned a nurse over who wheeled a little clear plastic crib on a table with a bunch of blankets and other items. It was clear to both parents that their young were very much about to arrive. Elli continued to mammal the camera and showing off each kit as they were born and being cleaned up and swaddled.

When the contraction hit, Judy pushed, and roared to make a lion proud. As the final throws of the contraction ended and she fell back, she also felt an odd sensation. Looking down, she saw the doctor holding a small bundle of reddish gray fur. Doctor Yetterbuilt held out the umbilical, Nick didn't even hesitate, as if no thought was involved. There wasn't any. Snapping his jaws and severing the umbilical, before the doctor handed the nurse the kit. Who was quickly cleaned, weighed, and then passed her to Nick. This repeated with the birth of each kit, and no one seemed to bat an eye at that. After marking the little bundles, Nick passed them to Judy who did the same.

The kit quickly latched onto one of Judy's breasts and started to suckle and continued to do so through the next several contractions and the birth of her other siblings. As each kit finished, a new one was swapped in so they could all have their first meal before falling asleep. Judy and Nick marveled at their kits, and how perfectly they mixed the traits of fox and rabbit.

Their first born was Aurora Anne. Anne being Bonnie's actual name. Bonnie being a nick-name she'd carried with her since she was a kit, as a bonnie wee doe. Aurora was a Box, and was as beautiful as could be. Her fur was a strong gray like her mothers, but with reddish highlights. Her tail was slightly longer, about a third the length of a foxes, and the tips of her long, but pointed at the tips, ears were a brilliant crimson. Her paws wrapped in booties and mittens, though it was clear that her claws were very much retractable.

The next born was James Stewart, a Funny, and just as beautiful as his sister. He was also gray with crimson highlights. Longer than a foxes ears, and more rounded at the tips, his muzzle slightly shorter, and when he yawned, it was clear that he would have his mothers incisors and his fathers fangs, something his older sister also showed once she gave a big yawn and showed off her teeth as well.

Following James, was Aurora's twin, Elizabeth Heather, Heather for Nick's mother and sister's middle names, a Funny. Bright red fur with gray and dark accents. If anything, her tail was longer than it should be, and her teeth, like her siblings were of both parents. Elizabeth's ears were longer, but pointed, almost like a fennic's, with black tips.

Finally came Richard Michael. A Box and James twin. His fur was an identical reddish orange to his father, with a few splotches of crimson and gray. A longer than bunny muzzle, with both sets of teeth, a three quarter length fox like tail, and slightly shorter, pointed ears, with ruddy brownish black tips.

Once done and the doctors made sure Judy was fine, and there was no surprise additional kits, she was shifted over, and Nick allowed to join her on the bed, wrapping himself around his mate, and kits. All quickly asleep, a deep, rumbling purr emanating from the bed, much to the amusement of the doctors, nurses, and others in the room.

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At the same time Judy was giving birth, only half a room away, Lizz was undergoing the same process. Doctor Anderton was watching several displays just as Doctor Yetterbuilt did, observing the status of the cubs and mother. Nodding with a smile as Ed entered the room, unnoticed by the soon to be parents. "So, a few things before that next contraction hits. When it does, I want you to push just like your Midwife coached you. Feel free to roar, scream, etc… as long as you keep pushing. Remember, it's not a hard push, you're trying to help things along, not drive them out. Let your instincts guide you.

Now, it looks like your first born is going to be Wolger. That being the cub, or pup's, traits take most after the father in this case. Since we are a city almost entirely of hybrids, we have naming conventions for all that. That isn't to say that when they hit puberty that they won't take on more traits of the other parent, and I've seen cases where a pup that completely resembles one parent ends up looking mostly like the other by the time they are finished growing. It's just the weirdness of hybrid genetics. Usually, they end up with a mixture of traits and keep most of those.

As for assigning things like if she is a luna or a tigress, well, we don't have that on any forms. We let the individual make that determination when, and if, it matters to them. We only mark the birth sex, and primary traits. Wolger for those leaning towards you, sir, and Tilf for those leaning towards you, ma'am."

Mike nodded. "That is very cool. I guess with most of the city being hybrids, that makes sense. I'm still a bit freaked out by the fact that we didn't know about this city."

Doctor Anderton shrugged. "Well… Most higher ups in the government are aware, people like your Chief Bogo have even visited, as well as the lion out in the waiting room. It's more that we don't broadcast our presence, and we have agreements that the full reveal of our existence is something we will do in our own time. Considering we are significantly more advanced, it gives us some bargaining power."

Mike nodded as Lizz started to push, hissing through the pain and effort. "I suppose it would."

As the contraction subsided, Lizz looked up and noticed the phone held by a grinning Ed. "Ed?"

Mike looked up in surprise. "Bro?"

Ed chuckled and pointed. "You both forgot to call our parents. So, Domi had me do it."

Victoria laughed at the shocked looks on Lizz and Mike's face. "It's all good. It was our midwife that called your grandmother when I went into labor, because just like you, Arron totally spaced on needing to do that. You're hardly the first and surely won't be the last to forget about the grandparents while in the moment."

Lizz smiled. "Well, thank you Domi, Ed. For filling in where we missed a step."

Ed laughed. "Happy to. Just try and remember for Elli and I, because I am sure that we'll have the same problem."

Mike nodded. "Count on it."

After three rounds of pushing, the first cub was born, and like Nick, Mike severed the cord with a snap of his jaws. The action almost completely without thought, and with the mammals around and attending not only not seeming to blink at the action, but seemed to almost expect it. They were then passed to Lizz to clean up after a quick weigh. After which they were swaddled and given back to Lizz again to start suckling. Ed doing his best to show everything he could, to the coos and awes from the phone.

First born was Madeline Rachael, named after Lizz's mother and maternal grandmother. A Wolger with dark gray and black stripes, a longer and not quite as fluffy tail, and Bright blue eyes.

Second born was, Victoria Addel, Madeline's twin, named after Mike's mother and great aunt who was like a grandmother to him. A Tilf, showing the same stripes as her siblings, but almost fully feline save the distinctly wolf ears and her long, but very fluffy tail. She was orange, with her stripes in shades of gray and hints of black.

Third born was Michael Aaron, named after his father and grandfather. A Tilf, his fur made of large swathes of white and gray with black and orange stripes. His tail was short and fluffy, far more wolf than tiger, her ears also showing the pointed tips, and a slightly longer muzzle.

Fourth was Jason Gergory, Michael's twin, so named in homage to Lizz's great grandfather that had moved their family to Zootopia several generations earlier, and had been one of the first predators allowed to serve in the ZPD. A Wolger with icy gray fur and darker gray strips, but otherwise looking completely like a wolf.

After several minutes, Lizz looked up at the doc. "Doc, what about the fifth cub? When we had an ultrasound recently, there were five."

The doctor blinked in surprise and quickly brought the scanner back up. As he did that, the next contraction finally hit and Lizz groaned. "Oh my! There is another kit in there. I guess they were giving you a break." Chuckling lightly. "They're in position now, so it won't be long. Just like before."

Another dozen contractions later, Anna Judith was born. Named after Judy and Lizz's twin who died at birth. Anna had a truly shocking appearance. Fully wolf on the right side, looking just like her father, and Tiger on the other, almost identical to her mother, her tail being a reverse of that. Her actual physical features being like her siblings, a mixture of both, just her fur coloration being a start difference on one side to the other.

The doctor and nurses gasping, one nurse actually squealing in joy as the Doctor put her on the scanner like the other kits. "Oh my! Congratulations! A Merg, as we call this appearance, is truly rare. It means that the egg that would have split into twins like your other cubs, didn't. Instead the cells simply organized themselves to a side. You can see how in the middle, there is a transition between the two sides. A true rarity, and just beautiful. Maybe one in a hundred thousand hybrid births are a Merg. As a doctor, I've only met two, and birthed one in my entire career, now two."

After some careful examinations, Anna was presented to her parents, the doctor smiling brightly. "Perfectly healthy, just like your other cubs, despite the more unique appearance."

Once the cubs were all cleaned up, weighed, and fed, Mike was also allowed to climb up on the bed and curl around his young with his mate. As with Nick and Judy, they were quickly asleep. Carefully wheeled into a joint recovery room without disturbing them.

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While the parents were busy seeing their young into the world, Jess and Domi realized that no phone calls were ever made to parents, etc… Quickly pulling out her phone, Jess stuck her head outside. "Hey, Elli, right?"

Elli perked up in the waiting area. "Yeah? You're Jess, Judy's sister?"

"Yeah, that's me. Look, Nick and Judy are a bit preoccupied. If I give you the number, can you call my parents on Muzzletime and play camera mammal for them?"

Elli grinned and leapt up. "Absolutely!" A few moments later she was dialing the Hopps."

Bonnie answered. "Hello? Who is this?"

Elli smiled into the camera. "Hello, ma'am. You have got to be Judy's mother. My name is Elli. I'm a friend of hers, and well. Some things have gone down over the past few hours, and Judy is currently in labor. Your daughter, Jess, gave me the number so I could play camera mammal for you. They have been a bit preoccupied with having their kits to remember to make phone calls. Especially since we are in Von at the moment."

Bonnie's eyes went wide. "You're… You're in Von? Oh my gods. Why are you there of all places?"

Elli shrugged. "Someone tried to poison Judy, and Lizz. I got some too, but I'm immune to Ergot. It seems their midwife is from here, and when they were in trouble and had gone into labor because of the poisoning, well… She made a call and suddenly we were whisked away here. That said, let me get into the delivery room so you can be as here for them as you can be."

Bonnie nodded and wiped tears. "Thank you, Elli." Turning away from the phone. "Erin! You need to find your father and the rest of everyone that can be spared. Jeff, I need you to do that thing where you project the phone call on the big screen. Then conference Nick's mother into the call."

While Elli was calling the Hopps, Domi had grabbed Ed. "Ed, right? Mike's brother?"

Ed nodded. "That's me. I'm married to Elli."

"Great. Lizz and Mike are a bit preoccupied, much like Nick and Judy. You wouldn't mind calling your parents and conferencing in Lizz's mom, would you?"

Ed grinned. Not at all. I don't know her mom's number, but I know my mother has it."

Ed pulled out his phone while Domi returned to the room. A few moments later. "Ed? What's going on? Darr called and said something happened to Lizz, Judy, and Elli? Is everyone alright? What's going on?"

Ed smiled at his mother as he walked towards the delivery room. "So apparently someone tried to poison them with something called Ergot. Elli and our pups are apparently immune, not so much for Lizz and Judy. From what I've been told, Judy recognized the taste and stopped Lizz from taking in more. They were rushed to the hospital where their midwife, who is apparently an agent for some secret city of hybrids, made a call and got them transported here. Which is where we are now. They gave Elli a full work up to confirm that neither her or the pups will have an issue, and still have a monitor on her.

Lizz and Judy are doing just fine, because apparently Nick and Judy have been dosing themselves as well as Mike and Lizz with really small doses of Nighthowler. Something about building up tolerance. Anyway, it seems to have protected them and the little ones, but the Ergot or whatever, caused them to both go into labor.

So, we're here and they're about to give birth. Since they are so focused on seeing their cubs born, Domi, the midwife, asked me to call. Only thing I need you to do is conference Lizz's mom into the call."

Lizz's mom stepped into frame. "Actually, me and the boys were here to discuss a few things when we heard that something happened. Lary, Lizz's younger brother, is currently trying to get the phone to project onto the big screen in the lounge."

Ed nodded with a smile. "I see. That's good then."

After the birth, the grandparents got to see their new grandkids, as well as cooing as the parents wrapped protectively around their new young. Both Ed and Elli then ended the calls with the associated grandparents, promising to ensure that the newly minted parents would call once they were awake again and able.

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A/N

Remember to share the love. Review and Fav. It is the life blood of every writer to know you are enjoying their work. I also want to thank everyone who has Fav'd, followed, and reviewed this little project. I know that isn't much, but to me, it's huge. Even as a writer of original fiction, that you enjoy this means a lot to me as an author. You can check out my original work and link to my Blog, Scribblings, where a lot of it lives by hopping over to dcballard . com ( Direct: ascensionnovel . / scribblings (remove the spaces) because the forwarding is misbehaving.)

If you enjoy this, and you are not also reading my original Log Entries series over on my Blog. Why aren't you? (takes a Nick-esk pose of hurt) Also. I am now posting them on AO3, so you have even less excuse. It's free, ORIGINAL fiction. "An original story told through the log entries of the pilot and captain of an experimental star ship."

You should really be checking out my bestest bud, Bear678, and his story What Foxes May Come.

So keep those reviews and comments coming. And also remember, if you see issues, misspellings, etc... Let me know in PM, I'm under no illusion of being perfect and want to fix those things I miss.