Lucy's family, friends, enemies, victims, and everything in-between.
For tropes pertaining to Lucy in Born to Be Wilde, see here. Other familiar faces you'll also find somewhere on the main index.
Like its parent fic, ALL SPOILERS WILL BE UNMARKED, including spoilers for said parent fic. "Read the dang story first" is still a good rule of thumb.
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The Sangs
Lucy Sang
The Bloodstained Bat Teen
"I had a pretty good life before, I realize that now, but it all got ripped away without warning. I can't afford to let down my guard anymore, not if I want to hold on to what life I have left. I won't let anyone take it from me again."
The main protagonist, but not exactly hero. Lucy's life is turned upside down when she is framed for her brother's murder. And anyone who has read that other story knows that it only gets worse from there.- Bloodlust: We see where Lucy's began when she gets a taste of Beth's blood during a prison tussle. As a vampire bat, she's had blood before, but this is the first time she's had it fresh and she quickly takes a liking to it.
- Crocodile Tears: Fakes an emotional breakdown after her appeal is denied to get the warden out of his office. Though she admits that she didn't have to try very hard to fake it since she was genuinely distraught.
- Delinquent: Lucy wasn't exactly the perfect little angel to begin with, spending her teen years getting into fights, drinking underage, and shoplifting.
- Frame-Up: She is framed for Leo's murder by Martina and ends up in prison as a result.
- Forgotten Birthday: Forgets her own birthday while in prison, realizing that she's missed it two days after the fact and causing her a good deal of grief.
- Furry Reminder: When Lucy is hesitant to feed on a larger mammal's blood while they sleep, La Bruja is quick to point out that this is exactly how her ancestors (i.e. real vampire bats) fed.
- Hoist by Her Own Petard: Had she not brought her knife to the gallery, Martina couldn't have taken it off of her and used it to very effectively frame her for Leo's murder.
- Lonely Rich Kid: Despite her family being loaded, Lucy lives a lonely existence painting by herself in an attic and alienated from most of her family. She has few real friends...one of whom horribly betrays her.
- Rage Breaking Point: After all the abuse she's gone through already, Beth's bullying finally pushes Lucy over the edge. Subverted in that she's instantly fearful again when she realizes she just provoked a Tasmanian devil.
- Sanity Slippage: All the things that happen to Lucy gradually begin to take their toll on her psyche; she inevitably cracks under the pressure and goes off the deep end.
- Start of Darkness: The origin story of how Lucy became the criminal she is in Born to Be Wilde.
- Starving Artist: Tries to invoke this trope as an excuse to go to the gallery without bothering to make herself look presentable. Lana isn't buying it, and given their background, it obviously isn't true either.
- Strict Parents Make Sneaky Kids: A clear example, given that her incredibly controlling upbringing is implied to be exactly what made Lucy such a rebellious child to begin with.
- Trauma Conga Line: In the space of two chapters, Lucy is framed for her brother's murder, violently arrested, disowned by her family, humiliated in court with a swift guilty verdict, thrown into prison, and victimized by the local bully. It's here where she finally snaps.
- The Unfavorite: Is very much the Black Sheep of the family, a fact she is well-aware of.
Lucien Sang
"Just remember that there is always a position open at St. Justine’s. You might even look good in a military school uniform.”
The tyrannical patriarch of the Sang household.- Abusive Parents: Not physically, but very much emotionally.
- Bat Out of Hell: A more mundane version than Lucy eventually becomes, but he is still an abusive, controlling father who happens to be a bat.
- Control Freak: Has a very domineering attitude over his daughters, expecting them to follow the exact life path he has laid out for them. Most of the conflict between him and Lucy comes from that attitude clashing with her free-spirited nature.
- I Have No Daughter: Lucian immediately disowns Lucy after Leo's murder and refuses to come to her aid, believing her to be the culprit just like everyone else.
- Parental Abandonment: Has no problem letting Lucy rot in prison after believing her to be responsible for Leo's murder.
- Pet the Dog: Despite his disapproval of Lucy's passion for art, he not only allows her to host her gallery, but gives her begrudging respect when it proves more successful than expected. Of course, their relationship is irreparably destroyed shortly thereafter...
Lana Sang
"Father will be coming to the gallery later tonight to inspect your turnout and help with networking. I will not have him seeing you in that slovenly outfit.”
Lucy's older sister, with whom she also has some conflict with.- Aloof Big Sister: The older, wiser, more responsible, more dignified sibling, and quite emotionally detached from Lucy.
- I Have No Sister: Joins dear ol' Dad in completely disavowing Lucy after her arrest.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When she stops the car and threatens Lucy to behave herself at the gallery, which Lucy notes is unusual of her normally-passive sister.
- Professional Butt-Kisser: She really goes out of her way to earn Lucian's approval, something that Lucy treats with thinly-veiled disgust.
Leo Sang
"Hey! I took all day ironing this…”
Lucy's brother, and the impetus for her fall from grace. By dying.- Nerd Glasses: Prominently sports a pair of thick glasses.
- Small Role, Big Impact: He dies in the first chapter, but has a tremendous impact on everything that follows.
- The One Who Wears Shoes: A pair of brown loafers, which is even noted to be unusual for the setting.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: We get a grand total of one chapter to meet the guy before he gets a knife to the chest.
Law Enforcement
Detective Rodentski
"Are you going to confess, Miss Sang? I need to know before we can move on."
The Precinct 8 detective who interrogates Lucy after her arrest.- Crocodile Tears: Accuses Lucy of shedding these over Leo's death, using the term verbatim.
- No Sympathy: She doesn't buy for a second that Lucy is innocent and makes no attempt to hide it, despite the bat's visible distress, assuming she's faking it and doing nothing to help her feel better.
- Stock Phrase: She tries to resist the urge to give Lucy a "That's what they all say" in response to a similarly stock excuse, but does anyway.
Warden Smiles
"There's nothing wrong with expressing your feelings."
The mammal in charge of the prison Lucy ends up in. Bears a striking resemblance to a certain kid's show host.- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He's essentially Mr. Rogers running a prison, with all the quirks that you'd expect.
- Hand Puppet: Given his inspiration, he naturally has several of them. Not only does Lucy have her own puppet counterpart, which disturbs her greatly, but so do most of the other inmates.
- Meaningful Name: He both smiles a lot himself and brings smiles to his inmates. Lucy initially expects it to be more of an Ironic Name, but is happy to be proven wrong.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Is a pretty blatant parody of Fred Rogers with his style of dress, softspoken nature, and affinity for puppets.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Politely explains to Lucy how and why her appeal was denied (albeit through puppetry) and takes the time to comfort her when she takes it badly.
Friends & Allies
Martina Mouseau
"Tres magnifique darling! You have outdone yourself!”
Lucy's best friend since childhood. It...doesn't last.- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She comes off as friendly and considerate at first, but shows her true colors once pushed into a corner by the threat of losing the scholarship.
- Crocodile Tears: Sheds these at the trial when testifying about the murder. Lucy is flabbergasted that she's the only one who sees how fake it is.
- Disproportionate Retribution: She is miffed that Lucy refuses to give up the scholarship to her even after her sudden success in the art world. So she murders her brother and frames her for it. Lucy herself lampshades how extreme her actions were for just a scholarship.
- Doomed by Canon: If you're caught up with Born to Be Wilde, you already know that Lucy inevitably gets her revenge at some point.
- False Friend: She certainly seemed to be close to Lucy, but being willing to murder her brother and frame her for it without any sign of remorse does make that somewhat questionable.
- Nice Mice: Seemingly played straight, and then horribly subverted.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Her impulsive greed to gain a scholarship will ultimately result in the rise of one of Zootopia's worst criminals and the deaths of many, many others. Nice work.
- Villain Has a Point: While it in no way excuses her actions, she is right that Lucy and Leo both come from wealthy backgrounds and have much less to lose than she does if she doesn't get the scholarship.
Ci-Ci
"Ready for some grub? Literally! That's what's on the menu today: Mashed grub! They haven't served grub in weeks! Aren't you excited?"
Lucy's cellmate in prison and thankfully also the only decent mammal she meets there.- Accidental Hug: Is the recipient of one after telling Lucy she believes in her innocence. The next time, she offers the hug herself, which Lucy gladly accepts.
- Genki Girl: Is quite excitable, even about the prison food, which really catches Lucy off-guard considering the environment.
- Hakuna Matata: Quotes the song in reference to her own lifestyle.
- Living Emotional Crutch: Quickly becomes Lucy's after proclaiming that she believes in her innocence, the first one to do so. Lucy is so touched that she ends up pulling her into a hug without warning.
- Nice Girl: Instantly believes Lucy when she claims innocence, sticks up for her against the local bully, and is generally much friendlier than one would expect from an inmate.
- Older Than They Look: Casually reveals herself to be "almost forty" (or rather somewhere from 35-39 as she lost track) and a mother.
- Only Friend: After Lucy lost both of her original friends and got sent to prison, Ci-Ci is the only one she can still call a friend.
- The Pigpen: In Lucy's words, she doesn't seem to be on speaking terms with personal hygiene, her foul smell being noted by multiple characters. Lucy herself takes some time to get used to it, though admits it's a little impressive considering prison inmates are generally forced to shower.
- The Slacker: By her own admission, she's lived an extremely carefree life since being imprisoned, as her son's success left her with no further desires of her own. This changed once she met Lucy, however.
- Struggling Single Mother: Was one when raising Monty, leading her to attempt armed robbery in order to feed him. That ended up helping both of them, as she found a comfortable life in prison and he got adopted by a wealthy couple in the foster system.
The Felidae Infernum
La Bruja
"In case you haven't noticed, I value my secrets. You know exactly as much about me as you need in order to perform your duties."
A mysterious figure and leader of the Felidae Infernum, recruiting Lucy into their ranks during her time in prison.- Breaking Out the Boss: Eventually gets her agents to come bust her out, but with Lucy and Ci-Ci in tow as well.
- The Corrupter: Is clearly a bad influence on Lucy, pulling her into increasingly immoral actions while leaving her little other option but to commit.
- Deadpan Snarker: A massive one, even for the standards of this fic's universe. Nearly every other word out of her mouth is condescending snark at Lucy's expense.Lucy: What exactly is it that you're expecting from me?La Bruja: Lots of whining. Sheer, unadulterated horror at the things that happen in prisons, and generally being a pain in the neck.
- The Dreaded: Nearly everyone in the prison seems to be terrified of her, and for good reason, considering those that oppose her tend to disappear...
- Exact Words: She helpfully confirms to Lucy that the items she had her steal are indeed items that one might use to escape from prison...which in no way means that they will be used for that purpose.
- Evil Mentor: Takes Lucy under her wing, but it's pretty clear from the getgo that her lessons are neither going to be pleasant nor the least bit moral.
- Evil Old Folks: A very old rabbit, and given her connection to the Infernum, a pretty evil one too.
- Hair-Raising Hare: Definitely one of the less friendly rabbits Zootopia has fostered, to say the least.
- I Gave My Word: Despite her generally abrasive nature, she promises Lucy a reward for completing the file-swapping job and honors her word.
- I Have Many Names: "La Bruja" is only the latest in a long line of aliases she's used over the years. For convenience, each of her agents refer to her by the one she used when she recruited them.
- Offscreen Teleportation: About the only way to explain how she manages to leave some of the places she shows up in. Such as the inside of a cabinet.
- Meaningful Name: Spanish for "The Witch". She even gives off a cackle at one point that Lucy notes is very similar to her namesake.
- Might as Well Not Be in Prison at All: Whatever she was arrested for, it seems to have done very little to keep her from continuing her criminal activities. La Bruja practically runs the prison, subverting rules on a whim and outright controlling several of the guards.
- Mysterious Watcher: Establishes herself as one at the end of Chapter 2, though reveals herself to Lucy shortly thereafter.
- Pet the Dog: Goes out of her way to reassure Lucy that her sudden craving for fresh blood is perfectly normal for a vampire bat, then offers to get her more. Of course, this could well just be part of her attempts to manipulate and corrupt her.
- The Reveal: When discussing the crime lords of Zootopia, a pretty major subject in the parent fic, it is revealed that La Bruja is herself considered the crime lord of the Meadowlands, though she dislikes that title and has mostly divorced herself from the rest.
- Stealth Hi/Bye: Repeatedly shows up out of nowhere during Lucy's thefts to collect the items from her, and vanishes again just as suddenly.
- Trickster Mentor: Fools Lucy into thinking that the items she's having her steal are part of a plot to escape prison, when it was really just a test of her skills.
Peter Ishini
"What can I say? I dress to impresto."
The Immoral Illusionist
A stage magician doubling as one of the Infernum's top agents. Specializes in magic-themed crimes.
- Improbable Aiming Skills: During his stage show, he successfully hits a bullseye on several moving targets...with bananas.
- Large Ham: Is perhaps one of the few characters in this fic universe who could outham Count Reynard.
- Screwball Squirrel: Highly eccentric, performing over-the-top stunts and generally being very hyperactive.
- Stage Magician: His seeming profession, serving well as a cover. Though it bleeds into his actual profession in the Infernum too.
- Toilet Humor: Starts making bathroom-related puns while the "tour group" is passing through there, eventually making Lucy snap at him to stop.
- Tour Guide Gag: Naturally pulls this during the Infernum's tour of the Fire Pit.
- Verbal Tic: Occasionally blends magic words into his vocabulary, even when not performing.
Rattois
"TRY as you MIGHT! I've got PLENTY more where THIS came from!"
An eccentric art collector that very generously donates to Lucy's cause. Later revealed to be an Infernum agent during the prison break.- Chekhov's Gunman: Turns out that wacky art collector from the first chapter was actually an Infernum agent, and quite a dangerous one at that.
- Conspicuous Consumption: He spends thousands on paintings that were being sold for hundreds, clearly showing that he has money to burn. Subverted after he's revealed as an Infernum agent.
- Cloudcuckoolander: He seems pretty out there, considering his random shouting and the fact that he pays Lucy way, way more than she asked for on her art just because he liked it that much.
- Large Ham: A highly exuberant fellow who makes his presence, and his business dealings, very noticeable.
- Mad Bomber: Seems to be his actual profession within the Infernum.
- Suddenly Shouting: His manner of speech has him regularly shouting words seemingly at random, basically as a Verbal Tic.
Mr. Graves
"Just stopping by to see how things are running. The restaurant business can be a very time consuming one."
A friend of Martina's that Lucy meets while they're all out eating together. Later turns out to be an Infernum agent when he helps break out the others.- Chekhov's Gunman: A bit more predictable of an example, given the mysterious demeanor he was already giving off, but him showing up as the Infernum's getaway driver still comes out of nowhere after his first appearance.
- Nice Guy: A generally polite and gentlemanly fellow.
- Mysterious Watcher: Downplayed, but Lucy still doesn't know much of anything about him after their first meeting and spots him watching her from afar after the fact.
Ryan Hilltop
"I'll keep guard for intruders! Our plumbing will not be breached without a fight!"
An energetic prairie dog and scout for the Infernum.- Extreme Doormat: He was taken advantage of by street gangs because he happened to be really good at getting into places he shouldn't. Then the Infernum took him in...and started using him for the exact same purpose. Not that he seems to mind.
- Incoming Ham: He's introduced screaming an "ALL CLEAR!" while popping out of a toilet. Lucy is rightfully put off.
- Military Salute: Happily gives the gesture despite not having any actual affiliation with the military. He sports the appropriate camo though, which just makes Lucy conclude that he's trying too hard.
- Thrill Seeker: Ishini suspects that Hilltop never really grasped what the Infernum is about, but he's having so much fun being a part of it that he doesn't care.
Dr. Thompkin Hareison
"I only wish we weren't under such a shortage of frisbees that we had to resort to launching sawblades."
The Infernum's head of "Toy Design", a familiar face from Born to Be Wilde.- Cloudcuckoolander: Perhaps even moreso here, as he seems to be under the delusion that he's making "toys" for the Infernum and just happens to keep getting partnered up with their Weapons Expert.
Yuki Shimauma
"Ah. Yes. I recall your mugshot from the news. A murder, was it? Sloppy. Far better ways you could have handled it."
The Infernum's Weapons Expert. Often paired with Dr. Hareison to keep him in check.- Cloudcuckoolander's Minder: A bit of a darker take as she seems to be partnered with Hareison to ensure that he produces what the Infernum wants as opposed to his own (likely less dangerous) strokes of inspiration.
- Freudian Excuse: Hinted to have had a less-than-pleasant experience with pirates that shaped who she is today.
- Pirate: Well, more like a plaything to pirates but close enough. Doesn't stop Lucy from considering her one herself.
- No Sympathy: Not only does she not sympathize with Lucy's plight, she doesn't even believe her when told she was framed for Leo's murder.
The Baas Twins
Harmony: "The look on the newbie's face was priceless, by the way. Almost as funny as the 'oh no, look at this needle that's in my throat now' look."
Melody: "Don't you have a banker to drown in a toilet or something?"
Melody Baas is the Infernum's bookkeeper, while her twin sister Harmony Baas is its chief assassin. Unfortunately prone to being mixed up.- Identical Twin Mistake: Harmony is mistaken for Melody on a regular basis. Their very different professions would probably make it easier to tell them apart if Harmony didn't like doing it on purpose just to troll people. Melody at least prefers to keep things straight.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Harmony notes that she used to be "dumb and innocent" like Lucy once and wonders if the bat may grow up to be just like her someday, if not worse. Lucy vehemently denies it, but of course we know better...
- Theme Twin Naming: Named after similar-sounding musical terms. Bonus points for Harmony having the word "harm" in hers.
- Too Many Belts: Both sisters wear a set of three black belts that seemingly serve no real purpose.
- Troll: Harmony seems to enjoy deliberately masquerading as her sister in order to freak people out with her assassin talk. Lucy falls victim to this.
Debra Ding
"I don't pretend to know the hobbies of the rich. It's just an honor getting to drive you all around!"
A getaway driver for the Infernum, who is under the impression that they're some kind of underground socialite club.- In-Series Nickname: Friends call her Dingding.
- Kindhearted Simpleton: A very sweet and friendly gal described by Lucy as "kinda dumb". Enough that she feels sorry for Debra being taken advantage of by the Infernum.
Rufus Shikari
"I'm not sure what you expected from an underground criminal organization, but disappointment is a fact of life. And one of its very few certainties. Better get used to it."
The Infernum's body dumper, in a very literal fashion.- Emo: A deliberate stereotype of one.
- Furry Reminder: Hyenas can digest bones, a trait used extensively in his "job."
- Heinous Hyena: He's not too outwardly antagonistic, but he does regularly cannibalize dead bodies for the Infernum so he's not the most pleasant mammal to be around.
- Ironic Name: His surname is Hindi for "hunter", despite the fact that his job description deals exclusively with those who are already dead.
- Irony: He's a hyena character who deeply disturbs Lucy. She herself would later have a similar effect on a different hyena character: Carla.
Other Characters
Spaz & Courtney
Lucy: “Hello, Spaz.”
Spaz: “It's pronounced “Spots.”
Courtney: “It's like, foreign, or something."
An artist and his groupie who attend Lucy's exhibit mainly to make fun of it.- Can't Take Criticism: Spaz is well-known for flipping out on anyone who gives even the slightest insult to his work. Lucy deliberately exploits this to provoke him into attacking her.
- The Ditz: Courtney doesn't come off as particularly bright.
- Eccentric Artist: Among other things, Spaz is known for dressing sloppily, having a short temper, and making paintings of soup cans (in a Shout-Out to Andy Warhol).
- Groupie: Courtney is one for Spaz, outright displaying it with an "I Heart Spaz" shirt.
- Hipster: Are very blatant parodies of such.
- The Pigpen: According to Lucy, Spaz both dresses and smells like a hobo, but most mammals don't dare point it out.
- Pronouncing My Name for You: Spaz's name is pronounced "Spots". Naturally, Lucy doesn't care.
Beth
"New meat, huh? Well, allow me to give you the welcome you deserve!"
A prison bully that Lucy unwittingly gets on the wrong side of on her first day.- The Brute: She clearly enjoys asserting herself physically, mainly by beating on those smaller and weaker.
- The Bully: Of the violent inmate variety.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: The second time Lucy encounters her, Beth is suspiciously friendly and apologizes for her actions, heavily implied to be the result of La Bruja's influence.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Her insistence on victimizing Lucy results in Lucy biting her and getting the taste of fresh blood for the first time. Needless to say, this becomes something of a habit for her.
