Race 3 — The Lawyer Ape
In Apepolis, law supposedly exists, but it doesn't work the same for everyone. The strong and influential do whatever they want — rules for them are like rubber. For ordinary apes? Tougher than steel, sometimes even more merciless. Sometimes one violation is enough to land someone in jail for weeks. Other times, a powerful figure can break three laws at once, and no one even blinks.
Kaiyo watches this injustice with growing unease. He knows that if nothing changes, Apepolis is doomed to chaos and collapse. Deep down, he began to wonder if it's possible to create a law that serves everyone, not just the chosen few.
There is, however, one ape who still keeps everything in check — Lucian Lawape, known to all as "The Lawyer Ape."
Lucian doesn't take part in races or street fights. His battlefield is files and statutes, and his weapon — a sharp mind and deep knowledge of every law that applies. His office is located in an old tenement in Shadow Bridge, on the corner of one of the main avenues, where an old streetlamp casts warm light on dusty shelves full of books and documents.
Lucian Lawape is a chimpanzee — a great ape known for intelligence and logical thinking. He comes from Shadow Bridge. He always wears a carefully tailored black-and-white suit with a black tie, perfectly emphasizing his seriousness and professionalism. On his nose, he has dark sunglasses behind which no one can see his eyes — adding to his aura of mystery and impenetrability.
His movements are precise and calm, every gesture shows full control of the situation. No one would dare underestimate him — Lucian is a symbol of law and order, whose rules he knows by heart and can bend for his own or his client's benefit.
Everyone comes to Lucian — from ordinary residents to influential district leaders who know that only he can get them out of the worst trouble. No case is too complicated for him, no obstacle too high to overcome.
Lucian Lawape enters the room with a calm, confident step. The black-and-white suit fits his chimpanzee frame perfectly, elegant and sharp. The black glasses completely cover his eyes, adding even more mystery.
Silently, he approaches the table and places a briefcase on it. The metal clasps click quietly against the wood. Lucian pulls back a chair, sits down, then slowly spins 360 degrees on it. When he finishes the turn, he looks at his client sitting across.
He adjusts his black tie, straightens up, and for a moment just stares. Silence fills the room, and the atmosphere grows tense.
…
Lucian: "In Apepolis, paper is one thing, power another. I have both. Anyone who tries to interfere quickly learns it's better to have me on their side."
Client: "Sounds threatening."
Lucian: "The law works only for those who know how to use it. The rest is chaos. I know every corner of it — even the unofficial ones."
The client nodded with relief.
Client: "Thank you, Lucian. Without you, I'd have been long gone…"
Lucian: "Relax. I'll handle everything. Now you have a moment of peace."
Silence fell in the room. The client left long ago, and the light of the old streetlamp flickered behind the dusty window.
Lucian sat motionless, seemingly focused on the files. But his hand… stopped on one very old folder. It was stained with ink and worn by time.
He trembled slightly, almost unnoticed, as he opened it.
⸻
Apepolis – Sixteen years earlier
Lucian Lawape, age 17
A young intern at the District Court of Shadow Bridge.
Lucian didn't have a suit yet. Instead of dark glasses — bright, young eyes full of passion. Instead of a cold, bored expression — a warm heart and hunger for justice.
He stood in front of the courtroom, holding a stack of documents. His voice was confident but emotional:
Lucian:
— The evidence is clear. The accused couldn't have been there. Someone else planted the weapon. This cannot be ignored.
The judge — an old orangutan with a mafia signet ring — didn't even look at him.
Judge: "Closed. Five years for assault. Next."
Lucian froze. He watched as an innocent pygmy — small, frightened — was led away in handcuffs. Her mother rushed at the guards, screaming.
Lucian (quietly): "It wasn't supposed to be like this…"
Behind him appeared another ape lawyer. An orangutan, elegant, with a slightly crooked smile and a briefcase with a golden lock.
Lawyer:
— Lucian… in Apepolis, it's not about truth. It's about the deal. Learn to play, or everyone you try to help will lose.
———
Present
The lamp outside the window flickered stubbornly, as if trying to remind him who he was… before he became exactly what he once hated.
On top of the folder lay an old, yellowed photo.
A smiling young woman, unaware of the pygmy's sentence, who trusted Lucian. In pencil at the bottom, it read:
"Sentence: 5 years imprisonment.
Charge: assault.
District Court of Shadow Bridge."
Lucian looked at the photo for a long moment.
There was no movement. No comment.
He simply slid the photo back inside and closed the folder with a quiet click.
Lucian: "…" Then, tired and sad, he laid his head down on the table.
———
At the same time, far from the dark offices and noisy streets of Apepolis, Kaiyo found a moment of peace.
Kaiyo sat on an old, mossy stone in a small park on the outskirts of the district where he lived — Root Bridge. Trees rustled softly around him, and a gentle breeze moved the leaves, bringing relief from the city's hustle. The sun slowly dipped toward the horizon, painting the sky with warm shades of orange and pink.
In moments like these, everything seemed clearer. Kaiyo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and felt calm fill his body. He didn't have to prove anything, didn't have to fight — at least for a moment.
In his hand rested a small stone he had found nearby. Simple, ordinary, but to him a symbol of endurance — lasting despite adversity. He tossed it lightly in the air, watched it spin, then caught it back in his paw. He repeated this several times, as if trying to sort out all his thoughts.
For a moment, he thought about Apepolis, about how the law here is like a thin line over an abyss — one wrong step and you fall into darkness.
Kaiyo thoughts: "Racing isn't just adrenaline or fun. It's the key to power… and power can bring change"
"I want to win. Not for fame, not for money. I want to gain influence to end this chaos. For the law to serve everyone, not just the strong. For peace to finally come to Apepolis."
Kaiyo opened his eyes. In the distance, the sounds of the city — rustling leaves, distant voices of other apes — but to him it was like background music, not disturbing his moment of silence.
He remembered his father's words, spoken long ago before everything fell apart:
"If you want to silence the strong, you must be the strongest yourself. And if you seek peace — first you must win every fight."
Kaiyo clenched the stone tighter in his paw.
"This is not the end. It's just the beginning. The road to peace requires determination. He is ready to face it."