1
The train rocked gently on its wheels as it sped beyond the threshold of Zootopia and out between the grassy hills and rolling plains on the way to Bunnyburrow.
Dressed in her favourite pink flannel shirt and jeans and standing alone on the observation deck of the train carriage was none other than Judy Hopps, first rabbit police officer and one half of the duo that solved the infamous Missing Mammals case which had plagued the city over two and a half years ago.
The bunny recalled those testing times as she sank into her thoughts: fifteen mammals vanishing into thin air without a trace, then found completely savage, as if nature had decided to press the rewind button on evolution and forcibly reverted those poor mammals back to their primitive ways in an instant.
It was well known by now of course, both within the city and without, that both herself and her con-artist-turned-police-officer fox partner Nick Wilde had cracked the case, and exposed the two ringleaders: firstly, Mayor Lionheart and then later Assistant Mayor Bellwether as the true mastermind behind it all.
Now with all that long behind her, and having served the city tirelessly as an exemplary police officer for an additional two and a half years past that alongside Nick, Judy decided that it was time for a well-earned holiday to see her parents.
After the requisite leave processes with the ZPD had been completed, Judy had a week off to go back to her parent's home and see the "brand new attractions" that she had kept hearing about through her various Muzzletime conversations back home.
Her parents and siblings, for some reason, never saw fit to elaborate on what said attractions were, even with prodding.
Her parents were fairly aware of her city exploits of course, having seen much of the drama unfold on their TV sets and social media, and their daughter transformed into a minor celebrity.
It seemed that everybody knew everything about the dynamic duo, given the attention lavished on them during that period.
However, there was one thing that they both had managed to keep secret from everyone, including Judy's parents: that she and Nick were dating, and had been doing so since a year ago.
Interspecies relationships weren't fully accepted in Zootopia after all, and even less so in rural places like Bunnyburrow. Only recently did Nick decide that now was the time to break his silence to his mother.
This was also why Nick would not be going with her – they both thought it best to broach the subject alone first with their families before roping the other into it, and Nick decided that he would go first.
Whether Judy would do the same now was still an open question; her main purpose was to see her parents, her siblings, and her place of birth in person.
Bringing up that news was something that she didn't quite feel ready to do just yet, though she could change her mind.
Breaking out of her thoughts, she pulled out her earbuds from her pockets and placed them in her ears. Next to come out was her iPawd, and with a few swipes and taps of her finger, the sweet sound of Gazelle's latest hits began to fill her ears.
Leaning over to rest her forearms on the railing in the front of her, she simply took in the scenery in silence as the train made its way back to her hometown.