"To: carrots
From: wildeone52
Subject: Do you ever just think about how...
The whole purpose of a place like Snarlbucks is to have mammals with no decision-making ability whatsoever make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, lowfat, nonfat. So mammals who don't know what the heck they're doing can, for only 3.95, get not just a cup of coffee, but an absolutely defining sense of self."
"To: wildeone52
From: carrots
Subject: Re: Do you ever just think about how...
😹😹😹 Is that so? I think you're onto something, junior detective. All right, what if my favorite is the famous pumpkin spice latte? What would that say about me? What would my defining sense of self be?"
"To: carrots
From: wildeone52
Subject: Well...
Hate to break it to you, Carrots, but that might just mean you're basic. 😹 Just kidding, you know you love me."
Judy was jolted back to the present, glancing up from her phone as Clawhauser burst into the store. The cheetah was wheezing so hard his words were barely coherent. "Fo...f, follow me! You've gotta... see this..."
Minutes later, Judy stood across the street with her three employees, staring at the huge building with letters painted in flashy, bold letters across the walls: "COMING SOON: FOX AND SONS VEGGIES."
Fru Fru, Mrs. Otterton, and Clawhauser all stared in intermingling shock and horror, the trio turning to gauge their boss's reaction warily.
Judy's little pink nose twitched momentarily before she nonchalantly shrugged it off. "It has nothing to do with us. It's big, impersonal, overstocked, and full of ignorant salesmammals."
"But they discount," Clawhauser pointed out.
"But they don't provide any service," Judy counters with an adamant shake of her head. "We do. There's plenty of mammals in Zootopia for two produce stores on the same block. We won't go out of business. We have our loyal regulars."
The other three exchanged glances in silent agreement that their employer's words didn't convince them. They all knew of Judy's perpetual habit to look on the bright side and see the silver lining no matter what... to the point of being unrealistic at times.
A determined Judy continued on. "So, really, it's a good development! You know how in the Rainforest District, there are all those florist shops in a row so you can find whatever you want? We'll be just fine!" The rabbit nods with surety, paying no heed to the others' silence.
Later that night, when Judy phones her parents and informs them of the situation, she expects to receive support, but quickly realizes telling them had been a mistake.
"Oh my sweet heaven," Bonnie gasps. "You have competition?"
Judy rolls her eyes with an exasperated huff. "I wouldn't even say that. There just happens to be another produce shop opening up around the corner. It won't be a threat to us."
Stu puts in his two cents, "But they're run by foxes! Foxes are the worst, nothing but trouble!"
"Dad!" Judy chides. She knew all too well of her parents' 'we're not being prejudiced, just realistic' mindset, and vehemently disagreed with it. She believed in equality.
"Actually, hon, your father does have a point there. It's in their biology," Bonnie adds matter-of-factly. "Please be careful."
Stu chimes in again, "We know you're a trier, Jude the Dude, but it's okay if things don't work out. We know it's a big world out there for such a little bunny. You can always come back home, okay?"
"Yes, always, bunbun!"
Judy withholds a sigh.
"To: wildeone52
From: carrots
Subject: Time for some deep talk.
Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Valuable, but small. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I want to prove myself to my parents? I know they love me very much, but they doubt me. They're so certain that my best won't be good enough, and I've worked so hard to prove myself. To prove them wrong.
I don't really want an answer. I just wanted to get this off my chest. I've never really talked about this with anyone before. I'm sorry to bother you with all of this, but you're the only one I feel comfortable sharing this with."
"Nicholas, I'm so proud of you!" Ms. Wilde squeezed her only son into a tight hug. "And your father would be, too. We both always knew that you have what it takes."
Nick briefly glances over to the framed picture over the fireplace. A family photo, of Nick's parents and a five-year-old Nick himself, just before his father had passed. Mr. Wilde's dream had been to open a business that would support the family, one he could pass onto Nick, one he'd planned to name Fox and Sons. Nick had honored his dream by accomplishing it for him and even incorporating the name idea.
It had taken him nearly thirty years, but here he was, finally with something to show for after so much effort.
"To: carrots
From: wildeone52
Subject: Re: Time for some deep talk.
I understand the feeling of not wanting to let your parents down, of wanting to make them proud. I too have been trying to live up to certain expectations for a long time, because I wanted to make my mother happy and keep my father's dream alive. I mean, it's really all I have left of him. Again, we have something in common. Thank you for trusting me with that. And for the record, you're the only one I've shared this with, too."
Even when Judy was discouraged, her online friend always knew just how to lift her spirits. Her smile always resurfaced whenever she received a new email from him, and it lasts until the next morning on her way to work... until she again caught sight of the new produce store that would be opening shortly.
Her ears perk attentively, violet gaze flitting this way and that before she crosses the street to inspect the building. Her nose twitches curiously as she stands on her tiptoes to peer into the window in scrutinization, overcome by her adventurous and brazen nature. Long ears stand on end as her keen range of hearing detects approaching footsteps, followed by a wry voice.
"Can I help you?"
Judy takes a step back and about-faces to see an auburn fox with dark sunglasses on. Before she can answer, he continues with a guile smirk, "Come to check out your competition?"
Judy blinks in surprise, folding her arms in a no-nonsense gesture. "How do you know who I am?"
"I know everybody. And I also know that you won't stand a chance against me." His voice is so smug, it makes Judy's foot tap with the urge to kick him right in the snout.
"...Excuse me?"
"Nick Wilde, owner of this quality produce jamboree." He pats a dark paw against the wall of the building, his smirk everlasting. "And you're Judy Hopps." Once again, he continues before she can respond. "A naive little hick from the countryside with big ideas who thinks she can actually make it out here. Well, let me tell you something, rabbit: you can't. Take it from someone who's lived here his whole life. You don't know a thing about running a business out here. It won't be long until you sink into an emotional and literal squalor, living in a box under a bridge, until you have no choice but to go back home to the carrot farm with that fuzzy-wuzzy little tail between your legs."
Judy's jaw drops in intermingling shock, appall, and ire. For a moment her mind races as she registers it all and processes how to respond, fuchsia irises narrowing. "No one tells me what I can or can't be, especially not some.. some.. jerk!"
Nick held a paw to his chest in a feigned affronted manner. "You hurt me, madam." His taunting grin soon returns, however, as he bends over to meet the bunny at face level with a sneer. "Everyone comes to Zootopia thinking anyone can be anything, but you can't. You can only be what you are, and that is a dumb bunny."
With that, he meanders past her, a triumphant swish to his fluffy tail. "It's called a hustle, sweetheart. Don't take it personal," he calls back with finality. "Nice meeting you, Fluff."
When a speechless Judy turns, the fox has already made his departure, and she can only stand in disheartened silence and utter shock of what had just transpired.
Even later that night when Nick flops down on his couch, the memory of Judy's hurt expression lingers in his mind's eye, a pinprick of guilt tugging at him. He'd prided himself on not letting anything get to him anymore, but for a split second, he'd seen himself at eight years young reflecting in those purple hues. He'd recognized that feeling of being discouraged and put down.
He'd only been trying to warn her, in a "welcome to the real world, it's tough out here, Zootopia isn't a paradise, living here isn't all it's cracked up to be" sort of way. But somehow, that's not how his words had come across at all.
The fox sighs and withdraws his phone from his pocket, turning to the one friend that could possibly understand him.
"To: carrots
From: wildeone52
Subject: More deep talk.
Do you ever feel like you become the worst version of yourself? That a Pandora's box full of all the secret hateful parts - your arrogance, your spite, your condescension - has sprung open? Someone provokes you, and instead of just smiling and moving on, you open your big mouth and smart off. You're so kind, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about."
Judy collapses into the chair at her desk once back at her flat, trying not to dwell on her exchange with Nick Wilde earlier without much success. His words rang in her mind on a loop. Did everyone find her incapable? Did she really not have what it takes?
In an attempt to distract herself, she turns on the radio.
"Everybody hurts.."
She presses skip.
"All by myself..."
Skip.
"You can't do nothin' right..."
Skip.
"I'm a loserrrr.."
With a jab at the radio's off button that was more vigorous than necessary, Judy turns off the music with a sigh. Her phone dings at that moment, and her ears lift attentively. She immediately checks the carrotphone in hopes that it would be a new email from her favorite friend, delighted to see that it was. "Good timing," she thinks aloud. She needed a pick-me-up now more than ever.
"To: wildeone52
From: carrots
Subject: Re: More deep talk.
I know what you mean and I'm completely jealous. What happens to me when I'm provoked is that I get tongue-tied. My mind goes blank. Then I spend all night tossing and turning trying to figure out what I should have said."
Nick snickers, feeling his heart warm as he rereads the response. Truly, his online friend was the one mammal who wouldn't ever judge him. After a lifetime of being belittled, it was refreshing.
"To: carrots
From: wildeone52
Subject: Re: Re: More deep talk.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could pass all my zingers to you and then I would never behave badly and you could behave badly all the time and we'd both be happy? On the other paw, I must warn you that when you finally have the pleasure of saying the thing you mean to say at the moment you want to say it, remorse inevitably follows."
The grand opening of Fox and Sons Veggies was a great success. The furnishing on the inside was absolutely beautiful: a gleaming staircase, escalators, a cafe, a display case of various fruit pies, free samples as far as the eye could see, and multiple checkout lines were all available inside the spacious building.
"No pickets. We did it, big guy," Nick comments to his business partner as he appraises the crowd of customers victoriously.
"The neighborhood loves us," Finnick agrees. "They're wonderin' where we been all these years. It's a hit."
"They're wondering how they ever did it without us." Nick cocks a fingergun in the shorter's direction. It was all too rewarding to know that all their hard work had paid off.
As they're closing for the day, Judy glances over to where Mrs. Otterton is totaling out the register and notices the elder's grim frown. "Mrs. Otterton? What's wrong?" she queries, immediately halting amidst sweeping and crossing the room towards the otter.
Mrs. Otterton glances up, jade irises fretful. "Today we made $1200 less than the same week last year."
Clawhauser and Fru Fru glance over, brows knit in concern.
Judy's tiny nose twitches apprehensively. "That could be a fluke... right?"
Mrs. Otterton gave her a knowing look. "I'm afraid not, dear."
"Their store is just new. It's a novelty. The excitement and newness of it will wear off eventually. Everyone prefers something familiar," Judy nods in affirmation.
Fru Fru twirled a mahogany ringlet nervously. "What if we have to fold?"
"We are /not/ going to fold!" Judy proclaims firmly, planting her paws at her hips and ignoring their looks of disbelief.
Would everyone in her life continue to doubt her?
"To: wildeone52
From: carrots
Subject: I just want you to know...
I love our friendship. There's a lot going on in the day-to-dayness of my life and it gets tiring. Your messages always make my day a little brighter. There's something magical and thrilling about this island in cyberspace that I have with you. Thank you, for always giving me something to look forward to, and believing in me when nobody else will."