Chapter 20

-Nick-

Our morning class was interrupted by my least favorite polar bear (and boy did I know plenty bad ones) to announce the visit of Judy Hopps the following day. Even when I knew she was coming I still let out a sigh when I heard her name.

Major Friedkin explained to the class that since our performance was not the best and we had been complaining like little kindergarten kittens, the bunny was going to do a demonstration on the ecosystem circuit and also fighting Mr. Runt (the rhino who was in charge of self defense and martial arts).

I went cold. We had just begun training with the rhino the previous day and no one had had the slightest chance of winning. Most of us were knocked out in the first second.

"Foxy Poxy!" Ugh I hated that nickname. "A word?"

She took me outside the classroom and explained the details of the medal ceremony. She said it was up to me if I wanted to tell my classmates before the event as they were unaware of the whole thing. I tried to think about it but another thing was bugging my mind.

"Ma'am, are you sure is a good idea for Judy to fight Mr. Runt?" I asked timidly. "I'm concerned about her safety."

She just snorted and laughed.

"Good one, Red!"

And she just left.

At dinner, I sat with my new friends and other cadets at a large table and realized they were talking about Judy.

Almost everyone thought she was an inspiration and were looking forward to see her tomorrow. Some others thought she was just a token bunny who probably didn't even graduated the ZPA.

"No, she is the real thing!" Sud Hobbes said. "I heard she was the one how cracked the case about the savage mammals, and she did it only with the help of a local citizen."

"That's a bunch of BS! They're probably trying to cover something else." One hippo said.

I just couldn't stop smiling.

"Well, I can't wait to meet her," said a wolf named Ivan Lupin. "She is a hot piece of ass."

I tried hard not to bear my teeth.

"What's the matter, Wilde?" Lupin asked after seeing my reaction. "C'mon, even if you don't like bunnies you gotta admit she is sexy. It's the twenty first century. You can't be that closed minded."

He assumed I hated the idea of liking a bunny. I decided not to say anything.

I texted Judy before I went to bed. Mostly because I wanted to warned her about the Mr. Runt thing but she didn't seem worried which made me worry more. Mr. Runt didn't take it easy on anyone regardless the size of his opponent.

The last message from Judy made me feel a little better:

'Don't worry, Nick. Think about this: by the time you wake up tomorrow, I'll be there. Good night.'

-Judy-

Bogo and I drove very early in the morning to be at the ZPA in time for the first lesson. While I was going to be with the cadets, he was going to attend some business in the offices.

When we arrived it was still a little dark. Major Friedkin greeted us happily and took us to the cafeteria for some breakfast. We sat at the main table with all of the other teachers and trainers who were very happy to see me and wanted to hear about my most recent adventures.

A few minutes later all of the cadets started filling the cafeteria and I could hear them whispering my name and pointing at my direction.

I spotted Nick when he was entering the room. I knew I could not talk to him yet so we just smiled from afar. No one noticed.

Twenty minutes later, everyone had gathered outside. Since he was the smallest cadet, Nick was at the front row and I was just a few steps away from him.

It was really hard not to run into his arms at that moment.

"Listen up, cadets!" The polar bear standing next to me yelled. "This is Officer Judy Hopps. She graduated with the previous generation. She was valedictorian of her class and she broke almost every record in the history of the ZPA. One of them being the record time at the ecosystem circuit. She is now considered the hero of Zootopia after cracking the most important case the city has seen in over one hundred years."

I failed at trying not to show my discomfort and hide my blush.

"One of the reasons she is visiting us today is because, like I said yesterday, she will be doing a demonstration in some of the training areas." She then paused a little. "But also, she will be getting a medal of honor for her services to they city. As well as one civilian who helped her crack the Nighthowler case. The new Mayor will be here and we will have a little ceremony. If you want to come, you'll have to wear your formal cadet uniform."

Everyone applauded and murmured.

"Silence! Now I will leave you in the paws of Officer Hopps."

"Thank you, Ma'am." I said to the polar bear and then turned to see the cadets. "Everyone, please follow me!"