Well, what an eventful morning, and it looks like things are looking up. Of course, that's not to say that mine is not to be desired, oh, no, no, no, not at all, but it's lonely being an only child. Oh, and here's the rub- Mom told me that she'd had a kit before me, but she couldn't afford to keep her. Of course, she really couldn't afford me either, but as she's told me time and time again, I looked 'oh so cute and adorable' lying in that box, and she couldn't bear to leave another to suffer the same fate as she'd committed her daughter to- a daughter who I think I might just have run into this morning on the bus.

What an interesting turn of events.

Just then, Mister Lionheart's morning roll snapped me from my thoughts.

"Hopps, Nicholas?"

I raised my paw. "Here, sir. Oh, and it's Nick, if you wouldn't mind, sir."

"Very well." Mr. Lionheart nodded. "Wilde, Judith?"

"Here. Like Nick, I'd prefer to be called by my nickname- It's Judy, in case you didn't know, sir."

"Not trying to make yourself seem any weaker than you are, Wilde? Trying to attract ridicule? Not wise, young lady."

"I understand that rather well, Mister Lionheart. If I wished for trouble, I'd ask for it. Sir, no disrespect, but any mockery or scorn someone can direct towards me isn't going to do me harm. Being adopted by a family of foxes has taught me more than enough about unfair treatment, that's not counting the fact that I try, which I haven't heard that neither rabbits nor foxes are known for."

"A valid point, young lady. In fact, you two have given me quite the idea." He went quiet, seemingly to ponder this new thought. Then he nodded. "Yes, that would work very well, very well indeed."

"What would that be, Mister Lionheart?"

"Well," he rumbled, running his claws through his mane, "I think I might have heard the epithets 'sly fox' and 'dumb bunny' thrown around quite a lot this morning, and those were the ones that I can relate without being called before the school board. Any idea why?"

"Perfectly, sir. Although, form my opinions, and my conversations with Judy this morning, I believe that they've been directing those to the wrong mammals, aside from the fact that they shouldn't be said at all…"

"I see a fox and a rabbit here before me, do tell."

"Well, sir," I sighed. How was I ever going to explain it to him without warranting a trip to the school shrink?

"Yes…?"

"In the wrong order, Mister Lionheart. The way we were raised has made us think of ourselves as the opposing species, and as Judy has made quite clear, she has faced those prejudices that a physical fox would face."

"An interesting point, Nicholas- yes, I know, you want to be called Nick, but here and now, I do not think that that would be as serious as I need it to be. You see, you make an excellent point, Mister Hopps. Stereotypes define us all, are used to define us, and are used as barriers in our way. In reality, how often are those stereotypes actually accurate?"

"Not often and yet too often, sir."

"If I understand correctly, Nicholas, you mean that stereotypes never truly fit the mammals to whom they are directed. I know there's more than that to what you said, but I'd like you to tell me."

"Yes, of course. I'm a fox, right? In body, I mean."

"Yes…"

"What I'm trying to get at here, sir, is that there are good mammals out there who only are examples of that stereotype because they feel there's no other way. Society has refused to see them for what they are, and so they see no other way out than to conform. And so, the cycle continues, around and around again."

"Each mammal copes in their own way, Nicholas. Just take you and Judith here for examples. How often does one see a rabbit with green eyes, let alone whiskers? Or a fox with violet? I presume those aren't contacts. On either of you."

"No, sir," I said. Just what was this old teacher trying to get into? Stereotypes were a big taboo in schools. He could lose his job for talking about them! "They aren't contacts, I've had surgery to change them. Mom thought that it would help. She saved for years- years- to have this done."

"Funny you should mention that, Nick."

"Oh, sorry, Judy, I didn't mean to ignore you."

"No worries. I was just trying to mention that my eyes are the same way."

"Why do we keep doing this?"

"Sorry, what?"

"Copycatting -pun not intended- each other. Why?"

"I'd like to think that it's mere coincidence, but I have the sneaking suspicion that it's not coincidence in any way."

"Funny, me too."

"You never know, do you?" Mister Lionheart said, then turned to the rest of the class, most of whom were soundly asleep at their desks. "Before I do this, would you two mind telling the class what you just told me?"

"No, sir, not at all," I said. Judy, however, seemed a bit more hesitant.

"I-I-I don't understand, sir."

"'Sir' was my father, Judith, please, call me Leodore."

"Very well, Leo- can I call you that instead?"

This earned a rumbling purr of affection from the lion. Something that frightened me but at the same time, I found oddly comforting. "Yes, if I can call you Judy."

"Sounds fine, and yes, Leo, I'll share."

"Then plug your ears, young lady. You too, Nick."

I did as I was told, and seconds later, an ear-splitting roar reverberated around the room and shook the windowpanes.

"Who-o-oa! I'm up, I'm up."

"Ow, my ears!"

"What was that for?"

"You're insane, Mister Lionheart!"

"I'm telling the principal, the superintendent-"

"Be quiet, everyone," Mister Lionheart told my classmates. "There is a discussion we need to have, here and now."