Judy's Date

Judy stood out on the porch of her home. Soaking in the warmth of the early summer air. It hadn't gotten to the point of being unbearably hot yet. But as the days were getting longer the mercury was rising higher and faster with each passing day. For now, though, the mornings were still cool and the heat of the day not quite as bad. She had spent the last couple of days doing her choirs and thinking of only two things. Preparing for the academy was priority on her list. Every day, either before she started or after she finished her choirs, she would train for the academy or study. Now things were starting to change though. Before her excitement, about being accepted, was what kept her up at night or caused the days to drag out. These last few days that excitement had been accompanied or sometimes overrun by a new flood of anticipation and nervousness.

Ever since Logan Skipson had asked her to go to the upcoming fair with him, Judy's mind became distracted. She tried not to let it keep her from her studies, doing the physical exercise was easy to do, especially if you've got something to focus on other than what you're doing. Now that Saturday had finally arrived, Judy's anxiety was bubbling over. She'd never been on a real date before. She had no idea what to expect. She'd asked some of her sister's what she should expect and they all had roughly the same answer. They told her to flirt and show him how much she was interested in him. Judy immediately threw those ideas out. She had no intention of taking this beyond a friendship. How friendly would depend on a lot of things. First and foremost were what he thought of her dreams of becoming a police officer. "It would be nice to have someone in my corner." She thought.

Before she could dwell on it any further, two pickup trucks turned off the road and started pulling into the driveway. Several rabbits riding in the back of each. About that time, she heard a third truck crank up in the front yard. Typically, Judy would ride on a long train of trailers that her dad would pull behind the tractor. That generally wasn't fun with all the little ones and the older siblings had to help keep them under control. But today Judy was in luck, Logan was coming to pick her up. As the two pickup trucks pulled up she saw that one had come from the Skipson farm and the other from the Bounds farm. In the back were a mingle of rabbits from both. Once they stopped a few jumped out and mingled for a moment with some of Judy's siblings. Judy stayed on the porch looking for Logan. She hadn't seen him since grade school. They were only in class together for one year and the only reason she remembered him was his constant picking about her wanting to be a cop. She still couldn't figure out why she called him back or even why she accepted his invitation.

As she watched the gaggle of rabbits she tried to remember what Logan looked like. She would be thoroughly embarrassed if she walked right past him and didn't even notice him. So, she waited on the porch making herself highly visible so he could come to her.

"Judy?"

"That voice she thought." She turned her head to see a light brown bunny standing at the steps of the porch. "That's him!" Her memories of what he looked like now came rushing back. The light brown fur and rounded face. Brown eyes that starred uncertainly at her.

"Logan?" she finally replied.

She took a second to look him over. He wasn't the same as she remembered. Now her was grown up. Her same age and very distinctly male. His shoulders were broad and his stomach flat. He wore a grey t-shirt and jeans. His arms were toned and muscular. What you would expect from someone growing up on a farm.

He smiled at her once he heard his name. "Uhm, you ready to go?"

"Oh right!" she shook herself mentally and walked towards and past him down the stairs. They slid into the back of her family's truck and held on as it lurched forward behind the other two that had arrived only moments before. They rode in silence. No so much because they felt awkward but because of the noise of the truck and wind making it hard to hear without being uncomfortably close for a first date.

Once they made it to the fairgrounds, everyone got out of the trucks and started splitting into small groups of two or more. Once everyone else was gone Logan and Judy stood still exchanging shy glances to each other. Logan was nearly a head taller that Judy. He looked down and gestured towards an entrance. Judy stepped towards the entrance and he walked beside her.

"Hey Judy, um…"

"Yeah?" she looked up at him beside her. His head was looking down at the ground. The shame in his brown eyes told her all she needed to know about what he would say next.

"I just wanted to apologize." He looked up at her but not into her eyes. "I was a real jerk when we were kids." He stopped and started kicking a couple of rocks under his feet.

"It's ok." She said honestly. So many people had either picked on her or tried to talk her out of her dreams that she had gotten out of the habit of holding a grudge against them. "You weren't the first to pick on me. I've kind of gotten used to it."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He was truly concerned by what she said. Relieved that she would forgive him so quickly but also heartbroken by what she said. "If it makes you feel any better I actually think what you're doing is really cool now."

"Really?" she looked up at him curiously. No one had really showed her any kind of support. They either made fun of her or tried to talk her out of it.

"Yeah!" he perked up. "In fact, I'm planning to go to Zootopia myself in a couple of months. I'm studying to be a lawyer and I've been looking at a couple of firms in the city that might take me as an intern while I work on my degree."

Judy looked shocked. She had not expected this. She took her time and studied his expression carefully, trying to decide if he was being honest or just setting her up for another cruel joke. But all she could see was sincerity in him. "Maybe he really has changed?" She thought to herself. "Better play it safe, just in case."

"So, what kind of law are you studying?" she cautiously asked as the two walked through the open gates.

"Well I started out leaning towards Environmental and Natural resources. Figured it would be the most likely considering where we live and all."

"And now?"

"Well after I heard you got accepted into the academy I started doing some digging. I saw where there was a height limit to join the ZPD and that the only reason you were able to get in was because of the Mammal Inclusion Initiative." His eyes brows began to furrow and his voice became irritated. Judy braced herself for what came next. They were near the center of the fair grounds. There were literally hundreds of rabbits and a few other species around them now. She was certain he was going to use the fact that the MII was the only reason she was able to get into the police academy at all. She began preparing herself mentally for a retort to whatever he may say.

"The more research I did on the subject the more ridiculous it all got. They didn't just do away with height restrictions for the academy but also implemented changes throughout the whole society of Zootopia. This thing rewrote the whole rule book."

The more he talked the Judy could see the anger welling up in his eyes and face. Now she was getting angry. She began to clinch her paws and her ears were tipped forward slightly. She was about to lay into him about how he was being narrowminded. When he suddenly turned towards her and looked her in the eye.

"And that's when I changed my major to civil rights law." His whole demeanor softened slightly.

Judy was taken back by the sudden change, not just his change in subject but also the way he looked at her. She leaned back slightly surprised by what he said. But it didn't last like long the anger that had begun to grow in her pushed itself forward again.

"Why!?" she blurted out loud enough that several heads turned towards them. "So, you can try and remove the MII and keep me from becoming a police officer or have me kicked off the force?"

Logan was completely surprised by her reaction. His ears fell behind to his back and eyes shot wide. Mouth hanging open slightly. Judy had realized that her outburst had attracted the attention of those around them. She started to turn away and leave him standing there looking like a fool.

As Judy turned he shook himself out of the daze her sudden anger had put him in. He reached out his paw and grabbed her shoulder.

"Judy I-"

She turned back towards him quickly shoving his paw away from her. "Keep your paws off me!" She screamed to his face. "And don't ever speak to me again!"

She started to run as fast as she could away from him. She headed toward the exit they came from. She just wanted to get away. To get away from the eyes that were watching their exchange. Watching her get angry and embarrassed. As she came to the exit she heard a voice.

"Judy wait!"

She looked back to see Logan running after her. She faced back forward and started running faster. The extra running, was starting to pay off. She through the parking lot and into the field beyond to a grove of trees. Before hoping into a bush, she looked back, she had put considerable distance between her and Logan. Once out of view she quickly darted to the left running just within the tree line where the shrubs were the thickest. She found was she was looking for. An old oak tree that had hollowed out with age. She darted inside and hid, hoping he would simply keep going. Thinking she had done the same.

She started panting to catch her breath. Slowly breathing deeper with each breath until it normalized. She did her best to listen but her fast beating heart was making it more difficult. Eventually she heard something crashing through the bushes from where she entered the grove. She almost stopped breathing at the sudden noise.

"Oofgh! Judy! Grrrr!" Logan tripped on a fallen tree shortly after entering the grove he had chased Judy into. His frustration began to rise as he called her name and growled aloud when she didn't answer. He started walking along trying to find where she's went. Turning left and walking along the inner part of the grove. Eventually his frustration got the better of him. He reached down and grabbed a stick and slung it against and old tree breaking it in half.

Judy flinched at the sound of a stick breaking against the tree she was hiding in. Judy felt she could easily out run him but wasn't sure she could over power him. Hiding in the tree was beginning to feel like a bad idea. If he found her she could easily trap her in it. She began to lean forward and got ready to run when-

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!" She heard Logan whispering loudly to himself. She paused thinking maybe he was about to give up.

"Why didn't I just tell her! Why did I have to get myself all worked up!"

"Tell me what?" She pondered. Listening more intently to what he was saying.

Logan had no idea where she had gone. It was possible she had run out the other side of the grove before he even got there. He was still slightly stunned by how fast she was. Knowing that after his fall there was no way he could possibly catch her now. He leaned against the tree he had just broken the limb against and slumped down to the ground. Placing his paw over his eyes, he started talking to himself again.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got mad in front of you. I'm sorry I didn't just tell you straight up what I wanted to say. I'm sorry I made you mad and embarrassed you in front of everyone. I'm sorry I'm such an idiot."

"Tell me what?" Logan jumped when he heard the echoing voice behind him. His pulse and breathing sky rocketing. He looked curiously around the tree on either side but didn't see any one. He slowly stood up and walked around. Then saw the cavity that had formed in the tree. Looking inside he saw Judy sitting on the ground looking up at him. He leaned against the entrance and let out a long sigh.

"What did you want to tell me." Judy repeated. Her ears now hanging behind her. Her knees pulled up to her chest. She now realized that she had over reacted to what he was trying to tell her. But she still wasn't sure exactly what that was.

"That I'm an idiot." He finally said.

Judy just shrugged and gave a small smile. "I already knew that." She chuckled.

He gave a small laugh at her answer and sat down at the front of the entrance.

"Yeah I showed that pretty good didn't I. He looked at Judy for a moment before speaking again. "Judy I'm sorry I made you mad. I wasn't trying to make you think I was against you."

"Then why did you seem so upset?"

Logan sat back against the tree leaning his head back and looking up at the tree tops. "I was mad because of the MII. Not because they implemented it, but because they needed to."

Judy's eyes widened and her ears raised towards him peaked by interest.

"The fact that they weren't going to let you join the police because of your height as well as several other things that the MII made me realize how prejudice society was. Made me think of everyone who might have wanted to do something or be something and were denied because of what species they were. It made me sick!" hissing the last sentence. "So," he continued after a deep breath, "I decided to change my study from Environment and Natural Resources to Civil Rights. So, I can fight the prejudices of society."

Judy was stunned by what he said. It was hard to remember that he was the same buck who had picked on her so much when they were younger. But she still had a question for him.

"So," she began. "what do you really think about me joining the force?"

He looked at her intently for a moment before responding.

"Oh, your certifiably insane 100%." Judy's eyebrows shot up and her face began to cringe the way it had in the fair grounds. But then Logan smiled at her. "And I hope you make it." He said in a soft and tender voice.

While it wasn't the resounding statement of approval and support she was hoping for, she was happy to finally hear someone say something other than 'don't go' or 'you won't make it'. Her eyes began to water and a smile began to form across her muzzle. She crawled forward to the entrance of the tree and leaned into Logan. She gave him a hug and whispered thank you. Logan quickly returned the hug and then pulled away.

"So," he started, "um, do you wanna go back to the fair? If you don't I'd understand."

Judy smiled at him and stood up. Offered him a paw and helped him stand up. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

As they started walking out of the grove they walked side by side. Judy reached out and held his paw. He looked down at their paws and she intertwined her fingers with his. Looking at Judy as she smiled at him. He suddenly shot his face back forward as a big grin began to grow across his face and the inside of his ears turned red. Judy started to giggle as she saw his reaction.

"Hu, I guess mom was right after all."

Author's Notes:

I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. What do you guys think? I haven't seen many stories where Judy or Nick hook up with someone else. I thought it would be fun to take that approach. Remember Linda wants to hook Nick up with her sister. I'll address that in a later chapter. Let me know if you find any inconsistencies anywhere and I'll try to either explain or correct it. Please send me any questions about anything in the story that you don't get or want more details on or even suggestions. Thanks!