Teach Me

Chapter 1

Written by Anheledir

Edited by Cimar

Artwork by Koraru-san on Deviantart

"And Evelin didn't mention what her scenario is about?" Nick raised his eyebrows suspiciously when they entered Fitwik's Arcade. Judy's little sister, who had moved with her husband and four kits to a suburb from Zootopia a few months ago, had called them on this Saturday morning. She had started a part-time job for Fitwik to design new scenarios for the P.I.X.A.R. machine and as Nick and Judy were regular visitors anyway, Evelin asked them to try out her very first scenario that she had worked on for several weeks. It wasn't officially available, but only with a personal invitation for picked out testers.

"She just said, that it would fit us perfectly." Judy shrugged with a grin. It was no secret that her only one-year younger sister was a teaser and quite cheeky. Even when she did not say anything, no police officer was needed to guess that their scenario today would be rather more frisky and romantic than action packed.

Nick sighed but still smiled. "Well, seems as if we're lucky and can start right away." He nodded to the empty P.I.X.A.R. machine and sat down on one of the both lounge chairs with all the buttons on the armrest. "Do you have that invitation code to load her scenario?"

"Are you kidding?" Judy looked at him with that challenging grin. "Take that helmet so we can finally start." She winked while putting on her own helmet, entering their testing voucher code into the machine and finally flicked down the visor after some small adjustments.

The flickering light was putting them quickly to sleep, and the distant sound of voices becoming more clear… The shapes of a big building emerging – at first somewhat blurry, but finally ...

"You should just ask him out and bring his suffering to an end, Chloe," Judy said while sitting at a table in the large staff room. The inner ears of the thylacine turned bright pink before she could set them back while she looked down at her paws. Before she could answer the gray rabbit, though, the school bell was ringing, announcing the end of third period. Judy dropped her ears in a quick movement as hundreds of hooves and paws started walking or running into the corridors of Meadowland High School and all kind of shouts and other sounds reached her sensible ears.

"I thought they made improvements to the acoustic insulation since last year," Chloe said with a sympathetic smile. She could relate with the rabbit's sensitivity of her ears; her olfactory sense was regularly challenged during classes. More than two dozen students of different species in a small room is anything but odorless. But after a while, she was able just to block out the offensive scents. However, Chloe Dapperclaw didn't have to be teaching Zoology and Animal Science to know that it was way harder for her coworker and friend to not listen to all the sonic waves reaching the large ears of the Math and PE teacher. It was an uncommon combination of subjects, but Judy Hopps was way too energetic to just be in a classroom every day, juggling with mathematical equations. Her further training as a PE instructor allowed her to not only keep herself in peak condition, but it also made sure that those motion-lazy students had some minor work out from time to time.

After a few minutes, most of the noises faded away when the students had left the building or went to the cafeteria during their break. While Judy raised her ears again, most of the other teachers were gradually entering the staff room, talking with each other in small groups or just relaxing on a chair with some mediocre coffee. The gray doe, however, turned her ears in the direction of the door and a small smile was adumbrating on her muzzle. Chloe noticed out of the corner of her eye how the little tail of her friend was starting to twitch and began to grin. She was sure that the bunny wasn't even aware of her little telltale sign.

"Your Prince Charming is right around the corner, Chloe!" Judy turned her head and winked at her friend. "And I think he brings along a tasty treat," she snickered.

When a large and athletic wolf entered the staff room, the thylacine grinned and nudged Judy with her elbow. "Oh, I see what you are talking about! But I think I will leave this tasty treat to you."

This time Judy's inner ears were the one that turned bright pink. Her comment had referred to the large coffee mugs that the wolf and fox, who just entered the room were carrying, as she had caught their conversation before they'd entered the room. Eliot Fanghanel was a teacher for applied arts and typically foaming over with emotions – with the exception for his feelings toward Chloe. Nearly everyone who witnessed his behavior when near the beautiful thylacine immediately knew that he was head over tail in love. His tail was wagging like crazy, and Judy could hear how his heart was starting to race like he just ran a marathon. But he still had not asked her out for a date, and just watching him struggle when he was talking with Chloe was enough to drive her mad.

But her friends leering wasn't directed at Eliot or the two large cups of coffee he was carrying. Chloe was pointing with her snout to the second coworker who entered together with Eliot the room. Nick Wilde was a teacher for social studies in Sociology, Economics, Rhetoric, and Civics – and he was a beautiful red fox with such a charming and sly grin, that it always caused some warm and giddy feelings inside of Judy. She and Nick had been best friends for several years now, despite their different species, and even living in the same apartment building. Species aside, they supplemented each other on so many levels that they both enjoyed hanging out together, even outside of Meadowland High: Ice skating in Tundratown, racing with quad bikes through Savannah Desert, visiting museums, relaxing in the cinema or just some gossip and tittle-tattle while sitting in a café. But Judy's highlight was their weekly movie night each Friday when they met up in his or her apartment, cooking dinner together and watching their favorite DVDs until late at night. Of course, they were just friends and nothing more! The bunny just enjoyed the time while she was hanging out with Nick. Like really enjoyed it!

"Hey, Carrots! Hey, Chloe," Nick said and interrupted Judy's musing over that fluffy, long tail of his, that was wagging back and forth. "Eliot and I thought you two could need some decent coffee, so we got your favorite blends from Snarlbucks next door." He passed the medium sized cup with a wink over to the doe who was smiling brightly at him. Eliot gave his second cup to Chloe with a stupid grin; his tail was wagging as if he was trying to lift off the ground with it like a helicopter. The thylacine had a hard time trying not to giggle and took his gift with a wide grin.

"Thank you," she smiled while trying to ignore Eliot's tail, that now seemed to move even faster – if that was possible at all. Judy snickered quietly, not noticing Nick's looks on her and how his tail was also somewhat twitching despite his efforts to not turn a hair.

"Already made plans for the summer holidays or you are revisiting your pack?" the rabbit asked with her most innocent voice when the two male mammals sat down at their table. She'd heard from Nick that Eliot didn't fancy another summer holiday with his family at home. The prospect of not seeing Chloe for six weeks played a vital role, too. But although there was no doubt that he was goopy for the thylacine since she started to work at the Meadowland High at the beginning of this school year, he had not asked her out. Instead, the gray wolf always acted like a tensed up coiled spring when she was nearby.

"Actually," Eliot's voice sounded jittery and at least a few nuances too high. "I planned to stay here this year. The honorary guest on the Zootopia Book Fair this year is Tasmania. A beautiful country with a st-stunning his-history…" he started to stammer on the last words when he took some sidelong looks at Chloe – whose homeland was Tasmania. However, the thylacine was somewhat distracted, watching how Nick had put his tail on the little bunnies tights and she was stroking her paw through his tail while listening to Eliot.

Maybe Eliot is a loveable featherhead for not realizing my affection for him, Chloe thought. But watching those two lovebirds being blind for each other's strong love is just ridiculous.

Chloe's less poetic and more rational voice intervened her thoughts: Well, be fair. Not every mammal has studied the courting behavior of different species. For a rabbit, there is nothing to get excited about touching each other among friends and family. She just doesn't recognize it as some blatant flirting when a fox is doing it.

Then maybe we should nudge her a bit into the right direction! Her giddy voice spoke up again. It's not like she isn't interested, and Nick would never take the first step.

Both voices in her head sighed. The traditional dumb behavior of Vulpines; the female has to accept his courting. But that's only reasonable with another vixen, not with that love-blind doe of a Lagomorpha!

Chloe snickered about her thoughts at the moment, slowly shaking her head, when Eliot had begun to stutter. She noticed out of the corner of her eye how the wolf was blushing slightly, turned around and quickly tried to recover what he just said. Summer Holidays, Book Fair, Tasmania, beautiful, stunning, … Wait, what? The thylacine widened her eyes and now started to blush somewhat in turn.

Judy was grinning like a Cheshire Cat while watching first Eliot, then Chloe blushing. She took another big gulp from her cup of coffee before she leaned conspiratorially forward. "You know, Chloe comes from Tasmania. Maybe she can join you and give you some deeper insight to her beautiful … country." She winked shamelessly at him, ignoring Chloe's nagging glance on her.

"I don't," Eliot looked doubtful but with a glance of hope in his eyes to the thylacine. "…I guess it's quite annoying for you? A literature professor surrounded by books on a Book Fair." His voice sounded excited, but in Eliot's eyes was still this flustered glance. In the same second the school bell rang, he jumped off his seat and rushed out of the staff room without waiting for an answer from Chloe – just to return a few seconds later to grab his bag he left behind and … froze.

Just when Judy got up from her chair to get to her PE class, Nick leaned forward to her and quickly licked over her muzzle, removing some leftover coffee cream. His sly grin was bigger than before, and Judy just snickered in amusement. But both Chloe and Eliot were staring at them as if he had just tried to bite her neck or something.

"Are you coming, Eliot?" Nick spoke as careless as always, but his tail was now wagging noticeable faster before he left the staff room together with the now madly grinning Wolf.

While Judy was still snickering and wiping with the back of her paw over her nose to make sure no more coffee cream was left, she grabbed her tracksuit top from the dresser and wanted to leap off to the sports ground. The slightly bewildered look on Chloe's face, however, made her stop, looking somewhat worried.

"Everything okay? Do I have more creamer on my face?" the rabbit wiped over her muzzle again with her free paw, but the thylacine just slowly shook her face. "What?!" Judy started to pound with her feet impatiently on the floor. She didn't want to be late for her class – she was never late!

Chloe's shocked facial expression changed to a wide grin before she finally started to snicker. She had grabbed her own books and documents before she patted Judy on her shoulder While they walked over to the door, she said with a knowing smile. "You nearly managed to pull a fast one on me! Since when are you two together and why didn't you tell me before?" the tasmanian tiger snickered amused.

Judy froze in place immediately on her words, her ears blushing heavily until she managed to drop them. "W-what?! No! We are n-not… I mean… We are best friends, Chloe! B-b-but not … You know…", The gray doe dragged nervously on her ears and avoided to look into her friend's direction. How could she just assume something like that?

Not that you would be reluctant against the idea. Some sassy voice inside of Judy's head answered her unspoken question.

Maybe, but those are only unconstructive daydreams! Another voice responded to the first one.

That's right, they are unconstructive! You should just ask him out on a date. Gosh, let alone those emerald eyes… We love those eyes, and you know it!

Hello?! Bunny – Fox – you know that they are not quite of the same species, right?

And even more, this long and fluffy tail! Just thinking about cuddling with it gives me some warm and cozy feeling! And his smile!

Oh, yes, this tail. By contrast with those tiny stubby tails of us rabbits it is just so purrfect and… Hey! Stop distracting me! He is a Fox and not interested in a dumb, crazy and lovesick bunny.

Maybe he is? At least he is still single, and I bet he could have had any Vixen in our apartment house already!

Oh, shut your mouth, or I will muzzle you!

That wouldn't change anything, you know?

Last warning, smartypants!

…!

"Wait, you two are not in a relationship?" Chloe's irritated, but now even more amused sounding question disrupted Judy's thoughts. "And what was that licking all about then?"

The rabbit twitched with her nose and muttered flustered: "That was nothing. Just Nick's usual sly act. It's not even uncommon for rabbits, at least for close friends and family. But that doesn't mean we are d-dating or something like this!"

"We should have a coffee together, today after school. Just us two girls, just talking about this and that, what do you say?" Chloe snickered when they arrived at the stairwell. That little bunny really had no clue as it seemed. Well, she would try to maybe bring up a few little facts about canine courtship later, and how it is different – just for example – from that of Lagomorpha.

"Okay, let's meet at the side exit after fifth period?" Judy suggested, nearly back to her normal fur-color again. "I first want to take a shower after two hours of PE. But we cannot stay too long, maybe an hour or so? Today is the weekly movie night with Nick, and I still have to go shopping for our dinner."

And maybe I can even make him his favorite Blueberry Cream Cake. Mom sent a whole package of our fresh blueberries for him yesterday! The rabbit snickered at the very thought of the red fox praising those little fruits gushingly. She didn't notice her ears popping up, swaying back and forth at this thought, and her tail wiggling excitedly.

The tasmanian tiger winked and nodded. "That's okay, let's meet after fifth then." They waved each other goodbye, and while the Biology teacher was heading to the second floor, Judy rushed down the stairs and left the building towards the sports ground.

"Man, you're really into that little bunny, aren't you?" Eliot snickered. They were walking together through the corridors on the second floor that was gradually filling up again with all kind of mammals, mostly in their teens. Eliot's Literature class was just a few rooms away from Nick's Sociology class so they could share most of their way together.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," came the Fox's lame answer, but his inner ears were already starting to get somewhat pink.

Eliot punched him against his shoulder and grinned even more. "You literally licked all over her face, I nearly expected that you try to leave your scent mark all over her muzzle!"

Nick sighed and tried to play it cool with his sly smile."Come on, Eliot. We're just good friends, that was nothing special. And she really doesn't mind." But his wagging tail was betraying him again. Did he like that twirly little rabbit? Well, of course. They were already friends for so many years, and he really enjoyed being near her. But she still was a rabbit with quite a large family – something rather uncommon these days – and would never consider him as something more than a good friend and colleague. That was okay with him.

At least I can spend time with her, and as she is no vixen, she never would consider my constant closeness as courting behavior. The Fox thought to himself with a slightly longing sigh but smiled.

Oh, you would be in real trouble otherwise. Another voice in Nick's head answered snickering. Not only would she kick your naughty rump including that tail up to the moon, but working together would become quite awkward.

He sighed again – this time more dispirited – and noticed, that Eliot was still talking insistently to him. That wolf wasn't even able to ask out Chloe even when everyone could clearly see that she likes him back. Hence there was absolutely no reason to listen to his relationship advice! When they finally arrived at Nick's classroom, he put his paw on Eliot's shoulder.

"You should try to get your own relationship with Chloe started instead of trying a shot in the dark with your untenable suspicious facts, buddy." He winked and before Eliot could answer – his ears starting to blush again – the fox entered his classroom where most of his students were already present and talking with each other.

Then, with a quick motion, the wolf put his head through the door and called after Nick with a wide grin. "I will do it! Today! And then I will ensure that you and your cottontail will finally get together!"

Nick groaned while most mammals already in the classroom started to laugh or giggle, but before he could say something, Eliot was already gone again, laughing and howling gleefully.

"Alright already!" Nick groaned, raising his voice slightly to silence his class again after a few minutes. "Last week we talked about the ever-expanding numbers of Predosexual, Preysexual and other interspecies communities in Zootopia, that are even gradually spreading all over the rest of the country. More and more mammals become increasingly engaged in interspecies affiliations. Many variables, like relationships, parenting, changes in diverse biological processes and community interactions are influencing the community of mammals at large. As shown in the research paper of Dr. Viktor Vandyke I handed out to you, the level of acceptance has evolved over the years. The study aimed to determine the factors that lead to the acceptance in society for the interspecies couples; who can give us a brief summary of it?"

AN: Oh boy, something tells me this might be a loooong school year for these four. XD Special thanks to Koraru-san for drawing up the amazing artwork for this story! :D Also, Viktor Vandyke is the OC of Starfang's Secrets, so please thank her for letting him be used here. :D