Ariel shuffled down the hall to her locker, her mind swarming with thoughts. Things had just gone so downhill after that press conference. It was almost as if the world was purposefully working against her. Still, she reminded herself, the only place to go once you've hit rock-bottom is up.

Ariel's thoughts were interrupted suddenly with loud shouts from the opposite side of the hall. A short lioness, whom Ariel recognized as a new kid in some of her classes, was reaching in vain for her schoolbooks, held in the air by Rick Waters, a hippo Ariel knew.

"Give those back! I need them for class!" the lioness yelled.

Rick laughed, "Sure you need them. I need them more than you do. Tell you what, you can take them... if you can get at them!" With those words, the books were flung into a nearby trash can. The lioness gasped, the slowly slumped down and cried, leaning against the can.

Ariel could hardly believe that such open discrimination was being allowed in the hallowed halls of Mincoln High. It was one thing when she was the one being bullied, but quite another seeing someone else suffer. Ariel was tempted to approach Rick and give him a piece of her mind, but her better judgement warned against it. Instead, she approached that can and, trying to breathe through her nose, reached in. The books weren't too far down, so Ariel could easily reach them.

"These yours?" Ariel gently asked, holding out the slightly dirty books.

The lion looked up, tears still in her eyes. "Yeah, they are," she sniffed as she accepted them. "Thank you so much, ah..."

"Ariel. You're Georgia, right? I think we're in the same homeroom."

"Yeah, that's me. I don't like the name Georgia, though. All my friends call me Georgie."

"That's cute. So, uh, where are you headed next?"

"Art class. I have a great drawing I wanted to show the teacher today."

"I'm on my way to biology, and then I have drama."

"I'm doing drama then, too!"

"No way. Are you going to try out for a part in the play?"

"Yeah, I love Shakespurr. I think I'll go for Helena."

"Either Puck or Hermia for me. Well, see you then!"

"Have fun in biology!" Georgie called as she skipped off down the hall. Ariel hafted her books and walked on with a smile.

"Ugh, another ugly note?" Ariel complained vocally as she opened her swim locker. "This is getting ridiculous!"

"Don't I know it," quipped the zebra girl standing next to her. "I've seen too many of those to count at school."

Ariel turned and raised an eyebrow. "Do I know you?"

"Oh, I'm Cheyenne. Just joined the team. I needed a way to get exercise."

"Well, I think swimming is one of the best ways possible to get exercise. What's your specialty?"

"Crawl."

"Maybe I can give you some pointers on your weaker strokes once we're in the pool."

"That'd be great," Cheyenne snickered as Ariel closed her locker. "Wait a sec. You're Ariel Hobbes? The Ariel Hobbes?"

Ariel responded proudly, "In the fur!"

Cheyenne shoved her hoof into Ariel's paw. "It's so amazing to meet you face-to-face," she gushed. "I've heard so much about you. I'm a big fan!"

"You're the first prey animal to say that to me in a long time."

"Well, we stripers have to stick together, am I right?"

"Yeah. Come on, let's get to the pool."

Sk8rfant73: Bad news. 'Rents say I can't hang out with you anymore.

TigerSplash6: WTF?!

Sk8rfant73: Uncle J got to Dad

TigerSplash6: I get the pic. It's ok...

Sk8rfant73: PRAYING this turns out ok

TigerSplash6: Me too, Diego :*(

(Later...)

TigerSplash6: Keek, I want to tell you so much...

"Nice of you to ask me out tonight," Ariel said to Matt, sashaying in her best green dress as they walked, paw in paw, along the streets of downtown Zootopia.

Matt shrugged, adjusted his bow tie, and replied, "To tell the truth, I'd been meaning to do this for some time now. Just never got the chance."

"Glad you found it. So, what are you planning to have us watch when we get to the theater?"

"Meowana's not out yet, so I was thinking Miss Peregrine's."

"I've been dying to see that one. Have you read the book?"

"Actually, yes. It's pretty good. You'll love Jacob."

"As much as I love you?"

"Shut up, Ariel," Matt said playfully. Ariel responded by giving her date a gentle nudge, and the two smiled at each other.

"Hey, wait, what's playing on that radio?" Ariel asked suddenly, dropping her script.

Cheyenne gave the volume knob a nudge from her position on the sofa. "Something by Rachel Batten, I think," she answered, excitement growing in her voice.

"Oh, I love Rachel Batten!" Georgie squealed, her own script falling to the apartment floor. "Flight Song, Batter Place..."

"This is definitely Hang By You," Matt added.

Once the chorus came on, all four mammals started singing their hearts out:

"Even if we're breaking down,
We can find a way to break through!
Even if we can't find heaven,
I'll fly through hell with you!
Love, you're not alone,
'Cause I'm gonna hang by you!

Even if we can't find heaven,
I'm gonna hang by you-oo!
Even if we can't find heaven,
I'll fly through hell with you!
Love, you're not alone,
'Cause I'm gonna hang by you!"

The friends collapsed on the floor and laughed at the spontaneity of it all. This is what friendship feels like, Ariel thought. I'd nearly forgotten.