"Are we ready?" Judy asked her friends as they were outside the dining hall.
"As we'll ever be." said Giselle.
Fru was looking nervous and timidly asked, "What if they don't like me afterwards?"
Judy held her friend, "That's just not possible."
Dawn motioned, "That's right, you're so loveable that no one could hate you."
A couple of the cheerleaders that were shrews like Fru agreed with her.
Fru sighed, "Expect Amanda and Katilyn… they're the competition."
"For now." said Judy, "But once it's over they'll like you again."
Giselle patted the shrew's back, "You have nothing to worry about. Judy's plan will work, and with the other cheerleaders helping you'll get the most votes in a single day!"
Fru unsteadily said, "Well… okay."
Judy set her friend on the top of her head, "All you have to do is wait for your cue."
The girls were in position as they each took a corner in the dining hall before Giselle started up the music causing the students to stop with their eating and looked around.
The girls then started singing and danced a little, "Hey! Hey! Everybody! We've got something to say… We may seem as different, as the night is from day! But if you look a little deeper, and you will see: that I'm just like you and you're just like me! Yeah! Hey! Hey! Everybody! We're here to shout, that the magic of friendship is what it's all about! Yeah, we thought we were different, as the night is from the day! Until Fru-Fru helped us see another way! So get up, get down, if you're gonna come around! We can work together, helping Fru win the crown! So get up, get down, 'cause it's gonna make a sound! If we work together, helping Fru-Fru win the crown!"
Gazelle sang, "Hey! Hey! Hands up now! We're sending a message to the crowd! Hands wave up, then come down! We party together all around!"
Dawn sung, "Generous… Honesty…"
One of shrews sang, "Laughter… Kindness… Loyalty…"
The other shrew sang, "Fru helped us each to see…"
Judy sang out, "All that we can be! So…"
The group sang together, "Get up, get down! If you're gonna come around… We can work together, helping Fru win the crown! So get up, get down, cause it's gonna make a sound! If we work together, helping Fru-Fru win the crown!"
Judy held Fru up as she sang, "I'm gonna be myself, no matter what I do, and if we're different, yeah, I want you to be true to you… If you follow me, we'll put our differences aside… We'll stick together, and start working on that school pride!"
She sang with the group, "Jump up, make a sound! Hey! Stomp your hooves, turn around! Start now, make a change! Gonna come around! Jump up, make a sound! Hey! Stomp your hooves, turn around! All-Girls, help her win the crown! Jump up, make a sound! Hey! Stomp your hooves, turn around! Start now, make a change! Gonna come around! Jump up, make a sound! Hey! Stomp your hooves, turn around! All-Girls, help her win the crown!"
By then the other girls sitting in the hall decided to join in while some of them had been recording the whole thing with their phones, "Jump up, make a sound! Hey! Stomp your hooves, turn around! Start now, make a change! Gonna come around! Jump up, make a sound! Hey! Stomp your hooves, turn around! All-Girls, help her win the crown!"
The song ended and a great cheer went over the hall.
Nick was warming up on the guitar in the music room him and the guys were in. They had to start practicing if they wanted to qualify for the Battle of the Bands after winter break which was coming up in less than a couple of weeks. But like when he first tried it out it was still out of tune and it didn't go unnoticed.
"I thought you said you could play guitar!" Finnick complained.
"Well I can! It's just been a long time, okay?!" but even he had growing concerns about not sounding right, he didn't understand it, he was a pro at it before his dad died so why was he so bad now?
Clawhauser then piped up as he held up his phone, "Hey guys! Check out this new video that's been posted!" they gathered around him as he played it.
"Jump up, make a sound! Hey! Stomp your hooves, turn around! All-Girls, help her win the crown!"
Nick gapped before smiling, "So that's what she was planning to do! Carrots, you little schemer, you!"
Gideon questioned, "Planning to do what?"
"Helping Fru win the Snow Princess competition." he stated.
Finnick groaned, "I almost forgot about that. The girls have that Winter Ball and we're all force to go…"
Ben grinned, "Good thing I still have my tux from last year."
Nick muttered under his breath, "Yeah, but can you still fit in it…?"
Saturday finally came as Judy met up with Nick and they went to a bus stop where a bus would take them to the Rainforest District. They sat together as Judy excitedly told him how they were getting more supporters for Fru and that she's likely to win again. Nick then told her about his problems at band practice and she went deep in thought.
"That's really strange… I mean it should be like riding bike, you shouldn't have lost that ability to play well."
"I just don't get it, Carrots. My dad was the one who taught me and he was really great, he even gave me that guitar and I was playing on it all time, he said I was a natural."
"It was your dad's?"
"Yes."
"Hm… Nick, could it be possible that you feel upset whenever you play? Because it was your dad's and that you had such fond memories from playing it?"
His eyes widen. He never thought about that. He said, "I never did touch it again after he died and it isn't until now I started playing again."
"You're holding yourself back from being reminded of those times with your dad… That happened to me before when my grandmother died… She and I used to knit sweaters for the entire family, but once she passed on I didn't have the heart to knit again until a couple of years ago I tried it again but I was horrible at it. I didn't understand what was going on, until I saw a picture of my grandmother and I realized that I didn't want to knit if she wasn't there with me…"
"So how did you get past that?"
"I remembered how happy it made her that was knitting with her and sure enough I was able to knit again and I was better than ever."
"Think that could work for me?"
She shrugged, "Maybe, I guess you'll have to see."
The bus then stopped in front of them and they got on.
Once they were dropped off, they started to locate for the address of the motorcycle rider. The rain began to drip on them and Nick noticed an umbrella vender and bought a large umbrella to shield the two of them. A wind then started picking up and the paper in Judy's paw slipped from her grasp.
"I'll get it," Nick declared and handed the umbrella to her but the wind was picking up again and the umbrella started to carry her off. He quickly grabbed her and cringed, "on second thought, you get it."
She said, "Good idea." and handed it back to him before running off to grab the slippery slip. Once she had it they stood close together as the rain fell on the umbrella keeping them dry. She then spotted the sky trams and asked, "You know I haven't been to the Rainforest District before and I've heard so much about the gondolas, think we can ride on them after this?"
He smiled, "Sure, Fluff, if that's what you want."
"But is that what you want? Because if you have a fear of heights, I don't want to force you into something that's uncomfortable."
"Me? Afraid of heights? As if. Falling however…"
"I'll make sure you stay in." she smirked.
He grinned back before he turned serious, "Forgive me if I'm being blunt but I'm getting mixed signals from you. You obviously enjoy my company because you said a week ago that you liked our date even though that wasn't an official date and yet you never say if you want to go steady or not."
She gave a sad smile, "I'm sorry. I'm didn't want you to think I was stringing you along… I just wanted to be sure of myself that I could handle another relationship… My last one as you know didn't end so well, but I've seen that your intentions toward me have been nothing but sincere…" she took his paw and held it, making him stare at her in bewilderment, she continued, "I wanted to tell you at the Winter Ball as a do over to the Sadie Hawkins dance, having us be actual dates this time and to dance the night away…"
He gapped, "Seriously?"
She nodded.
His smile grew wide by the second and tightly held her paw. He didn't need an answer anymore, he already had it.
Shortly afterwards, they arrived at the address just as the rain was stopping. Judy knocked on the door but no one answered. Nick however noticed the garage door was open and in it was a motorcycle. He tapped on the bunny's shoulder and pointed it to her before going over to it. Judy held the paper to the plate number and sure enough it was the same bike.
"It's the same one." she stated, "Ruby was actually telling the truth, for once…" she muttered.
The door to the house connecting to the garage then opened and out stepped a lemur and when she spotted them she frowned, "Why are you around my bike?"
Nick said, "Because it's such a great model and we just couldn't help ourselves to admire it." he pointed to himself and Judy, "Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps. We knocked before but no one answered."
"Oh, that must have been when I was in the bathroom, but still, that doesn't give you the right to be in my garage."
Judy apologized, "We're sorry about that but the reason we're here is because we're investigating a graffiti writer that vandalized our schools."
"Isn't that the police's job?"
"Yes, but we decided to take matters into our own paws because our schools are being threatened to shut down and we don't want to see that happening."
Nick nodded in confirmation.
"So what's my bike got to do with that?"
"A witness saw this bike with the graffiti writer riding it away after he or she sprayed his words about a few weeks ago. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" she furrowed her brow.
"Hmm… well, I did take in my bike for repairs last month and my girlfriend who was working on it wanted to use the bike for something, I'm not sure what so maybe you should go ask her."
"We will," said Judy, "what's your name?"
"Lydia."
Nick asked, "And your girlfriend's name?"
"Raquel. You'll find her in Tundra Town owning the repair shop."
Judy graciously said, "Thank you, Lydia, you've been very helpful."
"Just don't trespass in my garage again."
"Will do." Nick responded with a salute and they went off.
They were riding the gondolas enjoying the view as they went over what Lydia told them.
Nick started, "So she's got a girlfriend working a repair shop in Tundra Town…"
"That used the bike for something…"
"Think this is too easy? I mean why would her lover give her away like that?"
"Well, maybe she thought we didn't pose a threat to them. After all we're not real police officers not like…" she stopped realizing she almost gave away the dream she had.
"Not like what?" he questioned.
"It's nothing. Anyway, we can't go to Tundra Town today or tomorrow for that matter, the girls and I need to help decorate for the Ball and to prepare for our finals."
"And next week is when we have finals and then break starts."
"So, we can't investigate again until after break…"
"Looks like it."