The week was busy for both Judy and Nick. But when the weekend came around, things slowed down and they were excited for the Ball. When the day came, the girls started getting ready.
Fru twirled in her white with silver trim dress, asking, "How do I look?"
Judy smiled, "Like a real Snow Princess."
Dawn said, "There's no way you can lose, I checked the polls and almost every girl in the school favors you."
Fru beamed, "And I own it all to you my friends…"
Giselle shook her head, "No, it was all you. All we did was make sure the first years noticed you."
Judy commented, "That's right, you are so sweet to everyone you meet and if that isn't a quality of a princess, I don't know what is."
They got into a group hug.
The boys were busy getting on their white suits and Fin was grumbling about attending such a frilly event.
Ben asked, "How was the Sadie Hawkins dance any different?"
"At least that dance was interesting…" Finnick eyed Nick with a smirk.
The red fox glared before grinning, "Well, it's going to be even more interesting this time since Carrots wants a do over from the last dance."
Gideon gapped, "You two are actually going to dance?"
"Yup." he checked his tie and straightened it.
The fennec muttered, "I still think I need to get you condoms…"
The dining hall was looking beautiful as decorations of snowflakes hung from the ceiling and the wall along with sliver streamers. Strobe lights of blue and white lit the dance floor while tables were covered in pure white cloths and had centerpieces of snowflakes on them. There were crystal glasses and silverware set by the glass plates that when the lights had hit them they gleamed.
The girls waited by the side as the boys came in and took in the sight. Slowly, the students asked to dance to the mammal of their choice and when Judy spotted Nick he had beat her to the punch by asking.
"May I have this dance?" he smirked.
She smirked back, "May you? Yes. Yes, you may."
He escorted her to the middle of dance floor and they danced away.
While that been going on Giselle had been offered to dance by many boys that she promised to take turns with them. Ben and Fru were by the punch bowl chatting it up, Gideon was talking to a couple of girls about baking, Finnick was keeping a low profile as he was waiting for the whole thing to blow over, and Dawn was by Leodore who was by Bogo as they were watching their classmates dancing.
Leo noticed the sheep and asked, "Not joining in, Smellwether?"
"Dances aren't really my thing, I'm only here because I have to keep face for my mother and support one of my best friends in hopes she wins the competition tonight."
Bogo asked, "Why do you girls even have this Snow Princess contest in the first place?"
"When All-Girls' was first founded, it was one of the most important events that helped the school get off the ground. Fru is continuing a long time tradition of her mother and grandmothers when they had won the contest when they were here."
"Talk about pressure." commented Leo, "Of course, I know the pressure of exceptions all too well…"
"You?" she scoffed, "You know nothing of exceptions, at least your father is letting you be whatever you want, my mother wants me to run the All-Girls' school after she retires."
The lion cock his brow, "Seriously?"
"Seriously."
"Have you tried talking to her?"
"There's no talking to my mother, once her mind is set she doesn't back out."
"Surely there's something else you want to do besides running this school…"
"There is and I have a plan to how to do that. The other day when I was in my mom's office, I found a brochure for an independent study program at the University of Zootopia and I think it'll help me prove to my mother that I can do something just as great as running an academy."
"Do you think you'll get in?"
"The program has some tough requirements to meet but I think I can do it. I'm going to ask my mother to help me get an application before winter break starts."
"Good luck then."
They went back to watching the students dancing and Dawn saw a certain rabbit and fox having the time of their lives. Leo followed her gaze and commented.
"And to think they used to hate each other…"
Dawn nodded, "It surprised us when Wilde offered Judy a truce and now they're in the middle of investigating of who wrote that horrible graffiti."
Bogo questioned, "Did they actually find anything?"
"Judy hasn't given much detail but they managed to locate a motorcycle that was there at the time of the crime."
"So maybe now would be a good time to get the police involved." the cape buffalo stated.
Judy voice's suddenly said, "But there's no proof that the owner did it, because someone else was using it at the time the graffiti was made."
She and Nick were taking a break from the dancing when they overhear the trio.
Nick said, "We have to head to Tundra Town to meet up with the mammal that had the motorcycle last and get their story."
Bogo crossed his arms, "And when will that be?"
Judy winced, "It'll have to be after we get back from winter break."
The large mammal snorted hot air on them, "What makes you think that a rabbit and fox are going to solve this mystery if local law enforcement couldn't?"
Nick slatted his eyes, "We've come this far haven't we? The police couldn't even find a single clue last time but we got lucky and did. Now we're a step closer to finding our culprit but with school in the way we're having a hard time investigating as it is, so back off, BB."
Bogo made a grunt and decided to get some punch. Leo joined him.
Dawn made a smirk, "You sure told him off."
"Yeah, well, he really gets on my nerves."
Judy's ear then tuned in to the music that was starting and whispered to the fox, "Nick, they're playing a slow song…"
"Oh." he smirked and made a bow, "Shall we, Miss Hopps?"
"Let's…" their arms intertwined as they made their way back on the dance floor and started swaying to the soft music.
"You know, you haven't complimented on my dress yet…" she softly said.
"That's because I've already seen you in a dress that made you sexy… What you're wearing now seems tame to that…" he whispered with a smirk. "But this looks good on you…"
"You really liked the other dress?"
"I do, but I want you to wear whatever makes you comfortable."
"Well…" she flashed a flirtious smile, "I suppose on occasion I could wear the dress just for you…"
"If you do that then I'll have to go begging to Fin to buy me those condoms…"
"Alright, I'll make sure the dress stays hidden from view…" she giggled and laid her head in his chest causing him to smile bright and set his head on top of hers with her ears laying flat.
Fru-Fru saw them and sighed lovingly, Clawhauser did the same.
"They are such a perfect couple aren't they?" the cheetah said to the shrew.
"I always knew this would happen…" she smiled, "The way they kept picking on each other last year said a lot. Judy could have just ignored him after the water balloon incident but something inside her demanded that she paid him back, since then they got closer, making them true equals."
"Think they'll stay together after they're done with school?"
"As true loves, they will."
The slow song ended but Judy and Nick didn't want to end their embrace. When they had to let go, she took his paw and softly said, "Come with me…" and lead him toward the gardens.
Clawhauser and Fru saw them going and he leaned to her, "I'm sensing déjà vu…"
The shrew shook her head, "No, this time will be better…"
They stopped by the fountain and Nick gave a nervous grin, "You're not going to push me in again are you?"
She rolled her eyes, "I didn't mean to push you that hard."
"You're stronger then you look."
"Thanks."
"Just why are we here?"
"Haven't you guessed?"
He shook his head.
"Wow, and you're supposed to be a sly fox…" she took something out of her dress pocket and held it up. It was mistletoe.
Nick looked at it in bewilderment before smirking, "You sly bunny…"
"During the times you tried kissing me I will admit I wanted do but my insecurities got the better of me until that day in the restaurant when I realized how much I wanted you… so I wanted to save our first kiss for this very occasion…"
He smiled as he took the mistletoe and put it on top of the fountain head. He then gently wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in and wrapped his arms on her back. Her arms wrapped around his neck and their snouts barely touched. Slowly, they moved their lips to converge and when they did, fireworks shot-off in their heads! That caused them to deepen the kiss with moans escaping them.
When they finally took a breath they uttered, "Whoa…"
To Judy the kisses she had in the past were nothing compared to this kiss. It was so meaningful, so passionate… It was the spark. She felt the spark her parents had told her about. When she stared into Nick's emerald eyes she knew then that she was meant to spend the rest of her life with this fox.
Nick was speechless. He actually felt the spark. The spark that his parents shared with at their first kiss. Staring into Judy's amethyst eyes he could see their life together. Before there was no guarantee he would have Judy after graduation but now, he felt sure he would have her for the rest of his days…
"Nick… I don't know if you felt it but…"
He shushed her and just leaned in for another kiss which she gladly returned.
Just then Headmistress Bellwether's voice boomed from inside, "Alright everyone, the time has come to announce this year's Snow Princess!"
The cheering could be heard as Nick and Judy broke away. Judy said, "We better get back inside, I want to see the look on Fru's face when she wins." they held paws as they got back in.
Fru was huddled around Dawn, Giselle, Gideon, Ben, Finnick and were shortly joined by Judy and Nick as they faced the small stage where the Headmistress was next to a pillow with three different size tiaras, being large, medium, and small that had been wore by past winners. She was given an envelope and opened it.
"And the winner is…" there was a drum roll, and she shouted out, "Fru-Fru Big!"
The shrew gasped happily as Dawn held her up for all the students to cheer on her and took her to her mother where she placed the small crown on the shrew's head. Fru was crying with joy and started saying.
"Thank you, thank you! And I especially want to thank my friends for their love and support for I wouldn't be up here if it weren't for them. Thank you." and gave a curtsy.
More cheers and even some whistles which Nick and Finnick gave.
For Judy this was the best Winter Ball they had. She finally had a boyfriend that would love only her, her best friend got to reclaim her crown, and the mystery was almost solved.
The future had never looked brighter.
AN: The last chapter made me nervous from the lack of reviews, and this story has had a lot of reviewers so far and that's been my best motivation for getting as far as I have. So please, review. I want to know how I'm doing and if this story is still going good or not.