The History professor wrote down the words on the board as he stated, "Genealogy. The study of a line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor." he faced his students to see they were drawing blanks on their faces and he said, "In short, I what you to do a family tree project on your roots."
"Does that mean we come from plants?" Nick quipped with a smirk.
Everyone groaned to his poor pun and the teacher was not at all amused.
"One more crack like that, Mr. Wilde and it's a week's detention for you."
That got Nick to keep quiet for the rest of the lesson.
"Now, I want you to get creative with this, I don't want you giving me just a piece of paper with a list of your ancestors on it. No, I want to be interested in your family's history, even if your ancestors never did anything extraordinary in their lives just knowing you're prideful of your heritage can speak volumes into your project. I know you boys will be busy with your community service project with the students of All-Girls' so your family trees will be due a few days after you're done with the service project."
When the bell rang, the students lined out but the teacher called out to Nick to stay behind which made the fox inwardly groan and quickly put on his mask of being pleasant and went to the front desk.
"Nicholas, Headmaster Lionheart has recently asked for your grade in History since you're working toward to be in the top ten of participating in the Academy Games… I'm afraid I had to tell him you were receiving a "C"."
"Figures… No offense, teach, but History's not really not one of my strong suits, I'm better at Economics and Math."
"I'm well aware of that. Your teachers in those classes always give you high praise."
Nick was surprised to hear that and let his mask slip, "They do?"
"Nicholas, may I be frank with you?"
Nick wanted to joke about that line but remembering his professor's warning from class he decided not to risk it and simply nodded.
"In the past you tended to get into trouble for no apparent reason but I am proud to say that has changed recently."
Nick felt himself smiling knowing exactly who was responsible for that change.
"I know your father would have been so proud…"
Nick's eyes bulged from the mention of his father and asked uneasily, "What about him?"
The hippo gave a sad look, "He was one of the best pupils in my classroom when I first started in this school… I was so happy to hear how he turned out… Being the manager to a major department store, and how he had managed to accomplish that in such a short time in his young adult life. But that shouldn't have surprised me. He was always a hardworking and pleasant student. When I heard about his sudden death, I was devastated…"
Nick turned his head away so the professor couldn't see the pain in his eyes.
"Then I hear his son enrolled into the academy and I thought you would be like your father, oh, how wrong I was…"
Nick released a small chuckle, recalling his first day at school. He just loved giving the teachers grief but looking back now and evaluating his behavior he wasn't really proud of those moments anymore and counted himself lucky for not getting expelled right there and then.
"You certainly have proven you're not your father but you're a far cry from not being exactly like him…"
"Oh?" Nick was genuinely curious about this.
The teacher smiled, "You have his sense of humor and you have his charm of being able to appeal to a mammal's nature."
Nick was sincerely touched by this. He had always hoped he could be like his father and while he wasn't hundred percent like William Jonathan Wilde, he had some of his character traits that he will treasure for the rest of his life.
"Such gifts should be used in a steady career, have you given any thought to your future, Nicholas?"
"I'm actually planning on being a police officer." Nick smiled.
"Excellent choice!" he exclaimed, "Good for you! Mind you, it will be a risky profession…"
"I'm well aware of that, sir. But I am willing to make the world a better place and to do that one has to make some risks…"
"That is all too true, I'm afraid." he sighed then he put on a serious face, "So, there is the matter of your grade… You're going to need an "A" in your family tree project in order to raise your grade to a "B" and only then will you be in the top ten."
"Understood, sir."
"You may go now."
Nick gave a nod and started heading out but stopped the minute the teacher said, "Oh, and Nicholas… good luck."
The fox smiled as he went out the door with a single thought in his head.
I will make you proud, Pop. You and Carrots… This I promise.
Ben struggled with the push-ups that were being done in gym class. The cheetah was the last one to finish up as everyone else in class had gotten done in record time.
The gym coach-an antelope-shouted, "Hurry up with those push-ups, Clawhauser! We have to get to today's activity and you're holding up the show!"
Gideon muttered to Nick and Finnick, "Like, does he have to announce it in front of the class?"
Nick asked, "Has he been getting up every morning to jog with you?"
"Yeah, but it seems like we not getting anywhere. He doesn't seem to be getting into shape, in fact it seems he's getting to be more… if you pardon the expression… pudgy…" Gid cringed.
Nick eyed the cheetah who was sweating up a storm and commented, "Now that you mention it… he does look like he's gain some pounds since we started helping him…"
Gideon suggested, "Maybe it's stress? He is worried about getting a good grade in gym that the stress of it could have added some weight…"
Finnick nudged their legs, "Uh, guys, but does it seem our happy-go-lucky friend is looking not so good to you?"
They saw Ben was panting heavily now and he was looking more like a snow leopard then a golden spotted cheetah.
Bogo came up to them and mentioned, "Hey, I think something's wrong with Benjamin…"
In that moment Ben collapsed on the floor as the coach yelled, "Clawhauser, quit fooling around and finish those push-ups!"
But when Ben didn't get up, worry began to fill the class.
The coach went over to check and suddenly he shouted, "Quick, someone call the paramedics!"
Leodore didn't waste a moment, as class president and the headmaster's son he was allowed to carry his phone with him around the school and quickly called the Zootopia emergency line.
Judy was in the middle of Pig Latin class when she heard the sirens outside the window and saw an ambulance stopping in front of the All-Boys' school and she felt her heart dropped fearing the worst of who was about to taken to the hospital. She prayed to herself.
Please don't let it be Nick… Please don't let it be Nick…
Soon the rest of her classmates noticed the commotion and were scared on what just happened next door. Judy raised her paw to the teacher.
"Ma'am! Can I go the restroom quick?"
The teacher nodded her head and Judy didn't waste a second to find an empty stall in the bathroom and reached for her phone and began calling the fox of her life. Please pick up… Please pick up…In moments Nick's face appeared and she gave out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Oh, Nick, thank goodness you're okay!"
"Carrots? It's like the middle of the day, and I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to make calls…"
"That's not important right now! What is going on over there?! I saw the ambulance outside my classroom!"
Nick sighed heavily, "It's Ben. Judy."
She gasped, "What happened?!"
"He… he was doing push-ups in gym class and he was the last one of us to finish when suddenly he just… collapsed…"
She covered her mouth.
"The paramedics checked him over and told us he had suffered from dehydration and fainted. They're taking him to the hospital now."
"Oh, Ben… Oh, I hope he'll be alright…"
"Yeah, Coach cancelled the rest of class due what's happened. Me and the guys are going to visit him after school."
"Can I come?"
"Certainly, your presence would be most welcomed Carrots."
She smiled, "Hang in there. I love you."
"I love you too…" then he smirked, "Especially now that you're breaking school rules by making unauthorized phone calls in a bathroom which is nice by the way, definitely better than the ones we have over here."
"Well it was worth it. I was really worried about you."
Nick's eyes slightly popped out before his face softened asking, "You were really that worried about me?"
"Yes, you dumb fox, do you know what happens to an animal when they lose their mate? They're so brokenhearted they end up dying from grief!"
"A bit overdramatic wouldn't you say?"
"It maybe overdramatic, but it's the absolute truth, there have been cases with a married couple that if one partner dies the other partner dies shortly afterwards."
Nick gapped and uttered, "Whoa…"
She nodded.
"Geez, Carrots… now I'm starting to worry that if you die all of sudden, I could die too…"
She shook her head, "It only happens on a rare occasion, plus we're not mates yet, we're just started dating."
"Right… Listen, you better get going, you're still technically in class and the last I want is for you to get in trouble. After all we can't have Judy Hopps blemishing her perfect record."
She snorted but he was right. "See you, Slick." She hung up and quickly made it back to class.