02

new semester & dresses

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The stomachache would always start for Judy even before the train pulls out of Bunny Burrows Station. When she first took the trip to Zootopia, which was a momentous occasion not just for her family but also for the entire Tri-Burrows, she had more than a kaleidoscope of butterflies (along with the chutney-glazed carrots she had for lunch) in her stomach, but just several months after that, she knew 'better' — her empty tummy (a result of vomiting at the thought of coming back to the city) now holds nothing but a can full of dead worms.

On the plus side, part of Judy knew that she should've been impressed that she'd been able to survive her first semester at the academy. She had expected to have some difficulties coming in as the first bunny scholar, but nothing could've prepared her for the cold, not to mention wet, greeting given to her by several mammals on her floor.

They thought a proper 'hello' was throwing a fruit shake in her face on her way to orientation. She could still feel the cold shock of the orange slush hitting her face. In the end, she was late not only to orientation but also for half of her classes that day, and when Headmaster Leodore Lionheart asked her for an excuse, her only reply was that she'd gotten lost. The snickering throughout the room made her wonder just how many students had been in on the hazing.

Since then, most of the other things they did to Judy were 'subtler'. Like replacing her shampoo with fur removal lotion (which she luckily had smelled before it caused her any real damage), or tampering with her carrot pen so it would play inappropriate recording during study halls, or putting crushed-up laxative jellies in her breakfast oatmeal, or changing her gym locker combination after swim class (which made her walk back to the girls' dormitory still drench from her ears to her tail)...

Judy closed her eyes and tried to block out her first weeks at the academy with a long sigh.

She truly had every intention of coming back from their winter break with a positive attitude. She already knew whom to avoid (which pretty much includes everybody except for her roommate, Priscilla Tripletoe, and the remaining mammal scholar in her class, Dawn Bellwether). She was doing well in her classes. She already established herself as the top pianist on campus (which was really important since she was a scholarship recipient for the school's music program). And she also had a job that she liked because it enabled her to interact with somewhat normal mammals (or 'local townies' as she likes to call them) ...and earn her well-needed money (it always seemed to come back to money. . .or in her case, her lack thereof).

Then there was Sylvia Otterton, Judy's piano teacher and one of the most prestigious music instructors in the city. Mrs. Otterton was also on the board of directors at countless institutions, and she had the reputation of getting her students into the top music programs upon graduation. She was the reason why the small-town bunny came to Zootopia and was why Judy had subjected herself to what came along with being a Mammal Inclusion Initiative Scholarship student.

As the train passed by the many districts of Zootopia, Judy grasped onto the Beethooven themed scrapbook her siblings back home had made her for Christmas. She flipped through the pages of photos, notes, memories from her 'other' life. The life in which she had a tight circle of mammals, those that never made her question whether she belonged. She smiled as she looked at the pages filled with photos from the many traditions and holiday gatherings they have. Then she reached the final pages of the scrapbook — they're filled with the programs of her various recitals and concerts over the years and photos of her entire family and friends gathered around her to celebrate. The very last page had a program from a concert by Jacqueline Savoie, the renowned pianist that Judy looks up to, along with a note signed by everyone from her parents, to her almost a dozen siblings, and even her friends: "To the next Jacqueline Savoie, we miss you but know you're going to accomplish great things and become anything you want. Don't forget us when you're playing at the Furnegie Hall."

The bunny's eyes began to sting with tears. She could never forget her dream, but she had almost forgotten what it was like to have a supportive group of mammals cheering her on. She wiped her eyes and tried to hold on to the memory tightly so it wouldn't slip away. She found it amazing how just two weeks away from campus has given her a false sense of security. And as the train pulled into the biggest station in the country, she envisioned a force field, like an emotional hamster-ball, enveloping her body.

Judy now knew better than to let any childish taunts get the best of her as her barrier was put up and there was no way she was going to let anybody in (well, except for one of the few mammals she couldn't wait to see when she got on campus).

"Oh. . .my, Judy!" Priscilla greeted her when she walked into their room.

The sloth visited her a few times in the Rainforest District over the break, since one of the doe's many relatives lived right across Vine and Tujunga. Priscilla even came to the party her cousins were hosting and impressed even her most critical family members with her kindheartedness. She knew that somehow, somewhere, someone had to be looking out for her to have Priscilla as her roommate.

After they caught up (which was an hour and a half, give or take) Priscilla wanted to get down to 'business'. "So, Judy. . .we have a. . .very important. . .decision to make." Her friend went over to her more spacious closet and pulled out three equally beautiful dresses. "Which one. . . should I wear. . .for tonight?"

Judy's stomach dropped. Zootopia Academy was hosting an upper-class reception with its partners and sponsors — the official reason being to welcome the returning students who spent last semester abroad — but the doe had a feeling it was more of a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the infamous hunting season (or what most mammals would refer to as 'prom date invitations').

"You promised. . .you would go!" Priscilla reminded her, as she went for the carnation dress with a sweetheart neckline that Judy had pointed out.

"I know, I know." the lapin tried to sound more optimistic than usual. But unfortunately, even though sloths have a reputation for being slow-paced, her friend could always see through her.

"Hmmmn. . .why don't you. . .try this on?" A breath-taking (albeit expensive) lilac dress the bunny has never seen before was carefully handed to her.

Judy's paw brushed over the still attached tag and flips it over to read: Preyda, size XS. "Sweet cheese and crackers!" she gasped and tried to push the dress back to her friend's paw. "Oh no, I can't...I-I mean- this is, it's too much and you know I-" Priscilla only shook her head and reached for a pair of scissors to cut the string. "-wha-wait...No, no, no! Izzy"!

"There. . .now I can't. . .return it." the sloth cheekily grinned back at a stupefied doe. "And I also. . .can't wear it. . .so hah-"

"Alright, alright, Ms. Tripletoe, point taken." With a defeated sigh and a quick hug of gratitude, Judy accepted the dress and helped a giggling Priscilla to get ready first.

Half an hour later, as Judy was standing in the middle of their room (half naked), Priscilla's cousin, Diana, burst through the door. The younger sloth didn't believe in knocking...or doing anything remotely considerate. And just as Priscilla zipped up her friend's dress, Diana flounced on the bunny's bed and squealed, "No. . .way!. . .Is that what. . . you're going to wear?"

"I know. . .right?" the older one declared, "Judy looks. . . stunning!"

The bunny smiled. "Only because I'm wearing a dress you specifically 'bought' for me this time, Izzy." She always had to borrow clothes from Priscilla (regardless of their size) anytime they had an important event - and Zootopia Academy has a never ending list of these events.

"Oh. . .right." Diana's face fell. "Sorry, Judy. . .It's just that. . . when Izzy lends you. . . some of her clothes. . . you can't seem to make . . .them work 'cause they. . . don't 'really' fit."

"Dinah!" Priscilla scolded her cousin. "Be polite. . .remember? Especially. . ." she let her thought trail off but both Judy and Diana knew what the other sloth meant.

Priscilla and Diana's grandfather had been demoted off his CEO status over Christmas when the Furs National Bank (which the Tripletoe family owned for decades, now) had to merge with another investment company. Not that it mattered that much — the patriarch folivoran still received a massive payout and money didn't seem like an issue — although as word spread throughout campus, mammals would've thought his two granddaughters came back from the holidays with leprosy.

As Priscilla applied her final touches to Judy's makeup, Diana began whining. "It's just. . .not fair!. . .Why does Judy. . .get to come with you. . . and I don't? Ugh. . . You better let me. . . go prom dress shopping. . . with you next time."

Judy saw a hint of blush form in her friend's face. "Shopping?. . .Nobody's been asked. . . to anything-"

"-yet. . ." Diana countered. ". . .especially with a. . . certain someone. . . returning from his. . . semester in Furrance!" the younger sloth jumped up on her cousin's bed, acting years younger than the academy student she was, and even put her hand up to her heart. "Oh, Flash Slothmore. . .how I missed you!" She then proceeded to drop onto the bed with an exaggerated sigh.

"That's. . .it!" Priscilla shooed Diana out the door. "Out. . .you!. . .We need to. . . go in a bit. . .anyway." The former began adjusting her necklace, a habit Judy learned as the sloth's nervous tick.

Flash Slothmore had spent the previous semester studying abroad in Purris. Before he left, Priscilla and Flash had started to get close. From what her friend told Judy, nothing really happened, since they knew there was about to be thousands of miles between them. Priscilla generally kept her feelings close to the vest, but with Flash's imminent arrival, she had become openly giddy - especially once her cousin was out of the room.

"Oh, Flash. . . how I missed. . .you so!" Priscilla called out, laughing. But then she must have felt that was too much as she examined herself in the mirror and added, "I shouldn't get. . .my hopes up. . .he probably Muzzle Timed. . .with a lot of. . .girls last semester."

"You know that's ridiculous, Izzy!" Judy huffed. "Seriously! If Flash is half the mammal, you told me he is, then he'd be an idiot to not ask you to prom or out at all!" She got up from the edge of her bed and stood beside her friend with paws on her hips. Out of the many wonderful things about Priscilla (besides her kindness), the doe always found it incredibly nerve wracking how her friend had absolutely no idea how beautiful she is. The Tripletoe heiress was completely void of vanity.

"Sorry, Judy. . .I'm just excited to see. . . him again," Priscilla went on. "I'm sure he'll. . . have tons of mammals. . . fighting over him. . .for anything."

"That may be the case, but..." Judy quipped. "there's only one worthy mammal Mr. Slothmore could ever fight for - and that's you, Izzy."

Priscilla promised that Flash was different from most of the predator students anyone would have the 'pleasure' of meeting. Or that talking with him would not end in some kind of conversational purgatory, with no hope of being released without significant damage to one's self-esteem. And for her friend's sake, Judy prayed she was right about Flash being unlike the ninety percent of the student population.

The sloth took Judy by the paw. "You're really. . . kind, Judy." The two shared a smile. "Try to enjoy. . . yourself tonight. . .okay? You'll have fun. . .I promise!"

Judy desperately wanted to believe that she could be accepted and treated like a normal student at school. But after last semester, she had no desire to be friends with most of the mammals on campus. How could she be friends with the same mammals who found so much pleasure in belittling and torturing her?

No, Judy knew better. She would do her best to have an incident-free evening - her armor was up, and she was ready.

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All major or minor characters and settings (even brand names) are owned and trademarked by Disney, and I do not claim ownership over them and the world of Zootopia (aside, of course, from my original characters and some fictional places that I added) - though I would like to thank Byron Howard and Richard Moore for giving us these anthropomorphic mammals that we love to hate (oh you bet I would include Jack and Skye) or hate to love (sorry not sorry for being a Nick and Judy shipper) because without them, this retelling would not have existed.

For those of you who are frustrated on how the sloths talk (and I mean this in the absolute non-speciest way for we love every mammal in this household), I'm sorry - but there's more of that to come. Matter of fact, it's a little bit fast paced than how Flash says his lines in the film. Still, please... don't... cancel...me!