07
credit card & difficulties
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A 'recharged' Judy found everybody, except for Beatrix, downstairs at the kitchen table the next morning, helping themselves to a mouthwatering spread that must have taken Gerald the same hours as her mother when she prepares their family breakfast (for 'fourteen' mammals) back home.
"Good morning. . .Judy," Flash greeted her. "How did. . . you sleep?"
"Very well, Flash, thank you!" The bunny fixed herself a bowl of oatmeal with strawberries and graciously accepted a cup of tea from a beaming Priscilla.
"So, Judy. . .what are you. . .planning to do. . .today?" the female sloth asked as her friend dug in.
"Hmn, I don't know yet -" Judy chewed, before answering. "- though, I've been meaning to ask, is there a bookstore in town?" she took a generous sip of tea and hummed, "I need to work on my sociology paper, but I forgot to pick up a copy of the assigned book. And I thought I'd stroll around town while you guys leave for the ski park" Quickly finishing the rest of her meal she stood up and was about to bring the empty dishes to the sink only to be intercepted by the chef who shook his head (both in amusement and disbelief).
Although, more surprisingly, a certain fox also got up after her. "Don't be silly Car-e'hm, there's another car, I'll drive you."
"Oh no, it's okay. I can-" Judy was almost near the closet to grab her coat but was ignored by Nicholas who opened the adjacent compartment and pulled out his own. "B-but I-I, uh, don't you have some skiing to do?"
"The slopes aren't going anywhere," Nicholas replied as he opened up the front door for the both of them. It was bright out from the sun glistening off the snow, but a shiver still ran through Judy as she unmistakably heard the term 'Fluff' from the vulpine's mouth again. She waited for him to explain himself further, but they just walked over to the car in silence, the only noise coming from the fresh snow crunching under their feet. The todd went over to the passenger side and opened the door while the doe stopped in her tracks.
"Um, I thought you said 'you' were driving."
Nicholas looked perplexed. "I am - I was just opening the door for you."
"Oh-uh thanks." Judy felt stupid that such a simple and chivalrous gesture could set off her defenses.
They got into the car without saying another word and began to listen to the ski report on the radio on the short drive unto the main street.
The fox turned down the volume. "Are you sure we can't persuade your 'cute' tail to join us? It really is fun."
"First of all, don't call me cute." Judy huffed in annoyance. "And I don't think anybody would consider a visit to the emergency room 'fun', so thanks but no." She grumbled then looked out at the snow-covered buildings so as to refrain from snapping at her 'companion' even further.
Nicholas let out a small laugh. "Okay, that seems fair enough. But I can't help but 'wonder' why you'd come all this way to Tundratown - for a weekend, might I add - if you have no intention of skiing."
The bunny merely shrugged. "For Izzy."
"Ah... for the dress?"
"Yes! Well, no, I mean - it's...more than that. I-I-." Judy could feel the fox's intense gaze on her, and she silently prayed to Serendipity that he doesn't notice the rush of color in her cheeks and ears. "Izzy... is everything to me. T-There isn't 'anything' I wouldn't do for her...so coming along for a weekend is the very least I could do."
The todd was silent for a few moments. "But haven't you only known each other for a semester?"
"Hmn-hmn, but I-I-, w-we...have been through so much..." she paused her nose twitching. "...a-and I don't think I could have 'survived' here without her." her voice was quiet, barely a whisper. "Most mammals never 'realize' what a luxury kindness could also be."
Judy didn't know why she felt the need to confess that to Nicholas Wilde of all mammals. Perhaps it was her way to talk Priscilla up to Flash's good friend. Or maybe she was tired of mammals (especially predators) only seeing her one way. With a sniff, she turned fully toward the window as they slow down to find somewhere to park, hoping the fox wouldn't press further. When they got off, they were greeted by boutiques, organic food stores, coffee shops, restaurants, and, fortunately, a small bookstore.
"Car-e'hm, uh-come this way 'madam'," Nicholas said, leading her to the social sciences shelf. "A friend of mine needed a collection of Koala Marx's books last year." He scanned the shelf and found the authors: Lhasapoo and Coonway. "Is this it? 'Unequal Kithoods: Class, Species, and Family Life'?"
The todd hummed in response to the bunny (who thought she saw a flicker of 'approval' in his eyes) nodding curtly. And after selecting a more pristine copy of the book, his tail gave a satisfied wag as he headed to the register, where he pulled a 'black card' out from his wallet.
"And what do you think you're doing?"
Nicholas didn't get it. "Hmn? Oh, do you need to get something else?"
Judy shook her head. "Uh no. I don't understand 'why' you have your credit card out - you're not paying for my book." She began to move towards the cashier line where a fox stood frozen gaping at her.
"Alright, I'll bite. . .what's your problem?" he demanded.
The doe glanced back at him. "Excuse me?" she replied coldly.
"You seem to have a problem not only with me, but most everybody else at the academy for that matter."
Her mouth dropped open. "I 'am' the one who has a problem? Me? Wow, you truly have a 'different' sense of humor."
"Rabbit, I'm offering to buy your book and instead of just saying 'thank you', you're insulting me." With a slight edge in his voice. "Why don't you let 'me' pay for it? It's not really that big of a deal to me."
Judy, now infuriated, grabbed the book out of his paws. "Oh, but it's a really big deal to me!"
Nicholas smugly crossed his arms. "There is really no reason to be so difficult about this."
"Difficult? I'm buying something for myself. For my class. I don't need to take out a loan from 'some fox' just to buy a paperback."
"I don't think 'that' is what this is about."
"Oh, really?" Nicholas had only known her for a few days, they 'barely' had a proper conversation, and here he thought he has figured her out. "Well, at least I don't have to 'hide' behind my money. I've earned everything I have."
"You don't 'know' anything about me, Miss Hopps."
The lapin tried to keep her voice down. "And you think you know 'everything' about me? Tell me, Mr. Wilde, have 'you' ever had a real job? Have you ever had to do most chores around your house - oh, I'm sorry, mansions?" He hesitated and looked down at the floor. "Yeah, I didn't think so. When I was growing up, I have 'always' wished that my family was rich. Rich enough so we didn't have to save up to buy things. Rich enough so it wouldn't be such a struggle for my parents to pay for my or any of my siblings' tuitions. Guess what? We're not. Then as 'luck' would have it I got a scholarship grant - finally I can continue my music lessons without them having to suffer because of it. But when I came to Zootopia, I was 'treated' nothing more like dirt by the most vile and self-important mammals I've ever met just because I was some 'prey' from the countryside. And you know what? I'm grateful that I was born and raised in Bunny Burrows. Where I haven't had everything handed to me...because having to work for things make someone a 'better' mammal."
Nicholas clenched his jaw. "Well, you certainly are a harsh critic, huh? Did you maybe even try to get to know 'other' mammals before you began judging them?"
"When?" Judy's voice cracked unexpectedly. "When there were 'hormone suppressant' pills shoved into my mailbox? Or when I had to scrub off the 'Preys Not Wanted' that was scribbled all over my door? How about when a real estate heiress poured scalding-hot soup on my dress only to be 'mocked' by a holier-than-thou fox? Have you ever even had a fruit shake thrown in your face, huh? Because I have...for two weeks - and not just 'twice' a day!" The todd looked somewhere between appalled and embarrassed now. He had no idea what preys like her have been and are still going through. Yet here he was, an elite predator, telling her that she was misjudging them. So, the doe went on. "So please, tell me, at what point between all those bullying and humiliation during my 'entire' stay in Zootopia was I supposed to get to know any mammals better?"
"Judy. . .I-I didn't kno-"
"Of course you didn't - that's exactly my point!"
The doe walked up to the counter and tried not to feel more self-conscious when the cashier, an arctic wolf, had to flatten the 'wrinkled' dollar bills she got from The Big Donut tip jar in order to pay. Once the purchase was complete, she walked back to the car without even looking at Nicholas - though she could tell that he was trying his best to keep up with her by the sound of frantic paw-steps on the snow.
Judy grabbed the handle before he could open the door for her again.
"Oh, and in case I haven't made myself clear back there," she all but proclaimed once the fox had finally caught up, "I have absolutely no interest in 'you' nor your 'money'."
There was a strangled whine as Nicholas got in the car and closed his door shut. They drove back in silence with the bunny running back up to the guest room she shares with Priscilla as soon as they reached the house. She didn't relax until her friend hugged her goodbye then joined the rest of the predators for their ski plans. Yet despite her rather rocky morning, she ended up having a good day at the Slothmores' rest house. She was able to catch up on all her homework, even managed to read ahead in a couple classes, then willingly gave Gerald a mini concert on the Steinway.
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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.
Don't you just love confrontation scenes? (Only half kidding, lol) Seriously though, there's something in the way two characters (especially with the right amount of tension) vary and evade arguments like there's no tomorrow. Am I a sucker for an 'enemies to friends...to lovers' trope (and occasionally the opposite of that)? Yes, yes, I am - isn't it obvious enough with Judith and Nicholas in this story? And it's not like I'm spoiling anything (I put a pairing tag in the synopsis part...so), we all know those two would eventually see eye-to-eye then heart-to-heart - it's just a matter of when and how, folks!
P.S. As a way of showing gratitude for your support, I'll tell you one thing: there's no Jack and/or Skye failed romance involved (and never will be)
P.P.S. Three things: 1) Koala Marx = Karl Marx; 2) Lhasapoo & Coonway = Lareau & Conway; and 3) Unequal Kit-hoods: Class, Species, Family = Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life