14
mischievous otters & foxes
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The long weekend unfolded like a welcome respite. While Judy's parents were hoping she would come visit, the bunny wanted to get her work done and knew the campus would be mostly empty, so it would be a great way for her to not only get some reading done, but also to focus on herself without any distractions.
As the bunny stepped into Mrs. Otterton's music suite for their impromptu meeting, the soft hum of piano scales welcomed her like an old friend. The middle-aged otter sat at the grand piano, her paw pads dancing over the keys with an enthusiasm that made her student smile, even as the doe's thoughts drifted to concerns about the emotional well-being of Priscilla.
"I think it's time we had a little chat about the spring recital," her mentor declared, a glint in her eye that hinted at mischief.
The lapin raised an eyebrow. "I assumed I'd be playing Beethooven." They had been working on the third part of the renown composer's 29th sonata for weeks now.
"Yes, but not just the Adagio Sostenuto — I want you to perform the whole piece, with the orchestra. You'd be the featured performer."
"The entire Hammerklavier?" Judy's breath caught. "But isn't it nearly an hour long in length and. . .almost unaccompanied? I don't think — "
Mrs. Otterton stood, her confidence radiating as she leaned against the piano. "You won't do it if you don't believe in yourself. You can! And you will!"
In that moment, a flicker of determination ignited within the rabbit. She remembered why she had left Bunnyburrow — to challenge herself, to grow, and make her family proud. She wasn't going to let fear stop her now.
"Judith, I've never had a student as gifted as you. I want your performance to be the wonderful coda of the year."
"Okay," she said, flipping through the score, adrenaline mixing with anxiety. "I can do this."
"Excellent! That's the spirit I was looking for," the otter cheered, her smile brightening the room. "I was getting worried about you."
"Why were you worried about me?"
Her teacher's gaze softened. "You just haven't seemed like yourself the last couple of days. I know you have had some difficulty adjusting, but you seemed to finally get your stride."
"Oh," the doe replied. She couldn't think of anything else to say. She had always tried to leave whatever was going on in her personal life behind during her lessons — but clearly, she hadn't done the best job of it.
"I don't mean to pry," her mentor said apologetically. Most of the faculty members at the academy enjoyed the student gossip as much as the entire female population. But Mrs. Otterton was the only teacher who seemed to be looking out for her.
"Uhm, it's fine," the bunny told her. "It's just that my best friend is going through a hard time right now."
"Ah, I see. Well, I hope things will work out soon for them."
The doe could only give a polite nod.
Mrs. Otterton's gentle pat on her back felt like a lifeline. "Well, take care of yourself, dear. And by that, I mean practice as much as you can! This piece is going to be a killer."
Judy was happy for the distraction. Diving into a challenging arrangement would give her something to do besides sit in silence with Priscilla each night. Her best friend would be studying and would have a book in front of her muzzle, but she was pretty sure the sloth wasn't studying. To make matters worse, Nana Tripletoe still insisted they go and have Vera made her a (very expensive) custom fitted dress. The last thing the depressed folivoran needed was a reminder of what had happened — or, in her case, what hadn't happened — with Flash.
The following week became a cycle of school, homework, practice, and work. The pranks and vitriol lessened as students started studying for midterms and the prom committee called meetings 'practically' every evening. The piano became the only bright spot in the bunny's day — a chance to feel like she was achieving something, slowly making her way through Beethooven's intricacies. Neither she nor Priscilla even bothered to attend the mandatory prom orientation meeting where the rundown of activities was discussed, media release forms were handed out, and pre-interviews were scheduled. (Dawn decided to brave the meeting, only to be told the wrong room. Then, when she finally arrived, they 'claimed' they didn't have any more forms for her.)
Surprisingly, this had led the lapin to begin looking forward to going to work more, as it was her only real social interaction during the week. However, Duke didn't come in nearly as much anymore. Being around each other was suddenly very awkward. For the first time since they had met, she felt censored. She couldn't be open around him and tell him what she wanted to say or truly ask. But they both already knew the answer to those questions.
And Judy came to learn (and begrudgingly accept) the unspoken truth of the matter: connections are important. They could elevate you, open doors, and keep you from becoming just another face in the crowd.
'But did that mean sacrificing genuine friendship for social standing?'
Much to the rabbit's dismay, while the weasel stayed away, another presence emerged. Nicholas began making regular appearances during her shifts. She tried to avoid any conversation with him besides inquiries into his beverage selection, her irritation simmering beneath the surface.
"I think that fox has a thing for you," Samantha said one afternoon, motioning to the red fox nursing his coffee in the corner booth.
"Hardly," the doe replied, rolling her eyes. "He despises me. Probably not as much as I detest him."
The younger otter leaned closer, a teasing grin on her face. "My, Judy, we certainly have strong feelings for someone, don't we? Are you sure you detest him, or is it something else?"
"Oh please, Sam. Not you too." The lapin felt her cheeks heat, a mix of frustration and something more confusing swirling inside her.
"I'm just saying," The sow raised her paws in defense. "He only sits down with his coffee when you're here. When you aren't, he leaves."
"Believe me, he's only doing it to punish me."
Judy tried to only focus on her work after that, but the nagging thought lingered as the weight of Nicholas's presence loomed over her like a storm cloud. Then, it turned into a full thunderstorm come another Sunday night when she thought she managed to slip away—he caught up with her outside, flanked by a smaller tan fox with a 'permanent' scowl, as if life had dealt him a series of unfortunate events.
'You and me both, little guy.'
"Car—ehm, Judy, hi!" Nicholas greeted, his voice casual, as if they were old friends. The moment he said her name, though, the fennec perked up, his expression shifting from grumpy to curious as he leaned in slightly, clearly intrigued.
"What Red over here 'meant' to say is that we're heading in your direction—mind if we tag along?" a voice that was gruff and direct came out of the miniature body, leaving the doe in obvious shock.
"Oh, uh, not at all!" The bunny replied absentmindedly, noticing the hint of mischief in the smaller vulpine's eyes as if he was sizing her up.
"Finnick, this is Miss Judith Hopps," the red fox introduced, half-exasperated, half-amused. "Judy, meet Mr. Finnick Lister."
"Call me Finn—most folks do," Finnick said, waving a paw dismissively. "With two Nicks in the family, it just made things much simpler." He shot the taller vulpine a sideways glance, a grin tugging at his lips. "And less confusing whenever some mammal complains who's 'more' annoying between us."
The other todd groaned, his voice almost pleading. "Can we not do this in front of present company, please?"
"What? You don't think Miss Hopps can't handle a little 'friendly' banter?" the fennec shot back, his grumpiness towards Nicholas only adding to his charm.
The doe couldn't help but smile. Their playful exchange felt light and easy—as if she were transported back home, listening to her own siblings bickering.
"That said, I've heard a lot about you," Finnick said, his gaze still sharp but teasing.
"Ha-ha-ho that's unfortunate," she replied, trying to match the tan fox's energy. "I can assure you I'm not 'nearly' as awful as your friend has made me out to be."
The fennec laughed, the sound genuine and rich. "Awful? More like the opposite. He only has nothing but praises to sing," he remarked and muttered something under his breath that the bunny only caught the tail end of. "—fox up so he could stop whining about his 'fluff'."
Nicholas's cheeks flushed, and he fiddled with his tie. "Right, well, I'm afraid that's all on Finn here."
As they strolled down the sidewalk, Judy felt an unexpected warmth in Finnick's straightforwardness. The two of them even swapped stories about campus life and shared experiences of strange professors, even managing to poke fun of the slack-jawed red fox trailing behind them.
"So, what else has Nick had done to continue earning such a Tundratown cold shoulder from you?" the tan vulpine asked, feigning innocence but clearly enjoying the moment.
"Hmn, let me see," the lapin replied, her curiosity piqued. "How much time do you have before you have to leave?"
"Hah!" Finnick tugged on Nicholas's tie, his grin widening. "You really got such a way with the ladies, Wilde." He turned to the rabbit, mock-serious. "Miss Hopps, on behalf of his family, I offer our sincerest apologies for whatever offenses Red here has bestowed upon you."
The smaller fox offered an exaggerated bow, and Judy couldn't suppress a laugh.
"Is this the part where you start listing his worst offenses you've begrudgingly forgiven?" she teased, arching a brow and giving a half-smirk.
A boisterous chuckle erupted from the fennec, filling the air with a contagious energy. "Oh, where do I begin? Let's see—there was that time he dismissed my knowledge about car repairs right before a big race I was prepping for. Spoiler alert: it nearly cost me the championship, but we talked it out, and in the end, his buddy Flash helped me make the necessary tweaks just in time."
The doe raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And how did you get back at him for that?"
Finnick shrugged, his grin still in place. "Oh, I just made sure to remind him of his 'expertise' every chance I got. It's all in good fun, right Nick?"
"One hundred percent." the todd grumbled, rolling his eyes.
They passed a group of girls from the lapin's dorm, each carrying large garment bags, and the reality of prom season hit her like a ton of bricks. "Wow, I almost forgot it's prom season!" The tan fox shook his head in exaggerated disbelief. "Are you suffering from pre-prom pandemonium?"
"Absolutely not," Judy replied, her voice steadier than she felt. But the thought of Priscilla alone in their dorm gnawed at her. Her best friend had been sinking deeper into sadness, and she couldn't shake the worry.
"Good for you! Even some of Nick's friends seem to have lost their minds. You had to talk one friend out of going with some real character, didn't you?" the fennec's tone was teasing, but a flicker of seriousness shone in his eyes as he glanced back at the red fox.
Nicholas's expression changed immediately as he opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, clearly uneasy.
The bunny felt her blood begin to boil. She had assumed it was Beatrix who was keeping Flash away from Priscilla. But it was Nicholas.
'Of course it had to be him.'
"What's this?" she asked, her voice edged with accusation.
Nicholas brushed it away. "Nothing, it's nothing."
To him, it was nothing. But to Priscilla, it was everything.
She was about to launch into a heated retort when Finnick remarked abruptly, "Oh shoot! I have to fetch Jack." The tan fox glanced at his watch, breaking the tension with his sudden announcement.
"Wasn't Kevin supposed to pick them up?" Nicholas interjected, a flash of genuine concern crossing his flustered features.
"Yeah, well, the limo wasn't available, so my van is the next best thing." the fennec's demeanor shifted back to grumpy but still warm as he turned to Judy. "Miss Hopps, a pleasure." He shook her paw firmly, his grip surprisingly gentle, before giving the taller vulpine a pointed look. "Don't be an imbecile. Good families are a dime a dozen, but a good mammal is rare."
As Finnick strode off, the bunny turned back to the red fox, surprised he was still lingering. "Is there something I can help you with?"
He shook his head, his gaze drifting to the ground. "No, I just thought I'd walk you the rest of the way."
"Again, your concern for my well-being is so touching." Her tone dripped with sarcasm, but an underlying question lingered in her voice—a hint of curiosity about his intentions.
Nicholas replied with silence, his expression unreadable.
"How's Mr. Slothmore?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood.
The todd's voice was clipped when he replied. "Flash's fine. He's been really busy."
"Hmn, so I heard" She balled her fists tightly, frustration creeping in. "Anyway, I work Monday, Tuesday, and Friday nights—sometimes even Sunday afternoons."
He stared at her, the weight of her words hanging between them.
"We seem to be 'running' into each other a lot lately," she said, air quoting to emphasize her point. "I thought you'd like to know my hours. . .so you can avoid them, of course."
Nicholas nodded abruptly, then turned away, his hesitation clear in the way he lingered just a moment longer than necessary.
But Judy didn't overthink it — she just expected never to see him in The Big Donut again.
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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.
#FirstPromFriday is here (even though technically it's already Saturday in some parts of the world. . .my bad) and so is my second favorite fox, Finnick! I'd put my mandatory "excuse" for not posting for two weeks (in a row) but I thought I'd just take a page out of Judy's book of leaving whatever's going on my personal life (particularly my mental health) at the moment and post the (admittedly delayed) next part of this story.
Although, can I just say that "writer's block" is a b!tc# in on itself, but coming at an "aspiring" author (especially in every single inbox of the platforms they use) with s#!t other than constructive criticisms, suggestions, or (possible) collaborations (that I sincerely have to decline at the moment) is never okay, if not even worse.
Moreover, (if I'm not mistaken/remember it correctly) I have already disclosed that English is not my first language — which means I would make grammatical and lexical mistakes along the way that I would (also) more often than not overlook. . .and that's why I've not only welcomed (respectful and objective) feedback but also made it clear that I'm always open to learn/relearn things and amend my mistakes (without taking it personally).
P.S. So much for not including what's happening behind the scenes, but I just really needed to let it out. . .sorry about that (and thanks for understanding).
P.P.S. Thank you for your constant support and patience with my stories, my update schedules, and (especially) me.