Chapter Text
Judy dragged her eyelids open, pupils rolling up to hide in the darkness of her eye sockets. By sheer force of will, she dragged then back down and forwards, slowly brining her focus to bear on the sole object of her frustrations. Extending a leaden arm, she closed her stuff fingers around her phone, her joints popping as she brought the device to her ear. Filtered sunlight worked its way into her brain, slowly unlocking the mental gears within.
"Hello?" Judy croaked, limbering up her vocal cords.
"Heya, Jude, what's been shaking?" Her father's optimism drove itself through her ears and twisted her mental dials to eleven. Judy was jerked awake, the shrieking of her uncooperative body shunted to the back of her mind.
"H-Hey! Dad! This is... unexpected!" She dragged her reserves of cheer out of storage, putting on a familiar facade.
"I know, but your father and I have some news!" Bonnie interjected.
"We couldn't wait to tell you!" Judy glanced over at the digital display, which proudly displayed ten thirty in the morning, as it had every day since she first saw it. Cheap, but reliable.
"So what's going on?" Judy tried her best to sound alert.
"Well dear, you know how Jamis just graduated?"
"I remember him trying to cross carrots with horseradishes." Judy admitted to laughing at him for that one.
"Yes, I think we all remember how that ended up, but your father and I have been talking to him,"
"And you're always telling us how great it is over there,"
"And we really have been expanding our horizons these past few years,"
"And we want to go to visit you next week while Jamis takes care of the farm!" Judy's father burst out. She admired that he'd managed to contain himself, his self-control had obviously drastically improved while she was gone. Judy felt a gear slip in her head.
"Oh! Sure! That sounds... just super!"
"See Bonnie, told you she'd be fine with it!"
"Yes, yes Stu."
"So, umm, when are you guys coming in?"
"We were thinking next Thursday, if that's fine?"
"Yeah, that's great, but I've got to work Thursday and Friday." Judy's slipping mind found purchase.
"Oh, we understand honey, Stu and I are excited to go sightseeing as well."
"We've got a slick hotel lined up, a list of places, Zootopia here we come!" Judy had expected her father to be more reserved, but then again time changed all things. Judy thought this change was probably for the better.
"That's great to hear, I'm sure you guys will have a great time." She smiled.
"I'm looking forwards to it, dear." Bonnie replied. "Now, let me have a look at my daughter before we go."
Judy's heart warmed as the manipulated the touchscreen, pushing back her fur and hoping she didn't look too bedraggled.
"There your are- oh, we didn't mean to wake you." Apparently she looked bedraggled enough.
"That's another thing we can do in Zootopia, Bon, sleep in!" Her father gave a mock gasp, Bonnie rolled her eyes.
"As much as I would love to keep talking, we have to go meet Jamis."
"But we'll have plenty of time to talk soon!"
"We love you!"
"Love you too, guys." Judy placed the phone back down on the table, glad her parents hadn't noticed the change in scenery. She turned to snuggle deeper into Nick's fur.
"Well aren't we in a mess?" He grumbled.
"Shush. I need my snuggles." Judy pressed her forehead into his chest.
"Sure thing, Carrots."