A few days after meeting Nick, the university term began.
Zootopia University had a strict no-weapons policy, and absolutely no bodyguards allowed on campus.
This nearly gave Grandmama a heart attack.
She fretted endlessly over Kevin, terrified that something might happen to him out there on his own.
Mr.
Big had no choice but to purchase a house about ten miles from campus.
That way, Kevin could live in the dorms during the week or return home whenever he wished, and Grandmama could visit him regularly.
The standard freshman dormitory was a double occupancy room: two twin beds, two desks and chairs, and a shared wardrobe.
Bathrooms, laundry facilities, and a common lounge were all available on each floor.
A few of the older buildings still housed triples, but they were notoriously cramped, with barely enough storage space for three occupants, let alone any sense of privacy.
Single dorm rooms were incredibly scarce, they were typically reserved for seniors or students with documented medical needs.
For a freshman to secure one, you either had to win the housing lottery through sheer luck or provide a doctor’s note.
On move-in morning, Kevin, Polar Bear Kevin, and two additional polar bear bodyguards spent the entire morning navigating registration and check-in procedures.
The lines were long, the paperwork tedious, and the campus sprawling.
His dormitory assignment was on the second floor, low enough to save them the trouble of climbing too many stairs, which was a small mercy.
When Kevin finally pushed open the door to his new room, two animals were already inside.
Two otters, roughly similar in stature.
One was middle-aged, dressed in dusty farm clothes with an old sun hat perched on his head and traces of mud still clinging to his trousers.
His paws bore the calluses of honest labor.
The other was younger, wearing a plain green button-down shirt with a pair of glasses resting on his nose.
His bed was already made up, sheets tucked neatly at the corners, and several large bottles of drinking water were lined up with military precision by the headboard.
Four round, watchful eyes were peering timidly at the doorway.
Kevin stood there, with Polar Bear Kevin and three massive polar bears looming behind him like a wall of white fur and muscle.
That young otter must be his roommate.
Kevin did some quick mental math.
He’d probably be spending most of his freshman year at the off-campus house Mr.
Big had bought.
This otter would likely have the room all to himself most nights.
“Hey, I’m Kevin Strol.” Kevin stepped forward with an easy smile and extended a paw.
“H-hello, I’m Bob J.
DeLeon.” Bob gave a nervous grin, revealing a row of neat little white teeth.
His smile was shy, hesitant.
He reached out and shook Kevin’s paw, his own was so small it felt like a marshmallow wrapped in Kevin’s palm.
The room had seemed reasonably spacious at first glance, but once Polar Bear Kevin and the other two bears squeezed inside, the air itself seemed to compress.
The walls felt closer.
The ceiling lower.
“Do you mind if I sit on your bed?
They’re helping me unpack, and space is kind of tight.” Kevin nodded toward Bob’s bed.
“O-of course, go ahead.” Bob quickly shuffled sideways, pressing himself against the wall to make room.
Kevin didn’t hesitate.
He dropped onto the mattress, and it sank noticeably under his weight.
Bob turned and tugged at his father’s sleeve.
“Dad, you should go.
I’m fine here.” The older otter’s eyes lingered on Kevin for a moment, assessing, then returned to his son.
“Get along with your roommate.
Study hard.
Don’t worry about things at home.” He gave Bob’s shoulder a firm pat, turned, and walked out.
His footsteps echoed dully down the hallway, gradually fading.
Kevin leaned back against the bed frame and studied Bob with quiet interest.
Plain clothes.
Worn-down claws, probably from years of helping out with family chores.
This was likely a working-class kid, someone who had earned his place at Zootopia’s best university through sheer talent and effort.
Coming to Zootopia University was about more than just academics for Kevin.
He had another agenda, to build connections with useful people.
As Kevin sized Bob up, Bob was sneaking glances at Kevin too.
Well-dressed.
Sharp, intelligent eyes.
Definitely not from an ordinary background.
And Bob couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that Kevin’s age didn’t quite match his physical development.
“Um… Kevin, right?” “Yeah.” “I’m eighteen.
What about you?” Bob pushed his glasses up, his eyes trembling slightly with curiosity.
“Thirteen.
Almost fourteen.” “Oh, okay, so– wait, thirteen?” Bob’s eyes went wide, pupils dilating in surprise.
“Thirteen…
that actually checks out, based on your fur and your nose and ear structure.
That’s the right age range for those features.
But your body size is a full head taller than most wolves your age…” His voice trailed off, like he was mentally cross-referencing data.
The otter did notice the discrepancy in his age and height.
Kevin perked up a little, intrigued.
“What’s your major?” “Biomedicine.” “Ah, that explains it.” No wonder he was a genius, he could read Kevin’s age just by examining the subtle details of his features.
Impressive.
“What about you?” “Economics/Finance.” Kevin could see the flicker of doubt in Bob’s eyes.
It was subtle, but unmistakable, the look of someone who’d been burned before by entitled rich kids.
Kevin pulled a sheet of paper from his bag and handed it over.
His admissions score report.
“My family’s got money, sure.
But see for yourself.
I got in fair and square.
No backdoor deals.” Bob took the sheet, scanned the page, and his pupils constricted slightly.
A wave of genuine awe washed over him.
This really was Zootopia, geniuses truly were everywhere.
Thirteen years old and passing that brutally competitive admissions exam…
Truth be told, when Bob first heard Kevin was only thirteen, a flicker of annoyance had passed through him.
In high school, he’d encountered plenty of privileged kids who’d bought their way in through family connections.
He’d fought tooth and nail to earn his place at this institution, sacrificing weekends, sleep, and social life.
He was especially sensitive to anyone who might have taken the easy path.
But the score sheet was right there in black and white.
This white wolf had earned his place through merit and talent.
That irritation melted away, replaced by something else entirely, a feeling he couldn’t quite name.
It was like two champions recognizing each other across a battlefield, a quiet mutual admiration bubbling up from somewhere deep.
Bob pressed his lips into a small smile, pulled his own score sheet from his backpack, and slid it across to Kevin.
Perfect score.
Zootopia University’s first perfect-score admit in nearly twenty years.
“Damn, Bob.
That’s insane.” Kevin reached over and draped an arm around Bob’s narrow little shoulders, feeling the thin layer of soft fuzz under his palm.
“I was wondering how I got such a good score and still wasn’t first.
Turns out there’s always a bigger fish.” “Haha, you’re too kind.” Bob scratched the back of his head, ears flattened against his skull, a little embarrassed by the praise.
“I just spend a lot of time studying, that’s all.
Nothing special.” Kevin looked down at the well-behaved little otter sitting beside him and sighed inwardly.
His memories from his past life, combined with a naturally sharp brain in this one, and he still lost to this otter sitting next to him.
There really was always a higher sky, always a better person.
The thought was humbling.
After Polar Bear Kevin and the others finished unpacking and took their leave, Kevin and Bob headed to the cafeteria for lunch, chatting the whole way.
Kevin learned that Bob’s family ran a plant shop, lots of greenery, lots of insects, and Bob had grown up surrounded by that leafy world and the constant buzz of bugs.
His interest in biology had taken root there, nurtured by years of hands-on experience.
He was the second of six children.
His older sister was already married and living elsewhere.
Zootopia University’s tuition wasn’t cheap.
Bob’s father, seeing his son’s exceptional grades, had tightened the belt and scraped together everything he could to send him here.
As they walked and talked, Bob was quietly piecing together an image of the white wolf, affluent, articulate, always wearing an easy smile.
But something behind those eyes, something deep and watchful, made Bob suspect this guy wasn’t as approachable as he seemed.
A certain kind of presence, a certain look in the eyes, you couldn’t fake that.
It was the mark of someone who’d seen things.
Soon, they reached the cafeteria.
It was enormous.
As Zootopia’s premier university, the food was naturally good, and prices were kept reasonable for students from all backgrounds.
When they arrived, the place was already packed with animals of every species, a bustling cross-section of the city’s diversity.
The herbivore section and carnivore section were clearly separated, with subtle dividers to maintain comfort on both sides.
There was even a dedicated corner for rodents, thoughtfully designed with smaller tables and stools.
Kevin and Bob grabbed their lunches and found a table near the window, where they could watch the campus bustle outside while they ate.
They talked about their academic plans, and whether by coincidence or mutual intent, both were aiming to finish their undergraduate degrees in two years, then continue straight into graduate programs in their respective fields.
They were deep in conversation when a voice cut in from beside them… “Move.
We’re sitting here.” Kevin and Bob looked up at the same time.
A group of sheep stood beside their table, trays in hand.
At the front was a ewe in a blue jumper dress, with a flower hairpin clipped above her ear.
She carried herself with an air of entitlement.
Behind her trailed a dozen more, ewes, rams, goats, antelopes, and even an alpaca.
All were wearing matching blue dresses.
Probably some kind of sorority.
Kevin glanced around casually.
Plenty of empty tables scattered throughout the cafeteria.
He tilted his chin up.
“There are plenty of seats.” The ewe stared at him calmly, completely unflinching, arms crossed over her chest.
She didn’t seem intimidated by the wolf at all.
“Only these tables can fit all of us together.” Her face was expressionless, her chin lifted slightly in challenge.
“So move.” “Uh, Kevin…” Bob saw the aggression in their posture and instinctively shrank back, tugging at Kevin’s sleeve in a low, urgent voice.
“Maybe we should just give it to them?
Let’s find another spot.” Kevin didn’t move.
His eyes swept past the sheep and scanned the room, two hippos were eating quietly at a nearby table, an elephant was slowly rolling cake onto its trunk with practiced patience.
They didn’t go after those big animals.
They picked on a wolf and an otter.
A flock of sheep picking a fight with a wolf.
‘They’re raising their swords against a stronger opponent, their natural predator,’ Kevin thought.
Interesting.
He couldn’t help but feel a flicker of respect.
Kevin acknowledged that, their will of dominance was real.
————•★•————★ Author Note: Thanks for reading!
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