Wasty: I think the difficult thing here...aside from bringing the ages in line, is figuring out how to have them all grow up in the same general area while still maintaining large elements of their initial upbringing. What I would probably do would be to drop everyone in roughly the same area, and the one that's most accommodating for everyone involved would be in between the North and South Meadowlands, with Nick living in the more suburban Southern Meadowlands, and Judy and her family being shifted up to the North Meadowlands either with them moving or having always lived there. I'd also shift over Gideon Grey and Sharla and her brother to keep Judy's Kithood mostly consistent.
Starting off, I think Dawn and Judy would become friends first, what with both being fairly small mammals. Considering young Judy's personality, I think she'd notice a very shy and timid Dawn and feel sort of compelled to befriend her. She'd also usually be the one to stick up for Dawn against bullies even if her efforts to do so were easily blow off by most mammals since she was just a 'weak little bunny'. Through that connection Dawn would also be befriended by Sharla, as Judy would have met the little black lamb before Dawn and brought her along. Vernon would come along shortly after, with the same situation occurring that brought them together in the first place, only this time there'd be a distinct difference. The bully would be Gideon Grey. I imagine Judy would miss school semi-regularly due to having to help with the family farm, which would end up leaving Dawn without a defender, and after several attempts on picking on the ewe spoiled by Judy going Hall Monitor on Gideon, the first absence since Judy started stepping in for Dawn would leave an opening to good for the fox to pass up. After all, the tod knew there was no way Sharla would step in without Judy. Sharla would run to the teacher to get help, but by the time she got help the situation would have already been handled by a certain grey wolf pup.
Vernon would still leap into the fray, pulling the same stunt he always did by recklessly fighting a bully, but he would more than likely win this one, as despite being a runt, he'd still be bigger than Gideon. The next day Dawn would introduce Vernon to Judy and Sharla and tell her about how he sent Gideon wailing for a teacher, and Vernon would immediately earn the rabbits' friendship. In a short time, Judy would become super enamored with Vernon's family after finding out just what they did, and would probably get to the point of driving Vernon and his brothers nuts by asking endless questions about real police work. As they grow up, she even develops a little kithood crush on Vernon's Dad for a while because he's just 'So COOL!" in her words. And unlike her own parents and most of those in the community, Dorian and the Hunters, (Save for Yuri), are super supportive of Judy's dream. Dorian even allows her to train with the boys, much to Yuri's annoyance.
Dawn and Vernon's friendship is still briefly broken up by Aster about a month after the trio unites. However, Dawn having multiple friends in school rather than just one wolf gives Clover the extra push she needs to leave her husband the night he breaks Dawn's friendship bracelets, (As there is now a bracelet from for both Vernon and Judy.) At that point, Dorian brings Clover and Dawn to the Hunter Ranch to stay while Clover files for divorce and looks to find a new home for her and her daughter. They end up staying a year before, with the help of Dorian and Judy's Parents, managed to find a small townhome relatively close to both the Hunter Ranch and the Hopps farm, thus allowing Dawn continued easy access to her friends.
Nick would come along later, shortly after the 'Ranger Scout' incident. I figure Nick's Mom would be a mixture of heartbroken and livid that her son was treated the way he was, but knowing she wouldn't be able to get anyone to do anything meaningful about it, and that Nick would still have to go to school with those kids that teased him, she calls on her cousin in the North Meadowlands and with their help quickly relocates her and her son out of the suburbs. That cousin is Gideon Grey's mother, and while part of the intent of moving Nick up there was so he'd be able to be friends with his second cousin Gideon, and have a fox friend, the pair immediately rub each other the wrong way. It doesn't help that they're forced to live under one roof while Nick's mom attempts to find a new job and a new home for the both of them.
Fairly quickly the two get in a fight after Gideon finds out that Nick is still holding on to some of his ranger scout uniform and teases him mercilessly over it, eventually sending Nick running out of the house in tears. Nick walks alone for a while, wandering the local roads of the North Meadowlands until he gets to a small bridge over a river. Nick, still crying considers tossing the last of his Ranger scout gear into the water when he's discovered by an awkward little billy goat who mistakes him for a new recruit to the scouts he hasn't met yet. After Nick reluctantly explains himself and what happened, the little goat refuses to let the young tod throw away his ranger gear, instead promising to get Nick into his own troop. This little billy, if you haven't picked up on it by now, is Gustav Hornsly.
With Gus vouching for him, the fox is inducted, (reluctantly on the part of the den leader), into the North Meadowlands Ranger Scout Troop. Of course, that reluctance came more from his being related to notable troublemaker Gideon Grey more than anything. But being friends with the weird sickly little goat is bound to get you picked on, and thus a similar situation happens to that of the initial bathroom swirly scene where Gus met Vernon. Only now, Gus is quickly dropped in favor of Nick when the tod steps in to defend his friend. Of course, his charisma isn't enough to save him, and so the tod finds himself about to get the crap kicked out of him by a lumbering teenage cheetah when Vernon enters the bathroom and breaks the whole mess up. Nick tries to play off needing the wolf's help, but Gus undermines him by thanking the wolf for saving both their hides. Gus and Vernon become fast friends, with Nick tailing behind as the friend group is finally connected.
A lot goes on from that point in terms of character interaction. Gus and Vern start the school's BnB club together, dragging a reluctant Nick along with Dawn, Judy, Sharla, Broomie, Joel, and Claire. Judy ends up joining the ranger scouts and being one of the few mammals aside from Gus willing to work with Nick, the pair become fast friends. Dawn still briefly dates Gus in this timeline, and then the 'singles' prom situation plays out similarly, only now Dawn has a significantly larger female support group advising her as to what to do, and the same goes for Vern with his male support group. Of course, being friends with Claire, Dawn knows she has feelings for Vern and that does cause friction when Dawn develops her own feelings for the wolf. And as for Vern, you can bet Nick mercilessly teases Vernon over being a prey chaser. Of course, that's before actually going to the prom, and the wolf actually catching feelings for Dawn, at which point Nick is oddly sympathetic and encouraging.
Meanwhile, ol' Gideon Grey has been out of the picture for a while, at least in terms of picking on members of the group. It is only when he comes to see Nick and apologizes to him that everyone learns the chunky tod has been seeing a counselor and has mostly mended his ways. He apologizes to everyone in the group and is eventually absorbed into it. In the lead-up to prom, Gideon and Sharla really warm up to each other, but it still really shocks the group when Gideon asks Sharla to the prom, and even more shockingly she agrees. Naturally, this puts Sharla in the best position to really rally behind Dawn when her own romantic feelings for Vern begin to form, as well as makes her the best to confide in about her feelings next to Judy.
After graduation, Judy is the first to rocket into the local police academy, with both Dorian's training giving her a head start, and a written recommendation from the law wolf forcing a lot of the instructors to push aside their misgivings about a rabbit aiming to be a cop. According to Dorian, starting out in the North Meadowland Police would make for a great stepping stone to getting into the ZPD, a goal that the doe is eager to shoot for. By this point, Nick and Judy have become really close, and so she ends up encouraging him to follow along with her into the NMPD, and after some training with ol' Mam' Hunter, the fox signs up for the academy as well.
Vernon is reluctant to go into the police academy. He feels...sort of pigeonholed by his father to take up the work and definitely feels uncertain about the whole thing. But with two of his friends in the academy, the wolf decides to go for it. As for Dawn, encouraged by seeing all of her friends enter, especially Judy, and having endured the 'Hunter Family' police regiment herself, and done quite well in Dorian's eyes, Dawn follows swiftly along with her mate. While Vernon and Judy prove to be strong in the athletic portion of the training, Dawn, and Nick really shine in the more mental investigation and observation aspects of the work. The four are hired onto the NMPD shortly after graduation, and while Vernon and Dawn stay in the North Meadowlands and rise to the ranks of deputy. Judy transfers out to the ZPD about two years in, with Nick following shortly behind his partner.
Though now separated, the four meet up fairly regularly and remain close friends even into the present. Although the four of them have begun to muse about the prospect of creating a private investigation business in Zootopia to run together. Whether that happens or not, who can say? It was a fun little tangent nonetheless.
Yearbook Transcript
Yo Gus, hope summer camp won't keep ya too busy. Me and Dawn are gonna really miss havin' ya around. Plus without you around to stem the flock, these ewe's 'er gonna eat me alive.
-Yer best friend "Sheepdog" A.K.A. Vernon Hunter
I'm sorry things didn't work out between us Gussy. I hope we can always stay best friends! See you after your Ranger Camp stuff.
-Dawn Bellwether
Howdy Gus, Sorry I'm not great at the BnB stuff! Still had fun though!
-Love, Sharla Baker
Thanks fer makin' me feel welcome after all I did ta most of ya. Thanks for the second chance.
-Gideon Grey
Hey Gus, have fun at Ranger Camp! Much Love,
-Claire Baahley
When you get back, you owe me a pocket mammals rematch!
-Yer Bud Dylan Broomie
Ey Shatterhorn, hate to admit it, but I actually had fun "playing pretend" with your other nerd friends in club. See ya in the Ranger Scouts Summer Camp. Heads up! I'm coming for that merit badge record!
-Nick P. Wilde - Your 'better' best friend.
Hey Ranger buddy! Looking forward to summer camp? I know I am! Hope you prep a campaign or two for the slow nights! I'm really digging this roleplaying stuff.
-Judy Hopps
Hey Dude, have fun at summer camp! Promise I'll have a bunch of Mamanga's to share when you get back! I swear to keep the porn ones to a minimum.
-Joel Pacal
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