Terra almost felt like skipping to her front door as she parked her steel-blue sporty car in the driveway. Well, technically it wasn't her car, as she didn't buy it, but her parents had given it to her with no strings attached. She was grateful for that. She was also grateful that the bookstore she loved frequenting so much was willing to hire her right out of high school.

The kit fox slammed the car door and rushed up to the front of the house. Her enthusiasm quickly melted as she thought she heard yelling from inside, her outstretched paw falling before it touched the doorknob. Before opening the door, she stood there, trying to listen for words.

"That's what I'm saying, Ariel!" Cecil sounded quite exasperated, as if the argument had gone on for a long time. "All I want is for Terra to be happy. Is that so much to ask!?"

"Well how about this?" Ariel retorted in a heated voice. "How is she going to be happy if a job like that ends up with her homeless and out on the streets?"

"Good grief, Ariel!" Cecil exploded back. "It's not like we're going anywhere any time soon, and we don't have to shoo her out of the house immediately!"

"Well where do you see her going, Cecil!?" Ariel shouted. "Where? What sort of ambition has she shown you, huh? Where's she going with this... this two-bit comic book job?"

Her mother's overheard words cut Terra deep with their piercing nature that never quite got turned on her directly. Terra backed off one step from the door. It was true, she had never thought very hard about her future.

After high school was over, she had to admit she had no grandiose ambitions, no plan of where to go or what to do. She thought she'd make her parents happy with her eagerness to go out and get a standard job, but it was seeming like that wasn't going to be the case.

Terra turned around and sat down hard on her doorstep. She curled her knees up near to her head and rested her muzzle on them. Abruptly, she began to sob and cry. She didn't know why. She should be happy, she had a new job, and what did it matter if her parents didn't approve?

But for some reason, it just mattered to her so much. She couldn't stop from sobbing or the tears from flowing.

"Wait, do you hear that?" Ariel's voice suddenly hushed. Terra's emotions paralyzed her. She knew they were talking about her, but she couldn't muster up the energy to stop crying, let alone try to get away.

The door opened and Terra heard two quiet gasps.

"Terra!" both of her parents cried out simultaneously.

"Terra, what's wrong, sweetheart?" Cecil asked in a caring voice, and Terra could almost hear the wince he was wearing, though she tried not to meet his eyes.

"Nothing," Terra lied. "I... I got the job..."

"Then, um, that's wonderful, sweetie!" Ariel said. Terra flashed her an angry look which quickly broke down into a few more sobs.

"Don't lie to me, mom!" Terra sniffled. "I just heard you yelling about how it was a worthless job that'd leave me homeless!"

"It's just..." Ariel winced as Cecil glowered at her. "I mean, haven't you thought about going to college at all?"

"I've thought about it," Terra hiccuped. "I... really don't want a repeat of my high school."

"Now Terra..." Ariel said patiently. "You said nothing bad really ever happened to you in high school. No big bullying incidents... no one ever beat you up." Cecil looked like he wanted to say something, but he sighed and let it pass.

"Yeah but..." Terra grit her teeth. "Nothing really good happened, either. I don't... I don't know what I'd want to do... what I'd want to go to school for. My grades weren't good enough for a scholarship, so I... I just don't want to go into debt for no reason..."

"I totally understand, honey, and your mother and I will support you every step of the way, with whatever you want to do," Cecil assured, sitting next to Terra and putting his paw on her shoulder.

"Cecil!" Ariel put her paws on her hips.

"Ariel, just give the poor girl a few years to figure herself out!" Cecil held out his free hand. Terra gave a big, shuddering sigh at this sentiment.

"There's nothing wrong with Bunnyburrow University," Ariel insisted, trying to put an amicable edge into her voice. "It's a completely different atmosphere than high school. Your father and I both went there."

"It took me two years to figure out what I wanted to be, Ariel," Cecil explained. "And that was only after dad was complaining about the size of his estate; that it was too large." He shook his head. "I only figured out I wanted to become an architect when I realized there was the demand for more types of home designs in Bunnyburrow than your standard 'bunny with two dozen kits' variety."

"So what, she just has to have some sort of epiphany?" Ariel held her paw down to indicate Terra, making her sniffle again.

"Ariel, come on," Cecil sighed. "You knew you wanted to be a culinary chef from the moment you set foot in high school."

"Yeah, and I got attacked by some jealous bunnies for my trouble in home ec!" Ariel sneered. Terra gasped and hiccuped, not knowing this story. "Scalded with hot water when my carrot cake was better than those idiot bunnies!"

"And adversity breeds determination," Cecil suggested. "You wanted to prove those bunnies wrong and you're one of the best regarded chefs in Bunnyburrow now."

"Yeah, though my ratings seem to plummet when speciesist bunny food critics figure out I'm a fox..." Ariel scoffed bitterly.

"I'm sorry... I'll... I'll try to think of a better job, what I want to do for the future," Terra whimpered.

Ariel finally set down next to her, sighing in annoyance, though it might have been that she was annoyed at herself.

"I'm sorry, Terra," she said. "It's just- you're our only daughter and I just want you to be successful. I've got no one else to dote on, after all." She gently pet at Terra's ears.

"This is her first job, Ariel," Cecil said. "Let's let her get her feet wet, at least."

"I... I mean I do like books," Terra shrugged.

Cecil kissed her cheek. "You have a good time in your little bookstore job, okay? Your mother and I will continue to support you."

Ariel nodded, petting her ears some more. "That's right, sugar. I'm sorry for snapping."

"Now, can we see a smile, my little marshmallow?" Cecil gave a goofy grin, raising his eyebrows.

Terra fought out a big smile. "The smile you two paid for?" Her voice wavered slightly.

"Oh now, hush," Ariel hugged her from the side. "As if I was going to let my daughter have anything less than a perfect, gleaming smile to attract those bunny does you're always hoping to be with."

"'Hopping' to be with?" Cecil added. Ariel groaned.

Terra giggled unsteadily, sniffling, but started to relax from the attention from her parents. She hoped she'd be able to make them proud someday. Somehow.

Five years passed.

Terra was now living by herself in a small Bunnyburrow apartment. The place was messy, but decorated just right for her. Brightly colored posters of her favorite characters lined the walls and shelves stood stuffed with her the books she loved. It was a joy to come home and just be able to relax in her colorful little sanctuary of her own. Well, she didn't really own it, as it was an apartment, but it was her space, at least. Her own funds were a bit tight at times and she felt rather embarrassed when she still accepted gifts and money from her parents on more than a few occasions, but all in all, she was happy.

She still worked at the bookstore; it was one of the largest chains in Bunnyburrow. Bunnyburrow's Best Reads. Technology hadn't completely taken over Bunnyburrow yet, so people still enjoyed purchasing books often; the traffic in the store was even busy at times. People in Bunnyburrow were often very pleasant to the fox, despite her species, and she liked interacting with them; helping them with book orders and suggestions and the like. If she was honest, Terra loved the printed word in all forms. How books and magazines smelled when fresh or old, the feel of the paper, the sounds of the pages turning. It was a dream job to her.

Terra sometimes scolded herself for not dreaming a little larger.

The kit fox shook her head, reaching her usual position at the register. She liked stocking the shelves the best, but Terra's manager often liked putting her on the register. When she asked why, she was always met with something like "winsome, amicable personality. The customers like you." It made her feel nice to a degree to be complimented by her middle-aged pig boss, even though he was somewhat vacant about it.

Bunnyburrow's Best Reads was one of those bookstores with a coffee shop attached, so she often found herself indulging in treats there. Her favorite was hot white chocolate with, of course, marshmallows on top. Sometimes she skirted the edge of danger and tried one of the normal milk chocolate variants. It hadn't made her sick yet.

Was it weird that the most dangerous thing she ever did was try a not-entirely-safe-for-foxes beverage? She shook her head and sighed again, trying to dispel her niggling thoughts.

Rather than mope, Terra often liked to read from graphic novels on the job. She was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to be doing that, but again, her manager didn't seem to mind. She almost tossed the book she was reading into the ceiling the first time her boss had caught her reading during her shift, then somehow managed to catch it cleanly in her paws. All he said was "nice catch" dryly as he walked by, and it never came up again. It had taken about five minutes for her heart rate to go back down.

"Terra?"

"Hnh!" Terra started, broken out of her thoughts, setting down the magazine she absently had open in her paws. "Oh, Charlie!?" She smiled, her tail starting to wag involuntarily.

"Hello, Terr!" Charlie said; the sheep very, very carefully setting down a newspaper on the counter. "I didn't know you worked here. Hello, hello. Nice to see you again!"

"Sorry we lost touch," Terra winced. "What became of you?"

"I went to Bunnyburrow U to become a journalist!" Charlie said, looking proud. "I indeed did that. That is what I did. I'm one of the youngest writers for the Bunnyburrow Beacon."

"Wow, congratulations!" Terra smiled genuinely. "That's so cool; you really reached out and seized your dream, huh?" Terra tried not to let her voice fall off.

"I did!" Charlie clapped his hands together twice. "Yes, and this very newspaper has my first published article. It is, of course, a very small, inconsequential, almost custodial article hidden deep within the main section, but it is an article nonetheless! I will be framing this paper. Or... maybe just the article. Perhaps I should buy another paper so I can frame both. I haven't decided yet. Anyhow, I will start by purchasing this one, please."

"Okay," Terra accepted his money for the paper. "Would you like a bag for it?"

"Heavens no. I don't want it folded or anything!" Charlie said, holding it very carefully in his hands after he paid for it. "I'm going to just very carefully walk with this and try not to get it wrinkled, crushed, torn, maimed, burned, or anything. Anyway, I might be back if I'm not pleased with how I decide to frame this, or need another paper for the article itself. See you, then, right? If I come back. I bet I'll see you."

"Right, yeah..." Terra smiled, giving an empty, amused huff. "I'll- I'll be here..."

As Charlie left while meticulously holding the paper, Terra finally gave out a large sigh as melancholy descended upon her.

"I'll be here."