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"Hoo..."

Sighing to himself was Gideon Grey. Like always, he was up bright and early to open his shop. Operating a bakery was a lot of hard work but it was all worth it in the red fox's eyes. He took pride in his career, seeing it as a physical representation of his reformation. There was always a bit of shame when thinking about his past, how terrible of a person he chose to be.

It got to the point that the then younger todd was sent away to live with his uncle, someone that would "straighten him out." Well, living with his uncle did the trick, along with going to a new school. Unlike Bunnyburrow, the school he went to was full of animals of different kinds. Suddenly little Gideon Grey wasn't the biggest guy around anymore. Of course he still tried to pick a fight with the others but quickly learned a lesson after antagonizing a group of boys, some of them being bigger species than him...

It had been a hard lesson but necessary when looking back. Moving to a new place was an overall sobering and humbling experience. In the end, Gideon had learned his lesson and instead thought about what he wanted to do with his life when entering high school. At that point he figured it was best to stay with his uncle and remain in the school district at least until graduation. He went home for the holidays and during the summer. Though coming a long way, the old Gideon Grey wasn't so content to just fade away. Though it had been a long time since seeing the others such as Sharla or Gareth, they were quick to steer clear of him the moment their eyes met.

Without a chance to explain himself, the fox was being written off as a bad person. Though that may have been true, no one would give him the chance to explain himself or show how much things had changed. Though humbled for the most part, there were some old parts of him that would shine through. Such treatment, his ego flared up and he refused to go out of his way to appeal to the others if they were to shun him so quickly.

On top of that, he had been distraught to learn that Travis had also moved away. Unlike him, the ferret's departure was permanent, seeing as he left with his parents as well, having moved away for a new job opportunity. This only worsened Gideon's mood when coming back home, being avoided whenever going out and being without the support of his best friend. What made the vulpine truly upset was him not being able to say goodbye and it would remain that way ever since.

It took some time, but after another visit home during the summer Gideon finally managed to reintroduce himself, attending a festival with his parents. The place was alive with the sounds of fun and laughter but at the time he was feeling rather down. Usually he loved these but that was because Travis would be there with him. They would play games, eat treats from the stands and of course get into some trouble. It just wasn't the same by himself. Someone noticed that he was all by himself, looking rather lonely. When asked what was wrong, the fox allowed himself to be vulnerable while explaining his plight.

After a bit of talking, Gideon remembered to apologize for anything he would have done to them in the past. Since putting the past behind him, the finer details of his bullying had been forgotten. Plus there were so many things that had been done, he hated to admit that there was too much to keep track with. They offered to spend the rest of the festival with him and Gideon couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun in Bunnyburrow.

High school was a busy time in his life and he came back to Bunnyburrow fewer times than before, returning on the major holidays but staying home during the summers. It was during this time that Gideon found his true calling. It started out as a class needed just for some required credits, but there was something about the baking class that really spoke to him. What started out as something meant to be endured for an hour became something he grew wholly invested in.

He took more classes and went further to even attend programs during the summer. On top of that his age at the time allowed Gideon to apply for a job and naturally he sought out anything that would allow him to assist or participate in baking. His uncle was surprised but glad to see his nephew taking up an interest, especially one that could lead to a career. So chipped in while Gideon used the money earned from his job to pay for more lessons. Those actions were what eventually led him down the path he was now.

It was a calm day this time, with no deliveries to make. The early morning was spent baking fresh goods that were now on display and ready for purchase. Just seeing them within the case brought a feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction. Everything was ready to go, right on time too. The sign on the front window was flipped over, making it clear that he was open.

"You take care, ma'am." It didn't take long for Gideon to get a string of customers. The requirement to get early was an easy trade off for opening just in time for the morning rush. Word was actively spreading about his goods. He was seeing more and more coming and going, and that was just in the morning. At this point his early stock of things like donuts and bagels would be extremely low if not fully sold out. That was a simple fix of just making more, but there were more everyday that wanted to buy his goods. There was no choice but for those to buy something else until he made more.

At the very least, this gave the chance to properly gauge their popularity. He would be better prepared the next day. For the time being, he focused on the rest of the day's profits. While selling he would depart to the back to bring out the goods more appropriate for afternoon. The rush that came about that time of day was easier to manage. Most would be stopping by to get some dessert to pair with their actual lunch. A good number of them had become regulars at this point, Gideon was pleased to see the familiar faces, having their "usual" already prepared for them ahead of time.

"See ya tomorrow, Martha!"

He was given time to duck into the back again. While checking the ingredient stock it was obvious to see that his flour stock was getting low. This wasn't enough to make him panic as afternoon was the last busy part of the way, seeing his shop usually closed at 6pm. But he was usually aware of how much flour he had left to work with. It must have slipped his mind. When the time was afforded to him, the fox was able to find the record of his last restock. All of his supplies came from the Hopps family back in Bunnyburrow. He was glad to be on good terms with all them, especially Judy. They were friends now and he saw her often enough, either via visits to the shop or after work to just hang out.

After some more checks it was clear that flour wasn't the only low stock he had. Though there was pride in doing this all by himself, there were some downsides. With so much to manage, things often slipped Gideon's mind. This time he was able to notice but he could remember a few times the shop had to close earlier due to something important being forgotten. He wrote himself notes but they became such a common sight that they weren't immediately noticed anymore, just blending into the background as he went back and forth to prepare and present more products.

Nevertheless, there was a sure smile that persisted on his face as he continued to sell to those coming in. On the whole he was grateful to be a point that he could actually be so close to selling out. It meant that he was getting all the more popular. Likely thanks to that community event held in which he catered, and the private party in which he provided desserts for the ZPD, earning high praise from the police department, especially Clawhauser.

The day progressed as usual, time ticking away until it was about time to close up shop. It was another good one, having sold practically everything prepared earlier. In hindsight it was rather silly to worry, it wasn't as if he was going to make anything more that day. With the last few things sold, the red fox was finally left alone. Following his usual routine, Gideon cleaned up and gathered the unsold goods. He was aware that bigger companies would usually toss out whatever couldn't be sold, but he preferred to put them to good use in other ways.

Finally having the time to do so, Gideon went to the back and made a detailed check of the supplies while doing so he used his phone to dial a familiar number.

"Hey, Gid!" The peppy tone of Stu Hopps sounded through the device, just hearing made the vulpine feel better already.

"Heya, Stu. I know it's rather sudden and all but I'm in need of some more supplies..." he went on to explain his situation while going through the rest.

"Sure thing. It's no trouble at all. Come on over and we'll have it all ready for you."

Though his shop was stationed in Zootopia, the drive back to Bunnyburrow wasn't long at all. He was glad that he could depend on the Hopps family. They were all so nice, always ready to help. Even if out of the blue, Stu was always eager to provide the needed supplies for him. It had been that way ever since he apologized to them in person for all the trouble he had caused back in the day. They started to talk and when mentioning his plans for a bakery of his own, Stu was surprisingly quick to suggest a partnership. Apparently when they heard Judy had become friends with Nick, the other Hopps family members did some thinking.

At this point, Stu was a good friend of his. With plenty of money to pay, Gideon was driving back to his old home yet again. Despite all that had happened, he was able to look back on Bunnyburrow rather fondly. Past grievances were forgotten and the residents were happy to see him every time he returned. He was happy to see them as well, waving and calling out while heading for the Hopps family farm.

"Ah, Gideon! There you are!" Stu was waiting outside for the vulpine's arrival. He was looking rather excited, clearly having something he wasn't telling the fox. It was a look that Gideon knew well enough.

"Is there somethin' you wanna tell me, Stu?" Gideon asked when stepping out of his van.

"Not quite yet. Come on, let's get you stocked up." He had gathered a few things that were mentioned over the phone and the list brought by the fox allowed them to gather the rest.

When it was stocked up and packed into the back of his van, Gideon handed off the payment to his good friend and smiled. Leaning against the branded vehicle, the red furred predator crossed his arms. "Alright, what's got you all excited, huh? I know it ain't my birthday, or yours... Or Judy's or any other yer other kids... At least I don't think so." Naturally those were events he catered to, being happy to do so. Had yet another important thing slipped his mind?

"It's nobody's birthday, but I still thought you'd like to know..."

***

Gideon was absolutely thrilled by what he heard, not even believing it at first. He had to go see for himself. After thanking Stu, the fox hopped into his van and went out to see for himself. This took him further away from the farm and towards the small town. He drove through his childhood town until he came across the local motel. Since Bunnyburrow wasn't the kind of place to attract tourists, the location was rather small. It was enough to house anyone who usually came to visit friends or family. Seemed like the perfect place.

His body was tingling when getting out of the van. It was still hard for the fox to really believe this. Stu had even given the room number, to which Gideon stood in front of, taking a deep breath before he knocked on it a few times.

"Coming!" The voice on the other end made him gasp. His tail was instinctively wagging, showing his joy just before a smile spread across his muzzle.

The door opened and on the other side was none other than his old best friend Travis. The blackfooted ferret answered the door, looking rather confused. Being met with a bigger red furred mammal made him pause. For a second he wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him.

"T-Trav?" Gideon asked, hardly believing his own eyes.

"Gid!" the smaller animal rushed forward to hug his old friend. "It's really you!"

"Oh, how long has it been?" the vulpine asked aloud as he hugged his best friend back.

"Too long..."

He was invited inside and the two of them began to talk.

"So, I heard you're baking nowadays," the ferret teased. The two of them were sitting on the motel's bed. It was a room meant for smaller mammals and Gideon was taking up a bit of space. But of course neither of them cared about that.

"Sure am," the fox proclaimed with pride. "Got my own shop and van to make deliveries." He went further along to explain a few more things about his job. His friend listened on, looking rather impressed the whole way through.

Now it was the fox's turn to ask some questions. "And what have you gotten into?"

"Ah well. I graduated and got a degree and all..." Travis started, looking a bit sheepish when being praised for it. "Not really sure what to do with it." His degree was in business. In Gideon's eyes that fit him perfectly. The ferret had always been the smarter of the two. Though he was a bully as well, Travis was just following behind his own actions most of the time. He could recall getting angry when corrected, coming from a place of jealousy that the smaller animal seemed to know everything.

"Heh. I know you'll figure it out. You always had a good head on yer shoulders," Gideon assured. His smile faded a bit and the thumping of his wagging tail ceased as well.

"What's wrong?" Travis asked, picking up on the change immediately.

"Heh. It's like you never left..." Gideon chuckled to himself. "I didn't get to say goodbye then. Really, I never thought I'd see you again..."

"Yeah..." his old pal sighed. "I remember being really upset after you got sent away. About a month after my dad got some kinda promotion. But we had to move for him to get it. With you gone, nobody wanted to be my friend, in fact they started picking on me. I was glad to leave at the time."

"Hmm..." Gideon mused aloud. "We were young and stupid. I still feel bad about all that I did back then. But it's good to know you're in a better place now."

"Mmhmm," Travis nodded. "With his promotion my dad was able to fund most of my way through college. I owe him a lot. My mom too..."

"What brings you back to Bunnyburrow?" the fox asked, wanting to change to a lighter topic.

"Not sure really. Seemed like the right move. Guess I need some time to figure it out."

"Well while you're in town, how about we do some proper catching up?" Gideon suggested. "I can close the shop for the weekend and we can just hang out."

"Sounds good. Like old times..." Travis sighed and smiled. "I'm glad I got to see you again, Gid. You've changed but also haven't changed... If that makes sense."

Gideon nodded, getting the gist of what his friend was trying to say. He could also tell that Travis had changed in some ways but also remained the same in others. It was nice knowing that the ferret was able to carry on after their separation. Having no idea how long Travis would be staying here, he wanted to spend some quality time with his best friend.

In time he departed from the motel and drove back to his shop. With the supplies in their proper storage, it was assured that he wouldn't be running out of anything, especially not during the morning rush. At this point it was rather late. After properly closing shop, Gideon returned to his apartment. At this point it was better to live close to his shop. He returned to his cozy apartment and immediately crashed upon his bed.

It had been a long day full of many different kinds of excitement. A disaster was avoided and he got to see his best friend after so many years. So all in all, Gideon considered it a good day. He got up and got himself quick to eat before going to bed, knowing that another early morning wasn't too far away. But tomorrow was Friday, being the last work day before closing up and spending time with Travis. The very idea caused his tail to start wagging again. The fox made himself calm down, settling down so he could finally sleep.

Back in Bunnyburrow, Travis had settled down for bed as well. He was just as jazzed about reuniting with Gideon and spending some time together like the old days...

Thanks to the previous day's events, Gideon was prepared for the morning rush in more ways than one. He was bright and early in baking up the goods that were favored by the rushing animals, making a few more to account for their growing popularity.

Those coming in noticed that the shopkeeper was in a good mood. Sure that was the usual case but there was something about today in particular that made the fox seem extra cheerful and jovial. Gideon welcomed them in warmly, much to the delight of the newcomers and regulars. Just like the day before they came in for donuts and bagels, thanking the fox for the service before departing.

Gideon was happy to please, being even happier to see the clock ticking away. Waking up that morning he would have thought yesterday had been nothing but some crazy dream. Ever since stepping out of bed, there was a pep in his step that went unnoticed at first until it came rushing back. Travis was back in Bunnyburrow and the moment closing time came, they were going to hang out together like old times!

Knowing that was able to get him through the day with a smile. One the end of things was Travis. He too was aware of the time ticking away, soon to lead up to him seeing Gideon again. It was hard to remember the last time it was just the two of them. There were times he looked back on fondly despite how awful they were back then. Being the first friend he ever made, Gideon was very important to the ferret and spending the rest of middle school, high school, and college didn't change that.

His waking up was a lot more casual and relaxed compared to his friend. It was still early enough for breakfast at least. A small sigh and groan came from the medium sized mammal, getting up from bed. Wanting to get something to eat, he checked how much funds he had left. Between the taxi rides and booking a multiple night stay, the supply of money was starting to dwindle. There was another reason that he came back to Bunnyburrow but Travis' own pride wouldn't allow him to reveal that to Gideon. The major reason for coming here was for a job. While having a degree sounded nice the piece of laminated sheet of paper didn't work the magic he was expecting it to.

He was practically cut off from his parents, it being their way of teaching him "independence." The younger blackfoot was given some money and sent along his way with no plans or even any direction. Walking down the street, Travis began to think about his life up to this point and that reminded him of Bunnyburrow. It's a simple place that should have some room for a guy with no direction at the moment. The only goal in mind was just landing a job. If he could do that quickly, then at the very least there would be more money in his paw to keep paying the motel's fee.

Another advantage of the small town was how easy it was to get around. He could never quite get accustomed to the big city or campus. The move from the countryside town all the way into the heart of Zootopia required quite the adjustment. For the first week Travis could remember himself just being overwhelmed by all that surrounded him. Animals of all shapes and sizes and countless shops that had all kinds of things in them. There were so many places and just about every block looked the same to him, even to this day the ferret was rather careful about navigating the sprawling location.

But that was behind him now. He couldn't help but smile when passing by locations. Nothing seemed to change, everything was just where it was before. A simple walk took him out of town, while venturing out Travis got to enjoy the sights of nature again, stepping over the dusty earth of the beaten path and looking out at the seemingly endless stretch of grass. It only now occurred just how much this was missed. There was no doubt that the preference was clearly for nature being his surroundings.

"Let's hope this goes well..." he muttered to himself. When returning to his old stomping grounds, Travis had heard of Gideon's reformation ahead of time, being in a partnership alongside Stu Hopps. That gave him some hope. Walking out further brought him closer and close to the Hopps Family Farm.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't Travis," Stu greeted warmly. "What brings you around here?"

"Oh you know, just passing by..." the medium sized mammal said nervously. But he reminded himself what the whole reason for being here was. "Actually. There is something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh. What's that?" by the tone of Travis' voice, it was clear that he was in need of something.

"Uh. I was just wondering..." He explained his current plight of needing a job. When hearing of Gideon working with the bunny, Travis felt like working with Stu as well would be a good move for him.

"Well. Uh, I've never really considered it. With all the hands already on the farm..." Stu pondered aloud, referring to the many bunnies that lived on the farmland. "But I don't think they would mind leaving the heavy lifting for someone else."

"Oh thank you, Mr. Hopps!" Travis said, his voice full of joy and relief.

"It's no issue. You mind starting now?" the lagomorph asked. Being bigger than any of the bunnies, the ferret would certainly help a significant amount around the farm. And Travis was eager to get started, not wanting to put an opportunity like this to waste.

Both Gideon and Travis worked hard all day but in the back of their minds, the pair were awaiting the time when they would be off and able to just do whatever while catching up, basically reliving the old days.

As soon as they could, the fox and ferret got themselves ready to meet. Various memories of their childhoods flashed in their minds, taking them back to simpler times. Gideon was especially excited about it all, already having something planned for the night.

Travis had worked hard on the farm, showing just how dedicated he was to the new job. Stu was impressed and went ahead in giving the ferret an advance in his payment. This thrilled the new hire and after thanking him many times the ferret was off to get ready for the rest of the day, needing a shower and a change of clothes.

Just as he returned from the bathroom, Gideon called him. He gave the location they were to meet and it was a bit surprising. It was the town's bar. Of course when he left Bunnyburrow he had still been a kid then so Travis had never stepped foot inside of the location. Bars in general didn't really strike his fancy but Gideon assured him that it wasn't anything like the more wild locations within the city.

After getting dressed Travis set out to meet his best friend there, feeling a mix of excitement but also a nervous tension. It made little sense to him. Perhaps it was the setting? He expected to spend the rest of the day in the motel room. It reminded him of the simple days when one of them would stay over the other's house. They would stay up late just doing whatever; watching tv, playing video games, or raiding the pantry. Those were the good old days. All the same, he was looking forward to making new memories.

"You made it!"

"Of course I did," Travis beamed, approaching the fox that waited for him. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

He took a good look at the location before them. It wasn't as intimidating as he remembered. Maybe it was because he was well past the drinking age or that there were no staff looking out for him. It wasn't hard to imagine that the very same workers were still going about it to this very day. Being the relentless troublemakers they were, the idea of sneaking into the location had come across their minds and a few attempts were made, none being successful.

It turned out to be a big deal for Travis, taking a deep breath as he stepped inside alongside Gideon. As the fox told him, the location was small and rather quiet. Soft music was playing and the place couldn't even be called crowded. Perhaps that was because of their relatively early arrival, appearing before even sunset. Why was he worrying so much about this? Putting it all out of his head, the ferret followed his friend's lead, heaving himself up onto the stool. They sat at the end, being out of the bartender's way but still able to get his attention.

Gideon ordered the drinks for them, showing that he was rather versed in this location. The first round would be something light to just take the edge of the day off.

"Can ya believe it?" the red furred predator asked, leaning against the counter. "After so many years."

"I know..." Travis nodded. "So what's been going on since I've been gone?"

"Oh boy..." Gideon began to retell his own life ever since leaving Bunnyburrow, finding his calling and partnering with Stu. Finally the other mammal was given the finer details of what had happened. But that was just the start of it, he was also told of Judy's exploits and another friend he made called Nick. Travis made a mental note to catch up with Judy to apologize to her as well. Though if she could find it in her heart to forgive Gideon, it was likely the same for him already.

It then became Travis' turn to tell his life story. From moving away and being set on the path to college. Though he got a business degree most of his career there was wondering what he should do. He honestly drifted through, going along with what others suggested for him.

"I'm not actually interested in any of that stuff. And the degree was pretty much useless when applying. They wanted "experience" more than anything..."

"Aw, I'm sorry, bud."

"It's no problem. I think coming back here was the right move. In fact, I took up a job with Mr. Hopps."

"Ah, he's a good man..." Gideon sighed before taking a sip of his beer.

"Thanks to him I'll be sticking around," the ferret smiled as he drank more of his own. For some reason the taste was better than the kind back in the city's bars. It had to be the ingredients being local, coming straight from the farmlands. He savored the taste of it, drinking alongside his buddy.

The two of them continued to talk, the buzz from the alcohol made it easier for the ferret to cut loose. They recounted stories of their past, and went into further detail of what happened while apart. Travis had quite a few stories from college and Gideon had his own dramatic tales on his journey to becoming an accomplished baker.

A few more drinks and they both called it a day. It was clear that they got a bit carried away. At the very least they could walk and the town being small meant it wouldn't take long to anywhere else. Being in no state to drive himself back home, Travis offered for Gideon to return with him to the motel.

"We can bunk for the night. Just like old times," he offered. Gideon smiled in response and they helped each other back to the motel. They both settled down on the bed, the bigger mammal taking up more room.

"I'm really glad you're back, Travis. I've really missed you."

"I missed you too, Gid. I'm so happy we did this. Seeing you was just what I needed."