“Twaz that dumb box!”
Or….How not to make a “flay-me thrower thingie”

A young Gideon Gray and Travis fan fiction

By Dan 1966

(c) Zootopia 2016, Walt Disney Animated Studios
(c) The television series “Combat” 1961

Based off a real childhood experience from the author.

Part 2

Evening
The Hopps Family Farm House

     Every step closer was worse than the one before it. The house which was built for a huge bunny family was even more large and intimidating the closer Gideon got to it. Several times he stopped cold, even turned around twice thinking about going back home but he took a few deep breaths, regained his courage and walked with the feeling of a condemned mammal heading down the long hall to the death house. Finally he stood at the front door summoning the last need of bravery to ring the bell.

        Bonnie Hopps was busy cleaning the huge dinner tables of plates, there were usually three of them which could be spun around in order to easily serve the large brood of young bunnies and family members who might pop in on a visit. Bonnie walked to the door and opened it to come to face to face with Gideon who even as a kit almost towered over her head…

      “Good evening Misses Hopps.” Gideon said respectfully with his ears a little down-casted. His voice caught the attention of Stu and he walked up with a look of both surprise and disdain on his face…

      “What brings you here Gideon Gray?” Stu asked sternly.

      Gideon took a deep breath….”Mister and Misses Hopps? I….I….I came to fess up.” He said as he gestured with his paws. “See?….the squirt gun Judy had? It wasn’t hers….it was mine.”

      Bonnie’s eyes shot open. Stu’s face curled into anger.

      “I never intended it to hurt your baby, I swear! I was stupid!” Gideon yelped as he teared up. “Please….I am so…...so sorry for what happened….Judy’s completely innocent of everything….I…..”

      Stu flew off the handle….”HMPH! Alot your crock tears do us now Gideon Gray! Just like all you foxes! Sneaky! Caniving! Lying! Mangy curs the whole damn lot of you! You dare come here after you pulled such a “fox typical trick” and dare ask forgiveness?! I’m calling the damned sheriff! I’m done with your bullying and skulking Gideon Gray! You better get to running for a dig hole you filthy red devil!” Stu stumped his big foot and storm walked for the phone with Bonnie on his back…

      “Filthy, dirty little cuss….hurt my baby and think I’m going to forgive his fake tears?” Stu reached for the phone but Bonnie stopped him short…

      “Bonnie?” Stu asked with surprise. “What are you doing girl?”

      Bonnie pointed back to the front door and too Stu’s shock? Gideon’s feet were still there? And sobbing was clearly still coming from the big fox kit as he still stood…

     Slowly….Bonnie and Stu walked back to the door and Gideon stood crying and covering his face with his paws…

    “Get to running boy!” Stu warned again. “I’m going to call the sheriff and you’re going to jail so get to running you filthy fox!”

    “N…….nnnn…...sniffle…...nnnnn…...no….” Gideon said softly. “No...I won’t run. Call the sheriff Mister Hopps. I deserve it. I hurt a baby….I deserve what ever you wanna do to me….sniff….sniff….”

     Bonnie reached out and took Gideon’s paw..”Come in Gideon.”

     “What?” Stu yelped. “Bonnie? Have you taken leave...”

     Bonnie snapped her husband a look that could kill a flock of birds which put him in his place quick. She then reached for a table napkin and dabbed Gideon’s soaked face as he cried….”I’m so sorry….I didn’t mean this to happen to your baby daughter, I swear! I’ll do what ever you want Mister Hopps but I can’t bare what I’ve done!”

      Stu stood with his paws clenched hard….he felt like pounding the fox kit to a pulp and steamed over the big mangy thing soiling up his house yet Bonnie’s warning face told him to keep his peace or else. Stu may own the property but in the house...mother rabbits were matron and Queen.

     Bonnie wiped Gideon’s face with a calm voice….”Shhhhh...stop torturing yourself child. Shhhhh…just coming here must have been torture in its’ own right.”

     “Bonnie?” Stu could not contain himself. “If he is indeed repentant then let him prove it. If you’re really sorry for what you’ve done Gideon Gray? Then you do the one thing I know for sure is more detestable to you than being nice in church.”

      Stu took one of Gideon’s big paws and pulled him behind him through the small house, which at times poor Gideon practically had to stoop low to navigate.

Judy’s Bedroom…

     Judy was laying face down in her bed and hadn’t stopped crying since her father screamed at her. The images of her little sister’s torment played over and over in her head and it seemed her parents were in no mood to hear anything she tried to tell them, she had been judged guilty and she was struggling to wonder how or why….until a knock came at her door.

     Stu’s voice sounded from the other side. “Go on? Be a mammal or a mouse, prove yourself.”

     Judy watched the door open and then she saw Gideon Gray struggling to fit through it? What was “he” doing in the house?

     Gideon stood stooping down inside the small room fit for a bunny and looked Judy strait in the face with his face soaked in tears and his ears bent low….”Judy? You are innocent of everything. That squirt gun was mine. I…..I took yours and switched it to hide something stupid. I hurt your baby sister and I tried to pass blame on you. I was so…..so wrong Judy. I am so sorry for what I did to you. You don’t have to forgive me...you can hate me for eternity but you’re blameless and I’m sorry you suffered so because of my stupidity.”

    Gideon and Judy looked at each other silently for a few moments and then Gideon slowly backed out to Stu’s stern finger. “Now you get back down to the front door and you wait for me Gideon Gray?” The rabbit said with a frown as he watched Gideon walk and then turned to his daughter…

   “Judy? Come here honey?” Stu said as he held his arms out and took his daughter into his arms. “Judy? Forgive me for my anger and my misjudgment. Sometimes your Dad can be as big and stupid as his own two feet.”

    Judy gasped happily and tightened her hug around her father as Stu petted her head...”Don’t worry...Gideon Gray’s going to get what he’s always deserved. You have my word on that.”

        Stu walked down to the front door and again he was surprised Gideon hadn’t ran. “I called your father Gideon. You better go home. You better go right home because if I find out you decided to run? I’ll call the sheriff and his dogs and I hope you can find a hole deep enough to bury yourself before those dogs catch you. Now…..get!”

       Gideon jumped as Stu slammed the door on him and he knew all too well that digging a fox hole only made his coming death more painful. His father wouldn’t spare rod nor Paw and claw for what Gideon did to a defenseless little baby. Gideon decided to run and get it over with...walking home was only slow torture.

The Gray fox family Farm House
Mid-evening  

    Gideon walked into the house and wasn’t two steps past the door before the deep growl of his father’s voice drifted from the living room…

    “Gideon Laurence Gray? Get in here boy.” The big fox called out.

    Gideon walked into the living room where his father and mother sat in their chairs and with a surprise….so did Travis?

    “Travis?” Gideon asked as the weasel stood up with his face a look of mourning  yet he stood strait. “If we is to die? We die together because friends don’t leave friends to die alone….Captain.” Travis said with a salute that made the young fox’s lips quiver.

     Gideon’s father snarled….”You sit and hold your place Travis Halfgate.” He then regarded his son. “Gideon? Get over here boy.” Alphius said sternly. 

    Gideon shuffled to where his father commanded and looked him right in the eyes as he’d always been told to. Looking away usually brought instant retribution by the paw and switch.

    “You lied to me.” Alphius snarled. “You lied to me. You lied to your maw. You hurt a defenseless little baby bunny. Boy….rest assured? If that little bunny looses her sight because of you? There will be pay due and you shall pay what you owe. Travis shows himself a better mammal than my own son!”

      Gideon started to cry…

      “SOP UP THEM TEARS YOU LITTLE DISRESPECTFUL CUR BEFORE I HIT THEM OFF!” Alphius stood up and brought his big paw up in a threat to smack his son to the moon!

       “You go to your room. You go to your room and think of your penance and you think of the punishment that will be so owed you tomorrow if that little thing looses her eyes. Now Git!”

        Gideon ran out of the room and up the stairs as Alphius regarded Travis. “You showed real courage Travis Halfgate, standing with Gideon like this. I’ll put in a good word to your paw so he won’t beat you….the fault is not yours.”

         Travis put his paws out and pleaded….”Mister Gray? Don’t let them take Gid? I don’t have any other friends. It’s true he’s tarn difficult at times and a hassle but he’s my best friend and he’s really heart broke over what happened.”

      “It’s a lesson he has to suffer through Travis. Let him learn it. Now go home.” Alphius said with a gesture. “Go now.” 

Next morning
BunnyBurrough Hospital

     Gideon sat in silence as his father drove the family truck up to the front of the hospital doors where Alphius sat for a moment in quiet thought before he turned to Gideon…

      “Now….you go into the waiting room and you sit quietly and you wait for what comes. Show me that you learned something from your mother and I? Show me you have a little honor. You going to the Hopp’s house last night was very brave Gideon...but this here is the real test. You ready to accept whatever comes?”

      Gideon looked at his father...”Yes Paw.”

      Alphius bent down and softly kissed his son’s head. “Know that your Maw and I love you very much….we always have. Now go do us both proud. Go now.”

       Gideon slowly slipped from the truck and watched as his father pulled away. He then walked into the hospital and found the waiting room where he sat alone by himself waiting for whatever was coming upon him. The silence was worse than the wait, it felt painfully eternal like old purgatory and the white walls and ceiling made it even worse.

        Suddenly the door creaked open and in walked Judy Hopps? Oh great….now she was here...Gideon didn’t regard her at first but couldn’t avoid her as she sat on the same waiting couch but at the other end.

        Gideon gave her a few side glances and then softy said...”No word yet?”

        “No.” Judy replied. “We just got here. Mama and Dad are with her and the doctor now.”

        Gideon sulked low. The tone of Judy Hopps’s voice was like hot pins pricking at his tail and he couldn’t take it. Gideon slipped off the couch and threw a little fit…

       “Dang it Judy Hopps! I don’t understand you at all? Why you sittin there all pretty like? And…..that is a very nice dress. I was expectin you to be all dressed up like a cop?”

       Judy stood up and smiled back. “My Mama made it. She’s very good with sewing.”

       “There you go again!” Gideon yelped. “Why are you being so buoyant and happy? I lied! I made you take my blame! I hurt your baby sister dang it! Hate me! Scream at me! Hit me with them claud hopper feet again! Show some feelin of rage for your lil sister!” Gideon waited for a reply and when she didn’t do anything...he flopped back onto the couch. “Sigh…..stupid, dumb bunny.”

       Gideon moaped with his head resting on his upraised paw….till he felt a pair of soft paws cover his other one. He turned his head to see Judy Hopps holding his paw and showing pity for him…

       “What in tar are you doing?” Gideon asked surprised.

       “I thought….” Judy said as she looked at him. “I thought you’d suffered enough. My Moma and Dad don’t like foxes at all and it took a lot of courage for you to come to our house and I knew you were really hurt so...I didn’t want to pile it on.”

      Gideon broke down and sniffled….”Shoot. If any bunny’s gonna be the first ever cop in the ZPD? It probably will be you Judy Hopps. Yer stubborn as a mule, you kick like a horse and your dumb enough to not listen to good advice! And yer mighty tough as a summer zepher.” Gideon regarded her with a smile. “And dress in pretty dresses more you “Tom Mammal”….you look pretty as a strawberry patch.”

     Gideon took one of Judy’s paws and held it firm...”Judy? No matter what happens? I’ll never bully you again. No more pick ons. If you want to be a cop? You go be a good cop. Specially with them killer claud hoppers you got, dang you sure can kick!”

      Judy gave Gideon a shoulder punch. “Gideon Gray!”

      Gideon flexed back. “Sheesh! You can hit like an ugly mule too!”

      Suddenly….the waiting room door opened and Stu and Bonnie came walking in with the little bunny girl in Bonnie’s hands. She put her on the floor and she ran like a rocket towards Judy….

      “SISSY!” The little bunny screamed as she ran and hopped onto the couch and snuggled her big sister. Obviously good providence had favored her. Her eyes were fine.

       Stu and Bonnie stood smiling and somewhat teared up with Stu saying…. ”Carrots are miracles Judy? Not too late to be a farmer you know?”

      Gideon slowly slipped off the couch thinking things were right as reign and he wanted to find a phone to call his parents but as he passed Stu and Bonnie, Stu reached out to stop him…

      “Gideon? Look at me son.” Stu said with a smile?

       “Son?” Gideon said as he turned. “Mister Hopps? Comein from you? That sounds a little queer. Only my Paw calls me son?”

        “Son is also used as a matter of a description of endearment. See? We bunnies are not as stupid as you think?” Stu replied. “So? Are you still feeling a need to repent?”

      Gideon played with his fingers at first then quickly dropped them. “Yes Mister Hopps, yes I do! Honest!”

      Stu looked at Bonnie with a smile. “I think you just found a helper for those pies Bonnie? Oh? And Gideon?”

      “Yes Mister Hopps?” Gideon replied.

      “Mister H is just fine from now on….alright?” Stu said as he patted Gideon’s chest. “Better get to callin your parents. I think the sheriff is too busy today to bother.”

      Gideon ran out of the room leaving Stu to sigh as he fought against his “Better nature” 

     “See?” Bonnie said as she shook her husband. “That didn’t hurt at all? Now if you dare think of spying because of your mistrust? I have a rolling pin with your name on it.”

      Stu turned and hugged his wife. “Girl? I wouldn’t dare think of it?”

     “You big claud hopping feet liar.” Bonnie replied smirking.

A week later…

     Bonnie walked up to the kitchen island where Gideon stood and shook her head at him as he seemed to be handling the large ball of dough like a baby….

     “Gid honey? What are you doing?” Bonnie asked.

      “I’m kneading the dough like you asked.” Gideon replied.

      “You’re “massaging” not “kneading” it.” Bonnie said as she grabbed Gideon’s paws….”Come on? Have fun with it! Get your paws in there and “pred-handle” it! Get rough with it!”

       Gideon gave Bonnie a toothy smile of delight and started working his paws roughly into and throwing the gooey ball! Throwing it into the air and slapping it hard enough onto the wax paper to make the flour fly and the dough ball throw “bits” all over the place!

     “Wow...” Gideon said as he licked the flour covering his snoot. “I think I over Pred’ded the dough?”

      Bonnie patted him softly. “You’re doing just fine Gid.”

      “You know Misses Hopps? I’m enjoying this! My Paw ain’t though. He thinks my Maw should be the only cook in the house and that me wearing this apron is kinda “below my predatory natures”

      “Well?” Bonnie replied. “What do you think?”

      Gideon smiled back. “I think that if Judy’s stubborn enough to wanna be a cop. Then I should risk getting a tanned butt from my old Paw to be a cook. All I know is...I’m having a lot more fun doin cookin than being a troublemakin bully.”

      Someone tapped Gideon on his back and when he turned around...Judy nailed him good in the face with a hand full of flour!

       Bonnie yelped…..”JUDY EVY HOPPS!”

       Judy stood bouncing on her feet just daring Gideon to jump, thinking he wouldn’t dare do anything in her own home….maybe Gideon’s pause paw in front her mother should have been a better warning….

      “Wait Misses H.” Gideon snickered as he patted his flour covered face. “Oh you crazy dumb bunny….you just don’t know when to quit do you?” Gideon said with a snarl….”Lemme show you what my family call’s?…..”a fox tickle.”

      Gideon jumped on Judy and began to tickle her like crazy with his paws and snoot until she became a crying, giggling ball of flying fluff! The tickling soon dissolved into a cloud of flying flour balls until Judy and Gideon sat in a kitchen turned into a laughable messy disaster. For once...Bonnie Hopps couldn’t care less.

10 years later…
Judy’s room

     Judy pulled her uniform shirt off the ironing board. Scanned it carefully. Didn’t like the creases she put into it and swore to herself as she put the shirt back down bound and determined to get it perfect. It was then that Gideon knocked on the bedroom door, stuck his paw through with wiggling paw fingers and said…

    “I think I’m too “Bronto-gantic” for this?”

    Judy turned and shook her head as she smiled. “My rooms grown way to small for me too.”

    Gideon stuck his head through the door way. “I just wanted to see you before me and Travis go off to cookin school. Sorry I can’t be at your graduation?”

    “No worries.” Judy said as she walked to the door and giggled. “What did you do Gideon? Crawl up here?”

    “I told you I have dinosauric genes.” The fox said as he sat in the hallway. “Any how?….Congrats girl. You really did it and you did it very well.”

    “I was stupid enough not to listen to better advice.” Judy replied. “Plus? I had some good help...thanks Gideon.”

    Gideon scratched his head. “I didn’t help you at all.”

     “If it wasn’t for you constantly telling me I couldn’t be a cop? I probably wouldn’t have had the motivation through middle and High School to wanted it so badly….so I could prove you wrong about me being just another dumb bunny.”

        “Proof made.” Gideon said as he held his big paws out and gave Judy a hug. “And if it wasn’t for you being so darn persistent to think I could be more than a big stupid bully? I’d probably still be a big and stupid bully.” Gideon smiled as he held Judy’s paw...”Thanks….you stupid bunny. Now go show Zootopia what a real cop is.”

      “And you show us all what a fox in a kitchen can do.” Judy said pointing. “And don’t you quit you big, fat stupid fox or I might come down here and arrest you.”

      Gideon smiled warmly. “I might enjoy myself too much in the back of your car so I’ll pass on the quitting idea.” 

      He got into a crawling position and gave Judy a kiss on her cheek. “I’m so glad my claw marks are gone. You really are a pretty bunny.”

      “Get out of here and stop trying to butter my butt Gideon Gray? I have to get this uniform pressed right before I go to bed.” Judy watched as Gideon crawled down to the ground floor as Mindy, now 13 years old, came up to Judy scratching her head…

      “Now when are you going to tell him the whole thing with my eyes was way overblown?” Mindy asked.

       “After he finishes cooking school.” Judy said with a pointing paw finger. “And don’t you dare tell him before that, I know your big mouth.”

The end