Jaune and Courage the Cowardly Dog
Chapter 51: Night of the Weremole
"The moon looks spooky." Velvet said nervously as she plucked a few carrots from the ground. "Have you ever seen the moon like this before Jaune?"
"Nope. First time." I answered as I placed a few carrots into the basket next to me. "How about you Winter? Ever seen anything like it?"
"Aside from a few storied I stumbled upon in my free time, I have not seen or heard of the moon taking this color." She answered while wiping off some sweat from her head.
It was night time at the farm. We were in the back of the farm harvesting the carrots Muriel had planted earlier in the year. Winter and Velvet were here as well. An odd combination of visitors but not unwelcome. And while at first there was an initial awkwardness, they quickly warmed up to each other. Courage wasn't with us as he was sleeping on Muriel's chair inside. Eustace was asleep which wasn't surprising. He instantly fell asleep when Muriel asked him to help.
"Why, look at this." Muriel said getting our attention. Turning to her, we saw that a cute little rabbit had made its way up to us. "A wee rabbit."
"Aw. He's cute." Velvet said already petting the rabbit.
"Maybe he would like a carrot." Winter suggested smiling at the rabbit and petting him as well.
"Good idea. I'll get him a nice juicy carrot." Muriel said as she began to dig around for one.
"Do you hear that?" I asked looking around.
"Sounds like something is burrowing our way." Velvet said with her rabbit ears twitching a bit.
"It seems to be coming from behind us." Winter said turning around. And true to her word, we could see something digging its way to us.
"What could that be?" I wonder as I got up. But as soon as I did, it disappeared. "Well, whatever it is, it's gone now."
"Huh?" Muriel suddenly asked confused getting our attention. Turning around, we saw that the rabbit was gone but what really caught our attention was the giant hole right where the rabbit was.
"Whatever that creature was, it must have taken the rabbit." Winter said surmising what happened.
"Poor rabbit." Velvet said sadly.
"Little rabbit. Where did you go?" Muriel asked as she held the carrot over the hole.
"Muriel. I wouldn't put my hand there." I told her.
"But the little rabbit forgot his-" Muriel began but shouted in pain when a furry creature quickly came out and bit her.
"MURIEL! ARE YOU OKAY!?" I shouted as I moved next to her and inspected the hand that got bit.
"OOH! OOH! OOH! OOH! OOH!" She yelled out in pain.
"Let me see your hand, Muriel." Winter said as she took her hand and checked to see if it was okay. But unfortunately, while there wasn't any bleeding, it was already starting to swell.
"Must have been a bad carrot." Muriel said staring at the hole. Thinking it was the bunny that did that.
"Do you still hear whatever the creature was Velvet?" I asked her.
"No. It's either gone or dug really deep underground." She answered.
"We best get Muriel to the doctor as we don't know if that creature had rabies or not and transferred them to her." Winter told us as she helped Muriel up.
"Right. But we're going to have to wait until tomorrow as its already past midnight." I said checking the time on my scroll.
"Okay. Velvet, help Muriel into the house while Jaune and I finished getting the rest of the carrots." Winter told her.
"Come on Muriel. Let's head inside and get ready for the night." Velvet said grabbing her non bitten hand.
"Thanks dearie." Muriel said as they walked back to the house.
"Did you manage to see what bit Muriel Jaune?" Winter asked as we went back to collecting the rest of the carrots.
"All I saw was a brown blur come out quickly before disappearing just as quickly." I answered.
"Well, either way. We best stay clear for now until we are certain it's gone from here. And we still better take Muriel to the doctor to make sure she is okay." Winter said as we finished harvesting the last of the carrots.
"Right. But for now, let's head inside and get some sleep." I told her. She nodded and we went back inside the house where we got ready for sleep.
Next Day
"Hmmmm. There's nothing to worry about. It's nothing at all." Dr. Vindaloo told us as he finished examining Muriel's hand.
"Are you sure Doctor Vindaloo? I am sure swelling that size is not normal." Winter stated pointing to Muriel's hand that was now about five times its normal size.
"It's nothing at all." Dr. Vindaloo answered.
"W-what should w-we do then?" Velvet asked nervously. Normally, she wasn't afraid of doctors but heard from the others on how bad and ineffective he is.
"The swelling to going to go down. To go down. Just keep soaking it." He answered. "There's nothing to worry about. Just keep soaking it."
"Are you sure?" I asked worried.
'B-B- But, but, but, but.' Courage asked as well as he pointed at Muriel's hand.
"Now, now. I don't want to be any trouble." Muriel told us as she used her swollen hand to pat us on the head. Which left us a bit dazed from the hit.
"Then you shouldn't have gotten bit." Eustace complained before shouting in pain when Velvet kicked him in the shin before going silent when Winter knocked him out cold.
"Thank you doctor. Let us go everyone." Muriel said getting of the bed. We all looked at each other unsure about the whole thing but followed anyway. Leaving Eustace behind as we didn't care about him and he could walk the way back.
"Just keep soaking it." We heard Dr. Vindaloo say one last time as we left his office.
"Well, he is about as useful as I heard from the others." Velvet stated as we headed to the truck.
"Has he ever gotten anything right Jaune?" Winter asked.
"Never and only told us about a disease that I am sure doesn't exist. But at the very least, he hasn't made anything worse so far. Yet at least." I answered. Winter and Velvet seemed concerned at this but nodded in understanding.
Farmhouse Eight P.M.
"So, this is Muriel's favorite show?" Velvet asked.
"Yes." I answered.
It was night time and we were in the living watching Muriel's favorite show. Muriel was in the kitchen soaking her hand in water like Dr. Vindaloo told her. During the trip back here, Winter had called back to Atlas to have a true doctor to come here tomorrow to actually check up on Muriel and treat her if the doctor finds anything. So far, Muriel seems to be alright which alleviated some worry from us. But not fully as we were still wondering what that creature was that bit her.
"What's it about?" Winter asked as she kept checking her scroll for any messages on the doctor's status as well for any messages sent by Atlas animal control center for any information on what the creature that bit Muriel could be.
"MURIEL! You're missing your favorite show!" Eustace shouted from his chair. "MURIEL!"
"No need to shout." Winter growled.
"What was that?" Velvet suddenly asked.
'What was what?' Courage asked.
"I heard something crashing come from the kitchen." She answered.
"I'll check it out." I said getting up before turning to Courage. "Coming?"
'Yeah. Hopefully Muriel is alright.' He answered worried.
Moving over to the kitchen, we were about to call out to Muriel when we heard snarling coming from the kichen. Confused, we moved quietly the rest of the way until we were at the doorway. Taking a peek inside, we saw a truly strange sight. Muriel was hunched over where Courage's bowl was located and seemed to be tearing into something.
"Muriel?" I asked as we stepped into the kitchen. Leaning to the right, we saw that she was eating the food in Courage's bowl with a hunger as if she never eaten before.
'Are you okay?' Courage asked worried and nervous. We stepped closer, but as we did so, the floor creaked which got Muriel's attention. She turned to us with a feral look on her face while showing huge razor-sharp teeth and growled at us. 'AAAHHHH!'
Dr. Vindaloo Office
"Hey, Courage. Are you okay?" I asked him when I noticed that he was waking up.
We were in Dr. Vindaloo's office. After what we saw with Muriel, Courage had a heart attack. Worried, I immediately took him to Dr. Vindaloo. Winter and Velvet had also come along after they saw Courage unconscious.
'What happened?' He asked groggily.
"You almost bought it boy. What is up with that?" Dr. Vindaloo answered before asking.
"Almost bought it? What does that mean?" Velvet asked confused.
"A slang term used by military groups. Means that a person died in an accident or in action." Winter explained.
"Don't worry. None of you have nothing to worry about." Dr. Vindaloo told us. "It's nothing at all."
'COME HERE!' Courage shouted annoyed as he jumped off the bed and picked up Dr. Vindaloo before running out of the office.
"What happened Jaune?" Winter asked.
"To be honest. I don't know. One moment, we saw Muriel hunching over something. The next, she turned to us and growled at us. Which allowed us to see huge canine like teeth in her mouth." I answered.
"I. I don't even know what to make of that." Winter said confused.
"Me neither. But we should hurry to catch up with Courage before they leave without us." Velvet reminded us. Nodding, we rushed out the office to catch up with Courage who was already at the truck. Making our way over, we rushed over to the truck. Getting in, we quickly made our way back to the house.
Farmhouse
'Here.'Courage said as he placed Dr. Vindaloo in the living room. Surprisingly, Eustace was nowhere to be seen which is odd. But our main focus was on Muriel.
"Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary." Winter stated when we saw Muriel sitting in her chair watching the television. Looking over to Dr. Vindaloo, we saw Courage telling him what we saw earlier. He seemed confused before walking over to Muriel.
"Your son here says there is something wrong with you. What is up with that?" He asked Muriel.
"SSSHHH! I watching my favorite show." Muriel told him.
"She seems alright right now." Velvet said nervously.
"Now, I want you to open your mouth and say AHHH." Dr. Vindaloo told her as he took out a tongue depressor.
"WHAT THE!" We shouted in shock and horror when we saw Muriel opened her mouth reveling many sharp teeth before biting down on the doctor. She then started to swing him side to side as if trying to eat him in one bite.
'OOOHHHH!' Courage screamed with his fur standing upright. At this, Muriel then spit out the doctor who then proceeded to crawl to the nearby wall.
"What's happening?" Winter asked getting her weapon out. Hearing a small thud, we turned and saw that Velvet had fainted from fear and shock.
"I don't know." I answered as Courage and I picked Velvet from the floor. Turning back to Muriel, we saw that she was undergoing some kind of transformation. Her hair became frenzied. Fur started to grow on her arms with her fingers turning to three digits. She then tore a hole into the ground before diving in.
"Get out of the way." Winter ordered as she took out some ice dust and used it to make a heavy layer of ice on the hole the Muriel went through. "That should buy us a few minutes."
"Hopefully." I said as I tried to wake up Velvet. Luckily, she came to after a moment.
"What just happened?" She asked looking around confused.
'Muriel turned into some kind of creature and attacked Dr. Vindaloo before digging her way through the floor to the basement.' Courage answered as he took out a wet towel and gave it to her.
"Oh." She said with fear evident in her voice as she wiped some sweat off her face. Hearing some groaning, we turned and saw Dr. Vindaloo drying some sweat and drool from his head with a towel.
"Are you okay Dr. Vindaloo?" Winter asked.
"That is the worst case of chicken pox I have ever seen." He said before putting the towel away.
"That was not chicken pox. Not even in the slightest." Winter said dumbfounded.
"Are you even a doctor?" Velvet asked amazed at what she heard from him. But before he could say anything, Muriel came out and bit down on him before dragging him down to the basement. Winter quickly made another ice layer on the hole.
"What now?" I asked having no clue what to do.
"MICE!" Eustace shouted getting our attention. Turning around, we saw him walking towards us wearing nothing but a towel on his lower body.
"Couldn't you have put on some clothes before coming down here?" Winter asked disgusted and irritated. But Eustace merely ignored her.
"Mice in my house. Going to get me a mallet." Eustace said mistaking the whole thing. He then turned and headed for the stairs but Courage stopped him.
'Not a mouse. Muriel. Its Muriel.' Courage said while drawing on the wall a mouse before crossing it out. He then drew Muriel and circled it to show that it was her and not a mouse.
"Eh, where did I out that mallet?" Eustace asked ignoring Courage before walking up the steps.
"This reminds me of a movie Coco and I watched once while Fox and Yatsuhashi were out." Velvet said suddenly.
"What movie was it?" Winter asked.
"While I don't remember the name, it was about a guy that got scratched by a wolf and turned into a werewolf. Something like that." She answered trying to remember what she could.
"The wolfman?" I asked.
"Yeah, that's the one." Velvet said nodding.
"Well, while I am not much into those kinds of things nor believe them, it does fit the description. Except for the wolf part." Winter said mulling it over. "But if that is the case, we still need to find a cure. Any ideas?"
'Perhaps the computer might know?' Courage suggested.
"Most likely. That computer seems to know everything. Except how to not insult people." I answered.
"What did he say?" Winter asked.
"That the computer might know. And honestly, he might." I translated.
"Right. Let's go ask him." Winter said aggravated at having to deal with the computer again.
Still not having forgotten the insults he threw at her when Conway took over the house. Going up the stairs, we headed towards my room. Entering, we headed over to the computer which I turned on and Courage hopped onto the chair. A second later, the computer was on and Courage began typing away.
'Muriel... big mole... eating people... ugly teeth... search, search, search.' Courage said as he typed it into the computer.
'You're such a lousy typist.' The computer insulted.
'Oh, yeah. Thanks a lot.' Courage said sarcastically.
"Just shut up and tell us what we need to know." I told the computer while slamming my head on top of it.
'Hey, not so hard.' The computer complained. 'Anyway, what you got here is a weremole.'
"A weremole? That's not what I expected at all." Winter said surprised.
'They come out in the full moon and they got a taste for rabbits and people.' The computer continued while showing a were mole holding up a dead rabbit and human.
"Looks like I am an exotic meal for this creature." Velvet said with her face going white for fear and worry.
'And if your bitten by a weremole, you become one yourself.' The computer finished.
"How do we stop this creature?" Winter asked.
'If I were any of you, I'd get a big mallet.' The computer began but we quickly stopped him.
'No, no, no. A cure. A cure.' Courage corrected.
'Oh... That's easy. Get a little hair of the mole that bit you.' The computer answered.
"Why does that not surprise me." I said groaning while Courage shivered in fear.
'Just don't get bitten.' The computer mocked but then grew panicked when Winter reached for his on/off switch. 'Hold it. Don't-'
"I can't begin to imagine how either of you deal with his insults on a daily basis." Winter said after turning the computer off.
"So, how should we lure the mole out?" Velvet asked nervously.
"With this." I answered as I reached under my bed and pulled out a rabbit costume for Courage.
"A rabbit costume?" Winter asked confused while Velvet sighed in relief.
"Courage puts this on to attract the weremole. And while it is distracted, we take a piece of hair from the creature." I answered.
'I thought I told you I was not going to wear that thing again.' Courage complained annoyed.
"Want to save Muriel, or no?" I countered. This caused him to sigh before nodding. He then took the costume and put it on.
"Okay. I just called in a containment force from Atlas. They should be here within the hour to contain the weremole and bring it back to keep it locked up and away from everyone." Winter told us as she put away her scroll.
"Good. Let's go." I said as we headed out of my room and to the back.
Ten Minutes Later
'The things I do for love' Courage said as he stood shivering in the field waiting for the weremole to appear.
"Come on. Where could that creature be." I said as the rest of us stood behind some makeshift cover as we scanned the area for any signs of the weremole creature. "Ready with the dust Winter?"
"Ready. Soon as the creature shows up, we will freeze it to make sure it's no longer a threat and can't escape until the containment unit shows up." She answered.
"I hear something." Velvet told us. Immediately looking to Courage, we saw that the creature was appearing from behind him.
"WATCH OUT COURAGE!" I shouted to him. But it was too later as the weremole bit his feet and started to shake him about the place. "NOW WINTER!"
"Got you." She said as she used some ice dust and managed to freeze the weremole in place. Courage didn't get frozen as right before the mole did, he was sent flying out of the costume.
"We got him." Velvet cheered as we went over to the mole.
'Now we just need a hair sample.' Courage said drowsily as he stumbled his back over to us.
"I got that covered." I said as I took out a chisel and hammer as I knew this would happen. After about five minutes of carefully chipping away at the ice, we managed to get six hair samples without freeing he weremole. "Got it."
"I thought we only needed one?" Velvet asked confused.
"I pulled some extra in case one of us get bitten." I answered.
"Good thinking Jaune. Now we just need to find Muriel." Winter said smiling before turning to the house.
"Where could she be?" I wondered. At that, we heard a loud crash followed by the sound of a mallet hitting the bed.
"I guess in the master bedroom." Velvet said pointing to the room.
'Let's go then.' Courage said as he took a hair before running into the house.
We quickly followed him back into the house. Heading up to the master bedroom, we saw Muriel slowly eating the floor while making her way towards a frightened Eustace who was holding a mallet. Seeing that he was about to hit Muriel, we quickly raced over to them. Winter and Velvet disarming Eustace while Courage and I threw the hair into Muriel. She began to choke on the hair while slowly going down the hole. But as she did so, I grabbed a stand of her hair.
"What you'd all do? I almost had it." Eustace complained.
"What's the hair for Jaune?" Winter asked ignoring Eustace.
"Muriel bit D. Vindaloo who is probably turning into a weremole as we speak. Wherever he is. So, this is to cure him when he shows up." I answered.
"Right. We forgot about him." Velvet said remembering about the doctor.
'Let's go check on Muriel.' Courage said as he headed to the door. Nodding, we exited the room and headed downstairs where we heard the television playing. Slowly and carefully, we made our way over and saw Muriel sitting in her chair.
"Muriel?" I asked when we were near enough. Winter had her weapon ready just in case.
"Where have you been? You all missed the whole show." She asked turning to us.
"MURIEL!" Me and Courage shouted as we rushed over to her and hugged her.
"Are you okay Muriel?" Winter asked as she put her weapon away.
"Just fine." She answered smiling before growing confused. "But I would like to know what all the fuss is that made the living room a mess?"
"Now, where'd that mouse get to?" Eustace asked. Inadvertently answering Muriel's question while also giving a nice cover story as we did not want to worry Muriel.
"I swear, all this bother over a wee mouse." Muriel said astonished before getting up and making her way over to the kitchen. "I'll think I have a cup of tea."
'Do you hear that?' Courage asked as we heard low rumbling.
"Where could it be coming from?" Velvet asked worried while Winter took her weapon and ice dust out again.
'AAHHHH!' Courage screamed while pointing behind us.
Quickly turning around, we saw Dr. Vindaloo emerge from the floor and growl at Eustace. Luckily, Winter reacted quickly enough and froze Dr. Vindaloo with his head being the only part not frozen. Taking out the hair I got from Muriel, I moved closed and put it Dr. Vindaloo where he proceeded to choke before quickly turning back to normal.
"Oh dear. I must be getting back. Remember to just keep soaking it." He said before calmly leaving the house.
"What you all do that again. You all ruin everything." Eustace complained before heading up the stairs.
"I am torn between letting Dr. Vindaloo eat him and saving him." Velvet said glaring at him.
"Honestly, we could have let him be eaten yet he would just return a few days later fine as if nothing ever happened." I told her as Courage and I fixed the couch. "But as for right now, let's us just rest a bit as it's been a long day."
"Resting sounds good right now." Winter agreed as she and Velvet sat down. Both sighing in relief that everything was now over.
"Here we go. I made a nice cake for everyone. Enjoy." Muriel said as she entered the living room and handed each of us a slice of velvet carrot cake.
"Thanks." We all said as we began to eat the cake. A nice treat after everything that happened.
"Now, lets' watch my favorite show." Muriel said as she tuned the channel to her show.
"What's it about?" Winter asked. Muriel smiled before beginning to explain.
'This is nice.' I thought as we enjoyed the cake and the show. But in the back of my mind, I wondered what Courage and I would do if we ever have to face off against all the villains we faced in the past at once. And if we would have any of our friends to help.
Note:
(1) Night of the Scarecrow with Qrow, Ruby and Yang. (2) Curse of Shirley with Qrow, Yang and Ruby. (3) Wrath of the librarian with Blake. (4) Thousand years of Courage with Sun and Neptune. (5) Courage meets the Mummy with Ruby. (6) The Transplant with Terra, Saphron and Adrian. (7) McPhearsome Phantom with Blake, Kali and Ghira. (8) Aqua Farmer with Blake, Kali and Ghira. (9) Food of the dragon with Blake, Kali and Ghira (10) Journey to the center of Nowhere with Peach (11) Heads of Beef with Sun and Neptune.
Was planning on having the scarecrow episode but wanted to have this episode done with for future reasons aside from Ball of Revenge.