Jaune and Courage the Cowardly Dog
Chap 34: Windmill Vandals
It was nighttime in Nowhere. It has been a week since Di Lung and Mecha-Courage. Courage had fully recovered from his injuries in a matter of hours. Though, it still did help the pain medicine that Peach sent us. My friends had left back to Beacon a few days later. Well, except for Pyrrha and Ruby. They decided to stay a bit longer with us which was nice. Currently, we were in the basement doing a little project.
"You all look gorgeous in wrought iron." Muriel said as she lifted her welding mask up.
'Sure do.' Courage said puffing his cheeks out.
"I didn't know you can weld like this Muriel" Pyrrha said surprised standing next to me.
"Yeah, where did you learn to do this?" Ruby asked standing next to Courage.
"A little hobby I picked up in my spare time. Either way, just a minute more." Muriel said as she lowered her welding mask.
We were making a statue out of wrought iron depicting the four of us together. There wasn't much to do today so Muriel suggested some arts and crafts to pass the time. And since we were able to keep the scrap of Mecha-Courage and it was just piling up in a corner, we decided to do this.
"Hey, what's going on?" Pyrrha asked when the light suddenly went out before coming back but then started flickering on and off.
"The windmill must be breaking down again." Muriel answered upset at Eustace.
"What does the windmill have to do with the power?" Ruby asked confused and scratching her head.
"Because we live in the middle of Nowhere and town is too far away to have power lines we have to rely on the windmill for power. And because of how old the windmill, not to mention how Eustace barely even knows how to fix it anything and only ever patched the windmill, it was bound to give out any time now." I explained to her.
"EUSTACE!" Muriel shouted. Turning to her, we saw her exit the basement and head to the windmill. Looking at each other for a moment, we decided to follow her. Stepping out of the basement, we saw Muriel walking up to the windmill where Eustace was with his tools. "Eustace! I think it's time to fix that old windmill."
"AH!" Was all Eustace said before he began to climb up the windmill.
"You think after all the hours you spend tinkering with it, it would stay fix." Muriel told him but he just ignored her. Huffing, she turned to me. "Jaune, be a dear and go up and lend a hand."
"Can I come?" Ruby asked.
"Um, okay. But don't touch anything." I told her. She nodded and we began to climb up the windmill. Getting there, we saw Eustace take out the hammer he had in his back pocket before slamming it against the windmill. Causing the whole thing to shake and nearly fall off. Luckily, we didn't. Unfortunately, because of what Eustace did, the red tip of the windmill came off.
"Huh?" Eustace said confused as he saw it fall.
"WATCH OUT!" I shouted down to the others.
"I GOT IT!" Pyrrha shouted as she used her semblance to grab the red piece before it fell on Courage who was scratching his back.
"NICE SAVE PYRRHA." I shouted so she could hear me before I turned back to Eustace. "Watch it Eustace."
"Bah." He merle said before turning back to the windmill. But before he could do anything, Muriel called out to him.
"Eustace, now look what you done Eustace." Muriel said pointing to the house showing that all power was now gone.
"Hey, you stupid dog. Get your mangy hide up here and bring me my socket wrench." Eustace shouted to Courage.
'Alright, alright.' Courage said as he put the wrench in his mouth and began to climb the tower.
"What the? You got dog-" Eustace began grossed out when he saw that the wrench was covered in drool from Courage. He then tried to shake it off onto Courage but I stopped him, grabbed the wrench and shook off the drool onto Eustace. He grumbled but took the wrench and began to 'fix' the windmill.
"Hey, Jaune." Ruby said getting my attention.
"Ys?" I asked turning to her.
"How old is this windmill?" She asked.
"I don't know the exact age, but it was around before Muriel and Eustace were even born. Before their parents even." I answered.
"Wow, that old! And still going!" Ruby said amazed at how old this windmill was and that it was still functional. Up until now that is.
'Huh?' Courage suddenly said confused. Turning to him, we saw him looking off into the distance.
"What's that Jaune?" Ruby asked pointing to the distance. Looking to where she was pointing, I saw a large plume of pitch-black smoke coming towards us. It came out of nowhere and the smoke seemed to either announce the arrival of something or give it cover.
"There! That's got it again." Eustace said as he gave the blades a push which started the windmill up again. At least, for the moment.
'That's weird.' Courage said surprised.
"What is?" I asked.
"Jaune, the weird cloud just disappeared." Ruby said worried pointing to where it was. Looking back, I saw that she was correct in that the smoke cloud vanished without a trace. As if it was never there in the first place.
"Is it finally fixed now?" Muriel shouted from below.
"Nah, gotta get another part." Eustace answered before turning to us. "Get over here one of you."
"What?" I asked.
"Here, hold this wrench like this, until I get back. And don't let go." Eustace answered as he made Courage hold the wrench in an uncomfortable way while he climbed down the windmill.
"That doesn't look safe or comfy." Ruby said as we saw Courage barely able to hold the wrench without letting go and falling to the ground.
"Careful Courage. I got it." I said as I grabbed the wrench while Ruby pulled him to safety.
'Thanks.' Courage said as he stretched himself to loosen up from that uncomfortable position.
"Did you guys see that large plume of smoke earlier?" Pyrrha asked as she climbed onto the ledge with us.
"Yeah, but it strangely disappeared when the windmill started again." Ruby answered.
"Do you have any idea on what it could be Jaune?" Pyrrha asked as she took out her weapon with Ruby doing the same.
"No idea. But the best I can guess is whatever that was, its related to the windmill." I answered before retracting my arm from holding the wrench. The wrench may not weigh a lot, but holding it in that position for a while does make it feel heavy. "Damn, that gets tiring."
'AAHHH!' Courage immediately screamed when I moved away from the windmill.
"What's wrong Courage?" Pyrrha asked him. Instead of answering, he took the wrench from me and placed it like how it was a few moments ago.
"LOOK!" Ruby shouted getting our attention. Turning around, we saw that black smoke cloud was back again. But as soon as we heard the windmill start spinning again, it vanished with only a light trail of black smoke left to signify something was just there.
"Definitely connected to the windmill. But why is the question." Pyrrha said noticing that whatever was in the smoke appeared when the windmill stopped and vanished when it started again.
"Perhaps the computer might now." Ruby suggested.
"Maybe, but we have to be careful now." I answered.
'Let's just be glad whatever it is, it's gone for no-OOOOW' Courage began before screaming when he lost his balance and fell all the way to the ground. He popped out a moment later from the hole in the ground he made from his fall. The wrench he had somehow in his nose now.
"COURAGE, ARE YOU OKAY?" I shouted down to him.
"JAUNE! LOOK!" Pyrrha shouted tugging on my arm. Turning around, we saw that the smoke cloud returned. However, this time, the smoke cleared and we could see what it was concealing. If that was the intention anyway.
"SKELETON DEMONS!" Ruby shouted in fear and shock.
"COURAGE! GET UP HERE QUICKLY!" I shouted to him. He placed the wrench in his mouth and quickly climbed back up. Once he was back up, I took the wrench and put it back to the windmill and turned it a bit which caused the Windmill to start up again. And as soon as it did, the creatures vanished leaving behind a purple hue.
"That was close." Pyrrha said keeping her weapon out in case they appear again.
"What in the Oom's name were those things Jaune?" Ruby asked tense. Her grip on her weapon tight and ready to fire in case they come back.
"I have no idea Ruby." I answered turning to her. Unfortunately, because I was not paying attention, I stepped off the ledge and fell down to the ground along with Courage who tried to grab me at the last moment.
"OW! OOF!" We both grunted in pain as we fell on the ground hard. With the wrench hitting us on our heads a moment later.
"Are you both okay?" Pyrrha shouted down to us. But before either of us could answer, the skeleton demons appeared again.
"RUN!" Ruby shouted as both her and Pyrrha started firing on the demons giving us a chance to escape.
Knowing that the demons could turn their attention to Ruby and Pyrrha, we ran away from the windmill as fast as we could. The demons followed us unfazed by the shots that Pyrrha and Ruby were firing at them. We quickly led them far enough from them before we realized that we still had the wrench and the windmill somehow makes them disappear. Turning back around, we headed straight back for the windmill. Luckily, since they saw their shots were not affecting the demon riders, Pyrrha and Ruby decided to aim for the skeleton horses instead. And a lucky shot from them brought the horses down and gave us much needed time. Though, judging by the hiss from one of the demons, they did not like that. Reaching the windmill, we began to climb it, but for some reason, Courage decided to throw Eustace's tools at the demons who were just getting back up. But missed every single shot. With the closest one just knocking off the spike from the helmet of one of the demons.
"Come on." I shouted to Courage as I began to climb the windmill with the wrench in my hand.
Scared, Courage began to climb as well. But as we neared the top, Eustace's bag that Courage still had on him caught onto one of the blades of the windmill. But Courage did not seem to notice that and continued to climb up the blades. It was only until he reached the end of the blade on top that he noticed it. He tried to stay on the blade but struggled as the bag could not stretch anymore and began to pull him back down to the ground where all the demon skeletons had gathered.
"COURAGE!" We all shouted when we saw the demons raise their weapons. However, before they could strike, they all vanished as the windmill started to spin again do to the bag somehow.
"Are you okay Courage?" I asked as I climbed back down.
'Scared to a ghost but fine.' He answered as he shook off all the dust on him.
"Stupid dog! I thought I told you not to move." Eustace shouted as he and Muriel walked back to us. Courage proceeded to transform and warn about what we just saw.
"You idiot dog." Eustace simply yelled again.
"Oh, Eustace. At least he and the kids did get it working again." Muriel said pointing to the temporarily working windmill.
"Ugh. Can't even trust the kids or dog for ten seconds." Eustace grumbled while he climbed up the windmill as Ruby and Pyrrha climbed back down.
"Are you two, okay?" Pyrrha asked.
"Fine, how about you both?" I asked.
"Aside from scared and worried that they might come again, we're both fine." Ruby answered panting and keeping her weapon out.
"Why-What are those?" Muriel suddenly asked. Looking up, we saw pieces of something falling down form the windmill. Specifically, the blades.
"Paint peelings." I suggested as Courage climbed up the windmill to get a closer look. He then pulled out a camera and began taking pictures of something. A moment later, he came back down with four photos he took.
"What you find Courage?" Ruby asked curious.
'Strange symbols. Best scan these on the computer.' He answered to which I translated.
"Maybe, they are what summon those creatures." Pyrrha suggested.
"Or keep them at bay. Let's find out." I countered before we all headed inside the house.
Going up to my room, we went to the computer and turned it on. Grabbing the photos, we scanned them on the scanner while Courage began to type in the command.
'You again? Make it quick.' The computer demanded sounding exhausted for some reason. Courage then began to type it in.
'The windmill was built 250 years ago by the first owner of this farmhouse. Farmer Jiles Galette. He built the windmill for his farm at a time when everyone else was dependent on water wheels. Built by a horde of vandals. When the water dried up, Farmer Galette was the only man with a working mill. The vandals hated him for that. But Galette kept the vandals at bay, by carving magical symbols into the blades of his windmill wheel. Legend has it, if the windmill ever stops turning. The vandals will rise from the dead, and seek vengeance on all who possess it.' The computer answer giving everything we needed to know.
'OH!'Courage gasped in fear at this.
"So, that's what's happening." Pyrrha said as she turned to look out the window at the windmill to see that it was slowing down a bit.
"But how do we permanently stop them?" Ruby asked the computer.
'No need. Luckily, for us, it's just a storrrryyyy...' The computer began before trailing off as the power began to flicker again before going out.
'THEIR BACK.' Courage warned pointing out the window where the smoke reappeared.
"Quick. We have to get it back up and running." I told them as we ran out of my room and then out of the house. We then ran up to Muriel and Eustace with the smoke getting closer.
"Stupid dog and kids. Broke the thing worse than before." Eustace shouted when he finished climbing back down from the windmill. But at that moment, the vandals reached us. "What is this? A rodeo?"
"EUSTACE! LOOK OUT!" Muriel shouted as a vandal approached us. But he did not heed the warning and as a result, had his head taken off his still moving body.
"AAAHHHHH!" Courage and Muriel screamed as thy saw Eustace's body move around to try and find its head.
"WHAT THE!" Pyrrha, Ruby and I shouted as we took out our weapons and started blocking the other attacks from the vandals. Then for some reason, they moved away from us. But it became clear that they just regrouped and are now charging at us again.
"Hey! Give me back my body! Give me back my hat! And get your finger out of my ear." The somehow still living head of Eustace demanded the vandal who was holding his head like a trophy.
"COURAGE! GET UP THERE AND GET THE WINDMILL RUNNING AGAIN! WE'LL HOLD THEM OFF." I told him as I blocked an attack from the vandal with a double side ax. We kept like this for a few more minutes. I had moved to Muriel to protect her while Ruby and Pyrrha kept aiming for the legs of the horses to slow them down. Fortunately, soon they disappeared as Courage got the windmill working again.
"Eustace! Oh, dear." Muriel said worried when she saw Eustace's headless body stumbling around. "Courage, come down. We need to get inside and hide before they come back."
"Muriel. That won't work." I told her as I caught my breath while we heard Courage grunt out a no from exhaustion as he was running on the blade to make the windmill work.
"Why not?" Muriel asked confused. At this Courage stopped to take catch his breath with sweat coming down from him in buckets.
"CRAP!" I shouted as well had to block attacks from the vandals that instantly appeared in front of us. Luckily, before they could make a second strike, they disappeared as Courage began running frantically again.
"It's the windmill. We have got to get it fix. Oh, but only Eustace knows how to fix it." Muriel said before remembering that Eustace was the only one who could fix it.
"Wait, Jaune can't you fix it?" Pyrrha asked.
"Sorry, but I have no clue how to do so." I answered while shaking my head. Unfortunately, because we were busy discussing this, we did not pay attention to Eustace's body and because of that, it led to it destroying the corner of the windmill. Causing it to fall down completely destroyed.
"AAH!" The vandals roared in anger when the reappeared.
"WATCH OUT!" I shouted as I pushed Pyrrha and Ruby out of the way just as the vandals struck their weapons.
'Muriel!' Courage shouted when he saw Muriel's head come off.
"JAUNE!" Pyrrha and Ruby shouted when my head came off.
'NO!' Courage shouted out as well. 'IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE!'
"We have to help him." Ruby shouted as she took aim and was about to fire only to get pushed back down by Pyrrha to avoid another attack by the vandals. Luckily, this provided Courage the opportunity to grab onto the cape of one of the vandals. And when the vandal stopped, the momentum allowed Courage to blind the vandal using his own cape. With him blinded, Courage grabbed Muriel's head.
"Courage, get me onto my body." Muriel told him. Courage nodded before tossing Muriel's head to her body. Unfortunately, a vandal hit it at the last moment and sent her head flying in another direction. Luckily, it was caught by Eustace's body. But when she saw this, she panicked. "NO! NO! That's not right."
'AAHHHH!' Courage screamed.
"Hey, Courage. Um, a little help." I asked as my head hanged from the horse behind him.
'Sure.' He said as he grabbed my head and tossed it to Pyrrha who caught it.
"There you go Jaune." She said as she placed my head back on my body.
"Thanks, Pyrrha." I said as I gave her a hug.
"You're welcome Jaune." She said returning the hug.
"Hey, a little help." Ruby shouted as she raced away from two vandals. She kept on firing to try and take them down but was having a tough time in doing so as she didges each of their attacks.
"How about me? Don't just stand there. Get me back on my body so I fix this windmill." Eustace shouted from behind us. Turning around, we saw an oblivious vandal standing there. Grabbing his head, we were about to toss it but saw a vandal coming towards us. Luckily, Courage pushed us out of the way in time, but this led to him having his head get cut off.
"COURAGE!" We shouted as he felt the top of his head and panicked when he realized what happened. But because he also grabbed Eustace's head when he pushed us out of the way, and was now panicking, it caused Eustace's head to go on Courage's body.
"Now I'm a stupid dog." Eustace said as he put his hat on his head. And if it wasn't for the fact that we were in a dangerous situation, we would have laughed at that.
"HA, HA, HA." The vandal that held Courage's head laughed. But then got confused when Muriel's body jumped and grabbed Courage's head before placing it on its body. Getting up, we saw that Muriel was now being surrounded by the vandals with Ruby fending off their attacks.
"I wanted to do this for a long time." I said as I grabbed Eustace's head from Courage's body. I then ran up and tossed Eustace head at the legs of the distracted Vandal's horses. Causing them to all fall to the ground.
"Nice one Jaune." Pyrrha said as we ran up to Muriel and Ruby and grabbed Courage's head. Now that we had a moment, they swapped heads so they had their proper heads on.
"Quick, before they get up. Fix the windmill." Muriel said as we reached the remains of the windmill.
Nodding, we began to work on repairing the windmill. Fortunately, despite it being destroyed, all the pieces were fine as if it just got disassembled. Which made the process easier in putting it back together. After a few tense minutes, the base was finished and we just need to fix the top part.
"HURRY!" Pyrrha shouted as she gave Courage another piece to bring to me and Eustace to fix the windmill.
"THEY'RE GETTING BACK UP!" Ruby shouted as she began to fire at them to keep them down as long as she could.
"LAST PIECE!" Pyrrha shouted as she handed Courage the last blade before taking out her weapons and assisted Ruby in fending off the vandals as they approached.
"YES!" Courage and I shouted as the last piece was put in.
"Turn, baby, turn." Eustace said as the windmill began to turn by itself again. And as soon as it started, the vandals disappeared.
"Oh, thank Oum." I said as I breathed a sigh of relief.
"You did it." Pyrrha and Ruby said as they climbed up the windmill as Eustace climbed back down.
"Yeah, but that was too close." I said as I made a mental note to learn how to fully fix this windmill and give it a regular maintenance every once in a while.
"But at least aside from losing your heads, we're fine and don't have to worry about those vandals for a while." Ruby said looking at the working windmill.
"Speaking of which, are you both okay? That was horrifying seeing your heads cut off." Pyrrha asked worried.
"Surprisingly, we are fine." I answered after looking to Courage for his part of the answer. Aside from the out of body feeling, I felt nothing bad and was fine.
'That's good." Pyrrha sighed in relief.
'Hey guys, look at this.' Courage said getting our attention.
"What is it Courage?" I asked as we turned round to see what he was looking at.
'What is that?' Courage asked as he pointed to the spinning blades. Looking closely, we could see an image appear.
"Hey, that's the guy the computer showed us." Ruby said as the image became clearer and indeed it was Farmer Jiles Galette. But it was only blocks that resembled him. But after a moment, they formed together and showed Galette smiling at us while holding his fingers in a peace sign.
'OH!' Courage said in surprise and slight fear as he back away but didn't realize until too late that he reached the edge and fell over. Looking over, we saw that he fell on Muriel and Eustace and now all three lay on the floor with their heads off again.
"Stupid dog!" Eustace's head grumbled. We all just laughed at this before climbing back down to help them out.
Note:
(2) Watch the Birdies with Summer Rose and Ruby. (3) Bad Hair Day with Yang. (4) Hot head with Yang. (1) The Fog of Courage with Iris. (5) Record Deal with Weiss. (6) Serpent of the Evil River with Weiss and Blake. (7) Sand whale strikes back with Team Rwby's mother. (8) The Mask with Blake and Velvet. (9) Muted Muriel with Ruby and Weiss. (10) Car Broke, Phone yes with Pyrrha.