The family were currently in an Antique Shop browsing some items.
"Oh, Eustace, it's gorgeous," Muriel exclaimed as she gazed upon the silver locket, "Just like the locket my Great Aunt Gertrude had."
Eustace impatiently grumbled while tapping his foot.
"See, Courage? This picture of you me, Shaggy and Scooby fits perfectly," Muriel said, as she showed the trio a photo of her, Shaggy, Scooby and Courage.
"Mmm-hmm!" Courage agreed, smiling. A thrill of pride surged through him at the picture he was looking at. Wow, we look great.
"RI like that picture," Scooby said, feeling a warm jolt through him. It was a beautiful picture!
"Me too old buddy," Shaggy replied.
"Bah. It's junk is all it is," Eustace grumbled.
"And here's one of Eustace for the other side," Muriel said, as she inserted a photo of Eustace on the left side of the locket.
"Bah! Now it's only half junk."
"You know what they say Uncle Eustace, One man's trash is another man's treasure," Shaggy replied.
Eustace spoke sharply, "Nobody asked you Shaggy haired fella!"
"That shows how much the farmer knows about the value of things," Courage whispered to the cowardly teen.
Shaggy nodded, whispering, "Like, you can say that again little pink dude."
"So, we'll give you half," Eustace said, snapping their gaze, Shaggy and Courage noticed that he took out his wallet and paid the cashier. But instead of paying the total price, he only paid half.
"I'll do it for the lady!" The cashier said, smiling.
"That's so sweet of you," Muriel said, admiring her new locket while Eustace went over to the door.
"Fog's getting thick. Let's git!" Eustace, said before exiting the door.
Courage craned his neck and saw a big book on a shelf, he could just about reading the title that said, 'Morgan Moonscar.'
Shaggy and Scooby's hearts lurched, as they both remembered their scariest mystery ever on Moonscar island a year ago.
"Morgan Moonscar?" Courage asked, "Wasn't there an island with the same name?"
"Morgan Moonscar? Like your correct," Shaggy felt sick, as he trembled.
"Re were on Moonscar Island," Scooby whimpered.
Courage peered at the book. What was wrong with it? And why did it spook Shaggy and Scooby so much? "If I remember the computer said that Morgan Moonscar was a pirate that died on that island," he said.
Scooby turned his fearful gaze at his owner, "Raggy. RI think it's time we told Rourage about our trip to Moonscar Island."
Courage was puzzled to see the looks of horror in his best friends' eyes. "Huh?"
"Maybe later," Shaggy said grimly. I'm like, no sure if I'm ready to relived this all over again.
Scooby and Courage headed out the door, but Shaggy headed over to the desk and handed the cashier extra money for full price of that necklace.
"Thank you son," the cashier said, as the cowardly teen exited the shop and headed to the truck.
It was nighttime in the drive way, as Eustace drove his truck in the dead of the night.
"Darn fog is thick as your breath, dogs," Eustace complained.
The two dogs exhaled and smell their breath, they both almost choked as the smell rolled out to meet them.
"When we get home, we're brushing our teeth first," Courage murmured.
"Reah, good idea," Scooby added.
"My new locket is the perfect home for my favorite photos," Muriel said, shifting the dogs' attention to her.
"Let me see that!" Eustace demanded, snatching the locket. The locket slipped out of his hand and landed on the dashboard. "Oh! Dang slippery piece of junk!"
The truck suddenly jerked to the side, "Like, hang on dudes!" Shaggy gasped, as he wrapped his arms around Scooby.
"EUSTACE! WATCH THE ROAD!" Muriel yelled, panicking.
"SHUT UP!" Eustace shouted, trying to catch the locket.
However, the truck went out of control and started skidding across the road as soon as he said this. Shaggy tried to get in the truck to take the wheel, but Scooby pulled his owner back. Shaggy wondered why the Great Dane did this but quickly understood why when the truck flew off the road and onto a steep decline.
The family all screamed as they entered what appeared to be a forest. Thankfully, Eustace managed to avoid hitting any trees narrowly, and instead, the truck hit the water hard.
"Is everyone alright?" Courage asked, his voice shaking and feeling a bit lightheaded
"Re're okay," Scooby said, giving the pink beagle a comforting nudge.
"For now," Shaggy said, feeling worry surged through him trying to find out what they're are.
"We're are we?" Courage's eyes were wide and anxious.
"I think we're in a swamp." Muriel answered, as sounds of animals howling came from all around them.
"Like, we've been solving mysteries in swamps with the gang many times. But this is the most scary swamp we've ever been too," Shaggy said, his gut churning with fear. Everything reminded him of that trip on Moonscar island.
"Reah, scary swamp!" Scooby agreed, fearing for werecats as he looked around. He knew there weren't any werecats, but it still the Moonscar mystery had frightened him to his very core.
"Oh!" Muriel gasped when she saw the locket sliding to the side, where it, unfortunately, fell into the swamp water, "Eustace! My locket!"
"Your locket? What about my truck?" Eustace complained, not caring for the locket.
Courage felt a surge of irritation, "How could you say that?"
Shaggy turned on his uncle, his hands pricking with fury. "Aunt Muriel's locket is in the swamp," he spat, "And all you can think about is your truck?"
"Quit complaining and get out and push! Besides without me truck we wouldn't be able to get home," Eustace demanded.
"Rell Rustace has point you know," Scooby murmured, only to ear glares from both of Shaggy and Courage.
Muriel, Shaggy, Scooby and Courage hopped out of the truck. They then walked to the front of the truck and began to push it out of the water. However, they made no progress as the truck was really stuck in the swamp water.
"Like, this is one big truck," Shaggy strained with a grunt.
"Reah, big truck," Scooby agreed, with a grunt.
"If you'd been driving carefully, I'd still have my locket," Muriel said, really upset.
"And we wouldn't be in this mess," Courage cried out.
"Yeah? Push harder!" Eustace snarled, not caring.
"My poor locket with my favorite photos. Probably floatin' down to the bottom," Muriel said, with distraught.
Scooby and Courage let out sympathetic whimpers.
Five minutes have past, and they're still not making process of moving the truck of the swamp.
"Come on, you weak nothings!" Eustace growled.
"We're pushing as hard as we can!" Muriel grunted, "And we could use a little help!"
"What am I..." Eustace grumbled as he got out of the truck and walked towards his family.
"This is gonna take forever," Courage complained. We'll never get out this way.
Eustace then quickly pulled out his mask, "Ooga-booga-booga!"
Shaggy, Scooby and Courage scream, with terror, before lifting the truck out of the water and pushing it back onto dry land. Shaggy, Scooby and Courage were clanging onto each other, giving out whimpers.
Eustace laughed, before shouting in pain when Muriel hit him on the head with a branch.
Everyone got in the truck, as Eustace continued to drive his family towards home.
"I can't believe my lockett gone," Muriel said, distraught.
"Big deal. I still got my truck," Eustace said, smirking and laughing.
Scooby and Courage both give sharp angry glares at the farmer.
"Don't worry Aunt Muriel," Shaggy ventured, "Your locket will appear somehow."
Muriel looked up with a smile and a flicker of hope in her eyes, "Thank you Shaggy. Your such a dear."
The family were all in the living room watching a movie to relax after a long day of shopping and getting the truck out of the swamp.
"We interrupt this program with a special report!" the television reporter announced, getting the trio's attention as the words 'special report' kept scrolling on the screen.
Oh, like what is it this time? Shaggy thought with, with a groan.
"It's amazing! A huge swamp man has been on a rampage of destruction throughout Nowhere!" the reporter announced, as the screen changed to show the really cheap burger place that Eustace loves. But after a moment, the building came down to reveal the Swamp Man screaming.
Shaggy, Scooby and Courage's pulses begin to all thrum.
"No!" the swamp man yelled, "Where are you, swamp woman?"
"Who's to blame? Who will pay the price? This is a story steeped in controversy!" the reporter said, as he appeared in front of the destroyed restaurant.
The scene changes to William's Meat And Salami and the swamp man roared so loud, that William's Meat And Salami collapsed to the ground.
"Swamp woman, I want you back!" the Swamp Man demanded, obviously distraught after his screams brought down a deli store.
"Ugly man ain't gettin' a girlfriend back, 'less she's blind and stupid," Eustace mocked.
Shaggy was distraught, as he watched Willam's Meat And Salami building come down, "Aw man, William's has the best salami in Nowhere."
"Reah, salami," Scooby agreed, feeling disappointed.
"Don't get carried away you guys," Courage reminded them.
"Sorry/Rorry," Shaggy and Scooby said, with guilty glances at Courage.
"What drama! What spectacle! How did you ever come up with this outstanding stunt?" the reporter asked the Swamp Man.
But instead of answering, the Swamp Man screamed so loud that the reporter flew away.
Courage begin to shake behind Muriel's chair as he watch the scene fold on screen.
"Oh, my!" Muriel gasped, "Isn't that the shop where we bought the locket?"
Shaggy and Scooby huddled together, clutching each other, while shivering.
"That is one angry swamp man!" Muriel asked, when the television showed the Swamp Man walking toward their home.
"Zoinks! It is our farm," Shaggy squeaked.
Scooby and Courage let out screams of fright, with Courage's tongue sticking out of his mouth. And on his tongue was his brain.
"Rourage, barricade the door!" Scooby shouted, urgently.
"On it," Courage nodded, before rushing to the door and installing four locks on the door. With Shaggy and Scooby walking towards the pink beagle.
"Now you're talking," Eustace said, as he walked over to the trio He then picked Courage up, grabbed Shaggy and Scooby by the collar and shirt and opened the door. "GO SLEEP WITH THE CHICKENS!"
Shaggy, Scooby and Courage scream after Eustace threw them out of the house.
"Like, okay it's official, Uncle Eustace has gone way too far," Shaggy complained.
"Rou can say that again," Scooby agreed.
Courage whimper, and around for the Swamp Man in fear, but to his relief it was nothing but a calm night, "Phew. No Swamp Monster."
"Ron't worry Rourage," Scooby patted Courage's back, "Re'll keep watch."
"Yeah, insomnia here we come!" Shaggy declared.
Despite Shaggy, Scooby and Courage's best attempts, they fell asleep about an hour after setting up watch.
Then some stomping woke them up.
"Like, what was that?" Shaggy asked nervously.
"THE SWAMP MAN!" Courage scream, pointing toward the house.
Turning to the house, the trio saw the Swamp Man effortlessly rip the front door off its hinges before entering the house.
The trio all screamed in terror at the sight of the Swamp Man entering the house. But, after a moment, they stopped screaming and fell to the floor. Yet, it was not the cowardly trio who fell to the floor but rather the cut board cutouts they made to take their place while we took a break to get some more food.
Courage gasped, with horror and dropping his food.
"Rourage, what's wron-" Scooby began, but Shaggy cut him off.
Shaggy was staring in horror, "SCOOB, LOOK!"
Scooby looked up and froze, as every hair on his body stood on end.
"Swamp Monster!/Ramp Ronster!" Shaggy, Scooby and Courage gasped, in unison.
"We can't just stand around. Come on!" Courage hissed, afraid that the Swamp Man would hurt Muriel.
Not wasting a second, Shaggy, Scooby and Courage ran in after him in hopes of stopping him. Getting to the house, they raced inside while ignoring all the damage the Swamp Man caused by just walking through the door. Seeing that he went up the stairs, they ran after him and saw that he had reached Muriel's room.
"Swamp Woman!" he growled, before ripping the door off its hinges and throwing it behind him.
"WATCH OUT!"Courage shrieked, before pushing Shaggy and Scooby to the floor.
Unfortunately, he could not duck in time and got hit by the door. The force behind the blow sent him back down the stairs with his head sticking through the door. He of course, laughed with pain.
"Rourage, are you alright?" Scooby asked, as he and Shaggy ran down the stairs.
"I'm okay!" Courage answered, with a groan.
"Don't worry little pink dude, will get you out," Shaggy spoke, as he and Scooby begin to pull the door out of Courage's torso.
Finally after a few pulls, they manage to finally get Courage free. But then out of nowhere, the Swamp Man, who was carrying Muriel stomped on Courage once he reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Why do I always end up getting hurt?" Courage complain, with pain shooting through him.
"I've waited centuries for you to come back. Now I've got you. And I'm making you my bride," but just as the Swamp Man was beginning to leave, Shaggy stood in his way, although frightened by him, he knew Muriel's safety was a priority.
"Stop! You can't marry my aunt, She's married!" Shaggy wailed.
"Who cares? She's my bride and we are meant to be together forever," the Swamp Man growled, as he pushed the cowardly teen out of the way and he landed with a thud.
Scooby and Courage got up to their paws and rushed to Courage's aid.
"Raggy are you okay?" Scooby asked, his eyes glittering with worry.
"I'm okay old buddy, old pal," Shaggy replied, with a smile.
"He's got the wrong woman. Their is no way that Swamp Man's bride is Muriel," Courage blinked his eyes.
"Like, how are we gonna find the real bride?" Shaggy asked.
The trio went up to the attic, where Courage immediately begin typing.
"So, you three want to find the swamp man's real girlfriend?" the computer said.
"Mmm-hmm!" Courage answered, as different profiles appeared on the screen.
"Reah, that's right," Scooby nodded.
"I think that's her. She's located in a small town called Lotsinvllle, Nlcksburg," the computer said, as it stopped on a profile of Scaleygirl 127. And to the side of the name was a photo of a female Swamp Monster.
"Huh?" Courage asked, confused, before turning his head towards his best friends, "Have you guys ever been there?"
"Rope," Scooby replied.
Shaggy narrowed his eyes, "Better back your bags dudes, we're going to Lotsinvllle."
While the trip wasn't that long, the price of the plane tickets was higher than expected. Luckily, Shaggy had enough three round-trip tickets.
"Well, this is the place," Courage said, looking at the address of a postcard.
"I just hope she's nice," Shaggy said nervously, the last thing they needed was this swamp lady, to be as vicious as her boyfriend.
Scooby took a deep breath, "Ronly one way to find out."
The trio began climbing the stairs that led to the post office.
Getting inside, they manage find the Swamp Woman doing her job.
"That must Catherine," Courage said, there was no mistaken for her appearance.
"Like, let's get to the bottom of this," Shaggy responded. Hopefully she's as friendly, than she looks.
Getting in line, it took five minutes before it was their turn.
"Rexuss us?" Scooby spoke.
"Are you Catherine?" Courage finished Scooby's sentence.
"Why yes. How can I help you?" Catherine asked.
The trio gestured to follow them, getting off her shift, she followed them, where they sat down on a bench.
"my name is Shaggy and this is my dog Scooby-Doo," Shaggy introduced.
"Rello Ratherine," Scooby greeted.
"And my name is Courage. We came all this way here to talk to you about your lover the Swamp Man," Courage explained.
"Everett?" Catherine asked, her eyes questioning.
"Rhat was he like when you were dating?" Scooby asked, curiously.
"He was a sweet guy. But he just didn't understand me. He thinks I'm, uh, forgetful! But I'm not forgetful! I just have a blocked head," Catherine said, while lightly tapping her head. She then stood up frustrated while raising her arm, "But that still doesn't give him the right to be so impatient with me."
"Mmm-hmm," Courage agreed.
"Love is complicated on certain levels," Shaggy added, remembering his relationships with Googie, Crystal and one time Velma's sister Madelyn.
"Who are we talking about again?" Catherine asked, confused.
Courage sigh with irritation, "Everett! We're talking about your lover Everett!"
"Oh, right. Him," Catherine said, as she sat back down, "He waited how long for me?"
"Centuries!/Renturies!" Shaggy, Scooby and Courage shouted, in unison.
"Centuries, huh? Maybe he's gotten more patient."
"Rot really," Scooby retorted, dryly.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Catherine asked.
"Like your lover thinks that my Aunt Muriel who is also Courage's owner," Shaggy explained, hopefully getting his message across the forgetful Swamp Woman's mind.
"And because of that she's going to marry her," Courage added, before showing the photo of Muriel that was in the locket.
"Reah, marry!" Scooby finished.
"Marrying her? Yuck! She's repulsive!" Catherine said, after taking the locket from Courage, she then gave the locket back before standing up. "Oh, hello! Who are you? And when did you get here?"
Courage groaned in frustration while ripping his ears off.
Shaggy and Scooby faced up with their mouths almost as big as their faces, and screamed, "Aaugh!/Raugh!"
Nine hours later, Shaggy, Scooby and Courage swam down to the bottom of the swamp, holding their breaths. Thankfully, it seemed that they came in the nick of time as Everett was about to place the ring on Muriel's finger.
"Everett?" Catherine called, getting his attention.
"Hmm," he grunted as he turned to look at us as we landed next to him. And once he saw Catherine, his face became filled with shock, "Huh? Swamp woman!"
"Centuries, huh?" Catherine asked.
Everett turned to look at Muriel before recoiling in disgust.
"Catherine! So many years. My mind must have gotten foggy. I've been so confused," he said, smiling while opening his arms and walking toward her.
"See? We can all be a little forgetful."
"I suppose."
Courage hummed. Love is so wonderful.
"Why didn't you answer any of my letters?" Everett asked, curious, "I sent you hundreds."
"Whenever I'd go home after work, I'd forget where I lived," Catherine answered, "Guess I missed your letters."
"Forgot where you lived? How could you forget where you lived?" Everett asked, sounding angry.
Shaggy felt a surge of worry. Like, let's get out of here.
Shaggy then motioned for Scooby and Courage to help him bring Muriel back to land. They both nodded, and they grabbed Muriel and swam to the surface.
"Don't take that superior tone with me!" Catherine warned.
"Seaweed could take a superior tone with you!" Everett argued.
"You're such a bully! A beast!" Catherine shouted.
Shaggy, Scooby and Courage burst up through the surface of the water, gasping for air as they scrambled to find solid ground. Managing to stand in spite of the river flowing strongly around their legs, Scooby and Courage shook drops of water from their fur.
"Courage? Shaggy? Scooby?" Muriel asked, after coughing up some water, "I had an awful dream, I did."
Shaggy, Scooby and Courage thought on whenever to tell her or not. But decided against, as she been through enough for one night.
"Rare you okay Ruriel?" Scooby asked, wanting to change the subject.
"I'm perfectly fine, thanks to you boys," Muriel answered.
Courage blinked, remembering he still has the locket, "Oh that reminds me."
The pink beagle placed the locked around Muriel's neck.
"Oh, my. Thank you all so much," Muriel said, happy before getting up, "Let's go home."
The four begin their long way back home.
Well that's all for this chapter, next will be Goat Pain. I like to thank schweenieboy for the quotes and ideas. Let me guys know in the reviews/comments of what should I do for the future episodes or next chapter. And what Courage should say in future chapters. Until then this is vakarns signing out.
Goat Pain: Muriel sprains her back and the only cure is a hot spring on top of Mt. Nowhere. The peak is guarded by a super-powerful goat angry at people for clogging the spring with trash. Shaggy, Scooby and Courage have to get past the goat and somehow restore the spring.