Jaune and Courage the Cowardly Dog
Chap 91: Goat Pain
"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow." Muriel groaned in pain.
"Here, Muriel. This should help." I said as I helped her take some pain medication.
"This is the worst back pain I had ever seen anybody experience." Ghira Belladonna said, worried while pressing an ice pack on his back. He had spent a week straight in an uncomfy chair in an uncomfy position doing paperwork, which wreaked havoc on his spine. His age also didn't help in the matter.
"I'm starting to think this isn't normal back pain." Kali Belladonna said as she had Muriel lie on her stomach so she could give her a back rub with some dust-infused muscle relaxers.
We were currently in Muriel's room helping Muriel with the worst back pain she had ever experienced. With us were the Belladonna family. After a stressful week, they decided to take a family vacation to Nowhere. Although, Blake did tell me that her family planned on buying a house here to act as a vacation home. But before they did so, they decided to drop by and visit us. Only to stay and help when they discovered Muriel in severe back pain. Thankfully, Kali had some medicine that helped ease her pain.
'Maybe we should take her to the doctor?' Courage suggested, worried.
"I doubt he would be of any help." Blake said. "Remember how he attempted to treat Muriel the first time."
"And I doubt Mrs. Bagge is in good shape to travel to Remnant for actual medical care." Ghira added. When Blake told her parents about Dr. Vindaloo, they were non-too pleased. Kali was even horrified at this information. Now, Ghira and Willow, who were now communicating again, planned on sending actual doctors to Nowhere.
"MURIEL!" Eustace shouted as he entered the room wearing a bib and holding a plate.
"I can't stand him." Kail muttered as she continued to massage Muriel's back.
"Get yourself out of bed and feed me."
"Feed yourselves." Ghira growled.
"You got two working arms and legs, don't you?" Kali added.
"I'm sorry, Eustace. I can't move." Muriel explained before letting out another painful moan. "My back's killing me."
"Try not to move so much, Muriel." Kali said as she continued the massage.
"Oh, that's too bad." Eustace said.
"Wait for it." Blake, Courage, and I said.
"You're sweet." Muriel said through a pained smile.
"Nope. It's too bad cause I'm hungry." Eustace whined.
"There it is."
"We got to get you fixed up." Eustace said before leaving the room.
"I think we have to go to the doctor. I used up all the muscle relaxer I brought, and it doesn't seem to work." Kali said as she finished the massage and got off Muriel.
"How should we do this?" Ghira asked as he stood up.
"We can use the gurney we have." I answered, surprising everyone.
"Why do you have a gurney?" Blake asked.
"Courage found one a while back while looking for his yoyo again."
"That would work." Ghira said, nodding and not bothering to ask how Courage lost his yoyo again or why somebody would bury a gurney.
"Go get it while Ghira and I help Muriel into a sitting position." Kail ordered. Nodding, Blake, Courage, and I ran out of the room to get it.
Half an Hour Later
"You know Yang is going to tease you the first chance she gets, right?" Blake said as Ghira sat down after escorting a lady who was flirting at me out of the office.
"I know." I said, not looking forward to the teasing.
"But the hair does suit you, Jaune. I'm thinking of having Ghira get one as well." Kali said, smiling while Ghira let out a small groan but smiled nonetheless.
"Okay." Dr. Vindaloo said, getting our attention. We turned to him and saw him walking to stand next to Muriel. "Oh. Does it hurt when I do this?"
"I'd be surprised if it didn't." Blake said with a wince when Dr. Vindaloo hit Muriel's back with a massive mallet.
"I think this can be called malpractice." Kali added.
"Does it hurt when I do this?" Dr. Vindaloo asked as he wound up a toy duck and placed it on her back where it walked.
"OW! OW! OW!" Muriel groaned in pain.
'OOF!' Courage grunted when the toy duck landed on his head.
"Does it hurt when I do this?" Dr. Vindaloo asked as he placed a lamp on Muriel's back before clapping his hands. The lamp turned on and then turned off when Dr. Vindaloo clapped his hands again.
"Wow." Eustace said, impressed.
"Now I'm very concerned if a lamp turning on is hurting her." Ghira said, worried.
"Is there any medical condition Muriel is suffering from, Jaune?" Kali asked.
"Not that I know of." I answered.
"Hmm. I'm afraid there is nothing I cannot do anything for this kind of pain." Dr. Vindaloo said. "Nothing at all."
"Are you sure you can't do anything? My mom is in terrible pain." I asked, worried.
"And it's almost lunch-" Eustace began before Kali knocked him out with the lamp and mallet.
"Oh, dear. I see you are all very upset." Dr. Vindaloo said before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a map. "Well, I have heard there exists at the top of Mount Nowhere a hot spring with healing waters."
"That could work." Blake said.
'Yes!' Courage cheered before pushing the gurney Muriel was on out of the room.
"Wait for us, Courage." I shouted as we ran out of the room with Ghira dragging an unconscious Eustace. Although, we were curious as to why we hadn't heard of this place beforehand.
Six Hours Later
"ARE WE THERE YET!?" Eustace complained as he sat comfortably in the carriage. We were currently slowly making our way to the top of Mount Nowhere. Luckily, after leaving Dr. Vindaloo's office, we found a plane that would take us to our destination. Unfortunately, we still had to climb to the top, but thankfully we found a carriage for Muriel to rest in, so she didn't have to walk. But Eustace being Eustace, got in and ordered us to pull the carriage.
"Ask that again, and I will throw you off this mountain." Ghira warned.
"Almost. We just have to climb this part, and we'll be at the top." I answered.
"Okay, Muriel. We're going to carry you the rest of the way. Just try not to move too much." Kali said as Ghira, and I carefully lifted her from the carriage and placed her on the stretcher we brought with us.
"I trust you, dearies." She said as we began the climb. However, as soon as we reached the top, we noticed a mean-looking ram glaring at us.
"Uh, hello." Blake said, unsure as we got to our feet.
"GO BACK!" The ram bleated.
"Why?" Kali asked. But before the ram could answer, Eustace decided it was the perfect time to mess things up.
"YOU! GOAT! We're looking for a hot spring."
"This place is sacred. GO BACK!" He warned.
"But we need the healing powers of the hot springs." Kali said while Muriel let out some pained groans.
"NO DUMB, STINKING MOUNTAIN GOAT WITH STUPID OVERSIZED ANTLERS TELLS ME WHAT TO DO!" Eustace shouted, infuriating the goat.
"YOU HUMANS MAKE ME SICK! GET LOST!" The ram said before charging at Eustace and hitting him with his horns.
"AAAAHHHHH!" Eustace screamed as the impact sent him flying into the air.
"He went far." I said as we looked through the binoculars Courage gave us.
"And it seems he captures someone's heart." Blake said as a female mountain ape picked him up and took Eustace into the cave. Putting away the binoculars, we turned back to the ram to try and reason with him.
"Please, Mr. Goat. Just let us get through to those healing waters. I'm in such pain." Muriel begged.
'Please. We don't want to see her like this anymore. Please let us pass.' Courage begged.
"So, you want to see the hot springs?" The goat asked.
"Yes." We all answered.
'UH-HUH, UH-HUH!' Courage answered.
"I'll show you the hot springs." The goat said before scraping his hoof against the floor.
"WATCH OUT!" I shouted as Ghira and Kali moved Muriel out of the way. Unfortunately, although still thankful for what they did, the ram was not aiming for Muriel but instead for Courage and me.
"OOOOWWW!" We screamed as we flew into the air away from the others. And we let out another pained grunt when we landed in an empty depression. "Ow."
"COURAGE! JAUNE! ARE YOU BOTH OKAY!?" Blake shouted, worried as she appeared at the edge of the depression seconds later after we landed. And a few seconds later, Ghira and Kali appeared with Muriel, who was still groaning in pain.
"We're fine. OW! For the most part." I answered as we slowly got up while the others climbed down the walls before running toward us.
"Are you sure? That was a nasty hit followed by an even nastier fall." Kali asked, worried.
"We're fine. I have my aura, and Courage has gone through far worse and came out fine." I assured.
"I think it would be better if you two came with us into the hot springs." Muriel suggested before moaning in pain as Kali and Ghira set her down.
"FEELING BETTER NOW!?" The goat shouted, getting everyone's attention before Courage or I could answer. "THERE'S YOUR HOT SPRING!"
"Unless we're missing something, but where is the water?" Blake asked, confused as she looked around and saw no water and only trash.
"Oh, this place was once filled with water." The goat said before sliding a book into the depression. But after he did, he groaned in pain when his neck let out an unhealthy crack.
'OOF!' Courage grunted as the book hit his head.
"You okay, Courage?" I asked.
'Fine.' He answered.
"What happened to this place?" Ghira asked as Kali opened the book.
"It was Gold Paradise. We called Spa of Horns." The goat began as we flipped through the pages. Each one showed a picture of goats receiving various spa treatments or having a fun time. "Once, goats came here from miles around to relax, get their beards and horns trimmed, and bathe in the rejuvenating waters."
"It does sound like paradise." Kali agreed.
"But nothing good lasts forever, right?" Ghira asked.
"Right. Soon after, a human explorer discovered us, and it wasn't long until others of your species arrived." The goat answered as the pictures in the book changed to show people dirtying up the waters with their trash and capturing or kicking the goats off the mountain. "The people used up all the precious healing water. And they threw my brothers and sisters off the mountain until only I was left."
"What did you do?" Blake asked, furious that people would stoop this low and ruin a sacred place for their pleasure while evicting the people that rightfully owned it.
"I started knocking trespassers away with my horns, which grew and grew."
"Oh, Mr. Goat, I feel so sorry for you." Muriel said as we helped her to her feet.
"We truly are. We know what's it like for humans to ruin everything." Ghira said with Blake and him letting out a small growl.
"I'd try to help you get rid of the neck ache if I wasn't in so much pain myself."
"You think you're in pain?" The goat asked before leaving.
"I don't like where this is going." Blake said. And she was correct as the goat returned a moment later with a boulder.
"I don't think you know what the word means." He said before moving back a few steps.
"MOVE!" Ghira shouted when the goat rammed into the boulder, which sent it flying toward us. Luckily, Ghira and Kali managed to get into cover in time while Blake and I got Muriel to safety. Although, the same could not be said about Courage as the boulder almost completely flattened him.
"OW!" The goat moaned in pain while rubbing his neck. "Stand still so you can experience and know the years of pain I had to endure."
"Please, Mr. Goat. We'll leave right now." Muriel said, not wanting a boulder to crush her. However, the goat responded by sending another boulder our way. Luckily, we managed to avoid it.
"From now on, my pain will be your pain." The goat declared before laughing and leaving.
"Oh, Courage." Muriel said as we came closer to Courage. "Oh, what are we going to do? Soon, he'll be flat as pancakes."
"If Yang and Nora were here, they could easily lift the boulder so Courage can escape." I said, thinking of anything that could help.
"But we don't. Maybe we could find some strong enough items to place under the boulder. That way, Courage can escape." Kali suggested.
"I don't think that's possible as I only see trash around here." Ghira said.
'Hold on. Let me try something.' Courage managed to say before sticking out his tongue.
"Uh, what are you doing?" Blake asked, confused. Instead of answering, Courage brought his tongue up and down with his head extending upward almost as if it was a makeshift jack. It seemed like it was about to work for a moment, but Courage's head gave out soon after.
"You okay, Courage?" Kali asked with a wince when the boulder's weight caused Courage to bite his tongue hard.
'Fine.'
"Anyone else has an idea?" I asked.
'Wait, I got one last trick.' Courage grunted. He then reached into his mouth, literally pulled his skeleton out of his body, and cleared out of the boulder. And because nothing was holding it up, the boulder slammed against the floor, crushing Courage's skin.
"At this point, I am certain nothing can harm Courage." Ghira said, impressed, amazed, and shocked as Courage put his skin back on as if it were clothes.
"He had gone through some incredible things and come out mostly unharmed." I said as Courage, and I helped Muriel stand up.
"But now what?" Blake asked. "The water is gone."
"I'd say we leave. There's nothing left. But I would like to try and find a way to massage the goat before we leave." Muriel answered.
"He does look like he needs a spa day." Kali agreed.
"We can figure out a way later. MOVE!" Ghira said before pushing Blake and Kali out of the way. And right after he did so, a boulder landed where they just were.
"Oh. You have all been bad. Disobedience must be punished with more boulders." The goat said before launching another boulder at us. But this caused his neck even more pain. "OH! OH! OH! OH!"
Picking up Muriel, we ran around the area of what used to be the hot springs to avoid a boulder crushing us. With each passing second, the goat launched more boulders at us despite the massive neck pain it brought him. Luckily, we managed to catch a break when the goat inadvertently created a safe spot for us. The safe place is four boulders on either side of us with three on top.
"Do you think he gave up?" Blake asked as all was quiet.
"I doubt that. He doesn't seem like one to give up so easily." Ghira answered.
"At least he's gone for now." I said, peeking around the boulder and not seeing the goat on the ledge.
'Yay.' Courage cheered, seeing the goat was gone. But his smile turned to worry when he heard the goat behind him.
"Bad dog." The goat said before ramming into Courage, sending him flying away.
"COURAGE!" We shouted, worried as the goat ran after him.
Not wasting any time, we ran after them. But the goat gained a considerable lead against us as we struggled to climb the walls of the hot springs. And because of this, we were too late to stop the goat from severely harming Courage. Once we reached the top and got on our feet, we saw Courage, wrapped in bandages, using a wheelchair to get himself out of a hole in the mountain. Unfortunately, because of the pain Courage was in, he went right over the ledge. Thankfully, Courage saved himself by grabbing onto a bottle stuck in a crack in the wall. However, the bottle soon gave way, causing him to fall to the floor.
"Courage. Are you okay?" I asked as he groaned in pain.
'No.' He moaned before shouting in pain when the bottle landed on his head.
"Uh, what's that noise?" Blake asked with her cat ears twitching.
"Sounds like water rapidly going someplace." Kali answered. And she was correct as water came rushing out of the crack a moment later. In seconds, water gushing from the hole filled the depression.
"Huh?" We heard the goat ask, shocked.
"You've sprung a spring, Courage." Muriel said, happy with no trace of pain evident in her voice. "And my pain's completely gone."
"But I think it's the goat's turn to feel some relief." Ghira said as the goat continued to moan in pain while holding its neck.
'MM-HMM.' Courage agreed before getting out of the hot springs and shaking himself dry, causing Blake to hiss.
"Help me with this." I said, heading over to the goat with Courage following right after.
"Wha-what are you doing?" The goat asked as we picked him up and brought him to the edge before throwing him into the hot springs. And a moment later, he came back up with a smile on his face. "Ahh! The water's back."
Courage then took out a nail filer and began filing the goat's horns until it was short again. And while he was doing that, Blake, Ghira, Kali, and I cleaned the hot springs of the remaining trash. Thankfully, it was made easier by the pool rakes we found nearby.
"You look like a million bucks. I mean, goats." Muriel complimented.
"I feel great." He said, laughing before tears came to his eyes. "My pain is gone. I can't believe it. Thank you."
"You're welcome." We said, smiling.
"Why don't you all come in and enjoy the water." The goat offered. We looked toward each other before getting into the hot spring. And it was even better than we expected, with all the stress and pain we felt melting away.
"Is there something we can do to keep this place hidden from others, so it doesn't get trashed again?" Blake asked.
"I have no idea. I could ask Winter or Willow the next time I see them." I answered. "But in the meantime, let's just relax and enjoy the water."
"Maybe you could use this place as your honeymoon with Iris." Kali suggested.
"Maybe. If the goat allows it." I said.
"If you don't leave your trash behind and don't tell everyone about it, sure. I'll allow it." He said.
"Thanks." I said, smiling. Grabbing my scroll, which I placed on the ground before getting into the water, I checked the time and saw that we still had a few hours before we needed to leave. Knowing that we had time, I leaned against the edge and decided to enjoy the time we had left. However, a moment later, we heard footsteps coming up from behind us. Turning around, we became surprised but also had to stifle our laughter when we saw the female mountain ape approaching us while carrying Eustace.
"Is this the legendary hot spring that cures broken hearts?" She asked with Eustace groaning.
"Oh, it looks like things are a-changing for the better." Muriel said, smiling. Courage nodded before winding his ears with them springing afterward to goat horns. He then bleated as if he were a goat. We couldn't hold back our laughter as Courage continued to bleat.
Note:
The Next chapters: (1) House Calls with Neon and Flint. (2) Rumplekiltskin with Coco. (3) Uncommon Cold with Team Rwby and Penny.