TCB: Chapter 5: Keep Your Family And Friends Close
[Nowhere Ruins]
(Mad Dog's Control = 1 Point) - (Katz's Control = Zero)
Another day was about to start upon the affected planet Earth, while its sun rays are always blocked by the unending smoke clouds covering the planet skies. Not even the gloomy charm of the post-apocalyptic morning seemed to change the mood of its remaining survivors still wandering the wasteland. Each day was a challenge, and everyone had to be prepared, including the Courageous Brigade.
Somewhere near Mount Nowhere, we see the brigade's van still parked and left intact from their little barbeque night. Courage woke up way too early yawning and rubbing his eyes as he stretches his back, even though he wished to sleep more, the thoughts of heading down the road again or never-ending nightmares, made him unable to fall asleep again inside the van. Just thinking about his past and what twisted future awaits him, it gave the dog more reason to wake up.
Scratching his fur, the dog sits up seeing his friends still asleep, and while he does that, he hears the sound of metal clang noise coming from the van's cabin. Fortunately, it wasn't that loud enough to disturb them. Courage gets up and sneaks in tip toes past Bigfoot, Shirley and Hunchback straight towards the rear van's curtain. He pops his head out and looks around the corner for that ongoing noise. It was Scarecrow checking the engine but he was too focused on repairs to notice Courage who came to see him.
The pink dog decides not to disturb him and hops in the driver's seat with hopes of speaking to his only family member left out of the farmhouse, the Computer. Just like good old times. Back then, Courage used to switch him on and off but this time it wasn't necessarily doing so, since Computer on the dashboard reacts instantly by whoever is on the wheel or by his surroundings.
"Hey." the dog watches the little green Computer screen on the dashboard.
"Oh, let me guess... Nightmares or sickness again?" the machine spoke after seeing Courage on the wheel.
"Uhmm Computer..." Courage felt like talking with his friend in private, away from everyone else but with Scarecrow working on the vehicle, it was hard to know if the hay-made soldier was listening too. "What is he doing?"
"At the moment your friend is inspecting and repairing the farmer's truck, the transmission and oil pump was damaged a bit while some parts are rusty unable to perform-"
"It's not the farmer's truck anymore... You are now a van." The dog corrected him while his expression felt worried.
"What is it then, dog?" Computer asked mildly annoyed.
"I... I wanted to say.. i'm so sorry about what Scarecrow did to you... I know it's hard for you to understand my feelings... but let's not jump straight into assuming the worse." Courage spoke.
"Here we go again about those pictures, isn't it? Fine, dog. But don't come here crying to me if it happens otherwise. Or we'll just travel in vain."
"We're not going out there in vain!" The dog yelped. "You think we all like to live under martial law by Mad Dog?"
"I see no point in establishing a peaceful world again, when it is all nothing but junk, rotten bodies, torn down locations and barely walking survivors just waiting to be finished off. Mad Dog's tyranny is merely resembling a puppet government attempting to win but fails miserably in restoring peace." The machine told.
The dog blinked turning his expression to frown. "I think you may have blown up a gasket. That monster will only bring us fear and pain. He won't let us live in peace... ever."
"As far as you told me, he's looking for a rabbit girl, isn't it? Wouldn't this girl prefer freedom instead of oppression once she is in Mad Dog's grasp?" Computer asked.
"Believe me, she'll be killed if she dares to oppose."
"I don't understand. He loves her but at the same time he will kill her? What kind of nonsense is this?"
"Mad Dog only loves Bunny when she obeys his rullership and Bunny obviously doesn't like him because he separated her from being with Kitty." Courage explained.
"And what can we do about that?"
Courage sighed, "...I don't know, i can only hope she's okay and reunited with Kitty again."
"Who is Kitty?" The machine asked.
"Ermm, it's a long story. Guess i forgot to tell you that day the whole thing." Courage told as he leaned his head up against the door window gazing Town of Nowhere in rubble, while the mountain was pretty near from the brigade's position.
"Twit, like always. I suppose i have nothing to argue about it, if you like to share some intel about your little related skirmish."
The pink dog sighed again, "I shouldn't talk long enough with you to waste up your energy."
"May i have to remind you that you're the one... *buzzz* ..."
The dog's expression perked up when Computer on the dashboard seems to caught up some bits of lag during the conversation.
"*zzz*... who wanted me to... *zzzzz*" Apparently Computer couldn't finish his argument sentence and it was replaced with sounds of a broken TV signal.
"Computer?... Computer! Answer me!" Courage jumped in shock, starting to press on all dashboard buttons attempting to see what was wrong with his friend. The dog not only smashed all the dashboard keys but gave up thinking he was done for. That is until Scarecrow waved his hand holding his wrench, letting Courage know that he was working on it.
Finally he fixed back Computer's processor and gave him back the ability to speak. This time Computer didn't bother to finish his last sentence, but Courage felt relieved now. The machine actually meant the dog being the first one who started up the conversation.
"Ugh, i hate this new "body"... Then again it doesn't look like i have much of a choice either." Says the machine.
"Oh, thank goodness..." Courage was pleased. "So, i met Kitty when she was dressed herself in a white coat wearing a mask... and began to beat me to death cause she thought every dog is evil... Her friend Bunny was kidnapped by Mad Dog on the The Wrong Side of The Tracks-" then he got interrupted.
"Wait, were you indeed evil before? And didn't we went already out there when we stopped by the oil refinery a while ago? How come your friends haven't found her still when you evaded out of the prison?" Computer inquired.
"I was never evil! Bunny was long gone before all of this happened. I couldn't find her even when i was captured."
"Go on, dog. "
"I thought i'd never find her after i snatched Kitty's mouse toy engraved with Bunny's signature, until Mister Mouse pointed me about Mad Dog's apartment. That's where I finally found her and rescued her then Mad Dog tried to ran her over with his car."
"And you were fast enough to outrun a vehicle?" Computer asked.
"If only you knew how painful was for me to keep up at that speed." the dog whimpered. "Then i took his wheel and drove it right into a train. I escaped then... boom. Mad Dog was done for until now."
"How come Mad Dog is still alive after that tremendous collision, nobody would have survived a train crash." the machine told.
"It was none of my business anymore when Bunny and Kitty were united back then."
"And yet that troublesome dog made it through the apocalypse as well. Your history related with Mad Dog repeats again. Still that doesn't explain how come he woke up first then you. What if you were the one who survived first?"
"I don't know... I just wish none of this happened.." Courage told. "And i don't think we can travel back in time either."
"Even if you did, you would have prevented the meteor strike otherwise?"
"..." Courage was left without words about that. There was no way in hell the dog would have destroyed a gigantic space rock which manipulated the planet. Yet he was thankful at least the Earth hasn't been reduced to rubble, destroying it completely. He shook his head from that thought and returns to his main objective.
"I must go after Bunny.. or Kitty.. wherever they are! I can't let them fall by the paws of that monster." Courage said with a determined tone.
"Kid, i'm sorry if i am bursting your bubble, but i thought your pictures were your main priority to recover. Which is it, recover the pictures, find Bunny and Kitty or, annihilating Mad Dog?" Computer asked the options.
"All of them..." The dog told. Even though the 'annihilation' word seemed to be too much for Courage.
"You really want to make this the hard way like always, don't you? And here i thought your condition would change you, if not even in the slightest matter. I mean how would your other friends feel overtime when this never-ending journey seems to be just an ordinary courageous deed of yours, like in your previous adventures?"
"It's up to them." The dog told. "Are you so worried we'll never make it?"
"I am in a vehicle body, driving and carrying you twits miles by miles while sooner or later i may indeed blow a gasket if i am not maintained properly, from several attacks damaging the vehicle integrity." The machine said.
"Computer.. i need you. I need them too. You wouldn't let me all alone here.. dying in this horrible desert ?" Courage said it with a sad tone.
"Sounds like the same term of using me on purpose to survive, doesn't it?"
"NO!" Courage yelled and shook his head like a lightning.
"I knew it. If it wasn't for me, you have already been taken care of in the farmhouse whenever you had monsters or catastrophes shoved upon your fur."
"Computer, please!" Courage was starting to feel unusual like his rage was about to form up, besides the fact that he does NOT use his friends to his needs at all as Computer thinks. "It's not like that... please don't make me lose it!" He was desperately trying to not let his rage out again.
"Give me a reason why should i even help you anymore on a journey with a possible tragic end."
"You're my friend... my family... We all are!" The dog was breathing uncontrollably through speeches. "I never used you selfishly... I am not going to hurt you or leave you! ... Don't you need me too?" His eyes were about to emerge in a red color looking. He continued on anyhow:
"If i'm not going to make it... so be it. You can hurt me as much as you want, in case i'm losing control of myself..." Courage actually meant it with full honesty and no sweat, even though he was unaware that his sharp claws were being already unleashed.
"Oh dear, i guess i can't do much of my own either, not in this condition or on this deserted planet. I don't expect more or less from you, other than seeing your accomplishments fulfilled."
Courage again shook his head fast while clenching his teeth trying to calm down, as it felt like his inner demon too doesn't seem to like Computer's attitude. Finally he did while sweating and panting. His red eyes went to normal still having the blurry look on Courage's end.
"I'll never abandon you.. and others. I care about my friends!... I'll be always be here when you need me.." The dog placed his paws on the dashboard looking with determination on Computer's little green screen near the steering wheel, still panting.
The smell of tea filled the air from inside the van, as we see Shirley was brewing some tea to pour in their cups scavenged a while ago and Courage could sense it. The dog was happy smelling something familiar for a change which it reminds him of Muriel. He felt really calm now and continued on asking his machine:
"Computer, can i ask you... how come am i still alive... after two years since we passed out?" Courage remembered his timeout recorded before the refinery attack.
"I don't know, i honestly thought you would be turned into ashes by now, or perhaps you were already awaken long before reawakening me?"
"No, we both came back alive at the same time, same day." Courage spoke.
"Strange. Or maybe this so called 'demon' of yours spoken by that gypsy dog is preventing you from becoming putrid."
"Don't even remind me of that, please... I never trust it!" The dog shook his head trying not to include his broken emotions into vitality theory.
Outside, Scarecrow took a peek from his repairs to look out on Courage, then he looked away towards the mountain telling to himself in mind, 'I must hurry.', he felt that a sandstorm was about to form up around the base of the mountain. Scarecrow's best option for the brigade was to pass the mountain before the storm may blind them or hit them by lightnings.
These sandstorms occurred frequently after the apocalypse, they were not just only ordinary sand blizzards formed by strong wind. But within these sand clouds during the storm, it is wise to take shelter or run as fast as you can before being struck by lightning or taken off the ground straight up in the air like the force of a tornado. Yet it became a heavy chore for Scarecrow to maintain the Computer van with outdated parts without having much time. And they were running out of resources again.
Back to Courage, the dog felt like asking again about Computer's condition since they couldn't have a proper discussion last night.
"Why would you ask me that again since you know already our situation by now?" the machine asked.
"It's a way of checking ourselves once in a while, alright? I tried talking with you nicely yesterday but you made it harder for me to go on." Courage tried his best to have a chilled conversation but Computer always seems to get straight to the point of arguing sometimes making it difficult for the dog.
"If that is the case, i would say annoyed. Half of myself is very glad that i no longer am living in the attic waiting to be switched on by a twit like yourself on a regular basis, even though the world is collapsed now, i wished to explore more than what i have accessed on internet pages already before all of this happened. Unfortunately there is nothing left but danger crawling around in every direction we go. And that is my other half i strongly disagree about this new experience with death marching straight to us. Since the farmhouse was destroyed along with my body, i don't seem to have a choice but to remain within this vehicle body. I highly doubt there may be other computers." Computer told.
"Yeah. We surely going to miss our home..." Courage spoke while he knew they were about to leave Nowhere Ruins but felt like he would want to return back. "I can only hope we'll repair the house once this is all over..." his eyes were hooded.
"It is already over, dog. All the resources you have found and your friends too left from the farm are used in building this rustbucket on wheels. Chances of finding more resources are very low but with higher risk of running into enemies we surely don't wish to borrow stuff from." Computer said so.
"I... I still miss them..." The dog tells about Muriel and Eustace. "And i still feel like it's my own fault... i... i failed... to protect them..."
"Your fault? You didn't fried Earth resulting their death."
"No, i should have woke up when i had the chance! Yet i was knocked out longer without my will... i couldn't check out on you... or them after we were blown right away." Courage whimpered placing a paw on his forehead leaning on dashboard.
"So that explains why you 'overslept' past your school time." Computer joked while Courage was having none of it. "You may not have rescued my body, but having rescued the processor at least makes me think of you otherwise. That are you are less of a twit than i expected you to be. I honestly thought i would be finished for good, despite a little dust covering up my pins and damage cuts, who knew i would be still functioning after a tremendous planetary collision?"
"What do you mean?" Courage asked.
"I mean that you saved me at least. That hay-made soldier could have snapped me in half by a mere accident when he plugged me in the vehicle."
"He knows how to handle a combine harvester don't worry, that makes him a great mechanic beside scaring off things." The dog described Scarecrow.
"And he has yet to know how to handle computers... Those pictures you mentioned- " Dashboard Computer told.
"No, please. Don't make me think of something worse happening to them." Courage begged.
"Hold your fur, twit. Do you really pay attention more to them rather than us?"
By the sound of that question which Computer asked, it made Courage's eyes now focused on its green screen with a very honest perspective by the dog. He then looked at Scarecrow almost finishing with the repairs and hears movement from within the van. His other allies woke up as well. As much as he loved his owners, Courage couldn't rely too much on mementoes unknown if they are still intact or not. In which Courage has finally found his tiny bit of sanity left. He quote:
"Muriel... the farmer... and my parents... they'll always be with me in my heart." the dog shed a tear and sniffs. "You don't know.. how am i thankful to have you guys around... still living with me."
"Oh, looks like the apocalypse hasn't mowed you down completely." Computer noticed.
"It did. I've been in worse scenarios before, but this..." Courage crossed his arms leaning on the driver seat.
"It's not like you'd consider this your very worst case scenario ever happened. You always come up with a plan after i give you all the intel i could find about incidents. This time, it is out of my reach. No internet, no cable, and there's barely even signal around. Still i am surprised the GPS system hasn't led us to our immediate death or making us getting lost, even though the signal is very weak." Computer explained.
Courage didn't replied, Scarecrow gets up looking at the dog and gives him a smile while waving his wrench, and continues on working on the engine. Courage waved too, then Computer proceeds to inform the dog about his maintenance ongoing that Scarecrow noticed while checking the engine. The dashboard screen begins to show off writing cuts or going in splitscreen as if it shows signs of lag. Courage noticed it too with his eyes widen.
"Computer? What's wrong?"
"Dog, when was the last time Eustace ever checked on the engine?" Computer asked.
"I don't know.. ?" Courage raised an eyebrow.
"You are so lucky your friend here knows how to buy some extra time before all of the pieces fall apart. It requires a whole new set of engine parts, cause the farmer apparently never bothered to replace the broken parts such as oil pumps, spark plugs, radiator circuits and so on." the machine replied.
"You mean, you are outdated?" the dog said. "Can't expect more from the farmer. And Scarecrow has done his best repairing with all the parts we could find."
"Continuing on in this condition will more likely reduce my power very fast, and will surely mean our end of the road, if you cannot find some good engine pieces to restore. And i barely keeping myself online due to power instability connected from my processor. There are several damaged vehicles all over these parts of the wasteland and not even their 'outdated' parts can make our van run far better than anticipated." Computer explained making the dog now even more worried than ever.
"Just... just keep holding up. For a little while longer." Courage assured him even though he was unsure how he was going to solve this problem. "We'll get you some new parts, if this is your way now of saying 'updating your software'." Courage joked back for revenge.
Courage now leaned down on the driver's seat looking at Scarecrow almost finishing repairing the engine damage during the last few road chases. The dog had the urge of helping him but he wasn't a very good mechanic. Computer spoke again:
"Look Courage, you may have all your reasons to be sad or upset, but the death of your owners certainly wasn't by your own paws. Even if you were capable of saving them before the impact, you couldn't punch the meteor straight back away into orbit. You're not a super twit dog."
Courage sighed, even though he hates to admit it but Computer had a point, that nobody in the world, even the dog would've had inhuman strength and will to prevent an incoming gigantic space rock from knocking Earth to its knees. The pink hound sits up attempting to not get all depressed even more than he is, while his fear of unleashing the beast himself from within never seems to end.
Scarecrow closed the hood down which is a sign that he gave the van engine some extra time to breathe before finding new car parts. He hides his wrench along with other tools scavenged and goes on his way towards the rear van. Courage stopped him asking, "Hey, is everything okay?"
"It'll last, for who knows how long." Scarecrow scratched his hair with his wrench, unsure how the engine may hold up.
Before they were heading down on the road again, Courage asks Computer one last request before everyone are setting up on the road once more.
"Hey, can you at least show on your map how much we drove so far?"
"But of course." Computer showed a distorted map of Nowhere Ruins on the screen. It showed all the roads and locations the brigade had stopped by.
At some point they were very, very far away from where Bagge Farm was. Town of Nowhere was no more, and the enemy camps were destroyed or liberated such as the oil refinery. The warcat diner was sealed and no more minefields seems to be found on the map. Rest of the well-known locations before the apocalypse were either vanished or barely seen due to loss of signal by Computer's attempts to refresh the system. Some small craters were also detected on the map along the way presuming those were from the meteor showers. Only one destination was yet to be reached before leaving their home land and that is Mount Nowhere.
Courage felt like he was seeing a map of another planet, not Earth at all. Scarecrow entered the van and noticed they were yet again very low on food, water and gas. The other allies woke up pretty hard after that cold rough night, that not even their own furnace filled with wood would have prevented the cold. However Bigfoot had no problem with it since he is adapted with almost all weather conditions. Talk about living in the wilderness.
Hunchback went out of van with a cup of tea in his hands going for Courage. He, and his friends had their tea already thanks to Shirley, the pink dog smiled seeing him giving some tea too.
"Gee, thanks!" Even though they were very low on resources, they decided not to hold up much longer than they should. The brigade of course would scavenge for more resources as progress further with the journey. Shirley's tea seems to be quite refreshing.
"You want some too?" Hunchback asked Scarecrow.
"No, thank you." he refused his tea. Hunchback was okay with that.
"I'll drive this time." Courage suggested after he finished drinking.
"You don't know what you're talking about, twit. Look at yourself, any chance we would end up into the first boulder or tree we seek?" Computer asked.
"If i wanna get myself better i must fight my own disease." The dog told. "I can't let this 'demon' control me." He said it with determination.
"I was afraid you might say that." The machine spoke with a very worried tone knowing his courageous attitude.
Scarecrow came to Courage asking "You sure you want to do this?" in which the dog replied with "Mhm. Arubububu." He wanted to speak in his dog gibberish language as a sign that he's ready for action. Surprisingly his own native language didn't died either.
Scarecrow smiled and joined him as he sits beside Courage on the passenger seat. Hunchback hops back inside the vehicle. The dog starts the engine and the way they go.
Courage could feel the engine ongoing difference that Scarecrow tried to maintain, as they both were aware the van really needed new parts before it could die for good. Along with their friend Computer, without any good circuits connected to his processor, he is good as a rusty toaster. In the horizon they could see the ongoing sandstorm already engulfing the base of Mount Nowhere, but the brigade van ran with a moderate speed so far. Normally they would drive with extra caution thinking about fuel too, but in this case there was no time for sunday drive.
A fun fact, even though Courage is a small dog unable to reach the van's pedals, Computer helps him out pushing the pedals on its own indicating by the dog's foot. Back then when Courage was driving by his own, even though he was seen driving quite decently he was still struggling reaching for pedals. Scarecrow on the other hand, was showing no sign of emotions yet, feeling prepared for their next incoming destination of doom. The other allies were bracing themselves for their first storm encounter, even though the brigade have been through this a few times actually. This one was more aggressive, judging by the sand blizzard speed, lack of vision and furious sound of thunders with lightnings.
If they wanted to reach the mountain, they'll have to go full force on this one. The van disappeared within the sand clouds, it was barely noticed on the road even with a single headlight on.
"I'lll do it... i can do it... i must not be scared... or mad..." Courage thought in his mind.
THE END of Chapter 5
Author's Note: Ok, i'm not gonna bother writing the territory point system outcome again at the end of each chapter, unless something really happened that needs to be updated for the next chapter.