TCB: Chapter 6: Fury Of The Storm
[Nowhere Ruins]
(Mad Dog's Control = 1 Point - Katz's Control = Zero)
The ongoing sandstorm which immediately sucked in the brigade's van, has left only horror and screams by Courage's friends and himself, as the never-ending fury of the weather likes to play with the vehicle like a toy by pushing it in all directions. Luckily Computer and Courage were able to maintain a straight line down the road if they wanted to escape out alive without being struck by lightnings. Scarecrow screeched his teeth holding up against the dashboard as hard as he could, with his bare hands without having his head knocked away by accident from all that turbulence.
Courage felt like he would want to scream by every lightning that has appeared around the van, but instead he stood focused on the road with his paws gripped to steering wheel. Every time the van began to slide slightly by the wind force, the dog pulled the wheel hard with Scarecrow's help to maintain stability. His pink fur was still ruffled and it looked like he haven't had a bath in ages, while his left eye scar was still itchy as ever. Inside the van Bigfoot and Hunchback were holding up close to each other in fear with their eyes widen by the sandstorm noise roaring like a beast, and Shirley was waiting desperately for this madness to end already while holding herself tight by the stove with her eyes closed.
"If i'm gonna be struck by lightning, you know what would happen." Computer quote.
Courage immediately remembered his past moment when Computer went nuts unleashing its mechanical claws after that event. And not a moment too soon...
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning did hit the hood of the van piercing through Computer's circuits. The pink dog finally screamed in horror by the sight of it and that startled Scarecrow. He immediately took the wheel while Courage jumped on his friend's head shaking his entire fur. The other allies jumped in shock as well by the lightning that hit the vehicle.
"You just had to open your mouth!" Scarecrow told angrily towards the machine.
"Ouch... Ow... Ah.. ahah.. ahahah..." Computer began to laugh like a maniac by the source of power that was granted by that bolt, the dashboard started to release sparks, yet no claws seemed to be unleashed this time. Instead, a blue aura was formed around the entire vehicle. Courage's friends remained confused by this change of interior color straight up blue. The pink dog however knew what was coming. Now with Computer in a vehicle body he would more likely...
"Oh no... No.. No!.. NO!" Courage shouted while grabbing his ears.
"Let's test out how much durability this vehicle provides against this storm. You twits gave me this body, i'll make sure i won't wreck it." Computer told. It immediately took control over the van. Scarecrow couldn't steer anymore the wheel as it was jammed and Courage jumped off his head sitting back on the passenger seat. They both braced themselves as well the other allies by Computer's wild driving attitude. Courage was the one being the most concerned about his friend.
A pair of little lightning bolts have formed up around the van's wheels, and without even thinking of further consequences like wasting gas, the machine went all full speed ahead through the storm. It even drove right through medium sized rocks or boulders that appeared in front of the road to avoid any more lightning strikes! Smashing all the things on its way into tiny pieces!
"Courage.. What's happening!?" Scarecrow yelled. He stomped on the brakes repeatedly but it was no use by the ridiculous speed enabled by Computer.
"That twit can't even drive straight, i'll show you the difference between courage and fear."
"Noooooo!" Courage shook his head in despair, until he began to bite the steering wheel trying to steer. Both Scarecrow and the dog's effort was futile. The brigade's van rushed through the storm faster than ever as if the red mass of death was closing down on the vehicle if they ever slowed down. It was almost zero vision. They couldn't know if they were still following the road, or they went off-road to a wrong direction. They had to keep going forward and with that in mind, they could reach the mountain without having the occasion of being fried or buried in sand.
The blue glow of the vehicle in a huge sandstorm makes it look like a glowing star in outer space. Inside the van, the other allies closed their eyes, praying to get out of this madness alive.
"What is... this!?" What's happening?" Hunchback asked in a horrifying tone but loud enough since they couldn't even hear themselves thinking by the fury weather noise.
"It is that stupid machine!" Shirley yelled while clenching her teeth.
"BWUUAAAARRRUUUUUUU!" Bigfoot howled while holding Hunchback tight.
Suddenly they heard the sound of a horn in the distance. Courage and Scarecrow heard it as well and it sounded like a train horn approaching them very fast actually. Courage looked on the rear-view mirror and... it wasn't a train.
A little hot rod painted in silver with a faction symbol placed on its hood showing a black raven skull with two black feathers crossed was emerging through the storm as well honking with its train horn installed acting like a warning signal. Its windows were pitch black as the driver could not be seen. Whoever was the mysterious driver, it was following the brigade's van. Flames were unleashed out of the rod's exhaust pipes bursting with speed as well trying to keep up with the allies. It is approaching on their right side of the van then rams of the side of the vehicle.
"That wasn't very polite, you know. Let go of me, twit!" Computer told. The steering wheel with Courage's mouth still gripped to it holding himself with his life, steered right side without the dog's will. Ramming back the hot rod out of the way. After a few little attempts to escape from the mysterious car, Computer directed the van to ram harder than ever this time, sending the hot rod away from their sight. However the wind speed of the storm picks up and lifts the hot rod up in the air.
Both Courage and Scarecrow looks up at the flying vehicle almost about to be destroyed by the storm's force and lightning as it did eventually...
BOOM!
Thousands of hot rod parts flew across the sky, but there wasn't a sign of the driver at least. A few ravens flew out along with their croaking noise out of the wrecked vehicle. As it seems that they were the ones who were driving. But not a moment too soon they were immediately fried by the storm. All of Courage's allies witnessed the sky explosion and its victims through their windows not believing what they saw. Scarecrow felt also a bit scared thinking the birds were about to come after him after this encounter, but seeing the ravens didn't stood a chance outside, he left a little smirk. Even if they weren't crows.
"What... was that?!" Computer asked.
"Nothing good! Can you please... Slow Down!?" Courage told. He was concerned about his friend not wasting again a lot of gas which no doubt it was kinda late for that.
"Not in this weather of death. I know what i'm doing, we'll be out of here in no time-"
"NO, YOU'RE NOT!" Courage's teeth began to sharpen. And not a moment too soon a huge debris of a wrecked ship flew across the sky in the distance approaching towards the vehicle, about to hit it actually.
Computer turns the steering wheel immediately to left side getting out of way from where the ship was about to land on top of them. Courage wasn't wearing any seatbelt and by the unexpected turn that caught the dog off guard, the pink hound hits his head up against the door window pretty hard.
"COURAGE!" Scarecrow yelled while having a nasty grin of anger on its face. Seeing the dog was now knocked out unconscious with a little head bruise, he was about to punch the dashboard Computer without hesitation. Before he was doing it so, another wreckage debris of a truck appeared in front of them and Scarecrow quickly unjammed the steering wheel turning to right side.
"What is going on in there!?" Shirley yelled without knowing what's happening in the van's cabin. Her voice was barely noticeable.
"COURAGE IS OUT!" Scarecrow yelled very loud so he can tell his allies inside the van.
"WHAT!?" Both Hunchback and Shirley screamed. And Bigfoot as well. "WAAARUU!?"
"Temporarily knockout. After we're through this storm we can-" Computer got interrupted.
"SHUT UP!" Scarecrow slammed harder the brakes again and still won't slow down the vehicle in one bit.
Lightnings were still booming in the background. Hundreds of wrecked car debris, house holdings or torn off building roofs were flying around in the fury of the storm. Computer really has outdone it this time, even though his method of driving uncontrollably through the sandstorm for the entire brigade may destroy his friends's trust, it was only a matter of time before his energy wears off and returns to normal looking, without that blue glow. Courage remained unconscious still breathing throughout the scenery, but somewhere deep in his mind... went blank. He could hear now some strange whispers coming through his ears, not hearing anymore the reality's loud noise.
It is quiet. Too quiet. Until...
...
...
"Cou... rage..."
...
...
"...Hehhehe..."
...
...
"Who... who's calling... me?" The pink dog spoke in the darkness.
...
...
"There is... Rage... In Courage... Hehehe!..." The strange voice told.
...
"Who.. are you?.. Where am i?"
...
The strange voice began to spoke a bit louder and clear almost matching with Courage's voice.
...
"I am you. In the void." Followed by a distorted sound of a growling dog.
...
"Oooohh..." Courage could barely see himself in the dark but he was downright terrified to finally hear himself talking in a raging tone.
...
"P-please... Don't hurt me!"
...
"HAHAHAHAHAHA No."
...
"Are you even real? Show yourself then!" The dog demanded.
...
"Hehehe.. yes i am you, stupid coward." It was clearly the rage demon Courage had feared.
...
"How are you inside me? What do you want?"
...
"I will not hurt you. I won't let you die either. You and me.. are meant to be together.. for all eternity." The demon giggled. "If i die, you will too."
...
"No! I don't trust you! Let me out!" Courage begged and started to run in the middle of the darkness without any signs of exit. Until he panted and became exhausted.
...
"Only i can free you. You are nothing without me."
...
"NO! YOU LIE!" Courage cried and whimpered not buying the demon's attention. The dog begins to run again in pitch black darkness away from that horrific voice.
...
"You can run but hiding from your own fury is futile. Hehehe!" In the darkness popped out two red eyes in front of Courage. It made the pink hound stop in his tracks. The demon growled and eventually it came out of the darkness a twisted version of Courage, a much bigger twin, dark pink more into purple and frightening. It matched perfectly the pose back when Courage fought off the spider back in the diner.
...
"Hello, Coward!" He spoke scaring off Courage to bits. The pink dog screamed in his generic tone until he stopped, waiting for his rage self to make a move.
...
"You are me!?" Courage's spine was already frozen with horror.
"You bet i am, stupid coward!" The Rage Demon told.
"Stop calling me that!"
The furious demon leaned in front of Courage's face still growling looking straight into his eyes. The pink dog saw only horror while Rage saw many broken insights out of Courage's past. The creature was pleased by that cause it fills him with so much insanity vibe. Courage wasn't sure how did he ended up seeing his own self more mad than ever in a dark place like this, or how he would manage to wake up back to reality. But Rage was only his option. Courage sits up and stands up against him.
"I wanna.. go home!" Courage begged.
"I will call you a coward! Until you realize that it was ME who kept you alive all this time!" Rage yelled.
"You.. were with me all along?"
"Don't tell me you didn't know!"
"No, i still don't believe you! This must be a nightmare! I need to wake up!" Courage grabbed his ears in despair.
Rage barked "Coward, like always!" He laughed at the same time.
"Get out... get out of my mind..." Courage clenched his teeth.
"Oh i will! Hehehe... Over your dead body." Rage vanished back into darkness.
Courage leaned down on his knees with his eyes closed and shakes his head like crazy attempting to wake up.
"Sweet dreams, my dear cowardly brother!" Rage Demon spoke in a distorted voice this time and laughed again.
"BROTHER!?" Courage let out a loud howl. Louder enough he woke up back to reality.
When he opened slowly his eyes, he couldn't believe what he saw. The sandstorm was nearly gone as the Courageous Brigade was already reaching the top of Mt. Nowhere. The loud roaring of the storm was starting to calm down. His head bruise was bandaged but he still felt little pain.
Fearing he would lose control again of his inner insanity after meeting up with his own raging demon, Courage tries not to overreact instantly as he is laid down on the blanket. The van was no longer glowing blue, meaning the dashboard Computer returned back to his normal self. The pink dog wasn't anymore in the cabin with Scarecrow, but he was surrounded by his other allies instead inside the van. How the dog was moved in was more likely that Scarecrow picked him up while Computer was still driving the vehicle itself. Reaching for the rear side and giving him to Bigfoot.
Bigfoot was smelling Courage probably to sense something unusual about the dog. His big monster eyes were glaring at Courage with concern, but the hound's eyes got widen and then... he screamed. Shirley and Hunchback got startled. Bigfoot screamed as well with Courage afterwards. When they both stopped, Hunchback told "Settle down... boys!" Courage not only has an eye scar but at least his bruise on his head was healing up. The first thing on his mind was about raging instability. He couldn't take this much longer and decides to tell his friends what happened during his unconscious state.
"Guys... i need help."
"What is it?" Hunchback asked.
"My... my own twisted self... i seen it."
"It is the demon, is it not?" Shirley thought. Bigfoot groaned.
"Y-y-yes..." Courage felt so worried.
Bigfoot suddenly grabbed Courage and opens the dog's mouth with his bare paws. He begins to viciously roar thinking he would scare the demon off out of Courage through his mouth, the same way by getting rid of hiccups. The dog felt like he met his very worst dentist. The other two were shocked by Bigfoot's method.
"Let him go!" Hunchback demanded. Bigfoot releases Courage. At least he tried. Shirley facepalmed.
Courage panted, until the medium told him "We can't help you about that, Courage. You must fight for your own self-control."
"But.. but... he called me... brother." the dog spoke.
"What?" Both Shirley and Hunchback were stunned. The old man more likely heard about Courage's condition from the medium when the dog passed out.
The strong winds were now intensifying even more meaning the vehicle almost made it to the top of the mountain and the sight of the old Nowhere Church can be seen. At least they passed the sandstorm heading down below the mountain. As they drive right by the old wellspring filled with boulders instead of water, Scarecrow spotted something like a warning sign up ahead before they reach the church. Approaching slowly and slowly, Scarecrow and Computer witnessed that the warning sign was actually an animal chained upside-down on a wooden board. A white goat...
"Go back... Go back.. Go back.." The goat warned them, it was no joke. The poor old goat who was once the guardian of the spring was heavily beaten down with bruises and cuts while on his chest of his burnt down fur... was a logo taatoo showing Mad Dog's tag.
Scarecrow felt the urge of releasing the goat free, but the weather was against his favor. If he stops now, the wind has the force of sliding down the entire van off the edge and they would meet their doom when they hit the ditch. He continued the road, feeling guilty leaving the goat suffering outside. There was nothing he can do to help the goat, his limbs were broken and his horns were shattered while being heavily chained. Mad Dog will pay dearly for this...
Back to Courage, he explained his friends about his encounter with his broken emotions reincarnated in a full demon form. The allies of course were being concerned, and after hearing Courage's "dream", Shirley spoke: "Brother... Your raging emotion is not a joke, it is real. A sibling of your half behaving personality."
"I-I D-don't know if i am capable to control it" he was shaking in fear. "And i'm sure this is something impossible to scare off..." His eyes looked at Bigfoot. The dog sighed until the medium came to him telling, "Dog, this is your weapon. You are a coward indeed but your rage is something that completes your personality deed. Courage."
"My weapon almost killed you." he told.
"I am sure you'll figure it out once you finally control your inner rage power. There is no courage, without rage adrenaline. " She spoke. Both Bigfoot and Hunchback looked at themselves worried about Courage.
The pink dog still couldn't believe it, he was named Courage by Muriel back in the alleyway when he was just an abandoned pup. True to the fact that it was his destiny to protect the ones he loved, but after his failure to protect his parents, Courage was determined not having that situation repeating again with the Bagge couple overtime. ...In which it did happened here. Leading his courageous adrenaline forming up into rage. Like he couldn't take it no more. His sanity is shattered like a broken glass.
It is a miracle that his past memories are still living within Courage's mind, but for now the dog decides to move on still, staying all worried and scared wasn't going to do any good for him either. And therefor the Courageous Brigade has finally reached Nowhere Church. The weather was back to normal again even though dark clouds were still covering the sky, and the wind was still blowing. Not in a blizzard way this time like in within sandstorms. Everything seems to be normal as they continued to drive further, until for some reason the atmosphere was beginning to heat up. When the vehicle was approaching the church, Scarecrow immediately hit the brakes before he could ever meet their death already.
The unholy cathedral leaning by the crater edge was surrounded by rivers of lava... emanating straight out of the mountain which it is now a volcano. Now they knew where all the smoke came from. The building was also reconstructed by wardogs, with tons of metal structures and scrap built from underneath the church, preventing it from sliding down with the lava stream into the abyss. It had a bell tower standing up straight while its architecture had seen better days. But what was the purpose of it? The wardogs captured Hunchback's home making it as their final outpost. A volcano with such tremendous height they can see whoever enters or leaves Nowhere Ruins.
After the van stopped, they inspected the area. The church itself doesn't seem to have a welcoming committee but after witnessing the beaten up goat down the road, both Computer and Scarecrow presumed the enemies could be waiting for them to attack by surprise. In the heat of this moment, the wind could blow up hot air instead of cold and dusty air.
"This is our ticket out of Nowhere." Computer told, and the vehicle has ran out of gas again. Scarecrow with his hands firmly tied to the steering wheel, was looking with extra caution on the lava rivers overflowing down the other side of volcano. Luckily the stream didn't catch up the road edge from where the brigade came as well.
"I suppose you don't mind repairing my dashboard after you punched it." Computer reminded him about his minor rage when Computer went nuts. Apparently his blue glowing energy lasted only for an hour or two, considering that the entire vehicle needs a serious lookout, the processor cannot hold up much longer like it used to.
"You need more repairs than that anyway, stand your ground, you'll live." Scarecrow said with an irritating tone. He went outside checking his other friends who came out too. Everyone witnessed now their final place standing between their freedom and main objective. Hunchback's memories came back to him when he returned home now infested with evil and danger. He almost shed tears seeing his only place he has grown up being vandalized, destroyed and rebuilt by hordes of vicious dogs. The road leaving Nowhere Ruins just past the volcano flowing with lava streams and the church is heavily guarded by four wardogs on motorcycles along with a catapult armed with fireballs.
The warcats called it the Sledgehammer, not only it launches fireballs in the air but its throwing mechanical arm stomps the ground when the wardogs reloads it. And the dogs are used to ground shaking, cause it keeps the rival gang of cats away. It is so heavy and durable that not even the sandstorms can take it down to its knees. Mad Dog has chosen this only weapon of might for Nowhere as a defense tool. Nobody enters or leaves the area without paying 'taxes'. But the brigade wasn't going to give up that easily.
The entire team gone out of the vehicle looking at their standing. Courage gulped. He looks at his friends, as they looked at him as well. "I know i'm not gonna like this..."
A tiny burning pebble pops out of the lava and lands right on the dog's limb. Without noticing that, Courage's eyes got widen while smelling something like burning fur. He slowly looks down only to find that his right leg was now on fire...
"GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRHHHHH!" Courage screaming began to run in flaming agony encircling his friends. Hunchback takes out a bottle of water and splashes Courage with it. Now all wet, he thanks him nonetheless for extinguishing the flame. Computer couldn't help but chuckle on that sight, and Courage was not amused.
"Please, can't we... just leave my home... and go back?" Hunchback suggested.
"And heading down back to that sandstorm? I'm afraid not." Shirley told.
"WWARUUBUURAAGHH" Bigfoot talked gibberish while waving his hands.
"It doesn't look like it held any hostages in that church, nobody can live in this condition. Except for wardogs." Scarecrow examined.
"Do we have a plan?" Courage asked.
"I have one." Computer said. "Why don't we all just jump into the volcano before that catapult hits us?"
"How stupid can you be- " Shirley scolds the machine but got interrupted with a giant flaming ball was already up in the air about to hit them.
"LOOK OUT!" Hunchback yelled making the entire brigade's eyes widen. Courage also screamed again!
Bigfoot immediately kicked their van with his mighty foot out of the way from the fireball's range. Everyone bailed out of the way as the gigantic fireball hits the ground. Now the back road they came was blocked. No way of returning back, the van was slightly damaged again but it was no more in danger. Computer didn't liked it either. "Ouch, how rude. I swear i'll be turned into scrap before-"
"SHH! Quiet!" Courage shushed him. His friends were laid down on the ground in silence, for a few seconds. They wanted to make the wardogs believe they have finished them. MD's gang couldn't see properly what's going on the top crater since they were standing down below the volcano with their catapult in the storm almost fading out.
"Is everyone okay?!" Courage asked.
"We're fine." Shirley replied. "Better not scream again or we won't be okay." She dusted off the dirt from her robes.
Courage was sweating awkwardly. "Heh.. sorry." His scream resulted gaining the catapult wardogs's attention, so it was his best to remain silent even if he can't help it due to its nature. Everyone were reunited and began to consult.
"By the way, what was that strange vehicle with birds that got blown up in the storm?" Computer asked.
"It was really weird but we'll found out." Scarecrow said.
"Can we pass the church without being hit again by fireballs?" Courage asked.
"UUUURGHH... BUWARUUGHU." Bigfoot doubted crossing his arms"
"Let's just go, we don't have any options now do we?" Shirley said. With their van out of gas, Hunchback's home was their only place to investigate and seeing there isn't any wardog standing outside of the building, was an advantage. Making their journey across lava rivers easier but still with extra caution.
"Who's gonna stay with me?" Computer surely doesn't like to stand alone exposed as a vehicle. The team looked at him with hatred after what happened during the sandstorm. Until Scarecrow volunteered. "You go, i'll stay. I have some unfinished business to take care of." He cracked his knuckles.
"On a second thought, i changed my mind. I like to stay alone, thank you very much!" Computer replied with fear knowing of what Scarecrow is capable of, but Courage trusted him. After all Computer needs some good "upgrading" if he wants to help his friends. Only Bigfoot, Hunchback, Shirley and Courage were left to continue on.
As they all bunny hopped on rocks in the middle of the lava river reaching for the church, the storm was lifted completely. The fury of the storm was no match for the courageous brigade. Once they get inside of the unholy cathedral, they would more likely scavenge and preparing for a possible wardog brawl, that is if they haven't left by the sheer danger of the lava rivers surrounding the building. Courage's thoughts were on his raging self still, he wonders if the demon was right about his nature being. Coward and Rage forming up... Courage.
THE END of Chapter 6.
Author's Note: I really do need to pay more attention on details when interacting with every character's doings or speeches, but time's been so busy with me in reality. :l