Author's Note: i know this time it took longer to create another chapter, but i've been through alot in real life since before last year, that i ultimately had struggles to continue and finding a proper detailed planning plot for this story. Hopefully this puts me back in gear again.
TCB: Chapter 9: The Unhealing Mind
Sudden blackout has manipulated all of Courage's senses, into believing that he already passed away. Too much suffering pain and disease has crippled the poor pink dog losing the contact with reality, but somehow he wasn't entirely 'extinguished' from existence. Courage was waiting to face off his destiny that awaits him if he ever wakes up from his temporarily sleep. Thankfully his heavy heartbeating proved that even the apocalypse was no match with Courage's incredible power of will and hope.
During the blackout, the dog was starting to hear sudden noise of a clock tick-tocking. His head was starting feel a bit dizzy with a slight headache. Courage groaned as he attempts to open his eyes slowly while he was laid down facing upwards. Sore throat, heavy breathing and parts of his body felt almost paralyzed. It was even hard for him to raise a paw so he can scratch his face and clear his eyes, but he managed it anyways. On the top of that, he felt also comfortable standing on what it appears to be a bed.
"Mmmmm..." he stretched himself a bit. "Whe-where am i?" The dog has finally regained back his senses and how he wish he shouldn't. "Oh no... no... No!" Courage closed his eyes in despair. It didn't take him much time to realize he was back home at the farmhouse in the Bagge's bedroom. Opening his eyes back up and looks at the window, it was night time still.
Courage sits up but now that he can see everything from a long 'sleep' doesn't mean he was also treated well. All of his scars and injuries are still marked on the dog, and even his stomach started to growl again giving him an unbearable pain! Courage curled up under the blanket crying in whines and rubbing his belly, in which he hesitated to call out her owner, Muriel. He knew this must be a tricky deed set up by his inner broken demonic emotion letting Courage to do whatever it takes to get fully healed. But at this point he was still suffering enough to even care about his illusions. Nightmare or reality, he decided to carry on.
He popped his head out of the blanket and yelled. "Muriel!" No dice. He gets off the bed and tries to reach the bedroom door. Cold air wind blows off Courage's shoulders, instead of heading down to the living room in search of his owners, he goes to bathroom. After closing the door behind him, weird whispers were invading the dog's ears again. It sounded like a female voice, and it certainly didn't sound like Muriel either. It goes on and off, Courage reaches for the sink to wash his face at least to fully awake himself, but after turning the sink valve, it didn't pour nothing.
'Water... i need water!' He began to growl under the influence of rage and starts turning both valves of the sink. Cold or hot, it didn't matter for him, just as long as he needs to wash himself, but they seem very hard to rotate those as if they were rusty jammed. Heavy breathing with one final effort to swing even much harder, the valve goes off and Courage fell on the floor with it in its paws. Realizing that after he pulled out the valve, he would've expected Eustace's yelling for making noise. But instead, the dog took a closer look now on the sink pouring strange red liquid than water. Approaching with caution, he stretches his paw to touch the liquid in fear, even though he didn't dare to beforehand.
Courage's spine went freezing cold when he realizes it was blood. He didn't stood longer and immediately wants to get out of the bathroom. But now the door was locked. How did it even locked itself? Before even realizing that, Courage's horror increased when he turns his head around from the door knob and notices the bath tub was also turned on by itself filling in blood, eventually overflowing and spilling on the floor. Courage took full force on this one and even if that sounded crazy he took the cabinet with towels, picks it up and smashes it against the door. Panting in both fear and despair to get out, it didn't work!
The dog tries one more time and this time around the whispers of his inner demonic emotion sounded like evil laughs about Courage's escape attempts. If that wasn't enough, before Courage was about to bust door down again, the scream of Muriel was heard from down in the basement. "Courage!"
"MURIEL!" Courage shouted. He scratched that door option and heading towards the window to jump outside. Trying to pry open, it was also closed shut. Attempting to punch it with his small fists, not a single scratch on the glass. What is this, bulletproof window? With full determination and rage, he stood on the ground regaining his breath, panting for air, he eventually smashed through the bathroom door with the cabinet before the blood was able to reach his feet. Running now in full speed heading to living room, he tripped down the stairway by accident and hits his head up against the clock pretty hard. Knocked down for a few seconds, he groaned in pain rubbing his head bruise. "Oohhhh..."
When he gets up from that fall he turns his head around and notices driplets of blood were about follow him down the stairs. Accompanied with the demon's laughs apparently controlling his mind. Running away before it reaches him, the dog's eyes gazed the horror when he discovered that the living room looked like as if it was turned upside down. Broken TV, heavy wind coming from the outside through shattered windows, the walls were scratched and dominated with spider webs, the front door was no more but a huge hole was there instead, in shape of a dog monster. Courage could see Eustace's hat and his newspaper behind his big red chair still in bad shape, he thought he would gain the grumpy farmer's attention. The dog grabs his leg to see why Eustace couldn't just jump to help his wife out or seeking the mess in this house.
Eustace laid down his newspaper and it revealed his skull instead devoid of any flesh. Laughing maniacly synced with Courage's inner demon voice the farmer was entirely a skeleton, and its bones collapsed on the floor. Courage seeing this, his fur went from dirty pink to icy white in just two seconds left without will to even scream. His eyes were largely wide and dropped his jaw literally.
"Courage..." Muriel called again, but this time she sounded more calm. The dog was shaking in fear to even heed Muriel's call after how Eustace ended up. This was like a nightmare he wished he shouldn't pass out. He takes a few steps foward after picking his jaw back up to its mouth to the dining room with his heart racing. Under Eustace's sofa, the blood was still converging on Courage's feet.
After a few moments of despair it seems that things have been silenced just for a bit. The dog had no choice but to open the basement door. Before even reaching the knob, the female voice whispers started to sound barely clear in his mind.
"C... oura... ge... Wake... up.!" But the demon's voice interfered. "She's waiting for you!" as he laughs as well.
"I... I..." Courage was truly unsure of the situation. Some weird feminine voice is calling him out, while Rage Demon is waiting for his cowardly half-personality of a dog to open the door and see what's wrong with Muriel.
He decided to take the chance, gaining his courage back, he opens the door and walks slowly down in the basement. He finally sets his eyes on Muriel unharmed and completely normal. She is devastated still though while sitting down next to the furnace and covering her face with her hands.
"Muriel!" Courage didn't waited much longer, he raced to his owner. Rubbing his head up against her to gain her attention, Muriel slowly uncovers her face and looks at her beloved dog guard already wagging his tail and his paws set on her legs.
The dog's happiness didn't last longer when his eyes looked up upon Muriel's face as she lowered her arms.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Her face was ripped off showing her skull face instead, followed by the demon's laugh.
Heart beating at incredible speed, Courage immediately takes his paws off of her, now this was just too much! However he couldn't evade out of the house when Muriel chased off Courage around the basement, she grabbed hold of Courage's neck. Fighting to free himself from her grip, he felt like wanting to scream but his lungs were blocked by Muriel's strength.
"M-M-Muriel! N-n-noooo!" The dog cried, he didn't deserve this nightmare but his inner twisted half-demonic personality that controls this illusionary world doesn't make it any easier.
"Once i'll cure your pathetic emotions, you'd be pleased to join my side!" The demon told. Still the Muriel skeleton won't let go of Courage, the dog is losing air!
"What you see now is a destroyed realm thanks to your failures for being a coward." As the demon spoke, the entire house was now lifted in the air, leaving the basement roofless. Just like how it happened during the apocalypse. "...because you failed to protect what you loved."
"I c-c-can't!" Courage tried to spoke. "Let me g-g-go!" Thunders and lightnings were booming in the background as the heavy wind of the weather was making this scene into even more terrifying looking.
"Obey me. Come with me. And you will never fail ever again on saving what you truly desired the most." The Muriel skeleton spoke as the red liquid touched Muriel's feet. It started to form up a pool of blood deeper enough to dive in.
"Don't resist, i won't kill you." But it sure doesn't seem that way considering that Courage's head was turning blue by the lack of air. Both Courage and skeleton Muriel were starting to sink in and even the dog's tears weren't enough to wake up out of this nightmare. Just a few inches before Courage himself was about to touch the pool of blood as the skeleton Muriel was already half way down. If he was sucked in entirely, that would totally erase his coward personality, his memories, and condemned to all eternity into a much worse illusion resembling heaven for Courage while in reality he's out for a killing spree. But suddenly...
"WAKE UP!" The female voice blew out the dog's ears. Followed by a hot water SPLASH!
"AAAAAAAAAHHhh" Courage finally screamed bulging his eyes out. The entire scenery from before has changed immediately.
[Elsewhere Village]
[Mad Dog's Control = 3 Points] - [Katz's Control = 1 Point]
Gasping for air, wet to the bone, and seeing again the reality now. Courage sets himself up immediately gasping uncontrollably from that illusion of a nightmare that looked like it almost could've taken the dog's life out. His vision was blurry along with a headache formed. He could feel his chest was burning a little bit as he coughed continuously.
"By all V8 Gods, you are such a heavy sleeper." said the female character next to Courage. He finds himself in an old shack with bed and fireplace. Still better than being outside. "And a crazy sleepwalking psycho too."
Courage finally has the will to speak again as he rubs his eyes "I, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- " he meets himself with a tiny raven lady holding up an empty bucket. Assuming she used that to splash Courage awake.
"EEek!" Courage was caught by surprise seeing a bird stranger unfamiliar to talk with. A black raven wearing a dirty apron strapped up with tools such as those used in medical surgery, while the bird herself was a little smaller than Courage. But her expression looked like she hasn't got a chance to nap or get a break.
"Eh, i've seen many lunatics in my home. You're lucky that i didn't threw you out or alarming the neighbors. Our guardian would be very mad then." She throws the bucket away.
"Who-.. Who are you?" The dog asked mildly scared.
"Does it matter my name?" The bird told as she looks uninterested. "You won't even care once you leave."
Despite that, Courage was coughing even though he still had a growling stomach. But all of his injuries from the past adventures minus the eye scar seems to be treated. The dog didn't felt truly home belonging to a stranger she took him under her care. But now not having any idea if this raven lady may be friendly or hostile, Courage had to stay at least until he figures out how did he even got here. Judging by his bandages around his body now wearing off or ripped apart, he could accept the fact that this stranger may have helped him out. He had a lot of questions, but first...
"What's the big idea? Trying to ruffle my feathers all of a sudden?" The bird asked with her wings crossed.
"It... it's... complicated." Courage said rubbing her stomach and wiping her eyes from all that water. Just as he did that, he noticed on his paws that his sharp claws were starting to return to normal. "Whatever happened was out of my will, i swear."
"Bleh, at least i prefer seeing you this way than your other form of a beast." She told. "Shouldn't you control yourself, pink bean?"
"I am trying my best. If you're so kind, would you please give me some water." He told. The raven heard but stood a few seconds thinking. She then uses the bucket again, until Courage corrects her thinking she would splash him again. "To drink!" He shouted. That made her giggle like a cute bird.
"I would throw you a bucket to drink out of, but then it'll be a total waste. Here." She gives him a big cup of cold water instead. Courage immediately dived in the cup to rehydrate himself after many hours of nothing to drink. His tail wagging meant he was happy.
"I guess you're hungry as well. I'm no sacrifice, if that's what you're up to." She heard his stomach growling like a monster while Courage felt embarassed by that. "How long since you ate last time?"
"Got lost in thoughts to even care. But i'm not trying to eat you." The dog says while he puts the mug down.
"Save your words, pink bean! My head may be hit a few times by all the twisted village patients i had to deal with, but you don't fool me one bit! You were out to kill me." She gave a cold look at Courage.
"Look, I'm really sorry! Don't you see me now somehow changed that you woke me up?"
"I suppose. How do i know if you don't change your mind?" The bird asked.
"I'm not. And i thank you very much.. for helping me." Courage told.
"So uuh, you don't remember anything during your sleep?" The bird scratches her chin.
"Only thing i remember.. are my past nightmares." Already worried if its true what the lady bird said, he rubs his stomach still hungry and lost in thoughts about the nightmare he had that almost felt real. What if Courage would've killed her in the process under subconsciousness, that wouldn't be something the dog really wished to witness after awakening. Still, being forcefully awakened by a bucket of hot water, was something unexpected and yet refreshing. For now, it seems pointless to tell her his story about his dream that was none of her concern, so he stood in silence and sad unless the raven lady insists to hear it.
The little bird turns around reaching for a couple of boxes right next to the fireplace to rummage in. Courage could hear outside the noise of villagers minding their own business as he still sits in bed. Looking through the window, he discovers the location was occupied by different types of animal survivors, but barely ever saw a human or dog survivor between them.
"Eat up." She brought two cans of dog food already opened.
Courage's inner demon whispers barely tries to reconnect with his mind again, distorted voices this time but Courage shakes his head off to forget and attacks those dog food cans like a wild animal. It was pretty expected since it's been a long time without food at all. Suddenly Courage paused from eating and looked at her. She feels disgusted.
"Hehe, sorry.." The dog apologizes for his lack of manners. Raven lady waved her wing that it's no problem. And with that in mind, Courage remembered that he needs to eat very slow, if he doesn't want all the food coming out due to his sensible stomach.
The dog finishes both cans wiped out clean. "Thanks. I hope i didn't attracted too much attention." Courage told.
"Well, you were sleepwalking around and you seemed to be turning into a wild beast." She replied. The dog's eyes widen as he expected. "Before that, you barely shown any signs of breathing. I thought you were almost dead. Looked after your wounds and cuts, its no surprise to me that you may be went hunting. That is until you began to shake.. transforming... and attacked me." She explains.
Courage was left without voice as his lower jaw hit the bed.
"Lucky i know how to defend myself. Before you even tried to catch me i dodged and, you just hit yourself with your head up against the fireplace. Fortunately not directly in the fire." The bird indicates where she experienced the little death dance. "If you weren't the guardian's friend, i would've closed shut the fireplace the moment you went in."
"What guardian are you talking about?" Courage scratches his head not giving attention of what the bird could've done to him for going berserk.
"Ohohoho" she laughed. "Tall, big, fearless, hairy with giant feet. A real deal. Everytime my ancestors flew across the world before the apocalypse, only disasters they have witnessed caused by humans. And Mother Nature is not something you should mess with." She flies over to the boxes next to fireplace.
Of course by the moment she mentioned about giant feet, Courage could assume she was talking about Bigfoot.
"And even though everything has been erased off the face of Earth, we hardly even keep order for those who survived. Mother Nature is now angry with us..." The raven told.
Gathering back Courage's nightmare, he now thought the head blow might just be the similar feeling when he accidently hit the clock in his dream. But now he was confused about how did Bigfoot became their guardian.
"That is until a strange big monster came out of nowhere in the woods when my ancestors minded their own business for survival. As if being attacked by felines or other predators weren't enough. The guardian scared them off and us too but it happened quite often." She told. "Until we realized that he only protected us. Why? I don't know. But if it weren't for him, me or my sister wouldn't been here by now."
"Oh, Bigfoot.. he's my friend! Where is he? Where are the others?"
"If you hold still now i may get the chance to replace your bandages, pink bean! Then i'll tell you the whole thing." She flies and lands on his head to rip off his older bandages. Courage on the other hand still felt scared about her company.
"Were you the one who whispered into my ears?" The dog asked.
"Yes, but i didn't really whispered. I yelled at you, Courage." She flies on top of his head examining his injuries. "Now don't be afraid, the hard part is now over!"
"My friends told you my name?" Courage raised an eyebrow.
"Oh boy, i think you lost more than just your head. You must have had some serious brawls going on. Are you a fighter or hunter?" The raven lady asked.
"No, i'm not." The dog shook his head. She flies off Courage's head and checks around inside the drawers.
"Calm down, pink bean. About your friends, they went out to check the village. You're in Elsewhere. And your truck is not far from here. It was pretty busted when you guys arrived with my sister, Vesha. Oh and i go by Viss anyway."
"Viss... what a name." Courage calmed himself down as he leaned down back on the bed trying to forget his twisted nightmare.
"Yeah, and they say i dream enough craziness. But you, you seem to be a worth competitor for me."
'I gotta go find my friends. I wonder if this nurse knows anything.' The dog thought himself. But firstly he had some more questions for Viss to answer.
"Ah, there they are. Blasted bandages, i always forget where i keep the spares!" Viss pulled out of the drawers some more bandages for Courage since his last transformation ripped them apart.
"Now hold still, or i won't go easy on you the second time!" She stood on top of his head bandaging the bruise formed.
"Ouch.." Courage flinched.
"Oh you are such a baby too!"
"Enough teasing please, and thank you... for helping me. It means alot. But i wanna ask you something."
"I'm not used to be thanked for. Go ahead, pink bean!" She also throws a towel to Courage to wipe his face off and himself from that water splash.
"How long have i been out, and do you know if my friends will come back?" He asked nervously.
She sighs. Even though Viss wasn't that type of person to keep long conversations repeatedly, she barely knew about Courage, but to pass the time until he recovers or perhaps one of his friends comes back to him, being silent while working as a nurse wasn't something she liked. Viss had alot of patients coming to her home acting as the main village hospital. Unlike her sister being a straight up stubborn gunslinger, Viss preferred peace even in these hard post-apocalyptic times.
"You were passed out the entire day and last night.. until now. You were very cold as ice and barely even breathing. My sister and our clan brought you here when your vehicle went through one of the village defenses she implemented. It has been parked to a garage not far from here for repairs. That scarecrow with sunglasses is with the vehicle too. Fairly arrogant fellow. Didn't even said hello to me and gave me cold stare like he wouldn't trust me. You can check them outside although i was told to keep you inside until you are fully recovered." She begins anyway to tell the whole story as she works on Courage's wounds.
'Scarecrow! Computer!' he immediately recognized them in thoughts.
"Then that old coot with a camel back, my goodness that poor fellow, i am amazed he still stands up for his age, and with a torn off leg. I treated him as well but those bite marks will remain forever! Say you beans were going after Mad Dog. Is it true?" Viss asked him to confirm what she heard.
"Yes..." Dog replies in pain.
"Why? That monster with bloody eyes mountain of a dog terrorizes every part of this wasteland. You're heading straight into the lion's den, pink bean! And not even my sister can go that far." She told.
"I know." Courage is already confident of that. "That is our own goal. I have to save some other old friends he's been always looking out for. They must be in danger. And return back what he has stolen." He says.
"I'm not so sure that's a good idea. By V8 Gods, did he even do that to you!?" Viss finished bandaging his head and now she gets down on his arms while noticing Courage's ugly left eye scar.
"No, that was one of his dogs who attacked me at my home." The dog couldn't help but remember the destroyed Bagge Farm in the process when was searching for his owners. With that thought in mind, his brain seems to shred back into what he fears to hear again, the whispers of his enraging demon formed within.
Viss finishes bandaging Courage and puts her tools back in the trunk. But for a few seconds she stood there grieving. "I can relate."
"Elsewhere isn't safe anymore. My da was better at fighting these hordes of dogs, and rarely even cats since he was the ruler of this village. But then, they slaughtered him... outnumbered us than usual minor raids they often did. Mad Dog came in personally after everyone have either been murdered or went hiding." Viss sniffs as her tears began to drop on her trunk.
"I'm really sorry." Courage told. "You don't have to tell me, if you don't feel like it."
"It's alright. I... never spoke that closely with a patient like you. Who knows when or if i'll ever meet a patient that doesn't have brawns for brains." She wipes out her tears while sobbing.
"Are the villagers that bad or ungrateful at you for helping them?" The pink dog asked.
"After that massacre, everyone's morale went down the hill. Lost hope, pink bean. Only Vesha stood up against the wardogs but her judgement is poor. She likes to attack first then analyze things second. You are so lucky your friends brought you here in one piece, rather than riddled with holes. With the return of the Guardian i can only hope we are indeed safe for now."
Courage gulped, learning that Viss's sister is a bad sport. At the same time he can only wonder what will become of Elsewhere's future without a good leader to protect the villagers and assure a steady income for everyone's lives. Although Bigfoot the Guardian? The brigade just went already into a hole they cannot climb out of, and Courage scratches his head for a possible solution.
"It's like this monster of a dog turned this village upside down to search somebody he had lost!" Viss spread her wings in agony.
"Bunny." Courage spoke. "That's whom he's after."
Viss paused and walks slowly to Courage as her eyes seems to go on fire.
"Half of the village... dead. Obliterated. Vanquished. Mad Dog. Murdered. My. Dad... Just to reclaim a DARN CARROT DEVOURER ?!"
"Hardly an ordinary rabbit!" Courage stood back in fear from her enraging expression but it was understandable she couldn't believe it.
"Courage! I do not believe this nonsense even if i would be the last living being on this wasteland!" She turned her back on him with her wings crossed.
"I'm telling the truth!" The dog tries to be honest even though it seems like being straight with Viss doesn't seem to work out.
"Really, what's so special about it then? Breeding half-canine half-rabbits to death? Cause i pretty much doubt a dog and a rabbit could go along that well!" She told.
Well, that outta jump into a bizarre conclusion Courage wouldn't want to experience. However the dog tries to calm her down and tell at least a summary of his past to make Viss understand better, if she wants to believe it that is.
"Please, listen. You may believe what you want or think its true, but i'm only trying to save her from Mad Dog, so that she can be with a much better friend to hang out with, even in these hard times. I know Bunny because i saved her once, and now seeing the world has been crippled with his army makes me want to reassure her protection." He explained.
"And that so-called friend... would be you?" Viss asked turning her head back to Courage.
He sighed. "No. You wouldn't believe either if i tell you whom she mostly hangs out with. Bunny has to make her own decisions, if she's still alive to even remember me or her friend."
"I would care less about this deal with you and the rabbit" Viss told. "But i wouldn't breathe easy until i avenge my father. You seem to be quite determined i admit it."
Courage looked on her with a very honest expression while still sitting in bed waiting for his friends to come back even though he could just take a few steps outside for some fresh air. Viss said "I will consider this time that you're speaking the truth." The dog nodded until she completes with "...i can only hope that unhealing mind of yours would not manipulate any judgements in your life."
A knock came from the hut's door along with a bell sound barely hearing outside. Viss shouted "Yes? Who is it?"
"It's us." "We came for Courage." Two familiar voices perked up Courage's ears.
"Come in!" She let them in. When the door opened, the pink dog sets his eyes finally on some familiar faces. Both Hunchback and Scarecrow came in to check on the dog.
"Courage!" Scarecrow shouted. "You're aliiive!" The old man was happy as well!
The dog's smile went wider than it should, he jumped off the bed and landed on Scarecrow's lap hugging each other with his tail wagging. Viss couldn't help but admire their warm arrival.
"We were.. so worried.. about you, boy!" Hunchback patted the dog. Courage barked in enjoyment.
Until Viss shushed him unexpectedly. "SSHHH!" The trio looked at her. "Don't bark, dog! If the other villagers hear we have a dog in here, they'll trash my house or kill me!"
"Oh, that's right, Courage." Scarecrow confirms her.
"Huh?" Courage looks at Viss confused.
"Elsewhere villagers are consumed with anger and hate towards any dog race because of Mad Dog's massacre. If you have to wander around outside without ending up with a pitchfork through your chest, i suggest you wear this cloak for disguise." Viss warned him, she goes back to her trunk and takes out a long brown cloak quite bigger than Courage's size.
"The same cloak you were brought in here with, thanks to my sister." Viss added.
"Here. I gave one too for that green gypsy girlfriend of yours." She smirked and winked.
The dog sighed as he was expecting something like this. Until he blushes a bit saying "Shirley? She's... well.. not my-" he then gets interrupted by Viss "Oh quit being an adorable shy pink bean, and put this on if you wanna live to see the next day."
"Thank you, miss Viss." Hunchback thanked her for taking care of Courage.
"We would repay you if we had money but.." Scarecrow felt like rewarding Viss for the incredible effort she has put in but economy was lost after the apocalypse.
"Money? What is this word "money" ? Viss asked. "We take salvage."
"Salvage?" Courage asked.
"On the wasteland, scrap is like gold! Pieces of metal are scattered everywhere. And survivors are trading scrap for goods. Not only it can be used for currency, but you have any idea how useful these are to produce weapons, vehicles and other things?" Viss explained spreading her wings as well to fly.
The trio looked at eachother truly unaware of this turn of events despite that they used indeed alot of scrap just to make it this far here. So the brigade accepted this kind of condition.
"Normally i would charge on that pink bean one grand of salvage for almost chocking me to death after awakening..." Hunchback and Scarecrow looked on Courage stoned, while the dog felt awkward yet truly sorry "Ehehe... sorry." The dog laughed cowardly.
Viss continued "But you boys seems to be on an important mission so you don't owe me anything for now, simply because you are close friends to the Guardian. I only wish he was here during the Elsewhere massacre, Mad Dog wouldn't stand a chance! And my father would've been proud to assist you in your mission."
"Wait, before we go..." Courage said jumping off Scarecrow's lap. He waves his paw for Viss to come down.
"What?" She lands back on the floor. Courage immediately hugs her as a reward instead, as a way of saying thanks. Viss's eyes bulged and she blushed as well, confirming she was never thanked for helping people out recovering from the massacre. But being hugged by a dog has at least gave Viss faith in life once more, that not all dogs are evil.
"Consider this my thanks." The pink dog told.
"You... You have a safe path, pink bean." She said while almost crying.
"I will." He told smiling. "We will!" He looks back at his friends.
"Ready to go?" Scarecrow asked, and the dog nodded.
"Bye!" Hunchback waved as he leaves with others. Viss also waved her wing.
Everyone have exited the hut, leaving Viss all alone. Her tears were beginning to form again from that little goodbye experience. She was now laying down on the bed where Courage stood. Being hugged and thanked for was worth more than just a pile of scrap.
With all being said, everyone needs some bits of hope to get a move on with their lives after their beloved ones passed away. And while this surely isn't an easy task for Courage himself, he together with his friends will try their best to raise morale in Elsewhere at least.
The trio stands outside of the hut observing the village view. Different types of animals except dogs were trying to repair their lives, if not back to normal, but to a decent living even though every peasant still remained heartbroken. Ravens were acting as guards outside the village perimeter. As the place itself looked like a distorted land of Nowhere. In the outskirts were plenty of fireplaces and spike strip traps acting as the main means of defense.
"Guys?" Courage asked while covered in cloak.
"Yes, Courage?" Scarecrow asked.
"Where are the others?" The pink dog looked around.
"They're trying to get used with this place, like we do." He answered. "Miss medium went to black market and the big monster is hanging around with that stubborn little bird."
"Vesha..." Hunchback told her name.
"We stood with you for so long inside that hut, i was worried you will never wake up. Our friends decided to check outside while i stood with our vehicle in the repair garage." Scarecrow pointed out the auto-repair-shop not far from Viss's hut.
"Is Computer alright?" Courage asked nervously.
"Hehehe.." Hunchback giggled. "The machine... is fine. Let's go."
"We'll have plenty to discuss later on." Scarecrow told as they all went to the garage.
Hopefully Courage's senses has somehow recovered from that long deadly sleep. Most likely his friends were treated well by Viss, courtesy of Bigfoot's involvement with the Ravens before and after the apocalypse. The dog didn't questioned about Scarecrow acting rude with Viss because he knows his past well. And so the Courageous Brigade began their exploration within Elsewhere village. Even if it means undercover for dogs, as Courage barely controls his inner mind. Unhealed as ever.
THE END of Chapter 9.
Author's Note: If you recognize the episodes with "Courage the Fly" with having Muriel's face ripped off by Eustace and "The Big Stinkin' City" where Eustace's bones were talking after his flesh has been eaten in the end, then you know how did i came up with Courage's twisted nightmare at the beginning lol. Combined with the actual fiction plot here, i thought it could be more terrifying. My bad hehe.