Hats, Kangaroos, and Vandals

by purpleshard5

Courage sets out to find Eustace a new hat, but along the way he will run into old faces and certain peril.

"Stupid dog!"

Those were Eustace Bagge's two favorite words.

Him, his wife Muriel Bagge, and the little pink dog Courage, live in the middle of Nowhere...Nowhere Kansas to be precise. Their little farmhouse was the only thing that could be seen for miles in this desert land, everything else was sand. All in all, living out here appeared to be a bare, yet tranquil, lifestyle.

But this tranquility was misleading.

More perilous things happen in this barren place than one might think. Alien abduction, the dead rising from the grave, anthro bananas deep in the future, flan entrapinor's selling their product with subliminal messages, etc; as a frighteningly thin news reporter would say, creepy stuff happens in Nowhere. And often times it fell upon a certain 'Stupid Dog' to protect his home and elderly owners from such perils.

But right now, he was facing peril himself.

Peril he could never escape from.

The wrath of his grumpy old master.

"Where's me hat?" Growled Eustace to the dog quivering in front of him, his bald head covered by Muriel's shower cap for the moment. "What have you done with it, you stupid dog?"

"Now Eustace," said Muriel, the plump old lady sitting in her rocking chair in their living room, knitting something. "Courage has been in here with me the whole time. He couldn't have done anything with your hat."

"Phooy!" Shouted the grouchy old man. "My hat didn't just get up and walk away."

"You probably just misplaced it," said Muriel. "Maybe if you retrace your steps from when you had it last…"

"Nonsense," interrupted Eustace, "I've searched every part of the whole house."

On the roof, a bug eyed seagull pecked at a brown newsboy's hat, tearing the fabric.

"Ahahaha," the seagull laughed obnoxiously, gripping the tattered hat with its beak and fluttering off.

"The dog must have stolen it just to tick me off," Eustace growled, "And it's working."

Reaching into the pocket of his green overalls, Eustace pulled out an enormous mask with a hideous green face.

"BOOGA BOOGA BOOGA!"

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!" Courage screamed at the top of his lungs, his skin flying off to reveal his skeleton. He then lunged under Muriel's skirt, knocking her knitting from her hands, his fearful trembling making her whole body shutter.

"Now Eustace, don't be impolite," scolded Muriel. "If you haven't found your hat after searching the whole house maybe you should do something else to take your mind off of it for a while." She held up the remote for the TV and switched it on. "Watch a little TV and relax."

"Can't relax," grumbled Eustace as he sat in his infamous red chair and turned to their ancient TV, a goofy looking man with a banana through his head in the fashion of the old arrow through head gag dancing idiotically showing on the screen. "Not till I find my….SNORE!"

Eustace spontaneously fell asleep in his chair.

"Oh Courage, what should we do?" Muriel asked, Courage crawling out of her skirt and into her lap to be lovingly petted. "You know how Eustace feels about his hat. If he hasn't found it already I fear it might be lost for good this time."

Courage looked at the slumbering old man and growled slightly.

"Now Courage, I know you and Eustace have your differences, but he's still part of the family," said Courage, wiggling a finger. "We really should try all we can to help. But what should we do if we never find Eustace's hat?"

Courage tapped his chin, humming in thought, then snapped his paw as a 40 watt bulb appeared over his head. That evening, the sound of dog paws on computer keys echoed through the attic as Courage sat at his ever resourceful computer.

"A new hat for the farmer?" Said the computer in a thick British accent. "Have you tried going out shopping, or looking in a catalog, you twit?"

Courage scowled, then began typing more sentences into the computer.

"Needs to be just like the old one, huh?" Asked the computer. "Old chrome dome's really picky, eh?"

An exasperated frown formed on Courage's face before he typed in another sequence of words.

"Whoa, whoa, no need for such language," said the computer, "Show me a picture of what you are looking for and I will see what I can dig up."

Smiling at the progress, Courage placed a photo of him, Muriel, and Eustace in the computer's scanner and stood patiently. For a time the computer blipped, then dinged.

"How fortunate, I've found a perfect match, being sold for a very reasonable price."

"Yay!" Shouted Courage with glee

"In Florida."

Courage gasped, his jaw going slack, then popping off and crashing through the floor, leaving his cheeks torn like paper. Sitting back in the chair, with his jaw miraculously back in place, Courage typed a few words.

"Sorry, mail order is not available," replied the computer. "Pickup only."

Courage facepalmed.

"Be sure to pack clean underwear," said the computer mockingly.

Courage started up Eustace's staggering old pickup truck and began to drive down the road. He drove diligently, several landscapes and random weather patterns sweeping by the truck's window, a calendar in the background losing its months one at a time. Eventually, he drove past a sign that said, rather goofily, Welcome to Florida.

Courage trembled as he drove past several tall, twisting trees in the dead of night, their branches interwoven by moss covered vines. An owl hooted somewhere, then a shadowy figure fell in the road. Courage gasped and slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching. The vehicle slammed to a stop just before hitting whatever it was.

Courage mumbled incoherently in the driver's seat, having no clue what it could be in the road. What could be out in this inhospitable swamp? Slowly, Courage leaned out the truck's window.

A white bunny twitches its whiskers, illuminated by the headlights.

Courage sighed in relief. The bunny looked up at him, then cheerfully hopped away. With the way clear, Courage continued down the road.

His destination wasn't as cheerful.

Courage was looking at an old, run down house from the truck, surrounded by mist, growth, and muck. Deep water stood between him and the house, leaving him with no choice but to park and leave the relative safety of the truck. The noises of the swamp surrounded him as he approached the waters edge.

Apparently this was the place, and the only way to reach it was a series of floating logs.

Courage gulped, "The things I do for love."

Slowly, Courage began leaping from log to log with nimble acrobatics. But when he reached the middle log he lost his balance. He whimpered slightly and leaped to another log before he could topple into the bog.

A log that looked suddenly up at him as he stood on its back.

Courage screamed in terror as a large gator lunged out of the water, snapping its teeth in his face. He took off running, foregoing the logs and just running across the murky water as successfully as if it were dry land. The gator was hot on his tail, snapping its teeth in an attempt to snag him.

Eventually, Courage made it to the house across the bog, which the door opened, seemingly to admit him. Before the gator could pursue him inside the funnel shaped barrel of a musket jutted out and slammed into its nose. The gator blinked once.

'BANG!'

The gator was sent flying by the gunshot, landing in the water with a charred face. He floated away on his back, laughing idiotically.

But whoever it was that drove off the gator apparently wasn't much better company. Courage hollered in pain and terror as multiple different sound effects echoed from the house, ranging from sirens, saws, to plungers. Then, with the sound of something being kicked hard, Courage came flying out of the house and back across the water.

He landed before his truck with a thud, one eye swollen and his fur burnt. Disoriented, Courage looked at the hat he now held in his paw. He laughed exasperatedly, displaying rows of broken teeth, the only intact one having a hole clear through it.

The hat resting on the passenger side of the truck, Courage began the long return journey. It had been horrible, but at least he had completed his self imposed mission. Until a wind blew through the window that was still open from when Courage saw that rabbit, sweeping up the hat and carrying it outside.

Courage gasped in panic, slamming the brakes then leaping out the swerving truck after the airborne hat. With a mighty leap, Courage dove for the hat and managed to grab it. But his leap sent him over a cliff.

Courage screamed as he plummeted to the ground below, impacting with a dull thud and kicking up a mushroom cloud.

The hat now secured to a two ton weight with multiple chains and locks, Courage once again resumed for home.

That night his stomach growled loudly. Whimpering, Courage rubbed his empty tummy; he hadn't had anything to eat since leaving the farm. He was driving through empty land when a diner came into view. Courage smiled as he saw it, why not? What could happen from stopping for a bite to eat?

The waiter jotted down Courage's order, though he appeared to be speaking in gibberish. Relaxing, and waiting for his food, Courage pulled up a paper with the headline Run For Your Life, sipping coffee while he read.

"Excuse me miss, but can I have a refill on my coffee?" Asked another customer.

"Right away, sir," said a soft, feminine voice.

"Huh?"

Courage knew that benign tone. Looking up from his coffee and paper, his recognition was confirmed. It was Bunny.

The bright pink, bipedal bunny was supporting a waitress' apron and writing down the other customers' requests in a notebook. She obviously worked at this establishment.

Courage remembered vividly his encounter with her the last time they met. His valiant effort to save her from her deranged boyfriend Mad Dog; oh how he ached after that. But it was worth it to reunite the poor abused girl with her beloved friend.

Speaking of which.

"Here you go, sir," said another voice.

"Why thank you, madam," said a mustachioed duck with blue hair in a thick french accent.

Courage looked over, and, oblivious to the presence of one of his long time nemesi, saw the red, bipedal cat Kitty placing a croissant at the booth. While his introduction to her had been less than a pleasant one, he still fought tooth and nail for her sake as well. And from the looks of things, they both were now leading a modest life.

Courage smiled and went back behind his paper. They hadn't seen him, but that was fine by him. They seemed happy the way they were, and even if conversing with some familiar faces might brighten up his bleak journey, he need not burden them with his troubles. After finishing , and he was well fed and preparing to leave, Courage got into Eustace's truck and started the engine. But when he was about to drive away after backing out of his parking spot a fancy red car cut him off, forcing him to stop.

"Watch where you going, ya fool," said sunglasses wearing driver as he sped away into the distance.

Courage grumbled, some people were so rude.

But as he was about to resume another car pulled into the space he once occupied. The diner Kitty and Bunny work at must be really popular. The thought made Courage smile.

But it faded when he saw who got out of the car.

It wasn't any customer, it was the last person that needed to be seen at this place. Courage gasped as Mad Dog emerged from the car, growling as he sniffed the air. Panicking, Courage dove under the dash of the truck to hide.

The last thing he needed was for Mad Dog to see him.

Trembling and mumbling, Courage reached up and popped his own eyes out of their sockets, breathed on them slightly and rubbed them with a cloth, then stuck them up over the dash, gripped in his paw. Through them he saw Mad Dog's henchmen join him outside the car.

"Alright boy's," said Mad Dog, pulling out a revolver with an oversized sight. "This looks like a decent establishment. Let's change that."

The henchmen growled in approval, drawing pistols of their own and following their boss inside.

Courage screamed, the eyeballs clutched in his hand expanding in terror. Pulling them back and popping them back in his head, Courage trembled among the gas and brake pedals, stuttering incoherently.

"Alright everyone, this is a stick up," said the voice of Mad Dog.

"What's going on out here?" Said a soft voice.

"Oh no!" Mumbled Courage, putting his paws to his mouth.

That was Bunny's voice. If Mad Dog sees her…

"Well well well, look what the cat dragged in?" Said Mad Dog.

"Mad Dog?" Shouted Bunny in terror. "No, it can't be?"

"Bunny, what's going on?" Said the voice of Kitty.

"Well well, two for the price of one, how convenient," growled Mad Dog.

Courage curled into a fetal position as the sound of scuffling and screams echoed into the truck around him; with the occasional gunshot to make matters worse. Kitty's threats and Bunny's plea's were intermingled with the sound of growls and barking, and Courage was almost overwhelmed at the thought of what might be happening to them. Then suddenly, all was silent.

Daring to peak, Courage lifted his head up past the dash.

Kitty and Bunny were being forced into the back seat of Mad Dogs car, with Kitty looking to have taken the worst of it, supporting multiple bruises, and her left arm bent irregularly. Both were being bound in rope's and appeared to be unconscious.

"Quite a night, boys," said Mad Dog, holding up a duffle bag full of money, no doubt pilfered from the diner. "Not only a good score, but now I get to have some long overdue revenge."

The three dogs growled menacingly, turning to the two girls they had trapped in their car.

"Watch them," demanded Mad Dog to his henchmen. "I'll stash the cash."

Courage watched as Mad Dog's goons got in the car to better watch the prisoners, Mad Dog himself heading to the trunk. Courage was conflicted. He knew Mad Dog was the most dangerous of the dangerous, and he was terrified out of his mind, but his conscience was killing him.

Kitty and Bunny were in real trouble, and he was the only one around who could help.

What if it was Muriel who was in danger

"Ooh, what can a dog do?" Courage whimpered to himself.

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves of mush, Courage sped out of Eustace's truck and scampered across the road. Mad Dog grew closer ahead, popping the trunk of his car and placing the bag of money inside. Taking another deep breath and clenching his eyes, Courage sped up...

...and collided with Mad Dog's leg with a squeak.

He clawed and bit at the appendage, hoping to at least accomplish something. What he got was Mad Dog's attention. The violent gangster looked down at the pitiful attack to his leg.

"YOU!" he growled, grabbing Courage by the neck with the sound of a rubber duck being squeezed. "You made me catch a train I didn't want to catch the last time I saw you." He growled in Courage's face, who squirmed valiantly, but in vain. "Allow me to give you a free ride this time. ALL ABOARD THE PUMMEL EXPRESS!"

Mad Dog tossed Courage high in the air, and on his way back down, delivered a powerful blow to Courage's sternum. The poor dog was sent flying into the distance, impacting a standing stone with enough force to leave an impression of himself. With a groan of pain, Courage fell to the ground, looking ragged and with bloodshot eyes.

"Miserable pipsqueak thinks he can take me?" Laughed Mad Dog, turning to enter the car with his minions and captives. "Not in this lifetime."

Courage could only watch helplessly as the car began to speed away, but before it got far it sputtered and quit.

"You idiots, we're out of gas!" Grumbled Mad Dog, Courage still able to hear him in the distance. "Go get some before I bury the both of you."

The two henchmen came scrambling out of the car, one carrying a gas can.

Maybe that could give Courage time to think of something. But what could he do? Mad Dog was right, he was a pipsqueak, especially compared to Mad Dog.

Moaning in pain, Courage sat up on his knees, massaging his aching back. He felt a scar beneath his fur. It was where Dr. Vindaloo had 'surgically' inserted that Kangaroo Monster bone fragment.

Courage remembered that incident vividly.

Where Eustace had been unintentionally transformed into a giant Kangaroo Monster after having a bone transplanted into him, then he abducted his wife Muriel. Courage had been left with no choice but to have a piece of Kangaroo Monster bone transplanted into himself as well, transforming him into the same beast to face Eustace one on one.

If only he were still a Kangaroo Monster, then Mad Dog would be the one pushed around effortlessly.

Courage gasped, could that be a plausible solution?

The procedure was most painful last time, would he be willing to go through it again? Looking into the distance, he saw Kitty and Bunny still locked up in Mad Dog's car, helpless. Again, if it were Muriel in there…?

Springing up and shaking his head, Courage tooted a fanfare and sped into action. If more muscle was needed then he would achieve it any way possible. But first he needed to get to Dr. Vindaloo.

The truck wasn't fast enough, he needed an alternate mode of transportation. First rushing into a shipping supply store that was situated out here for some reason, and after the sound of a cash register, Courage headed to a public post box situated alone out in the barren area, carrying a huge cardboard box. Taking out a label and checking express delivery, Courage jumped into the box, sealed it from within, then stuck his paws out and yanked it into the mailbox, along with himself.

Seconds later a postal truck rode up, claimed the mail, and sped away.

Dr. Vindaloo was finishing up with his latest patient, opening the door and coming out.

"It's nothing to worry about," he said to a bearded man with a sink faucet sticking out of his head. "Nothing to worry about at all."

After closing the door behind him a postal truck came zooming through 's very office, dropping a large box, then driving away.

"Oh my," said Dr. Vindaloo, bending over to examine the box. "What have we here?"

Courage erupted from the box, gasping for air.

"Ah, dog," greeted Dr. Vindaloo simply as he recognized Courage. "What can Dr. Vindaloo do for you today?"

Courage began sputtering gibberish, changing into multiple different shapes. First he changed into two small version of Kitty and Bunny, cowering as a drooling, monsterized version of Mad Dog growled over them, then changing into a miniature version of Mad Dog's car with a duffle bag of money in the trunk, then to a version of himself as a Kangaroo Monster punching at the air with boxing gloves on and humming a fanfare. He then changed back to normal, whimpering.

"You have a rash?" Asked Vindaloo. "No problem, just keep soaking it."

Facepalming, Courage reached up and lightly yanked on Dr. Vindaloo's Kangaroo Monster bone earring then pointed at his back.

"Oh, you want me to insert this into your back again?" Dr. Vindaloo asked.

Courage nodded with an "mhmm."

Dr. Vindaloo paused for a second then shrugged. "Okie dokie."

Courage was once again laying on his stomach on the operating table in that ridiculous room, sweating.

"Okay, now hold still now," said Dr. Vindaloo, holding the pointy bone to Courage's back and holding up a mallet in the other.

Courage gulped and closed his eyes.

'WHAM!'

"YEEOOW!"

Dr. Vindaloo picked up a roll of tape, tore a piece off and strapped whatever he'd just done shut.

"All done," he said.

Courage groaned, the tape holding together who knows what on his back.

But it was done, now there were those that needed his help and time was of the essence. Swallowing his pain, Courage left the operating room and returned to the box he arrived in. Sealing himself within once more and stuck out a paw, marking return to sender on the label, the mail truck zoomed back in and picked it up.

"Bon voyage," waved Dr. Vindaloo through a cloud of exhaust fumes now hovering in his office.

The box was thrown into the street outside the diner where Eustace's truck still sat, Courage emerging. To his horror, Mad Dogs car wasn't there anymore. The henchmen must have finally found a gas station.

Turning to investigate though, Courage soon discovered a trail he could follow. A trail of money from the duffle bag. It must have leaked out the back.

"Yes," he cheered, taking off after the literal paper trail.

Along the way he examined himself. He hadn't transformed yet, and that might be a problem. But unfortunately, he could not worry about that right now.

Who knows what foul thing Mad Dog had in store for Kitty and Bunny?

Following the impossibly long trail of money led Courage back into the swamp, the night seemingly closing in around him. Eventually, the scattered money led off the road and headed down a muddy path between the trees. Courage looked with uncertainty.

"I just know I'm not going to like this," he gulped.

Beginning down the muddy path, Courage no longer needed to follow the trail of loose money, thanks to the fresh tire tracks in the mud. He grew more anxious the deeper he got, but he was the only chance Bunny and Kitty had to escape their current situation now. And unfortunately, how serious that situation was proved to be all too true.

Eventually, Courage found Mad Dog's car.

It had been left with the motor running, so the headlights could illuminate ahead. Courage gasped and leaped behind one of the cars open front doors. Shaking, he peeked over through the window.

Mad Dog had dangled Kitty and Bunny over a deep pond with some kind of a pulley system attached to a nearby tree on the bank, his minions casually lowering them to the water. Poor Kitty's eyes were closed and she appeared unresponsive, but Bunny was awake and squirming and struggling for what she could to break free. When Courage looked to the water he let out a frightened gasp upon seeing several gator's circling in wait.

Mad Dog laughed sadistically as he watched as his minions continued to lower the prisoners to their watery graves.

"Won't be long now, Bunny," he taunted. "Got any last words?"

Bunny continued to struggle next to her unconscious friend.

"Please Mad Dog," she pleaded tearfully. "Please don't do this."

Mad Dog laughed without remorse, "Nobody crosses Mad Dog."

"YOU ANIMALS!" Screamed Bunny at the top of her lungs, "ANIMALS, ANIMALS!"

Mad dog and his goons continued to laugh wickedly

Courage mumbled in fear as Kitty and Bunny were lowered closer and closer to the hungry gator's. They didn't have much time, if he didn't do something now they were doomed. But he was still just a little pink dog.

"What do I do, what do I do?" He muttered to himself.

Looking around frantically, Courage spotted the steering wheel in the car. Acting more on impulse than anything, Courage dove into the driver's seat, and slammed the horn.

'HONK!'

"What the…!?" Mumbled Mad Dog, taking his attention away from the two he had dangled in the tree to look over at his car.

Courage honk multiple more times.

"You leave them alone," he called from inside the car.

"That pesky dog again," said Mad Dog with a growl of irritation, turning to his henchmen, "Get him, boy's."

The henchmen growled as they complied, tying the rope to a tree and halting Kitty and Bunny's descent for the moment, sinking down to all fours and bounding forward in an attack dog like fashion. Courage screamed, multiple duplicates of his head popping up from around his neck. He bound out of the car, but didn't make it far before Mad Dog's henchmen fell upon him. He struggled as they hoisted him up by his neck.

Bunny watched Courage's intervention, her eyes widening as she recognized him.

"Oh, you brave brave dog," she mumbled, "You shouldn't be here, now Mad Dog's going to hurt you too."

Mad Dog laughed.

"I'll do more than that," he said, digging out a shovel from his car. "I'm going to bury him."

Courage struggled against Mad Dogs henchmen, but he failed to even remotely break their grip. Mad Dog laughed sadistically as he approached, casually patting the shovel into his paw. Courage opened one eye as he pawed at one of the claws gripping his throat, but his dismal strength was no match for his captors.

His trembling increased as Mad Dog stopped before him, brandishing his shovel. But suddenly Courage looked down at his own body, realizing that this trembling didn't originate from his fear. His body was twitching on its own.

"NO! NO!" Pleaded Bunny as she watched Mad Dog close in on the little dog that once saved her life. "LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU MONSTER!"

Mad Dog paid her no heed as he continued to laugh cruelly…

…Until he was swatted back as Courage's foot grew several times its size and impacted him with clawed toes.

'POW!'

"MMPH!"

Mad Dog landed on his back hard, his shovel landing blade first in the mud between his pointy ears. He growled aggressively as he sat up.

"Why you...huh?" He stuttered as he watched what was happening.

Courage's other foot was twitching and wriggling, before growing the same gigantic size as the other. With both feet transformed, Courage suddenly kicked the two thugs off him, leaving him to drop to the ground. He clutched his head, now his whole body was trembling.

From above, Bunny watched as her attempted rescuer's feet grew several times their size and began kicking around Mad Dog and his goons with ease with an astonished expression.

"Dog, what's happening to you?" She asked worriedly.

Courage didn't answer, just groaned painfully as his entire body continued to shake. Then, before all their eyes, he began to grow exponentially. Mad Dog and his two muscle bound goons could only watch as the little dog, that at one point, didn't even come up to their waists, suddenly began extending upward into the sky as his height continued to increase.

Bunny watched, wide eyed as her savior grew past even her high vantage point from up in the tree and far up above past her.

Suddenly, Courage burst through tree tops, sending branches flying everywhere as he called to the sky. He no longer resembled a little pink dog. Now he looked like a gigantic cross between himself and a kangaroo.

When it was all over Courage dared to open his eyes. His new height granted him a view of the entire surrounding landscape, the sky itself seemed to be in reach. Looking down, Courage took in his new form. His giant, powerful legs, his skinny, short, but lethal arms, and the huge marsupial pouch.

"Yes!" He shouted, jumping up and down with joy, his girth shaking the whole landscape.

It worked, he was a Kangaroo Monster again.

Now, to some unfinished business.

Looking down, Courage grew a smug smirk and crossed his arms. Mad Dog stood below, transfixed in place at the behemoth he was no more than a bug to in comparison. Courage lifted a foot...

...and casually kicked Mad Dog, sending him screaming over the horizon.

Dusting off his claws, Courage looked over to Mad Dog's frozen henchmen.

"Boo," he said casually.

Both henchmen screamed to high heaven, their mouths opening impossibly wide. Immediately, they piled into Mad Dog's running car, stepping on the gas and sped away. Courage reached down, and with his large claw, plunging his fingers into the trunk of the car as it drove between his legs, plucking out the bag of money.

Courage scowled as he dropped the bag into his pouch, watching the car as it drove off into the distance and not taking his eyes away until the taillights vanished from view.

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!"

Courage started at the sound of Bunny screaming, there was still something left to do.

Slowly, Kitty regained consciousness as Bunny screamed in fear, groaning at the pain in her injured arm. Looking around, she noticed she was tied up next to her friend, the rope they were hanging from seemingly lowering them somewhere. Bunny squirmed next to her as best she could in the tight ropes, looking scared. Looking down, Kitty discovered why.

A pond filled with gator's lay below, the hungry reptiles snapping their jaws, eagerly waiting for their prey to come within range. Kitty began thrashing, same as Bunny, but couldn't manage for long with her injured arm. Bunny noticed and turned to see her friend.

"Kitty, you're awake!" She said excitedly, "Are you okay?"

"As much as I can be," said Kitty, gritting her teeth in pain at her arm. "Bunny, I don't know how we are going to get out of this."

"PLEASE, MY BRAVE DOG!" Bunny suddenly shouted above, "PLEASE, THE ROPE IS BREAKING! HELP US!"

It was true, the rope holding them suspended was breaking.

Kitty looked confused, "Who..are talking to, Bunny?"

"The little dog who helped us before, he's here to help us again Kitty," explained Bunny.

Kitty grew even more confused. She knew her friend well, well enough to know she was talking about that little pink dog they had met a while ago. He had helped out immensely back then, and was essential for them being reunited.

But even if he was here now, what could he do against these gator's?"

"So he's here?" She asked curiously, Bunny nodding. But Kitty looked down at the gator's with doubt. "But what can such a little guy do against…

Before Kitty could finish she watched, in amazement, as a humongous pink arm descended from above, plunging its enormous claw into the water, splashing most of it out onto the mud. When it reemerged it was clutching all the gator's, who squirmed like bait worms, and deposited them on the ground. Then, before they could scamper away, a gigantic foot dropped over them and smashed them into the ground.

Kitty watched as the foot lifted, nothing left of the gator's but their impressions in the mud and some gator skin suitcases.

Kitty trailed the humongous leg up to the giant body it attached to. She had to squint her eyes, but eventually she could make out the Kangaroo like monster that was towering over them. Her breathing pitched. She began squirming intensely, regardless of the growing pain in her arm.

"Kitty, calm down," said Bunny hurriedly, but reassuringly. "He's here to help."

"Bunny, are you nuts?" Said Kitty frantically, redoubling her efforts to get free. "This monster is worse than alligator's!"

Her struggling caused the rope to snap, sending them plummeting towards the ground, both screaming in fright. But the same arm that had dispatched the gator's caught them, though the grip of the claw was extremely gentle. Not that Kitty noticed.

She struggled just as vigorously now as she did in the tree.

"PUT US DOWN!" She screamed up at the creature's towering body.

"Kitty, he saved us from Mad Dog," said Bunny, "Twice now."

Kitty ceased struggling, and shot Bunny a confused look. She knew what Bunny was referring to, but it could not be true, could it? She looked up at the large creature with a doubtful expression.

"Bunny, what are you talking about?" She asked, "This thing can't be…"

Suddenly, the large creature bent over, its face, which had been draped in shadow due to its height, coming into view. It was several times its original size, but there was no mistaking that face, which wore a gentle smile. Kitty could only stare.

"It is you," she said in wonder and disbelief. "What... what happened to you?"

Courage's only response was to continue to smile gently.

"I don't know," Bunny replied for him. "He just... suddenly became that thing as Mad Dog was beating him up."

Kitty didn't question further, but that could be because she was too busy squinting as the pain in her arm returned.

"Oh no," Bunny said worriedly, turning to look up at Kangaroo Monster Courage. "Please dog, Kitty is really hurt. Can you..?"

"Mhmm," mumbled Courage.

Reaching down with his other spindly arm, Courage severed the ropes binding Bunny and Kitty with a swipe from his claws. Smiling reassuringly, Courage cradled Kitty and Bunny in his hands before gently depositing them into the safety of his pouch. They smiled, and hugged each other, tears of relief and joy streaming their cheeks now that they were safe.

"Can you get Kitty some help?" Asked Bunny.

Courage nodded, knowing exactly who he could bring her to.

"Hey dog?" Inquired Kitty, massaging her arm while Bunny held her shoulders comfortingly. "What became of Mad Dog?"

Courage opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, a high pitched scream echoed through the night. Courage, Bunny, and Kitty looked up in the direction of the noise in confusion, but then both their confusion and Kitty's question were answered when Mad Dog came sailing towards them from over the horizon. Apparently, when Courage kicked him, he kicked him with enough force to send him flying full circle.

He landed right back where he started, impacting the ground with a loud thud.

Despite his recent trip, he immediately sprang back up to his four paws, growling in fury as he faced the Kangaroo Monster that had sent him careening through the air. Kitty and Bunny screamed and held each other as Mad Dog leaped towards them, his jaws extended. He impacted Courage's knee, biting furiously at his thick fur.

Courage looked on in uncertainty for a second, but soon grew a frown of pity when he realized he could not even feel Mad Dog's attack. Tutting pitifully, Courage reached down and tapped Kitty and Bunny gently on the shoulders as they trembled in his pouch. Once they looked up at him he inclined to his knee, shaking his head at Mad Dog's pitiful attempts

They looked down and could only watch as Mad Dog, the meanest person that they had ever known, was virtually powerless against their protector.

Growing fed up with the dull-witted gangster's pointless antics, Courage lifted his leg, pinching two of his claws and aiming them at Mad Dog. Mad Dog looked up just in time to be flicked off Courage's knee, sent flying once again. He landed in the swamp with a splat.

"You might want to hold on ladies," Courage said to his passengers.

"Dog…" stammered Kitty as Courage bent his knees. "What... what are you doing?"

"What Kangaroo Monster's do best." With a mighty leap, Courage bound into the air, Kitty and Bunny screaming and holding each other as the velocity carried them all higher and higher.

So high they flew that they were almost to the moon before gravity reasserted itself, pulling the massive Kangaroo Monster back down to earth. Courage laughed as he prepared his huge feet for impact. The distant ground was moving closer.

Mad Dog opened his disoriented eyes just in time to see the massive Kangaroo Monster descending from the sky towards him. He screamed, his fur standing on end. The incoming creature increased in size.

Then Courage landed on top of Mad Dog with such force the impact crumpled the surrounding area.

Huffing impatiently, Courage lifted his foot, leaving a rather large footprint, finding Mad Dog stuck to his foot like a piece of chewing gum, little dollar signs orbiting his head. It was time to end this. Reaching out with his claws, Courage scraped Mad Dog off his foot like the fowl thing he was, Kitty and Bunny watching as he effortlessly thrashed their greatest tormenter with utter bafflement.

"Let me go!" He shouted, squirming within the Kangaroo Monster's grip. "Let me go, now!"

"I don't think so," said Courage with a scowl, looking down at the two he still held protectively in his pouch. "You've tormented these two for long enough. No more."

With a final growl, Courage tossed Mad Dog into the air, and, taking aim, did a full pirouette. Courage's long tail impacted Mad Dog, sending him flying even higher than before. Courage looked up to watch him flying away.

Mad Dog flew into outer space, screaming, heading for a large, bug eyed, dino-like creature standing on an asteroid, carrying a huge tennis racket. Once the creature saw Mad Dog coming, he took aim and whacked him like a tennis ball. His course altered, Mad Dog flew beeper into space, screaming the whole time.

Then he flew through the sun, coming out the other end resembling a fireball. He then impacted a flying saucer with a splat, the red-eyed chicken at the wheel looking up to see the flames dissipate from Mad Dog as he lay stuck to the windshield. He now resembled a giant roasted hotdog, complete with bun and mustard.

He laughed idiotically as the flying saucer carried him deeper into space to an unknown fate.

Kangaroo Monster Courage, Kitty, and Bunny watched the night sky as Mad Dog disappeared among the stars, Courage smiled.

"I don't think he will be bothering you anymore, ladies," he told those in his pouch, giving them a gentle smile.

Kitty and Bunny looked up at him, smiling gratefully before embracing each other. Returning the smile, Courage began hopping into the distance, his girth making the nearby mountain tops jump up and down.

Back at Dr. Vindaloo's office, Dr. Vindaloo was examining Kitty and Bunny's injuries as they sat on an examination table.

"A few scrapes, but you are fine, very fine indeed," he said while examining Bunny. He then turned to Kitty next to her, her arm in a sling. "You, on the other hand, have a compound fracture in your arm. But it will heal in no time, no time at all."

"Thanks doc," said Kitty as she hugged Bunny.

"No problem, no problem at all," said Dr. Vindaloo, who then handed them both folded nurses uniforms. "Now, if you are up to it, I could use new nurses, soon as possible."

Kitty and Bunny took the uniforms gratefully. Because of Mad Dog, they could no longer work at that diner and needed new employment.

"You sure this is okay, doc?" Asked Bunny as she helped Kitty into her uniform.

"Oh, most certainly," said Dr. Vindaloo. "Been needing new nurses. And don't worry. If you're worried about that no good dog who's been giving you trouble, I believe he will find the neighbors most unwelcoming, most unwelcoming indeed."

Kitty and Bunny looked out the open office door to see the door labeled as a military base across from them. On the off chance Mad Dog did come back, this would be the last place he would come near. For now, they felt safe.

"How's the dog who rescued us?" Asked Bunny concernedly.

"Oh, he's most okay," said Dr. Vindaloo, holding up a large, pointy bone dangling from a string. "Once again, the removal of the Kangaroo Monster bone was a complete success. He should be back to normal, back to normal indeed."

Kitty and Bunny looked at each other as Dr. Vindaloo attached the bone to his ear with a yodel.

They could hardly believe that the little dog would willingly have a large bone inserted into his back just so he could have a chance against Mad Dog. If he hadn't done so…?

"Can we see him?" Asked Kitty.

"Oh certainly," said Dr. Vindaloo, leading Kitty and Bunny to a nearby door. "The procedure left him weak, so I set him up in the recovery room."

He opened the door and peered inside,"Huh, could have sworn I left a dog in here."

Kitty and Bunny gasped and looked inside, finding the recovery room was indeed empty.

Courage walked down the hall of the Doctors building, supporting a few bandages, hopping every once in a while. His work was completed now that Kitty and Bunny were safe, now it was time for him to go home.

"Dog!" Called two voices from behind. "Dog, wait!"

Courage smiled and turned to see Kitty and Bunny sprinting towards him, Kitty struggling to keep up due to her injury. He hadn't intended to say goodbye, but since they apparently had other plans, he might as well. They arrived before him, kneeling down to give him a two sided hug.

"Don't just leave," said Kitty, tears leaking from her eyes. "We haven't even thanked you properly yet."

"Oh, how can we ever repay you?" Said Bunny tearfully.

Courage gently eased out of their embrace, gripping Bunny's hand and Kitty's uninjured arm. Gently, he guided their hands together. They knew his meaning.

"Don't worry dog," said Kitty, "I will always be there for Bunny."

"And I will never leave Kitty's side," said Bunny, wiping her face. "You're such a brave dog. How can we ever thank you for all that you have done for us?" She appeared to have a thought. "We don't even know your real name."

Courage smiled and reached up and adjusted his collar, revealing the large, bronze name tag.

"Courage," both Kitty and Bunny read.

"Such a fitting name," said Bunny, kissing Courage on the cheek.

"We will never forget what you have done for us, Courage," said Kitty, kissing his other cheek.

Courage only nodded to them before turning around to leave the building.

"Oh, Kitty," moaned Bunny tearfully as she leaned into her friend. "We simply have to do something to repay him. He's done so much for us."

Kitty nodded, holding her friend, fighting back tears herself. "If we ever get the chance someday we will."

Courage finally pulled up to the farmhouse.

With a new hat in paw, he found Eustace and Muriel exactly the way he left them, what with Muriel sitting in her rocking chair knitting, and Eustace deep asleep in his chair.

"Oh Courage, there you are dear," greeted Muriel, seemingly oblivious to the fact that her dog had been gone for so long. "And you found Eustace's hat. Such a good dog."

Muriel's voice somehow awoke Eustace

"What's huh?" He mumbled, but scowled when he saw Courage. "Aha, I knew you stole my hat, you stupid dog!"

Eustace grabbed the hat from Courage, who whimpered slightly as the farmer swapped the shower cap with it. Then, unsurprisingly, Eustace whipped out the same mask as before.

"BOOGA BOOGA BOOGA!"

Courage screamed as the screen irised out on his white form, it was back to business as usual.

Nature will always take its course.

No matter how many encounters you have with space aliens, the undead, mustachioed ducks, or man eating underwater she demon's. It is the one absolute, the inevitable force of the universe. It claims everything.

Courage had tears streaming his face as he snuggled into the hard wood of Muriel's rocking chair. He sniffed loudly as he continued crying, holding a framed picture to his chest. Whenever he thought he had no more tears to cry all he had to do was look at the picture once again, and a new wave of uncontrollable sobbing would overtake him.

Him and Muriel stood side by side in the photo, Eustace looking grumpy next to them.

Despite all he and his elderly owners had been through, and no matter how much Muriel meant to him, nothing could change the fact that Courage's owners were quite the elderly couple who had been getting on in years. Courage would never forget that day. The day that they just... didn't wake up.

Despite Eustace's cruelty towards Muriel and Courage, it would appear that he and Muriel were soul mates after all. They had both passed together. The last Courage ever saw of them was when Rat and Weasel pulled away in their sinister carriage.

They were to be buried in Scotland, with the rest of Muriel's family.

It wasn't fair.

First his parents, now his owners? Why was everything Courage loved taken from him? And even now, he didn't know what was going to happen to him.

He had found out that after Eustace and Muriel passed the farm had been auctioned off by the mayor of the nearby town, to some anonymous buyers. He had expected to be sent to the pound after the transaction, but miraculously, it turned out these anonymous buyers had bought the farm specifically for him. He was to be the new owner's dog, whenever they arrived.

The thought terrified Courage.

He didn't know who would buy the farm just so as to specifically have him. He was plagued by multiple terrors of whom it could be. He had made several enemies.

Was it Le Quack who purchased the farm so he could pilfer its valuables and then have his revenge on him. Was Katz going to turn the farm into some kind of labor camp, with him as the soul slave? Was Snowman going to rebuild the West Pole? Was Kajun Fox Going to cook him into a stew?

Maybe Courage should just run away?

But Courage took another look at the picture of his now gone family and broke down again. He could never leave this farm. It was his home.

His memories with Muriel were here, even if she wasn't here herself anymore.

He nuzzled into the rocking chair, faint traces of Muriel's scent still lingering.

Suddenly, Courage's keen dog ears twitched with the sound of a car pulling up, a door opening and closing before the screech of tires signaled the departure of the vehicle. He heard footsteps approach the house. Gasping, and with tears streaming his face, he stood up upon the rocking chair and looked to the front door. He saw two shadowy figures moving closer through the screen.

Panicking, Courage did what any other dog would do.

He ran upstairs and hid under the bed. He clutched the picture to his chest, trembling as he heard the front door open then close. More tears sprang from his eyes as he heard footsteps climbing the stairs.

They were getting closer.

In seemingly no time at all the bedroom door opened and Courage heard more footsteps as they approached the bed. Knowing he would be discovered at any moment, Courage clutched the picture closer and braced himself. Waiting for whatever happens next.

"Courage?" Said a gentle voice.

"Are you up here dog?" Said a sterner voice, but still gentle.

"Huh?" Courage looked up to see one pair of pink furred legs and another pair of red furred legs approaching the end of the bed.

Slowly, Kitty and Bunny knelt down and looked at him as he lay trembling under the bed.

"There you are," said Kitty, smiling.

"Oh, look at the poor dear," said Bunny worriedly, putting a paw to her mouth. "He's scared to death."

Kitty extended a paw under the bed invitingly. "Come here Courage. We're not going to hurt you."

"We heard what happened," said Bunny, wiping away tears. "Oh, you poor thing."

"And we're here for you," said Kitty reassuringly, her paw still extended. "After everything you've done for us, buying this place so we can take care of you ourselves was the least we could do."

Courage watched as Bunny nodded in agreement with what Kitty was saying. So these two had bought the farm after hearing about Eustace and Muriel's passing so they could take care of him? They would do that for him?

He didn't know what to say.

Slowly, and still clutching the picture, Courage crawled out from under the bed, Kitty laying her offered paw on his cheek to guide him the rest of the way out, both her and Bunny sweeping him up and hugging him from either side. Slowly, Courage's fear ebbed away as he felt the warmth from these two young ladies as they held him. Protecting him.

Courage looked at the photo again, more tears streaming his face as he beheld Eustace and Muriel once more.

"Oh Courage," said Bunny as she saw the picture of Courage with the elderly couple, beginning to cry herself.

"We know we can never replace them," said Kitty, shedding a single tear herself. "But we will do our best."

Courage sniffed as he nodded in gratitude, throwing himself fully into their embrace.

It took weeks, but eventually Courage began to feel happiness reenter his life. True to their word, after moving in, Kitty and Bunny did everything they could to provide Courage with love again. The two young ladies were decent company, with Bunny being the meeker, more timid one, while Kitty was the tougher of the two, but still had nothing but love and care for both Bunny and Courage.

Slowly, a new routine was established.

Kitty and Bunny, unfortunately, still had to work as nurses at Dr. Vindaloo's clinic in order to pay off the loan they had taken out to buy the farm, unlike Eustace and Muriel, who had been retired for years and long since paid off the farm; but as soon as they got home it was like having a family again. They would do stuff together, and at night Kitty and Bunny would sleep together in the king sized bed that had sheltered Eustace and Muriel at night for so many years, Courage sleeping at the foot of the bed with them. And that was another thing Courage had to get used to.

He missed Muriel, and would do anything to have her back, but the one plus of this was that both members of his new family cared dearly about him. Courage no longer had to suffer through being spontaneously kicked out of the bedroom, being kicked out of the house for no apparent reason, or being scared out of his wit's with a huge, green mask.

In fact, when Bunny and Kitty stumbled upon Eustace's old mask, and Courage explained to them what it was (they could understand him, miraculously) they had set up a fire and burned it with disgust. Courage could not suppress his gratitude and satisfaction at seeing the bane of his life go up in smoke, never to torment him again. It was bad to speak ill of the dead, but with each passing day with his new family Courage was finding it difficult to miss Eustace, or his cruel antics.

Courage was once again waiting for Kitty and Bunny to return home, killing time by redecorating. Carefully, he eased the picture of him, Eustace, and Muriel out of the frame and looked at it, feeling the old sense of mourning as he saw Muriel's smiling face. He would never forget her, but it was time to move on.

Plus, it was too hard to see this picture every day.

Kissing the depicted memory of his beloved original owner, Courage then eased a picture of himself, Kitty, and Bunny into the frame, and set it on the living room table. They were his family now, he had to accept that. Not that he would ever forget his old one.

Settling into Eustace's old, tall backed chair, Courage held the old picture in one paw and a photo album in the other. Multiple pictures of Courage and his old family were housed within, and Courage added the last one along with the others. But he intended to add some memories of him, Bunny, and Kitty someday.

Speaking of which, the sound of Eustace's old truck pulling up signified their arrival home.

"We're home," announced Bunny as she and Kitty entered the house, taking off their nurses outfits.

"Yay!" Courage shouted happily, stampering over and leaping into their arms.

"Hey, easy Courage!" Complained Kitty as Courage licked her face vigorously. "We missed you too."

"For every second," said Bunny, Courage licking her face too.

"I wouldn't go that far," said Kitty mischievously as she sat in the chair, finding Courage's photo album.

"What is that?" Asked Bunny as Kitty picked up the book so she could sit.

"Don't know," said Kitty, opening the book. "Aw, how cute."

Bunny came over and looked over Kitty's shoulder, her expression softening as she saw the photos presented on the page. There was a photo of Courage sitting in Muriel's lap as she sat in her rocking chair. They both looked so content.

It wasn't long before they began to explore the photo album in earnest, Courage climbing onto the armrest. Multiple memorable moments of Eustace, Muriel, and Courage were recorded in ink. The next photo left them both laughing.

"Oh my goodness," laughed Bunny at the photo of Eustace hogtied to the hood of a hunter's truck, having apparently been mistaken for a deer due to the antlers he wore on his head.

Another page revealed photos of their trip to Evil River, Kitty and Bunny laugh at the photo of Eustace covered in bananas and surrounded by monkeys.

"The farmer wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, was he?" Asked Bunny as they were laughing at a photo of Eustace getting wacked on the head by a rolling pin by Muriel.

"When I was first here he claimed he could fix anything," commented Kitty, her, Bunny and Courage laughing at the next photo, one of Eustace trying and failing to fix the boiler. "He was just full of hot air."

"Mmhmm," agreed Courage.

His smile faded though when he saw the next picture.

It was Eustace and Muriel's wedding photo. He thought Muriel looked so beautiful in her wedding dress. Swallowing, Courage put his paw to the photo longingly.

Bunny and Kitty looked at him sympathetically.

"She meant a lot to you, didn't she?" Asked Bunny sadly.

Courage just nodded, sniffling.

Kitty smiled, "How long were you with them?" She asked, thinking that it would help him if he talked about them.

Rather than answer Courage flipped through the album to a certain page. Kitty and Bunny looked to see a picture of a much younger Muriel with burgundy hair, holding a puppy Courage in a diaper.

"Aw, you were so cute then," said Bunny in a high pitched voice, Courage blushing.

Kitty, on the other hand, looked troubled.

"You sure were small back then," she commented, looking at Courage sadly. "Where were your parents, you were awfully little to be away from your mother?"

Courage whimpered.

"Now Kitty," scolded Bunny. "He may not wanna talk about…"

Courage put a paw on her shoulder, his expression signifying it was okay. Smiling, Bunny nodded in understanding. Courage opened the photo album to another page, this one displaying a newspaper clipping.

"Hey, I've heard about this," said Kitty as she read the article. "That quack of a vet was abducting dog's and sending them into outer space as some sort of crazy plot to breed space dog's."

Courage nodded in confirmation, then turned to the next page, displaying another newspaper clipping. It was a list of all the dog's that had been victims of that psycho veterinarian, complete with mini profile pictures. Courage pointed to the top of the list.

Bunny and Kitty looked, then gasped when they saw the two pictures of a male and female dog, both having a striking resemblance to Courage.

"Oh Courage," whimpered Bunny in horror. "Your parents...they were…?"

Courage nodded, sniffling as he turned the albums page a final time. On it was a drawing done in crayon, which Courage had drawn when he was a pup. He may have been young then, but he had always been good with drawing pictures, as proven when he bested Kangaroo Monster Eustace in a painting contest.

It was a drawing of Courage, still a puppy, standing in a dark alley waving goodbye tearfully as a rocket flew up into the sky.

Courage broke down again, sniffling as tears fell from his eyes. Kitty and Bunny exchanged sad looks, then embraced the weeping pink dog. They both could sympathize with him.

Having come from the 'wrong side of the tracks' they had both had uneasy lives since the very beginning. Now they could help someone else who has suffered find happiness again, same as he had done for them. Eventually, Courage was able to calm down enough to make it through the day.

With his new family.

Several days later, Courage was to be found sleeping on the porch of the farmhouse, waiting for Kitty and Bunny to come home.

He was awoken by a loud grinding noise. With a dreary groan and a yawn, Courage looked to the source of the annoying sounds. His eyes widened in shock.

The ancient windmill that stood on the grounds of the farm was creaking and twitching, a gear flying from the nacelle, followed by a spring.

Courage screamed in terror and looked over to the farm, the lights in the house flickering. But the fact that the windmill was the only source of power for the farm wasn't the only problem. The last time the windmill broke…

An eerie wind blew through Nowhere.

Looking out to the land, Courage screamed, his tongue flying out like a long ribbon.

There, off in the distance, an ominous dark cloud sped towards the farm.

Courage panicked, looking around frantically as he sputtered. Speeding off, he returned with Eustace's old tools and began climbing the windmills latter towards the top.

The rotor popped out as he reached the blades.

"Oh no," he mumbled, stretching his arm down and grasping the rotor by the threading just in time.

With a heave of strength he didn't know he had, Courage popped the rotor back in place, panting at the exertion. Looking back out, the dark cloud had moved close enough for Courage to see the galloping silhouette of four armoured figures on horseback. He screamed again and began going through the tools.

Eustace was the one who truly knew how to tinker with the windmill, but Courage had to do something.

Taking out a wrench, Courage stuck it between the rotor and the nacelle, and into the machinery between. Courage mumbled in fear as the cloud moved closer once more. But then the blades of the windmill began turning, the cloud off in the distance dissipating.

Courage breathed a sigh of relief.

He began going through the tools again, intending to provide a more permanent fix to the windmill. Off in the distance, another cloud grew closer, but Courage wasn't scared this time. It was produced by a vehicle.

Kitty and Bunny must finally be returning home.

Or so Courage thought until the car moved closer.

Courage gasped, losing his balance and plummeting off the windmill, luckily leaving the wrench in place so the blades continued to turn. Courage fell, screaming as he impacted the ground with an "MMPH." He pulled himself out of the Courage shaped crater, just as the car pulled up to him and Mad Dogs old cronies suddenly stepped out.

Courage fidgeted as one then grabbed him by the neck with a snarl.

"So, this is where you have been hiding," he growled.

Courage was soon tied up in ropes and dragged into the farmhouse, where he was thrown to the floor with a squeak.

"You messed up our career with Mad Dog when you did him in, you little pest." They began looking through the house, pilfering for anything valuable, "After we take what we can from this dump, you'll be paying the rest out of your hide."

Bound and gagged, Courage could do nothing but shiver and murmur as Mad Dog's old cronies ransacked his home.

"Nothing!" One of them shouted, throwing a porcelain teapot to the ground and shattered it. "Nothing of value whatsoever." He stomped into the living room and shouted to his cohort up the stairs.

"You find anything!"

"Zilch," came the reply, "Nothing up here but an overly outdated computer, and the only thing in the safe is the deed to this worthless hovel."

The other henchmen huffed and stared at Courage bound at his feet, "Best to cut our losses. Grab the deed and we'll get what we can from this place.

"After all…" He leaned down and stared Courage in the face as he shook on the floor. "Who will protest if the owners of this place are nowhere to be found."

Courage's shivering redoubled at that, fearing what these thug's planned to do to Kitty and Bunny. The sound of a familiar truck pulling up to the farmhouse at that moment only made it worse.

"What's that?" Asked a thug as he descended the stairs, a rolled up piece of paper in his fist, a pistol in the other.

"Courage, we're home," called Bunny's voice from outside.

"Oh no," mumbled Courage.

"That is sweet revenge," answered the other thug standing before Courage, drawing out a pistol, same as his partner.

Courage could do nothing as they both stepped outside, Bunny and Kitty screaming at the sight of them. Courage was contemplating what to do, despite being frozen in fear. Those he loved, his home, his life, he was going to lose it all if he didn't do something.

A thought bubble appeared above his head, thinking of the deed one of the thugs had stolen, then it shifted to the windmill.

Courage growled as a thought came to him.

So they wanted the farmhouse? Well unbeknownst to them, there was a certain aspect to owning this place that, if not monitored carefully, could be dire to the owners health. But Courage had better be prepared.

If he was going to summon them, he needed to be ready to deal with more than just a couple of knucklehead thugs.

Plopping over on his belly, Courage slowly began to slither forward in a caterpillar like fashion out the already open front door. Mad Dogs henchmen had Bunny and Kitty huddled together on the front porch, apparently just to revel in their fear as they pointed their guns at them. Eustace's truck was parked just ahead, the door open and the engine running. Gritting his teeth, Courage crawled into the driver's seat.

He pressed his bound feet to the gas pedal as he used his teeth to put the truck in gear.

"WHAT THE…?!" Both thugs shouted as the truck suddenly sped off, turned one-eighty, and rolled in the direction of the windmill.

Courage steered with his mouth, trembling as the tall windmill loomed closer. He shut his eyes, braising himself for impact.

'CRASH!'

The truck impacted the wooden struts with enough force to topple them, the windmill's engine and motor crashing around the truck with a loud thud. Courage opened his eyes and peered out the window, the blades embedded in the ground next to him, curvy rune's carved into the wood visible. Gulping, Courage looked to the horizon through the windshield...a plume of dust billowing towards the farmhouse from the setting sun.

Suddenly, Courage was seized by the neck through the window and dragged out of the truck and thrown into the dirt, where the petite arms of Bunny scooped him up, for both her and Kitty had been dragged from the porch. Looking up, Courage, Kitty and Bunny huddled together as the barrels of the two pistols were aimed towards them. Courage gulped, slinking into the embrace of his owners.

Suddenly, a cloud of billowing dust draped over all of them.

"NOW WHAT?!" Hollered one of the thugs as the sound of stampeding hoofs and the neighing of horses reverberated in the dust.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

The sinister laughter signaled the dust clearing, Bunny, Kitty, Courage, and the thugs now finding themselves standing in the shadows of four skeletal horse riders, their mounts just as skeletal.

Bunny screamed, Kitty gasped, and Courage could only tremble, hoping he hadn't made things worse.

"What... what are they?"

"HAHAHA!" The Windmill Vandals maniacal laughter called out again as they began circling, kicking up more dust.

The thugs screamed and fired their weapons at the monstrosities from beyond the grave, which only resulted in more laughter from the dust cloud. With the swing of an axe, both thugs suddenly found the barrels of their weapons sliced off. Disarmed, the thugs screamed with wide jaws, chugged the remains of their guns at the Vandal's, to no avail, and took off for their car parked near the farmhouse.

They didn't make it far, for once they fled, The Windmill Vandals broke formations to chase them down, and with the slash of a sword…

... Kitty, Bunny, and Courage screamed as the headless bodies of the thugs began flailing about half hazardly, their screaming head's clutched in two of the Windmill Vandals boney hand, paraded around like trophies. Now with the threat of the thugs dealt with, now was the time to deal with the Vandal's. Wriggling out of Bunny's trembling arms, he presented his ropes to her and Bunny, babbling incoherently.

Kitty was the first to respond. "What is it, Courage, do you know what they are?" She asked, pointing at the Vandal's circling in the distance.

Courage just continued to show them the ropes.

"I think he wants us to untie him," said Bunny.

"Umhmm," said Courage.

Kitty and Bunny didn't know what was going on, but Kitty complied, extending her feline claws and slashing the ropes. Free, Courage rushed over to the fallen mindmill and heaved the rotor into the roof of Eustace's truck with the nacelle pointed skyward.

"HAHAHA!"

More maniacal laughter echoed, followed by Kitty and Bunny screaming. Looking up, Courage saw that the Windmill Vandals were doubling back towards them, brandishing their weapons. Covering his mouth with his paws, Courage acted fast, leaping into the blades of the fallen windmill and began to run across them like a treadmill. Picking up speed, the blades began to twirl, the rune's carved into them blurring together.

Kitty and Bunny covered their heads as the Windmill Vandals posed to strike, but before their weapons could land they vanished into clouds of smoke, taking the heads of the thugs with them.

Knowing he couldn't keep this up forever, Courage pulled out his cell phone and dialed the one person who he could rely on, babbling into his phone incoherently. A few hours later, the windmill was good as new, twirling in the wind, a large, humanoid mouse standing at the base, wearing a construction outfit and a proud smile. Courage walked up beside him, pulled out a wallet, and drew out an illegible dollar bill.

"Thank you, Mister Mouse," he said, handing him the money.

"No prob," said Mister Mouse, accepting the money and walking away.

Sighing in relief, Courage walked over to where Kitty and Bunny still stood, as if no time at all had passed, both rushing over to him and scooping him up into a hug.

"You okay, Courage?" Asked Kitty.

Courage licked her cheek.

"You really are a brave dog," said Bunny.

After spending some time being close and recovering from the traumatic events, Kitty, Bunny, and Courage both noticed the still headless thugs wandering the farmhouse, and debated on what to do with them. Eventually, the headless bodies were handcuffed and driven away by the sheriff of Nowhere, never to bother these denizens of Nowhere Kansas again.

As expected in Nowhere, creepy stuff would always happen, but for Courage, Kitty, and Bunny, they endured it for each other, for their loving, happy family.