Author's Notes: Well, between the Powerpuff Girls, Invader Zim, and now this, it's pretty clear I get a lot of inspiration from the early 2000s. This Courage fic just popped into my head, and now I simply must write it! This first chapter is entirely a past memory, but the rest of the story will take place in the "present day" of the show's universe. Thank you for clicking on and reading this story. I'd love to know what you think so far :)

Chapter 1

The Little Freak

It was a typical day at the Bagge farm in the Middle of Nowhere. Muriel was preparing tea and snacks for herself and her husband Eustace, while occasionally fanning herself due to the hot summer day. They had just celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary the previous day, but Eustace seemed to have already forgotten the event even took place. He just sat in his armchair reading his paper and waiting for his snacks and tea.

Muriel felt like the luckiest woman alive. She had a loving (if gruff) husband, a lovely home, acres upon acres of empty land to explore and frolic in, and she occasionally met with friends in town to play music or discuss the latest romance novels. Everything was just rosy, and she wished everyone could feel the way she felt.

"Muriel! Where's my snack?" Eustace yelled from the living room.

"Just a moment, Eustace," Muriel replied from the kitchen.

She checked the oven to see if her cake was done, and it was just perfect. The edges had pulled away but the cake itself had not burned. Lovely!

Muriel painstakingly cut the cake into tiny squares so she and Eustace could eat them without worrying about forks and knives. She then dipped them in quick hardening chocolate so the crumbs wouldn't get everywhere. Her finger food cakes were some of the best in all of Nowhere, and the touch of vinegar she always added made them healthy too.

Just as Muriel was entering the living room with a teapot and a plate full of tiny cakes, there was suddenly a rapid knock on the door.

"Oh my! I wonder who on earth that could be," Muriel pondered.

Another knock.

"Get the door, Muriel!" Eustace ordered despite his chair literally being right next to the door.

Muriel didn't fuss, but rather smiled and complied. She set her things on the table next to Eustace and then answered the door. When she saw who greeted her, a big warm smile crossed her chubby face. Her sister Edith had come over for a visit, and she had brought along her precocious young son, Fred.

"Edith! So good to see you!" Muriel warmly greeted, "Would you like to come in? We're just sitting down to tea and cake."

"Muriel, I need to talk to you outside," Edith replied rather hurriedly, "Fred, go say hello to Uncle Eustace."

"No, don't say hi to Uncle Eustace!" Eustace shouted from his chair.

Fred didn't say a word, but instead simply walked into the farmhouse as his mother instructed. He seemed to be carrying some sort of cage, and Muriel couldn't wait to see what sort of project her beloved nephew had gotten into. Knowing that would have to wait, Muriel walked outside to speak to her dear sister.

"So, what brings you by?" Muriel asked jovially.

"Muriel, school just let out for summer break," Edith sighed, seeming tired and fouled tempered as she fiddled with her straw hat, "Fred is going to be home for the summer and...I can't stand it! Muriel, I can't be trapped with that boy for two whole months! He's insane! Out of control! I feel like a hunted gazelle in my own house! Please, you have to take him for the summer! I just need a break from the mayhem!"

"Oh, well of course Fred is welcome to stay," Muriel replied; seemingly oblivious to the severity of her sister's tone, "We love having the wee lad around. Oh by the way, is that a new hat?"

"It is," Edith grumbled as she took it off; revealing a completely shaved head, "Fred found his father's electric razor. I'm telling you, I just don't know what to do with that boy anymore."

"Well don't worry, Edith. Fred is in good hands here," Muriel assured her, "Would you like to come in for some tea?"

"No, thank you. I can't stay," Edith declined, "Here's Fred's suitcase, and here's a list of emergency numbers to call if he starts acting up. Remember, don't trust Fred alone, and if he starts acting naughty just give him a lick of the switch. That's the only thing that gets through to him."

With that Edith turned around and walked away from Muriel and the farm.

"Oh my!" Muriel exclaimed as the last statement soaked in, "Edith is just being silly. How could anyone beat on a poor innocent lad like Fred?"

When Muriel walked back into the house she saw Fred was sitting in her rocking chair staring at Eustace as the man ate. Eustace was doing his best to ignore the boy, but when he reached for another cake he couldn't help but notice those intense green eyes and their unwavering gaze.

"What do you want, kid?" Eustace snapped rudely.

"I like your hair," Fred replied without inflection, causing Eustace to involuntarily shiver in disgust and unease, "It's red. Not like Aunt Muriel's brown. I like red hair."

"Oh, such a sweet lad," Muriel complimented the boy as she patted his head, "So, what's in the cage on your lap, dear?"

"My pet," Fred replied as he looked up at his Aunt Muriel, "He's a hamster. Do you want to see him?"

"Of course I do. I love hamsters," Muriel replied giddily.

"Pets are a waste of time and money!" Eustace proclaimed, "We ain't gettin' no pets."

Fred ignored Eustace's tirade and pulled back the cloth over the cage, revealing a very angry looking hairless hamster; it's blue eyes glaring daggers at young Fred.

"It's adorable!" Muriel cooed, "Does he have a name?"

"Burma-Shave," Fred replied, "Is the name I gave. My father's shop has quite a lot. He's a barber as you already know, and he leaves inventory to and fro."

"Oh that's some lovely rhyming, Fred. Did you learn that in school?" Muriel asked curiously.

"I like to read poetry in my spare time, Aunt Muriel," Fred answered, "May I have a tea cake?"

"Of course, Fred dear," Muriel replied obligingly, "Eustace, Edith said she'd be back at the end of summer vacation. We need to prepare the guest room for Fred."

"Pfft!" Eustace spat out his cake in shock, "No way! That creepy kid ain't stayin' in this house! You just call up that sister of yours and tell her to take him back!"

"My house doesn't have a phone," Fred informed them.

"Fine! Then we'll drive you back!" Eustace declared, "We ain't got no room for little freeloaders."

This ill-tempered statement was met with Muriel's rolling pin making contact with Eustace's thick skull. He yelped in pain and anger, and Muriel crossed her arms; daring him to say another word. As easygoing as Muriel could be, she drew the line at showing a lack of hospitality and love toward family members. The argument was won without her saying a word. Fred was going to stay for the summer.

The next morning Eustace was feeling groggy as he slowly awoke to face the new day. He was grumpy (as usual) and not looking forward to another day of that freaky little boy intruding on his blissful life with Muriel. She was always so doting on kids when they came to visit. It was disgusting! And that hamster! Eustace hated pets, and now there was a rodent living under their roof. Oh, how he wished he could take his mallet to that thing without incurring the wrath of his tender-hearted wife.

As he sat up his back ached, and he noticed that it was rather chilly. Well, his head was cold anyway. That was rather unusual...

"Wait a minute," Eustace grumbled.

He felt the top of his head, and his face froze in horror. Where there had been a thick head of red hair was now nothing but a smooth bald scalp!

"Aaaaahhhh!" Eustace screamed in anguish.

"Eustace? What's wrong?" Muriel asked drowsily, awakened by his screaming.

"I'm bald!" Eustace shouted to the heavens, "No, no no no! This can't be right!"

Eustace put on his glasses and ran to the full length mirror in their room to look at himself. It was true. He was bald. The only remnants of his beautiful hair merely tiny patches on his pajama shirt. Eustace shook his fists in anger at his own betraying reflection, and grit his teeth as if his rage could will away this occurrence.

"Eustace, don't get yourself all worked up," Muriel admonished, "I think it actually looks rather nice. Now I can see all of you, dear."

"You're lying," Eustace moaned, "How could you love a man who has no hair?"

"Nonsense, Eustace," Muriel comforted him as she rubbed his back, "Hair or no hair, you'll always be my handsome adoring Eustace."

Just then there was a knock on the door, and the couple turned to see young Fred walk into the room. He was dressed in his school uniform despite it being summer, and walking with careful purpose as he looked up at them. It was a stance that could be perceived as polite, but also as somewhat unsettling.

"Is everything alright, Uncle Eustace?" Fred inquired, "I heard you from my room."

"You mean the guest room, you little pest!" Eustace corrected him harshly.

"Everything's fine, dear," Muriel told him, "Poor Eustace just woke up bald today. Nothing we can't work past."

Fred didn't say anything, just stared up at Eustace's threadbare head. His aunt and uncle didn't seem to suspect that their sweet nephew had been...naughty.

"I have an idea," Muriel said, "We can go into town and buy you a wig. That way you can take time to get used to your new look."

"Hmph," Eustace crossed his arms and pouted like a child, but Muriel knew that wasn't exactly a no.

"Maybe we could get you a hat," Muriel suggested, "I know you like hats."

"Well..." Eustace thought about it, but finally said, "Fine! We'll go into town, but I ain't talkin' to nobody."

"Wonderful!" Muriel cheered, "I'll go get my coat. Fred, wash up dear. We're going into town."

Fred smiled wider and followed after Muriel as she left the room. Eustace took one last baleful look at himself in the mirror, wondering how a perfectly healthy head of hair could be gone instantaneously. Then again both of his parents were bald. Maybe it was just genetic. Despite his hatred for Fred, he still wasn't smart enough to suspect that his nephew had been the culprit, and had shaved the bony man's head while he slept.

Muriel meanwhile grabbed her coat, and noticed a familiar shadow trailing behind her. Poor gangly little Fred looked so fragile as he tentatively walked behind her. She wished her sister would be nicer to the poor lad.

"Have you seen Nowhere before?" Muriel asked Fred.

"Yes. Yesterday Mama and I drove through the town. A lovely little jewel on America's crown. I admit I was amazed, at a carefree life that seemed unfazed by all the crazed melee that is each day. It made me feel nice..." And naughty was the unspoken part resonating in Fred's head.

"Oh lovely, and such a poetic description!" Muriel commended Fred, "You really are a rare talent, you are. Just try not to make Eustace feel self-conscious about going bald. He's sensitive, you know."

"Of course, Aunt Muriel," Fred promised, "Auntie, may I get a wig too?"

"Oh, isn't that adorable?" Muriel gushed, "Of course you can get a wig, dear. I'm sure you'll look very handsome."

"Thank you, Aunt Muriel," Fred replied with a slight nod of his head, "I shall always treasure these times, when I am free to express my desires and rhymes. Until the clock decides to chime, that my childhood has ended rather abruptly."

Just then Eustace came stomping down the stairs. He grumbled and growled at his predicament, and when he came down the stairs he scratched his rear end as he muttered inaudible curses at the world. Fred and Muriel smiled, both too oblivious to see Eustace's behavior as anything other than charming.

When the family arrived at the department store in town, Muriel oo'ed and aw'ed over all the conveniences they lacked at the farm. Eustace of course shot down even the idea of an unnecessary purchase, and Muriel would always walk away without a fuss. Fred didn't seem too keen on looking at his surroundings, which is quite unusual for a little boy. Instead he was focused on following his aunt and uncle's every step, making sure to stay behind them but not too far behind them. His parents tended to accidentally leave him places, so he wasn't going to take any chances with Muriel and Eustace.

Finally they made it to the department full of hats and wigs. Eustace went straight for the hats, and Fred's eyes wandered over to the wigs. He looked at those heads of artificial hair as if they were giant lollipops in a candy store. He wanted to touch them, to run his hands through their waving locks. So many colors, so many styles, so much a naughty little boy like him could do with them...

"I think it looks lovely," Muriel said to Eustace as he tried on a brown ball cap, "And it's airy so you can wear it all year."

'Hm..." Eustace frowned and looked at himself in the mirror, and then smiled and said with satisfaction, "Works for me."

"Aunt Muriel," Fred tugged at the skirt of her dress, "May I get this one?"

Fred then held up a purple wig, with tresses so long they dragged the floor.

"You ain't gettin' that!" Eustace snapped, "That's a ladies' wig. You ain't no lady!"

"Now Eustace, don't be so rude," Muriel scolded him, "If Fred wants to play dress up then I don't see a problem with it."

"I don't want to wear it," Fred explained, "I want to cut it. Like my father does in his shop. I want to be a barber just like him."

"What a waste of money," Eustace griped, "Buyin' a wig just to cut it up."

"Oh, such a sweet little lad," Muriel ignored Eustace and ruffled Fred's hair, "and already thinkin' of a career path. Such a smart boy."

"Hey, wait a minute..." Eustace's face contorted as the wheels slowly turned in his head. He finally put two and two together and shouted, "You! You shaved my head, you little freak!"

Fred gulped and backed away, still clutching the wig he wanted to buy. Eustace was furious, as Fred's expression and stance all but screamed of his guilt. Before the boy could get away Eustace grabbed him by his neck and started strangling him, and Muriel hit her husband with her purse to get him to stop.

"Ow! What did I do?" Eustace whined as he rubbed his sore (bald) head.

"You don't lay hands on a precious little boy!" Muriel shouted.

"He made me bald!" Eustace accused, his fists balled up at his sides and shaking, "He's a freak! That kid's nothin' but trouble!"

"Fred, could you wait out to the truck?" Muriel requested, "Eustace and I need to have a talk."

"Can I still get my wig?" Fred asked pitifully.

"Errrr!" Eustace growled furiously.

"Yes dear," Muriel said as she took the wig from his hands, "Just run along. We'll be out in a moment."

So Fred did as instructed. He was at least grateful he was to wait in their truck. At least this way he knew they couldn't leave him behind. They needed the truck to get home, after all. He would likely be punished, this much he knew, but at the same time shaving his sleeping uncle felt...good. The idea of being a barber was a grand thing to him, but more than that, he enjoyed the act of shaving off every strand of hair until there was nothing left. And if the hair came from someone unaware, well, all the better to be...naughty.