Courageous Ed

Chapter 2: The Care and Feeding of Cowardly Dogs

Bright, blinding beams of sunlight flooded through closed blinds, birds chirped melodiously as the smell of exhaust permeated the air. Dogs barked from their kennels and squirrels busily searched for their daily nuts while street lamps silently flickered off, awaiting for dusk. The sounds of quiet chatter as children slowly began their day echoed in the humble suburban cul-de-sac.

"Hey."

Eddy attempted to ignore the voice and go back to sleep, but he for some reason, he was compelled to open his tired eyes and respond.

"What?" he asked, voice filled with aggravation

"Aren't cha gonna get up? It's already eight-thirty." the fuchsia canine asked

Now, Courage was a creature of habit. A routine had been etched into his very being, one which started at dawn and ended late at night. Because of this, he woke up as soon as the sun did and then waited for his new master awake as well. When this didn't happen for almost three hours, he decided to wake him himself. What he hadn't thought of was how his new, thirteen year old master would react to the early morning wake up call.

"EIGHT-THIRTY!" Eddy yelled at the top of his already hard working lungs "Are you postal? The only people up this early are sock-head and my folks!"

The sound of twin motors filtered through his room, fading as they zoomed from the suburban dwellings "And there they go."

Eddy sighed, his anger miraculously spent as he plopped back onto his circular bed. Courage quirked his head and climbed onto the small boy's chest, which, miraculously, he didn't mind either.

"What's wrong?" It seemed like such a simple question but for the dog, he'd learned from countless experiences that such a question rarely had a simple answer.

Eddy said nothing, choosing to lie on his back and stare out the window. For whatever reason, he didn't feel like he wanted to scream and shout like he normally would or pass off the question with a nonchalant rebuttal. He honestly just didn't want to talk about it. Finally, after a peaceful silence, Eddy got out of bed with a smile.

"C'mon dog!" he ordered, beaming cheerfully "Let's go eat."

His ears perked up at the word 'eat' and leapt from the bed to the floor, following after his master.

CCC

In the kitchen, Courage sat comfortably in one of the four chairs at the table and watched as his new master prepared, rather messily, breakfast. The lad was definitely chipper than he had been just a few short minutes ago. The smile never left his face as flipped, sautéed, buttered, and dash about the room, gathering various ingredients needed for their meal.

"You haven't lived until you try one of my omelets!" he boasted proudly, propping his tall chef's hat with his free hand

Courage humored him with a nod before glancing at his working area. To say it was a mess would've been an understatement. It was an utter disaster! Condiments of sundry hues were splayed all about, broken egg shells and unused whites plastered the stove and drying bits of molten cheese stained everywhere the pervious didn't. By the time the Ed finished, that stove was going to be in desperate need of a very, very thorough wash down.

"Dig in!" Eddy proclaimed as he set down two plates and started to comp down on his creation.

Courage briefly looked down at the plate before digging the fork into its crisp layer and taking a bite. The moment it hit his tongue, his years of culinary critique came into play. His face scrunched into a questioning scowl then a delighted smirk and finally and contented indifference. The display haven't been lost on the short teen, who stopped his frenzied eating and stared at the canine.

"Somethin' wrong?" he asked, quirking a brow

"It's not bad, much better than the dog food but still…it's just average. I wouldn't say I haven't lived without but it's still pretty good for a beginner." Courage explained before taking another bite

Eddy's face was incredulous. The dog who he so selflessly let into his home, gave a bed, and fed him had the nerve to criticize his food! That mutt wouldn't know taste if it came and bit him in his flea-bitten butt! Of course, Eddy only thought this, the same strange feeling from before keeping him from voicing his displeasure. So, the rest of breakfast was done in silence, the clinking of forks-on-plates all that was heard.

When they were finished, Eddy set about cleaning the plates. Once again, the dog gave his two cents.

"Shouldn't you be wearing gloves?" he asked, looking over the corner.

"It's just some plates." Eddy said back unusually calm

"What about the water? Shouldn't it be warmer? Or have more soap?" Courage found himself wondering why he was being so critical, especially towards his new master

"It's fine." Eddy mustered an annoyed frown before that was all his body would allow, keeping him in that same annoying calm.

Courage continued to watch Eddy, both wondering why they were acting so strangely. When the dishes were done, Eddy took a shower, got dressed, and went back downstairs where Courage was waiting with a rather bored look on his face. He mindlessly flicked through the channels, finding nothing even remotely fascinating on at the moment.

"Where're you going?" Courage inquired

"Out. See what the guys are doing." Eddy responded

"Can I come?" Courage asked cheerfully

Eddy didn't even have a chance to consider it before the word "Sure." left his mouth. The happily jumped from the couch and when to his master's room. When he returned, he was carrying a leash, wagging his stub of a tail back and forward happily. Eddy simply reached down and attached his leash to his collar and they went out the door.

CCC

"Come in." Double D's voice came as a knock echoed from his door

Eddy and Courage walked into a room that was almost unrecognizable as the smart Ed's. There were clothes hanging off the bed, shoes were arranged in sloppy unorganization and a label was nowhere to seen. The room was far from Ed's standard of messy but it was still nonetheless. Eddy gave his friend, who was hunched over his desk, a worried look. He hadn't snapped again, had he?

Double D raised his head and glanced at his friend, looking remarking…calm. The lad's face was the same as it had been whenever he was working on a project or when he reading: calm as water. Eddy's face gave a flash of shock at this, the first real expression he'd been able to make all morning.

"Oh, Eddy. It's you.' Double D said and swiveled back to his desk. "Is there something you want?"

Eddy blinked once, then twice, and then spoke. "What're you doing?"

"Just sketching out a few designs for a new ant farm." his voice sounded quite dull calm "Is there going to be a scam today?"

"…Nah, I don't feel like it today." Eddy nearly fainted in disbelief that the phrase came out of his mouth. To say that was like saying that a bird didn't want to fly or that a fish didn't want to swim. Scamming was his life blood! The thing he got out of bed for! How could he NOT want to scam?

"Alright then. If you'll excuse me, I have work to get back to." he said and dismissingly waved them off

"He seems nice.' Courage said as they left the boy's house

Eddy said nothing, his mind still trying to process what had just happened. Sock-head never kept his room that dirty. It had taken him months to get use to Ed's room but the mere sight of that should've caused him to go into shock or something. Things only got weirder when they reached Ed's house.

"Aw, what a cute doggy." Jimmy said and petted Courage's head softly

"Mmm…yeah…that's the spot…a little to the left…" Courage grumbled happily under his voice which translated into growls of content to his massager's ears.

"You're here to see Ed, right?" Sarah's tone even and strangely…soothing.

"Yeah." Eddy was starting to think that something wasn't right around here "You seen him?"

Sarah jabbed a thumb behind her, signaling that the one he was seeking was downstairs. Leaving Courage in the capable hands of his masseur, he made his way downstairs. When he reached the sole room, he knocked and heard an affirming call from its inhabitant. The sight inside was the most bizarre thing he'd ever seen in his life: Ed's room was clean.

Well, cleaner than Double D's room, which was saying something. And sitting in the newly refurnished chair was Ed, reading a hardback. Eddy's jaw must've hit the floor because Ed gave his short friend a questioning look.

"You alright, Eddy?" Ed asked, adjusting his glasses

"…Y-yeah. Um, whatcha been up to?" Eddy was feeling quite scared now

"Oh, just tiding up a little and decided to read some To Kill A Mocking Bird." his reply was remarkably sophisticated

"…O-okay. I-I'm…I'm just gunna go." Eddy said before retreating upstairs

Retreating upstairs, he quickly retrieved Courage, none to happy about being yanked from the hands of the talented boy, and raced outside.

CCC

Eddy panted, gasping for air outside the tall Ed's house. Something was wrong. Way wrong. First he can't get mad, then Double D's room's messy, and now Ed's room clean and he's smart? Uh uh. There was something rotten going on and he was going to find out what-

"Aw, too cute, dude!"

-right after he got through with the girl of his dreams. The blond haired beauty had long since been the object of his and every other boy's affections and any advances towards her were usually lost. But now, she came to him, rubbing Courage's chin not nearly as expertly as Jimmy but still soothing.

"Is he yours?" Nazz asked, smiling at Eddy

"Um, um, uh, y-yeah! I got him for my birthday yesterday." Eddy's face was starting to express more emotion as seen by the furious blush spreading across his face.

"Really? Man, I totally forgot!" she slapped her forehead in frustration "Well, I know it isn't much but take this as a late birthday present."

What she did next nearly sent him into cardiac arrest. She kissed him. The brief meeting of her lips and his cheek was had set off fireworks in his nervous system as it was overwhelmed with pleasure. The red on his face encompassed his entire face and he found himself standing completely still, even after the girl waved good-bye and left.

"Are you okay?" Courage asked

Eddy said nothing but started walking once more. Courage easily put two and two together and realized that the boy was simply overcome with bliss. He smiled. The same bliss he often felt whenever he was after to help his previous mistress with whatever task or errand she requested. He'd find himself overjoyed at knowing that it was a job well done. Simply thinking about it sent him, too, into a blissful state as he trudge forward.

Eddy's mind was gone, still in high heaven over the peck on the cheek.

eddy.

Slowly, his mind started to reactivate, putting back in tune with his surroundings.

"Eddy."

Soon, the nerves in his system were fully reattached and he shock his head loose of bliss's soothing grip.

"Eddy!" Courage shouted

"What?" Eddy said irritably, relieved that he could feel irritable again

"Do you have any idea where we are?" the fuchsia dog asked

Eddy opened his mouth to rebut, but nothing came out. He had absolutely no idea where they were and, even worse, the sun had set and they now in the dark.

CCC

"Where are we! How'd we get here! When'd we get here!" Eddy found himself panicking and gripping his head, completely lost and penniless

"Calm down! I'm sure we can get outta here as long as we don't panic." Courage shouted as he found himself slowly slipping from his rationally calm state of mind.

HOOT.

Courage became a hypocrite of his own words as he and Eddy were sent running down a random path, scared witless. Eddy had lost any sense of the naggingly annoying calm he had earlier, replaced with an unknown crippling fear and terror while Courage was reacquainted with his old friend unwarranted paranoia. Eddy kept running and running…and running…and running…

The short boy looked down and he saw that his fleeting feet were no longer beneath him, but rather a flustered fuchsia dog carrying him with screaming like a deranged lunatic. Eddy was more surprised that the dog could actually pick him up that he didn't pay any heed to where they were going. From seemingly nowhere, a wooden shack came into view and before he knew otherwise, he was already inside it. Courage turned into a mad, pink blur as he grabbed boards from hammer space and proceeded to nail them to the already locked, chain it, weld it, and lock it once more with another comically oversized lock.

"…Where the heck do you keep this stuff?" Eddy asked as Courage started on the windows

"I really don't know myself, but you what they 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.'" Courage explained as he nailed in the tenth board

"Why would I be looking in horse's mouth? I'd rather stare at Ed's underwear…or at least his wall." Eddy was trying to find some sort of chair to lie in, finding the room incredibly bare.

Seeing no other alternative, he sat down in the strangely placed bean bag, allowing his body's shape to sink into its mass. Courage decided to join him, although he chose to lie on a beautiful woven rug. Once they were settled, the two found that the eerie silence was staring to pressure them and they decided that striking up conversation would be the best thing.

"So…you found this place pretty fast." Eddy started, curious about his new pet.

"Yeah, I'm always able to find these places, not that it really matters." Courage replied somberly, sinking his head into his arms.

"Why?"

"Because whatever's chasing me usually just barges right in with no problem."

As soon as his was mentioned, the duo looked towards the door, relieved that nothing had found itself inside thus far. Sighing in relief, they returned to their conversation.

"So, does this kinda thing happen to you a lot?" Eddy inquired

"A lot. It seems no matter what I do I always end up attracting these weird people, things, events, you name it! It's been like this ever since my parents were-" Courage held his tongue, finding himself unwilling to go any further.

"Since your parents what?" Eddy asked, now thoroughly enthralled

"…I…I-I don't wanna talk about it." the canine said and buried his head in his arms further

Eddy pouted and crossed his arms. Of course the dog would bait him with such an intriguing story only to let him flap in the wind about its contents. Eddy would've been furious and demanded that, as his new master, he tell him but he found himself unable to do it. He, after all, denied Courage an answer to a most simple answer that very morning so surly this was simply returning the favor.

The two continued in silence for but a brief few moments before an eeire whispering caught their attention. Their heads turned and nearly shot off their shoulders as the doorway was occupied by a glowing, incandescent figure, humming various shades of pink, blue, yellow, white, and green. Her crystal blue eyes begged for them to answer her as she whispered in that same unearthly whispering. Eddy and Courage's eyes promptly broke free of their sockets and multiplied in decreasing succession until they recoiled into their heads and they ran south, right through the stone fireplace.

All attempts to remain calm had left them and they suddenly found themselves in a field of trees, trucks twisted into wicked faces, glowing demonic orange eyes peering into their very souls as they laughed haughtily.

"Oh man, oh man! Where do we go? Where do we go?" Eddy shouted frantically as his short legs threw themselves into high gear

"That way! That way!" Courage shouted pointing towards a forked path.

The duo followed the predetermined path, only for Eddy to be struck by one of the hands of the trees, knocking him to the ground. Courage's mind, screaming at him to keep running, took a back seat to his morals as he backtracked and started dragging his now unconscious owner's body across the ground.

"What do I do? What do I do?" Courage thought as he dodged swiping clawed, branches as they attempted to impede his path.

Then, SLPASH! Every free part of his body was sent plummeting into cold, clear water. The water greatly resisting his moments, he struggled to reach the surface, his master's body simply acting as dead weight at the moment. A soft glow found itself at the pool and Courage stared up in shock to see the phantom lady from before…standing on the water. Screaming and sending a torment of bubbles, he suddenly burst from the water, flying like a missile and landed on the shore.

Courage wasted no time and broke out running once more, glancing back at the lady who was standing ghostly on the water's surface.

Then, his world went dark.

CCC

Eddy felt woozy. Or at least that's what he wished he felt like. The mix of pain, confusion, and a hint of annoy calmness stirred in time with his now pounding headache. His vision slowly restored itself, resolving into the phantom lady's face hovering above him. Eddy went to scream and run, but she placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered in a tone that was almost too beautiful to ignore.

Relax.

Eddy was hesitate, but seeing Courage submit to it caused him to give in as well, a feeling of paramount fright still present in his chest. Slowly, however, the feeling of fear left and the phantom's face began to melt away. The bright glowing colors faded and glowing eyes dimmed to a soft gloss. Soon, gone was the eerie phantom woman, replaced by a rather spry looking woman.

Her manner of dress was similar to the phantom's, only she wore a long sleeved fuchsia shirt, blue bell bottoms, and green and yellow sandals, with a white headband with a floral rose at it's center. The woman's blue pools softened with relief, gently blowing on a lit incense. Eddy, his vision and mind now restored, recognized the woman as none other than Johnny's mother.

"What happened?" Eddy asked, cracking his bones

"I'm terribly sorry!" the woman said, casting her gaze to the ground "I'm really am!"

"For what?" Eddy's head was still faintly pulsing with the headache

"Oh, well it's a long story but I'll just skip to the point." the woman said "I'm an herbalist and as such, I like to experiment with home made remedies, ya know for headaches, stomach cramps, colds and stuff. Lately, I've been dabbling in incense, particularly those that help calm the nerves since, let's face it, working in Peach creek is a full-time test of tolerance."

Eddy blushed, knowing full well she was referring to the constant mischief that his scams often created, which usually caused monumental property damage and had to come out of the adults already strapped wallets.

"Anyway, today, I was testing my latest batch of incense which I call 'Mellow Drama' since, ya know, it makes people 'mellow' out and stops drama. But, unfortunately, I didn't know it's own strength and even with me all the way in the forest, it still managed to get to the cul-de-sac. I'm pretty sure you must've been felling the effects pretty early." she explained

Eddy suddenly realized how much sense the woman's story was making: Edd's a neat-freak and a paranoid genius so when it got him, his neurotic tendencies were soothed and he had no need to keep up with his strict daily rituals. Ed, on the other hand, was led almost exclusively by his fantasy world that left him pretty delusional about his surrounding environment, which was corrected when his nerves were calmed, leading to him to actually using some of his brain power and clean his room.

"Then why the heck did we start freakin' out when we got here?" Eddy asked

"Well, that's the thing: far away it simply calms nerves, but up close and it amplifies emotions. So when you started feeling scared, the Mellow Drama just amplified it, which caused you to pretty much delude your surroundings into figments of your imagination. Which is why you left screaming the moment I walked in on you in my cabin that now needs another fireplace."

Once again, Eddy found himself thoroughly embarrassed by his actions and he found himself rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't worry about it, just another drop in the bucket. And the incense'll wear soon. So why don't I show you two back to the cul-de-sac so you can get some sleep? I'm pretty sure you had a tiring day." Johnny's mother said with a smile.

The duo nodded and, sure enough, they found themselves in the cul-de-sac just moments later (turns out they were closer to home than they realized). They gave Ms. 2x4 a quick good-bye and made their way for Eddy's house. The short Eddy quickly dressed for bed and suddenly the dog sleeping on the covers, right next to where he was to lie. His anger was back in full force but he simply sighed and got in bed, too tired to start a fight at this hour.

"Good Lord!"

"Ed!"

Eddy smiled, drifting into peaceful sleep.

Author's Notes: I gotta say, this is one of the proudest things I've ever written. And fun too! Eddy gets his first taste of weirdness (not Courage weird, mind you, just something a bit out of the ordinary), showing him that no matter how normal the task might seem, it always ends up as some frightening adventure, which I'm sure Ed will enjoy.

Now before anyone says anything, there was no use of drugs in this chapter. Incense are perfectly safe, to my knowledge, and they fit well into this chapter. Expect to see more of the kids parents soon and especially some good characterization of Eddy's folks as they'll be important secondary characters. Well, I hope you enjoyed and always, please R&R. TTFN!