The fading light of evening cast long shadows across the overgrown lawn, highlighting the peeling paint and crooked windows of the dilapidated house. Inside, amidst the dust and clutter that seemed to have taken root in every corner, Dr. Gerhart, a man of a certain age with a melancholy air, stood before a dusty mirror.
"So what's for dinner tonight? How about sardines? Yes! I love sardines. The perfect way to celebrate my liberation from loneliness," he said, a forced cheerfulness in his voice, the words a desperate attempt to banish the loneliness that clung to him like a shroud.
His house mirrored his state of mind: a chaotic jumble of forgotten belongings, as if time itself had stood still within its walls.
"Finally, after years of being alone in this-this house, I have to answer to my prayers," he declared, pulling back a tattered sheet that concealed a grand, antique record player, its intricate carvings whispering of a bygone era.
A sudden creak, a low groan from the depths of the house itself, interrupted his reverie.
"Complain all you want, I'm tired of being alone with you!" Dr. Gerhart yelled, his voice strained with frustration.
The house responded with a shudder, a crack in the plaster, as if it were a sentient being, angered by his words.
Ignoring the house's silent complaints, Dr. Gerhart, a fire of determination in his eyes, spoke with unyielding resolve, "It's taken years, but I've perfected my latest invention," he flung open a window, the evening breeze swirling dust motes through the air, then turned to his record player, his fingers delicately placing a crackling vinyl record upon the turntable, "By this time tomorrow," he declared, a hint of triumph in his voice, "I, Dr. Gerhart von Orbison, will finally have neighbors."
The house grumbled its defiance, but Dr. Gerhart, oblivious to its displeasure, turned on the music, the strains of a haunting melody filling the air. All he had to do now was wait until morning, wait and see if his invention would work, wait and see if his years of toil would finally bring him the companionship he so desperately craved.
The early morning light was just beginning to paint the sky with hues of pink and orange as Courage snoozed peacefully beside his beloved owners. Suddenly, a jarring, earsplitting yodel pierced the quiet, jolting Courage awake. His heart pounding like a drum solo, he scrambled towards Muriel, his little brown and black nose twitching with worry.
"Muriel, Muriel! Wake up, wake up! I hear someone yodeling out of Nowhere, literally!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.
Muriel stirred but got up to see a worried look on her pink beagle's face, "What is it, Courage?" she asked, before noticing the yodeling music as well.
Just as the music reached its crescendo, the door creaked open, revealing a dazed Shaggy and Scooby, as Shaggy was still in his sleepwear.
"Hey, Aunt Muriel, like, sorry to disturb you guys from your sleep, but do you know where that yodeling is coming from?" Shaggy asked, yawing widely.
"Reah, it woke up us right when we're in the middle of dreaming about living in a world made entirely out of food," Scooby added, his voice thick with sleepiness.
"I was just about to ask that very same question, dear," Muriel answered.
Suddenly, the house began to shake violently, throwing the family into a disarray of flailing limbs. The bed, like a runaway rollercoaster, slid down the sloping floor, with Shaggy and Scooby narrowly jumping onto it just before it hit the wall with a resounding thud.
"WHOA!/RHOA!" the family exclaimed.
"Will somebody- Ow! Mind explaining- Oof! What the heck is- Ouch! Going on here?! Ugh!" Shaggy yelled, his attempts to get up thwarted by the relentless shaking.
"Oof!" Courage grunted, landing right next to the window. He let out a gasp, his eyes widening with terror as he looked out. The house, their house, was moving! "Everybody, come look out the window! You're never gonna believe what's happening!" he cried, his voice a mixture of fear and disbelief.
Shaggy, Scooby, Muriel, and Eustace shuffled over to the window, drawn by Courage's frantic call. Their jaws dropped as they witnessed the impossible.
"Rikes! Rhis is even worse than we thought!" Scooby exclaimed, his voice barely a whimper.
"You got that right, other dog, someone's moving the windmill!" Eustace said, not getting the situation him and his family are in.
"It isn't the windmill moving Eustace, it's us!" Muriel corrected.
Courage screamed, his tiny body wracked with terror at Muriel's statement.
"Zoinks!" Shaggy shrieked, his voice high-pitched with fear.
"Rold me, Raggy!" Scooby wailed, clinging to his owner's arms as the house continued its inexplicable journey, leaving behind a trail of dust and confusion.
For the next five minutes, the house, though no longer shaking violently, continued to sway side to side, leaving everyone inside feeling nauseous. The sensation was like being on a never-ending, disorienting rollercoaster.
"Oh, I don't feel so good..." Courage groaned, his face paling as he clutched his stomach. He was known for being particularly susceptible to motion sickness, and the incessant swaying was pushing him to the edge.
Suddenly, the house lurched to a halt, crashing to a stop with a thud that sent a wave of relief through the occupants.
"Whoa, man! That was one crazy trip! At least the farmhouse stopped moving for now," Shaggy exclaimed, relief washing over him as he noticed the pink beagle looking green in the gills. Shaggy knew all too well how easily Courage succumbed to nausea.
"Rhere on Earth are we?" Scooby asked, his voice wobbly and his head spinning. He was still feeling dizzy from the wild ride.
As if answering the cowardly Great Dane's question, a resounding knock echoed through the now-motionless farmhouse, leaving everyone wondering what awaited them on the other side of the door.
"I wonder who that could be?" Muriel asked, as there was a knock on the door again, before she got up, "BE RIGHT THERE!"
Courage sighed, a heavy sigh that spoke of countless such encounters, "Another day, another sinister stranger trying to kidnap Muriel as usual," he muttered, his voice laced with resignation.
Shaggy piped up, "Oh, again, little pink dude?! What's with villains these days?!" his words were punctuated by a dramatic hand gesture, as if to encompass the entire world of shadowy figures.
Scooby echo of Shaggy's anxieties, chimed in, "RI know, right?! Ron't they ever know when to quit?!"
Courage sighed again, "Well, guys, you know the drill," he said, his voice heavy with weary acceptance. His eyes widening slightly as he imagined the chaos that awaited them. He, Shaggy, and Scooby rose from the floor, their bodies tense with a mixture of apprehension and resignation.
Going downstairs, Muriel opened the door just in time, as Shaggy, Scooby and Courage came downstairs to see a man holding a basket full of sardines.
"Isn't that sweet, boys? We have a visitor," Muriel said, as she noticed the three best friends coming next to her.
"Welcome to the neighborhood," the man said.
"We have neighbors!" Muriel said, cheerfully.
Shaggy, however, squinted, looking around the sparsely populated area, "Uh... what neighbors? Like, I don't see any neighbors around here."
Even Scooby seemed confused, "Re neither, and is that a gift basket... full of sardines?" he reached out, grabbing a few of the pungent fish, before handing them over to Shaggy, who, without a second thought, began devouring them, much to Courage's exasperated eye-roll.
"Ah, do you love it? I thought it would be nice to welcome my new neighbors by bringing them a little housewarming gift," the man said, offering the basket, still having a bit of sardines left.
"Why, thank you!" Muriel smiled.
Eustace then came to the door grabbed the basket from the man's hands and shouted, "Don't wait for a tip!" he then slammed the door.
"That was so rude!" Muriel scolded at her husband, as he cackled with cruel laughter.
"Not that I'm siding with the farmer or anything, but who brings containers of sardines as a welcoming gift?" Courage questioned, his voice trembling as ever.
Muriel opened the door, and to the cowardly trio's distress, the man was still here on the porch, "I'm sorry, can we help you?"
"I am Dr. Gerhart von Orbison and-" Dr. Gerhart began, before being cut off by Muriel.
"A doctor! Eustace, we have a doctor for a neighbor... wherever we live now," Muriel said, with excitement.
"A doctor, huh? Sounds like a good name for a mad scientist who brought our own house to life..." Courage muttered, his usual paranoia bubbling to the surface, fueled by the strange circumstances of their current predicament.
"I beg your pardon?" Dr. Gerhart asked.
"Sorry, doctor dude, but we already have a doctor," Shaggy interjected, crossing his arms and adopting a defensive posture, referring to Dr. Vindaloo, the only doctor in Nowhere.
"Oh, and who might that be?" Dr. Gerhart asked.
"Rhat's none of your business, buster!" Scooby growled, his inherent distrust of strangers amplified by the man's eccentric arrival.
"No, I was just-" Dr. Gerhart began.
"So, you're a doctor, eh? Well, got a doctor knife to open this with?" Eustace interrupted, as he held out a can of sardines.
"I'm sorry, but, uh..." Dr. Gerhart stammered.
"Then what good are you?!" Eustace snapped, as he once again slam the door on the man's face.
Courage, relief momentarily flooding his small frame, mumbled, "I never thought I would say this, but thank you, farmer," though, he knew deep down, the doctor wasn't likely to leave them alone anytime soon.
"Now, boys, I expected this kind of behavior from Eustace, but not from you three," Muriel scolded.
Shaggy, Scooby and Courage attempted a half-hearted protest, sheepishly admitted the man had arrived under unusual circumstances.
"Aunt Muriel, like, how can someone be your own neighbor right after your house comes to life and brings you to an unknown place against your will?" Shaggy pointed out, his voice laced with a hint of understandable frustration.
"I will admit that what happened earlier was quite unusual if I do say so meself," Muriel replied, "But that's still no excuse to act unpleasant to anyone who visits our house."
Scooby tried to protest, "Re know, but-"
"When I open this door, I expect you all to treat our new neighbor with respect, is that understood?" Muriel demanded, assertively.
Shaggy, Scooby and Courage, their faces a mixture of worry and resignation, nodded in unison, "Yes, Muriel.../Yes, Aunt Muriel.../Res, Ruriel..."
"Splendid," Muriel smiled, before opening the door, to see that the man was still standing there, "I'm terribly sorry about me husband's rudeness, doctor, and please forgive my boys over here, they're just overprotective is all."
"No hard feelings, neighbor, and please, call me Gerhart," Dr. Gerhart introduced himself.
"Gerhart?/Rerhart?" Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage exclaimed in unison, their voices tinged with suspicion.
"Very well, Gerhart, would you like to come in?" Muriel offered.
"Why, thank you," Dr. Gerhart, smiled, as he stepped in the house.
Despite the warm facade, Courage's eyes narrowed as he whispered, "I still don't trust this guy..."
"Heh, I'll bet he's probably just trying to make us look like bad guys, so he could get on Aunt Muriel's good side or something," Shaggy whispered in agreement, his voice barely audible.
Suddenly, an eerie growling pierced the air, sending shivers down the spines of the cowardly trio.
"Rikes! Rhere is that noise coming from?!" Scooby inquired, his voice trembling with fear.
Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage cautiously ventured outside, their eyes scanning their surroundings for the source of the disturbance. As they peered around, their gaze fell upon an ominous old house, its weathered exterior casting an unsettling shadow over the area. Courage let out a startled shriek, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.
"Zoinks! Like, if that haunted-looking house over there is where that doctor dude lives, then that's one place I sure don't wanna visit!" Shaggy exclaimed, his dread evident in his voice.
As fear gripped them, a sudden burst of laughter emanated from the living room of the house. Turning in unison, they found themselves staring at Dr. Gerhart, seated comfortably on the couch with Muriel beside him, sipping from a steaming cup of tea.
"Would you like some tea, neighbor?" Muriel offered.
"That would be delightful, neighbor!" Dr. Gerhart smiled, as Muriel handed the cup of tea for him, before going upstairs to get dressed for the day, with Shaggy going upstairs to get dress for the day as well.
"Pfft! Look at him, trying to butter Muriel up just so she could play right into his own hands!" Courage huffed in disgust, his gaze fixed on the house. He couldn't resist the urge to investigate further.
"Rourage, what are you doing?!" Scooby cried out, his voice laced with frantic concern, desperate to prevent his best friend from getting into trouble.
"What does it look like?! I'm gonna go take a closer look inside this guy's house!" Courage retorted, already reaching for the gate handle.
"But, like, isn't that snooping, little pink dude?!" Shaggy questioned nervously, emerging from the house, now fully dressed for the day.
"What other choice do I have?! It's the only way for me to find out whatever it is this so-called doctor's up to!" Courage responded, his voice filled with determination as he marched towards the front yard of the house, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and curiosity.
Shaggy and Scooby exchanged worried glances, silently hoping Courage knew what he was doing.
Reaching the front door, Courage tiptoed up the stairs, his eyes scanning the windows for any sign of Dr. Gerhart's suspicious activities. He peered into a window, trying to catch a glimpse of something, anything, that might shed light on the situation, "Just need a quick peek and-" he muttered, but before he could finish his sentence, a violent force slammed him into the air,"WHOA!" he screamed, his tiny body tumbling through the air.
"Courage!/Rourage!" Shaggy and Scooby cried out in unison, their eyes wide with horror as they watched their friend crash onto the upper floor of the house.
"Are you okay, little buddy?!" Shaggy called out, his voice tinged with fear.
Courage, dazed and disoriented, managed to pull himself out from the rubble of the house, his small body trembling. Shaggy, reacting instinctively, reached out and caught Courage just as he was about to fall.
"HOLY COW, THAT HOUSE IS HAUNTED!" Courage shouted, his voice filled with terror.
Shaggy and Scooby, their faces pale with fear, exchanged nervous glances.
"Come on, we gotta show this to Muriel! I mean, she has to know what kind of person he is to live in a not-so-humble abode like that!" Courage exclaimed, his determination returning as he raced back towards the house, Shaggy and Scooby reluctantly trailing behind him.
Bursting through the door, Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage, their faces pale with terror, scrambled over to Muriel, their voices a frantic chorus of, "MURIEL!/AUNT MURIEL!/RURIEL!" However, their urgent warnings fell on deaf ears.
"You don't wear those glasses when you operate on your patience, do you?" Muriel asked, the doctor, not noticing the cries of the cowardly trio.
Courage, desperate to break through the doctor's captivating monologue, tugged frantically at Muriel's apron, his tiny voice echoing with fear, "Muriel, Muriel! We need you to come outside with us really quick!"
"Actually, I am a doctor of sound," Dr. Gerhart replied, also not noticing the cowardly trio's warnings.
Shaggy, his voice trembling with fear, tried to inject some sense of urgency into the situation, "This doctor dude's house is haunted, we've seen it with our very own eyes!"
"A sound doctor, how unusual," Muriel said.
Scooby added his own desperate plea, "Reah, it's wooden window flaps even flung Rourage right into our farmhouse!" he exclaimed, his paw pointing accusingly at the traumatized pink beagle.
"Do you know how to play pinochle?" Dr. Gerhart asked, oblivious to the trio's cries.
Courage, at the end of his tether, cried out in frustration, "Are you even listening to what we're trying to say?!" he pulled at Muriel's arms with desperate strength, trying to force her attention towards the danger they had just escaped.
"No, but you could teach me and I could teach you how to play the sitar!" Muriel offered, also oblivious to the trio's warnings.
The trio, exhausted and defeated by their failure to gain Muriel's attention, fell onto the floor, defeated and breathless.
"Oh, man... I think our hearts just stopped..." Shaggy whispered, his voice barely audible.
Their reprieve was short-lived, however, as a deafening bang erupted from the front door.
"Oh, my. More neighbors..." Muriel said, happily as she went towards the door.
Scooby, still struggling to catch his breath, mustered a feeble warning, "Ro, Ruriel... do not... open... that door!"
Muriel, ever the welcoming soul, ignored the cowardly Great Dane and swung the door open, revealing a sight that sent shivers down their spines. Dr. Gerhart's house, a seemingly innocuous dwelling until this point, now stood before them, a grotesque, animated monstrosity that snarled with malevolent intent.
Courage's tiny body trembled, let out a high-pitched scream, "So, not only is that house haunted, but it's also alive too?!"
Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage, their faces pale with terror, huddled behind Muriel, their eyes glued to the monstrous house.
"Doctor, I don't want to seem unneighborly, but you're house seems to be very upset," Muriel pointed out.
"Like, what was your first clue?!" Shaggy snapped, his voice laced with fear and sarcasm.
"She's doing it again!" Dr. Gerhart said, with dismay in his voice.
"She?" Muriel asked, confused.
"Rou mean your scary-looking house?" Scooby added, his voice filled with a mix of uncertainty and trepidation.
"Yes, what you see before you is my former friend," Dr. Gerhart explained.
Courage, unable to contain his astonishment, blurted out, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up a second, you're telling us that this house is your friend?!"
"Okay, doctor dude, I think you owe us some answers!" Shaggy, demanding answers, asserted, "First of all, why did you bring all of us here in the first place?! Second, why's that house of yours angry all of a sudden?!"
"Very well then, I should've known something like this would happen. You see, I've been so lonely for so long. Years ago, I used music to bring my house to life to have a friend," Dr. Gerhart explained.
"Oh, my," Muriel gasped.
"Uh, go on..." Courage urged, his tail wagging nervously.
"But she's never been very good company and she's very jealous," Dr. Gerhart continued.
"And you used music to bring our house to life, so you can have real friends?" Shaggy asked, a glimmer of sympathy replacing his initial fear.
"I am very sorry to have brought this upon you. I never meant to force you all to come here, but I didn't know what else to do," Dr Gerhart said, sadly.
The house suddenly let out a guttural growl, the windows shaking violently. Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage scrambled further behind Muriel, their faces contorted with pure terror.
"Rounds like your house is getting really impatient!" Scooby shrieked, his voice shaking.
"That means she wants me to come home…" Dr. Gerhart said, sadly.
As if summoned by his words, a sinister carpet, its tendrils resembling a menacing tongue, slithered out from the house's depths, casting Muriel, Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage aside, before grabbing Dr. Gerhart.
"No, don't! Please! Why can't I have neighbors?!" Dr Gerhart screamed, as the tongue-like-carpet pulled him back into his haunted house.
Shaggy's eyes widened in horror as he witnessed the unfolding scene, "Oh, man! Like, I've been to a lot of scary places before in my life, but never one that's alive!" he uttered, his voice laced with a newfound understanding of the true nature of their surroundings.
The house, responding to its captive's pleas, shuddered violently, sending the ground beneath them into a chaotic dance. Their footing lost, the family struggled to maintain their balance, their fear palpable in the silence.
Eustace who got annoyed, angry and oblivious to the danger they're all in went up to the window, and demanded, "GET OFF MY PROPERTY, YOU BIG STUPID-" before he could finish his complaint, he was his by the house's board and smashed into the wall.
"I think we made it mad..." Courage whimpered, fear twisting his usually expressive face.
"Rhat do you mean re?! Rustace was the one who insulted that house, not us!" Scooby growled, his voice thick with indignation, as he pointed an accusing paw at the fallen farmer.
A final, terrifying confirmation of the house's fury arrived in the form of a flying rooster weather vane, crashing through the door with a sickening crunch. Muriel, her scream echoing their collective fear, turned and fled, pursued by the menacing, metallic bird. Courage gasped, his eyes wide with terror.
"Zoinks! We're a couple of chickens watching a chicken weather vane chase Aunt Muriel!" Shaggy exclaimed, his voice a mixture of fear and disbelief.
"Uh, technically, it's a ROOSTER weather vane..." Courage corrected, his voice barely a whisper.
"Oh, you know what I mean!" Shaggy retorted, his voice shaky.
The house, now fully engaged in its malevolent game, unleashed a new wave of destruction, launching bricks at the terrified family.
"RAKE COVER!" Scooby yelled, diving for cover as the bricks rained down around them, a testament to the house's cruel, insatiable hunger for revenge.
Meanwhile, Dr. Gerhart watched in growing horror from outside as his once-peaceful abode turned into a destructive beast.
"Please! Stop it, stop it!" he pleaded, but his cries fell on deaf ears.
The house continued its relentless assault, seemingly intent on causing harm to all who dared to cross its path.
The farmhouse, once a haven of rustic charm, was now a vortex of chaos. Furniture lay overturned, dishes were shattered across the floor, and dust swirled in the air like a malevolent fog.
Amidst the pandemonium, Courage's normally meek demeanor was replaced with a fierce determination, "This is madness!" he barked, his voice trembling but firm, "There's too many things happening for us to stop! We gotta hide somewhere! TO THE BASEMENT!" His words, though laced with fear, held a sense of urgency that resonated with the others.
Shaggy and Scooby, their eyes wide with terror, needed no further encouragement. They scrambled towards the kitchen, their footsteps echoing through the wrecked farmhouse. Courage scooped up Muriel, shielding her with his small frame, and followed close behind. The basement door, a dark maw in the floor, offered a sliver of hope.
Shaggy and Scooby, huddled together for comfort, crawled under the stairs, their breaths ragged and shallow. Courage, clutching Muriel tightly, joined them, seeking refuge in the cramped space. Eustace followed suit, slamming the door shut behind him and taking his place behind the stairs.
Shaggy's voice, strained but resolute, broke the silence, "Man, it's the house of the future all over again," he muttered, recalling the time he, Scooby, and the rest of Mystery Inc. had ventured into that terrifying abode.
"Poor Dr. von Orbison, he must be feeling pretty scared being all alone in that house of his," Muriel said, with sympathy.
Courage's conscience pricked, finally admitted, "Muriel's right, guys. We were wrong about Dr. Gerhart, he was only trying to make friends and all we did was make him feel un-welcomed in our household."
Guilt washed over Shaggy, "Man, not only are we a bunch of cowards, but, like, we're also a bunch of jerks too."
Scooby, whimpering in agreement, realized their error, "Reah, I've been a very bad dog and a bad neighbor..." he confessed, acutely aware they shouldn't have judged someone before getting to know them. Had Fred, Daphne, and Velma taught them to be so quick to judge?
"Forgot about him, what about us?!" Eustace asked, not caring whatsoever.
Shaggy, with a sigh, responded, "Well, maybe not jerks like Uncle Eustace, but still..."
"His house must be so jealous of our little farmhouse," Muriel guessed, "After all, our home is so lovely and his's is... well, it's a mess."
Scooby, despite his usual lack of attention to detail, even agreed, "Ro kidding, even I wouldn't live in a messy house," admitting that even Shaggy's room back at home wasn't THAT messy. But just then, the house shuddered again, jolting them all. "RIKES! RID I SAY MESSY?! RI MEANT TO SAY SPIFFY!" Scooby stammered, his voice a mix of fear and faux-sophistication.
"I bet a little sprucing up would make it feel better," Muriel suggested.
Courage's little heart filled with empathy, pondered this for a moment, "I think Muriel's onto something, guys. If we can try and help redecorate Dr. Gerhart's house, then maybe it'll stop being so angry and mean!"
Shaggy voiced the question on everyone's minds, "That's... actually not a bad idea, little pink dude, though the real question is how do we do that?"
Scooby spotted three artist outfits hanging on the wall and a couple of cans of paint, "Rhat's it, are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?" he exclaimed, pointing to the supplies with a grin.
Courage, sensing a plan forming, declared, "You stay here with the farmer, Muriel, we'll be right back! Come on, Shaggy and Scooby, let's go paint ourselves a house!"
With that, the trio gathered their supplies and ventured out to tackle the daunting task of redecorating a grumpy, haunted house.
Dressed in their most artistic attire, Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage, approached the out-of-control house, its very foundation seeming to heave with anger.
"Watch out, it's shooting arrow fences!" Courage warned, his voice trembling with fear as a flurry of arrows shot from the ground, narrowly missing their heads.
They landed with a thud on the farmhouse roof, sending a shiver of worry down their spines.
"Like, if this plan doesn't work, I don't know what will!" Shaggy exclaimed, his voice strained with apprehension.
"It will, Shaggy! It has to!" Courage reassured him, though his own voice betrayed his lack of confidence.
Reaching the house, they grabbed their paintbrushes, armed with hope and a touch of desperation. They began to paint the house a bright pink, (figuring, well, it was a girl house, right?) But their artistic endeavor was almost thwarted by a barrage of bricks thrown by the house.
"Rey, easy with the bricks! Ran't you see we're trying to help give you a fresh coat of paint from top to bottom here?!" Scooby shouted, attempting to reason with the house, a strange feeling of familiarity washing over him. He shouldn't be surprised; after all, he and Shaggy had been trapped in this surreal Nowhere for almost three months.
Despite the constant threat of flying projectiles, the trio continued their work, methodically painting the house from top to bottom. Slowly, the house seemed to calm, its tremors subsiding. Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage took a much-needed breather, panting heavily.
But Courage remembered the earlier incident with the windows, "Uh-oh, now I remember this part... DUCK!" he cried, his voice echoing with a mixture of fear and experience.
Shaggy and Scooby reacted instantly, ducking just in time as the window opened with a loud creak.
Scooby quickly painted the window shields pink, "R'est magnifique!" he proclaimed with a flourish.
The house purred, a soft, rumbling sound that seemed to express satisfaction. Their artistic intervention seemed to have worked. They had calmed the angry house, at least for now.
Just then, Dr Gerhart appeared out from the window, "Who's out there?"
"Don't worry, it's just us, doctor dude," Shaggy said, attempting to sound nonchalant.
"Ooh! Why, hello, neighbors," Dr. Gerhart, as he notice his house is started to calm down, "I don't know what you three are doing, but... she is starting to calm down."
"Listen, Dr. Gerhart sir, we just wanted to apologize for our rotten behavior back at our farmhouse earlier..." Courage apologized, his voice barely a whisper, the memory of their earlier outburst still fresh in his mind.
"Yeah, man, that was pretty immature, even for us," Shaggy admitted, shamefully, "It's just that... neither one of us have a really great experience of meeting normal people around here in Nowhere, mostly because some of them either wanna kill us or my sweet old aunt."
"Rut we should've at least try to get to know you a little better instead of treating you like another random stranger, even if it was against our better judgement," Scooby added, feeling guilty for judging the doctor too.
"What we're all trying to say is... we're really sorry," Courage further apologized, on behalf of himself and his best friends.
The house, however, seemed to have other plans. Suddenly, it sprouted out a couple of boards, like daises, and started to attack the farmhouse again, causing Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage to gasp in alarm.
"Oh, no! We must stop her before she hurts anyone else, but how?" Dr. Gerhart asked.
"What else but with a little redecorating," Shaggy suggested, a glimmer of hope sparking in his eyes as he handed the doctor the paint bucket.
"Yes, painting is an excellent idea! Come, we haven't much time!" Dr. Gerhart said, as he went inside to paint, with the cowardly trio coming in to help as well.
"I should have done this years ago!" Dr. Gerhart said, as he painted the walls.
Courage's keen mind analyzing the situation, interjected, "And there's your problem, Dr. Gerhart, the reason your house is acting like this is because she thinks other people's houses look better than her!"
"You boys are definitely correct, I've been so focused on dealing with my loneliness for so long, I haven't really been taking good care of my home. No wonder she was so upset with me lately," Dr. Gerhart said, as he climbed up the ladder, and painted the ceiling as well.
"Rell, that's all gonna change starting right now!" Scooby declared, attacking the walls with a roller brush, his enthusiasm palpable as he coated the surfaces with fresh paint.
"Uh, Scoob, you missed a spot!" Shaggy pointed out, his voice a mixture of nervousness and concern.
"Roh, thanks, Raggy!" Scooby acknowledged, his tail wagging as he carefully rectified his mistake.
With the painting complete, everyone set about cleaning up the splattered paint, their efforts creating a sense of shared purpose and satisfaction. As they worked, the house began to calm down, its atmosphere visibly lightening.
"Courage, Shaggy, Scooby, you three have made this house beautiful, she's the happiest I've ever seen her! Listen..." Dr. Gerhart said, as he heard his house sighing with happiness.
The house, once a source of fear and distress, was now a symbol of hope and renewed affection, a testament to the power of simple acts of kindness and the vital importance of caring for those we love, even if they are just a house.
Back inside the basement the old couple were clutching to each other as the rooster weather vane came closer, but stopped as it flew away.
Letting go of each other, Eustace shouted, "And don't come back!"
"Shh! Eustace, I think the noise is stopping..." Muriel hushed her husband.
Coming in the house, Muriel and Eustace came in and got a shock of what they saw.
"Huh?!" Eustace exclaimed.
"Oh!" Muriel gasped.
What they saw was that now the house looked all cleaned and fancy, and now has classical music playing on the record.
"Come in, neighbors! Come in!" Dr. Gerhart insisted.
"Oh, hello, Muriel. Hello, farmer. So, glad you two could finally join us," Courage chirped, adding the finishing touch to the scene by lighting three candles on a nearby table.
"Oh, my!" Muriel said, as she gaze at the living room with wander.
"Welcome to my humble abode!" Dr. Gerhart announced.
"Boys, what happened to Dr. Gerhart's house? It looks... different," Muriel asked, as she looked around.
"While you guys were hiding, we've been busy helping Dr. Gerhart tidying up the place to make it more comfortable for any visiting guest," Shaggy explained, a sheepish grin spreading across his face.
"Rhat do you think? Retty neat, huh?" cooby chimed in, his tail wagging as he chuckled.
"Well, I must say that you're home is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen!" Muriel complimented.
"Got more sardines?!" Eustace demanded, not caring whatsoever.
"Amazing what a little tender love and care can do for you, it's such a friendly place now," Muriel said, finding this house beautiful.
"Mmm-hmm," Courage nodded in agreement, his small head bobbing enthusiastically.
"Yes, but I couldn't have done it without the help of your wonderful nephew and these two astounding dogs," Dr. Gerhart said, turning his gaze towards the three best friends.
Shaggy, grinning broadly, replied with his usual easygoing charm, "Hey, anything for our dear neighbor."
Dr Gerhart gasped with surprise, "You mean?"
Scooby, ever the enthusiastic canine, added with a wide grin, "Rhat's right, we're now officially neighbors!"
Courage, with his signature dramatic flair, finished the sentiment, "And we're welcome to have you here in Nowhere!"
"Thank you, boys... that means a lot to me," Dr. Gerhart smiled.
Then there was a noise outside, sounding like work construction.
"Huh?" Courage inquired, tilting his head in confusion.
"What's all that racket?!" Eustace demanded, to know where the noise is coming from.
Shaggy offered an explanation, "Like, I think there's some construction going on outside..."
Scooby, peering out the window, let out a gasp of surprise, "Rey, everybody! Rome look at this!"
Their eyes widened as they witnessed a sight that left them speechless a rapid construction of new houses, springing up like mushrooms after a rain.
"Oh, my! Houses... everywhere!" Muriel exclaimed.
"Neighbors..." Dr Gerhart said, as he went towards the door, with Muriel following him as well.
Stepping out onto the threshold, the trio was greeted by the sight of the Mayor of Nowhere, a portly figure with a bushy mustache and a perpetual frown.
"Hello, neighbor, I'm the mayor! Is that your farmhouse?" the mayor asked.
Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage, the cowardly dog, shuffled towards the doorway, their eyes drawn to the battered remains of their farmhouse, a stark reminder of the recent attack.
"Oh, right, our farmhouse..." Courage mumbled, his mind momentarily drifting back to the harrowing ordeal.
"Yes, it is," Muriel answered.
"Sorry, we're not zoned for farmhouses, move it or I'll have the boys knock it down!" the mayor demanded.
The words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the mayor's unwavering commitment to uniformity and his disdain for anything that disrupted his carefully crafted image of Nowhere.
Shaggy's face fell, a deep groan escaping his lips, "Aw, man! So, does this mean we're gonna have to move our farmhouse back where it once was? 'Cause I really starting to like our new neighbor here!" he lamented, his voice thick with disappointment.
"I'm sorry, dear, but I'm afraid it's better this way," Muriel told her nephew, before turning to Dr. Gerhart who was also sad, "Oh, I'm going to miss you, Gerhart."
Scooby whined softly, his tail drooping between his legs, "Rus too, I guess this is goodbye, huh?" he sighed, his words echoing the growing sense of loss.
"You're leaving, but I want you to be my neighbors!" Dr Gerhart said.
"True neighbors can't be seperated by miles," Muriel said, wisely.
"Yes, that's right," Dr. Gerhart smiled, before turning to Courage and petted him on the head, "Thank you, true neighbor, for everything."
Courage's heart brimming with gratitude, responded with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, we'll meet each other again some day. And if we ever do have neighbors of our own, hopefully one of them will be as friendly as you are."
The house seemed to share the sentiment, its carpet slithering out and licking Courage in a gesture of affection, cradling him as if to say 'thank you.'
"Hey, cut it out! That tickles!" Courage exclaimed, stifling a laugh.
Shaggy, watching the interaction, couldn't help but smile, finding the whole scene utterly adorable, "Aw, I think this house is starting to grow on you, little pink dude," he chuckled.
Suddenly, the mood shifted. The family and Dr. Gerhart turned in unison as the farmhouse, seemingly unable to bear the thought of them leaving, began to collapse in on itself.
Shaggy's voice laced with a desperate hope, turned to Dr. Gerhart, "Uh... say, doctor dude, like, do you think you could help us redecorate our farmhouse before we leave?"
"It would be my pleasure," Dr. Gerhart smiled.
Scooby's eyes wide with surprise, let out a resounding, "SCOOBY-DOOBY-DOO!" Scooby shouted.
The sound echoing through the falling debris, a testament to the chaos and comedic absurdity that was ever-present in their lives.
Well that's all for this chapter, next will be Le Quack Ballon. I like to thank Aartman7141999 schweenieboy and Angry9guy for the quotes and ideas. (Fun fact, did you guys notice that this episode is like the movie Monster house? The movie might got that idea from this episode since this episode came out before the movie. Maybe I should crossover Scooby and Courage with the movie sometime in the future, or Coraline, which ever comes first.)
Let me guys know in the reviews/comments of what should I do for the future episodes or next chapter. And what Courage should say in future chapters. Until then this is vakarns signing out.
Le Quack Ballon: Le Quack kidnaps Muriel and puts her on a hot air balloon. He teaches her to bungee-jump from the balloon so she can grab a Swedish ingredient for her food, but he is tricking her so he can rob the Swedish national piggy bank instead.