The family was settling into their evening routine, a symphony of familiar sounds filling the air. Shaggy and Scooby, their faces buried in their sub sandwiches, were lost in a world of cheese and pepperoni, while Muriel rocked gently in her chair, Courage nestled peacefully asleep on her lap. Eustace, as always, occupied his own space, a permanent frown etched on his face. Suddenly, the television blared with news of the annual hunting season, a cheerful announcement that sent a shiver down Shaggy's spine.
"In other news, today is the first day of hunting season! Time for our annual contest to see who can blast the biggest deer!" the news reporter announced.
"Like, wow!" Shaggy exclaimed, though his enthusiasm was a facade. While he enjoyed a good burger, Shaggy couldn't stomach the idea of hunting animals for sport. He preferred to believe that the animals who ended up on his plate were treated humanely, their end swift and painless.
The thought of hunting for pleasure, of chasing innocent creatures through their own territory, filled him with a sense of unease. His own ethics, though perhaps a bit silly, conflicted with the thrill of the hunt.
His internal debate was cut short by the sound of Eustace's gruff voice.
"Argh! Stupid TV!" Eustace complained, he got up, opened the door and went outside.
The sudden silence was broken only by the creak of the door as Eustace exited, leaving behind an unnerving emptiness in the room. Courage, startled awake, whimpered and looked towards the open door, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Oh my," Muriel gasped.
Shaggy, a bit confused, stammered, "Was it something I said?"
Courage's stomach twisted in anticipation, a dread settling over him like a thick fog. What could the farmer be possibly be upset with this time?
Suddenly, the air was filled with the booming sound of fireworks, a cacophony of explosions. Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage scrambled to their feet and paws, hurrying to the window to investigate the commotion. Outside, they saw a small plane trailing a sky banner that read, 'Hunting Season, Biggest Deer Contest.'
"Whoa! I never knew that hunting was this big in Nowhere," Shaggy exclaimed, his voice a mixture of amazement and disbelief. And like, a big deal too. He added to himself.
"Well hunting is a big part of Nowhere's history," Courage explained, recalling the annual celebrations that had always been a major event in the town since he was a pup.
"Reh, it's kinda overrated if you ask me," Scooby grumbled, his tail drooping slightly. He never understood why humans hunted animals when it was their natural territory.
Eustace burst back into the house, slamming the door behind him with such force that the windows rattled. He then began to cry and wail, his sobs echoing throughout the room, like a heartbroken child. Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage stared at him in disbelief, their jaws dropping in surprise. It was like watching a three-year-old toddler having a full-blown temper tantrum.
"Eustace, is something the matter?" Muriel asked her husband, before turning her gaze to the trio, "I'm really getting worried. He usually likes big bass drums."
"I don't think this has to do with drums," Courage muttered, his brow furrowed, knowing how deeply upset Eustace was to be throwing this kind of tantrum.
Eustace's sobs suddenly turned into manic laughter as he grabbed a white marker and began to draw a crude picture of himself and another man on his shoes.
"Boys? That looks like Eustace's dead brother Horst!" Muriel pronounced.
"Rorst?" Scooby echoed, his voice full of confusion.
Courage scrutinized the drawings on the grumpy farmer's shoes, "I wonder what Horst has to do with all this?" he remarked, attempting to make sense of the bizarre situation.
Eustace looked at his shoes, and begin play with them as he were a child, "Can't I come hunting with you? No! Please, big brother! No! Ah, come on! No, no, you puny little…"
He then slammed his shoe against the other shoe, his actions fueled by an unknown, unsettling emotion. What had pushed Eustace to this point?
"You have to wonder what's going through his mind," Muriel told the trio.
Shaggy connected the dots back to a past incident: "Like I feel like this has to do more than just hunting. I mean remember when we celebrated Great Uncle Horst's birthday?" he recalled the unsettling discovery of the cursed box in their backyard, a memory that still sent shivers down his spine.
Courage, his eyes wide with fear, spoke about the ordeal: "You mean when he tried to open that cursed box? How could I not forget! It took 2 hours to get the farmer out of that box."
Scooby, visibly shaken, shivered at the memory, "Rhat was one creepy box," he whimpered, recalling the terror they had endured. He had taken the box far away, even throwing it down a well to ensure it never resurfaced, but the memory still haunted him.
Suddenly, Eustace's mournful cries pierced the air, drawing the trio's attention back to him. He was now pounding the floor, his sobs echoing through the house.
"Eustace! You've got to do something to calm yourself down!" Muriel gasped.
Shaggy tried to offer his own advice, "Like, Aunt Muriel is right man. Do something."
Eustace immediately stop crying and declared, "I'm gonna do something, alright," he rushed upstairs for something that the trio don't know.
"Oh! Boys, you think something's getting Eustace a tad upset?" Muriel asked, with concern and confusion.
Courage, his anxiety rising, responded with a quick, "I don't know, but it can't be good."
Shaggy, having witnessed Eustace's greed firsthand, offered a grim prediction, "Scoob and I have been staying here for quite a while. And if there's one thing I know about my Uncle Eustace, is he always does these things for greedy reasons."
Scooby, sensing another perilous adventure on the horizon, groaned, "Roh-boy."
The trio, caught in a moment of hushed anticipation, were jolted back to reality by the sound of heavy footsteps descending from the stairs. Turning their heads, they saw Eustace emerging from the shadows, a sight that sent shivers down their spines. He was clad in a hunter's outfit, a worn leather jacket and pants, his face grim and determined, a large, ominous gun clutched tightly in his hand.
"Aha! Big Bob!" Eustace shouted.
The family stared at Eustace, a wave of disbelief washing over their features.
"Oh my!" Muriel gasped.
Shaggy whimpered, "Zoinks!"
Scooby, trembling with fear, wailed, "Rikes!"
Courage, his voice cracking with anxiety, screamed, "Great StarClan!"
Eustace went passed by his family and announced before heading outside, "I'm going hunting!"
"You had better go along, boys," Muriel said, fearing for her husband's safety, "To make sure he doesn't hurt himself."
Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage exchanged a look of utter despair. They had no desire to be dragged into this, but they were powerless against Muriel's well-meaning but misguided request.
"The things we do for love," Courage muttered, his voice barely a whisper, as the trio reluctantly followed Eustace out into the unknown.
The forest was a tapestry of darkness, the only light coming from the crackling fire Shaggy had built to ward off the chill of the night. Courage trembled, his fur bristling with fear. The forest at night was a nightmare for him, an orchestra of unsettling noises that sent shivers down his spine. This is his least favorite part of camping trips, and the nighttime in the woods was the absolute worst.
Eustace, meanwhile, was in his element, gleefully sharpening his hunting rifle, his laughter echoing eerily through the trees. He grinned, aiming the weapon directly at Courage, who let out a shriek of terror. In a flash, Scooby snatched Courage away from danger.
"Rey! Ratch where you're pointing that thing!" Scooby stammered, his voice shaking with a mixture of indignation and fear.
Eustace, oblivious to the danger he posed, continued his target practice, seemingly indifferent to Scooby's warning. Shaggy winced, his stomach churning at the thought of hunting for sport. It felt cruel and unnecessary, a pointless act of violence against innocent creatures.
"I'll show that dumb Horst!" Eustace yelled, cutting off Shaggy's thoughts, "I'll show them all.
"Uncle Eustace be careful you're gonna-" Shaggy's warning was too late.
Eustace, in his excitement, accidentally fired his gun into the air. The loud blast echoed through the forest, prompting two hunters who had been lurking in the shadows to leap onto Eustace, landing with a heavy thud. They scrambled away into the darkness, leaving behind a surprised and slightly bewildered Eustace.
Eustace, dusted off and sitting up, glared at the empty woods.
Shaggy, seizing the moment, spoke up, a hesitant tremor in his voice, "Uncle Eustace, what do you have against your brother?"
"That man is dead. So there ain't nobody for me to be against," Eustace scoffed off his nephew's question.
"Like, I talked to Aunt Muriel earlier and she said that you used to be a bit jealous of your brother," Shaggy persisted, the hurt in his uncle's voice a stark contrast to his usual gruffness.
"Jealous!?" Eustace spat at him, "I'm not jealous! I'm fed up with my stupid brother. Ever since we were kids everybody always paid attention to Horst. He was so special that he got to explore so many places and he got to shoot so many animals that everybody admired him. He ain't special, he's a total push over!" he ranted, pain was hinted in his voice.
"But he's still your brother," Courage chirped, his voice tinged with gentle concern.
"Not according to my parents," Eustace hissed, "Me Ma told me that I'm so useless I'll never be as useful as Horst and i'll always be a stupid son. Plus me Pa paid so much attention to Horst that he didn't even know I existed."
Shaggy, despite feeling a sliver of sympathy for his grumpy uncle, found his words hypocritical, the echo of his own experiences resonating in his mind, "Kinda like how you treat me, Courage, and Scooby."
Eustace grumbling with annoyance, signaling we doesn't want to talk about it anymore.
"Rell, it's getting late," Scooby stretched, his voice heavy with exhaustion. Resides, I don't wanna argue with Rustace anymore.
Shaggy, yawning, agreed, "After a long day of being out, I could go for a good night sleep."
"Me too," Courage yawned, burying his muzzle in his fur, his eyes drooping closed. The night settled around them, a blanket of silence punctuated only by the gentle snores of a tired dog and the restless rustling of leaves in the breeze.
In another part of a forest, the damp earth gave way with a muffled 'thump' as Bugs Bunny, a mischievous glint in his eye, emerged from the tunnel. His whiskers twitched, his nose sniffing the air,
"Well here we are, Lakeside Beach and all the clams we could eat," his voice booming with a touch of theatrical flair.
A moment later, a black duck with a perpetually disgruntled expression, Daffy Duck, popped out of the tunnel, his feathers ruffled and his beak agape, "What a way for a duck to travel underground," he grumbled, his voice dripping with annoyance, Daffy paused, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings, "Hey wait a minute! Since when did a Lakeside Beach looked like a forest!"
Bugs scratched his head and mumbled, "Say, I knew we should take a left turned at Albuquerque."
As the sun peeked over the horizon, Courage stirred beneath the weight of Eustace's boots on his muzzle. With a groan, he opened his eyes and realized that Eustace, Shaggy and Scooby were still slumbering soundly. He moaned softly, then stretched his legs and arms, feeling the rumbles of an empty stomach. Determined to make the best of a situation, he decided to whip up some breakfast.
The aroma of sizzling bacon soon wafted through the campsite, awakening Shaggy and Scooby like a siren call. With their eyes barely open, they stumbled towards the plates of bacon, their mouths watering, and began devouring it like two ravenous hogs.
"Morning guys," Courage greeted them with a small, nervous laugh.
"Morning Courage/Rorning Rourage," Shaggy and Scooby mumbled in unison, their attention solely focused on the bacon, which they finished with a final, satisfying gulp.
"Rhat was good bacon," Scooby remarked with a smile.
A soft chuckle escaped Courage, "Muriel isn't the only one who can cook."
"Thanks little pink dude," Shaggy muttered, still half-asleep.
Suddenly, noises reached their ears from near the campsite, a chorus of laughter that didn't seem threatening, but rather joyful. Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage all perked up, their curiosity piqued.
"Rou hear that?" Scooby asked, not sounding afraid for once.
"Sounds like laughter," Shaggy listened intently.
"It's coming from over there," Courage pointed toward the bushes, his fear momentarily forgotten, "Come on."
The trio, drawn by the unusual sound of pure joy, cautiously set off to investigate, wondering who could be having so much fun in their quiet corner of the world.
The cowardly trio crept through the undergrowth. They had stumbled upon a sight that stopped them in their tracks. A family of deer: a graceful doe, a strong buck, and two playful fawns, a son and a daughter, frolicking in the dappled sunlight.
"Aww, look at the cute little deers," Shaggy murmured, his heart melting at the scene. The sight of animals in their natural habitat always filled him with a sense of wonder.
"Gotcha," the male deer said, tagging his son.
The boy deer then went tagging his sister, "You're it."
Courage, watching the scene unfold, couldn't help but smile. He cherished moments like these, witnessing the bonds of family, the innocent joy of youth. He felt a pang of longing for the simpler days of his own childhood, when life was filled with carefree laughter and the thrill of games.
"You're it," a girl deer said, leaping over the pink beagle and tagging him.
Courage let out a small giggle, the sound echoing through the silent forest. He turned to Scooby, his eyes sparkling with mischief, and called out, "You're it Scooby," before bounding off, remembering the game Muriel had taught him when he was a pup.
Scooby's paws pricked with a newfound energy. It felt like ages since he'd felt this carefree, this playful. He'd been morphing into an investigator, just like Fred, Daphne, and Velma, obsessed with unraveling mysteries and worrying about every unsolved case. But for a moment, he was just a goofy Great Dane, ready to chase after his best friend. He bounded after Courage, his tail wagging furiously, and tapped Shaggy's shoulder, "Rou're it Raggy!"
Shaggy, caught off guard, let out a playful grin, "Like I'm gonna get you Scooby-Doo," he chuckled, and then he too, was swept up in the game, racing after the Great Dane.
Out of the corner of his eye, Courage noticed the buck watching them warily. He could see the fear in the deer's eyes, the primal instinct to protect his family kicking in, "It's okay, he's not gonna hurt you," Courage assured the father deer, his voice soft and reassuring.
The father seemed relived, and continued to play with his family.
Before Courage could rejoin the game, a sharp, piercing pain ripped through his body. He let out a choked moan, the sound a desperate plea swallowed by the silence of the forest. Now I know how a hunted animal feels.
"You made me miss, you lousy, stupid hunting dog!" Eustace scolded. With a vicious kick, he sent the trembling pink beagle flying into the hollow of a nearby tree.
"You're the useless one!" Eustace snapped, but just as he was about to walk away, he was met with the indignant stares of Shaggy and Scooby, their disapproval as tangible as the warm summer air.
"Uncle Eustace, you can't just kick the little pink dude like that!" Shaggy shouted, his voice laced with concern.
"Huh?" Eustace asked.
"Like, Courage didn't make you miss, the deer got away," Shaggy explained, attempting to reason with his volatile uncle.
"Blah, blah blah!" Eustace growled, "He still got in the way of capturing that deer."
Shaggy, emboldened by the injustice, pushed further, "I have a feeling that if Uncle Horst was still alive he would be very mad that you kicked the little dog dude into that tree!" he declared, knowing he'd struck a sensitive chord.
Eustace give a cold glare at his nephew, "You leave me stupid brother out of this you stupid nephew! Your just as useless as that stupid dog, along with your own stupid dog. Now get out of me way!" he pushed Shaggy harshly, as he stomped away.
Scooby growled in disgust, "Re's such a jerk," he mumbled, his furry ears drooping.
"I know, right?" agreed, his voice heavy with disappointment.
"Rome on, let's help Rourage," Scooby said, his concern replacing his anger as he approached the tree where Courage moaned in pain.
Shaggy and Scooby, having finally managed to pull the soot-covered Courage from the tree, found themselves facing a new, unexpected challenge. A squirrel, now firmly lodged in Courage's mouth, was chittering furiously, poking the pink beagle in the eye with a tiny paw.
"Ouch!" Courage yelped, his voice muffled by the squirrel, "Sorry squirrel!"
"Rare you okay Rourage?" Scooby asked.
Courage, with a flick of his tongue, dislodged the squirrel fur from his mouth and began to reply, "Yeah I-" but his voice died in his throat.
Following his gaze, Shaggy and Scooby saw a chilling sight - pictures of Eustace, strung up on various trees, were being used as targets. A father deer, the same one they had encountered earlier, stood below, rifle in hand, taking aim. A collective gasp of horror escaped the three, and they scrambled away just as the deer fired.
"Oh-no!" Courage cried, his anxiety reaching a fever pitch.
"That's not good," Shaggy whimpered, his voice trembling.
"Re gotta find Rustace!" Scooby declared, his fear momentarily forgotten as he ran towards the woods, despite his previous frustrations with the farmer, the thought of him being hunted was unbearable.
Shaggy and Courage followed close behind, their hearts pounding as they embarked on a desperate search to find Eustace and save him from the vengeful deer.
The urgency of the situation propelled Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage into a frantic dash towards Eustace, their voices echoing with a mix of fear and desperation.
"Uncle Eustace!" Shaggy gasped, his breath coming in ragged bursts.
"A deer is gonna hunt you down!" Courage shrieked, his tiny form trembling with terror, hoping the message would penetrate the farmer's thick skull.
"Reah, hunt you down!" Scooby added, his usual playful tone replaced by genuine fear that clawed at his gut.
"Get away from me!" Eustace scoff off the trio's warnings.
Before the trio could even begin to explain the imminent danger, a deafening blast echoed through the air. Eustace, caught off guard, yelped as a searing pain shot through his rear end, sending him tumbling backward and his gun clanging off a distant gorge.
Turning their heads, they beheld the source of the sound. THE DEER, its hooves surprisingly holding a gun, stood poised and ready to hunt them down. A collective shriek of terror erupted from the group, their hearts pounding like war drums.
"Run!" Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage yelled in unison, their voices blending into a single, desperate cry.
They sprinted through the forest, their limbs moving in a blur, but their desperate escape was short-lived. After a mere thirty seconds, a sharp tug brought them to a halt, the air filled with the sound of rustling leaves as they realized they'd been ensnared in a net.
Oh great, like why not have another Fred who is an expert on traps! Shaggy thought, sarcasm dripping from his mind.
Panic surged through them as they frantically struggled against the netting, but their efforts proved futile.
Roh, if we ever needed Red, it's now! Scooby thought, his mind a mere whisper of desperation.
Their worst fears were confirmed as the deer materialized before them, its eyes gleaming with a menacing light.
"Zoinks, he's coming!" Shaggy wailed, his voice cracking with fear.
"Start chewing!" Courage screeched, urging them to tear at the net with their teeth, spurred by desperation.
Shaggy and Scooby desperately followed his instructions.
"What's... Huh?" Eustace asked, clearly daze from the trap.
"A deer's gotta do what a deer's gotta do," the deer declared.
The four trapped figures, driven by sheer terror, doubled their efforts to break free, their gnawing becoming a frantic frenzy. Just as the deer aimed its gun, ready to deliver another shot, a brilliant burst of laser light sliced through the air, releasing them from the net's clutches.
"It's rabbit season!" Daffy argued.
"Duck season," Bugs argued back.
"Rabbit season!"
"Duck season."
"Rabbit season!"
"Rabbit season!"
"Duck season."
"Rabbit season!"
"Rabbit season!"
"Duck season!"
"Rabbit season!"
Daffy wasn't having none of it, and yelled, "I say it's duck season! And I say fire!"
Then out of nowhere, a laser shot Daffy in the beak, making it sideways, he twisted his beak back to it's normal place.
He quietly walked up to Bugs and hissed, "You're despicable."
Back with the family, they had managed to dodge in time as another laser shot zipped through the air. Unfortunately, Eustace, running in a different direction, failed to see the deer's cunning trap. Hearing painful grunts from the farmer, the trio cautiously approached the hole, only to be met with a startling sight. A magnificent WHITE TIGER, its fur gleaming in the dappled sunlight, leaped out of the hole.
"That was truly a traumatic experience," the white tiger said, "But I'm over it."
He then give out a laugh, and sprang out into the forest.
"Rince when does a tiger live in the forest," Scooby asked, his voice thick with astonishment at the unexpected encounter.
Courage responded dryly, "Scoob, you stayed in Nowhere for at least almost three months. Does that surprise you somehow."
Scooby offered a sheepish smile and a shrug, his bewilderment evident in his wide, innocent eyes.
Shaggy, meanwhile, was grappling with a far more pressing issue, grunting, "Guys, a little help here," as he leaned down towards the hole, trying to pull his uncle, Eustace, out.
Scooby and Courage turned their attention to the struggling teenager, rushing over to assist. However, before they could intervene, Eustace, in a dramatic display of clumsiness, pulled them all into the hole with him.
"Uncle Eustace, we're trying to get you out, not get in," Shaggy moaned with exasperation.
Looking up, they found themselves staring at the barrel of a deer's gun, pointed directly at Eustace.
"A deer's gotta do, what a deer's gotta do," the deer declared.
Eustace braced himself, letting out sobs.
"Stop, don't shoot!" Courage cried, desperately trying to reason with the deer.
"Hmm," the deer questioned.
"Rhere's gotta be another way to settle this," Scooby offered, his voice small and hesitant.
"Hmm?" the deer questioned again.
"Like, that man your hunting is my uncle," Shaggy explained, hoping to appeal to the deer's sense of family.
"But your so-called uncle kicked your friend into a tree," the deer proclaimed, making the trio remembering what happened earlier.
Ras he spying on us? Scooby pondered in his mind, a sense of unease growing within him.
"Which means I have to do this," the deer was aiming to gun, ready to try to shoot Eustace again.
"Stop!/Rop!" Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage gasped in unison, their voices filled with fear and desperation.
The deer lowered his gun, and a wave of relief washed over the trio, their bodies trembling with the aftershocks of their near-death experience.
"There's still gotta be another way," Courage insisted, his voice firm despite the lingering terror.
"Like, if this was a game show then you have to win the right to shoot Uncle Eustace," Shaggy added, his voice laced with desperation.
This sparked an idea in Courage's brain, a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos, "Game show? That's it! Let's settle this in a game show!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with newfound determination.
"Rou got a deal?" Scooby asked, his voice trembling with hope, reaching out to the deer in a desperate plea for a chance at survival.
"Hmm. It's a deal," the deer finally agreed.
Back at the farmhouse Muriel sat on her rocking chair, worrying about her husband, "I just hope Eustace gets home okay."
The silence of the farmhouse pressed in on her, a stark contrast to the usual bustling energy of her husband's presence. She rose from her chair, feeling restless, and wandered over to the television, switching it on just in time to catch the start of a game show.
"And now it's time to play... Hunt for Knowledge!" the news reporter and the audience announced.
"Oh, goody, goody!" Muriel said, cheerfully.
But to her surprise the camera shots down to reveal, Shaggy, Scooby and Courage. Shaggy was wearing a white suit, while Scooby was wearing a red bow tie and Courage was wearing a white bow tie.
"And here are your hosts Courage Bagge, Shaggy Rogers, and Scooby-Doo," the TV reporter announced.
"Boys?" Muriel asked, with astonishment.
Back in the woods, Bugs and Daffy, drawn by the commotion, were eager to see what was going on. The forest animals were gathered around a makeshift stage, their excited chatter filling the air.
"Eh, what's up doc?" Bugs asked, as he chomped on a carrot.
"Some game show they're hosting," a bear responded to the gray and white rabbit.
Courage waved to the assembled crowd, "Hello everyone welcome to Hunt for Knowledge. The game show where we guess what's for knowledge. Now let's introduce our contestants."
Shaggy took the lead. "On the left we have an educated deer whose hobbies are hunting and spending time with his family. Please welcome Buck."
The male deer, Buck, a proud and handsome specimen, waved at the audience, earning a chorus of cheers from the gathered animals.
"On the right we have a very grouchy farmer whose hobbies are not only hunting but trying to fix things and farming of course. Please welcome Eustace Bagge," Courage announced, his voice barely above a whisper.
But unlike the warm welcome for Buck, the crowd erupted in a cacophony of boos and hisses. Eustace, with his weathered face and perpetually grumpy expression, was a familiar sight to the forest dwellers, and not a welcome one. They knew all too well that the old farmer was notorious for hunting down their kind.
Back at home Muriel was surprise that her husband was on TV too!
"Eustace?"
Back in the forest, Scooby was showing off a box of Scooby Snacks, his tail wagging with enthusiasm.
"Rhis program is brought to you by Scooby Snacks. Row featuring new bubble gum flavor," Scooby announced, his words slightly slurred but his message clear.
"Sometimes you gotta advertise," Courage put in, with a sly wink, his voice almost drowned out by the cheers.
Meanwhile, at Fred's house in Coosville, a shocking revelation unfolded on the television screen. As the gang casually relaxed, Fred's eyes widened in disbelief. To his astonishment, Shaggy and Scooby were contestants on a game show, their zany antics filling the living room.
"No way. Girls come quick!" Fred shouted.
Daphne and Velma, hearing Fred's urgent summons, rushed into the living room, their eyes drawn to the TV. They couldn't believe their own eyes; the hungry duo they had encountered on their recent adventure was now gracing their television screens.
"Jinkies! Shaggy and Scooby are on TV," Velma exclaimed.
"Look, it's the little dog they told us about," Daphne added, looking at the pink little dog on the TV.
Fred, with his quick wit, turned to his iPhone, pulling up a picture Shaggy had sent weeks earlier. The image showed a grumpy old man and a kind-hearted elderly woman.
"I'm guessing the hunter must be Shaggy's uncle," Fred stated.
"He looks as grouchy as he does in this picture," Velma commented, looking at Fred's phone.
The air crackled with anticipation as the forest transformed into a makeshift game show arena. Backdrops of leaves and vines framed Courage he held aloft a picture of the Big Dipper.
"And now for our first question," he announced, his voice echoing through the trees, "What is this picture of?"
Both contestants, the deer and Eustace, eagerly slammed their buttons, desperate for the chance to answer.
"That would be-" the deer began, before being cut off by Eustace.
"No way, deer. I'm going first. That there's dots. A whole mess of dots!" Eustace yelled.
The audience roared with laughter, finding Eustace's ignorance hilarious. Shaggy, his face buried in his palms, couldn't help but groan.
Velma would of like, sure correct you in her own words. Shaggy thought, picturing Velma's exasperated rant at his uncle's lack of knowledge.
"That would be the Big Dipper," Buck corrected.
"Correct/Rorrect!" Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the clearing.
The forest animals, including Buck's family, roared their approval.
"No fair! He didn't give me a chance!" Eustace whined.
Scooby rolled his eyes and whispered to Courage, "Rike, he ever gave him a chance."
"No kidding," Courage whispered back, his voice barely audible above the cheering crowd. And he calls up stupid all the time?
The game show was off to a chaotic, yet undeniably entertaining start.
The air crackled with anticipation as Shaggy, holding a picture of DNA, announced, "Now for our next question. "Like, what is this a picture of?"
Eustace and Buck, both eager to prove their knowledge, slammed their buttons simultaneously.
"Me first. It's a scribbling line with colorful dots," Eustace yelled.
The buzzer went off, indicating that Eustace was indeed incorrect.
"Deoxyribonucleic Acid also known as DNA," Buck responded.
"Correct/Rorrect!" erupted from Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage, their voices blending in a joyous cacophony.
Eustace grumbled, with annoyance.
The game continued as Scooby, holding a picture of Van Gogh's Starry Night, asked, "Ror our third question. Rhat is this picture of?"
Eustace and Buck once again pressed their buttons, their eyes gleaming with competitive spirit.
"A bunch of yellow and blue swirly lines," Eustace announced.
But unfortunately the farmer was wrong again, as the buzzer went off.
"Starry Night. Originally painted by Vincent Van Gogh," Buck said, calmly.
"Correct/Rorrect!" Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage roared in unison.
"Stupid deer! You make me look bad," Eustace snapped at the deer.
"I'm gonna ignore that," Buck replied, shaking his head.
Bugs, watching from the audience, chuckled and quipped, "What a maroon!"
The game continued, with Buck consistently nailing the answers, while Eustace continued his streak of incorrect guesses. Finally, the nerve-wracking moment arrived.
"And now, the question to determine the winner!" the news reporter announced.
Courage held up a globe, a symbol of the Earth, and asked, "And now for our final question."
"What is this thing?/Rhat is this thing?" Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage all repeated the question, their voices echoing through the arena.
Eustace managed to press the button faster than Buck this time, "I know this for sure! It's a bowling ball covered with throw-up!"
The buzzer went off, as all the animals booed at Eustace.
Buck pressed on to button and declared, "That's the planet Earth."
"Correct/Rorrect!" Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage thundered in unison.
"The winner of Hunt for Knowledge is… Buck!" Courage cheered, his muzzle stretched into a wide grin.
The animals erupted into joyous applause, even Daffy, who had been silently observing the game, gave a grudging nod of approval. Buck's family rushed to the stage, showering him with hugs and congratulations. The heartwarming sight of the deer family celebrating Buck's victory, with Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage smiling warmly, brought a sense of contentment to the forest. But the joy was shattered in an instant.
"He's just a stupid animal!" Courage heard Eustace, turning around and to his shock and horror, he had Buck's gun and was prepared to shoot him. Courage's blood ran cold, a horrified yelp escaping his lips.
"Uncle Eustace no!" Shaggy cried out, his voice laced with desperation.
The deer family gasped in terror, their eyes wide with fear. Instinct took over. Courage, with a burst of adrenaline, lunged for the stage, pulling the rug from beneath it. Stretching his long, elastic legs, he reached out with the laser, firing a shot that echoed through the forest, followed by a pained grunt.
Oh like, please let it be alive. Shaggy prayed, his voice barely a whisper.
Their worst fears were confirmed. A deep growl, like the rumble of a brewing storm, shook the air, followed by the earth itself. A large, menacing shadow emerged from the trees, accompanied by the crashing of branches. Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage huddled together, whimpering in fear, their hearts pounding in their chests. The creature finally stepped into the clearing, revealing itself to be a massive bear, its eyes blazing with anger.
He did not look happy, not in the slightest, "Now who done shot, MY LOLLIPOP!?" he demanded, holding a orange lollipop that had been clearly shot.
"The hunter!" the animals responded, pointing at Eustace.
Bugs holding a sign that read 'He did it!' in bold letters, added with a sly grin, "Ain't I a stinker?"
Daffy with a smug smirk, replied, "Yes, yes you are."
Eustace now knowing he's in trouble, threw Buck's gun into the bush, he give out a nervous chuckle and walked up to Buck, "He's the hunter! Not me!" he lied, as he switched his hat, while ripping Buck's antlers and fur off in the process.
"My brother was right, I ain't no hunter!" Eustace said crazily, "I'm a deer! See!"
Shaggy, Scooby, and Courage watched in stunned silence, bewildered by the entire bizarre situation. All they could hear were Eustace's panicked screams in the distance, a testament to his ill-fated attempt to blend in with the deer.
Rell, serves him right. Scooby thought a small, satisfied grin spreading across his face.
"Thanks for saving us out there," Buck said, showing graduate.
Shaggy nodded, replying, "Like, no problem. I'd do anything for our new friends."
"You're one brave kid along with your friends. How do you do it?" Buck asked.
Shaggy's cheeks burned with embarrassment, "Well you gotta have courage," he mumbled, looking down at his feet.
"A dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do," Courage chimed in, his voice resolute.
"Reah," Scooby, nodding in agreement, let out a joyful giggle, relieved that the crisis was over and their friends were safe.
A few hours later, back in the cozy farmhouse, the family huddled around the television, the screen still displaying the live feed of the ongoing hunt.
Shaggy, his phone pressed against his ear, chatted with Fred, his voice laced with excitement, "Thanks for checking in. I'll see you soon. Bye," he said, hanging up the call and slipping his phone back into his pocket. Turning to Scooby, a wide grin spread across his face, "Guess what Scooby? The gang saw us on TV."
Scooby, unable to contain his excitement, wriggled in his seat, his body buzzing with anticipation, "Roh boy!"
Courage noticed Scooby's elation and couldn't help but ask, "Do you think I might meet your friends guys?"
Shaggy, catching the nervous glint in Courage's eyes, responded with a reassuring chuckle, "Someday Courage. Someday."
The pink beagle's ears drooped slightly, a hint of nervousness clouding his usually bright expression, "Do you think they'll like me?" he asked, a tremor in his voice.
Scooby, recognizing Courage's discomfort, reassured him, "Rell when we write to the gang, we always mention you."
Courage felt a sudden burst of warm gratitude at Scooby's words, a shy smile spreading across his face. Maybe he could actually meet them one day, tell them about his adventures, and share how Shaggy and Scooby had grown so brave, almost as brave as him.
"That's my nephew. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine," Muriel said, warmly looking please at her nephew answer.
Shaggy, feeling the love radiating from his aunt, smiled and embraced her tightly, "Thanks Aunt Muriel."
"And now, let's welcome the winner of this year's hunting contest," the announcer said on TV, getting the family's attention, "Mr. Jay O Kerwood Mr. Curwood has blasted the oddest deer of the year!"
He walked up to a car, where Eustace was on the front of the car looking dazed, with the man claimed to be Mr. Jay O Kerwood Mr. Curwood.
"You know, boys, that deer reminds me a wee bit of Eustace," Muriel said, staring at the screen, and trying to remember.
"I'm a deer. Useless the deer!" Eustace said, with a dazed voice and singing 'lalala.'
Courage shook his head at the farmer, "He may be useless at times," he commented, his voice filled with a hint of pity.
"But he can be very useful," Shaggy chimed in, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
Scooby nodded in agreement, "Reah," he said, his tail wagging, "Scooby-Dooby-Doo!"
Well that's all for this chapter, next will be Bride of the Swamp Monster. I like to thank schweenieboy for the quotes and ideas. I hope you like the surprise cameo of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck I added in this chapter, I took inspiration from the What's New Scooby-Doo? Episode New Monster Old Mexico.
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.
Bride of Swamp Monster: Muriel buys a necklace and puts her picture inside, but she loses the pendant in a local swamp. The Swamp Monster finds it and believes Muriel is his long-lost bride. Shaggy, Scooby and Courage must locate the real bride of the Swamp Monster, and reconcile the long-lost lovers in order to get Muriel back.