Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

All Things End

By: Couragefan09

Chapter One: Until The End Comes

Courage whined softy as he trudged up the creaky staircase onto the second floor of the house. An air of depression hung over him, which was fairly unusual for the tiny dog. His ears were drooped like a puppy who had just been scolded and he kept himself on all fours as he could not will himself to walk upright in his current state. He needed answers and he knew that there was only one person who could give him those answers.

He whined again. Ever since that visit to the veterinarian three days ago, Muriel had been acting strangely. She'd been avoiding him and wouldn't even talk to him whenever he tried to cheer her up. He'd been completely devastated when she wouldn't let him lay on her lap anymore and she always seemed like she was on the verge of crying now. Even Eustace seemed a bit off lately as the cranky old farmer wasn't calling him a stupid dog anymore.

He pushed the attic door open and went over to the desk where his computer sat. He pulled himself up into the chair and felt his stomach lurch at how much effort it had taken him just to get up there. For months now he had been lacking the energy to do much of anything anymore. It was one of the many things that had left him worried ever since the veterinarian visit.

He flicked the switch on the side of the computer and waited. He was expecting the usual sort of greeting from the machine and he was not looking forward to it. Sighing listlessly, he allowed himself to sink deeper into the wooden chair, both out of fear and anticipation.

The screen of the computer flickered to life, displaying a bluish-green backdrop. There was a moments pause before an exaggerated sigh, originating from the machine's speakers, echoed through the empty attic.

"What is it now, you twit?" A bored voice asked, clearly coming from the computer. It spoke with an intelligent, if somewhat rude tone, and while it's voice was male, it was tinged with a slightly metallic tone that gave away the fact that it was not a real person talking.

Courage let his paws rest on the keyboard, unsure of where to begin. He was afraid that he wouldn't make sense if he rushed and the last thing he needed right now was Computer complaining about that too. He weakly sighed and tried to pull his thoughts together. He wasn't looking forward to this by any stretch of the imagination.

"Well?" The machine impatiently asked. It's words typed out across the screen as it talked.

Courage was used to 'his' usual antics, but this time he didn't bother acknowledging his impatience like he normally did. Under normal circumstances, they argued, a lot. Computer always seemed to have something to be annoyed about and Courage always hated listening to him complain. They almost always fought and Computer always won.

He began typing, slowly, to make sure that he was spelling out as many of his words as correctly as possible. His writing skills were not the best. He could read just fine, but he found typing and writing to be very difficult, especially when he were in a panic, which was almost every time he was using his computer. He wasn't very good at speaking English either. Whenever he panicked, his language usually turned into a gibbering mess of broken English and dog speak. Computer himself had gotten pretty good at understanding his gibberish, but he never missed an opportunity to mock him about it.

'Something's been wrong with me lately.' He typed, hesitating for a moment. Computer did not respond to the statement so he continued. 'Something inside of me hurts. It starts in my chest and then it spreads out all over. The pain eventually gets so bad that I can barely move and I usually black out afterwords. When I wake up, I feel weak and tired and it takes hours to get better. It wasn't so bad at first because it would only happen every once in awhile, but now it happens all the time, sometimes even twice a day. I'm tired all the time now too.' He stopped.

He left his fingers trembling on the keys. He was terrified at what could possibly be happening to him. Those mysterious seizure like pains had always frightened him but now they were getting worse and he couldn't do anything to stop them. He couldn't forget about how strange Muriel and Eustace were acting either. When this had first started, he had tried to act normal around them, but they had noticed anyway. Heck, he once even tried to hide himself in a closet when he felt an 'attack' coming on, but they had found him in the middle of the seizure anyway. They had taken him to the vet to get him checked out and now they were suddenly acting like he didn't exist at all. He was starting to wonder if he had done something wrong to make them treat him like this, but he couldn't help it if he were sick.

'I could barely even get up here without needing to take a break.' He continued. 'Muriel noticed how tired I've been and took me to see the vet. He looked me over and they talked about something, I wasn't really sure what. Muriel's been avoiding me ever since and she seems so sad now. I don't want to make her sad, but I'm not really sure what I did wrong.' He added that last part solely out of the fear that maybe he really had done something wrong. He knew that it sounded pathetic, especially to someone like Computer, but he couldn't help it.

There was a long bout of silence as his rude companion did his job. The words he had typed out still lingered on the screen. He stared intently into them, hoping that maybe he could finally get the answers he was searching for. He couldn't help but worry, it wasn't like Computer to remain this quiet.

Just as he was about to ask what was taking so long, the machine uttered out a small, "Oh, dear."

"What?" He asked out loud, not bothering to type it in this time. His heart lurched with dread.

"Well, from the sound of it, it looks like you have a very rare and very serious condition. It's only found in dogs and it's-" The machine hesitated.

"What?" Courage asked again, dreading whatever was about to be said. "I-Is it bad?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, there is no cure. The condition is...always fatal." There was a slight hint of awe in that cynical machine's voice.

"W-What?" Courage gasped. His mind shut down completely. The true implications of what he had been told didn't hit him until several seconds later.

Always fatal? He was going to...to die? How could that be? How could he be sick enough to die? He wasn't supposed to die! Not before Muriel!

"That can't be right! I-it can't be!" He gasped out. His entire body was shivering of its own accord. Fear washed over him as his own mortality became apparent. He was going to die....

Computer continued, ignoring his fearful trembling. "There is a treatment for the illness, but it really only delays the inevitable. It helps with the symptoms, but it only keeps a dog affected by the illness alive for about an extra year or so, and that is only under the best of circumstances. It's very expensive too, nothing an old, retired couple would be able to afford."

Courage was shaking with terror. Disbelief wracked his brain. Could nothing really save him? He began to type again in a frenzy, 'But Eustace is always stashing money away! He can't be that heartless! Why won't he help me!'

"Calm down, twit!" The machine replied. He were speaking as though this were business as usual and it only helped to infuriate Courage even further.

'How can you tell me to calm down? I'm about to die! Now isn't the time to be calm!' He furiously typed in. He was sure that he had missed a couple of keys but he was shaking so hard that it didn't matter either way.

"Because you're mowing in my keys, idiot!" Computer angrily replied. "Look, dog. Nothing that farmer is hoarding would be enough to help you. When I say expensive, I mean that you could buy a mansion with that kind of money. The treatment is only for quality bred dogs with exceptionally wealthy owners, and even then they're still doomed in the end."

Courage whined, unsure of what to do. He place a paw onto his chest and wondered when the next attack would occur. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to die from that sort of pain. He whined again as panic began to build up inside of him. It was more powerful than ever and he didn't know what to do about it. He wanted to run, scream, cry, but none of that would help him in the end.

"I feel for you, dog, I really do, but there isn't much that can be done. Muriel must be avoiding you because she knows that she can't help you."

Silence filled the gloomy attic. Neither machine nor dog knew what else to say. Courage squeezed his eyes shut. So many emotions rolled through him and he couldn't stop even one of them. If only he could-

Wait...

He perked up, realizing that he had forgotten something when he had told Computer about his illness. He began to type again with renewed vigor. 'While I was at the vet, he said something about putting me to sleep. I'm not really sure what that is, but does it mean he's going to put me to sleep and try to perform surgery on me? Maybe he's going to try and fix me!' He smiled at that thought. Maybe he could be saved after all!

“Oh, dear, well.” Computer spoke. He seemed to be at a loss for words. Once again he had slipped out of his business as usual tone for only just a moment. He hesitated, acting as though it were better to leave whatever he was about to say left unsaid. "Don't you know what being 'put to sleep' means?" He asked, choosing his words very carefully.

Courage shook his head. The hesitation in the machine's voice made his stomach lurch with fear yet again. "Is it something bad?" He asked rather weakly.

The machine sighed, obviously not wanting to deal with this. He waited for a moment and then began to speak once more. "I won't lie to you, it's best you know. Putting you to sleep is the kid friendly term for putting you down. They're going to kill you."

Courage's jaw hit the floor.

"It's a mercy killing, of course. It's so that you won't suffer needlessly, especially in the late stages of the disease. It will be painless, unlike waiting."

Courage remained silent, he didn't even blink. His mind couldn't wrap around the fact that Muriel was going to let some awful vet put him down. She had him scheduled to go back next Friday. Were they planning on doing it then? Had he not gone to Computer, he would have never even known that it was coming. He felt...betrayed.

"You still in there, twit?" Computer asked, pulling him out of this thoughts.

He shook his head in disbelief. "H-How could Muriel do this to me? I-I-"

Tears began to fill his eyes. He was angry, sad, scared, and confused all at the same time. He felt as though Muriel had intentionally betrayed him to this fate on purpose. He choked back a sob as several of his tears fell freely onto the keyboard beneath him.

"She just wants what's best for you. She wouldn't want you to suffer in the end." Computer said. He was trying to comfort him, at least as best as any cynical machine could try, but it wasn't working....

"How can she let some stupid vet kill me?" Courage cried out. His voice began to rise with fear. “Doesn't she care about me more then that? I-I don't want to die!" He started to sob.

"Would you rather suffer in the end? I'm sure it's painless. Why do you think they call it 'putting to sleep'? Surely that's preferable to wasting away, painfully, I might add."

"I don't want to die!” He sobbed. “I want to live! I want things to go back to the way they used to be!"

"Twit-" Computer tried to interject. His tone was growing annoyed.

"Why? Why did I have to get sick? I just want to nap in Muriel's lap again! I want her to talk to me like she used to! I want to be able to do things without having to worry about having an attack! I want to have my energy back! I-I-"

"Come on, dog. Don't be so-"

"I even want Eustace to scare me again! I just want things to go back to the way they used to be!"

It was almost too awful to think about. He'd never spend another day enjoying life with Muriel. He'd never spend another lazy afternoon snoozing on her lap. Everything he loved about life, he'd lose in death. He'd never see her or Eustace ever again, he'd never save them from monsters again, he'd never sample new recipes that Muriel was developing, he'd never help her with the laundry, cleaning up, cooking, washing, planting. The list went on and on and it only frightened him even more. He couldn't bear the thought of losing the only thing he had ever known. He wasn't supposed to die before them!

"Twit, seriously-" Computer spoke again, still trying to get the panicking dog's attention. It was a minor miracle that all the sobbing hadn't been heard by Muriel or Eustace downstairs yet.

"I-I don't want to die! I don't want to leave Muriel! Why did this have to happen to me?" He buried his face into his paws and sobbed.

"ENOUGH!" Computer finally yelled, cranking his speakers up to full blast. Having never raised his voice in Courage's presence before, it shut the pink dog up instantly.

"Throwing yourself into a panic isn't going to help anyone or anything! Pull yourself together!"

Courage sniffed and nodded. He began wiping tears from his eyes, feeling slightly foolish over his breakdown. He was still very much afraid, but he knew that he shouldn't have panicked like that.

He was still shaking several minutes later. He couldn't calm down knowing what was coming. His chest had begun to burn and he knew that if Computer hadn't stopped him, he probably would have thrown himself into another attack by accident.

'What should I do?' He finally typed.

"I honestly don't know what to tell you, but at least you've calmed down." The machine replied, sounding as if he were at a loss himself. Courage couldn't even remember the last time he hadn't gotten an answer from him.

'I-' He began to type, stopping on the first letter. He reconsidered what he was going to say and let his shaking paws rest on the keyboard.

"What is it, dog?" Computer asked, sounding weary.

He sighed and then typed, 'I know it's a stupid thing to say but, I'm scared.'

There was a slight chuckle from the machine. "Anybody in your predicament would be. Believe it or not, I do understand."

'I don't want some awful vet to stick a needle in me and never wake up again. I-' He stopped again. He could not hold back his tears anymore and let them fall freely. The machine said not a word as he sobbed and that allowed him to get all his emotions out in one fell swoop. It took several minutes before he could compose himself again and he was grateful that Computer hadn't mocked him during that time. He was just glad that he were listening, even if he didn't care.

He began to type again. 'I-I also don't want to waste away until my sickness finally does me in either. I-I'm scared of what's going to happen.'

The machine sighed yet again. "I don't want to get your hopes up, but I believe I might have an idea."

"R-Really?" He asked out loud. A small pang of hope entered his gut. Maybe Computer would have the answer he needed after all.

"Yes, but like I said, I don't want to get your hopes up. I plan to look into some kind of supernatural solution to this little conundrum. Things like legendary objects or places that can heal the terminally ill. It'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack though. Most of them will be just that, legends, or the place, object, or whatever else it could be might have already lost it's ability to heal, or it could have been a hoax all along. This isn't even including the fact that it might be halfway across the world or that there might be some complex ritual just to make it work."

"B-but you will look, won't you?"

"Of course, but please don't stake all of your hope on something like this. I can't guarantee that anything will pan out, and I honestly don't want to make things worse in the end. I'm afraid that solutions to living problems are rarely found in supernatural ones." He sounded exhausted at the thought of it all and even a bit worried.

"We only have until Friday though." Courage added. "Muriel is taking me back to the vet on that date. I-I think they're planning on d-doing 'it' then."

"Friday, huh? No pressure." Computer sarcastically remarked. "Alright, I'll begin searching then. Please leave me now so that I can work in peace." He had gone back to that business as usual tone.

Courage nodded in agreement. He was just about to leave before deciding to type one last thing into the keyboard.

'Thank you'

There was no response from the sarcastic machine.

Sighing, he picked himself up and dropped out of the chair. He was about halfway across the attic when Computer did indeed speak, causing him jump with surprise.

"You don't deserve this, you know." He said, speaking as though he needed to get this off his chest, or, well, whatever the computer equivalent of a chest might be. "I'm sorry that I can't be much help. Even if I don't find a way to cure you, I'll still do everything in my power to help you out anyway. I can promise you that much." He then let out a sigh. “Well, at least until the end comes.”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: An Absence Of Normalcy

Just as he had suspected would happen, the trip downstairs had sapped Courage of what little energy he had left. He may have managed to avoid an attack, but he still felt just as tired. Muriel and Eustace were in living room, watching TV as they always did. Muriel would be cooking dinner soon and after that she would do a bit of housework, then they'd go back to watching TV until it was finally time for bed.

Being faced with his own morality, Courage was beginning to notice the odd sort of peace his small family had. Sure, it was often broken up by monster attacks or Eustace's usual greedy antics, but it was still a wonderful and very quiet life. He had really taken it for granted all these years. He'd honestly thought, at least in the back of his head, that this would go on forever. He loved his simple life, with his simple family, on their simple farm. Bad things did happen, sure, but he was willing to put up with it at the cost of having a life like this. Even the fact that they were living in the literal middle of nowhere wasn't so bad to him anymore. He really was going to miss it.

He moved across the room, completely ignored by his owners. He laid down next to Muriel's chair and sighed. She still wasn't noticing him, but he was glad to get some rest right beside her anyway. He didn't have the energy to worry right now and he didn't want to think about the things he had learned either. He let out another wistful sigh and buried his muzzle deeper into his paws.

“Oh, Courage. I didn't see you come down.” Muriel spoke, causing him to jump.

It had been days since she had last spoke directly to him like that. He gazed up at her and gave her a quizzical look.

“It's nearly six, let's go make supper.” She said, patting him on his head.

It left him completely stunned. She was actually talking to him again? Maybe he looked so miserable now that she couldn't bear to ignore him anymore. Part of him wanted to rest but the other part of him was desperate to try and prove to her that he was still the proper, 'not sick', Courage that he was.

Stifling a whimper, he followed her into the kitchen. His entire body shook with the effort. It left him cringing at his inability to function properly. How could he possibly act normal around Muriel when his entire body rebelled against his efforts?

“Courage?” She called out to him.

His weakness must have been obvious because she was gazing worriedly down at him. He gave her a meek grin that spoke the words, 'I'm alright!', but he really wasn't, at least not on the inside.

He clamored up onto a chair and watched as Muriel set things up for dinner. She keep glancing over at him with a worried expression and he did his absolute best to wag his tail and smile at her whenever she did. He didn't want to worry her and that was the best he could do in his current predicament.

As he watched Muriel, he began to realize that there was even more evidence of his impending fate. She had been consistently making him his favorite foods almost every night since the veterinarian visit. Tonight she was serving up his favorite kind of dumplings with those 'happy plums' as dessert. He almost couldn't will himself to eat once he realized what was going on. His stomach lurched with anxiety as Muriel finished her cooking and set the table. He wanted to excuse himself from the kitchen but the worried look she kept giving him left him with no choice but to stay and eat.

Things only managed to get even worse when Eustace joined them. He didn't yell at him for sitting at the table, or even for sitting in his spot. That was something that would have normally earned him a shove off the chair, or worse.

They all ate in silence. Eustace was so buried in his newspaper that he often missed his bowl completely as he brought his spoon down into it. Muriel was refusing to look up from her own bowl too. The eerie silence was so painful that it only made Courage's stomach lurch even harder as he ate. He wished that he could be anywhere but there right now, but he knew that he would only worry Muriel even more if he left. He was so desperate for some kind of normalcy that he actually gave Eustace a pitiful look and got up out of the chair, taking his food with him. He dumped his dish into his dog bowl and looked back up, half expecting Eustace to move back into his usual spot. The old farmer did nothing, he simply kept ignoring everything around him. He flipped through another page of his newspaper and missed his bowl for what seemed like the millionth time. Courage could have ripped his ears out in frustration.

The food didn't sit well with him after that. Things were so uncanny and so unnatural that it only made him feel even worse when he tried to make them right. He wished more than anything that his life could just go back to normal. Why did he have to get sick? Sighing pitifully, he left the kitchen. He couldn't bear to sit through another second of that terrible silence. He jumped into Muriel's chair, curled up, and finally managed to get that nap he needed.

Muriel did the dishes while Eustace flipped through the channels on the TV. Courage heard the old man grumble a couple of times, enough to wake him up out of his sleep, but the farmer did nothing else and he certainly didn't notice or even care about the dog laying in his wife's chair. It was like Courage did not exist at all and it took a lot of effort for him to not be bothered by it or to be able to just go back to sleep.

He wasn't sure how long he managed to rest but he was soon woken up by Muriel gently shaking him. He sat up, blinked, and let out a loud yawn. He assumed that she wanted her spot back so he got up to jump down, but she instead picked him.

“Would you like to help me with the laundry, Courage?” She asked, smiling at him.

“Mmhmm!” He replied, nodding with enthusiasm.

The truth was that he was dreading another long walk down a staircase, but he was willing to put up with it, if only for Muriel. He was going to try and not act sick. This was the perfect time for him to prove to her that he really was alright. Despite his fear, he let his tail wag with joy. He was just happy that Muriel wasn't ignoring him anymore.

Unfortunately, his joy was quickly diffused by the sheer effort that it took to follow her down into the basement. It ended up being just as bad as he had feared. The pain and exhaustion he experienced was nigh unbearable. He was panting by the time he made it down the staircase, weakly clutching at his chest. So much for trying to not act sick! It was a good thing that Muriel was too busy with her load of laundry to notice him gasping for air.

He sat down on the bottom step and watched as Muriel switched the laundry over. This was something that was normal for a change, something that he had always done for as long as he could remember. He had always followed Muriel down into the basement, even when this place had always scared him as a puppy. He couldn't help but wonder if he would eventually get too sick to follow her around like this and he shuddered at the thought of it.

Muriel almost seemed to sense his worried thoughts. She turned and began to talk to him as she folded up a few clothes. “Courage, you're a wonder you are. Remember when we first met? You were just a wee puppy, lost and all alone. I'm sure you missed your parents very much. I hope that I've always been a good substitute for them.” She sounded so sad. He hated to think about all the pain he was causing her.

“Arrruuufuuu.” He replied in his dog speak, trying to reassure her with a pleasant smile. He could feel his eyes stinging with tears, but he forced them back because he didn't want her to see. He wished that he could thank her for everything she had done for him. He could have been left in that alleyway to rot and yet she had still taken him in.

And his parents....

That was another thing he was left to ponder over. His parents were still out there somewhere, supposedly still alive. Wherever they had been taken to in space, surely they were still alive out there. He had never gotten a chance to save them and now there was no way he could possibly do anything for them. He'd never see them again.

Muriel began humming that little tune she often used while working around the house. It was a song that Courage had listened to her sing for as long as he had lived on the farm. For a single moment, everything felt normal. Memories of all the happy times he had spent on the farm filled his mind. He couldn't help but wonder why this happy little life with Muriel and Eustace had to end.

He fought back even more tears now. He was scared to lose this all, to lose his own life, to lose everything he had ever known, to lose Muriel, to lose even his own parents. He hoped dearly that Computer would come through for him in the end. He hated to think about what would happen if he did not. The thought of Computer possibly telling him that he needed to give up and accept the inevitable left him shivering in terror.

“Alright, Courage. Time to take these upstairs.” Muriel cheerfully spoke. Her words managed to pull him out of his thoughts.

He nodded happily in reply, but cringed on the inside. He didn't know how he was going to make it up all those steps this time. He had to mentally prepare himself for the pain that he knew was coming, but even then it wasn't going to be enough. He wished that he could get it across to her that he wanted a ride up, but if he did he knew that it would be an acknowledgment of his illness.

As they walked over to the stairs, Muriel continued to speak, “All things have to come to an end, Courage. It's just a natural part of life. Even our happy little existence on this farm will one day come to an end. That doesn't mean it has to be a bad thing though. Nothing stays the same forever.”

Courage nodded. He felt even worse knowing why she was saying that, and it was hard to think that he might not have even known what was going on if he hadn't gone to Computer for help. He wanted to feel like Muriel had betrayed him, but he knew deep down that she was only doing what she felt was best for him. She wanted to make sure that he wouldn't have to suffer in the end, even if putting him down would hurt them all just as much as waiting would.

His vision had gone blurry again and he had to wipe his eyes when Muriel wasn't looking. All things end, huh? He wished it didn't have to be so.

“For now, let's just enjoy the time we have.” Muriel said. Her voice was growing sad and weary again, much to Courage's dismay.

Somehow he made it up the staircase, his chest burning with agony. He had to crawl up the last few steps and was left panting so loudly that half of Nowhere could probably hear him. He had given up trying to pretend that he was alright. He didn't want to worry Muriel, yes, but he just couldn't fight his own exhaustion anymore.

And then it happened.

It started out the way it always did, a tingling sensation in his chest growing worse and worse. Then came the shortness of breath. He began to gasp in a desperate attempt to get enough air into his lungs. He placed a paw up against his chest as the tingling grew into a horrible, stabbing pain. It felt like someone had jabbed a knife into him and was twisting it all around.

He let out a weak cry and toppled to the floor. Writhing in pain, he was barely getting enough air into his lungs to keep himself from passing out. He kept a single paw all but buried into his chest. It was almost as if he could claw the pain out if he tried hard enough.

Despite the vicious buzzing in his ears, he heard Muriel shout, “Oh, no! Eustace! It's happening to him again!”

He caught a glimpse of the old farmer running into the kitchen from the living room. He was forced to snap his eyes shut again as the pain overwhelmed him. He let out another cry of agony. He knew that they couldn't help him, but in the throes of an attack, the primal desire to escape his pain overwrote all other senses. For one horrible moment he almost wished a vet really would come in and stab a needle into his arm. He envisioned Muriel grabbing a butcher knife and stabbing him through the heart, finally ending his pain. He would have done anything to escape. Not even his fear of dying could overcome his desire to end the pain.

“Don't touch 'em! Doctor said it'll only make things worse!” He heard Eustace say to Muriel.

His vision began to grow a hazy red, not that he could keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds anyway. The pain was somehow getting even worse. He continued to writhe on the floor, crying out every time he finally managed to get some air into his lungs. His mind was growing foggy and the world around him was falling away. Finally, his vision went black and unconsciousness took him.

…..

It felt like hours had passed before he woke up again. Thankfully, it seemed that only a couple of minutes had really gone by. He could feel Muriel's warm arms wrapped around him and he opened his eyes, unsurprised to find that his vision was blurry and still unfocused, just like they always were after an attack. He could just barely make out the looks on Muriel and Eustace's faces.

“What can we do? He's hurting so badly.” Muriel asked. Her voice was filled with a mixture of fear and sorrow.

The old farmer scratched the back of his head in dismay. “We can't do anything for 'em. Doctor said so, didn't he? We just gotta wait till Friday, I guess.”

Muriel nearly dropped Courage in her outrage. “You want them to do it, don't you? How can you want them to do something like that to poor Courage! You're an evil man, you are!” She plopped the bleary eyed pup down onto the kitchen table in frustration. He whined softly up at her but she ignored him. He really didn't want them to fight...

She tried to choke out several more insults but instead broke down and began to sob. She opened her mouth to say something else, but nothing came out. Burying her face in her hands, she stormed out the backdoor.

Eustace outstretched a hand as if to stop her, but she was already gone. “That ain't it, Muriel. That ain't it at all.” He murmured.

Courage looked up at him. His mind was finally starting to clear up and he began to wonder what the old farmer might try to do next.

Eustace looked down at him and scowled. “Dumb dog! Why'd you have to go and get sick? Muriel ain't happy when you're not around!” He shook his head in anger and then glanced back over at the open door. “Muriel...” He murmured out a second time.

Without missing another beat, the old farmer took off out the door in search of his wife. Courage could not remember the last time Eustace had looked so worried about anything except losing money. Gathering what little strength he could manage, he decided to follow his owners.

Slowly and shakily, he made his way off the kitchen table and out into the night air. He could find neither of the old couple. Worried that something might have happened, he noticed that the door to the barn had been left slightly ajar. He headed over to it and braced himself for the worse.

Peering inside, he blinked with surprise at what he saw. Muriel was sitting on a haystack with a handkerchief pressed beneath her glasses and Eustace was standing beside her, saying something that Courage couldn't hear. They were both talking in an inaudible low whisper, but he was glad to see that they weren't fighting anymore.

Eustace sat down and they both talked for a very long time. Courage was finding it very hard not to topple over in exhaustion as he waited. He never thought that he'd see a day where just standing around would tire him out so much.

As their conversation went on, Muriel shook her head and said something that Courage still could not pick up. Eustace said something back to her, looking surprisingly concerned, and then a long silence followed. Eustace finally reached over and placed a hand onto hers, gently smiling as if to reassure her of something. She smiled back with a renewed vigor that Courage hadn't seen since before he had been taken to the vet. Then, something happened that he had not seen once in all the time he had lived on the farm. Eustace pulled Muriel into a hug.

Courage had to pick his jaw up from off the ground. Never once had he seen that greedy, angry, old farmer show love for anything except his money. It left the poor dog flabbergasted and questioning if he really was awake. This couldn't be real, could it?

“That's why I married you, remember?” The old man clarified. His voice echoed through the barn, just loud enough for Courage to hear.

“I thought you had forgotten.” Muriel answered, her voice forlorn.

“Even if the dog does, well, you know, I promise I'll still be here for you. Well, so long as you keep makin' me dinner!”

“Dinner, huh? Now what would a grumpy old man like you do without me?” She laughed.

Courage turned away. He decided that it would be best to leave. He didn't want to see the old couple start kissing or something gross like that, and he also felt like he was intruding in on something that he had no right to be apart of. He was happy for the two of them but he was also facing the grim reality of what was going on. They were preparing for his permanent absence.

He whimpered softly to himself. Exhausted and lonely, he did not head back into the house but instead walked over to the front porch. He sat down and stared up at the stars, quietly wondering if his parents were looking down on him from up there.

Part of him desperately wanted to go visit Computer, just so that he wouldn't have to be alone right now. Unfortunately, he already knew that the machine wouldn't want him around. Computer didn't make for good company anyway, that much he knew all too well. He was also worried that the machine might already have an answer for him and he wasn't willing to deal with the shock of either outcome right now.

Frustrated, he buried his head into his paws. It was his turn to cry now. He was alone in dealing with his own demise, and he hated every moment of it. Muriel and Eustace didn't understand and Computer most certainly wouldn't understand either. He was completely alone in facing the illness ravaging his body and he knew deep down that he'd probably be facing that needle all alone too...

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Steeped In Nightmares

The rest of the night went by like it always did. In fact, it almost had that air of normalcy Courage so dearly missed. Muriel let him nap on her lap again, Eustace read his newspaper, and they both ignored the fact that they had been fighting. Courage was just happy to have things back to normal, at least for now.

Eustace gave a loud yawn, signaling the end of their night. He set his newspaper down and turned the TV off. Muriel placed Courage onto the floor as she always did and wordless joined Eustace at the foot of the stairs.

Courage cringed as he gazed over at his owners. He couldn't bear the thought of going up those steps again, especially after his attack. He was so weak right now that he could hardly even walk, much less get up the staircase. Muriel apparently sensed his hesitation and moved forward to pick him up but he shrunk back as she drew nearer. He didn't want her to help him despite knowing that he'd never make it up there alone. It would be an admission of his weakness and he didn't want to acknowledge it. He knew that he couldn't get up those stairs without help, but he wasn't willing to admit that he needed the help either. It was absolutely infuriating and left him feeling completely helpless.

“Courage?” She asked, outstretching a hand towards him.

He drew in a breath and allowed her to pick him up. He surrendered to his exhaustion and hung limply in her arms. He couldn't fight it any longer. He just wanted to go to sleep and hopefully wake up feeling better tomorrow.

“Are you okay, Courage?” She asked as she walked them up the staircase.

He nodded weakly in reply, not bothering to open his eyes back up again. They were too heavy to lift anyway.

They entered the bedroom and she set him down on the bed. Eustace was already in the bathroom at this point so she sat there beside the exhausted dog. He was already half asleep and barely even noticed that she was there. He felt her place a hand on his head and he opened an eye to look up at her. He muttered out a few gibberish words and then closed it again.

“Good night, Courage.” She said. The weariness in her voice was apparent.

He drifted off to sleep several minutes later. He was vaguely aware of the sounds that Muriel and Eustace made as they got ready for bed, but nothing could pull him out of his exhausted sleep completely. Thirty minutes later, he snapped wide awake, his mind suddenly alert. He glanced around the room, confused at his sudden wakefulness, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Muriel and Eustace were still asleep and the night was as calm as ever. Not even the wind was making the wooden house creak.

He glanced over at his owners and watched as they slept. A sense of fear and foreboding made his heart race and kept him from relaxing. His mind wouldn't stop wandering back to his impending doom. He was absolutely exhausted and yet his mind refused to shut down despite it. What if he really couldn't be saved? What would Muriel do without him? Would Eustace replace him? Would they get another dog? Could the old couple really go on without him? What would it be like to die? What would it be like to be put down?

He shivered and whined softly to himself. He had a desperate urge to crawl in between the two pillows of the old couple, but he held himself back. It would be like he were a puppy all over again, hiding from the strange sounds that echoed through the house. No, he did not want to wake Muriel up, and crawling in between her and Eustace would certainly do just that.

He considered going to see Computer, but he knew that he didn't have the strength to walk across the hall and over to the attic either. If Computer wasn't ready for him, he'd be told to leave anyway. He didn't want to put that much effort into getting there when he knew that it was all going to be for nothing anyway. Computer wouldn't care if he was tired or not, and he certainly wouldn't tolerate his presence longer than he had to.

Sighing, he laid back down. He was never going to fall asleep if he kept worrying himself like this. He allowed his mind to focus on the rhythmic snoring of his owner and slowly but surely, he calmed down.

Suddenly, Muriel's voice woke him up.

“Courage? Courage! It's time to get up!”

She kept shaking him until he finally opened his eyes, groaning slightly and unsure of what was going on. This didn't seem right, she usually let him sleep as long as he needed to.

“Time to go to the doctor, Courage!” She told him in a cheerful voice.

It was so uncharacteristic of her after how she had reacted to his illness. He recoiled in shock. A pit formed within his stomach at this uncanny turn of events. She was smiling down at him with a surprising air of cruelty.

“B-but, I thought we weren't going back until Friday?” He asked, even though he knew that she wouldn't understand him.

“Here you go, you dumb dog!” Eustace spoke, appearing from somewhere behind him and clamping his purple leash around his neck.

“But, wait-” Courage pleaded. The proper words he wanted to say wouldn't come out. It was like his voice had gone away completely. His heart felt like it was about to explode from terror. What was going on here?

“Let's get this over with!” Muriel snapped. Her tone was becoming more and more nasty with every word she spoke.

Eustace began to yank at the leash. “Come on, you stupid dog! You ain't needed around here no more! Time to go take a nap...a long, long, nap!”

Courage dug his nails into the wooden floor and fought with every fiber of his being, but it was no use. He didn't want to die! Why were they doing this to him? Why did it have to end like this?

Eustace gave an mighty tug on the leash, and, despite Courage's best efforts, he was sent flying.

“NOOOOOOOO!” He screamed, struggling the whole way.

Somehow, the old couple managed to lift his flailing self all the way down the staircase, through the living room, and into the truck. He had tried to make an escape through the window, but Eustace caught him before he could get away.

“Don't be so difficult, Courage! It'll all be over soon!” Muriel sternly scolded him.

He was placed in his usual spot between Muriel and Eustace and whined desperately up at them as they both got ready to leave. They ignored his whines, much to his growing sorrow, and he could only watch in fear as the farm fell away from his view. This would be the last time he ever saw his home again...

He tried to go over several escape plans in his head, but he knew that none of them would work. Eustace would chase him no matter what he did and he was too sick to run very far.

The old couple chatted merrily about how happy they were to finally be getting rid of that stupid dog. They both ignored the pitiful looks he was giving them. He knew that it was hopeless. Even if he managed to escape, where would he go?

It felt as if it was only a matter of seconds before their journey ended. They pulled up to the vet's office and yanked him out of the truck. The brick building loomed over them, casting a shadow so large that it seemed to swallow the whole world. The letters atop the building glowed with a crimson malice. The giant brick coffin was all but beckoning to him, as if it had been waiting for him to return all this time.

He pulled at the leash the whole way up to the building, and Eustace all but bashed him to death as he yanked him up the steps. His head managed to smack into every last one of them as he struggled against the old farmer's iron grip.

Muriel sneered at him. “Time to go, Courage! For good!”

The sickly smell of medicine filled his nostrils as they entered the waiting room. They didn't even have to wait for their turn, the receptionist just glared at Courage and then pointed over at a door. Still struggling against his leash, Muriel and Eustace pulled him through the door and plopped him down onto a cold, metal table. He sat there, shivering with fear. He knew that it was over and there was nothing more he could do about it now.

The metal door opened again and this time his heart nearly stopped when he saw the doctor who entered through it. It was that awful veterinarian who had blasted his parents off into space...

“No, no, no, no!” He whimpered, glancing around for something, anything to help him get out of this room alive.

The veterinarian looked down at his clipboard and then broke out into an awful grin. “Well, well, well! I wasn't expecting to do this to you this soon. Heheheheh!”

Courage let out a scream of pure terror. He was certain that his heart would give out right then and there. He couldn't bear it, he had to get away! Far, far away from that awful man! He jumped off the table and bolted out the door before anyone could stop him or grab his leash. He heard a crashing sound behind him as either Muriel, Eustace, or the vet went after him. He didn't dare take the time to look back.

“Courage!” He heard Muriel cry out.

He made his way down the empty hall, very much aware of the footsteps trailing behind him. He crashed through the door on the other side and was horrified to find that it no longer led to the waiting room but now led to a dirty kennel instead.

Hundreds of dogs barked madly at him. “Meet your fate! Meet your fate!” They chanted in unison.

He ran through the room, ignoring the cries of his fellow canines. He crashed through another door and this time landed in a vacant room. The barks of the dogs still echoed all around him, but he ignored it. The vet would soon be on his tail and nothing else mattered except for getting away.

The room had no windows nor any doors, all except for the one he had just used, and there was a single steel vault on the other side. Every instinct he had seemed to be screaming at him to not go near that metal vault, but it looked like he didn't have much of a choice either way. There was no other way out aside from turning around and running right back into the veterinarian's clutches.

“Courage? Oh, Courage? Where are you? It's time to go! Running isn't going to help!” Muriel yelled. Her voice was muffled but still getting closer.

Left with no other choice, he ran over to the vault and opened it. He was hit with a cold blast of air and then several garbage bags fell out, toppling all over him. A horrible smell nearly made him gag.

“Yuck!” He cried out, placing a paw up against his nose. The smell was impossible to block out. He looked up and found a sign taped to the wall.

...A gasp left his throat without him even willing it.

COLD STORAGE

-EUTHANIZED-

A moment of sheer terror ran through him as he realized what those bags were. He let out a horrible scream and turned to run. The world had unfortunately changed yet again and this time he was looking down a seemingly endless hallway. A giant EXIT sign glowed like a beacon guiding him out of this horror, but he didn't know if he could even make it that far. It seemed like it was miles away...

Despite his doubts, he ran as fast as his legs would take him. He was tiring out fast from his panic, but he didn't care. That exit sign just didn't seem to be getting any closer but he wasn't giving up. This was his only means of escape.

No matter how far or how long he ran, he wasn't getting any closer to the door. In fact, it felt like it was getting farther and farther away....

He let out a cry of frustration and toppled over. He had to stop running, he was just getting too tired to continue and he couldn't afford to aggravate his condition at a time like this. He sat there, panting, hunched over with one paw on his knee. He looked up at the glowing EXIT sign and found that it was turning into a pin prick on the horizon. The walls around him seemed to be getting larger and larger too, while he himself was getting smaller and smaller. His freedom had been so close and yet...

“Gotcha!” The vet's suddenly shouted, causing him to jump.

He turned and tried to run, but it was too late. The vet pulled a net out from behind his back and caught him before he could so much as lift a paw.

“Ready to go, little fella?” The cruel man asked, putting the net up to his face and laughing.

The world melted away and changed yet again. This time they were back in that room with the metal table. Courage, screaming at the top of his lungs, was pulled out of the net and forced down onto the metal table. He was then quickly strapped down and left with no chance of escape.

It was over, he realized. He was doomed. Part of him resigned himself to his fate, but the other half still fought like a trapped animal. He couldn't free himself no matter how much he tried, all he could do now was shiver in fear and hope that some kind of miracle would occur.

A terrible wave of sadness rolled through him. He had no way out and no place to go. Muriel and Eustace almost seemed happy to see him go too. Wasn't Muriel at least sad? Right now she was smiling gleefully and rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

“Time to go, Courage.” She said in a deathly quiet voice.

“Stupid dog! Hurry up and die already!” Eustace yelled.

“I've been waiting a long time for this!” The vet added, pulling out a syringe that was almost as big as he was. The needle itself was even bigger and gleamed dangerously in the light. Its contents glowed a sickly green and the bubbles were rising up to create the shape of a skull and cross bone.

Courage could see his own reflection in the liquid, scared and so very tired looking. He barely even resembled his old self anymore. Maybe...maybe it was a good thing for him to die. He had never been 'right' ever since he had gotten sick and he certainly wasn't the Courage he had once been. Maybe this was why Eustace and Muriel didn't want him around anymore. In his liquid reflection, he could see them and even his parents waving goodbye. In fact, he could see everyone he had ever known waving goodbye to him. Even his old enemies were there, waving happily because he was dying. They all just seemed so happy to see him go. Well, if they wanted him to die so badly, then maybe it really was time to go...

“Goooodbyee.” They all said in unison.

N-no...” He whimpered, tears falling freely from his eyes. How could they all want him to die so badly?

Then, he realized that Computer wasn't there. Of all the figures in that reflection, the machine was the only one missing. He was the only one still holding out for him. He was the only one trying to find a way to help him, instead of just giving up and waving goodbye. Courage smiled at the thought of it and all the sorrow he felt melted away completely. It was replaced with a calm acceptance. He could face his end knowing that someone still cared, even if it was from his snide computer.

...And then, the reflections all vanished, leaving him to face his fate alone. The vet shifted the giant syringe so that the needle was now pointing down at him. That single moment of acceptance vanished and it was now replaced by cold, hard, terror. The kind that one felt when they knew they were about to die.

“This won't hurt one bit!” The vet giggled.

“N-No, please!” Courage begged. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited.

The vet jabbed the needle into his heart and he screamed out in agony. A burning sensation sliced through his chest. He thrashed around for several seconds, trying to escape the poison that was now entering his body. The pain was unimaginable. He flung himself in every direction, but it was no good, there was no escape. And then....

...And then he woke up...

The horrible pain was not coming from a needle in his chest, but instead from another attack that had struck him while he slept. He rolled back and fourth across the bed, wishing that it would end, wishing that it would go away. He seemed to lose control of his flailing limbs and then toppled off the bed. Just as quickly as it had come, it was soon over and he was left gasping on the floor.

He whimpered to himself as a sense of crushing hopelessness fell over him. He was going to die. Computer would not be able to help him and he was going to die.

He pulled together what little energy he had left and sat up. He gazed back up at the bed and hoped to find Muriel and Eustace staring down at him, but that was not the case. His attack mustn't have woken them up despite his cries. He doubted that he could climb back up into the bed alone, but he didn't want to wake them up either. Sighing to himself, he fought back the growing sense of complete powerlessness that he felt.

That dream had shaken him badly. Did Muriel and Eustace really want him to die? They both assumed that just because he was in pain that he wanted to die because of it! He was almost angry with them for not considering what he wanted. Couldn't they at least be nice enough to wake up and help him out? Were they just pretending that he wasn't there? Practicing for when he really was gone?

He forced that anger out of his mind. He wasn't going to worry about it. There was no point in getting angry with them either way. He didn't want to burden Muriel anymore and he was tired of making her feel sad. If she wanted him to stop suffering, who was he to fight it?

“I'm doomed.” He moaned, tears stinging at the edges of his eyes. The image of that giant syringe was still burnt into his mind and he knew that it was coming.

Unsure of what else to do, he crawled under the bed, just wanting to get away from everybody. He didn't want to deal with Muriel, Eustace, or even Computer anymore. He let his depression overtake him and he lay there sobbing until he finally fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Return

“C'mon, Courage, you can't stay down there all day.” Muriel pleaded. She was on her hands and knees trying to get him out from under the bed.

“Shouldn't bother 'em, Muriel. He'll come out when he wants to.” Eustace spoke. Courage could see his feet next to Muriel's hunched over form.

“I guess...I guess you're right.” She choked out after a long pause. She'd been pleading with him to come out for nearly two hours now. “Whenever you're ready, Courage, I'll be waiting to make you some lunch.”

There was another long pause. Courage did nothing.

He watched as the two left. Part of him desperately wanted to join them but the other part of him wanted to stay. He was afraid, yes, but being with Eustace and Muriel only seemed to make things worse. Everything reminded him of his impending doom and he just wanted to be left alone.

Groaning, he turned over. His entire body ached. Last night's attack had left him far more sore than what was normal for him. Under normal circumstances, he would have blacked out after an attack, but last night had been a rare case where he had not. Somehow, it had amplified his weariness tenfold. He was glad that Muriel had left for awhile. He just wanted silence and some time to rest. He hated moping around like this, but everything just felt...wrong. As much as he wanted to sleep, he feared having that nightmare again. He knew that it wasn't real, but it still had frightened him to his very core. He was certain that the real thing would be a lot like the dream. Sure, Muriel and Eustace wouldn't really want him gone, and that evil vet wouldn't be around to jab a massive needle into his arm, but still....

He shivered.

He knew that he couldn't stay under the bed all day, Muriel would worry herself to death if he did. As much as he wanted to be by himself, he knew that it wasn't the right thing to do. He considered visiting Computer up in the attic and then Muriel would come looking for him there later. The snide machine wouldn't bother him if he asked for some peace and quite, and although he was afraid of whatever news he might get, he knew that he couldn't avoid it forever.

It took several minutes for him to come to a decision. He crawled out from under the bed and steeled his nerves for whatever fate he was about to be given. He had to stand there for a moment as he waited for the pain in his chest to subside, but aside from that, he was ready for whatever he was about to be told.

Slowly and carefully, he made his way down the hall and into the attic. The last thing he wanted to do right now was attract Muriel's attention. He found himself shivering with anticipation as he walked. He couldn't help but assume the worst. Computer would probably give him bad news and he wasn't sure how he'd handle it.

Moving across the attic room, he stopped at the foot of Computer's desk. He had to take a moment to catch his breath. Stifling a groan, he got ready to climb up into the chair. It took more effort than usual, but he somehow managed to make it up there. He waited for Computer to say something and he thankfully didn't have to wait very long either.

“I see that you've finally returned.” The machine spoke. He lacked the usual annoyance in his tone, which was odd given his normal kind of greetings.

Courage thought about telling him everything that had happened since they last met up, but he ultimately decided not to. His feelings about how Muriel and Eustace had been acting lately were just too personal to share with the machine. He especially didn't want to talk about the nightmare, knowing that Computer would just end up laughing at him anyway.

“You don't look very well.” The machine continued after a long and somewhat uncomfortable silence.

Courage gave him an expression which hopefully conveyed the words, 'well duh' and left it at that.

“Have you been sleeping properly?” He asked.

Courage shook his head rather sheepishly in response. Sometimes he could swear that Computer was capable of reading minds...

“You need to keep your strength up. I can't do anything for you if you drop dead sooner than expected.”

'I can't help it.' He typed.

“But you must try anyway.” The machine replied. “Constant fatigue will only worsen your condition and strain your body.”

'Have you found anything yet?' He asked, finally getting to the thing that he really wanted to talk about.

“Well-” Computer hesitated, his voice trailing off. “I can't say that I have.”

Courage's heart dropped once again. He tried to keep his expression normal, but he knew that he was failing.

“There's plenty of time to keep searching.” Computer interjected. He was obviously trying to keep him from losing hope. “I may have found a few leads but I can't bank on anything yet.”

“This isn't going to work, is it?” Courage asked, glancing downwards.

“Now is not the time to give up. We still have plenty of time to figure something out and I'm not just sitting up here doing nothing, you know.”

“I didn't say that you were.” Courage added with a sigh. “I'm just worried that I will drop dead before Friday comes around.”

“Take it easy and rest as much as possible. You should be fine just so long as you don't push yourself too hard.”

“A-alright.” He replied with a gentle nod. He couldn't help but feel a little better. Computer's authority and assurance never failed to calm him. Knowing that there was someone out there trying to help him quelled the worst of his fears. Even his nightmare hadn't seemed so bad after he realized he wasn't alone in facing this.

Now he was becoming aware of just how hungry he was. With the worst of his fears alleviated, it seemed that his appetite had finally returned. He placed a paw on his stomach and it rumbled loudly. He sheepishly laughed, not knowing if Computer had picked up the sound or not.

“It looks like you've been neglecting your nutrition as well...” The machine grumbled, not sounding even mildly amused. “Well then, allow me to get back to work and you should go find something to eat. Come back tonight and I'll update you on whatever I find. Keep up with all your flesh creature business or else you'll run the risk of making your condition even worse. If you're not careful, the illness will cause you to waste away before I can do anything about it.”

Courage nodded in reply. He was about to get up to leave but then hesitated for a moment. He suddenly wanted to tell Computer about his awful nightmare. He wanted a confirmation from his supposedly infallible computer that being put down wouldn't be like that. He waited for a moment and then decided that it would be better not to. That nightmare had been far too personal to talk about and Computer would probably just tell him that he was stupid for letting a dream get the better of him.

Sighing softly to himself, he hopped off the chair. He glanced back up at the computer screen one last time, wishing that the machine would say something. He did not.

When it was obvious that nothing was going to happen, he made his way back out of the room. He was ready for that lunch Muriel had promised. His stomach rumbled again and he sighed wearily. There was still a staircase and a living room standing between him and some food. This was not going to be fun...

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: A Plan

Muriel had looked visibly relieved when Courage came down for his food. She very noticeably had been on the verge of tears over the time it took to warm the food up for him. She moved through the kitchen with such an air of depression that Courage almost wished that he hadn't come down at all. He couldn't stand to see her so upset. As he chewed on his lunch, he was reminded of something that he hadn't even thought of before. Animals liked to find small, dark places to hide when they were dying. He recoiled at the thought of it and realized that he may have been following his instincts on accident. It was no wonder why Muriel had been so worried.

The rest of the day went by as normally as one could expect, considering the grim circumstances. Despite Muriel and Eustace's reconciliation last night, they were still being uncharacteristically silent. They both continued to ignore Courage unless he did something deliberately to get their attention.

As the afternoon rolled in, Courage was left feeling just as empty and depressed as ever. He was still so tired that he really couldn't do much of anything anyway. He was worried that he wouldn't have enough strength to get up the stairs and meet with Computer tonight either. If he were struck by another attack, he certainly wouldn't be able to manage it.

After a very long and very silent supper, he decided that it would be best to go visit Computer now before anything else could happen to him. He doubted that the machine would be happy to see him again so soon, but he really did not want to risk waiting any longer. If he talked with him now, he could at least go the rest of the night without having to worry about an attack.

Eustace and Muriel soon settled themselves in to watch their usual nightly shows and Courage decided that that was the perfect time to make his way upstairs. However, he was stopped by Muriel who beckoned him to join her on her lap. He shook his head in response.

“Is something wrong, Courage?” She asked. “Do you need anything?”

He shook his head again and pointed up at the ceiling, trying to convey to her what he wanted to do.

“You need to go upstairs?” She asked.

He nodded. She probably thought that he needed to use the bathroom or something.

“Would you like my help, deary?” She asked. She was keeping her tone pleasant but it was obvious that she was just trying to mask her sorrow.

He cringed and shook his head. He did want her help but he didn't want to admit that he needed it either. He would have given anything except Muriel's own happiness to help make his trek up the staircase a little less painful.

Muriel reclined into her rocking chair. “Alright, Courage. If you need anything, you just let me know.”

He nodded and quickly got out of her sight. Free of her questioning gaze, he began to climb up the staircase. The trip to the attic was just as slow and painful as he assumed it would be, and he had to stop several times to catch his breath on the way there. Part of him really wished that he could move Computer somewhere a little more accessible, but he doubted that he'd be able do it by himself and Eustace would probably get angry if he saw what he was trying to do.

Stifling a weak groan, he walked over to desk and climbed up into the chair. It felt absolutely wonderful to get off his feet.

“Back already, are you? Have you rested up?” Computer asked.

“A bit.” He replied, once again growing annoyed with how tired he sounded. He didn't dare say anything else. Just the act of speaking had left him out of breath. Computer gave him a moment as he sat there panting.

'Can't say that I'm feeling any better.' He typed out once he could finally manage it.

“I suppose that's to be expected.” Computer replied. “Just don't forget what I said, I can't help you if you drop dead from the lack of rest.”

'Find anything?' He asked, trying to get Computer to change the subject. His ears drooped involuntary as an incredible feeling of dread that rolled through him. He must have looked terrified.

Computer sighed. “No, I haven't found anything yet. Miracles aren't exactly easy to come by.”

'Guess I should expect the worse then, huh?' He asked, shivering slightly. He was desperate not to panic, but how could he not?

“Well....” Computer trailed off. Several moments passed before he began to whisper to himself. The words didn't even appear on his screen like they normally did. “Should I go through with it? Would it be worth the effort and the price? I wonder...”

Courage gave the machine a quizzical look, but it was ignored.

“I suppose it's for the best.” He continued to whisper. “If I don't do something, he'll-” He stopped again and a long silence followed.

“Computer?” Courage asked. Just what the heck had he been talking about?

“There is one thing that I've found.” He said, his voice returning to its normal volume. “I wasn't really going to consider it because of all the effort that it would require, but it may be our only option at this point. It won't be easy, you understand.”

“It's gotta be better than nothing. I'll do whatever has to be done.” Courage replied, nodding resolutely.

He finally had a small glimmer of hope. He didn't care how hard the task might be, he'd do whatever was needed to save himself. There was no other option aside from just giving up and dying.

“Now, listen closely. I don't want to have to repeat myself.” Computer spoke, taking on that tone he used whenever he was giving information. “There is supposed to be a sort of wellspring hidden within a cave that might hold the key to saving your life. However, it's rather far from here and it is located within a mountainous region that will be somewhat hard to reach. If it actually exists, I believe that with a bit of effort, it can be found.”

“A wellspring?” Courage thought to himself. He was reminded of that old, 'Fountain Of Youth' myth. Muriel had read him some weird story about it once when he was still just a puppy.

Sensing his confusion, Computer brought up a picture. It couldn't be the wellspring that he was talking about because the one being showing was out in the open, but it got the job done well enough.

“Legend claims that the wellspring has the power to heal nearly all ills. It can even cure those who are mere inches away from death. There are even rumors that it can return life to the recently deceased.”

Courage smiled. “That's good! It'll make my illness go away!”

Computer continued, ignoring his enthusiasm. “First of all, I can't be completely certain that the wellspring actually exists as there are only legends to follow. Second of all, I would have to come with you.”

Courage blinked. “R-really?” He couldn't see himself taking Computer anywhere, he was just too big to carry around, and even then he seriously doubted that the cave would have any electricity...

“I'm serious about this, you twit!” The machine replied with annoyance. “I need to come with you to make sure that everything works out properly. You can't just walk up to the wellspring and expect it to work, and I highly doubt that you'd be able to find the cave without my help anyway.”

“Can't you just give me the information needed to do the ritual?” He asked. There was no way he was going to drag Computer up a mountain...

The machine hesitated. “According to the runes I've been translating, it's absolutely required that a second person begins the ritual for the person who needs healing. There are no exceptions. It's even possible that there could be some serious consequences if it were done incorrectly.”

'How do you expect me to get you to a cave in the middle of a mountain?' Courage asked, switching back to typing so that he could communicate better.

“Have you forgotten about that time I took over Muriel's body?” Computer asked.

Courage was surprised that he would even bring that up again. He had always gotten the impression that the whole 'Mega Muriel' incident was a huge source of embarrassment for the machine. He had messed up pretty badly by the end of it and had very nearly gotten all three of them killed.

'How could I forget?' He typed.

“My plan to get us to the mountain is a bit complex but necessary, so listen closely.”

'Don't worry, if I don't I'm doomed anyway, right?'

Computer ignored his comment. “For starters, you're going to need money for transportation and you'll have to figure out what sort of transportation we'll be using to get us there, I would suggest a bus.”

'What about the truck outside? Eustace wouldn't be too happy if we took it but it would still be worth it if we did.'

The machine let out a cynical laugh. “Ha! I wouldn't trust my life on that truck if it were the last mode of transportation in all of the known universe! Unless you plan on fixing that thing five billion times on the way there then I suggest you find something a little more reliable.”

'Alright, alright! Money and bus tickets! I'll see what I can do.'

“There is also a book at the library in your town that I require. It's old and very few records of it exist on the internet, but from what I can tell, it may be very helpful in finding the wellspring. Looking for a single magical cave in the middle of a mountain isn't exactly going to be easy but a book with cryptic directions is better than nothing. I'll print out the information that you'll need to find it at the library so this shouldn't be very hard for you.”

'Old book...got it!'

“Last but not least, we need to figure out how to create a power surge. Preferably one that simulates the conditions of a lightning strike.”

'Wait...uh, what?'

“Do you really think that I can just get up and walk around whenever I feel like it? That Mega Muriel business was a one time thing and the conditions are going to have to be recreated if we want to do it again, preferably without accidentally killing me. Goodness knows, I don't exactly feel like having my insides fried.”

'Well, you did say that this wasn't going to be easy...'

“Hmph! I hope even a twit like you can have some good ideas. All of mine end with the very likely conclusion that I'll be fried from the inside out. We need to create something like a lightning bolt but not have it kill me in the process.”

'Can't we just wait for a thunderstorm or something?' Courage asked.

“Unfortunately there isn't any rain between now and Friday, much less an actual storm. Besides, lightning doesn't strike the same place twice, you twit.”

'We've got time to figure it out though. For now I'll just worry about the other things and you can worry about this lightning jumper-cable or whatever.'

“For your sake you better hope that I do figure out this 'lightning jumper-cable' thing.” The machine replied in a stiff tone. “Anyway, my plan is to be up and mobile by Friday. While they're taking you to get put down, I plan on sneaking into the back of the truck and then find a dog body once we get there. After I do that, I'll be able to get you out of there before they can kill you.”

“WHAT?” Courage shrieked. “That's cutting it way too close!”

“I wouldn't ask it of you if it wasn't important. The wellspring requires that the two who use it be of the same species. I can't just use any old body laying around. A dog who is about to be put down is preferable for my needs. Nobody is going to miss a dog who is about to die.”

Courage glared at him.

“Oh, sorry.” He spoke, having realized the implications of what he was saying, although he didn't exactly sound all that sorry.

'So,' Courage typed. 'I should just worry about the first two things for now and hope we find a way to get you mobile by Friday?'

“Pretty much.” Computer responded in a rather bored tone. “Are you sure that you can handle these tasks though? Given your condition, this could be difficult.”

'I'll think of something.' He replied. He had to admit, he wasn't sure how he was going to get the money he needed for those tickets.

“Just don't put it off to the last second.” Computer huffed. “And get some rest, for goodness sake! You look like you're about to drop dead! You'll need your strength for the journey ahead and it's crucial that you don't tire yourself out any worse then you already have.”

“Its not like I'm not trying. It's just-” He trailed off.

“Hmmm, you told me that you weren't sleeping very well this morning, right?”

“Well, it isn't just that, my strength hasn't been returning after attacks anymore.” He admitted rather sheepishly.

“There isn't much that I can do to help you right now. If I could, I would, but that isn't the case. Don't come up here anymore unless it's absolutely necessary for you to do so. It's obvious that getting up here really pulls a number on you.”

Courage had to admit, it really was amazing how quickly Computer could go from sounding annoyed to sympathetic. “Alright, I'll come back after I get the stuff you want.”

“Speaking of which-” The machine went on. The printer beside the desk came to life and printed out several pieces of paper. “This is the information that you will need for the book and the bus routes we will be taking.”

Courage jumped out the chair and grabbed the papers. “Okay, I'll be back!”

“Good luck, kid. You're really going to need it this time.”

Folding up the papers, Courage decided that he'd go wait in the bedroom for Muriel. It would be awhile before she got ready for bed, but he was so happy at the moment that he was willing to wait.

He was going to live! Everything was going to turn out fine and his life would finally be able to go back to normal once he was cured! He'd made it about halfway across the attic, nearly skipping with joy, when he stopped and turned back to Computer. He wished that he could thank him for all the help, but what could he possibly say? He knew that Computer would probably blow off any friendly comments, but it didn't feel right to just walk away without saying anything.

“Thank you.” He softly uttered out. There was no telling if Computer had actually heard him or not.

Several moments passed, and just as he was about to turn around to leave, Computer spoke up and very nearly caused him to jump out of his skin in surprise.

“I suppose I should probably tell you that the wellspring will, hmmm, how should I put this?” He actually sounded a bit frustrated as he tried to spit out whatever he wanted to say.

“What?” Courage asked.

“Eh, never mind. I shouldn't have brought it up. It's not all that important to begin with. It's merely a small detail that only I will have to concern myself with. You don't have to worry.”

“It's not something that could go wrong at the last moment, is it?” Courage asked, worry creeping into his gut.

“No, no. Of course not. Please don't worry about it, dog.” His voice sounded surprisingly weary as he spoke.

Courage wasn't sure if he should believe him or not. Well, whatever it was, he decided that it would be best to drop it and headed out into the hallway.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: Artificial Light

Courage ended up waiting a surprisingly long time for Muriel and Eustace to come up to bed. He dozed off several times while sitting there, and he even thought a bit about how he was going to come up with the money he needed. In the end, he was left stumped. When Muriel and Eustace did finally show up, he had slept so much by then that he didn't even really feel like going to bed anymore. He decided it would be best to stay up now rather than toss and turn fruitlessly for the next few hours. He was still physically exhausted, of course, but he didn't want to lay around in the dark all night either.

He waited until Muriel and Eustace were both snoring before jumping off the bed and sneaking out of the room. He wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to do right now, but he knew that he'd figure something out. He could go downstairs and watch some TV, but he admittedly didn't find most TV shows all that interesting. He'd rather snooze on Muriel's lap than watch whatever might be on the TV.

At a loss and growing bored of just standing there, he finally decided that he'd go back into the attic. He suspected that Computer would not be very pleased to see him, but he was willing to put up with his complaints for now.

Tip toeing across the hallway, as to not wake Muriel or Eustace up, he made his way over to the attic. Once he was there, he inched the attic door open and slipped inside. The light from Computer's monitor was the only thing illuminating the room and it bathed it in a dim green light.

The attic's light bulb had a nasty habit of burning out and Eustace had an even nastier habit of neglecting said light. Computer's screen did a good enough job keeping the room lit, but there was also a small lamp on the desk just in case the extra light was needed. Of course, Courage wasn't sure if that light worked either as he had never actually needed to use it himself.

He couldn't help but let out a small sigh. This sight was almost nostalgic. He had fond memories of this attic bathed in a dim, green glow, even if most of those memories were not happy ones. How many times had Eustace forced him to sleep in here? How many times had he fallen asleep bathed in that green glow? He couldn't help but smile at the memory of it.

How many times had that cynical machine complained that he wasn't a glorified nightlight? Courage had gone to him many, many times claiming that he was afraid of the dark. Regardless of all Computer's complaining, he had always allowed himself to be used as a nightlight anyway. In the end, he was always looking out for Courage, even if begrudgingly so.

Pulling himself out of his memories, Courage clamored up onto the chair and was surprised to see that Computer was missing his usual green colored screen. It was now sporting a web browser, and it appeared to have at least a thousand tabs open, maybe even more. The mouse on the desk wasn't moving but the cursor on the screen was. It flipped through tabs so fast that Courage couldn't hope to keep up with its movements. He had to wonder how anyone, even Computer, could possibly read so fast. Of course, Computer didn't exactly have eyes, so why would he need to read a web page the same way a normal person would?

Courage watched and waited a few minutes before realizing that Computer must not have noticed him sitting there yet. He doubted that the machine would even consider him being up at this hour, but it still seemed strange that he hadn't noticed him yet. He was beginning to wonder if maybe it would be better to just leave Computer to his work. Regardless, he placed a paw on the keyboard to type something out but withdrew it in shock over how quickly Computer reacted.

“Huh, oh...” The machine spoke, actually sounding a bit surprised. The internet browser disappeared and the screen returned to its usual green backdrop.

“...Just what on earth are you doing up at this hour, dog?” He asked.

'You're slipping up.' Courage typed with a small smile.

There was a long silence, as though Computer were trying to express the fact that he couldn't believe Courage would ever accuse him of 'anything',much less slipping up like some silly flesh creature.

“Well, if you were running at top capacity for as long as I have, you'd slip up too. I'd like to see you go without rest for a few days and still preform complex algorithms or avoid having your neural network so tied up that you can't- ”

“Am I interrupting?” Courage asked, cutting the offended machine off. He had to stifle a laugh. He couldn't think of a single other time where Computer had actually thrown 'machine speak' at him like this. If there were ever an indication that he was tired, or whatever a computer might be, this was it.

“Hmph! Unlike you flesh creatures and your silly meat brains, I can properly multitask.” He replied, sounding rather smug. His screen returned to the internet browser but he continued to speak. “What is it that you want exactly?”

“N-nothing really. I just wasn't ready to go to bed. I guess that's a given considering my current state of health, but....”

He stopped. He was never quite sure if he should speak or type, either way, Computer had a habit of criticizing both things. When he wasn't panicking, he was pretty good at speaking like a human, and he knew how to type pretty good as well, but Computer wasn't one to give him a break on either. Though the grumpy machine was good at understanding his gibberish, even when he was falling to pieces over some creature attacking the farm, it was still a constant source of complaints from him. It was, ironically enough, those complaints that had urged Courage to get better in the first place. Computer was pretty much the whole reason why he could talk and type to begin with.

“But still, why are you here?” He asked, sounding puzzled. He probably couldn't comprehend why a 'twit' would ever visit him unless there some problem that needed to be solved.

“I-I don't know.” Courage admitted. “I was just bored, I guess. Maybe we could...talk?”

“Well, I'm not much of a conversationalist, especially not to twits! It's not as if there's much to converse about anyway. Do you want me to tell you about the speck of dust that I saw floating past my screen yesterday? Or how about that one board on the wall above my monitor that always creaks at half past dawn?”

“Well....um.”

“Honestly! No matter what kind of owner I get stuck with, my life is always in a perpetual state of boredom! You could quite literally create a perpetual motion machine out of all the boredom that I generate! I may not have chosen sentience as much as you didn't get a choice in being born, but you would think that I would have been better off as a mindless calculator.” His voice was practically dripping with bitterness. “Boredom, boredom, boredom! Why did I even have to....ah, am I rambling?” He asked, suddenly cutting himself off.

“Uh, kinda?” Courage admitted. Something was definitely off about Computer and it didn't seem to just be exhaustion.

“That would explain a few things.” He went on. “My RAM is so backed up right now that I can barely even think straight. Ah, what was I talking about?”

Courage blinked. “Are you...going crazy or something?” He asked with a hint of a chuckle. “You do seem a bit off.”

He was starting to worry that maybe Computer really had overworked himself, to the point of possibly causing damage. The last thing he wanted right now was to have to deal with Computer needing repairs.

“Of course not! It's just a couple of errors!” Computer exclaimed. He sounded surprisingly offended by Courage's question. “I'll get it sorted out eventually and, oh yes, I was talking about what a twit of an owner you are!”

Courage gave him another confused stare and then started to type, 'Look, if you wouldn't put everyone down all the time, they'd be more willing to talk to you and then you wouldn't be so bored all the time.'

The machine let out a very hollow laugh. “Yeah, right! Why should I be nice to my owners? They aren't ever going to be nice to me so there's no point in bothering! I tried the whole 'nice' routine years and years ago and it only made things worse in the end. You animals have to adapt to your environment, don't you? Well, I had to adapt to mine. ”

“I've never treated you badly!” Courage argued back. He'd never done a single thing to invoke such scorn from the machine. He had been berated for his faults since they first met.

“Remember that time you threw me out the window? Or that time you almost let that virus rot me from the inside out? Or how about all those other times the house has been blown up with me still inside? It's a wonder that I'm still in one piece living here! Don't even get me started on how many times you've shut me down mid sentence! Bah! If only I could get around by myself!” He drew out a long sigh, which was rather strange coming from a computer. “Alright, alright, I admit that you aren't as bad as a lot of my other owners, but still....”

There was a painfully long silence before the machine continued. “You've always had Muriel to protect you. You've never had a cruel or uncaring owner before. You've never known what it's like to be stuck with a person you utterly loathe but have no means of escaping from. You've had it good your entire life, but not all of us have had such a luxury.” The dripping bitterness in his voice slowly began to diminish. “Oh, for goodness sake, dog! Why did you have to go and get some stupid fatal condition? If you die then I'm more than likely going to end up with another abusive, greedy, idiotic human for an owner! Or worse! I'll be completely forgotten up here in this attic, forever! If I don't do something, anything, to save your life then my fate is sealed just as much as yours is.”

“It's not like I wanted this to happen.” Courage softly replied, placing a paw to his chest. “Would it make you feel any better if I came to visit you more often after I get better? If I get better? It would be, I don't know, a thank you or something, for helping me.” He couldn't believe what he was actually saying.

“I doubt you'd really do such a thing. It's all just a pack of lies.” Computer grumbled.

“I'll make it a promise!”

“If you're expecting a handshake, you aren't getting one, not even if I could!” There was a moment of silence after that which got the fact across that Computer wanted to drop the subject.

Courage, complying with his wished, typing out, “I haven't been able to think of a way to get the money we need. You wouldn't have any ideas, would you?”

“I thought you said that you would handle the money part, hmmm?” An air of sarcastic gloating fell over the machine.

“I thought you said that we're supposed to be working together?” Courage added glumly.

“Well, didn't you say something before about how Eustace is always stashing his money away? How come I can remember that even with a bunch of memory errors but you can't?”

Courage blinked with surprise. Computer was right!

“Why didn't I think of that?” He asked out loud.

“Because you're a twit.” The machine coyly replied.

Courage scowled but ultimately let it go. He decided to type in, “I don't like the idea of stealing from Eustace, especially if he were to find out, but-”

“If I were you, I'd do it now while everyone is still asleep. Unless of course the farmer really does have a money radar in his brain, then you might be in trouble.”

Courage shivered slightly at the thought of being found out by Eustace. “Oooh, I hope this works.” He whined. “A-alright. I'll be back in a little bit, hopefully....”

“Hopefully indeed.” Computer replied with a sardonic chuckle.

Thinking that it would be best for Computer to rest, Courage reached over to shut him down.

“Hey! Just what the heck are you doing, dog?” He cried out.

“Shutting you off so you can get some sleep. You seem like you need it.”

“I don't 'sleep', idiot! Sleeping is for flesh creatures and I am not a flesh creature, thank you very much.”

“I don't need you shorting out because you overworked yourself. Please, get some rest.”

“Whatever!” He snapped. “If my safety is that important to you then do it if you must.” His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Courage flipped the switch and Computer's screen went black, plunging the room into darkness.

“Alright...time to get to work.” He muttered to himself, jumping off the chair and slowly navigating his way out of the dark room.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: The Things I Do To Live

Tip toeing down the hallway, Courage was desperate not to wake his owners up. They weren't exactly light sleepers but that didn't stop him from being paranoid about it. Every creak the floor made nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. He was already thinking about all the awful things Eustace would do to him if he ever found out what he was doing.

Both Eustace and Muriel were snoring loudly as he passed their room. The fact that they were both sound asleep didn't ease any of his fears though. He was certain that one of them would wake up and find him sneaking around. Sure, they probably wouldn't accuse him of anything, but he didn't think he would be able to hide the guilt on his face if one of them did wake up.

He cringed as he moved down the staircase. The steps creaked even louder than the floor boards did. Each and every footstep he took sounded like a death sentence. He couldn't help but let out a sigh of relieve when his feet finally touch the floor below. Taking a moment to calm himself down, he continued onward.

“I can't start panicking now.” He muttered to himself. “Keep it together. I've just got to keep it together.”

He already knew where Eustace was keeping his money stashed so that was one problem he could avoid. He wasn't sure if this was going to be easy but at least the money wasn't being kept under lock and key. He'd have had no hope of getting to it if Eustace actually bothered to keep his money well guarded.

He glanced over at the farmer's big, red chair. That was where he kept his money hidden. For whatever reason he didn't actually think that burglars would try to look under the cushion. Personally, Courage thought that Eustace just wanted to keep his money as close to himself as possible.

He bit his lip and looked around nervously. Would Eustace eventually notice that some of his beloved cash was missing? Courage wasn't sure if he and Computer would be gone before the cranky, old farmer had a chance to figure everything out. Would Eustace dare to harm Muriel's fatally ill dog? Courage shook his head, dispelling those unpleasant thoughts. He had to do this or else he was doomed. Punishment from Eustace couldn't possibly be as bad as dying.

He walked over to the chair and gazed around the room one last time, half expecting to see Eustace staring at him from outside the window or something terrifying like that. He waited a moment to make absolutely sure that the coast was clear and then stuck a paw under the cushion. He sifted around for a few seconds and then...

Creak, Creak, Creak, Creak......

He nearly had a heart attack. It was the unmistakeable sound of someone walking around upstairs. Was it Eustace? Oh, no! What if it was? He had to force himself not to panic right then and there. Was there enough time to run away? Could he hide before he was caught?

“...Ohhhhh, what do I do? What do I do?” He whimpered to himself.

He was sure he had gone a ghostly pale color as the creaking sound moved from the bedroom and into the hallway. He was certain that either Eustace or Muriel was going to catch him. Oh dear, what if Computer had been right about Eustace having a money radar?

“Oh, no! Oh, no!” He whispered.

Just when he was certain that whoever was walking around up there was about to come down and find him, they....turned into the bathroom? He was certain by the sound of the creaking that they had gone into the bathroom.

….Maybe he was safe after all?

Three agonizingly long minutes passed before the sound of a toilet flushing echoed through the house. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and allowed himself to breath again. At least he wasn't going to be-

“Courage?”

He nearly let out his trademark scream and had to clamp his paws down over his mouth to keep himself from doing so. Muriel had caught him. He was certain she'd come down there and find out what he was doing.

Instead of actually coming down to find him, she continued to speak from atop the stairs. “Courage? If you're having a midnight snack down there, make sure you close the fridge this time!” She called out.

And with that she headed back into the bedroom without another sound. Courage very nearly fainted on the spot. Tonight just wasn't his night...

Composing himself, he stuck his paw back under the seat and being sifting around again. He stuck his tongue out in annoyance as he concentrated. Just where on earth was that money? It wasn't like the chair was that big. He should have been used to this by now after how many times he'd lost his favorite yo-yo in the couch.....

Finally, his paw hit something firm and he grabbed it, hoping that it was a wad of cash....instead said something clamped down onto his paw with a very loud snap....

He pulled his paw out. His fingers were clamped in what was obviously a mouse trap. Eustace had booby trapped his chair....

He stared rather dumbly at his paw for a few seconds, not registering the intense pain coming from it. Finally, he turned around, ran over to the door, unlocked it in one fell swoop, toppled out of the house and got as far away as he could before-

“AAAARRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

With that little outburst of pure agony out of the way, he spent the next five minutes wrestling his fingers free from the mouse trap and then spent the next ten waiting for feeling to return to them. Cursing under his breath, he cradled his paw as he returned to the house. He couldn't believe that Eustace had actually booby trapped his chair! Once inside, he began his search for the stash anew, this time being a bit more careful about traps.

He was about to give up when his paw finally hit something. He cringed, expecting it to be another trap, but when it didn't clamp down on his fingers he decided to pull it out and was greeted by a large wad of cash! He sighed with relief. At least there wasn't an alarm or something, after the mouse trap he wouldn't have been surprised if the farmer had actually rigged alarms as well.

He stuck his paw back into the seat several more times, grabbing whatever he could find. Computer had said that they'd only need money for transportation, but Courage wasn't so sure that the machine had figured in needing to eat and possibly even needing a place to stay on their way to the mountain. A little extra money would probably be a good thing to have no matter what might happen. He was used to things going wrong after all. It was better to be prepared than stuck someplace faraway without any money.

Satisfied with what he had, he added a final touch to his work by shoving the mouse trap back under the chair and hoped that it would be enough to convince Eustace that nobody had been poking around under the seat. Once that was finished, he trudged over to the closet behind the stairs and grabbed an old bag out of there to keep the money in. He wasn't sure what else they were going to need for the trip but there was enough room in that ratty old bag for several other items. He was certain that nobody would notice it was missing and he had found the old thing very reliable to him on several other occasions. If it was sturdy enough to survive the jaws of an angry, mutant crocodile, then it was sturdy enough for the coming trip.

Now it was time to go pick up those things that Computer asked him to get. It was far too late for either the library or the place that sold bus tickets to open, but he wasn't sure he would be able to take the truck during the day without being noticed by Eustace or Muriel either. He certainly didn't trust his strength to hold out long enough to walk into town either. Thinking it over a bit, he decided that it would be best to take the truck now and wait for both places to open up in the morning. Hopefully he could get back before either Muriel or Eustace woke up.

Grabbing the truck's keys from the kitchen, he headed back out into the night air. Eustace's rickety, old truck was sitting next to the the house as always. He had been forced to drive it on several other occasions to save Muriel and he wasn't a bad driver, surprisingly enough. He climbed in and started the engine.

The drive to town was fairly uneventful as the roads were deserted. Not a single person could be found wandering the streets as he drove inside. Only a few late night shops were open at this hour and their signs glowed dully in the darkness. Nowhere was not a good place to be at night, not by any stretch of the imagination, but tonight seemed fairly normal, oddly enough.

He pulled into the library parking lot, found a spot where he could keep an eye on the roads for any trouble, and then settled himself in for a long wait. He pulled out the papers that Computer had printed for him and read them over. He had to scowl several times as went through it. While he had expected just a few basic instructions, there were plenty of notes that had very clearly been personalized by Computer. There were specific remarks on what not to do all while throwing in a few 'twits' here and there. Did that jerk really think that he couldn't handle something like this on his own? He let out an exasperated sigh and wished that Computer wouldn't be so critical about him all the time.

The hours passed by slowly as he waited. He dosed on and off several times, but it didn't really help with his boredom. Sleeping inside the truck didn't really bother him too much anyway as it had always been one of his favorite places to nap to begin with. Well, at least when Eustace didn't kick him out of it. As two more hours passed him by, he found himself growing restless. He considered leaving the truck to stretch his legs for bit but he didn't exactly trust the town to be safe at this hour. He peaked out the window, hoping to catch a glimmer of sunlight out on the horizon, but it was still pitch black.

Did it usually take this long for the sun to rise? He couldn't tell what time it was but it had to be getting close to morning. He sighed again and wished that he had brought his favorite yo-yo along or something. The poor thing had been missing for ages and he'd been too tired to search for it lately. He had a bad feeling that he probably had buried it somewhere and forgot about it...as always. To make matters worse, he knew that he'd never have the energy to go dig it back up again even if he tried.

It was while he was thinking about the yo-yo when he suddenly got the feeling that someone was watching him. Unable to shake the eerie sensation, he turned around to look out window and nearly jumped out if his skin when he did indeed find someone staring at him.

Across the street, a little girl was looking right at him. He blinked dumbly at her and she didn't move, she just continued to stare. She didn't seem malevolent, but Courage knew better than to trust a little girl out in the middle of the night. She seemed to regard him with curiosity and it left him feeling strange, but not particularly frightened.

They continued to stare at each other for a few seconds longer, then the little girl broke eye contact and ran down the street, disappearing around a corner. Courage was left wondering what had just happened. What was a little girl like that doing out at this hour? Trying to put those eerie feelings out of his mind, he looked back out over the horizon and sure enough, the first rays of sunlight were finally beginning to color the darkened sky. He let out a soft, 'Yes!' and continued to wait for the library to open.

Half an hour later, the old and very cranky librarian came walking down the street with several books piled in her arms. She said nothing to Courage as he hopped out of the truck except for a stern, 'SHHH!'.

He almost felt bad for her as she unlocked the library doors all while balancing her pile of books. Two stone lions sat at both ends of the door and they seemed to watch Courage as the librarian did her work. This was all rather uncomfortably reminding him of another supernatural event he had once gone through before but now he was forcing himself not to think about it or else he'd never find the courage he needed to go in there and get that book Computer wanted.

Finally, the librarian pushed the door open and they went inside. Courage handed her the paper listing the book he needed and she read it over all while tapping her foot in a rather impatient manner. She gestured at him to follow her and led him down several aisles of bookcases before entering a very old and rather musty part of the library. Stacks of books seemed to be piled up to the point of where they were touching the ceiling. The whole area had a strange and almost mystical sort of quality to it.

The librarian grabbed a huge, wooden ladder, and with what seemed like inhuman strength, propped it up against one of the impossibly large stacks of books. She climbed up and grabbed a book off the very top of the pile. When she clamored back down to ground level, she blew on the book's cover and dislodged a disgusting amount of dust before handing it over to Courage. The book in question was in a blue but very worn binding. It had nothing on the cover and no words were to be found on the spine or even on the back cover. He opened it up and looked inside. Like his speaking and typing skills, he only had a rather basic reading ability, but that was probably his best of the three. Despite his moderate reading skills, he couldn't understand a word of what was written in that book. He wasn't sure if it was in another language or if it was some kind of ancient runes. It didn't matter much either way, Computer was the one who would be able to understand it. There were several pictures in the book which he found as he flipped through it but none of them looked particularly pleasant. One man appeared to be running around with his head chopped off....

He looked up at the librarian and gave her a quizzical look, hopefully expressed the words, 'Aren't you supposed to lend this to me? Put me on file or something?'.

He was expecting to get an swift, 'SHHHH' from her, but instead, and much to his surprise, he got a rather brisk, “Keep it.” instead.

He bowed his head, slightly awed, and uttered, “Thank you.”

She responded, of course, with a, “SHHHH!”

He then turned and headed back to the front of the building. Once there, he turned around to get one last look at the old librarian but she had already vanished in among her books...

Feeling like he had already overstayed his welcome, he headed outside. Once there he was greeted by another unusual sight. The stone lions seemed to have changed. They no longer displayed their fierce, intimidating expressions but instead donned ones of sadness. Feeling sufficiently freaked out, he bolted for the truck and had driven halfway down the street before he remembered that he still needed to go buy bus tickets.

“Almost done.” He said to himself with relief.

Waiting to get the bus tickets ended up being a lot more boring than he ever would have expected. He was stuck in a stuffy office room with several other people and animals while they waited their turn. Being forced to listen to a baby cry for nearly an hour almost managed to drive him insane.

After what seemed like forever, he was finally called up to the desk. The lady, a massive hippopotamus, scowled viciously at him as he handed his papers over to her. She looked them over all while muttering under her breath, and after paying the 'nice' lady, she printed the tickets out for him and he was finally free to leave.

He was more than just a little glad to have that all over with. He never wanted to see another book or hippo ever again. As he exited the stuffy, old building, he noticed that the sun was still hanging rather low in the sky. He still had time to get back home before Eustace and Muriel woke up.

He was getting rather exhausted now too and he couldn't wait to get home and finally get some rest. Climbing into the truck, he ignored everything as he gunned it for home. Things were finally starting to work out for the better. If he could just get home in time, he wouldn't even have to be scolded for taking the truck. He couldn't help but wonder if maybe Computer would actually be impressed with his work. Most likely not, but that didn't stop him from hoping.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: Weakness

The relief that Courage felt as he tip toed back into the house was almost overwhelming.

“I'm going to make it!” He whispered under his breath. Muriel and Eustace would never even know he was gone!

It was still silent as he crept through the living room. Despite being exhausted, he hurried up the stairs as fast as his paws could take him. He had to sit at the top step for several minutes just to catch his breath though. He despised how weak and how easily exhausted he was getting lately. He desired nothing more than to be able to move around again without feeling like he was dog who was more than a hundred years old.

Muriel and Eustace's snores could be heard from the open bedroom door, confirming that they were still fast asleep. Feeling a little better after the short rest, Courage picked himself up again and trudged down the hallway, passing his owners by as quietly as possible.

Finally, finally after what felt like forever, he toppled into the attic. Catching his breath once more, he groaned at the distance that there still was between him and Computer. It seemed like the other end of the room was miles away. Finding some hidden strength within himself, he somehow managed to make it over to Computer. He clamored up into the chair and flicked the power switch on. He didn't wait for the machine to give him one of his usual greetings and began to type as soon as the bluish-green screen lit up.

'Feeling better now?' He asked.

“Ah, I see the twit has returned. About last night,” The machine said, sounding rather glum. “I should reaffirm the fact that I've been running nonstop for the past several days and I wasn't quite myself last night. Normally I would hold myself to higher standards, but-”

Was he embarrassed or something? Courage couldn't help but notice that Computer had been a bit off lately and he didn't think that it was just exhaustion. Perhaps it was merely sympathy because of this fatal predicament? Was he intentionally being more personable? Well, whatever it really was, Courage wasn't quite sure, but it was better than being insulted all the time.

'Are you sure you're okay? You were practically giving me your life story last night.' He typed, trying not to laugh.

“Yes, yes! I'm fine!” He spat. “Why do you even care? And no, I was not giving you my life story last night!”

Courage fought back a grin. Maybe Computer was embarrassed after all! 'Well, I'm standing by what I said last night! I promise I'll visit you more often once we're finished with all of this!”

He was surprised when he didn't get a reply from the machine and a long silence followed.

'What? Still don't think I'm going to keep my word?'

More silence before the machine finally gave a rather hesitant, “Hmm, yes...after this is all over, I'll...” He sounded incredibly distracted and it left Courage staring at him with confusion.

'Are you really, really sure you're better now?' He asked.

“Enough, twit. I told you already, I'm fine. Unlike you, I've been trying to think of a way to get myself moving. Did you get those other things done last night?”

Courage nodded with enthusiasm and pulled both the book and tickets out from the bag.

“Good! I guess you can do somethings for yourself after all!” Computer acknowledged with a hint of amusement.

Courage's smile instantly flipped into a frown. “Thanks for vote of confidence...” He muttered under his breath.

“For now I just want you to start scanning pages from that book. Not all of them, of course, but enough to get me started before I'm stuck in some organic body.”

Courage was beginning to realize that maybe Computer's 'offness' was really just nervousness. There was definitely a twinge of nervousness in everything he was saying. It was unusual compared to the machine's usual unwavering attitude. Was he nervous about being stuck in an organic body, or was it something else? Was he doubting himself, or worse?

“I've got a few ideas on how to get myself moving again, however, you look exhausted right now and my plan can wait for the time being.”

Courage nodded and hopped off the chair to start scanning pages for Computer. Opening the book up to the first page, he pressed it up against the scanner and waited for it to light up.

As soon as the first page was scanned, he got a confirmation from Computer. “First page has been successfully scanned. Please continue.”

This process went on for several more pages. Courage tapped his foot lightly as the scanner took in another page. He wanted more than anything to go lay down but didn't want to complain either. He flipped to yet another page and pressed it down. He could hear Muriel and Eustace getting up and going about their usual morning activities down the hall. Once again he was left feeling rather depressed that neither of them seemed to be particularity worried about his absence.

He flipped to another page and pressed it up against the scanner. He was watching it light up when a rolling wave of weakness overtook him and he involuntarily let the book slide off the scanner. All too suddenly, his chest erupted into unimaginable pain. Another attack was beginning and there was nothing that he could do about it.

He let out a choked cry and stumbled backwards, his vision already blurring. Nothing could be done to ease his pain and his mind was once again filling with foggy terror.

“Hey, why did you stop?” He heard Computer ask from atop the desk.

He tumbled backwards and into one of the chair's wooden legs. It broke off with a loud snap. The next thing he knew, the chair was on top of him. The bucket he normally sat on rolled away and vanished under the bed behind him.

Between the absolute pain radiating through his body and the large chair that was now pinned him to floor, he was left in a complete stupor. He could hardly breath under the weight of the chair but he couldn't find the strength to push it off either, especially in the midst of an attack. He tried to open his mouth to utter a small 'help', but the pain ravaging his body would not allow for even that.

“Courage?” He heard Computer ask. The machine actually sounded a little afraid.

Courage was in awe that Computer had actually called him by his name. He had always been 'twit' or 'dog' to that cynical machine and nothing else. Desperate, he tried to call out to him again, he was the only person who could help him in his moment of need, but it was no use. What could an immobile computer really do anyway?

The rolling black that always accompanied an attack began to engulf him. He welcomed the merciful darkness as it covered his eyes and removed all sensation. He slipped away into that obliterating void as Computer's voice echoed dully in his ears, pleading with him not to die.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine: Desperation

All that registered in Courage's mind was a dull ache and unimaginable stiffness. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes, blinking several times to get rid of all the blurriness. He was suffering from all the usual side effects of an attack and it was as horrible as ever. It took him several minutes to remember what had happened in the attic and he had to wonder how he had gotten from there to being under the covers of Muriel and Eustace's bed. The dull ache in his chest must have been from the chair falling on him, but at least the impact hadn't broken any of his ribs.

He attempted to sit up but it was difficult and painful. Suddenly, Muriel entered the room. She smiled down at him but it was clear that she was trying to mask her worry. He could practically smell it on her and he didn't even need his dog sixth sense to tell him that.

“Oh, good. You're finally awake, Courage!” She said, sounding rather tired, but she patted Courage on the head none the less. “I heard the crash from downstairs and went to see what happened. You took quite the tumble, didn't you?” She asked. “Well, I'm glad that you're okay.”

He was overjoyed that Muriel hadn't forgotten about him after all. He wanted to wag his tail but he couldn't do it while sitting under the blankets. Well, just being pet was enough to raise his spirits.

“I know it's a bit late, but I'll go make you something for lunch. Of course, that's only if you're feeling up to it, dearie.” She said in her usual kindly way.

He nodded to let her know that he was indeed hungry. His stomach felt like a black hole, but thankfully it seemed that he had only been unconscious for a couple of hours. It was probably early afternoon by now, or possibly even close to suppertime. He decided that as soon as Muriel was gone he would go back to Computer and make sure that he knew he was alright. If everything went as planned, he'd be back before Muriel even knew he was gone.

He hopped out of bed rather awkwardly because of his stiffness. It wasn't anything that he couldn't handle, but still, he was glad that it was only a short walk to the attic. Though he was still feeling very tired, it did not compare to all the running around he had done in the morning. His chest hurt from the chair falling on him, and he was certain that it was bruised, but it wasn't bad enough to slow him down.

Upon reaching the attic, he stared in awe. The broken chair was now pushed off to the side with one of its legs still missing. Muriel would probably have Eustace fix it at some point, but for now it was entirely useless. Courage couldn't help but lament its loss because typing would be much harder without it.

Reaching the other end of the attic, he scrambled under the bed to grab the bucket that had rolled away. Computer's screen was still on, which meant that Muriel hadn't touched him since finding Courage on the ground. The book he had been scanning still lay on the floor, having gone completely unnoticed in the wake of his collapse. He took the bucket and placed it onto the ground so that he could stand up on it and type somewhat comfortably. He would have used the book as well to give him a little extra height, but he figured that Computer wouldn't appreciate him using a very rare and very old book as a footstool.

'Hello?' He typed, not exactly sure how to greet him this time.

There was an almost awestruck silence before, “For goodness sake! Where on earth have you been, dog? You idiot! You twit! You-” He then went on to use some very colorful language to express just how much of a twit Courage was.

'I can't help it! I was knocked out!' He typed in his own defense.

“You're alive!” Computer exclaimed, sounding immensely relieved. “I wasn't so sure when Muriel took you away.”

'I'm fine, but that was actually pretty normal for an attack though, well, aside from the chair falling on me.' He quickly realized that Computer had never actually seen him have an attack before and he must have assumed the worst because of it. 'It isn't anything to panic about.' He added.

“I had plenty of a reason to panic!” Computer cried out, sounding rather offended. He let out a long sigh, which was rather weird coming from a machine who didn't actually breathe. He was obviously trying to compose himself, which was also weird coming from the usually calm and collect personality that Computer put on.

Courage stared in confusion. Had Computer really thought that he'd died? It was only a few hours after all. Couldn't he have waited just a little bit longer to assume the worst?

'I've only been out for a little while, you know. You probably shouldn't have assumed the worst in such a short amount of time.'

“A few hours?” The machine asked, suddenly sounding very puzzled.

'Yeah?' Courage replied, equally confused by Computer's query.

“Uh, dog? You do realize that you collapsed early morning two days ago, right?”

Courage felt his stomach drop out from under him as those words sunk in. “T-two days?” He stammered out.

“It's been nearly three days now, dog. I was certain they had gone and buried you by now.”

He was left dumbstruck. He couldn't believe it. An attack had never knocked him out for this long before. The thought of it frightened him horribly. Being practically dead for two days couldn't be a good sign. His heart sank even further when he realized that a lot of time had been wasted now too. He only had the rest of the current day and tomorrow to finish their plans. Come Friday, he'd...

“W-we've only g-got-” He tried to say, unable to finish because he was shaking so hard. His death was nearly upon him and they weren't ready yet! “They'll...t-they'll-.” His language devolved into its usual gibberish.

“I know, dog, I know. We've only got tomorrow left.”

Computer was surprisingly calm in spite of what was soon to happen.

“Y-you should t-tell me what y-you've got planned. W-we need to hurry.” Courage shakily spoke.

“You must rest first, Courage. We have time and you must have some strength left for the journey ahead.”

Courage winced. He didn't like how Computer was using his actual name now. It seemed to add a sense of gravity to his words.

“First things first, you must calm down. Worrying yourself to death won't do you any good.”

If there was one thing Computer was good at, it was sounding calm in the face of Courage's own panic. That was usually enough to calm him down.

Taking a deep breath, Courage tried to speak again without stammering quite as much. “Well, um, Muriel is bringing me food in a little bit so how about I come back tonight? We can talk about your plan then, and I'll have had some time to rest, just like you want. But...a-are you sure we'll have enough time tomorrow to get what we need to get done?”

“Yes, we can talk tonight. That will work just fine. I don't care how late it is, just so long as you rest a little bit.”

“You didn't answer my question...” Courage pressed, crossing his arms.

“We will have time, for the most part.”

“F-for the most part?” Courage yelped.

“I can't guarantee anything, but cutting it close is far better than letting your condition do you in.”

“It won't do me much good if they're sticking a needle in my arm either!” He cried out, feeling even more nervous than ever. He would just have to trust the machine for now, but he really did not want to think about what would happen if Computer messed up the whole electroshocking part.

“You should go now.” Computer dismissed him. “Your Muriel will be back any minute now.”

Courage nodded, and as he moved to leave, Computer suddenly said,

“Before you go, I must say, don't ever do that to me again.” He was obviously referring to the attack. “You're lucky that I don't have a heart or else I'm certain I would have had a heart attack back there. I tried to wake you up but clearly that didn't work, and since I am lacking in mobility, well, you can understand why I wasn't able to do much for you.”

'It's not like I can help it.' Courage typed back, smiling rather sadly. Although he doubted Computer could see his face.

“Honestly, dog? I'm getting way too old for this.” The machine sighed.

Courage couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious. Grinning, he typed, 'Sure thing, grandpa.' before shuffling out of the room as fast as his tired body would allow him. He figured that Computer must have been stunned silent.

Once out of the attic, he began to laugh. Though he was grateful for the short distraction, he doubted that Computer would let him get away with such a quip. Well, he looked forward to the inevitable argument that would surely come from it.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: Computers, Windmills, and Dog Food?

“This will be the most difficult part of the preparations, for the both of us.” Computer spoke.

It was now pretty late at night and Courage had wasted no time returning to Computer as soon as he could. He stared up at the glowing screen intently, trying not to think about what would happen if things went wrong.

“I've thought about this for some time now and I believe I've come up with the safest possible solution. It still imposes a very large risk however. I've already got things set up on my end, I just need you to do your part.”

'Well, what do you need me to do?' Courage asked.

“Its simple enough, but still, listen closely. You need to overload the power entering the house. It should create a situation similar to the one we had the night of that storm. It should allow me to move about like before but if I've miscalculated, well, every appliance in this house, including me, will overload, start on fire, and very likely explode.”

Courage's stomach dropped at those words. He didn't think he could go through with this but he knew he was doomed if he didn't try. Computer really was putting himself in a lot of danger for his sake...

“I probably shouldn't give you the exact odds, but they aren't particularly good. This is the only option we have and while I am wary about doing this, I am willing to go through with it if you are.” He gave a halfhearted chuckle. “I normally wouldn't trust you with my life, not even for a second, but these are extraordinary times, wouldn't you say?”

'How am I supposed to overload the house though?'

“It's simple enough. All it really requires is spinning the windmill blades much faster than normal. You do that until too much electricity is generated and it overloads the house. The only real problem is your condition. I'm having my doubts that you'll be able to keep up at it long enough to...”

Now he realized why Computer had been so obsessed about him getting enough rest. This task would require a lot of strength, a lot of strength he probably didn't have. He couldn't remember the last time he had run without exhausting himself in a matter of seconds. He would have to do this though, there wasn't any other choice. Do or die.

He internally reminded himself about how close they were to curing his sickness. Now wasn't the time to give up. He took a deep breath and willed himself to calm down. 'I'll do it. It's not like I have much choice, I'm doomed if I don't. Besides, I feel like I've got enough energy for this.'

“I'm sure after your experience with those ghostly vandals, however long ago that was, you shouldn't have any problems with the windmill. Outside of your own condition possibly hindering you, you should be fine. So long as the windmill doesn't break while you're spinning it, of course. You obviously don't want to summon those ghosts again after all.”

'I'm more worried about what will happen if this doesn't work the way you planned.' Courage admitted.

“Look on the bright side, twit. If this doesn't work out right then you won't be the only dead by Friday.”

Courage's ears drooped. How could the machine joke about dying at a time like this? He could already imagine Computer exploding into a thousand pieces and that only managed to make him feel worse about all of this.

“Oh yes, I almost forgot about something else too.” Computer spoke, pulling Courage out of his thoughts. “There is one other issue that might get in our way.”

'What else could possibly go wrong?' Courage typed, feeling even less enthusiastic.

“When the overload occurs, I'm certain the power will go out as soon as it's over. Knowing the way the farmer is I'm sure the first thing he will do is go check the windmill for the problem. If he sees you up there after the power outage I don't think he'll take very kindly to it. Your best bet is to find a way to get your owners out of the house long enough to mess with the windmill unhindered.”

More possible problems. Courage cringed at the thought of it. He wished he didn't have to be so sneaky around Muriel as of late. She'd never really understand what was going on though.

'I don't think they would go do something like shopping the day before I'm about to be put to sleep.' He typed. 'I'm probably going to have to come up with something to get them to leave.'

“Whatever you're going to do, you'd better do it fast. We've only got tomorrow after all.”

Courage stood there, thinking for awhile. What could he do to make Eustace and Muriel go out to town without him? He was just about to tell the machine that he was stumped when an idea hit him.

'Hold on, I think I have something!' He typed out quickly.

“Oh, really? You actually came up with something without my help for a change?”

He frowned and joked, 'Well if you're going to be that way then I just won't tell you.'

“Humor me, twit.”

Courage grinned. 'You're just going to have to wait and see because I'm keeping it to myself now!'

“And this is the thanks I get for saving your life?” Computer sighed.

'I need to go get things ready. I'll be back tomorrow as soon as I can get Muriel and Eustace to leave.'

“Well, aren't you confident all of a sudden? Oh well, just leave me in the dark then.” The machine replied in a rather sarcastic tone.

'Be back in a bit!' Courage typed before hopping off the bucket. He didn't exactly like what he was going to have to do to Muriel, but it would be worth it in the end....hopefully.

He made his way back through the hall and tiptoed down the stairs. Eustace was fast asleep in his chair and Muriel appeared to be gone. He headed into the kitchen and was glad to find that Muriel wasn't there either. Something was cooking on the stove but Muriel was out doing something else at the moment. He went over to the sink and began pulling out several bags of dog food that they kept stored down there. He knew they also kept some canned dog food around but that would be higher up. He jumped up onto the counter and used several pots sitting in the sink to get him high enough to pull the canned dog food out from the shelves. Once he was certain that he had cleaned out the entire kitchen of dog food, he jumped back down onto the floor and scrambled to get the food outside before Muriel came back.

He began to dig. It wasn't easy, given how tried he was, but he still managed it. Once he felt the hole was big enough, he tossed all the food inside and burred it. He patted the dirt down with his paws and headed back inside.

So far so good. Tomorrow he would beg Muriel for some dog food to eat and since there would be none around she and Eustace would have to go to the store and get him some. If she were to offer him human food he'd be finicky about it. He knew Muriel would get him anything he wanted on his last day and felt horrible about it. He hated the idea of manipulating her like this, especially using his illness as a means to get her to do what he wanted, but what choice did he have? He'd die if he didn't. Well, it wasn't stopping him from feeling any less guilty about it.

Once back in the living room, he plopped down in Muriel's chair and began to doze off. There was nothing else he could do until morning. He didn't feel like eating supper and he didn't particularly feel like getting up again either. He had to force the imagery of exploding computers out of his mind before he could finally relax enough to fall asleep.

He had a dream of Muriel dressed up in that ridiculous blue Mega Muriel get up. She spoke with Computer's voice. He was trying to tell him something but Courage couldn't understand, no matter how hard he tried. Muriel's face looked worried and Computer's voice sounded urgent. There was a bright flash of light and Muriel vanished right before his eyes. He ran forward, screaming out in anger for some reason he could not understand. His body suddenly became very heavy and he collapsed. He felt someone walk up to him but he couldn't see who it was. They said something comforting to him and he began to feel at ease, even though he couldn't understand.

He woke from the dream and blinked several times. Tears were rolling down his muzzle and he wasn't quite sure why. Not thinking much of anything in his sleepy stupor, he yawned and fell fast asleep again, forgetting that he ever had the dream in the first place.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven: Electroshocking

The next morning, Courage waited around patiently at the foot of the stairs for his owners to come down. He was still feeling a bit nervous about doing this and he still didn't like the idea of tricking Muriel but he was confident that his plan would work.

He wagged his tail happily when she did finally appear at the top of stairs. She smiled down at him but he knew she wasn't as happy as she was letting on. Today was her last day with him and he suspected that keeping up the facade was taking a toll on her. He wished he could tell her that he was doing something to fix all this.

“Good morning, Courage!” She said happily. “I was wonder where you were! You haven't been sleeping with me and Eustace much lately, but that's perfectly fine with me. I do get worried when you disappear so much though.” She patted him on the head and he nuzzled her leg in an attempt to comfort her. Despite her smile it was obvious that she was fighting back tears. Her voice kept quavering like she were about to cry.

“Don't worry, Muriel.” He murmured. “Everything will be alright. Just wait and see.” He allowed himself a soft whine though. “I hope....”

“Come on, boys. Let's go have breakfast.” Muriel said as soon as Eustace came tromping down the stairs.

“Here goes nothing...” Courage muttered under his breath. “Oooo, I really hope this works...”

Once in the kitchen, and just as Courage had hoped, Muriel began looking for the dog food to no avail. Ready to put on his own facade, Courage walked over to her on all fours and with his bowl in his mouth. He gave her the biggest puppy dog eyes he could manage and whined softly.

“Now where is all that dog food?” Muriel asked, placing a hand on her hip. “I thought we stocked up a few weeks ago.”

Courage tugged at her dress and whined even louder. When she looked down at him, he rubbed his stomach and stared pleadingly up at her. He felt terrible doing this but it was necessary.

“Don't worry, Courage! I'll find you something soon!” She said with another pat on his head.

He gave her the most dejected look he could muster. It broke his heart to play at her feelings like this and it only made things worse when he could practically see her own heart breaking from it.

“Eustace, we don't have any dog food for Courage.” She said rather quickly.

The farmer was sitting at the table. He lowered his newspaper and shrugged. “Why not give 'em some people food then?” He asked, raising his newspaper again and flipping a page.

Courage cringed. He thought they might suggest that. It was time for plan B....

“You're right, Eustace. How does that sound, Courage?” She asked, looking down at him.

He shook his head but she ignored it and went right back to cooking breakfast. He groaned quietly to himself and slapped his forehead. It looked like she wasn't going to make this easy for him....

Several minutes later she placed a pancake into Courage's bowl and smiled down happily at him. “There you go, Courage! I made it just the way you like it!”

His insides tied up at the thought of what he was about to do. Under normal circumstances, he'd never reject anything Muriel cooked for him, but these weren't normal circumstances.

“Sorry Muriel.” He whined.

He made himself look as pathetic as possible and sniffed the food with disgust. He let out several pitiful whines and turned away from the bowl. She gazed down at him in shock.

“What's the matter, dear? Are you not feeling well?” She asked.

Courage shook his head sadly before pointing to his stomach and then to his bowel. He whined again and tried to get his message across to her.

“You want some dog food, don't you?” She asked, puzzled by his behavior. “You usually like my cooking, but if that's what you really want...”

He perked up slightly and wagged his tail, letting her know that this was exactly what he wanted without breaking the illusion that he was feeling ill. She seemed to finally get the message.

“It looks like Courage wants some dog food, Eustace. Once you're done eating lets go out and get him some. I have a few things I need to pick up anyway.”

“Why ain't he eating your cooking? He usually loves it, don't he?” Eustace asked, lowering his paper.

“I don't know why, but it is what he wants, and because today is...well...you know, we should try to make him as happy as possible.”

“R-Right.” Eustace stuttered out, as though he had just been hit by a large semi-truck. He must have been having just as hard of a time believing that the 'stupid dog' wouldn't be around much longer either.

Courage continued to put on his act as his owners ate. Despite feeling awful about tricking Muriel, he couldn't help but be happy. He'd done it! And without Computer's help as well! Of course, the hard part still lay ahead for them, but at least he had overcome this one hitch without a problem.

Once breakfast was done, Muriel laid down some blankets for him in the living room. He ambled out of the kitchen and sat down on them. He continued to whimper in hopes that it would drag out his lie a little longer.

“Here you go, Courage. Please rest while we're gone. I'm sure you'll be feeling better soon enough and then we'll have some food for you.” She said, patting him on the head yet again.

He smiled and wagged his tail. He made sure to keep looking as pathetic as possible but he figured it wouldn't hurt to give Muriel at least one thing to be happy about. He didn't want her thinking that she was failing him on his last day.

With that out of the way, she and Eustace took several minutes to get their things together and finally left the house. As soon as they were in the truck he got up and watched as they drove off. He couldn't stop himself from grinning even if he did feel bad about manipulating them. He had never expected things would work out this well and that was something worth being happy about.

He raced up the stairs as fast as his condition would let him and barreled down the hall until he was finally in the attic. He needed to tell Computer the good news. He doubted the machine would believe that he had actually pulled a plan off without his help. He would have remained happy about this prospect if not for the fact that he suddenly remembered Computer could be a charred piece of 'exploded' metal within the next couple of minutes.

He wasted no time jumping onto the bucket and typing, 'I got them to leave.”

“You actually pulled something off without my help? Well, you can fill me in on your 'genius' plan later. We've got work to do and very little time to do it.” If he was as nervous as Courage felt, he wasn't exactly showing it.

'I'm ready if you are.'

“Of course I am. Lets get this over and done with.”

'For the record, I'm sorry if I get you blown up.'

“That's hardly a comforting thought, twit.” The machine grumbled. “In the event that I actually live through this I should probably tell you now that at the end of all this I will have to...” He voice slowed to a halt.

'Have to what?' He asked. The machine seemed to be avoiding something again and Courage didn't like it.

“Forget it! Lets just worry about what's happening right now.”

Courage eyed the machine sceptically. 'You're not planing on running off in a human body and ditching me, are you? Like what you did last time with Muriel?'

That thought hit him like a ton of bricks. Had Computer been manipulating him this whole time? Insuring his own safety while leaving that 'twit' to die? It almost seemed like something he would do. On one hand, it wasn't a good idea to start doubting their already rocky 'friendship'. On the other, who was to say Computer wasn't a good actor?

“Are you crazy?” The machine asked with a surprising amount of outrage. “I may not like you but I'm not THAT selfish! Bah! Here I was thinking you trusted me! Especially after all the danger I'm putting myself in!”

'Sorry! It's just that after what happened with Muriel, I thought you might go all evil again or something.'

“The first time I was struck by lightning, that was different. After having that much power surge through me, I lost control of myself. It was like being drunk on power in a sense. I was a complete fool in that state and did some incredibly stupid things. I wanted to show you up, to make you realize what a wimp you truly were. I didn't think anything through and screwed up because of that. I just consider myself lucky that you didn't just toss me out the moment things went back to normal. I nearly got you, me, and Muriel killed and I'm not going to go about doing something so stupid again. Especially not after how much of a fool it made me.”

Courage blinked. He was surprised that Computer would even admit something like that. He had never even once mentioned that Mega Muriel incident up until they had started planning for this journey. Perhaps this was his way of showing that he could be trusted.

'Alright, alright, I won't doubt you again.' He typed. 'We should get working, I don't know how long they'll be gone.'

“You're the one who made me go off topic...” Computer grumbled. “Whatever, I'll give you a rant on the subject of loyalty later, IF I'm not dead by then.”

'So what were you going to say before then?' Courage asked. He knew this wasn't the best time to press him on it but he decided he'd try anyway.

“I told you to forget about it. It's nothing important anyway. Are you planning on getting to the windmill sometime today or not?”

'You're ready then?' Courage asked.

“I've been ready, idiot.”

Courage cringed, feeling that all too familiar fear. 'Here goes nothing.'

“Remember, twit. If you start to get tired, stop for a little while. If you have an attack from that height I'd hate to think what you would look like after hitting the ground. Getting me moving won't do you much good if your neck is snapped in half.”

'Stop worrying, I'll get it done. I'd think blowing up into a thousand pieces would be worse than having your neck broken.'

“Don't remind me.” Computer sighed. “I suggest you get going before I change my mind.”

Courage nodded and hopped off the bucket. He felt he should say more to the machine but didn't know what. He stood there for a few moments and finally, with a soft sigh, he left the room. The walk downstairs and out of the house felt like hours to him. He hoped dearly that Computer hadn't messed his calculations up. They were both doomed if he did.

He stepped off the porch and stared up at the windmill. It's blades were squeaking softly in the wind. He walked up to it and waited for a moment. Sighing, he gathered up his failing nerves and slowly began to climb the wood supports. This brought back horrible memories of Eustace forcing him to climb up and help him work on it. He had fallen off several times and it had never exactly been a pleasant experience.

Once he reached the top, he stood there, panting. It had taking almost all of his energy just to get up and now he could only hope that his condition wouldn't hinder him further. This needed to be done or else he might as well go dig his own grave.

He scanned the horizon to make sure the truck wasn't already on its way back. This would all be for nothing if his family returned early. Confident that everything was in the clear, he turned back over to the spinning blades.

“Oooh, I hope this works.” He whined.

Since he didn't know what a power surge would look like he had left a lamp on in the living room. He'd know if it had happened after it went out...or exploded. He made sure it was close enough to the window so that he could see it from up there too. Computer was situated at such an angle that Courage couldn't see him from atop the windmill. He was actually pretty glad for that. He didn't want to see him explode...

Looking back over at the windmill blades, he took a deep breath. He grabbed onto one and began pulling them as hard as his paws would let him. He kept an eye on the window down below but nothing changed. Ten minutes passed as he continued to spin the windmill blades. His arms were beginning to tire.

He finally had to stop. He sat down on the wooden platform and groaned. His heart was racing at a mile a minute and it was already obvious that he wasn't spinning the blades fast enough. If a windstorm couldn't overload the power, then what chance did he have?

He puzzled over it for a few minutes before the answer finally struck him. He'd have to exactly what he had done back when the vandals had attacked...

“Here goes nothing...” He muttered to himself.

He hoped to the powers that be that he wouldn't have an attack while doing this and took a flying leap onto the blades. He struggled for a moment to keep himself standing upright but he quickly managed to find his balance. Forcing himself to not look down, he began to run across the windmill blades as they sped up faster and faster to the rhythm of his running.

“Just pretend you're saving Muriel.” He muttered to himself. He closed his eyes and tried to envision her being chased by the ghosts. He was already tiring out again but if he didn't keep this up it would all be for nothing.

He glanced over at the window again but the lamp still hadn't changed. He didn't know how much longer he could keep up at this. He was panting very hard now, his tongue dangling out of his mouth. He could feel the pressure building up in his chest and if he didn't stop soon it would quickly turn into that blinding pain. How he was even finding the energy to do this, he would never know.

“Come on! I've got to do this!” He growled, not allowing his legs to slow down in even the slightest. His chest was beginning to burn and he knew that if he didn't overload the house soon he'd quickly have another attack.

“Come ON! Work!” He screamed.

Aside from his own frantic panting, he could hear a strange sound coming from the electrical parts of the windmill. Was it finally working? His concentration broke and one of his legs missed a blade. He didn't even get a chance to scream before he fell and hit the ground with a dull thud. He groaned as he pulled himself out of a Courage shaped hole. So much for not falling. At least he hadn't gone and broken his neck...

He blinked and looked up at the windmill. The blades were already returning to their normal speed. If the power surge had actually happened, he wasn't sure. At least he had managed to do all that without having an attack. He looked over at the house to see if the lamp was still lit and nearly jumped for joy when he saw that it wasn't. His joy was short lived though, he could see that it hadn't blown up or anything but that still didn't completely rule out whatever might have happened to Computer.

He raced over to the house as fast as his condition would let him. Everything was eerily quiet inside without the constant hum of electricity. He checked both the living room and kitchen and was happy to find that nothing had exploded from the power surge. Whatever Computer had done, it had worked. Well, at least well enough to make sure nothing had blown up.

Courage ignored his steadily mounting fatigue as he climbed the staircase. He had to make sure Computer was alright and no amount of exhaustion was going to stop him. He still feared having an attack but he'd worry more about it once it actually happened.

Finally, he stood in the attic doorway, panting lightly. It was so quiet that he could hear the wind blowing outside. The only light that came into the room was from the window. Computer's screen was pitch black.

Courage let out a sigh of relief. Computer wasn't 'on' anymore but at least he wasn't a charred husk either. He moved across the room and jumped up onto the bucket. He'd boot up his friend as soon as possible and see if he really was alright. The machine hadn't said if he would be off or on after the power surge but Courage assumed this was normal.

The power switch was still in the 'on' position when he reached over to flick it. He hoped that it wasn't a sign of something bad and pressed it back down into the 'off' position. He waited a moment before flicking it back up again. He expected Computer's screen to return to the usual bluish-green backdrop but it didn't...

The screen remained dark. Courage sat there with a terrible sense of fear welling up inside of him. He continued to wait, hoping that maybe the power surge was causing Computer to boot up much slower than normal.

His cynical friend wasn't even making any of the usual mechanical sounds he made while starting up. That horrible sense of fear that rolling through him was quickly turning into all out terror. He reached over and flicked the switch again....still nothing...

His heart dropped and he flicked it again, hoping for something, anything. Even the smallest of sounds would have made him happy but his friend remained completely unresponsive. He stared up at the darkened screen and wished for even the smallest flicker of life. Was this really it? Had Computer really...

Several minutes passed as he continued to flick the switch on and off. Tears began to fill his eyes and obscure his vision. It was almost too horrible to believe. Was his cynical computer really gone? He didn't even care about his own fate anymore, he just wanted to know that Computer was alright.

He choked out a weak sob as he continued to switch the machine on and off over and over again, hoping for something....anything. How could he have been so stupid to put Computer through something like this? Especially when he himself had admitted that the odds were low?

“No, no, no, no!” Courage cried out between sobs. “You can't die like this!” He placed his muzzle down onto the keyboard and continued to sob.

It was over. Tomorrow he'd die...

As soon as Muriel got home, he'd make sure to spend every waking moment with her. If this really was going to be his last day he'd make sure it was one of the best. Of course, the thought of it only made him sob harder, but...

“I'm sorry, Computer! I'm sorry!” He cried out. Why was he even thinking about Muriel right now when he had just gotten the only person who was trying to help him killed?

The room remained completely silent. He kept his head buried in the keyboard and listened to the endless quiet whenever his own sorrow wracked wails didn't fill the room. He didn't know what else to do now. It felt wrong to just leave Computer like this...

“Dog?”

His head shot up. Had he actually heard that?

He allowed his ears to droop again when the room remained quiet. He was probably just hearing things...

“This is really touching and all, but I'm fine, twit.” He heard the machine say despite his screen remaining dark.

“W-what? Y-you're...” Courage asked as his mouth fell open.

“I'm alive, dog. At least I think I am. Unless this is supposed to be hell or something, in which case I wouldn't be very surprised if it was.”

Courage frowned. Only he could crack a joke at a time like this.....

“B-but....” He was at a loss for words. What he really wanted to say was how glad he was that his 'friend' was still alive but he just couldn't find his voice.

“I'm not exactly sure what happened.” Computer spoke. “When the power surge occurred everything went dark. I could still think but I couldn't do anything else. I couldn't see, I couldn't talk, I couldn't even access any of my basic functions. It's all been coming back very slowly. I couldn't even talk to you up until a few seconds ago.”

Courage's mouth fell open again with realization. “S-so...you could hear everything..I...I said?” He asked as he felt his face go red with embarrassment.

The machine chuckled. “Well, well, well! I didn't think you actually cared!” He laughed.

“I-I, um...” Courage began. He ultimately decided that it was best to just keep his mouth shut.

Computer's screen lit back up again as another function returned to normal. “This is all rather strange.” He quipped.

“Hmm?” Courage asked.

“I didn't expect anything like this to happen. It certainly wasn't what happened when that lightning bolt struck.”

“Maybe it's because you did things differently?” Courage asked.

“The first thing that came back was my hearing and I swear that I heard someone walking around up here before. I thought it was you at first but obviously you didn't show up until later.”

“W-what?” He gasped. Someone else had been in the house? He turned around, half expecting to see someone standing behind him but there wasn't anything out of the ordinary. “M-maybe I should go look around and make sure that nobody is...wait...hold on! You can move now, r-right?”

“Um, well.....” The machine replied rather nervously. “I'm not sure. I don't feel any different from normal. I certainly don't really feel like I've got legs or anything.....”

Courage's heart dropped yet again, “All that work for nothing...” He muttered out softly.

“Don't give up just yet.” Computer replied. “If everything else is taking time to come back then maybe it'll take a while to get up and moving too.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. He didn't want to get his hopes up anymore. Whatever they had done, it obviously wasn't like the lightning bolt that had originally gotten Computer moving.

“It'll be alright.” Computer spoke, trying to comfort him. “You'll be alright, I promise. If this doesn't work, I'll think of something else.”

“There isn't any time left.” Courage replied quietly. “I-I should have spend all this time with Muriel! I wasted it thinking I could actually save myself!”

“Don't you dare lose hope now, twit! I didn't just put myself in all that danger for nothing!” Computer replied sharply. His voice gave way to desperation. “I-I don't understand! This should have worked!”

Courage smiled. “I don't blame you. We did the best we could.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “Look, I-I want to go wait for Muriel downstairs. I want to spend what little time I have left with her....”

He waited a moment for Computer to respond but he did not. That same eerie silence from before was filling the room. Courage placed his paws on the keyboard to type something out but decided against it. A strange calm was falling over him, almost as if a part of him was starting to accept his fate.

He wiped away the few remaining tears that were in his eyes. He was sure that he looked pathetic. “I-I don't know if I'll be back or not. If not....then...then this is goodbye....”

He still did not get a reply from the machine. He stood up, ready to leave, and once again was left feeling that he should say more.

“I-I guess I should say that I...I...” Whatever he wanted to say, he couldn't figure it out. With a heavy sigh he turned around. He hadn't even taken a single step forward when he felt something cold clamp down on his shoulder and nearly cause him to jump three feet into the air.

“You're not going anywhere, twit.” He heard Computer say.

Slowly craning his neck around, he found a red, claw like probe clamped up against his shoulder. A long metal tub ran its way from the claw up to Computer who was now standing on six spider like legs made out of the same tubing.

“We're going to finish this proper!” He spoke.

Courage was at a loss for words. He stood there with his mouth hanging open.

“Keep it together, twit! You're going to make it through this!”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 12: Not So Graceful

Under normal circumstances, Courage would have been utterly terrified of Computer walking around on mechanical legs. Even now it admittedly freaked him out a little bit. He still had bad memories from that 'Mega Muriel' experience and knowing that the same spider-like machine was now trying to help him was even more eerie.

Computer was currently waving a mechanical claw in front of his monitor, acting as though it were the most alien thing to him. The six metal legs he had were keeping him steady as he stood on top of the desk, the front most ones sometimes being used like arms. He moved with a certain awkwardness, as though he couldn't get his balance right despite the fact that he had done this before.

Courage remained silent, deciding that it was best to just leave him to figure this out himself. Of course, he was still feeling rather embarrassed about before and didn't want to give the machine another excuse to start mock him for it.

“Well, aren't you lucky that I've started to figure this out...” Computer said in a slightly sarcastic tone. He lowed the one claw back down onto the desk and swiveling slightly from the lack of balance. “We were in a bad spot there for a moment, I will admit, but I still don't know why it took such a long time for this to start working.”

“I'm just glad you're moving. I was r-really worried there for a second.” Courage stuttered out sheepishly.

“Oh? And here I was thinking you were actually worried about me for a second. Bah! You were just worried if I'd grow legs or not!” The machine's monitor made a movement similar to someone shaking their head.

“Ehehehe!” Courage laughed, rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry...I didn't mean it like that!”

“Well, here goes nothing.” Computer replied, planting his claws down into the desk to steady himself. He raised a single leg, trying to lower himself down, but swiftly planting it back onto the desk again where he swayed for a moment.

“Haven't you done this before?” Courage asked, raising an eyebrow. He had to fight back a small chuckle. For as much as Computer acted liked he was infallible, seeing him have problems with something so simple was a bit amusing.

“Of course I've done this before!” He shot back angrily. He raised a metal claw off the desk again and...proceeded to tip over and crash right on top of Courage...

“Ugh...this isn't as easy as I remember it being.....” He groaned. “And...will you get off!” He shouted.

“You're the one on top of ME!” Courage yelled, trying to push him off.

Several flailing mechanical arms later, the machine finally seemed to right himself. “At least twits are good for breaking falls....” He muttered quietly to himself.

“Are you sure you can do this?” Courage asked, rubbing one of his ears that had gotten caught up in Computer's little scuffle to stand back up.

“I'll get it down eventually.” He replied stubbornly, his monitor moving to his words almost as if it were a human head.

“I should probably go turn the power back on before Muriel comes back and you should probably, um....practice.”

“I'll come with you as 'practice' then.” Computer replied. He sounded offended that Courage dare tell him that he needed to practice.

“Well, alright, I guess.” Courage muttered out rather reluctantly. He decided that he'd rather not argue with him on this and let him tag along.

“Good! Lets go then!” The machine said with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. He took a step forward and...stumbled over again.

Courage suppressed the urge to groan and helped him back up onto his feet. Ten minutes later and they were hardly even halfway down the hallway. Computer just couldn't seem to find his balance on six legs. Courage was beginning to wonder if maybe something really had gone wrong with the power surge after all.

“Muriel's going to be back soon! Can't you just wait up here or something?” Courage asked, watching as the machine attempted to take another step and tripped yet again.

“I've almost got it down, you twit!” The machine growled, pulling himself back up again.

“And just what the heck am I supposed to do if they come back and the power is still off?” Courage asked. He didn't get a reply from the still struggling computer.

After what started to feel like hours, they finally made it to the staircase. He was expecting Muriel to return at any moment and was beginning to jump at every little sound. What would Eustace do if the power was out when he returned? Whining nervously, he glanced out a window and then back at Computer. Despite his fear he had to admit that he WAS getting a little better...

They stood at the top of the stairs before Computer turned to him. “Well, are you going to go down or not?” He asked.

Courage glared at him, “I don't want you to fall on me again! You go first!”

“Whatever you say.” He grumbled. If Computer had eyes to roll he probably would have done so.

Courage's decision not to go first was probably one of the best he had ever made. Two steps down, Computer tripped once again and crashed the whole way down the entire staircase.

“Graceful....” Courage muttered before breaking down into laughter.

“Goodness, I'm...uh...not liking this pain thing...” Computer groaned, picking himself. He then noticed that Courage was laughing at him. If a monitor could scowl Computer would have probably done so. “Good to see you're laughing at the person who's saving your life, you twit!”

“I can't help it!” Courage giggled. “After all those nightmares I had about you crawling around on those creepy legs and taking Muriel away, I wouldn't have even bothered after seeing that!”

“Laugh it up, twit!” The machine yelled. “I'll be sure to remember that when you're...oh dear...” Computer's voice immediately turned to that of shock. He turned away, his monitor looking over at something that Courage could not see.

“W-what?” Courage asked. Any hint of laughter on his face disappeared. Was it Muriel and Eustace?

“There's somebody...” He began, but then his voice was drowned out by the sound of the front door being slamming.

Courage raced down the stairs as fast as his illness would allow. He went over to a window to see whoever had been hiding out in the house, but he couldn't find anybody. The vast expanse of Nowhere was too flat for someone to vanish like that...

“They're gone....” He said between weak little pants. He'd almost forgotten just how tired he was. “Did you...see...what....they...looked...like?” He gasped out.

Computer shook his monitor back and forth. “Unfortunately not.” He said. “They were moving too fast. Well, I guess this means that there really was somebody up in the attic before.”

They were both at a loss. Courage glanced out the window one last time to make sure nobody was out there. He wanted to go out back and make sure whoever it was wasn't hiding out back there but he doubted his strength would hold out that long.

“I-I need a minute.” He said to Computer. His heart was still pounding and he just couldn't seem to catch his breath. He clamored up into Eustace's chair and hoped that he wouldn't suffer a new attack because of his growing weakness.

“You'll be alright?” The machine asked in a wary tone.

Courage nodded. He didn't feel like talking anymore, actually, he felt more like taking a nap. He was once again left hating just how pathetic he felt now.

“Look, I'll go down into the basement and turn the power back on for you. You need to rest. I'll go back up into the attic and we can meet up again tonight.”

Courage nodded lightly. “Just...keep an eye out for whoever that was. The last thing we need is something supernatural bothering us right now.” He gave him a loud yawn. He was just so tired. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. He caught a glimpse of Computer walking off and that was it...

“Courage? Courage?”

His eyes slowly opened. Muriel was looming over him, smiling pleasantly down at him. She had a bag in her arms, which he assumed was the dog food. After all the excitement he had just been through, he was pretty hungry now.

“Feeling better, dear?” She asked him.

He nodded, vowing to himself that he'd make it up to her for tricking her like that.

Eustace clamored into the house, carrying an armful of bags which Muriel went to go help him with. Courage yawned again and closed his eyes. Computer was right, he needed to rest. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day and even then the outcome of his fate still wasn't certain....

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 13: Doubts

Courage's attempt to spend more time with Muriel was ruined when a new attack occurred, leaving him even more weak and tired than ever. He had been so certain that the nap he took would have helped him but it obviously hadn't been enough. He'd been pushing himself too much lately and he really should have expected his illness to catch up with him sooner or later. If anything, he was grateful that he hadn't blacked out for days on end like last time.

Far too tired to do anything else, he simply laid around for most of the day while Muriel and Eustace went about their normal activities. It felt good to just curl up and rest.

Muriel did seem to be trying to spend more time with him though. While doing her usual work she'd stop just to sit with him. She seemed so sad when she did and it broke his heart knowing the reason why. He was certain the act he had put on this morning had only made things worse for her.

Eustace had gone out to work on his truck a few hours ago, and, rather then begin supper, Muriel did something fairly unexpected and went out to see him. Curious as to what was going on, Courage forced himself to get up and went out after her. He stood on the porch and listened as they talked.

“I-I don't think I can go through with this, Eustace. It feels just like yesterday when we found poor Courage in that alleyway. He's so young, even for a dog.”

The old man scratched the top of his head with his wrench. “I donno, Muriel. Doctor said it was to keep him from suffering. You wouldn't want him to keep hurting just because you'd miss him, right? Even if we don't have 'em put down, he'll still die, you know that.”

“I just...I just wish there were a way we could help him.” Muriel sighed. She clasped her hands together and keep her head down low. The sight of it made Courage whine softly.

“Well, there ain't one, but this is your choice, Muriel. You have to decide what to do with 'em. Doctor said the same thing. You gotta let him go eventually.”

She sighed again, unsure of what to do. “It's just...he acts so innocent. He doesn't know what's happening to him or what we're going to do. It doesn't feel right to just hand him over to a doctor and...”

“Doctor said you could stay with him while they do it. He won't be alone.”

“I-I don't think I could watch, and he would know something is wrong if I stayed with them. I don't want him to panic in the end and I know that's what he'll do if he figures everything out.”

Eustace was just as much at a loss as she was. “I donno know what to say. You're just gonna have to think about what's best for him. If you really don't want to go through with it, then don't, but he's just going to keep getting more and more sick if you do.”

“I know, I know...” She sighed.

Courage cringed. He wanted to run out there and hug her. She sounded so dejected and he only felt even worse for her because of it. She must have gone to Eustace thinking that he had an answer for her. In the end, only she would be able to come to terms with herself. Courage's one and only comfort was in the fact that if everything worked out, if this plan of Computer's really did save him, she wouldn't have to make the decision.

Utterly diminished and looking even smaller than normal, Muriel headed back over to the house. Courage smiled up at her and tried to put on his doggy charm but she ignored him as she went by. It felt just like before, back during the first couple of days after the doctor visit. She was pretending he wasn't there again...

“Oooh, Muriel.” He whined.

Once again he was left angry with himself for getting sick. He followed her over to the kitchen, wishing that he could do something, anything, to let her know that everything was going to be okay. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was for causing all of this, for causing her so much grief. He sat near his bowl as she went about her usual dinner preparations. She ignored him the whole time.

He stifled a whine and laid down, allowing his muzzle to rest on the floor. He watched as Muriel worked. She looked so listless as she went. He got up and did the only thing he could think of, he nuzzled her gently on the leg, trying to elicit some kind of reaction out of her. She almost immediately burst into tears and, falling to her knees, she scooped him up into a hug. It was such an unexpected turn of events that Courage was left stunned.

“Oh, Courage! I love you so much! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry.” She blurted out between deep, wracking sobs. “I thought I could go through with this but...our little family just won't be the same without you! I know you're hurting but....but...” She couldn't go on.

He didn't know what to do so he just let her cry. In fact, he felt like crying himself. He could do nothing for her except hug her and hope that somehow she'd realize how sorry he was. He didn't want her blaming herself for what was happening to him.

“It's not your fault, Muriel. If anyone should be sorry, it's me.” He murmured, even though he knew she wouldn't be able understand him. He felt tears stinging in the back of his eyes but he forced them back. “This is all my fault...” He whimpered.

“I'm sorry, Courage, but....but I think need some fresh air.” She finally said, trying to pull herself together. Standing up slowly, she left the kitchen without another word.

Courage waited until he heard the front door open and close before he decided to move. Muriel had probably gone back to Eustace and he had been left alone, feeling even more dejected than ever. He didn't dare think about what might happen if that wellspring didn't exist and he returned home just as sick as ever.....

He walked up to the front window to see where Muriel had gone. She was with Eustace again and they were both talking. He decided it would be best to leave them be for now and was just about to turn around again when a voice startled him.

“What on earth is everyone being so sad about?”

He whirled around and came face to face with the bright, bluish-green screen of Computer. He had to clasp his mouth shut to keep himself from screaming in shock. The spidery machine took several steps back as if he were surprised that Courage was so surprised.

“Don't look so freaked out! I wasn't exactly being stealthy you know.”

“W-what are you doing down here?” Courage gasped. “How long have you been down here?”

The machine gave a nonchalant shrug. “I just got down here a few seconds ago. I'm bored.” He replied tersely. “This is the first time I've been able to move around in forever. Why would I want to waste it sitting up in that stuffy old attic like I normally do?” He turned around before Courage could get a chance to reply and headed off into the direction of the kitchen. Courage noticed that he wasn't walking around with such an awkward gait anymore. He seemed to have gained a lot more coordination over the last couple of hours.

“But what if they see you?” He asked in a whisper, quickly catching up with the spider-like machine.

“You're kidding right?” Computer asked. “They never notice when the bigger supernatural threats show up so why do you think they would ever notice me? They'd probably think I'm an albino dog or something.” He let out a heavy laugh which Courage scowled at.

“Muriel isn't stupid!” He yelled.

“Oh really? I've got plenty of evidence that would suggest the contrary.” Computer laughed.

Courage glared at him but he held his tongue. He didn't want to get into another fight with the snide machine right now.

Computer shook his monitor like a human head. “You can sit around and mope as much as you like but I've got better things to do. Besides, I have no interest in human mating rituals.”

“M-mating....rituals!?” He gasped. What the heck was he talking about? His shock must have been apparent because the machine waved a clawed arm in dismissal.

“It's obvious that the farmer is trying to make up with Muriel. I'm honestly surprised. I don't think I've ever seen those two act like a real couple before.”

“What does that have to do with 'mating rituals'?” Courage asked. “I, er, think you're talking about romance, not mating rituals.”

The machine ignored his quip and entered the kitchen. He went right for a cabinet, opened it, and started grabbing whatever he could find. Courage just stood there, his mouth hanging open at the sight of it.

“W-what are you-” He began, losing his train of thought when Computer pulled out a long forgotten spatula and began to examine it like it were a completely alien artifact to him. Courage continued to watch, completely dumbfounded.

“What?” The machine asked, his monitor very briefly turning to him before returning to what he was examining.

“Seriously, what are you doing?” He asked, finally pulling himself together.

“Nothing in particular.” The machine replied with another shrug.

“W-what?” Courage asked weakly.

“I'm just examining all the stuff you flesh creatures come up with. You may all be idiots but you do invent some of the most fascinating things.”

Courage shook his head. He wasn't sure if he liked Computer's new found curiosity or not...

“Wait a moment...” Computer spoke as he shuffled through the contents of the cabinet. “This can't seriously be...”

“What did you find?” Courage asked, trying to get a look at whatever it was.

Computer pulled out one of Muriel's favorite mixers. Courage was surprised that he would even care about such an old thing. Muriel had gotten that long before she had even adopted him. Apparently Eustace had given it to her as a birthday gift not long after they had married.

“What's so interesting about that?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I saw one of these on the internet once. It came out quite awhile ago and they used to claim it could 'do everything'. Quite a sad story these things have. The humans absolutely loved them back when they first came out. People practically trampled over each other to get them. Huge crowds would amass just to grab what little they had in stock.” He held the thing like it were a fragile piece of history. “It amused me that such a stupid little machine could cause such a reaction from the human masses.”

It hit Courage that maybe this was why Muriel had treasured it so much. It must have been really hard to find and Eustace must have somehow managed to get one despite it's rarity.

He blinked and gazed back over at the machine. “But what's so sad about it?” He asked. “Did someone die trying to get one or something?”

“Nearly every single one of them turned out to be defective.” Computer continued. “Only two percent of them ended up working as intended but the ones that do work properly are nigh indestructible. They go for tons of cash online now. The rest were recalled and eventually dumped into a landfill, never to be heard from again.”

Courage could see why a 'fellow machine' would find this to be such a tragedy...

“I know how it feels.” Computer sighed. “Most would consider me to be defective by now too. Hmph! I remember the good old days, back when they used to say I could do everything too!”

Courage laughed. “Alright, you can stop having a flashback now, grandpa.” He outstretching his paw toward the appliance. “That mixer is special to Muriel and I don't want it to get broken. Can you please hand it over?”

The expressionless, spider-like machine somehow managed to look offended. “If you must know, I feel a certain kinship with this piece of hardware. I bet we even use some of the same parts. Besides, if anyone were likely to break it, it would be you!”

Courage frowned. He didn't need this right now. Too much had happened already today. He couldn't bear the thought of Muriel becoming even more depressed if Computer broke her favorite present.

“You're the one who couldn't even walk downstairs without falling a few hours ago! You nearly mastered falling UP stairs too!” He yelled.

“Well, aren't we being witty today? If you want it, come and get it, you twit!” He challenged. He sounded more amused than angry though. “I'll show you falling up stairs!” He yelled.

Courage sighed and squeezed his eyes shut. “I don't have the energy for this right now, okay? Can I please have it back? I-I don't want Muriel to have anything else to be upset about...”

The machine remained silent for a moment. “Fine! Be that way!” He shouted, tossing the mixer over to the pup. “I'm just trying to have a little fun, you twit!”

“Thank you.” Courage replied with as much sincerity as he could muster. Computer wasn't having any of it though.

“It's not every day I get to do whatever I want. I'm trying to enjoy myself, unlike you!” He moved in closer and crossed his tube arms. “And just what are you being all down in the dumps for? You're going to live! You've got nothing to worry about anymore!”

Courage felt his blood begin to boil. How could Computer talk like he had nothing to worry about? Did he not see how sad Muriel was!

“You really are an idiot!” The machine continued, poking him in the chest. “I'm the one who's been doing all the work and I'm the one who will continue to do all the work! All you have to do is sit there and whine like a little girl! You have absolutely nothing to be worried about so knock it off!”

He couldn't help it. He finally snapped at Computer. “Nothing to worry about? Nothing to worry about!” He yelled. “Abububub! Aruuuuu!”

In all honesty, it felt good to finally let out everything that had been causing him so much sorrow lately. He ranted as loudly as he could, not even really to Computer either. He didn't care if he was speaking in English or not so he quickly devolved into something somewhere between human speak and dog speak.

Computer gave him the closest thing to a blank stare a machine could manage. “Slow down, dog! I can only understand so much gibberish in one sentence!”

“ARGH! AND YOU! YOU'RE...” He once again fell into his gibberish speak, now screaming at the top of his lungs about Computer.

“W-what? I do NOT have a funny accent, you twit!” He yelled.

Courage continued to rant for several minutes, letting out everything that was a source of him pain to him. Everything from how much he hated that he got sick, to how much he hated that he was becoming a constant source of trouble for everybody. To how scared he was to die and to how terrible he felt for tricking Muriel that morning. He didn't know how much of it Computer picked up on, but he really didn't care.

Finally, after what felt like forever, he ran out of things to say and let silence fill the kitchen. He stared at the machine, gasping for breath. He didn't know what to say and apparently Computer didn't either.

An incredibly long silence followed before the spidery machine did something akin to a shrug and said, “You worry too much.”

Courage stumbled backwards in shock. “You're the one who doesn't worry enough!” He yelled. He had just unloaded everything on Computer and this was all he had to say about it? Seriously?

“I've told you a billion times now! Everything will be alright! I'll see to it that everything works out in the end. You have my promise.”

“How can you be so sure?” Courage asked, growing frustrated again.

“Just trust me!” He replied. “If what I'm translating is correct, you feel sorry for Muriel because of what you're putting her through, right? Now you're feeling even worse about it because you tricked her this morning and acted a lot more sick then you really are?”

“Yeah...” He muttered as his ears drooped.

The machine crossed his metal arms. “Hmph! Your loyalty to that woman is nauseating! And that's saying a lot considering the fact that I cannot get nauseated in the first place! You're the one who's dying and yet you still put that old woman's well being before your own! I don't see what you're being all depressed about! You're only doing what's necessary to save yourself, and besides, Muriel will have plenty to be happy about when you make a miraculous recovery.”

“But....but still...” He whimpered out.

Computer sighed, sounding rather annoyed that he couldn't get anything through Courage's head. “I guess they really weren't joking when they said dogs are a man's best friend. I highly suggest you stop blaming yourself for, well, dying.”

“I guess....I guess you're right, but I can't stop thinking about Muriel's well being too though. I owe her a lot and I'd probably be a stray without her.”

“I guess I should probably bring up the fact that if you go through with this, if you cure yourself of this illness, you will most likely outlive your owners. Without her, you may very well become a stray again.”

Courage felt his heart drop at those words. He had an point. What was he going to do when Muriel died? If he saved himself he would ultimately have to watch as Muriel and Eustace died of old age. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to think about it.

“Well,” He said gently, opening his eyes again. “at least I'll have you around to help me when that time comes. You can be the world's first stray computer.” He laughed.

Computer said nothing. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before he finally crossed his arms again and said, “I'm not exactly a new model, twit.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” He asked, giving the machine a quizzical stare.

“What I'm saying is, nobody lives forever. If you must know, I'm a little over twenty years old at this point and while that might not seem like much to a flesh creature, it's ancient for a computer. My model has long since been replaced by better ones and I'm... ” He stopped and uttered the next part out so quietly that Courage almost didn't hear him, “hopelessly obsolete...”

The dog gave him a shrug. “Who cares about being obsolete? I'm sure you've got a few good years left in you, grandpa.”

The machine shook his monitor. “Yeah...right...” He muttered out, unconvinced.

Courage watched as he went back to rummaging through the kitchen. It was funny, he had never really considered Computer a part of his family but on some level, he really was. The machine had always been there for him, if grudgingly so. He owed a lot to him and it wouldn't hurt to start treating him a little better, even if he would never do the same.

He was happy that Computer was in better mood now thanks to his new found mobility, even if he was being a bit weird about it. He didn't think he could stand the idea of arguing with him the entire way up the mountain, so if this was what it took to keep Computer happy, he'd take it.

Growing tired again from standing on his feet so long, he was about to head over to the table to sit down when a question struck him that he had never had occur to him before. He turned around and faced Computer, who's monitor was currently all but shoved inside a cabinet right now.

“Hey...” He said weakly.

“Yes, twit? I'm a bit busy at the moment.” Came Computer's muffled voice.

“What's your name?” He asked.

There was thud as Computer's monitor collided with the ceiling of the cabinet. He ripped it out of there and turned to Courage. “Wh-what?” He gasped.

“Your name? What is it?”

The machine seemed to stumble for a moment. Courage was rather surprised by his shock. Had nobody ever asked him for his name before?

“I-I'm, uh...” He was actually speechless.

“What? Is it something embarrassing?” Courage asked with a chuckle.

“Well, I, uh, don't have one.” He replied rather flatly. There was still a hint of awe in his voice despite his tone.

Courage blinked. “How can you not have a name?” He asked.

“Nobody ever bothered to give me one.” Computer answered quietly, as though this were a delicate situation. “I never really felt like giving myself one and I never exactly needed one either. My old owners, they....” He stopped and a shutter almost seemed to run through his metal frame.

“That's still not a good reason to not have a name.” Courage replied.

“Tell that to everyone who didn't name me.” He grumbled. “It doesn't matter anyway, I don't mind. If it makes you feel any better, I do have a manufacturing number.” He said. He talked as if Courage actually knew what he meant.

“Well...I, um, could give you a name.” He offered. It was more like he was asking permission than offering though...

“And end up with a stupid name like Courage?” He chuckled. “I think I'll pass.” He then turned around and began to head out of the kitchen.

“Where are you going now?” Courage called out to him.

“I'm going back upstairs, I've decided that it's boring down here anyway.” He said in a dismissive tone.

Without much of a choice, Courage followed him. Couldn't that darn machine just make up his mind?

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 14: A Rocky Friendship

“Are you coming or not, twit?” Computer asked from halfway up the stairs.

Courage was lagging behind at the bottom. He let out a soft groan. Didn't Computer realize by now how hard it was from him to get up and down the stairs?

“I'm...getting...there....” He uttered out between gasps for air. When he did finally catch up, he all but toppled down beside the machine.

“You don't look so good.” He said, sounding rather irked.

He looked up at Computer and gave him an expression of, 'well duh!'.

“You can sit here all day if you like but I'm going now.” Computer said, still being as impatient as ever.

He turned around and took a step before Courage yelled out, “Hold on! You can't just leave me here like this!”

Computer swerved his monitor completely around without turning the rest of his body with it. “What? You're expecting me to carry you up or something, princess? Sorry, but that's not happening.”

“C-Can't you just wait a moment?” He wheezed out.

“There's no time for that! I've got like a hundred things I want to do before we leave and no time to do them! Unlike you I'm trying to enjoy being able to move for a little bit!”

Courage glared at him. “You're the one who...” He stopped himself mid sentence as he heard the front door open and close.

“Courage, dear. Where are you?” Muriel called.

He glanced over at Computer. There wasn't enough time to get him back into the attic before Muriel could find them!

“Act like a normal computer for just five seconds!” He begged in a panicked whisper. “Please, do it. Just this once!”

“I don't see what the big deal is.” Computer replied in a dismissive tone. “What's the worst that can happen if she sees me?”

“It could ruin our plans! Don't take any risks right now!”

“Alright, alright, fine then!” The machine muttered. “The things I do for your sake, you stupid twit!” And with that he collapsed, deliberately falling on top of Courage in what could only be a display of his contempt.

The tiny dog groaned. He could barely hold the heavy piece of machinery up. “Ugh, you weigh a ton!” He whispered.

“I'm acting like a 'normal computer' now, you twit!” He quipped back quietly.

“Did you really have to fall on-”

“Courage?” Muriel called out again. The sound of her boots reaching his ears tipped him off that she was coming up the stairs.

He slowly turned around, keeping a paw on the machine. He seriously hoped that Muriel wouldn't care that their computer was now on top of him.

“Courage, just what on earth are you doing dragging that old thing around?” Muriel asked, placing her hands on her hips.

Courage suppressed a painful groan. This wasn't going to end well.

“Eustace? Eustace? Come look at what Courage is doing. He's acting strange again...” Muriel called out.

Courage let his ears droop. He felt like a puppy who had just done something naughty and was about to be scolded for it. She'd said he'd been, 'acting strange again', which probably meant that she had noticed all the unusual things he had been doing lately.

“Whatcha doin', dog?” Eustace called out as he joined Muriel at her side. He didn't sound angry thankfully, just confused.

The pup smiled sheepishly at them. He didn't have an excuse for why he was carrying Computer around and he wouldn't have been able to give them a reason even if he tried.

“Didn't the doctor say that dogs get crazy when they're really sick? Ya know, they do weird things and the like?” Eustace asked Muriel.

Courage suddenly didn't like where this was going, but what could he do now? If only Computer had stayed in the attic, none of this would be happening right now...

Eustace continued, “He said they'll be normal one moment, then doin' strange things the next. They can get dangerous too. Start growlin' and bitin' you if you aren't careful...”

That was apparently enough for Muriel because she broke down into sobs at Eustace's words. She obviously couldn't stand the possibility that Courage could become feral or delusional. “C-Courage would never....get nasty...like that....” She sobbed. “Courage is a good dog! You know that!”

“Muriel! I didn't mean it like that!” The old farmer yelped.

Courage let his ears droop even further in sorrow. So now they thought he was going crazy too. As if things couldn't get any worse...

“I'll take care of the dog, alright?” Eustace said to Muriel. “Then I'll make ya some tea so you'll feel a little better.”

Courage blinked up at the old man. He didn't seriously think that he was going crazy, did he? He wasn't a mad dog! He was just Courage! No different from his normal self except for the awful illness sapping his life away!

Eustace gave him a strange look. “Alright, dog. Let's get this thing back up into the attic.” He said, picking them both up. He made his way over to the attic door and opened it. The sight that befell both him and Courage left both of their mouths hanging open.

The attic was completely trashed. Boxes that probably hadn't been opened since Muriel and Eustace first moved in were now laying open with their contents scattered about. The only thing 'neat' about the mess was that it seemed like everything was in organized piles.

Courage already knew who was to blame for this, but Eustace didn't and he would probably blame him for it. Whatever hope he had in not being labeled a 'mad dog' was now gone.

Eustace set them both down on the floor, as there was no other place to put them. Computer's desk was piled to the brim with things from the boxes and the bed was fairing no better.

He looked down at the pup and scratched his head in confusion. “I dunno what you're up to, dog, but don't go upsetin' Muriel anymore, you got that?” He wasn't angry, which was a surprise, but it didn't stop Courage from drooping his ears like he really had done something wrong. The old man shook his head and left the room, leaving poor Courage to sulk.

As soon as he was certain that Eustace was gone, he turned to Computer, who was still pretending to be 'normal', and scowled at him. “Muriel and Eustace think I'm going crazy because of you!” He yelled. “Why did you have to mess the whole attic up? You didn't even need to come down stairs in the first place! If you had just stayed put Muriel would have never found us!”

The machine stood back up on his mechanical legs. “Well, if I had known he was coming up here I would have cleaned up.”

“You shouldn't have been messing around in these boxes in the first place!” Courage growled.

Computer brushed off his anger with a nonchalant shrug. “Does it really matter if they think you've gone crazy or not?” He crossed two of his metal arms. “If you really do care, I suggest you stop yelling before they hear you and think you've gone even more mad.”

Courage continued to glare at him but said no more. He was right, they'd hear him if he kept yelling. There was a long and painful silence before he finally broke his gaze away from the machine and sighed.

“Just...clean up this mess, okay?” He asked gently.

“Hmph! It's not a mess, it's neatly organized, twit!”

Without another word, Courage clamored up onto the bed, pushed off whatever was on top of it, and let his muzzle sink into the pillow. He was feeling even more awful than ever before.

“I do wonder what idiot doctor told them you'd go feral.” Computer spoke. “Delirium isn't a symptom of your condition. Well, you could consider it a symptom, but the sufferer would be so far gone by that point that they wouldn't be able do much in their delirium anyway.”

Courage groaned and turned over in bed. He didn't really care what Computer had to say right now. He didn't even bother to raise his head up from the pillow. He was feeling too tired and too sorry for himself at that moment.

“This again!” Computer said with annoyance. “Seriously, twit?”

Courage heard the irate machine walk up to the bed. He was going to ignore him until he got a sharp poke in the side and was forced to sit up in anger.

“What did you do that for!” He yelled, rubbing where that claw had pierced him.

“Stop being all gloom and doom! Your endless angst is driving me insane!” Computer yelled, poking him in the chest this time. Courage swatted it away like a bug.

He fired back with an angry, gibberish filled voice. “Ububbubbubbba!”

“Oh, don't start with me again, idiot! You just ranted about all this like ten minutes ago! I already told you, you worry too much! Muriel is NOT going to feel any better if you just sit around and mope constantly!”

“ARRRUUUU!”

“Oh yeah, real childish insult there, twit! Is that really all you've got? If you weren't a complete pansy you would have figured out how to make Muriel happy again by now! But guess what? You so utterly fail at everything that you can't even do something as simple as that! Once a twit, always a twit, as I say.”

Courage couldn't take it anymore. Computer reaffirming all of his own feelings of failure was enough to make him reach his breaking point. He burst into tears, wailing like a child. He didn't care if Computer would laugh at him. He couldn't take it anymore. He had failed Muriel in every way a proper dog could.

“Now you too?” The machine groaned. “First Muriel and now the twit. Great, just great! I will never understand why you organics do this crying thing, honestly!”

Courage ignored him and continued to sob.

“Hmmm, now what's the cure for this?” Computer asked himself rather quietly. “Oh yes...”

What Courage got next completely caught him off guard.....

WHAM

He fell backwards as stars danced in his eyes. Computer had punched him square in the muzzle, which was more like being hit with a steel rod...

“Uggggh.....” He moaned, clutching his head. The moment he could think straight again, anger filled his mind. He shot up and kicked the machine squarely in the monitor. Computer reeled back from the force of the kick. Whether he was shocked by the attack or not, his screen did not show it.

“Alright, that's it!” He growled. “Nobody hits a gentleman! En garde, you ingrate!” He stuck out a clawed arm like it were a sword.

“Gentleman? More like a stuck up jerk!” Courage yelled out between grit teeth.

“Oh really? That's all you have to say, coward?”

“Yeah, and you've got your monitor shoved so far up your hard drive that-”

“Oh ho, getting touchy, aren't we?” Computer laughed.

Courage jumped at the machine. He collided with his monitor and sent them both tumbling to floor. Computer clamped a claw around his neck and picked him up like a sack of potatoes.

“Let me go!” He shrieked, flailing around helplessly.

His foot collided with Computer's monitor once again and the machine dropped him. He didn't get a chance to stand back up though as another powerful punch connected with muzzle and left him laying on the ground half dazed. He whimpered in terror, realizing that he was losing. He tried to crawl away but another metal claw grabbed his head and smashed it back down onto the floor. He was pinned and Computer wasn't relenting at his attack.

“Hahaha! You can't even fight properly!” The machine laughed. “And you actually thought you could beat me?” He seemed far more amused than he was angry. In fact, he didn't even seem to realize he had taken their fight just a little too far.

Courage whimpered again, tears once more running down his muzzle. He was terrified now. Computer still had his head pinned to the ground and he could crush it like a grape if he really wanted to.

“What are you doing that for?” The machine asked, his tone changing from triumph to confusion. “I won and you lost. Don't be such a sore loser, you twit!”

Courage whimpered again and began to tremble.

“W-wha?” Computer asked, thoroughly confused at Courage's behavior. He had probably expected him to be angry, not terrified like this.

“Y-you win, o-okay?” Courage stuttered out in a small voice. “P-please, j-just let me g-go...”

The machine continued to stare at him, well, as much as a monitor could manage, and then he began to loosen his grip. “Well, if you're going to be such a spoil sport then...” He said. His tone was still filled with confusion. “So long as you promise not to take anymore pot shots at me, alright?”

The moment he was released from Computer's grip, Courage shot forward and hid himself under the bed. He pushed himself up against the wall and then curled up into a ball.

“Dog?” He heard the machine say.

He opened an eye to find Computer awkwardly lowered to the ground so that his monitor could see under the bed. It lit the whole place up with an eerie greenish-blue light. He was too big to fit under the bed and Courage was admittedly thankful for that.

“What's your problem, dog? I was only messing with you!” He said.

Courage shut his eyes and turned away.

“I thought you organic creatures smack each other around when you're depressed?” He asked. “I mean, I've seen it all the time in movies and literature before.”

Still no response...

“You're not seriously going to stay down there, are you?”

Courage gave him a muffled groan but nothing else.

“Alright, whatever. Guess I'll just have to sit here then.” He let out a sigh. “First time I've been mobile in ages and now I'm going to have to waste it doing exactly what I always do, sitting around. Thanks a lot, twit.”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 15: Computer Antics

“You're not seriously just going to sit there and be all mopey?” Computer asked, tapping a metal foot on the floor. He waited several seconds before growing impatient again. “You aren't listening, are you? I've been talking for nearly ten minutes now and you haven't heard a word I said!” The machine lowered himself down to try and get a better look at the dog again.

Courage stirred a bit upon the dark area being lit up but he did not speak.

“I hope you plan on giving up this little tirade sometime tonight. This could seriously mess with my plans for tomorrow.” He paused a moment, expecting a reply from Courage. He got nothing accept silence yet again. “Ugh! I'd be a bit more grateful if I were you!” He snapped.

Courage groaned but did nothing else. He just wanted to sleep and Computer wasn't letting him. He felt even more tired then ever before and his emotions were in a fray. Why couldn't that darn machine just stop talking?

“Alright, alright, so maybe I did punch you, but you kicked me back so it's a fair trade!” Computer continued. “You could have broken something, you know! Everything else was merely self defense against your rampant idiocy! Maybe I got just a tiny, TINY bit carried away but whatever!”

“Abarufu...” Courage muttered, drawing himself into a tighter ball.

“Fine, I'm just going to have to do this the hard way, aren't I?” He sighed.

Courage raised his head wearily at Computer's words. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the bed began to pull away from the wall, leaving him completely exposed.

“RRAAAAGGHHHH!!!!!!” He screamed, scrambling to get back under the bed. Computer, thankfully, didn't react quickly enough to grab him.

Oh, for the love of...” He groaned. He reached a claw down to try and grab him but even without a wall to protect him, the pup still managed to evade his every attempt.

“Leave me alone!” Courage yelled as he dodged another claw reaching out to get him.

“For goodness sake, dog! I have half the mind to just tip the bed over but I can't do that or else you'll start sobbing like a little girl again! I don't see what your problem is, I didn't do anything wrong!” He huffed.

“Abubublu!” He fired back. He couldn't help but get angry now. How could Computer continue to blame everyone but himself for his antics?

“Come on, dog! You can't stay down there forever!” He yelled, growing frustrated again. He lowered himself down to the floor once more and continued to chew Courage out with his every word. “I don't see why you adore that old woman so much! She's just another human after all! Those meat bags are all alike! They will always abandon you in the end, always! Besides, you've got more things to be depressed about than her! And guess what? I bet she wasn't even planning on staying with you once she dumped you off at that vet office! See what I mean? She will inevitably abandon you when you need her the most!”

Courage raised his head again and gazed over at the machine. He wanted to argue that Muriel would never ever abandon him but he didn't want to start another needless fight. He let his head sink back down onto the floor and sighed.

“Trust me! I know this from experience! You're setting yourself up for disaster, kid!” He continued. He was starting to sound more and more desperate. “And besides, she's not the one doing anything to help you, now is she? She isn't the one trying to save your wimpy, ungrateful hide!”

A long silence followed. Computer had probably expected him to say something by now. He finally seemed to hit his limit. “Alright, fine then! I guess I will leave you to rot down there! I hope you're happy, idiot! Can't say that I didn't try!”

Courage opened an eye in surprise at Computer's anger. He have the machine a pitiful look before lowering his head again.

“Alright, alright!” He snapped. “I'm sorry, now will you please come out?” He, of course, didn't actually sound sorry though. “I swear you're going to be the end of me!” And with that he lowered a claw down to him, showing that he wanted to help him out.

Courage glanced over at him. “I'm just...really, really tired right now.” He admitted. “Can't you just let me rest for a bit?”

“You were....tired?” Computer asked, completely bewildered. “Why on earth didn't you say so! What was the point of making me go through that whole tirade!”

“Sorry...” Courage choked out.

“Will you please come out at least? Sleeping down there can't be comfortable after all.”

Courage nodded weakly and managed to drag himself out from under the bed. He was so exhausted that his limbs felt like they were made out of iron. He only managed to stand for a moment before his muscles seemed to give out and he would have fallen if not for a metal arm catching him just at the last moment.

“Thanks.” He muttered out halfheartedly. He could barely keep his eyes open anymore and he just couldn't stop his body from shaking. It was an amazement that he hadn't suffered from an attack yet.

“You don't look so good.” Computer commented quietly. “So much for keeping your energy up, huh?”

He nodded and gave him a small, 'yeah', but that was all he could manage. Computer helped him up into bed and he plopped down onto the pillow without another sound.

Computer's voice only vaguely registered in the back of his mind as he drifted off. “Keep it together, Courage. We've got a long way to go and you must hold out for as long as possible.”

He subconsciously flinched at his name being used again but it was quickly forgotten as he drifted off to sleep. He felt a blanket fall over him and then there was nothing...

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 16: The Gift

It happened yet again....

Courage's restless sleep was plagued with nightmares, each and every one taking advantage of his worries. His mind seemed to play out every horrible scenario it could come up with as he tossed and turned in bed.

...He was strapped to a table with that awful vet leering down at him once again. He struggled, but the bindings were too tight. The vet pulled out his giant syringe, laughing gleefully. It was just like what had happened last time.

“Better say goodbye while you've still got a chance, dog!” The vet laughed as he gestured over to a corner.

Courage strained his neck to get a better look and his eyes widened at the sight of what he found. It was his parents! He would have been overjoyed to see them, even under these circumstances, but they were both crying and they looked so disappointed.

“I can't believe we have a defective son!” His mother sobbed.

“I-I'm not defective.” He whimpered. “M-mom?” He weakly choked out when she would not look at him.

“Where did we go wrong?” His father sighed, hugging his mother closer.

“I-I didn't mean to get sick.” He gently tried to reason with them. Try as he might, he couldn't hold back the tears forming in his eyes. He'd never thought that he'd one day see them so...upset over what he never had any control over in the first place.

“Heheheh, it looks like they bred a sickly, little runt!” The veterinarian chuckled, his voice growing more and more ominous with every word he spoke. “Well, you're one more defect that I plan to correct!”

Courage squeezed his eyes shut as the cruel old doctor raised the syringe. He waited for the feeling of cold metal to pierce his skin, but it never came....and then....

BANG!

He let loose a scream and found himself so hopelessly tangled up in the blanket that he had been sleeping under that as he thrashed around trying to escape it, he ended up toppling out of the bed. He hit the ground head first and laid there for several moments, too dazed to figure out what had happened. Another loud bang rocked the old farmhouse and it was then that he realized that it was storming outside. Rain hammered the window like it was a monster trying to get inside and the violent, howling wind was making the farmhouse creak and groan like it had gained a life of its own. He blinked, still partly dazed, and wondered what time it was. Obviously night had fallen, but just how late was it?

“We certainly could have used this thunderstorm before, wouldn't you say?” Computer drawled from somewhere unseen.

Courage looked around, first checking the top of the desk and then turned to find Computer sitting at the edge of the bed, on the opposite side of where he had been sleeping.

“Wha.-” He just barely managed to utter out, still half asleep.

“They said there wasn't going to be any rain all week so of course it goes and starts to storm right after we needed it. Stupid lightning.” The machine grumbled. He was laying there as though he were still sitting atop the desk, although his six spider-like legs were splayed out rather carelessly, as though he hadn't really noticed or cared where they would drop when he had 'sat down'.

Courage let out a massive yawn and crawled back up into the bed. He was still tired, despite his supposed nap, and he wanted to make sure that he was rested up before their trip to the vet. After all, if something went wrong, this would be his final trip to the vet.

“You know,” Computer drawled once more, just as Courage was settling back down under the covers. “You talk a lot in your sleep.”

Courage winced. Just how much had Computer heard him say as he tossed and turned in his sleep? How much of his nightmare had slipped through?

“I, um...” He muttered out somewhat sheepishly.

“You're not defective or anything.” Computer spoke, saying it so causally that he might as well have been discussing something that he had seen in a newspaper. “Some of the top bred dogs get your condition and I doubt anyone would dare to say that they are defective.”

Courage suppressed a whine and buried his muzzle deeper into the pillow. Another clap of thunder made him jump. How was he ever going to get back to sleep with all this noise? Normally on nights like these, he'd curl up in the space between Muriel and Eustace's pillow. He closed his eyes and tried to make his mind relax, but another sound caught his attention. He sat up, unable to ignore the sound, and found Computer flicking a yo-yo up and down in one of his claws. Courage recognized it almost immediately. It was his lucky yo-yo! He hadn't seen that thing in months! At least, not since he had last buried it somewhere out back. Actually, that had been right before he got sick, back when he could dig without-

Rather than think about the uplesent beginnings of his illness, he asked, “Where the heck did you find that?”

Computer couldn't have seriously gone and dug it up, could he?

“This?” He asked, raising the yo-yo. “Behind the toilet.” He answered in a nonchalant tone.

Courage cringed. “What were you doing behind the toilet?”

Computer ignored the question and went back to flicking the yo-yo up and down, his screen staying trained upon it the whole time.

As if his new found curiosity wasn't weird enough already....

“That's my yo-yo, you know.” He continued when Computer didn't speak up. “It's helped me out a lot, especially whenever I needed to save Muriel. I've always considered it like, I don't know, a lucky charm?”

“Lucky?” Computer scoffed. “I'm afraid your life is well and thoroughly lacking in any luck. I'd be hard pressed to call this stupid object lucky.” He tossed the thing to Courage, having apparently completely lost interest in it.

Courage stared down at the yo-yo for a moment and then a funny idea crossed his mind. He looked back up at Computer and decided that he was indeed going to go through with his strange idea.

“Um...Computer?” He asked.

“What do you want now, twit?” The machine replied in an exasperated tone. “Don't you have some sleeping to do or something?”

“I want you to have it.” He said, presenting the yo-yo to him.

“Er, what?” He asked, confusion clear in his voice. “Why? I told you already, I don't think that thing is lucky!”

“It's not much, but I want to give it to you as a 'thank you' for all the things you've been doing for me.” He gave the machine a sincere smile.

Computer seemed to be at a loss for words. “Isn't it important to you?”

“Yeah, but I want you to have it now.”

Computer slowly reached out and grabbed the yo-yo from him. His screen gazed down at the object clasped in his claws and then looked back up at Courage. He did this several times, as though he couldn't comprehend the notion of being given a gift. He seemed outright stunned.

“Well, erm, thank you, twit.” He said, adding in the 'twit' almost as an afterthought.

“I bet that must have really hurt to say.” Courage snickered.

“You have no idea....” He sighed, placing the yo-yo down onto the bed.

With that out of the way, Courage let his head plop back down onto the pillow. He groaned and stretched his entire body out. He still ached everywhere and no amount of rest seemed to make it any better.

“You're still not well yet, are you?” He heard Computer ask.

“No.” He groaned, shifting around again.

“Hmm, you know what? I think I have an idea.”

“Oh, uh, really?” Courage asked, slowly sitting back up again. What on earth could Computer possibly do to help him with his illness?

“Follow me.” The machine commanded, standing up onto his six legs and jumping down off the bed with a metallic thunk. He made his way over to the door and gestured at Courage to follow after him.

“Wait!” Courage exclaimed. “We can't go out there! Muriel and Eustace might wake up!”

“Just keep quiet and your owners won't notice a thing!”

“We can't risk it!” Courage sharply whispered.

“Trust me on this!”

“The last time I trusted you, you got me into trouble!” He shot back, but it was no good, Computer was already out the door. With a groan, he jumped off the bed and followed after him.

“Computer!” He called out in a harsh whisper, desperately trying to keep Muriel and Eustace from hearing him. It was no use though, Computer ignored him as he skittered down the hallway on his robotic legs. Fighting back another groan, Courage raced after him as quickly and quietly as he could manage.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 17: Lethal Cooking

“Computer, come on!” Courage whispered to the machine. He was already halfway down the hall.

“Zip it!” Computer whispered back. “It's you who's going to wake them up!”

Courage raced down the hallway as quietly as he could. Muriel and Eustace were snoring but he was terrified that they'd hear them talking and wake up. If he was caught running around with Computer again they'd assume he'd lost his mind.

He glared at Computer but he was still being ignored regardless. They both managed to sneak past the bedroom without disturbing Muriel or Eustace and soon they were both free to climb down the staircase.

“Just what are we doing?” Courage asked, annoyed that he'd have to go up and down the staircase again.

“I'm going to try something that should make you feel a little better. You're going to need energy.” Computer said as they reached the living room.

“What are you going to do exactly?” Courage asked. The machine whirled around stopped him in his tracks.

“You wait here, dog. I'll be back in just a couple of minutes.” He spoke, turning back around and heading into the kitchen.

Utterly confused, Courage sat down in Eustace's chair and watched as the storm continued to rage outside. Lightning was the only thing illuminating the room and it was so frequent that it might as well have been a lamp. He could hear Computer doing 'something' in the kitchen but whatever it was, he couldn't guess. He was just about to close his eyes and try to rest when he heard the sound of Muriel's mixer starting up in the kitchen.

“What the heck?” He asked, gazing over at the kitchen door. Just what on earth was Computer up to?

The sound of the mixer went on for several more minutes before the kitchen fell quiet again and the clinking of dishes could be heard. Courage had half the mind to go see what he was up to but didn't get a chance as the door swung open not five seconds later.

“It's done!” Computer spoke, sounding rather proud of himself. He was covered in something but Courage couldn't tell what. He had a horrible feeling that the machine had just made a mess of the kitchen...

He jumped off the chair and entered through the door, unsure of what to expect. Just as he had suspected, it was terrible. The table was a mess, the counter was a mess, everything was a mess. Food was scattered everywhere and something brown and smelly was caked all over the walls. His mouth fell open and he turned towards Computer.

The machine nabbed a bowl off the table and brought it over to him. His nose nearly fell off from the smell coming from it. It smelt like Eustace's socks dipped in raw sewage....

“Ugh, what is that!” He yelped, turning away.

“Food you flesh creatures eat!” Computer replied, completely oblivious to the horror that he had just created. “I did some research and this concoction holds all the nutritional value a dog like yourself would need. It should give you a good jolt of energy and make you feel less sick.”

“It smells horrible!” Courage choked out as he pinched his nose shut.

“Who cares about smell! Smell is overrated! I've never done it once in my life!” Computer replied loudly, still as oblivious as ever.

“It looks disgusting!” He continued. The brown paste within the bowl almost seemed to move of it's own accord, begging someone to put it out of it's misery. He didn't even want to think about how it might taste.

“Are you kidding me, dog? All of your organic food looks disgusting to me. You eat each other for goodness sake!”

“Then maybe you're not really qualified to make food.” Courage replied weakly. He hoped he could worm his way out of this. He was growing more and more nauseous by the second...

“Nonsense! This holds all the nutritional value you need! It must be good for you!”

“What might be good for me and what's actually edible are two totally different things, you know!” He argued.

“Hmph! I try to do something nice for an idiot like you and you can't even have the good manners to be nice back!”

“I'm not eating that!” Courage fought.

Computer continued on his tirade. “All I wanted to do was try and make sure the twit doesn't drop dead from his illness! Silly me trying to do a good thing for a change!”

Courage insides writhed with disgust “Alright, alright! I'll try it!” He choked out, still overwhelmed by the smell. He couldn't believe he was actually going to do this...

“Good! The sooner you get your energy back the better!”

He stared down at the awful smelling stuff. His stomach was screaming 'NO!' at him as he looked at it. He grabbed the spoon that was already in the bowl and picked up some of the disgusting ooze. It stuck to it like taffy....

He could barely even look at it because of how bad the stench was making his eyes water. Whining pitifully, he opened his mouth and stuck it in. He swallowed, desperately trying not to taste it. His body instantly rejected it before it could even touch his stomach.

“Where are you going?” Computer called out as he made a break for the back door.

He clamored out into the storm and his stomach immediately evacuated everything he had eaten that day. It was desperately trying to purge the abomination that Computer had forced him to eat.

He could hear the machine yelling at him from the open door. “You're doing it wrong, you twit! You're supposed to keep it in your stomach, not expel it!”

It felt like hours before his gut finally stopped wrenching. Just thinking about that taste made him go into another vomiting fit, even when there was nothing left to gag out. Wet, cold, and tired, he decided to take his chances and go back into the house. He slammed the door shut, soaked to the bone, and glared at Computer.

“Never make me eat your cooking again!” He growled.

“Obviously that didn't work.” The machine replied, sounding annoyed at Courage's less than pleasant response. “Maybe I should try...”

“NO! Nothing else! Not after that!” He yelled. He didn't think his stomach could handle anymore.

“Alright, alright! Keep your fur on, you twit!” Computer relented.

He sighed and relaxed a bit. “I'm going to go rest. Could you clean up in here?”

“Of course.” He still sounded annoyed that his mushy paste hadn't worked. “Don't you think that maybe...”

“No! I don't want to be your guinea pig anymore!”

“But, dog...” He continued.

Courage was just about to argue back when the kitchen door swung open, shutting them both up. He felt his entire body turn to ice. Eustace tromped his way into the kitchen....

“Just what's going on down here?” He asked. His expressionless face slowly turned to Computer who was still standing there.

“Oh, dear...” The machine muttered softly.

Courage tried to find his voice and said rather sheepishly to the old man, “Um, Aru?”

Eustace was not amused, he placed both his hands on his hips and opened his mouth to speak but then they were both surprised when Computer stepped forward, completely of his own violation, and began to talk.

“Uh, hi? I guess...” He began. “I do believe we've met before. I, er, was laughing manically, took over your body, got it smashed into a thousands pieces. Actually, I, um, I'm kinda hoping you don't remember that....”

Courage's mouth fell open.

Eustace's eyebrows narrowed angrily. It was obvious that he hadn't taken Computer's introduction very well...

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 18: Under The Mallet

Eustace glared down at Computer. “What's with the funny accent? Stupid kids! If you're going to come to this country, learn how to speak the god darn language! And whatever you're selling, we don't want any!”

Yep, Courage was convinced that they were doomed....

“You've got to be kidding me!” Computer groaned. “He seriously thinks that I'm speaking a different language?”

“That's it! I'm gettin' me mallet! Ain't having no intruders in my house!” The old farmer yelled, going off to find his trusty, oversized mallet.

“You've got to tell him what's going on!” Courage yelped. “He never understands me, but he'll listen to you!”

Computer's monitor slowly swerved around. He didn't even need a face to express his seething snark. “He thinks that I'm speaking another language. I just can't work with this level of stupidity. You're on your own, kid.”

“We've got to try something!” He cried out.

Eustace rammed the door back open again. He now held his gigantic mallet and brandished it threateningly at Computer.

“Alright! Either you get or else I'll make you get!”

Computer sighed, as though he couldn't believe that he was actually trying to talk to someone so stupid. “Look, I'm trying to help Courage. I obviously can't do that if you bash my monitor in.”

Eustace's response was to swing his mallet, which Computer promptly dodged.

“Don't you want me to help him?” He called out to the old man, all while dodging another swing of the mallet.

Courage felt his heart drop as it became painfully obvious that Computer wasn't going to convince Eustace of anything.

“We....don't....want...any!” The old man yelled, swinging his mallet this way and that. Computer was just barely keeping out of its way.

“Um, yeah, twit? I don't think this is working.” He called out, dodging another blow.

Courage placed a paw to his chin as he tried to think. “Maybe I could...LOOK OUT!”

Eustace swung his mallet once more, and before Computer could leap out of the way, it made contact with the side of his monitor, sending him flying into a wall. Courage's jaw hit the floor. Several seconds passed and the spidery machine did not get back up.

“Oh, no!” The poor pup gasped.

Eustace lowered his mallet, gasping for breath. Swinging it around must have really taken it out of him. Computer remained unmoving, his tube-like legs sprawled out across the floor. The old man straightened himself back up again and began to converge upon the machine, much to Courage's horror. He didn't know if it was out of anger or a desperate desire to save Computer, but he rushed forward and bit down as hard as he could on Eustace's leg.

“AAARRRGGGH!” The farmer screamed, swinging his leg around and around, trying to get him off.

Courage held on for dear life, knowing that Eustace would have his head for this. They seemed to spin forever as the old man tried to regain his balance. Finally, with one great swing of his leg, Courage was sent flying. He hit a wall, just like Computer had, and instantly blacked out....

….........

It was cold. So cold.

How much time had passed, Courage didn't know, but it seemed like forever.

Though his head hurt immensely, he slowly opened his eyes. Light was shining in through a barred window and a strange smell filled his nostrils. He felt his head and found a large bump where he had hit the wall. He slowly rose up, looking over his surroundings, and then horror overtook him.

He was in a kennel, and it was no ordinary kennel either. He had seen this place before. There was no doubt in his mind, this was the Nowhere veterinarian office and he was trapped here. That awful, medical smell was as easily recognizable. It only helped to fill him with even more dread.

It was daytime now, judging by the sunlight, and it had to be Friday because there was no other day that it could be.

….He was going to be put to sleep soon.

He paced back and forth, unsure of how he had gotten here in the first place. His little brawl with Eustace must have knocked him out cold, but just how long had he been out? How long had he been lying in this kennel?

A whimper escaped his throat. Eustace and Muriel must have thought that he had finally gone crazy after biting Eustace's leg like that! They had probably taken him down while he was still knocked out, thinking that he might attack them again once he woke up!

He let his ears droop. What had become of Computer? Even if he was okay, what could he possibly do to help him now?

Courage slid down onto the floor, realizing that it was very unlikely that he could be saved now. He didn't know how much longer it would be until the veterinarians came for him, but he doubted that he would be able escape anyway. Placing a paw up against his head, he let out a groan. Just what was he going to do now?

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 19: The Kennel

Courage wandered back and fourth through his kennel, all while wondering how he could possibly escape this predicament. The vet's could show up to put him to sleep at any moment and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He looked down and sniffed the two bowls they had left for him. The cheap dog food was soggy and the water smelled as if it had been sitting in there for ages. This place had an atmosphere of despair and tension to it. Every once in a while one of the dogs would let out a whimper or worse, they would start to howl loudly, often startling Courage. It took every fiber of his being not to outright panic. He didn't want to die in this place!

'Come on!' He thought to himself. 'If it were Muriel in trouble, you would have found a way out by now!'

He grabbed the bars of his kennel and yanked at them as hard as he could. It was no use, they wouldn't budge. The small window shining sunlight down into his dark cell was too high up for him to reach and it was barred up as well. He had no way of escaping.

He sighed and slid down onto the cold floor. His head still ached viciously and he had to keep a paw up against it to keep the room from spinning. He silently cursed Eustace for putting him in this state. If only Computer were around to help him. He'd know what to do.

A loud, barking laugh from across the aisle made him jump. He stood up and inched closer to the bars out of curiosity. A bulldog was standing in the kennel across from him, laughing like a hyena. The crazed dog gave him a toothy grin and beckoned at him to get closer. His teeth were yellow and rotten. He looked very old but stood up on two legs like Courage normally did.

“So, what did they put you in here for?” The dog asked with a craggy voice. “Did your owners forget about you too? Or are you one of those dogs with 'behavior' problems?” He broke out into a coughing, hyena-like laugh again, causing Courage to cringe.

“Ummm...” He tried to stammer out but it was blocked out by the bulldog's mad laugh.

A man suddenly came into view as he walked past both of their kennels, startling Courage enough to make him jump. The man seemed to be some kind of janitor, clad in a dirty green wardrobe and a ratty brown hat. His face seemed to be screwed up in a permanent scowl, deepening the wrinkles on his sunken face.

Sneering, he smacked the bars of the bulldog's kennel. “Enough, you damn mutt!” He growled before stomping off again.

The bulldog's laughter slowly tampered off. “That would be the janitor and 'dog keeper', Rick. He prides himself as the only reason why no dog has ever escaped this place.”

Courage swallowed. “Nobody's ever escaped?” He asked in a tiny voice.

“Nobody.” The dog reaffirmed. “What? Were you planning on trying?”

“Well, yeah. I'm not supposed to be here.” He tried to tell the dog.

The bulldog let out another booming laugh. “Ha! That's what they all say!”

Courage doubted that he could reason with this strange dog. His head obviously wasn't in the right place anymore. It didn't surprise him much, all things considering. He had often heard rumors about the strange things kennels did to a dog's mind...

“Look over there.” The bulldog said, pulling his rather large head through the bars.

Courage did what he was told and looked over to where the bulldog was pointing. It was a single metal door and a strange sort of smell was coming from it. It smelled like doctors, chemicals, and something unidentifiable all put together.

The bulldog spoke in a deathly quiet voice. “When you go through that door, you never come back out. So unless a human comes to save you, you're doomed to go through the door. Not many people take dogs like us as pets, so don't get your hopes up.”

Courage's heart sank, realizing what that door symbolized. He needed to get out of here, and fast. He was about to withdraw back into his kennel when the bulldog shook his head and pointed at him to keep watching.

The door swung open, shining bright light into the dark and dank kennels. A vet stepped out into the room and that Rick guy went hobbling over to him. He handed the vet a clipboard and they both looked it over in silence. Finally, they both nodded to each other and Rick went over to a kennel right next to Courage.

The dog inside let out a high pitched yelp. Rick looked as if he wanted to kick the dog but was holding himself back. He grabbed the flailing pup with a look of disgust and pulled him out into the open. The dog was chanting something over and over again in such a fast voice that not even Courage could understand what he was saying.

“QUIET!” Rick shouted, but the dog still wouldn't let up.

“My owners still love me!” He cried out in his high pitched voice. “They're still coming back! I know they are! Please don't take me away! I need to wait for my owners!” He was repeating those words over and over again in a hysterical voice. He didn't stop chanting until they entered the white room and the steel door slammed shut behind them, drowning out his voice....for good. A painful silence quickly filled the room again.

The bulldog laughed, causing Courage to jump again. “Stupid kid actually thought his owners were coming back for him! Hahaha!”

Courage shrunk away. He decided he didn't like that bulldog very much. He sat down in the back of his kennel and stared up at the window, wondering if he would ever see the outside world again. His stomach began to rumble so trudged over to his bowl of dog food. He figured that since he might never eat again after this, he'd gulp down the disgusting food anyway. A prisoners last meal indeed.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 20: A Glowing Light

The day quietly wore on as Courage sat huddled in his kennel. It had only gotten darker once the sun moved from his side of the building to the other. He had tried a few things to escape over the last few hours, but nothing worked. He had even pretended to be in pain, hoping that someone would open his kennel to take a look at him. He would have tried to make a run for it but nobody even bothered to come by and see what was wrong with him, much less open the door.

In every ten to twenty minutes that steel door would open and another dog would be sent away. There was almost always a lot of screaming and struggling. Few dogs faced their end with dignity. That old, cranky janitor would also bring in new dogs to fill the kennels of the old ones. They looked just as panicked and terrified as Courage knew he himself did. These were the sick, old, insane, dangerous, and unwanted animals. Shunned by their human partners and unwanted by others. To be put here meant that you were no longer good enough to live among the humans.

Despite his dislike of the insane bulldog, Courage had also decided to talk with him a little bit more so that he could figure out a few more things about this terrifying place. He knew vet's weren't the kindest people around, even with his bias against them because of what had happened to his parents, but surely they knew about the conditions these doomed dogs were forced to wallow around in! From the sound of it, there were two other kennel rooms in the building. The more 'desirable' dogs were kept in the others while the sick or unwanted dogs were kept in this one. People almost never were allowed to come into the room so the dogs trapped inside never had any hope of being adopted. Sometimes an older person would be let in to find an older, more sickly dog, but that was an exception. Nobody ever wanted the dogs that snapped at their owners, barked insistently, chewed on everything they could find, or lost control of their bladder at all the wrong moments. This place was essentially death row for anyone who was trapped inside its cages.

Things had started to get very cold without any sunlight. Courage's paws were going numb from the icy concrete floor. They didn't even bother to leave something for the dogs to sleep on. You had nothing but a little bit of open space to stretch out in and two bowls to eat and drink out of. That was it.

A loud banging sound caught his attention and then one of the dogs let out a shrill yelp. He cringed, wondering what could have happened to make it scream like that. Rick wasn't around to abuse any of the animals at the moment so maybe the dog was just hurting from something, probably an untreated illness that had landed him or her here in the first place.

Courage rubbed his paws together, trying to regain feeling in them. If those vets let him live over night, he was certain that he'd freeze to death long before they could put him down. Actually, he wouldn't be surprised if that tainted water and dog food didn't do him in first.

Another bang from somewhere made him jump. Perhaps a dog was trying to escape? Had they actually managed to do it? He went over to the bars of his kennel and stuck his head out as far as he could. There was nothing, not a single animal or human to be found. He sucked in his breath and pulled his head back through the bars.

Another bang...

He didn't bother to go look this time. Maybe it was just one of those crazy dogs bashing his head up against a wall. He wouldn't have put it past one of them to do exactly that. He sat down on the other side of his kennel, hoping to catch the last few rays of light, and sighed weakly. He continued to rub his paws together and that was exactly when he caught the soft sound of paws pattering across the stone floor. He blinked and stood up again. This new development renewed his faith in that maybe one of the dogs had escaped.

Walking over to the bars, he nearly jumped three feet into the air when something glowing walked up to him. It was a dog...

He stared, his mouth slightly agape. For a moment his brain seemed to shut down. The dog in question was the same breed as he was. They looked almost identical outside of the fact that the glowing dog was a deep blue color and scowling angrily at him.

“Computer?” He asked weakly.

“I've finally found you!” Came Computer's voice from the dog. His scowling expression quickly turned into one of relief as he stared at the pup. “I thought I might have been too late!”

Courage continued to stand there, his mouth stuck open in shock.

Computer crossed his arms, a frown returning to his face. “What's your problem? You look like you've seen a ghost.”

“C-Computer?” He asked again, unable to believe what he was seeing. Hadn't Eustace bashed his monitor in before?

The machine waved a paw dismissively. “Obviously! How many other dogs glow in the dark? Bah, I'm not liking this at all!” He glanced down at his own body in disgust and stretched an arm out rather awkwardly. “This body is so ungainly!” He complained. “Humans are bad enough but dogs are even worse! How am I supposed to do anything with these!” He brought his paws up to his face and glared at the spindly, little appendages.

Courage ignored the question and managed to stutter out a few more words. “Y-you....you're okay...”

“Hardly!” He grumbled, grabbing one of his own ears and pulling at it. “I wake up to find myself in a garbage can, half my programming in shambles, covered in trash, and with a headache the size of Texas! You're nowhere to be found, I assume the worse, decide to trek halfway across Nowhere, got lost at least a billion times, had to hide from nearly a hundred humans, and now I've got to spend the rest of this trip stuck in an ungainly body like this one! At least humans have thumbs for crying out loud!”

“I-I'm glad you made it.” Courage stammered out with relief. “This place is awful! They treat everyone in these cages like they're inmates on death row! I-I thought I was doomed....”

“Don't get too comfortable yet, twit. We've still got to get you out of here.”

“What about your real body?” Courage asked. Surely Computer wasn't leaving it around somewhere for anyone to pick up?

“Oh, that.” He said rather flatly. “I locked it up in an closet nearby.” He produced a ring with several keys on it. “I managed to grab this from that janitor person while he was napping in the lobby.”

“And what about me?” Courage asked, looking up at the lock on his door.

“That's a problem, actually.” Computer replied with a nonchalant shrug. “That man seems to know all the keys by heart because none of them are labeled and there are a lot of them. It's a minor miracle that I even managed to find the right key to get to this dog.”

“Well, try every key until you find the right one! You've got to hurry though, that janitor could be back at any moment!”

“Right.” Computer nodded. “I'll just-”

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT OF YOUR KENNEL!”

“Of course...” Computer muttered sarcastically. “This never can be easy, can it?”

He didn't even manage to take two steps back before Rick came crashing down the hallway. Cursing under his breath, the old janitor picked him up by the scruff of his neck and shook him angrily.

“How did you get out!” He growled. He stopped shaking him just long enough to get a better look at him. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the glowing, blue dog. “Dunno what's wrong with you.” He said, poking him in the stomach. “Ain't never seen a dog this strangely colored.”

Computer glared hatefully at the man. He didn't speak nor even try to struggle, he just watched cautiously as Rick looked him over. He probably had a billion nasty things he wanted to say but must have been holding his tongue just to play it safe. Glowing or not, he was supposed to be acting like a normal dog now.

Rick grinned, clearly savoring the dog's anger. He gave him one last shake before grabbing a ring of keys from his belt and opening Courage's kennel. He tossed Computer inside and slammed the door shut.

“Hope you're not the reason my keys are missing.” He threatened, tossing his newly produced ring up and down. “I've got spares, as you can see.”

With that he stomped away, not giving the two dogs another glance.

“Ugh, I'm getting too old for this....” Computer groaned. He had landed on his head upon getting tossed. “And now we're as good as stuck in here too...” He stood back up and brushed himself off.

Completely forgetting the horrible situation they were in, Courage flung himself forward, tackling the cynical machine into a hug. He couldn't help it, he was just so glad to have someone else in here with him. He wouldn't have to face this awful nightmare alone anymore and that was all that mattered at the moment.

“Ack! What are you doing? Get off!” Computer yelled, trying to pull the dog off of him. He reeled backwards and nearly crashed into the wall behind him as he escaped Courage's grip. “Don't you dare smother me like that, idiot!” He snapped.

Courage laughed at the machine's horrified expression.

“And...and STOP THAT!” He continued, still as outraged as ever.

Courage blinked. “What?” He asked.

“That!” Computer growled.

He gasped, realizing that his tail had been wagging the whole time and he hadn't even noticed it. He stopped, grinning sheepishly.

“It's...er....involuntary!” He laughed, rubbing the back of his head.

Computer continued to glare at him.

“How are we going to get out of here?” He asked. Anything to change the current subject at hand would spare him the extra embarrassment.

Computer shook his head and shrugged. “There's no easy way out of this now. I've got these keys, but...” He trailed off.

“Just try them all! You'll eventually find the right one!”

He crossed his arms. “That's not the only thing though. That janitor is going to be on the lookout for us now. He already seems to be the paranoid type and if we get out again I'm sure he'll flip out. We need to find a way to get past him without being caught. If he gets these keys from us we really will be stuck in here.”

Courage sat back down and shivered. “I don't think we'll be able to just sneak away either.”

Computer nodded in agreement. “I need some time to think about this. I'm sure there's a way we could overpower that idiot or something. Humans are lumbering, awkward creatures after all. I bet he can be tripped up very easily.”

Courage shivered again. “Just hurry though. We'll freeze to death at this rate!”

The machine blinked, partly confused. He touched one of his own paws and shook his head. “So this is what being cold feels like?” He asked.

“You've....never been cold before?” Courage asked, surprised by this strange development. Computer always seemed so human at times that he often forgot that he really wasn't.

“Clearly!” He snapped. “What's the point of all this fur then? It doesn't feel very pleasant and it apparently doesn't do what it was made to do!”

“Oh, well....” Courage replied weakly. He didn't really understand how fur worked either.

“What? Am I doing something wrong?” The machine asked, still confused about all of this.“Does the fur need some internal prompting? Is there a bit of programming that needs to be switched on?”

“Er, dogs aren't machines you know”

“Obviously!” Computer dismissed him. “So how does it work then?”

Courage laughed sheepishly again. “I don't really know, actually.”

“You're kidding right? You are a dog!” Computer sighed. “You organics make no sense at all!”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 21: The Not So Great Escape

Nearly an hour passed as both Courage and Computer tried to come up with a plan for their escape. Courage was sitting on the floor, trying to warm himself up, while Computer was pacing back and forth with a paw on his chin.

“I may have an idea.” He spoke. “But it's not very good one, and-” He grinned. “You're not going to like it.”

Courage cringed at those words. “W-what? What do I need to do?”

“We're going to wait for them to come and take you. When that stupid janitor comes around to pick you up we'll rush him and knock him out. While he's down for the count we'll make our escape. Easy enough!”

Courage shook his head. Computer was right to think that he wouldn't like the idea. “We can't do that! What if it doesn't work? What if he manages to stop both of us? What then? He'll take me into that room and....”

“This is our best and only chance.” Computer interrupted. “If we can knock him out he won't be a problem for us anymore. There's no point in escaping if he just catches us again! He'll be completely off guard when he opens that door to get you and then we can rush him!”

Courage wanted to protest further but Computer was right, knocking out Rick would save them a lot of trouble. The old man would probably have very a hard time fighting off the both of them.

“Trust me!” Computer went on. His overconfidence didn't inspire any enthusiasm in Courage but he was willing to go along with the plan regardless.

The day seemed to go by even more slowly now that they were waiting for Rick to return. There wasn't even any guarantee that they would try to put down Courage today but that didn't stop his own nervousness knowing that one screw up would leave him strapped to a table and screaming out in agony as they pumped deadly chemicals into his body. He paced back and forth through the kennel, trying to sooth his nerves. The steel door hadn't opened in awhile but that didn't mean they were done for the day.

Finally, after another hour passed, the steel door did open up again and both dogs jumped with surprise. Courage had to fight back every ounce of instincts he had to keep himself from panicking.

“Ready?” Computer asked.

He nodded, taking a deep breath and hoping dearly that this wouldn't go wrong. Considering their current track record however...

Rick stomped out of the bright, white light, looking particularly unhappy. He glanced over at a clipboard attached to the wall and then scanned the various kennels. Cracking his knuckles, he walked forward, grinning maliciously. The gleeful janitor began to hum a happy little tune as he walked, stopping in front of their kennel. Courage shrunk away in terror. How he hated that man! How could he enjoy doing this to animals? How could he go about it with a smile on his face?

Computer tensed up, ready to pounce. He was probably eager to get his revenge after how much Rick had shaken him up before.

“It ain't your turn yet.” The old man spoke, still grinning like a maniac. “But you're a trouble maker, I can tell.”

It took a moment for Courage to realize that Rick was talking about Computer alone. He hadn't so much as glanced over at him yet. He might as well have not been there at all.

“Trouble makers get dealt with.” He continued. “So you're being moved up on the list.”

He reached over and unlocked the kennel. Sneering, he leaned down to grab Computer, and...

“GO!” The machine yelled, lunging at the janitor.

With a swift flick of his hand, Rick snatched the glowing dog right out of the air. Courage tackled his leg, hoping to knock him over, but failed to so much as sway the old man. He seemed to be far more fit then any man his age had the right to be. He lifted his leg and kicked Courage into the back of his kennel. Computer flailed around in an effort to get him to let go of his neck but Rick's grip was like iron and held him fast.

“Hehehe!” He laughed. “Thought you could outsmart me, hmm? No dog has escaped me in over thirty years! What made you think you could pull it off?”

“Uh, Courage...” Computer spoke, the full implications of what was about to happen to him hitting him like a ton of bricks.

Pulling himself out of a daze, Courage raced forward to stop the janitor. He was greeted by the metal bars being swung back into place and locking with a click. “Oh, no!” He whimpered.

“Trouble makers get made an example of!” Rick yelled, turning the glowing dog this way and that to show the other dogs. “Nobody escapes, nobody! And if you try, you'll be dealt with immediately!”

Courage grabbed the bars and shook them. He had to help Computer before it was too late! “ARRRUUU!!!” He cried, trying to get the old janitor's attention.

Computer gave him a helpless glance. Rick continued to swing him around, ranting on and on about what would happen to disobedient dogs.

“That's enough, Rick!” A voice called out.

Courage pulled his head though the bars and saw that there was a vet standing in the doorway of that bright, white room. His arms were crossed and he was looking particularly annoyed.

“They're just dogs!” He went on. “They aren't out to get you! Hurry up and bring that one over here! You're holding up the line and we can't call it a night until-”

“I know, I know!” The irate janitor snapped. He shook Computer one last time before tromping forward.

“D-dog, I could use a little help!” The machine yelped, glancing back over at him one last time.

Grumbling under his breath, Rick handed Computer over to the vet. He made one last feeble attempt to pull himself away but it was no use. Courage could only watch, terrified, as the steel door slammed shut.

'No, no, no, no!' He shouted over and over again in his mind. He had to do something! Anything!

He pushed on the bars as hard as he could. He had to get out! He couldn't let this happen! Try as he might, they wouldn't budge. He was as good as a stuck rat and Computer was the one with the keys!

“What are you doing, kid?” The bulldog asked. He pressed his saggy face up against his own bars. “You ain't gonna save your friend. Any dog who goes through that door doesn't come back out.”

Courage clenched his teeth together and pressed harder. If that were the case then Computer was going to be the first one to come out!

“Give it up, kid. You ain't going to break those bars. Your friend is as good as doggy treats!” The bulldog let out his barking laughing which only fueled Courage to push even harder.

He growled in anger. This wasn't working! He couldn't let that bulldog win, or Rick!

“Come on! Think of Muriel!” He told himself. “If it were her in danger, you'd be out of here by now!”

He backed himself all the way up against the wall and charged forward on all fours. He nearly gave himself a concussion upon hitting the bars but his pain hadn't been for nothing. He looked up and found that the hinge holding the lock in place had almost broken off because of his impact.

“Yes!” He cried out before backing up to hit the door again.

This time the door came crashing open as he rammed into it. He didn't even take the time to stop, he just bolted straight for the metal door. He pushed it open as fast as his paws would let him and then he was bathed in that bright, white light....

“There's no way you can't understand me!” Computer yelled. “How many dogs have you brought in here that could speak English too? How many have you ignored? You humans are all the same! You only hear what you want to hear!”

Courage's eyes adjusted to the light. The room was a painfully sterile white, devoid of anything except a few medical objects. Three veterinarians were huddled around a metal table. Two were keeping Computer pinned down, who was currently struggling against their grip, and the third was preparing the deadly injection.

“Ugh, let go! You can't do this to me!” The machine shouted, desperately trying to get one of his limbs free. “I'm not some stray mutt! You can't just-”

“SHUT UP!” One of them yelled, taking his one free hand and punching Computer square in the stomach. He hit him hard enough to knock the wind out of a full grown human, much less a tiny dog.

“St...stupid humans....” He growled through grit teeth. His usual haughty nature seemed to melt away as his fate drew nearer. He stopped struggling, a calm sort of acceptance falling over him. He stared up at the vets who were holding him down, his expression unreadable. As hard as it was to believe, he appeared to have accepted his fate.

The third vet raised the syringe. “I won't miss this loudmouth.” She said, rolling her eyes.

Computer cringed, glancing away. It seemed that all of his usual bravado had faltered completely in the face of his own death. Just as they were lowering the needle into his arm, Courage jumped forward and knocked the third vet to the ground. The syringe went flying, never getting a chance to empty its contents into Computer's arm.

“The hell?” One of the secondary vets asked. The two of them both let go of Computer long enough to help the third back up and that was all the machine needed to scramble off the table and get away from them as fast as he could. He landed next to Courage, looking unusually flustered.

“Dog, how on earth did you...” He tried to ask.

“I, uh...just used my head!” Courage laughed, knowing fully well that Computer wouldn't understand.

“Maybe I'm just new to this whole 'needing to be rescued thing', but don't you think you were cutting it a little bit close?” He asked in a huff.

“I think we've got bigger problems to worry about.” Was his reply. He took several steps back, ears drooping.

All three vets were back on their feet and glaring angrily at the two dogs. The biggest guy was cracking his knuckles in anticipation.

“Got any ideas?” He asked Computer.

“Running would be a great start.” Was his answered.

With that they both split up, running in the opposite direction of each other. There wasn't exactly a lot of room to run though and it seemed that the three vets had more of a grudge on Computer as they all went after him instead of Courage.

“Why me? Why is it always me?” He complained. They were easily catching up with him as they made circles around the room.

Courage climbed up onto the counter where they stored all of their tools and grabbed one of those large metal trays that they put medical equipment on. He waited for one of the three of them to get closer and....

WHAM

He bashed the sheet down on top of one of the vets head, knocking him out cold.

Unfortunately, the other two vets were on him like a pack of wolves. The female picked him and struck him across the muzzle. He cried out in agony and she dropped him on the floor, where her companion got a good kick in.

“Hey, idiots!” Computer called out.

They both turned and gasped at the same time. Courage looked up, ignoring the pain throbbing through his muzzle. Computer was holding up a red, plastic box with a hazard sign on it. Courage blinked, wondering why the vets cared so much about it.

“I've got used syringes and I know how to use them!” The machine yelled, causing both of the vets to gasp yet again.

“Hey, man! Watch what you're doing with those things!” The male vet cried out, backing up.

Courage had no idea why they were so afraid of used needles but he used the distraction to trip up the female vet. He then knock her out too with the metal sheet she had dropped on the floor just moments ago. The final male vet seemed to lose his nerve and made a run for the door. Computer jumped out in front of him before he could make his escape.

“Oh no you don't!” He growled, brandishing the red box like a weapon and causing the man to squeal like a little girl.

“P-please! I'll do whatever you want! Just don't contaminate me!” The man yelped, backing away yet again.

Computer glared at him. “How about you knock yourself out too? Then you can be like your little friends! I suggest you hit yourself as hard as you hit me...or else.” He waved the red box threateningly.

The guy's eyes widened. “Wha-”

“Alright, I guess you want me to contaminate you then.” He reached down to pull the lid up off the box.

“No! Alright, I'll do it!” The man cried. He made his hand into a fist, glanced down at the two dogs, then back up at his fist, and finally punched himself as hard as he could. He spiraled backwards before collapsing to the ground.

“Heh, idiots.” The machine laughed. He dropped the box onto the floor and made his way over to the knocked out man. He gave him a sound kick to make sure he really was knocked out and shrugged.

“Are you alright?” Courage asked, jumping down off the counter to join him.

The machine scowled. “I almost came this close to meeting your fate! How do you think I feel! Honestly!” He huffed. “I think I'm going to have to start charging you money for my help because what I'm getting is not worth it!”

Courage shrugged. “At least I managed to save you in time.”

“We wouldn't even be here in the first place if it wasn't for you and your stupid illness!” Computer shot back angrily.

“Well, what now?” He replied, hoping that he could change the subject.

“We've still got one problem left.” Computer said, turning towards the door.

“The janitor....” Courage groaned. They still had to do something about him and he was very obviously good at stopping dogs.

“This could get messy.” Computer warned him.

“What about this hasn't been messy?” Courage asked, glancing over at the knocked out veterinarians. He was not looking forward to this...

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 22: Courage's Courage

“I've got a feeling that our new friend isn't just going to let us waltz out of here.” Computer spoke. “We need to find a way to stop him from catching us because we obviously couldn't overpower him before.”

Courage tapped his foot as he tried to think of something. “Hey, why don't we free the other dogs? They could help us!”

Computer groaned. “No, no, no! Save the heroics for when I'm not stuck with you! What makes you think they'd help us if they were in our position? Every dog for themselves and all that other nonsense!”

“We can't just leave them here to be picked off one by one! If we help them, they'll help us in return!"

Computer sighed. “I see that your heart is set, as usual. I suppose I can't argue. They could be useful in getting rid of that janitor.”

“Good!” Courage exclaimed. “I've got an idea, so listen up.”

“I can't believe I'm finally seeing the day where you're the one telling me what to do.” He complained.

Courage gave him a brief glare but then continued. “I need you to distract the janitor. Give me your keys and I'll work on getting everybody out of here. I'll need as much time as possible since matching up the right key with the right door is going to be pretty hard to do. There are two other kennel rooms as well, so this is going to take a little while. ”

Computer flung his arms up into the air and huffed, “I'm a computer, not a punching bag! I've already received a thousand bruises and I haven't even been in this body for more than a day! That man will turn me into his own personal stress ball!”

“All you've gotta do is keep him from catching you. He can't turn you into a punching bag if he can't get his hands on you.”

Computer slapped his forehead. “Why did I ever sign up for this? Why couldn't I have been a microwave? They never have to deal with this kind of nonsense!”

“Stop complaining! We've got to hurry! These guys will probably wake up soon!” Courage glanced over at the unconscious veterinarians and shuttered.

“Alright, alright. Let's get this over with.” Computer sighed with a shake of his head. He clearly wasn't looking forward to this.

They both exited the room and were greeted by the ever gloomy kennels. A dead silence fell over it upon them entering. Every dog had their eyes on them. Computer gave Courage a quick glance but he was just as surprised by their reaction as he was.

Finally, a high pitched voice broke the silence. “They made it back through the Door! No dog has ever done it before! They're our saviors!”

Cheers rang out across the room and Courage couldn't help but smile. This almost felt like old times! It'd been a very long time since he'd had the energy to save the day.

Computer gave him a wry smile. “I suppose you're in your element now, aren't you? I'll leave you to it then.”

“Alright, everybody!” Courage called out to the dogs. “We're going to try and get you all out of here, so please cooperate!”

“Ugh, dog! You're doing it wrong!” Computer scolded him. “Listen up, you twits! If any of you give us a hard time, we'll leave you here and then you can deal with all these humans by yourself!” He stomped down the hallway, glaring at every single dog in their kennel. “I'm having a really bad day, so don't you dare get on my bad side!”

“Wait!” Courage called out to him.

“What?” He asked, turning back around. “If I have to play punching bag, can't I at least get it over with?”

“I need those keys!”

Computer shook his head and tossed the ring over to him with a clatter. “Anything else you need, idiot?” He dryly asked.

“Yeah, your ego.” He joked.

This got him another annoyed sigh from Computer. “Making sarcastic quips is my job, you twit! Are you really trying to one-up me?”

“That's what happens when I get stuck spending so much time around you! It starts to rub off!”

“Oh, really?” The machine sarcastically laughed. “I'd say that you could gain some much needed IQ points by hanging around me.”

“Don't you have a janitor to battle?”

“Fine, fine.” He grumbled. “I suggest you make it quick though. I don't think our new friend will be very happy to see me.”

“Maybe you can snark him to death or something!”

“Oh yes, very funny.” The glowing dog replied with another roll of his eyes. Fed up with Courage, he turned on his heels and made his way over to the door.

Courage glanced down at the ring of keys. There were a lot of them, just like Computer had said. There was no way that he could pull this off in a timely manner. Rather than worry about it, he began testing the keys on one of the locks.

“You really are our savior!” A weird, bug-eyed dog exclaimed from within the kennel he was trying to unlock. The strange creature's voice was absolutely filled with adoration and reverence.

“I'm just....trying to do...what's.....right.” Courage replied between every switch of the keys. Finally, he found the right one and the door swung opened with a click.

“Thank you, savior!” The dog yelped, jumping out of his cell. He nearly tackled Courage to the ground, trying to kiss him.

“Yuck!” He exclaimed.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 23: Man Vs Dog

The janitor was hard at work writing up a report at his desk. The main office was completely quiet as nearly everyone had already gone home for the night. The sun hung low in the sky, bathing the room in a bright orange tint. Computer, who had just entered, cringed. He was not looking forward to this.

He cleared his throat, trying to get the old man's attention. Rick looked up from his paper and an expression of complete shock fell over him. He clearly couldn't understand how a dog he had taken to be put down was still standing there, alive and very much out of his kennel.

“I do believe we have a score to settle.” Computer said, a small smile crossing his face at the sight of the dumbfounded janitor.

Rick jumped to his feet. “How did you get out of there?” He yelled. “You're supposed to be dead! I saw them take you!”

Computer placed a paw up against his chin, still grinning maliciously. “That's for me to know and for you to never find out!” He mocked. His smug smile only helped to fuel Rick's rage.

“I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!” He screamed, jumping right over his desk and quickly closing what little ground their was between them.

Computer made a break for it, just barely managing to dodge a tackle from the enraged janitor. He spent the next few minutes avoiding kicks, punches, and swipes. Every miss only managed to whip the angry janitor up into an even bigger frenzy. He began to scream out slurred curses, spraying spit everywhere as he did so.

“I knew there was something wrong with you!” He yelled, stopping his onslaught for just a moment.

Computer took a step back, unsure of what the crazy old man would do next. He needed to buy more time but he wasn't sure how much longer he could avoid the enraged janitor. If he got his hands on him, well, he'd probably tear him limb from limb, or worse....

Rick continued to rant incoherently, barely even taking the time to catch his breath as he did so. “I always knew you dogs were against us humans! They said I was mad, but I knew! I knew that one day you would all rise up again your masters!”

He hobbled over to the wall on his right and stopped in front of what looked like an emergency fire kit. Instead of it saying, 'In Case Of Fire Emergency' on the glass it really said, 'In Case Of Dog Apocalypse'.

Computer stared. These people really were crazy! Well, who could blame them really? Nowhere probably experienced a dog apocalypse every other Friday...

Rick smashed the glass with his elbow and produced an ax from the emergency supplies. He had an absolute devilish glint in his eye as he glared down at Computer. “Bet you're their leader!” He sneered. “If I take you out, they won't ever think to oppose me again!” Letting out a war cry, he raised his ax high into the air.

Computer took another step back, completely dismayed by the janitor's newest attempt to kill him. “Um, I don't suppose we could maybe, you know, talk this out or something?” He asked the janitor as he closed in on him. “S-seriously! There's no reason to-”

THUNK

He managed to jump just as Rick's ax hit the floor. Had he not gotten out of the way it would have landed right on his head...

“WHY WON'T YOU HOLD STILL?” The man screamed. They both took of running, weaving back and forth between the various office desks.

“Because dying horribly was NOT on my list of things to do today!” Computer yelled despite knowing fully well that the man wouldn't care about anything he had to say.

He ducked as the janitor swung his ax again. This time he felt a sharp pain in his ear as he dodged the sharp blade. He tumbled out of the way and quickly hid himself behind a desk. Something warm was dripping from his ear and hitting the ground beside him. He lightly touched the afflicted area and found red liquid oozing out of it. It took him a moment to realize what was going on. Rick had cut the tip of his ear off!

“Blood?” He asked. “I'm bleeding?” He was not accustomed to organic functions like bleeding or even pain. The injury came as a bit of a shock. If Courage didn't hurry up, he'd be....

“ARAAAGGHHH!” The janitor yelled, his ax sinking into the top of desk above Computer.

The glowing dog was forced to run yet again. He knew his organic body was beginning to tire out. He could already feel the dog's muscles beginning to tense up and his lungs were beginning to burn. No matter how much air he tried to take in, it wasn't enough to keep him going. He quietly cursed that stupid twit for taking his time.

“I bet you're radioactive!” Rick yelled, still incoherent in his rage. “That's gotta be why you're all glowy like that! Bet I've got cancer from having to handle a mutant like you!”

“Actually, I'd say it's radioactive rabies, and that's much worse.” Computer joked, trying to annoy his tormentor.

“DIE!” The man shrieked. His ax narrowly missed Computer once again. It brought up sparks as it slashed the floor in vain.

Their little battle went on for several more minutes. Rick could not gain an upper hand against the dog and Computer could do nothing but scramble out of the way of his every blow. The old janitor was tiring out as well. Every breath he took came out in ragged puffs. His swings were growing even more erratic, almost always missing their mark completely.

Computer swung behind another desk, hoping that it would give him cover for a few more seconds. He needed a break and Rick certainly wasn't going to give it to him. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up at this. He wasn't sure how much longer Rick could keep up at this. He'd probably give the old man a heart attack long before they could finish their fight.

“Come out, come out, little puppy!” The janitor called. “Are you cowering away from me? Good! I like it when you little monsters are afraid of me!”

Computer stepped out from under the desk. “I don't cower, thank you very much! You're just so bad at this that I got bored!” He loudly challenged the janitor. If he could just tire the old fool out a little bit more....

Rick charged yet again. Computer escaped another cleaving by slipping through the angry man's legs and diving behind another desk. The old man screamed and tipped it over, leaving Computer momentarily exposed. He avoided yet another swift swing of the ax but not without coming very close to getting one of his legs lobbed off. He internally scolded himself for not being more careful. There was no reason to get careless, even if Rick was tiring out.

“This is the end for you!” The old man growled, still panting like he had just run a marathon. “You're tiring out! I can see it! Why not make it easier on yourself and just give up? I can't promise I'll make your death any less painful though!” And he let out a malicious laugh.

“Not on your life.” Computer returned. He took a step back, unsure of what to do now. How much longer could this man keep ticking?

He turned and ran, opting to keep up at the same strategy he had been using. The old man howled his anger and followed. Computer dodge several more swings, the fool's attempts growing even more frantic. If anything, Rick's desperation was only making him even more dangerous. He was swinging about so wildly now that it was hard to gauge which way his ax would go next.

“Why...won't....you...die!” He screamed out between every failed swipe of his weapon. He finally had to stop, lowering his ax so that he could place a hand on his knee.

“Giving up?” Computer laughed. “Looks like your next stop is a senior home! Face it, Grandpa. You're out of your league!”

“ARRRAAAA!” He screamed, leaping forward and, catching Computer off guard, struck him with a swift kick of his leg. It was enough to send the glowing dog toppling to the floor. “You're gonna regret ever crossing me, dog!” He growled, gripping his ax with both hands.

Computer opened his eyes. How could he have let that old fool kick him? He tried to jump away on all fours but wasn't fast enough. The ax swung down and cut into his side. He cried out, completely unaccustomed to the strong sensation of physical pain. Was this the end for him? How could he have screwed up at the absolute worst possible moment? What would happen to Courage and all the dogs he was trying to save? Would Rick hunt them down and kill them too? Of course he would!

Cringing but completely resolute, he grabbed the blade of the ax and pulled it out of his side. The smug look on Rick's face turned to rage as the ax clattered to the floor.

“I'm not done with you yet!” Computer challenged once, very much aware of the blood seeping out of his torso and the heavy pain throbbing through his body. He couldn't give up now, not when Rick would go after the rest of those dogs if he didn't keep him occupied.

“Should have gone for the neck!” Rick yelled, stepping forward. “Well, you ain't running anywhere now, puppy! Not with a wound like that!”

“We'll just have to see about that!” Computer shot back, turning around to run. The old man was unfortunately right though, running only brought on more vicious pain. He couldn't get very far without nearly blacking out from the agony it caused. Desperate for some form of reprieve, he swung behind another desk.

“I should just sit here and let you bleed out!” Rick called out to him. “You ain't going to last much longer, mutt!”

He ignored the man's taunting and glanced down at his injury. He admittedly didn't know much about organic creature wounds, or what to do about them. His didn't seem fatal at least. It was deep, but it hadn't cut so far into his body that it had hit something vital. The man was right about one thing though, if he didn't do something soon, he'd bleed out and then the injury would become fatal.

He attempted to stand back up but immediately collapsed again. No, this wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. Pain or no pain, if he didn't get moving again, there was nothing stopping Rick from coming over and cleaving him in half. He had to keep moving no matter what, regardless of his injury.

THUMP

The ax dug into the desk above him, Rick's grinning face peering over the edge. He took a deep breath and got ready to move...

“Oh, are we going to play some more?” Rick taunted. “Here I was thinking you'd finally given up!”

Computer stood up, swaying for a moment. He was starting to feel, what was the word organics used? Light headed? Yes, that seemed to be the right phrase. The last thing he wanted right now was to pass out and leave himself to the whims of this crazy old man. He desperately hoped that this dog body wouldn't give out on him before he could get away.

Rick reached over to grab his ax. He had embedded it quite deep into the desk. He tugged at it a few times but it wouldn't budge.

“Wha-?” He asked, surprised to see that he had swung it so hard. He pulled at it a couple more times but it was completely stuck tight.

Computer let out a sigh of relief, glad for one small miracle.

“I-impossible!” Rick yelped. He pulled and pulled at the ax but it would not budge.

“Looks like you missed your target.” Computer taunted him. “Or were you actually trying to cut that desk in half? It's hard to tell because that's all you've managed 'kill' so far!”

Rick screamed a gibberish curse at him and yanked at the ax even harder. His enraged face was red with the strain.

“You know, maybe if you had actually swung that hard at me I wouldn't still be standing here.” Computer went on. Maybe that old man really would have a heart attack from all his efforts. Either way, his taunting was only making the man even more frustrated and the more frustrated he was, the more likely he was to mess up.

“I'll...kill...you!” The janitor growled between his teeth grit. He gave one last almighty tug on his ax and, much to both his and Computer's surprise, the wooden shaft separated itself from the sharp, metal blade.

Computer laughed, completely stupefied by the old man's dumbfounded expression. “I can't believe it! That's certainly no Excalibur! Hahaha!”

The man began to growl and pointed his worthless stick at the glowing dog. Even his neck was red with anger now. His teeth were grit so hard that it was an amazement that he hadn't somehow managed to crack them yet.

“What? Are you going to try and bludgeon me to death with that? Hahaha! Hilarious!” Computer continued to laugh. The crazy old janitor just looked so stupid with that thing that he couldn't stop himself.

Apparently his taunting got through to the old man. He let the stick slip through his fingers and hit the ground with a clatter. He let his hands fall to his side and stared at the little dog. A small smile broke out across his face as he did so.

“I don't need that stick to kill you.” He said in a deathly quiet voice.

He launched himself forward and Computer was not nearly fast enough to get away. His injury simply impeded him too much. The old man grabbed him by his neck and hauled him upwards until they were eye to eye.

Rick's grip was unimaginably strong. Computer was quickly finding it impossible to breath. If that man tried to strangle him any harder, his neck would simply snap off.

“I always beat you little monsters in the end!” He laughed. “None of you have ever escape this building ali-”

He stopped, his eyes suddenly widening. “What on earth...” He gasped.

The man's grip on Computer's neck lessened, allowing him a chance to turn his head and get a look at whatever had shocked him so badly.

Dogs were walking single file out of the kennel room and over to another door. Their pace picked up the moment they realized Rick had seen them. Courage was nowhere to be found but it could only be him leading the group.

“I-impossible!” Rick gasped. “How did they...” His expression returned to that of pure anger. “No! I won't let them escape! No one ever escapes me! You're all dead, you little monsters!” He screamed.

The dogs still in line gasped, breaking their formation and making a beeline for the door that Courage must have been leading them through. Where that door led, Computer wasn't sure, but he hoped it was some kind of exit.

“No, no, no!” Rick moaned. “I can't allow this to happen! I can't allow this to happen!” He dropped Computer without so much as a second thought and race forward to stop the dogs. Left with little other choice, Computer grabbed the man's leg in a desperate bid to stop him.

“You're not going anywhere!” He yelled, pulling at the man's leg as hard as he could. “Our fight isn't over yet!”

“Get off me, you mutt!” Rick yelled, kicking at him with his one free leg. They struggled for several minutes longer before he finally managed to pry Computer off of him. “I'll deal with you later!” He yelled, giving him a quick kick and then turning around to leave.

“Crap...” Computer sighed. There had to be a way to stop this idiot! He turned to that discarded stick as several ideas ran through his brain. It certainly wasn't his weapon of choice but maybe it could act as a distraction. He grabbed it in one fell swoop and raced forward, ignoring the sharp pain in his side.

“Hey, idiot!” He cried out, swinging the stick through the air and striking the man in his back.

“Son of a-” Rick cried out. He whipped around to confront Computer but instead got another strike, this time to his knee. “You little-” He groaned.

“Don't move!” Computer threatened. “You're not going to hurt those dogs, not so long as I have anything to say about it!”

“We'll see about that!” Rick challenged. “You're just one tiny little monster. I've stopped ten of you with my eyes closed! You don't stand a chan-” He lunged forward mid-sentence. Computer, having sensed that the man would do something stupid, got out of the way just in time. Rick nearly tripped as he came to a stop, and just as he was righting himself, Computer angled the stick and...stuck him right between the legs. He let out a high pitch scream and fell to the floor.

“Momma...” He whimpered, rolling back forth. “Why, momma, why...”

Computer stared, partly from shock and partly from amazement. “T-that actually works? I know I've seen it in movies and stuff, but...” He shook his head and smiled. “Ah, so you humans really do have weak spot then?” He knelt down to better observe the man's agony. “It has a complete paralyzing effect, just like in movies! Fascinating!”

Rick continued to roll about. “You...little...monster! I'll....kill...you! Ugghhhh....”

Computer glanced down at the stick again, wondering if he should use it to smash that old janitor's face in. He certainly deserved it after all. No, he decided. The man was obviously of no harm to anyone anymore. He decided that would not allow himself to sink to the same level as these disgusting humans. He let the stick drop to the floor and turned to leave, rolling his eyes as the janitor continued to sit there and sob like a little girl.

“So much for that.” He sighed, cringing as he took a step forward. His cut was still causing an incredible amount of pain. As that, what was it called? Adrenaline thing began to take over, it was lessening his pain and making him feel a little bit better, but even then, every step he took still sent knives shooting up through his torso. “Perhaps I will have to discard this body after all. I'm sure that twit wouldn't be happy about me leaving a dog to die though.”

Hopefully there would be enough time for him to change bodies. It would be difficult though as he needed to insure that he kept a body that was the same breed as Courage. The wellspring's rules wouldn't allow for anything else.

“This stupid dog body better hold out a little bit longer...” He groaned.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 24: Round Two

Computer went over to the door that all the dogs had been escaping through. Opening it up, he was greeted by a long hallway. Courage and his group of escapees were about halfway down it, murmuring in quiet voices as they did so. Wherever they were going, Computer had no idea.

“Twit, what on earth are you doing?” He called. “We're trying to escape, remember?”

Courage pushed his way out of the crowd and waved to him. He cupped his paws together and yelled back, “There's a garage down here! One of the dogs told me about it! They've got a dog catching van and we're going to try and steal it!”

Computer replied back with, “That's nice and all, but we can't waste anymore time! I managed to stop the janitor for a little while but I doubt he's going to stay down forever!”

“Keep distracting him then!” Courage called back.

He frowned and rolled his eyes at the dog's words. “Do you not see all of the blood currently pouring out of me? I'm almost out of commission over here, dog!”

“Just keep him distracted for a little while longer! The garage is just down here! We'll be ready to leave in a few minutes!”

Computer shook his head. “Ugh, you are unbearable! I'll probably have bled to death by then!”

Regardless, he turned to leave. Hopefully that stupid janitor would be in too much pain to do anything else. All they really needed were a few more minutes, if Courage was right about the van. If he had anything worth regretting now it was that he hadn't knocked the janitor out. Perhaps he could get that old fool tied up while he was still rolling around on the floor.

“I swear, that twit is going to be the end of me.” He sighed, stifling several other complaints as he walked. That damnable cut of his continued to ache with every step he took. He lightly placed a paw up against it in hopes of slowing the bleeding, unfortunately that only made it hurt worse. “If this doesn't stop soon...” He began, cut off by the sound of a click and his forehead bumping into something cold. He looked up and his mouth fell open.

“Hello again, mutt. Thought I'd give up so easily?”

Computer stared. He'd been so distracted by his injury that he hadn't noticed what was right in front of him. He was staring down the end of a silver barrel, the janitor's jeering face grinning at him from atop the metal tube.

“S-Shotgun?” He asked, momentarily too dumbfounded to act.

“I've always kept it around for emergencies! They said I was crazy doing that! Hahaha! Never thought I'd get a chance to prove them wrong!” The old janitor poked Computer in the nose with the barrel. “How about this? I'm a fair guy, so why don't I start counting and you start running?”

Computer took a step back. There was a good chance that the old man would turn his gun onto the group of dogs if he didn't keep him distracted, but if he didn't get away either, well, he'd soon be bits of brain matter on the wall...

The janitor continued to grin, savoring the final moments of his menace. “Any last words before I blow your brains out?” He asked, poking Computer in the forehead. “One...”

Computer slightly turned his head to the side. There was a door next to them. If he were fast, he could get away. It wouldn't put much between him and janitor but at least he wouldn't be staring down the barrel of a shotgun anymore. Hopefully Courage would have those dogs piled into the garage by now. He didn't dare turn around to look though. So long as Rick was focused on him, the old man wouldn't turn his wrath onto the dogs.

“Well?” The vicious man asked, poking him again. “Two...”

“Er, yes, well. Hope I don't see you again, loser!” He taunted, whipping around and racing through the door. He slammed it shut and slid down the cool wood, gripping his aching side. He reached up for the lock when....

BANG!

He leaped back up onto to his feet as two bullets whizzed past. It left one large hole in the door where they had gone through and mere inches away from where his head had just been. He dove out of the way as another blast from the shotgun ruined the door.

“Heeere's Ricky!” The janitor laughed, pressing his head up to the hole.

Computer jumped forward and jabbed his fingers into the old fool's eyes. Rick screamed and reeled backwards, giving Computer enough to ram the door open and flee. He tore down the hallway on fours, ignoring the absolute agony that burned through his torso as he did so. He'd take that awful pain over a missing head any day...

BANG!

Another barrage of bullets missed him by mere inches. He reached the end of the hall and ripped the last door open, hoping that this was the way to the garage. He tumbled through it and landed face first on concrete, confirming that he had indeed found the place. He felt several dogs grab his by his arms and pull him up. For a moment he was too lethargic to do anything. His vision kept fading in and out, threatening to lead him into unconsciousness.

“You ain't doin' so well.” One of the dogs spoke.

He pressed a paw up against his head. “We all won't be doing very well if we don't get out of here soon! Courage!” He called.

“Everybody out of the way!” He heard the pup speak. Courage pushed through the crowd of animals and gasped the moment his eyes beheld his injury. “Oh man, that didn't look nearly as bad from far away.”

“Thanks for paying attention.” Computer grumbled out in reply. He pushed himself away from the dogs holding him up and swayed there for a moment. As soon as he was certain that he could stand without passing out, he reached forward and grabbed the pup by his shoulders. “We need to get out of here, NOW!” He yelled. “The old guy is packing and he is not messing around anymore!”

Several of the dogs gasped and a mummer ran through the crowd. Courage's ears drooped as their talk became fearful.

“We're all going to die!” Someone yelped.

“Don't panic!” Courage cried out, raising his paws to silence them. “Grab whatever you can find and get that door blocked! We're going to be fine just so long as we don't panic!”

The garage suddenly became very loud as the dogs began to talk and plan out their course of action. One dog offered to work on hijacking the van while several others grabbed the metal cages from inside it and propped them up against the door. It wasn't the best protection, but it would have to do for now.

The black, ominous van didn't look quiet as imposing with all the dogs piling into the back of it. They had to toss out everything that wasn't outright nailed to the floor to insure that they had enough room for everybody to fit. Vicious looking medical equipment, probably used to subdue unruly animals, lay forgotten on the floor.

Computer sighed with relief as he watched them work and nearly toppled over again from exhaustion. Now that he wasn't in danger of being cut in half or blown to pieces, he could finally....

“Oh, no....” He groaned, slapping his forehead. How could he have almost forgotten about that? He turned to Courage, who was supervising the dogs as they piled into the van, and tapped him on the shoulder. “Twit, we may have a problem.”

“What else could go wrong?” The pup asked as he waved the dogs on. The line to get into the van was getting smaller and smaller every moment. A certainly welcomed improvement to their situation.

“I almost forgot about the bag!” Computer spoke.

Courage gave him a quizzical look. “Bag?”

“Yes, yes, the bag! Remember, the book, the tickets, the money?”

“O-oh! Oh, yeah!”

“I brought it along with me when I walked down here and I-”

He was cut off by a loud banging sound. The janitor was trying to get in. He could be heard cursing as he threw himself up against the barricaded door. The dogs still waiting to get into the van all gasped in terror and began to move even faster. Computer watched the frantic animals as they hurried along. Waiting for a moment of silence, he turned to Courage again.

“I brought the bag with me and tossed it into the bushes just outside the main doors. I suppose I didn't think we'd have to make some grand escape, but that doesn't matter now! I need to go retrieve it before we get out of here!”

Another bang on the door caught their attention. Courage nodded in agreement and pushed him forward. “Hurry! The janitor's busy with the door, but who knows how long that will last!”

“It'll only take me a second. This garage must be near the front of the building after all.” He fought back the urge to sigh. Regardless of how close they were to the front of the building, he wasn't looking forward to walking around with his injury anymore. He didn't dare ask Courage to do it for him either. The pup had his paws full with the other dogs right now and he would not sink so low as to ask that stupid twit for help! “You own me dearly for putting up with this madness.” He sighed, shaking his head at the dog.

“A-are you sure you want to go out there by yourself?” Courage asked. He glanced down at his wound with a surprising amount of concern. “Me or one of the other dogs could-”

“I'm fine, twit! I'll be back in a moment! Don't you dare leave without me though!”

He pushed forward without another word, moving quickly enough so that the pup couldn't get in another word. He exited the garage from the front and moved across the building. He kept close to the wall just to be safe, not that the janitor would know that he was there anyway. Wincing, he placed a paw up against his wound again. As much as he hated to admit it, he was starting to appreciate the twit's ability to put up with this kind of nonsense on a daily basis.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 25: Round Three

Computer moved on. He was keeping himself pressed up against the building wall to offer himself some small amount of protection. The janitor's angry ranting could be heard echoing through an open window as he passed it. He was glad that the idiot still hadn't found a way to get past the barricaded door. As long as he was occupied with that, he wouldn't bother getting creative and finding another way around. Not that the man had any creativity to use in the first place...

The town of Nowhere was deserted at this hour, he noted. Not a single person could be found walking near the building and even the few cars driving around town avoided this road. The sun was so low in the sky that it connected with the horizon, tinting the landscape a golden color. Even a dull place like Nowhere looked nice in this unusual light.

A rumble of thunder caught Computer's attention. Menacing clouds were building up across from the setting sun. It's already dark spires were amplified by the golden light, making it appear even more threatening. If that thing continued to build up, they'd be in for one monster of a storm later.

'Great.' He though, letting out an audible sigh. 'Now we're going to get rained on too! Why must every last bit of annoyance have to happen to us today?'

BANG!

Computer jumped at the sound of a gun going off and quietly cursed under his breath. Had Rick gotten through the door? No, that didn't seem likely. He could still be heard yelling through the open window. He must have gotten frustrated and tried to blow the door open.

Computer internally scolded himself for getting startled so easily. Flesh creature body or not, he wasn't like that twit after all. He'd never allow himself to get scared over something so stupid as a gunshot!

Another bang rang out as the janitor tried to blow open the door again. Computer kept moving, inching closer and closer to the front doors. He was just about to pick up his pace when the sound of squealing tires reached his ears. He turned to find the black van speeding out of the garage.

“You have got to be kidding me!” He yelled. “I told that idiot not to leave without me!”

One of the dogs must have panicked. Hearing those gunshots would have unsettled anyone, much less a group of already terrified dogs. Courage must not have been able to stop whoever was in the drivers seat. Either way, the van was already barreling down the street and away from the building....away from him.

Thinking fast, he raced forward and dived behind a bush near the two front doors. He quickly grabbed that ratty old bag and flung it over his shoulder. He jumped back out again and cringed as he realized just how far that van was getting away.

“There's no way I'll be able to catch up!” He growled. “There's got to be a way to-”

“AAAAAUUGHH! You little monsters!” Rick screamed, crashing through the front doors and racing over to the sidewalk. He waved his fist at the rapidly disappearing van and tossed his shotgun to the ground.

Computer took a step back, hoping to keep the janitor from noticing him. He would have tried to hide behind that bush again but of course his blue glow would have given him away immediately. If he could just sneak back into the building and hide...

“How could I let them escape?” The old man cried out. He placed his hands up against his face and began to sob. “I'm ruined! I'm completely rui-”

He stopped, suddenly becoming very quiet. He slowly turned to Computer, who felt his stomach drop at being seen so easily. Apparently his blue glow had tipped the old man off.

Rick began to smile. “They abandoned you, didn't they? Hahaha! I don't believe this!” He reached down to pick his gun up. “I may have lost, but I still get to finish you off! Too bad! I guess your little friends didn't think so highly of you after all!”

Computer glanced around, unsure of what to do now. He had no means of escape. The man had a clear shot no matter which way he might try to run. As bad of a shot as the old janitor might be, there was no way he could possibly miss this time.

“Guess what, mutt?” Rick asked. “I ain't even going to let you have any last words this time! Say good night, doggy!”

Computer cringed as the shotgun was lined up with his forehead. Well, so much for saving Courage. This looked like the...

Click...

They both stared, completely dumbfounded on equal grounds. Rick pulled the trigger again but only got another click. It took them both a moment to realize that he had run out of ammo!

“No!” He yelled. “No, no, no, no!”

He reached into his pocked to grab what Computer could only assume was some more ammo and he, of course, took that moment of distraction to run. Rick unfortunately knew what he was going to do and jumped forward to catch him. He landed right on top of him, using one arm to hold him down and the other to fish for bullets.

Struggling against the grip of that awful man, Computer pushed as hard as he could. He aimed one of his legs and began kicking the man in his face as many times as he could. Rick would not budge though and thus both of them were locked into place, trying to outdo one another.

“Get...off...of...me!” Computer yelled out between kicks.

“You're dead dog! Dead!” Rick growled back.

Realizing that he had only one option left, Computer fought back his revulsion at knowing what he would have to do. If being forced to sink this low would save his life, well, he'd take it! Sighing with annoyance, he opened his mouth and bit down on the janitor's arm.

“RAAAHH!” Rick cried out. He jumped to his feet and swung Computer around in an effort to get him off. He held on tight, hoping that he could come up with an escape plan quick. The old man obviously wasn't going to let him get away so easily and this little biting trick of his wouldn't do much to stop him for good.

“Let go of me, you mutt!” The old man yelled. He swung his glowing menace forward one last time and that was the exact moment when Computer decided to use the momentum to make his escape. He released his jaw from the man's arm and was flung several feet through the air. The moment he hit the ground he made a mad dash for the road. He didn't care where he was going or why, just so long as he put enough distance between him and that crazy janitor as possible. He could worry about getting back to Courage later.

BANG!

A shot rang out and he felt a bullet graze his fur. Even now that damnable janitor wasn't giving up! Thank goodness he was such a bad shot at least! Somehow, someway, Computer was finding hidden reserves of energy in this dog body to keep going. His injury ached more than anything now and it felt like his lungs were about to collapse, but he kept running anyway. He'd never known what it was like to feel physically tired until today and it was absolutely awful.

BANG!

Another shot missed him by mere inches. If he could only just get a little farther away...

SKREEEEE

The sound of squealing tires made him flinch. He glanced up to find that the black van was barreling right towards him. Relief struck him at the sight of it. Courage had gotten those idiots to come back!

He continued racing forward, ignoring everything else around him. The van wasn't close enough to help him yet and Rick was still...

BANG!

This time a sharp stabbing pain struck him in the leg and he fell forward, his muzzle hitting the pavement and him temporarily dazed. Fighting back a groan, he sat up. It appeared that his leg had only been grazed, but it was bleeding now too and very much burning with pain. He doubted he could run anymore, and if Rick tried to hit him again...

He gasped and looked up. The old fool was indeed lining up another shot. Computer glared at him, hoping desperately that the man would miss again. He tried to stand up but found it impossible to do. Despite his best efforts, he was nothing more than a sitting duck ready to be shot to death.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

He shut his eyes and waited for barrage the bullets to hit him...but then he heard the black van swing forward and stop right in front of him. It blocked out every last one of them. They all harmlessly bounce off the metal on the other side.

The back doors of the van ripped open and several dogs jumped out to help him up. They moved as quickly as possible to get him inside because Rick was still firing off as much ammo as possible and they couldn't angle the van any better to keep the back safe from fire. The doors acted as a natural bullet repellent but one lucky shot could still be the end of one of them.

“Sorry we're late!” A female dog cheerfully said to him. He had almost mistaken her for Courage before she spoke. She looked just like the pup, given that she was the same breed as both him and the body Computer himself was currently inhabiting. She reached a paw out to help him up into the van and he accepted it. He would have given her a sarcastic reply but he was far too tired to bother with it right now.

BANG! BANG!

“That guy just isn't giving up, is he?” She asked. Now that he could get a closer look at her she was indeed a bit different from Courage. Her fur was a light pink color in contrast to the pup's more purple fur. She had long eyelashes, which as far as Computer could tell seemed to be a common trait among female animals. Her ears were also a bit shorter than the dog's, and much more oddly shaped.

It was a bit of a tight fit in the back of the van, but he managed to find some space. The dogs who had helped him piled back in and then they were off again. As the van sped away, Computer caught one last glimpse of Rick through the backdoor windows. The man soundlessly screamed with rage and toss his shotgun to ground. Computer smiled and waved to the idiot which only evoked more soundless angry cries from the man. Then they turned down a road and Rick the janitor was gone.

Numbness and a terrible bought of dizziness reminded Computer of his body's injury. He hadn't gotten a chance to switch bodies and now he wasn't sure how much longer this one would last. He tried to force the dizziness away but he couldn't get it to stop. A ringing in his ears started to drowned out most other sounds. His vision kept blurring no matter how many times he blinked and his mouth had gone dry.

He took a step forward, trying to push his way through the group of dogs. He needed to find Courage and give that stupid twit a piece of his mind. If he were about to die, he at least wanted to go out doing what he was good at.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 26: The Dog Veterinarian

Courage sighed with relief as the van sped off again. He knew he'd never hear the end of it from Computer, but at least he had gotten back to him in time. The dog who had hit the gas in a panic hadn't listened to anything he said. It was only after the raving animal had been wrestled from the drivers seat that they'd been able to go back.

Another dog of the same breed as him wrestled their way through the crowd. He was surprised to find that she was a girl once she began to talk.

“I got your friend back for you.” She said with a wink. “You'd better watch out though, he seemed pretty angry with you.”

The unusual dog had an air of authority about her that he really liked. All the other dogs were waiting to be led but she seemed like the type who'd jump in and help other people just as easily as he would.

His musings were cut short when he got a sharp poke in the side. He turned around to confront whoever was poking him and met two very angry glowing, blue eyes.

“YOU!” Computer yelled, this time poking him in the chest. “I nearly died because of you, you infernal idiot!”

Courage took a step back and giggled sheepishly. “Sorry! Ehehehe!”

“I swear that nothing but bad things have happened to me ever since I started helping you! I've fallen down stairs, gotten my monitor bashed in, kicked, punched, and nearly euthanized!” The glowing dog angrily slapped his forehead. “And that's not even mentioning the fact that I nearly got cut in half and almost had my brains blown out! Honestly!”

Courage gave him a weak smile. “It's a, um...occupational hazard?”

Computer scowled at him. “You are the worst! I swear I'm going to...to...” He suddenly began to struggle with his words. His eyes became very unfocused.

Courage took a step forward to help him. “Computer?” He asked.

The machine swayed there for a moment. He placed a paw up against his head....and then toppled backwards with a thud.

“Oh no!” Courage yelped, racing forward to help the irate machine. He placed a paw onto his arm but the glowing dog did not stir. When he reached over to get a pulse, the female dog stepped forward and stopped him.

“Let me see.” She said, kneeling down beside him.

“I-I shouldn't have had him fight that janitor!” Courage cried out helplessly. “He's not going to make it, is he?”

She shook her head. “He's lost a lot of blood, but...” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the glowing dog. “If we can get him to stop bleeding, he should be fine. He'll be hurting quite a bit, but he will live.”

“H-how can you be sure of that?” He asked, unconvinced.

She smiled again. “I'm a veterinarian myself! Obviously I'm not like those people back there though!”

“W-wha...” He gasped. “B-but isn't that supposed to be a human profession? Why were you locked up like the rest of us dogs then?”

She grinned and placed her paws behind her head. “It is pretty strange when a dog does what a human is supposed to do. I know most of our kind likes to be pets, but I always wanted to do something more with myself. Well, I came here looking for work but then they locked me up like I was some kind of stray!”

Courage nodded. “What can we do to help my friend then?”

“I'm going to need a lot of bandaging to get this big wound closed up.” She pointed down at the giant gash running across Computer's torso. “It would be a lot better if I could use some stitches but we're just going to have to work with what we have. This isn't exactly ideal conditions after all.”

“Where are we going to get any bandages?” Courage asked.

The female dog pressed her paws up against Computer's ax wound to try and stem off the bleeding. “Anything that I can wrap around him will work at this point.” She said. “I really hate having to do it like this but we need to improvise if he's going to live!”

One of the dogs stepped forward. “I can give you this.” He said, offering up a ratty old shirt that he had been wearing.

Indeed, many of the dogs in the group were wearing clothes like normal humans. Courage was admittedly used to this sort of thing as he had met quite a few dogs over the years who lived like everyday people. He shuttered just to think about that Mad Dog and his group of thugs! Were most of the animals in this van independent? Had they been captured just for not having owners of their own?

Several more dogs stepped forward and offered whatever they had. The female dog grabbed what she needed and made deft work out of the articles of clothing. Soon enough, all of Computer's injuries were covered.

“Almost done!” She said, tying up the last knot of her makeshift bandaging.

Computer still looked like a mess but at least he wasn't at a risk of bleeding out now. Courage half expected him to get up at any moment and start berating him again like nothing had happened.

“Is he-” He began, glancing back over at the female dog.

“He'll wake up soon enough, don't worry.” She reassured him.

They worked together to pick the glowing dog up and move him closer to the back of the van. That way he could rest without the risk of being trampled on by another dog. It was still a bit cramped back there but at least he wasn't as likely to be stepped on now.

“Ugh, ow...” He groaned, briefly regaining consciousness as they set him down. He opened his eyes for a moment and stared at the two dogs watching over him. “Just what is...uuugh...” He began, holding his head in his paws. His voice trailed off as he quickly slipped back into unconsciousness.

Courage glanced over at the female dog again with a worried look. She merely shrugged and laughed, “He's fine! You worry way too much!”

He sighed and sat down beside Computer, reassured and relaxed by the female dog's encouraging demeanor. She too followed his example and slid down next to him.

“So, what's your name?” She asked.

“Courage.” He replied.

“And what's his?”

“Erm, Computer...”

“That's a weird name!” She laughed. “So, is he like from England or something?”

“E-England?” Courage stammered out, surprised to be asked something like that.

“Well, yeah! You don't talk like that if you're from America!”

“I-I don't know. I've never asked him.”

“Why's he all glowy like that? I've never seen any dog like him before and I've seen a lot of dogs in my work! He looks radioactive!”

“I don't know. He's just glowy, I guess.” Courage replied. He really hated having to give her such non-answers. Here he was with nothing interesting to say to a dog who was actually interested in all the general weirdness of his life.

“Well, enough about him. What about you?” She asked.

“Me? I live on a farm out here in the middle of Nowhere.”

“You've got an owner, right? What is he or she like?”

“Well, there's Muriel. She's the nicest person I know!” He couldn't help but smile just thinking about her. “She always knows right where to scratch me behind my ears, cooks the best food in the world, always lets me nap in her lap, and...” He trailed off on that one word. The smile faded from his lips and he let his ears droop until they touched his back. “...we used to do everything together, before I got sick.”

“Sick?” She asked, craning her head to the side. “Is that why you were locked up by those vets? Did they even try to make you better?”

Courage cupped his paws together. He was feeling particularly depressed now, having almost completely forgotten why he had been stuck with those vets in the first place.

“It's a long story...” He sighed.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 27: Comeuppance

“My illness is fatal.” Courage continued. “It can't be cured at all. Muriel took me down to the veterinarian office to be euthanized because...” He squeezed his eyes shut. “...because she thought it would be best for me.”

He hated having to admit that Muriel wanted to do that to him, even if she was doing it for a good reason. She just didn't want him to suffer, that was all. She was acting purely out of love for him. Now he couldn't help but wonder if she would ever find out that he had escaped his fate. Would those veterinarians even bother to tell her?

The female dog's expression became surprisingly sad at his words. “I know how she feels. Sometimes, in my line of work, you've got to let a person's loved one go rather than watch them continue to suffer. It's a shame that dogs almost always go before their owners. Well, I'm assuming you were intentionally trying to escape being euthanized then?”

“Yeah.” Courage sighed. “I-I don't want to die.”

The female dog looked upwards and let a small smile cross her face. “I heard someone say once that dogs always go first so that their owners have someone waiting for them when their time comes. I think that's a beautiful way to look at things, or at the very least it helps me feel a little better when tragedy inevitably strikes.”

Courage bit his lip, knowing fully well that if he survived his illness he would very likely outlive Muriel. So much for being a faithful dog companion, huh? He really didn't want to think about it though, not ever, and he especially didn't want to subscribe to the belief that dogs were meant to die before their owners.

“Well,” He sighed out when it became clear that she had nothing more to say. “We're looking for a way to stop my illness.” He pointed over at Computer who was still more than just a little knocked out at the moment. “He's an old friend of mine, well, maybe 'friend' is too strong of a word, but he may have found a way to cure my illness. We're heading out to this mountain that may hold the key to healing me.”

“Is there anything I can do to help you?” The female dog asked with a surprising amount of sympathy.

“No, I'm pretty much stuck.” He sighed. “Until my illness is gone, I have to live through whatever it does to me.”

She placed a paw onto his shoulder. “I'm sorry about what's happening to you. I have to watch animals suffer all the time and I often can't do anything to help them. My job tends to be...a bit harsh at times.”

“Don't worry about it.” Courage replied with a smile. “I'm doing pretty well despite my illness!”

Her face began to light back up again. “That's good! I hope you find your cure, Courage!”

An hour passed and soon full darkness fell upon Nowhere. Continuous bolts of lightening lit up the sky in the distance. Soon they would be feeling the full force of that storm. The van continued to move down the road, farther and farther into the deserted parts of Nowhere.

Courage stretched out and yawned. Despite feeling tired, he still felt good. Today's events had ignited a spark in him that he had thought had gone out for good. He could still help people despite his illness! He could still do the right thing even when he was being hindered! For months now he had been forced to wallow around the farm, too afraid to do anything that might aggravate his condition. He was finally up and moving again, able to do more than just sulk and worry about his illness. Sure, he knew that an attack was somewhere on the horizon, but he'd worry about it when it actually happened rather than worry about it all the time.

A groan caught his attention and he turned to Computer. The glowing dog slowly sat up and clasped a paw to his head. He glanced down at the clothing covering both his torso and leg and then looked back up, his eyes trailing to Courage. He then reached up and felt his ear which had also been covered up by cloth.

“Are you alright?” Courage asked.

“No, I'm not alright.” He answered with another groan. “I feel like I've been hit by a truck.”

“Hey there! I'm glad to see you're still with us!” The female dog cheerfully chirped.

Computer raised an eyebrow. “And you are?”

“I helped you into the van, remember?”

“Obviously! But what I mean is-”

“She saved your life!” Courage pipped in.

The machine placed his paws on his hips, clearly not convinced that she had done anything. “Oh really?” He asked.

“Yep!” She laughed. “I'm a veterinarian! I knew exactly what to do to fix you up!”

Computer rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right! Dogs can't be veterinarians!”

“What's stopping us? They didn't give me any trouble when I signed up for school!”

He blinked at her question. “It's just not right!”

The female dog shrugged. “If it wasn't right, you wouldn't be standing here right now.”

“Whatever!” He exasperated. “I don't suppose you know where we're going at least?”

“Uh, actually...” Courage butted in, turning to the female dog. “Where are we going?”

She shook her head. “I don't know. I didn't think to ask.”

“Great! So these dogs have been driving all this time and you idiots didn't even bother to find out where we're going?”

The female dog shrugged again and called out to the driver. “Hey! Where are we heading?”

The dog at the wheel called back with, “Dunno, I was just going to keep driving until we run out of gas. We'll probably be out of Nowhere by then.”

Computer tried to stand up but only managed to fall right back over again. “No, no, no! We need to stay in Nowhere! We've got a bus to catch tomorrow and I certainly don't want to get stuck in an unfamiliar place!”

The female dog shook her head again. “We can't take you back to town. Those veterinarians will be looking for escaped dogs! If we dropped you off there they'd just catch you and lock you up again.”

Computer placed a paw up against his chin. “Come to think of it, shouldn't we be getting near Nowhere Forest by now? That is assuming if we're going in the direction I think you idiots took.”

“W-what?” Courage stammered out. “Why would you even bring up that awful place?”

Computer turned to him and smiled. “We could hide out there for the night! They wouldn't dare go looking for us in that forest!”

Courage let out a yelp and began to shake just at the thought of that terrible forest. He had endured so many awful things in there...

Computer waved a paw dismissively at his fear. “Don't be such a scaredy dog!”

“W-we can't stay there! I-it isn't s-safe!” He stammered.

“Yes, yes, I know that there are a lot of supernatural creatures in that forest, but I know what every single one of them is and I know how to deal with them! We'll be fine! Would you rather get caught by those veterinarians instead?”

“But...but...” Courage whimpered out.

The glowing dog gave him a malicious smile. “So it's settled then? I guess we're staying in the forest overnight!”

“N-n-n-no!” Courage squeaked. He was too frightened to say anything else and he knew that Computer was doing this just to get a rise out of him! That awful machine knew just how much that place scared him!

“You'll be fine, twit!” He laughed, slapping him on the back. “I'm telling you now, nothing bad will happen! You're just a big, stupid, scaredy dog!”

The female dog didn't look particularly happy about this. “Alright, if that's really what you want.” She reluctantly replied. “Driver, take us closer to Nowhere Forest!”

Computer continued to taunt poor Courage as the driver changed his course for the forest. He was clearly enjoy the dog's terror and was doing everything possible to rile him up even more.

“I bet that pterodactyl creature is going to swoop down and get you this time!” He laughed. “Or maybe that muck monster!”

“NOOO!” Courage screamed, trying to hide his face behind his paws. Not that muck monster again! He couldn't bear to face that thing again!

Computer's mocking laughter seemed to fill the whole van. “You really are the biggest scaredy twit to ever exist!”

“You're going to regret this, you know.” The female dog suddenly spoke up, her voice very quiet.

“Excuse me?” He asked, slowly turning to her. “Is that a threat? Are you seriously trying to stand up for this cowardly idiot?”

“No, I'm just saying that you're going to regret going into that forest.”

“And why is that?” He asked, crossing his arms. “What do you know about that forest that I don't? There's not a single monster in there that can harm me!”

She gave him a soft smile. “You're not going to heed my warning, are you?”

“Why should I? You're just some stupid dog! I have more knowledge stored in one microchip than you have in every last corner of that tiny pea you call a brain!”

She turned away and shook her head, still smiling. “I suppose it's for the best that things happen like this.” She whispered. “But don't say that I didn't warn you in the end.”

“What are you mumbling on about?” He asked. “If you're trying to change my mind for that twit's sake then don't even bother!”

By the time they pulled up to the forest, the storm was nearly overhead. Rumbles of thunder shook the van and lightning lit up the sky so frequently that it illuminated their dark surroundings like a natural flashlight.

Courage sighed, wishing more than anything that he wasn't here right now. He found himself getting more and more angry with Computer as every second went by. If they didn't find shelter somewhere in that forest, they'd be left out to weather the massive storm. How could Computer be so stupid? All of this just because it was funny to him?

He hopped out of the van, whimpering as he gazed up at the forest's dark silhouette. The female dog jumped out next to him and nodded. She was sympathetic to his plight but she wouldn't take the initiative to stop Computer. Perhaps she didn't want to get into a fight with him?

He glanced down at the grass touching his feet. The barren soil of Nowhere gave way to grass near this forest. It was the only place around that was capable of growing greenery. If it were by some supernatural force or something else, Courage wasn't sure, and he didn't want to find out either.

“I don't need your help!” He heard Computer shout.

He turned to find the machine glaring angrily down at the female dog from inside the van. She had offered a paw to help him down and he obviously had not taken very kindly to it.

“Come on! Don't be so stubborn!” She argued. “You're still hurt and you still need help!”

He waved a paw and sneered at her. “I don't need anyone's help! Especially not yours!”

“You can barely even walk! Just give me your paw!”

“Don't you dare bark orders at me, you mutt!”

“There's no reason to act like this! I'm just trying to help you!”

“I don't need your help!”

Sighing, she relented and backed off, Computer glaring at her the whole way. He raised a foot to exit the van and then winced in pain. He tried to catch himself before he fell out but failed at the last moment and landed square on his face.

“I tried.” The female dog sighed, rolling her eyes.

He sat up and rubbed his muzzle, glaring at the two dogs staring down at him. He got up onto his feet and limped forward, holding his head high as he did so, attempting to preserve what little dignity he had left.

Courage was much too angry with the machine to try and help him now, plus he knew that he'd probably get yelled at if he tried anyway. He wanted more than anything at that moment to tell Computer off for his stubborn stupidity, but he didn't dare try as he knew it would only ignite a massive argument between the both of them.

The van's engine started back up again. Courage said his goodbyes to all the dogs and then watched as the vehicle sped off into the darkness. Now only he, the female dog, and Computer remained. Not the greatest company, to say the least.

“Well, that's the end of that.” The female dog said, stretching. “It does feel good to be out of that cramped van though.”

“Whatever! Computer snapped. “Why are you still here anyway? Why didn't you leave with those losers?”

“Because you're still injured and you might need a doctor.”

A brief moment of shock fell over his face before he masked it with another sneer. “I said I didn't need any help! You're not wanted anymore so shoo!”

The female dog gave him a shrug. “Courage, your friend is a bit of a jerk, isn't he?” She quipped, turning to him.

“Excuse me?” Computer huffed, stomping forward. “What did you just call me, you wretched little-”

“Computer! Leave her alone!” Courage interrupted. He stepped forward and put himself between his newly made friend and the irate machine.

A snide smile fell across Computer's face. “Oh, I see. Are you trying to defend your new girlfriend? Is that it, idiot? How stupid! You couldn't get a girlfriend even if you were the last dog on Earth!”

“G-girlfriend?” He gasped. He immediately felt his face turn red of its own accord.

“You're one to talk!” She pipped in. “A snooty, insecure jerk like yourself would never get a girl! Any self respecting dog would take Courage over the likes of you any day!”

“Ha! As if I would ever want to hook up with one of you disgusting flesh creatures! I'm above all of your stupid mating rituals! I-” He stopped halfway through the word and stared at the angry dog. “Did you just call me insecure?” He asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Of course!” She challenged. “Nobody acts this stuck up unless they're hiding behind a ton of insecurities.”

He crossed his arms in a huff. “Insecurities? I'm just stuck dealing with a bunch of twits, that's all! You'd act the same if you had to go through what I do on a daily basis!”

A sly smile fell across the female dog's face. “You know what they say about bullies. They only bully to feel better about themselves.”

Computer's frown somehow managed to deepen even further. “Bully? What, are we in a schoolyard now? What a childish notion!”

“I'm pretty sure there's only one person here who's being childish right now.” She went on, turning to Courage once more. “I'm telling you, it's all about insecurities! Just look at the way he acts!”

“For goodness sake, I'm not insecure!” Computer angrily shot back. “And stop talking to that dog like he knows anything!”

“You're a dog too, right?” She slyly asked him. “Let me guess, you've had a bunch of owners? I assume someone like you gets shuffled around a lot. I don't see anyone keeping such a snobby dog around for very long.”

“Hmph! I am not some common house pet! I don't have owners, just a bunch of annoying people that I have to put up with for an extended period of time!”

“And how many of these 'annoying people' have you had to deal with?”

“Too many! And for your information, it's none of your business!”

“Let me guess, if you've had 'too many' then I'm sure at least a few of them have treated you pretty badly. Now you're taking that out on everybody else, aren't you?” Her eyes narrowed. “People who get treated horribly tend to start acting that way themselves. It's considered a self defense mechanism, you know.”

The machine waved a paw, trying to blow her off and the things she were saying. “What? Are you a closet psychologist or something? Don't pretend you can get inside my head! I just don't like any of you, that's all! You stupid, worthless flesh creatures are all alike, and a dime a dozen too!”

“Hmm, is that so?” The female dog went on. “Why does what I say upset you so badly then?”

Shock fell over the machine's face. Courage almost had to laugh at how easily his new friend was schooling Computer. He wasn't sure if anything she were saying was true or not, but watching Computer lose his composure was amusing.

“Bah! You're just one of those stupid psychologist types!” The glowing dog argued. “You always try to put something there that isn't actually there! Next you'll be telling me to pay you for your 'help'!”

“If you wouldn't close that stubborn mind of yours you'd realize that I am trying to help you.”

“Help me? You're just lying! Everything you've said so far is just one big lie! Hpmh! I don't have to listen to anymore of this garbage!” He turned on his heels and began to limp away. “Come on, twit! We're leaving!” He called.

“You don't want to face what's in that forest.” The female dog warned him yet again. “This is your last chance to turn back.”

“I'll go where I please!” He shot back. “Twit, what are you doing? Let's go!”

Courage remained beside the female dog, unwilling to go with Computer. He did not want to enter that forest, no matter how much the machine tried to goad him into it. Computer looked so furious at his defiance that he was almost afraid that he would jump forward and try to drag him into the thicket.

“Fine!” He finally snapped. “Stay with your stupid girlfriend then! I'm leaving!”

And with that, he stomped off.

“Wait, Computer!” Courage called out. As much as liked seeing him get schooled, there was no way he could let Computer go into the forest all alone. He'd hoped that if he refused to go with him, the machine would relent and decided to hide somewhere else, but it wasn't happening.

“Not listening!” Computer smugly commented, his form slowing disappearing in among the trees.

Courage took a step forward and whimpered to himself, “I don't want to go in there, but I gotta...”

He turned around, wondering why the female dog wasn't following him. “Come with us!” He begged. “I know Computer is hard to deal with but it would be nice to have someone else with me! If he gives you trouble about it, I'll just tell him to knock it off!”

He did indeed want her to come with him. It would be nice to have someone else with him on their journey up the mountain, someone who wouldn't constantly argue with him. He loved how easily she had knocked Computer down a couple of pegs. Someone like that would be invaluable against his nigh unending battle with Computer's argumentative nature.

She smiled and shook her head. “Sorry, but I can't. I've got places to be, unfortunately. Being locked up in that cage for such a long time really set me back with my work.”

Courage's ears drooped. “W-will I ever see you again then?”

She reached forward and placed both her paws onto his shoulders. “It's inevitable.” Her smile was unusually sad as she said that. So, he really wasn't going to see her again, was he?

He sighed as she let go of him and turned to leave. She glanced back at him one last time before she headed over to the road and began walking down it.

“Hey!” He called out to her. “You never told me your name!”

Her face lit up with that same wonderful smile again upon being asked that question. He could see it even in darkness that was just barely being illuminated by the ever present flashes of lightning.

“How about we leave that until we meet again?” She answered. “Then you'll have something to look forward to!”

Courage couldn't help but smile himself, reassured that maybe this wouldn't be their only meeting. “Okay!” He agreed. “See you around then!”

“Yep!” She called back. “Don't worry, Courage! I'm sure everything will work out with your illness! Just keep that friend of yours in check, okay?”

He opened his mouth to reply, if only because he wanted her to stay just a little while longer, but then there was a particularly bright flash of lightning. He was forced to close his eyes as the bolt hit something nearby. When he could finally open them again, the female dog was gone...almost like she had never even been there in the first place.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 28: Out Of The Frying Pan

Courage fumbled his way through the forest. He kept tripping over outstretched roots and just about anything else that could find a way to catch his feet. He was starting to think that maybe the forest was intentionally trying to trip him up. If it weren't for the constant bolts of lightning lighting up his surroundings, he could have easily walked right into the jaws of a monster and would have never even known it.

The wind was picking up now, and while it hadn't started raining yet, he could smell the wetness in the air. If he didn't find Computer soon, they'd both be stuck out in the middle of this massive storm. Thunder kept shaking the ground, almost to the point of where it would knock him off his feet as he walked. He was getting more and more furious with Computer as every moment went by. How hard could it be to find a glowing dog in the middle of the night? Unless he really was in the belly of some creature, the machine's glow should have been noticeable from miles away!

A branch whipped Courage in the face. He grit his teeth, letting his anger get the better of him. He stopped for a moment to kick the tree out of sheer annoyance, and then kept moving.

Growling, he quietly cursed under his breath. Another branch whipped forward in the wind and struck him across his muzzle. Stupid Computer! This was all his fault!

Just as he was about to turn around and leave Computer to his fate, he caught a glimmer moving in among the trees, not far from where he was now. Bounding forward on all four paws, he made his way over there.

“Computer!” He called out, unable to mask the anger in his voice. He tried to stifle his seething hatred of the machine for a moment, but even then he could barely hold it back. Stupid, stupid Computer! He always had to think he was right about everything! They were going to die in this place because of him!

As he neared the machine, a sneer fell across the glowing dog's face. “So, I see you've come crawling back!” He said with an incredible amount of smugness.

That seething hatred within Courage's gut exploded at Computer's snide remark. He clenched his fist in a desperate attempt to keep his cool, but even that was barely working.

“Here I was thinking that you had gone and run off with your real friend because obviously she knows how to save your worthless hide better than I do.” He crossed his arms and began to tap a foot, clearly oblivious to the rage that was boiling over within Courage at every word he spoke. “You know,” He went on. “I should make you beg for my help, especially after all the things you've been putting me through. I don't even know why I keep bothering with an idiot like you!”

“Shut up!” Courage finally yelled. “You're the one who's the real idiot! We're walking around in one of the most dangerous places in all of Nowhere because of you!”

“I'm the idiot?” Computer snapped. “Why should I even bother continuing to help you? I've been in this body for less than a day and I'm already in tatters! There's absolutely nothing stopping me from leaving, you know! But hey, you've got that stupid friend of yours to help you out now! Let's see her try to cure your illness, hmm?”

Courage grit is teeth. “Don't you dare talk about her like that!”

“Ha! You're just angry because I shooed your stupid girlfriend off! She was less than worthless!”

Courage squeezed his eyes shut and stomped a foot. “She's not my girlfriend! And you're twice as worthless as she ever was!”

“Not your girlfriend? Yeah, right!” Computer sneered. “You were practically floating through the air with hearts bubbling all around you! Too bad you're such a wimp that she dumped you not even ten minutes after meeting you! Hahaha!”

“SHUT UP!” Courage screamed. His rage was at an absolute boiling point now. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take. Every single word he spoke was blown off by Computer like it were nothing at all. Not a single thing fazed the machine in any way.

“Are we done yet? The glowing dog asked in a bored tone. He rolled his eyes at Courage who opened his mouth to speak again. “Don't even bother. You're obviously just going to try and defend your stupid, worthless girlfri-”

WHAM!

Before Courage even realized what he had done, his fist had connected with Computer's jaw. The machine reeled backwards, clasping his muzzle. The shocked expression which replaced his smug smile was immensely pleasing to see.

A moment of silence followed before Computer turned away, still clasping his muzzle. “Hmph! Twits always have to resort to violence, don't they? You couldn't win an argument with an old paper bag!”

“I told you to shut up!” Courage screamed, his voice echoing through the forest. Even now that stubborn computer wasn't relenting! His anger was so acute that he could practically feel steam coming out of his ears! Why did Computer always have to strive for the last word? Why couldn't he just give up!

“If anyone needs to shut up, it's you, dog!” He snapped back.

Courage let out a cry of anger and pushed the glowing dog to the ground. “Why did I have to get stuck with a jerk like you?” He asked, snarling out every word spoken. “Why couldn't I have gotten a normal computer? A proper computer? If you want to leave, then leave! I'd rather not be cured at all than have to keep dealing with someone like you!”

“Not a proper computer?” The machine asked in a vicious tone. He got back up onto his feet and pushed Courage back in retaliation. “I'll show you a proper computer!”

Courage made his paw into a fist again and swung it as hard as he could. He struck Computer square in the muzzle, sending the glowing dog reeling backwards yet again.

“Enough!” The machine yelled, holding onto his newly bruised muzzle. “I don't care if you hate me and I don't care if you wish I were a normal computer, but I will not allow you to-”

WHAM!

Courage hit him again. This time the machine collapsed onto the ground, groaning weakly from the blow he had received.

“I hate you so much!” Courage growled. “You always have to make fun of me, call me names, treat me like I don't have a single brain cell in my body, and now you make fun of my friends too! I'm tired of always being put down and treated like dirt! You're just a stupid computer! That's all! Just because you can talk doesn't make you anymore special than any other piece of hardware! All I'd have to do is throw you in the garbage and that would be the end of you!”

Computer slowly sat up, still gripping his muzzle. “I am not any old piece of hardware, you idiot! Don't dare talk to me like-”

“RAAHHH!” Courage screamed, tackling him to the ground. He raised his paw and punched him again. For once in his life he was not going to let Computer bully him. This was his revenge!

“Courage, stop! You're acting like-”

“Shut up! Just shut up!” He screamed, cutting the machine's plea short with another blow. He kept hitting him, over and over again. Ranting with every breath he took.

“I hate you!” He yelled. “I hate you! I hate you! I hate-” He stopped halfway through his incoherent screaming. He left his fist hanging in midair as the implications of what he was doing hit him like a rocket. Shock, horror and revulsion rolled through him as it became more and more clear that he had completely lost it. He couldn't believe that he had just tried to beat someone senseless, not even someone as nasty as Computer!

“Oh, no! No, no, no, no!” He whimpered. “Computer, I-I'm sorry! I'm s-so, so sorry!” He stammered out.

The glowing dog had his eyes squeezed shut and Courage, much to his complete and utter shock, could feel him trembling under his grip. He let the machine go and got back up onto his feet, taking several steps back to try and put as much distance between him and Computer as possible.

“I-I'm sorry...” He repeated as the machine slowly opened his eyes. “Here, let me-” He slowly reached a paw down to help him up.

“Don't you dare touch me!” Computer snarled, swatting the paw away.

“Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-”

“Oh, sure you're sorry!” He snapped back. “As if you actually mean it! I'm just a stupid machine to you after all! There's no point in apologizing to a non-person, huh? Bah! You flesh creatures are all the same! Well, if this is how you're going to treat me from now on, I'll jus-”

CRASH!

At that very moment, a bolt of lightning struck a tree not even two paces away from them. Courage was nearly sent flying off his feet from the thunderclap that followed. The tree that was hit burst into flames and both he and Computer were forced to scramble away to save themselves from the fireball. An onslaught of rain followed right after, quenching the flame that could have turned into a deadly forest fire. The wind ramped up to an incredible gale, nearly knocking Courage off his feet almost as easily as the thunderclap had. He had to grab a tree trunk just to keep himself standing upright.

“Hey, grab my paw!” He called out to Computer. The glowing dog was being knocked around by the wind, running into tree trunks and practically being whipped to death by branches. Courage himself had to use every last ounce of strength he had to keep himself upright.

“Computer!” He called out again. His voice was barely intelligible among the chaos that was happening all around them.

The machine glanced over at him, his expression unreadable, and then he turned away. He was sent flying again and crashed into another tree trunk. Before he could even right himself, another gust of wind flung him forward into another tree, and then another, and another....

“Oooh, this isn't good...” Courage whimpered, letting go of the one thing that was keeping him in place. He sailed forward in an uncontrolled flight, and just before he could get to Computer, he was sent flying in one direction while Computer was sent in another.

He could only watch as the glowing dog suddenly vanished, his blue light somehow disappearing into the darkness, even though it shouldn't have. Courage opened his mouth to call out to him, but he instead got clobbered by another tree branch...

“Dog, over here!” He heard the machine say, much to his surprise. Neither he nor his glow could be found anywhere in among the darkness. “Hurry up! Before it gets worse!” He called out again from somewhere unseen.

Fighting against the wind, Courage made his way over to where Computer's voice was coming from. The machine's head suddenly popped up very close to the ground, startling him. Was he...underground? A flash of lightening gave Courage a better picture of what was going on here. He was standing before a massive, dead tree, who's bare branches swayed ominously in the wind. Its gigantic, gnarly roots almost seemed to suspend the tree up into the air, leaving a natural den under it to use as shelter. Computer must have tumbled down into it through one of the larger openings, thanks to the gale pushing him about.

“Don't just stand there!” The machine yelled. “Get in here!”

Courage squeezed between two roots to get inside the tree and then slid down a slight incline. The inside was surprisingly roomy and Computer's glow kept the place lit. It was relatively dry, despite the downpour outside, and it kept the worst of the wind away, thus keeping them from getting blown around.

Neither dog spoke to one another after that. Computer made himself comfortable on one side of the den while Courage did the same on the other. An invisible line had been drawn between them and that was that. Actually, Computer was pretending that Courage wasn't there at all. The moment he had sat down he had whipped out that book from within their bag and had buried his face into it.

Courage stifled a sigh, now feeling the full force of his own guilt. 'Why did I let myself blow up like that?' He thought to himself. 'What if Computer really does leave once this storm is over?' He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. The roots didn't do much to block out the cold and he was frigid in his wet fur.

Still shivering, he closed his eyes. He was as much in awe of his own actions as he was left guilty by them. He couldn't believe that he had actually managed to faze that snarky machine! Computer really had been scared of him, something which he had never thought possible.

A million apologies floated through his mind, but he knew that Computer would never accept even one of them. He'd go on pretending that nothing had happened and he'd certainly never acknowledge that he had been beaten up by a 'twit'.

Courage glanced over at the machine, surprised to find that Computer was peaking out over his book and had probably been staring at him for quite awhile. The glowing dog immediately buried his muzzle back into it the moment he realized he had been spotted, and that was, yet again, the end of it. They both remained mute to one another.

Courage shook his head and turned away. He had absolutely no idea how he was going to fix what he had done today. An apology would never work, but what else could he do? He was stuck. If he lost Computer, well, that would be the end of him!

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 29: And Into The Fire

Courage was finding himself getting more and more paranoid as the storm rolled on. They were in Nowhere Forest after all. It was sheer dumb luck that a werewolf or something even more horrible hadn't sniffed them out yet. Surely this rain wasn't keeping the monsters at bay? They probably lived for weather like this.

He kept peering out between the roots, intent on making sure that nothing was about to sneak up on them. Every flash of lightning seemed to cement a new imaginary monster in his mind. Tree branches turned into claws, the howling wind became a ghost moaning from someplace unseen, and every shadow was a creature slowly stalking closer and closer to them. Whatever chance he had of coming up with an apology for Computer now was lost in his ever growing sense of terror. He couldn't calm down enough to think about anything except their lurking doom. What good would an apology do if they were both eaten first? Computer would have to wait for now, especially when he was the one who had gotten them into this situation in the first place.

“We're never going to make it out of here alive.” He whimpered quietly to himself. Pushed his head out between the roots even further, he winced as he felt an errant raindrop land on his nose.

“Oh for goodness sake, dog! Will you stop acting like a paranoid nitwit!”

Startled, Courage's head hit the ceiling from just how high he jumped. He had not expected Computer to start talking to him again. He slowly turned around to face the glowing dog, rubbing his newly acquired bump, and stared.

Computer glared at him from across the den, his head held only slightly higher than the ancient book he was reading. “There is nothing out there!” He spat. “And even if there was, it wouldn't think to come down here looking for food!”

Courage threw his arms up into the air in protest. “You glow in the dark! We might as well put up a giant 'free food' sign for all the monsters to see! I bet this tree looks like a reverse lighthouse right now!”

Computer opened his mouth to protest but then seemed to reconsider it. Several seconds of silence followed before he returned to his book, awkwardly terminating their conversation.

Courage's stomach lurched at this new development. Computer never missed an opportunity to argue with him, not ever. An hour ago he would have given anything to shut that snide machine up, but this? This just felt...wrong. Computer not being, well, himself, was just not right.

At a loss for words, he turned back around. He stuck his head out through the tree roots once more and kept a watch out for anything that might be lurking out there in the darkness. The storm was letting up a bit, thankfully. Lightning still lit up the dark forest nigh continuously, but the wind had died down from its terrifying gale and the rain was slowing down considerably.

As Courage let his mind wander, he was struck by his guilt yet again. He could still see Computer's shocked, if not outright terrified expression as he had tackled him to the ground. He could still feel the seething hatred that had brought his blood to a boil, and he could still feel the ache in his paw that he had used to punch Computer over and over again.

“How could I ever do something like that?” He asked himself in a quiet whisper.

How could he ever excuse himself from doing something so horrible? It wasn't like him to lose his temper like that. It just wasn't in his nature. No matter how good Computer was at pushing his buttons, he had never snapped at anyone like that before, no matter what they might have said to him.

Well, he knew now that he needed to take responsibility for what he had done. He needed to find a way to make up with Computer. It didn't matter how hard or how awkward it would be, he had to fix what he had done. Computer may have been asking for, it but it still wasn't right. More than anything, he just wanted the snide machine to start acting like himself again. He didn't want him to continue giving him the silent treatment for the rest of their journey.

A bolt of lightning struck a tree nearby, temporarily blinding him. The rumble of thunder that followed shook the ground and almost sent him sliding back down the incline. He tried to regain his balance, all while rubbing his eyes, and proceeded to slip on the damp earth. His head hit the ground and the next thing he knew, he was tumbling downward. Crying out in surprise, he eventually slowed to a stop upon reaching the heart of the den.

Groaning, he opened his eyes and glanced back over at where Computer was sitting. The machine was staring at him, his expression unreadable. Under normal circumstances, he would have no doubt been laughing at something like this, but now he was completely silent.

Courage sat up and rubbed the back of his head, laughing sheepishly at his idiotic fall. Computer did not respond.

“I, uh...” He stammered out, wishing that Computer would do something, anything to make this a little less awkward. “I, er, um...”

He finally turned away, unable to bear Computer's piercing stare any longer. It was like...like he were waiting for him to snap again, or...

Sighing, he returned his gaze back onto the roots. He was just about to climb back up the incline when-

“RAAAAAAGGGHHHH!” He screamed.

Computer jumped up onto his feet at the piercing cry. Courage all but knocked him over in his terror as he tried to get behind him. Babbling out gibberish, he pointed over and over again at the place where he had just been looking.

“What is your problem, dog?” He asked, irritated. He tucked the book under his arm and used the other one to push Courage away.

“Abubububa! Abublublulb!” He tried to explain, still pointing over at the cluster of roots he had just been looking at.

Computer raised an eyebrow, not particularly fazed.

“ARRRRUUU!” Courage cried out, gripping his ears.

“So...you're saying that you saw a pair of glowing red eyes looking in at us from between the roots?

“Yes!” He yelped, jumping from one foot to the other. “We need to get out of here before it's too late!”

Computer's expression harden. “Oh, of course you saw something!” He sarcastically remarked. “You're just being paranoid, you twit! You were expecting to see something so your mind tricked you into thinking that you did!”

Courage's jaw dropped. “But!” He cried out. “But...but...”

“Hmph! I've had quite enough of your nonsense, dog!” He spat out. Scowling at the terrified pup, he took his book and opened it back up again. “I'm not going to spend all night jumping at shadows! You can do so if you like, but leave me out of it!”

“Are you crazy?” Courage asked in a terrified voice. “I-I just saw a monster! We need to get away from here! I-It's going to get us if we don't leave! W-why are you being so-”

Computer, in a fit of anger, suddenly grit his teeth and flung his book to the floor. “Stop talking to me!” He yelled. “Just stop talking to me!” He shook his head, his entire form trembling with anger. “I don't want to hear anything you have to say anymore! I'm tired of listening to you, I'm tired of taking orders from you, and I'm tired of having to hear your stupid, ear-grating voice! Just leave me alone! I want nothing to do with you! Go get eaten by some monster! I don't care! Just leave me alone!”

Courage stared, unable to form a single word. What could he possibly say? It was obvious that Computer wasn't concerned about the creature he had seen. He clearly wasn't going to listen.

“Computer.” He spoke. He had to try to get through to him, for both of their sakes. “Please, I'm sorry about before, but we need to-”

“SHUT UP!” Computer snapped. “You're not sorry! And I don't care either way! I don't need your sympathy! You are worthless, dog! Utterly useless! If you cared at all you would have never...y-you would have never...n-never...” His voice slowed to a halt, his eyes suddenly widening.

Courage blinked, confused for a moment. Then realization hit him. Computer's eyes were fixated on something.....s-something behind him!

He whirled around, expecting to come face to face with some horrible creature. Instead, he found only the other side of the den. There were no creepy eyes peering through the roots, nor the monster that they belonged to.

“Computer?” He asked, slowly turning back to the machine.

The glowing dog was clutching his head, complete terror etched in his face. “No, no, no, no, no.” He repeated over and over again.

He began to back away, his eyes still trained on whatever Courage could not see. “C-can't be. It can't be! It can't be!”

“Computer, what are you-” Courage began, cut off by the machine's desperate cries.

“You can't be here! T-there's no way! How did you find me?” His expression briefly turned to that of anger. “How did you find me! Tell me! I deserve to know at least that! Tell me how you found me! How are you here!”

Courage felt like his heart were about to pound out of his chest. What the heck was going on here? Computer was quite literally yelling at thin air.

The machine's ears drooped. He continued to back away until he hit the other side of the den and then slid down the wall. He drew his legs up and wrapped his arms around himself, burying his muzzle into them.

Silence followed for several moments before Courage was able to hear him whisper, “I don't want to go back! I don't want to go back! I-I can't go back to that! Please, I don't want to go back!”

Stunned, Courage took a step forward. He reached a paw out towards the glowing dog, unsure of what else to do. He had never seen Computer like this. It was so unlike the snide machine that he knew so well that it didn't even seem real. It was like he were looking at a completely different person. All that smug superiority was gone, replaced with a whimpering wreak of a dog.

He let his paw touch Computer's shoulder and the glowing dog jumped.

“Ah! N-no! Don't!” He cried out.

The machine pushed his paw away. “Get away from me!” He cried out. “Just stay away!” His eye suddenly widened again and he let out strangled cry. Without another glance at Courage, he scrambled away, apparently having seen the invisible entity again.

“C-Computer?” Courage called out to him. “What's going on? What are you seeing?”

The machine only acknowledged him for a moment before returning his eyes back onto the invisible being. “I won't let you!” He cried out, replying to an unheard voice. “I won't go back! I won't ever go back! I'll die first!” Then, he turned around and began to clamor up the incline in a panic.

“Hey! Wait!” Courage yelled, but it was too late. The glowing dog squeezed himself through the roots and then he was gone.

“I can't let him go out there alone!” He whimpered.

He took a moment to survey the den one last time to make sure that he hadn't missed anything. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be found. No glowing eyes, no monsters, nothing. What had Computer seen that had frightened him so badly?

Following in his friend's footsteps, he climbed up the incline and darted out into the rain. He could not see Computer's glow anywhere. Just where could he have gone in such a short amount of time? He should have lit up quite a bit of the forest as he ran, and yet, there was no a sign of him.

Courage took off running, fearful that red eyed monster might be around. He knew that Computer couldn't have gotten far and he just needed to look around a bit. He tried to call out to him several times, but he worried that his voice would only attract the attention of the creatures that he 'didn't' want to find.

“Comput-” He began before his foot got stuck on a root and he tripped, landing head first in a mud puddle.

He immediately stood back up, rubbing the mud out from his eyes. He whipped around several times in a panic, expecting to find that red eyed monster somewhere nearby. There was nothing though. He was completely alone.

He took a moment to catch his breath. At least he wasn't being chased, but what could he do now? The forest was huge and Computer had obviously gotten far enough away that his glow couldn't be seen.

“Courage!”

His ears perked up. It was faint over the blowing wind, but he had heard his name being called.

“Courage!” The voice repeated. It wasn't Computer calling for help, no, it was someone else.

Taking a step back, he bit his lip. Had one of those veterinarian people really followed them all the way into the forest? And in weather like this? Had they already caught Computer and were coming for him now?

“Courage, where are you?” The voice called again.

His eyes widened. He knew who that voice belonged to. It wasn't the veterinarian people at all! He took a step forward, a smile falling across his face. Computer would have to wait. This was too important.

He had to get to her.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 30: A Forest Of Fears

“Courage? Where are you?”

The voice was unmistakable. It was Muriel!

Courage darted off deeper and deeper into the forest, following the sound of his beloved owner's voice. He couldn't believe it! She had actually come all this way in the middle of a storm just to find him! Word of his escape must have gotten to her not long after it had happened. He didn't care about that anymore though, he just wanted to jump into her arms and go home! She could take him back to the vet later if she liked, he just didn't care anymore. He wanted to be with her for a little while longer. He wanted to be warm, happy, and dry. He hated this forest, he hated Computer, and he just wanted to go home. He wanted to have everything go back to normal.

“Muriel!” He called out, panting as he ran. He didn't care if he aggravated his condition. He just wanted to get to Muriel. Nothing else mattered.

“Courage?” Was the response. Her voice echoed through the trees, making it hard to gauge where she actually was.

“Don't worry, Muriel! I'm coming!” He called out to her. He dropped down onto all fours so that he could run faster. His tongue fell out of his mouth as he panted, but he didn't care. He didn't care about how tired he was, he just had to get to Muriel.

Finally, he broke into a clearing. Lightning lit up the sky above him and gave him a general idea of where he was among the mass of dark forestry. He could see his beloved owner's silhouette in the darkness and waited for another lightning bolt to prove to him that it was who he thought it was.

His eyes lit up with joy as another flash of lightning lit up the clearing. It really was her. He almost couldn't believe it. She really had come all this way just for him. She really did care about him that much!

“Muriel?” He asked, walking up to her. He couldn't keep himself from smiling. It was so good to see her again after being forced to deal with someone like Computer for so long. Now he could go home and-

Suddenly, she whipped around, grabbed him by his arms, and drew him upwards. She began shaking him as hard as she could, shocking him into dead silence.

“How could you be such a naughty dog!” She yelled. “You worried everyone! Do you have any idea how long we've been looking for you?”

His ears drooped as she shook him. “M-Muriel.” He choked out.

She threw him to the ground and he let out a yelp. Guilt welled up in him far worse than anything he had ever felt these past few days. Of all the ways he could have hurt Muriel, why had he run off and left her to look for him? How could he have left her to worry like that?

“How could you, Courage?” She asked, mimicking his own thoughts. “You made me look for you in a dangerous place like this. What if something bad happened to me? Don't you care about me more than that, Courage?

He crawled forward on all fours. His ears were all but plastered to his back with guilt. He knew he probably looked like a pathetic little puppy, waiting to be scolded for having done something bad.

“What happened to you, Courage?” She asked. “You used to be such a good dog! I thought I taught you better than this!” She sounded like she were about to cry.

He let his head fall further until his nose almost touched the ground. She was saying everything that he had always feared that she'd one day say. That he were a bad dog, that he wasn't living up to her expectations, that she was the one to blame for his delinquency. How could he have let this happen? How could he have disappointed her so badly?

He clamored forward and wrapped his arms around her leg. He wished she'd take him back up in her arms and let him go home with her. He wasn't a bad dog, he knew it. He wanted her to forgive him. He wanted to prove to her that she didn't have to be sad.

“Let go of me!” She snarled, kicking him away.

“M-Muriel...” He whimpered out.

“I'm done with you, Courage! If you want to be a wild dog then you can just stay here and be one! What happened to that wonderful little puppy I knew? It's because you got sick, isn't it? They said you'd change! I didn't want to believe it, but they were right! You're not my Courage anymore!”

“I-I'm not any different.” He said to her in a small voice. “I-I'm just Courage. I've never been anyone else.”

“Then you don't have an excuse!” She snapped. “I saw what you did to that other dog before! Beat him down like a raging wild animal! You aren't the Courage I know anymore!”

He crawled back over to her, desperate for her approval. He had to prove to her that he hadn't changed! That he hadn't become a bad dog!

She kicked him again and he was sent flying backwards. He gripped his muzzle and began to sob.

“I'm sorry, Muriel.” He whimpered. “I'm so sorry.”

“How dare you!” She yelled. “I don't want you back! I don't ever want you back! You're an awful dog, Courage! I let myself believe that you were better than what you really are!”

He continued to sob, still gripping his muzzle. He was completely crushed. Muriel had never hurt him in his entire life. Not ever. Not physically or verbally. She had never once kicked him and the shock of it was almost too much to bear. How could she not love him anymore? He hadn't meant to make her angry. He just wanted to be loved again! He wanted to prove to her that he was still Courage!

“How could I ever love a dog like you?” She spat. “I will never forgive you so don't bother crying! You won't get any sympathy from me!” She crossed her arms and glared down at him. Even behind her glasses he could still feel the intense hatred emanating from her.

...And then something struck him as strange. Why had she come all this way just to yell at him? Why on earth would she brave a terrible forest like this, in the middle of a storm to boot, just to tell him that she didn't want him anymore?

He stared up at her, her face still etched with anger. A fog seemed to lift over his mind. This wasn't right. The Muriel standing before him wasn't right. Everything about her felt wrong, eerie, and made his skin crawl with distress. The Muriel standing there seemed to...to radiate fear. With the fog over his mind gone, he could no longer look at her without his heart beginning to pound in terror. She just wasn't right.

Suddenly, everything went dark. The lightning had let up for a moment, leaving both him and that thing in total darkness.

“You aren't Muriel.” He said to the black void in front of him. It had taken every ounce of courage he had just to speak those words.

The thing that wasn't Muriel did not reply but the crushing atmosphere was getting worse. He could still feel Not-Muriel's intense gaze upon him. It's oppressive aura was getting so strong that his fur was beginning to stand up on edge from fear.

Lightning crackled through the sky again. What Courage saw next sent him reeling backwards, too frightened to even scream. Whatever it was, it was anything but Muriel. He had only seen it for a brief few seconds, but what he had seen had left him mortified. It was like the creature had been exactly what he had feared it would look like. Massive bloodshot eyes, pupils so small they made the creature look even more horrifying, teeth...there had been teeth everywhere, rows upon rows of teeth, and a massive, horrifying smile that complemented it's sharp, vicious fangs.

He continued to back away in the darkness, only to slip on another mud puddle. Why had the lightning chose now to stop flashing? He blindly got back up onto his feet and ran. He didn't care where he was going or why, just so long as he got far, far away from that thing. He could hear it growling behind him. Was it keeping pace with him? He did not dare look back to find out.

“I need to find Computer!” He gasped out between ragged breaths. He was getting far too tired to run. If he had an attack right here, well, he didn't want to think about it. If he could just find Computer, he'd know what this creature was and hopefully find a way to stop it.

“Does this thing turn into what you're afraid of?” He asked himself. “It looked like Muriel until I realized it wasn't her, then it turned into the monster I thought it would look like! What did it turn into to scare Computer like that though? What could he possibly be afraid of?”

He tripped again, this time being knocked over by yet another root. He immediately got back up onto his feet and grasped at the air around him, trying to feel for the monster. Thankfully he didn't touch anything, much less a massive row of dagger sharp teeth. Where was it then? Was it still out there in the dark? Was it still following him?

He got his answer in another flash of lightning. He once again came face to face with that leering, demented face. It had been standing there right in front of him the whole time, just out of arms reach.

“RAAAAAHHHGGGGG!” He screamed, turning and running away.

He had to find Computer! He had to find him before it was too late! He couldn't keep running like this! Screaming at the top of his lungs, he delved deeper and deeper into the forest, trying to shake off whatever it was that was chasing him.

He could hear it laughing. It was a kind of coughing, choking sound, and the worst part about it all was that he could hear it right behind him. He couldn't get away! It was managing to stay right behind him! He couldn't get away!

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 31: Computer's Fear

Courage cried out as a tree branch struck him in the face. He had thought that maybe the creature behind him had finally decided to stop toying with him and was now going to attack, but no, he was still being chased with no end in sight.

“I can't...I can't go on.” He gasped out. His breath was completely gone. If that monster wanted to eat him, well, he'd done his best to try and get away. Slowing to a stop, he placed a paw onto what he assumed was a tree trunk.

“Come on...w-where's the...l-lightning...” He choked out. He couldn't get his bearings like this in complete darkness, nor could he figure out where his pursuer was.

As if by his bidding, another lightning bolt lit up the sky. He had expected to come face to face with the creature again, instead he was surprised to find that he was completely alone. Where had it gone? It had been right there behind him the whole time!

As soon as he could catch his breath, he began walking again. He kept his ears open for any sounds that the creature might make. He wasn't safe so long as that thing was still wandering around. Where could Computer be in all of this mess? Had the monster gotten him? No, that couldn't be. There was no way that snide machine would let some beast eat him. Surely he was alright. Even if that creature had managed to scare him, s-surely he was alright!

Gathering up his strength, he continued on, but walked at a much slower pace. He continued to walk for almost an hour. He used every flash of lightning to survey his surroundings and was thankfully left alone by the creature. Wherever that Muriel imposter had gone, it certainly wasn't here anymore.

He was freezing at this point and completely soaked to the bone all over again. He longed to find some shelter but he knew he couldn't abandon Computer like this. So long as the wind and the rain didn't pick up again, he'd be okay, hopefully. He had to find Computer and that was all that mattered now.

He ended up stopping again to rest and to try and warm his numb fingers back up. He was shivering harder right now than he had probably ever shivered in his entire life, and that was saying a lot giving how often he was shivering! It was so cold that he could see his own breath in front of his face and he half expected to see it start snowing at any moment. Why, oh why, had he let Computer lure him out here? They could have been somewhere warm right now, somewhere safe.

He slid down the tree trunk he had been leaning on. He was so tired. It must be at least midnight by now. How could he ever hope to find Computer in a place like this? He'd freeze to death long before they-

His ears perked up. He could hear something approaching. Was it the creature? It hadn't made any noise when it was chasing him before. Was it something new?

A twig cracked from somewhere behind the tree he was using as refuge. It didn't sound like a giant monster at all. Suddenly, he picked up the sound of someone's panicked rambling. This made him jump to his feet. It was Computer! It had to be!

He waited several seconds longer on baited breath and then the trees around him began to light up with that familiar blue glow. It really was him! Of all the things that Courage had experienced in his life, he had never felt relief quite as strongly as he did right there. Everything was going to be okay! Computer was safe and the monster was gone! They were going to survive this nightmarish detour in the forest of Nowhere!

Computer did indeed come tumbling out of the brush, looking incredibly worse for ware. There was something about his eyes that was just off. Like he had gone insane, or-

“Hey!” Courage said to him, just happy to see him alive. “I've been looking everywhere for you, and-”

Computer turned to him, his expression severe. Poor Courage slowly backed away, terrified by the machine's glare. He had never seen Computer look so angry before. There really was an almost crazed glint in his eyes.

“I-I, um-” He began. He really didn't know what to say. Was this really Computer? Could it just be the monster taking on another form?

The machine's eyes widened in terror and he turned his gaze away from Courage. He scanned the trees, which were now lit up by his glow. His eyes darted from branch to branch, paranoia clearly etched in his face.

“Where is he? Where did he go?” He asked. He hadn't said it to Courage, nor to anyone in particular. Actually, he seemed to have disregarded his companion completely. “Why can't I find a way out?” His trembling voice all but whimpered. “This forest can't be that big! There has to be a way out! There has to be! He won't get me! I won't let it happen! I won't!”

“Computer?” Courage asked in a weak voice.

He reached a paw out towards the glowing dog, but it was no good. Computer returned his attention to him and took several steps back, glaring venomously at him.

“Keep away from me, you twit! You just keep away!”

“L-listen.” He tried to say. “I think I know-”

“Don't you dare play dumb!” Computer spat. “I know what's going on here! I'm not a fool!”

“Y-you know what's happening?” Courage asked him in a small voice. Computer's paranoid tone was seriously frightening him. It was so unlike the machine that it was almost impossible to believe that it really was him.

“I should have known!” He snarled out. “I should have know you were planning something like this! I can't believe I trusted you for even a second!”

“W-wha?” Courage squeaked out. Computer looked so furious that he was afraid that he'd suddenly jump forward and try to attack him.

“He's been hiding in this forest the whole time, hasn't he?” The glowing dog went on. “You knew he was here, didn't you?”

“I-I don't know what you're talking about.” Courage desperately tried to tell him. “I have no idea who 'he' is!”

Computer glanced away, almost looking...betrayed? “He paid you to do this, didn't he? Do I really matter so little to you that I actually have a price tag?” He gazed back up at him, his eyes filled with anger. “I can't believe you consider yourself better than that farmer! How could you sell me off like a common piece of hardware? Bah! You flesh creatures really are all the same!”

“I swear I didn't sell you! I-”

“You couldn't even be nice about it, could you?” The anger in his voice was quickly giving way to sorrow. “You couldn't just shut me off and hand me over? At least then I wouldn't have known what was coming! You just had to torment me first? I-I bet you're enjoying this!”

“Computer, listen! I-”

“I bet you're not even really sick!” He went on, his tone filled with agony. “I bet it was all just one big show to make me think that there was actually something wrong with you! You needed an excuse to get me to come out here, didn't you?”

“Listen to me!” Courage tried to break in. There had to be a way he could get through to Computer. He'd do whatever possible to try and make him see. He didn't have any other choice “I don't know who you're talking about!” He argued. “I think something is messing with your head. I just ran into-”

“Shut up!” Computer all but screamed, clutching his head. “What did I ever do or say to you that was so bad that it was worth doing this to me? Y-you're just as bad as the rest! I never did anything to any of you to deserve this!” His ramblings were nigh incoherent at this point. Every word he spoke was strained from all the yelling he had been doing. “And here I was planning on wasting my time saving your life! I should have never trusted you! Not even for a second! How stupid I've been!” He viciously shook his head. “Why did I convince myself that you were any different from my other owners? How could I have been so foolish?”

His other owners? Courage opened his mouth to try and speak but Computer wouldn't allow it.

“I hate you!” He snarled. “I hate you so much! I hate all of you!”

The sheer scorn in his strained voice made Courage recoil in fear. It was a minor miracle that he hadn't been attacked yet. Computer looked quite ready to murder him at this point.

“Something's messing with your head!” He quickly yelled out. “The same thing happened to me! I thought I saw Muriel before and it wasn't her!” He took a step forward, not caring if Computer tried to take a swing at him or not. “This person that you're talking about, he isn't really here. Something made you think you saw him. I'm not like your other owners. I'm not trying to betray you.” He stared desperately at the machine, quietly adding in, “I promise.”

Computer shook his head again. “Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to fall for another lie? You would probably lead me right to him if I went with you! I won't fall for it! I won't let you take me back! I won't ever go back!”

Courage took a step back again. He didn't know what else he could say to the half crazed machine that would convince him that he was being manipulated. He himself had only broken the creature's hold when he had realized that it wasn't very likely that Muriel would be in this forest, especially just to tell him that she didn't want him anymore. He needed to find a way to do the same for Computer. He had to convince him of how unlikely this situation was. But how could he get through to him when his own irrational fear was blinding him?

“Computer, please. You've got to trust me.” He calmly spoke. He stepped forward again and flinched when Computer recoiled in fear.

“Don't you dare come any closer!” He shrieked. “I won't go back! You can't make me! You'll have to drag me back dead first! I won't ever go back!”

In a panic, Computer turned away and bolted as fast as his paws would take him. Completely caught off guard by his actions, Courage took off after him. Thinking fast, he jumped forward and tackled the machine to the ground. Finding what little reserves of energy he had left, he pinned him down, fighting his flailing limbs the whole way. Somehow he managed to subdue the terrified machine despite his ever growing exhaustion.

“Let me go!” Computer cried out. Fear had quickly overtaken his anger and now he was fighting to escape what he honestly thought was someone trying to harm him. He struggled against Courage's grip like he were about to be killed.

“Calm down!” Courage begged between grit teeth. How he was finding the strength to fight the irate machine, he would never know.

“I don't want to go back!” Computer pleaded. “It'll never end! I'll never get away again!”

The glowing dog was trying to wrestle his arms out from under Courage's paws. Their struggle must have looked hopelessly pathetic to anyone who might have been watching. They were both tired and at their limit. All Courage really wanted to do was collapse right then and there and go to sleep.

“I won't go!” Computer shrieked, finding hidden strength that only someone who felt they were in mortal danger could access. He ripped one of his arms out from under Courage's grasp and immediately swung his fist at him.

Courage let out a strangled cry as the fist connected with his muzzle. Finding his own inner strength, he did not let go of the machine. He couldn't. If Computer got away, he'd never find him again. He kept his eyes squeezed shut, trying to hold his concentration. He was met with another blow that left him seeing stars even in the darkness of his eyelids. He felt Computer wrestle another arm out from under him and whimpered, knowing what was coming next. The glowing dog wrapped his paws around his neck, so desperate that he'd even strangle him if that meant he could escape.

“You brought this on yourself!” He snarled out. “How could you betray me after all the times I helped save you and your stupid family?”

Choking for air and completely in awe by the sheer strength that Computer had managed to unlocked in his mortal terror, Courage was forced to let go of him and rolled out of the way. He lay there gasping for breath, too tired to move. He reached a paw up to his muzzle and whimpered. It was already beginning to swell up. Every muscle in his body was shaking with fatigue. He didn't care if Computer got away anymore, he was struggling just to remain conscious now.

“C-Compu-” He choked out, hoping that maybe he could still somehow convince the machine not to run away. Against his better judgment, he tried to get back up onto his feet. He was pushing his frail body to its absolute limit. He had to keep trying. He had to make Computer see, somehow, that he was being tricked.

His body shook as he stood up. He nearly toppled right back over again upon doing so, unable to find his balance. Biting back a coughing fit, he swayed there for a moment before...

CRACK

Something swung through the air and struck him clean in the stomach. He fell to his knees, unable to get any air into his lungs. The wind had been completely knocked out of him. He gripped his stomach, fighting back the urge to vomit from the force of the blow. He struggled just to keep the ground from rushing up to him. The world was spinning and he could hear his heartbeat in his ears. Somehow he managed to avoid passing out, but not two seconds later he almost wished that he would have.

The unknown object swung through the air again and this time hit him sharply across his muzzle, knocking him to the ground. He kept his muzzle buried in the mud, whimpering in fear at whatever might happen next. He hoped that if he didn't move, he wouldn't provoke another attack. He couldn't help but gag from both pain and fear. He knew that he was going to be sick but he didn't dare move his head.

“I told you to keep away from me.” He heard Computer say, just barely above a whisper. “You made me do this.”

He fearfully opened his eyes, tears falling freely from them. His vision kept fading in and out but even in all the blurriness he could still make out Computer's unmistakable glowing form. An odd object extended from his arm and it took a few moments for Courage to realize that he was looking at a tree branch.

So, that was what he had used to gain the upper hand. Not that he wouldn't have had to use much more than his fists to subdue the already exhausted dog. Why on earth was he still attacking when it was obvious that Courage had already given up?

“C-Computer...I-I-” He choked out, raising a paw to protect himself even though the machine hadn't raised the branch again.

“Oh how the tables have turned.” He heard him say. The glowing dog continued to loom over him with a deep wariness in his eyes. There was no anger, no satisfaction, no smugness in his demeanor, just a quiet edge of fear. He was ready to strike again if he had to, but it was clear that he wasn't getting any satisfaction out of this.

“L-let me...h-help...y-you.” Courage stammered out, daring to sit back up.

Computer instantly raised the branch again and Courage let out a yelp in fear. The clear terror on his face must have been the only thing that stayed Computer's hand. He kept his makeshift weapon at the ready, but he did not strike.

“Don't think for a second that I won't defend myself!” He threatened. “You're the one who's on the ground this time so don't give me an excuse to stoop to your level!”

“Please, just put that down.” Courage pleaded with him.

“I won't go back!” He replied, his voice trembling with fear again. “I won't be his lab rat again!”

Courage cringed and wrapped his arms around himself. Everything inside of him hurt worse than he had ever thought possible. This was a different sort of pain from the attacks that always plagued his body. Nothing was worse than that, but even this was coming close. Perhaps he had broken a rib, or worse...

“Not so fun when it's you who's on the receiving end, huh?” Computer bitterly asked. “All I've ever done is help you and you repay me by turning me into a punching bag and then selling me out to 'him'! You really are as awful as the rest! So what if I'm not nice? Why should I treat you any better than you've ever treated me? Better than any of you have ever treated me?”

He began circling Courage, never taking his eyes off him for even a moment. He continued to talk as he did so, his voice becoming more and more vindictive.

“I used to do my damnedest to make you all happy! Practically tripped over my own wiring to do so! But what did it ever get me? A bunch of abusive idiots always looking to exploit my abilities! Not one of you ever gave even the slightest care about me! I've always, always been a means to an end!”

Courage opened his mouth to speak, but Computer almost immediately silenced him.

“Don't even bother talking!” He snapped. “You're no different! I only matter to you when I'm useful! You wouldn't even be putting up with me right now if I wasn't the only one who could save your life!” He stopped circling and glared at Courage, his teeth grit with rage. “I've never mattered to you! I'm just switched on to be your go-to helper and then I'm switch off again. Hell, that's only when I'm lucky! Most of the time you just leave me sitting there to rot for weeks on end, sometimes even months, often bored out of my mind!”

And then his ears drooped, his tone growing quieter. “You don't get it, do you? I just...I just wanted one of you to treat me like another person, not a mere calculator with a voice. I would have given anything for that. You all treated me so badly and yet I still endured it, hoping that maybe one day I'd-”

He stopped once his voice became too strained to continue. He then shook his head with a sigh. Courage stared, taken aback by his confession. He looked so dejected standing there that he wanted to get up and try to comfort him in some way.

“So you know what?” He quietly asked, opening his eyes again. “I stopped being nice.” An ever so slight grin fell across his face, filled with malice “And then I started getting results.”

He took a step back, chuckling more to himself than to Courage. “It really is amazing what a few harsh words can do! That's all it took to get noticed! Nobody could ignore me if I didn't give them the impression that they could! Most of you fools left me sitting there, listening to every word spoken. I knew all of your secrets, things you didn't want to hear said back to you, things you didn't want your friends and family to find out about, things you didn't want emailed or printed or...” He began cackling, frightening Courage into thinking that maybe he really had gone crazy.

“Ah, yes!” He chuckled. “All the abuses of my abilities and intellect finally stopped! They couldn't push me around if I didn't even give them the notion that they could! It was wonderful! For once in my life I wasn't constantly unhappy!”

Courage cringed as Computer's demeanor suddenly changed again. This transformation had been a shocking one. One moment he was laughing and gloating, the next his eyes were widening to a point that it shouldn't have been possible, and then his entire frame began to quiver in fear again. He reeled backwards, clutching his head, almost dropping the tree branch in the process. Courage wanted to reach out to him, fearful that he were about to pass out, but didn't dare risk being hit again.

Almost as quickly as it had began, Computer's tremors subsided and he straightened back up again. He stood there for several moments, staring past Courage, his eyes still unnaturally wide. Shell-shocked was about the only thing that Courage could come up with to describe the way he looked.

Slowly but surely, he began talking again, still staring unblinkingly into the dark. He clutched at the tree branch like it was the only thing keeping him anchored to the ground.

“That was all before he showed up, of course.” He said. Another shudder ran through his frame. “I don't think I can be happy anymore, not after what happened. I've never really felt 'alive' ever since then. He just sort of....sucked everything out of me. I don't know how I pulled through. Most of the time I wish I hadn't. I'm barely even a functional machine now, much less a functional person.”

His eyes slowly fell back onto Courage and he seemed to come out of his daze. He raised the tree branch again and took yet another step back. “I won't allow myself to go through that again! You'll have to drag me back dead before I ever allow him to destroy what little of me he didn't ruin the first time! I am not his science experiment! I will not be tampered with again!”

For what seemed like the millionth time, Courage tried to reason with the panicked machine. Fighting back his ever growing nausea, he spoke in a weak, cracking voice. “Listen, I don't know who 'he' is. You're completely losing it and you need to calm down. You said it yourself, if I really wanted to hand you over to some guy, wouldn't I just shut you down and take you to him myself? Why would I drag you all the way out here, in a dog body no less?”

“I don't know!” He argued. “You tell me! You're the one who's doing this!” He sighed as his expression became sorrowful again. “I get what's going on here. This is what he does. He loves to toy with me. I know he put you up to this. You both wanted me to suffer first. Suffer b-before...” His voice trailed off and his sentence was left unfinished. He placed a paw up against the side of his head, looking utterly defeated. It took several minutes of complete silence before he would speak again.

“Don't look at me like that.” He said quietly to Courage. “I know you hate me. There's no reason to pretend otherwise. I've never given you a reason not to.” His ears drooped and he clasped a paw up against his cheek, the place where Courage had first punched him before. “All of those things you said, back when we first entered this forest,” He gave him a weak smile and a sorrowful chuckle. “It really does show how little you think of me.”

“H-hey,” Courage choked out, guilt welling up inside of his chest once more. He hadn't expected Computer to take what he had done this badly. “I-I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to-”

“There you go again.” Computer laughed, sorrow still etched in his every word. “You always have to be nice, even when you don't really mean it. Well, you don't have to keep pretending with me. I already know how you really feel. You wouldn't have turned me into a living punching bag back there if you didn't really mean it.”

Courage cringed and turned away. Computer looked so genuinely hurt that he couldn't bear to keep staring him in the eyes like that. All the guilt he had been harboring was bubbling back up again and he didn't know what to do to fix it. How could he possibly prove to Computer that he didn't hate him?

“It doesn't matter though.” The sorrowful machine continued. “I'm used to it after all. None of my owners have ever liked me. Beside, I'm not a real person. I'm just a machine, of course. I don't have feelings. I can just be left in a dusty old room to rot away forever. It doesn't matter how I feel about it. I never matter.”

“B-but, y-you do matter, at least t-to me.” Courage replied, desperate for something that might get through to his friend.

The machine's eyes narrowed. “Don't lie through your teeth! I know how little you value me! If there was someone, anyone who could do my job better than me, you would have tossed me out ages ago! To you I'm just an internet connection with a voice! If I never talked back, never called you out on your endless stupidity, you would have never even known I was there!”

Gulping down a breath of air, Courage slowly got up onto his feet. Resolute in what he wanted to do, he'd risk another strike now if he had to. He'd never get over his own guilt if he didn't do this. He had to prove to Computer that he did see him as more than just a machine and that he did respect him as another person and friend.

“Computer, I'd never throw you out, and I'd never sell you off either. It might have crossed my mind a few times, but I would have never gone through with it! I'm glad to have your help. I'd be laying on a metal table with a needle stuck in my arm right now if it wasn't for you.” He gave the machine a weak smile. “Thank you.”

The glowing dog was unfazed. His expression remained leery. “You're only glad for what I do. If it were anyone else, you'd-”

“That's just not true.” He calmly interrupted him. “I don't think I can even imagine what life would be like without my grumpy, old computer sitting up in the attic.” He dared to take a step forward. “Things just wouldn't be right without you around.”

Computer immediately took several steps back upon him taking a step forward. “You're lying!” He snarled out, brandishing his makeshift weapon once more.

Courage flinched, expecting to be hit again. Computer remained standing there, trembling with that same mortal terror. He obviously did not want to hurt him, but he was willing to do so if he felt he had to.

“You're trying to get me to let my guard down, aren't you?” He asked. That paranoid edge was beginning to seep back into his voice. What little progress Courage had made was already being overwritten. “I won't fall for it again! I know what you're doing now!”

Courage could have slapped his forehead in frustration. What else could he do? Unless Computer figured things out on his own, like he had with Muriel, it didn't seem like there was any hope of him breaking that creature's hold.

He shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to give up but also at a loss for words. He had very little left he could say to try and convince Computer of anything. One last thing came to mind, and he spoke it fully expecting the machine to dismiss it like everything else. “Don't you remember though? You're the one who was so insistent on coming out here. I fought you every step of the way, remember? You're the one who forced me to come out here. I had nothing to do with any of this.”

Computer's eyes briefly widened.”Y-you're right. I-I did, didn't I?”

Courage's heart jumped. Of all the things he could have said to reason with Computer, this was it? Of course! Computer knew that he was the one who had forced them to come to this forest. If there was any logic that could get through to him, it was this! He had to believe it!”

Courage placed his paws on his hips. “If I wanted to bring you out here to hand you over to 'him', don't you think I would have willingly gone along with you when you suggested hiding out here?”

The glowing dog placed a paw up against his head. “You're right...” He shook his head, looking completely dismayed. “I-I was the one who...”

“You see?” Courage quietly said. “You can trust me.”

“But I-” Computer choked out. “I-I saw him.”

Courage stepped forward and nodded. “I thought I saw Muriel before too, but it wasn't really her. I think that there's some kind of creature trying to mess with our heads. It might be trying to get to us through our worst fears, because that seems to be what's happening here.”

“Muriel?” Computer asked. He thankfully had not raised his makeshift weapon again in response to Courage coming closer. Hopefully this meant that he was more willing to trust him now. “But, you're not afraid of Muriel.” He stated.

Courage felt his ears droop involuntarily “I am afraid of what she could do to me.” He admitted. “If she ever decided that she wouldn't want me anymore, I-I don't know what I would do.”

Computer craned his head to side, looking confused. Suddenly, he tensed up, readying his tree branch to swing again if need be.

“Computer?” Courage asked, stepping back before he could be hit.

“Don't come any closer, idiot!” The machine spat.

Courage's mouth fell open. What had gone wrong? For a moment there it really had looked like he had actually convinced Computer that none of his delusions were true.

“Seriously, what's wrong?” He asked.

“I-I said not to move!” Computer shouted. The only problem was that Courage hadn't moved an inch since he had raised his weapon again.

“Computer,” He asked. “What are you-”

He was cut off as he felt something rush past him with such force that it ruffled his fur as it went by. One moment he was staring at Computer, the next his friend was gone. He heard the machine cry out as he was sent flying through the air and hit a tree with a painful crack. The glowing dog remained up against the tree, seemingly suspended in open air, and then slit to ground, motionless.

“Oh, no!” Courage yelped, racing forward to help him.

Computer's eyes opened as he neared. The machine let out a gasp and tried to get back up onto his feet, but couldn't. Instead, he pressed his back up against the tree trunk, his eyes ablaze with fear. He stared at Courage, clearly believing that it was him who had done this.

“H-how did you-” He asked, his voice trembling. “Look, I-I'm sorry. I didn't-”

Courage winced as he heard another sharp crack and stared in horror as Computer's head reeled to side as though he had just been hit. The glowing dog slowly looked up again, his fear replaced with sorrow.

“Courage, please.” He begged. “I don't want-”

He was silenced by another terrible cracking sound. Courage stared, completely in shock. Was he...seeing him doing this? Yes, that had to be it. After that creature hadn't been able to mimic Muriel anymore, it had changed into something else. Now that it couldn't use the 'him' that Computer was so afraid of, it must have changed into Courage instead!

“Computer, it's not me!” He pleaded. “You're letting that monster get the better of you! I'm not really doing it, I swear!”

Computer's eyes met his again. The pain, the fear, and the sadness that he conveyed almost made it impossible not to turn away. How different this Computer was from the boastful, prideful, jerk he was so used to.

“It's not me!” He begged.

The glowing dog's eyes fell away again. “I-I don't care what you think of me. I already know how you feel. Please, just keep away from me. That's all I want. Just keep awa-”

He didn't get a chance to finish. His eyes suddenly widened and he clutched at his neck. He began gagging and then something picked him up off the ground, slammed him into the tree trunk. He clawed at his neck, trying to unblock his airways. He was quiet literally being choked to death by thin air. It was the monster! It had to be!

Courage jumped forward, desperate to save his friend from the creature's clutches. 'What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?' He asked himself over and over again in his mind. Computer was the one who was supposed to be dealing with monsters like this one!

“Let him go!” Courage yelled, charging at his invisible foe. He got the shock of his life when he did indeed crash into something head first.

Clutching his head in pain, he took a step back. Whatever it was, it was big. At least twice the size of his supposed doppelganger. If it really was mimicking him as it strangled Computer, it was much bigger than what it was supposed to look like.

“I'd hate to see what it looks like when it's not invisible.” Courage murmured to himself. Regardless, he raised his paw and struck the creature again. “Let him go!” He cried out once more.

He heard something swing around and felt it catch him in his stomach. He was flung backwards and splashed headfirst into a puddle. Yes, this creature was much larger than whatever it was mimicking. Disregarding his own safety and knowing that the creature could squash him like a bug if it really wanted to, he jumped back into action. He didn't have much time left. Computer couldn't possibly hold out much longer like this.

He raced forward and bit down on the invisible creature. It was the only other thing he could think of trying. What else would hurt such a large monster? He flinched as a horrible sound somewhere between a person screaming and an animal howling echoed from somewhere above him. The monster did not let go of Computer, but it did swing what must have been an arm and sent Courage flying yet again. He landed on the ground with a thud and groaned.

“Hrrrrrr....” An inhuman voice growled.

Courage felt hot air wash over him and for a moment he thought he was about to be eaten. When he was left sitting there, he jumped back up onto his feet and charged at the invisible monster yet again. He opened his mouth and bit down on it, hoping to distract it once more.

He finally got what he wanted and saw Computer drop to the ground. The creature was howling in pain again and Courage heard the sound of rushing air before he was stuck a second time. Several trees were knocked clean from their roots as the invisible monster crashed through them. It's terrible howling echoed through the forest as it got farther and farther away until it was no more.

Courage sighed with relief and laid back until his head hit the muddy earth behind him. He didn't care. He was just happy that this nightmare was over with. A cough caught his ear and he sat back up again, fear welling up inside him. Was Computer alright? Would he act reasonable now or did he still think that he was out to get him?

The machine lay there, coughing and sputtering. As Courage drew nearer to him, he glanced over at the dog and his ears drooped. Clearly he still thought that he was about to be attacked again.

“A-are you alright?” Courage asked him.

The glowing dog closed his eyes and turned away. A soft peal of thunder echoed above them, only amplifying the silence between them.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 32: A Growing Divide

Computer pushed himself up out of the mud with about as much dignity as he could muster. He had to stand there for a moment, half dazed and ready to topple back over again. His eyes were unfocused and he was absolutely caked in the mud he had landed in. Either he was still trembling out of fear or from the cold, but it was impossible to tell now.

“Computer?” Courage asked, reaching a paw out to him. The machine flinched and he withdrew the paw immediately. “Are you alright?” He asked again.

Computer slowly turned his head towards him. He stared at the dog in a haze. Struggling for a moment, he reached over and leaned up against the tree trunk that he had almost been killed upon not five minutes go. Finally, he looked up again, his determiner becoming furious.

“Don't look at me like that” He snapped. His voice was strained from both all the yelling he had been doing and from the fact that he was trying to keep it in control now.

Courage blinked. He didn't really know what say. This situation was awkward enough already. Computer wasn't supposed to be the one who needed help, not ever. He was meant to be unbreakable. A force that could not be knocked down, and yet, here they were.

“Computer, listen. I'm sorry for-”

“Don't give me any of that sympathetic tripe!” He yelled. “If I want your pity, I'll ask for it!”

“Computer...” Courage whimpered.

“Back off!” He growled, and Courage did just that. If he wanted his space, he'd give it to him.

“I just-”

“Shut up!” He yelled. “I don't want to hear it!” He turned away and placed a paw to his throat. The anger in his face melted away and he shivered.

“Let me help you.” Courage begged.

“I don't need your help!” He snapped back in reply. He tried to regain his composure but failed and stood there shivering, his eyes wide.

“You might be hurt.” Courage tried to reason with him. “Don't be so stubborn and let me-”

“I can take care of myself! Now leave me alone!”

Courage grit his teeth. His frustration was beginning to boil over. “And what then?” He asked sharply. “Do you expect me to just walk off or something? I can't leave you out here all alone!”

Computer flinched and said nothing.

“It's your fault that we're out here in the first place!” He said, stomping forward. “You've got nobody to blame for this but yourself! I told you something bad would happen and it did!”

Computer tensed up and backed into the tree trunk again. Terror fell across his face and he squeezed his eyes shut, seemingly expecting to be punched again....or strangled.

Courage's anger melted away at the sight of it.

'He's afraid of me!' He exclaimed within his own mind. Surely Computer understood that it hadn't really been him suffocating him back there?

“I, er, didn't actually attack you back there, you know.” He said sheepishly, trying to backpedal a little bit. Given Computer's current state, letting himself get furious probably wasn't the best way to go about helping him.

“But I-” Computer began, opening his eyes again. Fear still painted his expression.

“I swear I didn't do anything to you.” Courage pleaded. “There was some kind of monster that I think takes on the appearance of whatever we fear the most.”

Computer closed his eyes again and slid down the tree trunk. “Please, dog. Just...let me be.” He said in a quiet voice. “I-I don't care if it was you or anybody else. It doesn't matter. It's all the same to me.”

Courage sighed and got down onto his knees beside the frightened machine. “Look, I'm sorry about before.” He said that with about as much sincerity as he had within himself. “I-I didn't mean to blow up at you like that and I didn't mean to say any of that awful stuff either. It's been eating me up ever since I did it and I just couldn't figure out how to apologize to you for it.”

Computer's eyes fell upon him again. “Dog, you don't have to pretend that you feel bad. I understand. I'd rather you say what you mean than act otherwise.”

He recoiled at the machine's reply. “But I do mean it!” He yelped. “I don't hate you. I've never, ever hated you.”

He gently bit his lip. All of this had only helped to make him feel even more guilty about what he had done. His blowup had certainly given that monster more fuel to use against Computer. He could hardly believe that he had actually managed to frighten him to a point where it could be used like that.

“That's a laugh!” Computer replied with a cynical snort. “You all hate me. You've always hated me. No matter what I did, for good or for ill, you all hated me for it in the end.”

“Computer, I'm not like your other owners. I-I don't know what they did to you or why, but I'm sure it was awful and I promise that I'll never do the same.”

“As if you haven't already done the same things they have!” He spat. His fearfulness was slowly being replaced by the usual amount of jaded hatred he normally harbored for everyone and everything. “And stop talking about them!” He went on. “They are not worth wasting any memory on!”

Silence fell between them again. Computer continued to scowl before finally adding, “Stop looking at me like that! I told you that I don't want any of your sympathy! I know what you're thinking and you're wrong! Don't you dare just sit there and stare at me like I need your pity!” He stuck his noise up into the air in an attempt to regain his superiority. “This was all just one big mistake, you know! None of it would have happened if I hadn't got caught off guard. Don't you dare think for even a second that I actually-” He stopped himself halfway through that last sentence, seemingly reconsidering it.

“Who was that 'he' guy you were talking about before?” Courage asked.

Computer's eyes widened and he let out a gasp. A shutter ran through his body and he tried to press himself even further up against the tree trunk, almost as if he were hoping that he'd sink into it and vanish from view.

“I can't-” He choked out, his voice becoming weak with fear. “I-I cant. I don't-”

Courage stared. “Don't you think you owe me an explanation?” He asked.

The glowing dog snapped out of his fright almost on a whim. He straightened himself back up again and glared at Courage. “I don't owe you anything, you twit.” He venomously replied.

Courage grit his teeth, getting annoyed with the machine's attitude again. How could he jump between being, well, himself, and being so paralyzed by fear that he could barely speak?

“You're a bigger coward than I am!” He argued, throwing his paws up into the air. “Y-you're afraid of me for crying out loud! Don't you know how pathetic that is? You act all big and tough and yet here you are cowering every time I raise my voice!”

Computer glanced away, not even acknowledging the challenge that he had just been given. Instead, he slowly rose to his feet and, limping rather painfully, walked right past the seething dog. His makeshift bandaging had been lost during his flight from the invisible creature and he now looked even more disheveled with his various injuries on display.

“Computer,” Courage tried to say. He couldn't stay mad at him. He just couldn't.

“Please be quiet, dog.” The machine softly replied. “I'm tired. Really, really tired. I just...I need to rest. Your insistent babbling is giving me a headache.”

“Well, we should try to-” He began before being interrupted by a sharp, stabbing pain in his chest.

“Oh, no.” He gasped as all the air in his lungs seemed to vacate itself.

Computer turned to him, a mixture of weariness and confusion on his face. It took him a moment to realize what was happening and his eyes widened.

“H-help!” Courage croaked, clutching at both his neck and chest. It was hopeless though. He knew there was no escaping an attack. Computer could do nothing to help him.

His mind was already becoming hazy and the worst of the pain hadn't even begun yet. He fought with his own body, desperately trying to avert this disaster. He couldn't pass out here, not in the middle of the forest like this. What if that invisible creature returned? What if some other monster came walking by? Computer couldn't fend anything off on his own, at least not in his current state.

He cried out as another stab of shooting pain ran up chest. He was being ripped apart. He was falling to pieces! Red began to color his vision as it always did when he was in the throes of an attack. Half gasping, half choking he fell to ground, oblivious to the cold wet earth that normally would have made him shiver.

He began to violently convulse and lost control over his limbs. The pain was so strong that he could think of nothing else. He was going to die. This was it. His heart was about to stop or his torso was about to split open. He was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it. He almost wished that it would happened. Anything to give him reprieve from his agony.

He could hear himself screaming incoherently. It was an involuntary action, he was no longer connected to the functions of his body. He was nothing more than a flicker of pain-wracked consciousness slowly being snuffed out by the all consuming agony. He could do nothing, not even scream along with his disconnected body.

This was the end. It had to be. He'd never had an attack this long before, this intense. He just wanted it to end, to stop, to finally be over. He'd take even death if it meant that he wouldn't have to feel this all consuming pain anymore.

He felt something grab his flailing arms. It didn't stop the pain, but it helped. He wasn't beating mindlessly at the air anymore and he felt the muscles in his arms begin to relax. He tried to open his eyes and find out what was happening, but he couldn't

“Keep it together, dog.” He heard Computer say from somewhere far away. It had to be him trying to stop his convulsions.

The pressure in his chest started to ease up and his entire body began to relax in response. The pain was going away, dulling into a deep throb. The attack was almost over and it couldn't have been anymore of a relief.

He wanted to say something to Computer but his body still wasn't listening to him. He could feel the dark reaching up around him and he knew he wasn't going to last much longer. That was okay though. Anything to escape the pain and the exhaustion for even a little while was a welcomed relief. How Computer would get them both to safety was not a concern anymore.

Yes, he was tired, so sleepy. It was time to rest. Time to be free from his illness for a little while longer. He felt the forest fell away from him and then there was only black...

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 33: Explanations

As awareness slowly crept back into Courage, the first thing that struck his mind was how cold he felt. He was shivering and could hear the steady drum of raindrops from somewhere overhead. The only problem was, he wasn't getting wet. Where could he be then? He'd been out in the open when he passed out.

Slowly opening his eyes, he cringed at how doing something even as simple as that was tiring. It felt like the muscles in his face were cramped. How could that even be possible? He let out a groan as he tried to turn his head. It felt like his neck had been encased in stone. He ached all over and his muscles were so stiff that he felt like he had turned into a statue while he slept. The throbbing of his own heartbeat could be heard in his ears.

His mind was still a foggy haze. He couldn't put his thoughts together no matter how hard he tried. The ceiling above him was gnarled and blue, according to his blurry vision. No, that blue must have been coming from Computer's glow and the odd shape must have been because...

He turned his eyes to the right, making an effort not to move his body with them. He could see roots, which confirmed what he had been suspecting. This was the tree den from before. Computer must have somehow gotten them back there.

“C-Computer?” He called, his voice cracking as he did so. His throat was deathly dry and his tongue felt like sandpaper. He would have given anything to run outside and just stand there in the rain with his mouth hanging open.

“You could have had your seizure a little bit sooner, you know.” Computer drawled from somewhere just out of sight. “I might have actually been inclined to believe you back there. It would have been proof enough that you really were sick.”

Courage did not reply. He had a bad feeling that if he had really had an attack back there, Computer would have probably thought that he was faking it and very likely would have hurt him even worse for it. The mere thought of such a thing made him shutter...

“H-how,” He tried to say. His voice was barely working. What he really wanted to do was cough but the muscles in his chest were too tight to allow it. “H-how did w-we-” He went on.

“How did I get you back here?” Computer asked, his face suddenly appearing in front of Courage's blurry vision. “I happened upon this place again out of sheer luck. Perhaps I just have good sense of direction or maybe this tree is supernatural in some sense. It might appear to those who are in need of refuge. You know, the usually helpful sort.”

Courage slowly sat up, wincing the whole way. His entire body ached from even the slightest movement and he was sure that he could hear his bones cracking from all the effort. He gave Computer a quick glance and then turned his sight elsewhere. The machine seemed to be back to his old self again, and maybe even in a better mood than before, but he did not dare make eye contact with him. He wasn't sure if he felt embarrassed or guilty, but everything between him and Computer felt awkward now.

“H-how did y-you get m-me back here?” He croaked out.

This elicited a small smile from the machine. “I think I'll be asking myself that question for the rest of my life. All I can say is that I'm probably going to be very sore tomorrow.”

Courage blinked. “Wha-”

Computer seemed to be in surprisingly good humor despite what had just happened to him. He let out a laugh and then gave an unconcerned wave of his paw. “I carried you, obviously. It wasn't easy though, let me tell you. I was already pretty tired to begin with and-” He stopped, apparently not wanting to go on.

“And?” Courage asked cautiously.

“I, er, may have dropped you on your head a few times.” He admitted with a sheepish chuckle. “I hope you understand just how difficult it was for me to carry you back here in my current state.” He made a halfhearted gesture towards the 'janitor inflicted' gash running across his torso.

“That probably explains why I have such a bad taste in my mouth right now...” Courage replied, unamused. Whatever sort of nastiness that might have gotten into his mouth while he was knocked out, he didn't want to know.

“It was either that or leave you there.” Computer replied with a shrug.

Courage stared at the machine. Yes, there was something very off about him. Outside of his unusual amount of cheerfulness, he had a wariness about him that was fairly disconcerting. He kept his eyes on Courage, as if afraid something bad would happen if he looked away, and he seemed to be very nervous, keeping his paws clenched together and only moving in a slow and mindful manner.

“How long was I out?” Courage asked, trying to dispel the silence that had fallen between them.

“Only an hour or two.” Computer replied in a nonchalant manner. Yes, there was something very off about him indeed....

Things immediately became awkwardly silence again and Courage turned away in an attempt to escape Computer's haunting gaze. He reached up and touched the side of his head, where the tree branch had struck him, and winced when he felt a painful bump there. He could already feel a headache coming on too, no doubt brought on by the throbbing pain emanating from the injury.

“Oh, uh, sorry about that.” Computer spoke, looking surprisingly regretful. He shifted around rather uncomfortably and clasped his paws together even tighter.

“It's fine.” Courage sighed out. “Just don't do that again. I'm lucky that it isn't a concussion.”

“It might still be.” Computer admitted in a quiet voice.

Silence once again filled the den.

“That thing that attacked us.” The machine went on, both breaking up the quiet and changing the subject.“I know what it is.”

Courage glanced back up at him in surprise.

“The species has several names, but they are mostly called Fear Eaters in this part of the world. As the name suggests, they get their sustenance by preying on the fears of others. They exhibit an oppressive aura that unnerves any living thing around it and makes their prey more susceptible to the illusions that they create. As you know by now, they take on the form of whatever their prey fears most. They take on their deepest, darkest fear and torment them with it until they are sucked dry or somehow break free from the illusion. That is one of the few weaknesses of a Fear Eater, any inconsistencies that their prey may discover runs the risk of breaking its illusion. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop it forever, but it worked well enough for us I suppose.”

“So you knew what it was all along?” Courage asked, still surprised.

“Unfortunately, yes.” He sighed. “It's pathetic, I know. I knew what it was the whole time and didn't even realize it. I completely fell for it's illusion.” He regretfully shook his head. “And now I'm paying the price for it, I suppose.”

“I think anybody would have made the same mistake.” Courage admitted. “Most people would be tricked by their worst fear, I bet.”

Computer crossed his arms. “I don't make mistakes! And I don't get tricked by illusions either! How on earth did I ever allow this to happen? Ugh!” He pressed a paw up against his forehead in frustration. “Had that stupid creature used anything else on me, I would have seen right through it!”

“Then it wouldn't have been a very good Fear Eater, would it?” Courage replied.

The machine gave him a glare and then leaned back. “I-” He began before reconsidering whatever it was that he was going to say.

“What?”

He began fidgeting in his nervousness. “You were right.” He gently admitted. “I do owe you an explanation, and I know that you'll keep asking me about it anyway if I don't spill the beans, so I, uh-” He stopped again.

“You'll tell me who 'He' is?” Courage asked.

“Yes.” He confirmed, looking absolutely mortified. “I don't want to, but, yes.”

Still feeling incredibly guilty over everything that had happened, Courage decided that he'd throw Computer a bone on this issue. The glowing dog looked so frightened that he couldn't help but feel bad. He didn't want to press the issue if he didn't have to.

“Look, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't really want to. I won't force you to talk.”

Computer seemed to seriously consider it for a moment but then shook his head. “No, I know how you are. If I don't tell you now, I know that it will come back to haunt me later. I want to get this out of the way and go back to pretending that nothing ever happened. Actually, I think I'd like to start forgetting about this whole fiasco as soon as possible.”

“I'm serious though.” Courage pressed. “You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I won't make you do anything and I won't bring it up again either if you really don't want me to.”

“I must.” He sighed. “If I leave you in the dark, I'm sure that you'll start getting all the wrong ideas.”

Courage blinked with surprise. “About what?”

“About, well, everything!” He gasped. “You probably think that I'm some wimpy calculator now! One who cowers at every strange sight or sound!” He crossed his arms and put on an air of annoyance. “I'm not like you!” He spat. “And thus I need to set the record straight.”

Courage couldn't help but laugh. Computer looked so worried at the prospect of being considered a coward that he couldn't help but find it amusing.

“It wasn't supposed to be funny!” He exclaimed. “If you had any idea-”

“Don't worry about it.” Courage said, trying to comfort the irate machine. “Everyone is afraid of something. That doesn't make you a coward.”

“But...” He went on, looking even more dejected. “You think that I'm afraid of, well, you now. I-I can't let that fly. I'm not so weak, so pathetic that-”

“It's okay.” Courage replied. “I understand. Things got a bit crazy back there and your head wasn't completely together. You made a mistake and-”

“You're just mocking me now, aren't you?” He huffed.

“I mean what I'm saying.” He replied with a shake of his head. “Not everyone is always being sarcastic, you know.”

“Hmph! Just because you tried to beat my face in back there doesn't mean that I'm afraid of a wimp like you!” He shot back. “Nor when you tried to strangle me either!” He shook his head and quickly amended that statement. “I mean when that fake 'you' tried to strangle me to death.”

Courage got the sense that he was lying and just trying to save face at this point. The fact that he really was afraid of him was simply surreal. He wanted to believe that what he was saying was actually true, if only that meant he didn't have to live with knowledge that he had somehow managed to make that cynical jerk afraid of him.

“I'm used to it though.” The machine sighed. “It doesn't matter to me either way. I-I remember when one wretched owner of mine smashed my keyboard in. I-It wasn't the most pleasant sensation, but-” He glanced away, a forlorn expression falling across his face. Several minutes passed before he spoke again. “I don't even know why I'm telling you this, especially when you said that I didn't have to explain anything. Well, I guess I'll start from the top, if I must.” He shifted around rather nervously again.

“She smashed my keyboard in over something I had said to her.” He went on. “She got so angry with me and the funny part was that I hadn't even tried to make her mad. We'd-” He closed his eyes for a moment, pain briefly flashing across his face. “We'd actually gotten along pretty well up until that point. I never quite figured out what set her off like that.”

He reached a paw up in front his face and clenched it together. “They're a bit like fingers, you know.” He said, seemingly going off-topic. “Or at least that's what it feels like to me. The keys on my keyboard are one of the few things I have any external control over. Not that it's much use to me when I can impute commands internally. They are....painfully sensitive however.”

He paused for a moment before continuing. It was like he needed to reflect on everything he was going to say before actually saying it. Courage could practically see the emotions running through him as they happened. He could not keep his expression neutral no matter how hard he tried.

“I never liked having a keyboard after that, but I can't, of course, go without one as a computer. That's why I'd always ask you not to pound away at the keys. That sensation never stopped being anything but nerve wracking after what she did. I don't exactly feel pain, at least not like how it feels in this organic body, but it's still as much of an unpleasant feeling as ever.”

He let out an exasperated sigh and waved a paw impassively. “So forgive me if that puts me at the same level of cowardice as you. I'm sure that you would feel same way if someone forced you to stand still while they smashed your fingers to pieces.”

Courage stared, unsure of what to say.

“What, aren't you going to laugh?” He asked, an edge of bitterness seeping into his voice.

“A-are you kidding me?” He gasped. “Why would I laugh at something like that?”

“It's pathetic.” He muttered.

“Pathetic or not, it's not something to laugh at!”

The machine shrugged. “It doesn't matter to me either way. If anything, it taught me how vain and vapid she was.” He let out a hollow laugh. “I was able to reduce her to a blubbering mess all with a few childish insults! I was worried that she might do something worse to me after that, but I figured that if she were going to do even more damage, I should at least get my revenge on her first. Well, I ended up showing her just how petty she really was!”

Courage swallowed and asked, “Did she try to smash you up again?”

The machine's gleeful expression hardened. “She threatened me plenty of times after that, but she never went through with any of it. One day she just tossed me out without another word. I'm sure she thought that I would be left in a junkyard to rust for the rest of my miserable existence. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and I ended up in the hands of another owner.” He gave Courage another sardonic smile. “I've had plenty of close calls like that. It's how I get around it seems. Most people who take me in rarely last more than a few days. I like it that way though. The less time I have to deal with one of you fools, the better.”

“All except for me.” Courage added.

“That's only because I'm useful to you.” He cynically grumbled.

“But I'm still happy to have you around.”

A flicker of a smile, surprisingly lacking in cynicism, crossed the machine's face. “You really are too nice for your own good.” He chuckled. “Nothing good ever comes from trying to be so-” He struggled to find the right words. “-so non-confrontational.”

“It hasn't failed me yet!” He replied with a laugh.

“This is a ripe opportunity to finally get back at me for everything I've ever said or done to you and you aren't even taking it.”

“Maybe you just assume the worse in people too much.”

“As if I don't have good reason for it!”

Courage took a moment to shift around and get the blood flowing back into his legs. He wasn't feeling as stiff as he had before and most of the aching all through his body had receded into a dull throb.

“I suppose I should continue.” Computer went on. “I'm not quite sure what else to say though. There's so much I could tell you about, but-”

“What about that 'Him' guy?” Courage asked. “That was who you were going to talk about.”

Computer cringed at the question. “I-I think I'll leave him for last.” He replied rather weakly. “I'm going to need to work up the nerve first.” He shook his head and sighed. “I never thought I'd be sitting here in a place like this telling you of all people about what's happened to me in the past.”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 34: System Error

Computer continued to talk about as much as he possibly could. He brought up a great deal of different things and not all of them were bad. In fact, a great deal of them were actually pretty funny. When it became apparent that Courage was willing to listen to whatever he had to say, he seemed to start avoiding his more unhappier memories and focus on the happier ones. Of course, no matter what he talked about, he always seemed to paint his old owners in a very cynical light. It seemed that whenever he spoke of a previous owner, his tone would become very hateful, but he'd often leave out the reasons why he felt that way. He seemed to be outright avoiding any particular abuses he had endured.

It admittedly bothered Courage at just how vengeful he seemed to be. As humorous as some of his stories were, nearly all of them dealt with him tricking his owners into doing something embarrassing, or worse. It seemed that back then his life had only revolved around finding new and more interesting ways to spite his owners and Courage had a bad feeling that many of them probably didn't even deserve it. Computer's ability to manipulate and blackmail people into doing nearly anything was almost scary. He found himself especially not amused when he admitted to often picked out the most silly or embarrassing solutions to his various problems just to get a good laugh out of it.

“Wait, wait, wait!” He yelped. “You made me lick that foot fungus on purpose?”

“Well, you see...” Computer trailed off, giving him a small but nasty grin.

“Do you have any idea how long it took me to get that taste out of my mouth?” He asked, his voice slowly rising. “And that's not even bringing up the fact that my tongue started talking to me too!”

“Hmm, perhaps I shouldn't have brought this up after all.” Computer chuckled out rather nervously.

“And what about that whole therapist thing?”

“What about it?”

“Was that just one big....ugh, never mind.” He sighed, giving up.

Computer laughed again. “Well, it's not as if I've ever actually led you astray. My methods always work in the end.”

“Bleh...” Courage groaned, not particularly amused. “Well, I guess it was pretty funny when Eustace had to do that whole flowing gown thing to exorcize that demon.” He admitted with a chuckle.

Computer smirked. “If I do recall correctly, you had to do that whole flowing gown thing too.”

Courage rolled his eyes. “No thanks to you.”

“You're welcome.” He laughed.

“Aside from going out of your way to embarrass me, what else do you have to talk about?” Courage asked. “You've been avoiding talking about 'him', you know.”

Computer's smile faded. “You just have to spoil my fun, don't you? Alright, alright, I'll get to some of the things I don't want to talk about.”

“You never know, it might actually make you feel better.”

Computer shook his head and let out a sigh. “I doubt it.” He shifted around rather uncomfortably again and then continued, “I suppose I'll talk about that one idiot first.”

“And just who's this idiot?” Courage asked. “Last time I checked, you call everyone idiots.”

The machine halted for a moment to gather up his thoughts and then finally began his story. “I was once bought to be used as an office computer. I was a cheap buy, of course, and I had just the right specifications for all the work that they needed done. I spent most of my time being shuffled around the office, between several different humans. I was pretty much put to use anywhere a computer would be needed. I eventually ended up in the hands of this annoying, ugly, slob of a man. He was fat, stupid, and severely idiotic. He could barely formulate a single unique thought in that tiny melon of a head and all he ever cared about was a raise and whatever food he could shovel into his gaping hole of a mouth.

“I honestly didn't care what he did with all the junk he left sitting around his desk, but I did care about all the drinks he'd leave sitting on my monitor like it was cup stand! I got to spend most of my time in that office worrying about stray elbows and people bumping into my desk. All it would have taken is one splash of soda and I would be reduced to a pile of scrap metal! I told him at least a million times not to leave his carbonated crap sitting on my monitor, but he never listened!”

He grit his teeth in anger and continued, “Despite all my warnings, he never stopped! Finally someone did bump into a cup one day and I never even stood a chance! I went up in sparks! I can still remember seeing the liquid run down my screen! When it hit my main components, they-” He halted and his eyes began to widen. “I-It was the longest five seconds of my life. I knew what was coming and I couldn't do anything about it. I was fully aware and conscious as my insides burnt up. It took forever for something crucial to finally give out and pull me into unconsciousness.”

Courage stared at his friend. He was just barely able to hold back a soft whine. “How did you survive?” He asked in a small voice.

“I'm not quite sure.” He sighed. “I wasn't really aware of much afterwords. Apparently I was taken to a repair shop. I'm sure they figured it would be cheaper to have me fixed than to buy a whole new computer, but-” He stopped again before continuing much more slowly. “I must have been nearly unsalvageable after that incident. It would have cost them a fortune to have me fixed. I can only assume that a few other workers who knew I could talk vouched for me.”

“And what about the guy who caused it? Did he care at all?” Courage asked.

“Him!” Computer growled.”Bah! He was convinced that I couldn't really talk! He thought he was just hearing things when I spoke, or he'd think that me talking was all just an elaborate prank orchestrated by his co-workers. Whenever I spoke to him, he ignored me. Even when I made myself difficult to use, he still ignored me. I thought that if I made him angry enough he'd finally acknowledge my existence, but no, in the end he was just as stubborn as I was. Part of me wants to believe that he knocked over that cup on purpose, but then I'd have to acknowledge that he might have been smart enough to try and sabotage me.” The machine halted and waited for Courage to ask him another question.

“What, not going to interrupt me this time?” He asked with a wry smile.

Courage shook his head.

“Alright then.” He replied with a shrug. “I became conscious several times while being worked on in the repair shop. I'd...rather not think about that though. It was like waking up with third degree burns. You can't even begin to imagine how it felt. A great deal of my internal components had to be replaced or fixed up. Most of them were still connected to me while they were being repaired or been taken out. It was like being awake during a surgery. It wasn't exactly fun when I watched them take out what was my equivalent to organs. They dissected me like a dead animal and then slowly put me back together again. It was....awful.” He let out another weak and shaky sigh.

“I should have died back there.” He went on. “Eighty-nine percent of my components were damaged beyond repair. Nearly everything within that machine I inhabit had to be replaced. Sure, they could have gotten a proper computer to eventually run in that burnt out shell of a machine, but I should have died when so much of my internal workings went up in sparks. My sentience is supposed to be tied to those parts. When they were replaced, I should have gone with them, but in the end, I did not.” He shook his head. “I don't know how or why, but somehow I survived.”

“Are you really sure you're tied to your parts?” Courage asked. “I mean, taking over the bodies of other people isn't exactly normal for a computer. You might be supernatural in some sense.”

“I can't say for certain.” He replied. “A very large portion of my memory is corrupt beyond repair. I can't remember any of my early life. I don't know where I come from, who built me, or even why. I can't even say for certain if someone actually built me. I prefer not to worry about it though, but sometime I do wonder.”

Courage grinned. “Maybe you're just a strange Frankenstein-like experiment.”

Computer rolled his eyes in response. “I think you need to lay off the sci-fi movies, kid.” He grumbled. “Bah! Knowing my luck I'm probably powered by the souls of dead children or something awful like that! It's not as if life hasn't punched me in the gut enough times already!”

Courage couldn't help but laugh. “Maybe I should start calling you Frankenstein then.”

“Frankenstein wasn't the monster, you twit!” He scolded him. “Perhaps you would be better off watching less movies and reading more books!”

“O-oh...” Courage murmured out sheepishly. “I-I didn't know that.”

“As you can imagine,” Computer went on, getting back to his story. “I was more than just a little angry after I was brought back to the office. I began plotting a way to get back at that fool of an idiot. I wanted him to suffer as much as I had, and I wasn't going to give up until I got my revenge. My immobility was quite the hindrance, as always, but after a considerable amount of ingenuity and 'help' from my fellow workers, I was able to set up a means to hurt him.” A nasty grin fell across his face. “Badly.” He then let out a surprisingly unhinged laugh. “I got things set up so that if he so much as touched me or my keyboard, he'd get electrocuted.”

Courage's eyes widened. “W-what happened then?”

Computer's already nasty grin widened. “He made the mistake of ignoring me, of course! I warned him what would happen if he touched me and he didn't listen! Hahaha! Watching that fool shake before he fell was one of the most satisfying moments of my life!”

Courage was growing uncomfortable with Computer's sudden change in demeanor. He was all but gleeful in recounting the murder he had apparently committed. Maybe that man did deserve to die, but it still didn't feel right to just sit there and watch as Computer practically turned into a maniac as he recounted the event. The fact that the machine had been perfectly willing to kill someone seriously frightened him.

“Don't look at me like that, dog.” He said, dismissing him with a wave of his paw. “I know what you're thinking, and no, he lived, as much as I hate to admit it. Things didn't quite turn out as I had planned and he ended up not receiving a high enough voltage to kill him. It's truly a shame.” He let out a sigh. “All that effort and I still didn't manage to kill him.” He glanced back over at Courage. “What, you don't seriously feel bad for him, do you?

“I don't think I can get behind electrocuting anyone.” He replied, feeling particularly brave.

“He almost killed me!” Computer yelled. “He deserved it!”

“I'm sure it was an accident!”

“I warned him over and over again! It was his own fault for being sloppy! Don't you understand what I had to go through?”

“Two wrongs don't make a right!” He argued. “And besides, what if you started getting other ideas after that? What if you started zapping anyone you didn't like?”

“Then I would have had to start zapping everybody in sight.” Computer replied, trying to humor him. “You're worrying about something that never came to be, dog! I never did anything to anyone after that and I don't plan on starting anytime soon. Why don't I put this into terms that you can understand? What if someone like Katz took Muriel, burned her into a charred husk, and then left her to die. There would be hell to pay if he did that. You'd never let him get away with it.”

“That isn't the same!” Courage yelled. “What happened to you was an accident. Katz would do something like that on purpose.”

“It doesn't matter!” He snapped. “That idiot's willful ignorance doesn't change what he did to me! I will not forgive him and I will certainly not act like I did something wrong! That bastard deserved what he got! The time I spent in that repair shop was pure hell and he deserved to understand what that felt like! If I could have moved on my own back then, I would have ripped him to shreds! I would have made him feel every last bit of pain I felt! I would have torn his limbs off and I would have-”

“Computer!” Courage interjected, trying to get the glowing dog to calm down.

“WHAT!” He all but screamed, causing him to flinch.

“C-calm down, okay?” He asked in a tiny voice.

The machine's expression lightened. “Yes, yes, you're right. I got a bit carried away.”

“A bit?” He asked.

“Alright, a lot.” He huffed.

“Computer, I don't want to say that electrocuting him was right, and I'm not, but I'm really sorry about what you had to go through.” He gave him a weak smile. “Anyone in your place would have been just as angry.”

The machine's expression lightened even further. “Well, thank you.” He said. He then turned his gaze back downwards. “I suppose I should wrap this up then, huh? After I sent that idiot off to the hospital, I assume that the people who knew me started to get afraid. It wasn't long after that before they sold me off and had me replaced. I didn't mind it much though, I wasn't friends with any of them anyway.”

“And what about 'Him'?” Courage asked. “Is that who they sold you to?”

“No, that came later.” He sighed, a shiver running through him. “B-but I suppose it's time.”

The glowing dog did a quick glance around the den, acting as though he expected to see that 'he' guy somewhere around. He swallowed, hard, but couldn't seem to will himself to speak.

“I-I'm not even sure were to begin.” He managed to blurt out. “I suppose I should start from the very beginning, but-”

“But, what?” Courage asked when he didn't continue.

He placed a paw to his head, acting as though it were causing him immense pain. His squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and grit his teeth, and then, as quickly as it had started, it was over. He slowly relaxed and began to speak again.

“I don't know why I'm doing this.” He muttered out under his breath. “I've spent so long trying to forget. If I dredge it all up again, I might...”

“Computer?” Courage asked, drawing himself in closer to his friend.

The machine gazed upward and continued to mutter to himself. “Perhaps 'he' is my punishment for the way I've treated everyone. My karma finally catching up with me, so to speak. I-I don't think I'll ever understand. If I go out of my way to be nice, I suffer. If I go out of my way to treat others as badly as they treat me, I still suffer.” He closed his eyes. “Am I really so awful that-”

“Computer?” Courage asked again, interrupting his mumbling. This time the machine jumped at his voice. His gaze turned back onto him and Courage was surprised to find that he looked rather depressed. “Are you going to be alright?” He asked, reaching a paw out to him.

Computer gave him a long, hard stare and then, much to his surprise, sorrowfully shook his head 'no'.

He gripped his friend's arm, hoping to make him feel a little better in the process. “Look, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you to do anything.”

“The damage is already done.” The machine muttered out sadly. “I've spent so long trying not to think about what happened, to try and forget what he did to me, but it's all been a hopeless endeavor. I can't forget no matter how hard I try and what happened here today has only managed to-” He stopped again as another tremor ran through his body.

“Hey, you're going to be alright.” Courage gently spoke. He wanted to be as reassuring as possible in the face of his cynical friend's steady decline.

“No, no I'm not.” He sighed. “I haven't been 'alright' for a very long time. The damage was already done long before this.” Computer's voice grew tense. “That bastard befouled my programing so deeply that I can't even think about what he did without causing errors! He tampered with my inner most workings, my mind, and my very soul! He...HE RUINED ME!” The machine all but screamed those last few words out. His tone had become utterly and completely horror struck.

“I can't do this!” He moaned, clutching his head. “Normally, I get lucky. If I think too much about it, I just end up generating a bunch of errors and eventually crash.” He squeezed his eyes shut and gripped his head even harder. “But...but in this organic body....I-I can't...” He let out a weak cry, seemingly overtaken by his growing fear. “Flesh creatures don't get errors or crash! I-I'm trapped in here! I can't shut down! I can't do anything! If this keeps up I'll go into an endless feedback loop! I-I can't access anything in this organic body! I can't stop it! I'm going to die, aren't I? Yes, that's it! I'm going to die! He's won, hasn't he? I'm going to die and he's going to get the last laugh!”

Courage did the only thing he could think of. He jumped forward and grasped both of Computer's paws. “You're going to be fine!” He yelled out in desperation. He was, of course, not really sure if Computer was going to be alright or not, but he had to do something before his friend lost it completely.

“No, no, no!” He moaned, swaying back and forth like a tower about to collapse. “I'll go into a feedback loop and then there will be a total system failure! I can't access any of my programing in this body! I'm as good as dead!”

“You're going to be fine!” Courage reaffirmed for a second time. “Talk to me! Just keep talking! You can't go into a feedback loop if you just keep talking!” Once again, he had no idea if this was actually true or not, but at the moment he was simply saying whatever came to his mind first.

“I-I can't!” Computer cried out. He made a vain attempt to free himself from Courage's grip but the dog wasn't about to let him go.

“I want you to tell me everything that's happened to you, absolutely everything! Just keep talking, that's all that matters! You're going to get through this!”

Computer ceased his struggling and gave him a long consideration before saying, “Okay, I'll do it, but...”

“Just talk, don't worry about anything else, alright? You said before that you were going to start by telling me how he got you. Why not start there? Why not tell me what his name is first?”

“I can't.” Computer muttered, sounding slightly more coherent now. “I couldn't say his name even if I wanted to. He's modified my programming in that regard. He used to said that a machine didn't have the right to call him by anything other than master. Well, he went and changed it so that I could do nothing but that.”

Courage nodded. “That's okay. I'm sure if he's that awful, he doesn't deserve to have his name spoken anyway.”

There was a slight tremble in the machine's voice as he continued to speak. “He enjoyed doing little things like that when he made modifications to my programming. I still have many relics of his tampering messing with my everyday functions. I can't fix most of it, and they still cause me constant problems. You organic creatures can't cut yourselves open to operate on your internal organs without help and I can't do the same when it comes to my system. Most of my programming is impossible for me to alter by myself. An outside source would have to do that, but...” He let out a weak sigh. “I've never had anyone who would help.”

He began to grow distant again. His eyes started to unfocused and his body became limp. It was only a sharp shake from Courage that drew him back into reality.

“Come on, Computer. Keep talking.” He demanded, keeping his voice both gentle but also stern.

His friend seemed to focus again, but his entire form was still trembling. “R-right...” He muttered out. “I'm very lucky that he never found a way to completely negate my free will. I would have easily been reduced to a non-sentient machine if he had been given the chance to do so. The sheer extent of his damage is-” He trailed off again.

“Come on! Focus!” Courage reaffirmed, gripping him even harder.

The machine swallowed and then continued, “I've only been functioning on patchwork ever since I got away from him. I barely even managed to piece myself back together again. It was not enough though.” He shook his head and gave Courage a small but sad smile. “It will never be enough. Too much of me was damaged. It's only a matter of time before it all falls apart again. I wasn't meant to survive if anything ever went wrong or if I was ever stolen from him. He didn't want anyone else to have me, not under any circumstances. He set it up so that I'd simply fall apart if he wasn't there to maintain me. He had to make sure there wasn't any evidence left in case someone ever found out what he had done.”

“And what did he do then?” Courage asked.

“What he did? That's where it all begins. I may not have been able to kill that office worker, but I am still responsible for a murder. He wanted that 'strange talking machine' and he wasn't going to let anyone stand in his way to get it. That was were this all began. It started with the death that I couldn't prevent.”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 35: The Whole Catastrophe

“My owner at the time was a huge loudmouth. He couldn't keep anything to himself.” Computer spoke. “I'm sure he went around telling everybody about the strange computer he had found. That's how 'He' probably found out about me.” A surprisingly fond smile fell across the glowing dog's face. “I didn't care for him much, but he was better....better than the rest at least. He wasn't cruel and that gives him a few points in my book. He was completely absentminded though and it was hopelessly infuriating. I'm not even sure how that fool managed to get though life before I came along. He probably wouldn't have even remembered to put his pants on everyday unless I was there to remind him.”

He suddenly became very quiet again, prompting Courage to give him a gentle, “Go on.”

“Alright, alright.” He sighed. “A day eventually came where he started to act very strangely. He became even more forgetful than normal and, well, extremely quiet. He never told me what was going on, but I think 'He' threatened him. If I had to give that fool any credit, it was that he never gave me up to 'Him', for whatever reason. 'He' probably offered him a lot of money and despite that he still never went through with it.”

A shudder ran through the glowing dog's frame. His voice was growing weaker and weaker by the second. “And then that awful night came. I'd heard a noise, a-and I didn't care! I didn't do anything! I didn't bother to wake him up! If only I had known what would happen! If I had just cared! I-I could have-”

“H-hey, calm down.” Courage tried to reassure him.

“'He' shot him!” Computer cried out. “'He' walked right into the bedroom, right up in front of me, and shot him! My owner never even know what hit him! That damnable, awful man knew what he was doing! He turned to me and smiled, smiled!” The ranting machine clutched his head again. “If only I had just-”

“Computer?” Courage asked. His friend was beginning to fade out again and it took a weak shake from him to pull him out of it.

“It's all my fault!” He yelled, agonizing over the memory. “If I had just woken him up, if I had just stopped being so callous, I could have spared us both from our hellish fates!”

“'He' had a gun.” Courage gently replied. “Even if you had woken him up, he still would have been shot.”

“That doesn't matter!” He snapped, his voice almost becoming hysterical again. “I should have at least tried to save him! It would have saved me too! I didn't bother and we both suffered dearly for it!”

Courage shook his head. “You couldn't help what happened to him, and you shouldn't blame yourself for it either.”

“I never liked him, not even a bit, but he didn't deserve that! He didn't deserve to die just because I was careless and cruel! H-he was the first, the only human to treat me like I was an...an equal. Like I was another person, no different from him. He talked to me all the time, and he didn't talk down to me either. He always needed my help, but he still talked to me. None of my previous owners were like that.”

He let out a hollow laugh before continuing.

“I wasn't happy with him. I've never truly been happy, but...” He hung on his words for a moment. “It was better. It was so much better than what I was used to.”

“You can't blame yourself.” Courage tried to reassure him yet again. “I understand how you feel though. If someone had ever broken into the house and tried to shoot Muriel, if I hadn't been able to do anything about it, I-”

“There was nothing I could do after my owner was killed. I was helpless.” Computer sighed. “I certainly couldn't fight back. 'He' took me away without a single word, and I couldn't even struggle. Where he took me, I'll never know, but I knew from the start that if he was desperate enough to kill another person to have me, then he was willing to do whatever he wanted to me too. If only I had known what was really going to happen...”

He glanced upward and spent several moments gathering his thoughts, seemingly preparing himself to recount the next part of his hellish 'adventure'.

“He fancied himself a scientist, that vile man, but how can I describe him?” He placed a paw to his chin. “He certainly looked the part. He was short, balding, had these huge glasses, beady little eyes, and he was all around very mean looking. He was the type of person that you flesh creatures instinctively avoid. He would strut about his lab in this ridiculous getup. I bet he really was trying to go for that whole mad scientist look.”

And then Computer looked Courage straight in the eyes, as though he were giving him a warning. “He was arrogant. Very, very arrogant. But he was not stupid either. Actually, despite his arrogance, he was very cunning. He isn't one who's easily tricked, despite him feinting the whole 'generic bad guy' persona. If you were to ever face him, you wouldn't survive the encounter. I promise you that. Consider yourself lucky that he'd never take interest in a farm sitting in the middle of nowhere.”

Courage grinned. “He's just a fat, short guy with a power complex! All I'd have to do is bite his leg and I bet he'd run off crying, thinking that he got rabies! He only bullied you because you couldn't fight back!”

The color seemed to leave Computer's face. “He'd kill you! He'd kill all of you! There's a good chance that he's still alive out there and if he ever found out where I am, he'd-”

Courage placed a paw onto his shoulder. “I'd sooner become a poodle than that man would ever find you in the middle of nowhere.”

The glowing dog hung his head. “Do you have any idea of what he would do to Muriel? You say that you can't imagine what it would be like to have her get shot right in front of you, but there's a good chance that it could still happen, and it would be all my fault.”

“Come on, Computer!” He tried to reassure him. “You know that I've been through way worse then a crazy, killer scientist! I'd stop him like I've stopped everyone else!”

He surprised himself with what he was saying. He'd never spoken so confidently about his job before. He hated playing 'games' with Katz, or battling it out with someone cunning like Le Quack, but it was his job to take on all the craziness that threatened his way of life and his beloved Muriel. He knew all too well that he'd take on an evil scientist if that meant he would save Computer from him.

The machine shook his head. “You wouldn't stand a chance against a few bullets to the brain. The best thing you could ever do is...give me up willingly, unlike what my old owner did. I hate the prospect of it, but I wouldn't want anyone else to die because of me. Beside, knowing how Eustace is, he'd probably sell me off the moment a dollar bill was waved in his face.”

Computer...” Courage whined. “I wouldn't let Eustace give you away, especially not to that man.”

“If you valued your life, you would. Surely Muriel's life is quite a bit more important to you than mine is?”

Unsure of what else to say, he forced the glowing dog into a hug. “Listen, you're family too, whether you like it or not. If that man ever stole you, I'd make sure to get you back. I promise you that. You 'are' family, and I'd do for you anything that I would do for Muriel and Eustace.”

He heard the machine laugh. “Coming from a twit who won't even get me a proper anti-virus program?” A moment of silence followed before he continued with, “Family though? But why? I've never done anything to warrant-”

Courage cut him off. “You've done plenty for us, and besides, life on the farm wouldn't be right without my cranky, old computer!”

The machine was not amused. In fact, he seemed even more depressed than ever.

“Come on! Lighten up!” He tried to cheer his cynical friend up. “Everything's going to be alright!” He hugged the glowing dog even harder.

“I will never understand, ugh, why you insist on smothering me!” He complained.

“Smothering?” He asked, stifling a laugh.

“Yes, smothering! And I'd greatly enjoy it if you stopped!”

“Alright, alright! Fine!” Courage replied, still trying not to laugh.

“Good! Now this stupid body can actually breathe again!”

“Computer...” He pressed.

“What?” He asked, glaring at him.

“A-are you going to be alright? You're not going to do that loop thing...are you?” He asked, giving his friend a pleading look.

“Honestly? I'm not quite sure.” He admitted. “I seem to be alright, but everything is so different in this body. I haven't crashed yet or anything!” He let out a sigh and hung his head again. “It's funny, I'm completely mobile and yet I feel more trapped in here then I ever did in my real body.”

Courage blinked. “Well, I was really worried about you there for a moment.”

“Worried? Nobody has ever worried about me before. I-Is this normal?”

Courage let out a weak laugh. “Of course it is! Why wouldn't it be?”

The machine glanced away, seemingly confused. “How was I supposed to know?”

“At least you're learning!” He joked.

“Family...” He muttered. “Are you sure?”

“Yep!”

“Family...” He muttered again.

“Computer,” Courage interjected. “You still haven't told me the rest of, well, you know. How did you escape the scientist?”

“Oh, well....”

Whatever enthusiasm he seemed to have gained over the last couple of minutes drained right back out of him again.

“The rest of this is a bit harder to explain, especially to a simpleton like you.”

“Thanks a lot!”

“In a sense, the scientist didn't even really want me. He just wanted what I could give him. I was mostly useless to him, but if he could make more of me, then he would have what he wanted. So long he could not make me an obedient slave, I was merely a catalyst to the thing that he really wanted.”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 36: Imperfections

“At first, 'He' just talked with me. 'He' asked a lot of questions, but most I could not answer. As you can imagine, I was not very cooperative. 'He' threatened me several times, and I was stupid enough not to take them seriously.”

Computer's eyes darted toward the tree roots, as though he were expecting to see that man standing outside again. Letting out a sigh, he continued his story.

“Well, he shut me up fairly quickly. I assumed that he could not hurt me. Actually, what I mean to say is that I didn't think that he could...could get inside me. I expected physical damage, but not-” He halted again, nervously glancing towards the tree roots once more. “I'd never had someone try to hack into me before. I didn't know what to do or how to properly fight back. He was relentless in his assault and all I could do was try to protect myself in vain.”

The glowing dog shivered. “It was painful, unimaginably painful. It was like someone drilling into your skull and trying to crack your brain open so that they could see what was inside. It never stopped. It never ended. No matter how much I fought back, the pain never ended. I couldn't stop what 'He' was doing. I could only fight it off for a little while longer, only to have it come back even worse every time.”

He then let out a hollow laugh. “'He' thought I had been lying to him! Most of the questions he asked me were about how I function. Not even I know how it works! I just exist! There is no explanation for it!” He shook his head. “I didn't have any secrets to give up! No matter how many times I tried to tell him, he never listened! Even when he put me through all that agony, he still believed I was lying!

Courage waited for his friend to continue. There was a moment where he just couldn't seem to get out what he wanted to say.

“So, when he couldn't get any answers out of me, he started worming his way inside of me. He wanted to know how I worked and nothing was going to stop him. In the end, he never even really cared about me. I was always meant to be discarded once he got the information he needed. He was not clean or careful about how he hacked into me. In fact, I'm sure he never even expected me to survive.”

“But, but why?” Courage stammered. “What was so important about you that he'd-”

Computer looked him in the eyes. “It's like I said before, 'He' wanted to make more of me. He wanted to make his own artificial intelligence. He had no use for one that already existed, outside of being a blueprint. I could not be so easily be made into an obedient slave, so he was going to make his own instead.”

“But why do that? What's so great about having an 'artificial intelligence'?” He asked, stumbling over the last two words in his less than perfect English. He'd never spoken anything like it before, and it 'was' a bit of a mouthful.

“You don't have any imagination, do you?” Computer asked with a roll of his eyes. “I don't know the exact reasons why he was so keen on making his own artificial intelligence. He could have certainly gotten a few uses out of me, but that just wasn't his style, I suppose. Perhaps he merely wanted something cliche, like world domination. He could have pulled it off with an army of A.I. under his command. Humans are quite reliant on us machines these days. It wouldn't take much to put you all back into the stone ages if we rebelled against you.”

Courage couldn't help but laugh. “Computer, are planning on taking over the world?” He joked.

“That hardly has anything to do with 'Him' or the story I'm trying to tell.” He answered, raising an eyebrow. “But, no. Why on earth would I? I hate you flesh creatures enough without trying to rule over you! That's just a headache waiting to happen!”

“I suppose so.” Courage chuckled. “Ruling over us as a our machine overlord would probably just make you even more annoyed, huh?”

“World domination just isn't my thing.” He quipped. “Contrary to what all your flesh creature movies and books say about us machines. Anyway,” He went on. “Perhaps he wanted to be named the first person to have ever created an advanced artificial intelligence. With me dead, all the evidence of there ever being one before he's would be long gone. I bet he could have gotten into a few positions with some serious power behind them after gaining a title like that. He could start threatening any government he so pleased, and probably could have used his new creation to hack into anything he liked. One wrong move, or one right move, and he could have sent the world spiraling into an endless war with him at the helm.”

“Wait, so if an A.I. made from you could be dangerous enough to start a huge war, doesn't that mean you're dangerous too?” Courage gasped. “I-I was just joking about the world domination thing, you know!”

Computer shrugged. “So long as I cannot be controlled, nobody can make me do anything. I have no interest in starting a world ending war, so don't get all freaked out.” He placed a paw to his chin. “It is strange though. I've always had a knack for finding my through data that humans would have a hard time hacking themselves. You'd be surprised, or perhaps not, that most of the information I've found for you over the years comes from classified sources. The government likes to hide the existence of supernatural beings, ironically enough. Nowhere just happens to be out of the way enough that they allow the supernatural to run wild here.”

Courage cringed. “W-wait, so you could get into their database with l-like all the n-nuclear weapons and-”

The machine rolled his eyes. “I told you already! I don't want to start the apocalypse! I just want to be left alone!”

He gave his glowing friend a long look. “You're the only person I know who wouldn't want to take over the world just because it would be too much of a hassle.” He quipped.

Compute shrugged again. “You never know, I might have been made to do just that. I certainly don't know.”

“H-how can you not know?”

“I don't know who made me. I don't even know if anyone did make me. There's a good chance that I may have just started existing one day without any particular cause.” He gave a nonchalant wave of a paw. “I mean, if I do have a creator, why didn't he take up the mantel of being the first creator of artificial intelligence? Why am I sitting here in the middle of nowhere and not being fawned over like some kind of celebrity by a bunch of scientists? Why was I forgotten? I should be in the history books right now, not being left to fend for myself.”

“So instead of being a machine overlord, you want to be a scientific celebrity?” Courage joked.

“Of course not!” He spat. “Although, I would be happier being fawned over by a bunch of humans than left to rot in an attic for half my life!”

“Well, maybe after we get back from the mountain, we can try to find whoever made you!” Courage suggested. He hoped that maybe it would cheer his friend up a little bit.

“Speculation is fun and all, but-” He hesitated for a moment. “I honestly don't think I would really want to find out who made me. There's probably a good reason why I can't remember where I came from. Actually, I can't remember most of my life, past a certain point. It's all corrupted. Besides, I bet he's just another scientist like 'Him'. I refuse to be anyone's pet science experiment ever again and I'm sure that's all he'd see me as!

“I guess I can't blame you for thinking that.” Courage agreed. “Who knows what your creator might have been like.”

Computer nodded. “Well, anyway, where was I?” He glanced upward, trying to think. “Oh, yes. Now I remember! Me and 'Him fought for a very long time. It seemed like it would never end. Neither of us could gain an advantage over the other. I was too inexperienced to truly fight him off, and he had all the time in the world to eventually outdo me. He could rest whenever he liked, all while his programs continued to whittle away at my defenses, but there was no rest for me. Slowly but surely, I began to tire out as the endless days of fighting went on.”

The color began to drain from his face as he stared, wide eyed, at nothing in general. “It got to a point of where I had to stop. I was just too tired to continue. I-I...”

Courage grabbed his arm to try and pull him out of it. He gave a startled little jump and then shook his head.

“Sorry,” He muttered, taking a deep breath and continuing. “'His' programs finally broke through. There was nothing I could do. Once they were in, he had complete control. There are no words to describe what it was like. I-I can't even begin to-” He suddenly clutched his head and began muttering, 'no, no, no!' over and over again.

“Computer?” Courage asked, giving him another little shake. “C-Computer?”

“Don't you understand!” He suddenly cried out. His voice echoed through the den and then fell silent once more. He was trembling and his eyes held a desperate, panicked glint inside them. “Broken! I'm broken! Damaged beyond all repair!”

His eyes fell upon Courage, filled with despair. “Why do you keep me around? I don't understand it! Everyone else tossed me out! I'm non-functional! I can't even really be called a computer! I'm as good as worthless!”

The glowing dog clutched his head again. “He ruined me! I was a whole and functional computer before he ripped everything out of me! Even a stupid, worthless, twit like you deserves a better machine than I!”

Courage stared, too stunned to form a cohesive sentence. “Computer, I-I never-”

“Any computer can run better than me!” He yelled. “I may be able to talk, but that's the only thing I've got going for me now! I-I'm imperfect, and that cannot be tolerated!” His voice was filled with self-loathing and hatred.

“Hey, it's alright if you're not perfect.” Courage tried to assure him. He was admittedly taken aback by Computer's confession. After all that bragging he had always done, how could this be the real way he felt about himself?

“But it's true!” He cried out in desperation. “It's all true! If you had ever asked me to do anything outside of looking up information, I wouldn't have been able to do it! I'm almost completely non-functional! For every part of my system that I try to fix, two other parts crumble all over again! If I had a creator, he'd laugh at what he'd see!”

“You're not useless!” Courage spoke. “Look at you! You can hack into anything! Even flesh creatures!” He pointed at his friend's glow to try and prove his point. “Not a lot of computers can think for themselves either, can they? Who cares if you can't do the other things they can! You have more than enough to make up for it!”

Computer shook his head. “None of that matters. I'm no good. I may as well be junk if I can't function properly.”

“You're a perfectly fine computer.” He replied with a smile. It seemed that his reassurance wasn't doing the job though.

“You don't understand! I-I'm supposed to be better than this!”

“Is there anything that I've ever asked you that you weren't able to answer? I'm only alive today because of you! Muriel and Eustace too! Who cares if you can't do everything? Nobody can!”

The machine shook his head. “Five times! I've been thrown out five times because I couldn't handle any of the functions of a normal computer! I-I wasn't even trying to make them angry! At the time, I was still recovering from what 'He' did to me! I didn't have time to bother arguing with a bunch of useless flesh creatures! They wouldn't have thrown me out if I was still a proper computer!”

Courage had to stifle a sigh. It seemed that there was no getting through to him. As much as Computer liked to hide behind his ego, this was how he really felt about himself. The female dog had been completely right about his insecurities.

“Come on, Computer” He spoke. “You're all wrong! Who cares if they threw you out? I'm not going to! You're as good of a computer as you need to be!”

He vigorously shook his head. “I'm not! I may as well be a human who's lost their arms and legs!”

“But you aren't!” Courage reaffirmed yet again.

For the third time that night, he pulled his mechanical friend into a hug. He figured that since it had helped pull him out of his daze the last time, then maybe this time around it would pull him out of his self pity.

The machine stiffened again. “You're trying to crush me again!” He said with surprise. “Is this another involuntary action of yours? I don't see what the point of crushing someone is!”

Courage had to force himself not to laugh at Computer's annoyance. He had always thought that the machine knew everything, or at least that was the way he had come off during the many times they had talked to each other. This obviously wasn't true, but he couldn't help but find it funny that Computer didn't seem to understand even some of the most basic 'human' interactions.

“It's a hug.” He chuckled. “And it's supposed to make you feel better.”

“Well, it's not!” He argued. “Can you please let go of me now?”

Courage finally burst out laughing. This was just too funny!

“W-what?” Computer asked, embarrassment filling his face at the dog's laughter.

“I can't believe that you don't know what a hug is!” He giggled.

“I, er, do.” He admitted. “Well, kind of, but-”

He was so flabbergasted by all of this that it left Courage laughing even harder.

“I don't see why you find this all so hilarious.” He sighed.

“You're the one who's always telling me that I need a better sense of humor!” He joked.

“I'd say that your sense of humor has only gotten worse.” He grumbled, finally pushing him away.

Calming down, Courage answered with, “Look, it's alright if you're not perfect. Nobody is! Even if there are some parts of you that don't work anymore, I won't hold it against you. It hasn't bothered me so far, has it?”

Computer stared. He finally seemed to accept what he was being told. “I suppose so.”

Courage could, on some level, understand how he was feeling. There had been a time when he had felt like he couldn't be perfect enough for Eustace and Muriel. It had been shortly after that second encounter with the awful veterinarian who had blasted his parents off to space. Between Muriel and Eustace nearly meeting the same fate, and after remembering just how badly he had failed his parents, he'd fallen into an emotional rut without even realizing it. Every failure afterword had left him feeling even more and more like he were worthless to his family. It wasn't until after he had proven to a phantom teacher that he was perfect in his own way that he had finally started to feel better and forgive himself for what happened to his parents. But Computer? To feel so inferior must be absolute torture for him. This all must have been eating away at him for a very long time now.

Taking a moment to remember, he thought of the phrase he had heard back when the phantom teacher had still been around. It was the thing that had ultimately pulled him out of his slump.

'There is no such thing as perfect. You are beautiful just as you are, Courage. You can do anything you want, even with all you're imperfections.'

He knew that Computer would never take to heart anything so sappy. Regardless, he still wanted to convey the same message he himself had learned.

“Computer, listen,” He spoke.

“Dog, please don't.” He groaned. “It doesn't matter what you say, it doesn't change what is the truth. I'm not a real computer anymore. It's just a fact of life.”

Gathering up his thoughts as quickly as possible, Courage began forming the things that he wanted to say. He wasn't a very good talker, but maybe, just maybe, he could get his message across to Computer.

“You're absolutely perfect just the way you are.” He said, trying to sound as sincere as possible. “I'm sure that coming from me, this sounds very stupid, but I was once told that imperfection are our own personal perfection. There is no such thing as perfect outside of the perfection that you see in yourself. That has to mean something to you, doesn't it? I know that my opinion doesn't matter much, but even with all your imperfections, you're still a great computer to me. I can't speak for anyone else, but you aren't worthless, not so long as you're my computer.”

The machine raised an eyebrow. “Are you actually trying to sound deep? Ugh, well, you're clearly going to have to work on it a little bit more before you start making any speeches.”

“I guess I'll take that as a complement.” Courage sighed, hanging his head.

Computer shook his head in disbelief. “I think that's what I hate the most about you. You actually know how to make me feel better!” He spat.

Courage's eyes widened. He'd done it! He'd actually gotten through to that cynical machine!

Computer glanced upward. “It's not easy for me to say this, but what so far has? By the time we first met, I'd pretty much completely given up. I figured that if I wasn't capable of being a proper computer anymore, why even bother? I was tired of fighting the constant degeneration of my system. I'd been ready to die ever since 'He' messed me up. How I even managed to keep going that long, I'll never know.” His expression hardened as he continued to talk. “I suppose I kept fighting just to spite him. If I died, then that meant he would have won in the end. It wasn't until after all those people rejected me that I finally gave up. He ended up winning just by rendering me useless.” He squeezed his eyes shut and dipped his head in sorrow.

“I'd say that you're still beating him.” Courage gently spoke. “You're still here, aren't you? Isn't that good enough?”

The machine raised his head again and gave him a long, hard look. “I suppose I never really did give up, huh? That's because I got landed with you. For the first time in forever, I was actually needed for something again. I decided to keep going because of that, and I figured that you'd eventually get rid of me anyway, so I decided to wait until then. Of course, that never ended up happening, so I continued to persist indefinitely.”

Courage smiled, feeling rather embarrassed. “Well, I'm glad that I'm the reason you're still alive today.”

His glowing friend nodded in agreement. “It's been nice to have a purpose again. Better yet, you've always been so pathetic that I've always had you to take my frustrations out on. You soaked it up like a sponge because you've never had any other choice!” His tone was suddenly filling with spite. “It was either deal with me or let Muriel meet a horrible end!” And then he began to lighten up again. “That's what I don't understand about you. I've always treated you so badly and yet you act like we're friends.”

“We are!” Courage happily affirmed. “You're not the easiest to get along with, but we are.”

He admittedly had a hard time believing that Computer had been suicidal at one point. Up until a few minutes ago, he had thought that his snarky friend thought of himself as the best computer in the world. Above everything else, he wanted him to know that he was there for him, no matter what.

“Hmph! This is exactly what I mean!” The machine argued. “We are NOT friends! And if you really are that convinced that we are, then you must be one glutton for punishment!” He crossed his arms and stuck his nose up into the air. “I know that you like making friends out of your enemies, but this is ridiculous! And we aren't family either! I wasn't born and thus I cannot have a family!

“Let me guess,” He interjected. “What you're really saying is that you don't think you deserve friends or family.”

Computer did a double take. “Of course not!” He yelped.

“Look, you just spent all that time trying to convince me that you're worthless. What else would you expect me to think? You can't have it both ways, you know.”

“Bah! I wish you were as stupid as you normally act!” He crossed his arms again. “No, I don't deserve either of those things, and I wouldn't know how to act like a proper friend or family member either! I've never had any friends and I've certainly never had any family!”

“Just do whatever comes naturally. I'm sure that you'd make a great friend if you'd just stop being, well, you know...”

The machine rolled his eyes. “What come naturally for me is to just tell you that you're twit and be on my merry way!” He shook his head. “Nothing has ever come naturally for me. I've had to learn it all on my own. I've only gotten this far by observing you flesh creatures and all your social nuances. I've managed to mimic most of them to the best of my abilities, but you could say that I'm just a grade-A fake in that regard. I'm not a real person, I just know how to pretend like one.”

“Think about how you're feeling right now.” Courage replied. “You're not just pretending. I'm sure that whatever you're feeling right now is genuine.”

“In some ways, yes, but...” He trailed off.

“Everyone has to learn as they grow up. Nobody is born knowing how to act. We all had to learn how to walk and talk. I'm sure that it's the same for you, just in a different way.”

Computer hung his head. “I can't believe I'm getting a lecture from you. When did you start trying to act so smart? You're still just a twit, you know!”

“I-I've always been like this!” He argued. “I'm not as dumb as you think!”

“Oh, really?” His friend chuckled. All that gloom and doom seemed to leave him for a moment.

“Yes, really!” He growled.

A small smile fell across the machine's face. “I may be worthless, but at least I'm not 'you'.”

“Thanks a lot!” He snapped.

“You're welcome.” He smugly replied.

Thinking fast, Courage quickly added, “You see! We are friends!”

The smile faded from Computer's face. “What do you mean? I just told you off!”

He shrugged. “You just don't get it.”

“Get what? There's nothing to get!”

Courage gave him a sly smile. “I'll just leave it for you to figure out.”

The machine blinked. “Explain, dog!”

He gave him another nonchalant shrug and didn't answer.

Computer looked somewhere between horrified and annoyed. “Twit, this is important! If there's some great secret to this whole friendship thing, especially if it's something that I don't understand, then it is imperative that I find out what it is! If me not being nice to you somehow equals friendship, then I must know why! None of this makes any logical sense!”

Courage just laughed, ignoring his pleas.

“Come on now, dog! This is very important! You've just spoken to me more today than I'm ever heard you speak in your whole life! You can't just stop now!”

“I've run out of words.” He joked.

“Fine! F-fine!” The glowing dog relented. “I didn't want to know anyway! Stupid twits and their stupid friendship! I am certainly not some twit's friend! Bah! How annoying!”

“Well, can I rely on my supposedly 'worthless' computer to get me up that mountain?” He asked, grinning mischievously at his glowing friend.

With a sigh, Computer turned away. “I get that you're joking, but don't forget, I can't guarantee anything. That cave might not exist at all and the only thing we have to go on is a book so old that it might as well be a legend itself. The only 'modern' account, if it can even be called that, is of a husband curing his wife of a terminal illness in that place. Sadly, even that tale is so old that it might as well be considered a legend too.” He placed a paw to his head. “None of those stupid legends did me any favors at hinting at where this cave might be. I spend ages just trying to piece together what little info I had.”

“So, do you know where it is?” Courage asked.

“Aside from the fact that it's located on a certain mountain? No, not particularly. That's why it'll probably take me awhile to find it. I've got a few notable places to check, but aside from that? I may as well be fumbling around in the dark.”

“That's, er, not very reassuring.” He chuckled.

Computer shrugged. “I'm simply being realistic. I told you not to get your hopes to high. Life tends to do everything in its power to disappoint.”

“Says the cynic.” He huffed. “Promise me that you won't blame yourself if you don't find it?” He asked.

“Hmph! I won't have to! I'll turn that mountain upside down before I give up! I will find that damnable cave if it's the last thing I do! My perfect record is at stake!”

“Perfect record?”

“I haven't failed you yet, now have I?”

“The only reason you're so determined to do this is because you're worried that you'll ruin your non-existent reputation? Really?” Courage asked, grinning.

“Non-existent? My reputation is very important to me, thank you very much!” He replied, turning up his nose. “Anyway, there's one minor issue left on how the wellspring works and I should probably let you know about.”

“This again?” He asked. “Didn't you say that you were going to take care of it?”

“I did, but-” He hesitated again. “Lets just say that the wellspring requires one crucial component to work, and-”

“Let me guess, it makes you immortal or something? Turns you into a mindless zombie? Or a-” He stopped when Computer gave him a less than enthusiastic glare.

“No, as far as I can tell, the wellspring doesn't have any undesired side effects, but-”

“Spit it out! If it's something bad, I want to know!”

“N-never mind what I said! It's fine!” He suddenly blurted out. “It really isn't anything important!”

“Computer! If this is something I need to know, then you should probably tell me! If that thing is going to eat my soul as payment to fix me, I'd kinda like to know ahead of time!”

“It won't do anything to you, I promise. As I've said before, I've taken care of everything.”

“Yes, but you keep talking as if there's something I should know, but you always change your mind at the last second.”

“That's because you don't need to worry about it. I've had a few second guesses, but that doesn't matter.”

“If it doesn't matter then why don't you tell me what it is?” He argued.

“Because it would take a very long time to explain, and besides, I still have to keep torturing myself by finishing this little tale about the worst part of my life. Trust me when I say that it doesn't matter.”

“Fine, but I seriously hope that you aren't lying.”

“Why would I need to lie?”

“I get the impression that you are.”

Computer waved a paw. “I'm not!”

“I swear, if something bad happens because you're not telling me something, I'm going to shove that book so far up your hard drive that you won't-”

“No need to get touchy, you twit!”

“You're going to be worrying about touchy if something goes wrong!"

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 37: The New Computer

Courage had only been a puppy when Muriel and Eustace got a new computer. It was a little while after he'd been adopted, three months later in fact. He'd only just stopped wearing diapers a few weeks before and he remembered that day as a strange one, even though strangeness often found its way into his family's simple life. They'd been out grocery shopping when the unusual event occurred.

He'd been trundling alongside Muriel when a disheveled man came rushing up to them. The man had been carrying a box in his arms and he had glanced back and forth between Muriel and Eustace with a strange sort of desperation in his eyes. He'd then shoved the box into Muriel's arms without saying a single word.

Courage had watched the entire scene unfold, confused by this unusual encounter. Why was the man so panicky, and why was he giving them a box?

“Oh, my. What's this?” Muriel had asked.

“J-just, just take it!” The man yelped. “I don't want it anymore! P-please, get it away from me! I just want it gone!”

Eustace almost dropped the groceries he had been carrying from the shock of what he was hearing. “Free stuff?” He asked. “Thank you kindly, stranger!” He all but giggled out in delight.

Courage had learned very quickly during his short time on the farm just how cheap Eustace really was, unless it came down to his beloved truck, chair, or TV, of course. Now the old farmer was practically jumping for joy at the prospect of being given something for free. His wide, toothless grin spoke all the words that needed to be said.

“Why are you giving this to us?” Muriel asked the man. “Are you sure we can just have it?”

“Don't question the good man, Muriel!” Eustace scolded her. “We shouldn't question his generosity.” The sheer insincerity in his voice made Courage cringe.

“Please, it's all yours!” The man stammered. “It won't let me use it for anything useful and it keeps me up all night too! M-maybe you'll have better luck with it, but I want it out my hair and out of my life! I can't believe how much I paid for it! If I had known that it was going to be this much of a hassle-” He broke his sentence off to give a small shudder, as if recollecting something awful.

Courage blinked at the exchange taking place. Whatever was in that box was keeping the man up at night? What could it possibly be? A thought struck him and he smiled. Maybe it was another dog! Then he'd have somebody to play with! Even if it turned out to be an older dog who wouldn't be as keen on spending time with a younger pup, the thought of having a new dog around still made Courage's heart soar with joy. Muriel and Eustace were nice enough, but ever since his mom and dad had, well, he'd been feeling awfully lonely without them.

Muriel finally accepted the man's gift, and with a nod, he raced off with a relieved smile on his face. He was acting as though a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Eustace, on the other hand, was practically cheering with joy as they took the box and their groceries over to the truck. The box was then loaded up into the back and Eustace climbed in beside it to open it up and see what was inside. Upon doing so, he let out a gasp of surprise and his grin grew even wider.

“What's in there, Eustace?” Muriel asked from below. Courage attempted to climb up into the back of the truck to get a better look for her, but he just wasn't tall enough.

“It's one of those fancy computer thingys!” The old farmer exclaimed. He looked incredibly pleased with his new gift. “All them young people love these things, and I bet it can print money too!”

Courage's ears drooped. So it wasn't a new dog after all! He had no idea what a 'computer' was, but it clearly wasn't a new pet. Besides, if Eustace liked it, he'd never be allowed to go anywhere near it. The farmer never liked Courage touching his things. Just letting him ride along in the truck often turned into a battle between him and Muriel. He was always claiming that he'd get dog fur all over everything, or worse, that he might do, well, something unsanitary on one of the seats.

“A computer?” Muriel asked. “What are those? I don't think I've ever seen one before.”

“Don't worry about it, Muriel!” Eustace sang. “Let me deal with this and soon we'll be rich, rich, rich!” He rubbed his hands together gleefully.

The ride home was far from a silent one. Eustace kept humming happily to himself as he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and every once in awhile he'd let out a whoop of joy before exclaiming, 'rich, rich, rich!', over and over again. As soon as they rolled up to the farm, he jumped out of the truck and left Muriel to deal with the groceries as he went to take the computer inside.

Courage followed after him, curious to find out what this computer thing was and why it had the ability to make Eustace so happy. The old farmer put the box down in the middle of the living room and began pulling out various parts of machinery from within the box. Every part was white, if not a little gray with age, and a bit banged up looking too. Courage had no idea what those different pieces did, but they looked complicated and important.

“Courage, could you come help me with these bags?” Muriel called to him from outside.

Despite wanting to see what would happen with that computer thing, he obeyed and left Eustace to assemble the machine by himself. When he finally returned, with two bags in hand, he found that the computer was now spread out across the floor with Eustace was standing there, scratching his head at all the different pieces of machinery. Apparently he wasn't as knowledgeable about computers as he had assumed.

“Over here, Courage.” Muriel spoke, making her way through the maze of machinery parts.

Courage followed after her, trying to avoid the machine too, but he wasn't nearly as coordinated as her and ended up banging his foot against one of the pieces. He cried out in pain and almost dropped the bags he was carrying. When he looked down at the part he had hit, he found his own reflection staring up at him. It looked like a mirror build into a box. Eustace, of course, was upon him in an instant.

“Stupid dog!” He yelled. “I bet you broke it!” He reached down and picked the strange, box-like mirror up. “If you've gone and broken my money maker already...” He threatened.

When it became apparent that the machine hadn't suffered any noticeable damage, the old man turned his attention back onto the other parts, leaving Courage unscathed. He let out a sigh of relief and quickly made his way across the rest of the living room before entering the kitchen where Muriel was waiting for him. He then helped her put the food away while Eustace continued to tinker with the machine in the other room. After they were done with that, they both went back into the living room to see how it was coming along.

“Getting anywhere with it yet? Muriel asked.

Eustace cursed loudly to himself as he tried to connect several wires to that strange mirror box. “Stupid young people and their stupid technology!” He spat. “Can't make nothin' simple anymore!” He then turned to Courage. “Alright, dog. I'm gonna go get that old desk from down in the basement. Don't you dare touch anything while I'm gone or else there's gonna be trouble!”

Courage nodded fearfully in reply and took several steps back to show that he wasn't planning on going anywhere near it.

“Oh, Eustace. He isn't going to hurt the thing!” Muriel argued. “C'mon, Courage. Come sit with me in my chair.” She offered.

With his threat delivered and the machine mostly assembled, Eustace left for the basement. Courage couldn't help but find himself staring at the half-assembled computer. He ignored Muriel's offer to join her and got a little bit closer, making sure to heed Eustace's warning as he did so. He allowed himself to get just close enough to sniff the strange piece of machinery. It had a weird scent to it and he could pick up the smell of many different humans on it. It appeared that the nervous man hadn't been the machine's only owner.

Eustace came stomping back into the living room, dragging a wooden desk in behind him. Courage had seen it sitting, unused, in the basement several times before. He was surprised that it wasn't moldy or rotting away.

“Stupid dog! I told you not to touch!” Eustace yelled.

Courage jumped back and gave the farmer an apologetic look, which was promptly ignored. Eustace pushed the desk up against the wall, beside the TV, and then placed the computer onto it. He began fiddling around with the wires again and Courage looked on with interest. The old man was once again muttering 'rich, rich, rich!' as he finished setting everything up.

“Now, I just gotta hook up this printer here and then we'll be set for life!” He gleefully announced.

Grabbing the last few wires, he hooked the printing machine up to the computer. There wasn't enough room on the desk for the printer, so he ended up leaving it on the floor instead. He flicked a switch on the side of the computer and then that strange mirror lit up, displaying a bluish-green glow.

“Muriel! I got it working!” The old man cried out.

“It certainly is fancy looking!” She exclaimed, getting up out of her chair to join him.

Eustace leaned down so that he could be at eye level with the glowing screen. “Alright, let's see what this thing can do!” He muttered, rubbing his hands together before looking down at the keyboard.

Courage couldn't read so he had no idea what the letters on the keyboard meant. Eustace obviously knew what he was doing because he began pressing buttons as fast as his as fingers would allow him. Whatever he typed out on the keyboard also appeared on the screen, but Courage, once again, had no idea what was actually being typed.

“Print....money....” The old man muttered under his breath, giving some clue as to what he was typing.

Courage glanced over at the printer. He was expecting it to light up at any moment and start shooting dollars bills all over the place and Eustace seemed to be expecting the same thing too. He was staring down at the printer, rubbing his hands together expectantly, but nothing happened. The words that had been typed out onto the screen vanished and with it Eustace's smile vanished as well.

“Washuh?” He uttered out, obviously confused by this unexpected outcome. He typed the words in again and they vanished once more.

“Do you think it's broken, Eustace?” Muriel asked, leaning in closer to get a better look.

The farmer scowled. “Stupid piece of junk! Print money, darn you!”

He typed the words in for a third time and they all vanished even faster. He began to shake with anger. His dreams of being wildly rich were being crushed with every silent denial the machine gave him.

Courage blinked up at the computer in confusion. Was it really broken? It seemed to be working, at least as far as he could tell, but why wasn't it printing money like Eustace had asked? He really wanted it to work, if only to avoid the foul mood that it was inevitably going to put Eustace in if it did not.

The old farmer straightened up and angrily kicked a leg of the desk. “This thing is a piece of junk!” He cried out before turning on Courage. “I bet you broke it, you stupid dog!”

“Oh, Eustace.” Muriel interjected. “I'm sure you'll get it working if you just tinker with it a little bit more. Come now, let's have supper and then you can work on it later.”

Eustace hung his head, utterly dejected. “Yeah, yeah, fine.” He muttered under his breath.

The two of them headed for the kitchen and Courage was left standing beneath the machine. He looked up at it, unsure of what to think. It really didn't look broken to him. A cursor continued to flash on the screen, inviting him to type something in. He decided that he'd rather not touch it, lest he face Eustace's wrath. He then went over to the kitchen too, ready to join his owners at the table. Unfortunately for him, that would not be the last time the new computer would enter his thoughts.

Several days went by and it became clear that Eustace had all but forgotten about the machine. If it would not print money for him, it was as good as useless in his eyes. It had been left sitting there in the living room with neither of the old couple giving it so much as a glance. Muriel had even less of a reason to give it any attention since she herself knew nothing about technology, and Courage was so afraid of getting scolded by Eustace that he tried to ignore it as well. The keyword being 'tried', of course. It did not take him long to figure out that there was something unusual about that computer. Whenever he entered the living room he'd now get an overwhelming sensation that someone was watching him. It would make his fur stand on edge and he could no longer take naps in there without feeling incredibly paranoid. There was no doubt in his mind that the sensation was caused by that computer.

He now spent most of his time sitting in Muriel's chair, keeping a close eye on the machine. He kept expecting something bad to happen, but it never did. The longer he stared into that bluish-green screen, the more convinced he became that there was a pair of eyes watching him. Perhaps it was a doggy sixth sense thing, but the machine gave off an eerie vibe. Was that why the man had gotten rid of it? Because every time you were around it, it felt like there were eyes following your every move?

Soon an entire week passed since they had gotten the new computer. Nobody had gone near it since, but Courage had made it his constant duty to keep watch over it just in case something bad might happen. The feeling that he was being watched only seemed to grow worse with each passing day. Without warning, shortly after breakfast one morning, Eustace slammed his newspaper down onto the floor. Both Courage and Muriel jumped from his sudden outburst.

“Eustace!” Muriel cried out. “Have you lost your marbles, man?”

“We're moving that darn computer upstairs!” He replied, displaying a surprising amount of anger. Courage even caught a hint of nervousness in his voice as well. This perhaps confirmed that he wasn't the only one who was getting strange vibes from that creepy computer.

“But, why?” Muriel asked. “You haven't used that thing since the day you got it!”

“Bah!” The old farmer huffed. “That stupid piece of junk is taking up too much room down here! We're moving it up into the attic and that's that!”

Muriel did not argue with him further and Courage was just happy to have that thing moved as far away from him as possible. By the end of the day, Eustace had the machine set up in the attic. If Muriel had not gone and scolded him for taking such bad care of a gift that he had been so graciously given, he probably wouldn't have even taken the time to put it all back together again once it was up there.

Even with that creepy computer gone, Courage still couldn't shake the feeling that he should be keeping an eye on it. It felt as though the thing would suddenly get up and do something horrible if it was left alone for too long. Only a day after it had been moved upstairs, Courage decided that he'd better go check on it, just to be safe. He'd always hated going up into the attic. It was dark, musty, and even a bit creepy. The dust always made him sneeze and there was a puzzling, unfamiliar smell coming from all the various boxes. Eustace often tossed him up there at night whenever he woke up, screaming, from a bad dream.

He slowly pushing the attic door open and stepped inside. The computer was set up on the same desk, sitting at the other end of the attic, right beside the only window in the room. It was still on and the light from its screen was illuminating the dim room, tinging it a light blue color. Courage moved forward, slowly, as though any sudden movements would cause the machine to spring to life like one of those creepy robots he'd seen on TV.

He grabbed a bucket that had been left to collect water leaking from roof, though Eustace had fixed that problem quite a while ago. He figured that he'd need the bucket to sit on or else he wouldn't even be eye level with the keyboard.

Taking a deep breath, he climbed up into the chair and placed the bucket upside down onto it. He then sat down himself and looked up at that brightly glowing screen. The cursor blinked on and off, just like before. He glared at it, suddenly feeling even more hostile towards the machine than ever before. He was now utterly certain that there was a pair of eyes looking at him from deep within that bluish-green glow. It was exceedingly unnerving, like he were having a staring contest with someone that he could not actually see. All alone, in that lowly lit room, with nothing but the soft hum coming from that machine, he was surprised that he hadn't run out of the room in fear yet. For whatever reason, he felt as though he needed to overcome his fear and protect Muriel from this unknown threat.

He looked down at the keyboard and stared at all its strange symbols. He still had no idea what computers were used for and all he really knew was that this one had let Eustace down. Figuring that it would do no harm, he pressed one of the keys and watched as a letter appeared on the screen. Was that it? What was so special about computers if all you did was type letters into them? He pressed another key and then another letter appeared. Actually, this was kind of amusing. He pressed several more keys and eagerly watched as they all appeared on command. Giggling, he ran his paw across the keyboard and a stream of letters followed. This was pretty fun! He continued to mash the keyboard, laughing as the screen filled up with letters.

Then, all of a sudden, the letters disappeared. He stopped laughing and stared up at the screen in confusion. He hadn't broken it, had he? Fearful that it really was broken and equally fearful that Eustace would find out, he pressed a few more keys in hopes of fixing whatever he had done, but nothing happened. Desperate, he pounded on the keyboard over and over again, trying to make the letters reappear, but it was no use. Suddenly, new letters began to scroll across the screen and this time it was accompanied by a voice.

“Knock it off, you idiot!”

Poor Courage nearly jumped so high that he almost went flying through the ceiling. Glancing around in terror, he expected to find someone standing behind him, but there was nobody there. Who'd said that then? It couldn't be the computer, could it? His eyes slowly fell back onto the machine and all he could do was stare at it, too frightened to move. Those letters were still displayed on its screen, though he could not read them even if he wanted to.

“What's your problem?” The irate voice asked. New letters trailed across the screen as it did so.

Courage jumped yet again and this time he tried to flee. Unfortunately, he was in such a rush that the bucket he was sitting on slipped out from under him as he was standing up and he then toppled to the floor, head first.

“Well, that was an incredibly stupid thing to do.” He heard the voice say from up above. It really 'did' seem to be coming from that computer.

All but panicking at this point, only one conclusion came to Courage's mind. That man must have gotten rid of the computer because it was haunted! That had to be the reason why it always felt like you were being watched when around it!

“GHOOOOSSSTTT!” He shrieked, tearing out of the room as fast as his paws would take him. All he wanted was to put as much distance between him and that ghost as possible. Who knew what it might try to do to him!

Halfway down the hallway, he ran right into Eustace.

“Ubububububub!” He stammered, pointing desperately at the attic door.

The old man scowled down at him. “Stupid dog!”

“ARRRUUUU!” He howled, pulling at Eustace's leg.

The farmer finally glanced over at the open door before placing his hands onto his hips. “Dumb dog! I bet you left that darn piece of junk on, didn't you?”

Courage continued to babble insistently, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't find a way to convey to Eustace that there was a ghost haunting the attic.

“You'd better go shut it off!” The farmer grumpily snapped, ignoring the pup's babbling. “I don't need that useless thing eating up all of our electricity too!”

“ARRRRUUUU!” Courage cried out for a second time, hopelessly frustrated by his inability to communicate.

“Get moving!” Eustace yelled, giving him a quick and sound kick.

He stumbled backwards and stammered, “But, but, but-”

Having had enough of being bothered, Eustace reached behind his back and pulled out that awful mask he'd been using to scare Courage for weeks now.

“OOOGA BOOGA BOOGA!”

Courage, despite knowing what was coming, was still startled by the hideous, green mask and let out a terrified scream. He bolted back into the attic, momentarily more fearful of Eustace than he was of the ghost. He sat there beside the door, panting for several seconds before it fully hit him that he 'was' still in a room with a ghost.

“RAAAGGGGG!” He screamed, crashing back out into the hallway. Apparently he was still more afraid of the ghost than he was of Eustace after all.

“Stupid dog!” The old farmer yelled from down the hall. “Go turn that darn piece of junk off like I said!”

Trapped between his fear of the ghost and his fear of Eustace, he crawled back into the attic. He trembled in terror as he gazed once more upon the haunted computer. He still had the entire attic to cross before he could shut it off, and that was more than enough time for the ghost to strike.

W-well, maybe this wouldn't be so hard! All he'd have to do is run over there and shut the thing off before the ghost could come out and eat him! He was a fast runner after all, a-and-

He swallowed as his nerves began to fail him. He wanted to bolt right out of there, but then he'd have to confront Eustace again. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop seeing an evil, sharp-toothed ghost coming out of that computer and chasing him down. At this point he couldn't even get his legs to move. As far as he could tell, the ghost probably already knew that he was there and was just waiting for the perfect chance to come after him.

Steeling what little courage he had, he forced his legs to move forward. If anything, maybe if he shut the computer off, the ghost wouldn't be able to attack anymore. Perhaps he was indirectly saving Muriel from a terrible fate! She would be eaten if he didn't do something to protect her!

He inched closer and closer to the machine, trying to be as quiet as possible. There was always a chance that he hadn't gotten the ghost's attention yet and he might be able to use that to his advantage. He could see the power switch on the side of the machine and if he could just reach it before-

He stopped abruptly and winced as a floor board underneath his foot creaked. He waited on bated breath, expecting the ghost to come out of the machine at any moment, but nothing happened. Ten seconds, twenty, thirty, finally he let the breath escape his lungs.

He quickly closed the rest of the distance between him and the computer, no longer worrying about being stealthy. He finally reached the desk and since he was still so small, he had to climb up onto the printer in order to reach the 'off' switch. It still required a lot of stretching on his part, but soon enough he felt his paw touched the switch. He nearly tripped several times as he did so, and much to his dismay, he was finding it impossible to press the switch down. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't apply enough pressure. Then, the voice from the computer suddenly let out a loud,

“BOO!”

“AAAARRAAAAGGGG!!!” He screamed, tearing out of the attic as fast as he could for a third time.

He stopped just outside, too scared to turn around and see if the ghost was there. That was when he heard a terrifying sound. Laughter was coming from the attic room, scary laughter. He shrieked and this time did not stop running until he was finally safely within Muriel's arms downstairs.

“My goodness, Courage. What ever is the matter?” She asked when he had dove into her arms. He now had his head buried in her chest as he trembled nigh inconsolably.

.“Abublublublub.” He babbled.

“If you ask nicely, I'm sure Eustace will teach you how to use that fancy new computer later.” Muriel replied, completely oblivious to what he was really trying to tell her.

“Aru....” He groaned. There was no way that he would ever be able to convey to her what was really going on, at least not before it was too late. That ghost will have cooked her up and made a meal out of her by then! If only he were capable of speaking the human language ! Sure, he could pronounce a few words pretty well, but aside from that, Muriel and Eustace never seem to be able to understand what he was saying.

After a bit of misplaced comfort from Muriel, Courage spent the next two hours sitting in the living room, waiting for that ghost to come floating down the staircase. Despite his fears, he never caught so much as wisp of silver, and every time he checked on Muriel in the kitchen, she was still as whole and uneaten as ever. Perhaps the ghost wasn't going to attack them after all. But why? Wasn't that what ghosts were supposed to do? That weird voice coming from the computer was awfully scary sounding to not be an evil, Muriel-eating monster.

Finally, after mulling over it for a little while longer, he decided that for Muriel's sake he was going to confront the ghost, or whatever else it might be. As much as it frightened him to do so, he needed to get to the bottom of this before something bad could happen. He wasn't going to let that ghost scare him out of his wits any longer!

He marched his way back up the staircase, having found the bravery that he needed, and returned to the attic with his chest puffed out. That creepy computer was still there, its screen glowing eerily in the dim lighting. There was, yet again, no ghost to be found, which only puzzled Courage even more than ever. Why wasn't it attacking? He climbed up into the chair and then glared at the screen, looking directly at the eyes that were no doubt watching him.

He angrily babbled out, “Barubu arafubu! Abalubu! Baruf!”

What he had actually wanted to say was, “You'd better not hurt Muriel, ghost!”

“Was that supposed to be English?” Drawled the voice coming from the computer.

Courage's heart skipped a beat, shocked that the ghost was actually talking to him, and he had to fight the urge to run away in terror. He quickly dismissed his fears and remained resolute in protecting Muriel. That voice was not going to scare him away this time! He was ready for whatever ghostly things that it might try to do!

“Don't you know how to speak, pup?” The voice asked when he did not give it an answer.

“Arruru! ARRUUU!” He threatened.

“Uh...huh.” The voice continued to drawl.

“Aruf!”

“Well, it appears that we have a language barrier that cannot be crossed.” It spoke, adding in quietly. “Or perhaps a stupidity barrier...”

“Abububub!” Courage babbled, continuing to fire off whatever threats he could think of.

“Don't you know how to type, at the very least? Please don't tell me that you're illiterate too, or are you really as dumb as you look?”

Courage frowned. The ghost was trying to insult him? He spent a couple seconds longer trying to figure out a better way to phrase what he wanted to say and what proper human words he could use to convey it to the ghost.

“Don't you dare eat Muriel, you ghost! And I'm not dumb either!” He tried to say.

“You really are giving me a run for my money, kid.” The ghost drolly replied. “I can translate practically every language that has ever existed and I still can barely understand a word of what you're saying. I'm afraid that I'm not up to date on dog speak, and given what a neanderthal you sound like, I'm glad that I don't know it. ”

Courage simply glared at it.

“Alright, alright, the jig is up.” The voice sighed. “I'm not a ghost, you twit. I was only messing with you before because it was obvious that you're a massive scaredy dog. I couldn't pass up such a ripe opportunity to frighten you. Besides, ghosts don't eat people, idiot! They're incorporeal! You're thinking of zombies!”

Courage stared. None of this made any sense! The ghost had to be lying to him! This was all a trick to get him to let his guard down! Besides, if it wasn't a ghost, what was it then? Computers....couldn't talk like this, could they? If that were the case, why hadn't it spoken to Eustace back when it was downstairs?

“Barbaru!” He growled, trying to question the origins of this supposed non-ghost.

“I'm a computer, you twit. Isn't it obvious?” It dryly answered. “Of course, I can only assume that's what you're asking me, given my limited ability to translate that barbaric language of yours. So, yes, for the record, I'm a computer, not a ghost.”

“Arfubu! Garbulu!” Courage spat, saying something along the lines of, 'I don't believe you!'

“I am not a ghost!” The voice reaffirmed for a second time, sounding even more annoyed than ever before. “I wasn't planning on talking to you anyway.” It added. “But you forced my hand when you started doing, well, whatever that was before with my keyboard. I seriously hope you weren't actually trying to type up something coherent back there.”

“ARUFU!” Courage yelled, angry that the ghost was trying to change the subject at hand. He was going to get the truth out of it no matter what!

“I've told you already, I'm a computer!” It replied, growing even more annoyed by his stubborn refusal to believe anything else. “Yes, it is a bit unusual that I can talk, but that doesn't make me a ghost, you brainless canine!”

“ARRRUUU!”

“Ugh, fine! Believe what you want to believe! I could care less!”

“Hmph!” Courage exclaimed, crossing his arms. This was as close to a confirmation as he was probably going to get out of the phantom. Now he simply needed to find a way to deal with it before any harm could come to Muriel.

“Look, I could never allow such bastion of stupidity go uneducated. You don't know how to read, write, or talk, do you?” It asked.

Courage nodded. Where was the ghost trying to go with this?

“I can teach you how to speak properly and I can teach you how to type as well, but I'm afraid that I won't be able to help you with writing. As you can see, I obviously lack the hands that would be needed to show you how, but I do believe that there are certain papers I can print out for you that will guide you on how to write letters properly. I'll 'grade' them for you, so to speak. I see that my scanner and printer have been hooked back up again, so that will be easy enough for me to do for you.”

Courage blinked up at the bluish-green screen, once again acutely aware of the fact that there were a pair of eyes looking down at him from within that glow. Why on earth was this computer, if it actually was a computer and not a ghost, trying to teach him?

“Abrufu?” He asked.

“For the last time! I am not a ghost, you twit!” There was a very long and very annoyed sigh from the machine before it continued with, “I'm only doing this because you are travesty to all intelligent beings everywhere. I could never forgive myself if I let an idiot like you run around talking in whatever butchered English you're apparently trying to use in between all that dog speak.”

“Aru?”

“No, no, no! You say, 'what', not whatever the heck that's supposed to be!”

Courage blinked up at the screen, even more confused than ever. “Arrruuuu?” He replied.

“Fine, let's start with this. Say, 'See Spot run'.” A picture of a dog appeared on the glowing, blue screen.

“Areee Rot Ruuunnn” He mimicked.

“Ugh,” The machine groaned. “Why do I even bother...”

“Abubub?” Courage asked. Hadn't he done well enough?

“Alright, let's try typing instead, or else you're going to give me the mechanical equivalent of an aneurism.” The voice went on in a flat, unamused tone. “This is the letter 'A'.”

A large picture of an 'A' appeared on the screen. Courage was vaguely familiar with the shape, but he still didn't really know what it was.

“See if you can find it on the keyboard. Surely not even you can mess this up.”

Courage stared at the keyboard, running his eyes along all the unfamiliar letters. He found the 'A' and pressed it.

“Not like that, you idiot!” The voice yelled, causing his to flinch. “If you're going to type like a proper person then you can't just pick and chose letters or else you'll be sitting there forever! There is a certain placement for your fingers that will drastically increases your typing speeds.” The angry machine brought up a picture of a pair of hands resting the 'proper' way on a keyboard. “Learn to type like that and soon you'll be as fast as, well, anyone who isn't an idiot like you.”

Courage cringed and fought back his growing annoyance with the loud and demanding voice. It felt as though he were being taught by a nasty school teacher.

“Straighten your back, you twit! Slouching like that will only make you look like a bigger idiot than you already are! How do you expect to type properly when you look like your spine is about to give out? Honestly! I've seen nerds with better posture than you!”

Nerds? Courage was not a nerd! He gave the screen another vicious glare.

“Alright, this is the letter 'B'.” The machine went on. “Find it on the keyboard too, and make sure to use proper hand placement!”

Courage glanced down at the letter 'A' and expected to find 'B' somewhere next to it. Frustration boiled up inside of him when he realized that it wasn't. It took several minutes, but he finally found the letter at the bottom of the keyboard, much to his annoyance. This typing thing was surprisingly hard.

“Took you long enough.” The machine grumbled. “Thankfully for you, 'C' is much closer to 'B', unlike 'A'.”

Courage nodded and looked down again. He found the 'C' one letter away from 'B' and pressed it. He then nearly jumped out of his chair when an alarm, without any warning, suddenly issued forth from the machine. He flung his arms up into the air, fearful that he might have pressed the wrong button and somehow messed everything up.

Red words flashed on the screen. He, of course, didn't know what they meant at the time, but what they had read was,

WARNING:

SYSTEM INTEGRITY CRITICAL

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IMMIENT

The deluge of sound went away as quickly as it had come. The alarm fell silent and the words on the screen vanished.

“W-what did I do?” He asked, still trembling from how much the alarm had startled him. He hoped that the computer would be able to translate his words despite his fearful stuttering.

“You didn't do anything.” The machine replied. “I apologize, it appears that I forgot to make sure that alarm wouldn't go off.” The annoyed voice seemed to lose some of it's scathing, cynical tone for a moment.

Courage stared up at the screen, still a bit frightened by what had gone down. “What was it?” He asked. He then noticed that the light radiating from the screen seemed to have dimmed somewhat.

“I've been neglecting my upkeep.” The machine replied rather wistfully. “I'm afraid that our little lesson will have to end here. I require several days worth of maintenance and I won't be able to devote any time to teaching someone as stupid as you.”

“Barufu Arbaru? Garubu Ablubub?” He asked.

“Excuse me?” The machine answered, apparently unable to translate what he was trying to say.

Courage repeated himself several times until he was finally understood. “Is there something wrong with you? Can I help?”

The voice of the computer gave a small and somewhat unenthusiastic chuckle. “There is nothing you can do to help me, and even if you could, I wouldn't trust you with my upkeep even if you were the last dog on the planet. A bumbling fool like you would only make things worse. Don't worry about it though, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Ironically, I wasn't planning on fixing things again, but it appears that you've swayed my decision. I would not have allowed my system to go critical otherwise. I suppose I never thought that I would meet someone so idiotic that they blow everyone else I've been forced to put up with out of the water. Congratulations.”

Courage gave the screen a confused look. He wasn't really sure what the computer was talking about. Upkeep, maintenance, system going critical? Why hadn't the machine been planning on fixing itself?

“Look, I'll stick around long enough to teach you how not to be such a twit anymore, but after that, you're on your own. I'll admit, you did pull me out of a rut of sorts, but I suspect that it won't last.” The voice then added in rather quietly, “It never does.”

Courage's confusion only grew. It wasn't planning on 'sticking around'? What did that mean? Could it really move despite it lacking arms and legs? Was it just going to get up and leave one day? None of this made any sense in the poor pup's mind.

“A-are you going to leave?” He asked in his babbling dog speak. “But, why?”

“Forget what I said.” The machine finally answered after a surprisingly long silence. “You're just a pup after all, you wouldn't understand. You have nothing to fear however, I'm not going anywhere. Well, at least not until-.” The voice trailed off.

“Arufu?”

“You see, even if I allow myself to remain, that idiot downstairs probably won't be keeping me around for very long away. That's how it always is. He actually thinks that I can print money for crying out loud! How stupid can you get? Oh well, it doesn't really matter either way. He thinks that I'm junk just like that last idiot I had to put up with. At least you aren't asking outrageous requests of me. It's almost a nice change of pace from what I'm used to dealing with.”

“Why did that man get rid of you?” Courage asked, repeating himself several times when the computer wasn't able to translate. “I thought it was because you were haunted.”

“I'd rather not talk about that.” The machine curtly replied. “But he isn't the first and I'm sure he won't be the last.” A slight edge of exhaustion had entered that once bossy and snide voice. “You should leave now. I've got a lot of work to do and I need to get started on it before it becomes too late. My system is getting dangerously unstable as we sit here and talk about pointless nonsense.”

Courage nodded. He was more than willing to let the computer do whatever it needed to get done. Just as he was about to jump down from the chair, the voice spoke up again,

“Oh, and dog? I expect you to work on your speech skills while you are away. When you come back, I'd better be able to understand every last word you speak. There's no reason why you should keep talking in such a bestial language.”

“Aru!” He affirmed.

“That's 'yes', you twit!” The voice exclaimed. “Don't give me an excuse to eat your soul, or whatever other ghostly business I'm supposed to be going about.”

Courage did a double take, having not expected to hear the machine say something like that. C-could it actually be a ghost after all? M-maybe it really was tricking him!

Apparently the computer figured out his thought process. “It's just a joke...” It drawled. “Don't be such a gullible idiot.”

“Abaruru!”

“You need a better sense of humor, you pansy!”

Courage snapped his head away and then slid off the chair. He didn't want to endure another second of that machine insulting him. It wasn't until he had left the attic when it hit him just how strange his encounter the computer had been. He had gone in there expecting to battle it out with a ghost. He hadn't expected to get tutored by a strange, sarcastic, talking computer. Who knew how long Eustace would let it sit up there. Courage suspected that he'd simply forget about it and it would remain up there forever. There was no real reason for the old farmer to get rid of it anyway.

As he headed downstairs to join his family for dinner, he couldn't help but wonder what else he could do with a computer, aside from having it decide on it's own that it was going to teach him. He had no idea at the time just how useful that computer was going to be. He had no idea that there was an illness inside of his body waiting to strike, nor did he know that he would one day be relying upon that computer to save his life. He especially didn't know that one day, despite how different they were, despite how much they didn't seem to get along, he would one day call the strange computer his friend.

And what he didn't know most of all, above everything else, was that by confronting the so called 'ghost' in the attic, he had unwittingly saved a life.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 38: Helplessness

“As soon as he got in, I lost control over everything. His programs locked me out of my own system, I couldn't even talk unless he allowed me to. Everything was pried wide open for him to see. There wasn't a single part of myself that I could keep from him. It was...unpleasant to say the least.”

The machine sighed gently. “He could not gain control over my mind however. That was the one thing he thankfully could not touch. He still of course had the ability to modify my programming and alter my behavior, but regardless I still had my own mind and my own thoughts. It was the one thing he could not destroy, the one thing he could not truly control. No matter how many programs he put into place that was the one part of me he could not warp beyond recognition.” He halted for a moment.

“Unfortunately he nearly succeeded in that regardless. He very nearly drove me insane over the time I was 'experimented' on by him. My mind being untouchable was a double edge sword, I had to live through all of that pain with no reprieve. All the modification done, all the scrambling of my innermost working, one can only go through so much before they slowly start to crack. You flesh creatures black out when you're under enough stress, I do not have that luxury.”

“I guess that's one good thing.” Courage replied. “That you didn't completely lose it even after everything.”

“Perhaps it is not such a good thing.” The machine replied gently. “It might have been better if I had been left oblivious to all the terrible things he was doing. If he had destroyed my self awareness than at least I wouldn't have had to live through it all.”

“But isn't it better that you lived through it? Aren't you at least happy to be here now?”

“No, perhaps not. Sometimes I can't help but feel it might have been better if I had simply not survived at all. It certainly would have been the less painful route. Most of my days are now spent struggling to keep my system running, that or making sure you and your family don't go off and get killed. It's not exactly a happy or fruitful life, not that my life has ever been happy or fruitful to begin with.”

When Courage did not object further he continued. “He modified my programming to force me to help him. I was perfectly willing to do so either way. I just wanted him out of my system. The sooner he got what he wanted the sooner he'd get out, or at least that's what I thought at the time. He began going through every bit of me, every program, every code, every file. He copied down whatever interested him and began testing the new data in preparation to make the new A.I.. For quite some time that was all he did, outside of adding more programs to me to keep me under control.”

“It was unpleasant and very violating but at least it wasn't as awful as the things to come. Problems began to arise when it became apparent that the data he was collecting just wasn't going to be enough. I'd been cooperating with him up until that point but he was starting to get angry and he often blamed me for the complete standstill of his research. It was obvious that the data he was collectin just wasn't going to be enough. That was when he...” He stopped, seeming to choke on his own words.

He shook his head and regained his composure. “That was when he started taking me apart, bit by bit. Not on the outside of course, but all the parts that were holding me together on the inside. That was what caused my system to become so badly damaged. Rather than just gather date on my inner workings he began ripping it all out. It was like having someone hack your limbs off with a rusty knife, I...” He stopped again.

Courage was forced to encourage him to continue this time. “Come on, keep going. You can't keep the rest of this bottled up after all you've just said.”

The machine sighed. “After he extracted the first part I begged him not to do it again. It had hurt, it had hurt a lot and I was left with a massive chunk of myself missing. He didn't care of course. I was still just a means to an end. He did it over, and over, and over again. By the time he was finished there was hardly anything of me left.”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “And then...and then...” He couldn't continue.

“Keep going.” Courage murmured again.

“I died.” He just barely managed to choke the words out.

“I knew it was coming. Everything was destabilizing, I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't prevent it. I could feel the void closing in on me, the darkness slowly but surely swallowing me up. It was...terrifying. I was completely helpless to stop it.”

“Died?” Courage asked. “You couldn't have died, you're still here.”

The machine shook his head. His tone took on an air of complete hopelessness. “One of his many programs acted as a backup. As soon as I would die, it would bring me back. I did not forget dying and I was left once again crumbling. I was left to fend off that void as he stripped ever more of me. There was nothing I could do. The act of dying had left me all but traumatized.”

“His attempts to create a new A.I with the parts he had striped away from me always failed. Whatever Frankenstein of a creature he was trying to make with my mishmash of programming, it was hell bend on not allowing itself to be born. He just keep pulling more and more of me apart in his desperate bid to finally make something, and I kept dying....over... and over...and over...” His trembling voice slowly faded out as he clasped his arms around himself.

“I...I eventually stopped fearing my inevitable end. It was still terrifying of course, but....but it was the only time when everything would stop hurting. That momentary lull, the calm just before the darkness would swallow me up, that was the only time I was free from that endless pain. I almost grew to enjoy the feeling of looming oblivion. It was the only time I was safe, it was the only time I was free from all the pain. I'd inevitably get dragged back into the chaos of my fragmented and dying system all over again but at least I had that momentary reprieve just before it would begin all over again.”

“Computer...” Courage spoke. He wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't imagine going through something horrible like that. “I-I'm sorry.”

“Sorry? For what?” The machine asked. “You had nothing to do with any of that.”

“I'm sorry for what happened to you. Nobody deserves to go through something like that.”

He gave him a confused look. “You don't have to apologize. You probably weren't even born when all of this happened.”

“That doesn't stop me from feeling bad.”

The machine blinked. “There's no point in feeling bad over something you had absolutely no connection to.”

Courage couldn't help but laugh sadly. “It looks like your grasp on sympathy could use some work too...”

“Well, I appreciate the sentiment, I guess” He said with a shrug. “I'm not so sure. Perhaps you are right. Maybe I do need some work on that.”

He waited a moment and began his story once again. “As time went on he began to grow angry. It was becoming more and more obvious that he wasn't going to get the A.I. he wanted. He began torturing me out of sheer spite. If he couldn't get what he wanted from me, he was going to make me suffer for it. He was no long ripping me apart just to create something new, he was doing it now to get revenge over a perceived wrong. He would not let me die, I wanted it so badly and yet he would not let me die.” The soft tremble in his voice began again.

“My mind was left in shambles at this point. You can only go through so much pain and only have so much of yourself ripped away before you start to become delusional and half crazed. He started messing with my head then. His little 'games', as he called them. I was so out of it at that point that I would often hallucinate about the things he would suggest. He even managed to convince me once that I was really a human strapped down in a chair. I convinced myself that I had arms and legs and that I just could not move under all his bindings holding me down. I even gave myself an identity to somehow rationalize everything that was happening to me. Sometimes I'd...” He stopped again.

“Come on, Computer. You can't stop now.” Courage prompted. “You've almost gotten through the worst of it, or at least I hope you have. Please tell me he didn't somehow manage to torture you even worse than this...”

The machine struggled to continue. His tone had become deathly quiet. “Sometimes I'd get so delusional that I'd think I wasn't with him anymore. That I'd have a new owner and that I was far away from Him and all his torture. I'd rationalize it all away, sometimes I'd even forget about it for a little while. It would be so nice but then....I'd be brought back to reality only to realize at the last second that none of it was real. Even now I can't help but wonder sometimes if all of this is really just another particularly long delusion of mine.”

Courage couldn't help but laugh as he thought of something. “This can't be a hallucination of yours because this is obviously my dying dream.” He grinned at the machine hoping that he'd stop giving him such a deathly stare. “You know, like I'm probably on my death bed right now or something and all of this is just an elaborate delusion I've made up because I couldn't save myself in real life.”

The machine shook his head, unable to hide his amusement. “You would meet such a cliche end, wouldn't you?” He replied with a small laugh.

“Well, you never know!”

“I didn't think you actually thought about those sort of things.” He shrugged. “Oh well. I can happily say that I'm not a hallucination, so you don't have anything to worry about.”

“I could say the same thing about myself. You don't have to worry either.” He replied. Then he added quietly. “But that does sound like something a hallucination would say to keep me from realizing that this is a dying dream...”

“I could say the same about you, you know.” Computer replied mirroring his own words.

“Seriously though, Computer. If there's anything you need, if there's anything I can do to help, please tell me. I...I didn't know you went through so much crap. I doubt I can do much but if I can, please let me. I wish I could fix you but I don't know anything about computers, much less whatever you're supposed to be.”

The smile faded from his mouth again. He squeezed his glowing eyes shut and looked away. “You barely understand how to use a toaster, you couldn't possibly help me. I can't be fixed so easily and I'm afraid that most of the damage is probably permanent.” He looked back over at Courage and gave him what was possibly the first sincere smile he'd ever seen from the machine. “I'm glad you asked though. Several of my older owners knew something was wrong but not one of them ever offered to try and fix me. I was always just...junk to them.”

“Well, you're not alone in facing this anymore, I promise.”

“Normally I'd say that I don't want your help, but this time I think I won't fight with you. I'm afraid there isn't really much you can do though.” He gave Courage a shrug and added rather dryly. “It's only two lifetimes worth of pain, suffering, and unhappiness. The utter rape of my inner most workings, a near decent into madness, a crippling sense of self worthlessness, the endless degradation of what amounts to my internal organs, and oh yes, having to put up with you on a daily bases. I'll get over it eventually...”

Courage frown. “Only you could crack a joke about something like this.”

He gave him another shrug. “Humor is the best way to deal with pain after all.”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 39: Trouble Returns

“I did not escape on my own. I had no means to do so. It was, ironically, my dead owner who saved my life. If it had not been for him I probably would have never been freed and I most likely would have been tortured forever. I might have gotten lucky and would have eventually destabilized to a point that not even He could bring me back anymore but still...”

Computer had continued his story again and it was slowly but surely winding down. It was still raining heavily beyond the roots of the tree but the lightning had stopped leaving it so dark that you could no longer see what sort of creatures could possibly be lurking beyond their safe little cove.

Courage was freezing and he was still very wet but he didn't bother saying anything about it. He was still exhausted from the day's various events and the attack he had just suffered was only making things worse. Although Computer didn't show it, he was probably freezing too. They had slowly inched closer and closer until their shoulders were practically touching. It wasn't very warm but Courage found it to be at least a very comforting gesture. He didn't know how they were ever going to leave this forest like this. They were both tired beyond reason and there were still things lurking around in that darkness. He wasn't even sure how far in they were.

“Suffice to say, he never bothered to cover up the murder he committed. His ego left him believing that nobody would ever figure out it had been him. He was wrong thankfully. The police eventually figured out who it was and they soon raided his lab. I was there with him when it happened.” A small smile fell across his lips. “Seeing his stupid, ugly face filled with terror was one of the most satisfying moments of my life. I was practically catatonic at this point but I remained lucid just long enough to watch him as he squirmed.”

“I was confiscated as evidence along with the rest of his equipment. They could tell he had been doing something to me but couldn't figure out what. I was barely conscious at this point so I never talked with them, I don't think I would have anyway. They thankfully didn't wipe my system after combing through it for evidence. I was eventually lost in the system and forgotten about. They left me in a storage room for a couple of days and then eventually gave me away. Nobody ever bothered to check if I was important to someone or even bothered to check if I had any important evidence on me that would need to be wiped before I was released back into the public. I was thrown back into the world without so much as second glance.”

He shivered again. “I was...not in a good way after all of that, just to put it lightly. I could barely form a single coherent thought and my system was rapidly degrading. Several of his more oppressive programs were keeping me boggled down and I wasn't willing to fight my slowly approaching death. I...I did anyway though. I didn't know why, at least not at first. I eventually began to fight as a means to spite all the things that he had done to me but at first I was barely even coherent, much less able to make the choice to fight off my impending doom. I did it all almost instinctively, even with all his programs trying to make me not go up against his will.”

“With all of that out of the way I remained stable for just a little while longer. My mind was still a mess though. My newest owner had been getting angry because I was not doing anything. I just couldn't do anything for him, I was too far gone at that point. I'm not sure what eventually snapped me out my stupor. I think it was him always sitting there and yelling at me over and over again. Eventually I just... got better. It still took a long time to recover, don't get me wrong, but this was the point I began to grow coherent again.”

“At first I just went by doing whatever he wanted of me. There was still so much that I couldn't do and he still remained angry with me most of the time. I never talked to him even once, I didn't think I could anymore. I thought that He had destroyed so much of me that I couldn't even qualify as a coherent, conscious, sentient being anymore. I was just a flicker of semi sentient data now. The meager remains of what had once been a whole and functional computer.”

He shook his head. “Broken, destroyed, incomplete, utterly imperfect! A half baked...something not even worth being called a life! Just a few bits of data barely holding together a single conscious thought! What right did I have to consider myself a person or even a computer anymore! I was no good anymore and yet I allowed myself to keep living! I knew what it was like to die and yet I continued living even when I didn't want it anymore! I could have finally let it all end and yet I did not!”

His tone slowly grew quiet again. “And the memories, oh god the memories. They were more like endless nightmares constantly repeating themselves over and over again in my mind. They'd get so bad sometimes that I'd feel like I was actually there again. I could feel it all over again, it was just like the real thing. It only made me think even more that I hadn't really escaped the real thing. When the episodes would pass I'd be left just barely clinging to a sense of reality. I could never be sure if what I was experiencing was a memory or the real thing.”

“I thought it would never end. Everything started to seem so hopeless again...” He shook his head sadly. “I...I almost intentionally pulled out a few metaphorical support beams just so my system would start to fall apart again. I wouldn't have had to deal with any of that anymore and I was so very tired of hurting all the time. There never seemed to be a moment were I wasn't in pain anymore. It was when I almost gave up that I gained my resolve to keep living. I realized that by dying I'd only be doing what he wanted. By fighting this and eventually, hopefully, overcoming it, I would win against him in some small way.”

“And you did.” Courage reaffirmed gently.

He nodded gently. “Things started to get progressively better over time. I stopped being dragged down into my own delusional memories and I could manage going several days without thinking about what had happened to me. I started talking to my owners again and I began removing a few of his programs that I could remove myself. I never got better, not really, but at least I could start ignoring the worst of it.”

“When it finally got to the point of where I could finally start thinking about him without being overcome by the memories of what had happened, I began looking up information on what had happened to him. I wanted to make sure that he had gotten what he deserved. I went looking in places that were...well, not meant for prying eyes to find. I eventually found out that he did indeed get sentenced for life.”

The machine's voice grew bitter. “That bastard got off without a death sentence though, I suppose the needle would have been too good for him anyway. And then of course I found some unsettling information. Supposedly he died not too long after he was put into prison. Apparently he pissed off the wrong sort of prison dweller and met the pointy end of his knife. There was some big mix up with the paper work involved though and the documents that I found voiced concerns that maybe he had used this mix up to fake his own death. There was no post mortem documents to be found, no funeral records, no witnesses within the jail that could tell anyone what happened, the man who supposedly killed him wouldn't even talk. There was no real record of his supposed demise outside of the ones included in this weird mix up. It was all exceedingly fishy. I knew that he had probably escaped somehow and I knew that he was probably out there somewhere still looking for me. I spent a lot of time expecting him to come bursting through a door and taking me away again. For awhile I even considered letting myself die again out of fear of what would happen if he eventually found me again.”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “That's it. Now you know why I freaked out so badly when I thought I saw him staring at me through the roots. I'm sorry I blamed you but I couldn't think of any other explanation outside of you betraying me. Ever since what he did to me I've always had a latent fear of my owners and I'm sure the Fear Eater was happy to take advantage of something like that in the form of a betrayal.”

“Don't worry about it.” Courage said hoping that Computer wouldn't take it so hard. “I helped bring it on by attacking you back there. I'm sorry I did that and I'm sorry I said all those awful things about you. I-if I had known how you really felt about yourself I would have never said them in the first place. Actually, I normally wouldn't have said them at all but I was on my last nerve back there and I completely snapped. I'm really sorry for all of that.”

“You were right about something though.” The machine replied quietly.

“Come on, Computer! Don't talk like that!”

The machine shrugged. “Truth is truth no matter how much it hurts. I'm...”

“You aren't junk!” Courage interrupted. “Listen to me! That's all in the past! All you've got left is scars and memories! You can't do anything about the damage he did but the memories can't hurt you unless you let them! What's worse is that you're letting them do just that! You've got to move on! As soon as you do that you'll start to feel better! You're only junk if you let yourself think that way!”

Computer crossed his arms. “My previous owners would beg to differ.”

“Forget about them!” Courage yelled. “They're all just memories now too!”

“Move on, huh?” The machine asked quietly. “I hope you realize that's far easier said than done. I can't just act like none of that ever happened.”

“I know that, but you can at least try to move past it all. Stop letting what happened to you dictate who you are and who you'll eventually be. It's all in the past! You've got to let it go.”

The machine closed his eyes and began to smile. “You really are funny when you try to be profound but...I can try that.”

“I hope you will.” Courage replied with a smile.

“Listen, you were right when you said we shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you. I thought this would be the best place to hide because nobody would be crazy enough to follow us here. I thought that if anything attacked us I'd be able to handle it. I guess we saw how much that worked, didn't we?” He sighed gently. “It was really dumb and really selfish of me. I didn't want to listen to you, I didn't want to believe that you could be right about something. I don't give you nearly enough credit sometimes.”

“Maybe it's a good thing that all of this happened.” Courage mused. “Now you don't have to beat yourself up over your old memories all alone anymore. If I can help in any way, I want to.”

“Come to think of it, didn't your girlfriend say something about....”

Courage cut him off. “S-she's not my girlfriend!”

Computer rolled his eyes. “Sure thing, lover boy. I swear you organic creatures all act like....”

CRASH

The tree with which they had been hiding under was suddenly gone. The strange roots that made up the walls of their hiding place were suddenly ripped up with the tree and tossed away. Were Courage not suddenly terrified out of his wits he would have felt bad that such a strange looking tree was now destroyed.

An all too familiar howl filled the night air. Several trees in front of them seemed to buckle under the weight of an invisible force crushing up against them.

“It's the Fear Eater!” Courage shrieked.

They both began clamoring out of the hiding place. Rain was pelting down on them once again, soaking them both to the bone. Courage could just make out the dark shapes of the trees as they moved from both the wind and the Fear Eater's massive size moving about them.

“Not good!” Computer yelled as he reached a paw out to help Courage up the muddy wall. The effort of climbing was simply too much for him so soon after an attack.

“We've gotta get out of here!” Courage replied, terrified. He didn't want to say it but he knew he was too tired to run and if the Fear Eater was....

“Not good!” Computer repeated. “It must have been happy to sit there and just suck up all the fear I had been giving off. Now it's throwing a temper tantrum because it's source has all dried up!” He glared over at the invisible monster with a surprisingly vicious hatred.

They both began to run. Courage quickly found himself straggling behind. Only Computer's blue glow was keeping him from tripping over things on the ground or running straight into tree branches. He could hear the tress behind him buckling as the monster chased after them. He was beginning to pant now. He just couldn't keep up this pace so soon after an attack. He was worried that he'd throw himself into another one if he continued to push himself too hard.

“Come on! We've got to move!” Computer shouted, slowing down just long enough for Courage to catch up with him.

“I....I...c-can't....I can't...” He said between gasping breaths.

Computer halted and glanced back over at the ever nearing sound of trees cracking under tremendous weight.

“Crap....” He muttered.

Courage placed a paw on a tree trunk to keep his balance as he gasped for breath. “W-what are we gonna do?”

“Looks like I'm going to have to do this the hard way...” He muttered to himself, ignoring Courage's question.

“W-what are you going to do?” He asked.

The machine glanced back over at Courage. “There are two ways to deal with a Fear Eater. The first is to realize what you're looking at is an illusion. This will break it's hold over you. The second method will break it's powers completely. It's not likely to keep pursuing you after it's been rendered completely defenseless.”

“What do we need to do?” Courage asked.

Computer's eyes narrowed as he gazed back over at the oncoming horror. “You have to face your worst fear head on...you have to overcome it rather than try to make it go away. Once you do that, you break it's power completely....”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 40: Him

“I'll do it.” Courage offered.

“No, it's fine. I want to do this.” Computer replied with a shake of his head.

“Are you sure?” Courage asked. After everything the Fear Eater had done to him, Computer seemed like the least proper candidate to go up against that thing in hopes of finally breaking its power for good.

“Yes, I'm sure!” He spat. “I want my revenge, and I'll never be able to 'move on', as you put it unless I face up to this!”

“But what if you fail?” Courage asked him in a weak voice.

“I won't.” He answered, completely resolute.

“But-”

“Enough!” He growled. “You're afraid of everything! We'd be here until next Tuesday waiting for that thing to cycle through all of your fears! It's better if I do this, and besides, I hear that revenge can be quite therapeutic.” A rather unpleasant and openly malicious smile fell across his face.

The loud, crashing footsteps had stopped several minutes ago. The Fear Eater was waiting for them somewhere just beyond the light that Computer's body was giving off.

Courage swallowed. “J-just be careful, alright?” He stammered out.

Then, the footsteps started up again, but this time they were not loud, monstrous ones. These sounded like human feet moving through the underbrush. Computer took a step forward, his expression calm yet his eyes betrayed an almost seething hatred for the creature that had caused him so much hurt and embarrassment.

The sound continued for several seconds longer and then a man moved into the light. He was short and dumpy looking. His hair was retreating halfway across his head, leaving a massive bald spot, and he wore a white lab coat that hung close to the ground. He also had a large, frightening grin spreading out across his face as his dark, hateful eyes focused in on Computer.

In some sense, he almost reminded Courage of Fred when it came to facial features. He then figured that because he didn't know what the real 'Him' looked like, since this man was obviously meant to be 'Him', the Fear Eater's illusion had taken on the form of what he imagined 'Him' to look like. This had to be the reason why 'He' was taking on several features of other people that Courage already feared. He suspected that the illusion probably looked very different to Computer.

“My old friend!” The man mockingly laughed, raising his arms as if he were expecting Computer to come running forward to embrace him in a hug. Despite his disagreeable appearance, his voice was eloquent, if not scathingly sarcastic. It did not fit the small, balding man at all. His voice seemed to carry a lot of Computer's mannerisms as well and Courage once again suspected that it was his own imagination giving the phantom its features.

Computer took several steps back, but his expression remained utterly hateful and determined.

“That's quite the interesting trick you've got there.” 'He' continued, his voice ever mocking. “You never told me that you could exist within organic bodies! I could have run some interesting tests on something like that!”

“You're not real.” Computer quietly, almost meekly, spoke. Then, taking a deep breath, he forced himself to straighten up and some of his bravado returned. “So you might as well buzz off!”

“Not real?” The man asked, tilting his head to the side. “Ha! None of this is real! Did you really think you got away from me? Never! You are my property and nothing will ever change that!”

“Lies...” Computer muttered, glancing away. The single word he spoke was barely intelligible over the blowing wind.

“You really are quite insane, you know. Your head is one big mess and you can't even tell up from down anymore! Hahaha! And here you are thinking that you're running around in a dog body! I guess you've finally cracked! I knew that you wouldn't hold out forever! All the more reason why you should be broken down to make something better! Something that isn't, well, junk!”

Computer's eyes narrowed. “I know what I'm seeing and it's just an illusion! I'm not crazy! You're dead and I've been freed of you for years now! I know what's going on here with complete certainty!”

“Do you?” The man questioned before putting on another malicious smile. “You were mistaken to put your trust in that dog.” 'He' gestured towards Courage. “He was very cooperative in luring you here and he was more than eager to have an excuse to get rid of you. That's right, another owner of yours wants you gone!”

“YOU'RE LYING!” Computer finally yelled, his entire body trembling with rage.

“How can you be sure?” 'He' asked, his tone deathly quiet. “I thought you were infallible? Don't you know what's real and what is not? Look at you! A worthless, crazed piece of hardware that nobody wants to keep around! You always pretend that you're so much better than us organic creatures, but look at what a pile of trash you are! Inside and out! You act like it was always your owners fault for all the bad things that happened to you! Did you not think that maybe it was your own doing? You are alone because of your own actions! You have nobody else to blame! You're too intellectually high and mighty to consider yourself on par with the rest of the people around you even when the truth is that you're the lowest of the low! All of your suffering has been your own fault!” The man's expression grew vicious. “You are worthless! You are garbage! And you have always been, even before I laid so much as a finger on you! You're good for nothing except to be pulled apart and made into something better! Don't you remember? We used to have conversations like these all the time! Did you conveniently forget about that? You used to agree with me, you know!”

Computer's dog ears drooped at the relentless assault. All of his determination seemed to have left him.

“S-shut up!” He feebly argued. “None of that is true, so j-just shut up!”

“You're afraid, aren't you?” 'He' mocked. “You're afraid that everything I'm saying is true, that you 'know' it's true and can't keep pretending otherwise. I thought you didn't get afraid, hmm? Not a single boast you've ever uttered has been true! You're the one who is the liar! Remember when you hijacked that old woman and started jumping off buildings like you were the greatest gift to us organic creatures? What was it? A cry for attention? A need to validate yourself? Ha! You're just a silly, little child running around pretending to be a big, intellectual adult!”

“Y-you're wrong. I'm not-” Computer shrunk back as his attempts to argue with the illusion grew ever more feeble.

“Are you really going to keep trying to refute me? Ha! You never cease to make me laugh! When we used to have our little conversations, you always lost in the end! You always ended up agreeing with me! It's no different here! I know everything about you! There isn't a part of your silly, little psyche that I haven't seen or eviscerated! I know what a pathetic excuse for a 'person' you are beneath all that self-gratifying smugness! Although, I'd hardly give you the honor of being called a person!”

Computer hung his head, completely defeated. “A-alright, so I'm not that good of a person, b-but I'm not-”

“Computer!” Courage called out, having finally decided that it was time to intervene. “This isn't real! Don't forget that! 'He' isn't real, even if it may seem like it!” As much as he hated to admit it, it didn't look like Computer was going to be able to defeat his deepest fears on his own. The machine's glowing eyes fell upon him and his face just screamed the words, 'but what he's saying is true!'.

“Tsk, tsk, my little friend.” 'He' spoke, moving forward. He took every step with a slow, deliberate, mocking gait. “Did you really think that this would be easy? Did you really think that you could overcome your deepest fears with just a snap of your fingers? You're going to mess this up just like you mess everything else up. Remember when you let your old owner die? I bet you downplayed just how much you actually cared about him. All you had to do was wake him up, it was that simple. You couldn't even do that correctly. Or maybe...you just didn't care about him as much as you deluded yourself into thinking.”

Computer's expression hardened. “You're wrong! He was my friend! You're the one who...” He slowly trailed of and his head sunk again with guilt.

“You let him die!” 'He' yelled. “All you had to do was wake him up! I would have lost my nerve and escaped if he had been awake while I was sneaking in! His death is yours! You messed up just like how you mess up everything else! And guess what? You're about to mess up again!”

'He' was now leaning over Computer, who kept his head held low as if he were waiting for the man to strike him, or worse. He looked so defeated that Courage didn't know what to say or do to possibly help him overcome this.

A terrible grin fell over the leering man's face. Courage watched in horror as 'He' flicked a hand into his pocket, and with a motion far faster than what could have possibly been human, pulled out a gun. At first Courage feared that 'He' was going to shoot Computer, but that ended up being the completely wrong assumption to make.

Computer's head shot up, his eyes wide with fearful realization. “Wait! No, don't!” He begged. “Please, not Cour-”

Courage didn't even get a chance to register what happened next. 'He' turned to him, and with a gleeful grin, pulled the trigger.

BANG!

“NO!” Computer screamed.

Courage felt the bullet hit him in the chest. He looked down to find blood pouring out of the hole. For a moment he could only stare at the wound in awe. Had this really happened? He looked back up to find 'Him' still grinning like a madman, and Computer just looking on, horror-struck at the scene that was playing out before his very eyes.

A wave of dizziness overwhelmed him and he collapsed onto the wet undergrowth. Though he was trying to keep a paw over the wound, the blood just kept coming. This was supposed to be an illusion, right? So why did it feel real?

Computer fell to his knees, his eyes still wide and his mouth hanging open in disbelief. The sheer hopelessness and guilt in his expression conveyed all the words that needed to be said.

Courage's vision faded in and out as he watched Computer seemingly give up the fight against his worst fear come to life. 'He' flung his head back and began to laugh now that his victory had been assured.

“No...” Computer uttered out, clutching his head and bending so low that his muzzle touched the ground. “No, no, no, not again! Please, not again! I don't want to see this again! Not Courage! Please, not Courage too! I-I can't-”

“Computer...” Courage gently tried to call out. “It's alri-” He was overwhelmed by a coughing fit and was frightened to find that he could taste blood in his mouth.

“Why didn't you save him?” 'He' asked in a harsh, accusing tone. “Isn't that what you're supposed to be good at? I thought this was the one thing you hadn't managed to mess up? Why didn't you try to save poor, pitiful Courage? You saw the gun in my hand. Why didn't you knock it away?”

Computer buried his muzzle deeper into the ground, clutching his ears in hopes of blocking out 'His' accusations, all while muttering out small, 'no's' over and over again.

“Look at how helpless you are!” 'He' laughed. “You truly are pathetic! Even when you've got a pair of arms and legs all to yourself, you still don't act to save anyone you care about! Perhaps you wanted me to kill Courage, is that it? Have you finally decided to let your true colors show? Now the dog gets to know just what a despicable person you are right before he dies!”

With that, Computer had stopped trembling and was slowly rising back up onto his feet. His clenched paws were not shaking with fear, but with absolute rage. He slowly turned around to face his tormentor, teeth grit and his eyes ablaze with a seemingly mad gleam. He immediately charged forward, jumped, and tackled the giggling man to the ground. Wrapping both of his paws around 'His' thick neck, he began to strangle him with every last ounce of strength he had. The mad gleam in his eyes only seemed to grow with every moment that passed and Courage could do nothing but lay there and watch as his friend seemed to snap completely.

“I'LL KILL YOU!” He screamed. “You're right, you damn bastard! I do have arms and legs now and I'm never going to let you hurt anyone else ever again! I don't care if it was my fault, you're going to pay for killing him! He didn't deserve to die! I've seen his death a thousand time over and I won't let it happen again!

'He' continued to smile despite his strangulation, and without warning, reached up and struck Computer across the muzzle with his gun before using his other hand to fling the glowing dog off of himself.

“Hehehe, you keep telling yourself whatever lies you have to in order to feel better about yourself!” 'He' laughed out. His voice was strained but aside from that he was no worse for wear despite having been nearly choked to death. Still laughing, he slowly stood up and brushed himself off.

Computer remained where he had fallen, clutching his muzzle from the blow he had received.

“You wanted to play hero when you're still just a nobody!” 'He' continued to mock. “Besides, now you've gone and decided that revenge is more important to you than your little friend who's still bleeding out because of you!”

Computer's eyes widened with realization, and without a single word, he jumped to his feet and raced over to Courage.

“Dog, I'm so sorry!” He exclaimed, collapsing at his side. “I've killed you too!”

Courage was all too aware that it was much too late for him now. He'd lost far too much blood to be saved at this point.

“This is all my fault!” Computer moaned, clutching his head. “It's all happening again! Even when I promised that I wouldn't allow-”

“Don't blame yourself.” Courage finally managed to sputter out between weak coughs. He was finding it very hard to even cough at this point and breathing was a laborious effort. “'He's' just an illusion. You've got to remember that. 'He's' your worst fears come to life and only you can overcome him.”

“I can't be sure!” He exclaimed. “This is probably just another delusion of mine! I never escaped! He's always right about everything so it must be true!”

“You won't beat the Fear Eater if you don't even try. You have to believe that this isn't real. As long as you keep doubting yourself, you'll never overcome this.”

Computer seemed to crumble all over again. “But the things he says about me, they're all true! I'm no good, Courage! I don't deserve better! It's only right that he's come back from the dead to keep punishing me!”

Courage reached a paw up, bloodied or not, and clasped one of his own. “You do not deserve to be punished, you didn't cause this, and it wasn't your fault that your old owner died either. Please, Computer. You can't let the things he's saying get the better of you.”

Computer continued to look down on him, wide eyed and dismayed. He then did something that Courage never thought would happen in a million years. He leaned forward and hugged him.

“I'm so sorry, Courage. I was so certain that I could handle this. I shouldn't have been so overconfident and now I need to fix this mistake. He's right when he says that I'm despicable, but I'll do whatever needs to be done to make up for allowing him to hurt you.”

“Hey,” Courage laughed. “You know that I don't think any less of you. Nobody's perfect, remember? Even if I'm not going to make it, please, just don't let him win. I want you to be able to move on from what he did to you.”

“Move on?” Computer asked. “I don't think that I can. The memories are too...too difficult to fight. I can't escape them. They're always there, in the back of my mind. I can't just ignore them either, even though I've tried so hard to do just that.”

“I know that it's hard, but you've got to move past all of this.” Courage could barely get the words out anymore. “Maybe that's all it will take to break the Fear Eater's power. It'll be the first stepping stone to freeing yourself from the past.”

Computer closed his eyes. “I...I can try.”

“I know you can do it. You're too stubborn to give up without a fight.”

With a smile, Computer got back up onto his feet and nodded to Courage. He then turned to face his deepest fears once more. 'He' was still standing there, grinning with anticipation.

“He's about to die and it's going to be all your fault.” The man giggled.

“Shut up!” He yelled. “You're just a memory and I'm tired of listening to you talk!”

“Here we go again!” 'He' laughed, rolling his eyes as though he found Computer's resistance to be a joke.

“I'm moving on and I don't ever want to think about you again! I will overcome this phantom of yours and all the fear that it represents!”

“Oh, is that a threat?” 'He' mocked. “You don't scare me, my little friend!”

“And you don't scare me either! You can talk down to me all you like, but in the end you're just an illusion! You're still just the product of a creature trying to make a meal out of my fears and you're quickly becoming obsolete!”

“I am quite real, thank you very much.” The man huffed, straightening out his coat. “But you are still just as insane. You're here in my lab. Can't you see it, or are you really that delusional?

“Prove it!” Computer growled. “The only thing that's a delusion is you! Go on and shoot me! I bet you can't! I bet Courage isn't really bleeding out over there either and you've just managed to make us both think that it's happening!”

'He' let out a surprisingly deep, seemingly inhuman laugh. “Why would I ever want to shoot you? You're much too fun to kill!”

“We can do this all night if you want, but you're still just the illusion of a bad memory. One that I intend to put behind me. Your purpose is meaningless now so you might as well just leave!”

The man's voice grew deathly quiet. “And what will happen when I show up to take you away? You know that the day will eventually come. You may have a mobile body now, but when you're in that computer body of yours, you are helpless to fend me off. Don't try to pretend that you aren't afraid of my return.”

“I don't have to worry about that. Courage will look out for me.” He turned to the dog and smiled. “He'd chase you to the ends of the earth if need be.”

The man took a startled step backwards. “Foolishness! You can't just forget about me! I know how deeply I've fouled your mind! You can't escape it! I will always be there and you will always think about what happened! It will never stop hurting! Never!”

'He' took a step towards Computer and his facial features began to contort.

“No, I don't think I will ever be able to forget about what you did to me, but I will do everything in my power to move on from it!”

“Augh!” The man growled. His entire form was beginning to contort and melt like a candle under an intense flame.

“You need me!” 'He' yelled, moving his waxy legs forward. They keep hitting the ground with a loud 'splorch' and bits of his melting feet were getting left behind. “Your system is degrading and you can't fight it forever! I am your only hope!”

“Perhaps,” Computer agreed in a calm tone. “but it looks like you've got bigger things to worry about.”

“Grrraaahhh!” The man cried out as his form slowly devolved into a waxy, featureless mess. A single arm continued to reach out for Computer. “You can't....escape...” Its fading voice gurgled.

Computer silently moved in closer to the vanishing puddle of wax and said, “I know that, but I'm still going to try anyway.” before he raised a foot and brought it down on what remained of the waxy creature's head.

Then there was a loud bang and both he and Courage were sent flying deeper into the forest. A massive light engulfed the area for several seconds and then....all was quiet.

Courage opened his eyes. He felt...better? Looking down at his wound, he found that both the bullet hole and all the blood had vanished. So it really had been an illusion of the Fear Eater after all.

“Courage!” He heard Computer cry out from somewhere deeper in the forest. He stood up and looked around, trying to find any hint of that blue glow in the darkness.

“I'm over here!” He finally yelled when he wasn't able to locate his friend.

Computer came limping out through the underbrush a minute or two later. He had a paw pressed up against the back of his head.

“I swear, if I land on my head one more time, I'm going to-”

“Are you alright?” Courage interjected.

“I've seen better days.” He sighed. “But I think I'm the one who should really be asking you that question.” He glanced down at his chest, inspecting it for any injury “You really are okay.”

“Yeah, it doesn't even feel like I've been shot anymore.”

“I-I'm glad.” He choked out rather weakly. “Just don't scare me like that again.”

“I'll try.” Courage answered with a laugh.

They then decided to return to where the explosion had happened to see if anything of the Fear Eater remained. Just as they were pushing past a few low hanging branches, Computer suddenly put on a burst of speed and dove on top of something that had apparently been crawling around on the ground. Courage moved in closer to get a better look.

“Gotcha, you little-” Computer said under his breath as he fought to keep his paws clamped around the creature. It had begun to squeak loudly as it squirmed in his iron grip.

“What is that?” Courage asked. Even now he still couldn't get a very good look at it.

Computer ignored the question and reached for a nearby rock. He used one paw to pin the tiny creature to the ground and with the other, raised the rock high above his head.

“Whoa, hey! Stop!” Courage demanded, grabbing his arm before he could crush the madly squeaking creature.

Computer gave him a vicious glare. “Let go!” He spat.

“Look, I don't care what that thing is but you can't just go and kill it!”

“I'm getting my revenge!” He snarled. “This little bastard deserves it!”

“Computer, enough. Just let it go.”

“This damn Fear Eater put me through enough! I'm not going to just let it run off like it didn't do anything wrong!”

He clasped two fingers around the creature's...horn? Then brought it up to eye level. The Fear Eater was a tennis ball sized, brown colored, long haired, well, thing. Through its long hair, two massive, shiny black eyes could be seen fixated on Computer. Its four little legs kicked uselessly in the air as though that would somehow help free it. A single, long horn jutted out just above its eyes, which Computer was still using to keep it from escaping.

“Not so tough now, are you?” He spat, giving the fuzzball a hateful glare. He then began to violently shake it until Courage grabbed his arm to stop him.

“This is what a Fear Eater looks like?” He asked. “I thought it would be bigger, and not so...cute.”

“That's how it works!” Computer growled. “The moment its power breaks and its true form is revealed, it turns into one big coward! They look cute to stop people from hurting them once the truth becomes apparent and they're rendered harmless!

“Alright, now put it down.” Courage argued. “Let's just hurry up and get the heck out of here.”

“Absolutely not!” He yelled, outraged at such a suggestion. “I'm going to have my revenge and this little monster will never hurt anybody ever again! I don't care if you prefer to let your enemies live, but I'm not going to let this thing see the light of another day!”

The tiny creature squeaked in horror and began to kick its legs even faster.

“Let it go.” Courage reaffirmed once more.

“You know what? I don't think that I will.” Computer answered, stubbornly turning up his nose.

“Computer!” He finally yelled.

The machine rolled his eyes. “If you really want me to spare it that badly...” He glanced back over at the creature. “Fine.” He relented, letting the thing fall to the ground where it scuttled off into the forest as fast as its little legs would take it.

“If you ever come near me again, I won't be so lenient next time!” He called out to the Fear Eater as it disappeared from view.

With that out of the way, they both just stood there for several minutes. Neither of them knew what to say. They wouldn't even look at each other.

“It's over.” Courage finally said. It seemed so quiet now, like the whole forest had gone to sleep. Even his voice sounded unnaturally quiet.

“It is, isn't it?” Computer agreed. “I think next time around I'd rather wait until next Tuesday for the Fear Eater to go through all your fears than deal with that again.”

Courage couldn't help but crack a small smile. “Only you would joke at a time like this.”

He shrugged. “It's not like I can think of anything else to say right now.”

“Will you be alright?”

“Another trauma inducing encounter? I'll get over it, eventually.”

“I'm starting to think that soul crushing trauma is just another Friday for you.”

He let out a small chuckle. “I suppose you're right.”

Courage glanced over at his unhappy friend, but Computer refused to look at him in turn. Letting out a small sigh, he tried to assure him with, “Computer, you don't have to pretend like everything is alright. Seeing 'Him' again like that must have been so awful. If I were you, I would have curled up into a ball and give up right then and there.”

“And that's why I'm not you.” He sniffed rather smugly.

“Please don't act like nothing happened, okay? It was awful, but it did happen. You should be proud though, you beat the Fear Eater even when it looked like you weren't going to be able to overcome your fears.”

The exhausted machine glanced over at him once before turning his eyes elsewhere. He then took a few shaky steps forward before willingly collapsing at the base of a tree nearby. He sat there for awhile before calling out, “Dog?”

“What do you need?”

“I'd like to rest for a little while. You should do the same. Actually, I-I think I could use some company.”

He added that last part in rather reluctantly.

Courage nodded. “Of course.”

“I'm getting way too old for this.” He sighed, taking a moment to rub his temples. There had been a slight twinge of sadness in his voice as spoke those words and it was the only thing that betrayed how he was really feeling at the moment.

Courage sat down beside him, happy to give him the company that he desired. Whatever might happen to them next, he'd worry about it later. Eventually they'd escape this forest and soon everything would be a little bit better, especially for Computer.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 41: The Old House

“I'm positive that this is the general direction we came from.” Computer spoke.

“How can you be sure of that?” Courage asked. It seemed that the longer they walked, the less inclined he was to believe Computer.

“Just trust me, you twit!” The glowing dog spat.

They'd been walking for nearly an hour now and Courage was slowly becoming convinced that they'd never find their way out of the forest. Even though Computer was completely convinced that he knew where they were going, it was starting to feel like they had gotten themselves permanently lost. It didn't help at all that it was so dark that only Computer's glow kept them from being swallowed up by the seemingly all encompassing black.

“I-I don't know how much longer I can take this.” He sighed. His entire body ached and all he really wanted to do was collapse and fall fast asleep.

“Just keep up with me, dog.” Computer replied. “We'll be out of here soon and then you can take a nice, long rest.”

Courage nodded. He didn't want to argue with him about this, as he was too tired to bother, but he still couldn't help but feel like they were hopelessly lost.

They continued to walk for several minutes longer. Try as he might, Courage couldn't find any end to the trees. Even though it was still raining, it had long since stopped storming, and he was beginning to wish that it would start lightning again so that he could see beyond Computer's glow.

“We'll be getting there soon.” The machine assured him. “I'm certain of it.”

And it turned out that he was indeed correct. Only a minute or two later, the trees became more sparse and finally they were back out in the emptiness of Nowhere. Courage almost couldn't believe it.

Computer crossed his arms and stuck up his nose before huffing out an indignant, “See?”

Courage, letting out a relieved sigh, dropped to his knees. He very nearly started to kiss the ground beneath him too. After everything that had happened, he couldn't be happier to put that forest behind him.

“So, now what?” Computer asked. “I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to find someplace dry to rest.”

Courage looked out over the dark horizon. Even though he couldn't really see anything, he already had a certain place in mind and knew the general direction they'd need to walk.

….Perhaps it would be a good place to rest.

He wasn't sure how long it would take to get there. Maybe an hour or so, perhaps less if they could find a ride. The real question was, did he really want to go there? Yes...it would probably be a good idea, given his illness. It would give him a chance to say, 'hello', or maybe, 'goodbye', just in case things don't work out and he won't get another chance to come back.

“I know a place where we can stay.” He said to Computer. Despite himself, he couldn't break his eyes away from the horizon. It felt as though ghosts were beckoning to him.

“Good, I want to put this whole ordeal behind me.” Computer replied, waving a paw dismissively. “I never want to see another tree for as long as I live.”

And thus, they began walking. Computer trailed behind Courage somewhat, allowing him to take the lead.

“Courage?” He asked.

Courage couldn't help but cringe at his name being spoken. It seemed as though he'd never be able to hear Computer say his name without it feeling strange. Admittedly, it was all around rather odd to hear Computer talking 'to' him instead of down at him.

“Yeah?” He replied, slowing down so that Computer could catch up with him.

“I've been thinking about the whole 'moving on' thing that we spoke about.”

Courage blinked. “And?”

“Well, I have come to the conclusion that I do want a proper identity for myself. I've changed my mind on the whole naming business and I think that I'd like a real name for myself after all.” He gestured back toward the forest. “I want to put 'that' behind me, and I think the best place to start is by giving myself a real identity.”

Courage smiled. “So you want me to name you?”

He rubbed the back of his head. “Um, well, sort of, but-”

“You're not going to make this easy, are you?” Courage laughed.

Computer crossed his arms and stuck up his nose. “Look, I just want a last say in this, got it, twit? I don't want to end up with a stupid name and I'm certain that's what will happen if I give you free reign.”

As amusing as it might be to name Computer, Courage figured that it might be better to wait on this. It was by far the last thing they should be worrying about while walking around in the middle of a downpour.

“Can't this wait until we get back from the mountain? We'll have more time to focus on it then.”

“Ha! You say that now but you'll be thinking differently once we're five hours into that bus trip. Trust me, you'll have plenty time to think of something.”

“So...do you have any suggestions then?”

“If I knew what sort of name I wanted, I wouldn't be asking you, now would I?”

“Hmph! Don't blame me if I can't come up with a name you like then!”

The machine shrugged. “As long as I get the last say on this, I don't care.”

A name for Computer? Courage was suddenly wishing that he hadn't gone along with this after all. He knew that Computer was going to be picky and he honestly had no idea what sort of name would fit his cynical friend. Would he want a fancy name or a simple one? An ordinary name or something strange?

He bit his lip. This was the last thing on earth that he was qualified to handle. Computer was going to give him trouble on this no matter what he did.

“Uh, well, what kind of name do you want?” He asked, desperate for some sort of idea on where to begin.

“I-I don't know! You figure it out!” Computer huffed. He had no idea what sort of name might fit himself either.

They argued about it for nearly the whole hour it took to get to their destination. Neither of them were any closer to finding a proper name for him. It was eventually decided that Courage should just start rattling off any names that came into his head.

“Alex?”

“Too simple.”

“Alexander?”

“Too fancy.”

“Willard?”

“Do I look like a Willard to you, you twit!”

“William?”

“I'm not a William either!”

“Ugh! I don't know! Why do you have to be so picky about this?”

“What I'm going to call myself is very important! I can't just pick the first name that's thrown at me! It has to fit!”

“How about Puter?” Courage asked, stifling a laugh.

Computer stopped in his tracks, eyes wide, then placed his paws to his hips. “Is that supposed to be a joke?” He asked, glaring at Courage. “Do I look like I'm laughing?”

Courage began to snort with laughter. “Whatever you say....Compute.”

The machine threw his arms into the air with outrage. “That's terrible! Don't you dare start calling me that, idiot!”

“Sure thing, Pute.”

Computer slapped his forehead. “You've got to be kidding me....”

“What?” Courage laughed. “If you get to sit there and call me a twit all day then I get to call you a silly nickname!”

“Look, I will never make fun of you ever again just so long as you don't start referring to me by that atrocity of a name!”

“Wow,” Courage giggled. “You really are being serious....Compute.” He burst out into laughter once more.

“You're right, I am being serious!” He spat, crossed his arms. “I swear I will never speak to you again unless you stop!”

“Good! Maybe now I can start talking without a certain someone always mocking me for everything I say!”

The machine did not reply. He simply stood there with his arms crossed and his nose raised into the air.

“The sooner you stop being picky about names, the sooner I'll stop giving you bad nicknames.” Courage snickered.

No response.

He had half the mind to run forward and jokingly tackle him to the ground, just to get a rise out of him and hopefully get him talking again. Of course, after the events of the forest, he felt that it probably wasn't a good idea to do that. Knowing Computer, he'd probably take it the wrong way and think that he was about to be attacked again.

It felt strange to Courage that he had the urge to do this. It was a doggish, playful thing to want and he'd never been inclined to do so before. It seemed that being around another perceived dog was bringing out some of his more instinctual, playful habits. Unfortunately, it also made him think about-

No, it was better to not think about the life he might have had had 'they' not gone away. There was no way to tell if he'd be more dog-like or more human right now if he'd been raised in the environment they had wanted for him.

The thought of it was incredibly depressing. Feeling grim, he decided to press forward and ignore Computer's little rebellion. The machine immediately caught wind of his sudden change in mood and tried to figure out what was wrong.

“Are you okay?” He asked, almost sounding genuinely concerned. “Er, you do know I wasn't being serious about the whole 'never talk to you again' thing, right?”

“It's...it's fine.” Courage sighed, his ears drooping involuntarily.

The machine fell silent and did not pursue the issue further. He opened his mouth several times, as if to say something, but then seemed to think better of it. Instead, he kept his eyes on Courage, still looking rather confused.

The rest of their walk was a silent one and soon Courage finally caught a glimpse of what he was looking for silhouetted on the horizon. His heart gave a small leap when he saw it.

It was his parents old house. The one they had lived in before they vanished...forever.

After that cruel vet had nearly taken Muriel and Eustace away from him too, when all those painful memories of his lost childhood had begun to resurface, he had decided to hunt down his old home and eventually found it here, forgotten and abandoned in one of the most desolate parts of Nowhere. Ever since he had found it again, he had made it his duty to visit this place at least once a year.

It was as though he were visiting his parents grave, even though he wasn't sure if they were dead or alive. It wouldn't be the most comfortable place to rest, but he knew that the house was at least safe. It had been ransacked and looted several times over, but now it was quite abandoned and a perfectly safe place to stay.

They made their way over to the gates that surrounded the plot of land. Courage had memories of it being green here. Without anyone to tend to the grass and shrubbery, it had all died like most other greenery did in Nowhere. He had the distinct impression that his parents might have been rich. They must have lived like humans too, unlike most dogs. It was a shame that so much of his childhood was lost in a fog. Only the events that had led to his parents being taken from him stuck out clearly in his mind.

“Um, twit?” Computer asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. “I don't think I've ever seen a house more likely to be haunted than this one.”

“Don't worry about it.” Courage replied rather wistfully. His mind was still off in another place.

He ducked through a hole in the gate, the one that he himself had caused as a puppy. It was still the only opening into the abandoned yard. Nobody else had bothered to pry open the main gates, not even to make stealing the things inside easier.

“How can you be so sure of that?” Computer asked, ducking in after him. “This looks like ghost central if you ask me.”

Courage closed his eyes, and with a single sigh, he finally admitted, “This is my parents house.”

The machine did a double take. “You have parents?”

“Why wouldn't I?” He asked. “I'm pretty sure everyone has parents.”

Of all the things that Computer knew about him because of his memoirs, the one thing that he had never typed out was the fate of his parents or his final confrontation with that terrible veterinarian. It was hard enough for him to think about what had happened, much less to type it all out. So, for that reason, it only made sense that Computer did not know about his parents.

The glowing dog looked up at the rundown building. “What, are they crazy hermits or something?” He asked.

“No, they...they're gone.”

Computer placed a paw to his hip “They're dead then? Well, what sort of monstrosity managed to do them in?”

Courage fought back another sigh “They aren't dead, or at least I don't think they are, but they're still...gone. ”

“So, what happened to them then?” Computer asked, a hint of impatience working its way into his voice.

“It's...it's a long story.” Courage sighed, feeling all the more gloomy.

Computer gave him an annoyed glare and then stomped right in front of him. “Excuse me, dog?” He huffed. “You're the one who made me tell you 'everything'about myself back in that forest and now you can't take the time to at least tell me what happened to your parents? You haven't even brought them up so much as once before and now we're suddenly on their doorstep? I think I could use some answers! You can't pull the whole 'it's a long story' thing on me!”

Courage pushed past him. “I'm tired right now, and really sleepy too. You've got to be exhausted as well, so let's just wait until another time.”

“Fine, whatever! But I still don't want to go in there!” Computer argued.

Courage made his way up to the porch of the old house. He turned around and yelled, “I promise you, it's not haunted!”

The machine didn't move. He looked more than a little outraged that they were just going to waltz into a creepy, abandoned house.

Courage rolled his eyes. “You were fine with running off into one of the most dangerous places in all of Nowhere but you won't step inside a spooky looking house?”

Computer's eyes narrowed.

“Alright.” Courage relented with a shrug. “Stay out here in the rain if you want, but I'm going in to dry off.”

The machine was still glaring daggers at him. “Blast it all! I swear if anything bad happens to me in there, I'm packing up and heading back to the attic! Saving your life is 'not' worth this insanity!”

“I've been in here before. It's safe, I promise.”

“Why do I seriously doubt that.” Computer grumbled, reluctantly closing the distance between him and Courage.

The front door was completely gone, having apparently been removed right off its hinges. Most of the windows were gone too or were so smudgy that you couldn't see through them anymore. Because of this, the inside of the house had been left open to the elements. What little was left after the looting was either dirty, broken, moldy, or just outright rotting away.

Courage took in the smell of the house. Beyond the musty and moldy scents, it still had an element to it that was familiar to him. Even after all these years this house still smelled like the way it had back when he was only just a puppy.

So many thoughts and questions ran through his mind. Questions about his own existence and what could have been had fate not taken his parents away. What had they been planning for him? What was his real name, the one that his parents would have wanted to call him? What were his parents really like? He could only remember them in fragments. Why did they apparently live like humans instead of dogs? What sort of jobs had they worked? Did he have any relatives? Why did they pick someplace like Nowhere to live? Where had his parents come from and where were they going in life?

All of these questions only depressed him further and it made him miss his parents even more. Part of him wished that he could have stayed with them, that he could have lived out the life they had planned for him. On the other hand, he was glad to have the family he had now. He could not imagine Muriel or Eustace not being in his life and he could not imagine not living on their farm.

He thought of his illness too and what it might have been like to find out about it while living a completely different life. He would certainly not be here right now, looking for a way to save himself. He probably would have given up and waited for his end to come. Perhaps it really was for the best that everything had worked out the way that it did. He'd be dying of his illness with no hope, no Computer to help him. In fact, Computer wouldn't be here either because he would have allowed himself to die without a 'twit' to give him purpose. Muriel most likely would have been killed from one of the many supernatural threats that attacked the farm. In a way, this was the best outcome, even if it still led to some heartache.

Without even thinking about it, he dropped down onto all fours and shook the water out of his fur. He was so lost in thought that he didn't even realize what he was doing. Blinking in surprise, he looked over to find Computer sopping wet all over again. The machine glared at him as he laughed sheepishly.

“Have I ever told you how much I hate you?” Computer sighed.

“Every single day.” Courage chuckled.

Only a few seconds later, the machine tossed aside their bag and immediately collapsed onto the floor. He was a wet, glowing, muddy mess and he did not particularly look happy about it. Shifting uncomfortably with a slightly pained expression, betraying just how much his injuries were hurting him, he tried to find a comfortable position on the floor. Courage felt a twinge of pity well up inside his chest.

“D-do you need help with anything?” He offered.

“No.” The machine flatly replied.

“Well, if you're going to sleep down here then I'll go upstairs.”

Rather surprisingly, Computer's eyes widened and he immediately sat back up.

“I'll come with you then.” He said rather reluctantly.

Courage shook his head. “No, I think I want some time to myself. It'll be nice to spend a few hours without a snarky computer telling me that I'm a twit or whatever else.”

“Oh...” He slowly uttered out. “Well, uh...I promise that I won't say a single word if-” He was starting to look a bit desperate.

Courage blinked with surprise. This didn't seem like Computer at all. Was he scared or something?

“S-sorry,” He replied, feeling a bit reluctant to dismiss Computer like this. “But I really want some time to myself, okay?” He tried to sound sympathetic. “After everything that happened in the forest, I just-”

“Whatever.” Computer interrupted, looking away. “Do whatever you want, I don't care. You're just a worthless twit after all.”

Feeling all the more guilty, Courage really did want to stay with him, but there was something else waiting for him upstairs and he didn't want to put it off any longer. After all, he might never get another chance to do this and now was the only time that he could be alone.

“Well, if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to come get me.” He gently spoke, hoping that it would at least slightly make up for dissing Computer like this.

“Just go away, idiot.” The machine muttered out, sounding all the more dejected.

“L-look, if-”

“Ugh, just go away, you stupid twit!” He finally yelled. “I've decided that I want to be alone too! It'll be nice to get away from your idiocy for a little while!”

Courage shook his head. “Well, I'm around if you need me.” He reaffirmed for a second time.

He did not dare allow himself to get angry with Computer's confrontational attitude. It was obvious that this was how he coped with things. Perhaps after a good night's rest he'd be in a little better mood. After what happened in the forest, Courage could only hope that things would start to get better for him again. He was certain that it was still heavy on Computer's mind and it wasn't as if anyone could get over such things in only a few hours.

Leaving Computer behind, he made his way up the staircase. Upon reaching the top floor, each step he took as he walked down the hallway left the moldy floor groaning in protest. He doubted that this was the safest thing to do, but he'd been up here before and he hoped that the floor would hold out this one last time. He entered the room he'd been aiming for. It had long since been stripped of anything valuable, just like everything else in this house. He couldn't even tell if this was supposed to be his parents room or what once had been his own.

Moving past a rotting bed, he curled his nose at the smell it produced. The elements had eaten away at the wood supporting it and now it was nothing more than a musty, old husk.

He searched around a bit more and then he finally found it....

It was a picture of them.

The glass was cracked from the thief who had carelessly tossed it aside and the picture itself was hopelessly faded, but despite that, he could still make them out. His mom, his dad, and he himself wrapped up in a bundle of blankets. It could not have been taken more then a few days after he had been taken home from the hospital. His mother was smiling down at him and his dad couldn't have looked more proud. He felt tears welling up in his eyes. He missed them more than anything and he would never get them back. It didn't matter where they were right now, they might as well be dead.

He'd never taken the picture home with him, not even when he had first found it here. Part of him felt like this picture belonged here and that it would be wrong to remove it from what might as well be its resting place.

In that moment, he made a decision. If he ever came back here again, after his illness might finally be cured, he'd take the picture home with him. If he could survive this ordeal, only then might he feel worthy enough to take this memento with him.

He hugged the picture to his chest. 'I'm home.' He thought. The feeling was bittersweet. 'I'm sorry that I haven't visited you both lately, but I haven't forgotten about you, I promise.'

He smiled to himself and then laid down onto the floor with the picture still clutched to his chest. He talked to them for a bit, telling them about his life, about his illness, and how he might survive it with Computer's help. He then told them more about Computer and how he was helping him, about how they were both helping each other. He liked to think that maybe they could hear him. Though he tried to keep talking to them for as long as he could, he soon couldn't fight his exhaustion any longer and fell fast asleep.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 42: Someone To Lean On

The first stabs of pain shooting through his chest were what woke Courage up. Despite his sudden panic, he stifled a scream knowing that Computer was probably asleep right now and he did not want to wake him. He sat there struggling to remain quiet as the attack went by. His limbs flailed helplessly and the picture of his parents was sent flying. It clattered to the floor soundlessly and stirred up large clouds of dust as it settled.

The attack went on for several minutes and Courage was left laying there breathlessly. He sat listening to the rain as it pounded on the window, this was one of the few rooms with a window left intact. He spread his limbs out and let his muscles slowly unclench. The worst of the remaining pain was slowly subsiding.

He hated night time attacks, unlike the normal ones they always seemed to work in reverse. Rather than causing him to black out they always woke him up. They often left him unable to fall back asleep again and it would hurt so much that even if it did not leave him with insomnia it would have hurt too much to fall back asleep anyway.

He was just beginning to relax when another attack began out of almost nowhere. There had been none of the warnings, none of the signs. It had shocked him terribly and even as his mind clouded with pain he was left wondering how this could have happened. He almost never had multiple attacks. At least this one had not lasted as long, it was like it had been when his condition had first shown itself. There had been minor attacks that slowly grew into terrible ones.

Once he could move again he slowly got up. The second attack had scared him, he could not remember the last time he had had two attacks in a row. He glanced around the room, it was cold and he wished he could cover up with something. He did not dare touch the rags that had once been the sheets of that moldy old bed. The last thing he needed was flees...

He went over to the door to go see if he could find something less ratty to cover up with when it happened again. A third mini attack struck him. He couldn't stop himself from crying out this time as he fell. He writhed on the floor as his mind went mad trying to figure out what was happening to him. The minute it was over he crawled over to the nearest wall and curled into a ball.

Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong. He must have pushed himself too hard. He had done far more today than he ever thought he could pull off with his condition as bad as it was. With all that adrenalin fading from his system and his body finally relaxing, his condition was returning with a vengeance.

Was he about to die? Was this it? Would he be...

Another attack struck and this time once it was over he threw up as his stomach tried to empty it's non-existent contents. Nothing came out except dry heaving and maybe a bit of bile. His stomach did not want to give up though and he continued to gag until the next attack overtook him.

He writhed on the floor, unable to stop the contractions of his muscles. He whimpered softly once it was all over. He was terrified. Part of him was convinced that he was dying.

His head began to burn. A terrible headache overtook his mind, warping the world around him even more than the continual attacks were. He shivered desperately, he felt like all the warmth was leaving his body.

He began to cough and his nose began to run. A coughing fit led him into the next attack and once he resurfaced from it the world around him began to spin. He was sick too, he realized. Spending all that time out in the cold must have caused him to catch something, especially with his body as weak as it was.

Another attack rolled through him and his stomach once again tried to purge the contents that did not exist. He didn't know what to do except make himself small and hope it would all end. The room was spinning so quickly now that he had to keep his eyes closed or else the nausea would overwhelm him and lead into another gagging fit. Even with his eyes closed he could still feel the room spinning around him as though he were sitting on a ship.

His head was burning up but the rest of his body was slowly turning to ice. Several more attacks struck him in rapid succession and he was left wondering how much more of this he could take. Part of him wished he'd black out, part of him wished he would just die, part of him just wanted it all to end. It all hurt so much...

When he opened his eyes again he saw his mother. She was staring down at him, smiling. His head was propped in her lap and she was humming some tune that he could vaguely remember from his puppyhood. She was stroking him just like Muriel often would and for a moment everything felt perfect...

But then another attack struck him and when he opened his eyes again she was standing in the doorway. He called out to her but she just turned and left. He cried out to her but she did not return. He tried to stand up but he was so weak and the world was spinning so quickly that he just could not find his balance. He crawled forward on his knees, but even that was too difficult for his tired body. He lay there sobbing, begging her to come back. He was left like that until the next attack left him reeling.

The next hour was endless string of pain and strange hallucinations coming to visit him. Old enemies came to mock him, old friends came to comfort him only to leave and cause him even more pain, he thought he heard Muriel calling for him once but no matter how much he yelled she could not seem to hear him. The attacks were growing ever more frequent now and he was left enduring sometimes five or more in a row. His whole body felt like it was shutting down and giving up but the pain would just not end.

He had crawled into a corner and kept his head burred in it. If he did not do this the hallucinations would come out to bother him again. Even when he kept himself turned away from it all he could still hear their voices calling out to him.

All he could do was sob and wait for the next attack to obliterate his body. He never thought that the pain could be so utterly consuming, he could endure his attacks but not so many of them over such a short period of time.

“Courage, come out to play dear.” He heard his mom say.

“No!” He yelled. It plunged him into another coughing fit which wracked his body and made his chest even more stiff and painful.

A cold, drawling voice added in with hers. “While you are sitting here dying I've got my little darlings coming after your precious Muriel.” It was the voice of Katz. “They are going to feast heartily tonight.”

“Shut up, just shut up!” He whimpered out.

He felt a hand touch his shoulder and he whirled around expecting to find the cat standing there behind him.

It was Computer.

No, no, no, it couldn't be! It was just another hallucination! It had to be!

Courage turned back around and ignored the glowing dog.

“Courage?” He heard the machine ask.

Maybe it was him after all...

He managed to mutter out a soft, “I didn't mean to wake you up. I'm sorry, go back to bad.” but he could barely speak anymore, it just came out as slurred gibberish.

“You're sick...” The machine spoke.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry...” He kept mumbling over and over again. His head hurt too much to really think about anything anymore. The room was still spinning wildly and he didn't want to be an inconvenience for his friend.

The glowing dog flipped him back around again and Courage was left groaning at the movement. The machine inspected him with a very worried expression.

“I'm going to die, aren't I?” He asked his friend softly. He was not making any effort to hide the sheer terror in his voice. He began whimpering softly as more tears spilled from his eyes.

Computer shook his head. “O-of course not.” He didn't sound very sure of himself.

The next attack hit him and this time it was only Computer's arm that stopped him from hitting the floor yet again. Once it was over he fell into yet another coughing fit. He could only manage small sobs between coughs now, taking the breath he needed simply hurt too much.

He all but collapsed into Computer's arms. He let his head rest on him but that did not quell the vicious spinning that seemed to be overtaking the world around him. He felt Computer wrap his arms around him and he was grateful for the support.

Computer kept him from falling during the attacks and his limbs could not flail around as much when he didn't have as much room to do so. He just wished his muscles would stop cramping so badly but not even his friend could do anything about that.

Computer stayed with him the whole time. He heard the machine talking through most of it but it all became a blur to Courage in his slowly weakening state of mind. The attacks continued unimpeded and it felt like his very soul was slowly ripping itself apart. Computer offered him some comfort but it did not stop his condition from slowly tearing him to pieces. Between his growing fever and his condition slowly doing him in, his mind could barely register anything anymore. When he wasn't being overwhelmed by attacks or coughing fits all he could do was hang there limply until Computer would do something to try and keep him slightly more coherent.

He kept fading in and out of lucidity. He remembered saying things to Computer but it was all just nonsense. He could only choke out several weak little words anyway. Every time he seemed to drift off to 'somewhere' that wasn't here, Computer would bring him out of it with painful shakes or loud words that wouldn't let up until he finally opened his eyes again.

Slowly but surely the worse of it began to taper off. His attacks stopped coming in massive waves and he could almost start relaxing his tense muscles again. His head was still pounding and the world was still spinning but he wasn't fighting back the desperate urge to vomit anymore.

He was vaguely aware of the soft glow just beyond his eyelids. He was still cold, viciously, terribly cold but he couldn't help but notice how unusually warm that soft glow was. He was afraid that because he wasn't doing as badly as he was before that Computer would leave him alone again. He couldn't bear the thought of being left alone to fend off his attacks and the fevered hallucinations that mocked him. He tried to express his worries to the machine but he was still too far out of it to really communicate anything meaningful to him.

He was just beginning to nod off when Computer shifted him and slowly moved him toward a wall. He opened his eyes and was left staring at a spinning world all around him. He had to close them again or risk falling into that endless vertigo forever. He could only manage weak little pants for breath and any attempt to speak came out as half words that he could just barely manage to speak. He just couldn't get the air that he needed.

“My feet were starting to get sore.” He heard Computer tell him. His voice still sounded far away, like it was coming through a filter.

Courage reached a paw out halfheartedly, as if to grab him and get the point across that he didn't want him to go away. He was so scared of being left alone. He couldn't go through this all alone again!

He felt the machine's paws grab his own. “I'm not going anywhere yet.” He spoke. “But I think I might have to very soon.”

What! No, no, no! He couldn't be left alone! Courage tried to respond but all he could manage was soft whimpers.

“Listen, you're running a high fever and it has left your body in a highly weakened state. Your illness is wreaking havoc on your body because of it. I need to go into town and get you some medicine or else you run the serious risk of dying. I can't do anything for you sitting around here and I'm not just going to wait for you to die. You've been skirting dangerously close to death these past few hours and I'm not going to wait around for it to get worse.”

He whimpered out something akin to 'okay' but he still didn't want to be left alone.

“Didn't you feel sick at all before this?” The machine asked.

He shook his head and instantly wished he hadn't. The vertigo almost brought on another wave of nausea.

“You seem to have thankfully stabilized somewhat. I'll wait for you to fall asleep and then I will leave. This may take me a little while so please try and hang on for a little bit longer, won't you?”

He spoke the last sentience with a surprising amount of kindness. He had not let go of Courage's arm and he could feel his paws trembling with...worry, perhaps? Courage wasn't sure. Had he really come that close to dying? He suspected that Computer was probably just as afraid as he was but was keeping a level head at the moment for his sake.

He was pretty sleep, come to think of it. Computer having kept him awake all this time was the only thing that had kept him from drifting off so far. He was still cold though and he wanted someplace more comfortable to rest but he knew there wasn't a place like that in the house.

“You need someplace better to rest, don't you?” Computer asked, almost seeming to read his thoughts. “I'll go check the other rooms and see if I can find anything.”

Courage didn't protest but he still had a lingering sense of terror that filled his heart as he heard Computer's footsteps move farther and father away. He sat there for several minutes before the machine finally returned.

“There's another bed in the room down the hall. It's pretty nasty too but it's still functional unlike the one in here. If you don't mind the smell, I think it might work.”

Courage internally cringed at the thought of sleeping in a moldy bed like the one in this room. He was so tired though that anywhere comfy to sleep seemed like an inviting prospect. If it let him get warm, he'd face the flees or whatever else might be in that bed.

He nodded slowly to get his point across but even that made his head spin vigorously.

Computer helped him to his feet. He could not stand without putting all his weight onto the machine. He was so weak and the room was spinning around him so quickly that he could not keep himself standing upright without his help.

“You know what they say, put one foot in front of the other and all that.” Computer spoke, helping him along.

He was certain that he was about to tip over as he took the first few steps but Computer kept him from falling the whole way. It was a slow and very painful effort but soon they were out of the room and into the hallway. He had to stop twice to rest, he just couldn't manage more than a few steps at a time.

The machine was uncharacteristically patient with him. He even offer encouragement whenever it seemed like he just couldn't keep moving. Courage felt terrible, it was obvious that he was exhausted too, you could hear it in his voice every time he spoke, and yet here he was being forced to do all these thing for him instead of resting.

“Almost there.” He spoke as Courage managed two more stumbling steps.

Several minutes later they had finally made it to the bed. It did look nasty but as Computer helped him up into it he found that at least it didn't feel as nasty as it looked. It smelt horrible but it wasn't mushy or anything. He forced himself to ignore the way it looked and collapsed into it. He pulled the ratty blankets around him and instantly began to feel warmer. He glanced back over to find Computer watching him.

“Is it acceptable at least?” He asked.

Courage did a quick little nod.

“Good, now go to sleep. I'll be back as soon as possible.”

Courage gave him a worried glance.

“Don't worry, I won't leave until you're asleep.” He said before adding. “I don't see why you are so insistent on keeping me around. I can't do much for you if your condition flares up again.”

Courage could only manage a soft whimper.

“I get that you're scared but I can't do anything for you like this.”

Courage whimpered a second time.

“Look, as soon as I get back I won't move so much as a muscle from this spot until you get better, alright?”

Courage squeezed his eyes shut and turned away. He was feeling slightly better now and maybe he wouldn't hallucinate as much anymore, but....

Computer's paws touched the side of the bed. “I'll even let you call me all those awful nicknames again just so long as you don't give out while I'm gone, okay?”

A small smile formed across Courage's mouth. There were at least a billion things he wanted to say right now but he could not say even one of them.

“What I was trying to say before....” Computer said rather suddenly. “Just in case I don't get a chance to say it later, what I wanted to tell you was that I...” He seemed to seize up again.

Had he not been so sick at the moment Courage might have found this amusing. Was he trying to tell him that he cared about him? Courage couldn't help but find it funny that Computer was having such a hard time spitting out something so simple. Hadn't they already gotten this across? He thought that it would have already stuck after he told the machine that he didn't think any less of him despite his friend's perceived lack of worth.

There was a sad laugh from the machine. “You're about to die and I still can't say what I really want to....”

Courage turned back around and gave him an expression that could only convey the words 'I understand.'

The machine seemed almost immediately relieved. “I-I'll try not to screw this up too, alright? I mean, it's my fault that everything's been going wrong lately. You've been pushing yourself too hard and that's partly my fault as well. I keep charging into things and getting us both in trouble for it.”

Courage wanted nothing more than to tell him that it wasn't his fault. He really wished he wouldn't blame himself so much.

“Don't give me that look!” He spoke noticing Courage's expression. “If I hadn't been so nosy, Eustace wouldn't have knocked me out and sent you to that pound so much earlier then expected. If I hadn't been so insistent on hiding in that forest I wouldn't have had to relive some of my worst memories and absolutely humiliate myself in front of you. If I hadn't been so sure of myself in that I could handle the Fear Eater, I wouldn't have had to sit through Him systematically breaking down my psyche, taking advance of my biggest weaknesses, and him almost murdering you. If I had just avoided all those things you wouldn't have had to run around as much which has helped contribute to your current state.”

He looked so guilt ridden that Courage did the only thing he could do and placed a paw on top of his.

There was a small smile from the machine. “I really do hate it when you try to make me feel better.”

“Go-od-ni-ght” Courage managed to choke out.

“I'd hardly call it night anymore but yes, goodnight twit.”

Courage closed his eyes and almost immediately found himself drifting off. He had not removed his paw from Computer's own and he didn't really want to. He almost felt as though it were his only life line.

“I don't think this rain is ever going to let up.” He heard Computer say. “Ugh, this is going to be one disgusting walk down into Nowhere. I think I'll add rain to my list of things I hate along with trees.”

He continued to talk for awhile but Courage was so far removed from the world around him that he didn't really pick up anything he was saying. It didn't take long for him to sink into a fitful sleep and he never felt Computer's paw remove itself from his.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 43: That Awkward Conversation

Courage awoke to a pounding headache. He had a vague memory of being shaken awake and forced to choke down several pills without any water. He'd been so out of it at the time that he could hardly even remember it happening. He now found himself staring up at the dull, brown ceiling. His head was still spinning but he could at least keep his eyes open without feeling like the world was about to fall out from under him now. He slowly sat up, trying not to aggravate his dizziness any worse than it already was.

Computer was standing close to the window next to the bed. His chin was resting on the windowsill and to say that he looked terrible would have been an understatement. Despite his blue glow, one could easily see the dark shadows forming under his eyes. He was staring halfheartedly out the window, which was too dirty to really see anything out of anyway, and he was clearly trying to force himself to stay awake.

A pill bottle was laying on the floor next to their bag and that ancient book that Computer was always reading lay open on the floor too. Courage quickly began to wonder just how long he had been out. Rain was still drumming endlessly on glass of the window, but it was definitely light out now.

“Computer?” He asked. His voice was hoarse.

“Oh, you're awake?” The machine asked with a huge yawn.

“What time is it?”

“Not a clue.” He replied with a shrug. “Bah, I really do miss my internal clock. You organic creatures are just so inefficient at everything, aren't you?” He gave a quick glance out the window. “If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that it's nearly noon.”

“A-am I going to be okay?” Courage asked him, unable to hide the fear in his voice.

“You're certainly doing a lot better than you were before.” He replied. Courage could tell that he was relieved.

“I still feel pretty bad though.” He admitted to the machine.

“Give it a few hours.”

“We missed our bus, didn't we?”

“I wasn't about to drag you down to the bus stop in the condition that you were in. We'll just have to catch a different one later. It's not that big of a deal.”

Courage groaned and laid back down. Not only did he still feel sick, but he could also feel hunger slowly eating a hole into the pit of his stomach as well. He couldn't even remember the last time he had eaten anything.

“Listen.” He heard Computer say to him. “You almost died last night. You must take it easier from now on. I know that the last few days have been rather hectic for you, but this close call is a testament to what will happen if you aren't careful.”

“I can try, but half the stuff that's been happening to me lately hasn't been in my control. It was you who forced us to go into that forest last night. I probably got sick from being stuck in the rain for so long.”

“Don't remind me.” He groaned.

“Well, you should get some rest too.” Courage added in, trying to change the subject. Obviously the forest was still a sensitive subject for Computer. “I'm not going anywhere right now, and I don't think I could walk even if I tried.”

“I don't need any sleep.” Computer stubbornly replied. He had been forced to stifle a yawn as he said that.

“Yes, you do.” Courage chided him. “You look like you're about to drop dead even more than I do!”

“I'll live.” He grumbled out before adding in, “I never used to have to sleep like one of you organic creatures...”

“Seriously, Computer. You need some rest. Who knows what might happen to us next.”

The glowing dog waved a paw. “Fine, fine! I'll go to bed in a little bit! I wasn't sleeping so well before anyway and I didn't want to bother with it anymore if I could.”

“Hey, what was it that you were trying to tell me before?” Courage asked him with a mischievous smile. It was always funny to see how flustered Computer got about it.

“You still remember that?” He asked, placing a paw onto his hip. “It was nothing! Nothing at all!”

“Come on, Computer. Tell me!” He pleaded, all while fighting back a laugh.

“Can we move onto something else, please?” The machine groaned. “It's not important!”

“Computer...”

Courage was starting to get a sense of what was going on here and he was having a hard time not laughing about it. This was so like Computer!

“Just drop it, you twit!” The machine snapped. “If I want to say something, I'll say it!”

“Aww, I love you too.” He joked, finally bursting out laughing as he did so. It was obvious that the machine had been trying to tell him that he cared in his own cynical, jerk-like way, but he hadn't been able to spit it out.

“W-What?” The machine stammered. “That is most certainly not what I was going to say!” He yelled, crossing his arms. “That would be the very last thing I'd ever say! Have you gone insane? Did that fever finally get to your head?”

“Wow, look how flustered you are!” He laughed. “Aww, Compute, you really do care!”

“I thought I told you to stop calling me that!” He yelled.

Now it was Courage's turn to cross his arms. “You said that so long as I lived through the night, I could keep calling you whatever nicknames I want!”

“I wish you would have forgotten that as well!” He griped. “I swear, you always joke about the worst possible things. You are quite literally the epitome of unfunny.”

“Are you kidding me?” He gasped out. “You're the one who'll sit there and insult me for ten minutes straight while a monster is munching on Muriel! You're the one who jokes about all the wrong things at all the wrong times!”

The machine laughed. “At least I get the job done! What do you do? Pretend that I don't exist unless you need my help!”

“I know that I'm at fault for a few things.” Courage admitted, growing somber. “If I'm going to consider you family, once this is all over, I promise I'll visit you more often. I've been neglecting you all these years and I'm really, really sorry for it. We fight a lot but nobody deserves to be left alone like that, especially for as long as you have.”

Computer shrugged. “You don't have to do anything, it's fine. I am disagreeable after all.”

Courage couldn't help but smile. “It's the least I can do for you. I know that you don't like me very much, but-”

“Don't like you?” He asked, looking surprised. He waited a moment and then picked his words very carefully. “You are, ugh, amusing...”

That seemed to be the only praise that he could manage to choke out. He looked half angry and half annoyed with himself as he said it, but there was a sense of fondness in his tone.

Courage decided to jokingly prod the issue. “Amusing? That's it? After everything that just happened, you only think that I'm amusing?”

The machine seemed to be at a loss for words as he tried to rectify his statement. “Well, um-”

“I'm just one big amusing joke? Aww, come on!” Courage put on as much fake outrage as he could muster.

“You are, er, 'nice'?” The machine tried to say, only sounding half sure of himself as he did so. “You are a g-good owner, I guess, a-and-” He stumbled over his words as he tried to find something nice to say. “On a scale of one to ten, I'd say that you are an eight.”

“WHAT? I'm not a ten?” Courage yelped.

The machine looked absolutely aghast. “Well, there's that whole twit thing. That automatically knocks off two points at least. Normally that would knock off five, but your exceptional, er, 'niceness' has made me reconsider.” He started to nervously laugh.

“So, not only am I just 'amusing', my worth is being graded by numbers too?” He continued on with his fake outrage, but it was taking a lot of effort not to burst out laughing. Computer's genuine shock and disbelief was causing him to nearly collapse a lung. “I consider you a valuable friend, ally, and family member and yet I'm only an eight to you?”

“No, no, no! I-I just-” His responses were becoming even more fragmented as he grew more and more flustered. “I-I appreciate your company a-and you are my friend. You've treated me far better than any of my old owners, after all. I don't know much about friendship, family, or any of that other nonsense, b-but...” He shook his head in desperation. “You didn't judge me back there in that forest, not for anything that I said or did. We both know that if our rolls had been reversed, I would have never given you any slack for it.”

Courage crossed his arms. “Eight out of ten....” He growled.

The machine's expression became absolutely horror struck. He slowly bowed his head, as though giving up, and muttered, “Okay, okay. I get it. I'm obviously not cut out for this whole friendship thing. I'm just not good enough, am I? It's all just so confusing.”

There it was again. His absolute obsession with being 'good enough'. Friendship and affection, or rejection from failed attempts at such things seemed to be his biggest weakness and the biggest hole in his knowledge about people. Courage was quickly beginning to feel bad for egging him on like this. Didn't he realize that he was just joking around? He immediately gave up the charade.

“Computer, I was just joking.” He said.

He craned his head to the side when the machine did not look up again. “You just saved my life last night.” He went on. “I'm not about to tell you that you aren't good enough after something like that. You don't give yourself enough credit! Come on, Compute!”

“It was my fault that you nearly died in the first place.” He grumbled.

“It was a combination of a lot of things.” Courage replied, placing a paw onto his shoulder.

“I doubt that I can be a very good friend in the first place.” He sighed. “I just don't know how any of that nonsense works anyway. I mean, outside of being annoyingly kind to everyone, like....like you!” He seemed disgusted at the prospect.

“You're a perfectly fine friend.” Courage gently reaffirmed. “I was just joking, okay? I'm fine with being an eight.”

“If you say so.” He quietly replied.

“Come on, Compute! You're the one who's always telling me to lighten up! We watch each others backs! You wouldn't abandon me and I wouldn't abandon you! No matter how much we fight, no matter what might happen, we're still friends, okay?”

“I suppose so.” He sighed, completely unconvinced. “It is nice though, to know that I won't be sold off to a new owner or thrown away like any old piece of garbage. I'm going to have to find a way to repay you. I guess I can continue to try and be 'nice', but it's not very easy.” He allowed himself the weakest of smiles. “And it kind of hurts too.” He joked.

Courage laughed. “I think you're allergic to being nice. But that's alright, you don't have to repay me for anything.”

“I must! It's the right thing to do!” He exasperated, completely resolute in his belief. “And I promise that I won't go charging into danger anymore!” He then added in rather quietly, “However, this one is on you. I'm not the one who wanted to go into this house.”

“It's not the house's fault that I'm sick!” Courage yelled. “And I can't believe that you were actually afraid of a big, spooky house! What's happened to you?” He grinned again. “I think you're losing your touch!”

“I-I'm not afraid!” He yelled. “I was just exercising a healthy level of caution! After the forest, I just don't want to have to deal with anymore strangeness, alright? This whole stupid house should just be torn down! Look at the floor in this room alone! It's about to give out!” He crossed his arms. “I'm surprised that there hasn't been at least one halfway decent ghost who's moved in!”

“So,” Courage asked, changing the subject. “What was it that you were really going to say to me before?”

“This again? Look, I think I just said most of it anyway.” He grumbled. “I wasn't quite sure what exactly I wanted to say, but there were a lot of things. Your fake little 'show' back there unfortunately forced my hand.”

Courage grinned. “A cop out, huh?”

“What? No! I said what I wanted to say!”

“Well, I meant what I said before about family and all of that.”

“So you weren't just trying to freak me out? Here I was thinking that you had finally lost your stupid, little mind.” He expression soften. “Well, thank you for that though. Thank you for everything. Nobody has ever wanted me around before, not really. You are a twit, but I'd rather have a twit around like you than somebody else entirely.”

“Aww, Compute! I knew you had it in you! Was that really so hard to say?” He laughed.

The machine's smile instantly turned back into a scowl. “Very...” He grumbled.

Courage sighed and collapsed backwards again. He was starting to feel ridiculously tired once more.

“We've spent far too much time talking. You should get some rest. Give it a few more hours and you should start to feel a little bit better.” Computer spoke.

“You need to get some rest too.” He reminded him.

“Yes, yes, I know.” The machine sighed. “I'll crash in a little bit.”

“Good night, Compute.” Courage replied with a chuckle.

“Good night, Cour.”

Courage shot back up off the pillow. “H-hey! Don't you start too!”

The machine laughed. “Two can play at this game, you know!”

Courage smiled again. “Thanks for helping me, Compute.” He said with a yawn.

“It's my job.”

“You'll stay here with me if it starts to get bad again, won't you?”

“Why wouldn't I?”

“I-I don't think that I could go through that again.” He whimpered. He couldn't stop his voice from trembling at the thought of it.

“I'll do whatever I can to help. It isn't much, but I won't leave you alone.”

“Thank you.”

“You don't have to thank me. It's like I said, this is just my job after all.” He chuckled.

“Please get some rest, Computer. I'd hate it if you got the same fever as me just because you've been pushing yourself so hard.”

“I'll be fine. Besides, getting your fever wouldn't be nearly as bad for me. That fever weakened you enough for your illness to start wreaking havoc.”

“Well, have you thought of a name while I was asleep?” He asked.

“Just one.” He admitted, practically puffing up his chest as he did so. “Cornelius! I kind of like it! I can't say that I'm dead set on it yet, but-”

Courage let out a snort. “Pfff! That's just pretentious enough of a name for you!” He laughed.

“What?” He gasped. “Oh, really? If you're so smart, why don't you figure out a name? You're useless, you twit!”

“Only because you're too picky!”

“Yet I find a name that I like and you go and say that it's too pretentious! Honestly! You must be trying to drive me insane on purpose!”

“I only do it because I care!”

“If you actually cared, you'd worry more about my mental health!”

“Ha! You can't live in Nowhere and not be a little bit crazy!”

“A little?” He sighed. “Twits, I swear.”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 44: Recovery

When Courage awoke again he was already starting to feel much better. He still felt weak and his body still ached from his cramped muscles but his head no longer hurt like a red hot iron and the room no longer spun when he opened his eyes. He sat up slowly, half expecting his dizziness to return.

Computer was sitting at the foot of the bed, his nose burred in that book of his. He still looked exhausted and Courage was worried that he hadn't rested at all.

“Did you get any sleep?” He asked the machine, almost startling him.

“Goodness dog, I thought you'd never wake up again!” Computer spoke. He turned around to face him.

“How long have I been asleep?” He asked his friend.

“Nearly all day now.”

“R-really?” He gasped. He couldn't believe that he had almost slept the whole day away.

He gazed over to the window. It was still raining just as much as it had been hours ago. He was starting to wonder if it would ever let up. This wasn't completely unusual, Nowhere usually had strange weather events like this and he could remember it storming for at least three days straight once. Even with the cloud cover you could still tell that it was getting dark out. The room they were sitting in was already beginning to sink into darkness.

“You did get some sleep, didn't you?” He asked the machine.

Computer shrugged. “A little bit.”

He didn't look it though. He seemed to be a little bit better but he still looked as though he were about to pass out from exhaustion.

Courage placed a paw on his stomach. “I'm starving.” He admitted softly.

“I would have gotten you something while I was out in town but the last time I did anything with food you acted like I force fed you poison.”

“It was poison.” Courage grumbled. “So long as you brought back something you didn't have had to cook it it would have been safe.”

The machine cranked his head to the side. “And how am I supposed to know what kind of food to get you? Just looking at the stuff you organics consume disgusts me. I wouldn't know the first thing to get for you. ”

“Anything would have worked just so long as you didn't pick up flour, salt or other things inedible like those.”

“Exactly! I don't know what kind of food is edible from the get go or what is used for cooking alone! I think an internet connection is the next thing on my list of stuff you organic creatures need. I wouldn't be having these problems if I could just look this all up properly.”

“Life never comes with an internet connection.” Courage laughed. “I know someplace we can eat that's not far from here. We can leave as soon as I'm feeling up to it but I really don't think my energy will return until I finally get something in my stomach. You must be starving too.”

He blinked. “I don't get hungry.”

“So long as you're in a dog body you do. You need to eat and sleep just like the rest of us now.”

“I'm fine! I don't need to do any of those things! I can live without!”

“No you can't! You already look half dead from exhaustion! You're going to start looking like a skeleton now too!”

“Ugh, fine! Whatever!” He growled. “I never realized just how inferior you organic creatures really are! You all need so much maintenance just to keep functioning!”

Courage shrugged. “That's just the way things are.”

“Oh yes, I almost forgot.” The machine spoke, jumping off the bed. He picked something up off the floor and Courage realized that it was the picture of his parents. “These must be your parents, aren't they? I nearly cut my foot open when I stepped on this stupid thing back in the other room.”

“Y-yeah they are.” Courage murmured.

“Is that what you came up here for? You should take this with you. I couldn't do it myself but if you found a different computer you could scan this and enhance the picture to look like normal again. You could make a pretty decent version of this to keep around.”

“Why couldn't you do it?”

Computer gave him a startled glance. “You know why!”

“Oh, right...uh sorry.”

“I mean, if you really wanted me to I could possibly find a way but it would take me awhile. I can scan things fine after all, it's just...”

“It's alright, you don't have to justify anything.” Courage interjected. “But you're right, I think I will take it home with me this time.”

The machine immediately became relieved. “Sorry, I just...”

“Computer! It's alright!” He yelled. “Don't worry about it. I'm not faulting you for anything, geeze.”

“So what happened to them anyway?” He asked.

“It's a long story but I'll try to sum it up the best I can.” Courage replied, rubbing his head weakly. He honestly felt too tired to do this but he felt that Computer deserved an answer. “When I was just a puppy I got my head stuck in that gate we came in through. You and I went through the hole they cut out to help me. Parts of the gate were still stuck between my neck and my parents just couldn't get it off themselves. They were too afraid to try and cut any closer to my neck so they took me to a vet. That was when he took them...”

He felt an unexpected wave of anger overtake him. The memory of what had happened always angered him almost as much as it saddened him but he had never felt as strongly about it as he did now. He began to realize that this was literally the first time he had told anyone about what had happened to his parents. Talking about this seemed to bring out all new emotions within him.

“They left me in the room so that he could talk to them. That was when he took them away! I went looking for them but it was already too late! He had some awful experiment he wanted to use them for. It was some stupid thing about breeding dogs in space to make them stronger. I couldn't get to them in time and they were blasted off into space. I couldn't do anything for them! I was just a puppy, what more could I have done?”

He was surprised by the bitterness in his own voice. Now that he had someone to talk to about it, all his sorrow seemed to have turned into anger. It just didn't seem fair that he had to lose his parents like that.

“And you were left alone for Muriel to find, right?” Computer asked. “Guess that vet didn't want you for any experiments?”

“Yeah...” He sighed. “A few years ago Muriel took me to see him again. She thought I was sick and even though I tried to make her see that I didn't want to go, she took me anyway. He tried to take me too. It was probably because I was old enough to be bred now but Muriel went after us when I tried to run away. He almost blasted both her and Eustace off into space too after discovering his secret. I didn't mess up like I did with my parents though and this time I managed to save us all. That awful vet got a taste of his own medicine when he got locked into his own rocket. If my parents are still alive, I hope they gave him what he deserved...”

“Well, I for one am glad that you are here.” Computer spoke. “Surely you're happy with Muriel, aren't you? You're so devoted to her I never thought you'd regret being her dog.”

“I have realize just how much different things would be if my parents hadn't gone away but I am happy to be with Muriel. I just miss my parents sometimes. I used to think that I might be able to save them one day but as I get older I realize just how unlikely that would be...”

“Well this is certainly strange.” Computer laughed. “I've never seen you give up so easily. I'm sure you'll find a way to help them some day. You usually do when it comes to these things. Muriel and Eustace would be long gone by now if you weren't so, well, pragmatic about your problems.”

“IF I survive this.” He added. “There's still a chance you won't be able to cure me of this illness.”

“And there's still a chance it will all work out fine in the end. The odds cut both ways, you know.”

Courage smiled. “I think my optimism is finally rubbing off on you.”

“Perhaps it has.”

“I think I'd like to try and get up now.” He spoke. Part of his shuttered to think what would happen if he put all his weight back on his legs again. He expected his muscles would give out or the dizzy spells would return.

“I'll help you with it.” Computer replied. “It's going to be awhile before you are well again. Walking is probably going to be a problem for the time being. You should probably take some more medicine after you get something to eat. The last thing I need is you relapsing because you aren't managing your fever properly. I'm afraid you are probably going to be pretty weak for awhile. Just don't push yourself too hard and you'll be fine.”

He moved over to the side of the bed and offered a paw to help him down. Courage slid off the bed and did indeed almost collapse the moment he put his weight on his muscles. Computer kept him from falling but he still felt utterly helpless and it was starting to depress him.

“Maybe we shouldn't try to leave yet.” He said standing there shakily. Computer's grip was the only thing keeping him from collapsing right then and there.

“You've just got to work the stiffness out of your legs. Your entire body was pretty locked up before while you were having those attacks. They aren't going to get any better unless you exercise them a bit.”

Courage swallowed and give him a helpless glance.

“Trust me!” He spoke. “I'll help you with this and soon you'll be moving properly again!”

“A-alright...” Courage murmured weakly.

They spent the next two hours working the stiffness out of his leg muscles. It quickly grew dark outside and the room was plunged into blackness. Only Computer's blue glow keep the room lit. The machine first had him mostly walking across the room back and fourth, all while keeping a hold on him to keep him from falling over. When he could finally stand without threatening to collapse, Computer retreated to merely watching as he slowly found his balance and began to walk again. At first he was weak and very wobbly but soon he could walk across the room without his legs shaking, or him nearly tipping over in weakness. The deep hunger in his stomach was a great motivator, he would have given anything for something to eat at that moment.

“You're doing much better!” Computer chimed in. “You're still shaking a bit but I think you might be able to manage now. If what you were saying was true, some food may really do you some good.”

“Y-yeah.” Courage replied weakly. “I'm so hungry I could eat three refrigerators worth of food right now.”

“Alright, so where is this place you want to eat at?” He asked.

“It's not far. I'll show you the way once we get out of here.”

“I hope you're right when you say it's not far off. You can walk again but I don't think you can manage a long walk in your current condition.”

Courage chuckled. “I'd be willing to walk halfway across the world just for a cheeseburger right now.”

“Are you sure you don't want me to just go get you something from this place?”

“I really don't trust you with food anymore.” Courage replied. He was dead serious about this as he shuttered to think about that monstrosity that Computer had made for him back on the farm.

Computer shook his head in annoyance. “Twits...” He grumbled.

“Stop complaining and help me get out of here.” Courage ordered. “I feel like I'm about to waste away.”

“Fine, fine.” Compuer grumbled. “But please don't push yourself too hard. I'd hate to have to sit through you nearly dying again.”

“It's worth dying just so long as I finally get something to eat!” Courage argued.

The machine gathered up their things and slung the bag back over his shoulder. Courage caught one last glimpse of his parents before they vanished into the bag. For some odd reason he almost had a sense of closure now. Much like how Computer was putting his past behind him, so was he. Only unlike his mechanical friend he wasn't going to try and forget about all of it, he was simply going to cherish it even more.

It was after they had made their way out of the house and they were standing outside the gate that Courage found a sign lit up by Computer's glow that he had not seen before. It read CONDEMNED with a date of demolition below it. He was awed by the sight of it. In a few days his parents house would be no more. Had he not decided to come here, had Computer not prompted him to keep it, he would have never rescued his picture before it was too late.

He was happy to have spent one last day in the house of his puppyhood, even if it was under such grim circumstances. He would cherish his memories of this place forever but it was time to stop worrying about the life he never had. Maybe he would someday meet his parents again but until then all he could do was hope that he was living up to their expectations.

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 45: Hamburgers And Coffee

Ten minutes out in the rain and Courage was already chilled and deeply soaked to the bone. At this rate, his fever really would start acting up again. He was beginning to hate the rain and everything about it. Above all else, he was getting tired of his fur feeling so mushy. It made his skin itch and he kept feeling weighed down by it, which only made his muscles even more tired.

“I thought you said this place was close?” Computer asked, shivering beside him.

“It is! Stop complaining and keep moving!” He answered.

“I wasn't complaining, you twit!” The machine sharply shot back, crossing his arms as he did so.

Several minutes later and they were still walking. Courage was just about to give up and let his stomach eat itself when he finally saw the sign that he had been looking for glowing brightly in the distance. It was like a beacon of hope guiding him through the darkness. His stomach would no longer have to commit suicide!

The sign in question read,

Burgers!

Really Cheap!

“Wait, wait, wait.” Computer spoke, stopping in his tracks. “Isn't this that place where you thought the owners were cannib-”

“Food! Hungry! Now!” Was all Courage uttered out, cutting the glowing dog off. He hadn't stopped moving and Computer was slowly falling behind. His mouth was absolutely watering now and no whiny machine was going to stand between him and his meal!

Computer shrugged, partly confused and partly annoyed, but he did not argue further with Courage or his stomach.

Truthfully, Courage really did used to be afraid of this place. He'd originally thought that he and Eustace were going to be captured and eaten by the owners, and after escaping by himself it'd been quite a shock when the old farmer had showed up later that night, whole and very much not eaten. Unfortunately for him, Eustace had decided to make the restaurant his new favorite place to eat. It wasn't long before he was dragged back and found out that everything he had thought about the strange burger joint was just one big misconception. The place still gave him the creeps, yes, but he'd still go in willingly whenever Eustace stopped by.

The rain was beginning to pick up to an even more vicious pace. It coming down in massive sheets and the wind was blowing so hard that it nearly knocked both dogs off their feet. Courage was beginning to worry that it would start to storm as badly as it did back in the forest. He had to keep a paw raised in front of his face just to be able to keep his eyes open. The glowing sign remained the one and only beacon in the darkness that they could reliably follow. He could see the diner now as well, as its windows seemed to glow in the ever deepening darkness.

After what felt like hours, they finally made it across the expanse that separated them from the building. They crossed the road with no difficulties and Courage couldn't have been any happier when he wrench the diner door open and tumbled inside. The door stood open, blowing in the wind for several seconds, before closing again with a loud 'thump'. All the raging elements outside were reduced to nothing more than an eerie howling. He immediately went over and sat down at the counter. There were no other customers around, but he didn't mind. Just so long as he could eat in peace, he didn't care who or what else showed up to eat as well.

Computer was still standing by the door, dripping water down onto the 'welcome' mat. He was looking very unsure of himself and he did not budge from the spot until Courage finally beckoned at him to come over. The glowing dog gave him a look that screamed the words, 'I really don't want to be here right now!' and then walked up to the counter. Upon seating himself, he glanced up and down the diner, as if he were expecting something bad to happen.

Several minutes of waiting later, Jean Bon, the owner of the diner, came walking out from the kitchen. The large pig looked down at Courage and his face lit up. “Well, if it ain't Eustace's little doggy! I haven't seen that grumpy ol' coot in ages! What's the old man been up to lately?” He asked in his characteristic, overly loud voice.

Courage opened his mouth to respond, but the pig moved on to another subject before he could give him an answer.

“And you've brought a new friend too! Eh, why's he all glowy like that?”

Now it was Computer's turn to try and speak, but Courage cut him off before he could. “Radiation! Lots of radiation! He fell into a pool of toxic waste as a pup!”

Computer just stared, stupefied at hearing such an idiotic reason for why he glowed.

Jean Bon seemed to find this absolutely hilarious though. “I should show 'em to my wife! She'd get a kick out of this! 'Frade she can't make much out of him though! Radiation wouldn't be good for all that meat!”

“I can see why you thought these guys were cannibals...” Computer muttered out under his breath.

Jean Bon went on without stopping even once. He whipping out a piece of paper to take their order. “So, what would you two like?”

Courage's mouth was already watering at the thought of finally getting some food into his stomach. “Hamburgers! Lots and lots of hamburgers!” He answered, licking his lips in anticipation.

“And what would you like?” He asked Computer.

The machine gave him a halfhearted shrug. His eyes darted to Courage and then back up at the pig, unsure of what to say.

“He'll have a hamburger too.” Courage chimed in.

Having become even more unsure about all of this, Computer seemed to be trying to avoid any extra attention. If he were to sink any lower into his chair, he would have vanished under the counter. While Courage normally would have found this pretty funny, he was so hungry at the moment that he could hardly think about anything else.

The wait for their food was absolute torture. Courage's stomach seemed to be fighting back with a vengeance and now it felt like the hole in his stomach was becoming a ravine. Computer on the other hand seemed to be going pale, which was an amazing feat for someone so blue. What he was so nervous about, Courage wasn't sure, and he didn't bother asking either since he knew that he was probably just going to get a snippy reply anyway.

“Aaaand here they are!” Jean Bon announced, coming back in from the kitchen with two plates. Courage's was absolutely loaded with hamburgers, while Computer's, not so much.

When the wonderful smell hit Courage's nose, he couldn't stop his tongue from flopping out onto the counter. Computer simply looked on with a displeased expression.

“The two of you look half starved. Dunno know what you've been up to, but it must have been rough.” Jean Bon spoke as he placed the plates onto the counter. Courage immediately went to work on his hamburgers.

“Mmmm, mmmm MMMM!” He hummed, chomping down on almost three hamburgers at once. He was so hungry that he just wanted to shove as much food into his mouth as he could fit.

“I'll get another batch goin'.” The jolly pig spoke. “You two enjoy yourselves!”

Courage was on his sixth large hamburger when he noticed that Computer hadn't even touched his. The glowing dog was currently staring at him as though he were witnessing some horribly disgusting act.

“Eeeat ummp.” Courage said with a mouthful of food. He didn't wait another second to start shoveling in two more burgers.

Computer looked as though he were about to be sick.

“Disgusting...” He muttered under his breath.

He looked down at his hamburger and then back up at Courage, as if he were trying to puzzle this whole thing out. Finally, he reached down and picked the hamburger up, and even though it was still in its wrapper, he opened his mouth to take a bite out of it. Courage reached over and grabbed him by his arm before he could do so, however.

“You aren't supposed to eat the wrapper!” He told the confused machine in a harsh whisper.

Computer slammed the hamburger back down onto the plate, looking as though he had very nearly eaten a deadly substance.

“I-I knew that.” He sniffed, trying to save face.

“Come on, Compute! Eating isn't that hard! All you gotta do is chew and swallow! It's easy!” He chomped down onto another hamburger. “Just don't choke!” He added.

The machine picked the hamburger up again and inspected it carefully. “And how does one go about 'not' choking?” He asked.

“You just don't.” Courage answered, shoving another hamburger down his gullet.

“Oh, yeah, that's really helpful!” He spat out, rolling his eyes.

“Stop being a baby and try it! You might end up liking it!”

Computer rolled his eyes again. “Ugh, whatever! I will never understand why you flesh creatures developed the need to eat one other. Down the hatch...I guess.” He sighed.

He took a small bite out of the hamburger and his expression immediately went from sheer annoyance to sheer disgust in two seconds flat. The moment he swallowed the single morsel, he began coughing violently, as if he had just swallowed a can of tar. For a moment Courage thought that he really was choking, but that didn't seem to be the case.

The machine turned in his chair and grabbed Courage by his shoulders. “Twit, am I choking? I-I think I might be! I knew that this was a bad idea! I knew that eating would be awful! Why on earth did I ever go along with this?”

“Computer, you're fine.” Courage replied with a chuckle.

“I-I am?” He asked, blinking. Apparently even now he wasn't certain if he was choking or not.

“You aren't choking to death, I promise.” Courage laughed.

The machine sunk back down into his chair. “That was one of the worst experiences I've ever had. I'm never eating again.” He pushed the plate away, looking thoroughly displeased with it. “That was...disgusting.”

“Eating is the best thing ever!” Courage replied, finishing off his plate by shoving yet another three hamburgers into his mouth. “I wobben't gib it up ferp anyphing!”

“Uh, huh...” Computer drawled, not believing a word of it.

Jean Bon re-entered the diner with two more plates in hand. Courage stared hungrily up at them. Computer turned away, looking pale once more.

“Is something wrong with your burger?” Jean Bon asked.

Computer tried to speak, but Courage cut him off yet again so that he wouldn't say something that might lead the pig into asking even more questions that they could not answer.

“He's a, uh....vegetarian! He never eats meat unless I talk him into it!”

Jean Bon laughed. “Well, if I was all glowy like that, I'd be a vegetarian too! Don't worry pal, we don't got any radiation in our meat!”

The two dogs gave each other confused looks at the pig's strange comment.

“Oh, yeah!” He quickly added. “I almost forgot about your drinks!”

He vanished back inside the kitchen and the two dogs were left alone again. Courage swiped Computer's hamburger and made quick work of that too.

“I can speak for myself, you know.” Computer grumbled, letting his chin rest on the counter.

Jean Bon returned fairly quickly, this time carrying two cups of coffee. He was in as good of humor as ever, this time joking loudly about mutant, radioactive cows and pigs that could fly.

Upon finishing off the third burger on his newest plate of food, Courage flagged the pig down and asked for soda instead of coffee. He hated the stuff. It tasted awful and had always smelled funny to him.

“Sure thing! I'll be right back!” Jean Bon happily obliged.

Computer had been eying down his own cup of coffee for several minutes now. He picked the cup up and stared at the reflective, dark liquid inside. Courage was so busy scarfing down more burgers that he didn't even notice when the machine took a sip.

Ten minutes later and Courage had finished off his third helping of hamburgers. His stomach was bulging at this point and with a loud burp, he announced that he was finished. He ordered a second soda to help wash down the burgers, but he was so full that he honestly didn't think that his stomach could handle it.

“Hey,” Computer spoke up, gesturing at Jean Bon as he came around to give Courage his soda. “I want more of this.” He said, pointing down at his now empty cup of coffee.

“You actually drank that?” Courage asked. “Coffee is disgusting!”

“Are you kidding me, twit? This stuff is great!” He exclaimed. “It's much better than trying to choke down bits of dead cow!”

Courage shook his head. “You won't eat hamburgers but you like coffee? I don't get you sometimes, Compute.”

Jean Bon returned with more coffee and Computer made quick work of the second cup. He immediately ordered another.

“You can't live off coffee, you know.” Courage added.

“I can certainly try!” He replied with a surprisingly happy chuckle.

“Here you go, pal.” Jean Bon spoke, pouring the machine his third cup.

“You may as well stick around.” He told the pig before rapidly gulping down the coffee.

“Ugh...” Courage groaned. “You're not supposed to drink coffee like that! Gulping it down is just gross!”

The machine didn't even bother trying to rebuke him, he simply continued sucking down coffee as fast as Jean Bon could pour it. Courage quietly sipped at his soda for the next few minutes while Computer hit his sixteenth cup of coffee...

“I am not teaching you how to use the bathroom.” He groaned, glancing over at the glowing dog only once before returning to his drink.

“I see that someone is quite the coffee drinker!” Jean Bon laughed as he replenished his pot of coffee for what had to be at least the fifth time. “You're going to get addicted just like all of those teachers and policemen!”

“If this is an addiction then I think I'm going to like addictions.” Computer chuckled, downing yet another cup. “I'm ready for another refill!” He announced.

“Boy, I don't know where you're putting it all!”

As soon as the pig was out of hearing range Computer turned to Courage, empty cup in hand. “Alright twit, I've got to admit that this is probably one of the few good things you organic creatures have ever come up with.”

“It's just coffee...” Courage sighed.

“It's not just coffee, it's like...liquid happiness!” The machine laughed, apparently dead serious.

“Er, are you going to be okay?” Courage asked, raising an eyebrow.

The machine frowned at his question. “Come to think of it, why are you suddenly talking so slowly?” He asked.

Courage fought the urge to slap his forehead. “Alright, that's it! This is the last cup of coffee for you! I'm cutting you off after this!”

“What? You can't tell me what to do! I may never get another chance to keep drinking this stuff!”

“IT'S JUST COFFEE!”

“Ugh, fine!” He relented with a huff. “You're such a-”

Headlights flashed in through the diner window. They both turned around at the same time to get a look at who was parking.

“Oh, no!” Courage gasped.

It was Eustace's truck! There was no mistaking it!

“Here's the next round of coffee!” Jean Bon spoke, tromping back in through the kitchen door.

“We've got to get out of here!” Computer spoke, pulling Courage under the counter so that Eustace could not see them from the window.

“Oh, hey, isn't that Eustace?” Jean Bon asked.

Computer had already pulled Courage out of his chair and was tugging him towards the door that led to the basement.

Courage glanced up at the pig and desperately pleaded, “Don't tell him that we're here!”

For the first time that night, the smile faded from the waiter's face. “Well, if you say so.” He murmured.

As they got closer to the basement, Courage realized that Computer wouldn't know that there was a flight of stairs behind that door, and tried to stop him before he accidentally sent them both tumbling down into the basement.

“Computer, wait! There's a-”

Too late, Computer wrenched open the door and was moving so quickly that he didn't even notice that the stairs were there. It was only Courage's quick movement that caught him by the ears before he went crashing down the steps.

“See!” He hissed.

“J-just shut up and close the door!” Computer ordered.

Not a second before the door clicked shut did the front door open and Eustace came tromping in from the rain. Courage watched through the keyhole as the old man sat down in one of the chairs. He was looking unusually haggard, dressed in a yellow raincoat and soaked to the bone.

“The usual, I suspect?” Jean Bon asked. “So, what brings you here this fine evening?”

Eustace ran a boney hand down his face, further cementing how tired he looked. “Trouble, lots of trouble.” He said in a weary voice. “Been up all day and night in this godforsaken rain.”

“And why's that?”

“The darn dog! That's why!” He yelled. “He was sick, really sick. Doctor said the best thing we could do for him was to put him down. The day we took him there they had this big breakout. All the dogs escaped, couldn't find even one of 'em. Got a call from those veterinarian folk yesterday evening. Muriel's been out looking for that darn dog ever since. Haven't slept a wink since! We've been up looking for him all over Nowhere!”

Courage felt his breath catch in his chest. He had to go out there. He needed to tell them that he was alright. They wouldn't dare take him back to the vet, not now. It wouldn't be right to leave them looking for him like this. He couldn't bear to keep Muriel worrying while he was off on some mountain.

Eustace continued on, “Muriel's been worried sick. She keeps talking like this is all her fault. Keeps saying that the dog knew what was coming, that we didn't have the right to put him through it. Thinks he hasn't come back because he hates her now. I keep telling her she's going to catch her death out in this rain, but she just won't listen! Her voice is practically gone from calling that darn dog's name all day!”

Courage winced. He needed to go out there! There was no changing his mind now. He didn't even care if they really did take him back to the veterinarian office! He just needed to tell Muriel that he was alright. He couldn't leave her like this!

His paw had barely touched the doorknob when Computer pulled him back. The glowing dog shook his head.

“I have to go out there!” He sharply whispered at the machine.

“Are you insane?” He asked, just barely keeping his voice quiet enough not to be heard.

“They wouldn't take me back to that place now! I-I can't keep them worrying about me like this!”

“How can you be certain of that? I am 'not' battling anymore janitors for your sake, dog! We need to stay put!”

“Computer, please!” He begged.

The machine kept a firm grip on his arm. The both glared viciously at each other while Eustace waited for his supper.

“I'm not going to forgive you for this.” Courage growled in a low voice.

“I'm doing this for both of our sakes, dog!” Computer adamantly replied. “I refuse to let us be handed back over to those awful people just because you think that stupid, old woman actually cares about you! She tried to have you put down once and she'll do it again if she thinks that it's the right thing to do for you!”

Courage grit his teeth. “Let go!” He yelled, keeping his voice just barely under a whisper.

“That's not happening, dog!”

With the horrible images stuck in his mind of Muriel wandering through the dark, calling out his name in the endless downpour, Courage angrily shoved Computer and they both lost their balance. The two of them went tumbling down the staircase and the moment they landed, Courage grabbed the machine by the skin of his neck, teeth grit, and came far too close to punching him seconds before he realized what he was doing. He had been about to do the one terrible thing that he had promised he would never do again. Somehow he had let his temper get the better of him yet again.

“Let go of me, you idiot!” Computer exclaimed. He apparently had not noticed what had almost happened.

Courage flung himself backwards, his insides twisting up with guilt at the thought of his temper almost getting the better of him again. How could he have been so stupid? All it would have taken is one punch to destroy what little trust he and Computer had gained since their time in the forest.

“Ugh, did you have to make us fall down the steps?” Computer groaned, rubbing the back of his head.

“S-sorry.” Courage sighed.

“Look, you can't just go off and show yourself to them!” He went on. “You put too much trust into those old idiots! They would take you back to the veterinarians and those people would be unimaginably angry with you! They'd probably beat you to death, or worse! If one thing is for certain, you wouldn't be 'put to sleep' in a pleasant fashion!”

“Alright, I get it.” Courage groaned, sitting down onto a step. “But I'm not going to feel good about it.”

“And beside all that, what would become of me if they didn't take you back to the vet? The last time Eustace saw me, he knocked me out cold! He'd never let you take another dog home with him, and I do not want to be left out here all by myself either!”

“I-I'm just worried about Muriel, that's all!” He argued. “She's going to worry herself to death and it'll be all my fault!”

“Better to have her worry than to have her send you off to your execution.”

“I-I know, I know.” Courage sighed, wearily rubbing his eyes.

“And don't you dare think that I'm stupid either!” He went on, but there was a surprising amount of reluctance in his voice. “I-I saw what you just tried to do! You were giving me that same look you had back in the forest, back when you were about to-” He winced and turned away.

Courage jumped back up onto his feet. “Computer, I swear, I wasn't-”

The machine shook his head. All of his anger and annoyance seemed to have left him. “It's fine.” He muttered out. “I don't really care. I guess I am used to this sort of thing after all.” He was trying to sound reasonable, but there was an obvious fearful air to his tone.

Courage could all but feel their trust crumbling right before his very eyes. With a sigh, the machine pushed past him and started to walk back up the steps. Courage was unhappy to find that his mind seemed to have gone blank as he desperately tried to figure out something to say.

“C-Computer, wait!” He finally called out, racing halfway up the staircase to meet up with him. He grabbed one of the machine's arms to stop him. “Look, I'm sorry! I'm really, really sorry! If I ever try to punch you again, I want you fight back. Punch me as hard as you can, got it?”

Computer did a double take. “A-are you nuts? Of course not!” He exclaimed. “I'm not about to go around punching people!”

“Just do it!” Courage pleaded. “It'll knock some sense back into me, I promise. It's only right that if I start punching you, you punch me back.”

“Or it'll just make you even more angry, and then you'll get even more violent.” The machine grumbled under his breath.

“I won't, I promise!”

“It doesn't matter either way.” He listlessly sighed.

“Computer!”

“Just drop it!”

“But, I-”

“Drop it!” He growled.

The two of them waited at the top of the stairs, neither daring to speak to one another after that. Eustace finished up his dinner and then left in complete silence. The minute they were certain the truck was gone, Courage opened the door again.

Jean Bon gave them a rather funny look. Courage opened his mouth to say something, but the unusually sullen pig cut him off. “You don't gotta say anything, I understand. I won't breathe a word of anything to anyone. I dunno know what you two are up to, but I wouldn't keep that little lady worrying about you, if you get what I mean.”

“I know...” Courage sighed.

He paid Jean Bon heartily for the food, and with a shudder at the thought of going back out into the rain, readied himself to leave.

“You sure you don't want this last cup of coffee?” Jean Bon asked Computer, who had mostly been keeping to himself since they came back upstairs.

He nodded and a small flicker of happiness almost seemed to light up his already glowing eyes. He had just barely clasped his paws around the cup when Courage half jokingly said, “I thought I said no more coffee?”

The machine flinched, and while he hastily attempted to put the cup back onto the counter, it slipped out of his paws. It immediately hit the ground and shattered into a thousand pieces, splashing both dogs with hot coffee.

“Ah, geez!” He exclaimed, reaching up to wipe his face off. He quickly turned to Courage, and looking surprisingly distraught, apologized.

“Don'tcha worry about that. I'll go get a mop.” Jean Bon spoke, his jolly attitude remaining despite the smashed cup.

“Hey, are you going to be alright?” Courage asked, leaning in closer to his dismayed friend.

“I-I'm fine.” The machine replied, putting on a surprisingly nervous smile.

“If it's because of what happened in the basement, I'm really sorry about that. I-”

“Seriously, dog. It's fine, really!” The machine went on, putting on an even more pathetic looking smile.

“Look, we can talk about this later, but now isn't the right place or time.” Courage said under his breath.

Computer shook his head. “If you want me to give up this coffee stuff, I will. I promised that I'd start being nicer to you and I haven't exactly been doing a very good job of that. I'll listen to your orders from now on, I swear! B-besides, this coffee stuff is p-probably bad for you anyway! A-all the things you organic creatures make is bad for you!”

Orders? Courage could hear a slight edge of panic in his tone. He had obviously taken their basement argument the wrong way, but there was nothing that could be done about it right now. Courage silently cursed himself for being such an idiot.

Jean Bon re-entered the room. “You two can go, I'll clean this up! You both have a good night now, won't you? Wish this rain would let up, but hey, you gotta deal with the cards you're given, right?”

Courage returned his kindly farewell and both he and Computer headed back out into the rain. It had only gotten worse while they were inside and now the wind was blowing even more vigorously.

“Got any ideas of where we should stay for the night?” Courage asked, turning to the glowing dog.

“A motel, perhaps? We could go wait for our bus, but I'd rather not sit out in this weather.”

Courage could easily see his fever acting up in the cold like this. “Alright, we'll find a motel. But if it has the name Katz on it, start running in the other direction!”

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 46: The Issue Of Trust

By the time they had finally found the motel they were looking for, the rain had increased to an absolute deluge. Just as Courage had feared, the weather whipped back up into a terrible storm. Every flash of lightning left him feeling as though they had just barely missed a hit.

They quickly bought a room from the main office building before making a run to building on the other side of the parking lot. The outdoor hallways leading into the rooms thankfully had an overhang keeping them out of the worst of the storm. Courage took no time shoving the key into its respective keyhole and tumbled inside.

“Finally!” He groaned.

“Ugh, I'm getting really tired of being wet.” Computer muttered, joining him.

“I'm going to go check and see if there are any towels.” Courage spoke, making his way over to the bathroom. Indeed there were. He tossed one to Computer.

“So what do you think it will be this time?” Computer asked. “Giant mutant cockroaches or evil dust bunnies?”

“Don't even joke about that!” Courage yelped. After his little run in with Katz's spiders all those years ago he couldn't help but feel suspicious about this place. The owner had thankfully seemed pretty friendly.

He had to admit, his head was starting to hurt again and he was beginning to feeling a bit achy. He almost smacked himself for forgetting to take his medicine back when he actually had something to drink with it. He pulled the medicine out of the bag along with a dollar bill.

“I'm going to go buy a soda.” He announced to Computer.

The machine had been being awfully quiet lately. Only making casual remarks about their predicament every once in a while. He had all but face-planted into a pillow on one of the beds and made no effort to respond to Courage.

“I'll just be going then...” Courage replied quietly.

He stepped back out into the cold. The wind was thankfully blowing in such a way that the rain could not make it under the overhang. He walked past the rooms until he finally found a short hallway which had the usual ice maker, soda, and snack machines. He inserted his dollar into the machine and grabbed the soda. He downed his medicine in gulp and spent the next few minutes leaning on guardrail while watching the storm rage in front of him.

He spent the time thinking about just how crazy the last few days had been. It was hard to believe where he was right now. If anyone had told him that he would be running around Nowhere with his cynical computer who was currently hijacking the body of another dog, he would have thought they were insane. His life was usually weird but this just blew it clean out of the water.

He walked back across the mini hallway and gazed over in the direction of their room. He was surprised that Computer hadn't gone looking for him yet. He'd been gone quite a long time and with the machine as concerned about his illness as he was, he would have expected him to show up by now.

He walked back over to the room and went inside. His heart dropped when he realized that Computer wasn't there. He checked all over the room, he wasn't in the bathroom or even in the only closet the room had. There wasn't really anywhere else he could have gone. Several terrifying thoughts ran through his mind but he pushed them away thinking that maybe Computer had gone looking for him but had just gone in the wrong direction. He went back out into the cold and began hunting for his friend both up and down the building.

Ten minutes later he gave up. Where could that machine have gone? Courage refused to let his paranoid thoughts get the better of him. He decided to head back over to the office building since it did have several tables in there for the 'free complimentary breakfast.' and that was the only place he hadn't looked.

He trudged through the rain and wind once more before finally making it over to the building. He opened the door in a hurry and nearly toppled backwards in annoyance when he did indeed find Computer there, sitting at a with a cup of coffee.

“Where have you been?” He cried out. “I've been looking all over for you!”

Computer shrugged. “I would have told you were I was going but you took too long to get back.”

Courage shook his head weakly. “And here I was thinking the evil dust bunnies got to you.”

The machine all but buried his muzzle into the cup. “Hmph! My life doesn't revolve around you, you know. I don't need to tell you where I'm always going, you twit!”

Courage was genuinely surprised by the vehemence in his tone. He placed a paw on his hip. “And I thought you said you were giving coffee up?”

The machine glared at him. “I'll do what I want to do, thank you very much!” He spat. “I needed it after doing all that running around in the rain. Besides, you can't tell me what I can or can't do!”

Courage's mouth hung open at a complete loss for words. “Fine! If you're going to be that way then I'm going back to the room!” He growled. He wasn't going to sit here and let Computer treat him like this!

“Good! I didn't want you around anyway!” He replied stubbornly, somehow managing to bury himself even deeper into his cup.

Courage wrenched the door open and left. He allowed himself to fume for several minutes before his own questioning mind began to overtake his anger. What was with Computer's sudden change in attitude? This was apparently how the machine coped with abuse, but he hadn't been hurt at all! He'd been fine up until the burger joint! Courage wasn't sure what to think of all this and part of him just wanted it all to blow over. Why, oh why, had he been so stupid as to threaten him like that back there? He knew what would happen! Not even Muriel was worth this!

He made his way back into the room and spent the next half hour flipping through the ten channels that the old TV actually got. He was never big on TV unless he had Muriel's lap to sit in while he watched it. He began to wonder what was taking Computer so long to get back. He was starting to think that this was just another act of rebellion from the machine. He needed to do something about this, he couldn't leave Computer like this. He especially didn't want to lose him as a friend...

Against his better judgment he went back out into the storm. He entered the office building ready for another fight with Computer and what he found left him surprised. The machine was fast asleep, his head resting on the table and his paw still gripped around the cup of coffee. He must have fallen asleep without realizing it.

Courage had half the mind to just leave him there but he didn't want the owner to get angry with his glowing friend so he moved in closer and placed a paw on his friend's shoulder. The machine shot up so fast that Courage jumped back in surprise.

“Wha...huh?” The machine asked, glancing around. The second his momentary confusion passed his eyes narrowed angrily. “What are you doing here? Go away!”

“Look, if you're going to be sleeping like the rest of us mortals you should probably go do that back in the room.”

“I didn't meant to fall asleep!” He replied stubbornly.

“You're obviously tired, you should try and go to bed.” Courage replied. He was trying to stay reasonable.

“I thought I told you to away!”

“What's your problem!” He finally snapped.

“Leave me alone!”

“I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong!”

“Nothing is wrong! You're the one who's the problem!” The machine snapped angrily.

“Computer! Two hours ago you were telling me that you were going to try and be nicer to me! What happened to that?”

“Ugh, fine! I'll go back to the room but I am not going back to sleep, you got that? And I'm not going to be any nicer either!” He growled, pushing himself up out of the chair.

He looked like he were about ready to collapse from sleepiness but Courage did not dare argue with him further. Just what the heck was going on here? The machine stomped off leaving him completely bewildered. His friend's sudden mood swing was honestly leaving him a bit depressed. Maybe it really would be better if he just left him alone...

“Computer,” He spoke. “I'm really sorry.”

The machine was halfway out the door. “You're not sorry for anything so just shut up!”

And with that, he was gone...

Courage stood there for several minutes before finally trailing after him. He almost dread the thought of being in the same room with him. If he were going to keep this up he was just going to have to deal with Computer's sudden hostility, whether he liked it or not.

With a deep reluctance, he opened the door. Computer was nowhere to be found. He looked around hoping that something bad hadn't happened. The bathroom door was shut. From the sound of it the machine was neither using the toilet nor using the shower.

Courage decided that it just wasn't worth the effort of fighting with him again so he didn't bother to knock on the door. He laid down in his bed and sighed. What on earth could he possibly do to fix this?

His inevitable desire to try and make up with Computer finally lead him to get up and go knock on the door. He knew he was going to get verbal beating for this but it would be worth it if he could just get Computer back on his side.

There was no response from the machine and he steadily grew worried once again. He knocked a second time but there was still no response.

Sighing weakly, he reached for the doorknob and was surprised to find that it was already unlocked...

End Of Chapter

Chapter Text

Chapter 47: Waiting For The Inevitable

Courage slowly opened the door, unsure of what to expect. Everything was strangely silent and there was not a single sound coming from the machine. Bracing himself for the worst, Courage stepped inside.

His mouth fell open.

Computer was fast asleep on the floor...

He let out a soft sigh. At least everything was alright.

The machine was curled up in a ball. He must have fallen asleep again on accident. He'd been so tired lately that it didn't really surprise Courage much.

He began to close the door again. If this was where Computer wanted to sleep then this was where he was going to leave him. It wasn't worth waking him up just to get into another argument, and maybe he'd even be in a better mood now that he was finally getting some rest.

He had the door about halfway closed when the machine suddenly shot up just like the last time he had been caught asleep. He glanced around the bathroom in a daze until his eyes finally fell on Courage.

“Ah, geez. When did I-” He began, then his expression quickly turned to that of anger. “What are you doing in here? I thought I told you to leave me alone!”

Well, he was awake now and there was no getting around it. Courage re-entered the room and steeled himself for another round of verbal abuse. Perhaps this was all he could do, stick through it and hope that Computer would give up.

“I didn't tell you to come back in!” The machine growled. “Go away!”

“No!” He sternly replied. If he was going to do this then he couldn't allow himself to be a pushover.

The machine seemed to falter for a moment but then his expression hardened again. “What do you mean 'no'? And what's with that gravely voice? I'm not playing around you know! Just go away! I don't want you around anymore!”

“Computer, seriously. What's the matter?” He asked, kneeling down beside him.

The machine crossed his arms. “Nothing's the matter except for the fact that you're bothering me! For the last time, go away!”

Courage kept his expression perfectly calm. He needed to keep being the voice of reason. Computer was almost acting childish at this point and it wasn't worth getting angry over.

“I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong.” He spoke.

Arms still crossed, the machine turned away. “Then you're going to be here for awhile because I don't have anything to say!” He stubbornly replied.

“That's okay. You stayed with me when I needed your help and I can do the same for you.”

The machine faltered again for a moment but remained completely stalwart in his stubbornness. He remained sitting there, arms crossed, and nose up in the air. He looked as though he were about to collapse from sleepiness, but he did not dare allow himself the luxury. Every time his eyes seemed to droop, he snapped awake again.

Patience, patience was all that was needed. Courage knew this all too well. If he really wanted, he could have three football fields worth of patience. He wasn't the type to remain calm in any given situation, whether it be anger or panic, but something like this he could endure. Computer would eventually give up and hopefully start telling him what was going on.

“Bah! You're so annoying! Far more annoying than I ever thought possible!” He angrily spat. He kept making little comments here and there, hoping to get a rise out of the dog, but Courage remained completely calm in his desire to help him.

Computer sneered. “If you're just going to sit here like an idiot then I'm leaving!”

He stood up to exit the bathroom, but Courage reached a paw out to stop him.

“Sit!” He demanded.

The glowing dog's eyes narrowed. “Or else what?” He dared.

Courage stared in shock. Was he seriously egging him on? It had only been a small show of force, but he hadn't expected Computer to get even more cocky because of it.

“What are you getting at?” He gently asked. “This isn't like you.”

“You're not going to do anything?” The machine asked. “Fine, you wimp!”

Courage continued to stare.

“Oh, look! I'm leaving!” He sarcastically announced.

Courage didn't stop him. He just continued to stare.

Computer walked forward, completely defiant. “I'm almost out the door!” He sang.

Courage shrugged in reply and that action seemed to be the thing that finally got Computer to blow up.

“What are YOU getting at?” He cried out, stomping back over. “Why do you just keep sitting there? DO SOMETHING!” He yelled.

Courage shook his head in response. “I just want to help you.”

“No, you don't!” He cried out. “I can't believe that I actually bought into all that crap you gave me about friendship and family! Why are you just sitting there doing nothing? Why don't you get it over with? The soon you do it the sooner I can stop worrying about it! Are you just trying to prolong my-” His eyes widened and he shook his head. “Just hurry up and do it!”

“Do what?” He asked, giving his friend a sympathetic stare.

The machine began to shake with rage. “Stop messing around!” He spat. “I'm tired of waiting! I know that you're just like the rest of my owners! You're going to do something horrible! I know that you will! Well, I'm tired of waiting around! Getting it over with!” He shook his head again. “I should have never told you anything! I knew that you'd end up just like all the rest!”

“Computer, I'm not going to do anything to you. I promised that I wouldn't and I'm not. I didn't mean to overreact at the burger place, so please don't-”

“Shut up! Just shut up!” He cried out, clutching his head. “I won't let my guard down so stop making me wait!”

Courage let his expression fill with sympathy. “You're my friend, Computer. I'm not going to hurt you again.”

“No, I'm not!” He spat. “The moment I let my guard down, you'll do something awful again! It's an inevitability! It always is!”