Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chap 1

Walking down the roads of the empty streets, I pulled my hoodie close to me as Vale's cold, bitter night winds hit me. They easily penetrated my hoodie and clothes, chilling me to the bone. Holding back a few tears, I continued down the roads to try and find any form of shelter or material to make a makeshift one that could protect me from the winds. Yet, I found nothing. Clenching my jaw, I pressed on and tried to find anything I could use for the night. Eventually, I found an alleyway where the buildings blocked the wind enough to rest for the night. Moving the trash aside, I sat down and tried to get comfortable. Seeing some cardboard nearby, I pulled it close and placed it over me to provide some kind of protection against the wind. While it wasn't much, it would have to do for the night. After ensuring no part of me was exposed, I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep. 

You might be wondering who I am and why I am here in Vale, trying to fall asleep in an alleyway. My name is Jaune. That's it, no last name. I used to have one, but my parents took that away after disowning me. Why did they disown me, you might ask? Well, it is because I got kicked out of Beacon. My parents always wanted me to become a successful huntsman to carry on the proud line of the Arc Family Name. But after getting expelled from Beacon, they labeled me a failure and no longer wanted anything to do with me. So, they kicked me out and said I could no longer use the Arc name.

As to why I got expelled from Beacon is another story entirely. To put it as simply as possible, I was expelled from Beacon because of my forged transcripts. The reason why I used forged transcripts was that it was the only way to get into Beacon at this point, as I had no real combat training. While I did try to train and go to combat school like other kids, I was always doing chores, managing the Arc Family finances, and helping care for my younger sisters. Not only that, but I also had to work two part-time jobs to help cover the expenses. Yet, I also had to make time to go to school and complete any homework I received. This left me little to no time for myself, much less train. And because of this, the only to enter Beacon Academy and please the Arc Family was to use forged transcripts. 

But none of that matters right now. What I need to focus on now is finding a way to make some money to afford food and find a better temporary place to stay. Then, after that, find a way to get out of Vale. There were too many painful memories here. Not to mention, there was a high chance of running into people I did not want to see again. Hearing a ringing noise coming from my side, I remembered I had my scroll on me. Taking it out, I immediately tossed it into the dumpster beside me and closed the lid. I didn't need any more heartaches or reminders right now. 

"Get some rest, Jaune. You have a big day tomorrow." I told myself. 

Pulling the cardboard closer and hugging myself as tightly as possible, I tried to fall asleep to catch some rest. But I just couldn't. I kept trying to get into a somewhat comfortable position. Moreover, my bad luck seems to have gotten worse as the winds found me. And they seemed none too pleased that I found shelter as they became colder and more fierce. The winds easily penetrated my makeshift blanket. Yet, my luck continued to grow worse as it soon started to drizzle, telling me that it would rain soon. Sighing, I looked around and saw some more cardboard. Thankfully, there were some more nearby. Grabbing them, I raised them above my head to block some of the rain. Unfortunately, it only lasted a few moments before the cardboard gave away and fell apart. Holding back some more tears, I was about to curse my luck when a sweet voice caught my attention. 

"Oh, you poor dear. What are you doing here all alone?" The voice asked. 

Looking up, I saw a nice-looking lady seemingly worried about me. She had curly white hair and was wearing glasses. She was also wearing a dark yellow dress with a bright yellow apron and a pair of sturdy black leather boots. Looking next to her, I noticed she also had some grocery bags. Thinking I didn't hear her, she asked again. 

"Are you all right, dear?" She asked while coming closer to me. Moving the useless cardboard to the side, I gave her a weak smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine." But she obviously didn't believe it, as evident by the frown on her face. 

"Then why are you in this place when it very clearly is going to rain?" She asked, frowning but was also very concerned now. Sighing, I decided to tell the truth. It's not like I had anything else to lose at this point. 

"Because I have nowhere else to go. I got expelled by the academy and disowned by my parents." I explained, tears now threatening to come out, but I managed to hold them back.

"And why, pray tell, did the school expel you and your parents disown you?"

"The school found out about my forged transcripts and expelled me because of it. And my parents disowned me because they labeled me a failure for being unable to become a huntsman."

"Why did you use forged transcripts to get into the school?"

"At this point, it was the only way to get accepted. You need to go through a whole process to get accepted into the academy. Unfortunately, I never had time to do so as I was busy helping my ex-family with various stuff they couldn't do themselves." At this point, I could no longer hold back the tears and let them come out. 

"Oh, you poor dear. No one deserves such luck as you have had. Why not you come and live with me?" She asked. This shocked me to the core. A lady I don't know nor have ever seen before has offered to let me live with her. No one in my life has ever been this nice to me. Well, right off the back, at least. 

"W-what? I t-thank you, but I d-don't want to cause you any t-trouble." I stuttered, trying to get out an answer. I was so shocked that my brain was having trouble processing what she offered me.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all. It would be lovely to have another person in the house." She countered, her smile never leaving. 

"I don't want to impose." Though, secretly, I did want to go with her. She seemed nice enough, and the thought of having a roof over my head sounded heavenly.

"Nonsense. It would be nice to have you with us." She said with a reassuring smile. Smiling, I got up and wiped off some trash that got on me. 

"Alright. I will go with you. Thank you for the offer." I told her, barely able to contain my joy and happiness.

"Marvelous. Now, if you will follow me, we can head on to your new home." She said with a smile while bringing her hands together. 

"Thank you for your hospitality." She smiled and nodded and was about to pick up her groceries, but I picked them up before she could. "Please. Allow me to help." 

"You're a dear Mr..."

"My name is Jaune."

"What a lovely name. I'm Muriel Bagge." She said with a smile, which I returned with one of my own.

She then motioned for me to follow her. Following her, we went around Vale and picked up a few more supplies she said she needed to cook dinner. Afterward, we made our way to the airstrip and boarded one of the remaining bullheads. However, what stuck out to me was that we were the only ones there besides the pilot, as no one else was there.

"Muriel. If you don't mind me asking, where are we heading to?" I asked as we sat in our seats.

"Why, to our cozy little home in the middle of nowhere."

This shocked me greatly and put me slightly on edge. Hopefully, Nowhere was only the name of the town she lives in, not actually in the middle of nowhere. But I decided to put some faith in her. After all, she does seem like a sweet little old lady. And she has already proved nicer than most of the people I have encountered in my life. Looking out the window, I noticed that we were leaving Vale as the borders that protected the kingdom from the Grimm came into sight. It seemed that my wish to leave Vale was coming true. Leaning back into my seat, I tried to relax and take a nap until we reached our destination. Unfortunately, my stomach churned and grumbled angrily, reminding me that I get motion sickness easily. Placing my hand on my stomach, I was about to get up and head to the bathroom to throw up into the toilet. But before I could get up, a sandwich came into view. 

"Here you go." Muriel said, handing me the sandwich.

"Um." I said, confused, as I took the sandwich. Looking it over, I noticed that it was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But before I could fully ask, I felt another wave of nausea hit me. Luckily, it seemed she knew what I was going to ask. 

"I noticed that you seemed a bit motion-sick. So, I whipped up a little something to help."

"Thank you." I said, smiling before eating the sandwich. And to my surprise, the sandwich did help ease my motion sickness. But, as I ate it, I couldn't help but notice a strange yet not at all unpleasant flavor. "Delicious."

"Glad you like it."

"Thank you. But I must ask, what was the taste as I am unfamiliar with it?"

"Oh, it was just a peanut butter and jelly sandwich." She answered. I still felt like something else there, but it could have just been a different brand I had not tasted before. "With just a wee dash of vinegar." 

'Ah, so that explains the taste. Still good either way.'  I thought as I finished eating the sandwich. Once done, I relaxed in my seat as my stomach finally settled.

One Hour Later 

The bullhead soon landed in a tiny little town that I had never seen before in my life. But despite being small and never seeing it before, it had an air of friendliness and coziness. Getting up, I grabbed the groceries and followed Muriel out of the bullhead and towards the nearby street, where she hailed a cab. Luckily, one was passing just as she did that. Putting the groceries in the back, we got in the cab, where Muriel gave directions to the driver. As the driver took us there, I could not help but stare out at the town as it felt so different than what I was used to in Vale. Not to mention, I rarely traveled in my life. The farthest I have ever traveled in my life was to get to Beacon. But what took me by surprise was that the scenery changed from town to desert after a while. I became confused for a moment, but everything soon made sense when I saw a small, cozy-looking farm come into view. 

'Guess she was being literal in both senses.'  While we were still in the town, I saw a sign telling me the town's name, Nowhere. And now we are going to a farm in the middle of nowhere. 

Soon, the cab stopped in front of the farm, with Muriel paying the driver before stepping out. Getting out of the cab, I went around and took the groceries out of the trunk. The taxi then drove away, kicking up a lot of dust causing me to cough violently for a few moments. Yet, Muriel seemed unfazed by the dust as she calmly made her way to the house. I followed her to the door and set the groceries down while she pulled out some keys. She then unlocked the door and entered the house, with me following right after and closing the door.

"Eustace. Courage. I would like you both to meet someone." Muriel called out. 

Soon, an older man came into view. He wore a pale yellow shirt, olive green overalls with black buttons, a dark brown hat, and large black shoes. Hearing steps coming towards us, I looked to my right and saw a small pink dog with long, thin black ears. He also had a black diamond-shaped nose, tiny limbs, and three black spots on his back. However, what caught my attention was that the dog was walking on his hind legs like a person.

"What!" The man asked, irritated. Already, I could tell he's an ass. But the dog seemed genuinely curious as to what was happening right now. 

"Ah. There you both are. Eustace. Courage. I would like you to meet this nice young boy I found while I was out today. He had such a rough time and is now without a family or home. So, I offered him to move in with us." Murial explained to them. Hearing this, I felt guilt and dread return as I realized that she took me in without hesitation, but she also never told the rest of her family about me. Mentally sighing, I prepared myself for them to say no and kick me out. 

"Bah. You! What can you do? Can you cook? Clean? Fix a truck?" The man asked angrily. Though, his anger didn't faze me, as I had been on the receiving end of far harsher words and glares. 

"Yes. I know how to cook, clean, and fix vehicles, amongst other things." I answered. Little did anyone know that the part-time jobs I did when I was younger were repairing various things and working at a diner. The older man seemed to consider this before suddenly smiling briefly. 

"Works for me. Gah!" He said before sitting in his chair and pulling out a newspaper from seemingly nowhere. 

"Come, Courage. Meet the new member of our family." Muriel said to the dog. And to my surprise, the dog hummed a bit before walking up to me. He sniffed me for a moment, curious as to who I was, before extending his paw to me. Not sure what to expect, I grabbed his paw and shook it. 

"Isn't that sweet? Now, why don't you go upstairs to the bathroom and freshen up while I go and get dinner ready? Then we can all have a nice meal before heading to bed. Here are some towels." Muriel said before grabbing some towels and handing them to me. 

Thanking her, I went up the stairs and was about to enter the bathroom when I realized I had no idea which room was the bathroom. Luckily, and weirdly enough, the dog, Courage, came up to me and showed me where the bathroom was. Thanking him, which felt weird, I entered the bathroom and began to freshen up a bit. But as I splashed my face with water, I felt my mind race through a million thoughts a minute. Some about what could happen to me as I don't know these people. Others on what I could possibly do to repay Muriel for her kindness. Yet, I knew I could not waste this opportunity as it would allow me to have a better life, one where I could finally be myself and not have to worry about pleasing someone. But once that thought came to mind, I began wondering what my former teammates were feeling right now. Shaking my head, I got rid of those thoughts as they would not help me now.  

"No, Jaune. Don't dwell on the past. This is your chance to move forward in life. Be happy." I told myself. Turning off the sink, I dried my face and exited the bathroom where Muriel was waiting for me. 

"Ah, good. You're done. Come. I have prepared some delicious chicken dumplings." She told me before leaving.

Following her, I felt my mouth drool a bit at the thought of chicken dumplings, which was one of my favorite foods. And it seemed that it was Courage's favorite food as well. As evident by the fact that his mouth was watering heavily. Honestly, it reminded me of Nora when she saw a freshly made stack of pancakes with syrup on top. Silently chuckling, I followed them to the kitchen, where I saw Eustace eating already at the table. Muriel and Courage each took a seat before eating their food. Unsure of where to sit, I mentally sighed in relief when Muriel patted the seat next to her, silently telling me to sit next to her. Taking the seat, she served me a bowl of dumplings before returning to her food. 

Taking a bite of the dumplings, I felt the flavor explode in my mouth as these were some of the best dumplings I have ever had. We ate in silence, which I greatly appreciated as I was still processing everything. Fortunately, the dumplings did help keep me calm when a depressing thought came to mind. After a few minutes, we finished our food. Gathering the plates, I placed them in the sink before returning to the table. Sitting down, I saw that Muriel had brought out some pie for us. And after being handed a slice and taking a bite, I felt like I was in heaven because of how delicious the pie tasted. Even Eustace was smiling as he ate his piece. 

Courage, however, seemed to enjoy the pie the most. And it was easy to tell as most of the pie was on his face instead of his mouth where it belonged. I chuckled as it was a funny sight. But I nearly lost it when he gave me a big toothy grin and an odd laugh. Once we were done with the pie, Muriel helped me bring the plates to the sink, where we then proceeded to wash them. 

"Follow me, Jaune. I will show you to your room." Muriel said, humming a bit before exiting the dining room. 

Drying my hands, I followed her out of the kitchen and to the attic. Entering the only room there, I looked around and noticed that it was incredibly sparse. Aside from a window, computer, and bed, there was nothing else here. But that was fine as I didn't need much, nor was one for incredibly decorated places. However, I felt somewhat off-put by the computer, mainly because I felt that it was no ordinary computer but instead a very unique and strange type of computer that didn't exist anywhere else. 

"Here you are. A nice comfy bed. Tomorrow, we can head into town and buy some clothes and sleepwear for you, dear." Muriel said, turning to me.

"Thank you for taking me in, Muriel. How can I ever repay you?" I asked while making my way over to the bed. I only sat down, and the bed was already better than the one the Arc Family gave me.

"Oh, you don't have to do that, dear. It will be a pleasure to have you here living with us. Now, we'll be downstairs in our room. Just yell if you need anything. Good night." She assured me with a smile. She then turned off the lights before exiting the room and closing the door.

Sighing, I took off my shoes before lying down on the bed. This week started terribly, but now, I'm with a new family, about to begin a new life. It felt almost surreal when I thought about it. All my life, I haven't been able to live how I wanted as my birth parents forced me to become how they wanted. But now, I have a chance to be myself and make a life for myself. However, first things first. I have to find a job to help pay for my expenses while also helping Muriel and the others. While she said I didn't need to, I would not feel right if I didn't do something in return. Getting under the blankets, I decided to think about it more in the morning as I was tired from everything that happened today. But before sleep could take me, one last thought came to mind. 

'I wonder if I can lead a normal life now or have a life full of adventure like I always wanted.'  I thought before succumbing to sleep. Little did I know that my life was now bound for adventure and never going to be normal again. 

Chapter Text

Sitting on my bed in the attic, I listened to the calming sounds of the thunderstorms raging outside. For some reason, I always found them comforting. It has been three months since I moved in with the Bagge family. And since then, I have learned a lot of things. The first was that Muriel is the sweetest person you can ever meet. She is kind to everyone she meets, almost to a fault. Yet, that only makes her all the better. Eustace, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. He is an ass through and through. 

However, Courage is the most interesting out of everyone here by far. Not only can he speak English and walk upright like a person, but he can also cook, clean, and do many other things no ordinary can do. He is like a swiss army knife of skills. He can also type on the computer. 

But it was only the day after I moved that I learned the computer was no ordinary... computer. Despite looking old, it was far better and faster than any I saw in Vale. And he was also much more of a prick than other computers, that's for sure. Yeah, apparently, this computer is sentient and can speak for itself. Well, only when it's on. But when it's on, it certainly is mean and likes to rub stuff in your face and get personal. However, you cannot deny how helpful he can be.

Hearing a near-deafening thunder strike, I looked outside the window and saw the thunderstorm still going strong. It seemed the storm would be staying with us for at least a few more hours before letting up. But it was at that point I heard a loud  'humina humina'  coming from downstairs. It took me a moment to realize that Courage got scared from the thunder strike and is now shivering in fright. But it stopped when I heard a crash come a moment later, followed by an 'oof' which told me that Eustace got annoyed at Courage and kicked him out of bed. Hearing footsteps quickly approaching my door, I figured that Courage was either taking a walk or coming to my room. Since I first moved in, Courage and I have gotten close. While not as close as he is to Muriel, we still occasionally hang out, and sometimes he sleeps on my bed. 

So, I thought Courage would come to my room to sleep. But a scream told me that he had spotted something that scared him. Getting up, I went to investigate to see what happened. Opening the door and looking around, I saw the shadows of Muriel and Eustace going down the steps. Following them, I went downstairs, where I saw that they were shaking in fright yet were also armed. Eustace held a bat, and Muriel had a rolling pin.

'Not sure the rolling pin would be helpful, but to each their own.'  I asked as I walked up to them. "What's happening?"

"Courage said there was a burglar in the house." Muriel answered. "But we don't see any burglar."

'This is crazy! I saw a burglar. I did.'  Courage said, looking around with his paws on his head.

"That's it. You're sleeping in the attic." Eustace said, picking up Courage before heading to my room while Muriel went to hers.

'Why would making him sleep in my room be a punishment?'  I thought, following Courage and Eustace.

'I don't want to sleep in the attic. I'm telling you there is someone here. Or my name's Shirley. And it's not.'  Courage said, trying to convince Eustace. Unfortunately, they ignored him. That, or they didn't understand him. 

'Wait. Am I the only one who understands Courage? Or are Muriel and Eustace just ignoring him? Hopefully, it's the latter.'  

But as I turned the lights off, I heard a cackle from behind me. Quickly turning around, I thought I saw a shadow; however, it disappeared before I could get a good look at it. Thinking it was just the shadow of a cloud, I shook my head before heading back to my room. As I made my way there, I heard Muriel ask Eustace if it was okay for Courage to sleep in my room as it was cold there. Yet, Eustace simply lied and said Courage seemed happy to him. Hearing this, I quickened my pace to my room and saw Courage wrapped in a blanket in the corner. He was shivering in fear and from the cold.

'I just know something bad is going to happen.'  He said, worried before howling. Walking over to him, I patted his head, which calmed him down. 

"Hey, Courage, don't be afraid. You probably just saw a shadow. Why don't you sleep in my bed?"

He stopped shivering before smiling and diving into my bed and under the covers. Chuckling, I turned off the lights before joining him in bed. 

But right before sleep took me, we became wide awake when we heard a growing laughter nearby. Sitting up, we looked around to try and find out what was causing the laughter. For a moment, I thought it was all in my head, but I noticed that Courage had heard it as well as he was looking around the room. Not seeing anything, I was about to go back to sleep when we heard it again, except it was much closer to us this time. We then noticed a shadow on the floor leading up to the wall next to us. Looking towards the ceiling, we saw a monster shadow moving by itself and laughing at us. I was about to get out of bed and confront whatever it was, but I stopped when I heard Courage scream. Looking over at him, I saw that his whole head had become about ten times larger than usual.

'What the?'  I thought, confused when I saw Courage do that, but I could not finish my thoughts as he ran out of my room. 

But instead of opening the door, Courage ran through it, leaving behind a hole in the shape of him. I was about to go after him, but when I heard the  shadow  growl again, I ran out of my room in fright as well. But unlike Courage, I actually opened the door instead of going through it. Unsure of where to go or what I had just seen, I decided to go to the bathroom to wake up fully. Perhaps the shadow and laughter were only part of the dream I was having. Turning on the faucet, I splashed my face with cold water to get rid of the crust in my face and any traces of sleepiness. Drying myself off, I returned to my room, where I saw Muriel chastising Courage.

"Now, Courage. We're not going to be doing this all night, are we?" She asked before turning to head back to my room. "Have a nice night, Jaune."

"Goodnight, Muriel." I said as I entered my room.

"What did I tell you? If you wake me up again, you'll be sleeping with the termites." Eustace threatened. "So, I am giving you one more chance to act like a real dog."

'Master.'  Courage said while throwing himself to Eustace's feet and clinging onto them.

I was about to step in but stopped when I saw Eustace turn around and reach for something with squeaky sounds coming from him as he did so. It almost sounded as if he was putting something on. And Eustace was as not a second later, he turned around and tried to scare Courage while wearing big, ridiculous eyes. And he succeeded as Courage ran out of the room. Eustace then began to laugh at Courage being scared. Annoyed, I was about to go in and defend Courage but stopped when I heard music coming from nowhere. And the type of music seemed to be as if someone was announcing a call to battle. Confused, I began to look around and saw Muriel suddenly rush into the room and whack Eustace hard on the head with the rolling pin she had earlier. The smack caused him to be dazed as the eyeballs fell off his head and bounced away to the other side of the room. She then picked up Courage and grabbed my hand.

"Now you sleep in the attic." Muriel said before taking us to her room. But as we left my room and closed the door, I heard Eustace ask what did he do.

"Here we are. Now Jaune. You can sleep in Eustace's spot tonight." Muriel said to me, answering my unspoken question before getting into the bed and falling asleep. 

Courage jumped to his usual spot on the bed and tried to rest. Deciding to do the same, I was about to get in bed and sleep when I saw the shadow go past me, up the wall, and then behind the bed. Courage had apparently noticed it as well, as he had stood up and began shivering again. Steeling myself, I was about to move the bed and check behind the bed when suddenly Eustace came in the room and started strangling Courage. Despite being asleep, Muriel heard Eustace strangle Courage and smack him on the head with the rolling pin again. This stopped Eustace from choking Courage, which allowed him to run away. But instead of stopping altogether, he chased after Courage, with Muriel getting up and chasing him. Still unsure of what was happening and worried for Courage, I also decided to follow them. Soon, we were in the kitchen, where I saw Eustace looking around for Courage. I was about to walk past him and look for Courage as well when suddenly he shot out from under the sink like a rocket and latched onto Eustace's face.

'Probably whatever that shadow is scared him.'  I thought as Courage shivered against Eustace's face.

'Uh-oh. I'm gonna get strangled.'  He said in fear. And he was right as even not a second later, Eustace recovered from the jump and started strangling Courage. 

"Now say, uncle. Say, uncle." Esuatcedemanded as he continued to strangle him. But he was stopped when the music played again, followed by Muriel rushing into the room and hitting him on the head with her rolling pin. The force behind the blow caused the rolling pin to break in half. Satisfied, she took Courage from his arms and grabbed my hand before bringing us back to her room. 

'Uncle?'  Courage asked, confused just as the door closed. But as the door closed, we heard Eustace again ask what he did. Ignoring him, Muriel got into bed with Courage under the covers, shivering in fear. Sighing, I lifted the blanket and got into the bed to try and get some sleep. Yet, as soon as I closed my eyes, they flew open when we heard Eustace scream in terror. 

"Oh! That was Eustace." Muriel said, sitting up and throwing back the blankets. "He's in trouble."

'Wait, you stay here. I'll go.'  Courage said, stopping Muriel.  'I must be nuts!'

"I'll go as well." I said as I got up from the bed.   'I must be nuts as well!'

Exiting the bedroom, we raced to the kitchen, where we last saw Eustace. Getting there, we looked around and saw nobody there aside from us. But we did quickly notice Eustace's hat on the floor. Picking it up, I began to worry about what could have happened to Eustace and where he could be. I might not like the farmer, but that does not mean I want to see him get hurt. And I knew Courage felt the same way about Eustace. But, as I turned to him, he screamed in fear before running back to the room. Setting the hat down, I followed him back to the bedroom, but, to our shock and fear, Muriel was nowhere in sight. And seeing the blankets and pillow on the floor raised all kinds of red flags for me. Looking toward Courage, I saw that he was bouncing up and down on his paws in fear and worried for Muriel's safety before howling.

'Stay calm. Stay calm.'   He said before howling again. He then took off to somewhere with me following him, hoping Courage had an idea about what was happening. 

Soon, we reached my room and entered. Although, we did silently chuckle at the Eustace-shaped hole in the door. However, before we closed the door, we looked around to see if that shadow was here with us. Figuring that we were alone, we closed the door before heading over to the computer and turning it on. Courage then started typing away on the keyboard. 

'Come on. Come on!'  Courage said as he continued to type away.  'Evil... Shadowy... Evil things... Search!'

"You Twit." The computer said in its usual insulting way. "Do you mean Evil Shadows?"

'I don't know.'  Courage answered, confused, while scratching his head.

"What a loser. Of course, you do."

"Okay. You don't have to get personal." I told the computer. "This is a first for us."

"Oh. I see you're here. Finally decided to man up and do something for once, huh."

"Just shut up and search!" I demanded him while resisting the urge to slam my first against it.

"Searching..." The computer said as it began its search while Courage meditated. After about ten minutes later, the computer finally responded. "Search found. 1 item."

'What! What!'  Courage asked, frantically typing on the computer.

"Evil Shadows. I wouldn't want them in my house." The computer answered. This caused me to facepalm while Courage howled yet again.

'Hey. I better stop that. I can begin to like it.'  Courage said before tying something else.  'How do we get rid of evil shadows?'

"How to get rid of evil shadows? 1. Pleasant conversation. 2. Move out of the house." The computer answered. Judging by his tone, we could tell he was being sarcastic with the first option and acting as if the second option was the most obvious one.

'Are you kidding? This thing is dangerous.'

"How do you talk to an evil shadow?" I added.

"I don't know. You are on your own, kids." The computer answered.

'I gotta save Muriel.'  Courage said, getting off his chair.

"Hey. Don't count me out yet, Courage. I'm helping you save Muriel as well." I said, causing Courage to smile and nod.

'Let's start in the basement.'  Courage suggested while pulling out a giant, grey, ridiculous-looking flashlight. I nodded, and we made our way down to the basement door.  'The things I do for love.'

"Hey, shadow. Are you done there?" I asked, feeling a bit ridiculous at asking a shadow if it was down in a basement. 

Courage, meanwhile, was shining the flashlight all over the place. But as soon as he shone the light in front of us, we saw a giant shadow creature growl at us. We immediately closed the door and stepped back out in panic. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as my blood pressure skyrocketed. Looking over at Courage, I saw that he was on the floor with his heart literally pounding out of his chest. After collecting ourselves, we decided to try again. 

'Muriel, we'll save you.'  Courage said before closing the door again in fear. But I opened it up just as soon as he did that.  'Okay. We'll save you for real this time.' 

Steeling ourselves, we closed the door and started to head down the stairs. But because of how dark it was, we lost our balance and fell after a few steps. Shaking ourselves off, we quickly stood up, with Courage shining his light everywhere. 

"Okay, shadow. Where's Muriel?" I demanded. 

For the first couple of seconds, we didn't see anything. However, as soon as Courage shone the light at the well, the shadow revealed itself as a horrifying creature. This scared us so much that I took a step with Courage turning off the flashlight. Composing ourselves, I had Courage turn the flashlight back on, and to our delight, we saw Muriel waving at us. 

'Muriel!'  Courage said, happy as he waved back. 

I let out a sigh of relief upon seeing that Muriel was okay. Yet we both screamed when 'Muriel' ripped her head off. And had I been paying attention, I would have seen Courage transform into a freakish design with his teeth showing and his eyes having blue veins in them. He quickly turned off the light again and turned it back on a second later.

"Muriel! Are you okay?" I asked when we saw her shadow again. But we screamed yet again when it was her shadow tied to a pole with fire at the base. Courage then proceeded to turn off the flashlight and turn it back on a second later. 

'Oh, my goodness!'  Courage exclaimed when we saw Muriel's shadow on a table with a buzzsaw descending upon her. He then turned the light off and back on again. 

"No... No, no." I begged as we saw Muriel tied at the limbs and about to be pulled apart this time. 

'Oh, no. Not that!'  Courage said after turning the flashlight off and back on and seeing Muriel about to be impaled by spikes. 

Not wanting to see the rest, we turned off the light for what we thought was the last time. However, after a moment, we decided to turn it back on. And this time, instead of seeing 'Muriel's' shadow getting hurt, we saw a ghost. While we were relieved that it wasn't Muriel, we were confused all the same. Letting our curiosity get the better of us, we turned off the flashlight and turned it back on. This time, we saw a hammer hitting an anvil. We then repeated the process a few more times. First, we saw a screw and a baseball. Next was a cuckoo clock with the bird coming out of the clock a few times. However, the final time was different as the shadow itself appeared instead of a random image. Looking closely, we noticed that, somehow, the shadow was also crying. 

"Stop already." It begged.

"Huh?" Courage and I asked, confused.

"I can't take it anymore. On and off! On and off! You're both driving me crazy." The shadow declared as he threw his hands up and continued to cry.

'We're driving you crazy? What have you done with Muriel?'  Courage demanded.

"I haven't done anything to her."

"Then where is she?" I asked.

"What do I look like, her twin?" The shadow countered. At that moment, we all heard the sound of the toilet flushing. "See? She's been in the bathroom."

"Okay. Then why are you doing this and scaring everybody half to death?" I asked. The shadow then changed to look like he was on a therapist's bed before answering.

"Well, I was the shadow of a cruel old rich dude." The shadow answered.

'Yes, yes. Go on.'  Courage told him. Hearing some scribbling sounds, I turned to him and saw that he somehow was now sitting on a chair that he got from somewhere and was currently writing down everything the shadow was telling him as if he were a therapist.

'Where did he get all that?'  I thought, amazed and curious.

"But that's not me. That's not me at all." The shadow exclaimed as he made a shadow of a top hat and cane and started dancing as if he was in a performance. "I always want to be in showbiz! To be a star, baby! A star!"

'Don't we all...'  Courage said, wishing the same thing as well.  'I have an idea. Come with me.'  

Curious about what idea Courage came up with, we followed him outside. But as we exited the house, I noticed that the thunderstorms had finished. And with the clouds gone, we could see the beautiful night sky filled with millions of stars. The light of the moon only added to the subtle beauty of the night. 

'I don't know how to make it in showbiz. But up there are the real stars. Why don't we hang with them?'  Courage suggested.

'Did not expect that. But not a bad idea if he can do it.'  I thought, surprised but curious to see if it could work.

"You mean become the shadow of a real star?" The shadow questioned.

"It's worth a try." I told him.

"Never thought of that before. Sounds too romantic to me. But what the heck? It sure beats scaring the jeepers out of folks!" The shadow said, excited to try the idea.

"By the way. Have you seen the farmer?"

"Yeah. He's hiding in that old pickup truck." He answered while pointing to the truck. "He's a bigger coward than the both of you."

"Gee, thanks." I said with a chuckle as we rolled our eyes.

'Good luck.'  Courage said as he moved his shadow to shake the other shadow's hand. I did the same afterward, despite not understanding how it worked. Nor how I could still feel his hand as if he was an object and not a shadow. 

"Thanks. See you both in the funny papers." The shadow said before running off and jumping to the sky and disappearing.

"Wow!" I said, amazed as the shadow made an outline in the sky before becoming hundreds of stars that faded, leaving behind one bright, shining star.

'Hmm. Not bad!'  Courage said as he made his way back inside.

Seeing that it was late and that the shadow wouldn't be bothering us now, I went back inside as well. Heading to my room, I bid Muriel goodnight as she walked towards her room with her hair covered by many curlers. 

Entering my room, I closed the door and turned off the light before getting into bed. Yet, as I lay there, I could not help but think about all that happened today. Seeing some of the things Courage can do was still as big of a shock as when I first witnessed it. However, the biggest surprise today was that, apparently, a shadow could be sentient. Not only that, but shadows can also become stars. I had no doubt in my mind that I would never forget today's events. Hearing Eustace and Courage scream, I was about to get up when I remembered that Muriel had enough curlers in her hair that her shadow could scare anyone. Chuckling, I laid back and down and fell asleep with one last thought running through my head. 

'I did always want adventure. And it looks like I am about to get it. Just not in the way I'd expected.'

Chapter Text

I was outside on the house's porch eating a sandwich while petting Courage, who was sleeping next to me. It was a gorgeous day today, so we decided to spend the day outside instead of wasting it away inside. Thankfully, it wasn't face-melting hot like it usually is in Nowhere. But that could just be me, as the Arc Family used to force me to sleep in the coldest room. Their  reason  was that only  worthy  people get heating in their room. But aside from that painful memory resurfacing, I felt like it was going to be a good day.

It has been a week since the shadow incident. And every night before I went to sleep, I would look up to the sky to see if I could spot the shadow again. While I am unsure if I did spot him a few times, I did have a strong feeling that he did see me looking for him. But the thought of that made me chuckle as it sounded strange. 

Looking down at Courage, I noticed he was on his back on the pillow Muriel made for him. His tongue was hanging out as I continued to scratch his stomach. Hearing the door open, we both looked up and saw Muriel with a frown coming out. Curious, we got up and followed her around the house. Hearing some banging, we looked up and saw that Eustace was working on the roof. Although, we weren't sure why he was working on the roof or what his intent was as he was just hammering away at it.

"Eustace?" She called out but got no response. "Eustace?!"

'What do you think she wants?'  Courage asked.

"I'm not sure." I answered as we continued to watch Eustace 'work.' However, he did stop hammering for a brief moment, and that told us that Eustace did hear Muriel, but he chose to ignore her.

"Eustace!" Muriel shouted again but got the same response. But after a moment, we did hear Eustace scream in pain.

'He must have hit his thumb with the hammer. I know how that feels.'  I thought with a wince.

"Eustace, will you stop that noise?! You'll wake the neighbors!"

'What neighbors?! The closest people around are in the town of Nowhere, which is a good five miles away.'

"We ain't got no neighbors." Eustace exclaimed after a moment before returning to work. But as soon as he hammered the roof, it caused a piece of wood to fly away and hit Muriel on the head.

'NO!'  Courage screamed as Muriel collapsed on the floor. Not wasting a second, we helped Muriel to her feet. 

"What?" Eustace asked, confused as he looked down from the roof. Seeing that he knocked Muriel out, he got down and helped us bring her inside. 

"Oh, my head." Muriel said as we helped her sit in her chair before taking a few steps back. But once we did, she began looking around the room, confused but curious. "This is a lovely room." 

'What?'  I asked, worried, as numerous red flags rose. 

"Eh?" Eustace said, confused.

"And what a comfy chair." Muriel continued as she began rocking back and forth.

"What? Here. Drink some tea." Eustace said, handing her the cup of tea on the table next to him, hoping it would help. Yet, to our shock and worry, she ignored it and grabbed a nearby picture.

"Aw, what a nice couple." She said as she admired the picture. The picture is of them on their wedding day. "Who are they?" 

'Oh, this is not good.'  I thought as I took Courage to the side of the room.

'Oh, there's something wrong here. Or my name is Jose Santos De Guatemala...'  Courage said as he began pacing back and forth.  'And it's not.'

"Ah, just some old rotten couple." Eustace answered as he took the picture from her. "Go ahead. Drink your tea."

"Thank you. You're a very nice man." Muriel said as she took the tea and began rocking in the chair again. "What's your name?"

'Crap! Does Muriel have amnesia?!'   I thought, alarmed.

"What's my name?" Eustace asked, confused. But I could very clearly see the cogs in his head starting to turn. "Hey, now. What's your name?" 

'This won't be good.'  I thought when Muriel shrugged her shoulders, causing Eustace to scratch his head before turning to Courage.

"Well, what's his name?" He asked with Muriel turning to Courage, who waved and smiled at her. But what she said next nearly caused us to faint from pure shock. 

"I've never seen him before in my life." Muriel answered. Eustace smiled before grabbing Courage and kicking him out of the house before doing the same to me.

Getting up, I immediately rushed back to the front door with Courage going around the house. Seeing that Eustace locked the door, I went around to join Courage by the window. Looking inside, we saw that Eustace was rubbing his hands with an evil smirk on his face. He then began talking to Muriel in a way that made my blood boil.

"Muriel. Eustace. Slave woman. Your job is cleaning, cooking, shopping, laundry, and anything else I can think of." Eustace explained as he sat in his chair and pulled out a newspaper from underneath the chair. "NOW GET ME DINNER!"

'That bastard!'  I growled as Eustace laughed while Muriel ran off to the kitchen. Turning to Courage, I was about to ask him what we should do but noticed he wasn't there. Looking around, I spotted Courage on a branch of a nearby tree.  'What's he doing?'

But I got my answer when he grabbed a vine and used it to get to my room's window. Unfortunately, instead of landing on the porch's roof, he crashed through the window, leaving a hole in the shape of him. Seeing this caused me to groan as I knew I had to fix it since Eustace wouldn't. Sighing, I moved to the front of the house and used the support beams to climb to the porch's roof. Pulling myself on top, I walked over to the window and opened it before climbing into my room. Looking around, I saw Courage frantically typing on the computer. 

'Well, you don't have to hit so hard.'  The computer complained as I walked over to them. And just in time for him to insult me.  'Oh, and here I thought we could celebrate your absence.'

"What did you search for, Courage?" I asked him while ignoring the computer's remark.

'He searched for an amnesia specialist. You twit. One is already on his way.'

"Good thinking, Courage."

"I HEARD SOMETHING!" Eustace shouted, surprising us.

Grabbing Courage's paw, I jumped through the window with him to avoid getting caught. And as soon as we were out, Eustace slammed open the door. While I didn't have much combat, I could still easily knock him out. The thing is, though, I don't want to hurt him since he is Muriel's husband, and I'm not sure she would forgive me if I attacked him. Risking a look inside, we saw Eustace look around before leaving and closing the door.

"He's gone for now." I said, sighing in relief. "How about we wait here for the amnesia specialist to arrive?"

Courage nodded before sitting down next to me. Smiling, I sat down and started to scratch his ears, which he loved. For a moment, I wished that I still had my scroll. But I knew it was for the best, that I threw it away before coming to Nowhere. Although, that didn't mean I could get one the next time I went into town. Sighing, I leaned against the house as we waited for the specialist to arrive. After about an hour, we saw a mysterious figure approach the farmhouse. Courage grew excited, thinking that this was the specialist who could help Muriel regain her memories. However, as I took a closer look, I realized that the specialist was not what I was expecting.

'A duck! A freaking duck answered the call! What else am I going to see today?! A giant mouse?!'  I mentally exclaimed as I saw the duck approach the farm. Squinting my eyes, I noticed that the duck was wearing a fake mustache that kind of looked like horns. "Something doesn't feel right, Courage. Let's have a closer look." 

He nodded before jumping off the porch's roof with me. Quickly going around the side of the house, we peered around the corner, hoping to find out what this duck wanted. The duck knocked on the door with it, soon opening partway with Eustace's head popping out. 

"We don't want any." Eustace immediately said, not caring who was knocking.

"Voila! Moi Carde." The duck said as he handed Eustace a gigantic purple card. "I am Dr. Le Quack. Are you the patient?"

"Who?"

"Who is the patient?"

"What?" Eustace asked, confused, before throwing away the card and attempting to close the door. But Le Quack placed his fin in front of the door to prevent that.

"I am an amnesia specialist and have been sent for." Le Quack explained.

"I didn't send for you."

"No?" Le Quack mockingly asked before taking out a giant mallet and hitting Eustace over the head with it. Knocking him out completely. "Remember now?" 

"This is bad." I said while Courage howled as we watched Le Quack drag Eustace into the house while laughing like a madman. Well, more like a mad duck.

'What have I done?'  Courage asked, upset with himself.

"Take it easy. There was no way we could have known that he was the one that received the call." I assured him. But instead of listening, he went over to the window to look inside. Following him, I looked inside and saw Le Quack drag Eustace into the closet before closing and locking the door.

'We gotta save Muriel.'  Courage said before rushing inside the house. Thankfully, Le Quack went into the dining room when we entered the house, so he didn't notice us. We waited a second before heading to Muriel.

"What are you doing, dog? Get away!" Muriel said, annoyed, as she freed her arm from Courage's grip. I was about to explain everything to her that was happening, but couldn't as Le Quack returned. 

"Quest Ce Que." Le Quack said, surprised.

Knowing that a fight was about to happen, I mentally prepared myself. However, before anything else could happen, Courage screamed, getting my attention. Turning towards him, I saw his tongue stick out of his mouth as if it itself got scared. Not only that, but Courage's fur stood up straight as if he had been electrocuted. Yet, what surprised me the most was that while he was screaming, he was also floating a few feet above the floor. 

'What the?!'  I thought, confused and amazed. Turning back to Le Quack, I was about to ask what he was doing but stopped when I noticed he had pulled out his mallet again. 

"Who is the patient?" He asked with a deranged smile. 

For some strange reason, seeing him with the giant mallet and smiling reminded me of Nora when she was having a fun time with her oversized hammer. However, that did not mean I wanted to be on the receiving end of it. Grabbing Courage's paw, we ran away from the deranged duck in hopes of losing him. Unfortunately, despite being a duck, he was quick on his fins. 

Reaching the kitchen, we opened the door and exited the house while closing the door. Knowing that we would need to hide to lose Le Quack, I began to look around for a suitable spot. And it seemed Courage had already found one as he was hanging onto the wall above the door. Not wanting to question it, I went around to the side of the house and kneeled. After a few seconds, Le Quack opened the door and began to look around. Thankfully, he didn't see either of us as he growled before entering the house.

"You can come down now, Courage." I said after I was sure that Le Quack wouldn't hear us. 

Nodding, Courage let go of the wall and fell with me, catching him before he hit the floor. Smiling, he jumped out of my arms before going around the house to the living room window. Following him, we looked inside and saw Muriel tied up on the couch. Worried about what Le Quack had planned, we continued to watch.

Soon, Le Quack began to tickle Muriel's foot with a comically large feather. Seeing this, Courage immediately rushed inside the house. Following him, I saw that he somehow procured an enormous fan and used it to blow Le Quack away from Muriel. Annoyed, Le Quack quickly recovered and chased Courage out of the house. Thankfully, this gave me the chance to free Muriel.

"Don't worry, Muriel. I got you." I assured her as I started to untie her.

"Thank you, whoever you are." She said with a smile. 

Hearing these words pained me for some reason. Perhaps it's because Muriel was the first lady to care for me honestly and treat me like family. And seeing her not remember me caused my heart to ache. But this only gave me more reason to try and help her recover her memories. 

"What are you doing?!" I heard Le Quack ask.

Turning around, I saw Le Quack running towards me with his mallet. Remembering that I still had some of the rope in my hands, I threw it at Le Quack. And because he wasn't expecting it, he became entangled in it, giving me time to escape. Running out of the house, I closed the door with Le Quack smacking into it as soon as it did. 

Letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding, I began to look around and quickly spotted a pole vault crossbar leaning against the porch. Figuring that Courage used to get inside the house again, I climbed the pole to get to my room's window. Reaching the window, I pulled myself into my room and noticed that Courage was typing away on the computer.

  '...Man robbing house.'  He frantically said as he finished typing. Walking over to him, I was about to ask who he was trying to message but stopped when we heard Muriel scream. 

"Muriel!" I said, worried. Racing to the door, we exited my room and quickly headed downstairs to the living room. And what we saw shocked and worried us greatly.  'What the heck is going on?'

Somehow, in the short time since we first freed Muriel, Le Quack not only retied Muriel but also set up an entire train track around the living room. And that's not counting the thousands of pies he somehow procured. Taking a closer look at the train tracks, we noticed that they went under the chair Le Quack used to restrain her. We were confused about what this would accomplish but quickly understood when he placed a pie in front of the train, which then collided with Muriel. 

"Now. Do you remember where is your piggy bank?" Le Quack asked as the train stopped in front of him. Seeing Muriel shrug her answer, he placed another pie in front of the train and made it go towards her. "Pity." 

'What to do? What to--oh. I got it.'  I thought as the pie hit Muriel.

Spotting the television, I remembered an old trick I learned a while ago. Smiling, I turned to Courage and whispered the plan to him. He nodded before sneaking across the room to the television. After a second, he then started making his way to the track with some wires in hand. Thankfully, Le Quack was too focused on Muriel to notice either of us.

Once done attaching the wires to the track, Courage then snuck back next to me and handed me a remote with a big red button. Turning back to Le Quack, I was about to shout to get his attention but didn't need to as he finally spotted us. Annoyed, he began to run toward us. But as soon as he hopped over the tracks where Courage hooked up the wires, I pressed the button. The result was a large explosion that covered Le Quack in soot and ash. 

"How annoying." Le Quack said, somehow staying in the air for a few seconds before softly landing on the floor.

'Don't bother questioning it, Jaune. Just focus on helping Muriel.'  I told myself as I ran over to Muriel and began to untie her while Courage cleaned her face with a napkin. 

However, before we could finish, we heard the sound of fins hitting the floor. Turning around, we saw Le Quack running towards us with his mallet. Getting up, we ran to the kitchen and exited the house. Knowing we needed to hide again, I moved behind Eustace's truck while Courage somehow successfully disguised himself as a plant. 

After a few seconds, Le Quack stepped out of the house and began to look for us. Luckily, he quickly gave up and went back inside the house while slamming the door shut. Signaling to Courage that it was safe, he exited the plant pot he was in before running to the front of the house. Following him, I saw that he was now inside a giant catapult.

"I am not even going to question it at this point." I said, giving up any chance or hope of seeing something  normal  today. 

'We gotta get help.'  Courage said before pulling the rope to have the catapult launch him back to my room. Unfortunately, he didn't line up the catapult correctly, which caused him to go through the wall instead of the window. 

"Great. Have to fix that as well." I said, annoyed, before going over to the pole vault crossbar to get to my room. But once I climbed through the window to enter my room, I heard the computer tell us that we had received a message.

'You both have an e-mail from the police. I'll read it.'  The computer said.  'A Mad Man in your house. How Horrible.'

"At least they answered." I said while catching my breath from climbing the pole vault again after a lot of running today.  'I need to go to the gym or begin exercising again.'

'Where are you?'

'Bagge farm in the middle of nowhere!'  Courage typed the reply.

"You poor thing. What do you want from us?" Hearing this, Courage gained a deadpan look while I resisted the urge to bang my head against the wall. Sighing in frustration, I was about to type out an  appropriate  response but couldn't as we heard Muriel scream again. 

'HELP!'  Courage typed out before we rushed out of the room. 

However, unlike last time, we used the stairs that took us to the dining room. Standing at the door, we saw Le Quack tied Muriel again to her chair. But we became confused when we noticed that Le Quack was wearing a clothespin on his  mouth/nose.  However, it became clear why when he grabbed a plate covered by a cloche. And once he removed the cloche, I nearly vomited as there was a big piece of stinky cheese on the plate. 

'Smells worse than lockers at Beacon.'  I thought as I did my best not to throw up. 

'LEAVE HER ALONE!'  Courage shouted.

Le Quack turned to us and started chasing us again with near malice in his eyes. But right before he reached us, I slammed the door in his face, dazing him. However, I became confused when Courage stopped me from leaving the dining room. Yet, before I could even ask, a giant mouse appeared behind us. Deciding not to question, I simply stepped back as the mouse moved closer to the door, with Le Quack opening it a second later. And it seemed even Le Quack was surprised at the mouse. 

"Quest Ce Que?" Le Quack asked, confused and surprised. Instead of saying anything, the mouse put on a bib before punching Le Quack, sending him flying across the living room. The mouse then grabbed the cheese floating in the air, ate it, and let out a satisfied burp afterward. Courage then walked in front of us, smiled, took out his wallet, and gave the mouse some money. 

'Thanks, Mr. Mouse.'  He said as the mouse took the money.

"No problem." The mouse said before turning to face me. "Kid. Jaune, right?"

"Yes. That's my name." I nervously answered.

"Courage here tells me you're a good cook. Is that so?"

"I would say so. I have been told my food is pretty good."

"Why don't you come by my diner later today, and we can test your skills. I may have a job offering for you." He said while handing me his card.

"Alright. I'll be there later today." I told him as I looked over his card.

"See you then." He said before leaving. Once gone, I looked over to Courage, who was smiling.

"Thanks, Courage. I owe you one." I said, smiling. But we were snapped back to attention when we heard Muriel scream, reminding us that we still had to save her. Turning towards where we last saw her, we noticed that Le Quack had tied her up again before placing her on the couch. Seeing this, Courage howled in worry. 

"My darling, I must leave you for a moment. But only for a moment." Le Quack said before hitting Muriel on the head with his mallet and kissing her forehead. He then turned to us and started chasing us with his mallet. We quickly bolted for the kitchen but could not exit the house as Le Quack barricaded the door shut while we were away, so we could not escape. 

"I have you now, you dirty little dog and human." Le Quack said as he aimed a vacuum at us. 

Unsure what to expect, and given how weird and abnormal today has been, I braced myself against the door and held tightly onto the handle. And I was right to do so as Le Quack turned on the vacuum, which had such a powerful suction force that it lifted us off our feet. Had it not been for me holding onto the door handle, Courage and I would have been sucked into the vacuum. 

Hanging on tightly, I tried to devise a way to get out of this. Looking at Courage, I saw an accordion, anchor, and a soccer ball come out of his pockets. Yet, after everything I had seen today, I wasn't the least bit surprised at this. However, my attention snapped back to the door when the wood came loose with the vacuum sucking them up. Looking back at Le Quack, I saw him laughing manically but failed to realize that a buildup/blockage was happening in the vacuum's hose. Knowing what was about to happen, I pulled Courage close to shield him from the impending explosion. 

*BOOM*

'That hurt worse than being punched by a pissed-off Yang. But at least Courage is unharmed.'  I thought as I lay down on the floor. Hearing the sounds of sirens approaching the house, I tried to get up and open the door but could not stay on my feet for more than a few seconds. Luckily, Courage helped me stay on my feet. Smiling, I let him guide me over to the remaining intact chair as my aura started to heal me. "Thanks, Courage." 

Hearing someone banging on the door, I was about to get up and answer it, but Courage stopped me and motioned that he would answer it. Nodding, I fixed myself on the chair as Courage went to open the door, only to get immediately flattened by the police as they entered the house.

"Oh, we've been looking for you!" The police officer with a mustache said before nodding to the officer at his side. The officer nodded and placed huge cuffs on Le Quack's fins. Yet, it did not escape my mind about how Le Quack can easily slide the cuffs off his fins. But I was too tired at the moment to care. 

'What took you so long?'  Courage asked as we watched the police take Le Quack to their vehicle and drive away. Once we could no longer hear the sirens, I got up from the chair and stretched. 

"Come, Courage. Let's go check on Muriel" I said. He nodded before heading to the living room with me following him. Walking over to Muriel, we noticed that she was still groaning but was also coming back to her senses. Kneeling, I began to untie her while Courage put her boot back on her foot. Once done, we stood up as she smiled at us. "Muriel, are you okay?" 

"A cup of tea would be lovely, Jaune." She answered before pulling Courage and me into a hug. After a couple of moments, she let go while still smiling. "I wonder where Eustace is?" 

Hearing a groaning sound come from the closet, Courage and I went over and opened the door. Looking inside, we saw Eustace looking around in confusion before turning to us.

"Where am I? Who are you? Who am I?" He asked, confused. Instead of answering, Courage pulled me away from the closet and closed the door, all the while smiling.

"Courage?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He simply let out a chuckle with a toothy grin in his own unique way. Sighing, I decided to let it go. After all, the guy did try to turn Muriel into his servant. So, what's the harm in letting him be the one with amnesia for a while? Plus, I won't have to deal with him when I go to the interview later. 

"Just remind me to fix him later in the day." I said, sighing. He nodded before going to help Muriel make some tea.

'Today was definitely weird. And I can feel like it's only going to get weirder from here on out.'  I thought as I made my room to take a nap. Yet, I could not help but feel excited about the future as it's not every day you get to have an out-of-this-world adventure.

Chapter Text

It has been a month since the incident with the shadow, three weeks since the crazy duck incident, and two weeks since I got a job at Charlie's Diner. And just who is Charlie, you may ask; well, he is a giant mouse that not only speaks English but owns a diner and is a part-time delivery service person. Or mouse. Either way, ever since defeating Le Quack, I decided to stop trying to make sense of everything and just go with the flow.

But a week after Le Quack, I learned something that made me upset with myself. And that was that I barely did crap to try and save Muriel from Le Quack. Even though I wasn't a huntsman, I should have done more to try and protect the family that took me and gave me a home. That's why I was currently training in front of the farmhouse with the sword and shield I purchased last week in town. And even though it started raining about an hour ago, I did not stop training and only took breaks when I was about to pass out. 

However, as I kept practicing, my mind kept drifting back to the person who helped me so much. She even tried to find a way to get me to stay after she learned I got expelled from Beacon. But, despite all she had done for me, I had yet to thank her properly.

'I do miss you, Pyrrha.'  I thought as I sat down on the porch and took a sip from my water bottle.  'And the rest of the team as well.'

I really do miss each of my friends. Ever since I moved in with the Bagge Family, they have not left my mind. Well, the ones I can still call my friends anyway. After learning why I got expelled, Team Rwby no longer were my friends. But my team was different. Nora said that she did not care what caused me to get expelled and that we were friends no matter what. Ren said he knew everything from the beginning but didn't care and still saw me as a good friend. Although, what surprised me the most was when Velvet clung to me and kept telling me not to go. 

'Perhaps I'll see them again someday.' 

Picking up my sword and shield, I readied myself to continue training. But before I could start, I heard Courage screaming from inside the house. Turning to the house, I noticed that Courage was already outside, standing beside the porch's support beam, trying to catch his breath. Walking up to him, I was about to ask him what happened but got my answer when I heard Muriel smack Eustace with her rolling pin again. 

"You all right, Courage?" I asked once he caught his breath.

'Fine.'  He answered while sitting down.

Seeing no harm in taking another short break, I set my sword and shield down before sitting beside him and scratching his back. We stayed like this for a while as the storm continued to rage on with no signs of stopping. Luckily, while it did continue, the storm soon moved past us. 

'Huh?'  Courage asked, getting up and looking out towards the field.

Turning to see what he was looking at, I noticed a puddle bubbling a dozen feet from us. Curious, we got up and went over to investigate it. But I grabbed my sword and shield just as a precaution in case something tried to attack us. Reaching the puddle, we noticed that it was bubbling as if something was boiling the water. Yet, quickly touching the water revealed that it was lukewarm.

'Huh?'  Courage asked, confused while scratching his head when the bubbles suddenly disappeared.

Confused, we leaned over the water and saw our reflections. But they soon started to distort before merging to form the shape of a mysterious lady. She had a black robe, pale skin, violet eyes, and purple hair. Curious, we leaned forward to try and get a better look but nearly jumped in fright when the reflection began hissing at us. As she did so, her mouth opened slightly to reveal that razor-sharp teeth filled her mouth. Courage immediately howled in fright before running back inside the house. Not hesitating, I quickly grabbed my sword and swung it at the reflection, hoping to hit whatever was on the other side. Unfortunately, it disappeared right as my sword struck the water. Unsure of whether it was stupidity or genuine curiosity, I dunked my head into the water and looked around. However, I was unable to see anything as it was pitch black. Hearing voices behind me, I raised my head out of the water and turned around to see Courage carrying Muriel over to me. Placing her on the ground, Courage then began pointing towards the puddle while whimpering.

"Did you see something, Jaune?" Muriel asked, confused.

"We thought we saw something underneath." I answered, never taking my eyes off the puddle as I didn't want any surprises from whatever we saw. Even though we saw a mysterious lady, I could not say for sure.

"Oh, you two. It must have simply been a fish. Nothing to worry about." Muriel said before heading back inside.

'But... but... but... oh...'  Courage said, trying to get Muriel to come back but failed.

Seeing that he failed to get her attention, Courage sighed before heading inside. Knowing that there were still a few hours of daylight left, I stood up and resumed my training. Yet, I never took my eyes off the puddle. It wouldn't be good if something came out while I was distracted. Plus, if I can catch it before it comes out, I can take care of it before it causes any harm to Muriel, Courage, or Eustace. After an hour passed, I decided to take a break to catch my breath. Looking at the house, I saw Courage staring out the living room's window at the puddle. 

'He's been like that since going back into the house.'  I thought, concerned.

Looking at the sky, I saw that the sun was finally setting. Deciding to call it a day, I grabbed my stuff before heading inside and going to my room to store my weapon and shield underneath my bed. Once done, I headed downstairs to see that Courage was still looking out the window. 

"I think I'll have some more tea myself. Would you like some tea, Jaune?" Muriel asked, standing up.

"Yes, please." I answered, smiling. While I wasn't the biggest tea enthusiast, Muriel made some of the best tea I ever had. Thankfully, tea was one of the few drinks/foods she didn't add vinegar to.

"Alright. It'll be out soon." She said, heading to the kitchen. But when she entered the dining room, we heard an unusually loud dripping sound. "What's that dripping sound?"

Not sure where it could be coming from, we looked around for the source. But it was when we heard a faint, seductive voice that we felt a chill go down our spines. Turning around, we saw a tiny, transparent, nearly invisible illusion of the same lady we saw in the puddle earlier. Somehow, she had managed to appear in Eustace's teacup. 

'Eustace. Eustace.'  The lady chanted a few times before flicking water onto Eustace's glasses.

Hearing Courage scream in terror caused me to snap back to attention. Rushing over to Eustace, I grabbed his cup before the lady could do anything else to him. Yet, instead of getting annoyed, the lady smirked at me before throwing some water at my eyes. Quickly wiping the water from my eyes, I looked back at the tea to see that she was gone. Feeling a sting in my eyes, I blinked a few times to try and stop it, only for a strange calmness to wash over me. And for some reason, I could only think about her. 

"Are you both alright?" Muriel asked, snapping me from whatever that water did to me. Turning to her, I saw that Courage had run to get her. 

"Huh? Yeah, yeah. Darn herbal-What? Where is my tea?" Eustace asked, confused, but became angry when he realized that I was holding his tea. "What you doing with my tea?"

"You were about to drop it on your hat. So I grabbed it before that could happen." I lied. Eustace growled before snatching his cup from me.

"The kitchen ceiling is leaking again, Eustace." Muriel said, pointing towards the kitchen. "You better go fix it."

Growling, Eustace got up from his chair and went to the closet to grab a bucket before heading to the kitchen to  fix  the leak. Feeling that the leak was the lady's doing, Courage and I decided to follow him. Reaching the door, we opened it slightly, peeked inside, and heard Eustace complaining about being unable to fix a cup of tea. Ignoring him, we entered and began to look around to try and figure out where the lady could come from next. Remembering that she somehow appeared in Eustace's tea, I figured she had water powers and would try to do something similar. 

'Better safe than sorry.'  I thought, moving to the sink and ensuring it was entirely off and dry so no water would drip. 

However, as soon as I finished, we heard the lady's voice again. Turning to face Eustace, we saw that he was looking around, confused. After a few seconds, he turned his attention to the dripping water. Walking over, we looked closely and realized that the dripping had stopped, with the drop closest to Eustace transforming into the lady. 

"Eustace." The lady seductively said before taking out a spray bottle and spraying Eustace with it. 

Knowing that I had to do something quickly, I dashed toward Eustace and attempted to pull him to safety. But, as soon as I grabbed him, the lady splashed more water onto my face. And, like last time, it caused my eyes to burn so much that I felt like I could go blind. Yet, the burning stopped a moment later and turned back into the comfortable feeling again. But it was much stronger this time and made me want to follow wherever the lady went.

'FUCK! WHAT IS SHE? WHAT IS SHE DOING TO ME?!'  I mentally screamed as I stumbled back into the chair, desperately fighting and wondering what she did to me. Hearing the door open, I looked over to see Muriel worried, with Courage pointing towards Eustace and me.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Oh, Eustace. Jaune. You both don't look so well. Let's get you both to bed now." Muriel said, worried. Looking over at Eustace, I saw that he was sitting in the bucket with a dazed and dreamy look on his face. He was so deep in the lady's trance that he didn't realize the water dripping on his hat. "Courage, be a dear and help Jaune to his bed. I'll help Eustace."

'Alright.'  Courage said, nodding.

He then walked over to the counter to grab a towel before walking over to me. Taking it, I thanked him while wiping my face dry. Standing up, we exited the kitchen and headed to my room. Once we arrived, I assured Courage that I could take it from there. He nodded before leaving the room. Moving over to my bed, I knelt, reached undeath, and pulled out the storage I got from town to store my clothes. Taking out a white t-shirt and some pajama pants, I changed into them before turning off the light and getting into bed. Yet, I could not fall asleep as my mind kept wondering what that lady did to me and why she was after Eustace. After a couple of minutes, I felt my eyelids begin to droop and could feel sleep about to take me to dreamland.

But my eyes snapped open when I heard Courage scream. Getting out of bed, I raced out of my room and headed toward Muriel's room. However, I didn't see them in the room. I felt a lump form in my throat as my heart rate quickened. But I calmed down when I heard them nearby, standing in front of the bathroom.

"Oh, my. I'm beginning to worry about you, Eustace. Tomorrow, we're off to see the doctor. That's all there is to it." Muriel said, worried. Curious, I moved to stand behind them and looked inside. And to my surprise, I saw that Eustace somehow got his head bathtub's drainage pipe. 

'How the hell did he do that? Probably the lady tried to lure him again.'  I thought, worried.

"Which reminds me." Muriel said, turning to face me. "Remind me tomorrow, Jaune, to sign you up for Dr. Vindaloo. You need an appointment as well."

"Alight, Muriel." I said, never taking my eyes off Eustace while trying to figure out how to get him out of there. 

"Good. Now, be a dear and help Eustace out there." She said before heading back to her room.

Nodding toward Courage, we entered the bathroom and made our way to stand next to the tub. Grabbing Eustace's arms, we pulled with all our might to try and free him but failed. But after a few more tries, we finally freed Eustace from the bathtub's drainage pipe. Looking him over, he still seemed dazed and out of it, but a good slap to his head brought him back. Confused, he began to ask questions before growling, getting out of the tub, and returning to his room. Sighing at this man's stubbornness and just being an asshole, I left the bathroom and returned to my room. Once there, I got back into bed and tried to fall asleep. It was hard, but eventually, I finally managed to fall asleep after some deep breathing.

7:00 A.M.

Groaning, I moved my arm to block the rays of sunlight that entered my room and pulled me from my sleep. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I got out of bed and changed out of pajamas and into my day clothes. Heading to the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and washed my face. But as I washed my face, my mind went back to the dream I had last night, which was about the mysterious lady. 

'What could she want with Eustace?'  I thought as I dried my face with a towel.

Turning off the faucet, I exited the bathroom and headed downstairs to the kitchen to grab something to eat. But as I neared the kitchen, I heard Muriel crying. Rushing into the kitchen, I saw that Muriel was sitting at the table and crying into a towel. Hearing the door open again, I turned around and saw that Courage had entered.

"What's wrong, Muriel?" I asked, walking up to her.

"Eustace is gone." She answered. "Oh, my Eustace. I knew something was wrong."

Not wanting to see her upset, Courage attempted to cheer her up. First, he offered her some tea and then an ice cream sundae. But neither worked, so he tried to cheer her up with a puppet show, with each puppet beating each other up. Unfortunately, that failed as well. Giving it one last try, he pulled out a frying pan from thin air before hitting himself on the head with it. Yet, we still did not get a reaction from Muriel. Seeing that nothing was working, Courage grabbed my hand before dragging me into the living room. 

'Looks like there is only one thing left to do.'  He said with a whine.

"We have to get Eustace back."

'But I won't like it.'  "But I won't like it." Realizing that we said this simultaneously, we let out a small chuckle. 

"Go to the puddle, Courage. I will be there in a moment. I am going to grab my sword and shield."

He nodded and went outside while I went upstairs. Entering my room, I went to my bed and got my sword and shield from under it. Giving a few swings, I nodded, satisfied, left my room, and headed back downstairs and outside to where Courage was. Although, I was surprised when I saw him in a diving suit with an oxygen tank strapped to his back. Reaching him, he smiled before handing me another diving suit and oxygen tank. Smiling, I started putting on the suit while not questioning where he got it.

  'Ah, the things we do for love.'  Courage whined as we adjusted our goggles. Chuckling, we were about to dive in but stopped when we realized something.

"Wait. Is this puddle getting smaller?" I asked, dread in my voice. Taking a closer look, I saw that it was indeed getting smaller. 

'It is getting smaller. We better hurry before it closes up.'  Courage said, panicking before jumping in.

'Don't worry, Muriel. We'll bring Eustace back.'  I thought while looking back at the house. 

After taking a few deep breaths, I put the oxygen piece in my mouth before jumping into the puddle. Once in, I began looking around to see if I could find a clue where the lady took Eustace. Seeing Courage waving me over, I swam towards him, noting how it wasn't as dark as before. However, we wished it remained dark so we didn't have to see the hundreds of wrecked ships and treasure chests on the floor. Although, we were curious about the figures in diving suits that were going for the chests but appeared frozen in time as they were not moving. 

'Decoration, maybe?'  I thought.

After what felt like ten minutes of constant swimming, we saw a castle in the distance. Figuring that's where the lady took Eustace, we began to make our way there. Swimming through the gates, we headed up towards the highest window of the castle. Looking inside, we saw that Eustace was there, sitting on a giant clam. However, he seemed to be in some sort of a trace. And standing in front of him was the lady that kidnapped him. For some strange reason, she was dancing seductively. Yet, it seemed more like she was preparing something or doing a weird ritualistic dance. After a few seconds, she stopped dancing, walked over to a nearby chest, and pulled out a strange but familiar-looking necklace. 

'Why does that look familiar?'  I thought as I racked my brain, trying to remember. 

As I tried to remember, I heard Courage whimper next to me. He then grabbed my face and made me look at the thousands of human skeletal remains surrounding the castle. Confused, I was about to turn to him but stopped when I saw something that made my eyes widen in fear and shock. Around each skeleton's neck was the same necklace the lady got from the chest.

'Shit. Is she going to eat Eustace?'

Looking back inside, we saw her place the necklace on Eustace while saying his name seductively. She then took a few steps back before smiling. We wondered what she was about to do but got our answer when she transformed into her true form. Her hands became elongated, with her fingernails now razor-sharp. Her back became hunched with her mouth, now filled with foot-long sharp teeth, extended into a giant underbite. 

"Courage, I'll draw her attention. You find a way to get Eustace out of there." He nodded and looked around before spotting a fishing rod resting on a nearby ship. He then swam over to the boat while I pulled out my sword and shield.  'I hope this works.'

Gulping, I began striking my shield with my sword in an attempt to create a distraction. If I had been in any other situation, I would have questioned how I could make a distraction using sound while underwater. Yet, it worked as the lady heard me and came storming out of the castle. 

'Gotcha.'  I thought, smirking. 

The lady smiled before charging at me and tried to grab me but failed as I ducked out of the way in time. From the corner of my eye, I saw Courage use the fishing rod he got and use the hook on Eustace's pants to drag him to safety. Hearing the lady growl, I snapped back to attention and evaded her attempt to grab me. I then tried to counter with a strike to the head, but she easily dodged. We kept like this for a while longer, me trying to hit her and possibly take her out but failing. She kept trying to grab me and possibly bite me, but I avoided it each time. Our fighting was only interrupted when we heard a loud crash nearby. Looking toward the source, we saw that Courage had crashed into the castle's gate. Turning back to the lady, I saw that she had transformed back into her humanoid form.

"Jaune. Oh, Jaune." She said seductively. 

For some unknown reason, I felt instantly drawn to her. Swimming closer to her, she touched my face with a smile before leaving. Yet, I didn't go after her as I felt stuck just thinking about her. It felt like an eternity that I was stuck there. However, I then remembered that Muriel was waiting for us. And she would be immensely devasted if we didn't return before the exit closed. This snapped me back to focus. Unfortunately, it was too late as I saw the lady charging at me with the intent of devouring me. 

'CRAP!'   I thought as I mentally prepared myself for what was to come.

Luckily, it never came, as right before she reached me, Courage appeared and placed a femur in her mouth. Not wasting this opportunity, I bashed her in the face with my shield as Courage bonked her on the head a few times with a leg bone before we swam away. Knowing that we could not outswim her, we decided to try and lose her. Heading into the castle, we placed Eustace on the clam, ensured the fishing hook was firmly attached, and then swam to hide behind the chest. After a few minutes, the lady swam inside the castle and began looking around for us. But she forgot about Courage and me when she spotted Eustace on the clam. She then dove for him, unaware that it was a trap. And right before she reached him, we pulled Eustace away, causing her to hit the clam with the top closing and trapping her inside. 

"Quick." I said as we grabbed Eustace and swam out of the castle. 

Once outside, we began looking for the puddle and quickly spotted it. But to our horror, we saw that it was rapidly closing, meaning that we had a limited time to get out before we became trapped here forever. Mustering the last of our strength, we swam as fast as possible to try and reach the exit. Unfortunately, it was fruitless as the exit closed the second we arrived, and we hit our heads against the ceiling. 

'Damn it.'  I said as we rubbed our heads. 

Noticing that Eustace was slowly sinking, I grabbed him while Courage looked for another way to escape. Luckily, Courage quickly spotted another exit not too far from us. But before we could start heading there, a loud growl caught our attention. Looking down, we saw the lady swimming towards us at high speeds with a vengeance. Not thinking twice, we swam as fast as possible to avoid her attack and head towards the new exit. If we were not filled with fear, we would have stopped and wondered where this puddle could take us. Luckily, as we neared it, we heard Muriel's crying, telling us that it would take us home. But as soon as we reached it, the exit sucked us in before tossing us into the living room.

"OH! EUSTACE! COURAGE! JAUNE!" Muriel said, shocked as we landed on the floor hard.

Instead of answering, Courage pulled out a hairdryer and quickly dried up the puddle to prevent the lady from reaching us. And it worked as it disappeared, with the lady hitting the floor/ceiling a second later. The lady then started screaming before swimming away a moment later. Taking off my goggles and removing the tank on my back, I laid down and tried to catch my breath. Courage moved to sit next to me and did the same. 

"Your back. Oh, Eustace, your back." Muriel said, relieved as she helped him up, inadvertently causing his back to crack in an unhealthy way. Yet, despite escaping the lady, Eustace was still under her trance.

"Yes. He's back." I said, having caught my breath.

"Where have you been?!" Muriel demanded before smacking Eustace on the head with her rolling pin, freeing him from the trance.

"Ow. What did I do?" Eustace asked while rubbing his head.

'I can safely bet that is the only time where Eustace did not deserve the rolling pin.'  I thought as I got myself into a sitting position with Courage doing the same.

9:00 P.M.

I was currently in the bathroom brushing my teeth after having a delicious dinner. Courage was with me in the bathroom, taking a bath. Eustace was asleep in his bed with Muriel reading a book beside him, happy he was back. Finished brushing my teeth, I rinsed my mouth and turned off the sink. Grabbing a towel next to me, I began drying my hands but stopped when I heard a bubbling sound that sounded similar to the puddle that took us to the undersea world. Turning to the tub, I saw that the lady had returned. But this time, she had taken the shape of a dog in a possible attempt to capture Courage. 

"Not this time, lady." I said as I ran over to the tub and slammed my shield on her head. She cursed and retreated to her world, leaving us alone for now. Turning to Courage, I saw that he was just as confused as I was. But instead of complaining or asking questions, we decided to simply go along with it. After all, we both knew that these strange occurrences would only get weirder.

Chapter Text

It was nighttime and Courage and I were in the kitchen having a snack. Well, if you can call pie and a glass of milk a light snack. It was a week since the lady from the puddle. Luckily, we haven't seen her since, nor have we encountered anything that could hint at her trying to seduce Eustace again. But that was a good thing, as my sword and shield were rusted beyond use from going underwater. I tried to save them but, unfortunately, I had to throw them away and order new ones. Thankfully, I have enough money from working at Charlie's diner that I could afford new ones. They should arrive next week, and hopefully, nothing wrong will happen until then. 

But as I dug into the pie and Courage drank his milk, we heard a loud crash from outside the house. Putting down my fork, we looked at each other for a moment in confusion. However, we became worried when we heard a loud growling from outside that sent shivers down our spines. Getting up, we went to the window to check outside and see if we could find out what caused the noise. But with each step we took toward the window, the growling became louder. Looking out the window, we tried to find the noise source, but it proved difficult as it was almost pitch-black. Hearing the growling again, we looked toward where it was coming from and saw a giant creature eating something. 

' AAAAAAHHHHHH!'  Courage screamed in terror before moving back to fan himself with a fan that he pulled from his  pocket . He then ran toward the living room, where Muriel and Eustace were watching a movie.

'What is that?'  I thought, trying to make out whatever the creature was.

Yet, it was too dark to make out any details. Hearing the door open, I turned around and saw Courage returning with Muriel behind him. But instead of coming to the window, they went outside. Worried, I followed them out to see if we could spot the creature. Unfortunately, after looking around for a few seconds, we found nothing out of the ordinary aside from the trash cans the creature raided. One of the bins even had a giant bite mark on the side. 

"Oh, it's just the raccoons. They must be hungry." Muriel said when she noticed the bins. 

"That was no racoon." I said as Muriel entered the house. 

'What was that thing?'  Courage asked, scared, as we continued to scan the area. 

"I have no idea, Courage."

Once we were sure the creature was gone, we turned off the backlight and went back inside. However, as a precaution, we locked the door. Hearing the oven open, we turned and saw Muriel taking out a pie and placing it on the windowsill. 

"This is our lovely dessert for tomorrow." Muriel said as she patted Courage's head before ruffling my hair. "Goodnight, you two." 

' I hope we make it until tomorrow.'  Courage said, scared. 

"Don't worry, Courage. We will make it." I assured him as I scratched his ears to calm him down. "Anyway, we better head to bed as it's late."

He nodded before heading to Muriel's room while I went to mine. Once in my room, I changed into my pajamas and got into bed. But I could not fall asleep as I kept thinking about what could have been that creature that destroyed the garbage. And considering what I had seen so far since moving to Nowhere, it could honestly be anything. Ever since the lady from the water, I have been very open-minded about what I could face. I even wondered if the mythological creatures I learned about when I was younger were real. Perhaps whatever ate the garbage was a mythical monster, except real. But knowing that stressing over it wouldn't fix anything, I sighed before turning over and trying to fall asleep.

Yet, I could not fall asleep, no matter how hard I tried. My mind refused to settle down and kept wondering what the creature was. For about the next ten minutes, I kept tossing and turning and tried different positions to fall asleep but failed. Sighing, I got up from my bed and headed to the kitchen to make some warm milk.

But as soon as I exited my room, I heard something fall down the stairs. Racing over to the steps, I noticed that Courage had fallen down the stairs. And I let out a chuckle and groan when I realized it was because Courage was holding a giant pair of binoculars to his face. Yet, he was unfazed as he quickly got up and ran towards the kitchen. Thinking that he saw the creature again, I quickly followed after him. Entering the kitchen, I saw Courage frantically looking around to see if the creature had entered the house or not.

"Courage, what did you see?" I asked, worried. 

Hearing a growling coming from the window, we looked over and noticed something was trying to get the pie that Muriel baked earlier. Gasping, Courage immediately dove for the pie. 

'Racoon or not. You're not getting this pie.'  Courage said as he struggled to prevent the creature from taking the pie. Knowing that he was about to lose, I had to confront the creature. And while I didn't have a sword or shield, I could at least try and scare it off. Quickly racing outside, I rushed towards the window. 

"HEY!" I shouted out as I rounded the corner. While I still couldn't make out the creature, I saw its two eyes widen in shock when it saw me. It then ran away faster than Ruby could ever hope to achieve. 

Hearing a loud thud come from inside, I went back into the house and saw Courage against the wall with the pie on his face. Oddly, the pie tin was in the shape of his face. Seeing the mess, I went over to the sink, soaked a small hand towel, and rushed back to Courage. Unfortunately, as I began cleaning his face, I realized that the pie was unsalvageable. 

"Ahem." A voice said, getting our attention. Looking up, we saw Muriel none too pleased with what she saw. 

'But-But-But-'  Courage said, trying to explain everything but failed.

"That's alright, you two. I'll make another pie in the morning. But next time, use a plate." Muriel said, cutting him off. She then turned to me. "Jaune, be a dear and finish cleaning him up. And then head to bed as it's mighty late."

"You alright, Courage?" I asked him as Muriel left. But as I kept cleaning him up, he helped speed up the process. Although, not in the sense of cleaning but instead eating the pie remains off his head. 

'Yeah. I'm alright. Did you see what was on the other end of that pie?'  

"No, all I saw was a big pair of eyes. And that was only for a split second as it ran away so fast. But honestly, I'm so tired right now that I'm unsure if I actually saw something." 

'There was something on the other side of that pie. Or my name's Alloicous. And it's not.'  Courage said as he went over to the window and looked outside. 

"I know, Courage. But whatever it is, it's gone now. Let's head back to bed, and we can come up with a plan tomorrow." 

Courage nodded as he ate the last piece of pie off his head. Exiting the kitchen, we headed back to our rooms. Luckily for me, as soon as I laid my head down on the pillow, I fell asleep instantly. 

8:00 A.M.  

'Time to get started on the day.'  I thought, stretching.

Getting up, I changed out of my pajamas and into my day clothes. Once done, I exited my room and headed to the kitchen, where Muriel was waiting for me. We then got to work on baking a new pie to replace the one from last night. After about a half hour, we finished with me placing the pie in the oven and seeing the timer. We then went to the sink to wash our hands and the dishes. 

"Thanks again, Jaune. The pie should be done baking within the hour." Muriel said as she poured us a cup of tea.

"You're welcome, Muriel." I said before heading to the living room to see what Eustace and Courage were doing. Entering the living room, I saw that they were watching the television. I was about to ask what they were watching when an announcement came on. 

"This is special Nowhere News. There's a bigfoot in these here parts. He's been terrorizing Nowhere."  The reporter announced. 

'That is one skinny-ass reporter.'  I thought as I saw the reporter was almost bone thin. Walking over to Courage, I sat down beside him and scratched his ears as we continued to listen to the report. 

'Now we know the cause of all them disasters.'  The reporter announced as images of various places and incidents I had never heard of appeared on the screen, such as a giant rock statue, a massive sinking ship that easily rivaled any ship that Atlas ever built, and what seemed to be a coliseum of some kind. 

'Huh. I wonder if we can visit those places.'  I thought as those places seemed amazing.

"We found proof positive that bigfoot is here."  The reporter continued before bringing up a picture that showed a giant footprint. " I hear tell that a reward is being offered by the Nowhere Museum." 

"A reward?! That's for me." Eustace excitedly said as he moved his chair closer to the television.

'Greedy bastard. Something big is happening, and all he cares about is the money.'  I thought in disgust as I shook my head at him. 

"25 dollars and a lifetime membership."  The reporter announced the reward. However, if what he had just shown was true, it did not seem like much of a prize. But, then again, I'm still getting used to the currency of Nowhere, where they used dollars, as opposed to Remnant, where lien is the currency. 

"ZOWIE!" Eustace shouted, startling me. Turning to him, we saw that he had gotten up from his chair and was dancing. "A lifetime membership?" 

'Can you believe this guy?'  Courage asked with a deadpan look. I just shrugged my shoulders as we continued to watch Eustace dance.  

"Oh, baby!" Eustace shouted in joy before jumping and clicking his heels together. Only to be rewarded with the sickening sound of his back cracking. Landing back on the floor, he placed his hand on his chair to stay up while his other hand went to his lower back in pain. 

"If anyone has any information about any strange doings lately, contact us."

"A reward. A reward. And a lifetime membership to boot. Oh!" Eustace said with a laugh, momentarily forgetting about his pain.

"But, my friends, be careful."  The reporter warned before the television turned off by itself. 

"What's all the excitement?" Muriel asked, entering the living room while drying her hands. 

"I'm going to get myself a bigfoot." Eustace declared before he straightened himself, momentarily forgetting his back pain. "Ah, the reward. That's for me. That's for me." 

"Now, what's wrong with your bigfoot?" Muriel asked, confused, as Eustace headed into the dining room.

'Maybe it was bigfoot that was here last night.'  Courage said, panicking.  'Although I certainly hope not.' 

"You might be right, Courage. But let's not jump to any conclusion just yet." I said.

' Your right. But we can't just sit here and do nothing. We have to do something.' 

"Alright, Courage. How about we head outside and try to find any clues that could indicate that Bigfoot was here last night?" 

'Good plan.'  He said, pulling out a gigantic magnifying glass. 

"Alright. Let's head outside then." I said, standing up. 

Exiting the house, we decided to first head to where we usually place the garbage cans, as that was where we think we first saw the creature. Arriving, we began to look around for any clues. Unfortunately, aside from some pieces of garbage, we found nothing. We then decided to split up to cover more ground to try to find anything that could confirm that Bigfoot was here recently. But as I continued to search, I could not help but wonder what the people back at Vale would think if they learned about this. They would most likely think that I had lost my mind, which I couldn't blame them if they did. But, had I been paying attention, I would have avoided falling into the hole in front of me. 

"Ow." I grunted in pain. Getting back up, I walked over to the hole's edge and climbed out.

'You okay?'  Courage asked as he came running up to me.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Courage. Just wasn't paying attention to where I was going, that's all." I assured him as I dusted myself off.

Hearing Courage gasp, I turned to him and saw that he was in complete shock. Curious but concerned, I turned to what he was looking at and realized that the hole I fell into was actually a massive footprint. An enormous print that we were sure belonged to Bigfoot. 

'AAAHHH!'  Courage screamed in fear before dropping his magnifying glass and running back to the house. 

"Courage, wait!" I shouted, only for him not to hear me as he kept running to the house.

Knowing that he would need help, I ran after him back to the house. Getting there, we entered and went to warn Muriel about the potential danger. But as we raced through the dining room, we saw Eustace going over an assortment of tools. Curious, we stopped and watched what he was doing. 

"Mousetrap, fishing pole, fly swatter, iron torture collar. Ha, ha. Now I'm ready to get me a bigfoot." Eustace said as he checked off each item on his clipboard.

Getting impatient, Courage went up to Eustace and tried to tell him what we saw. He even turned into a giant hairy foot to try and help get the point across. But Eustace, being Eustace, ignored him and grew angry that Courage was even near him. 

"Get away from me. I'm going to get me a reward." Eustace growled but wickedly smiled when he mentioned the reward. Courage was about to try again but stopped when we heard the doorbell ring. Knowing Eustace would only slam the door on whoever it was unless they gave him money, I went to answer it. 

"Hello." I greeted as I opened the door. On the other side was a tiny old lady who seemed devastated as she was on the verge of crying. "Are you alright, miss?" 

"Please, mister. My little boy is lost. Have you seen my little boy?" She asked. 

"Sorry, but I have not seen any lost boy recently. Do you have a picture or something so I know what he looks like when and if I see him?"

"No. But I can get one. I'll be back later." 

"Alright. I'll be here. And if I see him, I'll let you know."

"Thank you, young man. You're so kind." She said before leaving. Once she was gone, I closed the door. 

"Who was that, Jaune?" Muriel asked as Courage stood next to her.

"Some poor lady who lost her little boy. She said she will be back later with a picture so we can know what her son looks like." I answered. 

"How sweet of you to help." Muriel said, smiling. She then stepped to the side as Eustace exited the dining room. "Oh, Eustace, where are you going?" 

"Going to get me a Bigfoot." Eustace answered before exiting the house. We looked at each other for a moment before Muriel finally broke the silence.  

"Come on, Jaune and Courage. Let's have some pie." She said before entering the kitchen. 

'Who can worry on an empty stomach?'  Courage asked, smiling. Chuckling, I nodded in agreement as we headed into the kitchen. However, as soon as we entered, we got a big surprise. Muriel was feeding a giant hairy creature with big feet some pie.

'AAAHHHH!'  Courage screamed. Thinking that Courage was challenging him, the creature roared back even louder. They kept at it for a few more minutes before finally stopping.

'That must be Bigfoot. Not at all what I thought he would look like.'  I thought as Courage and the creature stared at each other. 

"I think I'll have a wee cup of tea." Muriel suddenly said, unaware of the tension quickly building. Fearing a fight might break out, I quickly stepped between Courage and Bigfoot.

"Don't worry, Courage. I won't let him hurt you." I said as I stared down Bigfoot, who matched it with his own.

'What do I do? What do I do?'  Courage asked, worried.

Turning to face him, I was about to try and calm him down but became surprised when he pulled a giant watermelon from behind his back. He then reared back and threw it at Bigfoot. Not expecting it, Bigfoot did not react in time, resulting in the watermelon hitting his head. The watermelon shattered upon impact and left behind a new hat for Bigfoot. Angered, Bigfoot retaliated by throwing a nearby pie at Courage. But he missed as I pushed Courage out of the way, which resulted in me getting hit by the pie. Removing the pie tin and licking clean whatever remained on my face, I turned to Courage and noticed that he was using the kitchen door for cover. He then pulled out a tomato and threw it at Bigfoot. He missed, however, as Bigfoot leaned to the side. Knowing that he also needed cover, Bigfoot flipped the kitchen table on its side to act as a makeshift cover. 

'Where are they getting these things?!'  I wondered as I dodged the roasted pig Bigfoot threw at me. 

Feeling a tug on my pants, I saw Courage holding a whole-cooked turkey. Knowing what he wanted me to do, I grabbed it and then threw it at Bigfoot. Unfortunately, I missed him as the turkey hit the table. But before I could say anything, I saw a few bananas strike the table. Turning back to Courage, I realized that he was tossing the bananas but was blindfolded.

'Show off.'  I thought, smirking as Courage now held a cauliflower. 

Turning back to Bigfoot, I saw that he was now angry and had what I presume was a crab cake. Knowing things were about to get intense and that I could not produce foods from thin air like these two, I decided to stand on the sidelines and make sure Muriel did not get hit. Walking over to her, I picked up a chair, placed it next to her, and sat down. 

"Fancy some tea, Jaune?" She asked me as she held out a cup of tea for me. 

"Thank you, Muriel." I said as I grabbed the cup of tea. 

She smiled as we resumed watching the massive food fight between Courage and Bigfoot. Right now, each side was throwing a constant stream of food at the other. Every single type of food you could think of was thrown. Although, I think I saw Courage throwing a whale while Bigfoot threw a jack-o-lantern. Yet, that wasn't even the strangest thing as Courage began using a fish as a bat to launch the food back at Bigfoot.

But while all of this was happening, Muriel kept sipping her tea as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Shaking my head, I turned back to Courage and Bigfoot and realized that they were now somehow making small objects of real-life things. The first item they created was a lady holding a torch, followed by a military person and an elephant afterward. Laughing, Courage threw a pineapple in hopes of creating something but only ended up destroying the elephant. But to everyone's surprise, the food flew to Courage and Bigfoot and turned into food clothes and food hats. A banana flew to the radio and turned it to a channel playing some tropical dance music. 

'Oh, I just have to do this.'  I thought as I got up and turned off the lights in the kitchen before turning on the middle one to give off a pseudo dance floor. 

Smiling, Courage and Bigfoot moved to stand underneath the light and began to dance. I even heard a lady start to sing in sync with their dancing. Smiling, I sat back down and continued to watch. Honestly, this was adorable. Courage looked adorable, while Bigfoot seemed like a big friend who just wanted to have fun. This made me realize that Bigfoot wasn't a threat. He was friendly. They continued for a while, switching up dancing styles every few minutes. However, the fun stopped when Eustace came into the kitchen.

"Hey. What's for dinner?" He asked, unaware of everything that had just happened. He looked around, oblivious to the mess, before gasping once he noticed Bigfoot. "AAAHHH!"

'This can't be good.'  I thought, worried when Bigfoot started screaming in terror with Eustace. Terrified, Eustace dashed out of the kitchen, leaving behind a confused Bigfoot. 

'Don't worry about him, Bigfoot.'  Courage assured him.

"Yeah, he was just shocked, is all." I added, walking over to them. But in the back of my mind, I wondered where Eustace went. 

Bigfoot looked at us, shrugging before continuing to dance. However, a rock interrupted his dance when it came through the window and hit him on his head. Luckily, it only dazed him for a moment, and he was okay afterward. Unfortunately, the window breaking caused Muriel, who had fallen asleep at some point, to wake up. 

"Wha- What's going on?" She asked as she looked around the kitchen. 

'Oh great, here comes a lecture.'  I thought, mentally preparing myself for the beating that was sure to come along with the lecture. However, I quickly remembered that I was no longer with the Arc Family. But before Muriel could say anything, we heard chanting coming from outside. 

"BIGFOOT! BIGFOOT! BIGFOOT! BIGFOOT!" 

"Oh, this can't be good." I said, worried as the chanting continued. 

Concerned, we walked over to the window to see what was happening outside. And what was saw sent chills down our spines. There was an angry mob demanding for Bigfoot to come out. Also, every single one of them had either a pitchfork or torch in their hands. 

"Bigfoot. Come on out." Eustace demanded, holding his iron torture collar. 

"We should have seen that coming." I said with Courage nodding in agreement. It was clear as day that Eustace was obsessed with getting the reward, and we should have expected him to get a mob when he spotted Bigfoot. Hearing footsteps behind us, we saw Muriel pick up the rock with an angry face before stomping out of the house. 

"Who threw this rock?!" Muriel demanded. 

"Get out of the way, Muriel. There's a Bigfoot in the house." Eustace warned but also threatened. 

"You'll get a big lump if you throw another rock." Muriel warned.

"BIGFOOT! BIGFOOT! BIGFOOT!"

'Crap! That door is not going hold long!'  I thought, panicking when some of the mob tried to break down the front door with a makeshift battering ram. Turning back to Courage and Bigfoot, I noticed that they were both shivering in fear. "Come on, Bigfoot. We have to get you out of here." 

I was about to grab his arm but stepped back when he suddenly roared before running through the wall to confront the mob. Quickly going after him, we saw that the mob and Eustace were cowering in fear yet remained where they were. 

"Wait. He's not as bad as you think he is!" I shouted, hoping to get their attention. Courage even transformed into an angel to try and help get across that Bigfoot was friendly. However, it failed as the crowd continued chanting.

"What are you, men or what? Get that, Bigfoot. I want my reward. And my lifetime membership." Eustace shouted to the mob. This somehow made them lose their fear and start making their way over to us. Courage and I quickly stood in front of Bigfoot, ready to protect him and give him a chance to get away.

"What are you all doing to my boy?" A familiar voice asked above the cheering of the mob. Curious, the mob moved to the side to reveal the old lady from earlier who was waving at Bigfoot. "Theodore."

"Mommy!" Bigfoot shouted out in joy. They began racing toward each other and embraced each other once they reunited. 

"AW!"  The mob said,  smiling  at the loving affection between son and mother. 

'Such a touching moment.'  I thought as they continued to embrace each other. However, the moment was interrupted when Eustace placed his iron collar around Bigfoot's leg. 

"Ha, Ha. The reward is mine." Eustace cheered, only to be hit in the head by Muriel's rolling pin.

"Eustace, take that collar off the child's ankle." Muriel demanded. 

"NO!" Eustace shouted, crossing his arms.  

"YES!" The mob demanded, becoming angry again. 

"Make me!" Eustace challenged. The mob did not take this lightly and began to chase after Eustace. 

"Ahh. Stay back. Ahh!" Eustace said, scared, before running away with the mob hot on his heels. 

'That's what he deserves.'  I thought as I approached Bigfoot and removed the collar around his ankle. "There you go, Bigfoot." 

"Thanks." Bigfoot said before giving me a bone-crushing hug. 

"No problem, big guy." I said as he released me. 

"Theodore." His mom said, getting his attention. "Next time you want to play, stay in our backyard." 

"Sorry, mommy." Bigfoot apologized. 

"How many times have I told you? You stay around the house." His mom chastised him as she grabbed his ear and made him follow her back home. 

"Such a lovely family. Don't you agree, Courage?" I asked. He nodded with a tear coming from his eye as we watched the mother and son return to their home. 

"Now, how about we all enjoy some pie?" Muriel asked, getting our attention. 

"Sure." I answered while Courage excitedly nodded. 

Soon, we were on the front porch eating some pie. As we ate the pie, I thought back to the Arc family and how this would have never happened when I was with them. There was no love or affection from them, just cold shoulders. After years of that, I began to think that a family's touch can only happen with those who are the same and never make mistakes. Yet I was proven wrong today as Bigfoot did make a mistake in leaving his home, yet his mother still loved him despite what he did. Looking over at Muriel and Courage, who were both eating pie, I realized that I was now with people who genuinely cared for me despite my flaws and any mistakes I had or might have made. 

'There's a little bigfoot in us, isn't there, Jaune?'  Courage asked, smiling. But before I could answer, a banana suddenly appeared in his mouth as the lady I had heard earlier began to sing again.

"Don't worry, Courage. I gotcha." I said, trying not to laugh as I removed the banana from his mouth.

Chapter Text

"Ah-Choo. Ah-Choo." I said through repeated sneezes.

"Where did it say that Silver Springs timeshare was in the Arctic?!" Eustace asked after sneezing for a solid minute.

You might be wondering where we were and why we were sneezing so much. Well, to tell you the truth, I wasn't entirely sure myself. All I know is that we were vacationing in a place called the Arctic. And it was FREEZING COLD HERE. Honestly, it was colder than any part of the Atlas Kingdom. To give some kind of reference, the Atlas Kingdom typically had temperatures around -28 degrees Celcius in the winter. But the Arctic had temperatures that hung around constantly at -50 Celsius. 

But as to why we were vacationing in this frozen tundra, well, we received a timeshare offer from Silver Springs. Deciding that it would be nice to go on vacation, we accepted the offer without even reading the fine print. But only after spending five minutes here, I want to return home to Nowhere and never return. And now, I think I caught a cold. 

"I wanted palm trees." Eustace whined, pulling his coat and blanket tighter around himself. 

'You and me both, Eustace.'  I thought, blowing into my hands to try and keep them from trembling.

"I think it's a lovely change from all that hot sun." Muriel said as she continued to stir the soup on the stove, which was our only heat source in this igloo. Yeah. Instead of receiving a building or house, we were given an igloo. And inside the igloo was a wood-burning stove to cook food and a table. 

"Stupid cold." Eustace whined, shivering.

"How are you holding up, Courage? Still moving?" I asked. Instead of answering, he moved closer to the stove to try and get warmer.

"We'll all feel better after some nice hot soup." Muriel said as she placed a few bowls on the table.

'Definitely.'  I thought as I helped her set the table.

"Oh." Muriel worriedly said as she checked the stove's fire. "Courage, Jaune. Could you two go out and get us some more wood? The fire is mighty low."

'I don't want to go out there! I'm not a penguin, you know.'  Courage whined.

'Same here, Courage.'  I mentally agreed.

"GET THAT WOOD BEFORE I FREEZE TO DEATH, YOU TWO!" Eustace demanded before sneezing uncontrollably. 

Rolling my eyes, I got down on my knees and exited the igloo with Courage right behind me. Standing up, we looked around to see if we could find any wood. Unfortunately, we only saw snow, snow, and more snow for as far as the eye could see. Sighing, we decided to venture out a bit further in hopes of finding sufficient wood. But to our surprise, we soon discovered a massive snowman standing in the distance. Curious but also concerned, we cautiously approached the Snowman to check it out. 

'Where did this snowman come from?'  Courage asked, curious.

"I have no idea, Courage." I answered, looking around to see if I could find any footprints that could tell me where the person who created the Snowman went. Strangely, there were none aside from ours.

"Where's that stupid dog and kid with that stupid firewood?!" Eustace shouted, getting our attention.

'How about we use these arms for wood?'

"Sure. Don't think he would mind anyway." I answered, chuckling. Courage chuckled as well before going up and grabbing the Snowman's right arm. I was about to grab the other one but jumped back in fright when the Snowman started to move by itself. 

"And what do you two think you're doing? Put that back." The Snowman demanded.

Shocked, Courage immediately put the arm back. But right after he did that, we ran back towards the igloo as fast as possible. Sliding into the igloo, Courage immediately ran to tell Muriel and Eustace what we had just seen. Unfortunately, as usual, it was fruitless. Honestly, sometimes it felt like only Courage and I could see what was happening around us. 

"Stupid dog! Stupid kid! Where's the wood?" Eustace demanded, only to become surprised when Courage transformed into an ice monster. However, they just ignored him.

"Courage. I am sure it's just a wee thing passing through." Muriel said, trying to calm him down. "Now, let's sit down and have some soup."

Courage whimpered while I sighed as we sat in our chairs. But, as we should have seen coming, Eustace forced Courage out of his chair and made him eat on the floor. Glaring at him, I thanked Muriel for the soup before trying to eat it. But tried was the keyword in that sentence, as my spoon was stuck in the now frozen soup. 

"What's this?" Eustace asked, shocked that his soup was frozen solid.

"Ha, Ha, ha! Oh, my! It's frozen! Isn't that a laugh?" Muriel asked, laughing as she tried and failed to free her spoon.

"How about you, Courage? Did your-" I began but burst into laughter when I saw Courage's tongue was trapped in his soup. 

He glared at me before trying to break the soup to free his tongue. Yet he failed as the soup proved to be much more durable than expected. I was so caught up in my laughter that I didn't notice Courage moving toward the window. Nor that something scare him until I heard him scream so loud that his voice broke the soup, thus freeing his tongue. 

"What's wrong, Courage?" I asked, worried while getting up from my seat.

But instead of answering, he jumped onto the table and pointed outside, saying that he saw a snow creature. Concerned, we decided to head out to see what was happening. Yet, we saw nothing once outside.

'That's strange.'  I thought, as there was no trail anywhere. Regardless if it was a snow creature or not, it should have left a trail behind. 

"That's it." Eustace angrily said, turning to Courage and me. "If either of you doesn't get me some firewood, you'll both be sleeping with the icicles."

'But-But-'  Courage said, trying to get Muriel to convince Eustace to change his mind. But he stopped and screamed his lungs out when Eustace pulled out his mask and scared Courage away.

"And don't come back without the firewood, neither." Eustace shouted before laughing. But the laughing turned to a pained grunt when Muriel smashed her frozen soup on his head. "Oh! What did I do?"

"Jaune. Be a dear and go get Courage back." Muriel said.

"Sure. I'll be back in a bit with Courage." I said before running after Courage.

I should make it known that Courage could run extreme distances in a small amount of time despite being a dog with short legs. So, it should not come as too much of a surprise that it took me about ten minutes before I saw a glimpse of Courage. Luckily, he did not make any turns and stopped nearby, so I didn't miss him. Walking over to him while catching my breath, I saw that he was focused entirely on the ground. Turning to see what he was looking at, I saw a giant trail in front of us. It was big enough that someone could mistake it for a snowmobile. Looking in both directions, I tried to figure out where whatever created the trail went. Unfortunately, it seemed to be going in the direction of the mountains we saw earlier. But, strangely enough, they didn't seem to be ordinary snowy mountains but rather a home, judging by the entrance carved into one of them. 

'What do you think made this?'  Courage asked, curious.

"I have no idea. But I am guessing that we can find an answer if we go to those mountains." I answered while pointing toward the mountains.

'I was hoping you wouldn't say that.' 

"I don't want to go there either, Courage, but we have to. Otherwise, how will we be sure that it won't harm Muriel." I said, trying to reason with him. But he still seemed unconvinced and scared. "Come on, Courage. I'm by your side. And at the first sign of big trouble, we'll leave alright."

'Alright. But I won't like it.'  

We began to follow the trail to the mountains, but with each step we took, we realized they were much farther than we initially thought. And for some reason, the wind seemed to be picking up the closer we got. It was almost as if it was trying to get us to go back. Soon, however, a massive "snow cloud" came storming towards us, obscuring our vision. Knowing we could easily get separated, I quickly grabbed Courage, pulled him to my chest, and tightly wrapped my arms around him. With him secured in my arms, I continued forward into the snowstorm cloud thing. Unfortunately, because the cloud was so thick, we couldn't see anything beyond a few inches. And continuing forward proved to be a big mistake as we soon found out that we had walked off a cliff.

'Uh-oh.'  "Uh-oh." Courage and I simultaneously said when we realized our situation.

But, as we stayed there in the air, it did not escape my mind that we were somehow defying gravity and all sense of logic. Yet, that was quickly replaced with screams when we plummeted down the cliff. After a couple of seconds of falling, we hit the side of the mountain. But that did not mean we were out of danger yet, as we started rolling down the hill at alarming rates. And, because of our speed, we started collecting snow and quickly formed into a giant snowball. Fortunately, it did not last long as, due to our speed, we quickly reached the bottom and crashed into the mountain. The force behind the impact was enough to destroy the snowball, which freed us. Although, that did not mean it didn't hurt.

"Ow." I grunted in pain as I let go of Courage. Laying down, I grabbed some snow and placed it on my head to ease the pain until my aura took care of it.

'Jaune, are you okay?'  

"Yeah, just give me a minute, and I'll be fine." I answered as I sat up. My aura had already numbed the pain to tolerable levels. But that didn't mean I was no longer in pain. "Which way now, Courage?"

'Um, let's go-'  Courage began to answer as he looked in both directions but stopped when we heard mumbling coming from inside the mountain.  '-That way.'

Getting up, we entered the mountain and followed the mumbling sounds. Soon, the tunnel started to get smaller, forcing us to crawl the rest of the way. After a couple of minutes, we reached a doorway to another room. But we realized the tunnel wasn't on the ground but rather about twenty feet above it. Carefully moving closer to the edge, we looked down and saw that the mumbling belonged to the Snowman we had seen earlier. He was standing behind an ice desk with all sorts of beakers and chemicals on top.

'What could he be making?'  I thought as we watched him mix different chemicals.

"How sad to be the last of the snowmen." The Snowman said as he picked up a thermostat. "It's been getting warmer and warmer. And if it continues, I will melt, and there will be no more snowmen!"

'Poor guy. But what's he up to?'  I thought as I saw him put down the thermostat and laugh maniacally.

"But this is not to be. I have found it." He declared before reaching down and grabbing what looked to be a hose bibb. "I have found the anti-melting gene of the human being! And how fortunate for me that there are human subjects here I can extract the gene from. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

'Crap. Muriel is in danger. ' I thought before turning to Courage. "Courage, we have to warn them and get out of here."

Courage frantically nodded as he knew we had to get out of there. We were about to turn and leave but stopped when we heard the Snowman speak again. But this time, it seemed like he was declaring it to the world.

"I SHALL HAVE THIS GENE! I WILL NOT MELT!" He said before laughing manically.

We immediately turned around and rushed back out of the tunnel. As soon as we could stand, we ran out of the mountain and headed back to our igloo. Luckily, the trail the Snowman left behind led directly to the igloo. But after about ten minutes, we decided to take a quick break to catch our breath. Yet, right after we caught our breath, we heard cracking coming from underneath us. Feeling dread creep up our spines, we looked down and realized that we were standing over a frozen lake. And judging by how fast the ice was cracking, we knew that we wouldn't be able to escape in time. At any moment, the ice would give, and we would fall into the freezing water and possibly freeze to death. 

'Oh...oh...'  Courage said, scared.

Not even hesitating, I grabbed Courage and threw him to safety. Unfortunately, the ice gave way as soon as I did that, causing me to fall into the freezing waters. However, something strange happened. Instead of drowning or being pulled down, I became trapped in a solid block of ice. Yet, what was stranger still was that I could still breathe, see, and hear everything around me. 

'This doesn't make any sense.'  I thought, slightly annoyed.

'Hold on, Jaune. I'm coming!'  Courage shouted as he raced to the water's edge. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a lasso and used it to pull me onto solid ground. Once I was on the ice, Courage took off the rope, pulled out an ice pick from his pocket, and started trying to free me from the ice, albeit slowly.

'Not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon.'  I thought as I continued to watch Courage slowly pick at the ice.

Three Hours Later

'Yeah.'  Courage shouted in joy once the ice broke and I was free. 

"Thanks, Courage. You're a true pal. Remind me to buy you a steak when we get back home." I told him as I patted him on the head.

'No problem. Now, let's get Muriel and leave this place.'  Courage said, smiling as he threw the ice pick away.

"Right."

We ran as fast as possible and made it back to the igloo after about ten minutes. Entering, we became horrified when we realized that we were too late. All that was left was Muriel's apron and Eustace's blanket. We didn't need to be told that the Snowman took them as we knew it was him. 

'Muriel!'  Courage shouted as he grabbed Muriel's apron.

"Come on, Courage. We don't have a lot of time. We have to save them." I told him as we exited the igloo. 

Once outside, I was about to run back to the mountains but stopped when I saw Courage head in a different direction. I was about to ask where he was going but stopped when I saw that he was heading towards a sled that was not there moments ago. But, I must admit, I did get a chuckle when Courage grabbed the reins and shouted mush, only to realize that there were no dogs there to pull the sled. Letting out a laugh as well, Courage ran up to me, somehow picked me up, and threw me into the sled before moving to the front of the sled. I was about to ask what he was about to do but got my answer when he grabbed the metal bars and used them to pull the sled. Initially, I was about to protest but went quiet when I saw how effortlessly he pulled the sled forward. However, that quickly changed when he decided to go up a steep incline. Knowing that he needed help, I was about to get out and help him but stopped when we reached the mountain's peak. Thankfully, before I could look down and give myself some severe nausea, the sled tipped forward and went down the slope at insane speeds. Looking back at Courage, I saw that he was smiling at how fast we were going. But I quickly noticed that the sled was rapidly catching up to him and could run him over. Not wanting that to happen, I grabbed and pulled him into the sled. And just in time as the sled picked up even more speed. 

"Careful Courage. You almost got run over." I warned.

While he wasn't pleased that I pulled him from his fun, he was still thankful for me saving him. But before he could say anything, the sled suddenly took off into the sky after flying off the cliff at break-neck speeds. We were sent so high into the sky that anyone would confuse us for Santa Claus. Fortunately, we were still heading towards the mountains. Unfortunately, we were coming in hot and would crash into the mountainside. Knowing this would hurt, I grabbed Courage so he wouldn't get hurt. 

'AAAAAHHHHH!'  "AAAAAHHHHH!" We screamed as we crashed into the mountain.

Thankfully, we did not get hurt that badly. We even crashed into the same room from earlier. However, we saw Eustace and Muriel tied up with the Snowman nearby as we flew across the room. 

"OOF!" Courage and I grunted as the sled came to a sudden stop. And due to the sudden stop, I hit the railing while the momentum sent Courage flying out of the sled and through the Snowman. The impact caused the Snowman to recoil in shock and pain, but otherwise seemed fine. Unfortunately, because of the sudden impact, some of the liquid in the tube flew out.

"OH! NO! NOOOO!" He cried out as he tried to capture the liquid but failed as it hit the ground. "Blast! You stupid dog and human! Do you two realize what you've done?!"

"That's what I tell them all the time." Eustace chimed in, a bit too happy despite being tied up and having a hose bibb on his head. "You stupid dog! You stupid kid! They don't do nothing right!"

"Ha, ha, ha, ha." We suddenly heard the Snowman laugh. Turning to him, we saw that he quickly moved to the other side of the room and pulled a lever. Hearing a cracking sound from above, we looked up and saw icicles falling toward us. Without thinking, I promptly pulled Courage into me as the icicles fell around us and formed a makeshift prison. 

'This is not good!'  I thought, worried, letting go of Courage. Grabbing an icicle, I tried pulling it out but failed as they were deep in the ground.

"As for you." The Snowman said, pointing to Eustace. "Well, it's just a matter of time!"

"AAAHHH!" Muriel screamed in terror. "Courage! Jaune! Help!"

'Gotta hurry!'  I thought, panicking as I tried to remove any of the icicles. And after a couple of attempts, I finally managed to yank one out of the ground. I was about to move on to the next one but stopped when I saw that Courage had already dissolved two of them by licking them. "Show off."

With those two icicles gone, we could escape our makeshift prison. Dashing over to the table, I grabbed a giant pitcher before running over to the Snowman. And just as he was about to turn the valve, I slammed the bowl onto his head. 

"AH! AHHH! Assassin! Let me out of this!" The Snowman demanded as he tried to remove the pitcher from his head. "I can't get this thing off my head!"

"Courage, get Eustace. I got Muriel." I said.

He nodded before racing over to Eustace and untying him. Turning back to Muriel, I pulled the valve off her head and removed the ropes from her. Once done, I grabbed her hand, pulled her toward the sled, and helped her in before getting in myself. Nodding to Courage, he grabbed the bars and pulled the sled out of the mountain. Once we exited the mountain, I let out a sigh of relief, thinking that we were in the clear. But that feeling was quickly dashed when we heard shouting behind us. Turning around, I saw that the Snowman had freed himself and was now giving chase. 

"I'll get you for this." The Snowman declared.

Luckily, thanks to Courage's incredible speed, we were able to put a good distance between the Snowman and us. And once we started going downhill, I pulled Courage into the sled so he could rest as we allowed gravity to do the work. Leaning back into our seats, we tried to calm our racing hearts. However, we sat up straight when we heard what sounded like an avalanche behind us. Turning around, Courage and I screamed when we saw the Snowman not only catching up to us but also causing a small avalanche behind him. 

"Prepare to meet your doom." The Snowman declared as he tried to pick up more speed. And it seemed like he was going to catch us as the sled was starting to slow down. "It won't be long now. I will not be denied."

"Oh, Courage! Jaune! What do we do?" Muriel asked, trying not to panic as the Snowman rapidly closed the distance. 

"I'm feeling a bit warm." Eustace said, sweating profusely.  

'AAAAAHHHHHH!'  Courage screamed when the sled finally stopped. Unfortunately, it stopped in the worst place it could have: right on top of the frozen ocean.

'Shit. How are we going to beat this Snowman?'  I thought.

'Jaune! Help!'  Courage shouted, getting my attention. Turning to him, I saw that he was holding two ice picks.

Immediately understanding, I got out of the sled and grabbed a pickax. Moving away from the sled, we started hitting the ice with the pickax, hoping to break it. At first, nothing happened, with my arms soon growing tired. However, after a few more hits, cracks started to form underneath us. And as soon as the Snowman was about to reach us, the ice fully cracked, showing the water underneath. Unable to stop, the Snowman crashed into the freezing water. For a moment, we thought that he had melted. But we were proven wrong when he reappeared a moment later. However, we didn't need to worry about him as he became frozen in a block of ice. Feeling the ice that we were on began to move, we realized the Snowman's impact into the water caused the ice to move out into the sea. 

'Finally, safe. For now, at least.'  I thought as I sat down to rest a bit.

Dawn

'I sure could use some coffee right now.' I thought as the sun rose. 

And judging by its position, we could tell it was about five or six in the morning. We were still huddled on the chunk of ice floating in the sea. However, while Courage, Muriel, and I were fine, Eustace wasn't. During the night, he had completely melted into water. All that remained of him were his glasses and hat.

"Poor Eustace. I don't know what we're going to do with him now." Muriel said as we continued to wonder how we could bring back Eustace. 

Unsure of what to do next, Courage approached the puddle while pulling out a sponge. He then started soaking up 'Eustace' while I grabbed his glasses and hat and pocketed them. Hearing a loud horn, we looked up and saw a cruise ship coming toward us.

"Oh, look. We're going to be saved." Muriel happily said, trying to flag down the passing ship.

'Praise Oum for the ship.'  I thought as the ship came to a halt next to us. Once it did, a ladder was thrown over the side so we could climb aboard.

Two days later

We were finally back home from that disastrous vacation. And after all that happened there, I never want to return as long as I live. However, I had this feeling in the back of my head that told me that we would have to return at one point in the future. Currently, we were all in the living room watching a movie. Muriel was in her chair with Courage in her lap, happy. But from a glance, I could tell he was smugly looking at Eustace. Well, what remained of Eustace.

"Stupid dog." He said, though, it was a bit hard to understand him. 

'Says the guy who is literally just water in a pitcher right now.'  I thought, struggling not to laugh at Eustace. While it might seem like I was being metaphorical, I wasn't, as Eustace was literally just water in a pitcher. His glasses were inside the pitcher with his hat on top.

Chapter Text

'AAAAHHHHH!'  The sound of Courage yelling woke me up with a jolt. 

'What? What time is it?'  I wondered, yawning. Turning to the bedside table, I grabbed the scroll that I had recently brought and checked the time. Seeing that it was only three in the morning, I decided to go back to bed. However, before I could close my eyes, I heard an  'oof'  followed by a door slamming shut. 

'Eustace must have kicked Courage out of the room.'  I realized as I got up from my bed and stretched. Despite the Snowman stealing Eustace's anti-melting gene and melting into a puddle of water, he somehow became his old self again.  'Might as well give Courage some company and tell him he can sleep with me tonight.'

Putting on some pants and a loose T-shirt, I exited my room and went downstairs. Entering the kitchen, I saw Courage filling a glass with water before drinking it all at once. Going up to him, I gave him a small pat on his head, causing him to smile. 

"Hey, Courage. You all, right?" I asked as he put the glass in the sink before nodding at me. "Want to sleep in my room tonight?"

'Sure, thanks.'

We turned around and headed toward my room but stopped when we heard a strange humming nearby. Turning to where we thought the light was coming from, we noticed a strange light coming from the door's screen. Curious but also worried, we opened the door, stepped outside, and saw a light shining down onto the ground about fifteen feet away from us. The light appeared to be a spotlight similar to one on a dance floor. However, we still needed to find what was causing it.

'Huh?'  Courage asked, confused. Looking around, I saw nothing but the vastness of sand I had grown accustomed to seeing every day. That is until I looked up and saw a giant spaceship in the sky.

'Aliens! This can't be good.'  I thought, worried. 

While we have faced some dangerous threats before, aliens are another story together. Who knows what could be on that ship and what kind of technological weapons they could have? And my fear grew when a platform descended from the spaceship, causing Courage to whimper. However, we both became dumbfounded when we noticed that instead of an alien on the platform, it was a roasted chicken that, quite honestly, looked ready to eat. 

"That's not at all what I was expecting." 

'Uh-huh.'  Courage agreed, equally confused.

We were about to walk up and inspect it but became surprised when the chicken sat up by itself. Courage gasped with his eyes going huge again. The chicken then pulled out a plunger of all things before making a slit-throat gesture toward us. 

'What the? A plunger? What the hell it's going to do with that?'  I thought as we got inside the house and slammed the door shut. 

But before I could think further about what we had just witnessed, the sound of a car horn that seemingly came from Courage got my attention. Looking towards him, I noticed that he had gotten scared again, and his head became ten times larger. But instead of a typical scream, he now screamed like a car horn. After a few seconds, he stopped and went to lock the door with the four locks that weren't there previously. Still thinking it wasn't enough, I grabbed a chair and placed it against the door.

"Courage? Jaune?" The voice of Muriel asked as she entered the kitchen. "What are you two doing?"

Courage went up to her and tried to warn her about what we saw. He even turned into a menacing ship, followed by a giant polka dot space egg, and finally, a weird chicken wielding what I can only assume is a space laser. Once Courage finished, he whimpered and hoped that Muriel would understand what he said. And for a slight moment, it seemed that she did. But as usual, she didn't.

"That's it. No more liver for you two." I was confused for a moment but then immediately concerned when she went to the door and opened it. She then stepped out and looked around. Not trusting what this was one bit, I immediately ran to her side in case anything happened. "Well, I don't see anything, you two." 

"We could have sworn we saw something." I said, looking around and seeing nothing. "Come on, Muriel. Let's head inside; I don't think it's safe right now."

"Nonsense Jaune. There's nothing here, so there's nothing to worry about." She said with a smile in an attempt to try and calm me. But as soon as she said that, a plunger came out of nowhere and hit her on her rear. Instinctively, I grabbed her hands just in time as the plunger began pulling her away.

'Oh, no, you don't. Whatever you are, you're not taking Muriel.'  I thought as I struggled to keep my grip on her hands. But it felt like I was in a tug of war against Nora and a pissed-off Yang. I soon felt my hands slip a bit, causing me to panic. "Courage, Help me!" 

'I got you.'  He said as he grabbed onto Muriel. But it proved fruitless as we lost our grip, and whatever sent the plunger pulled Muriel away towards the nearby barn and silo. All that was left was her slipper that fell off when the plunger pulled her away from us. 

"AAH! PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN! OH, YOU—YOU THING, YOU!" We heard her scream. 

'MURIEL!'  Courage gasped as he picked up her slipper. Looking toward the barn, we saw it lit up with a pink light.

"AHH! COURAGE! JAUNE! HELP! OH, YOU FILTHY, DIRTY THING YOU!"

"Come on, Courage! We have to help her!" I said as we ran toward the barn. Getting there, we stood next to the door and peeked inside, only to gasp when we saw the spaceship from earlier. Although, I did feel slightly annoyed as I would have to fix it tomorrow, which would be a pain. 

"WOULDN'T YOU PREFER TEA INSTEAD!" Muriel's scream snapped me back to focus. Looking around, we noticed that the ship's door was open. Figuring that it wouldn't be open for much longer, we ran to the spaceship to get in and try to save Muriel. Unfortunately, as soon as we stepped inside, we noticed the roasted chicken waiting for us.

'Huh?'  Courage asked, confused when we noticed the chicken holding a pointing stick and standing next to a projector screen. 

"Who and what the hell are you, and what do you want?" I demanded, feeling weird that I was screaming at a roasted chicken. I know that people would have a hard time believing the stuff I have previously faced, but this, going against a roasted chicken, will be the hardest to accept.

Instead of answering, the chicken 'turned' its head to the screen, where it began to show a slideshow of images. The first image showed Courage with a plunger on his head, with the following one having his head pop off like a toy. Then, it showed the chicken using Courage's head as his own. Hearing something, I looked toward Couage and noticed that he had pulled out a sign with a question mark on it to either show his confusion or ask who the chicken was. 

And it was most likely the latter, as the next set of images showed Courage fighting against the chicken for control of a gun before firing it at him, turning the chicken into his current state. Turning back to Courage, he seemed either guilty for what he did or still confused. Hearing a snap sound, I looked back and saw the chicken demand that Courage sit on the chair so he could remove his head.

"Not going to happen." I said while stepping in front of Courage. In the back of my mind, I felt that if Yang were here, she would be making a ton of puns. This made me kind of envious that the chicken did not have ears, so he did not have to suffer from her puns. Yet, despite her 'bad' puns, I still missed hearing them. 

The chicken did not like my answer and threw the pointer down on the floor in frustration. He then turned to the screen and raised it to show us a tied-up Muriel behind it with a plunger on her head. The message is clear: if he did not get Courage's head, he would take Muriel's head off.

"COURAGE! JAUNE! GET HELP!" Muriel screamed. Hearing a lever being pulled, we looked to the side and saw the chicken had pulled a lever to start the process of pulling Muriel's head off.

'AAHHH!'  Courage screamed before running out of the ship. 

Not wanting to risk Muriel's safety even further, possibly piss off an outer space chicken, and risk getting shot, I followed Courage out of the ship. Once outside, I quickly looked around and saw something unexpected: a power cord connected to an outlet that was not there beforehand. Not questioning the logic behind it, I promptly went over to it and pulled it out, which resulted in the entire ship powering down.

'What do we do? What do we do?'

"Go get Eustace Courage. We're going to need his help. I'll run to my room, grab my sword and shield, and then we can save Muriel." 

Courage frantically nodded before running to Eustace's room while I ran to mine. Opening the door, I went to my bed, pulled out my new sword and shield, and gave it a few swings to get accustomed to the weight. Hearing a few loud smacks that I could only assume came from someone hitting someone else with a slipper, I raced down to see Courage running away with Eustace chasing him.

'Well, that's one way to get someone to follow you.'  I thought as I chased after them back to the barn.

"I'll strangle you." Eustace shouted as he chased Courage into the spaceship, with his anger blinding to the fact that a  SPACECRAFT  was in the barn. Once at the top of the ramp, Courage tried to warn Eustace but had to duck when Eustace lunged at him. 

"That's one way to get him on the ship. Good job, Courage." I said as I reached him. Taking out my sword, we went inside and saw that the chicken was now confronting Eustace, who was rubbing his head from hitting it against the wall.

"OH! OH!" Muriel screamed, catching our attention. Turning to her, we realized that the chicken had started the process of taking Muriel's head off.

"Courage. Go free, Muriel. I'll cut the power." Courage nodded before running to Muriel while I jumped off the ramp.

Going around the ship, I found the power cord again. However, I knew that the chicken could simply plug it back in. Taking a deep breath, I swung my sword to cut the cord, resulting in the ship powering down and receiving one hell of a shock that was comparable to that of Nora when she shocked me as part of her pranks. 

"Ow!" I said as my aura healed me.

"Hey, what are you going to do with that?" Eustace shouted, getting my attention. Quickly going around the spaceship and up the ramp, I saw Courage run out with Muriel. Though, she seemed dazed and entirely out of it.

"Good job, Courage. Now we just need- oof!" I began but grunted when the door suddenly closed in front of me due to a lack of power. "-get Eustace. Alright, I'll try to open it."

Putting my sword into the bottom of the door, I tried to use it as a makeshift lever to open it, but to no avail. Feeling Courage tap on my shoulder, I saw him gesture me to move to the side. Curious, I removed my sword and stepped to the side to see what he would do. He then pulled a giant welding set and mask and tried to cut open a door. But when he was almost done, the door opened by itself as the power seemed to have returned somehow. Once it was fully opened, Eustace's head popped out. Courage and I sighed in relief at seeing him, but shock quickly replaced it when it turned out that the chicken had taken off Eustace's head and was using it as his own.

"That is disturbing and creepy." I said as I tried not to laugh at how ridiculous he looked. 

The chicken/Eustace growled at this, but Courage had the best answer to this. He turned the welder back on and fried the chicken's ass. Upon seeing this, I could not help but laugh out loud. And I laughed even louder when we saw the chicken land in a barrel filled with water and relish in the cooling of his fried ass. However, it lasted only a few seconds as the chicken soon got out of the barrel. Not wasting any time, I pushed Courage, who was still holding Muriel, into the ship. Looking around, I saw a hatch near the top of the spaceship, which we could use to get out of there and avoid the chicken. 

While I am sure I can take it out, I don't want to risk him using another space gun on me or risk Muriel's safety. Getting to the top, I opened the hatch and helped Muriel and Courage onto the top of the spaceship. Seeing a nearby window, I picked up Muriel and carried her to the window with Courage behind me. He opened it, and we climbed onto the roof, where I realized I had just trapped us.

"Crap. Where do we go now?" I asked myself while looking around. Luckily, Courage spotted a way out. And that way out was in the form of a long clothesline that led back to the house.  'Great.'

Taking a deep breath, we began walking on the clothesline back to the house, all the while carrying Muriel. However, I was genuinely surprised that I managed to keep my balance and had not fallen off yet and suffered a painful fall. Hearing Courage scream, I turned around and saw that the chicken had quickly caught up and was now on the clothesline chasing us, causing us to quicken our pace.

"Oh, what a terrible dream. I think I'll have a cup of tea." Muriel said, waking up.

'The things I do for love.'  Courage said as he poured some tea into a cup and gave it to Muriel.

"Oh, lovely." Muriel said as she started to drink it.

As we continued quickly crossing the clothesline, I noticed that Muriel's slipper had fallen off and landed on the rope perfectly. Unfortunately, I noticed it too late, causing me to lose my balance and fall. My instincts kicked in, causing me to quickly grab onto the line so I wouldn't fall. Unfortunately, this caused Muriel to bounce on the clothesline toward the house. But she stopped soon after and somehow remained on the clothesline.

"It's awfully windy tonight." Muriel said, fixing her hair before taking another sip from her tea.

'Hold on, Muriel. Here we come.'  Courage shouted as he helped me back onto the line. Once back on, we ran as fast as possible while trying to keep our balance. But as we closed the distance, we noticed that Muriel was starting to lean back while taking a big sip from her tea. 

'Crap!'  I thought before diving for her. Thankfully, I managed to grab her nightgown before she fell off the clothesline. However, this left me hanging onto the rope with my left hand. Looking up, I saw that the chicken had caught up to us and started to stomp on my hand. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Feeling a tug on my pants, I looked down and noticed that we were now on the ground. An idea came to my head when I realized this. Looking back up, I saw that the chicken had also noticed we were on the floor. Smirking, I let go of the clothesline, causing the chicken to fly through the air and crash into the barn. But as he flew, Courage and I waved at him while smirking. 

'Yay!'  Courage joyfully shouted while Muriel started to shake her teacup to see if she had any tea left.

"Nice. Hi-five." I said while I hive-fived Courage. 

But our celebration was cut short when we heard the chicken turning on his spaceship's engines. Looking toward the barn, we noticed the ship's light went on for a moment before the barn was destroyed due to the spacecraft ascending. 

"AAAHHHH!" All three of us screamed as the ship flew above us. 

And from its bottom, a giant mechanical arm came out with a massive plunger. Feeling myself get picked up, I looked down and saw that Courage had somehow pulled out a wheelbarrel and had already placed Muriel in it. Courage then pushed us at incredible speeds that would make Ruby envious, but it was only enough to barely avoid getting crushed by the plunger.

Persistent or too stubborn to give up, the chicken kept chasing us while trying to flatten us. Courage managed to outrun a few attempts, but the last one came right behind us, which sent us flying away. And somehow, despite being in a desert, we landed on a raft in the middle of a river that wasn't here yesterday. Seeing two oars, Courage and I grabbed them and rowed down the river as fast as we could. We kept going for a few minutes, but the plunger caught up to us quickly and destroyed the raft, sending us flying again. This time, we landed next to a motorcycle. Placing Muriel into the passenger car, we got on with Courage turning it on and driving away.

'He can drive as well! Okay, he needs to teach me to drive a motorcycle once this is over. I wonder how Yang would react if she lost a motorcycle race to Courage?'  I thought as we drove down the desert road again.

It seemed like we would finally get away from the chicken as his ship struggled to keep up. However, fate seemed cruel today as after about ten minutes, Muriel's slipper slipped off and was caught by the tire, causing it to stop suddenly. This caused us to spin uncontrollably and sent us crashing. Quiet painfully, I might add.

"Damn it." I grunted as I picked myself up while Courage shook himself off. 

'Muriel?'  Courage asked, concerned as we looked around. We quickly spotted her sitting on one of the tires of the motorcycle.

"Fancy some tea, Courage? Jaune?" She asked as she poured herself a fresh cup she got from somewhere. However, our attention shifted to the sign above her.

"ROCKET BASE?!" I shouted, shocked and worried. Looking down, we had to swallow a lump in our throats when we realized that we were standing right above the silo where the missile was stored.

'Oh, no!'  Courage gasped.

"Wait, Courage. This could help us." I said, confusing him. "We could use his plunger to open this and have the rocket fly up, hit his ship, and destroy it."

'That's a long shot. But I'll do it.'

"Don't worry, Courage. I'm by your side." I assured him, causing him to smile.

 Looking back up, we saw that the chicken had finally reached us. A moment later, the plunger came crashing down upon us. But we managed to dive to the side and avoid it entirely. The plunger crashed into where we were, and as the plunger moved back, it had unintentionally taken the cover of the silo with it. Right after it did, the sound of alarms started blasting all around us as the missile left its silo and went straight into the spaceship, destroying it. 

"Lovely fireworks, eh, Courage? Don't you agree as well, Jaune?" Muriel asked from behind me. Turning around, I saw that Courage had joined her on the tire and watched as the fireworks continued.

"Yeah, they are." I agreed as she did not need to know what had just happened.

Half an hour later

We were sitting on the house's porch, enjoying each other's company and fresh night air. Typically, I would have gone back to sleep, but after this event, I was just too awake to attempt to sleep. Taking a sip of the tea I made, I turned to Courage, who was lying down on Muriel's lap, and asked him something.

"Hey, Courage?"

'Yeah.'  He answered, turning to me.

"Think you can teach me to drive a motorcycle?"

'Sure, why not? Just need a motorcycle, and we can begin.'  Smiling, I was about to take another sip of my tea, but Muriel pointing toward the field got my attention.

"Oh. There's Eustace with my slipper!" She said, smiling.

'Wait. Wasn't Eustace on the ship, and didn't the chicken take his head?'  I thought, confused and concerned. Looking toward where she was pointing, we saw the body of Eustace walking toward us without a head and holding Muriel's slipper.

'AAAAAHHHHH!'  Courage screamed once he spotted Eustace as well before adding.  'This still shouldn't happen to a dog.'

'Or anyone.'  I mentally agreed. Hearing an ouch, I turned to Courage and saw that a black wall or hole had pinched his nose. 

Chapter Text

'I know I put it here, somewhere.'  Courage whined as he dug another five-foot-deep hole in the ground. 

"Are you sure about that, Courage?" I asked as I stopped digging to catch my breath. "I mean, we already dug about a hundred five-foot-deep holes. Are you certain you buried your yoyo here?"

'I am sure, Jaune. Just keep digging.'

Yes, we made about a hundred holes in the ground around the house just to find a yoyo that Courage thinks he buried. Sighing, I went back into the hole and helped Courage. But it was after the twenty-fifth hole that I learned that Courage would bury just about anything he found. So far, we have found a futbol, an anchor, a vacuum, and a handful of other things. But it was the next item that caught our attention.

"What's this?" I asked as I picked up a seemingly ordinary box. It seemed like a safe of some kind, as evident by the front lock.

'I don't know. I didn't bury it.'  Courage said as he began to sniff the box.

"Perhaps Eustace or Muriel might know?"

'Doesn't hurt to ask.'  Courage said as we got out of the hole.

Dusting ourselves off, I grabbed the box and attempted to lift it but struggled as it was far heavier than it appeared. But after adjusting my grip, I managed to lift and carry it into the house. However, as I closed the door, I made a mental note to find a gym in town and sign up. Once inside, we saw Eustace and Muriel sitting in their seats. And as we approached them, we caught the tail end of their conversation. 

"-where he hid his box full of money. So, happy birthday to nobody." Eustace said as he threw his crumpled-up newspaper across the room.

'That's right. Today is Eustace's brother's birthday. I completely forgot.'  I realized.

About a week after I moved in with them, Muriel told me all about her family and Eustace's family. Though, I could not help but feel that I had heard the name Horst Bagge before somewhere. Hearing Courage mumble, I looked at him and noticed that he had taken the box from me and placed it in his mouth before walking over to Eustace on all fours.

 "Get away from me." Eustace warned, but Courage kept on trying to get his attention. "What's the matter with you, dog? One little clue is all I- Ahhhhh!"

'Okay, what's in that box?'  I wondered when Courage dropped the box, causing it to fall on Eustace's foot, which made him scream in pain but also let out a loud thud. Going over to Eustace, I picked the box up and placed it on the table next to him. Now that his foot was free and no longer in pain, Eustace stood up and glared at Courage.

"You stupid-" Eustace began but stopped when he finally saw the box. "That's it! That's the box I've been looking for."

"Good dog, Courage." Muriel said, patting him on the head before turning to face Eustace. "I wonder what's in it, Eustace?"

"I'll tell you what's in it. His money!" Eustace answered, smiling as he picked up the box before walking to the dining room. "My good-for-nothing brother's money."

Curious, I looked at Muriel and Courage to see they were equally confused about the whole thing. Entering the dining room, we saw Eustace place the box on the table and proceed to open it. Only to fail as he did not realize it required a key. But if there was one thing to know about Eustace, it is that he never gives up when it comes to money. Although, that did not mean Eustace would use common sense to get it. He even used his foot to try to open it but failed, which resulted in me laughing at him.

"I'm getting me tools." Eustace said, putting the box down and moving to fetch wherever he put his tools. As soon as Eustace left the room, Muriel gave the box a light dusting before leaving.

"What do you think is actually in it, Courage, as I doubt it's money considering its weight." I asked as he peeked into the keyhole of the lock. However, I became worried when he suddenly screamed in terror. Knowing that whatever Courage saw couldn't be good, I decided to look inside the safe to find out what scared him. But before I could do so, Eustace returned with his wrench. 

'No!'  Courage whined as he stood between Eustace and the safe.

"What's the matter with you, dog?" Eustace demanded. Courage tried to explain to Eustace what he saw by putting his paw to his eye, screaming, and then transforming into a demon. 

'Don't open that.'  Courage begged before diving towards Eustace's feet.

"Stupid dog!" Eustace said before grabbing Courage and sliding him toward the wall where he would have collided with it had I not caught him beforehand. 

'Thanks.'

"No problem. But what did you see in the box, Courage?" I asked.

'I couldn't see anything clearly as it was very dark. But I saw a creature and heard some terrifying sounds.'

"Damn. That's not good. Whatever it is, we cannot let Eustace open the box." I said with Courage agreeing. Turning back to Eustace, we saw him place his wrench around the lock and attempted to remove the lock from the box but was unsuccessful.

"Stupid box! I can't open it without the stinkin' key." Eustace said, giving up.

'Well, at least we have some time. But we still better keep an eye on Eustace.'  Courage said as we followed Eustace into the living room. 

Twenty minutes later

We were in the living room watching the television. I was sitting down next to Muriel with Courage in my lap as I scratched right behind his ears. Usually, he would love this, but our attention was entirely on Eustace, who was grumbling and still trying to find a way to open the box. But, at least for the time being, he had stopped trying, giving us time to figure out what was inside the box and how to prevent Eustace from opening it.

"Perhaps if we find the key first, we can hide it somewhere where he will never find it." I whispered to Courage.

'That could work. But what should we do in the meantime, and if Eustace finds the key before we do?'  

"We'll cross the bridge when we get to it. But if Eustace does find it before us, I'll distract him long enough for you to take the key and bury it somewhere far from here."

'Okay. I'll do it.' 

"Darn that, Horst!" Eustace shouted, getting our attention. "He hated me."

"What a shame you and Horst never settled your troubles." Muriel said with a frown.

'The Channeling Channel will return after a word from our sponsor.'  The television suddenly said, cutting in.  'Are you trying to contact the dead? Are you trying to-'

'Talk about coincidental timing.'  I thought, amazed. 

"Blah! Blah! Blah!" Eustace interjected, annoyed.

'Shirley the Medium can put you in touch with the hereafter.'  The television continued while showing a weird creature behind a crystal ball.  'So, you can all live and die happily ever after.'

"What a wonderful idea." Muriel said as the commercial ended. "We can hire Shirley. You and your brother can lay your troubles to rest once and for all."

"Our differences are settled. He's dead, and I ain't." Eustace said, hating the idea.

'Truly an ass.'  I thought.

"Come now, Eustace." Muriel said, trying to convince him that it was a good idea. "Isn't there anything you'd want to talk to him about? It is his birthday."

"Yea. Now that I think of it, there is." Eustace said, agreeing with a smirk. "Heh, heh, heh."

'OH, NO!'  Courage shouted.

"Don't worry, Courage." Muriel said as she picked up the phone to dial Shirley, but Courage tried to stop her from doing so. However, she mistook it for him being hungry. "Jaune, be a dear and feed Courage."

"Okay, Muriel." I said, getting up with Courage getting off my lap.

'Oh, I just know something bad is going to happen. Or my name is Archibald. And it's not.'  Courage said, worried. 

"Looks like it's going to get much harder to stop him from opening the box. Right, Courage?" I asked as we entered the kitchen. After all, who can focus on an empty stomach? Plus, it was already getting time to start preparing lunch. However, what horrors could possibly be waiting inside the box did not escape our minds. 

Eight P.M.

It was nighttime. And it was rapidly approaching the time Shirly said she would arrive. From when the commercial aired and up until now, Courage and I have made several attempts to hide the box from Eustace. But each attempt failed, as Eustace found it not even a moment later. Now, he brings the safe with him wherever he goes. And with each passing moment, we felt our nerves and stress rise. We soon heard a knock coming from the front door. Heading over to it, I opened the door with Muriel and Courage right behind me.

'She must be Shirley.'  I thought as I opened the door and saw what looked like a green chihuahua wearing a green shirt, purple cape, blue hood, and a few earrings on both of her ears.

'Hmm?'  Courage hummed in confusion once he spotted Shirley.

"You must be Shirley."

"I am. But before we begin, remember this one thing: If you contact the dead for personal gain, there will be tragic consequences." She warned, already glaring at Eustace.

'Well, that's a world record for the quickest rule ever broken regarding the dead.'  I thought, as we already knew the real reason why Eustace wanted to contact his dead brother. 

"Just dial my dead brother and shut up." Eustace impatiently shouted. 

Shirley glared at Eustace as we went back inside and headed toward the dining room. Shirley then placed a crystal ball on the table's center before sitting on the chair next to her and motioning for us to do the same. 

 "Join hands." She ordered once we were all seated. We did so with me grabbing Muriel's hand and Courage's paw. 

Looking back at Shirley, we saw her stick her hands out toward the crystal ball before tilting her head back. She then opened her mouth wide with the sound of a telephone ringing coming from her mouth afterward. The sound certainly caught me off guard for a moment, as I was not expecting it. And it seemed that Courage felt the same way since he was not expecting it either. Yet, Eustace didn't care for the noise, judging by what he said next. 

"You're on my payroll now. Wake up and get my brother on the line." He demanded while slamming his fist on the table. The ringing continued for a few more moments, with us leaning forward to see if someone would answer. 

"The party is not answering." Shirley said as she  hung up . 

"He never took my calls." Eustace complained as he slammed his fist onto the table.

'Can you see if you can find my yoyo?'  Courage asked, curious.

"I shall try." Shirley said as she focused on the crystal ball.

'Wait. She can understand Courage as well?'  I thought, surprised and relieved to see that someone else could understand him entirely.

"I see, I see, I see!" She said as she placed her hands on the Crystal ball. "A yoyo."

'Yes!'  Courage shouted happily.

"I see a yoyo. It is under the sofa."

'Really, Courage? Under the sofa.'  I thought, annoyed at the fact that his yoyo was under the sofa and we did not need to dig and fill back up all those holes we dug up earlier. But I was still glad that he found his yoyo. Turning to Courage, I saw him leave the table to get his yoyo and return a moment later without it. Although, he probably left it there for safekeeping. 

"Try my brother again." Eustace demanded after seeing Courage getting what he wanted while he didn't. And hopefully, it remains like that, as his greedy ass will most likely get us into trouble. Shirley tilted her head again, and the sound of a ringing telephone came again. But it was short this time as someone quickly answered.

"Hello? Hello?" A mysterious female voice answered.

"Aunt Gertrude?" Muriel asked, shocked at hearing her aunt's voice again.

"Oh, for Pete's sake." Eustace said, slapping his forehead.

"Muriel. Oh, Muriel. How are you?" Gertrude asked.

"I'm just fine, thank goodness." Muriel answered.

"Hang up! You're tying up the line." Eustace demanded.

"You are using vinegar, aren't you?" Gertrude asked.

"Vinegar? In raspberry jam?" Muriel asked, surprised.

'Not too sure about that combination.'  I thought. And judging by the sound of Courage gagging, I could tell he did not like it either.

"WILL YOU TWO QUIT JABBERING!?" Eustace shouted while standing up. He then sat back down and turned to Shirley again. "Now, get my stinkin' dead brother Horst on the line."

"The dead should not be bothered for personal gain." Shirley warned him. But again, this is Eustace we're talking about.

"What? Oh, just do it."

Courage jumped onto the table and tried to stop Eustace again. He even transformed into a phantom to try and get his point across. But like usual, Eustace was too blinded by his greed even to pay attention.

"Sit down, you stupid dog!" Eustace demanded. Knowing he wouldn't convince him, Courage whined and sat in his chair. Shirley tried again, and the call was answered, this time by a gruff-sounding man.

"Hello?" The voice asked.

"Isn't this wonderful, Eustace?" Muriel asked. Completely unaware of the danger that is about to come. "Finally, you can settle your differences."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Eustace answered as he walked over to Shirley and picked her up. "Where's the key to the box?"

"Muriel. Is that you?" Horst asked, ignoring Eustace.

"Yes. It is Horst. And you won't believe what happened recently." Muriel answered with a smile. "We took in a kid, and he's now part of the family."

"Wonderful. What's his name?"

"His name is Jaune Arc." Muriel answered.

"ARC! He's from the Arc family?" Horst asked, sounding shocked.

"Yes, sir. I am from the Arc family." I answered, confused but slightly sad at remembering the Arc family before adding. "Well, used to be. They disowned me for being unable to be what they wanted me to be."

"Wouldn't surprise me. I knew your grandfather. We worked together on a few expeditions. They always wanted to have all the fame for themselves and would do anything to get it. And them disowning you isn't the first time it happened in the Arc family. They have a long-secret history of disowning family members who did not meet their standards." He said, and even though he was not here with us, I could tell he was shaking his head and possibly clenching his fists. "Let me give you a piece of advice, kid."

"What is it?"

"Don't let anyone control your life. Live your life how you want to. And if someone says you don't meet their standards, work hard and prove them wrong." He answered. And for some reason, even though I had never seen him before, I could easily tell he spoke from experience.

"Thanks. I'll definitely follow that advice." I said while nervously scratching my head.

"Make sure you do." Horst said in a calm voice. Before I could say anything, Eustace shouted in anger and frustration.

"WHERE IS THE KEY TO THE BOX!" He demanded.

"There is nothing in the box for you, Eustace."

"You would say that you, cheap--" Eustace began, but Horst cut him off.

"Bury the box, Eustace." Eustace growled at this and got even angrier when Courage tried to warn him again. Eustace responded by grabbing Courage's nose and throwing him in my direction. "Money, Money! Where's the key?!"

"There's nothing in there for you."

"GIVE ME THE KEY!"

"Okay." Horst said, relenting. And even though I couldn't see him, I could tell that Horst was pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Okay?" Eustace asked, not expecting him actually to answer.

"Check the lining of your hat."

"So, that's where it was." Eustace said after checking the lining of his hat and pulling out a silver key afterward. 

"You have been warned, brother." Horst said in a tone that clearly said he hated Eustace's greed. He then 'hung up' the call. Ignoring him, Eustace picked the box back up.

"You should heed your brother's word." Shirley said, getting his attention. Instead of answering, Eustace picked her up and took her out of the room. Concerned, we followed them and saw that Eustace had opened the door and pushed her out of the house.

"We don't need you anymore, lady. Take off." Eustace said before slamming the door. He then returned to the dining room to open the safe with the newly acquired key. But he became annoyed when Courage jumped onto the table and tried to warn him again. "What's wrong with you, dog?"

'Don't open the box.'  Courage answered while bouncing up and down. 

Growling, Eustace grabbed Courage and threw him toward the kitchen. He then tried to open the safe with the key again but stopped when he heard the phone ring behind him. Going over to it, I picked it up and was about to answer, but Eustace snatched it from me.

"Hello?" Eustace answered.

'Don't open the box.'  The voice of Courage came through. Going over to the window, I looked outside and saw Courage was in a phone booth across the street.

'How the hell did he get over there so fast, and since when was there a phone booth there?'  I thought before turning back to Eustace. 

"You're not getting my money. Whoever you are, so just shove off." Eustace said before slamming the phone back down.

Hearing the door open, I went to the kitchen and saw Courage run to Muriel. I went over to him and was about to ask him something but couldn't as, without warning, Muriel shoved a spoonful of some food into both of our mouths.

"What do you two think of that?" She asked. Instead of answering, we swallowed and tried not to gag. Luckily, that in of itself was enough of an answer for Muriel. "You're right. Too much vinegar." 

'Way too much vinegar!'  I thought as I struggled to keep it down.

'What should we do, Jaune?'  Courage asked.

"I'm not sure, Courage. I mean, we don't even know what's inside the box. For all we know, it could just be money, and what you saw was a trap to ward off a robber."

Courage seemed unconvinced and was about to say something, but the sound of Eustace sinisterly laughing caught our attention. Racing back to the dining room, we saw that Eustace had opened the box with an ominous green glow coming from it. 

'Oh, this is not good.'  Courage said as we put our backs against the wall.

"You're right about that, Courage."

"I knew it. We're rich! We're rich." Eustace happily said. Although it was painfully evident that he meant he alone was rich. 

"Did you say something, Eustace?" Muriel asked, entering the room. Fortunately, Courage managed to push her back into the kitchen before she could see anything. 

"Keep the door closed, Courage. We can't risk Muriel getting hurt." I said as I moved in front of the door. Turning back to Eustace, we saw that the green glow had suddenly vanished.

'Where did the light go?'  Courage asked, confused. 

Confused as well, Eustace walked over to the safe, picked it up, and opened it. But as soon as he opened it, two giant, green, glowing demonic arms popped out. Their sudden appearance caused Eustace to scream and drop the box. 

"Hey! What are you doing in my box?" Eustace demanded, ignorant that a demon was in the box. "With my money?"

'Really, you old man!'  I thought, irritated. 

The demon hands responded to Eustace's question by slapping the tables and chairs away, causing Eustace to scream in terror. Scared, Courage ran towards Eustace, picked him up, and brought him to safety while avoiding the demon hands' attempt to grab them. However, we quickly realized we were trapped in the dining room as the demon hands covered the only other exit. And the demon realized this as well as the hands surrounded us.

'Okay, you can have him.'  Courage said before tossing Eustace into the air. We then dove to the ground while the demon hands grabbed Eustace. They then tried to catch us, but I managed to pull Courage out of the way in time. We then entered the kitchen while closing the door behind us. 

"What's wrong, you two?" Muriel asked as she continued to stir whatever was in the pot. But before either of us could answer, the door flew open, sending us flying into the opposite side of the room. The force behind it was so great that I saw stars for a few moments. 

"Oh! Courage! Jaune! Help!" Muriel shouted when the demon hand grabbed her and pulled her into the dining room. Shaking our heads, we ran into the dining room and saw the demon hands trying to bring Eustace and Muriel into the safe. But it struggled to do so as both Muriel and Eustace had latched onto the nearby heater. Unfortunately, it seemed like it would give at any moment. 

"Courage. Get the clothesline. Hurry!" I said, remembering the clothesline and how durable it is. He nodded, quickly went outside, and returned with the clothesline in less than a minute. "Good. I'll tie them together to the heater. You tie the other end around the house."

Courage nodded before quickly going outside and tying the other end around the house. Meanwhile, I went over to Eustace and Muriel and tied the clothesline around them before connecting it to the heater. And after a moment, Courage returned as soon as I finished. 

"Did you fold the clothes?" Muriel asked, remembering that she had put some clothes out to dry. Courage nodded. "Such a good dog."

'Now what, Jaune?'  Courage asked.

"Um. Um. Give me a mo- I got it. Shirley. She might know what to do. And I know where we could find her." I answered.

'Okay. Let's find her.'

After checking one final time to ensure the knot would hold, we raced out of the house toward the building Shirley used for her commercials. Once we got there, it took us about ten minutes before we finally found Shirley. And just in time, as she was preparing for her upcoming commercial. Rushing over to her, we were about to tell her that we needed her help. But she beat us to it.

"The stupid one." Shirley said. "He opened the box. Yes?"

"Yup. He opened the box, and stupid does not even come close to how idiotic he is." I answered.

Courage, not wanting to waste any more time, picked up Shirley and raced back to the farmhouse with me right behind them. We ran as fast as possible and managed to get there in under ten minutes. But once we arrived, we noticed that the house was about to collapse at any moment. Thankfully, after kicking the door open and running to the dining room, we saw the rope and heater were still holding. 

"You had to open the box." Shirley said, annoyed, while walking over to Eustace after Courage set her down. 

She then mumbled while walking over to the box. And in an anticlimactic move, which, in retrospect, we could have done, kicked the safe closed. The demon screamed in pain before letting go of Muriel and Eustace and returning to the box. Racing over to them, we saw that the monster had essentially squeezed them so much that their bodies looked like tubes now. Turning back to the safe, we noticed that a hundred-dollar bill came out of the box, which Shirley then grabbed before leaving the house and returning to work.

"I knew there was money in that box." Eustace said as he got up and ran to the safe. And despite everything that had just happened, he opened the box with the demon sucking him inside. Afterward, the safe fell to the floor and closed itself. Luckily, the monster was satisfied with only having Eustace captive. 

"Idiot." I mumbled under my breath.

"Look at all this money. I'm rich. I'm finally rich." The voice of Eustace faintly came out of the box. However, we ignored it. 

"Look at all this mess. Better start cleaning." Muriel said as she got up and went to the kitchen to grab the broom and shovel.

"Least everything is safe now." I said, turning to Courage. He just smiled and went and picked up the key that was near the box. Instantly, I knew where he was going with this and just gave a thumbs up in approval.

Next Day

We were in the living room watching some television. Courage and I sat in Eustace's chair while Muriel sat in hers. Courage was playing with his yoyo, I was drinking some tea, and Muriel was enjoying the raspberry jam she made. And in between us was the safe, which Eustace was still trapped inside. 

"Eustace. Aunt Gertrude was right. This jam tastes heavenly." Muriel said, smiling.

"Can I buy some from you?" Eustace asked, although it was hard to hear him.

"You can have some when you get out. But first, we have to find that key." Muriel said before taking another bite of the jam.

Turning to Courage, he looked at me and opened his mouth to show that he had the key in his mouth. I smiled and patted his head back before leaning in my chair. 

'Maybe another day or so, and we can let him out.'  I thought before taking another sip of my tea.

Chapter Text

It has been a month since the incident with the box and Shirley. And since then, not much has happened, and as a result, everything has been pretty calm. Muriel started putting vinegar in just about everything. Eustace was back outside the box and was still his greedy old self. But it was two weeks after the incident that we let him out.

Currently, we were all in the house watching a movie. Well, me and Muriel, to be precise. Eustace was asleep with his newspaper acting like a blanket. It was late at night, and we decided to watch something before going to bed. Taking a sip of my tea, I looked over at Courage, who was sleeping on Muriel's lap. He was yawning and trying to stay awake as he didn't like the movie genre we were watching, which was a rom-com. Turning back to the TV, I began to wonder what it would be like to be in a relationship.

'Perhaps someday I might find the one.'  I thought as I took another sip. 

However, we both tensed up when we heard a faint ghostly voice coming from outside. Getting up, we walked over to the window to have a look and placed our hands/paws on the window. "You heard the same thing I did right, Courage?"

'You mean the strange noise followed by the ghost voice.'  Courage answered while shivering.

"I was hoping you didn't say that." I said as we continued looking out the window. But we saw nothing aside from a strange mark on the nearby road and the searchlight from a police helicopter.

'What's going on out there?'  

"Not sure. But it's too dark and late now to see what's out there. Let's head to sleep, and tomorrow, we can check it out."

'All right.'

We then left the window, headed back to sit next to Muriel, and continued watching the movie. After about twenty more minutes, it finished. We then headed upstairs, with Courage coming to my room. I quickly changed into my pajamas, then pulled a spare pillow from under the bed and placed it on the bed. Courage immediately dived onto the pillow and went to sleep. Smiling, I patted him on the head before getting into bed and falling asleep as well.

8:30   A.M.

The blaring sun hitting my face woke me up. Blinking, I got up and stretched a bit. Looking to my side, I saw that Courage was also stretching on the pillow. Getting up, I got changed into my regular clothes. Reaching under my bed, I grabbed my sword and shield. After the noise and police searchlight last night, I figured it would be a good idea to check outside. And even if it weren't anything, I was planning on getting some training done.

'Morning Jaune.'  Courage said through a yawn as he got off the bed.

"Morning Courage." I said. "Want to go check outside now or after breakfast?"

'After breakfast.'

Nodding, we exited my room and went downstairs to the living room. Once there, we saw Eustace in his chair, reading his newspaper with the TV on. Ignoring him, we were about to head into the kitchen when he told us that Muriel wanted to talk with me. Knowing that we were not going to get anything else from him, we resumed heading to the kitchen. Opening the door, we saw Muriel cooking some breakfast. I was about to go up to her and ask if she needed any help and what she wanted to talk to me about. But not even three steps into the room, something with enough force to rival a freight train, tackled me to the ground. 

"OOF." I grunted as I hit the floor hard. Shaking my head, I looked up to see what had hit me, only to be pulled into a bone-crushing hug.

"JAUNE! WE FINALLY FOUND YOU!" The familiar voice of my former hyperactive teammate shouted.

"Hey, Nora." I said, chuckling as she let go and helped me to my feet. Once up, she pulled me into another bone-crushing hug. Smiling, I hugged her before pulling away. 

"Hello, Jaune." A voice behind her said. Looking around Nora, I saw Lie Ren standing there with a smile. But I could tell that he felt guilty for something.

"Hey, Ren." I said, smiling, as he came up, and we shook hands. 

"Listen, Jaune." Ren began. "I just want to apologize for how I acted back then. I was out of-"

"It's fine, Ren. I'm not mad or upset. I understand where you are coming from. Let's just put it behind us and continue being friends."

"Thanks, Jaune"

"No problem, Ren,"

"YAY EVERYONE IS FRIENDS AGAIN?" Nora shouted in joy as she pulled us into another bone-crushing hug.

"Oh, it's so good to see you with some friends, Jaune." Muriel said, getting our attention. "Here, I made some sandwiches for the each of you."

"Thanks, Muriel." I said, smiling. She smiled as well before leaving the kitchen.

"So, Jaune. What are you doing here in the middle of Nowhere?" Nora asked, curious.

"I live here now." I answered as I took a bite out of my sandwich.

"Wait, you live here now? What about the Arc Family?" Ren asked.

"They disowned me for not being able to live up to their expectations." I answered quickly. Even after all this time, I still do not like talking about it.

"I'm sorry to hear that and to bring it up."

"It's fine now. It's all in the past. I'm with this family now. They took me in the same day I was expelled from Beacon."

'You sure you okay Jaune?'  Courage asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Courage." I said, patting him on his head.

"Um, who are you talking-" Ren began to ask but stopped when Nora suddenly enveloped Courage in a bone-crushing hug.

"A CUTE PINK DOG!" Nora shouted as she basically crushed Courage. But she and Ren jumped in shock when Courage's eyes popped out of his head on the floor. Chuckling, I grabbed Courage's eyes from under the table.

"Here Courage." I said as I gave him his eyes.

Instead of immediately putting them back, Courage pulled out a bowl of water from behind his back and dunked his eyes in the water. He then dried them on his fur before screwing them into his head. Turning to me, he let out a cackle at what he had just did.

"Um, Jaune, what just happened?" Ren asked, shocked and confused.

"I'm so sorry, Jaune. Is your dog okay?" Nora asked, either unfazed at what she had just seen or not believing it happened.

'It's fine. Nothing to worry about.'  Courage answered, smiling. But his smiling turned to gasping when Nora picked him up in another bone-crushing hug.

"YOUR DOG TALKS AND DOES TRICKS JAUNE! HE IS AMAZING!" Nora shouted.

"Nora. He is just barking." Ren said as he took Courage from her and placed him on the ground, albeit hesitantly, as he was unsure of what he had just witnessed.

'Wait, you can also understand me?'  Courage asked, surprised.

"SEE REN! HE CAN TALK!" Nora shouted before realizing something. "WAIT! JAUNE! DO YOU ALSO UNDERSTAND HIM?!"

"Yes, Nora. I can also understand him clearly." I answered as I pulled Courage closer to me so he wouldn't get crushed again.

"THAT'S SO COOL!" Nora shouted excitedly and was about to go on a long talking spree, but luckily, Ren stopped her before she could do that.

"Nora. He is only barking." He said. But instead of saying anything, Nora just smirked at him. 

"Wait, what are you guys doing here in Nowhere?" I asked.

"We were on a mission with Professor Port. However, we lost him earlier today. We tried to find him but couldn't. After a while of searching, we were approached by this lady and asked if we were friends with this blond kid who moved in with the Baggs. Since we were already looking for you, Jaune, we figured that would have been as good a start as any and said yes. And, thankfully, we did as it allowed us to find you again." Ren answered.

"I'm kind of surprised that Port left you guys. But on the other hand, that did allow us to meet again. Which I am glad for, as I did miss you guys." I said, smiling, which they returned with one of their own. But then I noticed something. "Wait. Where's Pyrrha?"

"Oh, she had a meeting with her sponsors and could not come with us." Nora answered. This made me kind of sad as I did want to see Pyrrha again. She always brought a smile to my face and was an extremely close friend.

"Oh well. Hopefully, one day, we can see each other again." I said with a sad smile.

"Cheer up, Jaune. You'll see her again soon." Nora said as she pulled me into a comforting hug. "But today, let's have some fun. We have so much to catch up on."

"Sure. We can do that." I said before feeling a tug on my pants. Looking down, I saw Courage trying to get my attention.

'What about finding out what happened last night?'  He asked.

"Oh, right. I forgot about that. We'll do it right now."

"What happened last night? Did you guys get attacked?" Nora asked concerned.

"What are you guys talking about?" Ren asked, confused.

"We heard some strange noises and saw a police searchlight on the road next to the house last night. And since that normally doesn't happen around here, we want to check outside to see if anything happened here." I answered.

"OOH. A mystery. Can we come?" Nora asked excitedly.

"Go where?" Ren asked, confused and getting annoyed at not getting an answer.

"Sure. Why not? Let's go." I answered with a smile at seeing Nora's near-infinite energy. It was honestly refreshing to see it again. Ren, seeing that he was not going to get an answer, decided to just go along with it.

Exiting the kitchen from the backdoor, we went around the house and headed to the street. However, aside from the strange marking, there was nothing that caught our attention. But that changed after about ten minutes.

"Over here." Nora shouted, getting our attention.

"What did you find, Nora?" Ren asked as we walked to Nora, who was standing next to the well.

"Well, unless Jaune or Courage buried something here, I think whoever or whatever was here last night tried to hide something here." Nora answered, pointing to the dirt before the well and how it appeared lumpy as if someone hastily buried something. 

"Good job, Nora." I said as Courage and I began to dig in that spot. After a moment, we found something buried there.

'Huh?'  Courage asked, confused at what we saw.

"What did you find, Jaune?" Ren asked.

"This strange tablet." I answered as I picked it up for them to see. It was a stone tablet that had four symbols on it. The first was a depiction of a weird-looking person or creature. The other three were random items that included a locust, a record player, and a symbol of water.

"Where do you think it is from Jaune?" Nora asked, curious.

"I don't know. Do you know Courage?" 

'No. But maybe Eustace or Muriel might know. If not, we can ask the computer.'  He answered.

"Good idea." I said while helping him out before getting out myself.

Dusting ourselves off, we headed to the house while Nora kept guessing what the symbols could mean. Once inside, Courage grabbed the table and handed it to Muriel.

"Why, what's this now?" Muriel asked as she took the tablet. "This looks very old."

"We found it by the water pump. But we don't know what it is." I answered.

"Well, I'm not sure what it is. Perhaps Eustace might know." She said before turning to Eustace."Eustace."

"Huh?" He asked.

"Come look at what Courage, Jaune, and his friends found. What do you suppose it could be?" Muriel asked as she walked over and gave it to him. 

"Well, judging by the markings and the obvious age of the relic, I'd have to say it would be...GARBAGE!" Eustace shouted as he threw the tablet out of the house through the window.

"EUSTACE!" Muriel scolded.

"That was mean." Nora said as she glared at Eustace, who just ignored her.

"Yeah. It was." Ren said, also glaring at Eustace.

"Garbage. From King Garbage of the Garbage Dynasty. Stupid dog. Always bringing garbage into the house." Eustace shouted as he raised his hands in the air before unmuting the TV, which just so happened to be showing a report on the same table we found.

'But the big story today...'  The TV announcer said. ' Million-dollar slab stolen from the tomb of King Ramses.'

"Eh?" Eustace said, shocked. He then immediately rushed to the window and picked up the slab from the ground. "I'M RICH!"

"How greedy is he, Jaune?" Ren asked.

"And how mean is he normally?" Nora asked, still glaring at Eustace.

"His greed is comparable to that of Weiss's father, and he easily surpasses Cardin in how much of an ass he can be." I answered with a sigh.

"Wow." Nora and Ren said, shocked.

"But the man said it was stolen, Eustace. We must return it to its rightful place." Muriel said as we turned back to her and Eustace.

"Can't we just take it from him, Jaune?" Nora asked with her hammer at the ready.

"Unfortunately, not. Nowhere does not recognize huntsmen in training as part of the law. Only fully fledge ones. And even then, they are restricted in what they can do." I answered as Ren made Nora put away her hammer. It was a sad part that huntsmen are restricted here, but since there rarely ever is a single Grimm here, it was inevitable that they would put the law that restricts them into place.

"That sucks." Nora said.

"I know. But's that just how it is here."

"He said a million-dollar slab. And that means I get a million dollars. And you know what a million dollar means?" Eustace asked. But at that moment, Courage howled for some reason. "That's right! New lawn chairs."

"Is everything alright, Courage?" I asked as he went to the center of the room and started transforming into a mummy, surprising Ren and making Nora jump in excitement. However, instead of paying attention, Muriel and Eustace ignored him while Eustace picked up a phone and started dialing.

"Nowhere News. I want to put an ad in the paper." Eustace said. Ignoring him, we went over to Courage, who started bouncing and pointing to the slab that Muriel was dusting for some reason.

"What is it, boy? What are you trying to get at? Is it charades?" Nora excitedly asked. This just caused Courage to stop and look at her with a deadpan look.

'I have a name. And second, I may be a dog, but really.'  Courage told her as he placed his paws on his hips.

"Sorry. I just got a bit excited. Anyway. What caused you to howl?" Nora apologized before asking. 

'Perhaps because Nora is already a bit crazy? ' I thought, wondering why she could understand him and Ren couldn't. 

'The man on the tablet disappeared!'  Courage answered.

"Wait. What do you mean disappear?" I asked.

'Go take a look.'

Concerned, I went to the slab with Ren and Nora behind me. And to our surprise and my horror, the man on the tablet had, in fact, disappeared. This made me nervous as it could mean something terrible would happen.

"Hey, the man disappeared." Nora said.

"Strange. What could have caused it?" Ren asked as he wondered what could have caused it to disappear.

"I don't know. But I have a bad feeling about this." I said.

"What do you mean, Jaune?" Ren asked.

"I have a feeling that you will for yourself later in the day."

"Yes, sir. You start running that ad right away." Eustace said, getting our attention. We turned to him to see him hanging up the phone. But just as he hung up, there was a knock on the door. He got up and went to answer it.

"What's you offer?" Eustace immediately shouted. Going over to him, I got another shock of the day. Standing outside the door was a man with a large red mustache, but standing next to him was Professor Port.

"Hello, Mr. Arc. Good to see you doing well." Professor Port said, smiling.

"Professor Port. What are you doing here?" Ren asked.

"Ah, I see you and Ms. Valkryie have reunited with your Mr. Arc. It's always good to be with your friends. And to answer your question, I am here with my brother, Professor Frith, to retrieve the slab of King Ramses." 

"You see, Eustace. I told you it was stolen." Muriel said to Eustace. 

At this, Courage stood in the center of the group and tried to tell us something about the slab. He transformed into what seemed to be an adventurer who turned invisible, followed by a ship sinking. He then pulled out a replica of the slab before getting on his knees as if begging that they would understand him.

Instead, Muriel seemed confused, while Eustace just laughed at him. Looking towards the others, I saw Ren checking his eyes to see if he was not seeing things, while Nora looked amazed. But what really got my attention was Port seemingly understanding or at least acknowledging what Courage was doing instead of brushing it off like Eustace usually does.

"Ha, Ha, ha. What's your offer?" Eustace asked after laughing at Courage.

"Sir, the Institute for Pharoh is member-supported. But for every million-dollar donation. You'll receive this sporty tote bag with our thanks." Professor Frith answered as he pulled out a tote bag from behind him. And as expected, Eustace tried to slam the door in his face, but Ren managed to catch the door in time. Growling, Eustace stomped back to his chair and pulled out his newspaper.

"Sorry about that. Eustace is exceptionally greedy. But I'll try and find a way to get it from him." I explained.

"That would be much appreciated, Mr. Arc." Port said, smiling.

"Professor. What should we do now? Shouldn't we be going back to Beacon?" Nora asked. But, even though she didn't show it, I could tell she didn't want to leave yet. Fortunately, it seemed Port had picked up on this.

"We are scheduled to leave in a few hours. However, I can make it so that we have to spend the rest of the day here so you two can have some time with Mr. Arc. And that it would also allow me some time to spend with my brother." Port answered.

"YAY!" Nora shouted in joy.

"Thank you, sir." Ren said, smiling, as he also wanted to spend the day here.

"It's no problem. Do enjoy your time here." Port said before turning to Frith. "Come, brother. It's best we take our leave."

"Of course, brother. But also, now that you have some time, you must tell me about your adventures in Vale training new, fresh young minds." Frith asked excitedly.

"I have many stories to share with you if you are willing to share with me some of your stories."

"Of course, I will share them with you. I even have some stories of my adventures in the lost pyramids."

"Excellent. That even reminds me of the time-" Port began, but I closed the door before he could continue. Turning to Ren and Nora, I saw they had similar expressions on their face.

"Professor Frith is certainly Professor Port's brother." Ren said.

"I wonder if his stories are better than Ports?" Nora wondered.

'Either they are the same or worse. Having to listen to both of their stories will certainly be a nightmare.'  I mentally thought with a shiver going down my spine.

"Eustace, we should really give it back, you know." Muriel said.

"Nuh-uh. Finders' keepers." Eustace said as he walked into the kitchen.

"So, what should we do now?" Nora asked.

"How about we go to my room, and we can catch up on everything that has happened." I suggested. Nora and Ren nodded before we headed to my room. 

8:30 P.M.

It was nighttime, and we all were in the living room watching a movie. Well Nora, Muriel, Courahe, I were. Eustace was in his chair, holding onto the slab happily while thinking about all the things he could buy with a million dollars. Ren, on the other hand, was still trying to come to terms with the fact that he had lost against Courage in both chess and cards. 

After we had all caught up, we decided to play some games together. I had lost against Nora in cards but won in chest. Courage then challenged Ren in both, with Ren thinking it would be a relatively easy win. But, while it was true, it was for Courage instead of him. And seeing his shocked face caused Nora and me to laugh. Now, we were watching an adventure movie while having some tea and snacks. But our attention was soon pulled from the movie by Eustace muttering.

"Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich. Fly swatter. Spark plugs. Shovel handle. Razor blade. Light bulb for the attic." He began, saying all the things he would buy with the money as he rocked back and forth.

"He certainly has gone crazy with greed." Nora said in disgust at Eustace.

"That's how he's always been." I said. Nora seemed like she was about to ask something else but couldn't as the sound of the doorknob violently shaking caught our attention and scared Courage.

'OOOHHH!'   Courage shouted in terror as his legs moved back and forth at the speed of light while his fur stood up as if he got electrocuted, which prompted Nora to giggle at how funny he looked.

Eustace got up from his chair to go and answer the door. Curious and concerned, Ren, Nora, Courage, and I walked up to the window to try to see who was knocking. But to our surprise, no one was there. But fear quickly replaced surprise when we realized that a strange, dense fog had surrounded the farm.

"What's going on, Jaune?" Nora asked, curious.

"I'm not sure. But it can't be good." I answered as we tried to find what was causing the fog. But we eventually found it.

"RETURN THE SLAB!"  A strange and terrifying creature demanded.

"What?" Eustace asked, confused.

"Who is that, Jaune?" Nora asked.

"I don't know Nora. But he looks strangely familiar." I answered as I tried to remember why he looked familiar.

"Wait. He's the guy from the slab." Ren suddenly said.

"That's right." I said as I remembered why he looked familiar. But then I realized something. "Courage, didn't you say the figure on the slab disappeared?"

'Yes, the figure disappeared. And now it seems he is here.'  He answered as he bounced up and down in fear.

"RETURN THE SLAB! OR SUFFER MY CURSE!"  The guy threatened.

"What's your offer?" Eustace shouted.

"THIS NIGHT. YOU WILL BE VISITED BY THREE PLAGUES, EACH WORSE THAN THE LAST. RETURN THE SLAB!"  The creature demanded.

"Jaune." Nora said, getting my attention. "Do you think that guy could be King Ramses, as that slab is from King Ramses's tomb?"

"Nora. Don't be ridiculous." Ren told her. But anyone could tell that he was having trouble believing this was happening.

"I think that is King Ramses Nora. And he is demanding that we return the slab or suffer three plagues." I answered.

'What do you think those plagues could be?'  Courage asked.

"I'm not sure, Courage."

"Maybe those other symbols that are on the slab are the plagues he is talking about?" Nora said.

"Nora. You're a genius." I said.

"What are you talking about, Jaune?" Ren asked, confused.

"On the slab, there were four symbols. One was Ramses, and now he is here with the symbol on the slab disappearing. Maybe the other symbols are the plagues. What were they again?"

"Could be. I remember there was a record player and a locust, but I don't remember the third one."

"Do you remember Nora?" I asked.

"No. I remember the bugs and the record player but not the third." She answered. I turned to Courage to ask him, but Eustace stopped me by giving his answer to King Ramses.

"HAH! Nice try, professor." He said before slamming the door shut. "Who's he kidding? I could see the zipper on that cheap dime store costume."

"Does he really think that was the professor?" Nora asked, annoyed.

"Common sense is something people don't have when they are anywhere near as greedy as Eustace is Nora." I answered.

"We can discuss how greed affects someone later. Right now, we need to try and remember what that third plague could be." Ren reminded us.

"Right. Now, what-" I began, but Courage's scream interrupted me.

'OOOHHH!'  Courage screamed.

"What's wrong, Courage?" Nora asked. But before he could say anything, we felt water hit us.

"What?" Ren asked, confused, as it started to rain inside the house.

"Now, I remember. The third symbol was water." Nora said, causing our eyes to widen in fear.

"Courage. Jaune. Did either of you leave the tub running?" Muriel asked.

But before we could answer, water suddenly started gushing from the walls, the grandfather clock, and the moose on the other side of the room. There was so much coming that the water levels quickly reached our knees. 

"UP THE STAIRS." I shouted.

We all moved as fast as we could toward the stairs and climbed them to the second floor. Unfortunately, the water quickly caught up to us and sent us crashing into my room. And in only a few seconds, we were near the ceiling, gasping for air. 

"Eustace. Hold on. Where's Eustace?" Muriel asked, worried. Looking around, I did not see him. 

But then a thought came to my mind about where Eustace could be. Taking a deep breath, I went under the water and saw Eustace in the corner of the room. He was wearing a snorkel and goggles while hugging the tablet. Rolling my eyes, I swam back to the top and caught my breath.

'What do we do?'  Courage asked as he struggled to stay afloat.

"I'm not sure, Courage." I answered before remembering something that could save us. "Wait. The drainage in the basement could drain all the water."

'Good idea. Let's go.'  He said as he dived into the water and began to swim to the basement.

"You guys make sure Muriel is safe. I'll be right back." I said before diving.

In the water again, we began to swim out of the room and down the stairs all the way to the basement. And we would have gotten there quicker, but we had to make some moves to avoid the floating furniture. Once in the basement, we looked around and saw the drain in the middle of the room. Swimming over to it, we tried to unplug it but couldn't, as the water pressure kept it in place. We were about to give up when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I was relieved to see that Nora had followed us. She then moved to grab the plug and pulled it off the drain. All the water in the house immediately went into the drain, with a lot of furniture now covering the center of the basement floor.

"Thanks, Nora. You're the best." I said, smiling as we caught our breaths.

"No problem, Jaune." Nora said as we climbed to our feet.

"AH, COME ON."  The voice of King Ramses echoed throughout the entire house.  "RETURN THE SLAB!"

'Alright. We got rid of one plague; we just need to survive the other two.'  Courage said as he shook himself dry.

"Right. But first, let's check on the others." I said.

Nora and Courage nodded before we rushed back upstairs to my room. Getting there, we saw that the water was gone, but the furniture was all over the place. But that didn't matter, as Muriel and Ren were all right. As for Eustace, well, he was at the window staring down King Ramses.

"WHAT'S YOUR OFFER?" Eustace shouted.

"You okay, Renny?" Nora asked as she went up to him.

"I'm fine, Nora." Ren answered as he straightened himself out.

"Okay, so that was the first plague. And the other symbols were a record player and locusts." I said. "While they are pretty self-explanatory, we need to figure out how Ramses will use them against us."

"Can't we just go out there and beat him, Jaune?" Nora asked as she took out her hammer again. I hesitated as King Ramses seemed like a spirit and didn't have a physical form to hurt. But if it worked, we could end this whole thing early." 

"Sure. Let's try it." I hesitantly said. 

Nora nodded before moving to the window and pushing Eustace out of the way. She then took out Magnhild into its grenade launcher form. Nora then took aim and fired two grenades at Ramses that exploded on contact. However, to our shock and horror, Ramses was unfazed and unharmed by the explosions. 

"Well. That did nothing." I said, trying to see if King Ramses even recognized that we had attacked him. But it didn't seem like it. 

"Yeah. So, what now?" Nora asked. But before we could say anything, the most annoying sound ever assaulted our ears.

The Man in Gauze, The Man in Gauze,

The Man in Gauze!

The Man in Gauze, The Man in Gauze,

King Ramses!

(The Man in Gauze)

"AAAHHHHH!" We all screamed in pain as we covered our ears to try and block out the noise.

"What is that horrible noise?" Ren shouted.

"I don't know, nor do I want to know!" I answered as I kept trying to block out the sound, but it seemed to grow louder with each passing second.

"Where is it coming from?" Nora asked.

King Ramses!

The Man in Gauze, The Man in Gauze,

He's No Santa Claus!

The Man in Gauze, The Man in Gauze,

King Ramses!

The Man in Gauze, The Man in Gauze

He's No...SANTA CLAUS!

"COURAGE! JAUNE! ANYONE! MAKE IT STOP!" Muriel begged.

"Anyone have any idea how we can stop the music?" Nora asked.

'Wait. On the slab, it showed a record player. Maybe that's what's causing this noise?'  Courage suggested.

"Could be. Come on, guys." I told them. Ren and Nora quickly got up and followed Courage and me out of the house.

"So, what are we looking for?" Ren asked as we got outside the house.

"Courage said that a record player could be the cause for the noise." Nora answered.

"Nora. A dog cannot speak." Ren said, but Nora ignored him.

"Let's split up and try to find it." I said.

They nodded, and we each split up to different parts of the area to try and find the source of the noise. Ren went to check the windmill while Nora went to the chicken house. Courage and I went to check Eustace's truck. But none of us found the source. We then returned to the water pump to check there as it was where we found the slab earlier. Yet, it only resulted in the same result. 

"Let's check the basement." I said with Courage nodding. However, as we ran there, we passed by a rock, with the sound seeming to grow louder as we passed it. Curious, we went around and found the source of the music, which turned out to be a record player, exactly like the one on the slab.

"Did you find it yet, Jaune?" Nora asked, slightly scaring us. Turning around, we laughed a bit when we noticed that she was covered in hay and was holding a chicken with another on her head.

"Yes. It was an actual record player, apparently." I answered, moving to the side as Ren arrived.

"Is that the source?" Ren asked.

"Yes."

"CAN I SMASH IT?" Nora excitedly asked as she placed the chickens on the floor.

"Sure." I said, smiling, as I stepped to the side with Courage moving to stand next to me.

"YAY! HAMMER TIME! Nora shouted before pulling out Magnhild again and obliterating the record player.

"Finally, that horrid music stopped." Ren said, relieved.

'Yes, the second plague is gone. Now we all have to worry about the last one.'  Courage said but shivered in fear when we heard Ramses's voice again.

"RETURN THE SLAB!"  Ramses demanded.

"We have to return the slab, Jaune." Ren said.

"Yeah. Let's get back inside and take the slab from Eustace before he does something even more stupid." I said.

"ALL RIGHT. BUT A MILLION IS AS LOW AS I'LL GO!" Eustace shouted from the second floor.

"Like that," I said with a sigh. "Let's head inside now and take it from him."

Nora, Courage, and Ren nodded before we made our way back to the house. But as soon as we reached the door, we heard a loud buzzing sound. Turning around, we saw a massive swarm of Locusts coming towards us. And as they approached the house, they ate everything in their path, including the water pump and Eustace's truck.

'AAAHHHHH!'  Courage screamed.

"LOCUSTS! QUICK INSIDE!" I shouted as I opened the door.

Once everyone was inside, I slammed the door shut. And if my heart weren't racing, I would have slapped myself for how useless locking a door was against something that could eat it in less than a second. After a few seconds, we heard the locusts circling the house. Turning around, we were about to head upstairs but stopped when we saw Muriel running into the kitchen with Eustace standing in the living room.

"RETURN THE SLAB!"  Ramses demanded again as the sound of the locusts grew louder.

"Ren, Nora. Go and check on Muriel. Me and Courage will deal with Eustace." I said. They nodded before running into the kitchen. "Come on, Courage. Let's return the slab."

Courage nodded before diving for the slab, surprising Eustace. I then went in and grabbed the slab myself but found out that Eustace was a bit stronger than he looked.

"LET GO!" Eustace shouted as he tried to pull the slab away from us.

"RETURN THE SLAB!"  Ramses demanded.

Courage and I continued to try and pull the slab away from Eustace, but it was not going well. However, that all changed when the locusts reached the ground floor. And once Eustace saw them, he got scared and let go of the slab.

"RETURN THE SLAB!"

"OKAY! OKAY! You can have it." Eustace said as he backed off.

Gripping the slab tightly, we went to the front of the house and threw it back to Ramses as hard as we could. And as soon as we did that, the locusts disappeared along with the fog.

"That was a close one. Right Courage?" I asked, panting as I observed the damage.  'Damn. This house has been totaled again.'

'Too close.'  Courage agreed before pointing to the kitchen.  'Let's go check on your friends and Muriel.'

"Right." I said as I caught my breath. But before we could leave, the sound of Eustace shouting caught our attention.

"NO! I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT!" Eustace shouted as he ran to the slab.                                 

Curious, we moved to the remains of the house's front wall so we could see what would happen. After a few seconds, Eustace reached the slabbed, kneeled, and pulled it to his chest. But once he did that, Ramses appeared next to him. And while we couldn't hear what he said, Courage and I knew Eustace just mocked King Ramses. And the fact that Ramses summoned the locusts again only reinforced this. After a moment, the locusts disappeared with Eustace and Ramses no longer there. 

'That's what greed gets you. You lousy man.'  I thought as everything returned to normal.

Feeling a tug on my pants, I saw Courage motioning towards the kitchen. Nodding, we went to the kitchen and saw the table and counters filled to the brim with different kinds of food. Muriel was sitting on the chair with her head on the cake in front of her, most likely because her adrenaline wore off.

"Is everyone all right?" I asked as I looked around and saw Nora and Ren both covered in cooking ingredients and flour.

"Yes. We're fine, Jaune. Confused on multiple levels but fine nonetheless." Ren answered as he cleaned himself of the mess.

"What happened to the old man?" Nora asked as she licked her hands that were covered in cake batter.

"His greed got him taken away by Ramses." I answered.

"You get what you deserve. But I have to ask, what will you do

 now that the house is destroyed, Jaune?" Ren asked.

"Don't worry. This house has been through worse and can easily be rebuilt."

"Wait, this has happened before?" Nora asked, worried.

"Not exactly this, but some strange and dangerous things have happened that nearly destroyed the house, but we have managed to fix it."

"So, what now?" Ren asked.

"Let's eat some of this food and then head to bed as it's late. There are some sleeping bags downstairs that we can use."

"I'll help." Nora shouted as she raced downstairs. Smiling, Ren and I went down as well to grab the bags to try and get some sleep, as today was a hell of a day. Yet, it felt nice being able to go through an adventure like this with my friends again.

8:00 A.M.

"It was great seeing you guys again." I said as I watched Nora and Ren get into the cab that would take them to the Nowhere airport, where Professor Port was waiting for them to take them back to Beacon.

"It was great seeing you again, Jaune." Ren said as he shook my hand before getting into the cab.

"Bye Jaune. Hopefully, we'll see each other again soon." Nora said as she hugged me.

"Of course, Nora." I said as she let go of me.

"Oh, that reminds me. Do you have your scroll?"

"Not my old one. But I got a new one recently." I answered as I pulled out the new scroll. She quickly took it and input her number before returning it to me.

"So, we can stay in contact.

"Thanks, Nora."

Nora smiled before getting into the cab as well, with it taking off a second later. After they were out of eyesight, I walked back inside the house. Once inside, I saw Muriel sitting in her chair with Courage on her lap. They were watching a movie, but it suddenly cut to a news report.

'At last, the allegedly cursed slab has been returned to King Ramses Crypt. Where it will remain buried in antiquity for all time.'  Professor Frith announced.

"Oh, I wonder where Eustace is?" Muriel wondered.

'Probably buried with Ramses.'  I thought with a chuckle.

However, I felt a shiver went down my spine when I heard the faint voice of Eustace shouting: WHAT'S YOUR OFFER?! Turning to Courage, I saw that he also heard it. But he ignored and laid back down on Muriel's lap with a smile. Deciding to do the same, I sat in Eustace's chair and watched the movie.

Chapter Text

It was a week since the whole King Ramses Curse incident. Since then, we have rebuilt everything that was destroyed, and everything is back to normal. Well, whatever can be considered 'normal' around here, anyway. And somehow, Eustace was back to normal. While Courage and I didn't know how or why, we figured that Eustace annoyed King Ramses so much that he threw him out of the underworld and back into the realm of the living.

Right now, it was two in the morning, and I had just finished talking with Ren and Nora. Well, mainly Nora, as Ren could never stay up past a certain time without falling asleep suddenly. I did want to talk to Pyrrha, but she was still with her sponsors. Putting my scroll away, I made myself comfy in my bed, closed my eyes, and tried to fall asleep. But as soon as I did, an extremely bright light came through my window, waking me up.

Placing my hand in front of my eyes to block the blinding light, I wonder what the light could have been. I knew it wasn't the sun since it was only two in the morning. Getting up, I headed over to the window and opened it before looking out. 

But it only took me a second to realize that the light was only encompassing the house. Knowing something could happen, I quickly closed the window. And no sooner than I did, I heard Courage scream from downstairs, followed by marbles hitting the floor. By this point, I knew that whenever I heard marbles, there was a high chance that it was only Courage's eyes. 

Worried, I was about to go down and check on him when a shadow passed by me. Turning around, I saw that Muriel was somehow being pulled up to the source of the light, with the light disappearing a second later. Hearing Courage outside, I raced downstairs and exited the house, only to hear Eustace insulting Courage. 

"Stupid dog." Eustace said.

'But, but, but. But it was up there.'  Courage tried to explain what he saw while pointing up to the sky. But Eustace just pushed Courage to the side before returning to his room.

"Courage, did you see the same bright white light I saw just a few minutes ago?" I asked.

'Yeah. And I saw Muriel float from the bed and out the window.'  

"Yeah, I saw her float outside my window and up toward the sky, with the light disappearing a second later."

'What are we going to do? What are we going to do?'

"Calm down, Courage. Let's head back inside and think this through carefully." I said, placing my hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

'Alright.'  Courage said. 

We went back inside the house and went to the master bedroom to make sure Eustace was asleep. But once we got there, we were dumbfounded to see Muriel back in bed sleeping.

'What's that thing on her head?'  I thought as I saw a green helmet with an antenna on top of it.

"You already caused enough trouble today." Eustace suddenly said. Turning to him, I saw that Courage had panicked and tried to get Eustace to notice the helmet, only for Eustace to kick him away. "Don't wake me up again."

Not giving up, Courage then went over to Muriel's side of the bed. Wanting to take a closer look at the helmet, I moved to stand next to Courage and inspected it. I tried to find a logo or brand name to see where it could have come from. Unfortunately, there was nothing there, not even a marking. Taking a step back, I tried to think of who could have done it but came up short.

'Who do you think put the helmet on her Jaune?'  Courage asked.

"I have no idea, Courage. There is nothing that says who placed it there." I answered.

'Well, for now, let's just focus on getting that helmet off her.'  

"Right."

Moving towards Muriel, I looked over the helmet to see if there was some way I could remove it without hurting her. However, that went out the window as Courage gave a tap on the helmet, and the antenna suddenly lit up.

'Crap. What's going to happen now?'  I thought as the antenna started flashing for a moment before staying on. But I got my answer a moment later when Muriel suddenly got out of her bed and exited the room.

'Where's she going?'  Courage wondered.

"Probably to whoever put that helmet on her head. Courage, follow her. I'm going to grab my sword and shield and meet back up with you as quickly as I can."

'Alright.'  Courage said as he ran out of the room to catch up to Muriel.

 I quickly raced back to my room. Reaching under the bed, I pulled out my sword and shield and hooked them to my waist. Grabbing a sweater, as despite what most might think, it can get a bit cold around here at night. Hearing Eustace's truck turn on, I went to the window and saw that Muriel had gotten in the truck and turned it on. Knowing she would be gone in a matter of seconds, I opened the window and jumped out. Once on the ground, I ran to the truck and jumped onto the back, with Courage doing so a second later.

'This is not like her.'  Courage said.

"You're right about that Courage." I said.

'Where do you think they are making her go?'  

"I don't know. Hopefully, to them so we can make them take the helmet off her."

Half an hour later

We had been driving for a while. I even told Courage to get some rest while I kept watch. He seemed hesitant at first but eventually relented. As we continued down the road, I felt my worry continue to grow for Muriel. Hopefully, we can save her soon before anything terrible happens. And when we remove the helmet, hopefully, no damage is left behind.

Ever since Muriel took me in, I began to see her as my new mother. Before her, with the Arc family, I never really knew a warm mother's embrace. All I knew was the harshness of beatings and yellings that I would never amount to anything. But not with Muriel. She always helped me, made sure I was okay, and encouraged me. She is so friendly and always treats me as her own child. 

'Does she see me as her child? I should ask her at some point.'  I wondered.

But before I could go deep into it, a light nearly blinded me. Turning to where it was coming from, I saw that we were nearing what seemed to be a secure military base.

'Best wake up, Courage now.'  I thought as I started to shake him awake.

'Huh? Are we there yet, Jaune?'  He asked as he stretched a bit.

"I think so. And I think we are arriving at a secure military base. And they have lookouts. Get down." I said before pushing him low and lying down next to him.

"HALT! WHO GOES THERE?!" The security guard demanded as we reached the gate.

'Crap, this can go bad really quick.'  I thought as I moved to grab the hilt of my sword. Thankfully, it seemed like I wouldn't need it.

"Oh, it's a sweet old lady." The guard said when he saw Muriel. He then pushed a button to open the gate and allow us access into the base.

'Really. Just like that!'  I mentally shouted at how idiotic the guard was to let a stranger into the base just like that. 

Turning to Courage, I saw that he had the same look of bewilderment at guard as I did. We soon passed by a few buildings before stopping in front of one of them. Standing up, we saw Muriel turn off the truck before getting out. She then walked into the building, with Courage and I getting out of the truck and attempting to follow her inside. But we stopped at the door when we heard two voices arguing. 

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP DOING THAT!" The first voice said. 

Then, to our great confusion, we saw a golden egg roll toward us. Looking to Courage, he nodded at me. Nodding back, we tiptoed to the truck, looked underneath, and saw two ducks with different color eyes arguing with each other. But what caught my immediate attention was the remote they had.

"Oh, you're not the boss of me." The duck with purple eyes countered as he pointed at the other duck.

'Not the strangest sight I have seen. But I bet they are the ones controlling Muriel.'  I thought as I moved myself to lunge and grab the remote from them. But a cough from Courage shifted their attention from each other to us.  'Damn it.'

The ducks quickly fled from underneath the truck, with Courage chasing them. Knowing that Courage was after the remote, they started to pass it back and forth between themselves. Seeing that it would be a bit before Courage caught the remote, I decided to help him out.

"HEY! PUT ME DOWN!" The duck with purple eyes demanded as he struggled to get out of my grip. Ignoring him, I simply grabbed the remote from his hands. "HEY THAT'S OURS!"

"Not anymore." I said. 

Looking over the remote, I began to wonder how they controlled Muriel with only two buttons. But before I could try anything, something hit me in the face. Letting go of the duck, I wiped away the ooze. But when I could see again, I realized that I got hit with an egg. Looking at where it came from, I saw a big pile of eggs next to the duck with green eyes.

"Really." I said as I took out my shield to block more of the eggs thrown at me, unaware that the purple-eyed duck had taken back the remote.

"So, who's complaining now? Huh? Huh?" The green-eyed duck asked as he continued to throw eggs at me.

'This is getting annoying.'  I thought I moved forward with my shield still raised.

"HEY!" Both ducks suddenly yelled. Seeing that I was no longer getting pelted by eggs, I lowered my shield and saw why.

'DO YOU GIVE!? DO YOU GIVE!?'  Courage asked as he continued to slam the ducks' heads together. Not wasting a second, I grabbed the remote from the purple duck's fins. 

"That's enough, Courage. We got the remote now." I said. Once the ducks realized this, they ran away.

'Yeah, that's right! You better run.'

"We got them Courage. No need for taunting." 

'Okay. We got the remote. We just need to figure out how this works.'  Courage said as he took the remote from me and tried to get Muriel to come back to us. But it proved more difficult as the remote had only two buttons.

'How does this thing work?'  I wondered as we continued to press the buttons, hoping that we would get a response we wanted.

'Come on. Come on.'  Courage said as he kept pressing buttons. We continued doing this for what felt like ten minutes until we heard more footsteps coming near us. Looking up, we saw the ducks return with a new remote.

"WE HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT!" The green eye duck declared before pressing a button. I was curious about what he meant but got my answer when Eustace walked forward with a similar helmet on his head.

'AAAHHHH!'  Courage screamed before pressing the right button about a dozen times, only to stop when Muriel suddenly came bursting through the wall. But right before they did, I heard a fight bell ring and a mysterious voice sing.

'Oh, Mama. You know what I want.'  The voice said before the music started playing. As I watched the fight, I was reminded of a game I saw when I was much younger.

'This strangely reminds me of the game Rock-em Sock-em Robots.'  I thought.

"We'll knock her block off." The green-eyed duck taunted.

'You and who else?'  Courage challenged as he continued to basically randomly press the buttons.

'This is going to be a close one. Hopefully, Muriel does not get hurt.'  I thought, worried.

'Yeah, yeah, Right jab. Left hook.'  Courage shouted, acting like he was a couch in an actual boxing ring.

"No. No. Cover his face." The purple-eyed duck said.

"Leave me alone. I know what I am doing." The green-eyed duck said. Yet, we immediately proved him when we caused Eustace's head to go flying into the air.

"Oh, you know what you are doing, hey?" The purple-eyes one mocked.

'Shake it, baby.'  The mysterious voice sang again as the fight resumed after Eustace's head returned to his body with no visible signs of damage. However, it soon stopped when the ducks had Eustace deliver a low blow to Muriel.

'HEY! HEY!'  Courage shouted as we walked over to the ducks.  'Let's have a fair fight. No low blows.'

"Okay, okay. Any other rules?' The ducks asked, annoyed.

'Yeah, for one thing. None of this.'  Courage answered before poking the eyes of both ducks.

"Ouch." Both ducks said in pain.

'And, none of this.'  Courage added before kicking the shin of the purple-eyes duck.

"OW!" The duck shouted in pain as he hopped up and down while holding his shin in pain. Courage turned around and was about to do something to the other duck, but I grabbed him before he could do so.

"That's enough, Courage. Just telling them would be enough." I told him.

"Thanks." The purple-eyed duck said as he rubbed his shin. 

"Anything else you don't want in the fight?" I asked Courage.

'Yeah. No bonks on the head.'  He answered while smirking at the ducks. And it seemed like Courage was about to do it but stopped when I 'gently' bonked him on the head. He let out a groan as we returned to our side of the 'arena.'

'Come on, baby.'  The voice sang as the fight resumed. 

We continued the fight for the next few moments, all the while hoping that we'd win and that Muriel would be okay in the end. However, I had to swallow a lump in my throat when the fight ended in a double K.O. as both Muriel and Eustace's heads flew up into the air. Their bodies then fell to the side with the lights from their helmets turning off.

"OH!" The ducks gasped at what they saw.

'Shit!'  I thought as we ran over to Muriel's side.

Looking her over, it seemed that she was fine except for the extended neck. And hopefully, we can make her head go back down. Moreover, we hope she will remain fine and have no brain damage when we remove the helmet.

"Now, look what you did." The purple-eyed duck yelled at the other one.

"What I did?" The other duck questioned.

"Now, what are we going to do?"

"Why are you asking me?" The other asked, annoyed.

"Oh, so you don't have all the answers, hey?"

"Just leave me alone." The green-eyed one said before crying.

"Stop telling me what to do." The purple one said before crying as well.

"Guys, what's wrong?" I asked, wondering what was causing them to cry.

"It's-It's our brother." The green one answered.

"H-he's in there." The purple one continued.

"Will you stop interrupting me." The green one demanded. "Our brother was captured. And now he's going to get cooked unless we get him out of there."

"And now we'll never get him out."

"We didn't mean to hurt anyone."

"We just wanted to get our brother out."

'Why didn't you just ask for help? ' Courage asked.

"I told you we should have asked for help." The purple one said, turning to the green one. Sensing they were going to argue again, I quickly moved in and wrapped my hands around their beaks to stop them before they could start.

"Can you two stop arguing for a moment." I told them. They looked at each other for a moment before nodding.

"Okay, now what?" The green one asked.

'We'll help you get your brother out.'  Courage answered.

"You two will?" The green one asked, surprised but sounding hopeful.

"Of course. Now, here's the plan." I said.

The ducks came closer along with Courage as I told them my plan about how we were going to get their brother out. It consisted of placing another helmet on Courage, having them control him, and getting their brother out. They agreed and disappeared for a moment before returning with another helmet. They placed it on Courage and turned it. And just like that, Courage was sent in to get the third duck brother out.

'Hopefully, Courage will be alright.'  I thought as I watched him go through the wall of the building.

Ten Minutes later

"I don't know how we can ever thank you both." The green-eyed duck told us. We were on the streets outside the military base. Courage was successful in getting the third duck brother out completely unharmed. And after untying him, we were now being thanked by the duck brothers.

"Me neither." The purple one added.

"I'm so happy, I could..." The third duck brother began but stopped when all three ducks suddenly laid a golden egg.

"All right. Can we just stop doing that?" The green one asked.

"You did it too." The purple one countered.

"I was just overcome. I won't let it happen again."

"Don't try and hide your emotions." The third duck brother told him.

"I'm not hiding anything. I just don't think it's appropriate that duck brothers to lay eggs." The green one said. At that moment, the same bright light from before, which turned out to be their spaceship, appeared above them and slowly pulled them up.

"I don't think it's right for you to judge us."

"Maybe we should have just left you there in the kitchen, huh?" The green one threatened. They would have continued arguing, but they finally entered their ship.

'Do you think they ever stop arguing?'  Courage asked.

"I never had a brother with the Arc family, only sisters. And we argued a lot. I can only assume that it's the same with brothers."

'Oh well. Hopefully, they won't get captured again.'

"Hopefully. But right now, let's get Eustace and Muriel in the truck and back home."

Courage nodded before we went to Muriel and Eustace, placed them in the truck, and drove them home. For a moment, we panicked and nearly stopped the truck when we realized that we had forgotten to ask the duck brothers about how to get their necks to return to normal. Thankfully, they returned to normal after a couple of minutes. About an hour later, we finally made it back to the house. Getting out, we picked up Muriel and Eustace and brought them to their bed. We then covered them with their blankets before Courage jumped onto the bed, and I returned to my room.

8:30 A.M.

I was in Muriel's room, sitting in the chair I brought with me and placed next to her bed. She and Courage were lying down on the bed. Soon, Eustace came over to us and placed a tray filled with food on the bed. He then walked away from us and exited the room through the wall.

"How lovely." Muriel said as she began to eat her breakfast. "Can you believe the treatment we're getting?"

'Uh-Huh.'  Courage agreed. He then moved the tray away a bit before moving the blanket as well.  'Technology.'

'How amazing it is.'  I thought, chuckling a bit while thinking of all the ways we can have fun with the helmet on Eustace.

Chapter Text

I was in my bed trying to get some sleep. For the past few days, I had been beyond restless. And the reason was because I kept wondering what could happen next and if Courage and I could prepare for them. But we didn't know if we could since we'd encountered strange aliens, Bigfoot, a sentient shadow, and a living snowman. 

'Who knows what could be next?'  I thought. 

Before coming to live with the Baggs, I would never have imagined I would have faced any of these creatures. But here I am now. And while I might not be that skilled, I will protect Courage and Muriel in whatever ways I can. 

Turning to my side, I tried to get to sleep but couldn't, as my mind was still alert. Thankfully, after about a half hour, I felt my eyelids start to droop. Unfortunately, the sound of Courage hitting the ceiling hard woke me up. Concerned, I got out of bed and made my down to Muriel's bedroom.

"Stupid dog. What are you doing itching my foot?" Eustace shouted as I entered the room.

"Is everything alright?" I asked.

"My foot! My foot!" Eustace shouted, pointing at his foor.

"What's wrong with your foot?" Muriel asked through a yawn as she woke up. Curious, I walked over to Esuatce and checked his foot. But to my surprise and slight disgust, it was purple with green spores growing on it.

"Looks like a fungus Eustace. Though, I have never seen this kind before." I said, racking my brain, trying to think what could have caused it but came up short.

"Don't worry, you two. I know some family remedies." Muriel said, smiling.

"What kind of remedies, Muriel?" I asked, concerned. While Muriel did have some home remedies that worked wonders, others were questionable, to say the least. 

"Nothing to worry about, Jaune. There just some remedies my family taught me that could get rid of that nasty fungus." She assured me. "But we'll do it in the morning as it's very late. Good night."

"Goon night, Muriel. Good night, Eustace. Good night, Courage." I said.

I was about to exit the room when Courage pulled on my hand. Knowing what he wanted, I picked him up and carried him to my room. Placing the extra pillow on my bed, he dived for it and instantly fell asleep. Smiling, I got into bed as well and tried to fall asleep. Fortunately, it came quickly, and I was soon in dreamland. But a feeling in the back of my mind told me to be prepared for tomorrow as it was going to be tough.

8:30 A.M.

The sun shining through the window woke me and Courage up. Yawning, we stretched a bit before getting out of bed. I then changed out of my pajamas and into some casual clothes. We then headed downstairs to the kitchen to grab something to eat. However, we stopped when we noticed Eustace in his chair with his infected foot resting on a footstool. And we became thoroughly confused when Muriel came with a cactus.

"Morning Jaune. Courage." She said as she knelt in front of Eustace.

"Morning, Muriel. What's with the cactus?" I asked.

"Oh, just the family remedy to cure Eustace's nasty fungus." She answered, smiling. Looking down at his foot, we saw that the fungus had grown bigger.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Eustace screamed, making Courage and I wince. 

Initially, I thought Muriel was going to chop it up and mix the cactus with something else to create a salve of some kind. But no. Muriel started rubbing the cactus against Eustace's foot instead. Needless to say, it was ineffective and painful. And after ten minutes of just continuous screaming from Eustace, Muriel finally stopped.  

'That's going to leave a mark.'  I thought, seeing cactus needles covering Eustace's foot. 

"Oh, well. Don't worry. I know another remedy. Follow me to the kitchen, and we can get started." Muriel said as she got up, put away the cactus, and headed to the kitchen.

'I'm worried what other remedy Muriel has.'  Courage said as we helped Eustace stand up and brought him to the kitchen.

"I'm more worried about the fungus Courage as it does not seem like a normal type of fungus." I said. However, we felt our jaws drop when we saw that the next remedy was a bucket of live lobsters.  'SNAPPING LOBSTERS! HOW IS THAT A FAMILY REMEDY?!'

"Put your foot into this, Eustace." Muriel said with a smile as she placed the bucket before him.

Eustace seemed unsure but did so anyway. And, as we expected, as soon as he put his foot into the bucket, the lobsters snapped onto his foot, causing Eustace to scream. He began flailing his leg to try and get the bucket off his foot. And as funny as the scene was, I moved forward, grabbed the bucket, and removed it from Eustace's foot. Courage then grabbed a knife from the cabinet to remove the remaining lobster still clinging onto Eustace's big toe.

"There is one last remedy I know. Courage, I need your help to make the next remedy. Jaune, be a dear and help Eustace back into the living room and into his chair." Muriel asked before leading Courage to another part of the house. 

Nodding, I helped Eustace and moved him back to his chair in the living room while ignoring his mumblings. A few minutes later, Muriel returned but without Courage. I was about to ask where he was but stopped when I spotted him carrying a bucket full of some kind of horrendous vile that smelled horrible. I think I even saw an eye, some bones, and a wing in it.

'What the hell is that?!'  I thought, covering my nose as the scent made me nauseous. 

Looking towards Eustace, I saw him hesitate for a moment before plunging his foot into the vile. And as soon as he made contact with it, the smell of burning flesh assaulted my nose. Eustace quickly removed his foot, and we saw that it was all red and burnt. I was about to say that the fungus was gone, but it reappeared a second later.

"Oh, dear." Muriel said. "Looks like there's just one thing left to do. And that is to take you to the doctor."

Five Minutes Later

Kitchen

"Ain't going to no doctor." Eustace stubbornly said while crossing his arms.

"You really should, Eustace." Muriel said.

"I ain't going."

"It's as big as a cow. You have to go." Muriel said, pointing to the fungus that was now three times as big as before.

'It's almost three times the original size.'  I thought.

"Make me." Eustace stubbornly said as he looked away.

'He's like a giant baby throwing a temper tantrum.'

"Ah, suit yourself. But I think it's starting to fester." Muriel said, relenting.

"ALL I NEED IS A NAP!" Eustace shouted as he stomped his foot on the floor. And since the foot he stomped with on the floor was the one with the fungus, it made a disgusting squelch sound.

"EW!"  'EW!'  Both Courage and I said simultaneously.

"That man is stubborn." Muriel said as we watched Eustace leave the kitchen. "Ah, well. Jaune Courage. Let's have some breakfast."

"Sure. We'll help." I said, smiling before we all went to work.

One hour later

We had just finished breakfast, and Courage and I were now washing the dishes. Muriel was at the table enjoying a cup of tea while reading a magazine. After a few minutes, we finished washing the dishes and moved to the table. Sitting down, I pulled out some cards so Courage and I could play a quick game before I went outside to train. However, Eustace's scream caught our attention before we could begin.

"Eustace?" Muriel asked, worried.

'Wait. We'll check it out.'  Courage said, stopping Muriel from getting up.  'I must be nuts.'

"Don't worry, Muriel. We'll check on him." I said.  'I must be nuts as well.'

"Thanks, you two." Muriel said before taking a sip of her tea.

Standing up, we ran out of the kitchen and into the living room, wondering what could have caused Eustace to scream. But we were given our answer as soon as we entered the living room. There was a giant purple foot with green spores and faces on each of the toes. And judging by the fact that a couple of teeth shot across the room, I could tell the Courage was both scared and toothless. His moan of pain only confirmed it as well. Looking back at the foot, it took me only a split second to realize that the foot was actually Eustace and that the fungus had overtaken him.

'I knew that fungus wasn't normal.'  I thought as Courage, and I approached the foot, wondering what we could do about it. However, we froze in fear and shock when the foot turned to us and spoke.

"I'm the big toe, see? Yeah, see? And what I saw goes, see? Got me?" The big toe said in a weird mafia-sounding voice.

"Yeah, got it, boss." The three middle toes said in unison.

"See what? See what?" The pinky toe asked, confused.

"See this!" The big toe said before smacking the toe next to him, causing a domino effect, which led to the pinky toe getting hit by the other toes.

"OH! AAAAHHHH!" Muriel screamed from behind us, startling Courage and me.

'Crap. Have to get her out of here.'  I thought. However, before I could have Muriel enter the kitchen, she moved to confront the foot.

"WHERE'S MY EUSTACE!?" She demanded. "What have you done with my Eustace!?"

"Shut up, fat woman. You won't be needing your husband anymore, see? So, listen up." The big toe threatened.

"Yeah, listen up." The middle toes repeated.

"Yeah, listen up." The pinky toe repeated after them.

'They remind me of those cartoons that showed the head mafia man and his idiotic goons.'  I thought, seeing the similarities between the toes and the criminals in the cartoons.

"We're going to pull a heist, see. Yeah, see. It's Sunday, and the banks are closed. So, we knock over a bank." The big toe said.

'Oh, no! Gangsters! Muriel, get away!'  Courage warned. Unfortunately, Muriel did not hear him and said something she should not have said.

"You can't do that. It's against the law." Muriel said. In response, the foot stood on its toe bone, if it had any, and then jumped on top of Muriel. "OW!" 

'Ow. That gotta hurt.' I thought with a wince. We were about to go and rescue Muriel, but the foot stopped us. 

"Okay, dog and kid. It's like this. You drive us to the bank, or the fat lady gets it, see." The big toe threatened.

"Yeah, or the fat lady gets it." The middle toes repeated.

"Yeah, the fat lady gets it." The pinky repeated as well.

'I knew I should have learned how to drive a stick.'  Courage said.

"Courage, I'll bring the truck around front. You make sure they don't squeeze Muriel anymore." I said.

Courage nodded and moved to stand next to the foot while I headed outside to bring the truck to the front. Once there, the foot exited the house and somehow managed to get onto the flatbed while never letting go of Muriel.

Twenty minutes later                                           

We were driving down the road to the bank as fast as the truck could go. But as we approached our destination, we kept thinking about how we would get rid of the foot, bring back Eustace, and save Muriel. After about another twenty minutes, we finally reached the bank. And after we turned off the truck, the big toe stuck its toe/head through the back window.

"Okay, you two. Break into the bank and bring us all the dough, see. Now, see?" The big toe said.

"Alright. We're going." I said as we exited the vehicle.

"Get going, or we'll put the squeeze on the fat lady, see?" The big toe threatened before squeezing Muriel.

"AAAHHHH! Oh!' Muriel screamed in pain before letting out a fart and becoming embarrassed.

'Okay, we're going.'  Courage said as we walked to the bank's entrance.

Once there, we pulled out two black sweaters and beanie hats. We then went up to the door and tried to open it but found it locked. Courage tried to brute force it open but failed as he bounced back. Looking around, I tried to find another way inside the bank. And after a moment, I found one.

"Courage, think we could use this ATM to get inside?" I asked.

'Good idea.'  He answered.

Taking out his wallet, Courage pulled out his credit card and put it in the ATM. He then input his information before asking for a withdrawal. After a moment, the slot at the bottom of the ATM opened up to reveal the cash. Taking his credit card and cash, Courage entered the slot with me right behind him. Although, I tried not to think about why it was big enough for me to enter as it seemed like an obvious design flaw. 

Soon, we were inside the air ducts of the bank. Knowing we needed a bit more light, Courage took out a flashlight, turned it on, and put it in his mouth. For what felt like ten minutes, we traveled through the ducts, taking twists and turns until we made it to where we hoped was the vault. Stopping by a vent, Courage took out a screwdriver and used it to unscrew it before I kicked it off. I then grabbed a rope and tossed one end out while holding onto the other end. Courage then grabbed the rope and slowly exited the vent. And no sooner than he did, I heard him scream.

"What's wrong, Courage? What do you see?" I asked.

'The floor is lava. Literally!'  He answered. Curious, I moved closer and looked outside the vent and saw that he wasn't being metaphorical. The floor really was just a pool of lava.

"What should we do?" As I asked him that, his shoe came off and fell into the lava, where it immediately caught on fire.

'Yipe.'

Courage hummed to try and figure out a way to get past the lava. After a moment, he pulled out a tall glass drink before downing the liquid inside. Once he finished, he flipped it upside down so the ice cubes would fall into the lava. But not even a second later, the ice cubes jumped out of the lava while screaming in pain before running away.

"Um, why did you think that would work, Courage?"

‘I have no idea Jaune.’   Courage sheepishly answered.

I chuckled a bit at that, as I knew I would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed. Courage grinned as well before leaning back and forward to make the rope swing. As soon as he felt he had enough momentum, he let go of the rope and managed to land on the edge of the floor that was not lava. Taking out a stethoscope, he tried to crack open the vault but gave up as he threw the stethoscope away in frustration. He then took out a crowbar and tried to pry it open but failed. 

Frustrated, Courage pulled out a few sticks of dynamite and lit the fuse before placing it on the vault's door. He then motioned for me to lower the rope a bit more so he could get on. I nodded before lowering it just enough for him to grab. Courage then began to climb back to the safety of the vent. But, as if the universe hated us, the vault door opened by itself when Courage was about to get into the duct. 

'Uh-oh.'  Courage said.

Knowing this was going to be painful and not wanting Courage to get hurt, I immediately pulled him up and wrapped myself around him. And just in time, as the fuse reached the dynamite. However, the explosion was far more powerful than Courage and I anticipated, as not only did it blow up the entire bank, but it also sent us flying into the air and landing next to the truck.

"OW!" I groaned in pain. My whole body ached as if I had just gone ten rounds with a pissed-off Yang. "Are you alright, Courage?"

'Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for protecting me from the explosion.'  He answered, smiling, as he helped me into a sitting position.

"No problem." I said through clenched teeth as I patted him on the head.

"Courage. Jaune. Are you two alright?" Muriel asked. But before we could answer, the foot interjected.

"Dumb dog. Dumb kid. You two blew up the money." He said, furious. However, before he could continue, we heard the police sirens getting closer. "Quick, you two. Get us out of here."

Not wasting a second, we got into the truck, turned it on, and fled the scene. And no sooner than we did, the police arrived at the bank. Thankfully, it seemed like they knew they couldn't get anything and drove back the way they came.

'Oh, thank, Oum.'  I thought, sighing in relief.

"Okay, I got another plan, see? Yeah, another plan." The big toe said, slightly startling me.

Ten minutes later

'THIS IS CRAZY!'  I thought as Courage and I stood on the train tracks. While it was already dangerous just standing there, what made the situation worse was that we could see the train coming our way.

'Banana, Jaune? Last meal?  Courage asked, holding a banana.

"Thanks, Courage." I said, taking it and taking a bite.

"Okay, you both stand still, see. And make sure the train stops." The big toe explained.

'Huh?'  Courage asked, confused.

"Or, the fat lady gets it." The foot threatened.

"Yeah, the fat lady gets it." The middle toes repeated.

"Yeah, the fat lady gets it." The pinky repeated after them.

"AAAHHHH!" Muriel screamed but stopped when she let out another fart. "Ooh!"

Soon, the train was seconds away from us. And I could almost hear the reaper patiently waiting for us. However, whatever happened to me did not matter. All that mattered was Muriel's and Courage's safety. Breathing out, I grabbed Courage and tossed him away. But as he flew, he accidentally let go of the banana peel. Closing my eyes, I braced myself for my inevitable fate. But it did not come as the train managed to just a few centimeters from me. Hearing a grunt to my side, I opened my eyes and saw the foot attempt to kick the train onto its side. However, the foot landed on the banana peel, causing him to slide on it and kick the train miles away instead.

"You dumb dog and dumb kid. You both made me kick too hard, see." The big toe yelled.

'I wonder what his next plan is going to be?'  I wondered as Courage whined.

8:00 P.M.

It was nighttime, and we were back at the farmhouse. Courage and I were hiding on the staircase. The foot was in the center of the room, looking at a map as he planned his next crime. Unfortunately, Muriel was still trapped underneath him.

"I've been thinking too small, see." The big toe said, unaware that we were listening in on his plans. "So, now we're going to pull a big job. A real big job. We're going to knock over Florida, see?"

"Yeah, Florida." The middle toes agreed.

"Yeah, Florida." The pinky toe repeated before gaining a confused look on his face. "Where's Florida?"

"But knocking over Florida is against the law, I think?" Muriel said before wondering if that was even a law. 

Now that we knew his plan, I pushed Courage up the stairs to my room. We then went to the computer to see if it could give us any information on how to get rid of the big toe. While this fungus was undoubtedly the first of its kind, I had a strong feeling the computer already knew how to beat it and bring back Eustace. Once in my room, Courage turned on the computer and began typing away.

"A fungus?! Did you two ever think about regular bathing?" The computer sarcastically asked.

"NOT US! THE FARMER!" I shouted, not having the patience for the computer's quips, jokes, and insults.

"I'm not surprised. Well, if you both want a cure, I'm going to need a sample."

'Oh.'  Courage groaned in annoyance and fear.

Knowing what that meant, I went over to my bed and grabbed a fishing line I had recently purchased so I could go fishing in the future. Motioning to Courage, we went back to the steps quietly. Thankfully, the big toe was so preoccupied with his scheme that he didn't hear us. Lowering the line, we managed to have the hook grab onto a spore and pull it off without the big toe noticing anything. Pulling the line back up, we quickly went back to my room. Opening the disk tray, Courage put the spore on it and closed it. The computer then began to analyze it.

"YUCH!! PTOOIE!" The computer said before opening the disk tray and launching the spore out of it before closing the tray again. "NASTY! There's only one cure for that."

"Well, what is it?" I impatiently asked.

"Dog spit and aura together." The computer answered.

'Oh.'  Courage groaned.

"Work up a good drool, baby." The computer taunted. Annoyed, I switched him off before he could say anything else.

"Ready, Courage?" I asked him

'Ready. But I won't like it.'  He answered.

"Me neither. But it's to save Muriel." I said as we exited my room, headed downstairs, and stood behind the big toe. 

'I just know this is going to leave a bad taste in my mouth.' 

Seeing that the big toe was still distracted by his plans, we sprang into action. Courage began to lick him all over the place while I pumped as much aura as I could into him.

"YUCK, YUCK, STOP IT! STOP IT!" The big toe demanded. "Yeah, see? Yeah, see?"

At first, it did not seem like it was working. It seemed more like we were just tickling the guy as he kept laughing uncontrollably. But after a moment, the fungus started to recede, with Eustace's head becoming visible again. After another moment or so, the fungus was finally gone, and Eustace was back.

"Ah, wool socks." Eustace said, disoriented and dazed as he got off of Muriel. Looking at his foot, we saw that it was now normal, with no trace of the fungus to be seen.

"OOH!" Muriel exclaimed as she saw me and Courage fall to the floor. I fell to the floor from exhaustion at having to use that much aura in such a short amount of time, while Courage fell from the taste. She then went and pulled us into a hug and kissed our heads. "Oh, thank you, Courage and Jaune."

'Plack! Ptooie!'  Courage said as he tried to get rid of the taste in his mouth.

Ten Minutes later

Courage and I were in the bathroom. I was washing my hands and face thoroughly to ensure that no remains of the fungus were on them. Meanwhile, Courage was brushing and flossing his teeth to do the same and get rid of the bad breath he got. But as he flossed, we heard a muffled voice that sounded similar to the big toe. We looked at each other in confusion as we wondered where the voice was coming from. But we got our answer when Courage's tongue suddenly shot out of his mouth.

"Yeah, a big heist, see? Okay, listen up. Here's the plan, see? Okay, you two, it's like this. Or the fat lady gets it." The big toe, now on Courage's tongue, threatened.

'Great, not again.'  I thought, annoyed at having to deal with him again. "Come on, Courage, let's go to the computer and find the way to get rid of him."

Chapter Text

Today was a beautiful day. It was the perfect temperature, with barely any clouds in the sky. There was also a nice breeze that kept us cool. Honestly, beautiful might be an understatement. And since Eustace was not here, we decided to enjoy this day and not stay inside. And after discussing it with Courage and Muriel, we decided to go to the park to enjoy the day without any worries.

"Oh, Courage. Jaune. Isn't it grand to feed the birds?" Muriel asked as we fed the birds while Courage nervously stared at them.

"It sure is." I answered, smiling. Honestly, bird feeding was very relaxing and calming. And those sensations were things I rarely felt while with the Arc Family.  'I could definitely get used to this.'

'Birds. I don't like birds. They always make fun of me.'  Courage said as he watched the birds feed.

'NYAH!'  One of the birds mocked by sticking its tongue out and having its wings on the side of its head, proving Courage's point.

'OOOOHHHH!'  Courage shouted before diving inside Muriel's jacket to hide. The birds immediately started laughing at him while I let out a small chuckle. Courage then opened up the jacket a bit to look to see if the birds were still there. But he glared at me when he saw that I was chuckling.

"Isn't this the life? Not a care in the world." Muriel asked, unaware of what had just happened.

"It truly is, Muriel." I answered as I continued to toss some more birdseed to the birds as they had stopped laughing at Courage and resumed feeding.

"Courage. Will you be spending all afternoon in there?" Muriel asked as she opened up her jacket more so she could talk to him directly, earning a nod from him. "Alright. I'll be taking a wee nap. Will you be okay, Jaune?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." I answered. Muriel smiled before leaning back and falling asleep instantly, something I wish I could do. "Courage, I'm going over to the fountain to grab a sip of water. Be back in a few moments."

'Alright. I'll be in here until we leave.'  Courage said before closing the jacket.

Chuckling, I got up from the bench and walked over to the water fountain. As I made my way over, I couldn't help but admire the park's tranquil beauty. But as I looked around, I saw many people around, enjoying the day as well. They ranged from couples to families spending the day together. Yet, despite talking to Ren and Nora regularly since defeating King Ramses, I still would have preferred it if they were here with me in person. 

But I would have preferred it the most if it was Pyrrha. I haven't talked to her since I got kicked out of Beacon. I asked Ren and Nora about her, and they said she is good but still stuck with her sponsors for a while. Thinking about her made me smile as she was not only one of the best friends I had ever made. Yet, that reminded me of someone else who was a good friend. And that was Velvet Scarlatina. We became good friends after I stood up for her after Cardin's bullying got out of hand. And ever since, we hung out from time to time. But I hadn't heard from her or seen her since a few days before I got kicked out as she and her team were out on a mission.

'Maybe one day we can all meet up again and spend the day together. Just hang out and enjoy life. Hopefully, nothing strange happens that day when it comes.'  I thought as I leaned down to take a sip from the water fountain.

Standing back up, I took one last look around and smiled. I was about to turn around and head back but stopped when I heard a gasp and felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I got a shock in the form of both Pyrrha and Velvet standing behind me.

"Velvet? Pyrrha?" I asked, shocked at seeing two of my friends and hoping they were real and not hallucinations. But any doubts went out the window when they smiled, causing me to smile in return. However, the smile quickly changed to a wince of pain when Velvet suddenly kicked me in the shin. "OW!"

"That's for scaring the life out of us." Velvet explained.

"Jaune. We have been so worried for you. Why haven't you answered any of our calls?" Pyrrha asked, upset.

"Sorry. When I got expelled from Beacon, I was so depressed that I threw away my scroll. And I only recently got a new scroll." I explained.

"Either way. I'm just glad that you are okay, Jaune." Pyrrha said as she and Velvet pulled me into a hug.

"We missed you." Velvet added.

"And I missed both of you as well." I said as I returned the hug. We stayed like that for about a good five minutes before letting go. "But I have to ask, what are you two doing here in Nowhere?"

"My flight got diverted to another airport. And then I got on the wrong one and ended up here." Pyrrha answered.

"Basically, the same for me." Velvet answered, blushing from embarrassment.

"Well, it's great to see you both again either way." I said, smiling.

"It's great to see you again as well, Jaune. Is there a spot where we can sit down and catch up?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yeah, tell us what you have been up to since we last saw each other." Velvet added.

"Alright. There's a spot not too far from here where we can sit, rest, and catch up on everything that has happened." I answered.

Pyrrha and Velvet nodded before following me to the bench where Muriel and Courage were. And as I expected, Courage was still hiding in Muriel's jacket, causing me to chuckle a bit. After a few minutes, we came to a small table with seats on both sides for us to sit on. We sat down and began to catch each other up on everything that had happened. I started with how the Bagge family adopted me and ended with all the small things I have done since arriving in Nowhere, like getting a job. But I purposely left out all the encounters Courage and I had as there was no need to worry Pyrrha and Velvet. Well, at least not yet, anyway.

"So, they took you in just like that?" Velvet asked, surprised.

"Yes. Well, Muriel, anyway. Eustace only agreed when he learned I can cook, clean, and fix a truck." I answered.

"That Eustace sounds terrible."

"However, Muriel sounds like a really sweet lady." Pyrrha added.

"She is. Honestly, I can say with certainty that she is the sweetest person alive. On the other hand, Eustace's greed and selfishness rival Jacques Schnee's. It honestly makes you wonder what they saw in each other in the first place." 

"Yeah, but I'm glad you found a new family that took you in after the Arc family disowned you." Velvet said, smiling.

"And I'm glad that you kept up with your training, Jaune. I'm proud of you." Pyrrha added.

"Thanks." I said, smiling.

"So, what should we do now? The next bullhead that would take us back will not be ready until around ten tonight." Pyrrha asked.

"Well, maybe we can-" I began to answer, but a yell of pain caught our attention.

'OW, OW, OW, OW, OW!'  Courage yelled.

"What was that?" Pyrrha asked. 

Instead of answering, I immediately got up and raced towards where the sound came from and was met with the hilarious sight of Courage on a water fountain statue of a Mermaid that had water come out of its hand. However, because Courage landed on the hand, the water now came out of his mouth. Getting closer, I got in the fountain, grabbed Courage, and brought him outside, where he shook himself dry.

"What happened, Courage?" I asked him.

'A FOX JUST STOLE MURIEL AND IS PLANNING ON MAKING A STEW OUT OF HER!'  He answered.

"WAIT, WHAT?!" I shouted, confused and horrified. Turning to where Muriel was napping a few moments ago, I realized that she was no longer there. 

"What's happening, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, startling me.

"And who are you talking to?" Velvet asked, confused.

"I'm talking to Courage here. And he just told me that a fox kidnapped Muriel." I answered, momentarily forgetting that, aside from Nora, only I could understand Courage. 

"Um, are you sure you're alright, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, worried that I had gone insane.

"Do you mean this dog here?" Velvet asked, also worried.

"Yeah, his name is Courage." I answered, with Courage smiling and waving at Pyrrha and Velvet.

'Hello.'  Courage said.

"WAIT! HE CAN TALK!!" Velvet suddenly shouted in shock.

"What do you mean Velvet?" Pyrrha asked.

"I don't know, but somehow, I understood what the dog just said." 

"What did he say?"

"He just said hello."

"But why didn't I hear that?"

"I-I d-don't know. This is a first for me. Do you understand him, Jaune?" Velvet asked.

"Yes, I have been somehow able to understand Courage since I first met him." I answered, causing Velvet and Pyrrha to become shocked again. But before I could assure them that none of us had gone insane, Courage interjected.

'We can explain later. But right now, we have to stop that fox from turning Muriel into a stew.'  Courage impatiently said, worried that the more time we wasted, the further the fox got. 

"Right, what should we do first, Courage?" I asked.

'I don't know what we are going to do but it better be good.'  He answered before dashing off. I was about to follow him, but Pyrrha stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Jaune. What is happening?" She asked, worried.

"A fox kidnaped Muriel. Courage is off to do something, and I am going to help. But I would really appreciate it if you guys helped us." I answered.

"We'd love to help Jaune. But how was Muriel kidnapped by a fox?" Velvet asked, confused. However, this made me realize how hard it would be to explain everything to them, especially since I just learned to go with the flow and not question anything. 

"Just...go along with it. It will never fully make sense, and it will be easier if you just go along with it and don't question anything."

Velvet and Pyrrha looked at each other before nodding. Yet I could tell they were still unsure about everything. But despite that, they were still willing to help. Turning around, we ran in the direction Courage went and saw that he had run into a meat shop and came out a moment later carrying a huge piece of salami. And before we could ask him why he brought the salami, he ran to a nearby bus stop. 

"What does he plan on doing with that salami, Jaune?" Velvet asked, confused and curious.

"No idea, Velvet." I answered as we ran after him. But once we reached him, we saw Courage confronting an orange fox.

'Okay, fox. Where's Muriel?!'  Courage demanded. But instead of answering, the fox shrugged. Courage raised the salami and was about to hit the fox, but I grabbed it before he could do so.

"Hold on, Courage." I said as I took the salami from him before turning to the fox. But I also noticed that Velvet and Pyrrha were looking between me, Courage, and the fox, but primarily the fox, as if surprised to see a fox standing like a person. "Okay, fox, did you take Muriel?" 

Again, the same response.

"Well, then. I guess there's only one way to find out now."

"And what way is that Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, curious. 

Instead of answering, I gave the salami to Courage, who took it and slammed it as hard as he could onto the fox's foot. The fox screamed in pain as he stood on one paw with his fur standing straight as if he was electrocuted, with his tail doing the same. However, it got the desired result as the fox stuck out his tongue to reveal a sleeping Muriel on it.

'Somehow.'  I thought as Courage and I grabbed Muriel and ran away, with Pyrrha and Velvet following soon after, albeit still confused. After a good ten minutes of straight running, we were closing in on a nearby town.

"Um, what just happened?" Velvet asked as we reached the town.

"We just got Muriel back from a fox and are now running away from said fox."

"Well, I can certainly say this is a first for me and Velvet. But you don't seem too fazed by this Jaune." Pyrrha said.

"It's a really long story. But to cut it short, this is the least weird thing I have seen in a while." 

However, this only caused Pyrrha's and Velvet's eyes to widen in shock and concern. I was about to say something to try and reassure them that I was fine. Unfortunately, because I wasn't paying attention to where we were going, I did not see the taxi racing toward us. And because of this, I couldn't react in time when the taxi suddenly stopped and opened its door, causing Courage and me to slam into it. But, for some reason, us hitting the door caused Muriel to fly into the air for a bit.

"I truly thank you." The fox said as he leaned out of the taxi and caught Muriel. He went back in and drove off before Pyrrha or Velvet could react.

'Damn fox.'  I thought as I rubbed my head while Pyrrha and Velvet helped me to my feet. "Thanks."

"No problem, Jaune." They said, smiling.

'Muriel!'  Courage suddenly said. Turning to him, we saw that he was still floating in the air, stuck in the same position he was when he ran into the taxi's door. Curious, Velvet walked up to Courage and 'peeled' him from the air before flicking her wrists, causing Courage to return to normal.

"Are you okay...um... Courage?" Velvet hesitantly asked, still having a hard time believing she could understand Courage.

'Yeah, I'm alright.'  He answered as he rubbed his head.

"Jaune. How did that happen?" Pyrrha asked, curious and confused.

"How did what happen? The fox using the taxi to get us or Courage reinflating?" I asked.

"Both."

"I have no idea. But as I said earlier, this isn't even the strangest thing I have encountered while in Nowhere." 

"You have to tell us everything once we're done here." Velvet said.

"Don't worry. I will, although you two will have a hard time believing it." 

"It can't possibly be any stranger than a fox driving a taxi." Pyrrha said.

'Oh, it's get's a lot stranger than that.'  I thought.

"Anyway. What should we do now? The fox is probably far away by now, and we don't know where he could have gone." Velvet asked.

'I have an idea. Follow me.'  Courage said before leaving.

"What did he say, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked.

"That he has a plan and to follow him." I answered. Pyrrha and Velvet seemed hesitant but followed us a second later.

Ten Minutes Later

'MURIEL!'  Courage shouted as he scanned the area while looking through his binoculars.  'MURIEL!'

We were in a hot air balloon going over the town and the park. Courage was leaning over the edge of the casket, trying to find Muriel and the Fox. But so far, he had no luck. I was tending to the balloon to ensure we stayed up in the air but also to release the air so we could descend once we spotted Muriel or the fox.

'Don't worry, Muriel. We'll find you soon.'  I thought.

"Jaune." Velvet said, getting my attention.

"Yes, Velvet." I said, turning to her.

"What should we do when we spot the fox and Muriel?"

"Well, grab Muriel and fly as far and as fast as possible while being prepared for anything."

"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yes?"

"Have you had encounters like this before?"

"Not with a fox nor something similar to this. But I have faced some strange things since coming to live with the Bagge family."

"Like what?" Velvet asked.

"A living snowman, a fungus that turned out to be a gangster, an undersea she monster. Bigfoot, a chicken from outer space, an undead mummy, a demon in a box. Oh, Courage and I even helped some space ducks save their brother." I answered, smirking at their shocked expressions.

"I-I'm sorry, Jaune. But I don't believe that." Pyrrha said, recovering from her shock.

"Same." Velvet agreed.

"Yeah, we're having a hard time believing this is happening. But a chicken from outer space and a living snowman sounds like something straight out of a cartoon."

"I know you don't believe me. But it did happen, and I have proof. We can go over it after we find Muriel and get away from the fox." I said.

"Alright." They agreed.

'Hey, I found Muriel.'  Courage shouted, getting our attention.

"Where?" I asked, walking over to him.

'There she is.'  Courage answered while pointing at her. Straining my eyes, I saw that the taxi the fox was using had a flat tire, and the fox was now fixing it. And for whatever reason, he decided to do so while holding Muriel.

“Did you find Muriel, Jaune?” Pyrrha asked, moving to stand next to me.

"Yes. We just found her. I'm going to bring us down." I answered.

"And what should we do when we get down there?" Velvet asked. I looked toward Courage, who nodded while smirking.

"We have a plan." I answered as I had the balloon descend toward the fox and Muriel. After a few seconds, we were close enough to where we could hear the fox talking to himself.

'Here we come, Muriel. I hope.'  I thought as we were now only a few feet above the fox.

"Won't take but a moment, my petite sweetie." The fox said to the still-sleeping Muriel. "MMM, MMM. I can taste that granny stew right now." 

As he said this, Courage grabbed Muriel and lifted her into the basket. But while he did this, I gave the fox a giant bomb with a lit fuse, who was still unaware of our presence. I then moved to have the balloon ascend back up and away from the fox. But it was only when we were high enough that the fox finally realized that something was amiss.

"Hey, what's this?" The fox asked, curious as he brought the bomb to his face. But as soon as he did this, the bomb exploded, leaving behind a stick of a head that was covered in soot and dirt. His eyes and lips were now grey, with smoke coming out of his mouth each time he opened it. "Oh my!"

'Now keep your dirty hands to yourself, you filthy fox.'  Courage shouted at him as we flew away from him.

"No need for the insult, Courage. I'm sure he got the message. Not to mention, I doubt he can even hear us now." I said as Pyrrha, Velvet, and I struggled not to laugh. After about ten minutes, I figured we had put enough distance between us and the fox that I could take us down. Once on the ground, we all got out and circled around Muriel, who was still asleep.

'All right, Muriel. Don't worry about that fox. He's way behind.'  Courage said before howling. Yet, Muriel only let out a snore in response.

"How is she still asleep?" Velvet asked, amazed.

"I have no idea. But I wish I could sleep like that." I answered.

"Do you think that fox gave up?" Pyrrha asked.

"Doubt it. He is probably going to try and kidnap Muriel again in some new, unexpected way."

"I know that you're not supposed to laugh at others who are in pain. But you have to admit that the fox's face was pretty funny when he realized he was holding a bomb." Velvet said, chuckling.

"Yeah. It was pretty funny." Pyrrha agreed. "But do you think he will be fine?"

"Yeah, somehow. As weird as it is, no one ever truly gets harmed here outside of some... exceptions. No matter what happens, just give them a few moments, and they will be fine." I answered.

"So, what do you think the fox will try to do next, Jaune?" Velvet asked. I was about to answer when I heard the sound of something big heading our way.

"MOVE!" I shouted and quickly pushed Pyrrha and Velvet out of the way just in time as a steamroller ran over Courage and me.

"HELLO AGAIN." The fox shouted as he grabbed Muriel and drove off with her.

"JAUNE!!!" Velvet and Pyrrha shouted, scared, as they moved to the holes in the ground. But instead of saying anything, I grabbed both of their hands and pulled them into the hole that formed when the steam roller pushed me into the ground.

"Jaune, are you okay?" Pyrrha asked as she looked me over to see if I was hurt, which made me smile.

"I'm fine. My aura protected me from that. Not to mention, if I only got hurt a bit from a bank explosion, then this wasn't much." I said, only for Courage and me to cover our ears from their reaction.

"YOU WERE IN AN EXPLOSION!" They both shouted in shock and fear.

"Yeah. But I'll explain when this is all over."

"You better, Jaune." Pyrrha demanded. Yet, her eyes told me she was scared for me and didn't want me to get hurt.

"I will." I assured her, making her smile.

"Okay. Now, what do we do? The fox has a vehicle and is already a good distance away." Velvet asked.

"Oh, Courage already has that covered." I said, pointing behind me. They looked past me and saw Courage digging in the direction the fox went.

"Um, where did he get the shovel?" Pyrrha asked.

"From his pocket."

"His pocket?" Velvet asked skeptically.

"Yeah. Remember how I said earlier to just go along with whatever you see?"

"Yes." They answered simultaneously.

"Just go along with whatever happens." Velvet and Pyrrha looked at each other before nodding. Smiling, we turned and ran to catch up with Courage, as he was already a good distance away from us.

"I know he is a dog, but how fast can he shovel?" Velvet asked.

"Courage is a dog of many talents." I answered, chuckling at how true it was.

Soon, we reached Courage, who began digging back to the surface. But as soon we reached the surface, we heard the steamroller rapidly approaching.

"How should we stop him this time?" Pyrrha asked. 

'Those rocks will stop him.'  Courage said, pointing to the rocks that were behind a road-closed sign.

"How exactly?" Velvet asked, confused, as Courage moved to grab the sign and place it behind the hole.

"Can someone fill me in?" Pyrrha asked, not understanding what Courage was saying.

"Courage plans on using the rocks over there to stop him." I explained.

"How is that going to stop him? Wouldn't he just move the sign and continue his way?"

"That's where you come in, Pyrrha. As soon as he stops or slows down, use your semblance on the steam roller to prevent him from leaving on it." 

"Alright."

"Okay. You two go behind the rocks while Courage and I will be behind the sign. Once you stop him, Pyrrha, we'll go and tackle him."

"Alright. Just be careful, Jaune." Velvet said before they got up and moved to stand behind the rocks. Once they were there, Courage and I quickly went behind the sign.

'Think this will work, Jaune?'  Courage asked as we heard the steamroller getting closer.

"Nope." I said, bracing myself. However, we relaxed when we didn't hear the steamroller anymore.

"AAAAHHHHHH!" The fox screamed as he sailed above us. And judging by the splashing sound we heard a second later, we knew he must have landed in a nearby body of water.

'What was your friend's semblance again?' Courage asked.

"Polarity." I answered. "Wait. Where's Muriel?"

"Here she is." Pyrrha said as she and Velvet approached us while carrying a sleeping Muriel.

'Oh, thank, Oum.'  I thought, relieved, as they set Muriel next to us.

"Where's the fox? Did you see where he landed?" Velvet asked.

"Nope. But judging by the splashing sound, I'd say he fell into a body of water."

"Well, at least that gives us some time to get away from him." Pyrrha said.

"And find out why he is even after her since he seems like he can buy anything." Velvet said. However, we got our answer right after she said this.

"You're going to be right proud to be in my stew, and I can't wait." We heard the fox say nearby. Turning to where it came from, we saw the fox carrying Muriel away. 

"Okay. How did he do that?" Velvet asked, shocked, looking back and forth between where she and Pyrrha set Muriel down and the fox carrying Muriel. I was about to get up and chase after the fox, but Pyrrha stopped me.

"What's Courage doing?" Pyrrha asked, pointing. Following her gaze, I saw Courage standing next to what looked like a lottery slot machine while wearing a fake hat and mustache. Sensing our gaze, he turned to us, took off his disguise, and gave us a wink.

"I'd say getting Muriel back." I answered, smiling as I knew what Courage was about to do.

"Shouldn't we help him?" Velvet asked.

"No, I know what's about to happen. Just watch, and you'll get a good laugh out of it."

Pyrrha and Velvet seemed confused but agreed to stay and watch it play out. After a moment, the fox saw Courage and approached him. Courage then convinced the fox to try his "luck" on the machine. The fox seemed to brag a bit, although we couldn't hear what he said, as he put a coin in the machine before pulling the lever. The slots started spinning and stopped after a second with the images matching. The fox cheered at his luck but went flying when a giant boxing glove came out of the right slot and hit him in the face. Thankfully, he let go of Muriel as he flew away.

"HAHAHA!" All three of us laughed at what had just happened to the fox. Velvet was leaning on me to keep her balance while Pyrrha had fallen to the floor in laughter. We stayed like that for a few more minutes before we could stop.

"Oh, my. That was really funny." Pyrrha said as she slowly got up.

"That was one of the funniest things I have seen." Velvet agreed.

"Yeah, it is. Anyway, let's go catch up with Courage." I said as I finally stopped laughing.

"Right." Pyrrha and Velvet simultaneously said.

We ran in the direction Courage went with Muriel and soon spotted him by a phone booth. And for some reason, he decided to turn into a giant monster and roar into the phone, startling Pyrrha and Velvet. I quickly explained to them that Courage could shape-shift into different objects and creatures, albeit temporarily. However, as soon as I finished, a cop car arrived and stopped next to Courage. For a moment, I thought that Courage had called the cops or animal control to help with the fox. But we increased our pace when the fox exited the car dressed as a police officer and bashed Courage on the head with the baton. With Courage now dazed, the fox grabbed Muriel and ran away with her.

'Crap.'   I thought as we arrived next to Courage as he recovered.

We then raced after the fox as fast as we could. Soon, we found him in a plane getting ready for take-off with Muriel in the passenger seat, still asleep. Seeing that he was about to take off, I nodded to Pyrrha to have her use her semblance on the plane. But for whatever reason, it didn't work. Pumping some aura into our legs, we ran as fast as we could to try and reach the fox before he left. Unfortunately, he did so the moment we reached him. Not wasting a second, I grabbed Courage and tossed him onto the back of the plane while Velvet, Pyrrha, and I grabbed the tail fins.

'And I hate to fly.'  Courage said as the plane took off and the fox headed toward what we presumed was his home.

"Same here, Courage." I said, trying my best not to vomit.

"What did he say, Velvet?" Pyrrha asked.

"Courage said that he hates to fly." Velvet answered.

"Guess that's another thing he shares with you, Jaune." Pyrrha said with a smirk. I would have rolled my eyes at that, but I was still trying to keep my lunch down. But what the fox said next did help, as it got our immediate attention.

"It won't be long now. MMM, MMMM!" The fox said, almost drooling, possibly thinking about the stew he was going to make out of Muriel.

'HOLD ON MURIEL! WE'RE COMING!'  Courage shouted, getting the fox's attention.

"What?! What is wrong with that dog and those kids?" The fox asked himself, seemingly astounded that we were able to keep up with him. He then turned back to the controls, and I immediately knew what he was about to do.

"HANG ON EVERYBODY!" I shouted, tightening my grip on the fin. 

"What do you mean Jau-AAAAHHHHH!" Velvet began before screaming her lungs out when the fox had the plane perform a barrel roll.

'I did not sign up for this.'  I thought, wiping my mouth after throwing up. Thankfully, none of it hit the others.

"ARE YOU OKAY, JAUNE?" Pyrrha shouted, trying not to scream or fall. But I could only weakly nod my head. Luckily, the fox straightened the plane out soon after.

'Oh, thank Oum.'  I thought.

"They're a hanging-on kinda dog and kids, ain't they?" The fox questioned. He then pulled on the controls and made the plane go 90 degrees.

"AAAAHHHHH!" We all screamed as we struggled to keep our grip. Unfortunately, for Courage and me, we could not as we lost our grip. Courage tried to stay on by biting the fin, but it broke off.

"JAUNE!" Velvet and Pyrrha shouted as we fell. For a moment, I honestly thought that we were going to die. But it seemed like fate had other plans, as the fox had unknowingly circled back and involuntarily saved us. I landed next to Muriel while Courage landed in the pilot seat.

"Go on, make yourself right at home." The fox told us before picking Courage up and strangling him.

"LET HIM GO!" I shouted and smacked the fox on the head with a shovel that I found under the seat, knocking him out momentarily.

'Thanks, Jaune.'  Courage said as he caught his breath.

"No problem. Now, go make sure Muriel is alright while I help Pyrrha and Velvet."

'Got it.'  Courage said before going to Muriel. I then carefully made my way to the plane's tail and helped Velvet and Pyrrha into the seats.

"Thanks, Jaune." Pyrrha said as she caught her breath, glad she was no longer holding on for dear life. However, while Pyrrha seemed mostly fine, Velvet was completely out of it.

"Velvet, are you okay?" I asked, worried. But I leaned back when she answered.

"Okay? Okay? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? FIRST, WE CHASE A FOX ON THE GROUND TO SAVE YOUR NEW MOM, AND NOW WE ARE DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN, ONLY IN A PLANE THIS TIME. WHAT IS THIS, A CARTOON?" Velvet shouted.

"Calm down, Velvet. Take it easy. I promise everything will be okay." I assured her, placing my hands on her shoulder to try and calm her down. 

"Alright, Jaune." Velvet said, taking a few deep breaths to calm down. "Sorry for the outburst. This is just a bit much for me now. Not to mention, I am still having a hard time believing that I can fully understand what Courage says."

"It's fine. Don't worry."

"So, what should we do now?" Pyrrha asked. I was about to answer but stopped when I heard the fox strangling Courage again. We were about to stop him but stopped when the fox suddenly stopped and looked up.

"Hey, sports. Look at this." The fox said, sounding shocked. Looking up, we saw that Muriel had somehow gotten out of her and was now walking along the wings of the plane.

"WAIT! DON'T DO IT! NO DON'T! OOH!" Courage, the fox, and I shouted as Muriel neared the edge. And it seemed like she was about to walk off but stayed there. However, because she was there, the plane started to tilt to the right. Not wasting a second, we got out of our seats and moved to stand on the opposite side of the wings, which leveled out the plane.

"BECAREFUL JAUNE!" Pyrrha and Velvet shouted. Looking over at them, I saw that they were now trying to figure out how to control the plane to make it land. Turning back to Muriel, I saw she was still on the wing's edge.

"HOLD ON! WE'RE COMING FOR YOU!" We all shouted and slowly began to make our way across the wings, only to immediately go back when the plane started to tilt again.

'This is all your fault.'  Courage yelled at the fox.

"My fault?" The fox asked, sounding offended.

"YEAH! YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A STEW OUT OF HER!" I yelled.

"And a right good one, she gonna be." The fox countered as he pushed his finger on my nose. We turned back to Muriel and saw that she had taken a step and fallen off the plane.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" We screamed before kneeling to see if we could spot her. However, to our shock, not only was she still on the plane, but she was sleepwalking on the underside of the plane's wings.

"I knew she was there all along." The fox said, trying to act smug.

'Oh, yeah, yeah.'  Courage said, calling his bluff.

"Sorry to interrupt your arguing." Velvet said, getting our attention. "But how is she doing that?"

"Listen, kids, here in Nowhere, nothing ever makes sense. You best take that to heart unless you want to lose your mind." The fox told them. 

Velvet and Pyrrha seemed like they were about to ask something else but couldn't as an alarm went off. We all turned around and immediately saw the problem.

'Oh, this is going to leave a mark.'  I thought as we rapidly flew to a cliff with no chance to avoid it.

Knowing this, I quickly grabbed Pyrrha and Velvet and brought them close to me. And as soon as we neared the cliff, I tossed them as hard as I could into the air so they wouldn't get hurt. Thankfully, I was successful, as they landed on the cliff unscathed. But just as soon as they landed, the plane crashed into the cliff a second later.

BOOM!

The pain that came from it was intense, and I am pretty sure that if it weren't for my aura, I would have at least several broken bones all over my body.

'Ow.'  I thought as I hung onto the cliff, with Courage hanging on my body. "You okay, Courage?"

'Yeah, I'm alright. How about you?'  Courage asked. I was about to answer but stopped when we heard the fox's voice.

"Ooh, that was some ride. Now, where'd my little old granny go? There she is!" The fox said. Looking up, we saw that the fox was on the cliff's ledge, entirely covered in soot and ash. He then climbed up and walked over to where Muriel probably was.

"Crap. Come on, Courage. We have to save Muriel." I said as I slowly and painfully climbed up the cliff. 

"Hang on, Jaune and Courage." Pyrrha and Velvet suddenly said. Looking up, we saw a rope suddenly tossed down to us. We grabbed it with Pyrrha and Velvet pulling us up to safety. Once we were on the ground, Pyrrha and Velvet pulled me into a hug.

"Thanks for saving us, Jaune. But please don't ever scare us like that again" Pyrrha said.

"Yes. Please don't ever do that again." Velvet said.

"I won't, and thanks for pulling me and Courage up to safety." I said, causing them to smile. However, I immediately began to panic when I remembered the fox now had Muriel. "WAIT! The fox has Muriel. We have to save her. Did you guys see where he went?" 

"Yeah, he went that way. And it seems like Courage is already chasing after him." Velvet answered, pointing to the distance where we could see the fox running. 

Not even giving them a chance to react, I immediately dashed after the fox as fast as I could to try and catch him. Unfortunately, it seemed like I would be unable to reach him. However, that changed when Courage, who was somehow hiding behind a tiny rock, stretched out his leg and tripped the fox. But this caused the fox to let go of Muriel, sending her flying into the air.

"Will someone close the window? It's so drafty." Muriel said as she glided through the air.

"WE GOT YOU MURIEL!" Courage and I shouted as we ran to try and catch Muriel. Unfortunately, because we were focused on her, we did not see where we were going and nearly fell off another cliff.

"Wow, that's a steep drop." I said, looking down and feeling a bit weak in the legs. It was at least a two-kilometer drop.

"Going somewhere?" The fox suddenly said. Turning around, we saw him standing smugly. And before we could react, he pushed us off the cliff. Then, as if fate wanted to rub salt in the wound, Muriel appeared that second, with the fox catching her before leaving. 

"JAUNE!" Pyrrha and Velvet shouted as they leaned over the edge with fear and worry on their faces. Seeing that they were unable to do anything, Velvet and Pyrrha turned to each other and nodded before leaving. While I wasn't sure what was going through their mind, I was sure they were going to chase after the fox.

Ten Minutes later

"Courage, is it just me, or does it feel like we have been falling for quite a while?" I asked. At first, when we began to fall, he was screaming his lungs out with his eyes bloodshot but blue instead of red. But now, he stopped screaming and seemed to be getting impatient with how long it was taking for us to reach the ground.

'I'm pretty sure it's been longer than that. By the way, where did your friends go?'  He asked.

"To chase the fox, presumably. And possibly make him suffer for doing this to us."

'Always nice to have friends that care for you.'  

"True. I'm grateful to have them as my friends."

'AAAHHH!'  Courage suddenly screamed again. 

Confused, I turned to see what caused Courage to scream again. And I got my answer when I saw that we were rapidly falling to an above-ground cave. Knowing this would hurt, I grabbed Courage and pulled him to me so I could protect him. And a second later, we hit and went straight through the cave. But as soon as we did, we saw the fox standing over a giant pot that he was trying to put Muriel into. However, he stopped when he heard us screaming.

"What? Wait! NO! DON'T DO IT! OH! OH! OH!" The fox said right before we crashed into him, forcing him into the pot.

"Ow." I said as I got off Muriel and laid down on the fox's counter while counting my lucky stars that I somehow survived the fall. After a moment, I tried to sit upright, but as soon as I did, I heard the door slam open. Turning to my right, I saw Pyrrha and Velvet run into the room, fuming mad. However, they instantly calmed down when they saw me alive.

"JAUNE!" They shouted as they ran and pulled me into a hug. But as soon as they did this, it somehow woke up Muriel.

"Oh. OH! COURAGE! JAUNE! WHAT AM I DOING HERE?" Muriel asked with a frown. However, that frown changed when she caught a whiff of the air. "What's that delicious smell? Is that Cajun Fox Stew? Jaune, Courage, shall we have some?"

"No, No. Fox Stew is not for you." The fox said, still in the pot.

'No thanks. I had enough Cajun for one day.'  Courage answered, exhausted.

"Same here, Courage." I agreed as my limbs felt like they were filled with lead.

"Jaune! Are you okay? How are you alive?" Pyrrha asked as she inspected me for any injuries.

"It does not matter. All that matters is that he is still with us." Velvet said as she tightened her arms around me.

"Don't worry. I'm not leaving." I assured them.

"You better keep your promise, Jaune." Pyrrha said.

"So, what now?" Velvet asked. "And where is the fox?"

"Oh, the fox is in the pot." I answered as I got off the counter.

"Well, that takes care of him. So, what now? We still have a few hours before we have to head to the airstrip to catch our ride back to Beacon." Pyrrha asked.

"Well, there is still a couple of hours of daylight left. How about we just enjoy the rest of the day together? And I can tell you about those adventures I had while living with the Baggs."

"That would certainly do." Pyrrha and Velvet answered.

After cleaning up the place and ensuring the fox wouldn't be able to steal Muriel again, we headed back to the park. And for the next few hours, we talked about all the adventures I had while occasionally showing any proof I had about said adventures. And I couldn't help but chuckle at some of their expressions, especially the ones when I told them about King Ramses. Unfortunately, as with all good things in life, it soon came to an end as Pyrrha and Velvet had to head to the airstrip. So, we headed back to the nearby town, where I hailed a cab that would take them to the airport and then back to Beacon.

"Well, I can certainly say this has been the strangest day for me, Jaune." Pyrrha said.

"Same here, Jaune." Velvet said before they got into the cab.

"But I can safely say it was also the most fun we had in a while as well." 

"We should do this again sometime, Jaune." 

"Definitely. And maybe, one of these days, all of us can get together and just hang out again." I said.

"Of course. Jaune. I'll call you later when I get back. See you soon." Pyrrha said.

"Bye, Jaune." Velvet said before closing the door with the cab leaving a second later.

"Did you have a good time today, Jaune?" Muriel asked, walking up to me with Courage next to her.

"Yeah, I did." I answered, smiling. Feeling my scroll vibrate, I took it out and saw that Pyrrha and Velvet had messaged me.

"That's grand Jaune. Now, it's best we head home now as it's getting mighty late." Muriel said. Looking at the sky, we noticed that the sun was starting to set.

"Right. Let's head home." I said as we headed back home, all the while happy that I got to see two of my friends again.

Chapter Text

Today was kind of a slow day. We didn't have anything to do today. Currently, Courage, Eustace, and I were in the living room while Muriel was in the kitchen checking the mail. I was sitting down in the center of the room, with Courage on my lap, while scrolling and replying to any messages my friends sent me. We had been talking to each other every chance we got. But it only made me miss them even more, despite seeing them relatively recently. Chuckling, I answered Nora's most recent message about the 'fun' I had while chasing down the Cajun Fox.

"Ugh, ain't nothing on." Eustace complained as he kept flipping through the channels. "Nothing to watch. Nothing."

'I wonder if it would be possible to get channels from Vale here.'  I thought, putting away my scroll.

"I WON! I WON!" Muriel shouted as she came into the living.

"What did you win, Muriel?"

"I won the sitar contest. I get to play my sitar on stage at Radio City Music Hall."

"Congratulations, Muriel. I knew you'd win." I said as Courage and I clapped for her.

'Yes!'  Courage shouted.

"Who cares?" Eustace shouted, earning a glare from Courage and me. "There's nothing to watch."

"Boys, we're going to New York City!" Muriel said, ignoring Eustace.

'Where is that?'  I wondered, as I never heard of New York City before.  'Hopefully, it's not as cold as the Arctic.'

Next Day

New York City

If someone were to ask me to describe New York, I would describe it like this.                  

Loud.

Dirty.

Messy.

Polluted beyond belief. 

And a maze like no other.

Honestly, if we had not gotten that map earlier, I was sure we would have gotten lost within ten minutes. Right now, we are in front of Radio City Music Hall. Looking at the sign above us, I smiled as it welcomed Muriel and announced to everyone about her performance later.

"This ain't no place for me. I belong in my chair." Eustace said, annoyed, as he ate a hot dog. He was about to take another bite but dropped it when someone bumped into him. "Hey!"

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING! YOU FOOL!" The man shouted before walking away.

"Watch where you're going..." Eustace shouted while pointing at his food. "...ya fool."

"You see, Eustace, you're fitting in already." Muriel said.

'How do you like New York Jaune?'  Courage asked.

"I don't like it, Courage." I answered.

'Why?'  

"Honestly, this place just reminds me of the high school the Arc Family sent me to before going to Beacon." 

'Don't be dramatic, Jaune. I'm sure you will like it here by the end of the day.'  

"Maybe. Perhaps I'm just hungry and tired since it was a long trip to get here." I said. Courage smiled at this but quickly turned to confusion. "Courage? What's wrong?"

Instead of answering, he turned around, and we saw another dog behind him. Courage then got on all fours and started sniffing the other dog. But the other dog didn't seem fazed at all by this as he just sat there. Yet, for some reason, I felt like I knew this dog. However, it was when the dog ran up to me and started rubbing himself against me that I remembered who he was.

"Good to see you, Zwei." I said, patting his head.

'You know him Jaune?'  Courage asked.

"Yeah. When I was in Beacon, from time to time, I would dog sit him when Team Rwby was not around or were in class or on a mission." I explained as Zwei circled me.

'Aren't you gonna answer him, Jaune?'

"Wait, he asked me something?" I asked, confused.

'Yeah, he said that those were fun times and asked if you agreed.'  

"It does not surprise me that you can understand him. But anyway, yes, Zwei, those were indeed fun times."

'...boy...Jaune...miss...you.'  Zwei said, catching me off guard.

'Something wrong Jaune? ' Courage asked, concerned when he saw my eyes go wide.

"Yes. Well, uh. I just understood a few words Zwei said. And it seems to be every other word." I answered.

'Not sure if that will make things harder or easier.' 

"Complicated is the word I would use." 

'Wait, you said that Zwei belonged to another team at your old school in Vale?' 

"Yes."

'Then why is he here in New York, and where could this team be?'  Courage asked.

At this, a chill went down my spine, and my face morphed into an expression of fear. Sweat even began to form on my head as to what Zwei being here meant finally processed in my mind. I was about to say something but couldn't as something tackled me from behind.

"JAUNE!" The voice of Ruby shouted as she hugged me. "WE FINALLY FOUND YOU!"

"Hey, Ruby." I said, chuckling, as she helped me up. But, as with Velvet, she kicked me in the shine once I was up. 

"Ow!" I grunted in pain, but my smile did not leave my face.

"That's for scaring me." Ruby said before pulling me into another hug.

"And what's this for?"

"My way of saying sorry for what I said that day." Ruby apologized.

"It's fine, Ruby. It's all in the past. And I understand the reason behind it." I said, smiling, as I patted her head, causing her to blow a raspberry at me. Ruby was about to say something but didn't when we heard a familiar but slightly scary voice. And before I could say anything, my whole world turned upside down.

"RUBY! I THOUGHT WE AGREED TO SURPRISE JAUNE TOGETHER!" Yang shouted, still holding me by my ankle.

Looking 'up,' I saw that Yang's eyes were basically blood red, and her hair was on fire. But, for some reason, I didn't sense any malice behind them. Hearing some mumbling from behind us, I turned as much as I could and saw Blake and Weiss looking over a map. And from what I could hear, it seemed they were lost and trying to find a way back to wherever they came from recently.

"Sorry, Yang. I just got so excited that I couldn't contain myself." Ruby said.

'This is definitely a sharp contrast to when they learned about my forged transcripts.'  I thought, trying not to lose focus from all the blood rushing into my head.

"Still. All that time we spent rehearsing down the drain." Yang said, annoyed. But she became confused when she felt someone tapping her leg. Looking down, she raised an eyebrow when she saw Courage pointing at me. Blinking, Yang looked back at me and realized I was close to blacking out. "Oops. Sorry, Jaune."

"I-It's fine, Yang." I said as Yang helped me to my feet.

'You okay Jaune?'

"I'm fine, Courage." I answered before turning to Yang, who looked slightly guilty. Turning to look at Weiss and Blake, they also seemed slightly guilty. "Uh. Not to sound harsh or anything, but why are you all here? And how are you all here?"

"Well. That is a bit of an answer." Weiss said before coughing to clear her throat.

"Why?"

"Well, first off, we wanted to say sorry, Jaune, for what we said on that day. We didn't really mean any of it." Blake said.

"We even had this whole thing we were going to do to surprise you the next time we saw you. That is until someone decided to mess it up." Yang said, glaring at Ruby. She sighed before turning back to me. "But Blake's right. We're sorry for what we said, Jaune."

"We are all really sorry, Ar-Jaune." Weiss said, surprising me.

'Why did she--wait. Maybe Nora told them, or they overheard.'  I thought before sighing. "I know. It was the heat of the moment. And I can tell you are all sorry. But it still stings what you all said."

"We know. We can't take back what we said." Ruby began.

"But that doesn't mean we can't make it up to you." Blake finished before quickly adding. "If you would let us, that is."

"It's going to be a bit before I forgive you guys entirely since it really stung. But I guess I can let you guys make it up to me. Just don't go over the top, especially since I don't know the laws here." 

"Deal." Yang said.

"Thanks, Jaune." The others said, smiling.

"But. And you don't have to answer if you don't want to." Yang began.

"What is it?"

"Is it true about the Arc Family?" 

"Yes." I said, sighing.

"And are the rumors true that the Arc Family does... horrible things to their kids?" Weiss asked.

"I heard the rumors. And they are true. But some don't come close to how brutal they actually are." 

"And is it true that they... disown anyone who doesn't meet their standards?" Blake asked.

"Yes, well, at least for me, anyway. I'm not sure about others since they never allowed me to ask any questions." 

"We're sorry you had to go through that, Jaune." Ruby said, hugging me with Yang pulling me into a much tighter one. 

"Yeah. No one deserves to go through all that." Yang added.

"Thanks." I said.

"Jaune." Blake said.

"Yes?"

"This might not be the best time to ask, but do you have a place to stay since that happened?"

"Surprisingly, yes. I got adopted."

"Adopted?" Weiss asked, surprised.

"By who?" Ruby asked, curious.

"Them. Well, mostly her." I answered, pointing to Muriel.

"Are they nice, Jaune?" Yang asked, sounding oddly protective.

"Well, Muriel is nice. Even nicer and sweeter than you, Ruby, believe it or not. As for the man next to her, Eustace, well, let's just say his greed and meanness rivals that of Weiss's father."

"You're not exaggerating, Jaune, right?" Weiss asked, torn between feeling annoyed and worried.

"I am not exaggerating. Let me give you an example."

"Alright. What is it?"

"There was this... guy attacking a pawn shop. And despite the place getting robbed at gunpoint, Eustace would not leave his spot until he got his money for what he was trading. And he got hurt badly but cheered that he got his money in the end." 

"Wow." Team Rwby said, shocked.

"Yeah." I said, scratching my head. "Anyway. Why are you all here in... New York again?"

"We were coming back from a supervised mission. But due to seating problems, which we know is a straight-up lie, we had to take another bullhead. And call it what you will, but the people that work there sent us here by mistake. Then, after a big fuss, we finally got a way back home. But it's at another airport and much later. We tried getting directions but got lost quite easily." Weiss answered.

"We also tried getting a cab, but they didn't accept our lein for some reason." Blake added.

"That sucks. And yeah. Here, they use a different currency called the dollar. And none of them recognize lien as an official currency or even knows it exists." I said.

"That explains a lot." Yang said, sighing. "Anyway. Why are you doing here, Jaune?" 

"I'm here to watch Muriel perform. She won a contest and now gets to perform here." 

"OOH! Can we watch?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"Sure. It's open to everyone." 

"While a break sounds heavenly right about now, I think it would be for the best if we continue trying to find the airport." Blake said, trying not to crumple up the map.

"Aw." Ruby whined.

'Eh, your loss.'  Courage said, with me agreeing, as Muriel's music is beautiful. But we did become confused and worried when Blake suddenly froze.

"Did-did that dog just talk?" Blake asked with wide eyes. And almost instantly, an Idea formed in my head to have a little fun.

"Um. Is that your dog, Jaune? And why is he pink?" Yang asked, curious.

 "It's a bit of a story. But to put it short, he's the family dog, but we treat him like a member of the family. And that's just how he naturally looks." I answered as I scratched Courage behind his ears. I then turned to Blake. "No, he can't speak, Blake."

'Yeah. I can't speak.'  Courage said, chuckling.

"You got a dog, Jaune!? Now Zwei can have a friend." Ruby said as she picked up Courage and hugged him. Thankfully, because Ruby wasn't as strong as Nora, his eyes stayed inside his head this time. "Wait, have you seen Zwei, Jaune? We lost him a few minutes ago, and no one wanted to help us find him."

"Yeah. He's right here." I answered, stepping to the side to reveal Zwei, who was scratching his ear with his leg. Ruby immediately raced over and hugged him.

'That's nice.'  Courage said, smiling as Zwei licked Ruby's face.

"There. Courage spoke again." Blake said, pointing at Courage.

"Are you alright, Blake? You know dogs can't talk." I said with fake concern while trying my best to keep myself from chuckling while Courage smiled.

"Don't mess with me, Jaune. Did that dog just talk?" Blake asked through narrow eyes.

"Wow Blake. I knew you weren't fond of dogs, but to go and say they can talk is something else." At this, Blake actually hissed at me, which was enough to make me lose control and laugh along with Courage.

'Yeah. Maybe she is not feeling well.'  Courage said.

"Maybe you're not feeling well, Blake."

"I feel fine." Blake said through gritted teeth.

"I agree with Jaune, Blake. I don't think you are feeling well, as a dog cannot speak." Weiss said.

"Jaune. Can Courage actually speak, or is Blake losing her mind?" Yang asked, unsure if we were playing a prank or if Courage could actually talk.

"It's a bit of a long story, which I will explain later if we have time. But in the meantime, want to help us mess with Blake. All you have to do is go along with it." I whispered, causing Yang to smirk.

"Oh, you know I can't pass up a chance to mess with our Kitty Kat. But I expect a full explanation later." Yang said, chuckling. Blake seemed like she was about to say something but stopped when Muriel interjected.

"I see you met up with some of your old friends, Jaune. Isn't that nice?" Muriel said, smiling.

"Yes, it is." I said, smiling. Even though we still had to work out this rough patch, I was still glad we could consider each other friends. Although, I'm not sure about Blake when we stop messing with her.

"What are your names?"

"I'm Yang Xiao Long." 

"I'm Ruby." 

'... Zwei.'

"And this cute guy is called Zwei." Ruby said, hugging Zwei.

"My name is Weiss Schnee." Weiss said with a slight nod.

"And I'm Blake." Blake said, still glaring at Courage and me.

"Such lovely names. You can call me Muriel." Muriel said before turning to me. "You know, Jaune. I didn't know you knew so many pretty girls."

"And I'm glad to have them as my friends." I said, smiling, earning a smile from the others. However, what Muriel said next caught us off guard entirely. 

"Are any of you, by chance, his girlfriend?"

This caused a heavy blush to form on my face. Ruby let out a gag at hearing this. Weiss stuttered a bit before regaining her composure and saying she only saw me as a good friend. Yang made a similar gagging sound like Ruby. But unlike Ruby, it was more of one that siblings would make to each other. And Blake remained silent, yet she rolled her eyes. But their silence was enough of an answer for Murel.

"Oh, that's too bad. Jaune is such a lovely young fellow, and I'm pretty sure he would make any girl feel special and lucky." Muriel said, causing me to blush even more. "Now, Jaune. Be a dear and help us find the entrance to the place." 

"Okay, Muriel." I said.

"Pssst! Pssst!" A new voice said, getting our attention. We all looked around for the source before settling on something... unexpected.

"Um, is that a giant cockroach? And how is it able to talk?" Yang asked, confused, pointing to a giant cockroach standing next to the building as if trying not to be seen.

"I wish I brought my bug spray now." Blake said, annoyed. 

"The show don't go on for hours. But I can get you in real quick like." The cockroach said as he approached us. But once he reached us, Courage screamed in terror while his hair stood up as if electrocuted. This caught Team Rwby's immediate attention.

"Jaune. Did Courage really just do that?" Weiss asked, confused and shocked.

"Yup. And just for future reference, don't try to make sense of everything you see here if you want to keep your sanity. That will make more sense as the day progresses." I answered. They seemed a bit concerned but nodded anyway.

"There it is." Muriel said, pointing to the side entrance that the cockroach was also pointing to. "Now, aren't you glad I won the contest?"

"Who cares?" Eustace complained.

"That doesn't seem shady at all." Yang whispered, to which we agreed.

"You won a contest? Then you can enter the special artist entrance." The cockroach said, feigning amazement.

'NO!'  Courage shouted, trying to get Muriel and Eustace not to go through the door.

"I ain't going through no door; I don't know what's on the other side." Eustace said.

'Wow, for once, he actually uses common sense.' I  thought, amazed.

"I got hotdogs." The cockroach said.

"Works for me." Eustace agreed.

"Wow. I thought you were just kidding, Jaune. But damn." Yang said.

"I can now see why you said that, Jaune." Weiss said.

"Jaune. You think this is safe?" Ruby asked, worried. 

"No. I don't trust this at all." I answered.

"Then don't you think we should warn them?" Blake asked.

"Eustace would just ignore us. And Muriel is too pure to see that something has evil intentions. She would just think we are either not behaving, making things up, or overthinking things." 

"Do you think you would need some help, Jaune?" Yang asked.

"I would appreciate it." I said, smiling, as we followed Muriel, Eustace, and the cockroach inside. But before I could do so, Blae pulled me to the side. Turning to her, I saw that she was glaring at me.

"Jaune. Before we go in, I need to know. Can Courage actually talk or not?" Blake hissed at me. 

"Of course not." I answered with a smirk before entering the building and running to catch up with the others. I heard Blake huff before doing the same. After a few seconds, we reached the others who were waiting for us in an elevator. Once we were inside, the cockroach closed the door and pulled a lever. The elevator dinged to life before descending. 

"How exciting. I love show business." Muriel said.

"By the way, name's Bushwick, but call me Shwick. Just Shwick. Don't ever call me Bushwick. Just Shwick." The cockroach, now known as Shwick, said as he pulled down one of his antennas and started biting it.

"Where are you from?"

"Bushwick. You can call that Bushwick. But not me. Me, you call Shwick, just Shwick.” 

"So, your parents named you after where you were born?" Blake asked, staying as far away from him as possible, which wasn't much.

"Don't know. If you ever seen them, you can ask them."

After that, we entered a tense silence. The elevator continued its way down. And honestly, it made us wonder how deep we were going as it seemed like we passed one hundred floors already. Yet, it did not seem like we were going to stop anytime soon. Thankfully, after a few minutes, we finally stopped, with the doors opening a moment later. We exited the elevator, walked down the dark hallway, and were soon in front of a room with a sign on it.

'Danger! Beware! Skull and crossbones! What happened in there?'  I mentally panicked at seeing the sign. And I could tell that Team Rwby and Zwei were equally as worried. 

'What...there...Jaune?'  Zwei asked. Thankfully, even though I only understood three words he said, I got what he was asking.

"I don't know Zwei. And I'm not looking forward to finding out what it is." 

"Um, Jaune. Why are you talking like that to Zwei?" Yang asked. But I couldn't tell if she was actually asking or going along with the plan to mess with Blake. Yet, whatever it might be, Blake still glared at me.

"Just making sure Blake doesn't think she is going crazy in thinking that dogs can talk." I answered. I could almost hear Blake's blood boiling and had to restrain myself from laughing.

"This over here is the rehearsal room." Bushwick said as he pointed to the room. But he quickly flipped the sign when Courage started muttering, trying to get Muriel to notice it. Unfortunately, while she did notice it, it was only until after Shwick flipped it. Now it read:  'Rehearsal room. Don't be afraid.'

"Such a warm welcome." Muriel said, oblivious.

"Why did you flip the sign, Shwick?" Weiss questioned, glaring at him while gripping the hilt of Myrtenaster.

"We have that sign on the other side when we are cleaning the room. Just cleaning. But now it's clean, so I flipped the sign." He answered.

"Uh-huh." We said, not convinced.

Shwick then opened the door and ushered us into the room. But once inside, I nearly had a heart attack while Courage, Zwei, and Team Rwby froze. The room looked like a torture room in a dungeon. There were bones all over the place, the walls had holes, and the wallpaper was peeling off. But it was the shackles on the other side of the room that sent chills down my spine. However, what caught our attention and curiosity was the tiny door that seemed to be for a mouse with a giant lock on it. The only 'normal' thing here was the table and chair, couch, chair, and TV. There was only one window. But what scared me was the fact that 'help!' was written on the window.

"What is this? A prison?" Wiess asked, nearly yelling.

"Homey." Muriel said, looking around and somehow not seeing all the red flags.

"Where's the hot dogs?" Eustace asked, already impatient.

"Is he always like this?" Yang asked.

"Not always. Only about ninety-nine percent of the time." I answered.

"Damn."

"So, this here is the rehearsal room. You can rehearse.  Just  rehearse." Shwick said as he ran to the window and tried to wipe away the writing.

"This is just fine." Muriel said, smiling.

"If you're dead." Eustace said, looking around. And as I expected, he smiled when he saw the TV. "Hey! A TV. You got a remote?"

"2000 channels." Shwick said after he wrestled the remote from a human skeleton that I somehow missed that was sitting on the couch chair. But the skeleton is now in pieces on the floor as Shwick threw it to the ground. "Go ahead. Knock yourself out."

“Make that hotdog a footlong.” Eustace said as he sat on the chair and started flipping through all the channels.

"I better get practicing for the big show tonight." Muriel said as she took out her sitar, sat in a corner, and began practicing. Courage and I were about to go to her, but Shwick stopped us when he placed his 'hands' on our shoulders.

"Listen. I got an errand that needs some running. And I can't leave the premises because I got sweeping to do. Go to that address. There'll be a package waiting there. You bring that package back to me by curtain time, or it's curtains for the sitar lady." Shwick warned as he gave us a sealed letter.

'What on Remnant could he want?'  I thought as I looked over the address before realizing I had no idea where it was.

"You see that door. You wanna know what's behind that door? You don't wanna know what's behind that door. You see these bones. You wanna know what made these bones? You don't wanna know what made these bones." Shwick said, pointing to the bones surrounding the small door that had growling coming from behind it.

'Guess we don't have a choice then if we want to keep Muriel safe.'

"I'm sending your kid and dog out for some coffee." Shwick lied to Muriel, who was too busy practicing her sitar to notice our conversation. "GO! And no cops."

We immediately dashed outside the room and down the hall to a door with an exit sign. We quickly opened the door, went up the stairs on the other side, and somehow, we were outside again. I took out the letter Shwick gave us and reviewed the address again. 

"Any ideas how to get there, Courage?" I asked.

'Hey, don't look at me. This is my first time here as well.'  He answered with a shrug.

"Well, we have to think of something fast; otherwise, Muriel is in trouble." I said as I began to pace around.

"I want to say we could hail a cab, but we don't have the money for it." Weiss said, giving Courage and me a slight scare.

"Okay, anyone else confused how it was just one flight up the stairs yet took about twenty minutes to get down to the room with the elevator?" Yang asked, confused.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked.

"Helping you, of course. We're not going to let you go out there alone." Ruby answered, smiling.

"Thanks." I said, smiling. "We just need to find this place quick."

"What do you think was behind that door, Jaune?" Blake asked, concerned.

"Not sure, nor do I want to know. Also, where's Zwei?" I asked.

"He's with your folks. I told him to stand guard." Ruby answered.

'Any idea's where to start Jaune?'  Courage asked.

"No clue, Courage. Perhaps asking some directions." I answered.

"I am not going crazy. Courage is talking, Jaune." Blake said, glaring at us.

"No, he's not." I said, smirking, causing her eye to twitch.

"Directions would be a good place to start." Weiss said while looking over at Blake in concern.

"Okay, we just need to find someone who might know this place." I said.

"Need some help?" A voice suddenly said next to us. Turning around, we saw a tall, imposing policeman with a bright orange mustache. 

'AAAAHHHHH!'  Courage screamed before dashing away in a random direction.

"Courage!" I shouted as I chased after him.

"Wait up, Jaune." Yang shouted as Team Rwby began chasing after us.

Courage ran for about a good ten minutes before finally stopping. And once he did, we noticed that we were in a park. And if we weren't chasing after him, I would have asked why it suddenly turned nighttime despite it not even being five o'clock yet. We continued running to reach Courage, but as soon as we were close, he jumped into a wagon that was owned by two hellish and creepy-looking creatures. But I paid little mind to them as I jumped in after Courage, soon followed by Team Rwby. Yet, as soon as we were all in, the carriage took off. 

"Nice going, you two. Now we don't know where we will end up." Weiss said, annoyed.

'Sorry.'  Courage said.

"Sorry. But I'm not leaving Courage's side." I said.

"You and Courage are awfully close, Jaune." Yang said.

"Honestly, Courage is something like a brother to me. We've been through a lot together. And he has always been there for me. And I for him." 

"Aww." Ruby said, smiling.

"But now, Courage, who can talk, got us into this creepy-looking carriage." Blake said through narrow eyes.

'Hey, I got scared; give me a break.'  Courage said.

"Yeah, Blake, lighten up on him. Maybe you're just angry because you're not feeling well, especially since you think dogs can talk." I said, causing Blake to huff. 

"Okay, so as soon as we get off the carriage, we need to ask for directions to find the correct place." Wiess said. But as soon as she said that, the carriage hit a bump, causing us to fly out of it.

"OW!" We groaned when he hit the cold, hard ground.

"Is everyone all right?" I asked as I helped Courage up.

'I'm fine, Jaune.'  Courage answered as he rubbed his head.

"We're fine, Jaune. We've been through way worse." Yang answered.

"The dog is talking again." Blake said, annoyed.

"Okay, Blake. When we get back to Beacon, I'm taking you to Peach to have her check you out, as you're clearly not okay. Dogs can't talk." Yang said while throwing me a wink.

"Okay, so where are we now?" Ruby asked, getting our attention.

"We are at..." I began, turning to the nearby red, abandoned-looking building, and saw that we were actually at the correct address. "...the correct place."

"Really?" Weiss asked, surprised as she looked at the address on the letter. "Wow. What are the odds?"

"Well then, what are we waiting for." Yang asked as she walked up to the building. We followed her and saw that she was about to knock but stopped when she saw the condemned sign on the door.

"Wait. Are you sure this is the right place, Jaune?" Ruby asked. I was about to show her the address on the letter but stopped dead when the door slowly, creepily, opened by itself.

"I guess that's your answer." I said, taking a step back.

We went inside the building with the door closing behind us by itself. Knowing we had to get whatever Shwick sent us to get, we continued forward to try and find the correct door. But the sense of dread slowly grew as we noticed that the inside was in shambles, as if no one ever cared for it. 

The lighting gave off an eerie red color. All the doors, for some reason, were boarded up, and we could hear arguing coming from behind each one. We eventually came to the end of the hallway to a door that was not boarded up.

"Who would let people live in a place like this? I'm sure any kingdom back home would take notice and do something about this." Weiss asked, noticing how some walls looked like they would come crumbling down with one good hit.

"Different area, different way of living is all I can come up with, Weiss." I said.

"So, who's going to knock?" Ruby asked.

'I will open it.'  Courage answered.

"I am not crazy. Courage is talking, and I can understand him." Blake suddenly said.

"Sure, you can, Blake." I said, internally chuckling when I saw ears twitch.

"Let's see what's behind door number one." Yang said as she opened. But as soon as she did, we got the scare of a lifetime. 

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" We all screamed at the top of our lungs at what we saw. Behind the door was a three-headed hydra shooting lightning out of its mouth while people we could not see screamed. Courage and I immediately slammed the door shut and braced ourselves against it, with Yang helping us ensure it wouldn't open again.

"WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?" Ruby shouted.

"DID ANYONE ELSE SEE THAT?" Weiss asked, scared but uncertain if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

"You mean a giant hydra attacking a city that was somehow behind this door? Then yes. We all saw that." Yang answered as she tried to calm herself down.

"Not this door. Next door then." I said as we raced up the stairs. "Okay, let's try this one."

'Who's going to open the door this time since it's not going to be me?'  Courage asked once we noticed the 'Not Welcome' doormat.

"Anyone want to open up this door?" I asked.

"I will." Weiss hesitantly answered. She opened the door, and we got another hell of a shock.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" We all screamed again before shutting down quickly again. This time, all of us bracing ourselves against the door to keep it shut.

"WHAT THE HELL IS AN OCEAN AND A GREAT WHITE SHARK DOING BEHIND THIS DOOR!" Blake shouted.

"Let's not question it and go to the next door." I said. Everyone nodded as we went up the stairs to see another door that wasn't boarded up.

'I just know something bad is going to happen.'  Courage said anxiously.

"Seriously, is no one going to address the fact that Courage can speak like us." Blake nearly shouted in frustration.

"Should we tell her or not yet?" Yang whispered to me.

"Not yet. But soon." I answered.

"Just open the door." Blake said, losing her remaining patience. Courage nodded and braced himself before opening the door. And we were not expecting what was in the room.

"What?" Ruby asked, confused, as inside the room was a girl playing the violin. From what we could see, she seemed to be around our age or slightly younger.

"Well, I'd rather take this than whatever was in the other two rooms." Yang said as we listened to the girl play some nice music.

"And the music is quite nice as well." Weiss said.

"Okay, I doubt what we need is here, so let's close the door and-" Blake began but got cut off when the most horrifying thing happened. 

The violin girl stopped playing music and turned around to face us. And her face is the stuff of nightmares. Her eyes were bloodshot and popping in and out of her head. Her hair went straight to the sides and started moving up and down like clay. Her face seemed to turn to clay as well. She also stuck out her tongue and moved it like a snake. Yet, while all this was happening, the violin girl was roaring at us like some kind of demonic monster.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" We all screamed before slamming the door shut.

"What the hell!?" Yang screamed, shocked, confused, and horrified.

"Stand back, everyone." Weiss suddenly said. We turned to her and saw that she had some ice dust. We quickly did so, and as soon as we were clear, she used the dust to create an ice barrier on the door so it couldn't be opened again.

"This place is crazy!" Ruby said as she tried to calm her racing heart.

"Let's just get what we need and leave." I said as we climbed the last flight of stairs. But we noticed that there was only one door on this floor. However, what caught our attention was the fact that the door was metal as opposed to the other ones, which were made out of wood. Although, we felt slightly insulted by the sign on the door.

"Package is here, stoopid. Really?" Weiss asked, stupefied at the sign.

"I feel like whoever is behind this door knew we would open the other doors first." I said.

"Maybe. But who's going to open this door? And what do you think is behind this door?" Yang asked, slightly nervous. I was about to answer, but Courage knocked on the door before I could do so. The door quickly opened, with Courage getting sucked into the room not even a split second later.

"COURAGE!" I shouted. I was about to try and open the door but nearly got smacked in the face when whoever grabbed Courage opened and pushed Courage out. And in his hands was a black package with chains wrapped around it. "Courage, are you okay?"

'Yeah, I'm fine.'  He answered as he struggled to calm himself down.

"I AM NOT GOING CRAZY! COUrAGE CAN TALK LIKE US! WHY IS NO ONE BELIEVING ME!?" Blake screamed, with her hands on her head, as if she was ready to pull out her hair. That was too much for Yang, Courage, and me as we let out our laughter. 

"What's so funny?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't take it anymore." I answered.

"Can't take what anymore?" Blake asked.

"Alright. Explanation time." I said, wiping a tear from my eye. "Blake is not losing her mind. She is actually understanding what Courage is saying."

"Wait, Blake can understand Courage?" Ruby asked, shocked.

"How?" Weiss asked.

"I honestly don't fully understand it myself. Courage can speak, just not like we do. I can understand what he is saying. And so can Velvet. Nora, too, for some reason." 

"Do you know how or why?" Yang asked, curious.

"Nope. At first, I thought I was going crazy. Then Nora and Ren found me. And Nora could understand him while Ren couldn't."

"What about Pyrrha and Velvet?" Blake asked.

"Pyrrha couldn't understand Courage. But Velvet could."

"Maybe it's a faunus thing, and you are the exception." Weiss said.

"Maybe. And I guess we say that Nora can understand him because she is slightly eccentric." 

"Perhaps." 

"Either way. At least you all know I am not crazy." Blake said before turning to me and growling. "But I WILL GET YOU BACK FOR THIS, JAUNE! MARK MY WORDS!"

"I know." I said, chuckling. But we went stiff when we heard growling. 

"I think we may have overstayed our welcome." Yang said, feeling the building shake slightly.

"Yeah. Now we just need to find a way back." Ruby said.

"But, uh, how are we going to get back?" Weiss asked as they looked at me.

"Hey, don't look at me. This is my first time here." I said.

'Actually, whatever was in that room gave me instructions on how to get back.'  Courage said.

"That's convenient." I said as I took the package from him.

"What is?" Weiss asked.

"Courage said that whatever was in that room told him how to get back to Radio City Music Hall." I answered.

"Okay then. Let's go. I want to leave this place as quickly as I can as I feel like it's not done with us." Yang said as she looked around when she realized the sound of arguing from earlier suddenly stopped.

"Good call." I said. We all rushed down the stairs and eventually exited the building. But as we did so, we noticed that the door that had the violin girl suddenly disappeared, causing us to get even more spooked.

'The things we do for love.'  Courage said as we caught our breath from across the street.

"So, how do we get back, um, Courage?" Weiss asked, having a hard time believing that Courage could understand her and that some of us could understand him.

'They said there is a train station nearby that would take us directly to where we need to go. But it will take a bit.'  He answered. Weiss, Yang, and Ruby seemed confused and turned toward me, causing me to sigh.

"There is a train nearby that would take us back." I translated.

The others nodded before we followed Courage toward the train station. After a good five minutes, we reached the stairs that led to an underground train station. And man, did it smell bad. Not to mention, it was confusing as heck to get around. Luckily, Weiss spotted a map nearby that told us where to go to get on the correct train. We then moved through this maze and eventually found the right platform. And just in time, too, as the train just arrived at the station. We entered it and took our seats. But we took the seats furthest from the sleeping giraffe.

"So, it's just a straight shot from here to the place?" Ruby asked.

"That's what they told Courage." I answered.

"Um, guys. We may have some trouble with that." Blake said, getting our attention.

"What do you mean, Blake?" Yang asked.

"Seems the package we are delivering is illegal." She answered as she held up a newspaper and showed us the front, where it read that the evil package was still at large, followed by an image of it. 

"That's going to make this more difficult." I said, as we now have to hide it from the authorities. Thankfully, none were here with us. However, that changed when the cop from before got on. "Like that."

"Hmmm." The cop said, eyeing us. Looking over to Courage, I saw that he had eaten the tag that was apparently there all this time that I somehow had not seen before.

'Quick, follow me.'  Courage said as he got up, opened the train car door, and moved to the next car.

Nodding, we followed him while trying to act as inconspicuous as possible. Unfortunately, this only caused the cop to follow us. Soon, we came to the front car where the driver was. But that did not matter as we had suddenly lost Courage.

"Where did he go?" Weiss asked as we looked around but didn't see him. It was like he vanished into thin air.

"You don't think he abandoned us, Jaune?" Ruby asked.

"No, he wouldn't." I answered as we continued to look around. But we stopped when we heard the door open. Looking behind us, we saw the cop slowly approaching us. But just as he reached us, the train stopped as it came into another station, with the doors opening a second later.

*{Whistles}*  Courage whistled as he appeared suddenly from the vertical bar passengers used to keep upright. He was also holding a giant donut and waving it in the air as if you were giving a treat to a dog.

"Courage, that won't-" I began only to shut my mouth when suddenly, the cop got on his hands and feet and began to bark and act like a dog. Courage then tossed the donut out the doors into the station, with the cop following it. The doors closed as soon as he left, with the train moving forward again.

'You were saying?'  Courage said as he sat back down. I just shook my head at him while smiling.

"That was just mean, demoralizing, and stereotypical. But it worked this time, so I'm not going to complain. Not to mention, that was the least weird thing I have seen today." Weiss said, surprised at what she had just seen.

"Let's not overthink it, Weiss. Let's just be glad he is gone for the moment." I said as I sat down on the seat next to Courage.

"Vomit boy is right. Let's not overthink it, Weiss, and just enjoy the rest of the ride." Yang said as she sat down next to me. 

"Right." Weiss said as she gave in and sat down as well.

"So, Jaune, you seem a bit more accepting of everything that has happened. Why is that?" Blake asked.

"Long story. But this is not the first weird adventure I had. Not the weirdest or most dangerous, but it is up there." I answered.

"What kind of adventures Jaune?" Ruby excitedly asked. I chuckled at her excitement and was about to answer but couldn't as we heard the sound of a window being lowered. Turning to where it came from, we saw the cop from before climbing back on. His mouth was now white from the donut's frosting. 

"Move." I whispered. We got up and moved to the front of the car, only to be reminded that we were already at the front of the train. 

"Now, what, Jaune?" Weiss asked.

"ITS THE EVIL PACKAGE! AAAAAHHHHH!" A voice suddenly screamed. We turned and realized that the train operator had seen the package and jumped out through the window.

"DID HE JUST ABANDON THE TRAIN!?" Blake shouted as Courage entered the operator room and jumped onto the seat.

"Courage, what are you doing?" I asked, confused. But before he could answer, the cop had reached us.

"Okay, let's see your license and registration." The cop demanded, surprising us, as we did not look like train operators. However, Courage jumped down and began to try and tell the cop that the actual operator had abandoned the train. And it seems like the cop understood him somewhat as he looked back into the room. "Hmmm. There's no driver. RUNAWAY TRAIN!"

"Looks like it's up to us." I said. They nodded before we all squeezed into the operator's room while Courage placed the package on the chair and got on it. Yet, as I looked over the controls, I realized they were far more complex than I could have imagined. 

"Weiss. Do you have any idea on how to stop this train?" Yang asked.

"Of course not. I was never taught this. And even if I were, I would not know where to start. This seems to be a new type of train!" Weiss said.

"Well, we have to try something." Blake said, annoyed yet with growing fear at what could happen if we don't stop this train.

"How about this?" Ruby asked as she pressed a button on the console.

"Ruby, don't-" Weiss began but stopped when a voice from the speaker came on.

'Welcome to the nuclear-powered computerized bullet train.'

"WAIT! THIS TRAIN IS NUCLEAR!" Weiss shouted, paling. We were about to ask her what nuclear meant, but the speaker cut us off.

'Sit back. Relax. And--'  The voice began in a neutral tone before shifting to a yelling panicked one.  'HANG ON FOR YOUR LIFE!'

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" We all screamed in terror at what the voice just said. Courage even began to move back and forth a handle, hoping that something would happen.

"HANG ON EVERYBODY!" I shouted as I held onto the chair.

Blake, Ruby, Yang, and Weiss huddle together while holding onto whatever they can to stay upright. The cop outside the room was still screaming. Soon, the train seemed to slow down for a moment, and I thought that Courage or someone had found the right way to slow this train down. Unfortunately, that was not the case as it turned out the train had gone off the tracks. 

We all held onto each other to ensure none of us went flying or got hit by something. I grabbed onto Courage and pulled him close to protect him. And, had we not been screaming for our lives, we would have noticed that the train had changed course and was now heading straight to the surface.

A moment later, we encountered an even nastier bump that nearly sent us to the ceiling. Chancing my luck, I looked up through the front window and saw that we had reached our destination but not in the way we wanted. And by that, I mean we're quite literally going through Radio City Music Hall. I continued to hold onto Courage as tight as I could, but another nasty bump caused me to lose my grip on the chair and send us up into the chair and to the back of the train.

"JAUNE!" The others shouted when they saw Courage and me get sent flying to the back of the train. After a few minutes, the train finally stopped as we hit the train's back door, with the gift hitting our heads a second later.

"RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL. LAST STOP."  The p.a. system said as the train's door collapsed, allowing us to exit the train. 

"You okay, Courage?" I asked as we got to our feet.

'Yeah, just winded. You?'  He answered.

"Same." I answered as I stretched my back and could hear a few bones pop, followed by a few cracks, which relieved me of some of the pain.

"Courage. Jaune. You both made it back just in time for my performance." Muriel said, not at all fazed that the train had almost hit her.

'Your...Jaune... okay? Where....others?'  Zwei asked, walking up to us. But before we could answer, Shwick came up to us and took the package. He then opened it and pulled out a busted-looking squeegee. And had I not been out of breath, I would have cursed up a storm.

"We're fine, Zwei. The others are fine as well. But they are still at the front of the train." I answered. However, we snapped our attention back to Shwick when he growled.

"You two broke my squeegee. Now it's curtains for the sitar lady. Nobody double-crosses Shwick." Shwick said, throwing down the squeegee before heading to the mouse door and removing the lock.

"OH!" Muriel suddenly exclaimed as Courage picked her up. 

Knowing what was about to happen, I immediately picked up Zwei and followed Courage through the busted-up train to escape an angry Shwick. And had it been any other situation, I would have laughed at the irony of the scenario, as it's generally people who chase cockroaches and not the other way around. Soon, we reached the middle train car, and I was relieved to see that Team Rwby was fine. They seem a bit shaken up but fine nonetheless.

"Jaune, you're okay! And you have Zwei!" Ruby shouted when she spotted us.

I would have answered if we had time. But since we were being chased by an overgrown cockroach, we ran past them. After a few seconds, we reached the front train car, where the door had also fallen off. However, once we exited the train, we noticed that we were now in the theater where everyone was waiting for Muriel to play. Not even a second later, a spotlight came over us. Courage lowered Muriel as I moved back while still holding Zwei. Muriel then sat down and began to play her music, and it seemed like the crowd loved it as they immediately started cheering for her.

But it was only a few seconds later that Shwick finally caught up to us. Yet, as soon as he got off the train, the curtains went up to reveal a line of dances. But what stood out most and gave us a bit of a surprise was the fact that the same cop from before was there dancing as well.

"I SAID NO COPS!" Shwick yelled, only to go flying a second later when the cop kicked him while wearing a giant red heel, sending him into a giant tuba.

"Looks like we finally got ya, Bushwick." The cop said to him.

"SHWICK! SHWICK! IT'S JUST SHWICK!" Shwick yelled, but it was hard to take him seriously. Turning back to Muriel, we watched her continue with her performance.

"Jaune! You're okay!" Ruby shouted as she raced to me and hugged me.

"I'm fine, Ruby. But how about the rest of you?" I asked.

"We're fine, Jaune. We've been through worse." Blake answered as the rest of Team Rwby approached.

"Granted, nowhere near as crazy or weird as this." Weiss added.

"I take it that you four girls are Team Rwby." The cop suddenly said.

"Yes, sir. We are."

"How do you know that?" Blake asked, curious.

"Your teacher, Professor Port, who is my brother, contacted me and asked me to be on the lookout for you four. He is afraid you might be lost. He also told me to guide you all to the nearest airport to send you back to school." The cop answered.

"We would appreciate your help." Weiss said, not surprised the cop was Port's brother after everything she had just gone through.

"I'll take you back after the show, as I need to take Bushwick to jail now." The cop said before turning around, lifting the tuba, and exiting the building.

"So, what now?" Yang asked.

"How about we just enjoy the show." I answered. They looked at each other before nodding, and we all went to the side to continue watching Muriel play.

Three hours later

"Do you think you will be fine, Jaune?" Ruby asked. The show had finished, and the cop had returned to take them to the airport.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, Ruby. Don't worry." I answered as we hugged each other. We let go after a second before entering the cop car.

"It was good to see you again, Jaune. I do hope you take care of yourself." Weiss said as we shook hands.

"Thanks, Weiss. Same to you." I said before she got in the car.

"That was certainly a fun time Jaune. We have to do it again sometime." Yang said as she walked up to me.

"Definitely." I agreed. She then wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug before letting go and joining the others.

"While this was fun to an extent, Jaune, don't think I forgot about what you and Courage did. I will get my revenge." Blake warned.

"Sure. Anyways, it was nice seeing you, Blake." I said, chuckling.

"Same." Blake said, smiling, before getting in the car. Feeling a paw on my leg, I looked down and saw Zwei trying to get my attention.

'Nice...again...Jaune. See...soon.'  Zwei said as he rubbed his head against my leg.

"See you, Zwei. Take care of them, you hear." I said as I rubbed his head. He nodded before getting in the car. The cop then closed the door before getting in and driving to the airport.

"Did you enjoy your time with your friends Jaune?" Muriel asked, coming up behind me.

"Yeah, I did." I answered, smiling.

"Marvelous. Let's go home." She said before turning around and heading for the exit. I smiled and followed her with Courage walking next to me. But as we did, a thought came to mind. It was about what Muriel asked Team Rwby earlier: whether any of them were my girlfriends.

'Will I ever have a girlfriend? Maybe soon. Who knows?'  I thought we headed to the train station, forgetting Eustace entirely. Little did I know that the answer would soon come.

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful day today. I had off from work at Charlie's Diner. Muriel was inside making dinner while Eustace was asleep in his chair. Yet, I was still trying to understand how he was... alive and back to normal since a rat had eaten him alive last week when we were in New York. Currently, Courage and I were beside the chicken coup. I was listening to some music from my scroll while replying to the messages that Pyrrha and Velvet had sent me. After learning what happened last week, they became worried and messaged me constantly. Nora and Ren were also worried, although it was mostly Ren as Nora was excited and asked me if I needed her to break someone's legs. 

Team Rwby was another story, though. Blake kept asking me about the fishing spot and what kind of fish there was. Weiss only gave the occasional greeting, while Ruby was adamant about knowing all the adventures I had since moving here. Yang was asking when we could meet up again.

'I'm glad we are all friends again.'  I thought as I put away my scroll while leaving the music on. Looking to my side, I chuckled at seeing Courage licking and chewing on a ridiculously large bone. Raising my hand, I started scratching his ear. Leaning back against the chicken coup, I closed my eyes and tried to take a nap. However, the sound of thunder and lightning caused me to jolt upright. Looking toward the sky, I became confused when I saw that it was clear. 

'Huh?'  Courage asked, confused, as he looked up from his bone. Looking down at him, I noticed that Courage was staring off into the distance. 

'What the?'  I thought, confused.

Following Courage's gaze, I saw what I could confidently say was the least strangest thing I have seen since coming to Nowhere. Standing about twenty feet from us was a dark-skinned lady wearing a pure white toga. But I could not tell where it was from. She had orange hair, blue eyes, green lipstick, and black and gold boots. But what stood out the most was the fact that an actual cloud was hovering above her head. Heavy rain was coming from the cloud, along with thunder and lightning. Yet, despite this, the lady still seems perfectly dry. However, I could put my full attention on the cloud as the lady's beauty captured my attention. 

'She is beautiful.'  I thought as I stared at her like a fool in love. But I snapped out of it when I realized that she was crying.  'Why is she crying? I wonder what happened that caused her to be upset. Maybe I could help?' 

I was about to get up and ask her if she was okay. But before I could do so, she spotted us and stopped crying. She then jumped in joy before running toward us. And for some reason, the cloud spun in a circle before following her. Hearing a crunch next to me, I looked down and saw that Courage had bitten through his bone in fear. He then got up and tried to run back to the house. That was enough to snap me back to focus. I quickly got up and moved in between Courage and the lady.

"Can I help you?" I asked her as she neared me.

But instead of answering, she ran past me. I tried grabbing her, but the storm sent a lightning bolt my way, which electrocuted me for a solid five seconds. Thankfully, my aura protected me from any severe damage. 

It still hurt, though.

'Ow.'  I thought as I lay on the ground in pain.

'AAAAAHHHHHH!'  Courage screamed when the lady caught and picked him up. Briefly, I thought she was going to hurt him. Thankfully, that was not the case, as she only cuddled Courage before spinning around with him.

"Sweet doggy." The lady said as she placed Courage on the ground. But as she did this, I noticed that the cloud had ceased raining. Not only that, it had gotten significantly smaller. 

'Maybe it's tied with her emotions.'  I thought as I got up and approached her. "Excuse me, miss." 

"Oh, hello. I didn't see you there. Is this your dog?" The lady asked, turning to me with a smile. 

"Yes and no. He's the family dog."

"He's such a nice dog." She said as she reached into a pocket and pulled out a ball. She then threw the ball on the ground, where it rolled a bit. "Fetch the ball, you precious creature. Go ahead."

"Courage isn't the type of dog to fetch, miss... um... what's your name?" I asked, curious.

"Oh, that's too bad. Either way, people have come to know me as the Storm Goddess. But you can call me Iris."

"That is a beautiful name. I'm Jaune." 

Iris smiled a beautiful smile before turning back to Courage, where she continued trying to get him to fetch the ball. Meanwhile, Courage seemed genuinely confused about the whole thing. I was about to ask her to stop but couldn't when I heard the house door open. Turning around, I saw Muriel heading toward us. 

"Courage, Jaune. You made a friend." Muriel said as she arrived. Courage rapidly shook his head while Iris clasped her hands together with a smile on her face. "Would you care to join us for a cup of tea?"

"I'd love to." Iris cheerfully said. But before my brain could even process my next action, I held out my hand for her. She seemed a bit surprised at this, as evidenced by her blushing face. Yet, she took my hand and allowed me to help her up. "Thanks."

"N-no problem." I said, blushing.

Hearing Courage muttering, I turned and saw him running toward Muriel. He then tried to warn Muriel that Iris could be a potential danger. Courage even turned into a storm that struck a miniature me to prove his point. But like usual, it flew right above Muriel's head. Then, either not noticing or paying attention to what Courage just did, Iris followed Muriel into the house with the cloud close behind. 

'AAAAWWWWWOOOOO!'  Courage screamed.

"Everything alright, Courage?" I asked, walking to stand beside him.

'I don't have a good feeling about this, Jaune.' 

"Are you sure, Courage? I mean, the storm above Iris's head is weird and dangerous. Not to mention the fact that she ran to you while her cloud electrocuted me is a bit concerning to an extent. But Iris seems to be nice and friendly." I said as we looked through the screen part of the door and saw Muriel guiding Iris to the dining room.

'Oh, yeah, have the lovestruck person take her side.'  Courage said, annoyed, as he rolled his eyes.

"What? I'm not lovestruck." I said, surprised as I felt my cheeks heat up.

'Come on, Jaune. I saw how you were looking at her. Clearly, you fancy her.'  

"Okay, I will admit she is quite beautiful. But I would not say that I'm lovestruck."

'You sure about that, Jaune? She could be another siren like that lady from the puddle we faced a while ago.'  I sighed at this, as I knew he had a point. 

"All right, Courage. While I still won't say that I am lovestruck, you do make a good point. While I doubt Iris is a siren, we should keep an eye on her." 

'Yes. Thanks, Jaune.'  He said, smiling as he jumped in joy.

"No problem, Courage. Come on. Let's head inside since they are probably waiting for us." I said, patting his head. 

Nodding, we headed inside and went to the kitchen, where we saw Iris and Muriel having some tea. Figuring we could use some as well, I poured myself and Courage a cup before sitting down. 

"No, Muriel, the life of a goddess isn't always so heavenly." Iris said, frowning as she rested her arms on the table.

"I suppose being a goddess isn't easy." Muriel said as she attempted to pour herself some more tea. However, it proved challenging because of the fierce winds that came from the cloud above Iris's head.

'Looks like I was right. It is connected to her emotions.'  I thought as I held onto the table. "So, you're an actual goddess?"

"Yes. I'm the goddess of storms, Jaune." Iris answered, chuckling. "It really isn't that easy. But it's made even worse that I lost my precious dog, Duncan."

"Oh, my. I know just how you feel. If I ever lost Courage, I don't know what I do." Muriel said, not liking that thought. I had to agree with her as I saw Courage as the brother I always wanted. I honestly don't know what I would do if we lost him.

"Actually, your dog reminds me of Duncan." Iris said, pointing to Courage. She then pulled out a heart-shaped picture frame from... somewhere. And inside it was a picture of another pink dog. "Isn't the resemblance uncanny?"

'Aside from the color and maybe the big tongue, not really.'  I thought as we looked at the photo. Aside from a few shared traits like the colour of their fur, Courage and the dog looked nothing alike.

"Oh, yes. They look exactly alike." Muriel said, smiling as she handed Iris back the picture. Yet, as she did so, I could not help but wonder if she was just being nice or genuinely believed that Courage looked similar to the dog in the photo.

"I miss him so much." Iris said as she took back the photo and hugged it. But as she did so, thunder and lightning came from the cloud above her. The winds soon started to pick up and eventually became strong enough to open and shut the cabinets while sending pots and pans flying around the kitchen.

"My, we're getting a nice breeze today. Jaune, be a dear and close the window." Muriel asked, completely unaware that the storm was actually inside the house. Sighing, I got up and went to close the window. However, I tensed up when I heard Muriel suddenly gasp. 

I quickly turned around and saw that Muriel was standing up in shock. Looking past her, I noticed that Iris had also gotten up and was now cuddling Courage. The storm had picked up and was now threatening to send heavier objects like the fridge around the room. Soon, the wind launched the table into the wall, with the chairs suspended in the air. Knowing they could hurt someone, I grabbed all of them and placed them in the next room. However, that was much easier said than done, as I nearly took off with them a few times. But I managed to do it. Now, we just had to deal with Iris. Unfortunately, it seems like Muriel might escalate the situation even more.

"So, where will you be looking for your dog, then?" Muriel demanded, hands on her hips. Meanwhile, Courage was trying to escape Iri's grip but failed.

"You wouldn't mind if I take Courage out for some air, would you?" Iris asked as she continued to cuddle Courage. She then headed to the door while Courage panicked. He tried to escape by hanging on the wall, only to rip the wallpaper. Iris opened the door and exited the house with her storm following her and closing the door a second later. And once it was gone, everything immediately calmed down.

"Well, actually, I would... mind." Muriel began, only to realize they already left.

"Don't worry, Muriel. I will keep an eye on Courage." I said as I helped her up.

"Thanks, Jaune. But be careful." Muriel said as she fixed her hair.

"Don't worry. I will." I said before running out of the house and chasing after Iris and Courage.

8:00 P.M.

We were currently sitting in the dining room having spaghetti and meatballs. However, no one except Eustace was actually eating. We were all carefully watching Iris, who was staring intently at Courage. After the kitchen incident earlier, I had kept an eye on Iris to make sure nothing bad happened. While I still did not believe she had any ill intentions, I did not want to take any chances, especially since she showed so much interest in Courage. Honestly, it almost seemed like she might run off with him at any moment. Thankfully, all Iris did was play fetch with Courage. But I still felt like she might try to do so at any moment. That's why I'm still keeping a close eye on her. And no, it's not because I'm lovestruck by her.

"Good doggy, sweet doggy!" Iris said as she rubbed Courage's arm. Glancing over at Muriel, I saw her cross her angrily cross her arms. She did not like all the time Iris was spending with Courage. 

'Crap, this is going to reach a melting point soon. Better do something quick.'  I thought as I could feel the tension building. And that was besides the fact that the storm sounded like a hurricane.

"Lousy dog, sitting at the table." Eustace complained with a full mouth.

"Don't be bashful, Courage." Muriel said when she saw Courage about to get down from his seat. "After all, when supper's over, your friend will be leaving, and you will never see her again."

'Damn, that was mean. She must really not like Iris right now,'  I thought as I could practically feel the joy emanating from her at the thought of Iris leaving soon.

"I just can't imagine never seeing my sweet Dunc—OH! Courage—Again." Iris said. But as she said this, I could feel the loneliness radiating from her increase. 

'Perhaps Duncan is not so much to comfort her but to have someone to turn to.'  I thought with a frown.

"Big deal. ARGGH!" Eustace exclaimed while trying to get his fork with spaghetti to his mouth. Yet, the high winds caused the spaghetti to hit him in the face, causing me to chuckle. 

"I mean, he'll always be with me." Iris clarified as she looked down before looking back at Courage.

"I understand. We're terribly close." Muriel said, motioning to Courage, who puffed out his chest and nodded proudly.

'Bad move there, Courage.'  I mentally winced as I felt the winds grow stronger and fiercer.

"NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Iris shouted as she got up and slammed her hands on the table.

"Blah, Blah, Blah. ARGGH!" Eustace complained as he raised his spoon, which had two meatballs on it. Yet, the winds caused them to hit him in the glasses, causing him to gain a comedic look for a moment.

"I'M TAKING HIM WITH ME!" Iris suddenly yelled, causing Courage to shiver in fear while Muriel became angered.

"I-I-I don't think so. You can't have Courage!" Muriel said as she got up and stared down at Iris. However, Iris did not back down.

"HE'S MY DOG, AND THAT'S THAT!" Iris angrily exclaimed as she folded her arms.

"Iris, please calm down. We can talk about this- WOAH!" I began trying to calm her down. But I couldn't finish what I was saying as forks and knives heading toward my face forced me to jump out of my seat.

"HUNGRY!" Eustace suddenly shouted, only for a plate full of spaghetti and meatballs to hit him in the face. But unlike the previous time, they wrapped around his face, making him look like a mummy. And if this had been any other situation, I would have laughed my ass off. 

"YOU'LL HAVE TO GO NOW!" Muriel shouted at Iris.

'YES!'  Courage shouted, overjoyed, unaware that he had only added fuel to the fire.

"NOT WITHOUT MY DOG!" Iris threatened.

'NO!'  Courage shouted. At this point, the storm had gotten even more intense to the point it felt like we were in the eye of a tornado.

"HE'S MY DOG!" Muriel shouted.

"HE'S MY DOG" Iris shouted back.

"OH, NO! HE'S MINE!" 

At this point, everything was flying around. Food, plates, utensils, and chairs were flying all over the dining room. Thunder and lightning roared from the cloud, which kept getting bigger with each passing second. Seeing some spoons and knives getting dangerously close to Muriel, Courage leaped at them and tried to keep them away. But he was sent flying away when a plate of food smacked him in the face. Thankfully, I managed to catch him before he hit the wall.

"THE DOG IS MINE!" Iris calmly said. 

"No dinner. No, nothing." Eustace grumbled as the wind took Eustace's food away from him. But his hat flew away a second later. He tried to get up and get it, only to become stuck in the air. "What's huh? -- OH!"

"MINE!" Muriel yelled.

"MINE!" Iris yelled.

"Heh, heh, heh!" Eustace chuckled when he managed to grab his hat. However, he became red-faced when the wind ripped his clothes off of him. He then used his hat to cover his private area.

"I did not need to see that nor ever wanted to see that. I think I will have nightmares from now on because of that." I said, feeling traumatized at what I just saw.

'Same here.'  Courage agreed. We then turned back to Iris and Muriel and saw that they were right up in each other's faces. 

"BOTH OF YOU CALM DOWN NOW OR WE MIGHT GET BLOWN AWAY!" I shouted, hoping they could hear me. But it seems like that didn't as they continued yelling at each other.

"MINE!" Muriel shouted.

"MINE!" Iris shouted back.

"OW!" Eustace suddenly shouted. Looking over at him, I saw that he had hit his head on the furnace and was now clinging onto it for dear life.

'Huh?'  Courage suddenly asked, confused. I was about to ask him what was wrong but felt the blood drain from my face when I heard a tearing sound coming from the walls. 

"SHIT! THE HOUSE IS ABOUT TO FLY AWAY AS WELL!" I exclaimed in terror.

'This is bad. OH NO! MURIEL!'  Courage shouted when he realized that the storm was about to blow Muriel away as soon as the house ripped apart.

"Quick, grab a rope or something to keep her tied down." I quickly said. He nodded before pulling out a rope from a pocket in his fur and using it to tie Muriel's foot to the furnace that somehow survived this whole ordeal. And we did so just in time as only a second later, the winds propelled Muriel into the sky. 

"MINE!" Muriel shouted.

"MINE!" Iris shouted.

"PLEASE, BOTH OF YOU CALM DOWN AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS!" I shouted, trying and praying that they would listen. But they didn't hear me as they were solely focused on each other. I was about to try again but had to duck and cover when the house suddenly flew away. "SHIT!" 

'OH NO! MURIEL!'  Courage shouted as he grabbed the rope to try and pull her down, to no avail. I rushed to help him, but the winds blew us into the sky. And if we weren't holding onto the rope, I was positive that we would have been all the way back to Beacon. 

"MINE!" Muriel yelled, oblivious to the fact that she was flying in the air.

"MINE!" Iris yelled, oblivious to the fact that her storm destroyed the farmhouse.

'What are we going to do, Jaune?'  Courage asked as we watched an anchor, a black duck with a paper boat on his head, and an accordion fly past us.

"I don't kn—OOF!" I began to answer, only to stop when something hit me in the face. Grabbing it, I saw that it was a picture of Duncan. Instantly, it gave me an idea of how to save Muriel and calm Iris down. "We have to find Duncan, Courage."

'Good idea. But we have to hurry.'  Courage agreed before letting go of the rope and being sent into the clouds. I felt fear and dread creep into me when I saw that. Yet, I knew I had to do the same.

"Well, he goes nothing." I said as I let go of the rope, with the winds blowing me away.

CHINA

After being flung away by the storm, we landed in a place that I had never been to before. Getting up, I saw Courage heading to a temple and decided to follow him since he seemed familiar with the place. But as I did, I looked around and admired how beautiful and peaceful the place was. Seeing someone nearby, we went over to him and noticed that he was wearing some kind of orange outfit. Once we got near enough, we realized that he was meditating but stopped when he sensed our presence. We then took out the picture of Duncan and showed it to him.

"Have you seen this dog, sir?" I asked. He leaned in to look closely at the picture before shaking his head.  'Damn.'  "Where to now, Courage?"

'Follow me.'  Courage answered before turning around and going down a random path.

INDIA

Somehow, after what felt like a ten-minute walk, we were in a completely different place with a very different culture. Soon, we were walking in front of a magnificent building. It was so impressive that it made me wonder how the builders even made it. Taking out my scroll, I took a picture of it and sent it to my friends. We then searched around the premises of the building, hoping to find someone. Luckily, after a few minutes, we found a little girl licking her ice cream near a pond. 

"Excuse me, little girl. Have you seen this dog?" I asked as I showed her the picture. She leaned in to have a closer look before shaking her head. Sighing, I put the picture away before following Courage again.

FRANCE

This time, after a thirty-minute walk, we arrived in yet another strange and utterly new place to me. Yet, it was also stunning with its own distinct culture. There was even a metal tower in the far back. Taking out my scroll, I took another photo before sending it to my friends. However, as we began looking for someone who could possibly tell us where Duncan was, I could not help but notice the romance in the air. It was as if this place was meant for couples. 

'Maybe, if I find that special someone, I could take them here as a date.'  I thought before a blush came onto my face.  'Maybe Iris would like this place.'

"No daydreaming now, Jaune. We still have to find Duncan.'  Courage said, snapping me from my thoughts.

"Right." I said, shaking my head.

After a few minutes of walking, we came across a couple making out. Courage walked up to them and tapped on the man's leg while showing them the photo. The couple stopped kissing to look at the picture before shaking their heads.

'Blech!'  Courage said, grossed out at seeing the lady's face was a bit ugly.

"Courage, that's not nice." I said as I gently slapped his head. "Where to now?"

'How about we get something to drink and eat? We need to take a break either way.'

"Sure. Lead the way." I said as I followed him. 

Nowhere Burger's Really Cheap

We were now in a fast-food burger place that sells cheap, delicious burgers. I just finished the burger I had ordered while Courage drank the root beer he ordered. But as we did so, we wondered what our next course of action was. We knew we had to find Duncan fast, as the rope and furnace keeping Muriel from flying would not last forever.

"Any ideas, Courage?" I asked, taking a sip from my water.

'Nope.'  He answered as we looked at the photo.

"Hey, I've seen that dog." A voice suddenly said while pointing to the picture. Turning to it, I saw that it came from Charlie, the Mouse.

"Oh, hello, boss." I said.

"Hey, kid. Hope to see you at work next week." Charlie said, chuckling.

"Don't worry, you will." I assured. He was about to say something, but Courage cut him off when he lunged at him.

'WHERE!?'  Courage asked as he grabbed Charlie's shirt.

"Calm down, Courage." I said as I pulled him away from Charlie.

"Take it easy. Take it easy." Charlie said before pointing to the sewer that was outside. "He went down that sewer."

"Thanks, boss." I said as we paid for our meals.

"No problem."

"Come on, Courage." I said as we dashed outside to the manhole cover.

Seeing a shovel nearby, I picked it up and used it to remove the manhole cover. We looked down to see if we could spot the bottom but only saw darkness. However, we lost our footing when we tried to get a better look and fell down the hole. The fall lasted for about ten seconds before we landed in the sewer water.

"Man, this place stinks. Hey, a boat." I said, shaking some of the water out of my hair. Spotting a nearby boat, I grabbed Courage and raised him above my head before making my way over there. I then put him in the boat before getting in myself.

'Thanks.'  Courage said as he shook himself dry.

"No problem." I said as the boat suddenly started moving by itself. Looking around, I realized that we should have brought a map or something as this place was quite literally a maze with so many different pathways. And what made it worse was that we did not have any new paddles.

'Duncan! Duncan!'  Courage began shouting, hoping we would get a response. Unfortunately, even after ten minutes, we got nothing. But that soon changed.

"Courage, do you hear something?" I asked.

'Yeah, it sounds like a..'  Courage began only to freeze in terror.

"A WATERFALL!" I shouted in terror before grabbing onto Courage and wrapping myself around him.

We closed our and braced ourselves as we went over the waterfall. Thankfully, aside from the second and third surprise drop, it wasn't as bad as we initially thought. Unfortunately, those drops were only the precursor to something that sent chills down our spines. 

A whirlpool.

We quickly sucked in our breaths while I prayed for Oum to save us. We soon fell in and felt like we were being sucked by a water god of some kind. Luckily, a hole in a pipe allowed us to escape what we thought was certain death. 

*Cough* *Cough*  “Ack. Damn, that was close. Are you okay, Courage?" I asked after I hacked up all the water from my lungs.

'Fine. Woozy though.'  He answered groggily. But his senses immediately sharpened along with mine when a mysterious voice suddenly spoke up in an almost heavenly tone.

"BEHOLD THE GOD BONE! BUT DO NOT LICK THE GOD BONE!"  The voice spoke. We looked up and saw the mother of all bones. It was big enough to easily crush someone to pieces.

'But how did it get down here?'  I wondered, but before I could begin to guess, the voice spoke up again.

"FOR HE WHO LICKETH THE GOD BONE, SHALL LIKETH THE GOD BONE! AND NEVER CEASE FROM LICKING. IT'S JUST THAT GOOD."

'Yeah, not convinced that could possibly exist.'  Courage said, not believing one word.

"Doesn't matter Courage. We need to find a way out of—what's that licking sound?" I began before asking when we heard a licking sound. Courage and I looked at each other before shrugging and following the sound. And to our surprise, we found the dog we were looking for on the other side of the bone.

'DUNCAN!'  Courage shouted, smiling.  'I'll get him off the bone. Jaune, try and find a way out of here.'

"Right."                                         

Turning around, I began looking around the room for anything resembling an exit. But to my disappointment, there was nothing. The only way out was back the way we came. Yet, I wasn't sure if that was an actual option. However, I knew we had to find or make one unless we wanted to become like the dogs that were trapped here beforehand, as evidenced by the numerous dog skeletons littering the floor. And it took me only a second to realize that they had also fallen to the allure of the dog bone. Turning around, I ran over to Courage and saw him wrestling with his tongue for some reason. But after a brief struggle, he won, tied his tongue in a knot, and forced it back into his mouth.

'Did you find an exit Jaune?'  Courage asked.

"No, seems like we either have to make one or go back down that pipe." I answered.

'Well, it looks like we have an even bigger problem, as Duncan does not want to let the bone go.'  He said while pointing to Duncan, who kept licking the bone.

"Then let's just take the whole thing." 

Nodding, Courage somehow lifted the massive dog bone before heading to the pipe. But as he did, I looked around to see if there was an entrance I missed as I did not want to go into the pipe. Yet, it seemed like I would have to as I saw nothing. As we neared the pipe, Courage put down the bone to catch his breath. But no sooner than he did, we heard a rustling sound from behind us. Turning around, we saw that the dog bones had come together and were now acting as the guardians of the massive dog bone. They started hitting me with their bone clubs, but thanks to my aura, it did not hurt. Courage then attacked with the dog bone, destroying the guards.

"Thanks, Courage." I said.

'You're welcome. Now let-'  Courage began only to freeze when we heard a heavy storm followed by yelling coming from above us.

"It looks like we're right underneath the farm. Got any ideas, Courage?"

'Yeah. Stand back.' 

Courage then raised the bone to the ceiling and proceeded to spin at a ludicrously fast speed. Soon, the bone started drilling through the surface. After a good ten minutes, we managed to get back to the surface. Granted, we would need a shower once this was all over because of how dirty we were. Looking around, we soon spotted Iris and Muriel still arguing with each other.

"MINE!" Muriel yelled.

"MINE" Iris yelled.

"IRIS!" I shouted as I ran to her. She noticed me and was about to say something, but I cut her off by stepping to the side to reveal Duncan.

"Duncan." Iris cheered with the storm dying down immediately. She then kneeled down next to the bone. "Good, doggy."

But then we noticed something really bad. Duncan ignored her and kept on licking the bone.

'OH, NO'  Courage exclaimed.

'Crap. Now what.'  I thought, panicked as the storm could easily pick back up again.

"You love that bone more than me. Oh, how could you?" Iris asked, shocked and hurt. She then wept for a few seconds before spotting Courage again. "Good, doggy. Sweet doggy."

'Wait, this could work.'  I thought as an idea came to mind. I then leaned down next to Courage. "Show her some affection. Maybe if we can get Duncan jealous enough, he would ditch the bone."

'Worth a shot.'  Courage said before allowing Iris to pick him up. Iris then began to cuddle Courage, with him hugging and licking her face.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Muriel suddenly screamed, catching my attention. Turning around, I saw that she had fallen to the ground since the winds were no longer holding her up. I quickly ran to her and helped her up. "Thanks, Jaune." 

"You're welcome, Muriel." I said, smiling. She then noticed Iris holding Courage. She was about to say something, but I stopped her. "Wait, Muriel. This is just to help Iris get her dog back."

Muriel seemed confused by this but relaxed when she saw Courage wink at her. Courage then kept licking Iris but stopped when we heard a loud, almost demonic growl. Looking at Duncan, we noticed that he was becoming extremely jealous. He soon stopped licking the bone before turning around and barking at Iris. Duncan then jumped into Iris's arms, sending Courage flying into mine.

'That was unexpected.'  Courage said as I lowered him to the ground.

"Sure was." I agreed.

"Oh, Duncan. My sweet Duncan. You come back to me." Iris said, getting our attention. Turning to her, we saw that Duncan was licking her face while she giggled. It was such a lovely sight that they were back together again.

"Lovely." Muriel said as the sight.

"Thank you both so much for bringing my sweet Duncan back to me." Iris said, approaching us.

"It was no problem." I said. Iris smiled before, unexpectedly, leaning in and kissing me on the cheek. I blushed heavily at this while she moved back to cover her blush as well.

"Goodbye. Hopefully, I'll see you again soon." Iris said before running off with her dog and her cloud in tow.

'And you say you're not lovestruck.'  Courage suddenly said with a tease. I simply rolled my eyes at him.

Half hour later

We were sitting in what used to be the living room. Muriel was in her chair with Courage on her lap. Meanwhile, I was in Eustace's chair, which I found about twenty feet from what used to be the porch. We were resting while watching the sun come up over the horizon.

"Isn't it grand, you two? Everybody got what they wanted." Muriel asked, smiling.

'Hahahaha!'  Courage answered with a chuckle as he lifted the dog bone and began to lick it.

'Oh, Courage.'  I thought, laughing at him as I scrolled through the messages on my scroll. But after a moment, I raised my hand to the cheek where Iris had kissed me.  'Hopefully, I will see her again soon.'  I thought while ignoring the look Courage sent my way.

Chapter Text

"Eh, Yuck." Eustace exclaimed, disgusted at the kissing couple in front of him.

"Isn't it amazing that we won this trip to Paris just by finding a coupon in a cereal box?" Muriel exclaimed.

'It sure is.'  Courage said as he ate some cereal.

"And thank you so much for bringing me along." Iris said, standing beside me as we held each other's hands.

"Oh, it's no problem at all, especially now that you and Jaune are now dating." Muriel said, causing Iris and me to blush heavily.

It has been exactly two months since we first met Iris, and where she nearly blew us away. Ever since then, it has been relatively quiet. We all just went about our days as usual. However, that all changed roughly two weeks later. I was in town shopping for some food for Muriel to make dinner. But it was when I was heading home that I bumped into Iris again. We exchanged a few words at first, and then, seeing that I still had some time to spare, we decided to hang out at the local park. It felt really nice talking to her. Unfortunately, we lost track of time. Yet, as I got up to leave, and before I could even think about it, I asked Iris out on a date. I attempted to save myself but only ended up as a stuttering mess. Luckily, and to my great surprise, Iris giggled before saying yes. Since then, we have been in a relationship, with going to Paris as our fourth date.

"Anyway, let's head up into the museum." Muriel said, snapping me from my thoughts. We nodded as we headed up the steps to the museum. However, before we could enter, the guard stopped us. 

"You must not enter le museum now, madame. It is only five minutes until closing." The guard said.

"Good. I'm tired." Eustace said bitterly. Feeling a tap on my shoulder, I looked up and saw Iris motioning me to follow her. Nodding, I followed her to the side. 

"Yes, Iris?" I asked.

"I should have asked this a while ago, but is that man always like that?" She asked, pointing to Eustace.

"You mean Eustace? Yeah, he is always like that. A bitter, nasty man. But you'll get used to it. Just do what Courage and I do, which is ignore him." I answered. She seemed a bit unsure but nodded anyway. We then returned to the others, where Muriel was trying to convince the guard to let us in.

"But I've got to see the Mona Lisa. My mother always said Mona and I were like twins. Don't you agree?" Muriel asked, smiling.

"Um, Iris." I said, getting her attention.

"Yes." She said, smiling.

"What is the Mona Lisa?" 

"Wait. You don't- Oh, right. Oh, right. You're from Vale and don't know much about this place. Well, the Mona Lisa is a painting of a lady known for her mysterious smile and eyes that seem to follow you around the room. It is one of the most famous paintings in the world, and it has attracted millions of people to come just to see her smile."

"Wow. Must be some painting." I said, amazed that a single painting could garner that much attention.

"It sure is." Iris said, giggling at my expression. I blushed when she noticed this. But instead of laughing, she grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers together.

"Uh, you look nothing like the Mona Lisa, and I'll give you five minutes to go see for yourself." The guard argued while stepping to the side, allowing us to enter the museum. But as we entered the museum, I heard the guard say something along the lines of 'Stupid American.'

Ignoring him, we continued into the museum. And with each passing moment, I was amazed by the different paintings and sculptures around me. There were so many different art styles, and some of the statues seemed so realistic. They were all beautiful and amazing, which made me wonder who the artists were and how long it took them to finish their works of art. Yet, in the back of my mind, I knew that the most beautiful one here was the goddess standing next to me. Looking up at her, I saw that Iris was equally amazed by the works of art here as well. Soon, we entered a room with a massive skylight.

"Even the heavens are more beautiful from here." Muriel said, getting our attention. "Look, Venus and Mars are lining up tonight."

"Wow!" Iris and I said, amazed at seeing two planets line up. Yet, once we realized we said this simultaneously, we blushed while Courage gave us a knowing look.

"There is magic at work. I can feel it." Muriel said.

"Big deal." Eustace said, moving forward, causing the rest of us to roll our eyes at him.

"Iris. Let's take a picture." I said, turning to her while taking out my scroll.

"Sure." Iris said, moving to stand beside me. Smiling, I raised my scroll and took a photo of us with the planets in the background. But as soon as I was about to press the button, Iris leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I blushed heavily but enjoyed it still. 

"That's a keepsake." I said as we looked at the photo. 

"It really is." Iris agreed.

"Come on. Let's keep going." I said, putting away my scroll. Iris nodded before grabbing my hand. Smiling, I intertwined our fingers as we followed Muriel. We kept going around the room, admiring all the works of art that were there. Yet, all the while, I kept sneaking looks back at Iris. 

"Yuck!" Eustace suddenly said, getting our attention. Turning to him, we saw that he was sitting at the base of a sculpture. He then got up and walked away in disgust.

"That's a lovely couple." Iris said as we approached the sculpture. I kneeled to better see the plaque that held the name of this sculpture.

"The Kiss." I said, standing up.

"A fitting name." Iris said, blushing, as we looked at the sculpture. I was confused for a moment before realizing that she either was blushing at how passionately the couple was kissing or the fact that they were both naked. We looked towards each other but quickly looked away with a heavy blush as the thought of us kissing each other like that crossed our minds.

"Look! There she is!" Muriel exclaimed excitedly. Turning to her, we saw that she was pointing to a painting. "The most famous painting in the world, all because of her mysterious smile."

"Wow." I said, amazed as we walked to the painting. It is an excellent work of art and I cannot even begin to imagine how long it would take to make something like this.

"Can you paint Jaune?" Iris asked, walking up next to me.

"Somewhat. I took a few classes before."

"How about when we get back, we try and make a painting of us together?"

"Sure."

"I want to take a picture of me and the Mona Lisa. Jaune, Courage. Be a dear and take a picture of me." Muriel said as she moved to stand in front of the picture.

"Sure." I said as I took out my scroll and opened up the camera feature while Courage adjusted his camera.

'Move to the side a bit.'  Courage said/motioned.

"Perfect. Smile." I said as I got ready to take the picture. However, before we could take the picture, the Mona Lisa smiled and winked at us. Since we were obviously not expecting it, nor even knew if that was possible, Courage and I jumped in shock, with Courage gasping.

"Is everything all right, Jaune?" Iris asked, sounding worried. Looking back at the painting, I saw that it was still as if nothing had happened.

"Um, yeah. I thought I saw the painting move for a second." I said. She seemed confused by this, but Courage spoke up before she could.

'Wait, you saw the painting smile and wink too?'  He asked, worried and confused. I was about to answer, but the museum's P.A. system came online before I could.

'Ladies and gentlemen, it is ze closing time.'  The guard from earlier announced.

"Hurry up, you two. It's closing time." Muriel said, getting our attention.

'All right, just give us a second.'  Courage said as he wiped his camera's lens with his ear.

"Okay. Smile, Muriel." I said as we readied ourselves. Muriel smiled and leaned closer to the painting. But as I was about to take the picture, the Mona Lisa lifted her hand and blew me and Courage a kiss.

'AAHHH!'  Courage screamed.

"WHAT THE!" I shouted, scared and shocked.

"It's okay, you two. The resemblance is overwhelming." Muriel said, turning to admire the painting.

"Um, yeah. It is." I said, not taking my eyes off the painting.

"What happened, Jaune?" Iris asked, worried.

"The painting moved again."

"Are you sure you're not seeing things?"

"No. I'm positive I saw the Mona Lisa move." I answered, still not taking my eyes off the painting. Iris seemed concerned about this, but before she could say anything, Eustace cut her off.

"Hey, kid. Dog. Come over here." Eustace shouted. Turning to him, we saw that he was next to another sculpture. Walking over to him, we saw that it was a sculpture of a naked man sitting down with his fist under his chin. "Take a picture of me with this idiot."

"Fine, just move in front so we can take it." I said, rolling my eyes.

"The Thinker, huh? I know what he's thinking. How come there's no T.V. set?" Eustace mocked as he climbed the statue.

'No appreciation for anything.'  I thought as I watched him climb the sculpture, acting like he couldn't possibly break it. Shaking my head, I raised my scroll, ready to take the picture. But right before I pressed the button, like with the Mona Lisa, I saw the statue move as if happy and surprised that he could move.

'AAHHH!'  Courage suddenly screamed. Turning to him, I saw that he accidentally pressed the button on his camera, causing the flash to go off, which blinded both of us momentarily. Rubbing my eyes to clear my vision, I looked back at the statue to see that it was in its original position as if it never moved.

"Did you see that, Courage?" I asked. 

Courage nodded before looking at his camera, only for the bulb to go off a split second later. The flash was so bright that it blinded us again. Yet, this time, my vision went white. And since I couldn't see, I tripped over my two feet and fell on my ass. 

"You okay, Jaune?" Iris asked as she helped me to my feet while struggling not to laugh. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." I answered, smiling as I rubbed my eyes again to make the stars disappear.

"Come on. Your folks are already leaving."

Turning to where she was pointing, I saw Muriel and Eustace exiting the room. Nodding, we grabbed each other's hands and blushed before running to catch up to them. However, I wasn't entirely focused on where we were going as I was admiring all the beautiful works this museum had. Even Muriel was taken aback by them as she continuously looked back and forth between paintings and sculptures. Once we were in the next room, we saw what looked like a replica of our living room back at the farmhouse. However, this one had a fireplace in the back rather than to the side. 

"I got to take a breather." Eustace said, moving to sit in the chair that looked like his back home.

"Feels just like home." Muriel said as she went to the stove that was nearby for some reason. She then poured herself a cup of tea before moving to sit in a nearby rocking chair. Yet, no sooner than she sat down, she instantly fell asleep. Courage then went up to her and jumped onto Muriel's lap before falling asleep as well. From the corner of my vision, I saw that Eustace had also fallen asleep.

"Jaune." Iris said, getting my attention.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Let's go back to the other room and see the planets align." She suggested.

"Sure."

Smiling, I grabbed her hand before heading to the other room. But as we passed Eustace, we saw a sign next to his chair that read 'American Stupeed.' Iris and I had to hold in our laughter at that. Shaking our heads, we continued our way back to the other room. As we moved to stand under the skylight, I admired all the paintings again and how amazing they looked. Yet none of them were as amazing or beautiful as Iris.

"Such a beautiful sight, right, Jaune?" Iris asked as we watched the planets align.

"It truly is Iris." I said, amazed at the sight. Looking around, I saw some seats that we could use. Bringing them over, we sat down and continued to look at the planets as they moved closer. "Hey, Iris?" 

"Yes, Jaune."

"What happened to the cloud that was on your head? Sometimes it's there, and other times it's not."

"Oh. I have complete control over it and can make it appear and disappear whenever I want it to. Typically, I only have it out when working with other gods and goddesses. Other than that, I usually prefer it to be away."

I nodded before turning back to watch the planets. Yet, as we watched them, I could not help but think how drastically my life had changed since getting expelled from Beacon. I now have a family that loves me. Well, Muriel, anyway. However, I am not sure if she sees me as a son or not. Then there is the fact that Courage is essentially the brother I always wanted. And now, we essentially go on adventures together. While they were weird and dangerous, they were adventures all the same. I have even made amends with all my friends and got to see them again. 

'But the best thing to happen so far is that I am now dating Iris, a storm goddess.'  I thought as I looked at her and saw her admiring the planets and how close they seem to us.  'I wonder what the Arc Family would say if they could see me now.'  

"Jaune. Iris." Muriel called out, snapping me from my thoughts.

"Yes, Muriel?" I asked as we got up from our chairs.

"It's time to go." 

"Alright."

"But first, I want to see Mona one more time."

Sighing, I nodded. Muriel smiled and went over to the painting while Eustace returned to 'The Thinker.' Looking around, Iris and I decided to see that sculpture named 'The Kiss." We spent about ten minutes just admiring the sculpture while enjoying being together with hands clasped. After a few minutes, we turned to each other with a blush but lost ourselves to each other. Leaning in, we were about to kiss when, all of a sudden, a purple aura started glowing around each of the sculptures and paintings, causing us to pull away in confusion.

"What's going on?" Iris and I simultaneously asked. Looking around, we saw that every painting and sculpture was glowing. But after a second, I found the reason for the strangeness.

"Iris, look." I said, pointing up to the sky.

"Oh, no." Iris gasped. The planets Venus and Mars had lined up, causing a purple beam of energy to shoot down to the museum.

'EEE!'  I heard Courage suddenly squeal. Turning to face him, I saw that he was attempting to pull Muriel away from the Mona Lisa that had her hand out as if to pull Muriel into the painting.

"Hold on, Courage." I shouted as I dashed toward him. As soon as I reached them, I grabbed Muriel's hand and attempted to pull her away from the painting. Unfortunately, we failed as the Mona Lisa suddenly reached out and pulled Muriel into the painting before jumping out herself.

'AAHHH!'  Courage screamed while his skin came off his body, leaving behind a skeleton. The Mona Lisa in question merely giggled at this.

"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!" I shouted, shocked. Turning to Iris, I saw she was just as shocked as I was.

"Hey, Thinker. You thinking what I'm thinking?" The Mona Lisa suddenly asked. Turning around, we saw that the statue of the Thinker had come to life as well and was now standing up.

"Put some clothes on, you beatnik!" Eustace demanded. The Thinker looked down at himself before looking back at Eustace. He then grabbed Eustace and stole his clothes from him, and wore it. Then, to our horror, Eustace became stuck on the pedestal in the Thinker's previous position.

"So, what have you been thinking about all this time?" Mona Lisa asked.

"Uh, Um. Your smile. I—I think." The Thinker answered, sounding unsure. Smirking, the Mona Lisa said something in a language I did not understand before moving closer to the Thinker and running her hands along his chest. 

"What do you say we go someplace and have a little fun, no?"

"Uh, maybe we should, or maybe we shouldn't. Might be fun. Might be weird. Hmm. I need to think about this." The Thinker said before putting on a thinking face and began to 'think.'

'Lives up to the name.'  I thought as the Thinker began to grunt. Shaking my head, I moved towards them, determined to get some answers. "Um, excuse me."

"Ah, a young man and his lover. How are you two enjoying your date?" Mona asked us with a knowing look. We blushed at this for a moment before shaking it off.

"Mona Lisa. What is happening?" Iris asked, motioning to the paintings that were moving.

"A storm goddess. How interesting and rare. Normally, a goddess wouldn't date a mortal." Mona said, astonished.

"Please answer the question." Iris calmly threatened while summoning her cloud again, where it roared angrily. But it only caused the Thinker to think some while Mona simply giggled.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you? Well, to answer your question, every hundred years or so, the planets Mars and Venus line up, granting us life and the ability to move about." Mona explained, with the Thinker nodding.

"How long does this event last?" I asked, curious.

"Only a few hours. But that is enough for us to mingle and get to know each other. Once it ends, however, we have to be back in our spots; otherwise, we will be stuck where we currently are. Unless we have some to take our spots." Mona answered with a wink.

'Oh, No!'  Courage said, realizing what this meant for Muriel. 

'So, if we don't get her out soon, she will be stuck like that until the planets line up again.'  I realized, scared.

"Well, let's go, Thinker. When the planets separate again, you and me, we're going to be stuck in place forever. Let's make sure it's someplace really worth smiling about, si?" Mona asked, hugging the Thinker.

"Um, well..." The Thinker said before being dragged off by Mona.

"Courage, what do-" I began to ask Courage while turning to him. But I had to stifle a laugh when I saw that his open mouth silent scream perfectly mirrored the painting behind him.

"So, what should we do, Jaune?" Iris asked. Turning to her, I saw that her storm cloud had increased in strength, with thunder rumbling and lightning coming out of it.

"Well, first, let's calm down, Iris. We don't want to destroy anything as they could be useful later. Not to mention, we don't want to get a fine." I answered as I noticed that some paintings were close to flying off because of the strong winds coming from her cloud. 

"Right." Iris said as she calmed down before making her cloud go away. "So, how should we go about this?"

"I'm not-" I began, but the sound of Muriel's voice cut me off. We then immediately ran toward her painting. "Muriel."

'MURIEL!'  Courage screamed as he took the painting off the wall and shook it, trying to get Muriel to fall out. 

"Courage, that's not going to work." I said as I took the painting from him and placed it back on the wall.

'We have to try something. You heard what she said! When the planets are no longer aligned, she will be stuck like this.' 

"I know. But we can't just do that. We don't know if doing that will harm her." 

'What should we do then?'

"I honestly have no idea." I answered, trying not to panic.

"Calm down, you two. Panicking won't help. Let's take this one step at a time." Iris interjected.

"You're right, Iris."

'But where should we start?'  Courage asked. I was about to answer but didn't when we heard the voice of the Mona Lisa.

"I'd say we start by getting those two back to where they belong." I suggested while trying to find where the giggling was coming from.

"Sounds good." Iris said, with Courage nodding.

"Now, we just need to find where they currently are." I said we tried to find the source of the giggling. Thankfully, Courage found it pretty quickly.

'Over here.'  Courage shouted, pointing to another picture. We went over to him and saw a painting of a park with a body of water nearby with tons of people gathered around. Looking at the plaque, I saw its name.

"The Park, huh? Fitting." I said, looking at the painting.

"Actually, its true name is 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.' It was painted by Georges Seurat." Iris said.

"Really? Then why is it just called the park?"

"Most likely because it's easier to say during conversations." 

"Yeah. That's most likely it." I said, mentally trying to say the name of the painting and failing each time. I was about to say something else but stopped when we heard Mona's voice coming from the painting.

"Come on, big guy. Let's you and me get  naturale  and jump right in." We heard her say.

"Okay, so she's in the painting. How do we get in ourselves?"

"Maybe, like this...woah." Iris started only to fall into the painting herself.

"IRIS!" I shouted in fear and dove in after her with Courage right behind me.

"Ow." We all said as we fell on the ground. Getting up, we saw that we were, in fact, inside the painting.

"Wow, this is amazing." I said as I looked around and got a new perspective of the painting.

"It sure is Jaune." Iris agreed.

'We can sightsee later. We still have to find the other two.'  Courage said, reminding us of our objective and how short on time we were.

"Right. Now, where could they be?" Iris asked, looking around. Luckily, the voice of the Thinker told us where to find them.

"Um, I don't know. Might be too cold. I might get sunburnt. Might be mosquitos. Let me think." The Thinker said, lying on the ground beside Mona.

Looking over at Mona, we saw that she was annoyed at the Thinker for always thinking about things and not giving her an answer. Seeing that they were distracted, we slowly approached them so as not to alert them. However, before we could reach them, a police officer suddenly came up from behind and blew his whistle before grabbing Courage. 

"Eh, you see not the sign? No dogs allowed." The officer said while pointing with his baton to the sign that said no dogs allowed.

"But, officer." I began, but he cut me off.

"No exceptions!" He yelled before going over to the edge of the painting and kicking Courage out of the painting.

"Have a nice day, you two." The officer said before leaving.

"Great. That happened." I said, annoyed. "At least we found Mona and the Thinker."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Jaune." Iris said, pointing over to where they just were. "They seem to have left while we were distracted by the officer."

"Great. Well, let's go make sure Courage is okay." I sighed before taking another look around. "You know, if it weren't for the fact that this place is a painting, it would be a nice place to enjoy time together."

"It surely is. Maybe we can go to the beach or park another time."

"That would be nice." I said as we headed to the edge of the painting and jumped out of it. "Okay, now we could Courage be?"

"Over there." Iris said. 

Turning to where she was pointing, I saw that Courage had landed in another painting. This painting showed a saloon with three dogs around a table, playing poker. Or, at least, I think it was poker since I don't play cards. Moving closer to the painting, we saw that Courage had decided to play along. Yet, the other dogs did not take kindly to his hand and kicked him out of the painting. Luckily, I managed to catch him in midair.

"You okay, Courage?" I asked him as I lowered him to the floor.

'Yeah, I'm alright.'  He answered while rubbing his head.

"What happened?" Iris asked.

'Oh, I picked up my cards and played them. I had a royal flush and won the game. But the other dogs were sore losers and kicked me out because of it.'  Courage answered, chuckling, which caused us to chuckle as well. However, we stopped when we heard Muriel weakly call out to us.

"Courage... Jaune..." She weakly called out to us. We all immediately rushed back to where she was.

"Muriel. Can you hear us?" I asked.

"I feel myself drying. Get me out before... it's...too...late."

'Oh no.'  Courage said, panicked as his eyes became bloodshot.

"We have to hurry. The planets are starting to drift away from each other." Iris warned while pointing to the sky. Looking up, we saw that Mars and Venus were slowly moving away from each other.

"Crap. Don't worry, Muriel. We'll get you out." I said, only to receive no answer.

'Quick, we have to find those two.'  Courage said, bouncing up and down in fear while looking around.

"And this time, I will force them back." Iris said while summoning her cloud again.

"As much as I would like for you to do that, we cannot take the risk." I said. Iris nodded, yet she did not make her cloud disappear.

"Now, where could those two be?" Iris asked, looking around. Thankfully, like with the previous time, we heard Mona's laughter.

"This way." I said as we began to follow the laughter. But we did stop when we passed by a statue of a couple kissing.

'EWW!'  Courage said, grossed out while sticking out his tongue.

"Courage, don't be rude." I said as I gave him a light smack on the head.

"I think it's lovely." Iris said, admiring the couple passionately kissing each other.

"I agree." 

'You two love birds coming.'  Courage yelled, getting our attention. We looked at each other, blushing before shaking our heads and running after Courage. Soon, after a few turns, we found the laughter coming from another painting.

"The Persistence of Memory." I said, reading the painting's name. "Honestly, I'm not sure what I am looking at nor the meaning behind this painting." 

"It's okay. Neither do I Jaune." Iris said, seemingly confused as well. But then she suddenly pointed out a spot in the painting. "Wait, there they are." 

Looking closely, I saw that Mona and the Thinker were on the log in the painting.

"I thought a little bit of something strange might loosen you up." Mona explained. Then, the weird blob on the ground near them and what appeared to be mummy wrappings moved closer to them and agreed with Mona.

"Nice job, Iris." I said. "Okay, wait here. I'll be right back." 

Bending my knees, I jumped into the painting with Courage right behind me. I was hoping that I would stick the landing, but instead, I landed on a clock that bounced me up into the air a bit. Out of reflex, I grabbed onto the nearest thing, which just so happened to be another melted clock. But as soon as I did so, I started to swing forward. I immediately let go, hoping that I could land without much trouble. Unfortunately, something made me go much further than I anticipated, causing me to land, bounce off one of the strange creatures, and fly out of the painting. But instead of landing in the museum again, I was sent flying into another painting. This time, it was of a corner diner that one might find in the place called New York or Vale. Shaking my head, I got up and dusted myself off. Hearing a grunt, I turned around and saw that Courage had landed beside me. But before I could help him, I heard Iris call out to us.

"JAUNE!? COURAGE!?" Iris shouted. Turning to where I felt the exit was, I saw Iris going through the halls, trying to find us.

"IRIS! Over here!" I shouted, trying to get her attention. Luckily, she heard me, jumped into the painting, and then went over the counter to join us.

"Oh, thank goodness I found you. Are you two okay?" Iris asked, worried.

"We're fine. But we lost Mona and Thinker again." I answered. But as soon as I said this, Courage immediately pulled us down behind the counter so we could not be seen. "What's wrong, Courage?"

'They're coming this way.'  He answered. I was about to ask but got my answer when we heard Mona's voice and their footsteps heading in our direction.

"You've got to stop the questioning everything and enjoy the moment, you know?" Mona said as she and the Thinker sat down at the counter. But she only received silence. Taking a chance, I looked above and saw that the reason why the Thinker did not answer was because he was reading the menu.

"That's rude." Iris whispered, annoyed.

"It certainly is." I agreed. And judging by the look on Mona's face, we can tell she was annoyed and boarding mad as well at what the Thinker just did.

"Hey, Thinker, you there?" Mona asked through clenched teeth. She also smacked the Thinker on the chest to try and get his attention, only for him not to notice.

"Hmm. Should I have tea with lemon or decaf with cream? Hmm." Was all the Thinker said, utterly ignorant of what Mona had just said.

"I need somebody who just take me in his arms and give me a big smooch-a-rooni. You know, a kiss." Mona said, turning to the Thinker and pursing her lips to kiss him. Yet, he only leaned away from her.

"I need to think about it." The Thinker said before going back to the menu.

'Wait, I have an idea.'  Courage said as a bulb appeared over his head.

"What is it, Courage?" Iris asked.

'First, let's get out of this painting, and I'll tell you.'  Courage answered before moving forward and jumping out of the painting, followed by Iris and me.

"What's your plan, Courage?" I asked him now that we were away from the other two.

'Mona wants to be loved right.'

"Yes."

"But the Thinker is not showing her any love." Iris added, annoyed.

'Well, how about we get Mona a lover?'  Courage asked. This caused Iris and me to look at each other in confusion.

"That might work, but where are we going to find someone who will fall in love with her in such a short notice?" I asked.

'How about the guy in the statue of the two people kissing?' 

"But Courage, those two are in love with each other. And they are showing it by their passionate kissing. That's why it is called 'The Kiss.' Either way, what makes you think he would just up and leave the one he is kissing and go for Mona?" I asked, curious. Instead of answering, Courage looked down as he clearly hadn't thought of that.

"Wait, I have an idea." Iris suddenly said, getting our attention.

'What is it? ' Courage asked.

"While I usually wouldn't want to break a couple up, this is the one-time exception. While I was searching for the both of you, I found a painting with Cupid and his bow in it. We can use his bow to make the guy fall in love with Mona."

'Doesn't that make the person fall in love with the first person they see?'  Courage asked, confused.

"Yes, but it can even be a picture, and the person will fall in love with the person, not the picture.

"But where will we find a picture of the Mona Lisa at this time of night?" I asked. Instead of answering, Iris pointed behind her to a shop with pictures of the Moan Lisa. "Talk about convenient. All right. I'll grab the photo. You two get the arrow."

They nodded and went off to the painting while I grabbed the photo. Entering the shop, I quickly grabbed the photo before running over to the others and saw that they had the bow. Looking up at the painting, I noticed that a winged baby, presumably Cupid as the name of the painting suggested, laughed while holding a gaming console. Raising an eyebrow, I looked at Courage for an answer. But he simply laughed. We then returned to the kissing couple. Iris then took the bow and arrow and aimed it at the guy. She fired it, and it struck him in the back, and when it did so, hearts started to float out of him. He stopped kissing the girl and looked over at us. I quickly raised the photo so he could see it. And once he did, his eyes bulged out of his head in shock and possible love while a car horn played from somewhere at the same time.

"Woah, Mama." He said in a deep voice. He then turned to the lady he was just kissing. "Sorry, baby. I think we should see other people."

"Men!" The lady said, disgusted as the guy walked away. For a moment, I was about to tell him to put on some clothes. Luckily, I did not need to, as he ripped the clothes off some poor guy from another painting and put them on.

"Now, where can I find this lovely lady you three showed me?" He asked.

"She is in that painting over there." Iris answered while pointing over to the painting we were just in. Walking over to it, we could hear the Thinker still thinking about what he should order. Beside him was Mona, who seemed to have given up on getting any attention from the Thinker.

"Whoa, baby." The guy said, spotting Mona. He gave a loud whistle, which caught Mona's attention. She turned around, and her eyes bulged out of her head when she spotted the guy.

"Well. If you're not going to kiss me, I think there's somebody who is." Mona said to the Thinker, who didn't hear her at all. She then jumped out of the painting and into the guy's arms, where they kissed each other.

Courage then tugged on my pants. Looking down at him, I saw that he was pointing over to Mona's painting, which Muriel was still stuck in. Nodding, we went over to it and brought it over. Raising it above our heads, we then slammed it over Mona and the guy she was kissing. Flipping the painting over, we realized we had forgotten something that made us feel like idiots.

"Oh, my." Muriel said, shocked, as the two were now kissing her cheeks.

'Blech.'  Courage said in shock and embarrassment.

"Forgot about that little detail, didn't you?" Iris asked, giggling. I laughed at this while trying to hide my embarrassment. I was about to say something but stopped when the purple glowing aura from earlier returned and surrounded every painting and sculpture again.

"Quick, grab her hand." I said as I reached into the painting and grabbed Muriel's right hand while Iris and Courage grabbed her left. We pulled as hard as we could and managed to get Muriel out just in time.

'Yes!'  Courage shouted in joy that Muriel was back safe and sound now.

"Now that is a lovely painting." Iris said. Looking back down at the painting, I saw that Mona and the guy were now frozen but, this time, happily kissing each other. Hearing a sound come nearby, we looked up and saw that the Thinker was still in that painting of the diner, trying to think of what to order. But this time, there was a waiter trying to take his order.

'She's going to be there for a while.'  I thought at seeing her impatient look.

"Ah. You three are true artists." Muriel said, getting our attention. Turning to face her, we saw that she was pointing at another painting. This one had a farmer and his wife with a farmhouse in the back of them. "Look, that one reminds me of home."

'You thinking what I'm thinking?'  Courage asked, smiling as he picked up Muriel. Turning to Iris, I saw her smile and grab my hand while nodding.

"Sure am. Let's go." I answered. We then ran up to the painting and jumped into it, despite the fact that Mars and Venus were no longer aligned. Once in the painting, we ran to the farmhouse, with the farmer and his wife looking surprised.

Half an Hour later

"Like sisters." Muriel said as she hung up the photo of her and the Mona Lisa.

"You two truly look alike." I said, smiling. I was sitting in Eustace's chair with Iris sitting beside me, taking a nap.

"I wonder when Eustace will be getting back?"

'Hopefully, not anytime soon.'  I mentally thought as I pulled out my scroll.

Opening it, I began looking through the pictures Iris and I took together at the museum. They brought a smile to my face. Turning to Iris, I leaned in and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. But as I pulled away, a thought came to mind.

'How will my friends react to me dating a goddess?'  I thought, worried about their reactions and the possible chaos that might come from it. But I calmed down when I felt Iris squeeze my hand while still asleep. Putting my scroll away, I leaned back into the chair and decided to take a nap as well.

Chapter Text

I was in my bed trying to sleep. But I could not emphasize the "trying to" enough. I was restless but didn't know why. I felt like something demonic was coming to the farmhouse. But in an unexpected way that I have never heard or seen before. But that is only partially the reason why I couldn't sleep. The other reason was that I was talking to my girlfriend, Iris. I had gone out and brought a new scroll for her so we could keep in contact when she had to keep up with her duties as a storm goddess. And the final reason why I couldn't sleep surprised me a bit. Somehow, and in some way, my friends learned that I was dating Iris and wanted to meet her. Well, to be more specific, Weiss, Ren, and Nora wanted to meet her.

'I can already tell there will be so much chaos and headaches in the future.' I thought. Turning to my side, I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep. But as soon as I closed my eyes, I heard Courage shout in pain, followed by Muriel groaning. Curious, I got up from my bed, changed, and went downstairs. I knocked on the door and entered once Muriel gave me permission. "Is everything alright? I heard something coming from here?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Jaune. It's just some pain from this rotten old mattress. I was also just done telling Eustace that I want a new mattress, and that's the end of the matter." Muriel answered with a smile before turning to Eustace and glaring at him. Looking down at the mattress, I saw Muriel's description of it did not do it justice as the bed seemed like it was about to fall apart, with springs popping up everywhere. "Also, how is your bed treating you, Jaune? No problems?"

"No problems. Everything is fine with it."

"Lovely. Well, you can go back to bed now. We'll talk in the morning. Good night, Jaune." Muriel said before lying down again and falling asleep instantly.

"Night, Muriel." I told her before turning to face Courage. "Night Courage."

' Night Jaune.'  Courage said before closing his eyes and falling back asleep. Smiling, I returned to my room, got in my bed, and managed to fall asleep.

Morning

Stretching my arms, I got out of my bed and got changed. Grabbing my scroll, I put it in my pocket before picking up my sword and shield. I was hoping to get some training done after breakfast. Speaking of which, I could smell the delicious breakfast coming from downstairs. Opening the door, I went downstairs to the kitchen and saw Muriel making some eggs and bacon.

"Morning, Muriel." I said, going to the counter to pour myself some tea. Turning back to the table, I saw Courage smiling with his bowl on the table as well. "Morning, Courage."

"Good morning, Jaune. Sit down, and I'll have breakfast out in just a minute." Muriel said, smiling, as she continued making breakfast.

' Morning Jaune. Sleep well?'  Courage asked as I sat beside him.

"Yup." I answered while taking a sip of my tea. Hearing the door open, I saw Eustace enter while holding his newspaper.

"Mattress special..." Eustace said. But he stopped when he noticed Courage was sitting at the table. He grabbed Courage's bowl and dropped it to the floor before doing the same with Courage. Eustace then smacked the book that was on the chair before sitting down.

"Oh, a mattress special?" Muriel asked, curious, as she poured the food she had just finished cooking into Courage's bowl. Courage sniffed it before starting to eat.

"With our mattress, we'll change your life forever."

' Doubt it.'  I thought, recalling how common those types of ads were in Vale. Hearing a choking sound followed by spitting, I turned to Courage and saw that he had just spit out the food he was eating. "You okay, Courage?"

' Yeah. she just put too much vinegar in it again.'  Courage answered as he cleaned his tongue with his hands.  'But also, this ad seems too good to be true.'

"In what way, Courage? Like the cheat you out of your money way or in the something weird and dangerous is coming our way?"

'Both.'

"Oh, so exciting." Muriel said, giddy. She put down the pan, headed to the phone on the wall nearby, and dialed the number. And almost instantly, it was answered.

' Are you ready to change your life forever?'  The voice over the phone asked. Turning to Muriel, I decided to listen to the conversation a bit, silently thankful she had put the call on speaker.

"Oh yes. I want to change my life forever." Muriel answered, excited. That was enough for me to know that it was a trap.

' This sounds too good to be true.'  Courage said, worried.

"You're right, Courage. Follow me." I said before getting up and heading to the living room. We quickly made our way over to the phone next to Muriel's chair. Picking up the phone, we began to listen in on her conversation with the person or creature on the other end.

' We have a special. On our deluxe life-changing mattress.'  The voice said in an eerily calm tone.

' Uhh!'  Courage gasped, already panicking.

"Oh, soft." We heard Muriel say from the kitchen, thanks to the door still being open.

'It's smooth.'

"Smooth." Muriel said in a dream-like tone.

' No lumps.' 

"Oh, no. I don't like lumps. We got lumps."

' We'll send it right over.'

"My address is-" Muriel began, but the voice cut her off.

' We know! We've been waiting for you.'  The voice said before hanging up.

' OH!'  Courage said in fear with his fur standing up.

"This is bad, Courage." I said as I began to think about what could possibly be coming our way as that voice sent numerous red flags our way.

' You're telling me.'  Courage said before running into the kitchen. I followed him into the kitchen and saw him trying to tell Muriel not to buy the mattress.

"I've always wanted a new mattress." Muriel said, patting Courage on the head, ignoring his warnings. "Jaune. Be a dear and help me move our current mattress to the trash."

"Of course, Muriel." I said, hiding my concern. We went up to her room and began to move the bed outside the house and to the trash before waiting for the 'new one' to arrive.

Seven P.M.

'I'm so glad I got a new scroll.' I thought, playing a game on my scroll.

It took a lot longer than we expected. We were still waiting on the porch for the new mattress to arrive. It is currently seven at night, and the mattress has still not arrived. And while I would usually think that the driver just got lost, this time, it just made my nerves increase, as it could be just them trying to tame whatever they were bringing to us. Soon, we heard the sounds of a horse racing towards us with a whip sounding behind it. Turning to the sound, we saw a carriage approaching us at high speeds.

' This can't be happening.'  Courage said, closing his eyes in fear. Looking closely at the carriage, I realized we had seen them before.

"Courage, weren't they the same ones we took a ride with in New York?" I asked. He opened his eyes to look and nearly screamed in fear.

' You're right, Jaune. They are the—AAHHHH!'  Courage began, only to stop and scream in terror while pointing at the mattress. Looking up, I saw that the mattress was being carried by the same two demonic-looking creatures we saw in New York. But what caught my attention was the demonic face that suddenly appeared on the green mattress.

' I have a bad feeling about this or my name is Ivana... and it's not.'  Courage said as the creatures disappeared inside the house.

"Same here, Courage." I said, as numerous red flags were going up now. Courage nodded before trying to warn Muriel about what could happen. Yet, as usual, she failed to understand him.

"Doesn't it look lovely?" Muriel asked, patting Courage on the head before heading to her room. We were about to follow her but stopped when the two creatures returned, with the purple one hissing at us while sticking out its tongue.

' EEK!'  Courage said in fear when he saw that.

"Ignore them, Courage. Let's go have a closer look at the mattress." I said. Courage nodded before we entered the house and made our way to the master bedroom.

' I just can't wait to see this.'  Courage said as we passed a sleeping Eustace and up the stairs. However, once we opened the room, we were shocked to see that it was glowing an unnatural green.

"OOH! HEE, HEE." Muriel exclaimed in joy as she bounced on the bed. We both quickly ran up to her to try and get her away from the mattress.

"Oh, you two, stop it." Muriel said, frowning. She then got up and guided us out of the room. "I'm going to have a lovely little nap now. I'll see you both soon."

' Oof!'  Courage grunted as he immediately tried to get back in the room, only to slam into the door.

"Great. Now what?" I asked, wondering and worried about what was going to happen.

' I have an idea.'  Courage said before motioning for me to follow him. Nodding, I followed him down the stairs and outside toward the back of the farmhouse. He sniffed around for a bit before beginning to dig.

"Okay, Courage. I have to ask. What don't you bury at this point?" I asked as Courage pulled out a ladder from the hole he just dug.

Courage simply shrugged while giving a light chuckle. He then jumped out of the hole, went to the house, and leaned the ladder against it. Grabbing Courage, I placed him on my shoulder before climbing the ladder. Luckily, it was long enough so that we could reach the second-floor window and peek inside the master bedroom. Looking inside, we saw that Muriel was fast asleep in her pajamas. Everything seemed normal for a moment, aside from the green glow. But then, three strange green mists came from beneath the mattress.

' OOH!'  Courage screamed. However, it nearly made me fall in the process. Luckily, I managed to regain my balance in time. Looking back inside, I saw that the strange mist was now entering Muriel's body through her nose. Yet, I nearly fainted when it suddenly disappeared, with Muriel levitating a second later. ' EEK!' 

"Courage! Be careful! Otherwise, the ladder might... break." I began. But before I could finish, the ladder's rungs broke, causing us to fall to the ground hard. "Ow."

' Sorry, Jaune.'  Courage apologized as he rubbed his head.

"It's fine. But what should we do now?"

' Let's wake Eustace up.'  

Nodding, we raced back inside the house. But as we did so, I wondered how Courage would wake Eustace up. Yet, I didn't need to wonder for long as the door slamming open was enough to wake Eustace up from his nap.

"Oh, wake me up, will you!? I'll fix you!" Eustace shouted, furious. But instead of cowering like he typically does, Courage began to point toward Eustace's room while transforming into a cloud that twirled around a miniature Muriel. He then transformed into one of the demonic creatures that delivered the mattress earlier. Finally, Courage returned to normal, but this time floating in the air rather than being on the floor. Unfortunately, Eustace just became annoyed by this. "Get away from me!"

' This is going to hurt. But we need him.'  I thought as I moved forward, took his paper from him, and quickly ran upstairs.

"HEY!" Eustace shouted before chasing Courage and me up the stairs.

Once on the second floor, I gave him his newspaper back before telling him to open the door. He seemed curious and annoyed but opened the door either way. But as Eustace opened the door, we got a scary and frightening shock. Inside was Muriel, but her hair was now orange while standing out in every direction. Her glasses were yellow, and her skin was now a similar shade of green to the room.

"Won't you join me?" Muriel asked in a deep voice while patting the spot next to her. She then laughed as her head began to turn in a complete three hundred and sixty degrees. But before she could complete it, her head came off and fell to the floor. "OH!"

"AAAAHHHH!" We all screamed in horror.

"Oh, can one of you boys give me a hand?" Muriel asked, laughing.

"AAAHHHHH!" We all screamed.

I slammed the door, and we all rushed downstairs as fast as we could. Eustace sat in his chair, breathing hard while we stood beside him. But as we calmed ourselves down, we tensed up again when we heard howling. Thankfully, after a moment, we realized it was from an animal and not Muriel. Then, the grandfather clock soon rang, signifying that it was midnight.

"Dang mattress, Gave her nightmares." Eustace began but stopped when we heard low growling coming from above. "Well, we—We can't sit here all night."

' What do you mean we?'  Courage asked, scared. We all nearly jumped out of our skins when we heard the growling again.

"She likes the both of you. Go see how she is." Eustace said, pointing at us.

' I may be man's best friend, but really.'  Courage said, annoyed.

"And why don't you come with us as well, Eustace?" I challenged.

"GET UP THERE!" Eustace shouted, causing Courage to run up the stairs to the room. Sending a glare at Eustace, I followed Courage up as well. Standing outside the door, we heard the growling come out again. Bracing ourselves, we opened the door and immediately felt a chill go down our spines and goosebumps form on our skin. When the door opened fully, we saw snow on the floor.

' Damn, it's so cold.'  I thought, rubbing my arms. We could even see our breath. Looking up, we saw Muriel sleeping on the bed. We began to make our way closer to her, but when we were about halfway, we froze when she suddenly spoke up.

"Courage. Jaune." Muriel said in that deep voice again. Her head then turned to face us. "Closer."

We moved only slightly closer.

"Closer."

Steeling ourselves, we closed the distance and now stood next to her.

' What could she want?'  I wondered as we closed the distance and stood next to her.

"It would be lovely if I could have a cup... of..." Muriel began while leaning closer to us. She then suddenly threw the blankets off her, which caused Courage to scream in fear at what could be under. "...tea!"

' AAHHH!'  Courage screamed, yet it died down when he realized it was just some actual tea.

"Okay, demon." I hesitantly said, unsure of what I was doing. "What have you done with Muriel?"

"She's here with us." The demon answered, smirking. However, it went away when she suddenly transformed back into Muriel. "Courage! Jaune! Help me."

"MURIEL!" Courage and I shouted. Yet, to our horror, the demon retook control.

"Whoops. Ha, Ha, Ha! That one slipped out." The demon said, chuckling.

'You won't get away with this!' Courage said, glaring at the demon.

"OH, YEAH!? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?!" The demon taunted.

Courage and the Demona glared at each other before cracking their knuckles. And to my surprise and confusion, they began to play thumb wars. Initially, Courage seemed to have the upper hand and managed to ignore the demon's taunts. Unfortunately, the demon won a few seconds later.

"You all lose." The demon laughed. However, while the demon laughed, I gained an idea.

"Come on, Courage. I have an idea." I said. Courage nodded before following me back to my room. Getting there, Courage got onto his chair while I turned on the computer.

' What's the plan?'  Courage asked.

"We can search online for an exorcism."

'In hindsight, we should have started with that first.' Courage said as he began typing away.  'Hang on, Muriel. Help in on the way.'

"Exorcist?"  The computer asked.

"That's right. An exorcist is what we need or how to do one." I answered.

"Instructions for your basic exorcism... Oh my."

"Just give us the damn instructions, you sack of bolts and wires."

"No need to get testy. Here you go."  The computer said before printing out the instructions.  "Good luck, you two."

"Okay. Come on, Courage." I said as I grabbed the instructions while he turned off the computer.

' Right, let's go.'  Courage said as he raced downstairs to the living room. I chased after him. And by the time I got down to the living room, I saw Eustace pacing back and forth.

"What's this?" Eustace asked, confused, as I handed him the paper.

"Hopefully, a way to save Muriel." I answered. He seemed surprised at this but adjusted his glasses before reading the paper.

"To perform an exorcism... Put on a flowing garment." Eustace began. But he became confused when Courage pulled out Muriel's pajamas and hat from out of nowhere. But despite his confusion, he still grabbed them and put them on.

"Where did you get that Courage? Or do you always have a spare on you?" I whispered.

' I'll tell you later.'  Courage answered. I nodded before turning back to Eustace, who looked ridiculous. I struggled not to laugh, and in the back of my mind, I was sure that even Weiss would laugh at this.

"Incantation to exercise demon. What?" Eustace asked, surprised. He looked back at the paper and began reading the incantation. "Hullabaloo and howdy doo! Musty prawns and Timbuktu!"

"Uh..." I said, wondering if the computer was messing with us again. Eustace looked toward us, confused, but continued anyway.

"Yeltzy bye and hippity hoo! Kick 'em in the dishpan! Hoo hoo hoo!"

'What?' I thought, extremely confused. And judging by his wide-eyed expression, I could tell that Courage was surprised and confused as well.

"Kick 'em in the dishpan! Hoo hoo hoo?" Eustace repeated, trying to make sense of anything.

"Yeah, I don't know either, Eustace."

"Well, let's do this." Eustace said.

Nodding, we made our way to his room. But while Eustace made his way to the bed, Courage and I stayed near the door. Yet, despite acting tough earlier, I could tell that Eustace was afraid and nervous about the whole thing.

' Get that Demon! Get that Demon!'  Courage chanted while holding some pom-poms.

Turning to Eustace, we saw him swallow hard before starting the incantation. But he struggled to even get a few words out. However, it was clear the demon was amused by all this as it told Eustace to speak up so 'those' on the balcony could hear him. Swallowing some of his nerves, Eustace continued, but the demon stopped him again, asking if he was reading a chant or purposely making a fool out of himself.

'Third time is the charm.' I thought as Esuatce steeled himself. But this attempt did not last long as the demons started licking Eustace. 'Or maybe not.'

"Face it, sonny. You're a failure." The demon mocked before laughing.

' Yay, farmer.'  Courage said as he waved a white flag around.

"Come on! Give me a break! I can do it." Eustace begged.

"Want a tip?" The demon asked.

"Yeah, sure." Eustace agreed, leaning closer.

But that proved to be a mistake as the demons suddenly vomited on Eustace. It was so much that we thought it was a geyser of green vomit. The demon then wiped any remaining vomit off its face with a napkin.

' Looks like it's up to us, Jaune.'  Courage said before running out of the room.

"I was afraid you might say that." I sighed before following him.

Courage exited the house and went to the nearby water pump. I was confused for the first few seconds before realizing that he probably buried a few garments around the house. And I was right as he dug some up a few seconds later, miraculously in our sizes.

' I'm so glad Yang isn't here. I can already hear the laughing, puns, and new nicknames she would come up with almost immediately.'  I thought as we put on the garments.

' Ready Jaune?'  Courage asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

Five Minutes Later

"Huh?" The demon asked, confused.

"Hullabaloo and howdy doo! Musty prawns and Timbuktu! Yeltzy bye and hippity hoo! Kick 'em in the dishpan! Hoo hoo hoo!" Courage and I said, trying to keep ourselves calm as we read through the incantation. Courage even shook his hands like he was a cheerleader. Once we finished, an uncomfortable silence filled the air as we waited for a response.

"HA, HA, HA!" The demon laughed, finding what we did hilarious.

' Damn it.'  I thought, thinking we only made a fool out of ourselves. Luckily, fate proved me wrong when the demon stopped laughing and froze.

"OH!" The demon grunted as it tried to move. But then, all of a sudden, the mist that took over Muriel from earlier exited her body and now hovered above the room. Muriel, on the other hand, fell unconscious from that.

"MURIEL!" I shouted in fear. I was about to rush in and check on her but got sent flying into the wall along with Courage when Eustace suddenly kicked the door open. Looking over at him, I realized that he was going to give it another try, but this time, inside a hazmat suit.

"Hullabaloo and howdy doo! Musty prawns and Tim—OH!" Eustace shouted as he made his way to the bed. However, he stopped when he noticed the green mist floating over Muriel.

"MOVE EUSTACE!" I shouted, trying to warn him. But I was too late as the mist entered his body, with the demon taking control.

' EEEK!'  Courage screamed when he saw Eustace become fully possessed.

"HEH, HEH, HEH!" Eustace cackled as he slowly made his way to Muriel, causing her to wake up.

"Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!"

"AAHHH!" Muriel shouted, scared for her life.

"MURIEL." I shouted. Racing over to the bed, I tackled Eustace and tried to pin him down. Yet, it seemed like being possessed gave him enhanced strength as he quickly threw me off.

"HEE, HEE, HEH, HEH!" Eustace mocked before turning to face Muriel. However, he shouted in pain when Courage bit him in the ass. Annoyed, he began shaking violently to try and get Courage off. I was about to get up and try to help Courage, but luckily, Muriel beat me to it by literally beating Eustace on the head with a rolling pin that she took out from the nightstand next to her. The impact caused Eustace to get knocked out and fall to the bed.

' Jaune. Help with this.'  Courage asked as he let go of Eustace and got off the bed. Nodding, I got up and went over to him. We then rolled the bed around Eustace to trap him. Courage then wrapped some chains around the bed with me locking the lock.

"Okay, we're safe now. He won't be getting out from that." I said as I admired our handiwork.

"Thank you both for saving me." Muriel said, hugging us.

"No problem, Muriel. We're always here for you." I said as I hugged her back.

"Then that just leaves one thing left to do." Muriel said, sounding disappointed. She then headed downstairs. Curious, we followed her to the kitchen and saw that she was on the phone, likely with the demons that brought us the mattress. "We're not satisfied at all! Take your special mattress back!"

*Ding Dong*

"That was disturbingly quick." I thought as we heard the doorbell ring after Muriel hung up.

We went up to the front door and opened it. The two creatures from before entered, and in less than a moment, they came back down with the mattress, Eustace still trapped in it. They went outside and placed the mattress in their carriage before getting on and having the horse pull them away. We watched them leave, but before they were out of sight, the purple rat-like creature turned back to us and hissed one last time.

"Come on, you two. Let's watch some television before heading to bed." Muriel said before heading into the house.

Ten minutes later

We were inside the house in the living room. Muriel was lying on the couch with a blanket over her, with Courage on top of her. I was in Eustace's bed with a blanket of my own.

"Now, isn't this cozy?" Muriel asked as we watched the television.

"It sure is Muriel." I answered, fighting off a yawn.

' Now, this is a bed I can sleep in any day.'  Courage said before falling asleep. I just chuckled at that before falling asleep myself.

Chapter Text

Currently, it was late at night. Courage and I were in my room typing on the Computer. But we were not alone. We had a special guest with us. And it was someone who was a real good friend to Ruby, whom I had only met once before.

"So, this is your room? Fascinating." Penny said, looking around my room before looking back at the Computer.

Earlier today, Courage and I were returning from my work when Muriel called and asked if I could stop by the store to buy a bottle of vinegar. We agreed as the store was on the path we took to get home. But as we left the store, we bumped into Penny, who looked especially lost. Yet, thankfully, it was not in the sense we get when we face a new mysterious danger.

After helping me up, we talked for a bit and learned that Ironwood had sent her to Norwhere to investigate the strange reports he had received, along with finding out why this town 'suddenly' appeared on his radar. However, Penny said that once she arrived, she failed to find anything out of the ordinary and did not know how to return to her base. Although, I figured it was because she was so curious and excited about everything that she lost track of time and where she went.

But since it was getting late and Penny was a good friend, Courage and I invited her to spend the night at the farmhouse. Penny happily accepted the offer. And once we returned, Muriel also happily agreed to let Penny spend the night with us while Eustace merely grumbled. Now we were in my room watching Courage type our adventures together while Penny watched.

"So, these are actual adventures you went on?" Penny asked, curious.

"Yup, every single word is true." I answered, chuckling.

Yet, I could easily see people thinking I was making it up or had lost my mind. But I have to admit, it felt really refreshing to see someone so pure after having to put up with Eustace every day. And as Ruby said, even though she was a robot, it was her heart and soul that mattered. Honestly, if you were to ask me, Penny felt like more of a person than many other people I had the displeasure of meeting.

"You call getting chased by a lunatic snowman scary?" The Computer suddenly asked. "You twit."

"Wow, a talking smart computer. What kind of A.I. does it have?" Penny asked, curious.

"Talking? Yes. Smart. Debatable. And it surprisingly doesn't have an A.I.." I answered. And even though the Computer did not have a face, I could tell it was glaring at me.

'Well, how about this?' Courage asked as he typed in another of our adventures.

"Getting shaved by a mad barber head to toe got you frightened, you insect!" The Computer mocked.

"Is it always like this?" Penny asked, curious.

"Pretty much. He never misses the chance to mock us. But he can be really helpful. Well, that is, if he wants to be helpful." I answered, thinking back to all the times when we needed to look something up, and all he did was mock us.

"Getting chased by a she-demon underwater got both of you rattled? Snowflakes." The Computer taunted. Courage growled at this but let it go and began typing again.

"I am sure most others would be scared if an actual demon chases them." Penny said.

"What are these anyway? The memoirs of both of you." The Computer asked.

"Yes, they are." I answered with Courage nodding.

"They about as exciting as a sack of toenail clippings."

"Ass." I said to the Computer while Courage blew a raspberry at him.

"That was mean." Penny said, frowning.

"You flesh creatures are such pathetic mice. Scared of your own tails. If I could get around, I'd show all of you what can be done without fear." The Computer taunted. I was about to say something but stopped when I saw Courage typing an insult at him. "Oh, yeah? Everything you say bounces off me and sticks to you."

"Why do you put up with this computer?"

"Again, he's really helpful and somehow has knowledge on things no one else might have." I answered.

"But what do you do when he mocks you too much?" Penny asked. I turned to Courage, who smirked.

"Simple. We do this." I said as I raised my hand and let it hover over the on switch.

"Now, hold it! Don't hit that butt-" The Computer began only to go silent when we flipped the switch off with the Computer powering off.

' Hahahaha.'  Courage laughed, with his toothy grin showing, with that one tooth that had a hole in it.

"How does your dog do that?" Penny asked, referring to what Courage just did.

"I have no idea, Penny. But I have long since learned not to question it." I answered before letting out a yawn.

' It's late. We better head to sleep, Jaune.'  Courage said while getting off his chair. But as soon as he got off, he got picked up by a confused Penny.

"Um, Penny?" I asked, concerned.

"I am not sure how Ironwoods will react to me understanding what your dog is saying." Penny said, looking Courage up and down.

"Well, that makes you the fourth person aside from me who understands him." I said as I took him from her.

"Who are the others?"

"Nora, Blake, and Velvet."

"Fascinating. Do you have any idea why that is?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. But we can discuss that more tomorrow." I said as I made my way over to the bed and pulled back the covers.

"Where shall I sleep tonight?"

"Here on my bed, of course. I'll be sleeping downstairs on the couch." I answered as I grabbed my pajamas.

"But I cannot kick you out of your bed." Penny argued.

"Don't worry. It's fine. Besides, you're my friend." I told her. She seemed surprised at this but smiled and accepted my offer. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, friend." She said before suddenly hugging me.

It was almost bone-crushing, but I still hugged Penny back. After a few minutes, she let go and went to the bed. Smiling, I exited the room and went downstairs while Courage went to his room with Muriel and Eustace. Changing into my pajamas, I walked over to the closet, pulled out a spare blanket and pillow, and placed them on the couch. Lying down, I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. However, as I fell asleep, a thought came to mind.

' Does Penny actually need sleep or just powers off?'  I thought before succumbing to slumber.

Two in the morning

*BOOM*

The sound of thunder and lightning easily woke me up. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I got up, looked out the window, and saw that it was raining heavily, with thunder roaring and lightning going crazy.

"Iris must be mad about something." I thought, flinching a bit at how loud the thunder was.

Looking over at the clock, I saw that it was two in the morning. Lying back down, I was about to go to sleep when I heard the chattering of Courage come from upstairs. Sighing, I was about to go up and try to calm him down but stopped when I saw lightning nearly hit the house.

' Damn, that was close.'  I thought as I saw lightning strike the ground only a few feet from the farmhouse. Then I remembered that we had a guest in the house as well. "I better check up on Penny to see if she's okay."

"Jaune. Are you there?" Penny suddenly asked. Looking toward where it came from, I saw Penny coming down the stairs.

"Yes. Penny. I'm here. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I came to check on you as my readings indicated that this storm is abnormal."

"That's probably because Iris is mad for some reason." I told her as I looked outside and saw the storm grow more violent with each passing second. But it was only after another thunderclap that I realized my slip of the tongue . 'Oh, well. Hopefully, Penny can keep a secret. And I don't think anyone would believe her. I honestly don't think I would have believed it.'

"Who is this Iris?" Penny asked, curious.

"Iris is my girlfriend. And she can control the weather."

"Really? Ruby never told me her friend had a girlfriend. And I never heard of someone controlling the weather. What kind of semblance does she have?" Penny asked with a wide-eyed expression, causing me to chuckle a bit.

"Oh, Iris does not have a semblance or use dust. She is an actual Storm Goddess. She has the natural ability to control the weather. Though mostly storms, to be exact."

"There is an actual Goddess of Storms, and you are dating her?" Penny exclaimed, shocked.

"Yup." I said, smiling. 'Man, I am so lucky to have met her. And I am even luckier to be dating her.'

"Wow, that must be-" Penny began but got cut off when, out of nowhere, a lightning bolt struck the house.

Lightning started to go all around the house and started to affect everything. The television began to go on and off by itself, with the lamp doing the same. A second later, we heard the sound of the fridge opening and closing by itself, with some other appliances turning on and off as well. And the light that protruded from underneath the door, I could tell that the lights in the kitchen were also flickering on and off.

"What's happening?" Penny asked, worried and confused.

"I have no idea. But we should be sa—Muriel!" I began before shouting when I remembered that Muriel and Eustace were sleeping upstairs and that they could have possibly gotten hurt.

"We should check on them."

I nodded before we rushed up the stairs to their room. Opening the door, we saw they were still asleep except for Courage, who was shivering in fear between them. Looking to the side, we noticed that their lamps were also turning on and off by themselves.

"Are you okay, Courage?" I asked.

' Y-yeah, I-I'm fine.'  Courage answered, shivering. Yet, he nearly screamed when we heard demonic laughter.

'Crap. That sounds like it came from my room.' I thought, worried.

"Eustace, could you go see who's at the door?" Muriel asked, sitting up and smiling when she saw us standing at the foot of her bed. "Don't worry, you two, it's just a storm. It will pass. Go back to sleep."

"Um, okay, Muriel. Good night." I said before pulling Penny out of the room while Eustace barged past us and headed downstairs.

"Why did you not tell her about what happened?" Penny asked, curious.

"She is too pure and will think we are just making it up. I have learned that it's best to keep her in the dark as it would make things less complicated."

"That makes some sense. I guess."

"Anyway. Let's go back to sleep now." Yet, before we could go back to bed, we heard Eustace scream from downstairs. Turning to the stairs, we saw a very bright, light-blue light come from down the steps.

"WHAT! WHO THE HECK ARE YOU?!" Eustace shouted.

"Now, I'll show the world the difference between courage and fear." We heard a familiar voice declare.

"Whatever that is, it sounds familiar." I said, worried.

"According to my memory banks, it sounds exactly like your computer from earlier." Penny said with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I'm not too sure about that, but whatever it is, it doesn't seem friendly. I'm going to grab my shield and sword from my room. Penny, can you guard this room."

"Of course." Penny answered with a salute. Smiling, I quickly dashed back upstairs to my room and got a disturbing shock. The Computer was gone completely.

' Maybe Penny was right.'  I thought, worried, as I grabbed my shield and sword from under the bed.

I gave the sword a few experimental swings to get accustomed to the weight before nodding. But I rushed out of the room when I heard Muriel scream. Racing down the hall, I came across a horrifying sight. Penny was 'knocked out' on the floor with the Computer having a cable hold Muriel up into the air.

"LET HER GO!" I shouted, getting its attention. I charged at the Computer, but it tripped me with its cables. I grunted when I hit the floor, but before I could recover, the Computer knocked me out.  

Morning Nine A.M.

Groaning, I felt my whole body ache as my aura slowly healed me. Feeling someone shake me slightly, I opened my eyes but immediately shut them when the light nearly blinded me. Rubbing my eyes, I blinked them a few times and waited for them to get accustomed to the light. After a few seconds, I was able to make out Penny, who was leaning over me with a worried look.

"Jaune, are you alright?" Penny asked as she helped me up.

"Just a bit sore. What happened?" I asked as I rubbed my head.

"I do not fully know. After you left, the Computer appeared. But before I could attack, it shot out a cable that attached to my body. It then somehow bypassed my security defenses, and the next thing I knew, I was powering down. In fact, I just regained functionality moments ago."

"Are you alright? Is anything wrong?" I asked, worried that Penny might have suffered damage.

"I am fine. I ran a diagnostic, and everything is fine. But I thank you for your concern." Penny answered, causing me to sigh in relief. I then looked around and realized that we were alone in my room.

"Let's go and see if anyone else is still here."

Penny nodded and helped me out of my room and down the stairs as I was still regaining my senses. Once downstairs, we saw Courage staring at the hole in the wall with his eyes and mouth open in shock.

"Courage? Are you okay?" I asked. Seeing that he was still out of it, I slapped Courage's head lightly to snap him back to focus.

'Fine?! How can you talk about being at this moment? Everything is-' Courage began, only to mumble after a moment, causing me to barely be able to understand him.

"Calm down, Courage." I said as I gave him a light smack again.

' Thanks. I needed that.'  Courage said as he rubbed his head.

"What has happened since we were last conscious, Courage?" Penny asked.

' The storm somehow brought the Computer to life. He then came to the room and kidnapped Muriel. I chased after him, but I fainted after I saw him transfer himself into Muriel and take control of her body.'  Courage answered, trying to stay calm but failing.

"How is that possible?" I asked, thinking this was impossible to happen, yet it happened.

"I have heard of attempts to try this before, but all failed. Even then, they were into empty bodies and not ones with souls or consciousness." Penny added.

"Okay. We can figure this out later. But first, we need to find Muriel. Or, in this case, the Computer inside Muriel's body."

' Right. But where should we begin to search?'  Courage asked. Yet, we got our answer when the television suddenly turned on. Turning to it, we saw that a breaking news report was on.

' It's a daring feat, never before attempted.'  The reporter announced.

"Hey, you stupid kids and dog. Some stupid lady is going to get shot through the stupid moon to Mars." Eustace suddenly yelled. We moved next to him and were surprised to see that he was just a head now. Turning to the television, it suddenly changed to show a giant canon with Muriel/Computer climbing into it.

' She's fearless. She's amazing. She's Mega Muriel the Magnificent.'  The reporter declared while Muriel entered the cannon before closing the door.

' Uh, no.'  Courage shouted.

"We have to stop her." Penny said, shocked at what was happening.

"We don't have time to lose then. Let's go." I said as I rushed to the door. However, I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the massive hole in the wall beside the door. "Um, was that always there?"

' You just noticed that?'  Courage asked as he and Penny chuckled. I simply smiled while rolling my eyes. We then exited the house and ran as fast as we could to where Muriel was. Yet, we let out another laugh when we noticed that the Computer destroyed Eustace's truck.

Cliff

After a half hour, we finally reached the cliff. Pushing past the crowd, we quickly made our way to the cannon and then headed to the entrance. Climbing up the ladder, we opened the hatch and got inside the cannon. Once inside, we saw Muriel/Computer smirking at us.

"Had to come and see what true courage looks like, eh, twerps?" Computer taunted.

"We came to stop you and get you out of this canon." I said as I grabbed her arm and tried to pull her out of the canon.

"Um, Computer. What you are doing is dangerous. You have to stop." Penny added as she tried to help me.

"Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be human?" Computer asked, causing Penny to falter, which allowed the Computer to free itself.

"Yes. I always wondered what it would be like to be human." Penny answered.

"And you will see what it's like." Computer said, chuckling. I briefly wondered what he meant by that but quickly realized that he meant that the fuse on the canon was lit, and the canon was about to launch us into space.

"HANG ON!" I shouted as I grabbed Penny and brought her close to me while also grabbing onto Muriel/computer.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Courage and I screamed as we were sent flying into the air and quickly went into space and actually through the moon. But before we could make it to Mars, a giant alien standing on a meteor hit us with a giant tennis racket.

"OW!" We screamed in pain as we were sent flying back to the planet.

Farmhouse

"Ow." I grunted as we walked slowly and painfully back to the farmhouse.

After ten minutes, we reached it and opened the door. Courage was in a full-body cast, while I had a crutch and cast on my left arm. Penny was the only one of us who came out mostly fine since she was a durable robot. Granted, it also helped that I took the brunt of the impact, with Penny landing on me.

"Thanks for taking the impact Jaune." Penny said, helping me stay upright.

"You're welcome, Penny."

"Hey, that Mega lady is doing something real freaky now." Eustace said, getting our attention.

' What now?'  Courage groaned in pain as we made our way in front of the television.

' You think that getting shot through the moon to Mars wearing a fur hat and having two kids along for the ride would be enough? But not for Fearless Mega Muriel the Magnificent . '  The reporter announced.  'Now she's waiting on the San Andreas fault for an earthquake.'

' Ha, ha, ha.'  Muriel/computer laughed in the background.

' Ready to dive in when the ground starts rocking and rolling.'  The reporter added while shaking his hips.

"Analyzing. I have no data on this San Andreas fault. Do you have any idea where or what that is, Jaune?" Penny asked.

"No clue, Penny. But then again, I have been to places I never thought existed before, like a place called France and China." I answered.

' I know the place. It's where the biggest fault is. It is also the place where people speculate the biggest earthquake could take place.'  Courage explained.

"Great. So that's going to be painful. Lead the way, Courage." Courage nodded before we made our way out of the house. Yet, before we could do so, Penny stopped us.

"Are you sure it is wise to do this, as both of you are still hurt?" Penny asked.

"We're sure, Penny. You can trust us." I assured her. Penny seemed torn between letting us continue or forcing us to stay. But she sighed and let us through.

"Let us just be careful. I don't want my friends to be hurt."

"We won't get hurt. And even if we do. It will only be minor. I promise you as my friend that."

Penny seemed to lighten up when I called her my friend and nodded happily. This also caused her to speed up. But she quickly remembered that we could not go as fast since we were still hurt. She apologized, but we waved it off, saying it was all good with a smile.

San Andreas Fault

After a good hour, we managed to make it to where Muriel was. But as we did so, the ground started to shake violently. It was almost as if the Brothers above were shaking the planet itself. Pushing our way through the crowd, we spotted Muriel sitting on the edge of the fault. We quickly raced over to her but failed to reach her in time as she jumped into the fault line when she spotted us.

"Now what?" Penny asked, worried as we struggled to keep our balance.

' We go in after her.'  Courage answered. Turning to him, we saw that he had put on a backpack with a fan on.

"Courage, that's not going to—COURAGE!" I began only to shout in terror when he jumped into the fault line.

I immediately jumped in as well. Looking back, I saw Penny hesitate momentarily before jumping in as well. Turning back around, we quickly reached Muriel/Computer, who smiled when he saw us.

"Look how scared you all are." Computer said as he pulled out a mirror to show us our reaction to falling into this fault line. I got annoyed while Penny was confused, but Courage screamed when he saw himself in the mirror.

"Jaune. How do we get out of here?" Penny shouted.

"I don't kn—LOOK OUT!" I shouted when I saw a mountain quickly rising.

I quickly grabbed Courage and Penny in time and turned around so I could take the impact. Luckily, when it reached us, it did not hurt as badly as I expected. After a few moments, we were back above the fault line on top of the mountain that came up from the fault line.

"I did not expect that." Penny said as she looked around the mountain, confused about where it came from.

"So long, all of you." Computer suddenly said, getting our attention. Looking toward her, we saw her doing the hitchhiker sign before jumping up and grabbing onto a plane's landing gear that suddenly flew by us.

"Great. We have to find her/him again." I said, exasperated at seeing Computer disappear into the distance.

"At least we are not hurt." Penny said, turning to us.

' That's true. But how do we get down from here?'  Courage wondered. But before either of us could answer or suggest anything, we heard a goat behind us.

"You had to say it." I said as the goat hit us with his horns and sent us flying back to the farm.

Farmhouse

We were slowly walking back to the farmhouse. Penny was thankfully fine. However, Courage was now in a wheelchair while I was using two crutches just to walk. Somehow, for some reason, the goat sent us flying to the farmhouse. Heading inside, we saw that Eustace was still in his chair, watching the news.

"Now that Mega dame is going skiing." Eustace said when he heard us enter.

"Oh, thank Oum. At least that's a relatively safe sport." I nearly shouted in relief at that news.

' So, we don't need to worry now.'  Courage added, smiling.

"...off the top of the Empire State Building." Eustace finished after a moment.

"Right. Should have expected that." I said, annoyed.

' Yeah, when does it ever go that easy on us?'  

"What is the Empire State Building?" Penny asked, curious.

"One of the tallest buildings in New York."

"What and where is New York?" She asked, confused.

"We'll explain on the way." I answered as we exited the house again despite her protests not to do so.

New York

We were currently climbing the Empire State Building, but not in the way many would expect. Rather than taking the elevators or even the stairs, we were climbing the outside of the building. Courage even had a giant bungee rope to use in case Muriel/Computer jumped off the building before we could stop her/him. After a tiresome hour of climbing, we finally reached the top. Standing up and catching our breath, we saw Muriel/Computer looking down at us in amazement.

"I just don't understand either of you. You're both scared of a living shadow, yet you both feel the need to risk your lives to try and stop me. People are such puzzles." Computer questioned.

"WOW. This is such a beautiful view." Penny said, amazed.

"Just wait until you are human and can finally feel the wind against your face and the adrenaline coursing through your veins." Computer told her before jumping off the building. Meanwhile, Penny became lost in thought about what it must feel like to be human.

"Crap. Courage, do it now." I said. Courage nodded and tossed the cord up to the top of the building, where it somehow tied itself into a knot. We then tied it around our waists.

"Wait. Jaune, my calculations show that there is too little chance of surviving this." Penny warned, grabbing onto my arm.

"I know, Penny. But I am not going to let Muriel get hurt. And I'll tell you a secret later." I said before freeing my hand and jumping off the building to go after Muriel with Courage right behind me.

We felt the wind rush past our faces as we tried to catch up to Muriel/Computer. After a few terrifying seconds, we were close enough to Muriel/Computer and were about to grab her. But before we could do so, a window opened up with someone taking out a rug and shaking it to have all the dust come off it. Yet, this only provided Muriel/Computer with a ramp that launched them into the distance. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for us, as Courage and I went straight through the rug and ended up in the sewer that Muriel/Computer was supposed to go into. Luckily, they didn't, as whatever was in there was not dirty water. And I knew that because as soon as we hit the water, we were sent flying out of the sewer with green smoke trailing behind us and crashed through a nearby power plant.

"OW!" We both grunted in pain from the hard landing.

"Dog. Kid. Over here." The voice of the Computer suddenly called out to us. Turning around, we saw that Muriel/Computer was stuck in a weird machine. "Listen, you two. I know we had our difficult moments, but well, it's not like I'm scared or anything; it's just that if there is an electrical surge, I could crash, you know, get wiped, zippo. And with this being a power plant and all, just be a good pup and kid and help me get out of here."

"JAUNE!" Penny shouted. Turning around, we saw Penny running towards us. "Are you both okay?

"Yeah, we're fine. But right now, we need your help." I told her.

"What do you need help with?"

"We need your help to free Muriel/Computer. He/she is trapped there, and if there is a power surge, it could cause him/her to crash. And seeing this is a power plant, it will happen if we don't act soon." I answered. But Penny did not move from her spot.

"Are you sure, Jaune? After all the trouble and pain he caused, you still want to help him?"

"I know he caused a lot of problems, but he still is a friend in a sense. And I don't want to see him hurt either." I explained. She seemed unconvinced but nodded. But as she did that, the power plant came on.

"Hurry." Computer said as he looked around and saw the power plant come alive.

"Okay. I'll help." Penny said before heading over to a console to try to shut everything down.

"Come on, Courage. Let's try and help him." I said.

Courage nodded as we headed to Computer/Muriel.

We first tried to remove the ski gear from the machine. But it was stuck deep into the machine. We then tried to remove them from her but failed as well. I quickly looked around to try and find a way to free him. Luckily, Courage got an idea and started to bite through a belt on the machine and the ski boards. Unfortunately, he was only halfway through when the machine came on, and power was about to reach us. But before it did, everything turned off.

"What?" We all asked.

"I did it." Penny said, walking up to us. "I turned it off."

"Good job, Penny." I told her while Courage finished freeing Computer/Muriel.

"Yes. You all did well." Computer/Muriel said as he/she got down. He/she was about to say something else, but the plant suddenly turned back on again. However, this time, it was far quicker.

"MOVE PENNY!" I shouted and pushed her away while Courage pushed Computer away.

Unfortunately, while we were able to save Penny and the Computer/Muriel, we were unable to do the same. The electricity from the power plant struck us, causing us to feel immense pain and burning before launching us out of the power plant, where we landed in front of the reporter.

"It's amazing! The dog and kid came flying out of the power plant. What a dog and kid! How did it feel?' The reporter asked while moving the microphone in front of us. I did not answer, while Courage gave a hollow laugh in answer. Hearing some footsteps, I turned around and saw Muriel and Penny walk up to us. Penny picked me up while Computer picked Courage up.

"Mega Muriel. How did you ever come up with this outstanding stunt?" The reporter asked. Instead of answering, we began to walk away. "Not only does Mega Muriel have buns of steel, but she also has a heart of gold."

Ten Minutes later

We were nearing the farmhouse. Computer/Muriel was still carrying Courage while Penny was helping me to walk since my aura was depleted from protecting me from everything that happened today. Entering the farmhouse, we heard Eustace begin to complain about being hungry. Yet, we just ignored him. We headed upstairs while Computer/Muriel also picked up its old body before climbing up the stairs.

"You flesh creatures are dull. Dull, dull, dull." Computer said as we entered my room. He then placed his old body back on the table before putting Courage on his seat.

"Do you think you can stand by yourself, Jaune?" Penny asked.

"Yeah. Thanks." I answered as I felt slightly better.

' Oh.'  Courage moaned in pain and confusion while looking at Computer.

"You can have your Muriel back." Computer said while putting a cable onto its neck. On the screen, an image of Muriel and Computer appeared. It then showed a transfer progress between them that soon said it was finished.

Eight P.M.

We were in my room with Muriel this time. Courage was writing on the Computer while Penny and I watched. After a few moments, Courage finished.

"Ah, Courage. Jaune. These memoirs are just extraordinary. So entertaining. But how do they end?" Muriel asked. We looked at each other, confused and unsure, but the Computer decided to lend a hand this time.

"And they all live happily ever after." Muriel said, reading what Computer typed. "That's lovely. You are both such good writers."

"They really are." Penny agreed.

"Well, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." Muriel said before leaving as we turned off the Computer.

"Well, Courage, today has been something." I said, with Courage nodding. Yet, that simple motion caused him to wince in pain.

"And I learned a lot today and saw many new places." Penny added.

"And there is so much more to see." I told her, wondering if we could ever meet up again. Penny smiled and was about to say something, but didn't when we heard the familiar sound of a bullhead landing. Looking out the window, we saw that, indeed, a bullhead had landed outside the farm.

"That is an Atlas bullhead." Penny said, recognizing the symbol on it.

Curious but concerned, we all went down to check it out. Once outside, we saw a few Atlas soldiers looking confused. But they were relieved when they spotted Penny. They approached us and explained that Ironwoods had sent them to find Penny and bring her back to Atlas.

"Well, this is goodbye, Jaune. Hopefully, we will see each other again." Penny said as we walked to the bullhead.

"Of course. We're friends." I assured her. Penny smiled before boarding the bullhead, followed by the soldiers. Courage and I took a few steps back as the bullhead ascended before taking off for Atlas.

' She is definitely unique.'  Courage said.

"Well, she is a robot. But even then, she is unique. Yet has more soul and heart than many people I know." I said, smiling.

Courage hummed in agreement before entering the house. But I decided to stay for a moment until the bullhead was out of sight. Once it was out of sight, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Looking up, I saw Iris next to me.

"Hey, Iris." I said before leaning to kiss her on the cheek.

"Hey, Jaune. I came to check on you and to say sorry for that violent storm. Some co-workers really got on my nerves. Hopefully, you did not get hurt." Iris said, worried.

"I'm fine. But you did give me a fun adventure from the storm."

"Like what?" Iris asked, confused.

"Let's head inside, and I'll tell you." I said, smiling. I then grabbed her hand before we headed inside to spend the night together.

Chapter Text

'I wonder if the odds are higher than in Vale.' I wondered.

We were in the living room watching the news. Right now, it was showing the lottery. Muriel was sitting in her chair while Eustace was in his chair holding a lottery ticket. I was sitting in between them with Courage on my lap, sleeping. I was going through my scroll and reading any news to keep up to date on what was happening in Vale. However, I also had to assure Blake that I had not forgotten my promise and that I would soon take her fishing in Nowhere.

' The Nowhere lottery is bigger than ever.'  The TV reporter announced excitedly.  'And we'll find out who wins tomorrow!'

"Whoo-Hoo! That's going to be me! Me! Me! Me!" Eustace shouted in joy as he looked over his ticket, which had the number 1,2,3,4,5.

'I doubt it. Even if the rates are higher here, they are probably still abysmally low.' I thought as I put away my scroll.

' What are the chances something may happen to us since the lottery is bigger and about to be announced?'  Courage asked, waking up.

"I have no idea, Courage. Honestly, I just hope it's not too dangerous."

"That reminds me. Jaune, be a dear and go downtown to pick us up these ingredients. I'm planning on making some chicken dumplings later today." Muriel said, handing me a list.

"Okay. Muriel. I'll be back soon." I said, moving Courage off my lap before standing up. "Want to come with me, Courage?"

' Nah, I'll stick around and sleep some more.'  He answered with a yawn before going back to sleep.

"Okay. I'll be back later." I said as I made my way over to the door. Eustace merely grunted while Muriel waved goodbye and Courage snored.

Chuckling, I opened the door and exited the house. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my earbuds and connected them to my scroll. I put on some music before making my way to the bus stop. Luckily, a bus came only a moment after I got there. Getting on, I paid my fair before heading to the back, with the bus soon heading into town. However, as it did so, I spotted a strange-looking red van with antennas on top and the words television repair man written on the side. For a moment, I felt like I should get off the bus and follow the van, especially since it was heading toward the farm. But I ultimately ignored it as I felt I was just being paranoid.

Twenty-Five Minutes Later

"Okay, three bottles of vinegar. Gross." I said, reading over the list.

I never understood why Muriel and her family put vinegar in everything. While there was the rare occasion that it did make food/drinks better, it more often than not made things taste worse. But either way, I grabbed the bottle of vinegar before going around the store and getting everything else Muriel needed. After about a half hour, I finally got everything and headed to the cashier to pay. Yet, as I was getting in line and started to put the supplies on the belt, someone called out my name.

"Mr. Arc?" The voice asked

"Ms. Goodwitch?" I asked, surprised at seeing the vice-headmistress of Beacon. I was not at all expecting to see her here in Nowhere. "What are you doing here?"

"I can ask you the same thing." She said with a light glare.

"I'm just picking up some groceries for my family."

"Picking up some groceries for my family." I answered as I started to pay for them. Glynda seemed genuinely surprised at this for some reason.

"I hope you don't mind me asking. But is the rumor true that the Arc Family disowned you, yet another family took you in without hesitation?"

'Well... this is Glynda. And unlike Ozpin or some others, she only ever wants the best for her students... or former student in my case.' I thought. "Yes, that is true. The Arc Family disowned me. But it was more Muriel who adopted me. Her husband, Eustace, didn't really care."

"Well, I'm happy you found another family that truly cares for you." Glynda said, smiling.

"Thanks. But I still want to know. Why are you doing all the way out here in Nowhere, which is pretty far from any of the kingdoms?" I asked, curious.

"There are three reasons why I am here." Glynda said, massaging her temples. I could tell that she was struggling to keep her anger in check. "Ozpin wanted me to investigate here as he had heard that some strange events were happening here. But he also wanted me to see if there were any new types of coffee for the faculty. As for Ironwood, he wanted me to see Penny's findings were true."

"Do he tell you what they were?" I asked, slightly scared as I had an inkling of what they were.

"That there is potentially a Maiden hiding here in Nowhere and if the other readings are true."

'Knew it.' I thought. "Well, Glynda. I am sorry that you have to put up with Ozpin and Ironwood. But I can also save you the hassle and tell you that what Penny found is mostly true."

"I am sorry, Mr. Arc. But I don't believe you. Some of the things she found are so strange and bizarre that they are borderline ludicrous."

"First, please don't call me Arc. I am no longer one of them. Just call me Jaune. And second, I actually have proof of everything. It's back at my new home on the computer."

"While I am sure you have proof, I am actually on a tight-" Glynda began. However, her scroll vibrating cut her off. She excused herself before taking out her scroll and reading the notification. However, she nearly crushed it out of anger and frustration.

"Are you alright, Ms. Goodwitch?" I asked as I started bagging the groceries. She took a few deep breaths before answering.

"I am fine, Mr.- I mean Jaune. But right now, something happened at Beacon, and now the airport is shut down for repairs and won't be up and running until tomorrow." Glynda said as she calmed down.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But what do you plan to do until it gets fixed?" I asked as I picked up my bags and moved to the side so she could pay for the stuff she got.

"I am unsure. I might just walk around and see what this place has to offer before heading to a motel to spend the night." Glynda answered as she paid for her stuff.

"Why don't you come back with me to the farmhouse?" I suggested as we left the store and headed to the bus stop.

"While that would be much appreciated, I do not think that the ones who adopted you will be so willing to accept a stranger coming into their house."

"Actually. Muriel loves meeting people, so it won't be a problem. As for Eustace, who is the farmer of the house, he doesn't care who is in the house as long as they don't interrupt him when he is reading his newspaper or watching his shows.