Chapter Text
The next day, Cooper and Amber were sitting at the table with Courage near their feet. Muriel was sitting at the table near them, too. They were eating their dinner of Mac and Cheese. Delicious as it was, though, the atmosphere wasn't warm and comforting like before. Cooper and Amber were hoping that after last night, they could figure out where to go from there to get that atmosphere to return. Cooper had his doubts, though. It had been quite the trek for Eustace to shake off the angry mob and find his way back. That part Cooper had been right about. But when Eustace walked in the kitchen, he realized that it wasn't like nothing happened. Not at all.
"Hey, what's for dinner?" Eustace asked. But Muriel was far from being in a good mood today. She was stewing over how Eustace had been so careless with Cooper in the past. How he'd basically scarred him for life. Cooper had held it in for so long only because he wanted his parents to stay together. Eustace had no idea his parents broke up because of him.
"Make it yourself." Muriel coldly spoke to him. Cooper, Amber, and Courage gasped. Nobody in the house expected Muriel to be so blunt, let alone furious.
"Eh? But, Muriel…" Eustace said, attempting to change her mind, only to be whacked on the head with a rolling pin.
"No buts!" Muriel shouted. "You want something? You make it! We've already finished our dinner!" Muriel walked away from the oven, taking a plate of pancakes along with her, leaving Eustace quite baffled. Cooper was even more so. Muriel was always there to set him straight when he acted the way he did, but now… Cooper knew something was different there. She was more… open with her anger.
"What did I do?" Eustace asked.
"You know exactly what you've done!" Muriel snapped, shocking Eustace once more. But rather than risk poking the bear anymore than he did (at least not right now), he tried to look for something to make his own food with, grumbling the whole way through. Cooper, Amber, and Courage stared at her in shock.
Shortly, outside, the sky was dimming out as the sun set, and the clouds were drifting over the full moon. Muriel knelt beside a burrow in the garden, plucking a carrot from the garden. Cooper and Amber were outside of the house along with her to talk to her. Courage was inside the house, pacing back and forth as he tried to think of something to put Muriel in a good mood again.
"Uh, Grandma? Are you okay?" Cooper asked. "I mean, I'm glad you're standing up to him now, but…"
"You seem like you're… constipated." was all Amber could think to say.
"I suppose…" Muriel sighed. "It's not as if I want to feel this way. But ever since last night, I… I can't look at it the same way ever again…" Hearing that, Cooper started to feel bad for how he exploded. It was an in-the-heat-of-the-moment kind of event, but in trying to defend Bigfoot, Cooper ended up letting out some nasty things he'd kept hidden. And now, Muriel is left feeling all the worse for it.
"This is all my fault, isn't it?" Cooper asked sadly, feeling like he was to blame for the impact on Muriel's perspective.
"Don't be rash on yourself, Cooper." Muriel assured him as she pulled out a carrot, holding it delicately in her hand. "You only wanted a place where you could feel safe at home. You shouldn't feel guilty for letting out the truth, especially when I needed to know."
"That's not what dad taught me…" Cooper sadly spoke. "He always told me, 'it's better to mind your own business and keep your yap shut if you want things to go your way.'"
"Wow. Real role model…" Amber said, rolling her eyes at his description of "fatherly advice".
"Doesn't mean he was wrong. If I just kept it all shut like I always did, you wouldn't be feeling this miserable, Grandma." Cooper said sadly. "It never would've happened if I–!"
"Cooper. Listen." Muriel interjected, cutting him off before he could guilt trip himself. "I'm glad that you care so much about my feelings. But your feelings are just as important. I ask you, never diminish yourself as a person, ever." Cooper started to smile, however small it was.
"Thanks…" Cooper replied gently. "Uh, do you need some help with those?"
"It would be appreciated." Muriel smiled fondly toward him. Amber and Cooper smiled at each other as they picked out the vegetables in the garden that they planted the other day. At that moment, a small white rabbit hopped over to them.
"Why, look at this! A wee rabbit!" Muriel said with fascination. Cooper and Amber saw it and smiled fondly.
"Hey, he looks kinda cute up close." Cooper said with a grin.
"Yeah. I never thought I'd actually see it in person." Amber said, gently petting its head. The rabbit clicked with its mouth, shifting its whiskers up and down. Muriel seemed to figure out why it was.
"Are you hungry?" Muriel asked. But little did they know that something in the dirt was burrowing toward them with a hungry, gurgling snarl. "Would you like a carrot? Is a carrot what you're wantin'?"
"I'll get you one." Cooper said as he picked up a carrot from the basket, and he handed it to the rabbit. "Here you go, little guy." However, that's when he noticed something headed right toward them. "What the heck…?" Cooper asked with intrigue and concern as Amber gasped, seeing it for herself. They saw an unusual mound of dirt moving up, leaving a trail behind via an extended hill. And it was headed right for…!
"Look out!" Cooper shouted with widened eyes. He leapt forward toward the rabbit just as a monstrous, hungry growl pierced the air. Before he knew it, a mole-like creature with razor sharp fangs for teeth,hollow red eyes, and messy gray-brown fur burst out from the hole, fangs bared like it was planning to jump out teeth first! Fortunately, he was able to save the rabbit. Unfortunately, the creature clamped its fangs down on his arm and tore into his sleeve. Cooper let out a sharp scream of pain as the blood splattered on the ground.
"COOPER!" Amber shouted. The creature growled like a mad dog as Cooper wrestled with the beast. Amber grabbed onto it to try to pull it off as Muriel noticed their predicament.
"Oh, heavens!" Muriel shrieked in a panic. However, she was not powerless. She snatched up a rolling pin from her apron pocket and whacked the creature in the face, forcing it to let go and allowing Amber to throw it away from Cooper, but not before taking off a piece of Cooper's sleeve with it. With a shriek, it tumbled back into the burrow, dirt flying before it scurried off, the mound going far and far away from the farm as it whimpered.
"Yeah, you better run! That's what you get for picking on defenseless little animals!" Cooper shouted, only to collapse to his knees, clutching his now swollen, bleeding arm as Amber and Muriel checked on him. The bite was deep, oozing, and already discolored. That can't be a normal bite.
"Cooper, dear! Oh, your poor arm!" Muriel gasped.
"It didn't even tell me its name…" Cooper said with a glare toward where it ran off to.
"Is that— Cooper, what just bit you?" Amber asked worriedly.
"I wish I knew…" Cooper answered.
"Must've been a bad carrot." Muriel supposed.
An hour later, they went to see the Nowhere doctor, Dr. Vindaloo. They were in his office, which was really no different than a normal doctor's office, though it could've fooled them. Cooper was sitting on an examination table, his arm now bloated like a balloon, reddish and veiny. It was not a pretty sight for anyone to look at. Courage stood behind Amber, trembling with concern.
"Is he gonna be okay?" Amber asked anxiously. But the Dr. didn't seem all that concerned.
"You have nothing to worry about." Dr. Vindaloo said with a smile.
"Can we get a second opinion?" Cooper asked flatly, holding up his balloon of a hand.
"There's nothing at all." Dr. Vindaloo replied.
"Nothing?" Amber asked with a deadpan stare as Courage whimpered anxiously.
"Nothing at all." He repeated. Cooper flailed his arm slightly, sloshing it around like it was soda in a bottle. And to top it off, it squeaked like rubber.
"Nothing?! MY ARM'S A FREAKING BALLOON!" Cooper shouted.
"The swelling is going to go down. To go down." The doctor told him. "Just keep soaking it. You've nothing to worry about. Just keep soaking it."
Courage stammers incoherently, pointing at Cooper's arm with his paw. Amber had a disbelieving look on her face.
"There HAS to be a better solution than that." Amber scolded. Muriel patted her hand on her head gently.
"Now, now, I'm sure Cooper wouldn't want to be any trouble…" Muriel assured her. "Let's not be any trouble for him. That means you especially, Eustace." She'd glared at Eustace, making him grumble as he left the room, grabbing the leash.
"Well… he shouldn't have gotten bit! Come on, stupid dog!" Eustace shouted, yanking Courage backward with his leash while Amber glared at him before looking back at Cooper.
"Insensitivity aside, he's right! That was so reckless! What if your whole arm came off?!" Amber shouted with alarm and concern.
"Oh, so now you're taking his side?! After what he did to me?!" Cooper retorted back, his eyes flashing red. Amber and Muriel gasped over how he acted to them. Cooper gasped, shaken by how he just responded as the red glow died down. "I… I'm so sorry, I… I don't know what just came over me." He said meekly, feeling awful for how he snapped at them. Amber stared at him, her eyes softening slightly.
"You're lucky you didn't die… You scared me doing what you did." Amber said.
"Sorry…" Cooper sighed softly. "But I'd do it again, though."
"Please don't. I've had plenty of heart attacks for one night." Amber softly spoke as they walked out of the room as Muriel shook his hand.
"Thank you, doctor." Muriel told him as she walked out with them.
"...Just keep soaking it." he repeated.
The next night, the farmhouse was quiet save for the glow of the television in the living room. It was playing a scary show (one of Muriel's favorites) with Muriel, Eustace (begrudgingly), Courage, Amber, and Cooper watching it together. Cooper didn't look any better since the visit. His face was pale, his lips were dry, and his hair was damp. More so than it should be this time of night, even if only slightly.
"Coop, are you sure you're okay enough to watch with us?" Amber asked gently.
"Eh, I just feel feverish, I guess. Relaxing helps." Cooper told her, petting Courage softly with his hand. But even the pink beagle wasn't convinced. Muriel put her hand over his forehead, making her eyes lower down with anxious worry.
"Oh, my. You've got a fever, poor thing." Muriel said dreadfully.
"I feel hot…" Cooper told softly before he started coughing. Amber became very worried and she stood up from her seat.
"Let's get you to the kitchen and soak it in. I don't know if I could stand to see you like this." Amber said worriedly. Cooper didn't even try to fight her on it. He wasn't feeling that great.
"And after that, get your sick body to bed, away from the rest of us." Eustace suggested rashly, making Muriel frown at him.
"Really, Eustace." Muriel glared.
"What? Can't help if the rest of us get sick, too." Eustace said defensively.
In the kitchen, Amber turned on the sink, making it fill up with tap water. She placed Cooper's hand into the sink to soak the wound. Cooper sighed contentedly as Amber checked on him.
"Feeling better?" Amber asked him.
"Yeah. A little." Cooper weakly answered her. Amber leaned in and kissed his cheek tenderly.
"Good. Just let me know if you feel weird again." Amber advised him with a smile. She started to walk away–
"Actually... now that you say that… I feel…" Cooper began to speak, staring at the full moon. Then, he winced, wiping the sweat from his brow. Then, suddenly, his body jerked, grunting in pain as it shifted outside of his control. A low growl bubbled up from his throat.
"Uh… Coop…?" Amber worriedly asked, hoping it was just a joke.
In the living room, Muriel rocked in her chair with a cup of tea. The TV was playing spooky music.
"Amber, are you and Cooper going to hurry back? You're missing your favorite show!" Muriel hollered to them.
Back in the kitchen, Cooper trembled violently now, his head drooped forward. He clenched the sink with both hands, his fingers twitching as his fingernails began to sharpen and darken.
"Cooper? Say something to reassure me…"
Cooper lifted his head slowly and turned it around to glare at her. His eyes blazed crimson-red.
"I'LL EAT YOUR MOM!" Cooper shouted in a distorted tone.
"AAAAH!" Amber shrieked in a high pitch that Courage could hear in the living room. Courage jolted off of the chair and turned his head over to where the sound came from, his ears locating the shrill scream from inside.
"Uh-oh…" Courage gulped and scampered off toward the kitchen, trembling with fear of what he might find.
He gulps and scampers off toward the kitchen, trembling.
In the kitchen, Amber stumbled back, panic in her eyes. Cooper was hunched over now, arms twitching, bones cracking as he grunted and snarled, saliva dripping from his bared fangs. He suddenly dropped to all fours, his body convulsing as his shirt tore up at the seams. He dove toward Courage's food bowl and began devouring it like a ravenous beast, snarling between bites.
"Huh?" Amber raised her eyebrow, perplexed that he'd go after Courage's food over her. Courage entered, gasping over what he's seeing. Then, Cooper whipped his head around, face twisted with sharp fangs and bloodshot eyes as he hungrily growled.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Courage screamed at the top of his lungs, only to suddenly clutch his chest with his paw as he gasped softly. A couple seconds later, THUMP! Courage collapsed to the floor with Amber gasping.
Shortly afterward, a speeding ambulance tore down the road, sirens blaring. Courage lied on a gurney, hooked to a heart monitor. His eyes twitched open weakly while Amber sat beside him, holding his paw gently. And yet, she couldn't help but look out the window at the full moon hanging low in the sky. Its cold light glinted across the glass. Behind her, the monitor beeps steadily, but Cooper's shadow seems to linger in her mind like a howl waiting to escape.
"Coop… what's going on with you…?" Amber asked sadly.
Shortly afterward, Courage woke up, finding himself lying in a hospital bed with a small wrap around his arm, and a wire hooked to a heart monitor. It beeped steadily. He blinked slowly, seeing Amber by his side, and Dr. Vindaloo as well.
"Phew. You're okay." Amber said with relief, brushing his head.
"You almost bought it, boy." Dr. Vindaloo asked. "What is up with that? You've nothing to worry about. There's nothing at all." Amber snarled at him. She knew what she saw. And it was not nothing.
"Nothing? Nothing?! I'll show you nothing!" Amber shouted, grabbing the quack by the collar before lifting him into the air. Vindaloo yelped as Amber stormed out, holding him above her like a boulder. Courage took off the wrap and followed after them as the heart monitor flatlined.
Moments later, they arrived back at the farm where Amber burst in, still dragging Dr. Vindaloo, and threw him onto the living room floor.
"I don't give a flying buttress what you say! There's something REALLY wrong with Cooper! I dare you to look him up again and say there's nothing wrong!" Amber shouted at him with a mixture of anger and mortal terror. Courage whimpered softly behind her. Not just for Cooper… but for Amber, too.
The group went upstairs to find Muriel and Eustace outside the attic. Inside it, Cooper was groaning and grunting, starting to growl like an animal. He began to rip the clothes right off of him, freeing his body from their prison as he made a guttural groan. His body was twitching, and his pale skin began to go through a different shade of blonde to match his sweat-drenched hair. He'd locked himself in the attic since the kitchen incident. Muriel and Eustace were outside the door as Muriel tried to check on him.
"Cooper, please! Let us help you!" Muriel pleaded.
"No! Just stay away!" Cooper shouted.
"Eh, don't be such a baby, you! We're here to help ya, and that's what we're gonna do, whether you like it or–! Eh?" Eustace tried to protest in his usual grouchy way, only for Dr. Vindaloo to step in.
"Oh, my! You've brought the doctor!" Muriel said with relief. "I could've sworn he didn't make house calls."
"Coop, it's me, Amber." Amber called from the other side of the door.
"What? Amber…?" Cooper groaned.
"Yes, it's me. I brought the doctor here. Can you let us try to help? Please?" Amber pleaded, worried for him. Cooper paused for a moment and he finally answered.
"Okay." Cooper sighed before the door unlocked. Amber sighed, partially worried over how he'd look now. Amber slowly opened the door and walked in with Courage and Dr. Vindaloo following her. Inside the room, Cooper was slouching on the bed, his eyes glued to the bright full moon outside.
"Your girlfriend here says something's wrong with you. What is up with that?" Dr. Vindaloo asked. Cooper turned to the doctor, looking none the worse for wear. He was completely naked, his clothes torn to shreds. Amber had no words to describe what she felt seeing him like this.
"Now, I want you to open your mouth and say 'Ahh.'" Dr. Vindaloo recommended. But suddenly, his jaw opened… and it's not just wide—it's impossibly wide. His eyes flickered red again.
"AHHHH." With a monstrous snarl, he lunged and chomped Vindaloo's upper body in one bite! Classical Mozart music played as Cooper shook him like a rag doll, spinning him through the air in rhythm with the violins.
"COOPER!" Amber shouted as Courage hid behind her leg, shivering.
"Oooohhhh!" When the music ended, Cooper spat Vindaloo out. The doctor crawled away as he growled. But Cooper wasn't done. He stood up slowly, body trembling as he groaned—his skin bubbled, his back cracked. His fingers twisted into claws, and with a guttural howl, he grew patches of blonde fur across his limbs. His frame remained Cooper's, but it was twisted, bulkier, inhuman. His eyes glowed red as he ripped apart the wood floor beneath him to dive down into the hole he made for himself with a roar. Courage gasped fearfully as Amber inched forward, peering into the hole.
"Coop...? It's me... Amber…" Amber softly spoke.
"We're here for you, Cooper." Muriel added, frightened for her grandson. But suddenly, in a flash, Cooper burst from the floor like a geyser—towering, twisted, and feral. His whole body was now furry yellow, his eyes red crimson red, and he roared at her, Muriel, and Courage, his teeth bared. They all let out a high-pitched shriek and Courage launched straight into the ceiling, going past it and into the sky. Cooper lunged at Muriel, only for Amber to push her back against the wall to save her. Amber looked back to where Cooper ran, only to find him gone as she gasped.
"Ohh… where did you go…?" Amber asked worriedly.
"And where did Eustace go?" Muriel asked next, realizing he wasn't around.
Meanwhile, Eustace lounged in a tub, humming and brushing his back lazily. But he wasn't all that happy.
"Stupid dog. Stupid kid. Stupid noise…!" Eustace griped. Just then, Courage dropped down from the ceiling and right into the tub near him, surprising the farmer!
"What?!" Eustace asked in shock. Courage flailed, pantomiming Cooper's monstrous form: claws, teeth, eyes, growls—then whimpered worriedly. But Eustace didn't seem to care.
"Stupid dog." Eustace grumbled, shoving him back into the bath. But as he relaxed, brushing his back with his brush… BLAM! Cooper exploded out of the bathwater, fangs gleaming as he roared.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Eustace shouted fearfully as he and Courage tore out of the tub in towels, screaming and slipping over each other as they fled.
Meanwhile, Amber tiptoed down the stairs with Muriel by her side. When they got downstairs, they saw Dr. Vindaloo dabbing his wounds with a towel, looking like he'd been through a washing machine.
"Still think there's nothing wrong?" Amber firmly asked.
"That is the worst case of chicken pox I've ever seen." Vindaloo said in dismissal. Suddenly, Cooper burst from under the floor and clamped his jaws over Vindaloo again, dragging him back down. Amber shrieked as it happened, rushing toward the hole, but it was too late. All that remained was the sound of Vindaloo's cries vanishing into the earth. Muriel and Amber cautiously peeked in.
"Now, Cooper! That's no way to treat a doctor!" Muriel shouted, her voice echoing in the hole. However, it proved to be a mistake. Because right away, Cooper lunged up at them, pushing the girls flat on their backs as he leaned over Amber, preparing to devour her.
"C-Cooper…! Don't do this…! Please…!" Amber said, trembling and tearful as she waited for the worst to happen. Cooper towered above her, muscles tense, claws raised—his red eyes locked on hers.
"PLEASE…!" Amber pleaded once again. But then… he sees her tears. He blinked. His breathing slowed. His claws lowered slightly. He backed away from Amber and made a tortured howl, holding his hands on his head.
"Coop…?" Amber asked, hoping it meant he was fighting back.
"I… I can't stop it…!" Cooper grabbed his head, groaning and stumbling away near the window.
"Don't follow me!" Cooper demanded with a heartbroken plea. With a last howl, Cooper leapt through the window, shattering it, and vanished into the soil like a shadow as he howled again in the distance.
"…Cooper…" Amber sobbed softly as Muriel comforted her, her arms going around the poor girl to put a quilt on her. Amber sniffled softly as she rested inside it. "What… what do we do now?" Amber asked sadly, fearing that her love might be gone forever. Just then, Eustace stormed out downstairs as Courage raced beside him, frantically pointing at the hole on the ground. Of course, Eustace being Eustace, knew there was only one explanation for it.
"Mice. Mice in my house!" Eustace supposed. But Muriel spoke up to him.
"That was no mouse, Eustace! That was Cooper!" Muriel shouted.
"That's even worse! Gonna get me a mallet…!" Eustace went back up the stairs as Muriel glared. Even worse than before. She stood in Eustace's way, surprising him as she went all up in his face, bonking him on the head with a rolling pin.
"YOU WILL NOT LAY THAT MALLET ON MY GRANDSON'S HEAD IF I HAVE ANY SAY ABOUT IT!" Muriel shouted. "Especially when all this is your fault!"
"Wha? My fault?!" Eustace asked defensively.
"If you took better care of Cooper when he was still a young'un, he'd never be lashing out like this now!" Muriel pointed out.
"Excuse me for teaching him how to be a real man, like my pa." Eustace retorted, showing reverence with a faint smile thinking about his father. Amber watched the argument between them unfold before she looked out the crashed window. She wondered if his parents' argument was anything like that. And how bad did it go from there…?
"Oh, there you go again with that! That kind of talk is what made you miserable and alone in the first place, trying to model yourself after him!" Muriel countered. "And now you're trying to do the same to him!" As the argument went on, Amber trembled. But it wasn't from the grief of losing Cooper. It was anger, resentment. Something she never thought she'd feel. Courage grew anxious when he saw her getting worked up.
"Ma said that torture builds character!" Eustace countered.
"Your mother is an old hag!" Muriel shouted.
"What did you say about my ma?!" Eustace shouted.
"ENOUGH!" Amber shouted, making Muriel and Eustace gasp as they turned to her. "Both of you, enough! While you're screaming each other's heads off, Cooper's out there, alone and scared, and turning into a monster! You can stay here and settle your divorce if that's what you need to do, but I'm going to get Cooper back!" Amber stormed up the stairs, going to the one source she knew she'd find something to help Cooper. Courage whimpered worriedly for Amber as he followed her upstairs. Meanwhile, Muriel and Eustace looked at each other sadly then back at Amber.
In the attic, Amber sat herself down at the desk and slammed her fists on it near the keyboard with a frustrated grunt before she let out a few sniffling sobs. Courage waddled to her and got on top of her lap. The pink-haired girl looked down to see Courage trying to comfort her. She sniffled softly and wiped her tears away.
"Sorry, Courage. That was awful, wasn't it?" Amber asked sadly. "I know Muriel cares about Cooper more than anything. And I just–!" Amber paused and sighed sadly. "I went too far. I just want to get Cooper back…" Courage noticed the computer in front of her. He knew that she must've tried to do it, but she couldn't focus because of her breakdown. But now, it was time for him to take the reins in. He began to type at breakneck speed, his paws flying across the keyboard with a wild look in his eyes. Amber was glancing at him as Courage muttered.
"Cooper… big mole… eating people… ugly teeth… Search, search, search!" Courage shouted, pushing the enter button thrice.
"Ugh! You're such a lousy typist!" The computer said with disapproval.
"Well, excuse me for being worried about my boyfriend!" Amber snapped back in frustration toward the computer.
"You're excused." It said to him. "What you've got here is a WEREMOLE."
"Don't tell me that." Courage said anxiously.
"A were-what?" Amber asked.
"You know—like a werewolf. Same idea, different animal. Do keep up." The computer told her before it switched to an image of the Weremole walking into view before holding up a rabbit and a man in a business suit over him like trophies. "They come out in the full moon, and they've got a taste for rabbits and people."
Amber and Courage gasped at the image, the Pink Beagle hugging her and trembling slightly the Weremole made a sneaky glare before an equation appeared with the Weremole plus a man screaming equaled two Weremoles.
"And if you're bitten by a Weremole, you become one yourself." The computer continued.
"Like last night!" Amber realized. "What should I do?" She typed what she asked into the computer before it replied.
"Mmm… if I were you, I'd get a big mallet and—" The computer suggested.
"NO! Not to whack him! I need a cure!" Amber shouted, interrupting as she typed furiously.
"Oh…. That's easy. Get a little hair of the mole that bit you." The computer suggested. Amber and Courage gulped in unison. "Just don't get bitten." The thought of that made them anxious. But Amber saw the only way to be able to do it. Once it latched onto Cooper, it was stuck for a while until Muriel whacked it. And she didn't want to put Courage through the trauma of that at all.
"Courage, that's two hairs we'll need." Amber told him. Courage turned to her worriedly as she made a somber tone. "If we're going to find Cooper… I have to get bit."
"No!" Courage threw himself against her leg, hugging it tightly with puppy tears welling up.
Amber saw his worry, and she knelt down, gently lifting his face.
"I don't want to do this either, Courage…" Amber softly spoke. "...but it's the only way to find him. If I could track him down, I can find him. It's our best shot." She brushed her hand through Courage's floppy ears as he whimpered worriedly. "Can you help me?"
Courage sighed in defeat, unable to change her mind. "The things I do for love." Courage griped.
"Tell me about it…" Amber gulped with a nervous look. Of course, they didn't know that Muriel was watching the whole scene from out the door. She'd already lost her grandson to whatever that Weremole was. There was no way she was going to lose Amber, too.
Meanwhile, Eustace was searching the house for his mallet. Eustace was as stubborn as an ox.
"Where's that darn mallet?" Eustace grumbled. "Can't bop a mouse without me mallet." He reached his hand under the bed… SNAP! A mouse trap was set off, hitting his hand! "OW! That's not me mallet!" Eustace looked again under the bed, and he pulled out a giant mallet in hand.
"Ah! Me mallet." Eustace said with a big smile, only for Muriel to bonk him on the head with her rolling pin, making him fall to the ground and pass out.
"I told you. You will not lay that Mallet on my Grandson's head. And that's the end of the matter!" Muriel said with a glare, taking the mallet away from him as he groaned.
"What'd I do…?" Eustace asked in his daze.
Outside, a cold wind howls through the empty fields of Nowhere. The full moon cast a golden glow over the ground, where Amber now stood alone, arms folded, in the exact spot where Cooper was first bitten. Her expression was calm but tense. Behind her, Courage paced in anxious circles, biting his paws and trembling.
"Ohhh... ohhh, this is a bad idea! Or my name's Edgar Allan Poe! And it's not." Courage anxiously spoke.
"I know, Courage... but it's the only way. We need to find him." Amber said with a steady, yet sad voice. Courage hid behind a rock, peeking over it with big, trembling eyes. Suddenly, the ground shakes with a rumbling. Dirt began to shift as something sped toward them from underground, leaving behind a twisted, pulsing trail of soil.
"OOHHHH!" Courage squealed as Amber stepped forward. Her fists were clenched, and her jaw tight. She shut her eyes, and braced herself for what would surely be the most painful thing ever experienced. Suddenly, the earth exploded upward as the Weremole erupted from below with a distorted shriek—its fur was wild, eyes glowing red, claws scraping at the air. In an instant, he chomped down on Amber's arm, shaking its body violently while his jaws stayed locked in place.
"AAAAAAHHH!" Amber yelled aloud. The pain was as unimaginable as it was unbearable. She stumbled backward, her face pale and sweating, expecting it to rip her arm off. But, then… she noticed something odd. It didn't try to maul her—it simply hung there, jaws sunk in deep, arms and legs flailing around like a bizarre stuffed animal.
"Huh… ow…" Amber groaned.
"Amber! Are you alright?!" Muriel shouted, only to gasp upon seeing the Weremole biting into Amber. Seeing her with the mallet, Amber called her over.
"Muriel! Hurry!" Amber shouted.
"Is it tearing your arm off?!" Muriel asked with worry.
"No, it's just biting into me! It's really uncomfortable, though!" Amber explained, trying to fight the pain.
"Oh." Muriel replied, walking to Amber before using it to bop the Weremole on the head, making it let go of Amber before dropping to the floor. With the Weremole unconscious, Amber panted hard, her arm now swollen and bleeding like Cooper's arm was.
"Oh, no…!" Muriel gasped with worry.
"It's… it's okay. It's part of the plan…" Amber said, starting to feel woozy from the loss of blood. "Courage? A little help, please…?" Courage peeked out, now holding a pair of rusty tongs, shaking like a leaf. He tiptoed forward, sweating bullets. He aimed the tongs at the Weremole's fur, then yanked a single clump of hair before running on impulse.
"YAAAAAAHHH!" Courage went right behind Amber, hiding behind her leg as he put the hair into a jar.
"Courage…! You're doing great, Courage. Just one more… please… you can do it…" Amber said, feeling woozy as Muriel got out a cast to wrap her wounded arm in. Courage gulped fearfully and he steps out, squinting at the monster now dozing in slumber. And when he plucked it off the second time, the Weremole… didn't react. At all.
Courage raised his eyebrow, confused. But regardless, he put the second lump into the jar.
"Yes!" Courage said excitedly.
"You did it, Courage…! I knew you could–!" Suddenly, Amber felt a wracking pain surging throughout her body as she gasped.
Play Andy Hall Music: "The Weremole"
She groaned in pain before looking up at Muriel with tears coming down her face. "Muriel, I…! I'm sorry…! I'm so sorry…!"
"It's not your fault, dear. Come on, now! Don't give up!" Muriel insisted, only for Amber to scream in agony. She stumbled forward, clutching her arm. Her eyes widened, then clenched shut. She dropped to her knees, and a strange shimmer flashed across her skin.
"My body…! It's… burning...!" She groaned, holding her head. Her teeth clenched, and for a moment—her eyes flickered crimson red. Muriel and Courage gasped, frozen in horror.
"It's starting…! Muriel, you have to go, please!" Amber pleaded, hoping to keep her from harm.
"There is no way I'm leaving you behind, young lady!" Muriel adamantly spoke.
"JUST GO! Before it's too late!" Amber shouted, groaning in agony again as her flesh bubbled up from her back. Her fingers twitched, her shoulders spasmed, and the moonlight above intensified, bathing her in its golden light. Courage made the impulsive decision to grab Muriel and put her inside the house where it was safe. Then, he looked back, only to freeze when she let out a distorted growl, her back arching. The wind howled louder as the full moon now loomed directly overhead, spilling its yellow light across the fields like a spotlight. Crickets fell silent. Even the farmhouse itself seemed to hold its breath. Amber staggered in the desert soil, knees buckling beneath her. Her breathing grew jagged, guttural, and harsh. She clutched her bitten arm and tore off the cast Muriel put over her wounded arm, setting it free as glowing red veins spider through it, pulsing to the beat of a new, feral heart.
"C-Courage… r-run…" Her eyes snapped open—just for a moment, they were hers. But then they flickered again… red as blood. A snarl ripped from her throat as her body convulsed violently, her back arching as her spine snapped and reshaped itself, tearing off her shirt and orange vest. And she ripped off her pants from her body in her feral state. Her hands stretched outward, fingers lengthening into razor-tipped claws. Her skin prickled as dark fur bursts through, the same color as her hair, but shadowed, slick, beastlike. Her once-soft face stretched forward into a narrow snout, nose twitching, fangs forming.
"RRAAAAAHHHHHH!" Amber screamed, but it was not a scream of fear. It was instinct, hunger, change. Courage backed away slowly, panic and fear in his eyes. Her transformation was complete: standing on her two legs, wild and trembling, her Weremole form mirrored Cooper's, but slimmer, sleeker, with eyes full of heat and rage, not recognition. She let out a guttural hiss, breathing heavily. Courage staggered back frightfully as Amber growled toward the poor pooch. When she got close, though, she sniffed at him. The Weremole Amber shook her head, as if it was disgusted.
"Oh, yeah. Thanks a lot!" Courage said, taking offense to it. The Weremole Amber sniffed at the desert soil, her crimson eyes widening when she got a familiar scent. Looking at it with a sense of longing, Amber stared toward that distance like she would stare into space.
"Huh?" Courage puzzled, wondering what oculd be going through the feral creatures mind. She sniffed again, faster this time. She turned her head, growled, and suddenly launched herself towards a patch of dirt with a snarling roar. Her claws tore into the earth, digging with savage strength, and throwing dirt in all directions. Seeing the oppurtinity, Courage leapt and grabbed onto her leg, bouncing up and down as she tunneled deep.
"Amber! Slow down, will ya?!" Courage begged her. But Amber didn't slow. Her claws moved like a machine, shredding dirt, rock, and root. Her breathing was feral, rapid, but her nose was locked onto something. Something familiar.
"Oh! I KNOW you're still in there! Amber! It's me! Courage!" He called out again. But there was no answer. Just digging. Faster. Deeper.
The tunnel behind them collapsed slightly as Courage squinted through the flying dust. Up ahead, he saw the faintest shimmer of blond fur, barely lit by moonlight seeping down through roots and cracks.
Amber growled lowly toward him as Courage hugged her leg tighter, clutching the jar of Weremole hair in his pocket.
"Come on, Amber… Find him before you lose yourself…!" Amber let out a final, echoing howl into the underground night. And then, the two vanished into the earth, the sound of her claws echoing after them.
Meanwhile, somewhere far beneath the surface, the soil pulsed and shivered as something moved through it. It was fast, heavy, erratic. Weremole Cooper crashed through the dirt, clawing wildly at the walls, snarling and growling to himself. His blonde fur was matted with soil, his claws twitching with frenzy, and his eyes glowed a chaotic red. There was no logic left. No language. No Cooper. Only the beast.
He noticed a rabbit inside the tunnel, and he lunged at it, but it escaped. Desperate to find it, he slashed at the rocks. But, he stopped eventually, snarling with disappointment. Then, he halted, his crimson eyes flaring wider as he sniffed the air. Right at that moment, a howl cut through the tunnels. It wasn't his. Suddenly—
BAM! Amber lunged through the soil like a missile, leaping through the dirt just as the Weremole did when he bit her. She tackled Cooper with a feral snarl, and the two slammed into the dirt wall, cracking the tunnel apart.
They tumbled into an open cavern of twisted roots and jagged rock. Amber clawed at his chest, only for him to bat her away and snarl at her. They continued their clash as their fangs, claws, and fur flew in every direction. Dirt and dust swirl around them like a storm. Their snarling and growling echoed into the dark.
Meanwhile, Courage slid down from a tunnel above, landing on his feet. He looked around, only to see the two beasts locked in brutal combat.
Courage screamed desperately at the scene before he pulled out the two precious clumps of Weremole hair, holding them like holy relics. "Okay… okay… now we just—" Courage stepped forward carefully—only for Amber and Cooper to roll past him in their brawl. A swiping claw sent the clumps flying into the air.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Courage screamed in slow motion as the wind in the tunnel caught the jar of hair, blowing it toward a crevice. Courage dove into it, flailing in panic, and his arms flopping like noodles as he tried to catch them.
At the same time, Cooper clawed at Amber, pinning her briefly. But she kicked him off, pouncing back and slamming him into the dirt. Now she's the one pinning him, straddling his chest, fangs bared.
"RAAAGHHH—!" Amber snarled, her breath hot. But then... she paused. Her snarl faltered. Cooper's eyes were staring right back up at her, now. Wide, and… confused. Human.
"…Amber?" Cooper spoke softly, traces of the beast remain, but his human side was coming back. Amber's body tensed. Her growl softened. She stared back at him, eyes flickering.
"Cooper…?" Amber responded likewise. Then suddenly, both of them winced and trembled. The beast within them growled, not out of anger, but agony. Cooper gripped her tightly. Amber clawed into the floor as if trying to hold herself together. And then, they both howled, a deep, soul-twisting cry that echoed through the cavern and shook the very dirt.
Meanwhile, Courage slid down a slope of dirt, finally managing to recover the clumps of hair. He panted, turned back, then gasped when he saw something up ahead.
"Oh no… no no no…" Courage whimpered worriedly. In the clearing, Amber and Cooper have stopped moving. They knelt, facing each other, staring blankly, their mouths slightly open. Silent. Still.
"No… please, no…" Courage said anxiously, fearing that the beasts may have won out as he started to sweat. Amber leaned forward first, and her mouth opened wide, fangs gleaming… right over Cooper's neck.
"NOOOOOOO!" Courage screamed, and he covered his eyes, waiting for the worst… only to hear… Soft moaning.
End Andy Hall Music: "The Weremole"
"Huh?" Courage said with puzzlement. He opened his eyes, and he saw… Amber and Cooper kissing. Amber laid herself on top of him gently, their eyes closed, lips pressed softly. No snarling. No claws. Just them, fur and all. After the kiss, Amber smiled fondly at him, her eyes returning to normal, along with Cooper's.
"…I found you." Amber said with a smile.
"You… you stopped fighting me." Cooper blinked, surprised that Amber could be herself even as a Weremole.
"Yeah. You stopped too." Amber pointed out, happy that Cooper was able to come back for her.
"I just… didn't feel like I needed to anymore." Cooper said with a sigh of relief.
"Me neither…" Amber smiled.
"Yes!" Courage yipped with a holler, and he hopped over to them, proudly holding the jar of hair he miraculously managed to save.
"Huh? What's that?" Cooper asked.
"It's the cure. We had to get the hair of the mole that bit us." Amber explained. However, when she did, Cooper realized what that meant.
"Wait… 'Us'?! You used yourself as bait?! Amber, you could've been hurt! Or—worse!" Cooper panicked.
"Says the guy who took a bite for a rabbit." Amber countered, making him blush.
"Touché…" Cooper replied bashfully before the duo chuckled softly as Courage giggled along with them. It's like they were never bitten at all.
"Wait. How's Grandma? Is she okay?" Cooper asked.
"Yeah. She's back at the farmhouse waiting for us. But, I haven't seen Eustace, though…" Amber answered, pondering where he'd gone off to.
Back in his room, he was unconscious for the most part, still on the floor after Muriel conked him out before he laughed greedily, only to fall unconscious again.
"Figures." Cooper sighed. "Grandma's really stepped up, huh?" He almost sounded a little sad about that. Amber noticed that look, and she gave him a little nudge with her head.
"Hey. You know it's not your fault, right?" Amber told him.
"Sometimes I wonder." Cooper sighed sadly.
"Well, you shouldn't. You're not responsible for your parents' choices." Amber insisted sharply but with compassion. "They were grown adults. The least they should've done is act like it. Instead, they acted like… Like…" Amber was hesitant to call them what she felt like they were. But Cooper knew what she was going to say.
"Beasts." Cooper finished, making Amber look up at him softly. "Yeah. Like beasts…" Amber repeated softly. Then, Cooper leaned against her, making her blush before smiling at him. The couple turned to the clumps of hair now resting between them.
"So… is there a time limit for this?" Cooper asked curiously.
"Dunno. Didn't ask the computer if it'd be permanent or not. Why?" Amber pondered.
"…Just having an idea." Cooper told her with a loving smile.
Later, back at the Farmhouse, the full moon still glowed gently through the farmhouse window, but the chaos of the night has quieted. In the soft flicker of the television, two Weremoles—one with blonde fur, Cooper, and one with dark rose-pink fur Amber, sat cozily on the couch, cuddled together. Their claws were retracted. Their snouts were relaxed. Their tails lazily flicked over the cushions as they watched their favorite spooky show with content smiles on their fanged faces. On a small counter between the couch and the rocking chair sat the sealed jar, containing two clumps of Weremole hair, glittering faintly in the moonlight like cursed gold.
Across the room, Muriel rocked gently in her chair, humming to herself. In her lap, Courage lied curled up like a cat, eyes drooping, finally at peace.
"Ohhh, those are such wonderfully scary costumes, you two." Muriel said with a wink as Amber let out a small giggle, her voice slightly growly. Cooper chuckled too, his claw gently brushing against Amber's paw.
"Grandpa must've forgotten about that 'mouse' problem." Cooper whispered to her.
"Let's keep it that way." Amber replied with a grin. They laughed together, softly and sweetly, nuzzling their snouts.
Courage, meanwhile, was happy to have some peace for a change despite them maintaining their Weremole forms. They were starting to get comfortable when suddenly, a creaking sound echoed down the stairs. Eustace stomped into the room in a grumpy mood, dragging his mallet behind him.
"Where'd that mouse get to...?" Eustace asked. Cooper and Amber looked at each other. Maybe he didn't entirely forget about the incident after all…
"I swear, Eustace. All this bother over a wee mouse." Muriel sighed, trying to play off what exactly happened to Cooper. Then, Courage, Amber, and Cooper's ears perked up sharply, twitching toward the floor.
"Uh-oh… I forgot about the doctor…" Amber said, realizing her mistake. Cooper realized it, too; after all, he was his first victim.
"Oh no." Cooper gulped. Suddenly—the floorboards in front of Eustace erupt in a shower of dust and splinters. With a furious snarl, Weremole Dr. Vindaloo burst out of the ground, his eyes blazing red, his fur tattered, and his coat in shreds. But unlike Cooper and Amber, he only had darker blue skin, along with red, unkempt hair. And his eyes were bloodshot.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Courage yelped as the Weremole Vindaloo lunged at Eustace, his unhinged jaws opening comically wide, and then… CHOMP!—his entire mouth closed around half of Eustace and dragged him underground! There was a brief pause, and then a BANG! BANG! BANG! Eustace hit the Weremole with his own mallet from inside as he cackled. The sound of deranged laughter echoed as the two of them brawled beneath the floorboards while Courage screamed.
"Is there a doctor in the house?" Courage asked before the Weremole Vindaloo popped up near him.
"I'M a doctor!" he replied, urging Courage to scream as the Weremole prepared to devour him, only for Amber to stick a hair right down his throat before he choked on it, and clutched his hands around his neck as he coughed before sinking down the hole.
"Was that really necessary…?" Cooper asked, rubbing his arm softly.
"You did bite him." Amber pointed out.
"Yeah, yeah…" Cooper sighed.
Later on, the farmhouse creaked quietly overhead, all of the chaos for the moment gone. The doctor was returned to normal and to the hospital. The moonlight streamed through a narrow window and shone onto the basement, casting long shadows over the desert soil underneath, a washing machine, and old tools. A trail of freshly disturbed earth led across the floor and toward a spot near the back wall, where a small burrow-like tunnel dipped into the dirt. Inside, the faint sound of clawed digging could be heard.
Just beneath the farmhouse, nestled in a small, dimly lit hollow of loose soil and root-veined walls, Cooper and Amber had made themselves a den. It wasn't large, barely enough room to stretch out, but that's what made it feel warm.
Cooper's blonde-furred Weremole form lay curled along the wall, his body pressed snugly against Amber's darker rose-furred shape. The dirt around them was cool but dry, and the scent of fresh soil, calming. They breathed slowly together, their eyes dimming in the low light. Both were still transformed, but neither of them seem to mind. Not anymore, at least.
"You think we'll always feel like this when we're like this?" Amber asked sleepily.
"Like what?" Cooper grinned, still half-asleep.
"...warm. Safe. Fuzzy." Amber smirked gently. Cooper chuckled and tucked his snout beneath hers.
"I think… if it's with you, then yeah." Cooper answered. "Even if we grow fur and claws a few days a month."
"Don't forget the fangs." Amber teased.
"Oh no, those are your best features." Cooper teased right back, making Amber snort with laughter through her snout. Then she sighed as she nestled her face into his shoulder, clawed hands resting lightly on his chest. A few moments of silence passed. Only their quiet breaths, the distant drip of moisture, and the soft rustle of shifting soil remained.
"We'd probably change back soon…" Cooper said softly.
"Mmm… just five more minutes…" Amber lazily replied, her head nestling against Cooper's.
"Yeah. Five more…" Cooper said as his eyebrows dropped. Their arms tightened around each other as the two Weremoles pressed in closer, their bodies curled together in the safe darkness beneath the world. There, hidden from the moon and the madness above, all that remained was a stillness only they could share. And it was there, among the dirt and soil, that they felt comfortable in their sleep again, like they used to before that night with Bigfoot.
The next morning, a soft light trickled in through the cracked tunnel above as Amber began to stir, tangled loosely in the dirt beside Cooper. The two were back to normal, their human forms nestled together in the cramped, earthy hollow they'd made the night before. Amber's head rested lightly on Cooper's chest. Their arms were still wrapped around each other. Dirt clung to their bodies and hair, and their shoes were long gone. A root poked Cooper's side when he turned his head.
"Mmmph… huh…?" Amber moaned as she blinked her eyes. She slowly blinked her eyes open, taking in the small earthen den, the smell of soil, the feel of skin against hers– Cooper's skin– and she gasped when she realized where she was. And more importantly, what she was now: back in human form.
"W-Wh—?! Oh my gosh!" Amber shouted as she sat up, as she shouted, jolting Cooper awake with a snort as he got away from the root poking him.
"Wha—?! What's happening?! Fire? Snakes?! Huh—oh…" Cooper said when he and Amber locked eyes. He saw Amber. And she saw him. But that wasn't what made them worried. What got them worried was the realization from last night. When they transformed, their clothes were ripped to shreds. Which meant… They had nothing to wear for the day now!
"Aaaaaaahhhh!" Amber and Cooper screamed in unison, blushing really hard.
"Did we really just… do that?! To our clothes?!" Amber asked.
"Y-Yeah… I mean, yeah! But we were—We were Weremoles and stuff, and we—uh—" Cooper panicked, brushing the dirt off of his hair.
"We snuggled." Amber said. Cooper blushed when she said that, making him blush the same way.
"Yeah. We did." Cooper told her. There's a long pause as both look away from each other. But then glanced back and smiled faintly.
"…I have to admit. It wasn't all bad. Minus the… feral parts." Amber said softly.
"Y-Yeah. Kinda cozy, actually…" Cooper said aloud as he blushed, scratching his cheek as they smiled sincerely. "Hey… you think we could… do that more often?" Amber hummed at the thought of it.
"Okay. But we seriously need to shower." Amber nodded, pointing out that their bodies did basically sleep in the dirt all of last night.
"Yeah. I think there's more dirt on me than there is on me. You know?" Cooper concurred.
"You say that like you did some naughty things." Amber said with a raised eyebrow smirk.
"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." Cooper shrugged, making Amber smile. The couple glanced up toward the narrow tunnel leading back to the basement, then glanced at each other again.
"Team effort?" Amber suggested.
"Definitely." Cooper told her. And so, Cooper and Amber each clutched onto a piece of soil on the wall with their feet and hands, going up at the same time as each other to get up through the tunnel. As they did, they noticed how much easier it was to grasp the dirt. They focused on each other's faces as they smiled thoughtfully.
Back upstairs, Cooper and Amber popped out of the hole and separated from each other, seeing that their bodies were in fact covered in dirt.
"Wow…! We've got so much dirt on us." Amber said, both impressed and a little disgusted as she brushed it off her arms, legs, and her boobs.
"Well, I guess it's official. That's the weirdest place I've ever woken up in." Cooper told her as he brushed the dirt off his own arms and legs.
"Weirdest? Or second-best?" Amber asked with a smirk. Cooper blinked and smiled shyly before he answered.
"...Both." Amber playfully elbowed him and they laughed together.
"Wanna try it again?" Cooper offered.
"Uh, yeah, sure." Amber nodded as they grinned. They weren't exactly human anymore, but the fact that they could still be with each other was all they needed. Especially when they were at their lowest. However, they still need to wear clothes at some point. And theirs were torn apart. "Except what are we gonna wear now?". The duo looked at the washing machine, wondering what would be inside it. After opening it, they found their pajamas. It was an odd thing to find, but it was also the only thing they could wear anymore. At least for now.
"Eh, I think we might stay in today anyway." Cooper shrugged.
"Unless your Grandma has some hand-me-downs." Amber told him. Cooper thought it over for a moment as he sighed with a smile.
"You know, I think she might." Cooper said with a soft grin.
Upstairs, Muriel was making Scrambled Eggs for breakfast as Courage waited at the table with Eustace. He was reading the paper as he often did. At that moment, Cooper and Amber walked into the kitchen in their pajamas.
"Morning, Grandma." Cooper waved.
"Good morning, dearies." Muriel said with a smile.
"Good morning, Courage." Amber said as she patted his head gently. Cooper then glanced toward Eustace with disdain.
"Grandpa." Cooper simply said in his usual tone of dissatisfaction around him. To him, that was considered restraint.
"Cooper." Eustace said. But the instant that came out of his mouth, Cooper blinked his eyes in surprise and looked back at him. "What?"
"You… said my name." Cooper said with surprise.
"What if I did?" Eustace asked with a grouchy tone. "That's what you're called, ain't it?" He went back to reading his paper. "Stupid boy…" Cooper wasn't sure how to respond to it. It definitely wasn't something he thought would happen.
"Okay…" Cooper said as he sat down at the table, unable to think of anything else presently to end the "conversation". Afterwards, they finished their breakfast and went upstairs.
"Now, that was a little weird." Amber admitted.
"Weirder than Weremoles?" Cooper said with a raised eyebrow, only to realize what he was saying. "Yeah, you're right. It was weird. But… also good?"
"You think Muriel might've gotten through to him?" Amber asked.
"Nah. It was probably the mallet." Cooper said with a shrug. "But it would be a nice thought, though, huh?"
A/N: And that was the Night of the Weremole! It was always my favorite episode of Courage. I was a little sad we didn't see the Weremole itself make a return until later near the end of Season 4. So, I decided to set it up differently near the ending. The question is how to set up the Weremole's next appearance with the GBTG gang and story in mind. Which reminds me, there will be guest appearances of them all, both ally and enemy, in later appearances, starting in the next episode. And you can expect some surprising differences with Cooper and Amber in their new condition. ;)