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All Things End: Part 134

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Chapter 134: Regression

Courage and Computer continued to wander about the forest, never once finding a way out. The continuous storm only helped to make it an even more miserable experience. Computer had long since picked 'puppy' Courage up and was now carrying him as they searched for an exit. Poor Courage may not have broken anything, but he was still beaten up badly enough to be forced to limp around. It was such a pitiful sight that Computer hadn't been able to bear watching it any longer.

Their journey through the dark was largely a silent one. Computer was far too exhausted from his other excursions to really bother striking up a conversation with the dog. He was mostly focused on just walking forward, which was a surprisingly hard thing to do when he knew all too well that this was a hopeless endeavor. They weren't going to leave this forest until the Dreamworld allowed it, and it was clear that it didn't want them going anywhere. Why it wanted them to be there, however, was a complete mystery. Nothing had appeared to confront them, and Computer was completely resolute in his belief that he would never allow this forest to get the better of him again. There was no reason to keep them trapped like this. With no fears left to face, he knew that there was no reason to keep him trapped, and Courage...well, Courage surely didn't have the same reasons to fear this forest. He wasn't the one who had been held down and beaten, he wasn't the one who'd been chased down by the phantom of a long dead torturer. This place couldn't possibly be as nightmarish for him. There was nothing here for him to confront.

Speaking of Courage, something really seemed off about the pup. It wasn't just the fact that he had been turned back into a diaper wearing baby, he seemed...distant. Every time Computer looked down at him, he'd find the pup staring off into the distance with wide eyes and a grim expression.

“Is everything alright?” He asked, slowing to a stop.

Courage looked up at him with those obnoxiously innocent puppy eyes. “Arbarufu?” He asked.

Computer blinked down at the dog, surprised by the question he had been given. “Oh, me? I'm perfectly alright. I-” He nodded to himself with complete confidence. “I refuse to let this forest bother me any longer, but thank you for the concern.”

Something about that seemed to relief Courage. However, fear and sorrow filled his expression when he asked, “Barubalu? Abuluralu?”

“What? No, of course not! That nightmarish 'thing' wasn't anything like you!”

Tears began to well up in the puppy's eyes. “Arubu!”

“Courage, we both know that you aren't really like that. Besides, we forgave each other. Take a page from my book and don't dwell on what happened anymore. You are most certainly not that monstrous creature, and you never were to begin with.”

Courage continued to sniffle, despite Computer's best efforts to reassure the pup.

“Come on! You aren't a baby, regardless of the way you look, so don't start acting like one!”

“Barabaruf...”

“Look, I'm tired. You have no idea what kind of nonsense I've been through. Let's find a place to rest for a little while since I'm the one who's doing all the walking.”

“Aru!” Courage cried out in a panic.

“If something were going to attack us, it would have done so by now. I'm sure we'll be fine, even if we stop for a little while.”

“Baru...” The puppy reluctantly agreed.

…..............

They stopped beneath a tree and settled down at the base of the massive, towering silhouette. It did nothing to stop the rain from pouring down on them, but they didn't exactly have any other options to choose from. The only thing they had seen for ages now were trees, trees, and more trees.

Courage let out a soft whimper, just quiet enough to insure that Computer wouldn't hear. He watched his glowing friend, who was currently trying to get comfortable between two of the tree's gigantic roots, and hoped that he wasn't planning on staying here for long. Well, regardless of that, he was just happy to know that he was still alive.

….He shuddered at thought of it. It hurt too much to think about what had happened, and yet he still couldn't escape it every time it wormed its way back into his mind.

“Don't just stand there! Find someplace to sit!” Computer ordered from atop the roots.

He did not want to sit while Computer rested. It would give him too much time to let his mind wander. He'd start thinking about what had happened again, if given the chance. Besides, he was scared to spend more time in this forest. He just wanted to get out.

“You know,” Computer went on. “Maybe if we fall asleep here, we'll wake up in the real world, just like last time. It's worth a shot, don't you think?”

The very last thing Courage wanted to do right now was close his eyes. Computer may be sleepy, but he certainly wasn't.

“Babaru.” He replied. He felt like such an idiot when talking to Computer like this, and yet he had somehow lost his ability to speak English. He 'knew' it, in a sense that he could still think in English and understand what other people were saying, yet every time he tried to form words it would come out in the dog language instead.  

“I can understand why you wouldn't be sleepy in a place like this, but can't you at least try?” The machine asked.

He shook his head.

Computer shrugged and leaned back. “Suit yourself, but don't blame me if this rest suddenly turns into a very long nap. I can't believe how tiring this has all been! I feel like I've been walking around with bricks tied to my legs!”

Courage sighed and turned away, completely dismissing his friend as he did so.

“Bah! You're the one who wanted to come back to this place to begin with! What happened to all that endless optimism of yours?”

He didn't answer. Thankfully, it didn't take long for Computer to get the hint either. The machine shrugged one last time and closed his eyes, muttering under his breath that he was only closing them for a moment. Courage seriously doubted it though.

He glanced out into the darkness, which was briefly lit up by flashes of lightning. He shivered and wrapped his paws around himself. He didn't know what to do anymore. Computer seemed so resolute now, and yet it was clear that this forest was eventually going to throw something new at him, something that would inevitably break his resolve. Courage couldn't bear knowing that he'd have to watch his friend's new found confidence crack. It was bad enough before, back when he had only stumbled upon the aftermath of something horrific, but this time around? No, he couldn't bear to go through that again. After what had happened on the farm, after what had happened in this forest, a third time would just be too much to handle.

With yet another sigh, he glanced downwards. It was just as he feared, he was getting caught up in all the terrible things that had happened to him again. Back on the farm, he had waited three days for Computer to return. He had waited and waited, all while his worries grew bigger and bigger. That black forest had slowly encroached upon the farm as every day passed. Finally, as the third day came to a close, he had come to the conclusion that Computer had gone into the forest and gotten lost. There was no other reason for why he hadn't come back yet, and, despite his fears, Courage had gone out into the forest in search of him, and that was where...

“Ah, geez!” Computer suddenly exclaimed, nearly causing Courage to jump out of his skin in fright.

“A-abaru?” He asked, turning back to him.

His glowing friend stood up, looking confused. “That was strange...” He mused. “Just as I was drifting off, I felt like I was falling for a moment. It was a surprisingly strong sensation, like receiving a jolt of electricity. I really felt like I was-”

Terror ran through Courage like an icy wave. He let out a gasp that was loud enough to silence his friend. Eyes wide, he clutched his chest in fear. He knew what he needed to do. As much as he didn't want to abandon Computer here, he just couldn't bear to witness what was inevitably going to happen, especially after watching Muriel, Eustace, and yes, even that supposedly fake Computer die. It had all felt too real for him, even in a dream like this.

Without a second word, he turned tail and ran.

“H-hey! We need to stick together!” Computer call out. “Dog! Get back here!”

He heard his friend's footsteps racing up behind him, and before he could even react, Computer picked him up.

“What on earth is your problem, dog?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

He began to struggle in hopes of freeing himself. It wouldn't be much longer now. Everything would inevitably go wrong again. He couldn't bear to watch. He needed to escape before it was too late.

“Courage,” Computer spoke, fighting against his flailing limbs. “Seriously, you need to calm down!”

Tears began to obscure his vision as he continued to struggle. Finally, when it became apparent that Computer wasn't going to let go, he stopped flailing around and hung his head with a gentle sob.

“Dog?” He heard his friend ask. “Just how long were you wandering around this forest all by yourself? What...what happened?”

He gazed back up into his glowing friend's eyes, tears still falling. An aching sort of sadness began to well up inside of his chest, accompanied by even more fear.

Computer's eyes narrowed as tried to puzzle this whole situation out. “What happened to you before we met up?” He asked.

Panic overcoming him, Courage did the only thing that he could think of, he bit down on one of Computer's arms....

“Ouch! Hey!” His friend cried out, dropping him just like he had wanted.

He scurried off into the dark as fast as his paws would take him. So long as he stayed away from Computer's glow, his friend would never be able to find him in dark. He was making sure to stay on all fours too, insuring that whenever a flash of lightning lit up the forest, he wouldn't be easily seen.

“Courage!” Computer called out. “Have you lost your mind? We need to stay together!”

He ducked down as his glowing friend passed by. He just barely managed to stay out of his sight. Any closer and that glow of his would have insured that he'd find him cowering there in the brush.

“S-sorry, Compute.” He whispered. Of course, it actually came out in his dog speech instead. It seemed that he'd never be able to speak English again like this. Turning back into a puppy was one thing, but losing his ability to speak like a human was even worse.

“Come on, Courage! This is stupid! We're never going to get out of here like this!” Computer yelled. His voice was getting farther and farther away and his glow could be seen weaving in among the trees at a considerable distance.

Courage dared to stand up again as he watched his friend get farther away. He didn't know where he'd go now, but he knew that he couldn't stay with Computer any longer. It just hurt too much.

End Of Chapter
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