You could barely stay awake. You couldn't remember the last time you were sick. It's been a while.
You remembered that your mom would make you soup. Your dad would let you watch those old VHS tapes he had. Liz made sure to bring you the homework you missed.
It was those days that you truly discovered the meaning of the word comfort. Laying in bed with blankets and the love of your family.
But now, you only had Brat and Robin with you. Robin did everything she could to try and help you with your growing sickness, but you felt weak. Too weak to try and fly up to find the others.
Wherever they were, you hoped they were okay.
All you could do now is hold back the curse.
Hopefully you could manage.
Power Up!
You coughed as you walked with Robin and Brat through the woods. The sun was rising and you were trying to find the nearest town.
Or any kind of civilization.
All you were seeing was woods.
Brat: Hey, something is coming up.
You and Robin followed her before you reached a clearing. The only thing you could really see around the area was a bunch of rock piles.
Still, at least you were out of the woods now.
Robin: You're looking a bit better. Is that medicine helping?
You nodded. She had given you some of the herbal medicine that was in the medical supplies that she got from the Airship. It was some of Drew's mixture.
It helped you stay on your feet. The hood of your coat that you had given her originally helped to cover the antlers on your head.
Y/N: Can we take a break for a second? I don't think I can walk much further.
Brat looked at the rocks and lead you to one. You sat down on a pile and coughed some more. This time, a leaf ended up falling out of your throat.
Brat was absolutely worried, but she wasn't going to say anything. She didn't want to make the situation any worse than it already was.
Besides, everyone was still missing. Wherever they were, she hoped they were doing okay.
----------
Zak: This is not my best work.
He pushed the makeshift raft down the river with a stick. The Claw hung from his belt while Gregory and Courage rested against the wooden logs.
There was a sound and Courage looked at the rope starting to snap.
Courage: <That's a problem>
Zak looked down at the raft.
Zak: Again?
He pulled the stick out of the water and kneeled down. He then began to re-tie the rope. Gregory noticed another part starting to come apart as well.
While the two boys were trying to keep the raft together, a hole appeared next to Courage. Water began to spill onto the raft.
Panicked, Courage quickly covered the hole with his paw. Then another hole appeared. Courage cover that one as well. Then two more holes appeared. Courage quickly covered those as well.
But it was pointless. The entire raft suddenly fell apart and all three fell into the river while the wood began to drift apart.
Zak quickly swam up as well as Gregory and Courage. Zak then watched as his work began to drift down the river.
Zak: Yeah, this one is on me.
Gregory: Let's just get to shore. We can figure out a plan from there.
Zak just sighed. The three began to swim to the riverbank where they all took a brief rest.
Zak pulled out the Claw and shook the water off of it the best he could. Courage shook himself off as well.
Gregory: Well, looks like the river is out of the question. Maybe there's a town or something nearby?
Zak: Honestly, any kind of help would be great. My best friend is out there somewhere dying and we're going for a dip in the water.
Zak sighed as he returned the Claw to his belt.
Zak: Let's just keep going. Like you said, maybe there's a town nearby.
While the two boys walked on, Courage looked at the trees confused. It looked like they had eyes or something. He was creeped out.
He quickly followed Zak and Gregory.
--------------
Wirt wrote in his journal while Mitch climbed a tree to get a good lay of the land. All he could spot, however, was some kind of ruins to what he figured was a church.
Wirt: Left turn, right turn, skipping in the moss that slicks the stones of the shoreline. One foot soaked through my cotton socks. I'll wait and dry it out upon these crumpled ambitions, where I am lost.
Mitch: Not bad, Shakespeare.
Wirt screamed when Mitch suddenly jumped down beside him. Wirt quickly closed his journal and stood up.
Wirt: Hey! Did you see anything?!
Mitch looked at him oddly before he shrugged.
Mitch: Not really. Just some ruins. I think we should head south.
Wirt: Why South?
Mitch: Because at least we would be heading somewhere. We can't just keep walking around mindlessly hoping to find someone.
Wirt: Why not? It worked for me and Greg when we were younger.
Mitch: True, but you weren't trying to beat a curse.
Wirt reasoned that he was right. The two grabbed what little supplies they had and begannto head south. Or, what seemed to be south. Mitch hoped that the sun still followed the same rules.
Mitch held the strap of his sword close to himself. As they walked, Wirt looked over.
Wirt: So, you know how to sword fight?
Mitch: Hm? Oh, kinda. I'm not really skilled with it.
Wirt: But you know how to use it?
Mitch: In a way. I usually just swing it around and hope for the best. It's not like I can just find a teacher back in Townsville.
The two continued to walk in silence. This was just plain awkward for the both of them. They were strangers stuck together in the woods.
This was just weird.
Mitch: Do you hear circus music?
--------------
Bubbles: This is weird, right?
Anna and Bubbles walked through the empty streets of a town they had come across. Anna didn't know where they were and Bubbles was just as confused.
Anna: What is?
Bubbles: Well, it's a bit creepy. There's no one around.
Anna realized that she was right. The small town had shops and houses and such, but there was no sign of life. Nothing looked abandoned either.
The paint looked clean, the cobbled streets were clear of dirt and leafs, and the windows had no dust on them. There was also a lot of music shops as well.
Anna: I agree. This is very creepy.
The two came across a wooden stage with empty seats in front of it. Bubbles stepped onto the stage and placed a hand on her chest.
Bubbles: We're left alone with no soul in sight. Left to drift on the gloomy expanse of the horizon as we inhabit this empty town. Much like thoughts of lost love that enter my mind.
Anna just clapped.
Anna: Excellent monologue. Very lovely. Are you an actor, by any chance?
Bubbles smiled.
Bubbles: Yes. Both me and Y/N are.
Her smiled dropped a bit.
Bubbles: We actually have a play coming up. I....I just hope that we'll be able to preform it together.
Anna realized that she was no longer in her joyful mood. She walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.
Anna: It's going to be okay. I'm sure we'll find your friends before long. Perhaps we could find someone who can help us.
???: Looks like you're in luck.
The two girls looked to the left of the stage where another girl stood. Anna recognized her immediately.
Anna: Beatrice?
Beatrice: Hey, Anna. Long time no see.
----------------
Robin: Here. Est this.
She held out a peeled orange towards you. You smiled and thanked her before you took it. You began to eat the slices while Brat walked around the area.
This whole place gave off a bad vibe. She couldn't explain it, but it just felt weird.
She stopped in front of a rock pile and noticed something on it. She kneeled down and began to wipe some dust away from the top rock.
It was a number. Confused, she moved onto another. She found another number.
She looked around for a moment before it clicked.
Brat: This is a....
She stood up and turned to you and Robin.
Brat: Hey!
You both looked up.
Brat: I think this might be a cemetery!
A cemetery?
Suddenly, a hand grabbed Brat's ankle. She looked down and screamed at the hand before she pulled away. You and Robin immediately got to your feet as more arms began to reach out of the graves.
You grabbed Robin's arm and quickly pulled her out of a way from another hand.
Y/N: We need to get out of here.
Robin: Yeah. Come on.
You and Robin quickly moved to reached Brat. The hands soon became arms that became bodies. It wasn't long before whole skeletons were rising up and making unpleasant nosies.
Brat punched one that tried to jump on her. It broke apart and landed in the ground, but it quickly resembled itself and rose back up.
Brat: Nope. Nope nope nope.
Y/N: Come on!
You grabbed her and pulled her along. You all ran through the field as more skeletons rose out of the dirt. You spotted the treeline and smiled.
That smile quickly became a scream when you all suddenly found yourself sliding down a large hill.
You all slid down the mudslide with screams. You were going too fast to stop yourself on anything. And the occasional bumps and ramps didn't help.
You all eventually ended up flying into the air and into a larger pool of mud. You then rolled to a stop while piling ontop of each other.
You all groaned in pain before you looked up.
You were surpised to find a building there. A large, Victorian style mansion of some kind. However, what caught your eye was the sign that was hanging on the front.
Benevolent Sisters
Of
Charity
Robin: What the....what is this place?
Everyone got up, Robin had to help you, and you all stared at the building. You spotted movement in the window, and you noticed that more eyes were watching you.
Nun like nurses of some kind were peeking out from various places. They seemed scared. Timid.
You took a step back, only to find even more nurses behind you. The three of you were suddenly surrounded by nurses who were checking you all over.
Then, you coughed.
Nurse: Ah! You're sick!
The others began to echo her assessment as they all finally closed in on you. However, they did not harm you.
Instead, they carefully made sure you were all okay physically. They began to offer you hot tea and honey as they all began to reach out towards you.
They seemed harmless, but this was still pretty weird.
----------------
Zak: Geez. I could really use a bench or a chair or something right now.
Courage rolled his eyes before he spotted something. Be began to react which caught Zak and Greg's attention. They looked over to see a wooden sign pined to a tree.
Zak: "Hollow Town, 10 miles". Well, won't you look at that.
Greg: We should go look.
Zak agreed. The three started down the trail before Zak sighed.
Zak: I wish we could get there faster. We need to find the others. If only there was someway...
Ka-klank
Ka-klank
Ka-klank
The three stopped when a carriage suddenly appeared on the road. It came across them and suddenly stopped. The woods became silent again save for the horse's breathing.
Zak stared at ghe carriage for a moment before he saw something move. Then, two heads appeared through the windows. Two large heads.
What was really odd, was the fact that they were made of wood. Like a doll's head ontop of a human body. They were even painted to have eyes and lips. The female wore a bonet over a red wing of some kind. The man wore a top hat and had a mustache.
Though their eyes were not real, Zak could feel them looking straight at him.
Woman: Oh my! You look like someone who can use a bench or a chair.
Zak: How did you...
Man: Why hello! What are you children doing out here in our neck of the woods?
Courage looked at the driver of the carriage. He also wore a large wooden head. He then looked at the horses. Their fur was as black as the night. Their eyes were a bright red.
Zak: Uh, we're not children.
Man: Oh, pardon me, young man. And a pleasure to meet you! You must forgive me. It's hard to tell the ages of people when the wood blocks our view.
Greg: Uh, yes. I'm sure it is.
Woman: Are you two heading to Hollow Town? If so, we can give you a ride.
Zak nodded, but quickly grabbed Greg.
Zak: What the heck is going on right now?
Greg: We told you guys that people here were weird. When I was younger, I would've love this. But they genuinely are more harmless than they seem.
Zak: Yeah? Well, they seem pretty harmful. Look at them. They're doll people.
Greg: And they're offering us a ride to a town. The same town we were going to go to anyway.
Zak argued that he had point. They could only walk so much before they got tired. Besides, Zak had the Claw with him.
Zak: Fine.
The two turned back to the carriage.
Zak: I hope you like dogs.
Courage: <Seriously? We're just getting in that thing? Are you insane?!>
Zak picked up Courage and stepped into the carriage with the wood folk.
---------------
Mitch could hear the music getting louder. Wirt could hear it as well.
Mitch: What is that?
Wirt: I dunno. Maybe a traveling circus?
Mitch: Does this place even have that?
Wirt just shrugged. Then, they reached the top of the hill. In the open area down below, there sat a large tent. Around the back of it was a very carts and many animals. People of all shapes and sizes walked around as the smell of breakfast filled the air.
Mitch: Wow. They really do have a circus here.
Wirt: No.
Mitch looked at him oddly.
Mitch: What? We gotta cross the bridge anyway so...
Wirt: We can just go around!
Wirt began to walk around, but Mitch quickly caught up to him.
Mitch: What? You scared of clowns?
Wirt: What? No. I just don't like the circus. They're full of weird people.
???: What can be done?!
The two stopped walking. They found two people sitting on a large tree stump back to back. One was dressed in black and white clothing like a mime. Her face was also painted completely white with two black teardrops on both cheeks.
The other was a large muscular man. He seemed to be much older judging by his grey hair and sunken face. He wore a white body suit and a pair of dark red underwear over it. His eyes were so sunken that Mitch couldn't even see his eyes.
Mime: Why should we pretend anymore? Life is cruel, art is dead, and the universe itself is a critic, ever unsatisfied.
Strong Man: Peanuts would help.
Mime: Peanuts! You should have packed the peanuts!
Strong Man: It was your job.
Mime: No, my job is to make the world ponder it's insanity through laughter.
Mitch and Wirt stood there with blank stares. Mitch then turned to Wort and pointed to the Mime.
Mitch: I found your soulmate.
-------------
Bubbles sat on the edge of the stage with the other girls. After filling Beatrice in on what has been happening, she seemed to grow worried.
Beatrice: Wirt and Greg are back? I can't believe it.
Bubbles: If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?
Beatrice looked at her. She then looked around the town.
Beatrice: My sister broke a string in her violin. I heard this place had a lot of shops that could help. I guess that's old news.
Anna: Then you know how to get back?
Beatrice rubbed the back of her neck nervously.
Beatrice: Right. About that....
Anna looked unamused.
Anna: You got lost on your way here, didn't you?
Beatrice looked embarrassed. Well, so much for that. Bubbles wondered if that would even help.
Anna just sighed and hopped off the stage. Bubbles and Beatrice followed as well. Anna looked around for a moment before she made a decision.
Anna: I know it's wrong morally, but I saw we look around and see if we can take anything for our travels.
Beatrice: To look for your friends?
Bubbles: I want a flute!
The two watched as Bubbles suddenly vanished. She then reappeared with an armfull of food, supplies, and a wooden flute.
Beatrice: How did you....
Bubbles: I'll explain it on the way. Come on, let's get going. The next town shouldn't be too far, right?
Anna and Beatrice looked to each other. They both shrugged. They packed the supplies and started back down the road.
Beatrice: Did you change your clothes?
Bubbles: I want to blend in better.
They then crossed a sign.
Endicott & Grey
Tea
40 Miles
---------------
Zak: Hollow Town is exactly as fun as it sounds. Hollow voices, Hollow heads, Hollow homes. At least I don't have to deal with a crazy circus master or a weird nursing home. Actually, no. I would rather take the hot nurses over this.
Zak: Next time: Into The Unknown Pt. 3.
Zak: What do we even do?