Scooby Doo and The Dance Competition
Chapter 1
The Chiyl Phantom
Music blared out of a large ball room. Ruckersville was known for its annual yearly dance competitions, and this year would mark the 10 year anniversary of it. All dance partners would practice for months before the competition was announced, so when the ball room hall became open for competitive practice, many came. The sound of a remixed version of a sock hop was playing, a twist between classic and the original pop played lightly. There where fifteen couples signed up this year, and still some others had yet to decide to join. The competition to beat this year danced away near the stage area. A younger couple, happily laughing at the seriousness on some of their competitions faces.
"All right everyone, as this is the first practice of the Annual Ruckersville Dance Competition, I feel we need to repeat the winnings for our new crowd!" came the mayor, standing on the stage, his jolly round frame motioning for everyone to stop for a moment, "I think we should have last years winner announce them, Silvya?"
A petite women with a sharp face and fair hair, walked to the podium, a slight limp lingered with her. "For you new comers, I'm Silvya Bellows, the winner for the passed six dance competitions. Our prizes are as follows. Third place receives a $200 prize, Second Place receives a $500 prize. As for first place, you will receive a trophy, a $1,000 prize, and a permanent spot on the Hall's Dance Wall." Cheers followed the speech.
"The rules are as follows, and will be posted at City Hall until a Week from Thursday, as its Saturday, I hope you all will practice. The first rule, the participants must stay on the dance floor as long as they can, they are disqualified if they stop dancing. No bumping or pushing other dancers, and lastly Have fun!" the mayor finished, "Now how about some music!"
The dancers continued their practice, all eager to win first place. None noticed a shadow in the rafters above the hall, the music drowned out the loud pinging as marbles rolled on the floor. Until one of the dancers fell from her partners arm with a crack. The other dancers slowed enough to stop from meeting a spill, the music stopped. A loud cackle sounded from above, they looked up from where it came from.
"Fools! If you dare enter this Competition, you will meet your end! Let this be a Warning! Do not Cross the Chiyl Phantom!" with a loud crack, the phantom in red disappeared.
"Kendra, are you okay?" asked the women's dance partner.
"No... I... I think my leg's.. UHG!" she tried to move it, but the pain was too great
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The Mystery Machine cruised over the dark country roads, windshield whippers going as a sprinkle of ran came down. Fred watched road carefully, listening to the snores of Shaggy and Scooby. Scooby lay in back with Velma and Daphne, also asleep. Fred glanced in the mirror, as he saw Scooby move, his large frame was using Velma's stomach as a pillow. Fred looked at the seat next to him, Shaggy held a pillow to the window, snoring away, Fred rolled his eyes as the road map lay carelessly on the floor.
"Some directional you are.." chuckled Fred as he reached for the map, not sure where they might be, he gave up as a deer ran across, he slammed on the brakes.
In an instant, everything in the van shifted. Shaggy slid forward and into the dash, a loud bang in the back of the seat, was Scooby flying from his cozy spot. Soon followed by lighter thumps as the girls slid forward. Fred cringed as a series of groans met his ears. The first to speak was an angry Daphne.
"This is exactly why we don't let Shaggy drive...." she looked over the seat, and her eyes went wide.
"Like, hey man, I wasn't even driving. I was.. was.." Shaggy drifted off back to sleep as he had gathered his pillow again.
"Fred, why did you hit the brakes?" asked Velma with a groggy yawn, as she picked up her glasses, "Great..."
"Relma's rasses are roke..." said Scooby, pointing to the shattered frames in Velma's hand.
"Gee, sorry Velma. There was a deer." said Fred, an honest look of apology on his face.
"It's okay, I'm sure I got a spare," said Velma, grabbing her bag.
"Where are we?" asked Daphne, looking at the empty road and rain as she grabbed her purse.
"According to the map, somewhere.. in the middle of no where," sighed Fred, tossing the map back on the seat.
"Daph, do you have a pair..." Velma was cut off.
"No, we used the last pair a few weeks ago," said Daphne, looking in her purse.
"Great... Maybe now's a good time to get contacts." said Velma, she shook their sleeping members shoulder, "Shaggy? Shaggy!"
"Huh... What?" asked Shaggy, half asleep.
"Do you know where there's a spare for my glasses?" asked Velma.
"In my duffel bag," he gave a care-free wave to the back as he began to snore again.
"I'll get them," said Daphne, walking to the back and looking for the green bags.
"Ruckerille..." said Scooby, pointing to the map.
"Hey, a town, its not that far. We need gas anyways," said Fred as he started up the car.
"Here you go Velma," said Daphne, handing her a pair of glasses.
"Great, thanks. Thanks Shag... nevermind, he's drooling," said Velma, about to shake him awake.
"Looks like there's two more left in Shaggy's bag," said Daphne, pulling the curtain to get dressed.
"Maybe Ruckersville will have an eye doctor," said Velma, cheerfully as she grabbed her bag and went to change behind the curtain.
"Man I hate it when they change when the van's moving," sighed Fred, "One wrong brake and its a black eye."
"Ha, I remember that," laughed a groggy Shaggy, "Junior year."
"Go back to bed," sighed Fred.
"No way man, where there's a town, like there's bound to be food!" laughed Shaggy.
"Reah!" said Scooby licking his lips as he jumped in front with Shaggy and Fred.
Velma and Daphne soon rejoined the guys up front as they traveled along the dark roads. It wasn't long before they pulled into a small town, with no traffic. The only lights where the street posts, a gas station, and all night diner. Fred pulled into the gas station, and used his card as he filled up the Mystery Machine, and allowed them all some time to stretch.
"Hey, we'll meet you at the diner," said Shaggy, pointing at the light up the road.
"I'll go with," said Velma, grabbing her bag.
"Really?" asked Daphne, expecting her to stay there.
"I'm kind of hungry, and not to mention...." she spoke low so only Fred and Daphne could hear, "Everytime their alone they tend to find trouble."
"Good point... see you three there," said Fred with a smile, "You going with Daphne?"
"No, I'll wait for you," smiled Daphne, leaning against the van as they waited for it to fill.
Shaggy, Scooby, and Velma walked down the deserted road towards the other side of the town happily. Being cooped up in a van for that long, made them eager to feel their legs again. Shaggy looked at the closed shops, Scooby used his walk as a tree visit. Velma spotted an eye doctor, and looked at the hours as they passed. She hoped they had a few there, but at the small space it held, she doubted highly they had her prescription available.
"Oh, thanks for the glasses," said Velma, remembering now that Shaggy was awake.
"No problem, Velma. I always keep a spare... after all, like, a good few times they've gotten broke because of me," chuckled Shaggy.
"Or re," laughed Scooby.
"Good point," laughed Velma, "Just between you and me, I think Fred and Daphne need some alone time."
"Ah, I got it," smiled Shaggy with a wink.
"I ron't ret rit," said Scooby, looking at the chuckling two.
Daphne and Fred arrived at the diner the same time Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby did. They walked in together, only a few people sat around. A few truckers and a handful of people who looked local. They sat at a table, and a kid gave them some menus. They ordered their drinks, which the waitress delivered shortly.
"Where you all from?" asked the women.
"Ohio, we're on a kind of road trip," smiled Fred.
"You look familiar, have I seen you before?" asked the waitress.
"Probably not," said Daphne.
"You sure?" asked the women, they shook their heads, "Okay, so what will it be?"
As the gang finished eating, save for Shaggy and Scooby, Daphne began to look around at a post board near their table. Velma had gone to talk to one of the bi-speckled waitress' about the eye doctor, and Fred was paying the bill.
"Oh, wow!" said Daphne, looking at a brightly colored flier.
"What is it?" asked Velma, walking towards her friend.
"A Dance Competition," Daphne was reading it.
"That sounds pretty groovy," said Shaggy as he took a bite of his potatoes.
"It would be, if it wasn't for that Phantom," came a voice from up at the counter.
"Phantom?" asked Fred, looking at where the voice came from.
They followed Fred's gaze as the person turned around to look at them. A girl with dark hair and a cast on her leg looked at them. At the word Phantom, Shaggy and Scooby groaned and began to glare at their plates. As if daring themselves to eat. Velma, Daphne, and Fred looked giddy at the prospect of a mystery.
"Yeah, the dance competitors are being sabotaged unless they drop out. Some stupid red phantom's been causing accidents this passed week. My leg, Bobbi Jean's arm, Melvin Dobbs and a whole handful of competitors already dropped out. I'm Kendra Max," she smiled.
"Jinkies? Any reason why?" asked Velma, sitting next to her.
"The Chiyl, as it calls itself, simply doesn't want the competition to be held," said Kendra, "Might get its wish too, if everyones to chicken to compete."
"Hey, maybe we could help?" asked Fred.
"Mysteries is kind of our thing." smiled Daphne.
"I thought so, your Mystery Inc.?" asked Kendra.
"How'd you know?" asked Shaggy, from the table.
"You guys we're on the cover of a magazine I read last month," she smiled.
"I hated that picture, it made my hair look greasy," sighed Daphne in disgust at its memory.
"The mayor and the rest of the town, sure would appreciate it," smiled Kendra.
"Well gang..." said Fred.
"Looks like another mystery," mumbled Shaggy, as Scooby began to cry.
TBC