"And the real monster is...Mr. Halloway, the General Store owner!" Velma announced, sweeping the mask of the menace's head with a flourish.
"You oughta be ashamed of yourself!" Scrappy declared.
"Gah! Shut up!" The store owner spluttered. Like most masked menaces, he didn't appreciate being foiled by meddling kids and dogs.
"Ah, you're just jealous me'n Uncle Scooby splatted you!" Scrappy insisted.
Well, it was partially true, Daphne mused. Halloway might have given us the slip if he hadn't tripped over Scrappy and tumbled into Scooby, She chuckled.
The policeman on the scene rolled his eyes. "Just what you'd expect on a day like this. Come along."
"And you had it all planned all along, didn't ya Unk? Man, this is way more exciting than anything back home!" Scrappy was saying happily as Scooby shepherded him into the mystery machine.
"Reah. Rust ron't rell your rother about ry ratest 'plan'." Scooby said with a half nervous chuckle.
I never knew Scooby had a sister...or brother, Daphne realized as she sat down next to Shaggy. Or maybe-no, then Scooby would have to be married or something.
"Like Scoob's sure got his paws full ever since that little nephew of his got sent from home to stay with us, eh, Daph?" Shaggy asked, derailing Daphne's train of thought.
"Shaggy," She asked suddenly, "Have you ever met Scrappy's parents?"
"Who, me?" Shaggy asked, pulling at his collar and glancing around nervously. "Like, no, I don't think so. I mean, probably. I dunno. Say, who's driving?"
"Uh, I think Fred is, but he and Scooby went off to get snacks." Daphne said. "So we're going to be a while. Hey, don't you usually go with Scooby to get snacks?"
"Oh, sure, get snacks," Shaggy laughed again, wiping his brow with sweat. "Nope, not this time."
Is it just me, or is Shaggy a little nervous? Daphne mused. She brushed it off. Nah. He's always nervous.
"So why aren't you going?" Daphne asked. "You two love food."
"Oh, you know, Uh, I'm...not...hungry?"
Silence.
Then,
"What?"
Shaggy squirmed. "I'm not, I swear! I guess...this is...just a new experience for me?"
Rumble, said Shaggy's stomach.
"...Right."
"That was Velma!" Shaggy said quickly, sweat pouring down his face.
"Oh for pete's sake!" Velma shouted.
"Nothing's wrong!" Shaggy insisted, face growing more and more flush. "Right, Velma?"
Silence. Daphne's gaze did not falter.
"Right, Velma?" Shaggy asked pleadingly.
Velma sighed resignedly. "This is about Scrappy, isn't it?"
"Thank you!" Shaggy sighed, then jumped half a foot. "Zoinks! Velma-"
"Isn't that what this whole thing's about?"
"Yes! I mean no! I mean yea-NO!" Shaggy said, running a hand through his hair.
"Wait a second." Daphne narrowed her eyes. "We were talking about Scrappy's parents just before you changed the subject."
"We were?"
"Yes."
"Like, I thought we were talking about Fred and Scoob getting snacks." He rubbed his stomach. "Mm-mm, snacks! Like, I don't know about you, but I for one am starving-" He started to open the door to the mystery machine.
"No," Daphne said, yanking him back by the sleeve. "We talked about that after we were discussing Scrappy's parents."
"Oh," Said Shaggy, not meeting her eyes. "Oh, yeah, I guess I kind of remember that. Heh. Heh."
"Good," Answered Daphne. "So, have you met Scrappy's parents?"
"Well, yeah, duh." Shaggy laughed, a little too heartily. "At the train station, remember?"
"But his parents didn't come with him, did they?" Daphne asked. "Scooby went to fetch him alone."
"Oh...right." Shaggy said. "Huh."
"Jeepers, Shaggy, it's obvious that something's up!" Daphne exploded. "Now what is it about Scrappy that you and Velma know, but I don't?"
"Like, you really want to know?"
"Yes!"
"I dunno, Daph," Shaggy said. "It's a bit...strange."
"Shaggy, strange is our business." Daphne told him confidantly. "Whatever it is, I can handle it."
Shaggy's defenses collapsed. "Fine," He said. "But like don't say I didn't warn you," He added.
Daphne rolled her eyes. "How bad it could it possibly be?"
Shaggy shrugged. "Depends."
"I'm listening."
Shaggy took a deep breath. "OK, here goes…"