Chapter 2: Getting the Gang Back Together


The first place the trio headed to was the 28th Annual Coolsville Sci-Fi Convention: a nesting ground of awkward fanboys, middle-aged men dressed like superheroes, and B-movie starlets in skimpy femalien costumes.

And at the convention center, a placard read:

COOLSVILLE ASTRO-CON PRESENTS:

FORMER MYSTERY-BASHER FRED JONES

discussing his new book, "ESP/Schmee-SP"

Fred was at a podium, displaying a slideshow of many of Mystery Incorporated's past cases. Too bad nobody was listening.

"And then there was the time, of course, when I solved the mystery of Captain Cutler, exposing him as..." Click. "...a man in a mask. The ghost of Mamba Wamba was quite a challenge until I discovered..." Click. "...that he was a man in a tribal mask." Click. "But I guess you'd say I'm most remembered for revealing to the world that the abominable snowman ghost..." Click. "...was actually a man inside of a mask."

One kid raised his hand. "Do you think there's such a thing as a real ghost?" he asked.

"My new book, ESP/Schmee-SP addresses that issue, my friend," explained Fred. "After years of investigating supernatural claims, I have arrived at 1 utter & unassailable conclusion: there are no such entities as ghosts, ghouls, goblins, or monsters. At the end of every paranormal claim, there are only fools seeking fame, paranoid imaginations, or charlatans looking to make a quick buck. There is absolutely—absolutely—no such thing as magic in this world."

Everyone was silent after that.

"Any other questions?" asked Fred, and a grumpy-looking fat kid raised his hand.

"Yeah," he replied. "Why do you suck?"

The other kids cracked up, and Fred, despite looking embarrassed, tried to be a good sport about it, just when he spotted Shaggy, Scooby, and Scrappy in the back of the auditorium. He spotted Scooby first since he was waving excitedly.

A little later, in Fred's hotel room, the trio decided to meet up with Fred and display the evidence.

"Well, it's clear some sort of man in a mask apprehended your cousin," he concluded. "the important question is...what KIND of mask?"

Scrappy rolled his eyes. "No, the important question is WHY did he take her? What could be his reasons?" he retorted.

"So you'll go with us?" asked Shaggy.

"Can't, Shag; my book tour," explained Fred. "Tomorrow I'm off to Evanston, I-"

"But what about the pictures?" asked Scrappy.

"It's either a coincidence, or they all got jobs at Disneyland." replied Fred.

"Just think of it, Fred!" Shaggy explained. "That'd be the kinda thing that could get a guy, like, global press. Right?"

Fred's eyes widened. "Out of rinky-dink fan conventions, and back on Leno!" he grinned. "That'll show that smug jerk Red Herring!"

Shaggy rolled his eyes. "Like, the more things change, right?" he whispered to Scooby, who just chuckled in response.


Next, they had to find Velma, who'd just finished a therapy session and was headed to her Dodge...until she heard a horn honk.

She turned around...and saw the Mystery Machine in the parking lot-rusted, beaten, and faded.

"Jinkies..." Velma commented.

A little while later, she was in the parked van with Shaggy, Fred, and Scrappy.

"Where'd you find the Mystery Machine?" asked Velma.

"Tracked it down on eBay a few years back," explained Fred. "I charge fans $15 for a ride around the block."

Scooby, on the other hand, was sitting in the backseat with his arms folded.

"What's with him?" inquired Velma.

"He's still miffed you called him a moron when we were breaking up," Shaggy replied.

"Well, Scoob, you gotta admit," chimed in Fred. "relatively speaking, measured against a human, you are a moron."

Scrappy growled angrily and leapt to his feet. "My uncle might be a lot of things: hungry, goofy, intuitive, and bold, but he is NOT a moron! And anyone who says so is gonna hafta answer to ME!" he drew back his fist and whopped Fred right in his nose!

Fred clutched his nose to make sure it was intact, and then turned back to Velma.

"So, you in? This'll be a real doozy of a news story if all SIX of us go!" he explained.

"...on one condition," Velma replied. "when we announce the hypno-wheel to the press, I take the TV interviews."

Fred was about to protest, before Scrappy clamped his hands over his mouth.

"Sure, sure, you can HAVE the stupid interviews." he groused. "Let's just get this over with..."


Finally, the last person to find was Daphne. The gang found her completing a demonstration of her newly-learned fighting skills at a martial-arts class.

The gang just stood by and clapped...except Scrappy.

Now, Scrappy had claimed to have adjusted to the fact that their friends had left. But when he saw Daphne after she completed her demonstration, he ran over to her and hugged her, sobbing freely in a mixture of sadness and joy.

"Oh, hi, Scrappy," she beamed. "Did you, Scooby, Shaggy, and Flim-Flam all come to watch my demonstration?"

Scrappy sniffled, a small smile forming on his face. "W-well...I called Flim-Flam earlier...but he said he wasn't ready to face you again; he DID wish you best of luck, though..."

"Look, I'm happy you guys came to see me," Daphne replied. "but I'm not going back to mystery-solving."

"I understand," Velma shrugged, before turning to the others. "Let's go, guys."

Following Velma's lead, the others headed for the door. Scrappy hopped down from Daphne's arms before giving one last glance at her.

"Wait, whaddyou mean, you understand?" asked Daphne.

"It's easy for us," Velma explained. "...but for you, always getting tied-up & captured, always having to be saved by someone else; I can see where the damsel-in-distress is humiliating,"

"But I'm not like that anymore!" Daphne protested. "I've slowly turned my body into a dangerous weapon."

Velma gave a patronizing smile and exited with the others.

As they exited, Scrappy asked. "That's it? You just...gave up?"

Velma just smirked. "3...2...1..."

"Dammit, wait!" yelled Daphne as she came running out. Scrappy was, needless to say, befuddled.

"Whoa...how'd you know it would work?" he asked.

"Eh, works all the time with Marcie," Velma replied.


Later, at the airport, Daphne and Velma were disguising Scooby as an old lady so they could sneak him aboard and he wouldn't have to ride in a kennel. Scrappy managed to get aboard due to being small, ergo not as noticeable, so they disguised him as a human child.

Meanwhile, Fred was checking the departure times, and Shaggy was playing a skill crane game to kill time. He'd won plenty of stuffed animals from the machine, and they were in a pile nearby.

After the gang had gotten their tickets checked, they eventually managed to board the plane. Next stop, Spooky Island...