-separator-
As the figure disappeared Shaggy smirked. Debra looked over at Shaggy with a raised eyebrow. With a grin that actually made Thorn and Debra come very close to swooning, Shaggy held up the clue he had seemed to just burn.
"But how?"
Shaggy smiled at the flustered Thorn. "That was not the clue. I've been carrying that paper for a while now."
Debra looked thoughtful. "Was that the first clue we ever saw?"
Shaggy beamed. "Like exactly. I figured she wouldn't realize we still had it."
Debra, Elsa, and Thorn burst into laughter.
Grinning Shaggy turned to the witch still clutching her stomach. "So let's see who this is."
Still laughing Debra drifted over to 1 side of the witch, and Elsa stepped up on the other. While Thorn kept watch Shaggy reached out and pulled the mask off. There was a gasp from Thorn as Shaggy went white.
"V... Velma?"
That made Debra and Elsa look at Shaggy in shock. All the stories Shaggy had told them had painted Velma as the most level headed of the group. How could the brains of Mystery Ink do something like this?
"Shaggy are you sure this is Velma?"
Thorn nodded to Debra. "She was the one to convince me to seal the witch's ghost away when we first met. "Though I don't understand why she's here."
Velma scowled as Elsa kept a tight grip on her shoulder. "It's because he left us. I had been working on catching his attention just before he became a racecar driver. I was willing to bow out when he hooked up with Googie, but when I heard he was traveling with monsters, I just couldn't stand by and watch my friend fall to that." She spat out the last few words. "I met up with the other masked figure last week and learned about the treasure hidden here. They seemed to want whatever it is, but I just wanted Shaggy for myself."
Thorn smirked. "Do you consider me a monster Velma?"
Velma jerked at the sound of Thorn's voice. Looking up she went white. Obviously she hadn't seen Thorn. "Thorn what are you doing with these monsters?"
Thorn smirked at Velma's expression. "I was invited. Besides I'm technically a monster because of my magical powers, or have you forgotten what I did with that spell book?"
Debra giggled at Velma's horrified expression. "So what are we going to do with her?"
Shaggy shook his head. Then gave Velma a disappointed look. "For now we will take her with us. At the first chance we will hand her over to someone who can take her out of here."
The girls all nodded. "So where do we start?"
Shaggy tapped his chin with a finger in thought. He had no idea what this was doing to the girls with him. Even Elsa who had no romantic interest in him found his pose very interesting. As for Debra and Thorn they both wanted to jump him right there despite the others in the room.
Suddenly Shaggy snapped his fingers startling everyone else. "Tanis and Crystal mentioned hallways they couldn't explore the first time we split up. I think it is time to take another look at the first floor."
Velma snorted. "We tried exploring that floor earlier. The south and east hallways go nowhere."
Elsa clamped a hand over Velma's mouth. "Lead on Shaggy."
Smirking Shaggy lead the girls to the stairs and climbed to the first floor.
-separator-
"Well that hallway is a bust" Debra commented. The group had checked out the eastern hallway after reaching the first floor, but just as with Tanis and Crystal they had been unable to walk more than 5 feet from the intersection.
Shaggy nodded. "There's still the southern hallway. Come on." So saying Shaggy started walking down the hallway heading south form the landing. As the girls watched he walked farther and farther away from them. Snapping out of their shock the girls sprinted down the hall catching up with Shaggy just as he reached the first door on the left. This door had a picture of a hock in flight.
"Do we look in here?"
Shaggy shook his head. "The clue mentioned a fin. There's no fins on this door."
Velma pushed against Elsa's hand just enough to gasp out, "What makes you think the picture on the door is what the clue is talking about?"
Elsa reapplied her hand to Velma's mouth, but all the girls looked over at Shaggy for an answer.
"This is the first door with any kind of picture on it, and the clue said it would be somewhere not yet explored."
With that Shaggy resumed walking down the hallway searching for a picture of a fin. After a moment the girls shook themselves and chased after Shaggy.
Debra was very proud of Shaggy. He was using that intelligence she knew he had, and shrieks he looked sexy using it. Debra glanced at each door as they passed doing her best to help her Shaggy find a fin.
Thorn had been staggered by the amount of good points Shaggy had risen ever since starting this treasure hunt. He had protected each of them every chance he got, and when that didn't work he was willing to lay a smack down on those who attempted to harm anyone of them. Thorn was scanning each door as she followed behind Elsa as she carried Velma. That betrayal had hit Thorn especially hard. She had looked upon Velma as a slightly older sister. If Shaggy had only been involved with her she would have welcomed Velma into their relationship with open arms. Instead Velma had kidnapped Tanis and by doing so split up the group. Thorn hoped the other girls were ok. She especially looked forward to talking with Sibella some more. It was as she thought this she noticed a door with a picture of a dolphin on it. "Shaggy" she called. As Shaggy turned toward her she gestured to the dolphin picture.
Shaggy paused for a minute, then smiled at Thorn. He had walked right past that picture, but Thorn hadn't. "Let's see what this door hides." With that Shaggy reached to the door and turned the knob.
Behind the door was a small room containing a table and chairs. The back wall had a mural depicting dragons in flight. Sitting at the table was a young woman. She was dressed in a royal blue gown. Her hair cascaded down her back in 2 waves looking for all the world like angel wings. She wore a gold ring on her right hand, and she was just waking up.
"So at last someone is seeking the clue I was asked to guard."
Everyone stared at the woman for several seconds. Finally Shaggy shook himself and asked, "Who are you?"
The woman smiled showing small perfect teeth. "My name is Nina. I am the princess of the kingdom of Windia. I was summoned here, and asked to pass a clue on to the ones who found me."
Thorn frowned in thought. "Nina, do you know a Momo?"
Nina's eyes lit up with excitement. "I haven't seen her ever since something summoned her away from the castle."
Thorn nodded. "She's been here."
Nina looked around at the group. "Is she happy?"
Debra giggled. "Oh yes! She is dating my brother."
Nina smiled at that. "I need to return to my world. Ryu is probably going crazy looking for me."
Shaggy looked thoughtful. "Nina. Would you be willing to take this woman with you?" So saying Shaggy pushed Velma toward Nina.
Nina tilted her head. "Why do you ask?"
"She betrayed my trust, and none of the authorities will do anything to her. She has done too much for them, or she has blackmail on them."
"So you cannot get Justus here?"
Shaggy nodded.
"Very well. I will turn her over to Ryu and the other dragons." So saying Nina reached out and grabbed Velma's arm. The touch caused Velma to snap out of the shock Shaggy's words had caused. She tried to fight off Nina's grip, but she had Velma in a hold she couldn't get out of. "Your next clue will appear on the table when I am gone."
Everyone bowed to Nina, who bowed to them in return before a bright light engulfed Nina and Velma. The light was bright enough that Shaggy and the girls had to cover their eyes. When the light had died down there was no sign of Nina and Velma. Instead on the table was a sheet of paper. Debra floated over and looked at it.
"She who has met with fire thunder and ice.
Has set you on the next path.
Now if you are willing to throw the dice.
Seek that which if is the right size can live in a bath."
Shaggy frowned as he read over Debra's shoulder. "It seems this refers to another water animal. Well anyway, let's see if we can find the next door."
As Shaggy turned to exit the room a light suddenly shown over the doorway, and the door slammed shut. No matter what Shaggy did he couldn't make the door budge. Even adding Elsa's strength to Shaggy's did nothing. They tried for a few minutes before Shaggy laid back exhausted.
"Well it looks like we're trapped here for a little bit. Debra could you try and find Crystal, Bella, and Tanis?"
Debra nodded. I'll see if I can find them."
With that Debra turned intangible and passed through the door.
-separator-
Debra flew through the hallways looking for the other girls. She was feeling a little down. Despite her working closely with Shaggy, she had not solved a single clue since Sibella's kidnapping. It didn't look like that was going to be changing any time soon. She would readily admit her knowledge of water creatures was lacking, but shrieks that didn't mean she had to feel this bad about not being able to help Shaggy solve this mystery.
"CRYSTAL, SIBELLA, TANIS, CAN ONE OF YOU HEAR ME?"
-separator-
Shaggy sat with Thorn at the desk that Nina was sitting at. He was studying the clue. He was pretty sure he knew what it meant, but he wanted to be sure. He sighed as he recalled Debra's look just before she left the room. He was going to do all he could to silence any of the doubts any of his girls had once this mystery was solved.
Thorn was lost in thought. She was examining her feelings for not only Shaggy, but for all of the other girls. She could remember feeling jealous of how close Debra, Tanis, and Sibella were. She had felt certain that because of this closeness Shaggy would have chosen to stay with them, but Shaggy had laid her fears to rest not 5 minutes ago.
[Flashback]
"So Shaggy, have you decided which of these lovely ladies you would like as a mate?"
Thorn turned and looked askance at Elsa, and Shaggy's blush.
"Yes Elsa I have."
This made Thorn sit up and pay more attention.
"Oh! And who is the lucky lady?"
Shaggy blushed even harder. "All of them."
Thorn blinked. She was sure she hadn't heard that right. Apparently neither did Elsa.
"Pardon, I thought I heard you say all of them."
Shaggy nodded. "Debra and I talked this over, and she convinced me to start a monster castle."
Thorn blinked at that. "What's a monster castle?"
Elsa turned to Thorn. "It's the name given to the base of operations for a monster lord and his willing ghouls."
Thorn found herself blinking a lot. "Don't you mean girls?"
Elsa shook her head. "It specifically requires at least two monster girls or ghouls."
Thorn looked at Elsa with real hope. "What am I considered as?"
Elsa smiled at Thorn. "You are a witch, a human woman who uses magic, and yes this is considered a ghoul."
With that Thorn lunged at Shaggy kissing him with real abandon.
[End flashback]
Thorn was just coming out of her memories of that kiss, when the door opened on its own. On the other side Debra was beaming.
-separator-
An: and that ends chapter 26. Shaggy has at last told someone his plans. Thet someone being thorn. Now he just has to tell the other 4 ghouls. There is only 1 villain left, and I do know who it is. I do have to apologize for the last chapter. Not only was it shorter than the chapters before it, but I forgot to put a game reference in it. If you don't care about the game references that's alright, but I said I would be placing at least 1 in each chapter. I have made up for this by using a cameo from an already used game. Anyway only 4 chapters left.