A/N: Here, the gang make their preparations for the investigation with Lilly coming along this time. :)
Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico
Chapter 4: A Monstrous Investigation
In the morning, with the rain having cleared up, the Mystery Inc. gang decided to do some investigating around the area, but not before they had to explain some things from last night, which they did.
"And whatever it was, we'd scared it away.", Fred spoke.
"I got up early and, using my mud mask, made a cast of the footprint from Bigfoot's big foot. Look!", Daphne stated while presenting said cast.
"Wow. It's huge!", Alejo spoke in surprise.
"And look, it is speckled with some kind of gritty black stuff.", Luis added.
"Is it dirt?", Fred asked.
"I don't think so. I'm not even sure what it is.", Velma responded.
"Well, seeing as I can still smell the coffee bean smell from those prints last night, those must've been some of those ground coffee beans. But what I don't get is why they'd be here.", Googie spoke.
"Whatever it is, please do not mention it to my mother or Sofia.", Alejo urged.
"Or Charlene. I don't want to scare them.", Luis added.
"In fact, I better alert the security guards to be especially vigilant.", Alejo stated.
"If word of this gets out we will lose the few tourists we have managed to keep. El Chupacabra could ruin our livelihood not to mention everyone else's in Veracruz.", Luis warned.
"Don't worry. No matter how huge ferocious or bloodthirsty this vicious Chupacabra monster may be...", Fred began.
"We'll get to the bottom of the mystery. You can count on us, right, gang?", Daphne asked just before she, Fred, Velma, Googie, and Scrappy high fived each other while the rest nodded in agreement before Shaggy closed the door as Scooby looked at the footprint, compared it with his paw, got scared, and fainted as he fell down with Amber and Chiquita trying to wake Scooby up, but that didn't work. So, they fanned him as Scooby regained consciousness and he and Amber looked at each other romantically before the gang, Alejo, and Luis in the Mystery Machine ready to leave as Fred pulled out a Spanish dictionary.
"Um, Muchas gracias para su hospital y cometas.", Fred spoke, confusing Dolores and Sofia before Alejo and Lilly laughed.
"What's so funny?", Fred asked.
"You just thanked my family for their generous hospital and delicious comets.", Alejo responded, making Fred give a sheepish smile.
"Oops, I almost forgot. I know this is silly, but this is a good luck charm. With that big ole' lizard thing out there, y'all can't be to careful.", Charlene spoke as she gave said charm to Luis and put it on Luis.
"Promise me that you won't never take it off.", Charlene spoke before kissing Luis on the cheek.
"Si. I promise, Charlene.", Luis assured.
"Yeah. We'll catch that monster before you know it.", Thorn assured before Chiquita leapt on the Mystery Machine and barked with Scooby bending down before Amber bent down as well.
"Don't worry, Chiquita. We'll be back in no time.", Amber assured.
"Did that perra just talk?", Alejo puzzled.
"It's kind of a long story.", Googie responded as the Mystery Machine drove off while Dolores, Sofia, Jorge, Charlene, and Chiquita waved goodbye.
Later at the village, Alejo explained the current situation in the area.
"As you can see, there aren't many tourists here since the Chupacabra incident.", Alejo explained.
"Este lugar suele estar muy concurrido en esta época del año.", Lilly added in spanish.
"Well, on one hand, we got lighter traffic. But on the other hand, business sure isn't going smoothly here.", Scrappy spoke.
"So, what do we do from here?", Dusk asked.
"I've got an idea. Why don't we ask the locals about the monster?", Fred asked.
"Good idea, Fred. We can videotape them.", Velma agreed.
"Great! I'll be the reporter.", Daphne grinned.
"Oh, yeah. Like from your 'Ghost-to-Ghost with Daphne Blake' show, right?", Scrappy realized.
"Actually, yeah.", Daphne grinned before she and the others went into position with Daphne in the same suit she wore when she did her interview with Chris about the case of the Moat Monster.
"And action!", Fred shouted before he turned the camera toward the seesaw, jungle gym, and merry-go-round before focusing on the children who were happy for a moment but then became worried and afraid.
"A seesaw, a jungle gym, a merry-go-round. At first glance, this modest playground looks like any other. But the children here in Veracruz are fearful and have good reason to be. El Chupacabra. Imaginary lizardman? Or big scary monster that could bite your head off? You decide. What does El Chupacabra look like?", Daphne asked.
"A lizard man.", the first kid responded.
"A bear!", the 2nd kid added.
"An alien!", the 3rd added before she and Lilly went over to the painters.
"¿Qué hace El Chupacabra?", Lilly asked to the painters.
"Eats goats.", the 1st painter replied.
"Destroys crops!", the 2nd painter added.
"He's a bully!", a girl added before Daphne went over to the musician and the Mexican lady.
"What does El Chupacabra sound like?", Daphne asked.
"Like a coyote!", the musician responded.
"Like a walking Gila Monster!", the Mexican lady added.
"Like my Uncle Flaco!", the musician added.
"¿A qué huele?", Lilly asked.
"Like sulphur!", the musician spoke.
"Like garbage!", the Mexican Lady added.
"Like my Uncle Flaco!", the musician repeated.
"Will he show up tomorrow at the Day of the Dead festivities... or will he remain as elusive as the Loch Ness monster? Or the perfect boyfriend? This is Daphne Blake in Veracruz reporting. Back to you, Velma.", Daphne spoke.
"And cut!", Fred spoke.
"'Back to you'?", Velma asked before Daphne laughed in response.
Later, at the Mystery Machine, the gang came back to find the van tampered with by a writing on its side.
"Oh no!", Fred exclaimed.
"What happened?", Googie asked.
"It's been vandalized with writing on it, that's what happened.", Scrappy responded.
"'¡Sal ahora o no veras el día de mañana!'?", Alejo read.
"Yikes, what's that mean in English?
"'Get out now or you won't see tomorrow!' Does that sound right, Alejo?", Fred asked.
"Unfortunately, your translation is correct.", Alejo responded.
"Looks like someone wants us to make like a piñata and beat it.", Scrappy guessed.
"Yeah.", Scooby agreed before laughing a bit.
"We better get out of here now.", Daphne suggested before Shaggy and Scooby looked at each other in agreement, and then went inside the Mystery Machine in haste.
"Hold on just a minute, you two. We came here to get to the bottom of this Chupacabra mystery today.", Googie urged.
"Yeah. And no one's going to scare us away until we do, not even that overgrown lizard.", Scrappy added before Shaggy lowered the window.
"Like, Scrappy, it's too late for that.", Shaggy responded.
"Looks like they need some friendly persuasion. Would you each do it for a Scooby snack?", Velma asked.
Excited as they were to here this, Shaggy remained adamant about leaving as he closed the car window and both him and Scooby crossed their arms.
"How about two Scooby snacks?", Daphne asked as she and Velma each got out a piece.
"How about we sweeten the deal and make it 2 pieces each?", Scrappy asked as he and Googie also each got a piece before both Shaggy and Scooby got out the car and caught the pieces tossed at them with their mouths, eating them.
"Great! So far, it appears as if the Chupacabra is nocturnal. Now that it's getting dark, we should do a thorough search of the town.", Velma suggested.
"Maybe we'll get a clue to help us find the monster or at least the van vandals.", Daphne added.
"Yeah. And lucky for us, Googie and I work well as wolves in the dark now.", Moon added.
"The girls are right. Alejo, Lilly, and Luis, why don't you investigate the hills? The girls and I will search the west part of town, and Scooby, Shaggy, Googie, and Scrappy can search the east.", Fred stated.
"You don't have to ask me twice, Freddy.", Scrappy agreed.
A/N: Looks like things are starting to get serious now. And now, for the translations. The following is as follows, "This place is usually very crowded at this time of year.", "What does El Chupacabra do?", and "What does it smell like?". :)