A/N: Sorry for the delay, but here is the next chapter of "Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico". Also, I just realized I neglected to add Gunther in the story. My bad. So, I'm adding him in now. And he'll also be in Chapters 2-5 as well. I'll let you know when they're updated in any available chapter of this story so that you can look back and see how different it is (unless those of you who just started have already read those, that is). In any case, after this chapter, feel free to read the next chapter of "The Owl House: Coven of Owls". :)
Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico
Chapter 6: Daphne Lost and Found; Living Statues
Sometime later, the van was fueled back up with gas and the brakes repaired.
"Well, gang. All set.", Fred spoke before everyone went out the store to with some groceries and necessary provisions.
"Here, Luis. I got you some ice for that blow to your head. It must be pretty swollen by now.", Alejo offered.
"What happened out there?", Gunther asked.
"I am afraid my brother was attacked by El Chupacabra and received quite a hit on the head. It knocked him, how do you say, 'out cold'.", Alejo responded.
"Here, let me help. Where's the bump? I don't see anything.", Daphne offered before she noticed something peculiar.
"Right here. I can manage. Thank you, Daphne.", Luis assured as he picked up the ice pack and placed it near his head with Googie having her suspicions toward him.
"You don't think that Luis is lying, do you?", Googie puzzled.
"What makes you say that?", Scrappy puzzled.
"I don't know. I just got a feeling, that's all.", Googie responded.
A moment afterward, the gang is now back on the van.
"Where to now, guys?", Fred asked.
"If I remember right, the Curandero said to look to the past. but what could he mean?", Ben responded before Velma found a solution up ahead.
"Look! Discover the Mysteries of Mexico's past.", Velma read.
"Visit the museum of anthropology.", Fred read next.
"What better place than the museum to learn in the past?", Velma grinned.
"Perfect! And we should be able to get there by morning.", Fred grinned.
"I don't know about this. That sign clearly isn't in perfect Spanish. Almost like someone only knows English and isn't even bothering to learn Spanish.", Lena spoke.
"That is odd. You think that could be our culprit?", Googie asked.
"Maybe. But we won't know for sure unless we find out.", Fred responded before they headed for where the museum is before someone snuck in and took out the sign as the Mystery Machine was still driving.
Later, in the morning, Shaggy and the rest of the gang woke up as Fred, Daphne, and Velma were still awake as the Hex Girls were now back in human form.
"Is it morning already? I could sure use more sleep.", Shaggy yawned as he woke up.
"I could sure use some of Charlene's coffee.", Luis spoke.
"Reah! Roffee!", Scooby agreed before the van stopped.
"Guys, look!", Daphne spoke up before they all looked up to see a billboard.
"'Coming soon to Veracruz. Mister Smiley's Latin Adventure'.", Alejo read.
"Looks like the one we have back home.", Daphne grinned.
"Only this one's got a Spanish accent!", Shaggy added.
"If we don't solve the Chupacabra mystery, the only tourist attraction I foresee is one big empty ghost town.", Luis spoke.
"It's not gonna come to that. We'll solve this case faster than you can say Muy Caliente.", Moon assured.
Later, the gang arrived inside a museum.
"So, what's the plan?", Thorn asked.
"The curandero said to look to the past. So we might as well start at the very beginning.", Fred spoke.
"Interesting. Half-man, half-beast.", Velma stated.
"Kinda like you two, eh, Googie?", Scrappy grinned.
"Uh, yeah. But not exactly.", Googie responded.
Meanwhile, Scooby was sniffing at the ground when he came across all sorts of scooters and touched one of them, making it move closer, taking him aback before Shaggy walked up.
"Hey, look, guys! Like, ancient scooters!", Shaggy grinned as he hopped into one and rode off as Scooby and the others noticed.
"Leave it to Shaggy to come to a museum and immediately find the toys.", Daphne grinned.
"Well, this could be fun. I guess.", Sarah responded before she and all the others rode the scooters down through the museum and entered through a certain exhibit.
Unfortunately, as soon as they rode in, someone flipped the sign from open to closed as while inside, Scooby saw the eyes move out of the statue, getting scared and running off as a result before they come to a complete stop.
"Jinkies! This place is creepy!", Velma commented.
"Tell me about it.", Marcie agreed before a voice spoke up.
"Good morning! Are we enjoying ourselves in Mexico City's national museum?', the Museum guide spoke up.
"Uh...", Googie began.
"Super! And would we like a private tour of the museum which begins with a special live, multimedia show about the Aztecs?", the Museum Guide asked.
"Actually,...", Lena began before the Museum Guide interrupted again.
"Super! Please follow the green directional arrows on the floor to the special VIP Auditorium.", the Museum Guide spoke as she pointed to said arrows.
"I don't know if this is such a good idea.", Diane commented.
"Me neither, but if we want to know about the past of the Chupacabra, what choice do we have?",
"Papá, esa mujer suena muy familiar, ¿no es así?", Lily asked.
"Si.", Alejo agreed.
Eventually, the gang all made it to the VIP Auditorium.
"Please watch your step. Continue down front and be seated in the comfy chairs made of rich Corinthian leather. Okay, super!", the museum guide spoke as the gang sat down and each took a seat.
"Let's turn back the hands of time, shall we?", the museum guide asked as she spun the clock before it stopped at 1325.
Before anyone knew it, the show began as fog effect appeared as well as a fake panther and eagle, not to mention a golden serpent resembling a dragon, which came down out of nowhere and roared at Scooby as he hid under the seats.
"Relax, Uncle Scoob. It's not really a dragon.", Scrappy assured.
"The war-like Aztecs had many barbarous rituals. For example, warriors sacrificed thousands of captives on the altars atop the pyramids often ripping out their still-beating hearts to offer to the gods. Super.", the museum guide stated.
"Yeesh. I don't exactly see anything super about sacrifices.", Scrappy commented.
"And now I'd like a volunteer from the audience.", the museum guide spoke before Shaggy hid under the seats with Scooby.
"How about you?", the museum guide asked, pointing to Daphne.
"Uh, Freddy?", Daphne spoke before the museum guide took Daphne away and led her to the tomb with which Daphne laid on before one of the Aztec natives placed the cover on Daphne as the rest moved their spears with the Museum Guide smirking, which was not exactly unnoticed as Googie and Moon noticed and gasped.
"Let her go!", Googie shouted before she and Moon turned into werewolves with a snarl and pounce toward Daphne to try and rescue her, catching the Museum Guide off-guard by surprise, but not enough to stop her from snapping her fingers before the smoke then covered the area and disappeared along with several natives, the museum guide, and Daphne with Googie and Moon arriving just too late.
"Daphne!", Fred shouted.
"She's gone!", Velma spoke in worry.
"Dang it! I almost had her.", Googie growled as she softly banged the tomb with the side of her fist.
"Y-You've been warned.! P-P-Please follow the arrows t-to the c-c-clearly marked exit d-d-d-doors to your right. S-S-S-Super!", the museum guide's voice spoke in a shudder of fright as the green arrows lit up.
"Well, I'll tell you one thing. You sure scared her out of her mind.", Scrappy grinned to Googie.
"Excellent idea! Just like what we had in mind: Exiting. Right, Scoob?", Shaggy asked.
"Reah! Rexiting!", Scooby agreed before they started to walk away only for Moon to grab Scooby by the tail as Googie grabs Shaggy by the back of his shirt.
"Not so fast.", Googie discouraged.
"We can't just leave without Daphne.", Moon added as she and Googie carried the duo back to where the others are.
"We need to find her kidnappers.", Alejo spoke.
"Where could they have gone?", Fred asked.
"Why would someone want to kidnap Daphne?", Luis puzzled before Velma went to a sort of torn label and picked it up.
"Look at this. It looks like some sort of ripped label from one of the warriors' costumes. 'Mile Enter' I wonder what that means.", Velma puzzled.
"Well, it does seem very familiar.", Ben responded.
"Hey, let me see that.", Fred spoke as he then picked up the torch and lifted it up, inadvertently, opening a platform to reveal a tunnel underneath it.
"Look! A trap door!", Velma grinned.
"Well, what do you know?", Scrappy grinned.
"I wonder where it leads to?", Alejo puzzled.
"My guess is that it will take us right to Daphne and her kidnappers. It sure looks like the perfect getaway.", Fred guessed.
"Speaking of getting away...", Shaggy spoke as he and Scooby tried to get away only for Velma to stop them.
"Come on, guys. There's no turning back now.", Fred urged.
"Yeah. The sooner we find Daphne, the sooner we can solve this mystery and fast.", Fred urged as he started walking down the stairs.
"Oh, great, a dark spooky tunnel. I hate dark spooky tunnels!", Shaggy commented.
"Well, look on the bright side. At least you'll have me around.", Googie grinned.
"Like, oh, yeah. That's right.", Shaggy grinned.
The gang then climbed downstairs when suddenly, Shaggy stepped on a fractured stair and tripped, accidentally grabbing on to the Quetzalcoatl statue and activating the trap in the process before the stairs became slides as the gang slid down like a roller coaster of some kind.
"Wee!", Scooby shouted excitedly before he and the others saw a wide gap, which Scooby was able to clear with his paws, allowing the group to slide underneath him before Velma grabbed Scooby by the tail and pull him back.
Then, they all slid down to the stone fists trying to crush them, but they dodged every smashing attack as Googie slashed at fist after fist, splitting them up before they fell down from the force of the slashes.
"Phew.", Shaggy spoke as he and the others continued sliding down only to come across a statue that was about to eat them when they all stopped and ran back upward as Moon, Sarah, Diane, Lena, and Simone all transformed and, like Googie, used their claws to slow their descent and run upward just as the statue's head spat out fire, which chased the group before the fire caused the pathway to collapse, leaving only one tile remaining as the 6 were creatures jumped off just in time and grabbed onto the wall with their claws before climbing up and turning to the rest of the gang just as Shaggy grabbed the edge and swung the rest of the gang to the other side.
"
When they climbed up, they wound up stepping on Shaggy's head for leverage.
"Ow.", Shaggy spoke before Fred eventually came up last and helped Shaggy up.
"That was some ride.", Crystal spoke.
"Tell me about.", Amber responded.
"Look, here's a door.", Velma spoke, slightly surprising Scooby.
"Finally. A way out.", Moon grinned.
"And maybe even right to Daphne and/or the kidnappers.", Scrappy added before Velma pushed the door open and they all got out.
"We must be at the pyramids.", Alejo guessed as the group all went outside.
"I've read about these. The pyramids were created by the Olmec Indians who built Mesoamerica's first great civilization.", Velma remembered.
"It's the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent, the good god we saw a statue of at the curandero's tent.", Fred stated.
"Yeah.", Thorn agreed.
"Feathered serpent?", Lena puzzled.
"It's a long story.", Ben assured just as Velma looked through her binoculars and saw Daphne on top of the pyramid.
"Look! At the top! It's Daphne!", Velma shouted as Daphne managed to break through her cuffs and lift up a blindfold.
"Where am I?", Daphne asked.
"Daphne, don't move! We'll be right there!", Googie shouted before she ran on all fours with Moon following her as well as Sarah, Diane, Lena, and Simone easily catching up due to their improved stamina and eventually making it to the top while everyone else ran up, but wound up tired because they did not have the same amount of stamina as them.
"That... was a long run..., to the top.", Ben panted.
"I don't think... I can... run anymore.", Gunther panted.
"Like, if the Aztecs were so brilliant... why didn't they invent an elevator?", Shaggy panted.
"Reah, relevator!", Scooby concurred before falling limp to the ground, making Daphne laugh.
"Boy, am I glad to see you all.", Daphne grinned.
"What happened?", Googie asked as she, Moon, Sarah, Diane, Lena, and Simone all changed back to human form.
"I'm not sure. I was blindfolded the whole time by that fake museum guide and her warrior friends.", Daphne responded.
"Let's get out of here, before they come back for you.", Fred urged.
On their way down, though, the gang saw a sacred idol.
"That's odd. That statue wasn't here before.", Velma spoke.
"How did that get here?", Sarah puzzled.
"I don't know. But I think we should get out of here before something happens.", Jay urged before the statue only broke down suddenly.
"Too late.", Jay spoke before a cage with the red lights and sirens suddenly went up.
"What's going on?", Daphne puzzled.
"Heck if I know.", Dark Skull responded before the group apparently saw a no good scared idol break and the gang trapped in a cage with a sort of eagle flying and landing on top of the cage.
"Hello, mi amigos, I am Paco, the magical talking eagle. I protect the pyramids here at the place of the gods.", Paco spoke.
"Ese es el peor acento español que he escuchado.", Lily groaned in spanish as she covered her ears.
"What did she say?", Moon puzzled.
"She says, 'That's the worst Spanish accent I've ever heard.' And I agree.", Alejo responded.
"I know. He looks more like a character from a tacky theme park.", Fred concurred.
"These evil tourists have destroyed a sacred idol and angered the gods!", Paco fibbed.
"Hey, that's not true!", Scrappy exclaimed.
"He's right. We did no such thing! This eagle is lying to you!", Alejo added.
"We saw the sacred idol broke and fell down, and we didn't even touch it!", Lena added.
"Do not believe their lies! When the cage lifts, you must run them out of here before they completely ruin the ruins! If you don't, the gods will seek revenge themselves, and ay caramba, mi amigos, you don't want to see that!", Paco spoke before he flew off, leaving Simone and the others very angry, especially the tourists, who were convinced.
"Why that lying bird!", Lena growled.
"And this is why cats don't talk with birds.", Simone responded before the angry tourists surrounded the gang.
"Shall we run for our lives?", Googie asked.
"Oh, yeah. Let's.", Moon responded before Shaggy and Scooby screamed as the whole gang ran for their lives with Scooby hopping down while leading the way before he eventually passed the edge as everyone else turned a different direction before Googie grabbed Scooby by the tail and pulled him back before they could fall.
From there, they all continued running until they saw a hole at the pyramids.
"Quick! In here!", Daphne urged before they all hid inside as the tourists passed them.
"Phew. That was close.", Googie sighed.
"Yeah. Tell me about it.", Scrappy agreed.
"Ay, Caramba! ¡No hicimos tal cosa! ¡Esta águila les está mintiendo!", Lily shouted angrily, venting her frustrations about Paco.
"What did she say now?", Simone asked.
"I'm guessing Lily's very miffed at how Paco lied to those tourists and convinced them we broke the statue but we didn't.", Fred responded.
"Aren't we all? Why, if I ever see that bird again, I'm gonna give him the old one-two!", Scrappy responded as he then did a boxer pose for emphasis.
"Ew! There's a bunch of spiders down here!", Daphne spoke.
"SPIDERS?!", Shaggy and Scooby exclaimed before they leapt on top of Velma, who held them in her arms.
"No, guys, Actually, these are scorpions.", Velma responded.
"Oh, gee thanks. I feel much better, now.", Shaggy spoke in sarcasm.
"No se preocupe por los escorpiones. Estoy seguro de que las ratas se ocuparán de ellos.", Lily spoke, gesturing to a hole where the rats resided before they dashed out the hole.
"Rats?!", Scooby exclaimed before the gang all ran form the rats and went in through the door and closed it to keep the rats from coming in.
"I can't believe this! First, that stupid eagle turns the tourists against us and now this?!", Gunther exclaimed.
"Jinkies. We must be in the ancient tombs.", Velma spoke.
As soon as Shaggy got close to the skeletons while moving backwards, the skeleton's hand touched him, frightening him and prompting him to hide in the jar.
"Don't worry, Shaggy. Everything in here is dead.", Fred assured.
"Like, how comforting.", Shaggy responded as he shook.
"They're not gonna come back to life, silly.", Googie grinned.
"Oh. Like, why didn't you say so?", Shaggy sighed before he got out the jar.
"But how can we steer clear of the angry mob of tourists?", Ben asked.
"Yeah. We've dealt with mobs before, but none of those mobs were angry.", Dusk responded.
"Look. We can disguise ourselves by wearing the traditional clothing of the native Indian skeletons!", Velma grinned.
"I don't know.", Marcie doubted.
Later, the group dressed up as the Dead Aztec people.
"Just act natural.", Daphne spoke as they tried to walk by when suddenly...
"Look! It's the vandals trying to disguise themselves by wearing the traditional clothing of the native Indian skeletons!", one of the tourists shouted as he pointed to them.
"What? How did he know it was us?", Googie exclaimed before the gang all ran as fast as they can with the tourists chasing them again up until they saw another hole to hide in and hid there before the door closed as the tourists passed through.
"¡No puedo creer esto! ¡Convertidos en fugitivos por un estúpido águila mágica parlante!", Lily shouted angrily.
"Still torn up about Paco, huh?", Scrappy guessed.
"Can you blame her?", Googie asked before the other door opened up, allowing the gang to cross over to it and see numerous pyramids with different artifacts.
(They are now in the other pyramids with different artifacts)
"So, where are we now?", Luna asked.
"Well, we're still at the pyramids, so we must be in a different place.", Ben guessed before the dragon suddenly came to life and flapped its wings to blow Shaggy, Scooby, Scrappy, Googie, and Moon into a tree while Daphne, Velma, Sarah, Diane, Lena, Simone, and Marcie landed on a creature that came to life and everyone else landed where the jaguars came to life.
Then, just as Paco was seen flying, he saw the dragon that came to life, squawked in panic, and plummeted to a tree, where Shaggy, Scooby, Googie, Scrappy, and Moon were, and the dragon flew around the pyramids and buzzcuts the trees' leaves before all 5 glared at the bird and Scooby growled at it.
"You!", Googie growled.
"Hey, there's that rotten robo eagle! Let me at 'em! Let me at 'em!", Scrappy shouted before the five quickly attacked Paco on top of the tree.
Meanwhile, Alejo, Lily, and Luis stopped and then saw a statue come to life and try to stomp on them, even chasing them into a building. The creature was still flying in the air as Daphne, Velma, Marcie, Sarah, Diane, Simone, and Lena were still hanging on until they saw Fred and the others surrounded by jaguars, prompting Sarah, Diane, Simone, and Lena to jump off, turn into werecats and land on their feet alongside the jaguars, who brushed their heads on Fred and the others' legs and licked their faces before turning toward Paco, who fell from the tree.
"There he is, girls. Have at him!", Daphne shouted as she, Velma, and Marie passed by, pointing to Paco.
"This is for turning us into fugitives, you nasty bird!", Simone snarled.
"Have fun, Paco.", Scrappy smirked.
"A-ya-ya!", Paco shouted in panic before Simone, and the rest of the werecats, along with the jaguars, pounced on Paco, tearing him to shreds in a cloud of smoke.
"Help!", Paco exclaimed as one of the jaguars pressed its paws on his head, earning a thumbs-up form the five in a tree to each other.
Meanwhile, Alejo, Lily, and Luis were being chased up until, until the flying beast flew over him, the statue trying to shoo it away, but it landed on his head and he hit himself on the head, breaking into pieces as a result, before Fuente showed up as if to speak only for the Mystery Machine to take Alejo, Lily, and Luis away.
"Señor Fuente? What's he doing here?", Alejo asked.
"Trying to attack you.", Fred responded.
Then Shaggy, Scooby, Googie, Scrappy, and Moon were waving their arms to get them out of the tree before Daphne guided the monster to the tree, allowing the five to grab the tail and hang on as it flew until the serpent flew right into the gate way, prompting them to jump off and on top of the Mystery Machine.
Later, with the chaos over, the gang sighed breaths of relief.
"It's about time someone got that bird what he deserved for what he put us through.", Moon sighed.
"I never did like him anyway.", Simone responded.
"To be fair, though, none of us did.", Googie spoke.
"I suppose that's one thing we have in common.", Simone responded before Paco spoke up in a slight gibberish, prompting the group to look up at him sternly just in time for him to start conking out and fall to the desert sand.
"Ay, caramba! Ay, caramba! Ayyyy, caraaammmbaaaaa...", Paco spoke as his voice distorted with his head popping out with a spring attached to it before Velma caught it.
"Wait. Paco was an animatronic? I knew something didn't sit right with me about him.", Thorn guessed.
"Magical eagle. Huh. I didn't buy this animatronic impostor for one minute.", Velma spoke before setting the head down.
"I guess those cats really roughed him up. Not that I blame them.", Scrappy responded.
"I'm thinking someone is using this robot to frame us and get us out of the way.", Crystal guessed.
"Yes, but who?", Amber asked.
"I don't know.", Rowena puzzled.
"Me neither. But we're gonna find out sooner or later.", Gunther responded.
"I guess the curandero was right. Things in Mexico aren't always as they seem.", Daphne spoke.
"Come on. We better get of here, before these mysterious mischievous makers try and top themselves.", Fred urged.
"You don't have to ask me twice.", Scrappy grinned.
A/N: Looks like Paco gave them a rough time with those misled tourists. But it does look like they won't be bothered anytime soon, especially since the werecats and jaguars roughed him up to the point of malfunctioning. And now, you may proceed to the new chapter of "The Owl House: Coven of Owls". :)