The Lakewood Residents looked at the Mystery Inc Gang puzzled. Tom, Jerry, Shaggy and Scooby also looked confused.
"Sanderson," Velma said with a smile, "could you turn on the lights please?"
"Sure thing miss Velma," said Mr. Sanderson entering the room.
With a flip of the switch the entire room with light. The Warlock's Ghost, which had originally looked quite terrifying suddenly looked almost invisible, transparent as glass, with fuzzy bits of static covering his entire body.
"You see," said Daphne putting a hand through the fuzzy gray ghost, "It's a hologram! That's how the Warlock's ghost was able to pass through wall."
"..And it's why the Ghost was afraid of the light," Fred chimed in, "He didn't want anyone seeing what he really was!"
"Astounding," said the Colonel putting a hand through the image of the ghost, "but how is this possible."
"Take a look," said Velma pointing up to the corners of the room.
Everyone looked up to see the security cameras flashing images, onto the center of the Warlock.
"These security cameras don't just record images, they project them to. Everything we saw was a pre recorded simulation, set up in advance to scare you all off.
"Like, that explains why there were security cameras in the tunnels," Shaggy stated, "But like, what about those crazy balls of fire?"
"Reah," said Scooby wiggling his fingers, "Ralls of rire!"
"I can explain that," said Mr. Sanderson taking out a small remote, "This whole house is set up with it's very own state of the art defense system, just to stop troublin' thieves from enterin'!"
He pressed a button and a small ball of fire shot out from the corner of the room
"Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaa!" Shaggy and Scooby shouted as they fireball headed straight for them. They ducked just in time, only for the fire ball to hit Tom's tail.
Tom leapt up yowling in pain. He started bouncing up and down on the floor trying to put the flame out. Finally Tootles caught him, licked her paw, and put out the flame herself. The two cats blushed at each other.
"But what about these things," said Silas nervously kicking the limp form of the Chimera, "Surely there not holograms!"
"Jerry care to explain," Velma asked.
The little mouse smiled and rushed over to the Chimera. He quickly grabbed ahold of his mane and began peeling it away, revealing a mesh of wires and machinery.
"They're animatronics," said Velma, approaching the fireplace, "The real Chimera and Cerberus statues were replaced long ago, using the tunnels under the manor."
She pulled at a candlestick atop of the mantlepiece. Everyone looked on in awe as the fireplace slid away revealing a large elevator.
"This is all very interesting," said Melanie who had remained silent up to this point, "but do you know who's behind all this?"
"We have a few ideas," said Fred raising and eyebrow.
"Good," said the colonel with a huff, "Because who ever is behind behind must be punished to the full extent of the law!"
"I'm glad you think that Colonel," said Velma approaching him, "Because you're just as much a suspect as anyone else."
"What?! Me?!" said the Colonel dumbfounded.
"You do know more about the Lakewood Tunnels then anyone else," stated Daphne.
"And you're the one who told everyone about the Lakewood Curse," Fred continued.
"And let's not forget about our old friend Silas," said shaggy with a sly look.
"Me!?" said Silas being surrounded by Shaggy and Scooby, "Why.. I would never take part in something so despicable.. as of this week.."
"But you had more motive than anyone else in the house," said Shaggy pointing at an accusing finger.
"Reah! Rotive!," said Scooby snarling.
"Well it wasn't me," stated Veronica, "I didn't arrive until yesterday."
"That's right," said Velma continuing her explanation, "Whoever was behind this would have to have full access to the security system and all of it's workings."
"Now hold on there," said Sanderson waving up his hand in a panic, "I may be the security guard here, but that don't mean..!"
"Don't worry, Mr. Sanderson," said Daphne putting a hand on his shoulder, "We know it wasn't you."
"That's right," said Velma, "There was one other person who had access to the security system, as well as full access to household and everything in it."
All of the sudden the room was filled with the sound of a door handle jiggling. Everyone turned to see Melanie desperately trying to sneak out the door unnoticed.
"Melanie!?" everyone in the room in shock and awe.
Realizing she'd been made, Melanie quickly made a dash towards the window.
"Spike! Tyke! Sick em'!" the Colonel shoultel.
The two bulldogs made a leapt for the window, blocking Melanie's path. As she backed away from the growling dogs, the Colonel came up from behind her and grabbed ahold of her shoulder.
"I didn't want to believe it," said Daphne, approaching the suspect, "But Melanie was the only one who could have pulled this off."
"Melanie set up this whole thing in advance," explained Fred, "She used the the old mining tunnels to sneak in the animatronic Cerberus and Chimera into the manor without anyone noticing."
"And she had the Lock-M-Up-N-Put-M-Away installed to create the images of the Warlock's Ghost," Velma continued.
"But like, why did Melanie do all this," Shaggy asked scratching his head.
"I can answer that as well," said Daphne pulling out the instruction manual. She slipped a small piece of paper out of it's pages.
"This signature," Daphne continued holding out the paper for all to see, "which Melanie used to sign for the security system, reveals that Melanie's real Melanie Hart, but actually Melanie Fowler."
"Of course!" said the Colonel scowling down at the lawyer, "The long lost descendant of Acadamius Fowler. You set this whole thing up to try to take back Lakewood Manor for yourself!"
"But Melanie wasn't even in the will?" Fred stated confused.
"And even if she did manage to get rid of Tom and Jerry, the Manor would just end up going to rest of the Lakewoods?" Daphne added.
"I wasn't trying to get rid of Tom and Jerry," said Melanie looking down at the cat and mouse sympathetically, "I was trying to get rid of Them!"
She pointed an accusing finger at the three Lakewood's.
"Us!?" said Silas in disbelief, "What did we ever do to you?!"
"Richard Lakewood felt terrible about what his ancestors had done," Melanie sighed, "He even hired me as his lawyer to try and make up for it. Richard knew that the rest of his family was already wealthy, so he decided to leave his fortune to Tom and Jerry who really need it.
Tom and Jerry looked down at the ground and shuffled there feet.
Melanie than glared at the Lakewood, "But you three were so selfish and conceited, that you didn't even care. Richard Lakewood was the only decent member of this entire family.. And not a single one of you deserves his fortune, or Lakewood Manor!"
Looks of shame crossed the faces of Silas, Veronica, and the Colonel. As Mr. Sanderson took Melanie away, the Colonel finally chose to speak.
"You know, they say that there's nothing worse than seeing your own face in the Mirror," he spoke to the gang and then to Tom and Jerry. "My brother may not have been a traditional Lakewood, but his heart was always in the right place. Therefor, I hereby agree to accept his wishes, and allow this cat and mouse to stay here in Lakewood Manor.
Tom and Jerry smiled widely at hearing this.
"Me too," said Veronica snuggling Tootles, "I don't really need this house anyway, I already own three beach houses.
Everyone in the room looked over to Silas, who had remained silent up to this point.
"Okay!" said Silas finally tired of the looks, "I give up my share of the fortune too! In fact, I just might have a way to turn this whole thing around.."
Not long after a large party was being held out at Lakewood Manor's pool. But this was no ordinary party.. This party consisted entirely of cats, and dogs, and may other animals of every shape and size.
The dogs splashed in the water happily, while numerous cats attended to a large poolside spread of hors d'oeuvres. Tom leaned back in a beach chair sunning himself, while Tootles fawned over him. Meanwhile, Scooby and Tyke were at the top of a large waterslide sitting in an intertube.
"Rannon Rall!" shouted Scooby as they began to slide down the waterslide.
"Yip! Yip yip yip!" Tyke barked happily as they slid down towards the water.
The dog and pup hit the water with a large splash.
"That's my boy," said Spike watching from a lawn chair. He gave Jerry a subtle fist bump.
Scooby resurfaced f with Tyke on his head chuckling, "Rehehehehe.."
"Hello Joe," said a droopy faced beagle passed by Scooby on a pool float.
"Roe? Rhere?" said Scooby looking around confused.
Meanwhile back in the living room Fred, Daphne, and Velma spoke to the Colonel and Vereonica.
"It was a wonderful idea that Silas had to turn Lakewood Manor into an animal shelter," Daphne stated.
"Yes that boy can have brilliant ideas when he's not busy scheming," the Colonel chuckled to himself.
"We got another batch," the voice of Mr. Sanderson called out from the hallway.
Shaggy, Sanderson, and Silas entered the living room with numerous barking dogs on leashes.
"Like how you hold'n on there Silas old buddy?" Shaggy asked.
"A lod bedda den I todd I wud be," Silas said with a clothespin on his nose.
Fred and Daphne helped take away the animals from Silas and Shaggy.
"You sure you'll be alright taking care off all of these animals," said Fred petting a fuzzy sheep dog.
"Of course," said the Colonel proudly, "It's already been decided, Spike and I will be training the dogs.."
"I'll be grooming the cats.." Veronica chimed in.
"An I'll be takeen care o' the finances!" said Silas rubbing his hands together.
Everyone else gave Silas a suspicious look.
"Por the ats and ogs o course.." Silas smiled sheepishly correcting himself.
"Don't forget me!" said Mr. Sanderson putting his arms around the Lakewood's, "I'll be takin' care o' security around these parts.
"And none of this would have been possible without you Wonderful Meddling Kids," the Colonel stated proudly.
And the humans continued to chat Scooby and Tyke entered, the room from the pool outside. Scooby quickly shook himself dry, with Tyke imitating his newfound hero.
"I wonder if this is what Richard Lakewood had planned all along," said Daphne looking up at the portrait over the fireplace.
"I guess some mysteries are left unsolved," said Velma with a shrug.
Both Scooby and Tyke looked up at the portrait curiously. To their surprise, the image of Richard Lakewood suddenly smiled and winked at them.
"Rikes!" said Scooby as he and Tyke leapt up into the air in terror. The two dogs quickly raced back out to the pool, and leapt into it with a large splash.
To his surprise the large splash of water, headed directly towards Tom, hitting him and somehow missing Tootles and everyone else. Upon seeing the soaking wet cat, Jerry began chuckling to himself, and soon fell onto his back laughing. Tom quickly grew red in the face.
Jerry panicked as he saw Tom lift up a large baseball bat. He quickly scurried away, as Tom began swinging about trying to hit Tom. Tom continued to chase after the mouse until to his horror he saw the mouse coming at him with a mallet. The game of cat and and mouse began chasing him.
The mystery Inc Gang and the Lakewood's watched Tom and Jerry continue to chase each other back and forth from the Living Room.
"Like, I guess some things never change," said Shaggy chuckling to himself.
The whole began to laugh as the scene continued outside. From within the pool Scooby Doo, peaked over at Tom and Jerry and smiled.
"Rooby-Rooby-ROOOOOOOO!" Scooby howled, "Rand Rom ran Rerry roo.. Rehehehehe.."