Verona's Revenge

by Raidon God of Thunder

Cowritten with Thomas Hartman, Verona Dimpsey is brought back to life and seeks her revenge to those that did her in. More than 35 different cartoon characters mentioned.

VERONA'S REVENGE

BY ROBY GRAHAM AND THOMAS E. HARTMAN

FORWARD

There comes a time in everyone's life when certain choices has to be made, and when certain situations can't be avoided. For a redheaded mystery solver and a blonde super heroine, they were forced to make a choice that neither wanted to make but they did. They almost regretted it. It almost cost them time in prison. But in a surprise move by their lawyer, they got their case dismissed.

For eight others, they indirectly witnessed a site they all wished they hadn't seen or wanted to see. But now it's a new year and a new beginning as ten of America's most beloved cartoon characters of all time along with some help from their friends, once again come together in a final sequel to a story that began more than a year ago on a cross-country expedition ending with a death at sea.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Bart Simpson: The normally brash, crude, and bad boy of The Simpsons gets a dose of hard reality here. Bart is among the first to be horrified by a fact that still lingers between him and the others.

Woody Woodpecker: The patriarch of the Walter Lantz All-Stars also realizes that something hasn't been right in over a year between him and the others. In this story, Woody will become one of the few bright spots with his usual brand of wit and even sharper beak.

She-Ra Princess of Power: Almost sharing the same fate as Daphne Blake by almost going to prison for years, She-Ra along with her brother He-Man and his friend and ally Teela, joins her in the fight to help overcome the shadow now hanging over everyone's heads.

Mickey Mouse: The Disney patriarch is also involved here and will help to try to put insight on the situation.

Kim Possible: The world's foremost teen crime fighter is among the first who wasn't aboard the Pacific Princess to have seen the ghost of Verona Dimpsey. Kim, her friend and sidekick, Ron Stoppable, and Kim's neurosurgeon mom all play a vital rule in the investigation.

The Smurfette: For the small, blonde blue beauty, Smurfette hasn't felt or acted the same since the trip at sea. Smurfette for the most part is furious with her two well known female counterparts. But she learns to put aside her anger to put her input in to help the others put this unpleasantness behind them.

Charlie Brown: The leader of the Peanuts Gang continues to look for the bright side in all problems that faces him, but his inability to do so haunts his thoughts throughout the past year because of what he witnessed.

Bugs Bunny: For that wascally wabbit, Bugs is only tormented by the recent events that haunt the others. Bugs brings Lola and Daffy in on the fun as well to make sense of all that has happened to the rest of the group.

Daphne Blake: For Daphne, the memory of Verona going over the side of the ship continues to affect her life. Even though she will never be tried for Verona's murder again, Daphne becomes the catalyst for everyone's anger and frustration. Even those close to her, gives her cold shoulders and an icy stare that makes her all the guiltier by what had happened. But Daphne will go it alone to prove to the others that she was the innocent party and the victim to Verona's evil ways.

CHAPTER 1: A NEW YEAR DAWNS WITH OLD PROBLEMS

As the ball in Times Square drops in New York to signify the start of 2007, party goers all over the country rang in the New Year like they had in years' past. Such as blowing horns, sipping champagne, throwing confetti in the air, and singing Auld Lang Sine.

But as the rest of the country was ringing in 2007, for two female cartoon characters, Daphne Blake and She-Ra, the memories of 2006 were still fresh in their minds and thoughts. Both had been acquitted just eight weeks before for the murder of Verona Dimpsey.

They had happened to be in New York for the ball dropping in Times Square. Daphne was with her husband Fred Jones and She-Ra was with her boyfriend Gil Lopez who had at the stroke of midnight, presented the Princess of Power with a ring and asked her for her hand in marriage. She-Ra accepted the proposal.

But in another part of the country, Bart Simpson was sound asleep after the stroke of midnight. And as the night progressed, he heard a faint but constant voice in his bedroom. At first, he thought it was either his mother Marge, his father, Homer or his sister Lisa, but the faintness of the voice grew louder and meaner. He woke up when it became too intolerant to ignore.

He got the shock of his life as the ghost of Verona Dimpsey speaking to him and saying only one thing, "I want revenge!" Bart leaped out of bed, screaming for the others to wake up. But in true Simpson fashion, Marge told him that it was only a bad dream and Homer didn't seem interested one way or another. Lisa who is often the voice of reason said, "Bart you must've eaten something that didn't agree with you and you are having these nightmares."

Bart stuck to his story and replied with fear in his voice, "I tell you all, that there's a ghost in my bedroom and it's angry. All it kept saying was "I want revenge!" and you all think it's a bad dream?" Lisa quickly grew tired of Bart's claims and she and her parents went back to sleep. But Bart wasn't alone in this, in yet another part of the country; Charlie Brown was also sound asleep in bed with his faithful companion Snoopy right beside him. Charlie Brown heard the same thing that Bart had heard. And like Bart, at first Charlie Brown thought he had heard his mom, dad or his sister Sally calling him, and Snoopy doesn't talk and knew it wasn't him.

Then the voice grew louder and Charlie Brown also woke up to find Verona's ghost hanging over him saying, "I want revenge!" Charlie Brown let out a scream louder than he would when Lucy pulls the football away from him. And for others throughout America, similar incidents were happening to the others who were on board the Pacific Princess in the fall of 2005. Coincidence or did the ghost of Verona had come to seek revenge on those who did her in? You decide.

END OF CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2: TO EXPLAIN THE UNEXPLAINED

The two characters that should have been among the first to witness this unusual phenomenon didn't. After the crowd in Times Square died down, Daphne and Fred along She-Ra and Gil went back to their hotel and celebrated their engagement and stayed up real late. They slept until the middle of the day and ghosts don't haunt in the daytime. But when Daphne checked her email box on a computer in her hotel room, got emails from the others with the symbol for high priority on them.

As Daphne read them one by one, became horrified almost to the point of being sick by what she had read. Daphne looked white as a ghost herself. Fred saw the expression on her face and asked, "Daphne, you look like you have seen a ghost." Daphne replied nervously, "I didn't see a ghost Fred, but eight of our friends sure have. Bart Simpson, Charlie Brown, Leonardo, Woody, Mickey, Bugs, Smurfette and Yogi all claim to have seen Verona's ghost last night. All of them say that it had happened between the hours of two to four o'clock in the morning. I didn't have such a dream but we finally turned in around five."

Fred asked with concern, "If you didn't have this experience, could She-Ra have?" Daphne answered with equal concern, "She must have gone to bed later than we did. After all she was so excited about being proposed to. But I'll call her room to see if she did or didn't." At that moment, Daphne called the front desk and asked to be connected with She-Ra's room. The phone rang several times but there was no answer and the clerk acknowledged it.

Daphne asked to have the room rung again. After a few more rings, the phone picked up, a tired sounding voice answered, "I'm not in need of my room cleaned today". Recognizing who it was, Daphne said, "Sorry to disturb you She-Ra but this is important. What time did you finally went to sleep last night?" Upset by the question, She-Ra replied with anger in her voice, "You woke me up to ask me that? But if you must know, it was going on six o'clock in the morning. Why?"

Daphne then asked, "Did you at anytime have a bad dream or anything happen out of the ordinary?" She-Ra replied with a quip remark, "I had nothing but wonderful dreams about the man who just asked me to marry him. Again I ask why you are asking me such questions." Daphne then had no choice to come right out and said, "Last night, eight of our friends sent emails to me all claiming to have seen Verona's ghost." And all of them were with us aboard that ship more than a year ago."

At that moment, She-Ra's ears and the rest of her perked up and replied, "What?" Daphne said it the only way she could at that point. And she continued, "I'll say this again, Bart, Charlie Brown, Smurfette, Yogi, Mickey, Woody, Bugs and Leonardo all made this claim. It had happened between the hours of two and four in the morning their local times. But you and I didn't have such a dream because we weren't asleep at the times they all claim this occurred."

Confused, She-Ra asked, "Woody was with us last night wasn't he?" Daphne answered, "Remember, after Gil proposed to you right after the ball dropped, Woody offer his congratulations to you and left shortly afterwards. That was around twelve thirty. Woody said he saw her around three o'clock. No one said it happened before two or after four".

She-Ra had no reply to this and to Daphne, she thought the phone went dead or She-Ra had discontinued the call. Then broke the silence and replied, "Daphne, get a hold of Woody and I want to check out something in Virginia. I'll call you later to tell you what I find out if anything." Daphne wasted no time after She-Ra ended the call and got hold of Woody and asked him to come to her hotel. For an experienced mystery solver like Daphne, she had no answer for this, but since Woody was in the area, she wanted to get it straight from the horses or should I say woodpecker's mouth.

END OF CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3: MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT MAYHEN IN MIDDLETON

Kimberly Ann Possible was sound asleep in her snug bed in Middleton. Kim had quite a load on her hands. Besides being a straight-A student at Middleton High, she was also head cheerleader, the World's Foremost Teen Crime Fighter, and a rising star of the Disney All Stars of the United States Cartoon Football League. Most girls her age would have buckled under such a load, but not Kim, she thrived. But on this cold, winter's night she put all such thoughts behind her as she slept and dreamed. She dreamed of her upcoming Senior Prom, and was dancing with her friend and sidekick, Ron Stoppable. The two had become closer in the past year, to the point of developing a romance between them. About this time, just as the two was dancing to a romantic tune, there came a tap on Ron's shoulder. They turned, and there stood a petite blond woman with wire rimmed glasses. Rather than a long dress, this strange girl was clad in a maroon and orange mini-skirted outfit. "W-who are you, a-and what a-are you doing h-here?" Ron stammered.

"Yeah," Kim responded. "Aren't you a little out of uniform for a Prom? The custom is for the girls to wear long dresses, not miniskirts!"

"I WANT REVENGE!" the strange girl bellowed, and launched herself straight at Kim's throat. It appeared the weird girl was going to tear Kim limb from limb. It was right then that Kim fell out of bed, and unleashed a blood curdling yodel that woke everyone in the house, if not the block. Her parents, Dr. Jean Kimberly Possible, a neurosurgeon, and Dr. James Timothy Possible, a rocket scientist, rushed into the room. "What happened?" her mom exclaimed, "Why are you lying on the floor?"

"I-it was a-awful!" Kim said, on the verge of tears. "I was dreaming I was at my Prom, and was dancing with Ron, when this weird girl appeared. She lunged at me, and it looked like she was going to c-choke the life out of me!" Right about that time, Kim's younger siblings, Jimmy and Timmy entered the room. Kim rarely referred to them by the given names; she usually called them "tweebs". "What's going on?" they both asked in unison.

"Oh, great," Kim sighed. "I have a nightmare, and the first thing I have to look at is the tweeb twins."

"Kimmie's had a nightmare!" the tweebs sang. "Kimmie's had a nightmare!"

"Come on, you two," Dad told the twins. "There's nothing more to see here. Besides, you have school in the morning. Off to bed with you." Dad then took the twins by the hands and escorted them back to their room.

"Look, Hon," Mom said to her daughter, sitting next to Kim on the edge of her bed, "you've been under a lot of pressure lately. "You've got your schoolwork, your cheerleading, your missions, and your football league. Not to mention you've got graduation coming up, and your college application process. I'm surprised that the pressure hasn't got to you before this."

"I guess you're right," Kim replied. "It was just a nightmare. No big." Thinking about this, Kim thought, "Mom's right, I've got all I got to do, and more." Joining the USCFL really added to Kim's load. There was a lot of hype surrounding her recruitment. The press had her becoming the next Daphne Blake, the star QB of the Five's a Mob Legends. She remembered Mickey Mouse showing up at her door during the summer of 2005, offering a spot on the Disney All-Stars. As things turned out, while she had a good rookie season, it wasn't as great as she had hoped. It seemed that Mickey was always going to Minnie, and what really irked her was that an apparent touchdown she scored was nullified after the Fox All-Stars challenged the call. (She was out-of-bounds when she caught the ball). During the off-season, there was talk that she might go to the Five's A Mob Currents in Miami. Mickey had a long chat with Kim and encouraged her to stay with Disney, saying that she had really contributed to the team, and that he appreciated her efforts. While not promising anything, Mickey told Kim that he would try to get her more big plays in 2007. That seemed to satisfy her, and any thoughts of her transferring were quickly put aside.

"Try to get some sleep, dear," Kim's mom said as she turned to leave the room. "You've got school in the morning, you know." Right about then, Kim's Kimcommunicator beeped in its "Beep, beep, call me" ring tone.

"Oh great, a mission," Kim mumbled as she went to answer it. But instead of it being another mission, it was Ron.

"KP!" the hysterical, screaming voice on the other end exclaimed. "It's so terrible, it's just awful!"

"Ron!" Kim said. "It's a quarter past three. Can't it wait till morning?"

"KP, you don't understand!" Ron cried on the other end. He was screaming one second, sobbing the next. "I just had an awful nightmare!"

"A nightmare?" Kim exclaimed. With that, Kim's mom froze in her steps. "What about?" Kim asked.

Ron described the weird dream he'd just experienced. He dreamed he was on a South Pacific island, surrounded a bunch of beautiful Polynesian native girls, all dressed in either grass skirts or bikinis, waiting on him hand and foot. Just when one laughing native girl was about lead him into the bushes and make love to him, Kim rocketed in on a jetpack. "Back off, sisters," she said. "He's mine, and you can't have him! Come on, Ron, I'm getting you out of here."

"But, KP!" Ron protested. No sooner than he said that than yet another girl appeared, coming up onto the beach out of the water. Instead of being another Polynesian girl, this woman was Caucasian. She was blond, wore a pair of broken wire-rimmed glasses, and instead of a grass skirt or bikini, she was clad in a maroon and orange miniskirt outfit. She looked like a drowned rat coming out of the water, walking like a zombie. She stopped directly in front of Ron and Kim and said, "I WANT REVENGE!" With that, the weirdo woman lunged at Ron, going for his throat. That's when Ron sat straight up in bed screaming. Kim's jaw dropped when Ron relayed this information to her. "That's the same woman I saw in my nightmare!" Kim exclaimed. Hearing that, Kim's mom now turned white as a sheet. "Are you saying Ron had the same nightmare you did?" she asked. Kim nodded. "Let me speak to him," Kim's mom said. Kim handed the Kimcommunicator to her mom, who stepped out into the hallway to continue the conversation. Ron repeated the story to Mom, who then asked to speak to Ron's parents. After several minutes, she returned, and sat next to Kim on the bed.

"Kim," her mom began, "I'm going to hold out of school in the morning. You're going to the clinic with me instead. Ron's coming with us as well. I want to run some tests on you two."

"What are you talking about?" Kim asked, genuinely frightened now. "You must think I have a brain tumor!"

"No, not a brain tumor," her mom said. "But the fact that the two of you had the same nightmare strikes me as being quite odd. I can see one of you having a bad dream, but two of you having the same dream? "Kim," her mom said, troubled by the words she was about to deliver, "I think you m-might have taken d-drugs."

"Me do drugs?" Kim cried. "That's so, uh, so un-me!"

"Not deliberately," her mom said. "But do you suppose that someone might have slipped you something without your knowledge? And as a parent, it's my duty to find out if someone did slip you drugs, and to do something about it." Kim nodded. The previous night, Monique, Kim's best friend, had thrown a New Year's Eve party at her house. All the cheerleaders, as well as many of the football and basketball players were there, dancing and celebrating the coming of the New Year. Bonnie Rockwaller, Kim's chief high school nemesis, was there as well. All throughout high school, she had given Kim a hard time, always sarcastic and cynical. "Could she have put drugs in my diet soda?" Kim thought. "No, she couldn't slip that low. Or would she? I'd rather have the brain tumor!" Before trying to get back to sleep, Kim reached for her Kimcommunicator and made a phone call. She called the Disney football office and left an urgent message for Mickey Mouse.

END OF CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4: TESTING, TESTING, AND MORE TESTING

At eight o'clock, Kim piled into her mom's SUV and drove to the Middleton Medical Clinic where Dr. Possible had her outpatient practice, stopping along the way to pick up Ron. Once at the clinic, she informed the kids that there would be about a two-hour wait before she was ready to perform the tests. "While you wait," she told the kids, giving each of them a plastic cup with lid, and handing them a laboratory request form, "you can go in the cups I gave you, and hand them to the receptionist." She motioned to a bathroom just behind the reception counter. "Write your name and Social Security Number on the cup. And when you're finished with that, there's a blood laboratory just down the hall. Just walk in, hand the nurse the lab form, and we'll get a blood sample from you." And while Kim and Ron was doing that, Kim's mom called around to some of the parents of the kids who attended Monique's New Year's Party. None of the parents reported their kids having nightmares or other strange behavior. In the meantime, Ron was a little squeamish about giving a blood sample; the nurse actually had to hold him down while she drew his blood. Finally, the kids finished their procedures and returned to the waiting area, and thumbed through some magazines. Just about ten, Kim's mom emerged and called out, "Kimberly Ann Possible, come with me, please." Mother led daughter back to the MRI room. Once there, she had Kim disrobe and put on a hospital gown, then checked her pulse, blood pressure, and reflexes. Then Kim went into the MRI machine for a brain scan. After thirty minutes, Kim was finished, and then Ron came back for his scan. It was nearly lunch time by the time Ron was done with his scan, so Kim's mom took the kids to Buenos Nacho, her treat. After lunch, they returned to the clinic for one more test.

"This will be an easy test," Dr. Possible told Kim and Ron. "You don't have to get stuck with a needle, pee in a cup, or take off your clothes. All we're going to do is stick about three electrodes on your head while you watch a short movie, so we can measure your brain waves. The only thing you have to do is relax and enjoy the show." Kim went back first. Once there, she found a room furnished with a reclining chair and a television monitor. Kim's mom smeared a little conductive goop on her daughter's forehead, then stuck the three electrodes into the goop. "You might want to wash your face after we're done here," Kim's mom said. "Now just sit back and enjoy the show." Kim did and the movie started. It began with a peaceful scene set in a pasture, with a clear blue sky, and had horses and cattle grazing in the background. About a minute and a half into the film, an attractive young male appeared, clad in skimpy swim trunks. He flexed his muscles, then turned his rear to the camera and jiggled it a couple of times before walking off camera. Then about a minute later, a monster appeared, not unlike a yeti, came onscreen, growled, and leapt into the camera. After that, the peaceful pasture scene reappeared before the screen faded to black. Show over. Then Ron came back, had the electrodes stuck on his head, and watched a similar movie. Only, in his movie, instead of a male hunk, an attractive, tanned brown-haired girl appeared in a white bikini, and like the male, turned and jiggled her rear before retreating off screen. After the kids had washed their faces, Kim's mom had them come into her private office to discuss the test results.

"I'm at a loss to explain this," she said. "Your reflexes, your brain scans, brain wave stimuli tests, as well as your urine and blood samples all came back negative or normal. Maybe it's a coincidence that you two had the same nightmare on the same night, but I find that somewhat hard to believe. Maybe we're dealing with a new, unknown hallucinogenic agent here. Drug fiends are creating new poisons all the time."

"Dr. Drakken and Shego!" Kim cried. "I'll bet they're behind this." But one thing about Kim's theory bothered her. She had heard that both Drakken and Shego had been promoted to the Disney starting line-up for the upcoming season. She had also heard that Mickey had gone out on a major limb, pulled a lot of strings, and called in many favors for this to happen. Why would Drakken and Shego risk all that just to put Kim Possible out of commission? Kim didn't have an answer for that one, but there was one way to find out.

END OF CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5: PROBING FOR ANSWERS

Daphne spent most of January 2 in New York, asking Woody Woodpecker questions about what he saw. Woody told Daphne that he had a dream about a girl woodpecker he once knew. One he even fell in love with, then has he was about to kiss her, the girl woodpecker turned into Verona, shrieking "I WANT REVENGE"! Woody also claimed it woke him out of an otherwise sound and peaceful sleep.

At that moment, Daphne's hotel computer rang with another urgent email message. An email from Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable claimed the same thing, Kim's mom going so far as having both kids tested for brain abnormalities and/or drug use, hallucinogenic agents in particular. Daphne was confused, Mickey Mouse was aboard The Pacific Princess in 2005, and was the only Disney representative. At that moment, She-Ra returned from Virginia with news that no one had experienced what the others had describe including the Sorceress who most times would know what's going on before anyone else.

The Sorceress didn't know about these nightmares, but surprised She-Ra totally by congratulating her on her marriage proposal. She-Ra didn't say a word to anyone, not even her mother, father, and brother. Neither Daphne nor She-Ra took the situation as seriously as they should have. At one point, they both discounted it as mere coincidence.

But that night, Daphne and She-Ra both turned in early. At two o'clock in the morning, Daphne was dreaming about the times she and Fred had discovered their love for the first time. Then as she was about to be embraced by Fred, his image of him turned into the image of Verona shouting, "I WANT REVENGE!" Daphne at that moment let out a blood curdling scream.

Moments later, She-Ra also had a dream about the time she first learned of her true heritage and the fact that He-Man was her brother. Just as she freed He-Man from a device that drained him of his strength, the image of He-Man turned into the image of Verona shouting, "I WANT REVENGE!" She-Ra also let out a scream so loud she broke all the windows in her hotel room. Daphne and She-Ra met each other outside their rooms holding each other like a couple of frightened children.

She-Ra said in a nervous voice, "Now I know how Shaggy and Scooby feels." Daphne replied also with a nervous voice, "I guess we should have taken this situation a little more seriously. And yes She-Ra, I now know too how Shaggy and Scooby feels."

Daphne and She-Ra both couldn't return to bed because of what they saw, and in She-Ra's case, her room was now like an icebox. Gil had to join his bride to be with Fred and Daphne in their room until morning arrived.

END OF CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6: QUESTIONS LEFT UNANSWERED

Fred and Gil both went back to sleep, Daphne and She-Ra both tried but couldn't. When dawn came, Daphne and She-Ra both looked like zombies. Fred prepared strong black coffee and got the two awake as best as he could. But he couldn't understand why they looked tired. Both Fred and Gil didn't hear their female counterparts scream the night before.

Once semi-conscious, Daphne's email inbox was flooded with messages from other USCFL members. The only members who she hadn't heard from were all members of both Five's A Mob teams, Star Trek, The Power Rangers, and the Jim Henson All-Stars. Only the animated players were affected by all this. After what She-Ra said the day before had changed.

The Sorceress emailed She-Ra through Daphne's email saying that more than a dozen of She-Ra's friends saw Verona's ghost. In all, more than one hundred members from all over the league experienced this unusual phenomenon. Daphne now could no longer dismiss this as coincidence. Daphne didn't need Fred to tell her that she had a mystery to solve. And possibly the biggest and most difficult challenge she had ever faced.

The first thing Daphne needed to do was to assemble the members from all fifteen animated teams. Then devise a plan of action. But unlike any other mystery she and Mystery Inc. ever faced, this time more than one thousand cartoon characters would be involved.

Just then, a bellhop got word to She-Ra that because of the broken windows in her room, she needed to leave the hotel. Daphne explained to the bellhop who summoned for the hotel manager at Daphne's request that the broken windows were not She-Ra's fault and agreed to pay for all the damage.

The hotel manager seemed pleased, but in a way it was time for Daphne, Fred, Gil, and She-Ra to check-out and head for home. Daphne gave the hotel manager an address to send the bill for the damaged windows. But instead of Fred and Daphne heading back to Atlanta and She-Ra returning to Virginia, they all went to the airport but bought tickets to Miami where the USCFL's headquarters are located and request an emergency meeting at the Tudordome, home of the Five's A Mob Currents.

She-Ra hated to leave Gil behind in New York, but Gil went with She-Ra for now he has a residence in South Florida as well. Gil made the commitment to stand by his future wife's side. But what to do once they get to Miami, Daphne had no plans, oddly and possibly for the first time ever, neither did Fred. Velma was contacted to meet Fred and Daphne in Miami, she too was unsure of this mystery.

END OF CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7: A MEETING OF THE MINDS

No sooner did Daphne, Fred, She-Ra and Gil arrived in Miami, cartoon characters by the hundreds appeared at the airport. (The Hanna-Barbera All-Stars arrived by train from Atlanta, traveling on board the USCFL's special 8-car train normally kept at Waycross, Georgia, which was routed via CSX from Atlanta to Jacksonville, then Florida East Coast the rest of the way to Miami.) They boarded buses, taxis, and shuttles to proceed to the Miami suburbs. Once at the Tudordome, one side of the stadium's seats was filled with characters from all forms of animation. When the characters sat down, Daphne took charge of the crowd and began the process of getting down to the bottom of the situation.

Daphne first addressed the assembly by saying, "I think most of you know why you're here. Some of you have experienced an unusual occurrence. The ghost of Verona Dimpsey has invaded your sub-conscious while you are asleep. I can tell by the look on some of your faces, that you look like you are about to fall asleep on us. I give you my word that my friends and I will get to the bottom of this issue."

Then Daphne began to ask questions. Because of the large turnout, she asked everyone to raise their hands to answer. First Daphne asked everyone to raise their hands if they had experienced a second occurrence of Verona's ghost in their sleep. No one raised their hands to answer. Next Daphne asked everyone to raise their hands if anyone had experienced a first occurrence in the previous evening or two, more than two hundred characters raised their hands. Then Daphne asked the group to raise their hands if anyone saw Verona's ghost during a nightmare, no one raised their hands.

Finally, Daphne asked the group to raise their hands to see if Verona appeared in a good dream they were having as she came into it, everyone affected raised their hands more than three hundred characters in all. Then Daphne realized she missed one important point, she asked the group to raise their hands if anyone affected got any sleep since this encounter began, no one raised their hands.

Daphne asked for the groups' indulgence while she conferred with some of the league's most powerful minds, Papa Smurf, The Sorceress, Velma Dinkley, Kim Possible's mother, Mr. Spock and The Blue Power Ranger. Daphne asked them for their opinions. No one had a logical or illogical explanation for this. Then Daphne came up with an idea, she suggested that a sleep study needs to be performed that night to see what is happening and why.

With one thousand characters, it seemed like a giant task, but the scientific minds of the league agreed to do the study. They will monitor everyone's motion while asleep and check for abnormalities. One problem with this study involved The Transformers, but because they are robots and required no sleep, they agreed to keep things in order. Three of their own, Wheeljack, Ratchet, and Preceptor, as well as the android Data agreed to help out the others in the study and help to monitor it.

Daphne turned back to the group in the stands and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, a league wide sleep study will be conducted here in this stadium tonight beginning at ten o'clock. We will hook you up to monitors and check throughout the night everyone's movements while asleep. We will collect all the data, and report to you as soon as the data is collected and sorted. After tonight, you will have rooms in the Hotel Valero until this test is finished. All of you prepare for this test and return at nine-thirty to set things up."

There was mumbling among the group of hundreds of characters, then one of them arose from the stands and replied loudly, "Daphne we will do as you ask, we want to get to the bottom of this as badly as you do. We will see you at nine-thirty tonight."

The meeting ended at six o'clock that evening. This gave the others a chance to grab a bite to eat, and tried to relax as best as possible until the time to return to the Tudordome to start the biggest slumber party ever devised.

END OF CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8: PLEASE STATE THE NATURE OF THE NOCTURAL EMERGENCY

If one entered the Tudordome that evening, he or she would have thought a hurricane was approaching, as there were cots lined up all over the floor. Over a thousand cartoon and television characters were milling around, waiting for the sleep study to begin.

Since the Star Trek team had the greatest collection of medical and scientific minds assembled under one roof, as it were, it was decided that they would lead in the investigation of the strange goings on of late. Dr. Beverly Crusher would be principal medical investigator, assisted by Dr. Julian Bashir, along with the Emergency Medical Hologram, a.k.a. the Doctor, who would examine the non-humanoid species. Following the sleep study, selected characters would undergo MRI and urine and blood toxicology studies, similar to those performed on Kim Possible by her Mom, followed by Vulcan mind melds, to be followed up by empathic examinations performed by Deanna Troi and other Betazoids. While all that was going on, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, chief engineer of both the original Enterprise and its NCC1701-A replacement, was setting up all the wires and cables that would be needed to monitor the participants. Assisting in this task was Geordi LaForge, chief engineer of the NCC1701-D Enterprise, and Chief Miles O'Brien, Chief Operations Officer of Deep Space Nine. Finally, a little after nine thirty, everything was ready. Daphne Blake stepped to the public address microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready to begin," she announced. "Please find your assigned cot, and let's get started. Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, and all other such devices. At your cot, you'll find an electrode, and a tube of conductive 'goop'. Smear a little of this goop on your forehead, then place the electrode in the middle of this goop. Then all you need to do is lay down and try to get some sleep. Pleasant dreams, and we'll see you all in the morning." With that, the lights in the domed stadium dimmed to a very low level, not unlike the level of lighting in a movie theater just before the feature begins. In the press box, Drs. Possible, Crusher, and Bashir was observing this whole scene. "It's like waiting for a battle to begin," Dr. Bashir quipped. "The last time I had this feeling was right before the Battle of Array Five-Five-Eight." Bashir was recalling a battle where the crew of DS9 had to defend a Federation sensor array from a Dominion attack, taking heavy casualties in the process. Nog, Quark's nephew, had lost one of his legs in that battle.

"I agree, Dr. Crusher replied. "It's going to be a long night. Thank God for coffee," she added, referring to a large pot of coffee they had. They would need lots of it to keep them awake until the fun began, if it began. The Doctor, meanwhile, was in stand-by mode, ready to materialize if and when Verona's spirit appeared, and would immediately scan the character or characters with a medical tricorder.

The hours passed, until finally it was two in the morning. "Okay," Dr. Possible said, "its showtime."

"It is, isn't it?" Dr. Crusher replied. "It's time for the fun to begin.

Computer, activate the EMH program." With that, the Doctor appeared. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency."

"Doctor, it's about time for you to go down there and do your thing," Dr. Crusher said.

"Understood," the holographic physician said. "Although according to scientific evidence, there are no such things as ghosts. Besides, I'm a doctor, not a ghost buster."

"Comments noted and logged," Dr. Crusher replied. "Now please get down there on the floor and be ready for anything." With that, the Doctor muttered something before shimmering out of sight. He re-materialized on the floor of the Tudordome, medical tricorder ready. As things turned out, he didn't have long to wait.

After Dr. Crusher ordered the EMH down to the field, the rest of the medical group went over Daphne's notes on what she had witnessed or experienced and the others. Dr. Crusher said, "According to Daphne, this Verona person has been seen in the dreams of about one in three cartoon characters, once they experienced it, didn't have a second occurrence. No one affected has slept since, and Verona has appeared only in good dreams. There has to be a reason, but what?" Everyone else was just as baffled by it.

At 2:28 am, the first appearance of Verona's spirit was noted. Tarranga Leela of the Fox All-Stars was the first to experience the spook, her reaction being most unusual. Instead of screaming, she jumped up in her sleep, and began giving it martial arts kicks. "YEEEE-AAAAHHHH!" she yelled. Immediately, the Doctor materialized next to Leela and began scanning her with his tricorder, noting the readings were off the scale. Between 2:28 am and 3:36 am, a total of 26 characters had their dreams intruded by Verona's ghost. As expected, no one who saw the apparition once saw it a second time. Others who saw the spook on this night included Ariel, Huckleberry Hound, Bamm-Bamm Rubble, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Marvin the Martian, Philip J. Fry, and Garfield. In each case, the Doctor noted the tricorder readings were off the scale. After 3:36 am, there were no further reports of the apparition. Now the hard work would begin.

END OF CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9: MY THOUGHTS TO YOUR THOUGHTS

When morning finally broke, Daphne held a chat with those in charge of the investigation. She also learned that she was selected to undergo the vigorous testing regime that Dr. Crusher had devised. She wasn't frightened by it; in fact, she looked forward to having Mr. Spock administer her mind meld. First, Dr. Bashir performed her MRI and took urine and blood samples from her. Daphne found Bashir somewhat brash, but very kind and gentle, not to mention quite handsome and she couldn't resist flirting with him, especially since he was flirting with her. After Dr. Bashir's examination, she waited in a room for the famous Vulcan scientist and ambassador to appear. She was quite surprised when instead of Spock, a dark skinned Vulcan entered the room.

"Greetings, Daphne Blake. I am Tuvok, and I am here to administer your mind meld." Daphne's face fell.

"I thought Spock was going to give me my mind meld," Daphne said.

"You were assigned to me 'by lot' for your mind meld," Tuvok replied. "I assure you, I am quite qualified to administer the art of the Vulcan mind meld. Do you have any objection to my presence?"

"No, not really," Daphne relied. "I'm just disappointed, no offense to you, Tuvok, that I'm not having Spock give me my mind meld. Like you said, I'm sure you are qualified to perform it."

"None taken," Tuvok said. "Like the popular 1960's era song goes, 'You can't always get what you want.' Now, Daphne, are you ready for your mind meld?"

"Go ahead," Daphne said. And with that, she literally put her mind and her thoughts into the dark skinned Vulcan's hands.

Once Tuvok began the mind meld, he experienced no unusual thought patterns in Daphne. The case was the same with all the others he mind meld with. Mr. Spock fared no better, in fact for the first time in his life, had no logical explanation for this. But something or someone was behind this bizarre event.

Kim Possible thought it was Dr. Drakken, He-Man thought Skeletor was behind this, She-Ra thought it could be Hordak or Shadow Weaver, and Smurfette made Gargamel the mastermind.

All of these evildoers and others like them were questioned, and no one responded until Skeletor claimed that he saw a blonde woman with glasses in a dream (and it certainly wasn't She-Ra) he had where he finally defeated He-Man and conquered Eternia. He mentioned that she shrieked "I WANT REVENGE" to him. Skeletor didn't mention this before because since he was an evil-doer, it might have been dismissed for that reason but it scared him more than if he had looked into a mirror at his bony face.

His confession proved that none of the evildoers were behind this. Then at that moment, Dr. Crusher came over to the other Star Trek doctors with a report that Skeletor wasn't the only evil-doer who saw Verona's ghost. Then at that moment, all eyes turned towards the Decepticon Transformers. Optimus Prime exclaimed, "Megatron and his fellow Decepticons aren't interested in human beings or animals, but to obtain fuel and other power resources." But only one day passed, and no one had gotten any further than they were twenty-four hours before.

END OF CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10: A BETAZOID, AN ETERNIAN AND AN EARTHLING WALKED INTO A BAR AND…

The next day in a conference room at the Hotel Valero where Five's A Mob fans stay at who aren't from Miami, Deanna Troi questioned hundreds of cartoon characters two at a time, the Star Trek counselor was trying to get to the bottom of this mystery where her medical counterparts failed or wasn't able to come to a conclusion.

Other world renowned psychologists were called in to talk to hundreds more, for two days this went on and still there was no conclusive evidence of a mastermind's plot, drug or alcohol consumption. But Counselor Troi spoke to the final two characters that she asked to speak specifically, Daphne and She-Ra since they were the ones partly responsible for everyone else's plight.

To make things more comfortable, Troi asked to speak to Daphne and She-Ra in the Touchdown Lounge situated in the hotel's mezzanine lobby. Over non-alcoholic drinks, the three sat down and chatted more like three girls in high school more than a serious discussion. But Troi was serious in what these two had to say but didn't want to be obvious in the attempt. Here is an account of their discussion…

Troi: I asked to speak to you specifically because I know it was you Daphne who caused the death of Verona and you She-Ra for having saved Daphne from Verona while you had that tour eighteen months ago traveling through Boston. First Daphne I'll ask you, with these events happening now, do you think Verona is trying to tell everyone something?

Daphne: I can't say because I'm not sure. But your question makes sense. I believe that if Verona was trying to get attention from beyond the grave, why is she affecting others who weren't even involved? Fred Jones is my husband; he hasn't had any affects by this.

She-Ra: He-Man is my brother; he too hasn't had any affects either.

Troi: I understand She-Ra that an Earth man asked you to marry him, and you accepted, has he been affected by this as well?

She-Ra: Gil is a real human being and not animated. He didn't hear me scream when Verona invaded my dream while I was still in New York.

Troi: What were you both dreaming about when Verona came into your dreams?

Daphne: I was dreaming about the time just four and a half years ago in this very hotel when Fred and I made love for the first time ever. Just as Fred was about to kiss me, he turned into Verona and she shrieked "I WANT REVENGE!" I screamed like a banshee. I never was that scared poking around in haunted houses. I will never make fun of Shaggy and Scooby again for being scared all the time.

She-Ra: I dreamt of the time when I first learned of who I really was. Or I should say who Adora really was. Princess of a world she never knew and the fact that He-Man who I helped capture was my brother. He came to my world to find me and I was under a spell to unwillingly work for a tyrannical group. The Sorceress invaded my dream that night, much like the way Verona invaded everyone else's dreams, and went down to a chamber where He-Man was being held, his strength was being slowly drained into a weapon of unspeakable power.

The Sorceress contacted me through the sword I now carry with me, I'll never forget the words she told me. "Let your first duty be to this man. For he is He-Man champion of good but to you he's something more. You never knew of your father or mother but you also had a twin brother. This man is your brother and he needs your help."

Once she told me that, I knew my life had changed forever, after I became She-Ra for the first time, and rescued He-Man from that device He-Man became Verona in front of my eyes and said, "I WANT REVENGE!" The scream I let out shattered every window in my hotel room in New York. Daphne agreed to pay for the damage, and we came here to Miami to figure out all of this.

Troi: That's interesting to hear that She-Ra, I spoke to Adora earlier this afternoon and Verona didn't invade her dreams.

She-Ra: That might be because we are now two separate individuals. What I feel she no longer feels and vice versa.

Troi: You were both tried and were acquitted for Verona's death. Do either of you think that Verona was trying to get your attention through the minds of others even though these other characters weren't involved?

Daphne: That makes sense, since we had both went to bed late on New Year's Day, the others who were with us experienced this before we did. But for the others, I can't say because I don't know why myself. I've solved mysteries for over 35 years and until now we always had an answer to why these people did what they did. Verona was one of our unmasked villains. I didn't intend to kill her, but she wanted that fight as much as I did.

She-Ra: I never knew Verona until we were in Boston when I sensed and found Daphne in the basement of a home in the suburbs. I wanted to get even with her though for having an innocent man in Las Vegas killed by a drunk driver whom she paid to get drunk. But like Daphne I wouldn't have killed her. Daphne refused to let me handle this, but I understand why. I wouldn't have let her handle Hordak anymore than I would handle one of her enemies.

Troi: I think you two may have given me the information I need to complete and solve this mystery. From what you both told me, Verona might have come back from the dead on a sub-conscious level. But in order of this to end, she may need to be revived.

Daphne: How? We have no way of doing that.

Troi: In my time, it is possible, but in this time, only those who can perform magic can resolve this matter. By bringing back Verona from the dead, she will release her hold on these individuals. I will turn my findings in to Dr. Crusher and the others.

She-Ra: Verona's body is sitting on the floor of the Pacific Ocean more than three miles straight down. She'd be fish food by now.

Troi: Or being at such a depth, Verona's body might still be intact and in good condition.

Daphne: That could be the case She-Ra. I once read that when the Titanic went down in 1912, any food still aboard will still be edible more than 90 years later. Troi might be right. But how can we salvage and recover her body so far down?

Troi: There are only 2 people who can pull this off, one of them are sitting right next to you and the other is Superman. Together they can go down and pick up her body and return it to the surface. I must go now and file my report to the others, thank you both for your time.

Daphne and She-Ra stared at each other for several moments. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, She-Ra was drafted to perform a service that only one other person could perform, bring back a dead body from the ocean's massive depths. But how it would be done is the question.

END OF CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11: FATHER KNOWS BEST

Something Deanna Troi told Daphne about having Verona Dimpsey revived from the dead bothered her. Why it troubled her so she couldn't answer. Perhaps Verona would take advantage of her new lease on life, but perhaps she may turn out as evil as before. Her woman's intuition was giving off bad vibes about this whole idea. So, more to comfort herself, she sought out one Reverend Joseph Bartholomew, a Jesuit priest and Catholic chaplain of the Legends team. In addition to all the players, the league had also brought all the chaplains to Miami to provide spiritual guidance for the players.

"Come on in, my child, make your self at home," Father Bartholomew said to the redhead. "Now what can I do for you?" Daphne told the priest of the conversation her and She-Ra just had with Deanna Troi. When she told of the plan to revive Verona, the priest's face turned ashen.

"Oh, no, no, no, that would be against Church teachings," Father Bartholomew told Daphne. The main reason, the priest said, was that there was only one resurrection, and that was the resurrection of Jesus Christ following His crucifixion. In fact, the whole Christian faith was based on the teaching of Jesus dying on Calvary's cross as to atone for the sins of the world. Bringing a mortal back from the dead after being dead for such a length of time would have severe religious ramifications. In fact, nearly all Christian faiths would be opposed to such a move. "If you take part in such a resurrection," the priest told Daphne, "you would be committing mortal sin, for which you would be condemned to eternal damnation. In other words, you would burn forever in hell." The Church would have no objections to recovering the body for a proper burial, he went on. As for Verona's ghost, he and the other priests would be happy to perform an exorcism to get rid of the spirit. But as to reviving Verona, Father Bartholomew repeated his objections to it, stating that he can not support or condone such a move. Daphne thanked the priest for his time. "May God be with you, my child," the priest called after her as she exited the chaplin's quarters. "Yes, indeed, God will be with me on this one," Daphne thought. She will have no part in any plan to resurrect Verona.

END OF CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12: THE PASSION OF THE DAPHNE

Daphne felt better after leaving Father Bartholomew's quarters. He's right, she thought to herself. And the more she thought about it, the more the priest's words made sense. Reviving a mortal from the dead would raise all kinds of legal, moral, and religious issues. Why, it could very well create the anti-Christ! Not long after, she bumped into Deanna Troi and recited the position of the priest on the matter. Troi, upon receiving this news, became very upset, and immediately sought out the chaplain herself.

Once at Father Bartholomew's quarters, Troi argued passionately about why she felt resurrecting Verona Dimpsey was the only sure way to put an end to these hauntings. The priest felt otherwise, and repeated to her the Church's position on such things; the Church's teachings are very clear on this matter, he informed her. Troi then staged a shouting match with Father Bartholomew, arguing that for one thing, the Catholic Church does not allow for the ordaining of women priests. Troi then pointed out that she's done some research on the history of the early Church. Among the points she argued was that the early Church had stamped out virtually all forms of feminism, calling it paganism. Not only that, the Church had burned over a million women at the stake, and killed millions more people during the Crusades. It had even persecuted the great astronomer Galileo for heresy, subjecting him to an inquisition. She then informed the priest that in Troi's travels around the Galaxy, she has seen actual living gods. His God, she told him, while supposedly everywhere was invisible, and that people was supposed to worship and obey this God through blind faith. Troi then stormed out of Father Bartholomew's quarters, shouting at him: "It's your God, not mine. And if your God's so great, why is there so much hatred, suffering, and misery on this world?"

About an hour after the tirade, Daphne and She-Ra met with Father Bartholomew, Jewish Rabbi Barry Rabinowitz, and Reverend Jack Farwell, a Baptist minister and head chaplain of the USCFL. All three clergymen agreed that something needed to be done as soon as possible and the idea of holding an exorcism seemed as good as any. The press was beginning to sense that something was up, what with all the players being in town out of season. If the media got wind of the real reason, it would be more than an embarrassment; it would be a public relations disaster! After an hour of intense discussions, it was agreed that Father Bartholomew and three other Catholic priests would conduct an exorcism early that evening. There was an added twist; also participating would be a Native American "medicine man" of the Hopi tribe, and a Hawaiian Tiki god who'd perform a dance that was claimed to ward off evil spirits. Daphne then asked for all the players to assemble in the Tudordome at seven that evening for the ritual ceremony.

At exactly seven, the four priests, the Indian medicine man, and the Tiki god waded into the crowd to do their thing. The priests walked through the crowd, singing in Gregorian chants, waving crucifixes, and sprinkling everyone with Holy Water. While that was going on, both the medicine man and the Tiki god did their exotic dances. Gil Lopez was pressed into service to provide percussion for the Native American, trading his congas for Indian tom-toms. After about thirty minutes of this ceremony, the priests proclaimed the place free of all evil spirits, as did the Indian and the Tiki god. After the ceremony, Father Bartholomew told Daphne how strange it was be working with a Tiki god. He then spun a tale of how he'd converted a self-proclaimed Tiki god to Christ while doing missionary work in Hawaii some years ago.

"What'd you'd do, threaten to throw him into a live volcano until he 'saw the light'?" Daphne asked. The priest didn't answer her, but gave a mischievous little grin not unlike that of a little boy who raided a cookie jar and gotten away with it.

At nine-thirty another sleep study was conducted. This time, the Trek doctors as well the EMH had little to do. The ceremony had apparently worked, as there was not one report of a haunting that night. In fact, many of the players experienced their best night's sleep since the "Verona" crisis began. Satisfied that the crisis was finally over, Daphne thanked everyone for their participation, and sent them all home. In the meantime, efforts had begun to recover the body of Verona Dimpsey.

She-Ra and Superman made the dangerous trek down to the floor of the Pacific Ocean to recover Verona's body alone only teamed up with a special crew of seamen trained for deep underwater expeditions. First the pair went down in a pressurized diving bell. The bell only could go down about half a mile. Then they had swum out of the bottom of the bell and went more than two miles straight down. Superman being from Krypton wasn't affected by the enormous pressure of being underwater and was able to breathe without scuba gear or tanks.

As for She-Ra, she had her sword converted into a diving helmet which provided her with unlimited air supply. The two swam for what it seemed to be an eternity. Then the two hit paydirt as they found a human skeleton intact and lying on the ocean floor. She-Ra knew for sure it was Verona's body. The glasses she wore at the time of her death were lying not far from where the skeletal remains were.

Neither Superman nor She-Ra could figure out exactly how to transport a pile of bones without messing them up. Superman then told She-Ra to gently place the remains on his back and push him up like a plank of wood, back up to the diving bell and to the surface. This was a slow, tedious process as they both tried not to go quickly to avoid damage to the skeleton and getting the bends.

The bends is where too much nitrogen enters the bloodstream and could cause excruciating pain or even death. She-Ra being half earthling had to be careful because she wasn't able to withstand the pressure that she could go faster than a snail's crawl. After more than six hours of swimming three miles straight up, She-Ra and Superman were successful in their task.

About two weeks after the sleep studies and medical examinations were concluded and the body found and recovered, Fred and Daphne were watching television at their Atlanta home. Since they were "between" shows, Fred was "channel surfing" when he happened upon a newscast from a Chicago superstation. Fred was about to change the channel again when something the anchorman was saying caught Daphne's attention. Something about the theft of some human skeletal remains from O'Hare Airport. "Wait, don't change the channel!" she cried.

The anchor was describing the arrest of a man, an ex-con by the name of Charles O'Donnell of downstate Buffalo, a village near Springfield. O'Donnell was arrested for hi-jacking the remains of Verona Dimpsey, and was being held in the Will County Jail in Joliet, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The television picture switched to that of a silver Chevrolet Suburban SUV hemmed in by Illinois State Police cruisers, troopers milling about and occasionally peering inside the vehicle. "Oh my God!" Daphne cried. "She's about as much trouble dead as she was when she was alive!"

The anchor went on to say that the remains of Verona were being forwarded to Chicago, where the funeral director from Verona's hometown in Wisconsin were to pick them up and deliver them to their final resting place. However, O'Donnell had appeared at the airport and posed as the funeral director. He was exposed as a fake when the real funeral director appeared an hour later to claim the remains. An all points bulletin was issued for the Chevy SUV and its occupant. About an hour and a half later, it was spotted at a gas station in Plainfield, just west of Joliet. An unmarked police car then followed O'Donnell's vehicle as it entered Interstate 55 southbound from Illinois Route 59. Several miles later, past the junction with Interstate 80, two marked state police cars joined the pursuit, and proceeded to pull the Suburban over near the small town of Channahon, about 15 miles southwest of Joliet. O'Donnell was arrested, and a search of the Chevy revealed a laptop computer case containing not a notebook PC, but $24,940 in small, unmarked bills. (He had received $25,000, but spent $60 at the Plainfield gas station, filling the truck with gas, and had also bought a couple packs of cigarettes and two sodas.) No skeletal remains or coffins were found, though, meaning that O'Donnell had delivered them to someone. O'Donnell wouldn't reveal who paid him the money, or to whom he had delivered the cadaver. A check of the vehicle revealed that it was rented from a car rental agency in Decatur, and that it was rented in O'Donnell's name. He'd chosen that agency since it was the only one near his home that had a Suburban with rear panel doors, rather than the more commonly found rear liftgate. O'Donnell was taken to the Will County Jail and booked, pending his transfer to Cook County to face theft charges there.

"Why would someone steal Verona's remains?" Daphne asked. Then it stuck her. The Smurfs team was based in Chicago. Papa Smurf was a master wizard. She had once watched Papa Smurf bring a dead squirrel back to life after it had been run over by a car. She put two and two together, and the resulting conclusion was frightening. "Oh my God, no!" she screamed.

"Daph, what's wrong?" Fred asked his wife.

"Don't you realize what's going on?" Daph yelled, alarm in her voice. "Papa Smurf is going to bring Verona back to life! I've got to try and stop him!"

"How do you know?" Fred replied. "I just know!" With that Daph reached for her cell phone and got hold of She-Ra. "She-Ra, I've got to borrow Swift Wind immediately!" Daphne told her friend. "What for?" She-Ra asked. "I've got to get to Chicago right now." "Why?" She-Ra replied, puzzled by this sudden request. "I've got to stop a resurrection!"

END OF CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13: ROLE REVERSAL PART 1

She-Ra and Swift Wind wasted no time to appear at the Blake-Jones residence. Before Daphne boarded the flying stead's back, She-Ra took out her sword and handed it to Daphne. Daphne asked, "Why are you giving me your sword?" She-Ra answered, "You may need this to stop Papa Smurf's attempt to revive Verona. The Sorceress is in Chicago now; she contacted me through the sword. She's not happy with what is about to happen and asked me to give you my sword. I have another matter to attend to right here in Atlanta and I don't need Swifty or my sword. I'll see you when your job is finished."

Curious with She-Ra's words, Daphne watched the show enough to try something. She realized saying the words to make Adora into She-Ra won't work, so Daphne raised the sword and said instead, "For the honor of Coolsville!" At that moment, Daphne was changing. Her hair got longer; her voice got deeper and could feel the strength She-Ra possessed course through her. Daphne liked what she just experienced, hopped on Swift Wind and was quickly on her way to Chicago, home of the Smurfs USCFL football club.

The Smurfs lived in an USCFL-owned dormitory building, a converted tire warehouse on the edge of downtown Chicago, near the Chicago and North Western commuter train station. Much of this building had ceilings about four feet high to accommodate the Smurfs, but it had a public area with normal height ceilings.

In no time at all, Swift Wind had brought Daph to the Windy City and Smurfs' dormitory building. She had the winged horse land in an alleyway behind the building, as to not be visible from the street. She dismounted Swift Wind and made her way to the front of the building. At the front door she peered inside. The lights was on, and she could see several Smurfs milling about, the Smurfette among them. Daph rang the bell. Smurfette recognized Daphne and came to the door. "Hi Daphne, come on in," she invited. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Did someone say 'surprise'?" Jokey Smurf responded. Everyone laughed, except Smurfette, who made a face. "What brings you here? And why are you once again dressed like She-Ra?" the female Smurf asked. "I need to get a hold of Papa Smurf," the redhead said. "It's imperative that I do so right away."

"He's out at his 'magic cove'," Smurfette responded. "He's doing some magic experiments. He should be back in a couple of hours or so. You're welcome to wait here, or there are some nice restaurants nearby that are open late where you can get a bite to eat while you await his return. You sound like you have a cold, are you OK?"

"I'm OK, this time the costume I have on now lengthened my hair and deepened my voice. Do you know where this 'magic cove' is?" Daphne asked. "I need to see him right now." "I'm sorry, I cannot tell you that. Its location is a secret."

"Come on, Smurfette, it's a matter of life or death that I speak to Papa Smurf immediately! Literally!" the urgency in Daphne's voice was becoming more apparent. "I'm very sorry Daphne, I truly am, but I cannot reveal the secret location of the magic cove. I swore an oath to Papa Smurf to keep its location a secret."

A wave of anger swept over Daphne. She reached out and grabbed the Smurfette. "Hey!" the blue girl Smurf shrieked. The other Smurfs drew back, astonished by what they were seeing. Daphne held the Smurfette at arm's length then went to an open window and dangled Smurfette from it. "Where's Papa Smurf and where's his magic cove at?" Daphne demanded as her voice was in a low growl.

"I-I c-cannot t-tell y-you t-t-that…" Smurfette grunted, struggling for breath. That reply made Daphne even angrier. She continued to hold Smurfette out the window by the back of her dress.

"I hate to do this Smurfette, you're leaving me no choice!" Daphne growled again. "So it's in your own best interests and everyone else's that you tell me what I need to know this instant!" "O-okay, o-okay, a-all r-right…" Smurfette said. "I-I'll tell y-y-you w-what you n-need t-to k-know."

"Okay, good decision," Daphne said. "You'd better be telling me the truth, and no funny business, or I'll turn you into blue pulp!" "I-it's out in DuPage County, in a forest p-preserve, a-along a creek, n-near Wheaton," Smurfette replied. "I-it's about 25 m-miles west o-of h-here. Y-you know the train station n-near here?" Daphne nodded. "Just follow the tracks west out of t-town u-until y-you c-come to an o-open area," Smurfette continued. "P-papa S-Smurf's magic c-cove should be right n-near the b-bridge over the c-creek. N-now p-please let m-me go!"

"Not yet," Daphne said. She still had to figure out how to stop Papa Smurf. When he resurrected that squirrel, he had used a magic potion, a "potion of life", he called it. She was sure that's what he's going to use to resurrect Verona. Sure, she could kick over that pot, but the spilled liquid would be a hazard to any animal or human whom happened by, not to mention any plant or animal life living in the soil. Better yet, thought Daphne, to try to neutralize it, to render it inert. She spied Brainy Smurf and called out to him, "Brainy, are you familiar with Papa Smurf's potion of life?"

"Somewhat," came the reply. "Well, then what would neutralize it?" Daphne asked. Brainy thought for a moment. Then he said: "Well, any strong acid would neutralize it. Oil of Vitriol, muratic acid…"

Daphne remembered her high school chemistry courses. Oil of Vitriol was sulfuric acid, and muratic acid was hydrochloric acid…Then she asked Brainy, while still holding on to Smurfette: "Well, then, which one would you use?"

Brainy thought some more. Then he said, "If it was me, I'd use muratic acid, since it would leave the least toxic residue, mainly salt water. I should warn you though; adding muratic acid to the potion of life would result in a violent reaction, culminating in a small explosion."

"I'll take that chance," Daphne said. "Now do you know where I can find some, uh, muratic acid?" "Papa Smurf keeps a small stock of it here," Brainy responded. "In case he has to abort an experiment."

"Good," Daphne said. "Bring it. And no funny stuff, or I'll make you and Smurfette here swim in it!" Brainy left the room, then returned with a 500-milliliter bottle of the acid. Apparently, Papa Smurf didn't make the stuff, as it came from a chemical supply house. Daphne snatched the bottle of hydrochloric acid from Brainy, and then set the Smurfette gently down on a counter top. She placed the thick glass bottle in a belt holder that came with the new costume Daphne had on, then called back to the Smurfs as she bolted out of the door: "You all better not had been lying to me, or I'll come back and stomp you all into blue pulp!" Meanwhile, the Smurfette staggered around on the counter top, and then collapsed, panting for breath.

Daphne, after exiting the building, ran around the side of it to the rear where Swift Wind was awaiting and mounted him. "I hope I'm not too late," she thought to herself as the winged horse took off and carried her westbound out of town.

END OF CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14: RESURRECTION

Many thoughts were swirling through Daphne's mind as Swift Wind streaked across the sky taking her west out of the city. "I'm on a mission here," she thought to herself. "Now I know how Kim Possible feels like when she has to go after Dr. Drakken or She-Ra when she is fighting Hordak."

About a mile west of the Smurfs' dormitory, she passed the United Center, which was along Western Avenue. A bit further north along Western was a Puerto Rican enclave where Gil Lopez once lived after he left the Bronx. "Gee, I might be passing over Gil's former house right now," Daph thought again. But she put the thoughts of past romances aside, and returned to concentrate on her mission.

She sailed west, following the former Chicago and North Western (now Union Pacific) tracks out of the city, and past Oak Park, Maywood, Melrose Park, Proviso, Elmhurst, Villa Park, Glen Ellyn, until she finally came to Wheaton. She noticed that she was pacing an outbound commuter train on the tracks below.

"Gee, I wonder how soon I'd get there if I was on that train," Daph wondered aloud. But the train began making suburban station stops and was soon left far behind. "I guess that answers that question," she thought. Upon passing Wheaton, she noticed a break in the seemingly endless carpet of city lights below. In the middle of the open area, she noticed a faint flickering orange light, a bonfire. She changed course, and headed for the flickering light. She had Swift Wind land about a hundred yards from the fire.

She dismounted, and silently stalked up on the area. "What if it's just hobos?" Daph thought again. But she quickly found out she was in the right place when he heard the distinctive voice of Papa Smurf. And the master Smurf wasn't alone, as Daphne observed the silhouettes of Sorceress and several people standing around the fire.

There was a cast iron pot hanging over the fire, Papa Smurf stirring the contents occasionally. Near the pot was an open coffin. Daph also noted tire tracks on the ground, made by a large SUV, obviously from the vehicle that delivered the coffin here.

"Okay," Daphne thought, "it's 'zero hour'. It's time to go in. Good luck to me." And with that she sprang into the middle of the clearing and yelled: "Hey! Stop! Hold it! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm bringing this poor, deceased woman back to life, my dear," Papa Smurf replied. And what's this thing you call 'hell'?" Apparently Papa Smurf wasn't well versed in Judeo-Christian faith.

"Hell is the place you go to after you die where you burn forever if you commit sin in your lifetime, which is what you're doing right now!" Daphne called. No sooner than she said that then a familiar mousy voice behind her said, "Daphne, what are you doing here, and what's with the costume?" Daph wheeled around and there stood none other than Velma Dinkley!

"I was temporarily given She-Ra's powers, I'll ask you the same question," Daphne said. "Why are you here?"

"Scientific curiosity," Velma replied. "I've never been to a resurrection before. I find the whole concept kind of cool." "Vel, do you realize what you're saying?" Daphne cried. "Don't you understand the legal, moral, and religious ramifications this has?" "So?" Velma asked. What's the big deal? Doctors bring people back from the dead all the time."

"Yeah, but these people have been dead for a few seconds, or a couple of minutes, at most," Daphne said. "We're talking about someone here who's been dead a year and a half!"

"So?" Velma replied. "I still don't see what the big deal is." "What the big deal is here that what they're doing here is morally wrong. For all we know, they could be creating the anti-Christ! Velma, think about it. The ability to take human life, but to restore that life like you'd flip on a light switch? My God, Velma, that'd be the most desirable weapon ever devised! We're talking about Armageddon! Complete, universal, sugar-coated Armageddon!"

"I still don't follow you," Velma said. "Why would bringing a simple small town girl back to life bring about Armageddon?" "You still don't get it, do you?" Daphne responded. "Suppose, just suppose Papa Smurf is successful here tonight.

Then, what's to stop someone from coming up to him and putting a gun to his head, saying, 'Okay, resurrect Hitler. And while you're at it, let's bring Stalin, Jack the Ripper and David Koresh back to life as well!"

"I'll admit, you've got a point there," Velma replied. "I must admit I'm enjoying your little debate there," Papa Smurf said at his magic pot, "but time's a-wasting. My potion of life is ready. Now, if you'll pardon me, there's a grieving father who wants his long lost daughter to return home. I shall not make him wait any longer."

"NO!" Daphne cried. "I won't let you go through with this!" With that she rushed the magic pot while getting the bottle of acid ready to throw into it. "My costume should protect me if I happen to spill any of it on me," she thought. But Papa Smurf had other ideas. Just as she was beginning to remove the glass stopper from the bottle, he leveled his magic wand at her. Immediately, an electric blue lightning bolt sprang from it and hit the onrushing girl head on, enveloping her in an aqua blue aura. Daphne felt every voluntary muscle in her body short-circuit as the bolt struck, and she fell to the ground, paralyzed.

"So, you thought you could sabotage my potion of life, do you?" Papa Smurf said. Then he noticed the bottle of hydrochloric acid lying on the ground next to Daphne. Miraculously, the bottle did not break in the fall. "Ah, my muratic acid," he continued. "I'll take that, since you won't need it anymore." With that, he returned to his magic pot.

He took something not unlike a perfume atomizer and dipped it into the liquid. Even though he'd been cooking the potion over a fire, the liquid was only lukewarm and he could easily dip his hand in there without fear of being scalded. Daphne could only watch the resurrection ceremony, helpless to do anything about it. But she couldn't resist getting in one more zinger. "Y-you son of a Smurf!" she spat.

"Why thank you, I didn't know you cared," Papa Smurf replied. Daphne was astonished by his remark. She meant it as an insult. He then began the ceremony. He took the atomizer and sprayed the contents of it into the coffin, and saying some magic words while waving his wand over the casket. At once, a flesh colored mist appeared which within seconds, solidified into the body of Verona Dimpsey! "W-what happened?" she asked. "W-what am I doing here, and stark naked? And w-where's my glasses?" The Sorceress immediately produced a robe and put it around the newly revived girl.

"It's a long story," Papa Smurf said to Verona. "Come with me. It's time you and I had a long talk." Then partially to get rid of the remaining potion, and partially to provide a smoke screen cover for their departure, Papa Smurf took the bottle of acid he had taken from Daphne, and then poured the bottle's contents into the magic pot. Just as Brainy had predicted, there was a small explosion, followed by a blinding smoke cloud that covered the entire area. When it cleared, Papa Smurf, The Sorceress, Verona, and everyone else except for Daphne and Velma was gone.

"Daphne, are you angry at me?" Velma asked her friend. "I can't say that I am," Daphne said, standing up now, the paralysis spell wearing off. "Like you said, you were here out of scientific curiosity. I can't be mad at you for that. Are you mad at me?"

"I'm not angry at you, Daph," Velma replied. "You were only doing what you felt was right. I admire people who stand up for their convictions like that. Hey, the last inbound train for the city arrives at the station in about thirty minutes or so. If we hurry, we can make it. You want to come with me?"
"No, thank you," Daphne said. "I have my own transportation. See you."

"Later," Daph called after her friend. She then walked the hundred yards to where Swift Wind was awaiting her return, and mounted the stead. "Home, Swifty," she told the winged horse. "Let's get the hell out of here." With that, the two took of for Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Papa Smurf, along with the Sorceress and Verona Dimpsey arrived at the Smurfs' dormitory building, finding a very woozy and frightened Smurfette waiting for them. When Smurfette told Papa Smurf what had happened to her while he was away, he became extremely angry. He didn't blame the Smurfette for revealing the location of the magic cove, however. He was most angry at Daphne Blake. He immediately called USCFL Headquarters in Miami and left an urgent message for the Commissioner.

END OF CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15: REJECTED, RESENTED, UNWANTED

Daphne received a call from the Commissioner's Office in Miami. In which an angry Commissioner Grayson told the bewildered redhead off in so many words. He also received complaints of all kinds from other characters and not just the Smurfs. They wanted no more part of Daphne. The commissioner wasn't thinking about mere fines or suspensions but total banishment from the USCFL.

Daphne never felt so alone in her life. The news of what she did to the Smurfette spread throughout the league like wildfire. Those most loyal to Daphne now abandoned her like a used tea bag. Daphne meant no harm and Smurfette wasn't hurt. However no one had heard Daphne's side of the story, yet. Until they do, no one will fully understand how or why Daphne would do such a thing. However, not everyone accepted this for fact, only six people were now and still on her side. Her adoptive team was still in her corner but they were no longer on speaking terms with her though.

After the phone call, Daphne sat atop a hillside outside her Atlanta neighborhood. Still dressed as She-Ra, a voice was calling out to her but didn't know where it came from. Then the voice told Daphne to pull out the sword, it was the Sorceress calling her.

Daphne asked, "What do you want?" The Sorceress noticing the anger in her voice answered, "Relax Daphne, I had to go along with the others. That's why I contacted She-Ra telepathically to give you her sword and her powers temporarily so you could combat this problem and try to stop it. Confused Daphne asked, "Why didn't you send in She-Ra for this? Why make me into her?"

"She-Ra is too recognizable, if she had gone in, she might not have gotten far. But as She-Ra, no one would have anticipated you doing the job. Although you didn't fully succeed, you did manage to infiltrate and find out the truth. Well done Daphne!" The Sorceress replied in confidence. Although Daphne didn't seemed too sure about it, The Sorceress allowed Daphne to continue to portray She-Ra until the matter is resolved no matter how long it took.

The Sorceress continued to go along with Papa Smurf and the others. "To make sure that you're not alone in this, six others will assist you, I cast a spell on them that they would not go against you in spite of what happened with the Smurfs. She-Ra, your coach Lisa Carlson, and all your Mystery Inc. friends are still there for you. Good luck, Daphne." The Sorceress told Daphne to boost her confidence.

After Daphne was finished, She-Ra came up to Daphne and sat down next to her, impressed by what she saw exclaimed, "You put in a good effort as me, I'm proud to call you my friend. I guess this is what I would look like if I were a redhead. That look is really you." Daphne replied with upset in her voice, "Thanks for the vote of confidence She-Ra. Now if I could only picture you dressed as me then I could get the feeling of what I would look like if I were a blonde." Then an idea hit Daphne like a Mack truck and said, "That gave me a brilliant idea, since I'm dressed as you, why not dress as me?" She-Ra replied with confusion, "Uh, Daphne, don't you think we are a little old to play dress-up?"

Daphne answered, "You don't understand, it's easy. By dressing up as me, you could probably fool the others like I did. Just fall through trap doors and get kidnapped, no one will notice the difference." She-Ra seemed hesitant, but agreed to it. Then at that moment, Fred came to the top of the hill and said, "Daphne I got this letter for you from the USCFL's front office Special Delivery. I have no idea what it is."

Daphne took the letter and opened it, the words in the letter nearly made her sick. She said, "I have been suspended for the entire 2007 season, and I've been fined $500,000 for what happened with the Smurfette, misconduct they say, phooey! Papa Smurf smurfed me but good in more ways than one, Lisa did stick up for me like the Sorceress said she would, but she couldn't stop the suspension from going through. But Lisa made the difference between this and possible banishment."

Daphne's heart sank into her shoes. In fact she could almost hear the squishing and sloshing. Daphne now knew perhaps more than ever, no matter what it took, she must make all the difference in the world. But how is the question, then Daphne had decided to go down an entirely different path, one she thought she'd never take. To not only clear her good name but to restore the faith everyone once had in her.

END OF CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16: RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL

Once Daphne knew what she had to do, she hopped aboard Swift Wind and headed for a place where she thought she'd never see in her life, a remote and secluded spot out in the middle of the desert near the "Four Corners" of Arizona, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. Before Daphne could land, The Sorceress again contacted her through She-Ra's sword explaining that she and Papa Smurf were now held prisoner nearby, but wasn't sure where though.

Papa Smurf was under a spell that broke once he finished bringing Verona back to life. Daphne spotted a light in a sea of darkness, it was a campfire and it was burning bright. Daphne landed nearby, and investigated. Sitting around this campfire, was every evildoer known in the league. This was their hangout when football season wasn't in session.

Daphne cleared her throat and said, "Excuse me folks, but do I need a reservation to come here or can I be seated anywhere?" Everyone looked at Daphne and those who recognized the costume shuttered at the thought She-Ra came to find them. Hordak, She-Ra's arch enemy came over to Daphne and said, "How dare you come here! Leave now before I put you out of your misery!"

Daphne looked at the maniac thinking how She-Ra could possibly tolerate him over the years answered, "What's the matter Hordak, is this how you treat a lady? Can't you at least offer me something to drink or eat?" Skeletor, once a student of Hordak, looked at Daphne and said, "Wait, something is different about her, of course! The red hair! That's not She-Ra it's that mystery solver Daphne Blake! Well Ms. Blake, just what are you doing dressed up like the sister of my arch enemy?"

Daphne said, "I'm not here to cause any of you trouble, I'm here to make a deal with you, an alliance if you will. I know the Sorceress and Papa Smurf was taken prisoner not far from here, point it out to me, and I will leave you in peace." The Smurfs arch enemy Gargamel exclaimed, "I heard what you did to Smurfette, way to go! I've wanted to do that for years since she betrayed me." He let out an evil laugh afterwards. "If any or all of you cooperates with me, I'll return the favor to you someday." Daphne said with the new authority in her deepened voice.

Hordak and Skeletor often fought like two cats in a paper bag, but then they came up with a plan. Skeletor said with confidence, "OK Ms. Blake, you may look like She-Ra, now let's see if you can fight like her too. If you can defeat all of us, we'll take you to Papa Smurf and the Sorceress, if not you will be our prisoner, do we have a deal?"

Daphne learned if anything from She-Ra not to make deals with evildoers, but in this case, what choice did she have. Hesitant, Daphne replied, "I accept your challenge Skeletor!" "With She-Ra's powers, this should be easy." Daphne thought to herself, but she had a real battle on her hands as more than two hundred characters serving the forces of evil were ready to take Daphne on.

END OF CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17: ROLE REVERSAL PART 2

Since Daphne was acting in She-Ra's role, it was only fitting for The Princess of Power to now act as the Fashion Plate of Mystery Inc. But there was a minor problem, She-Ra is three inches taller and weighs fifteen pounds more than Daphne. Daphne's clothes didn't fit her properly for they were too small and too short. But She-Ra took a cue of what she once did in Las Vegas. She-Ra removed her tiara and cape. She replaced her tiara with one of Daphne's headbands, and used one of Daphne's scarves and was now ready to assume her new role.

She-Ra asked inquisitively, "What exactly does Daphne do for you guys?" Fred answered, "Fall through trap doors" Velma answered, "Gets kidnapped". Shaggy answered, "Like mess up Fred's traps, man." And Scooby replied, "Rixing rer rair rand rake-rup." (Fixing her hair and make-up.) Fred added, "In other words, she's a goof-up." She-Ra didn't like the sound of that. But She-Ra saw Daphne in action enough to wing it. Like Daphne, She-Ra also has an hourglass figure. She knew enough to stand around with her hands on her hips, but She-Ra still retained enough of her powers to be more herself.

At times, She-Ra can be a bit clumsy, and can be captured, but however, she's not as easy a catch as Daphne. She-Ra sensed that Daphne needed help in the desert. Fred asked, "She-Ra do you have a headache? What's wrong?" She-Ra answered in a quiet tone of voice, "Daphne is about to be ambushed out in the desert. We're two thousand miles away from her. Without my sword and Swift Wind, I can't get there quickly to help her."

Fred then said, "Maybe we don't have Swift Wind, but we have the Mystery Machine. I recently installed some nitro packs to give the ol' van some extra speed. If we can get moving now, we might be able to prevent Daphne getting hurt or worse. She-Ra do you know where is Daphne at the moment?"

She-Ra answered, "Yes I do, and she is near an area what is known as the "Four Corners". Velma replied, "That means Daphne could be in any one of four different states! We have to be sure!" She-Ra said, "The sooner we are on the road, the sooner I can pinpoint her location." Mystery Inc, wasted no time in getting into the Mystery Machine in an attempt from stopping or preventing the unthinkable.

END OF CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18: DUEL IN THE DESERT

The nitro packs worked like a charm, The Mystery Machine was a mystery to cops with radar guns as they couldn't figure out what was going over two hundred miles an hour. Even at this rate of speed, they still couldn't reach Daphne for a least another eight or nine hours. While this was going on, Daphne had begun the challenge of fighting off every human and animal bad guy. At first, Daphne was winning, then she quickly began to tire, that's when she discovered that she may have She-Ra's powers, but she wasn't equipped to take on so many people all at once.

Then no one could have expected this, little by little, other characters joined the fight somehow. First, Kim Possible and Ron Possible showed up to fight against their enemies Shego and Dr. Drakken. Daphne asked, "What are you two doing here?" Kim replied, "I don't know Daphne, we Disney players can't imagine you doing that to Smurfette without a reason."

Next, Bugs Bunny showed up saying, "Eh, I don't know why I'm here Doc, but I can take care of Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam for you." Then Bart Simpson showed up to help take care of Sideshow Bob. Following Bart along with others was He-Man and some of his friends, "Daphne asked, "He-Man, you'd be the last person I'd see here. Why are you?" He-Man answered, "Any friend of my sister's is a friend of mine, no matter what."

One by one, even more characters showed up to help in the fight of their lives. Even Daphne's adoptive teammates once angry with her, couldn't stand to see her be torn limb from limb joined in and assisted. Then all of a sudden and of all characters, Smurfette and the other Smurfs showed up to help to fight off Gargamel. Daphne said, "Smurfette I'm sorry about what happened in Chicago, I was trying to stop a bad thing from happening." Smurfette with a smile on her face exclaimed, "Daphne I know that, Papa Smurf was in some kind of spell or trance, I deserved what you did to me, I'll help you now and with the league's office once we are finished here." Then Daphne now had the confidence she needed to overcome the situation.

Once the last bad guy was defeated, Daphne turned to Skeletor and Hordak and asked, "Now let me see, you are going to tell me where Papa Smurf and The Sorceress are at?" Skeletor catching his breath answered, "They are being held in Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico." Daphne graciously thanked the bony faced creep and hopped aboard Swift Wind and flew towards the famous caverns in New Mexico. But what Daphne didn't realize that one last bad guy was waiting for her, and that person was Verona Dimpsey.

END OF CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19: A FINAL CONFRONTATION WITH VERONA

The Mystery Machine finally got to the spot where the fight ended hours ago. Some of the other characters remained to clean up the mess left behind by Daphne. Once Mystery Inc got out of the van, He-Man spotted his sister with a modified costume on and said, "Sis, you missed all the fun. But Daphne did well in your place." She-Ra asked with concern, "Brother, where is Daphne now?" He-Man answered, "She went to a place in New Mexico called Carlsbad Caverns. But what Daphne didn't know because she left quickly aboard Swift Wind and went to rescue Papa Smurf and The Sorceress was Verona is also there waiting for her."

She-Ra's jaw dropped, she couldn't believe that they did in fact succeed in bringing Verona back from the dead. One thing that puzzled Mystery Inc was if everyone was against Daphne, why help her now? He-Man later explained that the Sorceress cast a spell that made the others friendly with Daphne again.

On her way to Carlsbad Caverns, Daphne was contacted by The Sorceress one last time explaining that she will not have She-Ra's powers in this last confrontation with Verona. She would have to face her as Daphne with her own skills. Once Daphne landed near the spot where Verona and the others were inside, Daphne's hair got shorter, her voice returned to normal and the costume she was wearing reverted back to her normal outfit. Once this happened, Daphne put the sword in the horn of the saddle so She-Ra could find it easy. Daphne realized now that she had one last task to perform and this was it.

Smurfette was with her too. They settled their differences on the way and agreed to help Daphne get to and free her beloved leader and The Sorceress. Smurfette went in first and found where Papa Smurf and The Sorceress were tied up. Daphne wasn't far behind but was more noticeable. Then she took a deep breath, said to herself "This would be it one way or the other". She walked inside to find Verona very much alive and well.

The Mystery Machine got there in no time flat. But once they arrived, She-Ra quickly went over to Swift Wind who told the blonde heroine that Daphne and Smurfette were in there alone and Daphne no longer had her powers. She-Ra got her sword back and got rid of the haphazard disguise and proceeded inside with Mystery Inc following behind her.

Daphne said in awe, "Verona! Long time no see." Verona replied with distain, "Daphne how good to see you again. I thought for sure those bad guys at Four Corners would have beaten you up and but good. You must have nine lives?" Daphne said, "Nope, just one. Verona, you got a second chance can't you put it to good use? Fighting won't solve anything. It didn't the first time, and won't help now."
Verona answered with a sneer on her face, "That may be true, but you put me in that watery grave. Now I want a chance to get my revenge for what you did to me." Daphne said with conviction, "Verona, I assure you that I didn't mean to kick you overboard like that. There were people in lifeboats ready to recover either or both of us if we had gone over the side and drowned, but you entered the water with such force that no rescue attempt could be possible. I can't change the past, but I can make things right in the present. Go back to the life you once knew, I'll help you in the process, I can give you money, help to change your name if necessary, but start fresh, you got the ultimate in second chances, don't fritter it away on petty revenge."

Verona replied in anger, "Those are eloquent words, but it means nothing to me. Prepare for the fight of your life, again!" Daphne realized then that any attempt to reason was pointless. Verona's words made it that she was beyond any rational thinking. So Daphne prepared for battle with Verona.

Daphne kept her guard up and didn't know what to expect, then Verona came out swinging when Daphne lost focus momentarily and got the first punch in and was successful, Daphne's first blow was a right cross to the jaw. The two kept exchanging blows for several minutes. Daphne was actually losing at one point and was tired from her last battle.

Verona was beating Daphne up pretty good until she got one hit that sent Daphne to the ground and knocked out. Verona won the fight, but lost the war as Smurfette succeeded in freeing Papa Smurf and The Sorceress, Verona left the scene through the maze of caverns that made up the foundation. Smurfette went to Daphne and began to cry because she lied motionless as if she had died.

But she got up to her chest and still heard her heart beating. At that moment, She-Ra and the rest of Mystery Inc saw what Verona had done. The gang hung their heads in silence. Smurfette said, "She's not dead but she's badly hurt. We need to get her to a hospital and fast." She-Ra tired to use her healing powers on Daphne, but her injuries were too severe. She-Ra gently but quickly grabbed her friend and loaded her in the back of the Mystery Machine and instructed Fred to go to the nearest town for medical treatment.

That town was Carlsbad which was less than ten miles away from the National Park. Once in Carlsbad, Daphne was rushed into the emergency room with a code blue. Doctors worked feverishly to bring the redhead back from the brink of death.

END OF CHAPTER 19

EPILOGUE

Doctors continued to work for hours into the next morning in an attempt to save Daphne's life. In the waiting room of the emergency ward, the other four members of Mystery Inc, She-Ra and the Smurfette waited for any news of Daphne's condition. As the time passed, She-Ra was in the frame of mind as she remembered and thought over and over what Daphne's friends had said about her earlier.

Then She-Ra couldn't keep her peace any longer and arose, she looked at the others and said, "You four should be ashamed of yourselves!" They looked at She-Ra with stunned looks on their faces, as she continued to speak her mind, "Fred you're Daphne's husband. You couldn't have found a better woman to share your life with, than with her. I hope to be as good a wife to Gil as Daphne has been to you. And Velma, Daphne talks about you more as if you were her sister than her friend. And being a sister of He-Man, it has taught me to be even more loyal to those close to me. And speaking of close, Shaggy and Scooby, you two have a loyal and trusted friend in Daphne. You two are the friends she values the most." Shaggy replied in stunned awe, "Like we know that She-Ra, Daphne has helped us many times over the years." Scooby also replied, "Rats right Rhe-Ra, rany rimes." (That's right She-Ra many times.)

She-Ra continued, "A true friend wouldn't insult her like that. Sure, point out her mistakes, but don't make fun of her. In the short time I've gotten to know Daphne, I now understand why her adoptive team thinks so highly of her. She may be an ordinary woman, but she possesses more power than I ever hope to have. And yet, you still all think of her as a clumsy, ditzy, scatterbrained klutz, who's only interested in her looks. OK I'll say it you have called her "dangerprone". And now, she's lying in a hospital bed clinging to life because she proved to you and everyone that she is a good hearted person who loves everyone she meets. And yet there is nothing we can do for her but to hope she'll recover. And if she does, from now on, be nicer to her!"

She-Ra turned away from the group holding her head in her hands and began to cry. She-Ra's words stuck in the craws of everyone who heard her. Then at that moment, a doctor entered the emergency room and asked, "Who is here for Daphne Blake-Jones?" The group stood up and Fred answered, "I'm her husband, doctor. How is she? Will she pull through?" The doctor responded in a low tone, "I'm not sure Mr. Jones. Daphne's injuries were severe. But I think she made it through the worst of it though. Now it's only a matter of time."

She-Ra's ears perked up, turned around and said in an anxious state, "Doctor, I'm known as She-Ra. I tried before we brought her here to heal her. I have the power to do this, but I can't heal severe injuries. If you say that the worst is over, then maybe I can finish what you started." The doctor didn't believe in magic for medicine, but Daphne's situation was critical when she was brought in and now her condition was upgraded to stable.

The doctor allowed She-Ra to try one last time to at least revive her. When She-Ra arrived in the room, Daphne was hooked up with more wires than a Christmas tree. She-Ra asked the doctor for a moment alone with Daphne, the doctor granted her request and allowed She-Ra to do her job in peace.

She-Ra looked around and saw all the equipment in the room, heart monitors, blood and plasma being transferred intravenously and other such devices. She-Ra sat down next to Daphne and tried one last time to revive her. She-Ra's hands began to glow, and then she knew at that point that it would work. She-Ra kept her hands on Daphne until moments later she had awakened.

Daphne's eyes opened up and said, "She-Ra! What's happening? W-where am I?" She-Ra replied quietly, "Shhh Daphne don't try to speak just yet but listen, you were severely injured by Verona within Carlsbad Caverns. Smurfette was successful in rescuing Papa Smurf and the Sorceress, but Verona escaped within the walls of the cavern. I tried to revive you but your injuries were too severe for my powers to work on you. You are in a hospital in Carlsbad, New Mexico a town just outside the Caverns. The doctors worked on you but couldn't finish the job, I asked for one last chance to save you and now you're awake."

Daphne replied with a faint voice, "Why did the Sorceress tell me that I would fight Verona without your powers?" She-Ra answered, "The Sorceress felt that you could take on a villain on your own without any assistance from anything or anyone and you did." Daphne understood but was still a little dazed, she replied, "You know She-Ra I admit, it was fun to be you for a while. I never thought I had such bravery in me. But tell me, how was it to be me for a while?" She-Ra laughed as she replied, "Daphne, you're truly one of a kind. No one could take your place. That's why you fought Verona as yourself."

Daphne felt the same about She-Ra that no one can take her place not even temporarily. She-Ra then said, "I will leave you now so you can get well. After all, who will be my Maid of Honor at my wedding?" Daphne replied, "Me?" She-Ra said with a smile on her face, "I wouldn't have it without you." She-Ra held Daphne's hand for a second to thank her for what she had done not just for her, but for everyone as well.

Once She-Ra left the room, she acknowledged that Daphne would make a full recovery and soon. The rest of the group was thrilled at the news. The group checked into a nearby motel and waited for when Daphne would be released. It took a couple of weeks, but Daphne was well again.

The Smurfette was one of the first to go in Daphne's defense with the league Commissioner and try reversing the suspension and fine imposed. Other characters also came to Daphne's rescue on the matter. She-Ra especially told the commissioner of Daphne's great effort and attempt to stop an otherwise dangerous situation. Everyone who knows Daphne knows that she isn't capable of such crimes. There was a logical reason for it.

The Commissioner was most impressed with Daphne's presentation and the preparation that went into it. After a short debate, the League's Committee on Player Relations and Conduct announced its findings: Despite the all mitigating circumstances involved, dangling the Smurfette out of the window was still wrong, and could not be condoned. Daphne Blake would have her suspension reduced from a full season's worth to just one game. In addition, the fine was reduced from $500,000 to $1,000, and she would have a letter of reprimand placed in her permanent file. Daphne decided to accept the greatly reduced penalties.

Before the season began in March, a wedding ceremony took place in Virginia as She-Ra and Gil Lopez tied the knot before hundreds of characters and close friends. Daphne kept up her bargain as Maid of Honor. Velma, Teela, Glimmer, Adora and the Sorceress all served as her bridesmaids. In addition to Gil's Latin Combo, the alternative rock group, Landfill also played at the reception. Now that She-Ra is Mrs. Gil Lopez, she vowed to be the same kind of wife as Daphne has been to Fred.

Finally as for Verona, she was caught in a cave-in caused by a minor earthquake near the National Park. Verona wasn't hurt or killed, but she was trapped among the rock pile. An excavation crew worked to clear the rocks and found Verona huddled in a corner. A sheriff knew who Verona was, and placed her under arrest and was extradited back to Wisconsin to be placed in custody there. Everyone hoped to be rid of Verona for good, but just how sure were they?

There is a lesson to be learned in this story, the meaning of true friendship. It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, a friend comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, religions and nationalities. Such a petty thing like being able or unable to do something special or to have a certain talent means nothing when it comes to friendship. Friendship comes straight from the heart. Disagreements occur even in the best of friendships, but even a minor disagreement can forever ruin what two people have in a friendship. Don't let things or people ruin it for you, if a person you know is a true friend, they will stand up and stick by you no matter the situation.

As the old saying goes, "A friend in need is a friend indeed." Daphne learned this lesson well as did her Mystery Inc friends also learned not to be cruel to others who aren't flawless. They learned this from another person totally unrelated to their own cause and believed in the redhead even when she didn't believe in herself. Don't let anything spoil good friendships or relationships with family. Being mad at someone is easy. Keeping a good friend can sometimes be the hardest thing in the world to accomplish. I bid you all peace and to take care.

THE END