Chapter 8
While Fred, Daphne and William were having their dealings with Krudsky, at the Grim Reaper Railroad stop, Velma, Shaggy, Scooby Doo and Linda got ready to begin a voyage that they would never forget.
Not to mention it would be a journey that very few mortals had probably ever taken, much less two adolescent detectives, their Great Dane and an adolescent witch.
"All aboard!" bellowed a skeleton dressed in an engineer's outfit, after the train reached the ground and opened its doors.
However, the fact the train was driven by someone who was made of bones made Scooby and Shaggy nervous.
"L-like a skeleton train conductor..." Shaggy said, through chattering teeth.
"R-reah, releton!" the Great Dane added.
"Oh, come on you two, he's just the train conductor." Velma replied.
"Like yeah, b-but he's a skeleton." Shaggy responded, albeit a bit nervously.
"So? He's just like your regular everyday person; except he doesn't have any clothes on… or skin…" Velma replied, albeit slightly hesitant.
At first the bespectacled brunette was more then fine with boarding a train driving by a skeleton, but the more she thought about it, the more she grew apprehensive and unsure of boarding such an unusual vessel.
"Y-you know Shaggy and Scooby, I actually kind of agree with you on this one. Especially since we're traveling on something called the Grim Reaper Railroad, and the Grim Reaper signifies… well, death." Velma remarked, in a nervous but whispered tone of voice, which was uncommon for her.
"Come on Shaggy, Scooby, Velma. There's really nothing to be afraid of; it's just a train conductor, who drives a train for a living, nothing unusual about that right?" Linda said, trying to get the three sleuths onto the train, before it left without them.
"Well…" Velma replied.
"Well…" Shaggy and Scooby added.
"Aw come on you guys. We have to save Princess Fairy Willow, not to mention we have to stop Krudsky from getting more powerful; not to mention there's a chance that he might have some people working with him, and those people might be as dangerous as he is." Linda responded.
"You know you're right Linda. That conductor may be a skeleton, but he's still a train conductor, and we still have to save the Princess, not to mention we have to solve this mystery before it's too late." Velma replied, while attempting to put the strangeness of the train towards the back of her mind.
"Like when you put it that way, all aboard! Right Scoob?" Shaggy remarked, before looking over at his canine companion to see if he agreed.
"Reah, rall aboard!" the Great Dane detective replied.
"That's the spirit guys. Come on, let's go!" Linda remarked, as she, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby Doo boarded their transportation to the world of monsters and the supernatural.
After the foursome boarded the train, Shaggy, Velma, Scooby and Linda all found places to sit down.
The four of them then found themselves relaxing back in their seats, as they more or less, let the skeleton do the driving for them, paraphrasing the old Greyhound Bus Lines slogan.
"I don't know why I was worrying, this is actually pretty relaxing." Velma remarked.
"I agree, it feels like we're floating on air." Linda replied, watching the scenery pass by the group, albeit several thousand feet below.
"L-like that's because we ARE floating on air!" Shaggy declared, teeth chattering all the while.
"Reah!" Scooby Doo replied, still feeling a bit nervous.
"Relax guys, even in the sky the train is one of the safest ways to travel." Linda remarked.
"She's right guys, just sit back and check out the awesome scenery." Velma added, with a calming sigh.
However, all was not peaceful and serene as two very familiar goblins were hiding towards the back of the train, out of the line of sight of Linda, Shaggy, Velma and Scooby.
"Hey Glob, look…" Glum said, as he pointed out the three young adults and one Great Dane.
"Yeah, I see them…" Glob replied.
"So, what should we do?" Glum asked, looking a bit dumbfounded as he spoke.
"Easy, we go into the main part of the train and capture those kids and their dog!" Glob responded.
"Right…" Glum replied, as the two goblins opened a door and began walking out into the main car of the Grim Reaper Railroad train.
At first, the passengers weren't too worried about the pair of goblins, partly because most of them thought they were fellow passengers on the train.
However, as soon as Glob and Glum got into the line of sight of a particular passenger, mainly a monster with green hair, green skin and four arms, it was definitely time for the members of Mystery Inc. and their magical comrade to take notice about the two guests on the train.
"I-it's the Goblin King's guards!" the creature declared, making the rest of the passengers on the train look at them and take notice of their appearance.
"What are they doing here?" asked a mummy.
"I wonder what they want?" chimed a Frankenstein like monster.
"I just hope that whatever they want, it's not me!" declared a creature that looked like a sea monster.
As the two goblins got closer to where the gang and their friend were sitting, they knew it was time that they made their intentions known, which surprisingly made every monster and creature on the train very nervous.
"All right, everybody listen up!" Glob declared.
"Jinkies, what was that?" Velma asked.
"L-like look!" Shaggy declared, before turning around to see who, or what was speaking.
"R-rhat is it?" Scooby inquired.
"W-whatever it is, it can't be good news, that's for sure." Linda added.
There was a bit of chatter amongst the monsters and creatures on the train before Glob and Glum spoke again, but that was soon ceased by one single solitary word…
"Quiet!" Glum shouted.
Now the passengers of the train were really nervous. Glob and Glum, the two goons that served the Goblin King were on the main locomotive that led to the land of monsters and ghosts, but the question still remained, what could the two of them want? Or who?
"That's better." Glum remarked, as the train became as silent as a graveyard.
"Right. Now everybody listen to us: we're looking for four meddlers that our boss wants to us to capture; these include two mortals, a sorceress and a dog." Glob said, explaining the situation to all on board.
"Jinkies, something tells me that we're who those goblins are talking about." Velma remarked, with a slightly worried tone in her voice.
"L-like if we are, I wonder what they're going to do with us?" Shaggy asked, after gulping audibly.
"Ri ron't rknow rand ri ron't rhink I rant to rind out." Scooby replied.
"Relax you guys, remember: you've got someone with magic on your side." Linda remarked, albeit in a whispered tone of voice so the two goblins couldn't hear her.
"Good point. So, what do you have in mind Linda?" Velma asked.
"Simple. I'll just say a simple incantation that will make those dumb goblins leave us alone." Linda replied.
"Good thinking Linda. Go for it…" Velma responded.
"OK, here goes nothing. I just hope this works…" Linda answered.
The college aged sorceress then spoke a few words, which sounded at least to Velma like they were in Latin.
These words were audible to the rest of the gang, but for the rest of the passengers on the train, in addition to Glob and Glum, they might as well have been gibberish, because everyone else on board didn't hear a thing.
"Like what kind of spell did you use Linda?" Shaggy inquired.
"I'll tell you later Shaggy, but right now we have company." The adolescent witch replied, as she noticed Glob and Glum were coming down the aisle of the train, straight towards Scooby Doo and company.
"Like yeah. I just hope that whatever you did worked Linda." Shaggy responded.
"Shh… here they come." The young magic user replied.
"Right, everybody act natural…" Velma commented.
Velma, Shaggy, Scooby and Linda then started conversing a bit with one another and before long they were joined by who else but the Glob and Glum themselves, who had very determined looks on their faces.
"Hey, you four." Glob remarked, as he noticed the two young adults, the young sorceress and Scooby Doo sitting and watching the scenery and the rest of the passengers.
However, thanks to Linda's incantation, that's not quite what the dim witted goblin saw at all.
"Yes, what can we do for you?" Linda asked, although to Glob and Glum, it looked like they were speaking to a strange looking creature with sharp claws, dark brown fur and pointed ears, among other things.
"Hmm… I could have sworn you four weren't here a few minutes ago." Glob replied, although he found himself scratching his head and looking a bit confused as he spoke.
"Well, that's impossible because we've been here since we all got on the train." Velma commented.
"Hmm… I guess that makes sense." Glob responded.
"Indeed it does, now what can we do for you two?" Velma asked.
"Well, we were going to ask you if you've seen a young witch, two mortals and a dumb looking dog around here." Glum replied, with a question of his own.
"Rumb?" Scooby growled, albeit under his breath.
"Careful old buddy, we don't want to be captured." Shaggy replied, as he tried to cover up his friend's comment.
"Hey, what's up with him?" Glob inquired, while looking at Scooby Doo, who to the two goblins looked like a werewolf.
"He's got a bit of a cold. Too much prowling the countryside at night probably." Velma ad-libbed rather quickly in an attempt to keep suspicion off her and the others.
"Hmm… yeah, I know a monster who had that problem a couple weeks ago. Some bed rest and liquids ought to take care of that cold." Glob remarked, while still looking at the monsterfied Great Dane.
"Huh, that's just what I would have suggested." Velma replied.
"Really? I guess then the four of you aren't very much different from the two of us." Glum responded.
"Imagine that. Well, to answer your question, we haven't really seen anything since we got on." Linda said, with a bit of an uneasy smile on her face.
"I see. I guess we should be on our way then, come on Glob." Glum replied.
"Well, OK. But I still think there's something fishy with these four." Glob responded.
"Just forget about it Glob, and come on." Glum replied, as the two goblins bowed politely to the monster versions of Velma and Linda as they both walked away.
To you and me, the sight of two goblins bowing in front of female monsters might have been unusual, but then again, these were goblins and not human beings.
After all, even in the monster world females deserved as much respect as they did in the mortal world.
With the two goblins walking away from the group, and looking like they were going to exit the train car, it seemed as if Scooby, Shaggy, Velma and Linda could finally relax, without having to worry about being captured or worse.
"Jinkies, I was sweating there for a while. I really thought those two would see through our disguises." Velma said, in a rather low tone of voice as she wiped her brow.
"Like yeah, me too Velma. It's a good thing though that we've got magic on our side." Shaggy added, smiling at Linda as he spoke.
"Believe me Shaggy, it's no problem at all." Linda replied.
"Just remember guys, magic or no magic we've still got to avoid those goblins for the rest of the time we're on the train." Velma reminded her friends.
"Exactly. As someone who knows a lot of nice supernatural creatures, not to mention someone who doesn't want to see the Goblin King lose his power and the balance of magic between the mortal and monster realms upset, it's vital that we don't let those goblins catch us." the college aged sorceress remarked.
"Right. Once we get off the train, we'll need to get to the Goblin King's castle and warn him before that sorcerer and that carnival magician arrive; because if one or both of those two get to the Goblin King first, who knows what will happen?" Velma commented.
However, the bespectacled brunette would have to face that possibility sooner rather than later, as she noticed that the spell to disguise the quartet was wearing off…
"Jinkies, I think we're looking a lot like ourselves now…" Velma said, much to her magical friend's annoyance.
"Oh great… I was afraid this would happen… " Linda commented, with a worried tone in her voice.
"You did?" Velma asked her.
"I did… while magic is quite helpful, it can have its drawbacks. Namely spells wearing off… at the worst possible time…" Linda remarked, as she shook her head in disbelief.
"I gather this happens pretty often?" Velma inquired.
"More than I would care to admit Velma…" Linda remarked.
Unfortunately, as luck would have it… at that exact moment, Glob and Glum turned around to see who else, but Velma, Shaggy, Scooby and Linda back to their own normal selves…
"Hey, it's those brats again!" Glob declared, much to Shaggy's horror.
"Zoinks! Like now what are we gonna do?" Shaggy asked nervously.
"You're coming with us, that's what you're going to do…" Glum replied.
It was then that Velma had something of a brainstorm, before smiling at Shaggy and Scooby as if to say follow my lead…
"Hey you two!" Velma called to Glob and Glum.
"Yeah? What do you want mortal?" Glob inquired.
"Did anyone ever tell you guys that orange is better than green… no offense Shaggy…" Velma said, before nodding at her boyfriend.
"No offense taken Velma." Shaggy replied.
"Why you…" Glob said, as he began walking towards Velma, who simply moved aside… which caused the first goblin to fall onto the floor of the train.
"That was a cheap trick…" he commented, before he nodded at his fellow Goblin, who began to run towards the orange clad brunette.
"Why don't you take a seat alongside your buddy…" Velma said, as when Glum attempted to capture her… she stuck out her right leg, causing him to trip onto the floor.
"Like nice job Velma…" Shaggy said, as he walked over to his companion and gave her a high five, before Scooby joined the duo.
They would not be out of the woods yet though, as Glob and Glum recovered enough to try and go after Velma, Shaggy and Scooby again… but would be stymied in their efforts by a certain sorceress…
"Hey you guys, why don't you cool off a bit…" Linda said, pointing at the two Goblins.
To the passengers surprise(despite them all being monsters and ghosts), Linda had frozen the two green-skinned goons in place…
A few moments passed, and much to Velma, Linda, Shaggy and Scooby's surprise this time… the passengers began applauding and cheering.
This perplexed them, as they wondered just what they did to earn all the passengers praise...
"Jinkies, I've never gotten applause from supernatural beings before…" Velma commented, with a happy but also uneasy tone in her voice.
"As well you should… those goblins were pretty troublesome…" a ghost sitting in the middle of the train commented.
"Yeah, those guys are even ridiculous for monsters…" another ghost added.
"Well, it was our pleasure to take care of them for all of you." Linda remarked.
"Same here… maybe now we can actually relax…" Velma said, before sitting back down.
She was soon joined by Linda, Shaggy and Scooby… and this time the spell did not wear off on Glob and Glum, as our heroes made it through the rest of the train ride with nothing else eventful happening.
Later on, the train stopped in mid-air… which definitely concerned the quartet…
"Jinkies, hang on everybody!" Velma declared, as the locomotive started to fall from the sky.
"I hope we're getting close to our destination… I don't think even I could take much more of this…" Linda added.
Eventually, the flying train did reach its destination… namely landing gently on the ground… which brought definite sighs from Velma, Shaggy, Scooby and Linda.
"Last stop… anybody who's getting off the train should disembark now…" the skeleton train conductor said to the passengers.
"I guess this is where we exit gang…" Velma said, as she and Linda got off the train first, followed close behind by Shaggy and Scooby.
Our heroes were indeed safe for the moment… but soon they would meet another challenge, and another obstacle as they attempted to procure the scepter of the Goblin King before it was too late, both for them and the worlds of mortals and supernatural creatures…
Author's Notes: I want to thank everybody for hanging with me for the last however many years it's been since I last posted a chapter for this story…
I and my family have been through a ton of stuff, including moving in September 2015 and having my father pass away in September 2020… but I promise everybody that I hopefully will not take years to update this story again.