AN: Hey guys! Another chapter! I hope everyone had a great Year and is ready for the new one!

Searching for Clues: Part 1

After that incident, the Gang quickly had Ash and his friends sent to their room in the Hotel. They didn't complain, mostly because they were tired from all the events. Luckily, their room was connected to Shaggy and Scooby's room, so the Gang were able to keep an eye on them as they all sat on one of the beds while Velma was busy typing away on her laptop.

"I was able to take a photo of the Ghoul when it was chasing Shaggy, Scooby and those kids." She told them as a picture of the Ghoul that was in the hall. The fact that it was missing it's corset made Shaggy and Scooby thoughtful.

"And here's the picture of the 1891 Ghoul." Soon another picture of the Ghoul came up, this time it was wearing the corset.

"Hey, one's wearing a corset…" Fred began.

"And the other one isn't." Daphne finished.

"Like that's weird." Shaggy muttered out loud, catching the other's attention.

"What is it, Shaggy?" Fred asked.

"Well, me and Scoob could have sworn the first time we saw the Ghoul it was wearing that same corset." Shaggy explained.

"One ghoul is wearing a corset and another isn't. Interesting…" Velma hummed thoughtfully.

"So do we have any suspects yet?" Fred asked.

"What about Derek Allen? He's seem pretty interested to make sure that Taku fails on his hotel." Daphne told them as Velma puts up a picture of the grump-face security guard on her laptop.

"And Sally Evans. She said that she needed a good story on her article in order to save her career." Fred added, soon Sally's bright smiling picture appeared.

"Oh, oh! Put Peggy White down!" Shaggy suddenly spoke.

"You think she's the Ghoul?" Fred asked.

"I think the way she looked at me in the office was scarier than the Ghoul!" At this, Shaggy shivered. "Put her down!" Seeing no point in arguing with him, Velma put up Peggy's picture on her laptop.

"Everyone but Peggy weren't around when the Ghoul first attacked. Not to mention that there are two different Ghouls running around." Velma said thoughtfully.

"Well, Gang, I think it's time we split up and search for clues." Fred announced. "Shaggy, you and Scooby go search the halls, me and the girls are going to go check the lobby. Now, any questions?"

"Yeah, like, why can't we just stay with the kids?" Shaggy asked, with Scooby rapidly nodding to agree with him. "I mean, with that Ghoul running, like someone has to keep an eye on them. And me and Scoob were able to protect them when they first saw the Ghoul."

"Our rooms are connected, Shaggy," Fred explained. To his point, he got up and opened the door that was near the left of the TV. Inside, there was an interior of one window, a small flat-screen TV and underneath it, a rustic round coffee table sat in the middle of the room, before it was a long couch. What seemed to be part of the wall, there were two bunks beds with a simple ladder that leads up to the top beds.

In each bed showed Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Bonnie, Dedenne, and Clemont sleeping soundly in their pajamas, as if todays events didn't occur.

"Besides, even if the Ghoul wanted to get in, he had to go through two locked doors." Fred continued after shutting the door gently and locking it with a key. "And there's only two keys to their door. So I doubt those kids are naive enough to give their key to anyone else."

"Oh… I hate it when Fred's right." Shaggy mumbled to Scooby, who nodded.

"So that's settles it, we'll meet back here when in a few hours." Velma declared. As she, Fred, and Daphne already left, Shaggy and Scooby were innocently whistling, not moving from their positions on the bed. Finally having enough, Freddy came back in and grabbed them by the scruffs of their necks.

"Come on, you two." Fred grumbled as he dragged the whimpering cowards out of the room.

After, somewhat, convincing the two cowards to go search the halls, the other members of the gang began to search the lobby.

"There must be something about the Ghoul that's around here." Freddy pressed after looking behind one of the curtains. Velma was busy with searching under the couches, but ended up coughing when a dust bunny got caught in her face.

"Well, whatever it is, it's obviously isn't here." She muttered hoarsely. Daphne, meanwhile, was busy searching through the grand staircase in case there was something that the Ghoul must have dropped. When she didn't, Daphne was about to climb down the stairs when something caught her eye.

It was a piece of fabric just sitting near the edge of the middle part of the staircase. Daphne picked up and examined it. Her eyes widen as she called out to her friends, "Guys! Look at this?"

Fred and Velma looked over to Daphne when she hurried over to them. They stare blankly at the fabric before Fred spoke dryly, "It's a piece of fabric, Daphne…"

"Not just any piece of cloth, Freddy," Daphne pressed. "It's a piece from the Ghoul's pants. I recognized it when it was chasing the boys and the kids."

"It must have fallen out when the Ghoul came by." Velma said.

"Not only that, but I don't think that Ghoul is what it appears to be." Daphne began, lifting the fabric up higher. "Back in the Victorian Era, men had their pants made from broadcloth. But this piece was made from modern-day wool."

"Girl knows her fabrics…" Velma mumbled with slight awe in her eyes.

"So if the clothings are different, then it must mean that whatever one of those ghous are, they're not the one from 1890." Fred put together.

"And it also means that someone in this Hotel is using the Thomas the Ghoul legend to make sure Taku's hotel goes out of business." Velma added.

"And speaking of clothes, I think it's time we pay our friend Sally a visit." Daphne told them.

"Like Scoob, remind me again on how we got ourselves into these thing?" Shaggy asked in a high-pitched tone as he and Scooby walked down the dark corridor of rooms, the only thing they have for a light source was candle.

"Man, why do we always have to get pick on searching creepy hallways?" Shaggy continued to voice his thoughts. "Like, I get that we're the fastest runners. But why shouldn't the gang go to the creepy places if they're so brave. Then again, the monster always finds anyway if we stay in a 'safe ' place-"

While Shaggy was continuing to voice his thoughts, Scooby's ear soon began to twitch when he thought he heard something. Nervously, he looked towards where he thought he heard the noise. At the end of the hall, there was a small light emitting in the corner, along with a pitter-patter of footsteps coming closer.

"-and the monster still finds us if we just stay behind. Like, I wonder what would happen if we just leave the area all together…" Shaggy continued, not noticing Scooby was furiously tugging on his shirt until he finished his sentence. "Like, what is it Scoob?" Scooby pointed at the end of the hall. Once he saw what Scooby was pointing at, Shaggy quickly did a big gulp and began to shiver.

"L-Like, Scoob? D-Don't tell me t-t-that's the Gh-Gh-Gh-Ghoul?" He stuttered, feeling weak on the legs.

"I-I don't k-k-know…." Scooby respond, his voice and body were just as shaky.

The two could only hold each other tightly as the light began to glow brighter as the steps grew louder. They closed their eyes tightly and braced themselves as when the light was bright enough for the person to reveal themselves.

They waited and…

Nothing happened.

Hesitantly, they peeked open one eye and saw that the light was shrinking down from the corner. Not to mention the light sounds from the footsteps began to grow sofer until they couldn't hear it anymore.

This made them sigh in relief as they let go of each other. "Like, man… That was a close one." Shaggy said, before they began to walk forward. "For a second there, I thought we were going to be-!" As they passed by the corner, Shaggy was suddenly meet to the face by an old hickory rock maple bat.

"Wike… pwetty staws…" He mumbled elusively as cartoon stars float around his head, before he fell to the ground.

"Shaggy?" A boy's voice called out, soon came from the corner was Ash with Pikachu on his shoulder. In one of his hands was a lighted candle and the other was the bat.

"Ah!" Ash gasped once he saw Shaggy on the ground holding both of his cheeks in pain. "Sorry about that!"

"Like what hit me?" He asked, still in daze.

"Sorry, I thought you were the Ghoul…" Ash mumbled as he put down his candle and rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.

"Wh-Ash?!" Shaggy said once he took knowledge of the young boy and his Pokemon were awake and out of bed. "Like, what are you and that mouse of yours doing out here with the Ghoul running around?"

"Sorry, sorry!" Ash repeated, looking more embarrassed than ever. "Our stomachs woke us up, we just had to get something to eat." Then he realized what the older boy said about Pikachu. "Hey! Pikachu's not some mouse!"

"Like, okay!" Shaggy yelled, waving his arms in a surround sign when he saw how upset the boy was. "Look, how about me and Scoob take you two to the kitchen to grab a bite? Then we'll take you right back to your room before the Ghoul finds you. How's that?"

Ash seemedly calmed down hearing that before nodded. "Yeah, alright…"

This made Shaggy sigh as he put his arm around Ash's shoulders (while being mindful of Pikachu) and began to led him down the hall with Scooby following.

"Great, so how about a good ol cheeseburger for that little tummy of-ZOINKS!" Shaggy suddenly yelped and began to hop on one foot as he gripped the other in pain.

"I think you need to do something about those big shoes of yours." Ash said dryly while the animals snickered the comenic sight.

"Like, I didn't stubbed my toe on my shoe!" Shaggy said defensively. "I stubbed it on… on…" He looked down and his eyes widen in surprise; "On a chunk of gold?" He said confusingly as he picked up said-object.

"Like what's a chunk of gold lying around?" Shaggy asked, tossing it around a bit.

"I don't know." Scooby shrugged.

"I don't remember my Uncle saying anything about gold lying around." Ash added in.

"Like, I wonder if it's a clue…" Shaggy thought outloud.

"Maybe-" Suddenly Ash's nose began to twitch violently before, "Ah...Ah….AH! ACHOO!"

"Like, you're still sick?" Shaggy questioned while the two animals shot the boy concerned looks.

"I-I'm not sick-ACHOO!" Everyone else winced at the loud noise that sneeze made. Suddenly Pikachu began to feel something dripping from the ceiling onto its fur. Whatever it was, it made Pikachu shivered at the sticky cold substance. Daring to look up, the Electric-Mouse stole a glance towards the ceiling. Now he wished he didn't dare as his fur somehow went pale.

"Pi...Pi….Pi…" Scooby noticed the mouse stampering as it pointed its shaky paw up to where it was looking at. Looking up, Scooby's eye widened fearfully at what he saw and began to join in on the Pokemon's stampering.

"Shag….Shag...Shag…" The dog furiously began to tug on his best friend's shirt while Pikachu began to do the same with his own best friend.

"-remind me to get you some tissues on the way." Shaggy told Ash, before noticing Scooby tugging on his shirt. "Like, stop that Scoob."

"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked, his voice suddenly hoarse. The two animals pointed at where they were looking, so the humans looked up and saw two glowing white-eyes staring right down at them.

"T-That isn't…" Shaggy trailed off, too scared to continue while Ash picked up his candle and brought it up to light the dark part of the ceiling. Soon they saw the Ghoul's figure lighting up form the candle.

"AH! IT'S THE GHOUL!" Ash screamed while Shaggy and Scooby hold each other tightly. The Ghoul let out a roar before dropping down at its victims.

AN: Dun! Dun! DUUUUNN! Cliffhanger! How as that for my first cliffhanger? Hey, uh, listen, School is coming back tomorrow, so there's a possible chance I won't be updating as often as I used too. Just wanted to give you guys the heads up. Here are the clues so far-

Clue 1#: Someone hacked in Taku's email, stopping him from delivering a message to Delia that Ash and his friends couldn't go to the hotel. Who would do that?

Clue 2#: There is a Ghoul who's wearing a Victorian Male Corset, but one without it? What could that mean?

Clue 3#: A piece of the Ghoul's clothes is found! But wait, it's not the same fabric used in the Victorian Era. Could Sally Evans be behind this?

Clue 4#: There's a chunk of gold lying around the Hotel halls. What could that possibly mean?

SHOTOUTS-

FanficFan920: Team Rocket? I know that's more than likely, but they're not even in this story.

Joltile: Once again, great detective work my friend. It's ashamed that I can't tell you if you're close or not. I'm glad you like some of the hilarity, (even if they are not what they seemed). And thank you for that advice, I feel my better now.

Matt: We shall see, not everyone is in the clear yet.