"I don't... I don't know where to begin...", Vlad said as she smiled. "You don't need to say anything, Vlad... it's okay now...", Thorn gently brushed his hair as Dust and Luna ran up to her. "You look way more pregnant than you did before...", Luna said.
Thorn spoke warmly, "I don't know how, but with every level I am in, at the moment I finish it, the pregnancy advances...The baby is healthy and strong despite it all...", as Vlad touched her baby bump, and exhaled in relief and amazement as he felt strong kicks, hearing the heartbeat clear as crystal, and he looked up at Thorn, "I'm so sorry I made you wait...", before kissing her deeply, not wanting to think that this is a dream.
"It's alright... I know you would've come sooner if you knew.", Thorn assured him. "So, what happened?", Dusk asked as Thorn shook her head.
"Not really sure... I was just taking quite a quiet evening walk on the football field, just getting some air, before I saw this energy beam heading towards me... next thing I know, I'm on the moon.", Thorn replied.
Luna snorted, "Then it was the phantom virus or someone from the lab!", with a huff, and Thorn blinked in confusion, "Wait, what phantom virus?".
Vlad held her lovingly and protectively, "Let's keep walking. We'll explain on the way to the porch...I have a suspicious feeling that the Scooby Snax is on one of the steps...", and so, the group explained the whole story to Thorn.
"I don't get what I did to attract its attention... or the rest of us for that matter.", Thorn said after they finished explaining the situation with her.
"No idea with us as well, except for the fact that we did try to kill it at one point. We thought if we got rid of it sooner, then the sooner we could get attention on finding you since the campus security were more freaking out about the virus.", Luna told her.
Thorn sighed deeply, "I appreciate that, but now we're in cyberspace, in the game, and I'm worried about the fact if I give birth in one of the further levels... would our child survive in the real world?", with a sob, proving that she had thought about it for some time.
Vlad widened his eyes, "I...I didn't even realize that...With the complexity of this game, and the fact that the baby grows through the pregnancy faster than normal upon completion of the levels...By the moon...This is my fault...I should have gone with you or something...".
"If you had, we'd just be in this same spot, Vlad.", Thorn reminded him. "There's no fault to be blamed here... we just have to get through this game as fast as possible and hope that our little one won't grow much right now.".
Luna nodded, "Thorn is right. And look, we're almost there to the porch.", with a grin as the porch is in sight now. "Now hopefully this wasn't all a mistake, and those snacks are there...", Dusk bit her lip. They all were praying they made the right decision to head to the porch.
The group has gotten to the base of the first step in good time, and the step was literally the size of a condo building. Luna nodded, "Right, I will climb one of the weeds to take a look and see.".
"Be careful, Luna.", Thorn said as Luna smiled. "Hey, relax, it's me.", Luna joked as she started to climb.
"If she finds the box, couldn't she just grab it and have the four of us move on to the next level without us having to climb? Let's be honest, Thorn, I don't know if you'll make it up while carrying for two there.", Dusk suggested.
Thorn exhaled, "Oh, believe me, it was hard to get atop that centipede...Honestly, it was easier when this little one was four, five months along, a bit rough as it got into six months, but now...", with a weary smile.
Vlad kissed her on the temple, "And you have fought bravely against predators here, my beloved siren. What did I tell you? You'd make an incredible mother...", with a tender smile as he stroked her baby bump.
"Thank you, Vlad.", Thorn chuckled, and they watched Luna climb to the highest top of the weed, and laughed, "I see it! Dang, okay, it's a bit far...I need rope, something so you can pull the top down, and I can then jump!".
Dusk blinked before glancing at Vlad, "Your cape. I know it's fine Corinthian silk, but you heard Luna.", and Vlad nodded, "Friends and family come first.", taking off his cape, and the group took it into strips, tying the strips into a long rope, along with Dusk's choker, and Thorn's sash.
Vlad then threw it into the air, and swung it up to Luna who caught it, "Got it!", and wrapped it around the top of the weed, under her feet, and then called out, "Okay, pull!".
The group pulled, moving backwards towards the porch step, moving the weed closer to it, with Luna calling out, "Almost there, a bit more, yes!", and with a grunt, scrambled and half-ran, half-jumped into the surface of the step, landing with a thump, and grinned as she sprinted to the Scooby Snax box, grabbing it and touching it, "Ha-ha!".
The group now finally moved onto all together; Thorn was glad to finally get out of that nightmare of a level that would've claimed her one way or another sometime; she was sure that one of the bugs would catch her at her most vulnerable position. At least now with the others, she stood a much better chance.
The group, now having confidence as they are reunited with Thorn, has gotten steadily better at finding the Scooby Snax as they moved through the levels.
The sixth level was somewhere in Japan, in the time of the Samurai, and the Scooby Snax was found in a temple after fighting a group of samurai throughout the land to the temple, with Thorn having advanced two weeks in her pregnancy.
The seventh level took place in Ancient Egypt, and the Phantom virus was there, but luckily, the Scooby Snax was found in the Pharoah's palace, after fighting mummies and jackals, and once again, Thorn's pregnancy advanced two weeks.
The eighth level took place in Medieval times, and again, the Phantom virus was there, on a dragon, but was defeated with a bit of cheating, and the Scooby Snax was found in the castle, and of course, Thorn got two more weeks advanced in her pregnancy.
And now, they finally reached the final level, the boss level, the ninth level, with Thorn now finally deep in the end of her pregnancy, 9 months along.
The moment the group arrived, part of them were surprised at where they were, a full-on city that seemed a bit too quiet for anyone's tastes. "Did Eric forget to program people or something?", Dusk asked to herself.
Luna replied, "Didn't you say that Eric was working on the final specs when the whole thing happened? Well, with his sore arm and all, he probably was more focused on the problem on how the phantom virus got out.".
Dusk nodded, "Good point.", as they looked around, and Vlad looked at Thorn, "Are you alright, Sally?", seeing her weary expression.
Thorn nodded, "I'll manage...The baby is really hungry after we had snagged that cooked peasant on the Pharoah's table, and really heavy now...I can feel it resting on my hips, and my back hurts...", with a deep sigh.
Vlad kissed her on the lips, "Don't worry, there gotta be an open restaurant or something in this city...", and the girls nod in agreement, with Luna replying, "I'm famished myself...", before blinking, "Hey, maybe you're wrong, Dusk, there's a woman over there, holding groceries...Maybe she knows a good place to eat, maybe somewhere to find the Scooby Snax.".
Luna was about to walk over before Vlad grabbed her shoulder. "I would very much not recommend that.", Vlad whispered to her. "Why?", Luna asked.
"I'm picking up a familiar scent.", Vlad whispered even quieter, just to make sure no one watching out in the real world might overhear. "And it's one we've been dealing with for almost every level.".
Luna blinked before nodding, "Yeah, you're probably right...A computer programmed woman wouldn't be much help since this city is so big...", before smiling at Dusk and Thorn, "And besides, this city is similar to Colombus. Did you say that Eric took you to a cafe?".
Dusk blinked before looking around, and replied, "You know what? I know some of those stores...The cafe can't be that far...That way.", walking off in the opposite direction, and Vlad smiled, supporting Thorn, "Let's go, my love. At least we can breathe, and there's no traffic...".
"So long as we're away from that virus and the sooner we find those Scooby Snax... then I'll breath.", Thorn said as they kept walking, eyes still on the virus who must not have realized that its deception had been seen right through.
After Dusk checked a few of the landmark stores, they turned around a corner, and Dusk smiled, "There it is...A bit different, but similar.", pointing to the Malt Shoppe. Vlad replied, "Almost there, and you can eat as much as you want for yourself and our little one.".
They walked into the restaurant and exhaled in relief as Vlad helped Thorn sit down at a table, with Dusk replying, "Hello?", noticing people at the counter on stools.
"Hey, Dusk, you want to do that?", Luna quickly held her arm. "For all we know, it might be another trap.", she reminded.
"Unless he's starting to clone himself, I think we're alright there...", Dusk said. Which wasn't exactly the most reassuring as who knows if that virus could go that far?
Dusk saw one of the people turn around, and she gasped in shock, "You, you're the Mystery Inc. well, in cyberspace, that is!", and the gang turned around, with Cyber-Velma nodding, "That's right...You are from the real world, aren't you?".
"Yes, we are!", Luna replied with a nod, "I'm Luna, Dusk here, Mathias is over there, with his girlfriend and our sister, Thorn who's really hungry as she's carrying for two.".
"Looks like she's due any day now...", Cyber-Daphne said as Dusk nodded, "Yeah, hopefully we'll be out of town soon...". She clearly wasn't going to refer to this place as a game for the construct characters as she had no idea if they knew they were characters in a game. "And then she'll have their child in peace.".
Cyber-Shaggy smiled, "Don't worry, I got you there!", bringing a platter of food to Thorn and Vlad's table, "I and old Scoob here are usually the hungry ones, but we are raised better than to be selfish when it comes to helping others.".
Cyber-Scooby nodded, "Huh-uh! Relping others is good!", and Thorn smiled gratefully, "Thank you, sir.", as Vlad stared at Cyber-Shaggy for a moment, having recognized him from the magical vision-pictures back on Moonscar Island, and then nodded, "Yes, thank you.".
"Like, no problem! And besides, it's nice here without worrying about monsters.", Cyber-Shaggy said, and Cyber-Daphne replied, "Shaggy's right. And we can help you with the Scooby Snax, but just relax for now. After all, we know that we're part of a video game...After all, cyberspace is just starting out to be a big place.".
Cyber-Fred nodded, "Yeah, there's plenty of entertainment for us people in the cyberspace world.", and Dusk blinked, "But how come we hadn't seen you at the past levels and all?".
Cyber-Velma replied, "Perhaps you were the ones who started playing in the first place, and we hadn't been sent back to repeat the same old routine.", and Cyber-Scooby spoke, "Reah, routine!".
"I see...", Dusk said. "Wonder if Eric knows that you have achieved sentience...", she whispered under her breath. "Anyway, thank you for your offer... but, if I have to guess right, on top of that virus, I'm sure the last box isn't easy to get to.", Luna raised an eyebrow.
Cyber-Fred spoke, "Nonsense. We can drive you to the last Scooby Snax as we know where it is. It's in the arcade, down at the pier festival. And what virus?".
Thorn spoke, "A blue-glowing guy who is dangerous when he can be, throwing balls, lightning, making things go alive...He's like electrical...He had chased us most of the levels.", rubbing her belly with a sigh as she kept eating, feeling hiccups and kicks from the hungry baby, with Vlad rubbing her back, getting the soreness out of the gained weight on Thorn's body.
"Yikes…", Cyber-Velma said as the others nodded. "Who knows what that thing is capable of, especially at making sure we don't just lose but clearly kill us?", Vlad added.
Luna spoke, "Don't forget that the jerk loves to cheat, and is mainly a kid on a tantrum when he sees us cheat back at him.", and Dusk nods, "Yep.".
Cyber-Daphne said, "Well, you got here safely, you can stay here as long as you want, just for Thorn's sake.", noticing that Thorn is still eating.
Cyber-Scooby replied, "Thorn hungrier rhan me or Shaggy!", and Cyber-Shaggy replied, "She's carrying for two, Scoob. That's a big deal, and besides, running and surviving all those past levels, that's way scary for a pregnant lady, compared to us, that is.".
"That and other reasons...", Dusk glanced over. "This place really has been pushing her pregnancy through levels faster... I'm not kidding, she wasn't like that a few levels ago.".
Cyber-Velma raised an eyebrow, "Truly?", and Thorn sighed, "It's true...Before I got beamed into this game, I was only three months along...With every level finished up to now, my baby grew up, strong and healthy, thank goodness, but it was a struggle to get used to the sudden weight gain and soreness of carrying, yet I don't blame my baby for it as he or she deserves to be fully developed.".
"And now she looks due to give birth either here or the moment we win the game.", Vlad added. "Personally, I think I would rather have this happen when we're not in this place and that virus is hunting us down.".
Cyber-Fred replied, "Don't worry, we will help you finish the game, man.", and Cyber-Shaggy nodded, "Like, yeah, we got you all.", with a smile.
The quartet was relieved to have the gang's support, and a few minutes later, as Thorn was almost done eating, there was a familiar cackle, and Luna gasped, "Shit! He found us!", as the gang went closer to take a look through the window and widened their eyes as they saw the blue glowing virus.
Cyber-Velma gasped, "That's the virus?!", and Dusk replied, "All in his glory, yes.", as Cyber-Fred replied, "Come on, guys. The Mystery Machine's in the back, I'll drive.".
They got into the Mystery Machine, with Vlad helping Thorn to sit in one of the middle seats, and they set off, with Thorn feeling a new, unfamiliar pain before realizing that seeing the virus had started the next stage of the level, and now she's experiencing the first stages of labor, but with practice to have a mask of casual conversation, she's staying calm, for the sake of not stressing Vlad out for now.
They need to focus on getting to the last Scooby Snax, and she prays that they will get there without having to fight some monsters or something.
She was quietly begging her child to just hold on a few hours or something, that they would hopefully be out of this game and away from that virus and that she would be more than happy to give birth then.
She exhaled softly, listening to Vlad talk with her sisters, smiling as she refocused on the conversation, with Cyber-Fred replying, "We're almost there, guys. Good thing that the Mystery Machine is reliable, the old girl...", with a chuckle.
"You alright, Sally?", Vlad asked as she nodded. "Just hang on a bit longer, we're almost out of here.", with a kiss to her temple. "I know...", Thorn smiled as she kissed his cheek.
Dusk asked curiously, "What do you usually face in this final level?", and Cyber-Velma replied, "Well, we usually face two very tough monsters, though they usually change around every time we do the routine.".
Cyber-Daphne nodded, "Yeah, so, it's as much as possible that it would be a different set of monsters than last time.", and Luna blinked, "What type of monsters are we talking about?".
Cyber-Shaggy replied, "Well, let's see here, there's the bipedal alligator, the metal face guy, the creeper, the jaguar-gorilla fella, the tar blob.".
"Gator Ghoul, Old Iron Face, The Creeper, Jaguaro and the Tar Monster.", Cyber-Velma quickly corrected. "Okay, 1 of 5 but all still scary!", Cyber-Shaggy argued.
Vlad replied, "Well, we will get through this together. I won't let my family get hurt.", with a low growl, and the girls smile, glad to be Vlad's sisters as they are all connected through Thorn as a common love.
Thorn looked at him, "But Vlad, you can't...", and Vlad sighed, "Like I said to your sisters, Sally, I'll do everything I got. All of us deserve to come home, and I mean, all of us.", stroking her baby bump lovingly.