Once again, I do not own Scooby Doo or Pokémon. Please do not sue me
The tension in the brightly colored playroom was palpable. Despite Daphne and Misdreavus helping to break the ice, the mood quickly froze over again as both groups tried to figure out where to go from here. Shaggy and Scooby were still clearly frightened of being around the ghosts, a fact that was not helped by Gastly and Haunter floating so close to them and making weird faces.
Daphne finally makes a move, bringing out the distorted photo. "I found this in Agatha's room on her nightstand. This photo is of you guys with Agatha and Samuel, isn't it? Just what was your relationship with the former owner of this house?" Daphne states.
Misdreavus floats up to her, staring solemnly at the photo. "Misdreavus." Misdreavus turns to Daphne, nodding her head in confirmation. "Misdreavus Misdreavus Mis Misdreavus."
"Umm, I'll take all that as a yes," Daphne says uncertainly. "Before anything else, we have to figure out how to translate what Misdreavus is saying."
"Misdreavus?" Shaggy questions.
"Yeah, since that's all she can say, I figured it would work as a name. It's better than 'that ghost'. Same with the rest of them as well." The rest of the ghosts just nod in agreement with this.
"How do you know it's a girl?" Fred asks.
"Woman's intuition," Daphne answers simply.
"Mis," Misdreavus says, head held up proudly.
"Well, at the very least, they seem to be able to understand us just fine. The question is how do we understand them?" Velma says.
"You sure Scooby can't translate for us?" Fred asks Shaggy.
Shaggy turns to Scooby, who just shakes his head. "Like, no can do. Scooby can only talk to animals, not ghosts."
"There's got to be something we can do," Daphne says. Suddenly, Misdreavus got an idea. It floated over to Daphne and began tugging her sleeve, trying to lead her to the door. "What's that? You want us to follow you?" Daphne asks.
"Mis." Misdreavus nods, letting go and floating down the hallway. The Scooby gang and their new eerie entourage followed after her, wondering just what Misdreavus had come up with. They exited the hidden hallway, continuing to follow her until they reached the main foyer.
"I wonder what it brought us back here for." Fred starts.
Misdreavus' eyes and beads begin to glow in a faint blue light. "Miiiisssss..." it groans as the air around it began to hum with power. Gengar and the others seemed to finally understand what she was planning, realization flashing across their faces. "...Dreavus!" She finally shouted out as a light blue aura expanded outward from her and encased the entire room and the gang, a strange sensation washing over them.
"Man, would you look at this? Talk about a crazy light show." Shaggy looks around in amazement, marveling at the glow surrounding them.
"Reah..." Scooby says in agreement, the rest of the words getting lost in his throat.
"It's impressive, but what is happening?" Velma asks.
Without warning, the group of fifteen is joined by a new presence, making herself known after phasing right through Fred. The gang immediately recognized it as the old woman from the photograph, only much older now, her back hunched over as she walked with a twisted wooden cane. The new specter has the same light blue aura as the rest of the room.
"Zoinks! It's the ghost of Agatha! She really is haunting this place!" Shaggy cries out as he leaps into Scooby's arms, both of whom are now trembling in fear. However, Agatha didn't react to this outburst. In fact, it seemed as if she was unaware of the group's presence entirely, proceeding up the stairs as if nothing happened.
"What is this..." Fred wondered. While his friends showed a mix of shock and confusion at the presence of Agatha, the ghosts adopted a more saddened look. Turning back to Agatha, she was already halfway up the stairs when...
"Shuppet!" "Banette!"
Shuppet and Banette phased through the staircase, crying out in an attempt to frighten the old woman. The pair were surrounded by the same glow. The gang looked back and forth at the pair of ghosts on the stairs and the same non-glowing pair standing next to them, who observed the scene in wistful silence. "Like, there are two of them now?" Shaggy says.
Agatha stood her ground, staring silently at the duo before smirking. "Not bad this time, but you punks are gonna have to do better than that if you want to get the better of this old lady."
Realization suddenly dawned on Velma. "Guys, I think this is just a projection created by Misdreavus."
Shaggy and Scooby stopped shaking for a moment. "Like, I wonder if this is anything like that crazy mirage we saw in the kitchen."
"Mirage?" Daphne questioned.
"Yeah, when me and Scooby were checking out the fridge, we got knocked over by the biggest smorgasbord we've ever found in our whole lives. The next thing we knew, all the food just vanished into thin air, and we were left chowing down on each other. But everything looked, smelled, and tasted real; but in the end, it was all just an illusion made by these guys." Shaggy explained scowling at the end while pointing at the trio of Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar, who just laughed at recalling the hilarious moment.
Back over with Agatha, a projection of Duskull floated up from behind her, trying to wrap its arms around her head and cover her eyes. Agatha just lifted her hand and gently pushed him off. "Sorry, Dusky, but I still ain't a hugger," She responds, though she still reaches out a hand and pats the Duskull projection on the head. The real Duskull raises its arms to its mask as if it could still feel her hand.
"I think this is more than just an illusion," Velma says. "I think what we're seeing is Misdreavus' memories of back when Agatha was still alive."
"Skull." Duskull nods, reaffirming Velma's theory.
"Whoa." The rest of the gang continues to watch on in silence as the scene plays out for them, climbing the stairs and following Agatha.
As she walks down the hallway, her way is lit by Lampent and Chandelure floating above her head, with Litwick sitting on her shoulder. "Thanks for the light," she says curtly. She gets stopped again by Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar as they played out some slapstick comedy act. Gengar whacks Haunter on the head with a rubber chicken, causing his eyes to pop out. Haunter retaliates back by spraying Gengar in the face with seltzer water. Gengar swallows it then spits it all into Gastly's face. They look back in expectation, hoping to get a laugh out of her, but she just rolls her eyes and keeps walking. "You hams ought to join up with the circus. You'd make a better killing as clowns rather than spooks." She said with a sarcastic tone.
"Gaaah?!" The indigo trio collapsed to the ground in an overdramatic depression as Agatha passed right by them with a smirk.
She finally reached her office and sat in her chair, pulling out a set of documents. The gang looks down and recognizes it as the will they've been searching for. A projection of Misdreavus floats over and brings her a pen. "Thank you," she says. She turns to the last pages of the documents and begins writing, the projections of the ghosts gathering around her alongside the real ones.
"I know you guys don't like me bringing this up, but chances are I'm not much longer for this world," Agatha begins, much to the chagrin of her companions. "And sorry to say, but I won't be sticking around here in this old shack to play either. Unfortunately, I've got an idiot husband already waiting on the other side. He may be a smart man, but he also gets into all kinds of trouble when you're not watching him, so someone's got to go keep an eye on him. Honestly..." She said wistfully.
"That loud-mouthed Texan has been pestering me a lot more lately to sell my property to him, says he wants to build a sports stadium. Too bad for him I'm not a sports fan." She chuckles dryly. "But I'd hate to see this place go under entirely, and there's no way anyone else would be willing to live in a dump like this. This house has a lot of history behind it, so I'm sure that mayor brat would agree to help keep it standing." Agatha finally looks up at the ghosts surrounding her. "However, I think you guys will get a lot more use out of this place than anyone else. After all, I'd say you guys have more memories of this place than anyone else in this town, considering how long you guys have been here."
"I still remember when Sam and I first moved in here; you guys tried to scare us out, but that fool was just too fascinated with you all to be scared off. And I'm still as stubborn as ever, I guess." She sighs and smiles wryly. "We've had a good run here; after Sam passed, you guys did your best to keep me company these last few years. A lot more than what a crabby old lady like me deserves."
"You've all been here since this town was founded and you've seen firsthand how things have progressed and changed throughout the years. And although you guys are just a bunch of no-good troublemakers, you also have a duty to keep those memories alive. I hope you will continue to keep a close eye on this town from here and preserve the legacy left behind by its people. Though don't forget to have your usual fun either. Got to keep the people on their toes; it would get boring around here otherwise," she adds at the end, chuckling.
The group of ghouls shares a look before crying out simultaneously with a smile, a sign of their agreement to keep their promise. Agatha just smiles. "Thank you."
Finally, the projections fade away, as the room returns to its usual dreary colors. The Scooby gang stands in silence trying to process the scene they witnessed. Misdreavus sways back and forth in the air, having spent a lot of energy keeping the projection going before she begins to fall out of the air. In an uncharacteristic show of bravery, Shaggy reaches out and catches the little ghost before she can hit the ground.
The gang takes another look at the creatures surrounding them. The same monsters that were previously chasing them around scaring the living daylights out of them with such glee now had a new complex look on their faces; a mix of sadness at having to once again acknowledge that a friend is no longer with them, and happiness at getting the chance to see her again and receiving a reminder of the promise they made that day.
After a pang of silence, Daphne kneels and reaches out a hand toward Duskull. She hesitates for but a moment, before committing and tenderly placing her hand atop his mask in the same manner as Agatha. Duskull pauses for a moment, not sure how to react, before choosing to accept the comforting pat on the head. "Duskull..." he sighs contently.
"I was right. You guys aren't evil monsters at all. You just want to protect this house and the memories you made here with her. It's your home." Daphne says.
Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar surround Scooby and Shaggy. For the first time, the duo does not jump back in fear, allowing the trio to check on their friend. Misdreavus is panting heavily and looks drained but seems to be slowly recovering.
"Like, it looks like all of that really tuckered her out. I wish we had something to give her." Shaggy says.
Scooby thinks for a moment before inspiration strikes him. He reaches behind him and pulls out the box of Scooby Snacks he was given earlier. There was about a handful left that he was saving for later. He holds them out to Shaggy. "Rake it, raybe it rill relp."
"Good thinking, Scooby." Shaggy says, picking up a snack and holding it out to Misdreavus' mouth. "Here, try one of these out. If this doesn't perk you up, nothing will." Misdreavus cracks an eye open and opens her mouth to accept the treat. Shaggy pops it in, giving Misdreavus a moment to chew and savor the taste before swallowing. Her eyes widen before leaping out of Shaggy's arms and doing a little flip in the air, having recovered all her strength.
"Misdreavus!" She shouts out happily.
"Looks like it worked, haha."
Gastly and Haunter eye Scooby and the remaining snacks in his paws. They both share a mischievous look, before approaching Scooby with their faces covered. Scooby wonders what they're up to before they reveal their faces, eyes bugging out and tongues wagging. Scooby freaks out, causing him to toss the snacks into the air out of reflex. The remaining treats sail through the air before they are caught on the stretched-out tongues of Gastly and Haunter and are summarily gobbled up. The two seem to enjoy them a lot, laughing as they eat. Scooby is somewhat miffed at having the last of his snacks swiped, but Shaggy just laughs.
"hrrmph, ri ras raving rose for rater."
"This is great and all, but now what?" Velma finally asks, who for the first time in her life is unsure of what to do.
"We do what we originally set out to do to begin with," Fred says confidently. "We find the will and keep this mansion from getting torn down. We already promised Mayor Morty we would, what's one more promise to keep?"
Gengar and the others were surprised to hear that the humans they went out of their way to frighten were so willing to help them now. Before now, there were only a handful of humans they'd ever actually trusted, Agatha being the most prominent. Could they really trust these new ones? Shuppet, Banette, and Lampent in particular were skeptical of the blonde's words.
Fred notices this and answers, "You wanted to keep this place safe from those construction workers who wanted to bulldoze this place, and you thought we were with them. This place is important to you, and you just wanted to keep it safe. That's why you tried to scare us away before, and it's why you showed us that memory, right? We can't just pretend that didn't happen. After all, solving mysteries and helping people out is kinda our thing." Fred turns to the rest of the gang. "What do you guys say?"
"I'm in," Daphne says without hesitation.
Shaggy and Scooby share a word, before nodding in agreement. "Anyone who likes Scooby Snacks can't be that bad. And I know I wouldn't want anyone smashing up my house." Shaggy says.
"Ret's ro rhis." Scooby agrees.
All eyes turn to Velma. "What about you, Velma?" Fred asks, sensing something wrong with his friend.
Velma is silent for a long time, before finally answering "...I just don't know what to say. I feel like my whole world has been turned upside down. We catch ghosts and monsters and unmask them. That's always been our thing. But these guys, as much as I struggle to admit it, are the real deal. Not only that, but now we're talking about helping them too? How are you guys so calm about this?"
Everyone pauses at this before Fred answers, "It's not like we're not shell-shocked by all this either, but as I said, we solve mysteries and help people; it's not like that part has changed. And right now, these guys need our help."
Velma pauses to consider this. Meanwhile, Daphne speaks up. "But that hasn't put us any closer to finding Agatha's will. And I'm gonna guess you guys don't know where it is either, otherwise you wouldn't be in this mess." She directs this statement to Misdreavus and her friends, who look downcast at this fact.
"The only clue we've been able to find so far is this pin we found here in Agatha's office. Do any of you recognize it?" Fred pulls out the strange pin they found earlier and shows it off to the ghosts. They, however, just shrug uncertainly.
"Could the old lady have hidden it somewhere without them knowing?" Shaggy asked.
"Why would she do that though?" Daphne countered.
"Raybe romeone roke in and role it," Scooby suggests.
"If they did, how were they able to get past all the ghosts? Do you guys remember seeing anyone else come by?" Fred asks. He is greeted with a series of head shakes, confirming they have not. The only people they recall coming to the house after Agatha passed were the mayor trying to find the already missing will and the construction workers who never even made it to the second floor.
Velma still seems lost in thought before revelation struck. "Jinkies! I remember now!" All eyes turn to Velma. "It was only for a moment, but we saw this symbol on Clay's briefcase when he tried to hire us. It must be his company's logo!"
"So, then that Clay dude somehow got the will?" Shaggy asks.
"It makes sense; he's the only one who makes a profit out of destroying this place. Without Agatha's will, he'll be free to destroy this place, buy the land, and make way for his stadium." Daphne says.
The ghosts are shocked at this revelation and start to get angry, growling in indignation. They don't know how Clay managed to sneak past them, considering they've been holed up in the manor since Agatha's death. Regardless of how, Banette and the other more mistrustful ghosts were ready to raise chaos again if it meant protecting their home. Daphne took notice of this and tried to placate them. "Guys, I know you're upset, but don't worry. We're going to get it back."
"But, like, how?" Shaggy asks. "We may have found the pin, but is that really enough proof? It's not like he's just gonna confess."
"Shaggy's right. Even if we show this to the mayor, it's not enough to properly implicate him. By the time a proper investigation can get underway, the statute of limitations will be lifted, and it'll be too late." Fred says.
"Rhat ro re ro?" Scooby asks.
Everyone stopped to ponder this when once again Velma stepped up. "I think I have a plan. Fred, we're gonna need a trap." Fred pauses before breaking out into an excited grin as he dashes out the door to get his trapping gear from the Mystery Machine.
"Velma, what are you talking about?" Daphne asks.
"We're gonna determine once and for all the perpetrator behind this mystery." She says before turning to the group of ghosts. "And we'll need your help to do it."
Everyone: human, ghost, and canine alike, look at the bespectacled girl with confusion. Just what is she planning?
There's chapter 4. If all goes well, one more to go. I'll be going on vacation soon though, so the wait on this chapter may be longer, but I will get it out. Feel free to drop a review, and I hope you all have a great day.