"Has anyone seen Uncle Jess?" Mike asked. "I thought he'd be back by now."
Cindy soon looked over and then suddenly saw someone coming. "There is he!" she then called out to the tomboy.
Mike looked over and went out to see her uncle. Jess soon came towards the house and looked over as Mike ran towards him.
"There you are, Uncle Jess." Mike smiled.
"Hey, kiddo," Jess smiled back as he hugged his niece. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I was just getting worried about you." Mike said as she hugged her uncle back.
"I tried to find Dapper Jack, but he disappeared on me." Jess said to her.
"Dang it." Mike complained.
"He won't get away though, you do okay with the stampede?" Jess asked.
"Yeah, I did that rope trick you taught me," Mike smiled. "Luckily Longhorn is Chicken's uncle, he went down a little easy."
"I'm so proud of you." Jess smiled back as he ruffled up her hair and gave her another hug.
"I learned from the best." Mike replied.
"Ya gonna get ready for the big dance?" Jess asked.
"Yeah, I'm pretty excited about it." Mike smiled.
"Gonna dance with your little sweetheart, huh?" Jess replied.
"If she wants to." Mike blushed.
"I'm sure she will, I can't imagine why she wouldn't," Jess chuckled. "Even Sonya dances with Andy sometimes to be nice."
"How is Sonya doing?" Mike asked.
"I... Uh... Erm... Oh, look, there's Lillian right now..." Jess blushed a little bit as he turned around.
"Uncle Jess, do you have a crush on Sonya?" Mike asked.
"You better run along now, y'all have fun now." Jess told Mike, shoving her towards the brunette girl.
"You got that look..." Mike said as she stopped and looked at her uncle. "Uncle Jess, you know you can tell me anything, we're family. Do you or do you not like Sonya?"
"Well, I'd better get ready for that dance too." Jess replied.
"Uncle Jess..." Mike drawled out.
"Okay... I kinda like her..." Jess soon admitted. "She's not like the other women I've been with."
"Really?" Mike asked. "Well, she is technically an ex-mascot because her commercial was banned with the Spongemonkeys, but what do you mean exactly?"
"Well, she's really pretty, brave, and not afraid to take a bullet for someone she really cares about." Jess replied.
"I think that you two would be a really good couple." Mike smiled.
"Ya really think so?" Jess replied.
"You haven't told her how you felt, have you?" Mike asked.
Jess smiled sheepishly.
"Hmm... My cousin Rita from my adoptive family used to give me advice on love back when Haggis and Baggis Cuzzlewitz were crazy about me, maybe I can help a little." Mike suggested.
"Hey, Mike, I'm excited for our dance," Wendy smiled as she came up to the tomboy. "I can't wait."
"Uh, what are you talking about?" Mike asked.
"Didn't you send me a rose?" Wendy frowned.
"Um, no, I didn't, I'm sorry..." Mike said to Wendy.
"Ooh..." Jess winced as this had to be heartbreaking for Wendy right now.
"But... Who else would...?" Wendy asked. "Mike, I thought we liked each other, especially that time when you saved us from Daddy's co-worker."
"Wendy, I do like you, but as a friend." Mike sighed.
"Oh... Okay... But if you didn't send it, then who did?" Wendy wondered.
"Beats me." Mike shrugged.
Wendy looked to her and merely sighed before she took out her blue and white dress to go put on for the dance. A boy with a black hat in a black mask with a red cape watched Wendy with a small smile and disappeared for right now.
Once everyone got ready, they met up for the dance, but before the party would start, there would be something to announce.
"And for the greatest bronco riding this cowboy has ever seen, the grand prize goes to... Norville Rogers!" The host announced as he brought out a golden trophy filled with money to give to Shaggy.
Shaggy accepted the trophy while everyone else cheered for him.
"Congratulations, Shaggy!" Mike cheered.
"Like, thanks, Mike, you're not mad, are you?" Shaggy replied.
"Nah, you deserve it." Mike said.
"Well, gosh, thanks." Shaggy smiled.
Mike smiled back politely.
"Like, here you go, cous," Shaggy smiled as he gave the trophy to his cousin. "This should save the ranch."
"I-I don't know if I oughta accept this!" Tawny's eyes widened. "You risked your life to help me!"
"All in a day's work, ma'am." Shaggy smiled.
"Thank you so much, Shaggy!" Tawny smiled back as she hugged her distant cousin.
"Aw! Group Hug..." Scooby smiled as he also hugged Shaggy and Tawny.
Music then began to play, starting the dance.
"Aren't you the interior designer?" Ellody asked the cook.
"I'm also a DJ." The cook smiled to her.
"Man, what can't this dude do?" Lightning asked.
Wendy sighed as Mike and Lil joined together and she looked heartbroken.
"You look distressed..." A voice said.
Wendy looked around and soon saw someone standing beside her with the black mask, a black hat, and a red cape over his shoulders, looking like a masked stranger. "W-Who are you...?" she asked with a slight gasp.
"A mysterious but friendly stranger." The boy replied.
Wendy gasped with wide eyes. "You sent me that rose!"
"I've only known you for a short time, but from the moment I first laid eyes on you, I've felt something special I've never felt before," The boy said to her. "May I have this dance?"
"Why, you certainly may dance with me." Wendy blushed.
The boy soon took Wendy's hands and they moved out onto the dance floor together while everyone else danced and had fun.
"Nobody will love me... I'll never find my own true love." Lisa sighed as she was also now the owner of a lonely heart since Scott told her that he loved Jade and she just had to accept that.
"Oh, Lisa, don't think like that, you'll find someone soon." Brianna said as she carried a glass of punch.
"You think so?" Lisa asked.
"I know that one day, you'll find the right guy for you." Brianna soothed as she held out the punch to the girl.
"Hm... I guess I just have to wait... I hope it's not long..." Lisa sighed as she took the punch when Brianna gave it to her.
"Here, why don't I sit with you for a minute?" Brianna offered.
"You don't have to do that, don't you wanna dance with Trent?" Lisa asked.
"He can wait." Brianna smiled.
Daphne, Cindy, and Velma were serving punch as Velma was wearing a black cowboy hat, a cow printed vest, a skirt, and pink and white boots.
"I can't believe that you conned me into wearing this outfit," Velma groaned to Daphne. "How could it get any worse?"
Daphne turned on a light and the neon spelled out 'REFRESHMENTS'.
"Thank you for so distinctly answering my question, Daphne." Velma muttered.
"Stick with the plan, besides, you and Cindy look super cute." Daphne smiled while hugging her.
"Aw, thanks, Daphne." Cindy blushed.
"Hello, ladies~" Larry greeted as he appeared with Kyle.
"Happy to see me?" Kyle smirked to Velma. "Hmm?"
"Yes, but probably not the reason you're thinking of..." Velma smiled at first.
"Grab him before he gets away!" Cindy called out.
"Huh?" Kyle blinked out of confusion and a net fell on top of him.
Fred and Trent glared as they grabbed a hold of him.
"Hey, how'd you know it was-" Kyle glared until he noticed everyone else coming to him. "I mean, how come you think it was me?" he then smiled innocently.
"What's going on?" Wendy asked.
"Wendy, I'm sorry, but your Uncle Kyle is the ghost." Daphne said to the mascot girl.
"Huh?" Wendy's eyes widened. "Uncle Kyle, please tell me that's not true."
"Sorry, Wendy, but we did a little research." Cindy told the girl.
"We knew Kyle might escape from that net, but as a back-up, it was covered in UV Powder," Fred explained. "Enough powder to make sure some would rub off on him."
"We just had to wait for the culprit to step under the black-light, and it lit up like a Christmas Tree." Daphne added.
"Yeah, like you stepped right into it." Shaggy smirked, shoving Kyle against the cops.
"Reah! Right into it." Scooby added.
"You can't prove anything!" Kyle cried out as he was taken away. "Whatchu got, a little UV powder? You got nuthin'! NUTHIN'!"
"I can't believe that my uncle would do this." Wendy pouted.
The boy then pulled her to a hug comforting her as she was crying.
"Holy cow!" Millie exclaimed. "I can't believe it! You caught the ghost!"
"That's Mystery Inc for ya, Mills." Scott said to his long-lost cousin.
"Well, not exactly..." Trent said to them. "There had to be someone else involved."
"Right... Someone else must've started that stampede..." Ellody said before looking at Chicken. "Did your Uncle Longhorn mention anybody?"
"All that he said to me was that there was two figures, but that's all he knows," Chicken shrugged. "He can't see in the dark ya know."
"Hm... Thanks anyway, Chicken," Ellody said as she scratched her chin. "Maybe there's something in Kyle's room... Tawny, do you have the key?"
Tawny reached into her pocket and brought out a ring of keys, and with that, they went to Kyle's room in the house to find clues.
"Find anything?" Cindy asked the others.
"These fireworks link Kyle to all of the Flaming J's in the sky." Katrina said.
"But that don't explain who his accomplices were." Jade shrugged.
"Shaggy, how come you guys aren't looking?" Lil asked as she looked over to the cowardly duo.
"Dude... That's gonna eat us!" Shaggy shivered with Scooby, pointing to the bear mounted on the wall.
"Don't be ridiculous, it's stuffed!" Velma replied.
"I was stuffed for lunch, but I still ate more!" Shaggy defended.
"Maybe there's more to this bear head than meets the eye." Fred said as he came closer before pressing on the plaque and the bear head seemed to open up its mouth and showed a key.
"Is that a hidden compartment?" Brianna blinked in surprise.
"Yeah." Trent nodded to her.
Fred unlocked the bear head and opened it, revealing two guns and a hat.
"Look, here's the guns Kyle used to shoot boric acid fire." Ellody examined.
"And here's the cowboy hat he wore," Katrina said as she took out the hat and found something hidden in the rim. "See? This projected the skull face, and this veil he wore over his face to activate Dapper Jack's face."
"That's brilliant!" Ellody had to admit. "Quite ingenious!"
"Ooh, if 'quite ingenious' means 'so scary, I almost lost my appetite', then you're right!" Shaggy said before holding onto Scooby.
"There's something else too..." Cindy said as she took out a book and opened it up. "It's Rufus Carmichael's diary! And... Look at this... A business card for Black Rattler Management..." she then looked at the book again and saw three young girls in bonnets and dresses which were pale red, green, and blue, and seemed to wear giant steam engine jet packs. "Belulah, Babette, and Bailey: The Steamypuff Girls'? They must be the Powerpuff Girls' ancestors or something."
"Black Rattler Management? That's the company that's been buying up the town," Velma said before suddenly getting an idea. "Guys, I know who's behind all of this. We gotta get back to the Barn Dance."
Back at the dance...
"Wendy, I'm really sorry about your uncle..." The mysterious boy said to Wendy as he twirled and dipped her like a gentleman as they shared a romantic dance together. "I promise, I'll do anything I can to help make you feel better."
"Thank you, kind stranger." Wendy smiled.
"Well, we finally finished driving them cattle back into their pens." Rafe said as he came back with his daughter.
"Did we miss anything?" Kimberly added.
Then suddenly, Velma, Cindy, and Ellody were on stage.
"Excuse me? Hi," Velma cleared her throat. "We found Sheriff Carmichael's diary."
"And the story of Dapper Jack turns out to be a lot more different than the one they tell tourists, listen to this." Ellody added.
Cindy adjusted her glasses and took the book to read aloud to everyone to hear. "'The People of Sorghum City loved that cool Jack Rogers, or Dapper Jack as they called him. They think he's kind, they think he's warm-hearted. They think he's generous. Always willing to lend a hand. No one loved him more though than them Steamypuff Girls who were able to overthrow Mojo the Kid and he taught them that if they put their minds to it, they can accomplish anything, and that includes taking him on along with The Gangverde Gang to keep this town safe. If life has taught me anything, it's that anything one man has, another man may take the so-called Dapper Jack'."
"Yes, Sheriff Carmichael wanted everyone to love him the way they loved Dapper Jack, so he framed him for cattle rustling," Ellody added. "He turned the whole town against him. Here, he says he had trouble catching Jack because of his amazing abilities on horseback, which, as you all see, his descendant Shaggy inherited from him."
"Does he say anything about not being able to grow a full beard?" Shaggy asked as he scratched his goatee. "'Cuz I definitely inherited that from someone."
"Now listen to this," Cindy told the crowd as she still held the diary. "'May 17th, 1867. I finally caught Dapper Jack by Winchell Pipe while keeping those bratty Steamypuff Girls busy by making them go to school. He was a fast draw, but a poor shot. As it turns out, Jack Rogers was more dead than he ever was alive. I can commit an all matter of crimes, and blame Dapper Jack: the great outlaw! The whole town curses his name! One day, I will simply disappear for a week or so, and return with a tale of tracking down, and ending Dapper Jack. I will be remembered forever as a hero while Jack Rogers's name goes down in the anthills of history worse than that dimwitted Lone Star Bravo'."
"Well, clearly this sheriff was a byproduct of bad parenting." Midge scolded.
"Just as Sheriff Carmichael used Dapper Jack to steal from the town, someone else is now using Dapper Jack's ghost to steal from the town." Velma then stated.
"And that someone is... Rafe and Kimberly!" Ellody revealed.
Both Tawny and Millie gasped to the father and daughter.
Rafe just laughed. "My little filly wouldn't hurt a fly, why, that's just plain-"
The others cut him off with glares as they came toward both Rafe and Kimberly. Rafe backed up and felt a gun pointed at his back he turned around and saw Jess has his gun pointed at his back.
"Hold it right there, pal, let's take this nice and easy." Jess told Rafe.
"Hey, man, we didn't do nuthin'!" Kimberly glared only to get a rope tied around her, thanks to Scooby.
"Howdy, partner." Scooby smirked.
"Nice roping, Scooby-Doo." Buddy smiled.
"It was you?!" Tawny asked Rafe in shock. "But... Why?!"
"Ah..." Rafe sighed in defeat. "I lined up a deal with the company that builds resorts. They offered millions for the Sorghum City area."
"But why would you pretend to be a ghost?" Millie frowned.
"The company wanted to build a theme around Dapper Jack: The Outlaw," Rafe said as he tried to undo the rope without them knowing. "So I came up with a fake ghost. They got interested in the outlaw store, and it would scare people off so I could sell their land, and my company: Black Rattler Management. How'd you know it was us?"
"Simple," Cindy replied. "You two said you built the Dude Ranch's website yourself, and you used El Kabong font."
"No professional would use that font!" Velma added. "No one with any taste or self-respect would-"
"Easy there, Velma..." Daphne warned.
"Anyway, we saw the font on the Black Rattler Management business card," Velma continued. "There can't possibly be two people in the world who would use that font. I MEAN, LOOK AT IT!"
"We still like it." Kimberly shrugged in defense.
"The moral of the story is: never use El Kabong font!" Velma scolded.
Kimberly and Rafe pushed the geniuses and Jess out of the way and grabbed two rifles.
"You'll never take us!" Rafe warned.
"Lil, you know it's time to kick some action." Mike told her girlfriend.
Lil nodded and followed after her girlfriend to change to their alter egos.
"We'll be outta the country by morning," Kimberly said as she took the money. "$10,000 will get us a long way!"
"We'll be taking her too!" Rafe smirked as he then suddenly grabbed Wendy and tied her up as a hostage. "Nobody is going to stop us!"
The lights then turned off which made everybody confused.
"Who turned off the lights?" Cindy wondered.
Luckily for Mike and Lil, they could see in the dark and soon changed into Action Girl and Dark Queen.
"Let me go with you." A mysterious voice told them.
"Wait, is this Jacob?" Lil asked while changing.
"I have to save Wendy Thomas..." The boy told her.
"You love her, don't you?" Mike guessed.
"I want to protect her until the day I die." Jacob promised.
"Aww..." Mike and Lil smiled as they found that touching and heartwarming.
"All right, you can come with us, but on one condition: you keep what you see us do tonight a secret." Mike told the boy.
"I will, I promise." Jacob nodded.
Mike and Lil look at each other smiled as they put on their masks.