Meanwhile, somewhere in the underworld, Shelly and Brenda had awaken. They were both unconscious and had no idea where they were.
Brenda's eyes started to open "Huh? W-where am I?"
Just then, she saw an unconscious Shelly laying on top of her.
"Shelly, are you all right?" Brenda asked.
She didn't wake up, she was out cold.
"Shelly?" Brenda shook her again, still no movement.
Just then, a soul tapped Brenda on her shoulder "Hey!"
Brenda turned around and saw the soul "AAAHHH!"
"So, you trying to get your friend to wake up, eh?" the soul asked.
Brenda nodded her head, while still quivering with fear.
"Go over to that fountain" the soul pointed to a fountain with a liquid that looked like orange soda "It should perk you two up."
Brenda nodded nervously before getting up and went over to the fountain.
With a bucket filled with the liquid, she returned to Shelly and splashed her face with it. Just then, Shelly's eyes started to open.
"Huh?" Her eyes started to open "W-w-what's going on? Why am I all wet?"
"Shelly!" Brenda exclaimed "You're awake!"
Brenda hugged Shelly tightly. She was so happy that she was awake.
"Hey that's enough Chance!" Shelly pulled from the hug "What's going on? Where are we?"
"I have no idea where we are" said Brenda "All I remember is being attacked by Karu Sil and next thing you know, my vision is going dark."
"That's odd..." Shelly remarked. "I remembered fighting the Black Manta underwater, then everyone got knocked out, something happened and everything went black until you splashed me with that bucket."
"Golly," said Brenda "This place looks very dark and scary."
"I know" said Shelly "Normally, I'd complain, but I think this place speaks for itself."
"Maybe someone can tell us where we are" suggested Brenda.
The two girls looked around and then found the soul that suggested Brenda to the fountain earlier.
"Excuse us, mister." Brenda said to the soul as they raced over to him. "Can you tell us where we are?"
"I'm glad you asked my dear" said the soul "This is the Underworld."
"T-t-t-the U-u-u-u-Underworld?!" Brenda shivered.
"Underworld?" Shelly asked as she started shivering. "What's that?"
"The land of the dead, honey" said the soul "This is where you go after your life has ended."
"So let me get this straight: We're dead?" Brenda asked.
"That's right, honey." The soul nodded.
"AAAHHH!" The girls screamed as they held onto each other.
"Wait, is there a way for us to be back in the normal world?" Shelly asked.
"Sorry baby, but that's way outta my league" the soul told them "But if you want to find a way to be brought back to life, you'll have to take that up with Hades."
"H-h-h-Hades?" Brenda and Shelly started shivering.
"Yep" said the soul "Lord of the dead. You might wanna go to his throne and talk with him and his wife, Persephone. He will determine whether you two will become ghosts, angels or souls like all of us in the Underworld. But I highly doubt he would bring you back to life."
"It's worth a try" said Shelly.
"Suit yourself" said the soul "To get to Hades, you'll have to go pass the River of Souls. But you'd better hurry, cause it's a long walk to the river."
"Then, we'd better get moving." Brenda said. "I'll bet that Skip and Biff must be missing us."
"Right." Shelly nodded as they started their journey to find Hades.
Back in the real world, Scooby, Scrappy, Mudsy, Daphne, Shaggy and Boo finally made it to the temple of the sword.
"Jeepers" said Daphne "There's the temple."
"And that's where the sword is" Scrappy added. "So come on Uncle Scooby! Let's roll! Tada dada dada! Puppy power!"
Scrappy picked Scooby up and started to carry him to the temple.
"Coke on Shaggy" Daphne ran to the temple.
"Like, wait up Daphne" Shaggy followed her.
"Heavens to Delaware!" Mudsy flew after them "Don't forget the Funky Phantom!"
The six raced towards the temple, only to find that it was cover with tall weeds and the gate of Earth was no where to be found.
"Say, where's the gate?" Scrappy asked. "I thought you said this is where you guys started your journey."
"It is." Shaggy replied. "We have to clear all of the weeds here and hedges."
"But how?" Daphne asked. "It looks like it's going to take a long time."
"Not if we can help it." Scooby said before he and Shaggy turned to Matshuhiro and his two samurai apprentices.
The trio nodded before pulling out two pairs of swords and tossed them over to the duo.
"Shag, look out!" Daphne exclaimed as she and Scrappy took cover, but Shaggy and Scooby stood their ground and caught the four swords.
Turning to their friends, Shaggy said, "Like, our journey begins here in the temple after clearing all of the weeds and hedges and repairing the gate of Earth, which is buried under the hedges."
Matshuhiro nodded. "I suggest you four to get started now."
Shaggy and Scooby both nodded before turning to Daphne, Scrappy, Mudsy and Boo.
"Like, let's do this, guys." Shaggy said as he and Scooby handed Daphne and Scrappy the swords.
Their friends all nodded before getting down to work.
While the temple was covered with tall weeds, the six were able to clear the grass and hedges and set up the gate of Earth after some hard work.
"Heavens to Betsy Ross!" Mudsy said. "We did it!"
"Yes" Daphne nodded "The Gate of Earth!"
"Meow" said Boo.
"Brilliant work." Matshuhiro nodded as the six heroes crossed the gate. "This is where your journey continues on, through the gates of Air, Fire and Water."
Shaggy and Scooby nodded as they trimmed the last remaining hedges, which uncovered an ancient painting with the four gates and their approximate locations.
"So this is where it actually all began?" Daphne asked.
"Yes." Scooby nodded. "We'd better get moving now."
"Yeah, we've got barely six hours to go." Scrappy agreed.
The six heroes then started their journey towards Mount Fuji after Matshuhiro bidded them good luck.
Back in Crystal Cove, the Neptune's, the Teen Angels, Augie, Skip and the original Mystery Inc. thought they were seeing double. April and Alice May were together.
"Get away from him you skank!" April told Alice.
"Unga, me think me seeing double" said Captain Caveman "Me see two April's."
"And I see you had hurt my baby, as well." April, still in Alice's clothes, said as she rubbed Elmo's fur while he continued to growl at Alice.
"Say, two Aprils?" Augie asked. "It can't be!"
"And Elmo doesn't growl or bites April like he did." Dee Dee added. "That means the April that was with us when we were in the HOUSE is an impostor!"
"Not to mention one other thing!" Skip pointed out "The real April Stewart has regular eyes, this one has round, blue circles and flesh sclera."
"Who are you missy?!" Taffy demanded.
"Identify yourself April impostor!" Jabber demanded.
"Alright, you all got me." Alice confessed as the heroes cornered her like a rat. "I am Alice May, and I can tell you all that your mission to save the world is doomed to fail."
"Why's that?" Biff asked with his arms crossed.
Just then, several windows in the HOUSE were smashed, and in came dozens of agents all armed with weapons.
"Cause if I did, I'd have to kill you" Alice got into the copter "Now that I know where Mystery Inc. is, I can finally get my revenge. So long suckers!"
The copter flew away to Japan after Scooby and the others.
"Quick!" said Dee-Dee "After her!"
"Come on!" said Judy.
"Not so fast!" One of the agents ordered. "You all are coming with us!"
"I don't think so!" Jabberjaw said.
Jabberjaw picked up the guards, spun them like basketballs and tossed them out the window.
"Me take care of them" said Cavey "Captain CAVEMAAAAANNN!"
Cavey used his club to deflect the beams from the laser guns and bounce them back to the guards.
"Come" said Pericles "We haven't much time."
"Right." Ricky said as he picked up a rocket launcher from one of the knocked out agents. "Let's go."
The duo quickly made their way towards the window.
"Aim for the propeller, Ricky." Pericles instructed his best friend.
"Right." Ricky nodded as he took aim at the helicopters propeller and fired.
The rocket missile hit the propeller and exploded, damaging the helicopter.
"Drat!" Alice cursed as the helicopter started to lose altitude.
"We're losing altitude" said one of the agents.
"Then we have to parachute out!" Alice said "Come on!"
Alice took a parachute and used it to get out of the copter.
Within minutes, she and the agents made it out before the helicopter crashed into the sea.
"We'd better return to Messick Island for another helicopter!" The head agent said.
Back in the house, Mr. E and Pericles saw the whole scene unfolding.
"Great work, Ricky!" Pericles said. "We've slowed her down!"
"Glad we did." Ricky nodded. "But right now, we'd better help the others. It seems like they're in trouble!"
"Zowie" said Taffy "What's going on?"
"We just stopped Alice's getaway." Pericles said. "She won't be able to reach the Sword of Fate in time."
"That's good, because we need help now!" Judy said.
"You sure are." One of the agents said as more agents arrived. "We're going to bring you to your allies in the form of an all-expenses paid one-way trip to Messick Island!"
"You can't be serious" Skip remarked.
"How many agents does this guy have?" Cassidy asked.
"It's classified." The head agent replied. "Now, would you like to come with us, or do you want to do it the hard way?"
"We ain't going down without a fight!" Dee Dee said "Right guys?"
"Right!" Bubbles said "I'm not running anymore."
"Gee Bubbles," said Biff "I've never seen you so serious!"
"Yeah, what gives?" Jabber asked.
"Guys, I just lost my best friend" Bubbles said "And I want to avenge her. She was like- no! She WAS my sister! Now I'm a more serious person!"
"I'm with you on avenging." Skip said. "After losing my fiancé, there's no way I'm going down without a fight."
The heroes, agreeing with their statements, nodded before adopting combat poses as they faced the agents.
Author's Note:
Well there you have it! The surprise subplot is about Brenda and Shelly going onto a journey to see Hades in the Underworld in an attempt to be brought back to life, so they can reunite with their friends and loved ones. Along the way, they will discover some things about each other and all about their feelings and insecurities. As for the gang back in Crystal Cove, they have to face Alice May and the rest of Dr. Zin's agents in an epic battle! Will they win? And will Ruff and Reddy be crowned in time? Stay tuned!