"Matches?"

Sibella called out a strong tone towards the dragon a bit away from her. Hearing the voices of the group coming out of the moat and the girls returning from their trip, Matches had wandered closer to everyone from where breakfast was being prepared. Moving to the edge of the gathering, keeping an eye on what was going on. But at the call of Sibella, he immediately turned his attention to her. Padding his webbed feet over to see what she wanted from him, and how he could help.

Letting loose some garbled words, the little dragon saluted and awaited what the Head Mistress wanted. Seeming to Melvin, that he was waiting for instructions from bat woman. Which came a second later, proving his thoughts right.

"Could you give us a quick, 'Blow Dry', please?"

Nodding his head up and down, the dragon made a wave of his webbed flippers towards the people who were still dripping. It made it seem that the little guy wanted the group to close in together. Using similar hand gestures that Melvin had seen Skip, Fred's father make when taking pictures. Melvin had found himself in the cross hairs of Skip's photography, during the 'before' thanksgiving day he and Scrappy had been invited too some years back.

Moving to get in with the rest of the gang and teachers, Melvin wasn't sure what the dragon was going to do... Besides maybe setting something on fire. Which, he hoped wasn't the case. As he was directly in the line of fire.

...Melvin didn't want to be crispy.

Breathing in and out, Matches started to huff. With his tail glowing red, the color grew across his scales and up towards his head. Hacking back a sound, Matches then drew in a big breath before blowing it out at them. But instead of a flame, there was just a long wave of heated air. And it was surprisingly strong, whisking the water right off them. Though it was not without its drawbacks.

"Ah man..."

Turning his attention to behind him, Melvin did notice that everyone was in fact dry, but looked as if they had been taken out of a cartoon drier. As several of the ladies hair seemed to poof out at the sudden drying. No doubt causing the comment he had heard a second ago. With him and Fred lucking out, as their hair seemed to be short enough to not be as effected. But the humidity was not as kind to the women... Abet it was hard for Melvin to notice any difference in Elsa's gravity defying hair-do, and if Tanis had anything other then bandages and her clothes to dry. And well, miss Phanty was a ghost.. water didn't cling to her anyway. So, it was really just Velma, and Daphne that suffered the brunt of the hair issues.

'But... wait, where did that hair comb come from?' Melvin wondered as he watched Daphne make the small piece of useful plastic appear out of thin air. Soon echoed by Fred as well, taming what little extra fluff that came with the fast drying dragon method. Which, was not something Melvin thought he would see, or experience. (Matches actions, rather than Fred and Daphne fixing their hair.) Not realizing that he would end up being blasted by some dragon breath, and live to tell about it.

Not that anyone would actually believe him, even if he told anyone at school. People thought he was weird enough. He tried to tell them about when he helped foil some fraud scheme and discredit a famous archeologist, a while back. It didn't go over so well, and most people thought he was making it up for attention. But here he was, besides the Mystery Inc gang yet again. And doing even more things, that he wouldn't be able to share with the few friends he had in school. And the teachers would doubt his story, no matter how true it was.

CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

All of a sudden, all eyes were drawn to Scooby who made liberal use of his pot and ladle still in paws. Banging them together to draw the attention of everyone there, to make an announcement. Waiting till he could see all eyes upon him, for the noise. Tucking the pot under a paw, and making a deep bow. Waving the ladle towards where he and Matches had set up a table with the food.

"Reakrast, r'as reen served!"

Slipping the large spoon into his tail, he also hung the pot from the limb in order to lead the way to the meal for the group. Which slowly broke apart from their clumps and moved to follow the Dane. Melvin was hungry, since it had been a while since they had ate the night before. But a small part of him was hoping that the food was less... weird. He wasn't used to his meal, almost talking back to him when he bit into it. Specifically, from the Soul Slaw he had tried. And the rest was... well, something made by Shaggy from locally sourced ingredients that were as unique as the teachers and students that seemed to be local as well.

Melvin was trusting that a Great Dane, paired with a small green dragon... to make a meal that was more normal. As strange as that sounded.

As the collection of students, teachers, gang members and Melvin came around the outside picnic tables, it was clear that the set up was not planned for the girls to have come home yet. But that didn't slow down Sibella.

Ever the Hostess, she nodded towards Daphne who moved to assist. A quick muttered conversation, with a few tossed fingers their way... It seemed the pair were organizing how the group was going to sit. Quickly summoning Shaggy, Scooby and the Octopus Butler help them out. As the trio seemed to disappear around one side of the school to haul over some more seating. Allowing everyone to have a spot to enjoy the meal. Providing another set of benches and table to make three patio tables to fit them all. With one sitting horizontally, with the other two tables placed at a slight angle and more vertical. Making like a horseshoe shape with the three tables together.

Now the problem was going to be who sat where, and with whom. Which seemed extra complicated with the added... people.

'Girls and ghouls were people too, right?'

Which required the pair of ladies to pull in some of the other teachers and Gang members to point out the current planning and see if that worked for the others. Feeling more like the strategy meetings his older brother's sport coaches used to do in a huddle, rather then any type of formal table setting conversation. Adding energetic hand motions, gestures and eager head nodding making it seem that they had come up with a workable seating arrangement.

Clapping her hands to get the others attention, Daphne moved to take the reins and moved to show everyone to their seat. With Sibella, a step behind her to make sure none of her students we rude to their guest. She seemed to be hovering behind Daphne in case something bad might happen, or one of the girls wouldn't like the idea of where Daphne was placing them. Sibella really taking up the mantle of being a Head Mistress, to make sure her school stayed in order and were acting ladylike like they were taught. And with the rest of the gang that had been drafted earlier to plan, moved to arrange the others under Daphne's instructions.

Which Melvin found himself sitting at the end of the middle table, on the inside of the horseshoe. Positioned with Blue next to him at his table, and Shaggy at his shoulder on the other bench.

Peering to his left, Melvin looked at the selection of people on that table. Velma sat on one end, with Tanis in the middle... No doubt allowing the woman to continue their in depth, over his head conversation that might still have been from the one that they started at the moat. With Elsa joining them on that side. Mostly nodding but on occasional adding something to the mix. And by his shoulder was Shaggy, then with a spot in the middle for Scooby once he was done serving. And Winnie lounged with her back to the table as she watched over things with her legs crossed stretched out in front of her. Chatting with Shaggy a bit over her shoulder.

Turning to look at who was at his table, Melvin found a very miffed looking Blue at his side. Who didn't want to meet his eyes as he moved to look in her direction. Making a huffing sound as she crossed her arms and turned up her nose to him. Scooting slightly into the seat of Phanty on the other side of her. Who seemed more corporeal at the moment, not letting Blue move too far away from Melvin. (The Phantom's attention was on talking with Daphne, who hadn't sat down yet.) Shrugging, not knowing what he did to upset her. So, he moved on to continue lookin around.

Glancing across from him at the same table, he saw that the mummy girl was looking at him, seeming to be smiling under her bandages in his direction. Well, he assumed to be looking at him, but it was hard to really know as he couldn't see her eyes under the sunglasses that she was wearing. The girl seemed about his age, but it was difficult to figure out her age on her clothing and height. Not really seeing clear features on her. But he was nice, and smiled back towards her, bring polite and greeting her.

"Hello. I didn't catch your name if it was said earlier, my name is Melvin."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Melvin. My name is Vera. And this is Iris and Kelly."

Her voice seemed softer directed towards him, compared to when she was lecturing Blue at the moat. Which is the main reason Melvin even knew the name to the aquatic seeming girl. Though at the other names, he noticed that Iris was the small bush girl that had shyly hid from him earlier. And Kelly was the skeleton girl that had questionable stains he didn't want to bring up. Nodding his head politely at them as he was being introduced. Though Iris clung to Vera's arm to cautiously peer at Melvin past the girls bandaged elbow and sleeve. Kelly wasn't so reserved. seeming to somehow manage to smile more... as a skull. Rattling a wave at him. Surprising him that her hand just didn't fall off with the energetic wrist movements. As her bones seemed to have some unseen, magical force keeping them in place. (As one would hope with a skeleton person, rather then them being able to fall to pieces, like they did in the cartoons.)

"Bluuuuue..." Came out the more annoyed Motherly tone from Vera, directed at the girl beside him. "...introduce yourself. He gave his name it is only proper to give your name back."

"Ugh, why do I have to be sitting next to this, Human. Can't they just all fit on a table by themselves?"

"Blue! These are the guests of the School! You will bring shame upon the Grimwood name, if you keep acting so childish."

"Hey. it's not like he isn't cute." Kelly placed a elbow on the table, to lean her skull upon it and shoot Melvin a second wave, though more... Flirty? Melvin wasn't sure, as he wasn't used to girls even paying attention to him. But it seemed that she was wiggling her finger bones in his direction like he had seen in many teen tv shows when the girl is showing interest in the main lead. But, he was never the kind of person that girls even looked at, let alone shoot him one of those gestures. Maybe, it was because it was an all girl school, and he was a teen boy among them...

'Yeah, that has to be it.' Melvin reasoned with himself.

"Ugh, fine." Rolling her eyes, she snorted and turned to him. "Hi, I'm Blue. There, done, now leave me alone." Blue said at first to Melvin before directing the end of her sentence at Vera. But he figured she would have told him off to leave her alone as well. She was only here for the food, and because she was told that she had to be there..

And Vera just gave him a shrug his way when he looked back to her.

With meeting his table, Melvin was about to look to the last group when he felt the bench shift under him, as Phantasma pushed up from her seat to rock the whole thing. Phasing half through the table and anyone in her way, she flew fast to dash to catch a run away! Stretching up in his seat, he watched as the small Grimwood girl seemed to have broken away from the group and was running off. Though quickly being overtaken by the Ghost Teacher. Who was the ultimate chaser, as she could pass right through anything in her way. The girl was unable to zig or zag fast enough around things to lose the intangible pursuer.

"No wonder Daphne called her 'tougher'... If she had been tagged, there would be no stopping her." Melvin muttered, mainly to himself but it caught the attention of Kelly. Who had still been paying attention to him, to hear his comment.

"Miss Phanty? Someone called her tough? What do you mean, Melvin?" Kelly tilted towards Melvin in interest, placing her jawbone on the backs of her hands that had been brought up for her to lean on them. Elbows braced on the table before her.

"Why was she called that? Usually she is really laid back, well unless Jackie did something like that."

"Jackie?"

"The small troublemaker." Vera signed, shaking her head. "As much as she has been taught to be ladylike, she still wants to run around like a little monster and get into everything. No doubt wanting to climb into something she shouldn't."

"Ah, well... She is younger, yes?" Melvin asked, earning nods from Vera and Kelly on the other side of the table. "Hard to expect them to want to behave all the time when they want to play. But well, rules need to be followed."

Melvin watched at Phantasma came back with the small girl named Jacky, over her shoulder with a pouting face for being caught. Her small cheeks puffed out in protest, arms cross as she was hauled back. She seemed human, or well less discernable monster daughter then the rest of them seemed to be. From what he could see, Jackie was wearing bleached jean overalls. But it seemed that one side was unbuckled, letting him see the back of her asymmetrical two toned grey shirt. Tied about her waist, was a red and black flannel shirt. Her scuffed up and muddied boots attempted to kick in frustration at Phanty. But perks of a Phantom. Allowing her to keep a grip on the rebelling youth but have her torso ghost, letting the boots pass harmlessly through her. Dragging the protesting student back to her seat to get an earful from Sibella. Who had been sitting between Jackie and her twin, but hadn't been fast enough to aim for the run away. While Phantasma chased Jackie, the Head mistress stuck by the other sibling.

...Who seemed the polar opposite in attitude. While Jackie was all wild and restless, the other girl was sitting at the table patiently, nose in a book. They had similar faces, but the hair was different. Jackie had her wild auburn hair in curls while her sister just had, short wavy brown locks. Their skin was also slightly different, with Jackie slightly darker skin tone then her more paler sister. Might be since it seemed Jackie was more for running around in the outdoors, while the other sister was more of a homebody and liked to read indoors. But they did share similar facial features, size and clothing. From what Melvin could see from his seat.

"Looks like she didn't get far." Melvin pointed out tossing at hand towards the girl being dropped off by the annoyed looking Sibella. Probably gearing up to give the girl an lecture about her behavior.

"She usually doesn't. But she has to try, right?" Kelly snickered, "but you were talking about Miss Phanty?"

"Oh right. Well, you girls weren't here yet. We started the morning by going to the Ballet room. While I think dancing Ballet is fine for exercise, I was glad that Shaggy and Winny decided to have us play Tag instead. But soon Daphne... uh, the red haired woman over there..." Melvin pointed out Daphne, realizing that the girls hadn't been introduced to the gang yet officially. So, he tried to point out anyone he was mentioning so the girls he was talking to knew who he meant, "Shaggy, the scruffy guy over there. He used to be your teachers, teacher. So, he got together with miss Winny to come up with tag. And the pair ended up making the woman there, Daphne... to the person who is 'it'. And then the pair jumped out of the window into the moat. Uh... You guys know what tag is, right?"

Melvin realized that he wasn't sure how many things he took for granted, was known to these girls from another world. Or if monster kids had their own versions of the games he knew about. Not wanting to assume anything.

"Yes, we know what the game tag is," Blue snorted snidely at Melvin. Though it seemed that as much as she was huffing and turning away from him, she was still paying attention to the conversation.

"Well, with Daphne being it, she quickly turned on the room. Fred, uh the Blond guy over there and Velma, the Lady with the thick glasses... Are friends with Daphne, and knew she was a threat when she was dubbed 'it'. So, Fred helped me out of the way, while Daphne moved to try to catch your headmaster." Melvin made sure to point out the people he was talking about. And try to explain his story the best way he could so they knew what he was talking about... At least, he hoped he was.

"Miss Sibella? How did that go?" Caught up in the story, the girls sitting across from him leaned forward, eager to hear the rest of his tale. And he didn't miss the twitching of Blue's ear fin, that made the teen think that she was also still listening to his words. As much as she was against humans.

"As well as you would expect. Miss Sibella turned into a bat the moment it seemed like Daphne was about to catch her. Flying out of range for Daphne to miss. And well, Phanty also avoided Daphne's grab to get her it. Making herself dodge out of range and through a wall." Melvin made sure to add hand gestures like the flapping of a bat's wings with his hands and wrists. And simulated Daphne's brush with almost going face first into the wall as she chased the lady.

"Yeah."

"That sounds like her alright."

"And that is when Daphne called them both 'tough'. Its hard to catch someone when they can phase through a wall, but then still can be solid to tag you back. But eventually, people were either caught or escaped into the moat. When everyone was in the water, we did a lap around the school and that's when you girls showed up." Melvin completed his story, calling it good there. Sure, there was more points but he covered the basics that lead up to the comment he had said earlier. And what they asked him to talk about. Not wanting to just hog the conversation, but he had to ask.

"Is it common for you ladies to jump out of the window and go for a swim? Shaggy made it sound like this was something that happened a lot. But I wasn't sure if that was just in the past when he was teaching your teachers, or if your gym teacher does that as well."

As much of a rush it was fall that far into water, Melvin wasn't exactly 'jumping' to do that again any time soon. Especially since he had been pushed before he was fully ready. But thankfully he hadn't seen the two headed shark that Scrappy talked about. Making it out of the moat in one piece, as well as everyone else.

"Yeah, we have done that befo..."

Vera was cut off as she got distracted by several bodies moving all at once. Shaggy, Winny and Daphne all jumped to stop Scooby from ringing out the pot a third time. The Dane was snagged mid movement, about to bring the ladle down upon the pot in his paws. Daphne snagged the spoon from his grip, while Winny had hopped over the table to pull the pot away from him. And Shaggy moved to comfort the slightly sulky Scooby, with distracting ear scratches.

"Well, it seems that Breakfast is ready. Since you three are up, may I ask you to help Scooby and Matches bring out the food. Also..." Clapping, Sibella made sure to call over the octopus butler as well, as he was perfectly equip to bring out the meal in a fast manner.

With the extra hands and tentacles, each table was soon filled with delicious smelling food. It looked to Melvin that the meal was mainly waffles and sausages, with some type of cut up apples, and some other bits that Melvin wasn't able to identity. Though nothing looked too out of the ordinary for a breakfast. Melvin used the tip of his fork to poke the plate of waffles that sat nearest to him. Looking to see if it moved or something.

But it was Waffles, right? This should be safe to eat...

How different could Ghoul waffles be?

Note from Toki:

I hope everyone is doing well, I'm sorry that I have taken so long for an update on Reunion. 2020 has really kicked my butt, and I am dealing with several medical issues, along with hiding from Covid and being out of work because my job is not essential. So, It's been really rough. But I feel bad that in the time when people could use a distraction like ffnet, that I didn't put out as many stories for you all. So, I apologize.

I at least managed to not wait a full year, before I managed to get another Reunion post out. It is close though. So, here to to my 16th anniversary of writing Scooby Fanfics, and hope that 2021 will be better for all of us... and maybe it won't take me another year to get a chapter out.

~Toki