Mystery With a Hint of Romance {Fred Jones}

the sacrifice

There was not much they could do as Stephanie, Fred, and Velma watched Mondavarious address his creature followers.

"And now, behold! The sacrifice!" Mondavarious said. The three of them looked over and saw Scooby being carried on a stone bed. Stephanie didn't realize that she had reached for Fred's hand until he gave it a gentle squeeze. Meanwhile, Scooby was waving to and thanking everyone, unaware that a disguised Shaggy was one of the people carrying him. 

"Psst!"

"Raggy?" Scooby said. 

"Scoober, hey" Shaggy said. He moved the mask he was wearing further up so that his face could be seen. "Let's run for it. We, like, got to get out of here"

"Ruh-uh! Rym ra racrice!" 

"A sacrifice? That's not a good thing, Scoob. I'm sorry at I yelled at ya, and I'm very sorry I haven't been a very good friend since we got here, but listen to me bro. You gotta trust me now"

"Rou won't rust re!"

"I do trust you, Scoob. Now look, who's your best buddy?"

"Raggy"

"That's right. And who's my best buddy in the whole wide world?"

"Rooby-Doo"

"That's right, Scoob. You are. We're like two trippy peas in a far out pod, man"

"Ruh-huh" At this point, Scooby began to cry. 

"And best buddies, they trust each other. So, let's do what we do best. Let's run out of here, screaming in fear like a couple of lunatics, okay?"

"Rokay!"

"On the count of...let's make it five. One" Shaggy began to count. The stone bed in which Scooby was being carried on was placed on the ground. "Two..." It was too late. The metal claw reached into Scooby and grabbed his protoplasm. He passed out. His protoplasmic head took a look around the room.

"Rey, rook at me!" 

Mondavarious placed the Daemon Ritus on the middle of his body. All the protoplasm that was in the vat began swirling out of it. "The moment is at hand! Through the Daemon Ritus, I shall absorb the energy source!" The Daemon Ritus opened up and it began to glow. All the protoplasm went into Mondavarious. "And now, to complete the transformation, I shall absorb the pure one!" The claw inched Scooby's protoplasm closer to Mondavarious. "Ultimate power shall be mine!" 

"Nobody absorbs my pal!" Shaggy said. He managed to get free from the guard that was restraining him. He jumped up and grabbed onto the claw. It swung round and he hit Mondavarious. He was knocked quite a ways backwards. The Daemon Ritus closed and he stopped absorbing all the souls. Scooby's protoplasm managed to break free from the claw. This made all the guards attempt to catch it, thus allowing Stephanie, Fred, and Velma to go get the Daemon Ritus. Shaggy let go of the claw, nearly falling into a pit, and Scooby's protoplasm made it's way back into his body.

"Rowabunga!" Scooby said, doing a paw-pump.

Stephanie, Fred, and Velma went over to Mondavarious. He was lying motionless, with the exception of his jaw doing slight movement. Velma attempted to touch the Daemon Ritus but it was hot to the touch. Fred noticed something odd around Mondavarious' neck.

"Hey, look Steph and Velms" He pointed to the tear that was in the skin. "A man in a mask" Fred pulled the mask off, revealing a robot underneath. 

"Okay, if he's a robot, then who's controlling him?" Stephanie asked. The Daemon Ritus disappeared underneath the robe's and flew open.

"Da da da da! Puppy power!" It was Scrappy. "I've outsmarted--" He got shocked by a few sparks. Stephanie sighed and shook her head.

"I just had to ask, didn't I?" she said.