Scooby Doo! Meet Ellie Machine

Web of the Dreamweaver! (Part 1)

"This will work, I promise Ellie," Fred told me. I crossed my arms and raised a brow. "We're kicking someone out of the team, and you think food will help smooth things over?" I asked incredulously.

Fred seemed to freeze. "I mean, when you put it that way, it sounds stupid," he muttered. "Like, keep your eyes closed," I heard Shaggy say. It sounded like he was leading Marcie down the stairs. "Uh, a bit longer."

They came into view, and I leaned against the counter. What we were going was cruel, but with how close she and Velma got to Mr. E. she was still a liability. At least, that's what I told myself. "Okay, open 'em."

"Surprise!" Fred, Velma, and Daphne exclaimed, gesturing to all the food Shaggy and Scooby prepared- I was surprised at how much of a wizz in the kitchen Shaggy had become.

"Pancake Bolognese?" Shaggy offered, holding out the pancake-pasta concoction. Scooby shoved Marcie into a chair and Shaggy started shoveling food into her mouth before she could protest. I sighed and had to look to the floor to avoid meeting her gaze. I hate this.

"Ah, nice back rub?" Scooby asked as he rubbed her shoulders. "Uh, what's this all about?" Marcie asked cautiously. She scanned us as we remained awkwardly quiet, and she settled her eyes on Velma. "V.? What's going on?"

"Well, um, Marcie," Velma stuttered, trying to find the right words. "Remember how I brought you in to take Daphne's place? Now that's Daphne's back, I- We-..."

It seemed like Marcy got the picture. She sighed, got up, and walked out the front door. "Marcy, I'm sorry!" I heard Velma exclaim as she followed her. From the deafening silence that fogged around us, I could tell we were all listening into the conversation between the two. "I fought for you to stay. But, well... It's always been the six of us."

"Forget it. Velma, I knew things were temporary," Marcie said. "I thought maybe you and me-,"

"You and I."

Seriously Velma?

"Yeah, right, whatever. It's just, I never really had a friend before, and I was hoping you would put our friendship before Mystery Incorporated. But I guess not. See you around."

There were a few heartbeats of silence, and Velma trudged back into the house. We all gathered around the table of food, too stunned in silence at what we just did. Well, except for chomping from Shaggy and Scooby eating.

"We never had to kick someone out of the gang before. I feel too bad to even eat," Daphne sighed. "Us, too!" Shaggy and Scooby said, swallowing guiltily. I glared at Velma. "Why did we even have to drag her into this in the first place?" I asked.

Velma didn't say anything. She was too lost in thought. "Hey, guys. You know what always makes me feel better?" Fred asked, standing up. We all collectively sighed, and I couldn't help an eyeroll. "Traps?"

"No, traps!" he said with one of his oblivious smiles. "All we need now is a reason to set them."

That's when the newspaper caught my eye. I reached over and quickly skimmed over the front-page story. "Hey, guys, look at this," I said, and held up the paper for everyone else. "Last night Horbert Feist, prominent banker, drove his car at high speed into the Crystal Cove bank."

"Why would he do that?" Scooby asked.

"I don't know, and I don't care, but a mystery is just the thing we need now to wipe away our skull-crushing guilt," Daphne declared. "I'm in," Fred agreed. "Velma?"

"Sure, I could use a little soul cleansing right about now," Velma mumbled. Without any further ado, we all got our things together, hopped in the van, and drove to the Crystal Cove jail.