sonderling || mystery incorporated

018 NIGHTFRIGHT

Lydia sat on her own in her room, watching a Vincent Van Ghoul movie from her bed. Me, Zombie was on. It was one of Lydia's favorites, mostly because her favorite actress finally had way more screentime. Her favorite actor, obviously Vincent Van Ghoul himself, was amazing and all, but she loved that if his movies had a romantic interest, she had to be played by his real-time wife, Alcinda Van Ghoul!

She jolted, sitting up fully as her phone rang, quickly picking it up, "H- hello?" She spoke, taking a second to clear her throat. She hadn't even checked the caller ID- "Lyds! Lydia, you gotta, like, get over here pronto!" Lydia could practically hear the giddiness in Shaggy's voice before he suddenly hung up. She pulled the phone away from her ear, frowning confused before shrugging.

The teenage girl stood up, stretching as she turned off the television, grabbing a hoodie and her skateboard on her way upstairs and out the front door.

It was a short ride over to the Rogers mansion, though she paused on the sidewalk at seeing the hearse parked outside. Lydia squinted at it, trying to piece something together before giving up, sighing as she walked up to the front door and letting herself in.

"Shag, did you know there's a hea- Oh. My. God." She stopped in the doorway, dropping her skateboard as a man turned to look at her. "You- That- V-" She blinked hard, then pinched herself before looking back up, eyes wide as Vincent Van Ghoul just stood in Shaggy's living room.

"How-" "Lyds!! We won a letter contest, and we get to go to Vincent Van Ghoul's house for dinner!!" Shaggy explained excitedly, moving to shake her a bit while she kept staring at the actor. "Like, isn't that so cool? I, like, won the best thing in the world!" He grinned, still shaking her a bit.

"Vincent Van Ghoul." "Yeah!" "I see I have another fan! Lovely to meet you... you're more than welcome to join us." He smiled down at her before glancing at Shaggy, "Is she... alright? I don't think she's breathing." He asked, the teenager turning to Lydia before snapping his fingers in her face, successfully snapping her out of her daze, "No! No, I'm good." She gasped like she had indeed stopped breathing.

Vincent Van Ghoul then clapped his hands together excitedly, "Well, time to go! Our chariot awaits. I've been cooking all day." He smiled, motioning the three out of the house, "We mustn't tarry, I don't want the fondue to get lumpy."

Lydia kept her gaze on him while Shaggy and Scooby paused at seeing his vehicle of choice, "Your chariot's a- a- a hearse?" Shaggy asked, Vincent smiling wildly, "I wouldn't be caught dead in anything else!" He laughed, almost manically.

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When they arrived at Vincent Van Ghoul's home, where it was storming with heavy rain, thunder and the faint sound of a wolf howling. When the back door to the hearse opened, Shaggy, Lydia and Scooby all got out to find Vincent wearing a long cloak and holding a black umbrella.

"I didn't know it was gonna rain." Shaggy commented, though the actor simply smiled, "Oh, it always rains at my house. Special effects." He motioned upward, everyone looking up to find tall florescent lights that would flash on and off as lightning strikes, and sprinklers connected to the lights to create the rain. "I had it installed years ago. We can't sleep a wink without it!"

He lead the three to the front doors which opened on their own, revealing the large foyer with various movie posters on the walls and props sitting on pedestals. "Oh my god." Lydia whispered, tightly grabbing Shaggy's arm, making him wince.

Scooby wandered over to a mask sitting on a pedestal, mimicking the face before giggling. Then Vincent Van Ghoul followed them the rest of the way into the foyer, spreading his arms wide. "Welcome to Casa de Ghoul!" He set his hands on Shaggy and Lydia's shoulders before pausing, looking away, "Oh, dear. I almost forgot." He smiled, turning and shutting the front doors, followed by pulling on a rope nearby.