Cindy and the Headless Horseman

chapter 3

The others were inside with a blonde girl in a pink cat costume who was showing them around and they stood next to a portrait above an unlit fireplace. Mike, June, Dee Dee, the Eds, Wakko, and Dot were being introduced to Mystery Inc's old friend, Beth Crane.

"Man, this is a swell party." Daphne smiled.

"Hopefully no ghosts will show." Fred commented.

"Say, who's that old gent?" Velma asked once she saw the portrait.

"I know him," Mike said. "That's Ichabod Crane, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes, he's my great-great grandfather," Beth informed. "You know the legend, don't you?"

"Yeah, my aunt told me that one of my ancestors served the Van Tassel family and was a close friend of his," Mike replied. "Jonah Mazinsky."

"That's right!" Beth replied.

"You mean the Ichabod Crane?" Fred asked. "The one who lived here in Sleepy Hollow, until..."

"Until one dark night," Beth took over. "One night on the road to the cemetery, he found himself being chased by--"

Suddenly, as if on cue, Shaggy, Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Dum, Yakko, and Cindy burst in through the door.

"The Headless Horseman!" Shaggy, Cindy, and Yakko wailed.

"That's right, guys," Beth nodded to them, surprised that they knew that and weren't inside for her story about her ancestor. "But how did you know?"

Scooby held out his front paws and neighed like a horse, then ducked his head down underneath his collar to do an impression.

"Headless Horseman?" Wakko and Dot asked.

"That's right, sibs," Yakko told his younger siblings. "He practically ran over us back there!"

"Yeah, it was really creepy!" Cindy grew hysterical and took out a pumpkin and put it over Scooby-Doo's head. "The horse was all glowing and the horse guy had a head just like this pumpkin!"

"Oh, the Headless Horseman!" Beth moaned in dismay. "He's come back to haunt us!"

"Haunt you?" Daphne and Brianna asked.

"Oh, come on, Beth..." June said. "I think Cindy's just trying to get back at us because we told her the legend was real..."

"June, you of all people should believe," Cindy poked her in the chest. "You're the Te Xuan Ze for goodness sake! You see vicious, cruel, and bloodthirsty monsters all the time!"

"She's right," Beth agreed as she took out a book from the shelf next to her. "It's right here... During the Revolutionary War, a tremendous battle was held right where we are now. In the middle of the war, the Revolutionaries fired a cannon at hit the bravest and most passioante soilders, taking off his head... They never found him."

"Off with his head!" Ed said randomly.

Scooby-Dum merely hummed and shook his head.

"Guess they could be related." Eddy commented about the idiot boy and dog.

"His headless body was burned down the road from here," Beth continued. "And the legend says that on dark, foggy nights, the Headless Horseman rides out, searching for a head.

Scooby gulped and removed the pumpkin off his head nervously.

"That's why he chased your great-great grandfather," Mike said to Beth. "My ancestor Jonah warned him not to go out there."

"Exactly." Beth nodded.

"What happened to Ichabod?" Dee Dee asked.

"I don't know," Beth frowned. "No one in Sleepy Hollow ever saw him again."

"Not even Aunt Penelope knows." Mike added in.

Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Dum looked to each other and gulped, deeply fearful and worried of what might become of them with the Headless Horseman loose out there on Halloween night.

"Ah-Mah always told me you shouldn't stop to try and think of a plan, because you can't reason with a headless man." June advised.

"Good advice." Double D shivered nervously.

"Uh, it's late..." Cindy backed up nervously. "Come on, Yakko, Wakko, Dot, it's time to go home!"

"Aww, but Cindy!" the Warners, even Yakko despite being scared silly earlier, groaned in dismay.

"We wanna stay!" Dot clung to her ankle.

"Let us stay, please, five more minutes!" Wakko held her waist.

"Come on, Sis, this party was just getting exciting, even though Megan Fox isn't here!" Yakko held her arms.

"Guys, I told you I don't like being touched." Cindy groaned, trying to make them let go, but failed miserably.

"Please, let us stay and help the gang solve the mystery!" Dot begged. "Mike can be my knight in shining armor!"

"I promise not to eat anymore turkey until Thanksgiving." Wakko added.

"Please, Sis, it'll be fun!" Yakko begged. "Besides, Mom and Dad aren't expecting us home for another hour or two!"

"Ugh..." Cindy groaned. "Guys..."

"Aw, come on, Cindy..." Dot pouted before giving puppy dog eyes with a small smile. "Pleeeeeeaaaaaase?"

"No, not the puppy dog eyes!" Cindy panicked.

"Yes, the puppy dog eyes..." Dot batted her eyelashes. "Can you not resist how cute your little sister is?"

"Pleeeeease?" Wakko and Yakko leaned in with the same look as their sister.

Cindy sighed, then removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes wearily. "Well... All right."

"YES!" the Warners cheered in victory.

"But if I get hurt, you're paying for my hospital bill!" Cindy warned.

"Yay, adventure!" the Warners danced, then pounced on top of Cindy, each of them giving her a zany kiss on the face. "MmmmWAH!"

Cindy gagged and sputtered. "Guh!"

"You don't suppose the Headless Horseman will come and get us, do you?" Brianna asked her boyfriend.

"Even if he does, I'm gonna protect you," Trent smiled. "I swear on the Beatles White Album."

Brianna giggled and hugged him.

"Come on, you scaredies, let's get back and join the party." Velma said.

"Oh, okay." Beth said, putting her mask back on.

With that, they then went back to the main room to put the Headless Horseman scare aside for now.