The Superman At The End of This Story

[Big Daddy]

Chapter Nine

By the time morning had arrived over Smallville, the following members of Mystery Inc. had no clue where Daphne and Big Bird were. They sat in their motel room, quiet and worried, as Fred tried several times to contact Daphne on her cell phone. Every time he got her voice message, he groaned and hung up the phone in frustration. Scooby and Shaggy felt themselves getting very hungry, but they were too worried about their friends to eat anything. Velma was staring out the window of the room, seeing the magnificent sunset that shined brightly over the vast cornfields outside of town.

?Where are they?!? Fred exclaimed, and Velma sighed before she answered Fred?s question.

?They?d gone to a farm outside of town that?s owned by the Kent family.? Velma said. ?They went there thinking that they would find the Kryptonian crystal there.?

?They thought a crystal from another planet would be stocked up someplace in a farm?? Shaggy said, and he & Scooby tried to keep themselves from laughing, but their snickering only offended Fred and Velma.

?This is serious, guys!? Fred exclaimed. ?Now we?ve got four missing people on our hands, and we still have to find that crystal in order to get two of them back.?

?Big Bird thought that a guy named Ben Hubbard would know where the crystal is,? Velma said, ?Either he?s still at that farm or he?s here in town.?

?Well, let?s find this Ben Hubbard and ask him where Daphne and Big Bird are.? Fred said, and they were about to leave the motel room, until the door opened and two dirtied figures entered. It was Daphne and Big Bird, looking happy, disgusted, and amazed all at the same time. Fred, Velma, Scooby, and Shaggy were extraordinarily surprised to see them there, so much that they each wanted to give Daphne and Big Bird a hug, until they noticed how dirty and smelly they were.

?Does it take that long to nab one crystal?!? Velma asked, while pinching her nose. ?We?ve been calling for hours! What took so long?!?

?From the looks of your clothes and the smell that fuming this room, I?d say you had gone horseback riding.? Shaggy said, and Daphne smiled, not seeming to be a bit offended over his remark.

?For your information, we were lying in mud, which is the perfect thing to clear up a complexion.? Daphne said. ?And speaking of information, we found out who the people that kidnapped Mac and Frankie are.?

?You did?? Fred said, surprised. ?Who is it??

?Do you guys remember the Sleaze Brothers?? Daphne asked.

?Remember them?? Shaggy said, and he & Scooby looked very angry. ?Those creeps stole one of the grandest sandwiches that Scoob and I made six years ago, when we rode one of the lamest rides in their lame carnival. Since that day, we?ve been just itchin? to get payback.?

?Well, it looks like you might get after all, Shaggy,? Big Bird said, ?Because the Sleaze Brothers are the ones that have kidnapped Mac and Frankie, with help from Lefty the salesman?well, that is, he was a salesman.?

?But they?re not the masterminds behind this crime.? Daphne said. ?While my makeup was being washed away by the mud on my face, I found out that the kidnappers are working with the greatest thief of all time, Carmen Sandiego!? The name sent a shiver down the spines of Fred, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby, just like it had with Daphne?s, when the Sleaze Brothers utter the name in her ear.

?Carmen Sandiego.? Fred uttered. ?That would explain everything.?

?Indeed, it does.? Velma said. ?The interest in the Kryptonian crystals, the interest in the new planet, and she might?ve kidnapped Mac for the knowledge of it all.?

?One of the brothers did say that Mac ?knew too much?,? Daphne said, ?But he also said the same about Frankie.?

?Frankie only heard about the info on the new planet in one night. What else would she know about it?? Shaggy asked, and he thought a little more about it. ?Maybe she knew something that none of us did.?

?The only thing Frankie knows is how to find a good place to listen to punk rock.? Velma said. ?But never mind about her. I just wanna know how Daphne and Big Bird were able to avoid Lefty and the Sleazes long enough to escape and come back with all of this information.?

?We didn?t escape.? Big Bird said. ?Superman came and rescued us!? The Mystery Inc. gang just looked at Big Bird oddly; neither of them believed the bird?though Daphne wanted to, but being that her eyes were blinded by mud at the time, it was hard for her to believe anything that she didn?t see.

?Yeah, that?s?uh?cool, Big Bird.? Fred said, with a fake smile, just before he came close to Daphne and whispered in her right ear. ?What really happened??

?Martha Kent had shown up with her son, Clark, and threatened to call the police if Lefty and the brothers didn?t leave the premises?that?s all.? Daphne murmured, but Big Bird could hear every word they had said, making him offended that the gang still didn?t believe him.

?I?m telling ya, Superman saved us!? Big Bird exclaimed. ?He wasn?t wearing his special costume at the time, but he came and he lifted Lefty and the brothers high in the air and flew off the ground and around the clouds, long enough to scare them to the point where they just ran off in their truck and never came back! He saved us! He did!?

?Take it easy, B.B.? Shaggy said. ?We believe you, man.?

?No, you don?t.? Big Bird said. ?You?re just saying that to calm me down?and it?s not working. Oh! I?ve never felt this frustrated since I tried telling everyone about Snuffy!?

?Man! You still trying to convince everyone that dude?s real?!? Shaggy exclaimed, and Big Bird just shook his head, as he started making his way towards the door.

?Just forget it.? Big Bird said, in a defeated tone. ?I?ll never convince anyone that I really met him. I?ll be at the diner across the street if you?re looking for me.? The gang watched the disappointed yellow bird as he left the room; they really felt sad for him, only because of his extremely active imagination.

?Poor thing.? Daphne said. ?I want to believe him; but my eyes were so filled with mud, I could only go by what I heard and that was Martha Kent scaring off Lefty and the Sleazes.?

?This is only a phase, Daphne. You know that.? Fred said. ?In two years, he?ll start telling everyone that he?s friends with a guy who climbs up walls and wears a mask.?

?Let?s get back on subject here, people. No offense to Big Bird, but my cousin?s safety is more important than a wild imagination.? Velma said. ?Daphne, were you able to see if Ms. Kent knew anything about strange out-worldly crystals??

?She couldn?t tell me anything.? Daphne said. ?But her son told me that the meteorite that fell from the sky last night contained a crystal that he trusted us enough to loan.? Daphne reached into her purse and pulled out the Kryptonian crystal. As they all stared at it, it sparkled in their amazed eyes; it was almost as if it had a hypnotic hold on them.

?And he actually gave this to you?? Velma inquired.

?Actually, he gave it to Big Bird, who then gave it to me.? Daphne said, and she noticed how her companions had gone from looking amazed to being a little suspicious. They did the math in their heads, but none of them were able to work up a reasonable conclusion. ?You guys don?t think that?Big Bird?? None of them said anything; instead, they just continued staring at the crystal, wondering what they should do next.

Meanwhile, inside the Smallville Café, Big Bird entered to find the same number of customers and employees from last night, which he found to be a little odd. What really surprised him was seeing Rowlf the Dog still playing the café?s piano; however, he was playing the tune to ?Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!? After asking a diner employee if they served birdseed milkshakes and getting a ?no? in reply, Big Bird walked over to the piano and had a chat with Rowlf.

?Good morning, friend.? Rowlf said. ?I play this tune almost more than I?ve seen the movie?and that way too many times.?

?I really like it.? Big Bird said. ?I hear my friend Bob sing it every morning. He even sings it during other times of the day, like the evening, the afternoon, or while he watching stars in the sky at night.?

?That must be one happy guy to sing a song about mornings during other parts of the day.? Rowlf remarked.

?Oh, yeah.? Big Bird said. ?Everybody?s always happy at Sesame Street.?

?Sesame Street?? Rowlf said, intrigued by the name of the place.

?The neighborhood that I live on in Metropolis.? Big Bird said, and Rowlf?s memory seemed to have kicked in that moment, as he put two and two together.

?You know, I think I?ve finally recognized you from someplace.? Rowlf said. ?I knew the moment you came in with that other dog and his human companions that I?ve seen or heard of you from someplace.?

?You have?? said Big Bird, feeling a bit honored. ?Well, I wouldn?t be surprised. Everyone in Smallville probably knows who I am.?

?That?s because everyone in Smallville knows who Clark Kent is.? Rowlf said. ?That kid was one heck of a hero in this town. Saved me once from one giant hole that I dug up one day in the fields. There was no possible way I could?ve climbed out of that hole by myself. But when Clark flew in and rescued me, I couldn?t have been more relieved that my life had been saved by the one and only, ?Superboy?.? Big Bird was surprised that an ordinary dog/piano player like Rowlf actually knew Superman himself.

?You know Superman, too?!? Big Bird exclaimed, and Rowlf quickly shushed him; Big Bird covered his beak, looking around to see if anyone heard him?thankfully, no one had. ?Why do you think he revealed his powers to you??

?He might?ve thought I was just your typical dog who wouldn?t know any better.? Rowlf said. ?Little did he know that he rescued what would one day be the only dog to ever play the only piano in Smallville?s only café.?

?Wow.? Big Bird uttered, with his surprise quickly being replaced by his sorrow, as he remembered how his Mystery Inc. friends neglected his fact on having a history with the Man of Steel. ?I bet no one believes that you met Superman before he became Superman.?

?Well, it?s probably best if they don?t, my big yellow friend.? Rowlf said. ?You see, when you?ve learned Superman?s big secret, it?s like you?ve taken an oath to a secret club or something; this club being for Superman fans. If you go around telling everyone that you knew Superman before he became Superman, then you?ll break the oath you made to the club and be kicked out for sure, because people will know who he really is, and they?ll go to Clark and ask him endless questions. And Superman?s greatest enemies will become Clark Kent?s greatest enemies, coming after those he cares about the most.?

?Wow.? Big Bird said, taken aback by Rowlf?s words. ?I never saw it that way before.?

?So you see why it?s important that you keep your beak closed and that I keep my muzzle shut about Supes? secret?? Rowlf asked, and as Big Bird nodded, a freshened-up Daphne stepped into the café and found Big Bird standing next to Rowlf and the piano.

?Big Bird, let?s get you cleaned up, before we head back to Metropolis.? Daphne said, and as she lead him out of the café, Big Bird looked back at Rowlf, who made a zipping gesture across his mouth as a way of telling Big Bird not to say anything about a history with the Man of Steel anymore. Upon leaving the café with Daphne, Big Bird nodded in agreement.

END OF CHAPTER NINE

[Big Daddy]

Chapter Ten

Outside the city of Metropolis, there was a nicely established manor nestled in the countryside; none other than the greatest thief of all time, Carmen Sandiego, owned both it and the property surrounding it. Only a day after their encounter in Smallville, Lefty and the Sleaze Brothers arrived at the manor in their truck; they were each mortified over what they had gone through in Kansas, and none of them were certain of how they should break the news to Carmen. Upon entering the manor, a man wearing a black fedora, dark sunglasses, and a black suit and tie greeted them; the man was one of the many VILE agents guarding the entire manor. His outfit was the exact same one that was worn by every agent in the organization, but that wasn?t the weirdest part of them; they all appeared to have no emotion whatsoever.

After being checked by the VILE agent, Lefty and the brothers were taken upstairs to Carmen?s office, which was an enormous room with lots of portraits of Carmen herself, accompanied by displays of all the valuable items that Carmen had stolen over the five years that she had spent living a life of crime. Lefty and the Sleazes had entered that room many times before; but every time they had, they were intrigued by everything Carmen had displayed in it. However, their admiration was shortened once their eyes were locked on the desk that sat near a gigantic window, with a view of the Metropolis city that was miles away. With her chair facing the three, Carmen spoke with an eerie hint of calmness in her voice.

?You didn?t get the crystal, did you?? Carmen said.

?Riiiight.? Lefty replied, though he really didn?t want to. ?But something?or should I say, someone kept us from getting it.?

?Let me guess?Superman?? Carmen said, and Lefty & the Sleazes were surprised that she knew, just as she tossed something backwards to them, which Sam caught at first but then dropped. Lefty bent over and picked up the object that Carmen had thrown; it was a copy of the Daily Planet that had a photograph of Superman himself on the cover. The headline read in big, bold words: ?Superman Returns!!? It explained how Superman rescued a malfunctioning jet plane before it had crashed into a baseball stadium.

?Uh, yeah?we just found out that he?s?? Sam said, but Carmen?as before?finished his statement for him.

?Back?? She said, as she swiveled her chair around to where she was facing the three criminals. ?I send you three to do the simplest thing I could possibly assign you, and you foul it up, just like that!?

?Hey, listen, Sandiego,? Sam said, getting frustrated, ?You?re the one who came to us! If you want to find someone else who can get these crystals for ya, then I suggest??

?I suggest you keep your mouth shut, Sleaze!? Carmen shouted, her voice echoing throughout the room and the rest of the manor. Sam immediately kept quiet, fear quickly replacing frustration. ?So you got your butts handed to you by Superman, at the same time you failed to retrieve the crystal.? As she spoke, she got up from her desk (in a very sultry way) and moved towards them. ?You know, each and every time you guys do something brainless, I find a better reason to turn you into supermen.?

?We?ll get the crystal for you, Miss Sandiego.? Sid assured. ?We just need a better plan.?

?Forget it.? Carmen said, moving back to her desk. ?While you three were off in the town of ?Yee-Haw?, a few of my agents and I were able to infiltrate the Vanderworth estate and get back the second Kryptonian crystal that Mr. Luthor stole from us.? She pulled out a key from one of her trenchcoat pockets and used it to unlock one of the desk drawers, which she was keeping the once stolen crystal in. ?So, not only do we have the crystal that Luthor had obtained, but we also have the one that the child and his friend had as well.? While Carmen was pulling the second crystal from the drawer, she pulled the one that she stole from Mac out of another trenchcoat pocket. The two Kryptonian crystals that Carmen held close together in front of her astounded lefty and the Sleazes.

?Great.? Sam said, with a smile that quickly faded. ?But there?s still the problem of getting that third and final one.?

?How much do you wanna bet that the bird and his friends from Mystery Inc. got it?? Lefty asked.

?I?m willing to bet your lives on that.? Carmen said, with a wicked grin. ?Knowing Mystery Inc., they?re always one step ahead of me. But, fortunately, I always find a way to get one step ahead of them.?

?You?ve got a plan, Miss Sandiego?? Sid asked.

?Don?t I always.? Carmen replied. ?While we were infiltrating the Vanderworth estate, I was able to find some notes that Luthor has been making on this master plan that he?s going to unveil soon on the world. Unfortunately, I wasn?t able to see what exactly it was that he?s planning to do, but I have found out a bit of intriguing information.?

?And what?s that?? Sam asked, just before Carmen reached into another desk drawer and pulled out a laptop and a compact disc. Setting the laptop on her desk and turning it on, she inserted the disc on the side of it afterwards, bringing a holographic image of a huge crystalline building that she immediately had shown to Lefty and the Sleazes.

?My friends, this is where we shall take the crystals to activate the gateway leading into the new planet?the Fortress of Solitude.? Carmen said, and Lefty & the brothers were impressed over the crystal structure of the complex. ?It?s Superman?s ?secret citadel?; somewhere where he can go to take a load off his mind. And it?s also a place where you can learn valuable bits of information that pertains to Superman?s former home of origin, Krypton.?

?I bet there are thousands of valuables in that pad that we can steal and make tons of money off of.? Sam said, shortly before Carmen slammed the laptop shut and glared into Sam?s eyes.

?We are not going to make cash off of crystals from another planet!? She yelled. ?We are going to use them to go to a planet that I wish to be the supreme ruler of! Yes! I?d like billions of people to bow down to one of the greatest kings of all time!? Sid couldn?t help but to notice the error that Carmen made in her last statement.

?Uh, don?t you mean one of the greatest queens of all time?? Sid said, and Carmen made a shallow expression after she realized her own mistake.

?Oh, yeah?right.? Carmen said, and Lefty & the Sleazes turned to each other with strange looks on their faces; neither of them would?ve ever expected a super intelligent thief like Carmen to make a small mistake like that.

?Riiiight.? Lefty said. ?So, getting back on the real issue at hand, how exactly are we gonna get that third and last crystal from our adversaries??

?Now that the detectives from Mystery Inc. know about my interest in the crystals, they?re going to be turning to their friends at the ACME Detective Agency for help finding out where I am.? Carmen said. ?And since the computers that ACME use in their headquarters are so advanced nowadays, I?m guessing that they?ll find the exact coordinates to our location within an hour.?

?An hour?!? Sam exclaimed. ?In that case, we?ve got to bail out of here, ASAP!!!?

?No use trying to hide from them, Sleaze.? Carmen said, while drinking a cup of what appeared to be coffee, but was black enough to look like oil. ?Like I said, their technology is very advanced, and it?d be useless to run.?

?So what do you suggest we do?? Sam asked, with a hint of hostility in his voice, which angered Carmen a little.

?First, I suggest you get the base out of your voice, before I have one of my agents turn you into guacamole that I would be happy to dip some nacho chips in.? Carmen said, and Sam immediately toned himself down, even though it really made him feel weak taking orders from a woman. ?The detectives have the crystal that we?re looking for, and we have the crystals that they would like to take away from us, in order to keep our plan from happening.?

?So you think we should play a game of cat-and-mouse with them, in order to trick them into coughin? up the last crystal?? Sid asked, and Carmen smiled at him, while applauding.

?Very good, Sid.? Carmen said, and it was difficult to tell if she was being sincere or sarcastic, since she was using a combination of both in her voice. ?Now I see who has the most brains out of the two brothers.? That comment really steamed Sam up; he had always seen himself as the one with all of the brains, seeing as how he was always coming up with new schemes. But he was able to keep himself from mouthing off to Carmen again.

?Thanks, Carmen?I mean, Miss Sandiego.? Sid said, and he looked at her with dreamy eyes, remarkably captivated by her stunning beauty, as well as her great intellect.

?Yes, since the detectives literally have no clue what I plan on doing with the crystals and because ACME?s mainframe has no record of the exact location of the Fortress of Solitude, I think that should be the perfect place to lead them to.? Carmen suggested. ?That way, they won?t see the trap that we?ll spring on them, upon entering the Fortress. It?s the perfect way to get the last crystal that we need to open the portal to the new planet.?

?Where exactly is the Fortress of Solitude again?? Sam queried.

?Up north in the Arctic, of course.? Carmen said. ?I guess Superman built it there, just so anyone who doesn?t like the cold won?t go near it. Unfortunately for him, I like the cold.?

?Yeah, but I don?t.? Sam said.

?Then I suggest you dress warmly, Sleaze,? Carmen said, ?Because the jet that?s supposed to take us there is going to leave in ten minutes.? With that said, Carmen headed out of her office, leaving Sam and Lefty feeling uncomfortable and Sid madly in love. Sam and Lefty could already feel themselves getting very cold, just thinking about the freezing atmosphere of the Arctic; but it was an unbearable love for Carmen Sandiego that kept Sid warm.

?The things you gotta do, just to obtain powers far greater than Superman?s.? Sam said. ?But, just think of it, once we do get powers like Superman, we won?t have to worry about freezing our heads off. And we probably don?t have to take any more orders from Carmen Sandiego, because we?ll be far more powerful than she?ll ever wish to be.?

?Riiiight.? Lefty said, while Sid gave the both of them a shocked look, figuring out what they had in mind. He wanted to speak up and defend someone he truly loved, but his cowardice was what kept him silent.

END OF CHAPTER TEN

[Big Daddy]

Chapter Eleven

Ever since Superman returned, Super Grover?who assured the city of Metropolis that he would always be there to protect it from danger (something he had yet to do, due to spending more attention reciting his monologues)?couldn?t help but to feel like he was being neglected by the citizens. There were several times when he tried to help someone in need, like when there was a robbery at a bank, where a crazed robber was firing a barrage of bullets at not only the police, but Grover as well, forcing him to hide someplace safe while Superman arrived and stopped the robber. There was also an incident involving a runaway car that Super Grover believed he could?ve easily taken care of; but he was once again beaten to the punch by Superman, who stopped the car and taken the woman for medical attention.

The defeated Super Grover decided to fly across the skies instead of saving people for the night; it really depressed him that no one needed his help any longer, since Metropolis?s old hero was back in the game, so to speak. With a sense of hearing that was almost as acute as Superman?s, Grover heard a girl crying for help?apparently, her cat?s stuck up a tree. He realized that if he couldn?t save anyone from bigger problems that he might as well help them with smaller ones. But as Grover flew back down towards the city, something that moved faster than a 747 blew right past him, making his cape fly right over his head and blinding him.

?Hey! I can?t see!? Grover exclaimed, as he was now flying blindly through the Metropolis skyline, barely able to avoid flying into a few buildings. ?How am I supposed to save a cat from a tree, if I can?t even see the tree?!? Super Grover didn?t know it, but he was soon flying right over Sesame Street; he was so close to the street that he ended up crashing through the roof of the Foster?s mansion and also through several of its floors, before he ended up crashing through the front door and landing onto the porch. Bloo, Wilt, Coco, and Eduardo arrived in time to see Grover lying there, looking dazed and weak; they had just gotten back from a long search for Mac and Frankie, who everyone on the street had been looking days for. ?Have?no?fear?Sup?per Grover?is here.?

?Man, Grover, you don?t look so hot.? Bloo said. ?Maybe you ought to go home and get some rest.? Grover shook off the cobwebs in his head and regained what little consciousness he had to address the four imaginary friends.

?I can?t just give up!? He exclaimed. ?Somewhere in this city, someone needs help from a hero other than Superman.?

?Superman?s the only hero we have in the city.? Wilt told Grover. ?Whom else could we depend on for help??

?Well, I don?t know, perhaps?ME!!!? Grover yelled. ?I can help anyone far better than that so-called ?Man of Steel? can! Why, I don?t think there?s anything that can stop me, like kryptonite can stop him! I?m unbeatable?well, that is, unless you count tall buildings that I can?t leap over in a single bound?or my lack of direction.?

?If you want to help someone so bad, Grover, then you can always help us.? Wilt said.

?Really? That?s great!? Grover exclaimed. ?I?ll do anything! What do you four need help with? Come on! Tell me! Tell me!?

?Coco. Coco. Coco. Coco. Coco.? said Coco, putting Grover at a complete loss.

?Either you want me to get your something to drink or you?re saying what you are.? Grover remarked.

?She says that Mac and Frankie have both been missing for days and no one has a clue where they went.? Wilt translated. ?We would turn to Bert and Ernie and ask them if they could use their resources at the Daily Planet to help us out, but they?re still a bit shaken up from the plane incident that they were covering earlier.?

?What about Bob?? Grover said, and he looked down for a moment, wondering if he heard that question asked before.

?Perry White has him doing a story on a recent burglary at the Metropolis Museum.? Wilt said. ?Bob said he?ll try to get it taken care of as fast as he can, so he can get back to helping us find Mac and Frankie. Until then, we?re just helpless.? And that?s when Eduardo began to weep loudly, with tears coming out of his eyes and showering over Coco and Bloo.

?Poor senor Mac and senorita Frankie!!!? Eduardo screamed. ?They?re loss and we have no idea where they have gone!!?

?Take it easy, Eduardo.? Wilt said. ?I?m sure we?ll find them.?

?I?m tellin? ya that those Mystery Inc. creeps kidnapped them!? Bloo uttered. ?They?ve been gone for the same number of days Mac and Frankie have.?

?Wait a minute.? Grover said. ?You saying that the four meddling kids and their dog are the ones that kidnapped Mac and Frankie??

?It?s obvious that they did!? Bloo exclaimed.

?Bloo, I?m sorry, but that is just ridiculous!? Wilt retorted. ?Why would Mac?s own cousin kidnap him??

?Like I?ve been saying, he owes her money!? Bloo replied, and while Wilt, Eduardo, and Coco were shooting dirty looks at Bloo, Grover slightly turned his head to the right, seeming to be hearing someone from afar with his magnificent hearing.

?Hark! My cute little ears hear voices miles away from here!? Grover exclaimed. ?I hear our friends from Mystery Inc. talking to a couple of detectives from the ACME Detective Agency.?

?The ACME Detective Agency?!? Wilt yelled, in surprise.

?Yes, that?s exactly what I said.? Grover stated.

?But that?s all the way out in California, and we?re like a billion miles away from there!? Bloo indicated.

?Hey, we superheroes have very good hearing, okay?? Grover said.

?What?re they saying?? Eduardo asked, and Grover listened closely to the voices.

?They?re discussing something about Carmen Sandiego, Kryptonian crystals, and both her and the crystals being way up in the North Pole, which is where they?re heading to right now.?

?Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Uh-huh!? Bloo yelled, hopping up and down. ?Ya see? I told ya! The North Pole?s always the place they go to ?do away? someone that owes you a lot of money.?

?Bloo, stop being silly.? Wilt said. ?Carmen Sandiego may be the one that kidnapped Mac and Frankie, in order to get all that information about the new planet.?

?New planet?? Grover said, obviously confused again. ?What new planet??

?Days ago, we discovered that there?s a new planet forming in our solar system that?s Kryptonian.? Wilt said. ?We thought that was we?re Superman could?ve gone, until it was said he actually went out of our solar system, thinking that his old home of Krypton still existed, but it unfortunately wasn?t.?

?So why is a slick thief like Carmen Sandiego so interested in this new planet?? Grover queried. ?You think she?d be more into stealing the Queen of England?s jewels.?

?Who wouldn?t be?? Bloo asked. ?I mean, come on! It?s a new planet for cryin? out loud! It isn?t everyday you see one of those!?

?You got me there.? Grover said, just as a determined look appeared on Wilt?s face.

?I have a feeling that if we find Carmen Sandiego, we?ll find Mac and Frankie, too.? Wilt said. ?Come on, everybody! We?re heading up north!?

?But it will take many Dias getting to there!? Eduardo exclaimed.

?And how are we supposed to get there anyway?? Bloo asked. ?It?s not like any of us can drive a bus there.?

?You won?t have to go by bus, my dears.? A voice said, and they turned to see Madame Foster standing in the doorway, holding up a small controller. She pressed a button on the controller, and the next thing they knew, her late 1970?s Pontiac Firebird sports car pulled up in front of the mansion.

?Now that?s what I call a ride.? Grover said, as Madame Foster approached them.

?I heard it all, and I?ve just got one thing to say about Carmen Sandiego,? Madame Foster said, ?I?ve been wanting to kick that woman?s butt, ever since she had stolen the statue of Christopher Reeve that I won from the bingo hall, only three years ago! I?m been lookin? for payback ever since!?

?So you?ll drive us to the North Pole?? Bloo asked.

?You better believe I will!? Madame Foster said.

?YES!!!? Bloo cheered. ?I?m gonna finally get to see Santa!? Bloo stepped cheering once he noticed how everyone was giving him dirty looks again. ?What?!?

END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN

[Big Daddy]

Chapter Twelve

It had only taken an hour for Big Bird, the Mystery Inc. gang, and two of ACME?s best detectives (Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck) to head up to the Arctic region of the world, where they found Superman?s secret citadel, the Fortress of Solitude. Neither of them had ever seen such a stunning sight before, and even though they were all bundled up in warm clothing, it was the Fortress itself that kept their minds off the cold atmosphere.

After passing through a massive canyon and carefully crossing the frozen moat that surrounded the Fortress, the group entered to find that the interior of the place looked far more intriguing than the exterior. But instead of marveling over the scene, they focused on their primary reason for being there: finding and capturing Carmen Sandiego. However, in each and every part of the Fortress they looked, Carmen was nowhere to be found.

?She?s not here.? Velma said.

?That?s impossible!? Daffy exclaimed. ?Our computers are always one hundred percent accurate. If they say she?s here, then she?s here!?

?Our computers don?t have any record this place, Daffy.? Bugs said. ?To them, it?s just an empty space on the top of the world.?

?But to me, it?s more than that, detectives.? A voice echoed throughout the Fortress?s interior, and as the group looked around to see where it had come from, they were taken by surprise when a large group of VILE agents appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them.

?Aw, man!? Shaggy exclaimed. ?Something told me this was gonna be a trap!? That?s when Carmen Sandiego herself appeared at the scene, with Lefty and the Sleazes accompanying her. A gagged, tied up, and blindfolded Mac and Frankie were also at the scene, being guarded by three VILE agents.

?Welcome to what will currently be my sanctuary, detectives.? Carmen said, while a VILE agent approached Velma and just stood in front of her with an outstretched hand. Velma knew exactly what the agent wanted, and she had no choice but to give it up. She reached beneath her coat and pulled out the third and last Kryptonian crystal, handing it over to the agent, right before he handed it over to Carmen.

?You got what you want,? Velma said, ?Now let my cousin and Foster go!? Carmen smiled at Velma, and she turned to the agents guarding Mac and Frankie, gesturing for them to release the two. After they were untied and had their blindfolds and gags removed, Mac and Frankie turned to each other, and Frankie hugged Mac warmly.

?Oh, Mac!? She exclaimed. ?I?m sorry about what I said, pal. I never meant to blame you for costing me my job like that.?

?I only wanted to keep something like this from happening, Frankie.? Mac said. ?I didn?t mean to cost you your job.?

?I realize that now.? She told Mac. ?And I promise that I won?t ever accuse you of anything again.? Mac and Frankie smiled at each other, just before a VILE agent pushed them towards Big Bird, Bugs, Daffy, and the Mystery Inc. gang. Velma was the second one to kneel down and hug her cousin.

?Are you alright, Mac?? Velma asked.

?I?m fine, V.? Mac replied, and Velma looked angrily towards Frankie, who just sheepishly smiled at her. Meanwhile, Carmen was staring down at the three Kryptonian crystals that were in her gloved hands; they sparkled in her eyes, just like they had with everyone else, as she moved towards a crystal bank, where there were several slots for many different Kryptonian crystals. There were slots for memory crystals (which were empty at the moment), and then there were slots for the type of crystals that Carmen had in her possession.

?Finally?the time has come to rule the cosmos.? Carmen uttered, right before she inserted two of the crystals into the slots. Both the crystals and the rest of the crystal bank glowed brightly, at the same time an image of the face of Superman?s biological father, Jor-El, appeared within many of the giant crystals in the Fortress. He was just as handsome as his son was; yet he looked very sad at that moment.

?My son,? His deep voice echoed throughout the Fortress, as well as the rest of the Arctic section of the world, ?I did not wish for you to take this crystal and the other two with you on your journey to Earth, because they contain a power?a technology similar to the one I had used for the Phantom Zone. I sent them with you as a warning of a planet born within the Phantom Zone that has found a way to exist within the cosmos, often disappearing and reappearing in every known galaxy. If you happen to encounter this type of world in the galaxy that you?re in, you must find a way to destroy it and rid it of the infectious chaos that will spend over every part of the cosmos. And if you do find a way, use the third crystal to generate a wormhole that will take you away from Earth and into this ?Phantom Planet?. But be careful, my son, for this planet imitates the one closest to it, and often these imitations will be exact or they might be entirely alien. Only you can stop this planet, my son?only you.?

As the image of Jor-El disappeared from the giant crystals, Carmen smiled wickedly, very much anxious to discover the ?Phantom Planet? that Jor-El warned her about. Mac, Frankie, Big Bird, Bugs, Daffy, and the Mystery Inc. gang looked to each other nervously; they suddenly realized that the new planet was not to be discovered by mere mortals and that it was crucial to alert Superman of its presence in their galaxy. It was even more crucial to stop Carmen from inserting the third crystal, which she was doing that very moment.

?NO!!!!!? Velma cried, as she and the rest of the Mystery Inc. gang tore away from the VILE agents holding them and ran towards Carmen. Sid and Sam, who were the ones standing the closest to Carmen, turned and attempted to hold them back. Just after Carmen inserted the third crystal into the crystal bank, there was a large beam of light that came out of the sky, shining right between two giant crystals and over Carmen, the Sleazes, and the Mystery Inc. gang. They all looked up at the light, wondering where it had come from, and they looked to the people standing out of the light, noticing how they all seemed to be frozen in place.

?This is it! This is the portal!? Carmen yelled, and she started laughing maniacally, as the group began to feel as if their bodies were being sucked up a giant vacuum. The Sleazes and Mystery Inc. watched Carmen in shock, as her body began to vaporize, realizing a metal skeleton beneath the skin and coat. Beyond the metal rib cage was a small cockpit, where Scrappy-Doo (former member of Mystery Inc. and now their worst adversary) had been operating the Carmen robot for years. He laughed as maniacally as his robot did, as it crumbled to pieces around him, leaving him floating in the air with the stunned Sleazes and the surprised Mystery Inc.

It wasn?t long before the eight of them were suck right out of the Fortress of Solitude and into the skies above, along with the wormhole that had come down to the Earth?s atmosphere. Back in the Fortress, the remaining people (including Big Bird, Bugs, and Daffy) noticed how there was no one by the crystal bank anymore, and they all looked around in confusion.

END OF CHAPTER TWELVE

[Big Daddy]

Chapter Thirteen

When Fred opened his eyes after spending an unknown amount of time being unconscious, he was surprised to see that he was no longer inside the Fortress of Solitude, but somewhere outside. He was thankful enough that he was still in the Arctic; but it just puzzled him that he wasn?t in Superman citadel anymore. Fred got to the feet, only to feel as if he was losing his balance afterwards; he looked down, seeing that he was standing on the edge of a huge block of ice that was floating in the cold water. Regaining his balance and keeping it on the block of ice, he looked around to see where his friends were.

Fred spotted the unconscious Daphne lying across another block of ice, only a few feet away from his, while Shaggy, Scooby, and Velma were all unknowingly sharing one of the biggest ones out there. Fred figured that he could just jump over to Daphne?s ice block, since it was only a few feet. But once he jumped, however, he leaped a little further than a few feet?more like sixteen feet! Fred couldn?t help but to scream, as he fell towards an ice block and landed on it for a brief time, until he fell into the cold water, creating a big splash that drenched Daphne and awakened her.

?What the??? Daphne uttered, and when she noticed how Fred was struggling in the cold water, she began to panic. ?Freddy!? Daphne took off her heavy winter coat and then her boots, just before diving into the cold water and swimming after Fred. As she swam towards him, she was a little surprised that the water wasn?t as cold as it should?ve been. Once she got a hold of Fred, she swam with him to the huge block of ice that Shaggy, Scooby, and Velma were on. She set Fred down on the block first, and then she brought herself onto it. ?Are you alright??

?I shouldn?t be, after nearly drowning in that ice cold water,? Fred said, looking all over his drenched body in surprise, ?But I am alright. In fact, I?m not even shivering!?

?I?m not either.? Daphne said, looking at herself. ?And I was swimming without anything to keep my body or feet warm.? Fred looked around at the area, seeing that the Fortress of Solitude was nowhere around.

?A few minutes ago, we were standing in a giant crystal building,? Fred said, ?And now we?re out in the middle of nowhere. Now that?s one big mystery.? Daphne went over to Shaggy, Scooby, and Velma, bringing each of them out of unconsciousness.

?You guys okay?? Daphne asked.

?Ask that question again, after I?m filled up with some burgers and pizza.? Shaggy replied, and that remark, along with Scooby?s hungry look, helped Daphne know that the both of them were fine. Velma stood up on the ice block and joined Fred as she looked around the area as well.

?Either we?re still in the Arctic or we found a better way to travel to Antarctica.? Fred remarked.

?We?re still in the Arctic.? Velma said. ?But I think it?d be better ask whether we?re in our world or the ?Phantom Planet? that Superman?s father warned us about.?

?Well, we must be in the ?Phantom Planet?, because I remember getting sucked out of the Superman?s crystal summer home and flying in between two large planets, courtesy of this strange blue, yellow, and red wormhole.? Shaggy said.

?I remember that, too.? Daphne said.

?Yeah, so do I.? Fred said.

?We can?t be on the ?Phantom Planet?.? Velma contradicted. ?Look where we are. We?re still in the Arctic zone.?

?But do you remember what Superman?s father said about imitating planets that are closest to it?? Daphne asked. ?Maybe we?re in the Phantom Planet?s imitation of our world.?

?Well, it can?t be an exact one.? Velma said. ?Notice how Superman?s citadel is nowhere around. If this were an exact imitation, we?d be seeing it somewhere near us or standing right in it.?

?It?s all so funky, man.? Shaggy uttered.

?That?s not all that?s funky, Shaggy.? Fred said. ?You know what I did while all of you were unconscious? I think I?flew.? Shaggy, Scooby, Velma, and Daphne looked to each other and shared peculiar expressions, before turning back to Fred and looking at him in the same way.

?You flew?? Velma queried.

?I can?t really explain what happened.? Fred said. ?All I was trying to do was jump from my ice block to Daphne?s, and I ended up soaring higher than eight feet and longer than a yard.?

?That?s impossible, Freddy.? Daphne said.

?Yeah, man, if you were able to do that, then might as well be?? Shaggy said, and he stopped when they all began to see the irony of the situation they were in. They were five beings from another planet that came to a slightly different one, harnessing godlike powers that were granted to them through the sun?s rays.

?This must be what Scrappy?s plan is all about.? Velma said. ?He must?ve figured on following the origin of Superman?s powers, in order to turn himself and the Sleaze Brothers into beings just like him.?

?But the little troublemaker probably didn?t count on us following him here.? Daphne said. ?If he plans on conquering this place, knowing that neither him or the Sleazes belong here, then who knows what kind of chaos he will cause, in addition to the infection that the existence of this planet will bring over our entire universe.?

?Which is why we have to find out where he is and stop him!? Fred exclaimed.

?And now that the five of us have superpowers to match his, he doesn?t stand a chance.? Shaggy said, with a chuckle. ?Right, Scoob??

?Reah. Reat rision.? Scooby said, just as he focused his eyes downward, creating invisible microwave energy beams from them that hit the ice block beneath them and started to melt it all away.

?Scooby!!!? Daphne cried, and Scooby stopped projecting the beams from his eyes, once he realized how the gang was losing their footing on the melting ice block. When all of the ice block had melted away, the gang truly believed that they were all going to fall into the cold water (which really would?ve had no effect on them); but they were surprised when the air had caught them as they fell, and they were floating instead of falling.

?Hey! We?re flying!? Shaggy exclaimed, and he started to wonder if he could control his flight. He was really surprised when he did, flying high into the air, almost reaching the clouds. ?Hey, gang! Check me out!? The others smiled, as they all began flying through the Arctic sky, heading above the clouds and letting the morning sun hit their super-powered bodies.

?Man! I can?t believe how easy this is!? Fred exclaimed, as they all removed their warm winter clothes, realizing that they no longer need them, and got back into their ordinary street clothes. That?s when Daphne?s hands went up to her ears, which she covered with them, and she winced in pain. ?What?s wrong, Daph??

?Argh!? Daphne exclaimed. ?You guys don?t hear that?!?

?Hear what?? Velma asked.

?All of those voices?echoing through my ears!? Daphne yelled, and Shaggy smiled once he realized what was happening to her.

?It?s your super-hearing, Daphne.? He said. ?You?re hearing all of the voices around the world.? Daphne gritted her teeth, as she desperately tried to fight through the unbearable pain the billions of voices had on her head.

?I wish it would stop!? Daphne shouted. ?It?s giving me a migraine.? But that?s when Velma had gotten an idea that she believed would assist them in their mission.

?Daphne, see if you can focus on Scrappy?s voice.? Velma suggested. ?It might help us find out where he might be on this alien planet.?

?I?ll see if I can, Velma.? Daphne said, still wincing in pain. ?There are so many of them.? She attempted to do what Velma wanted her to do, and though at first it was undeniably painful for her, she was able to use her incredible powers to shorten the number of voices down to one, which was Scrappy-Doo?s voice. She no longer winced; instead, there was a small grin that crept across her face. ?Got him.?

?Which direction?? Fred asked, and Daphne pointed to her left.

?That way.? She said, and the gang started flying in the direction that Daphne pointed. As they flew away from the Arctic zone, Velma couldn?t help but to notice something unusual about what happened to Daphne.

?You know, Daphne, if that were Superman hearing all of those voices, he wouldn?t have been in pain like you were.? Velma said.

?Well, for someone that hasn?t spent her entire life with superpowers, it could be a little hard for my subconscious to get used to.? Daphne remarked, just before she noticed how Scooby was rubbing his eyes and whimpering. ?You see? Even poor Scooby?s going to be having some trouble seeing for a while, after using that heat vision.?

?I guess when it comes to things like swimming in freezing water, our physicality is totally immune; but when it comes to using powers similar to Superman?s, I guess our mentality can?t take that much ?super-ness?.? Velma assumed.

?Well, if that?s how we?re going to be like, I hope we can handle a confrontation with Scrappy and the Sleazes.? Fred said, as they exited the Arctic zone within less than an hour, flying right over Iceland.

END OF CHAPTER THIRTEEN

[Big Daddy]

Chapter Fourteen

Back on regular Earth, the VILE agents (which were fabrications built from the same technology Scrappy used to develop his Carmen robot) stood exactly where they were; they did not seem to realize or care about what happened to Scrappy, the Sleazes, and the Mystery Inc. gang. Frankie, Mac, Big Bird, Bugs, and Daffy wondered if the agents were even ?alive? that moment, and they tested to see if they were by slowly moving away from the agents that were guarding them and heading towards the exit. But that?s when one VILE agent moved faster than the blink of an eye, blocking their path.

?You?ve got to be kidding me!!? Frankie exclaimed. ?What?re you guys made out of??

Just after Frankie asked that question was when something bizarre happened to all of the VILE agents. They suddenly began to shake slightly at the first moment, but then violently in the next. The nuts, bolts, and every other mechanical part that was keeping them together began to rip from their bodies, falling through the sleeves of their coats and pants. Mac, Frankie, Bugs, Daffy, and Big Bird watched in utter disbelief, as the bodies of all the VILE agents inside the Fortress of Solitude suddenly collapsed, leaving nothing but pieces of their robotic bodies lying over piles of the clothing they wore.

?O?kay.? Mac uttered, as she shared bewildered looks with his friends. ?What the heck just happened?? At that moment, Madame Foster appeared in the entranceway of the Fortress, along with Wilt, Coco, Bloo, Eduardo, and Super Grover, who were all wearing warm clothing. ?Madame Foster?!?

?Grandma?!?!? Frankie exclaimed. ?H-H-How did you guys find us here?!?

?Did I ever tell you the time I joined a good friend of mine in an Arctic expedition?? Madame Foster asked. ?I can?t believe how stunned and embarrassed I was to discover this place. Ho, ho! You have to give it up for the Man of Steel to own such a marvelous place like this.?

?Wait a minute! Wait a minute!? Daffy yelled. ?How could she know about this place and we don?t?!?!?

?It?s called karma, Daffy.? Bugs said. ?You?re practically best buds with it.? As Daffy gave Bugs a dirty look, Big Bird was inspected the remains of the VILE agents that were lying all over the Fortress.

?So?was it you guys that stopped the robots?? He asked.

?Actually, it was Super Grover that stopped them.? Wilt indicated.

?He saved us all!? Eduardo exclaimed, and Grover truly felt honored, at the same time he felt very cocky.

?Yes! By unleashing a low shriek from my cute little voice that is dangerous enough to put any machine out of commission, it was I, Sup?per Grover, that saved you all from the dreaded forces of the one dreadful thief known as Carmen Sandiego!? Grover said, while Bloo looked around, intrigued by the sight but confused over where Carmen was.

?Speaking of the lady in red, where is she anyway?? Bloo asked.

?We just found out that there is no Carmen Sandiego, just as there is no organization known as VILE.? Mac said. ?It was a ruse to achieve a diabolical scheme set up by the former member of Mystery Inc., Scrappy-Doo!? Bloo just stared at Mac for a long time, before he suddenly busted out with laughter.

?Yeah, right, bud.? Bloo uttered. ?Seriously, where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?? Bloo just cracked himself up even more after asking that question.

?We?re serious, Bloo.? Frankie said, as she walked over to the crystal bank. ?Scrappy-Doo, while disguised in a robotic body, used three Kryptonian crystals to take them away to the new planet, in an attempt to conquer it all.?

?And Mystery Inc. and the Sleazes went with her?I mean, him.? Mac added, and Bloo, Wilt, Coco, Eduardo, Grover, and Madame Foster were all shocked by that news.

?Wow. That sounds more crazy than what?s going on back in Metropolis.? Bloo said.

?What?s going on back in Metropolis?? Mac asked.

?There?ve been these strange earthquakes, and Metropolis doesn?t often get those.? Wilt informed. ?If Superman weren?t there to prevent so many accidents, there wouldn?t be much of the city left.? At that moment, a muffled beeping sound was heard from the group, and it seemed to have been coming from Bugs. He pulled out a handheld device that had a small screen built into it, and once he activated it, the face of Lola Bunny appeared on the small screen.

?What?s up, Lola?? Bugs asked.

?There?s been a lot of strange activity outside the North American continent, Bugs.? Lola said, just before a map of the eastern side of the U.S. appeared on the small screen, along with an image of a green-glowing island that was miles away and growing slowly. ?There?s some island outside us that?s never been there before?that is, until now. According to our computers, it?s entirely made out of kryptonite.?

?How much you wanna bet Lex Luthor?s behind it all?? Bugs asked.

?And how much you wanna bet Superman gonna be there to try and stop him, even though he has no idea the island could kill him with all of the bedrock covering the greenness?? Daffy added.

?I?d like to bet that island of kryptonite might be the only thing that could destroy the ?Phantom Planet?.? Mac stated.

?And I?d like to bet that our friends up there on that planet might be destroyed along with it, if we don?t find a way to bring them back.? Frankie said, and she started playing around with the crystals in the crystal bank, attempting to bring Scrappy, the Sleazes, and Mystery Inc. back to Earth.

?Lola, keep us updated on the Man of Steel?s status on that island.? Bugs ordered. ?He might just live up to his dad?s expectations, if he survives.?

?What do you mean, Bugs?? Lola asked.

?Nothin?. Just keep your attention on the activity that?s happenin? on that island.? Bugs said, just before he shut the device off and joined Mac, Frankie, and the others as they continued playing around with the crystal bank.

END OF CHAPTER FOURTEEN

[Big Daddy]

The final chapter.

Chapter Fifteen

The super-powered Mystery Inc. gang couldn?t believe how unusual the ?Phantom Zone? version of Earth was. When the gang arrived in Metropolis, they expected to find a version of it that wasn?t as different as the one on Earth; but their expectations were crushed completely. The ?Phantom Zone? version of Metropolis was like a ruin; buildings (including the Daily Planet one, which had a demolished globe sitting on top of it) were ravaged and crumbling, there were police sirens blaring every ten seconds, and rioting in the streets. The gang was sick to their stomachs at the display.

Upon arriving at Sesame Street, the gang was greeted by a sight that was just as dreadful as the rest of the city. What they found was a neighborhood with buildings that had freakish graffiti written all over them, sidewalks and streets that were shredded to the point where anyone could make out the sewers beneath it, and children that were either sitting on street corners with pale expressions on their faces or scouring for food in the nearest dumpster. And instead of sunny skies shining over it, there were dark gray rainy clouds hanging over it, giving it a very dark look.

?Don?t believe anything you see here, gang.? Fred said. ?None of it is real.? Daphne wanted to believe that, but everything in front of her was real enough to make her run to the nearest sidewalk, where she collapsed to the ground and began retching. While she was doing so, three people walked out of a broken down apartment building, yelling at each other from the top of their lungs. The gang was surprised when they realized it was Maria, Luis, and Gabby.

?You know, if you?d just get your lazy butt off the couch once in a while, she wouldn?t be out in the streets, doing what she?s doing!!? Luis told Maria, referring to Gabby.

?Oh, so it?s my fault that our daughter?s a bum?!?!? Maria exclaimed, furiously.

?Would you guys just shut up and let me do what I want with my life?!? Gabby demanded, as she was dressed in a very revealing outfit.

?What do you care what we say?!? Luis yelled. ?You don?t even live here anymore!!?

?Get outta here!!? Maria told Gabby. ?You have no home on this street anymore!!?

?Fine!!!? Gabby screamed. ?Who wants to live on a ghetto neighborhood like this anyway?!? That?s when another resident of the ?Phantom Zone? neighborhood, a man named Bob, stuck his head out from the window of his apartment and yelled at Maria and Luis, while Gabby started walking away from the neighborhood.

?Hey!! Will you foreigners keep it down there?!?!? Bob said. ?It?s already bad enough that my wife?s deaf! You wanna make me the same way?!? Another resident, a man named Gordon, stuck his head out as well and shouted.

?Why not?!? He said. ?You?re already got us deaf from listening to your nasty singing.?

?Well, boy, if my singin? is so bad, then why don?t ya just move out?!? Bob exclaimed, just as Gordon?s wife, Susan, came out and threw her bags into a beat-up yellow Volkswagen.

?We?re way ahead of ya, cheapskate!!? Susan yelled.

?That?s enough!!!? Fred suddenly yelled. ?You guys aren?t supposed to be this way!? As Fred addressed the residents, Velma looked at the section of the street where the Foster?s mansion should?ve been, only to see the charred remains of a place that had been burnt to the ground and never rebuilt. ?You?re all friends?you?re all family.?

?Not anymore, Freddy.? Someone said, and the gang looked to where Hooper?s Store should?ve been, seeing Scrappy and the Sleazes coming out of a place that was run down and dingy. ?This is the new and improved Sesame Street of the ?Phantom Planet?!? While Scrappy was talking, Sid Sleaze looked as if his heart had been broken, not from learning that Carmen Sandiego was a fabrication, but more from what he witnessed out of the dreadful version of Sesame Street.

?Well, we hope you guys had enjoyed your hour on it, because you?re coming back to good old Earth with us.? Fred said, and Scrappy & Sam chuckled.

?We ain?t goin? anywhere, kids.? Sam said. ?We?re having too much fun here.? Sam walked over to the yellow Volkswagen that Gordon and Susan were putting their things into and lifted the vehicle high in the air with one hand, showing off the abilities that were granted to him upon landing on the ?Phantom Planet? as well. ?Ya see??

?You guys don?t understand.? Velma said. ?If you don?t get off this planet soon, then you might cause a rift in our universe that?ll surely put an end to all of humanity.?

?Why? Because Superman?s daddy said so?? Scrappy said, with a wicked grin. ?I?ve got news for ya, Velma. I actually belong here.?

?No, you don?t.? Velma told Scrappy. ?You belong on Earth, just like the Sleazes and the rest of us do.? Scrappy just chuckled.

?You don?t get it, do ya?? He said. ?I?m not the weak little puppy that you guys knew back then. I?m the ?Phantom Zone? version of him!? The gang just looked at Scrappy-Doo in confusion and suspicion; they wondered if he was pulling another cruel prank on them. ?Like Jor-El stated in his warning, this planet often reappears and disappears; and while it was doing that in your galaxy, both myself and the ?Phantom Planet? had been doing a bit of research, mainly on Superman. We tapped into his origins, and once it was discovered that his powers came from the sun, the ?Phantom Planet? reprogrammed itself to where everyone here could have the same Kryptonian DNA that Superman has to allow the sun to ?program? him.?

?So?we?re not the only ones here who have superpowers?? Shaggy asked, and he & Scooby got a little scared, as all of the residents of ?Sesame Street? started to surround the gang, each giving them nasty looks.

?What I don?t get is why you came to our planet and fooled us into thinking that you were the real Scrappy-Doo?? Velma asked.

?Because I wanted to see if you people were just as powerful as Superman was.? Scrappy remarked. ?And when I found out that all of you were just weak little beings, I got the notion that I?we could conquer your world and others, thus giving us total control over infinite universes!?

?Not everyone here on this warped planet will go along with you plan, Scrappy.? Fred contradicted.

?Where?s the real Scrappy-Doo?? Daphne asked.

?Oh, come on! You?re Mystery Inc.!? Scrappy replied. ?You?ll figure out where he is. Oh, wait?no, you won?t?because you?ll be dead by then!? Scrappy then gestured for the Sleazes and the evil residents of ?Sesame Street? to go after the gang. That?s when Sid stepped in and stood by the Mystery Inc. gang, forcing Scrappy to gesture for Sam and the other villains to stop. ?You fool! What do you think you?re doing?!?

?This ain?t right! None of it is!? Sid exclaimed, and the gang felt pleased that Sid realized that it was, while Sam felt really embarrassed.

?Sid, don?t chicken out now!? Sam exclaimed. ?Think about what you?re doing!?

?I don?t care, Sammy.? Sid said. ?We?ve gone way too far this time!?

?Enough of this!!? Scrappy exclaimed, and he gestured for Sam to go after Sid. ?Kill him!? A shocked expression appeared on Sid?s face, as he stared at his brother, who stared right back at him with the same type of look, just before turning towards Scrappy with an angry glare in his eyes.

?What did you say?? Sam asked him.

?Ya heard me!? Scrappy shouted. ?I said kill your brother!? Sam stared at Scrappy for a long time, and then he approached a nervous Sid, who was wondering if his own brother was going to acknowledge Scrappy?s command. But instead of killing Sid, he just put his left arm around him and gave Scrappy a dirty look.

?I may be a lot of things, but the one thing I?m not is a killer.? Sam said, and Sid smiled at Sam and gave him a big hug, which didn?t last long, because Sam had brushed him away. ?Alright! Alright! Don?t make a scene. I?m not going that soft.?

?Looks like you?re short two men, Scrappy.? Velma said, but Scrappy didn?t show any intimidation on his face.

?No matter.? He said. ?I still have a billion more.? With the snap of a finger, Scrappy ordered the wicked ?Sesame Street? residents to continue advancing towards them. But just when it looked as if it was the end for them, a large beam of light with a mixture of blue, yellow, and red colors in it had come through the dark clouds in the sky and shined over the Sleazes and Mystery Inc. The group stared at Scrappy and the evil ?Sesame Street? residents, as they were frozen in place outside the light, just as they were sucked right off the ground and into the sky, departing from the ?Phantom Planet.?

Once they were out of the planet?s atmosphere and into outer space, they all stared through the clear walls of the wormhole in amazement, as they saw what appeared to be an entire island floating away from the Earth and towards the ?Phantom Planet.? Little did the group know that the island was actually the one made out of kryptonite and covered in bedrock that Lex Luthor had grown (courtesy of Kryptonian technology) and escaped from, shortly before Superman (who used heat vision to melt the island away from the sea floor, before it got a good hold) ultimately got it into space.

The Sleazes and Mystery Inc. watched with intrigued looks on their faces, as Superman hurled the entire island away, making it float towards the ?Phantom Planet.? As the island got closer to it, the olive and brass colors of the planet quickly turned to a dark shade of purple; but it was the nasty shade of gray that told the Sleazes and Mystery Inc. that the planet and everything else on it was dying, as the kryptonite island entered its atmosphere. It was only a brief moment before the island crashed to the ?Phantom Planet?s? surface, rupturing through its crust and coming down to its core. Once the kryptonite island hit the core, there was a momentous chain reaction that caused the entire ?Phantom Planet? to vaporize, along with its inhabitants, all never to be heard from again.

While an unconscious Superman started crashing back into the Earth?s atmosphere, the Sleazes and Mystery Inc. were sucked back to the Arctic zone and straight into the Fortress of Solitude, where they landed on the same spot that they had left from. Mac, Frankie, Madame Foster, Eduardo, Bloo, Wilt, Coco, Bugs, Daffy, Big Bird, and Grover all were happy that they were able to bring the group back to Earth, and they were also pleased that Superman had unknowingly destroyed the dreaded ?Phantom Planet? before both it and its inhabitants could?ve caused any serious damage to their universe.

?You?re back!!? Mac exclaimed, as he ran up to Velma and hugged her.

?And just in time, it would appear.? Velma said, with a smile.

?How was it like on the ?Phantom Planet??? Mac asked, and Velma and the other members of Mystery Inc. just grinned.

?Let?s just say it feels awfully swell coming back to someplace you can really call Earth.? Velma said, and while the group was celebrating over Mystery Inc.?s return and the destruction of the ?Phantom Planet,? they barely noticed the head of Lefty peeking out from behind a large crystal. He had been hiding there from the moment the VILE agents had malfunctioned, waiting for the right moment to escape from the Fortress. When he realized that it was his chance then, he moved away from his hiding place and towards the exit; that was until the Sleaze Brothers, who weren?t all that happy to see him, blocked his path.

?Hey, boys.? Lefty said, nervously. ?How was yer trip??

?Oh, we?ll be happy to tell ya all about it.? Sam said.

?On the way to the ACME prison.? Sid added, and the brothers grabbed both of Lefty?s arms, as they walked with him towards Bugs and Daffy, who they were going to turn themselves in to.

?Oh, this is not riiiiight.? Lefty uttered.

END OF CHAPTER FIFTEEN

[Big Daddy]

Epilogue

While Bugs and Daffy had taken Lefty and the Sleazes to the ACME prison, the Mystery Inc. gang had returned to Metropolis with their friends from Foster?s and Sesame Street, only to discover news about Superman crashing into Centennial Park, where he laid unconscious in a massive crater that he created. He was shortly afterwards rushed into the Metropolis Hospital, where doctors attempted to revive him; but due to his invulnerability to needles and electric shock, all they could do was hope and pray.

A day later, while everyone in Metropolis (including residents from Sesame Street, the Mystery Inc. gang, and two visitors from Smallville?Ben Hubbard, Rowlf the Dog, and Martha Kent) all stood outside the hospital in hope to hear some positive updates on the status of Superman?s health, Lois Lane had gone inside the building with her son, Jason, and visited the Man of Steel. Out of everyone in the city (with the exception of Big Bird and maybe a few others), Lois Lane was the one citizen that was closest to Superman. While she was inside the hospital, a depressed yet hopeful Kermit the Frog gave a report, amidst the huge crowd of people (some of which he interviewed weeks ago).

?Uh, hi?ho. Kermit the?Oh, you know who I am.? Kermit said, sadly. ?There probably aren?t many of you viewers out there, seeing as how almost the entire city of Metropolis is here in front of the Metropolis Hospital right now. But, for those that aren?t aware, Superman had suffered from a massive dose of kryptonite poisoning, a day ago, and?well?he?s in there right now?probably somewhere between life and?death.? Kermit stopped reporting for a moment to look back at the hospital complex and wonder about Superman?s condition. Jim the cameraman, who still had the camera on, noticed how Kermit was ignoring the fact that he was on live television.

?Uh, Kermit?? Jim said, and Kermit snapped out of the trance he was, going back to his news report.

?Oh, um?sorry.? Kermit uttered. ?Uh?we?ll keep you updated on Superman?s health, Metropolis. But until then?just?just hope and pray that our Man of Steel will survive.? Kermit looked downwards as he finished off his report. ?This is Kermit?uh?oh, never mind. Just go back to Chevy, will ya?? As Jim shut off the camera, Kermit joined the crowd, as they all looked up at the hospital and prayed. Nearby, Fred and Velma seemed to have been the only ones in the crowd that were able to muster some smiles, thinking about how Superman stopped the ?Phantom Planet.?

?He saved a lot of lives on this planet.? Velma said. ?But if only he knew about the lives he saved on other planets as well.?

?Yeah.? Fred remarked. ?But I have a feeling that he knows. He is Superman, isn?t he??

?Got me there.? Velma said, just as the smile on her face was replaced with a frown. ?But even the mightiest hero of them all can have his flaws.? Fred?s smile disappeared also, once he realized what she meant. Both of them joined everyone else in prayer, just as Lois and Jason came out of the building and rejoined with fiancee and father Richard White (nephew of Perry White), who drove them away from the scene.

--------------

That night in Metropolis, while some people still stood in front of the Metropolis Hospital, others were at home fast asleep. The Mystery Inc. gang had left the city in search for the real Scrappy-Doo, and the residents of Sesame Street were asleep themselves?all except Grover, who stood on the roof of one building in his Super Grover garb, keeping watch over the neighborhood and hoping himself that Superman would be alright.

Most of everyone on Sesame Street slept indoors; but Big Bird could only sleep outside in his nest, where he was most comfortable. It had been a long adventure for him, solving mysteries and searching for items from other worlds. He was in deep sleep at that time, and nothing (except maybe an alarm clock) could?ve woken him up. However, there was one thing that did; a slight gust of wind blew past the bird, forcing him to open his eyes and see if there was a storm coming. But instead of seeing a storm, Big Bird was surprised to see someone that he had a lot of history with: Superman.

?You?re here! And you?re okay!? Big Bird exclaimed, as Superman smiled at him. ?Oh, wait ?til everyone hears about this! I?ve got to wake them up!?

?Let them rest, Big Bird. It?s the middle of the night, you know.? Superman said. ?Sesame Street and the rest of Metropolis will eventually find out that I?m okay.?

?Everyone in the city?s been so worried about you.? Big Bird stated. ?We all thought you wouldn?t make it this time.?

?I thought that myself.? Superman said, with a grin. ?But I?m okay. In fact, I?ve never felt so good in my whole life.?

?That?s nice to hear.? Big Bird said, smiling. ?You know what some of my friends and I found out recently? We found out that there was a planet forming in our solar system, and at first we thought it was Kryptonian, but then we discovered from a message that your dad sent in your home up in the Arctic that the planet was in fact some kind of alien copy of ours.?

?You took your friends to my Fortress of Solitude?? Superman asked, a little surprised.

?Well?yeah, we had to in order to stop the Sleaze Brothers and some other bad guys that wanted to use the planet for evil purposes.? Big Bird said. ?Even Madame Foster from across the street found out about it before I did. But we all promised not to tell anyone where it is, because we respected your privacy.? Big Bird noticed how Superman was looking down, seeming to be a little distraught. ?You?re not mad, are you?? But instead of getting upset, Superman started chuckling, looking very happy.

?No.? He said. ?But hearing that made me think about a friend of mine, who has this son whose biological father is actually?? Superman stopped once he realized that he was talking to a bird that had the mind of a six year old and probably wasn?t ready to hear about the ?Birds and the Bees? just yet. ?Just promise me that you?ll never tell anyone else?about the Fortress and my other secret, and maybe I?ll treat you to another visit. Okay??

?Sure thing, Clark?I mean, Mr. Kent?I mean, Kal-El?I mean, Mr. El?or should it be??? Big Bird stammered, and Superman chuckled as he put a hand on Big Bird?s shoulder.

?Just stick with Superman, Big Bird.? He said, and Big Bird nodded with a smile. ?Well, you get back to sleep, while I go and see who else needs my help.? Superman smiled at Big Bird, as he lifted himself off the ground and slowly flew away from Big Bird?s nest and home, waving goodbye to him in the process. ?Good night, Big Bird.?

?Good night, Superman.? Big Bird said, watching the Man of Steel as he flew right past the building that Super Grover was patrolling from. The appearance of Superman had taken Grover by surprise; it surprised him even more when Superman stopped flying for a moment to turn and face Super Grover, as he hovered in the air.

?Thanks for keeping watch while I?ve been gone.? Superman said, and a speechless Grover just gave Superman a thumb up in reply. ?I just have one little bit of advice for ya. Stick to protecting Sesame Street, while I protect the rest of the world. Okay?? Grover wanted to respond in words; but all he could do was nod in reply. ?See ya around, Super Grover.? Grover had fainted on the rooftop, just as Superman zoomed right up to the sky, breaking the cloud cover; he could once again go back to protecting the Earth, now that he had returned.

THE END

[KazooBloo]

Good idea.