Chapter 7: All is revealed

September 14, 1969

Mr. Wickles was taken into police custody overnight after a brief medical check up.

In the subsequent interview at the nearest police station, the now-former curator of the Coolsville County Museum admitted to taking part in an art and relic forging and smuggling ring, in addition to confessing that he had help in his scheme.

That morning, the gang were at the museum and witnessed the police arresting the museum workers Wickles ratted out as being part of his scheme.

"We've got to hand it to you kids." The police lieutenant spoke to them as officers secure the scene. "We never would've suspected that Mr. Wickles was the art and relic forger."

"It was a clever setup, lieutenant." Fred said. "Wickles and his gang were forging paintings and relics in the museum."

"By switching paintings and relics during the night and work on the forged duplicates in a secret workshop behind the mummy case." Daphne said.

"Which is also why they had to get rid of the professor." Velma added. "He was the only one who could've spotted the difference."

At the mention of the word "professor", a realization came on Daphne.

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed. "Professor Hyde White!"

"We never did find him." Fred said.

"Nor was there a watchman on duty last night." Shaggy added. "Like, I won't be surprised if the Black Knight got him too, in addition to the professor!"

Just then, they heard Scooby barking and as they turned and looked, they saw that he was holding a shoe in his mouth.

"Like, it's Scooby with a shoe!" Shaggy said.

"Reah." Scooby said. "Rollow me!"

The gang and two patrol officers followed the Great Dane, where they stopped at the Native American effigy display.

"Rere." Scooby said as they stopped.

The two officers proceeded to unmask the effigy, and right behind the costume were Professor Hyde White and the night watchmen!

"Professor Hyde White!" The gang exclaimed.

"And Officer Jordan Higgins!" One of the officers added as he recognized the police officer that was supposed to be on night watchman duty at the museum the night before. "No wonder he never reported for duty this morning."

Scooby smiled as they realized that they've found the missing professor and watchman.

After the professor and the police officer had their medical checkups, the professor invited the gang to join him in his office at Big City University later that afternoon.

"So there wasn't really a legend at all." Velma said to the professor.

"Positively not." Hyde White replied. "Wickles simply used it to cover up my mysterious disappearance, as well as that of the night watchman's."

"Right." Daphne nodded. "So how did he made you disappear?"

"Well, I'll say that he somehow had the armour ready to be put on when he saw me returning to my office to retrieve something last Friday evening and got in it while I was in the office and then hid in my convertible." Hyde White replied. "He must've figured out that I can be absent-minded at times."

"I'll say." Shaggy said. "And then, while you were on your way home, he made you disappear, which was when he must've had his henchmen ready and got him on their waiting vehicle while he abandoned the armour and left it in the convertible, which is what Scoob and I discovered later when we were on our way home from the movies."

"Say, there's something that still bugs me." Velma said. "How did he managed to keep up the energy and strength to run around the museum while wearing the armour?"

"He does look short and mousy." Fred added when he figured out what Velma was talking about.

"He did mention that he had took up weightlifting and gymnasium during his youth." Hyde White said.

"Which may explain the weight lifts we saw in that secret workshop behind the mummy case." Fred said.

"Precisely." Hyde White nodded. "In addition, they must've figured out that the watchman was Officer Higgins working undercover and sniffing around, which was also why they made him disappear as well."

"Say, what did Wickles plan to do to you guys after you're being held captive, professor?" Daphne asked.

"They didn't really say." Hyde White shook his head. "Though it doesn't take much to figure out that it's not going to be pretty."

"Oh, and another thing, professor." Velma said. "From the way you guys were tied up and gagged, how come you didn't make a move while we were walking by your display?"

"There was a pole right behind us that we were tied to." Hyde White explained. "Plus, it was near an air vent, so our muffled voices often ended up getting carried through the vent."

"Like, while we were inside, we kept thinking that the Black Knight was around with that muffling sound." Shaggy said. "I guess we didn't realize that it was really you guys trying to get our attention."

"It's okay." Hyde White said. "At least the good officer and I are still moving around."

"Right." Fred nodded.

There was some silence before Shaggy thought of something and said, "Say, there's another loose end that's been bothering me."

"What is it, Shag?" Fred asked.

"How did they manage to place that missing painting back at the spot Scooby and I noticed while we went to fetch you guys?" Shaggy asked. "Like, you guys weren't that far away from the art gallery, so how is it that they were able to return the painting back to its spot without being seen by us?"

"I believe I can explain that as well." Hyde White said. "The museum has a network of secret passageways for staff members to use, often as a fast way to remove paintings and get them to the workshop to be maintained. I'd imagined that one of them were watching you and your friend making the discovery through eyeholes in a nearby portrait, then took down the section of the wall and placed it back with the painting through the passageway while you two were fetching your friends."

"Oh, that secret passageway must've originated from that door I opened last night." Daphne snapped her fingers.

"Like, no wonder the passageway behind that door and the Black Knight looked dark." Shaggy nodded understandingly.

There was some silence before Fred said, "Well, gang, I guess that wraps up the mystery."

"Right, except that there's one more thing." Shaggy said. "Like, where's Scooby?"

Everyone blinked before looking around. Scooby wasn't with them.

Before anyone can say something, there was some groaning from the desk, and as Shaggy turned and looked towards the source, his eyes widened and his hair spiked.

"Like, he's alive!" Shaggy exclaimed as they saw the Black Knight moving behind Hyde White's desk.

The group looked on silently as the Black Knight moved towards the door. When they saw the bottom half of the Black Knight, the first thing they noticed was that the bottom half of the armour was gone.

In its place were a familiar-looking pair of legs and the bottom half of a dog's body.

The Black Knight then removed the eye hole cover, revealing Scooby to be wearing the armour.

"Scooby-Doo!" Scooby howled, and everyone in the room bursted out laughing while the Great Dane grinned.

And so ends my revision of the series premiere of SDWAY, also the very first episode of the franchise.

What do you folks think? Did I accommodate several of the suggestions from the Scooby wiki's pointing out of inconsistencies and goofs from the original episode?

Please read and review!