𝔽𝕒𝕚𝕣 | 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝 [Mystery Inc] ¹

2.3

We drove to the old abandoned mining town, none of us had really spoken since the incident in the meuseum. We got out and Fred decided to start a conversation to break the silence, "So, what's your assessment, Velmster?"

"This place seems harmless enough", Velma says looking at the ground probably thinking about Patrick.

"I meant, whether the Evil Masked Figure could've gotten his randamonium... ...from here at the mine?" Fred explained not understanding why everyone was so down.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about Patrick. He seemed so upset when he left" Velma said as I went to rub her back knowing how she must feel.

I continued to walk ahead of the gang letting my boots clank on the ground since we changed after we decided we weren't having a date night. I could not stop thinking about what Heather had told me. I felt as if she had reminded me of the original reason I left the gang and scared me also because she told me what I had known since Mystery Inc. began. I was just Daphne's little sister and the gang did not need me...

"Right, so...", Fred continued questioning Velma not understanding why she was upset which made me madder because he wasn't asking me what was wrong.

"And... he doesn't like me" Velma told him kicking pebbles ahead of her beginning to tear up. I quickly forget about my jealousy and go togive her a hug which she returns. 

"Okay. So your assessment is?" Fred asked only caring about the mystery as usual.

"Love stinks" Velma told him before crying into my shoulder. Daphne began to pull Velma away to give her a pep talk as I went to Fred who was stressed out from all of our emotions.

"Fred? Do you think I'm just Daphne's little sister?" I asked him hoping he would know what to say to make me feel better.

"No..... I mean, maybe. I mean, you are but...what does it matter? I mean it is not like I love her"

"You love my sister?" I asked him about to cry at the harsh words.

Fred grabs my hands kissing them while laughing hysterically, "No! I didn't know what you were asking me. I love you, Rosie. You know that?"

I nod at him feeling silly for jumping to conclusions ,giving him a small peck before we open the door we had been walking to, but still wondering if I had a true place in the gang.

We enter the room to see Old Man Wickles presenting a pitch. 

"Ah ha. Old Man Wickles, caught red-handed in your foul monster-making scheme. With your ugly, evil henchmen" Fred said as the bussiness men came out of the shadows.

"Henchmen? Young man, we're investors, and we're listening to his pitch" One of the men told him which caused him to slightly blush before going to hold my hand which I instantly grab rubbing circles on it as I feel him relax under my touch. I know how stressed he must be tryong to solve this case to show he is a good leader.

"So as I was saying... ...the Old Tyme Mining Town, a summer camp for kids... ...where they can have an authentic mining experience. They can dig for 18 hours straight, just like in the golden days of yore. They have the time of their lives, and we get free miners!" Wickles said with a dreamy look on his face. At that moment I knew he was innocent because I could just see in his eyes he wanted to change and that this was a dream come true opportunity for him and we were ruining it.

"Mr. Wickles, we need to ask you about your ties to recent monster attacks" Velma tells him causing Wickles to let go of a possible investor.

"I know nothing about no monster attacks" Wickles said and I trusted him. 

"Then how come there was randamonium on the floor of your mansion?" Daphne added.

"There's randamonium all over the place. I come home with it in my shorts" Wickles said causing me to wince at the thought.

"Are you continuing the work of your old pal Jonathan Jacobo?" Fred asked him not believing he was innocent. 

"Old pal? Jacobo? We hated each other. In the prison cafeteria, he used to steal my Tater Tots! And he got the lead in My Fair Lady" Wickles said and I frowned thinking about how he must have felt being in prison for all those years because of us. Although I do love solving the crimes, I never believed the bad guys deserved to go to jail or were even that bad to begin with.

"Then why did we find the monster book in your library?" Velma challenged.

"Wait a second. You're the runts what vandalized my home. Which one of you stole my toilet brush?" Wickles crazily asked causing one of the investors cleared their throat.

"Gentlemen" He said motioning it was time to go to Wickles dimay, "What happened? I haven't finished! Wait, fellas!"

I walk up to Wickles giving him a hug knowing he hated me and knowing he probably did not want for me to touvh him but, knowing he needed it. He surpisingly doesn't push me away and just allows me to hug him until I let him go. The gang gives me strange looks before shaking it off knowing this isn't the first time I have hugged a stranger. I jump hearing an explosion from another room causing the gang and I to leave Wickles and investigate the noise. We walk in the see Scooby and Shaggy both dressed oddly and burnt to a wall.

"What are you guys doing here? You're supposed to be sick, Scooby" I asked looking at the two with a disapointted look.

"Ri rinvented ra rotion" Scooby innocently said causing me to smile and rub the adorable dogs head. He licked my face causing me to giggle before Fred interrupted us walking between Scoob and me, "You lied to us. We're a team. You don't just go off half-cocked doing whatever you want"

"Hey gang" Velma said looking at what seemed to be a clue.

"Beware who enters the Monster Hive. Inside your fears will come alive."" I read translating the symbols. 

"Let's check it out!", Fred said holding his hand out to me which I gladly take, both os us waking into the hive. We saw a huge machine holding all the costumes.

"Look! It's all the costumes" Fred said as Velma stuttered, "Zombie"

"Miner 49er" Daphne pointed out. "Captain Cutler" Shaggy whimpred terrified of the monster.

"Witch Doctor", I almost yelped grabbing Fred's arm while he haugged me moving my attention away from the monster who he knew had kidnapped me and given me nightmares for months,"I bet they're all here." 

"He must have used the costumes to make real monsters, which implies..." Velma began 

"He needs the costumes to make the monsters, which implies..." Fred continued.

"He already had a Pterodactyl Ghost costume somehow, which implies..." Daphne said before looking at Velma.

"Patrick's the one" Velma said in a whisper terrified by what she found out.

"Vel's in Love" I clasped my hands together in joy. 

"No, I mean the one. The bad guy. That's why he wanted to go out with me. To see what we knew" Velma said making my smile drop. I did not believe that Velma was right but, didn't question it knowing she was the smart one of the group.

"We just saw Patrick at the bad guys' hangout. He was working both sides of Psycho Street" Shaggy said while Scooby backed him uo with a nod.

"I don't know who is behind what is going on, but we can't let them make any more monsters" Fred said beginning to look around for a way to turn the machine off, "Let's find a way to shut down this monster-maker for good"

I began to search around to turn the machine off before I saw the costumes begin to move making me run and inform Fred. "Hey! Did you find... anything?" Fred asking looking at me wondering why I came to him.

I pointed at the machine which was moving at creating monsters as Fred began to freak out. Daphne and Velma walked in at the same time I pointed at the machine before we saw Scooby and Shaggy shaking next to the control panel we were searching for. I freeze in place looking at the Witch Doctor which had always scared me. Daphne began rubbing my shoulder knowing hoe I felt about that monster I look at Fred who was about to come up to me before pointing at the machine, "Fred disconnect that control panel."