Velma's head jerked around trying to figure out where the creaking noise she'd just head was coming from. The room she was in was virtually pitch-black and her glasses were missing. Light entered the room, wrecking her night vision; she concluded that a door must have been opened. She was torn, should she cry out for help or play possum. She closed her eyes and focused on the noise, straining to extract every bit of information she could, there was the sound of movement and the scrabbling of claws. Before she could think, something rough and wet was drawn over her face.

"NmmmmpH!"

"Rema! Ri round Relma! Ri rin! Ri rin!" she could just about make out a brown blob prancing around excitedly in front of her in between bouts of licking her face.

"Like guys she's in here, Scooby's found her!" Her insides unwound, it was Shaggy not one of the faceless mannequin monsters they were investigating.

He was next to her seconds later; she turned her head so he could untie the rope that had held the wad of cloth that had been jammed in her mouth for the past few hours.

"Oh jinkies my jaw," whispered Velma moving her jaw around trying to work out the aches and pains.

Daphne arrived and set to work picking the handcuffs round Velma's ankles while Shaggy did the same to those on her wrists. Fred stood watch just to be sure they weren't surprised while Scooby waited patients with the glasses she'd lost earlier held gently in his mouth.

"Seriously you can take live-bait of my list of skills," said Velma squinting at Shaggy.

"Like replace it with damsel in distress?"

"They'll be a Shaggy in distress in a minute if you don't get me free..." said Velma. She'd volunteered to swap roles with Shaggy a few months ago after he'd sprained a big toe and things hadn't gone too well. In each case she'd either ended up being captured, trapped, or in one instance enduring 'prolonged brutal physical and psychological torture'. The rest of the gang felt the latter was a bit of an exaggeration as she'd just ended up having to play the part of a cosmetics model for an afternoon, "...and besides we've got to pick up Maddy from college on the way home so if you don't hurry up both Maddy and my mother are going to be on your case, mom's doing dinner for when we get back so they'll be no second helpings for you if we're late."

Shaggy's hands became a blur, within seconds Velma's wrists were free. He darted to her ankles knocking Daphne out of the way in the process, seconds later they were free. "Done! Like c'mon Vel you're not being paid to lie down."

Velma rubbed some life pack into her wrists before taking the glasses from Scooby then Shaggy helped Velma up, gripped her hand then ran out of the door pulling her behind him with Scooby hot on their heels.

"Best motivational speech I've heard this year," said Fred looking at the retreating cloud of dust.

Velma looked out of the window of the van counting down the miles; finally the Whirlen Merlin Magic Academy came into view.

"Shaggy, time for us to put on some protection," said Velma climbing into the back of the van, nudging Shaggy awake then hauling a large hold-all out of a storage bay.

"Huuuh, what? Oh like we're nearly there already?"

Velma nodded, "Yep, better hurry you know what happened last time."

Together they unzipped the bag and began to take out the contents which looked a bit like a soft version of American Football body armour.

"What are they putting on?" whispered Daphne to Fred.

"OMBA."

"OMBA?"

"Overexcited Madelyn Body Armour."

"Ohhh yeah, last time Velma got concussed while Shaggy nearly got a cracked rib."

One of the scariest things a person can experience is the change of an enraged 400lb silverback gorilla; then there was the charge of an over-excited ~130lb Madelyn Dinkley. As soon as they had got out of the van...

"Shaggy! Velma!" Madelyn screamed excitedly running out of the castle doors, Shaggy and Velma tried to push each other in front as Madelyn ran towards them with arms outstretched. Finally when there was no place left to hide they held onto each other for support before the inevitable impact. Fred, Daphne and Scooby cringed. After the dust had settled the trio went to pick up the pieces, the OMBA had done the job, Shaggy and Velma were unharmed. Fred and Daphne surreptitiously moved Velma away in a carefully rehearsed manoeuvre. The gang had practiced this a few times so Shaggy would find himself alone with Madelyn.

"Like, em, Maddy, err as we're alone, I'd em, I'd like to ask you something…" Shaggy's voice grew fainter as the gang high-tailed it for cover.

"Yes! Oh Shaggy, yes, yes!" Scooby jammed his paws in his ears, birds fell out of the sky in mid-flight; Velma clutched her glassed to her bosom fearing they might crack. If this was the noise Madelyn made when Shaggy asked her to be his girlfriend then what would happen if things went further and her asked her another question. Still that didn't stop Velma and Daphne rushing over to congratulate Madelyn. Velma especially seemed happy her younger sister was finally getting some stability in her life, plus she'd be able to trade Shaggy secrets with her. Poor Shag, he doesn't stand a chance, thought Velma feeling unusually warm and fuzzy, she had her own reunion to look forward to.

After a break for refreshments and to reacquaint themselves with Whirlen and the other members of the staff they headed for home. Velma was sitting in the front of the van to give Madelyn and Shaggy a bit of privacy plus she wouldn't get all car-sick over the gushing lovey-doveyness going on at the back.

"Oh Shaggy you're sooooo handsome," Velma fluttered her eyelids at Daphne while imitating Madelyn's voice. Daphne gave a little giggle and turned to look at the road ahead, she'd just sensed a change in Fred's driving.

"Freddie!" shouted Daphne as Fred hit the brakes, but it was too late. The van's left wheel slammed into a deep pot-hole bringing them to an abrupt halt, the momentum caused the van to do a 180 degree turn on the spot. The next they knew there were lights, sirens and a police officer opening the door to see if they were alright.

"Are you kids OK? Paramedics are on the way so you all stay where you are till they get here."

"What-what happened?" said Velma fumbling around on the dashboard for her glasses "ahhh there you are my darlings."

"Seems you hit a pot-hole, a deep one, looks like you'll be off the road for a while." The officer looked down at the front of the Mystery Machine.

"Bust axle?" said Fred, the officer nodded.

"Man, don't tell me we've got to camp in the van again," said Shaggy.

"Well you're in luck," the officer pointed to a building opposite "there's a guest house right over there."
The gang looked at the building. It was a large multi-story affair that looked like it had been made by gluing bits of other houses together.

"Like, 'Haywire Towers Guest House - Pets Welcome,'" said Shaggy.

"And they have vacancies!" said Madelyn embracing Shaggy.

The paramedics arrived and checked the gang over, aside from the odd bump or bruise they were all uninjured, the same couldn't be said for the van, the front axle was broken and the wheel had been all but torn off. The gang stood outside the guest house with their luggage as the van was towed away to the garage. When the van was out of sight Velma took out her phone and called home.

"Hi mom it's me, yes I'm fine, look we're going to be a bit late… no Daphne hasn't been kidnapped again… no, mother listen, no mother calm down, seriously mom if I had been me do you think I'd be calling like this? No look there's no mystery, no goons in masks, the van just hit a pothole and the front axle is broken, it's in the garage now… yes Maddy's here, Maddy! Mom wants a word." Velma waved her phone at her sister. Madelyn rushed over and grabbed the phone.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, mom this is so much fun can Vel and the gang pick me up again? And you'll never guess what Shaggy asked me out, I've got a boyfriend!"

Velma finally got her phone back, there was one more call to make, a private call. "Right that's mother dealt with, better give Rupert a call," Velma said quietly to herself. Wet popping and smacking noises began to fill the air as she walked away from the gang "Hey Rupert, awww I miss lots you too… wait a moment darling," Velma turned and faced the gang with her hands on her hips "Enough with the kissy noises already."

The gang walked up the steps into the guest house and up to reception. Behind the desk was a woman in her 50's dressed entirely in tweed. She had a name badge which read Sibyl. From the office a tall, thin balding man appeared. He was wearing a black suit, white shirt and black bow-tie. His name badge read Basil. It was clear from their body language that their relationship could be described as 'interesting'.

"See I knew telling everyone about the ghost vampire was a good idea, business is booming," said Sibyl as the gang walked up to the desk.

"Yes dear," muttered Basil under his breath "I mean who wouldn't want to stay in a guest house haunted by the vengeful spirit of an electrified vampiric ghost!"