She pointed off into the distance at a group of women approaching the skate park. They all held signs emblazoned with various slogans: 'DOWN WITH TONY HAWK,' 'SKATEBOARDING IS NOT A STATE STANDARD,' and the like. They waved them around wildly as they chanted a call-and-response protest rhyme:
School is great and school is grand!
School is great and school is grand
Gives them all a helping hand!
Gives them all a helping hand!
They must work hard every day!
They must work hard every day!
There's no time for silly play
There's no time for silly play!
Children need to learn and grow
Children need to learn and grow!
So make that skate park go, go, go!
Make that skate park go, go, go!
Sabrina picked out the woman cheering the loudest, an auburn-haired woman in a rose-colored jacket near the front of the crowd. "That's Carmen Frost, head of M.A.T.H.," Sabrina whispered as the women drew closer.
"Like, zoinks," Shaggy gulped. "Math is scarier than, like, any ghoul or monster known to man."
"Or dog!" Scooby chimed in with a staccato bark.
"It's not mathematics, Shaggy," Sabrina corrected. "M.A.T.H. stands for Mothers Against Tony Hawk. They feel that a skate park here will interfere with their children's schooling."
"But kids need a place to blow off steam and just have fun," Tony interjected. "You know what they say about 'all work and no play.'"
"So, Mr. Hawk, have you finally decided to wise up and close down this awful park?" Carmen replied, a grin not unlike Alice's Cheshire Cat crossing her face.
"No, Ms. Frost!" Tony exclaimed. "I see no reason to shut down this place. It's in a safe neighborhood and everyone seems to enjoy it." He gestured towards the ramps and half-pipes occupied by children laughing and skating.
"Enjoy it?" Carmen replied in her most scandalized voice. "This park is dangerous and…and we'll do anything in our power to shut it down!"
Tony frowned. "No offense, Ms. Frost, but…have you ever tried to skateboard?"
Carmen's insincere smile quickly turned into a frown. "Well, I never!" she scoffed. "C'mon, ladies! It's clear we're not getting anywhere with this…ruffian!" And with that, she and her cohorts turned to leave. "And I, 2, 3, 4, school is great and school is grand!"
As the crowd marched off, still chanting their rhyme, Fred turned to the gang. "All right, everyone, let's split up and look for clues!"
"No need," Velma replied. "I know exactly who our monster is!"
"Like, you do?" Shaggy asked in shock. "Usually we have to, like, split up and, like, the monster comes and…"
"Well, it was a little easier this time," Velma protested.
Shaggy folded his arms over his chest. "All right, but you're, like, messing with a time-honored tradition here."
"Who cares!?" Fred exclaimed. "It's time for a time-honored Fred Jones trap!"
Shaggy and Scooby tightened their grip on the net they held and watched Tony Hawk perform their usual job as bait. "Like, seriously, Scoob. What's wrong with this crazy world?"
"No Rooby Rhacks," Scooby pouted sadly.
"I mean, we also don't have to get chased by a creepy monster either, so…"
"Psst." Fred hissed, bringing the two back to the present. "Stop moaning and pay attention. The monster's on its way."
"We've got it on the run!" Tony called as he skated by, taking to the air and performing a complicated spin before landing on a grinding rail. "You ready? 'Cause here it comes!"
Sure enough, the hideous creature skated by on its filthy board, raising its rotting arms to grab Tony in its putrid grip. Fred raised the net in readiness. "All right…NOW!"
The trio tossed the net over the rotted beast, sending it spiraling off its board and hopelessly trapping it. "Wow, you caught the monster!" Sabrina cheered.
Fred untangled to monster from the net and pulled it to its feet, tying its hands securely behind its back. "Well, Tony, would you like to do the honors?"
"Sure," Tony shrugged, yanking off the creature's skeletal face.