Having partially succeeded in her mission Velma was heading back to join the gang. Leaving Velma's body to run on autopilot Daphne was thinking to herself. Over the years she had wondered just how Velma ticked; her obsession with her glasses had both fascinated and infuriated Daphne. Now she knew why, Daphne still couldn't get used to waking up and not be able to see clearly beyond the end of her nose, how Velma put up with this was beyond her. The skin allergies had also been a nasty surprise as well, though she was on top of them now. Then there was Velma's almost carnal desire for knowledge. Daphne found that she just had to read, to know, to understand. Learning ranked along side breathing for importance in Velma's world. Once Daphne understood that, the reason behind Velma's lack of interest in things such as fashion was obvious.

There were benefits, principally the distinct lack of peril, the constant need to be checking and double checking what she was doing and her surrounding environment for potential hazards was now unnecessary. She was also happy with the anonymity. Despite her obvious relationship with Fred, Daphne was often pestered by men wherever she went. The vast majority of the attention she received was unwelcome. As Velma she was free from this for the first time she could remember, it felt like a breath of fresh air. Lost in thought she walked pass a wide alleyway. Before she knew what was happening someone ran into her, knocking her into the alleyway and her glasses onto the floor.

Getting down onto her hands and knees Velma crawled in the direction when she thought her glasses had gone "OK, I'm getting fed up with this now" she muttered to herself as she began to follow Velma's glasses finding routine. She had gone a short way into the alley when she became aware of people standing around her. She stopped and grimaced in pain as her hands were trodden on.

"Hello Velma, long time no see." said a voice in front of her

Daphne felt her insides freeze – the voice belonged to Red Herring.

Red looked down at her and sighed "Still doing the same old thing all these years later, there again fumbling around on your hands and knees sums up your life so far doesn't it Velma? The trouble with the likes of you is you don't know your place in the world. You think too much, ask too many questions and talk too much, that's why you end up with a looser like that hippy Soggy or whatever his name is, I'm surprised he even notices you. Less talk, less thinking and in your case a lot more make-up and you might just stand a chance of getting a decent date."

The rest of Herring's gang laughed while Daphne felt her anger rise, Shaggy was many things, but a looser wasn't one of them, she had lost count of the number of times he had been the one to come to her rescue or overcome his own fears to help chase down a monster. As for Shaggy noticing Velma, it was so obvious that even Fred had noticed how besotted Shaggy was with her. And as Velma's discovery at the police station had shown, she had quite a following of her own. Then it hit her, Herring was intimidated by Velma. She was everything he didn't like in people, especially in women, intelligent, articulate and able to look after themselves. She smiled to herself as a plan came to mind.

"So as a tribute to old times you have a choice, you get go dumpster diving for your glasses – in different dumpsters of course. Now if you ask really nicely you might get to take one of us on a date first and we'll stick you in the same dumpster as your glasses."

"How can I pick a date if I can't see what's on offer?" Daphne tried to make Velma's voice sound as timid and needy as she could.

She gave a little sigh of relief as the feet were removed from her hands, she took hold of the glasses and cleaned them, as she did Daphne squinted like Velma had taught her and discretely looked around, noting where the gang members where.

"Put your glasses on and your hands back on the floor" instructed Red so Velma complied. The two people who had trod on her hands before went to stomp on them again. At the last second she pulled her hands away, grabbed the bottoms of the trousers of the descending legs and pulled upwards as hard as she could, sitting up at the same time. The sudden change in the movement in their legs caused the two bullies to fall backwards and land next to each other. Before anyone else could react Velma jumped up and landed on the stomachs of the two thugs, further winding them, then jumped off towards another of the gang. The first thing he saw was the mean, determined expression on her face, the next was her clenched fist drawn back ready to strike. Too late he began to bring his hands up to protect himself, her fist shot between his hands and connected with his nose. There was a cracking noise; he staggered backwards clutching his face with blood streaming from his nose.

"My nose, she broke my nose" he wailed as he stumbled away

Velma rammed her left elbow backwards directly into the stomach of another thug who was coming up behind her, spinning anti-clockwise she deliver an uppercut, the extra momentum of the spin helped to send them flying into a nearby dumpster where they slumped unconscious to the ground.

"Hot date huh boys?" Daphne exulted in the strength of Velma's body, this was so much fun. Daphne hoped that when they were back in their own bodies that Velma would remember this moment. A woman made a lunge for her, Daphne recognised her as the one who had lured Velma over to the car when they were visiting the Lovell's farm. Daphne, as a general point of principle had decided long ago that she would never punch another woman, so in a show if sisterly comradeship she used a rising elbow strike instead. It wasn't Daphne's fault that Velma possessed hard and pointy elbows. Velma held no such scruples about hitting someone of the same gender and as Daphne was in Velma's body at the moment she threw in a quick left-hook for good measure. Daphne knew it would be what Velma would have wanted.

Daphne had to admit though that Velma lacked the grace, athleticism and agility that she had acquired through her martial arts training, Velma's highly controlled posture being unsuited to the fluid fighting style Daphne was used to. Over the years Velma developed a simpler and more direct approach to these matters, she just hit people till they fell over, as this usually took only one or two blows the end result was pretty much the same as when Daphne fought but the process was less ascetically pleasing.

It dawned on the remainder of the gang that the only way for them to escape was via the alley entrance, which meant having to go through Velma, which was becoming an increasingly unattractive prospect so they milled about waiting for a suitable opportunity to make a run for it. The two gang members she had first pulled over had recovered themselves enough to have another go at her went for her, Velma ducked under their arms and simultaneously punched both in the stomach causing them to drop to the ground where they sat holding their stomachs, Daphne felt it was time to use one of Velma's signature moves... Now, how did Velma say it went? Oh yes I put an arm under here and another under here, bend knees and lift…Two of the gang went flying through the air landing head first into the partially filled dumpster previously reserved for her. The remaining gang members took this opportunity to make their escape leaving Red alone. After a few seconds of thought he decided that he should make his exit so began to edge along the side of the alley.

"Where you going Red?" asked Velma as she turned round and squared up with him "You afraid of the big bad Dinkley then?"

Just as she had hoped Red lost his temper and lunged at her, Velma delivered a rapid succession of three inch punches to Red's stomach stopping him cold. He stood still in front of her barely able to stand upright, swaying gently. A swift kick top the groin caused him to collapse to his knees.

"That's for all the times you pestered Daphne for a date at school"

He looked up and opened his mouth as if to say something, but before he could Velma drew her fist back and landed a full-power blow right between his eyes and he slowly fell to the ground. Velma brushed her hands then placed them on her hips, looking down at the prone Red Herring "That's for what you did to Velma and my nails"

OK thought Daphne as she brushed herself down, adjusted her glasses, picked-up her dropped magazines and set off to rejoin the rest of the gang Velma does have to deal with idiots who are scared by intelligent independent women.

"Daph, what too you so long? We were starting to get worried" said Fred as soon a Velma appeared at the picnic site.

"Just taking out the trash" smiled Velma as she sat down "I had a run-in with Red Herring and his gang but I don't think they'll be bothering us or you especially Velma, in future."

"That's incredible, how did you do it Daph" asked Daphne, open-mouthed in wonder.

"Simple, you taught me the 'Flying Dinkley' and I added a few moves of my own"

"Like that's a relief, one less monster to worry about eh Scoob?" said Shaggy

"Reah, ress ronsters rhe retter" replied Scooby.

As the gang ate their picnic they examined the evidence collected from the last farm and planned their next move.

"Hmmm just as we expected, there are tyre tracks underneath these footprints, but no tyre tracks where there were no footprints. This can only mean one thing" said Daphne

"He has tyres for shoes?" asked Shaggy

"Close, I think it's trying to cover up tyre tracks, but tyre tracks of what?"

"Farm machinery is noisy, so it can't be that otherwise people would have reported it"siad Velma

"Rhost rachinery?" quivered Scooby

"Thanks Scooby, just what I didn't need to hear" sighed Shaggy "the gobbler driving a ghost combine"

"Jinkies Shaggy, you're onto something" exclaimed Daphne, Shaggy looked pale at the thought "Not a ghost, but the Gobbler just isn't big enough to eat all the food taken from the farms. There must be mormmmmpgh" Shaggy held his hand and Scooby held his paw over Daphne's mouth

"Velms like can you keep thoughts like that to yourself please. Remember some of us scare easily"

"Reah, scare reasily" added Scooby

Daphne moved their hands away while Fred and Daphne looked on in amusement.

"We need to cover some more ground guys" said Fred "so we'll have to split up. Shag, Scooby you can come with me to the Hatfields farm, the Gobbler had already been there so you should be safe"

"And we'll check out the canning and wholesale food plant." said Daphne "it will be nice to go some place safe, dibs on the Mystery Machine"

"Hey" said Fred

"You boys can take a taxi there. This plant is some way out of town and if things do go bad I want the chance of a quick escape. I'll drive there you can drive back Daph" said Daphne.

They tidied up and headed off in separate directions, a taxi was called and Daphne and Velma got into the Mystery Machine

"Right, this time no accidents, I'm determined not to end up in a can" said Daphne as she drove off "I've had enough of this curse of yours Daph."

Velma settled into the seat and smiled to herself