Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from Scooby Doo, I'm just borrowing 'em for awhile.
Scooby Doo: The End.
They finally escaped the haunted mansion, the twenty-somethings panting and exhausted, hauling the 'monster' behind them. Mystery Inc had been called in to check another fake haunted house, but this one had been worse than usual. The traps had been much more dangerous than normal, nearly lethal. Probably WOULD have been lethal for people less experienced than they were.
"Ugh," Shaggy sighed as they leaned their still struggling captive against the van.
"I think he said he was going to check out the other wing," Daphne said, "I hope he's all right."
"He'll be fine," Velma waved that off, "professional paranormal expert that he is."
There had been some tension in the group when Fred went off to actually get a degree. Even more so when he went off to become a pro investigator on his own. But things hadn't worked out, and he ended up going back to the team.
"Awwwr," Scooby said, which everyone somehow translated as 'Don't be mean.'
"Mmmhhhp!" the bound and gagged villain fought even harder under his creepy mask and costume.
"Well, since Fred ain't here," Shaggy shrugged, "I'll unmask him."
"Hmm!" the gagged man tried to read his head back, but failed.
The mask ripped free, then the team stared, frozen. "What." Shaggy blinked, the mask dropping from suddenly nerveless hands.
"I'm not gonna say," Fred glared up from where he was tied up, "I'd have gotten away with it if not for you darn kids."
"You just did," Daphne noted and Fred just growled back.
"But... why, man?" Shaggy asked, "We're your friends, dude."
"Friends," Fred scoffed. "Do you know what happened when I went to university?"
"Arroo?" Scooby asked.
"I was a LAUGHING STOCK!" Fred cried. "They red our blog and thought we were a joke! I nearly got laughed out of school. The only reason I graduated was my professor was a fan and I could bribe him with Velma and Daphne swimsuit shots!"
"Okay, that's just creepy," Velma sighed.
"I decided the only way I could be a REAL paranormal investigator," Fred sighed, "was to get RID of all of you."
"Well, good luck with THAT," Shaggy sighed.
Postscript:
Fred Jones was remanded to police custody. After a psychiatric examination he was determined fit to stand trial, where he plead guilty to attempted murder.
Daphne, Velva, Shaggy and Scooby carried on as Mystery Inc, and remained popular bloggers and web personalities. There was a scandal when the infamous Daphne/Velma sex tape surfaced, but the group managed to ride that out.
End: Yeah, odd story. I got the idea of Fred trying to become a 'real' paranormal investigator and flunking out awhile ago. Just had to sit down and write it up.
Sorry about it being short. Work, plus heat wave equals tired writer.