Chapter 10
The Battle of the Witches
Author's note: Whilst I am glad that people are enjoying this story, please don't keep asking me when the next chapter will be or please continue. The chapters will come out when they're ready. Please be patient.
Special thanks AFY2018 to for their help with BETA reading this story.
Also, to answer a question I got regarding who would voice the original characters. My choices would be:
Tara Strong as Victoria
April Winchell as Mary
Kath Soucie as Elvina
John Hasler as Tim
Grey Delisle Griffin as Hazel
Kari Wahlgren as Holly
Rob Rackshaw as Casey
Maggie Ollerenshaw as Mindy
Dee Bradley Baker as Pete
Back at the witch's hut, Fred was still trying to free himself. He had just managed to cut the rope around his wrists on a small loose nail. Quickly, he escaped but just as he began to run, he saw Victoria and Mary flying back to the hut. Fred quickly hid behind a nearby tree in the shadows as they came closer.
"Finally, we can get our potion ready, unless Daphne found another way to screw up," Victoria stated.
"I can't stand her!" her sister agreed in frustration.
"Me too, she's more trouble than she's worth."
"You can say that again. Threatening me just because I flirted with that handsome hunk of hers."
"Well, we won't have to put up with her for much longer. Once we deal with that sorceress, we'll add that idiotic redhead to our frog collection," Victoria cackled in a truly horrific tone.
Once the witches had entered their house, Fred tore through the woods so he could warn his friends and ex-girlfriend.
He ran into the shadows just as he heard a frustrated Victoria screech, "ELVINA!"
She breathed angrily between her teeth. "That's the last time she ruins our plans."
"Guess she'll be added to our frog feast too?" Mary asked.
"No, that's too good for our double-crossing sister! When I see her, I am going to kill her in the most painful way possible!" the eldest witch snarled while clenching her fist tightly. "Now quickly, we haven't much time!"
They set to work on a special smoke potion that would turn any living being into a frog.
Up in the night sky, Daphne and Elvina flew with the autumn wind blowing in their long hair.
"So, where are we heading anyway?"
"Somewhere far enough that my sisters won't find us, then I can turn you back to normal."
"Why didn't you do that back there?"
"I wanted to be sure they wouldn't see it. Knowing Victoria, she won't hesitate to turn us into slugs."
"Is that why you didn't turn me when I came back with Fred," she asked in a sorrowful tone when the last word came out.
"Well not exactly. To reverse the potion, you would have to want to be normal again."
"So, I would be stuck like forever if I hadn't come to my senses?" Elvina nodded. Daphne pondered for a moment before she spoke again. "Elvina, could I ask you something?"
"Oh, sure."
"Why aren't you like the other witches? Why aren't you wicked?"
"Witches by nature are usually wicked, but every once in a while, a witch is born kindhearted, however, rarely are the kindhearted ones traditional," she explained.
"What do you mean?"
"They usually look like normal people only with magic."
"So, like a sorceress?"
"Not exactly. We can't use light magic. No matter how they I may want to."
"So, you never wanted to use your magic for evil?" Daphne earned a nod. "Is that why they treated you so poorly?" again, she earned a nod. "I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier and treating you like that."
"That's alright, I've had worse."
"What do you mean?"
"When I was younger, I never fit in with the other witches," Elvina began. "I didn't enjoy cursing or hurting people. The others would belittle me for it, especially my mum. She would yell at me even when I did well, call me pathetic when I failed a task, and tell me..." tears began to well in her eyes "...tell me she wished I was never born."
Daphne was horrified by the fact that such a kindhearted person had to endure such a cruel mother. How on Earth after living through all that she hadn't turned wicked, remained a mystery to her.
"I never knew what it was like to be treated like an equal until you became my friend," Elvina said.
"Why did you stay with them if they were that horrible to you?" Daphne asked.
"They're my sisters, my only family."
"Just because you're related doesn't mean they're your family."
"Of course, they are. If they're not my family who is?"
"Elvina, a family has people who care about you."
Elvina let Daphne's words sink. Just then they heard a thunderclap and a brilliant light flashed across the area.
"We need to land," Elvina said.
They flew down to a large, deep ravine with an old bridge. As they came closer, another flash revealed a figure running across their path. Elvina tried to stop but it was too late. They crashed into them with Daphne getting thrown off the broom and into them. To her surprise it was Fred.
"Hi," she awkwardly apologized, but he just glared harshly at her as they got up.
"Sorry, Mr. Jones I didn't see you there?" Elvina added as she dusted herself off.
"What are you doing here?" he crossly asked his ex.
"We're trying to stop the witches." She earned a quizzical glare from him. "I'm telling the truth."
"Oh, sure you are." he sarcastically stated.
"I'm being serious Fred."
"Why should I trust you?"
"She's telling the truth, Mr. Jones," Elvina added.
"Oh please, why would she change her mind?"
"Because she realized her mistake. I was taking her somewhere to change her back."
"I'll believe it when I see it. Goodbye, Danger-Prone Daphne," he said bitterly.
Daphne was going to retort but she couldn't, she just looked down in sorrow.
Fred stepped onto the rickety old bridge and began to make his way across but halfway across a rotten board snapped in half, and he fell through just managing to catch the rope. Daphne, without hesitation, rushed over to him. He dangled helplessly over the drop just as his fingers slipped off, Daphne managed to grab his hand. Using her power, she pulled him up.
"Um, thanks," he uneasily stated, which made the witch smile a little.
"Now do you believe she's had a change of heart?" Elvina asked.
"Please Fred," Daphne begged.
Fred thought for a few seconds. "Alright."
"Thank you, Fredd-"
"Fred, just Fred," he sternly corrected her. "Now let's get going."
"Don't you want me to change her back first?"
"There's no time, those two know you're missing. We have to get to town now or it'll be too late."
"Alright, we'll deal with my sisters, then I'll change her back," Elvina promised.
"Ok, let's go," Fred agreed, not bothering to look at Daphne as Elvina lead the way. The redhead had tears welling in her eyes as she followed.
At the carnival, the gang prepared for the witches' arrival. For their safety, the public was evacuated from the fairgrounds until the threat had been dealt with. As the Mystery Gang made their preparations, they looked at each other in worried anticipation.
"Ro rou rhink rhe'll rhat ro rurn rack?" Scooby asked.
"I don't know Scoob," Shaggy replied with tears in his eyes.
Pete looked at them with sympathy. As he turned his head, he saw someone in the forest glades. "Puris purhat Pured?" ("Is that Fred?")
The gang turned to see their friend walking towards them.
"Fred!" his friends enthusiastically cried as they rushed over to hug him.
"Ok, ok Scooby," Fred chuckled as his face was licked.
"Thank goodness you're safe, pal," Shaggy said as they finished their hug.
"How did you escape?" Velma asked.
"Cut the rope on a nail," Fred confidently explained.
"But, like, how did you get past the witches?" Shaggy asked.
"Two of them were out getting ingredients for a potion."
"What kind of potion?" Holly cut in as she approached them.
"One that can turn everyone into frogs."
"So, they're planning to turn us into frogs?" Tim asked for clarification.
"Not just us, but the whole town, for a feast."
"Oh, good heavens," Mindy exclaimed.
"Wait, you said that two of them were out. What about the other one and Daphne?" Velma asked.
"They weren't there when I got out, but I did run into them later and I think Daphne's finally come to her senses," Fred stated.
"How do we know we can trust them?" Velma said.
"We don't, we just have to hope they're being honest."
"So, where are they?" Casey asked.
He turned to the forest. "You can come out now."
Daphne shamefully approached them as she and Elvina walked out of the woods. The gang watched intensely as the witches came closer. Once they had stopped, the Sorceress stepped forward.
"So, you're the good witch my mother told me about, I presume," Holly directed to the black-haired witch. Elvina nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Miss?"
"Elvina," she politely introduced, holding out her hand which Holly accepted.
"And you must be Daphne," she guessed.
"Yes," she sheepishly confirmed before turning to Velma. "Sorry about dropping you, I was only trying to scare you." Yet Velma just gave her an unsure smile.
"So, what's the plan?" Fred segued.
"Simple, we'll act as diversions," Holly stated.
"Will I be turned to stone again, after this?" Elvina asked her.
"We shall see," Holly said in a friendly voice.
"Ok, so what about the rest of us?"
"You and the others will help lead them here."
Fred nodded and the gang split up to add the finishing touches to their trap. As they parted ways to complete their tasks, Daphne discreetly undid her curse on Shaggy and Scooby.
"Like, I'm starving Scoob," Shaggy whined.
"Reah, re too," his buddy replied.
As the duo walked, Shaggy grabbed a piece of chicken for one last attempt. It took them a while to realize that the food was still intact so they did a double-take.
Meanwhile, Fred gathered up some rope when Daphne approached him.
"Fred, can I tell you something," she asked nervously.
"Make it quick," he said not bothering to look at her.
"I heard what you said to Velma during the ghost case."
"You... you did?"
"I just want you to know that was the sweetest thing I've ever heard."
"Oh, um thanks," he said.
An awkward silence filled the air as they were unsure of what to say, before departing in silence.
An hour later, the gang finished and waited for the witches' arrival by hiding while the magical women stood in the open. As the clock tower struck ten, Victoria and Mary arrived carrying their potion.
"Daphne?! Elvina?! What are you doing with that sorceress?!" Victoria demanded as she and Mary put down the cauldron.
"To stop you, forever," Elvina declared.
"You two are guilty of abuse of magic. Come quietly and your punishment will be reduced. Otherwise, you will face the consequences of your actions," Holly warned.
"You really think that you can stop three witches?"
"You mean two," Daphne corrected.
"Now Daphne, why would you stay with the ones who called 'Danger-Prone Daphne', when you could be Witch Daphne a woman of pure power? Come, join us." Victoria enticed her in a calm voice.
"I'm not Danger-Prone Daphne! And I'm not a Witch either!" she yelled at the ancient woman. "I am Daphne Blake, and I would never join you."
"Very well then," She sighed before turning to her youngest sister. "Elvina, help these people. After all, you don't want to betray your family?"
"You are not my family, you're monsters who treated me horribly for decades! I'd rather help Daphne, my friend," she stated.
"So, be it, you insolent fools," Victoria coldly muttered. She hurled a fireball at them. Holly used a ward to shield them from the flames.
Mary then summoned a snake-like dragon to attack them, however before the creature could strike, Shaggy, Scooby, and Pete came out to act as a diversion.
"Hey, over here scaley!" Shaggy called waving his arms in the air. The dragon turned its attention to the three and began to chase them. "Like, run for it Scoob!"
"I see you have your former friends helping you," Victoria grinned coldly. Daphne tried to hide her worried expression. "How about we make them fly." She teleported Velma and Tim into the air.
"Not again," Velma whispered to herself.
They began to fall with terrified screams. Daphne quickly hopped on her broom and flew into the air to rescue them just as they came close to colliding with the Ferris wheel.
"Thanks," they said in unison as Daphne landed.
Meanwhile Shaggy, Scooby, and Pete were still running away from the dragon. As they rounded a bend the dragon almost caught the Great Dane by the tail, fortunately, Pete pushed him out of the way in the nick of time.
"Rhank rou," Scooby-Doo panted.
"Purou're purelcome," (You're welcome) he replied.
"Mary unleash the potion, NOW! Victoria commanded.
Doing as she was told, Mary began to follow her directions until Fred lassoed the cauldron and pulled it until it all collected in a large muddy puddle.
"No!" she shrieked.
"You will pay for that young man!" Victoria threatened through gritted teeth. She readied another fireball, but before she could launch it, Daphne transported herself in front of him. As Victoria throw it, Daphne put up a shield that deflected it into a support beam on the helter-skelter. Elvina then cast a spell to freeze her sisters in place.
"Punish those of wicked and cruelty, may they be trapped in stone!" Holly recited that all too familiar incantation
Victoria and Mary watched in horror as they slowly turned to stone, but the head witch wasn't done yet. She pulled Daphne close by the wrist.
"Daphne!" The gang screamed in unison.
"If we're going out, you're coming with us!" the oldest witch cackled.
However, before the spell could reach the redheaded, Elvina without hesitation used her magic to tear her free.
"Noooo!" Victoria howled before being silenced by stone. Daphne reached her friends just as the helter-skelter came down and shattered the statues into a million pieces.
Daphne comforted Elvina as mourned her sisters with a hint of relief at her freedom. Victoria and Mary were gone forever.