The Hex Girls' last night in Coolsville couldn't have been more exciting. The band played everything from oldies to brand new chart toppers while everyone and their brother watched their brilliant spectacle of a show. Flashy lights, mystic smoke, and frequent use of pyrotechnics never failed to appease the audience no matter the crowd. Given the town's limited budget, though, this would be nothing compared to New York - the crowd in Coolsville, while wild, was never known to be anywhere near as crazy as New Yorkers were.
As the gang watched from backstage, they all stood amazed and the band's eco-gothic essence and taste for music they carried with them all these years. Scooby and Shaggy were in such a groove that they couldn't help, but dance. And Fred just stood there as he awed at Daphne's precious singing voice she projected while singing along with them - good news for him, her fake superfan persona wasn't a complete lie. Despite Velma's excessive hype for the band, she stayed backstage and awed the band from a safe distance with the rest of her mystery gang. She wanted to save her steam for the main event in Manhattan after all.
"Thank you, Coolsville, for your dark devotion!" Thorn proclaimed as soon as their last song ended and the stage lights faded out. Even then, the cheering crowd couldn't help but chant for them to do one more song. Because who wouldn't want more from the Hex Girls?
Soon as they entered backstage, the band took in the various compliments and praises from the mystery gang as well as Velma's "overexcited fangirlisms" of which she never hesitated to forward all the oxygen to her brain for. It took Daphne attending to her to get her to calm down.
"All we're trying to say is you totally rocked it and we can't wait to tag along for the tour!" Daphne stated in compliance with their previous deal. She had a feeling there must be something wrong in New York, but she was almost too afraid to convince Fred otherwise.
"Couldn't agree more," a voice said from the corner. It was the Hex Girls official bodyguard, Quentin Beck. With his dark hair, rough chin, and light complexion, he seemed to everyone before he spoke that the gang hardly noticed him.
"And you are…?" a confused Fred questioned the man.
"Only these girls' official bodyguard, Quentin Beck. New York just so happens to be one of my favorite places since these girls always score big there," Beck explained. "And when they score big, so do I!"
"Why should the money matter?" asked Velma concerningly. "I'm just jealous that you get to roll with the band on a more regular basis than I do."
"Because these girls need someone to accompany them. Gotta give them the company they deserve because, before we know it, they might be irrelevant in today's world."
"Savage!" Velma exclaimed. "The Hex Girls will never die out as long as they have fans!"
"I'm sure he's just joking, Velma. Don't worry," Fred said reassuringly to which Velma folded her arms in somewhat of a denial. Fred then turned to face the gang. "I don't know about you guys, but I'd say I'm just as excited about riding in that snazzy tour bus as we all are about traveling in general!"
"Oh, we actually don't have room on the tour bus," Dusk snarked.
"Like, you don't?!" asked Shaggy in somewhat of an alarmed state. He may have loved the Mystery Machine, but what he, Fred, and Scooby wouldn't give to ride first class on the band's tour bus for a change.
"She's just joking," Luna chimed in. "We just figured what with the fan signings taking place tomorrow that we all ought to travel separate. Besides, we all know that Coolsville never gives you guys the attention you deserve so we decided you would give you all your own exclusive signing booth right next to ours."
"Jinkies!" Velma squeaked her usual catchphrase. "So you're saying we'll get to meet our fans from beyond this general area?" Even though she didn't generally care for attention, the idea of their gang receiving a better reputation elsewhere seemed like a welcome change in both reception and scenery for them.
"Of course! We might dig the publicity, but if it means more fans for you bunch, then it's worth a shot," a hopeful Thorn proclaimed. Though her offer wasn't completely selfless, she definitely knew how to pull at Mystery Inc.'s interest after several adventures together. If it wasn't for that fateful day in Oakhaven, they wouldn't know each other like they did.
"And I agree…!" Fred barked as Daphne gave him a look that told him he was being selfish. "That it's worth a shot, I mean. What do you say, gang?"
The rest of them all thought about it for a second, scratching their chins in contemplation. The suspense was high in the few seconds it took for them to process what Fred and the girls were saying. Even if it was just a one-time offer, it seemed to strike appeal to everyone in different ways.
"Well, we don't ever get enough attention around here and catching Manhattan's troublemakers might spread awareness for our cause so, yeah," Daphne hypothesized, perking her shoulders.
"Reah!" Scooby exclaimed. "That means more Scooby Snacks for us!" He licked his dog lips knowing what rewards he would get not only for solving mysteries, but having publicity as well.
"Like, you said it, Scoob!" Shaggy said giving him a high five. Coolsville, while a nice little homey town geographically and aesthetically, didn't always have the brightest of people. For one, the mayor and sheriff were much too focused on themselves and their reputations to really pay any attention and give credit to the likes of Mystery Inc. Many of the citizens backed them on this, though their friends seemed to believe it was cool sometimes. Regardless, everyone seemed to think that meeting potential fans from Manhattan would be a welcome change for all of them. After all, not only were they about to have the ride of their lives, but the idea of their increased publicity was a plus for everyone.
The gang and band wasted no time getting on the road the next morning. The time read six-forty five a.m. soon as Fred picked up Shaggy and Scooby - the former of whom pretended to wave goodbye to his parents who were sleeping in for the morning - and drove the Mystery Machine to their pre-planned rendezvous point with the Hex Girls' tour bus. It would only be about an eight hour drive and the band had to be on time for their four o'clock (EST) fan signing booths. With as many trips as they had been on before, Fred, Velma, and Daphne knew just how tightly squeezed together they would be in the front seat with Shaggy and Scooby sitting in the back compartment. It was okay, though. They were more than used to it.
It didn't take long for Velma to connect to her sophisticatedly designed travel WiFi to reach the band via video chat on her laptop. Before she knew it, she ignited all the switches before ringing up the Hex Girls on their laptop. Good thing I encouraged them to install this sophisticated travel WiFi I thought of before we left for today, Velma thought proudly of herself. Intrigued by her setup, Daphne leaned in to get herself on screen making silly faces for the moment the Hex Girls would show up. Since they were best friends and all, this made Velma chuckle quite a bit. And then it happened: the Hex Girls' faces flashed onto the screen the moment Daphne made her goofiest face.
"Well, that's one way to be greeted by our biggest supporters," Luna said with a smile on her face.
The girls on both sides of the chat laughed collectively and exchanged pleasantries before moving onto the more important topic of what would happen once they arrived in Manhattan.
"So what's the scoop on our arrival in Manhattan?" asked Velma.
"So long as nothing goes wrong, we have plans to make a show out of our entrance," Thorn explained pleasantly. "Our special effects artist, Daniel Prezette, has installed smoke generators atop our tour bus. Says it'll to make it look more 'mystic' the moment we arrive."
"Always thinking outside the box you girls are!" Daphne complimented.
"Who is this 'Daniel Prezette' you mention?" asked Velma curiously. "Is he with you?"
In that moment, a skinny man with long reddish-blonde hair, a five o'clock shadow, a pair of half glasses, and hippy attire leaned in to sit in between Thorn and Dusk. "Are you kidding? Daniel Prezette just so happens to be the best in special effects for the ages! In other words, me!"
Daphne chuckled at his introduction. He was so full of himself it was actually kind of funny.
"Neat!" exclaimed Velma. "So what is it you'll be doing behind the scenes and all?"
"I'm afraid I can't really disclose that right now what with this WiFi being an unsecured channel and what not, but if you play nicely I may just have to tell you," Daniel boasted. Clearly he was playing hard to get with both of them.
"Like I'd ever tell you why I wear glasses," Velma muttered somewhat under her breath.
"What was that, Velma, my dear?" Prezette followed.
"Oh, uh, nevermind," Velma said nervously, blushing. She searched the inner machinations of her mind to try and find a better something to talk about. "So then, you think the fans will be pleased with your special effects work?"
"If it's what the fans want, it's what they'll fall for," said Prezette with a gleam across his glasses. "And people fall for anyone with such sophisticated inventions in mind." He added being somewhat flirtatious to Velma who seemed to reciprocate through the smile on her face.
"Well, we certainly can't wait to see what they think!" Fred responded. "We'll see you in Manhattan around 3:30!" Their communication shut off, Fred hoping to stay true to his word as long as everyone - Scooby and Shaggy especially - didn't have to take too many food or bathroom breaks.
At about ten-thirty a.m. sharp, Peter awoke from his late morning sleep inside his nice, cozy bedroom in his little Queens residential home. Morning light casting in through his transparent curtains, he took a breath and sunk deeply into his bed, taking in the coziness that was his soft mattress. He was largely known for sleeping in infamously late on Saturdays (until about noon-thirty even), though something felt different about the day today. It was almost as if Spider Sense had kicked in early to warn him that he had forgotten something and was about to pay the price for such.
Then he heard it; footsteps creeping up the upstairs staircase and turning to head en route down the hallway toward his door. A villain breaking into his home perhaps? He held his breath, hoping to God this wouldn't be the case on a Saturday morning of all days.
"Peter, you awake, dear?" It was the voice of his Aunt May; the most loving and caring soul in all of his teenage existence. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was just his aunt coming in to check on him. Where confusion set in, however, was when he began to ponder why Spider Sense would suddenly register Aunt May as a threat.
He looked down to notice that he had crashed out late last night still wearing his Spider-Man costume. Clearly he had done himself in after a long night of patrolling the streets for some extra thugs to put away. Knowing this would be a dead giveaway to his aunt, he realized Spider Sense had awoken him in the midst of an imminent identity crisis. Soon as he heard Aunt May twist the doorknob, Peter panicked and looked around for the quickest solution possible. Quickly, he threw on the bed covers over his Spider-Man suit just as soon as she opened the door and turned the light on.
An elderly look of concern spread across her face, Aunt May stood in the doorway, cautiously approaching to make whether he was awake or not. "Peter, I know it's early for you but-"
"Aunt May, I'm… not decent!" Peter lied, his heart pounding after fearing his own secret life's safety.
Aunt May backed off. "I'm sorry, dear!" she apologized, falling for his excuse. "It's just I know how much you love to sleep in on Saturday mornings, but I figured I ought to let you know of my whereabouts before I left."
"Your whereabouts?" Peter repeated. "Where are you off to a game of shuffleboard?" Peter added that just to joke about her age and the fact that she was approaching the age of seventy rather soon.
Thankfully, Aunt May giggled at his silly remark. "Oh, Peter. My retirement isn't for another good few years. Anna Watson and I are simply going for a ladies day out in the district! It'll certainly keep us from getting caught up in massive amounts of traffic and throngs of people waiting to see the Hex Girls."
Fortunately for Peter, he just remembered this too.
"Oh, wow, I almost forgot. Harry, Gwen, and MJ were all planning for me to meet them and see the Hex Girls arrive in Manhattan later," he said partially to himself and to Aunt May. "Thanks for the reminder, Aunt May! You and Mrs. Watson have the best day away from us Hex Girls fans!"
"Thanks, Peter!" Aunt May remarked delightfully. "And I mean no hard feelings about staying away from music like that it's just…"
"I know, you don't do so well in crowds," Peter said for her. "Good thing is that MJ has the whole weekend to go find a crowd she can go crazy with."
"I'm only certain she would. You kids have a fun time and stay out of trouble!" Aunt May left him with as she shut the door again. If it weren't for her waking him up, Peter might not have remembered to meet up with his friends for the band's grand entrance downtown. He had already missed the ticket deadline the day before, but then MJ arrived to be his hero for a change and remedy the situation. If he stayed home or fought crime all day, however, he would have to jump through several hoops to get them to like him again - except for MJ since she never seemed to care if he screwed up. Therefore he made a vow to himself that he wasn't about to let them down twice in the same week.
Once Peter did his homework and went out to patrol the suburbs as Spider-Man, surprisingly little to no crimes were in progress. Based on the masked criminal's claim from the previous day, his guess was that even the criminals who had gotten away with anything were taking a day off in preparation for the band's arrival. And what a relief it was for him.
The time came for him to group up with Harry and the others and ride their way out toward Main Street. As they pulled up to his house in Harry's convertible, MJ and Gwen were completely decked out in Hex Girls apparel. Peter gawked and exchanged greetings with them once he realized they really were the biggest superfans he knew. Once they drove away, MJ could hardly react to Peter placing a hand on her shoulder because she was hyper to the max over the idea of finally meeting her favorite band.
"Oh. My. Gosh! It's finally happening! The day the Hex Girls finally tour to Manhattan and everyone gets to meet them!" MJ squealed like the excited fangirl she was.
"I'm glad you're excited about this band, MJ. But what's the big deal about them anyway?" Peter asked trying his utmost not to sound rude.
Of course, this elicited Gwen to fold her arms and give him "the look".
"They're only the biggest, bestest, most spectacular eco-goth band in the whole country!" Gwen shouted excitedly, Peter believing she was somehow describing his work as Spider-Man too. "Haven't you ever heard their music?!"
Peter shyly thought of the most polite response to a comment like that. "Sorry, girls, but I'm a little behind on my music to really know much about this 'eco-goth' thing you just described," he finally came clean.
"Well then, maybe we can fix that," Gwen added turning to Harry. "Harry, how about you play us some of the Hex Girls' best for Peter?"
"Sure can do, miss!" Harry responded optimistically inserting a Hex Girls CD into the car's radio. From then on until they found a spot to park downtown, the group listened to the best of the best Hex Girls tunes as he dealt with MJ and Gwen - and even Harry some - headbanging and singing along to every song, which there was no denying the girls knew fully by heart. From songs like "Hex Girl" to "Who Do Voodoo", surprisingly enough, Peter found himself enjoying both the music and his friend's passion. Never in his life had he seen anybody, especially music lovers like Gwen and MJ, react so passionately to a different type of music like he did to anything science. Now, if ever asked, Peter would tell anybody that they were the biggest superfans he ever knew - and he wasn't afraid to admit it.
Sooner than later, they pulled into the most convenient parking spot blocks away from the crowd of Hex Girls fans behind barricades. Belongings in hand, they approached the designated area and made a hasty effort to break through the crowd in order to get a good view of where the main attraction would be. After a few minutes of wondering when they would arrive, suddenly the chattering crowd turned into uproars of applause and screaming fangirls welcoming their favorite band's tour bus into the streets of Manhattan for the first time. During this time, purple smoke poured out from atop the tour bus, engulfing the surrounding area in a cloud until everything was virtually mystified. And, of course, Peter and Harry got the biggest taste of MJ and Gwen's over-the-top fangirl screams as they waved their poster board signs reading "H3X G1RL5 4 L1F3" and threw their Hex Girls-themed jewelry out onto the streets where it was then crushed by the tour bus' oncoming wheels. But what did they care? They wanted so badly to finally say they interacted with the Hex Girls soon as they arrived whether it meant destroying their personal belongings.
Never in his life had Peter seen a more insane reaction to the arrival of his friend's favorite band.
Once the Hex Girls' tour bus passed and the violet mist cleared up, there came yet another vehicle in tail: a brightly colored, psychedelic nineteen-sixties hippy van with the words "Mystery Machine" printed on the side. The crowd's reaction to this was rather tame by comparison to the previous arrival and, to his interest, Peter actually knew who this crew was.
"No way!" Peter exclaimed, excited. "Mystery Inc. is here too?!"
Harry turned to his best friend, somewhat confused as to what he was talking about. "Yeah, I guess… Um, who are they again?"
"They're only the best mystery solvers in all of Coolsville!" Peter reacted, sounding like a fanboy all of the sudden. "I've watched many of their vlogs and documentaries showcasing their mystery-solving tactics. I practically study their every move to figure out the most efficient way to solve mysteries!"
"Since when are you into crime solving, Pete?" Harry asked, seeming concerned for his best friend's well-being.
"Um, yeah," Peter said, stopping himself. "About that, I guess I never told you I'm a big fan of mystery movies and such and, well, these guys really bring that aspect to life for me."
"For a second there, I thought you had lost it," Harry responded somewhat sarcastically. "Up until now, I had only heard that they, too, would be present at the signing here in a bit, but-"
"They're signing too?!" Peter asked excitedly, cutting him off. "That's perfect! This could be my chance to finally meet them for myself!"
Right then, Peter followed the crowd as most of them ran along to catch the Hex Girls with a few select others eager to meet Mystery Incorporated as well. Naturally, this made Harry rather off put by Peter; for years he had always been the one closest to his side, guiding him through incident after incident with his dad always neglecting to help him. And now he was the one turning away from him not even demanding he come along to meet his favorite mystery solvers? He always did this at the most inopportune times and he didn't know why, but then again, he was used to it. Trying not to overreact to this, Harry simply shrugged it off and followed his friends through the crowd. Hopefully, this wasn't his best friend's way of saying they were no longer friends in the long run.