In your typical teens fashion, Harry, Gwen, and MJ had all gathered at the Watson residence to assemble for their unofficial music event, which was starting soon. Aunt Anna was at work as well as Aunt May so they obviously wouldn't have felt the disturbance for either residence. The time was one p.m. and they were all ready to rock inside of MJ's garage with her keyboard and microphone and Gwen's drums hooked up to the various amplifiers scattered around the place. The place was so decked out, they couldn't wait to play the first note. Regardless, they almost felt guilty about starting right away. Not yet had there been any sign of their best, but least reliable friend, Peter Parker, which was no surprise even though he said he would be busy.
Rather unnaturally, this caused Gwen to hesitate after clapping her drum sticks. Concerningly, MJ turned her direction, a worried look spread across her face.
"What's the hold up, sister?" MJ spoke up. "Cat got your drum?"
"Haha. Very funny, Mary," Gwen clapped back with enough sarcasm to send a literalist packing. "Nothing's wrong it's just… Peter… I'm worried he might miss it."
She hadn't displayed genuine concern for Peter before now making this quite unusual for her even from her friend's point of view. Most of the time she was quick to snark about his incompetence and his tardiness, but right now, she was practically a different person. "Not to worry," MJ assured her. "He said he might be busy with homework so I'm sure he's just… you know, locked in his room studying his brains out."
"Like I don't ever do that enough," Gwen boasted about her ability to keep up in school. Her intellect was part of the reason she was able to get along well with others like Peter and Velma to begin with.
"I wouldn't brag if I were you," MJ advised her gently.
"You mean like how Peter brags about how he knows his idols whereas I don't?" Harry asked from the couch somewhat aggressive, still stuck on the idea of jealousy towards Mystery Inc.
"Hold on, Harry. Is there something I should know?" she asked him sensitively.
His eyes widened as if being accused. He shrank back in embarrassment. "No. No there isn't," he finally said. His forlorn face showed, however, that he was clearly lying.
"This is about that Mystery Inc. bunch isn't it?" MJ said, essentially guilting him to come clean.
His face showed he was definitely about to. "Yes, MJ," he admitted shamefully as if responding to his mother - whom he never knew due to her untimely passing upon having him.
"Come on, he's not with them as far as I know. I did see the Mystery Machine drop by this morning, but no sign of Peter with them," she explained revealing more evidence to try and reassure Harry this was no big deal.
The Mystery Machine was here this morning?! Harry had a livid thought to himself. That does it! "Well, if that's the case, maybe I'll try to be okay for now. Can't guarantee though," he disguised his thoughts by pretending everything was going to be okay. In his mind, however, it wouldn't be for him and Peter.
"Whatever you say, Harry," MJ finished. "Now let's rock this neighborhood!"
"One, two, three, four!" Gwen shouted, tapping her drumsticks together in a rhythmic fashion. From then on, MJ and Gwen went off to play the opening bars of the Hex Girls' classic "Earth, Wind, Fire, and Air". Since MJ couldn't play both keyboard and guitar and Harry had no knowledge of how to play instruments, she substituted Thorn's guitar sounds by alternating between her keyboard's sound settings of "traditional" and "electric guitar". The sound did wonders for the song sounding accurate, of which the girls knew full well how to make it so since they'd been studying into it for quite some time. Hopefully, in their minds, it wouldn't take Peter just as long to come and enjoy the concert before it would then be too late to catch it again.
After a lengthy swing home, Peter hid behind his house to change back to his normal self. Making sure no one else saw him changing behind the fence, he was relieved to hear the wondrous sound of MJ's voice still singing the Hex Girls tunes he vaguely remembered from their CD - he had hardly heard anything other than those songs due to the unfortunate halt at the real concert. Once he finally got changed out, he quickly ran around front toward MJ's garage where Harry was sitting on the torn up couch in front of the girls playing their instruments and singing their hearts out.
"Hey, Harr!" Peter exclaimed happily as he mosied up next to his best friend.
"Oh, hey, Pete," Harry responded almost disinterested much to Peter's confusion as he backed away.
Right then, the girls had rolled out the last few notes of the song. Wanting more, Peter stood up and gave them a literal round of applause by circling his hands around as he clapped them. "Woohoo! Rock on, girls!" Peter exclaimed in a congratulatory fashion. "One more song!"
Giving their friend a concerned glance, MJ and Gwen almost seemed hesitant to share something with him. "Sorry, Tiger. We'd love to, but that was the end of our scheduled performance," MJ explained mimicking somewhat the nature she observed in Thorn through interviews.
"Time to pack this up and go home," Gwen followed, apparently mimicking Dusk's nature.
"That's what happens when you miss out on things, Pete," Harry said, appearing as though distasteful with his tardiness as usual. Peter winced as though Harry was about to let him have it, but nothing came whilst MJ walked over to them both out of an obligation to keep it from going south.
"I'm sorry, guys," Peter apologized. "Like I said, I was busy with homework and-"
"No need, Tiger," MJ interjected, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You gave a good reason to be gone and that's the best you could do. We won't hold it against you, we promise."
The usual MJ sympathy, which Peter smiled at, astonished at her ability to ease the situation. "Your's is appreciated, MJ," he responded. "Can I help you all pack up to make up for it?"
"Sure!" she immediately said. "You boys can start by moving the couch back inside."
"Will do!" Peter giggled in an effort to keep the situation light. Something in Harry's face told Peter this was the perfect opportunity to tell him something, leaving Peter nervous as to find out what especially if MJ wasn't around. Regardless of what it would become, he and Harry got into position, ready to manhandle the couch like the young men they were. "Ready, Harr?"
"Ready, Pete," Harry responded neutrally just before the two lifted from either side, grunting from the force they exerted to lift it. Stepping around MJ and Gwen, they shifted the couch to the side in order to get it through the door and back it up down the stairs. After several intricate shifts and coordination, the boys finally managed to set MJ's dad's old couch back where it belonged in front of the TV downstairs. Catching their breath, Peter and Harry eventually faced one another.
"Good work, Harr!" Peter complimented his friend, lifting his hand to give a high five. A few seconds of waiting and Harry didn't reciprocate, instead just standing there with a perturbed expression on his face. "W-what's wrong? Ears blown out after the concert?"
"Oh, nothing," Harry sarcastically lied. "What's up with the Mystery Machine stopping by your house this morning?"
"Whoa, what Mystery Machine?" Peter asked concerningly, apparently faking a lie.
"Don't lie to me, Pete. MJ told me that van drove up to your house this morning and that she didn't see you," Harry accused him. "Were you trying to avoid us by sneaking into their van and solving mysteries today?"
"Harry, I-I didn't go anywhere today," Peter stuttered in an effort to feign innocence. "I was literally in my room doing homework all day!"
"Oh yeah? Then how come they stopped by your place of all places today? Were they having a visit or picking you up for coffee?"
"Neither, Harry. I turned them down!" Peter said, raising his voice. He pretty much lost it on that last part, feeling angry that Harry, in a way, figured out his secret life to a degree. He really didn't want this to happen, but it was.
Surprisingly, Harry stopped to think about Peter's last statement, seemingly unfazed by him raising his voice slightly. "Very well then. Why should I believe you though?"
"Because, Harry, would I ever lie to you?" Peter asked the most rhetorical question in his book of rhetorical questions about himself. He did lie all the time and Harry knew it.
"Don't lie to yourself, Pete. You do all the time to me and the girls," said Harry rubbing it in his face. "Tell you what, if you really want to prove you're not lying to me, then, from here on out, don't go talking to anyone from Mystery Inc. Got it?"
Harry was getting real serious about their friendship. It was almost as if he were the manipulative partner trying to control the relationships the other has, but in a best friend type of context. This was no situation for Peter to be in. He would have rather lived in harmony with all his friends no matter what. Submitting to him out of pure loyalty and fear of losing their friendship, Peter lowered his head shamefully. "Fine, Harr," Peter sighed, worried about another wheel in his wheel of problems to work around.
"Good," Harry said, walking back up the stairs halfway before turning back to point a finger at him. "And I mean not to anyone, the talking dog especially."
Harry then turned to make his way all the way back upstairs, leaving Peter to sulk about his recent decisions. Already he felt guilty about turning down his most loyal friends and their concert for a band of mystery solvers he had only ever been big fans of prior to the moment. Even so, Peter didn't believe he deserved to feel that way over a petty issue with his jealous best friend whom he really cared about. First and foremost, Harry really needed to get a hold of himself. He was clearly overreacting to nothing and yet Peter didn't know how to tell him - he didn't want to lecture him through it either. If only MJ were there to witness their conversation. She'd have known full well what to do and, for the moment, it looked like the best Peter could do was wait to find out.
The back compartment of the Mystery Machine seemed like the safest place for Velma to dissect the remote and string they found while investigating the crime scene earlier. No one was in sight to question what she was doing - not even the Hex Girls - and she could concentrate on her actions more than anything. It was dark out too so that was one advantage of avoiding being seen at the moment. Of the gang, Velma was clearly the least social, but she still talked with them like a friend would; heck, she'd be okay with talking to Gwen again if the opportunity arose.
As she worked hard and well, using her various tools under her portable lamp light to check and measure what she was doing, she brushed all thoughts of social interaction aside and concentrated on making sure she took everything apart without breaking the remote. When she couldn't find much to examine on the sides of the remote, she decided to look within, starting with the battery compartment. She unscrewed the bolts very meticulously in order that the remote would stay together at all costs. Underneath her source of illumination, she caught something peculiar on the inside written in black sharpie: "Property of Daniel Prezette". This struck her with a twinge of anxiety as she had only ever met Daniel the other day through mobile video chat. As the special effects manager, however, he was barely ever seen out in the open, opting instead to operate his contraptions in the shadows. The mere idea of Daniel doing such gave her a lingering suspicion that he was somehow the cause of the Mysterio happening the other day and, as with every case they ever solved, came to a decision to investigate the matter at hand by going to visit the gang.
As Velma made her way toward the top of the penthouse, she ran with passion for the purpose of hopefully solving the mystery further. Whether or not Prezette was the real culprit, however, was beyond her, but she knew by instinct that it wouldn't hurt to try. Once she barged into the door of her's and Daphne's room, she found the gang all in different positions - Daphne pacing around, Fred sitting on the bed thinking, and Scooby and Shaggy slouched at the table, full from their previous meal.
"Guys! I think I might have a lead on something here!" Velma exclaimed immediately, holding up the remote as she did so, and turning all their heads toward her.
"What is it Velm?" Fred asked of concern.
"The remote indicates the presence of our first suspect. Come here, come look!" Velma urged them on, pulling out a seat from the table that Shaggy and Scooby were at as Fred and Daphne stood next to her. "This remote belongs to Daniel Prezette, the Hex Girls' special effects manager."
Scooby and Shaggy, despite their fullness, leaned in to examine the evidence with her. "Like, isn't that that one guy whom we've barely met and hardly even know?"
"That's how it seems to be with everyone following in lead with the Hex Girls, genius," Velma stated in her signature sass.
"You hear that, Raggy? She called you a genius!" Scooby pointed out to his faithful owner.
Shaggy giggled. "Like, that's the nicest thing I've ever heard you say, Velm! I'm truly flattered."
"Thanks for the compliments," Velma remarked, seeming disinterested that he didn't get her sarcasm for a change. "Anyways, for all we know, the evidence seems to line up perfectly. Prezette may be our first suspect, but why else would we not have seen him much these last few days?"
"Bleekers, that's it!" Fred determined, cupping his fist in his hand before raising a finger. "Daniel Prezette may be behind the Mysterio case! We ought to tell the Hex Girls and get some answers from him before the next concert tomorrow in case that happens again."
"Right, what Freddy said," Daphne announced laying a hand on his shoulder before turning to face him. "And, I'll say 'bleekers' is a better catchphrase, except that it sounds too much like my 'jeepers'."
"Sorry, Daph, I guess I'll keep trying," he promised. It had been years since the gang had first started working on solving mysteries - since Scooby was a pup really and the kids were in middle school - and yet, all this time Fred still didn't have a catchphrase. When startled or surprised, the gang always came up with something they uttered in shock; Shaggy said "Zoinks!", Scooby said "Ruh roh!", Daphne said "Jeepers!", and Velma said "Jinkies!" All were very creative and Fred still didn't know how to come up with one. Hopefully, the more they dug into the mystery the more Fred would find his inner catchphrase that he, too, could utter like the rest.
Together, the gang made their way over to the Hex Girls' penthouse room in the center of the top floor. As VIPs, they had badges to give them access to both backstage and the girl's rooms at any given time - except for the dog who always had to wait outside, much to Scooby's dismay. Upon entering the band's penthouse suite, the gang was amazed to see the fantastic view of the city, which was breathtaking compared to their standard hotel room. The band happened to be gathered around on the couches surrounding the coffee table, Thorn fiddling with her guitar strings while Dusk played with her chopsticks leftover from dinner and Luna pretended to play a keyboard in midair. They all were collectively humming musical notes from their tunes and putting them together into a medley of sorts before each of them turned to notice the Mystery Gang walking in on their free time.
"Mystery Inc.! What brings you all here?" asked Thorn, excited yet concerned to see them there so late.
"Sorry to walk in uninvited on you all," Velma apologized, sucking up to her idols. "We know even as a band you need your time alone."
"All is well, mystery girl," Thorn assured her biggest fan. "Even after that Mysterio ruckus yesterday, I feel like I could take on the world with my music!"
"That's what we came to talk to you about and it involves this remote we found at the crime scene yesterday," Velma said, holding up the remote belonging to Mr. Prezette.
"That-that's Daniel's remote!" Dusk expressed her shock very convincingly. "You don't think he-?"
"Yes, we do," Fred butted in. "And if he's around, we're gonna catch him red handed!"
Right then, immediately as Fred finished his sentence, the man himself walked out of the bathroom door down the hall, dressed in his hippie attire and glasses while plastering a look of concern on his five o'clock shadow. "Oh, greetings, Mystery Incorporated! What brings you here so late?"
Velma began to approach him, arms folded as if about to interrogate him because. "Don't act like we don't know what you're up to, Mysterio!" she accused him. "What was your remote doing on stage and why were there strings attached to the speakers? Hm? Were you trying to sabotage the show with your own special effects and tricks or something?"
"It wasn't me, I swear!" Daniel swore on his life as he back up against the wall to avoid Velma's wrath.
"Uh huh," Velma nodded sarcastically. "That's just what Mysterio would say. So tell us, where do you get your powers from and why'd you do it?"
"All these pointless questions. I'm still not really sure what you're getting at," the man seemed to feign his own innocence. Velma couldn't believe herself almost. She was interrogating the man she thought had a thing for her - of which she did not personally reciprocate.
"Oh yeah? Then how do you explain your constant disappearances from backstage to operate your special effects?" Velma grilled him once more. The scowl on Velma's face was ripe with accusation and Prezette still didn't seem to know how to defend himself.
"Look, go easy on me. I'll tell you everything you need to know!" Prezette raised his hands in an effort to show his surrender. "Now if you could please back up and let me sit down?"
Velma stopped to think on it as if she didn't know whether to continue or let him talk. "Fine, let's hear the story with everyone in earshot. Got it?"
Daniel nodded in submission signaling Velma to back away and let him sit amongst the Hex Girls while the gang continued standing attentively facing him. "After the special effects for the concert's intro had run their course, I sat my remote down and took a stretch. When I turned back, I had found the remote had been tampered with in some way. My remote has password access that only I bear knowledge of. And the fact that it locked me out of the system rendered my input to the concert useless. Next thing I knew, I was knocked out by some unknown force, missing half the concert. When I woke up, the show had ended abruptly and my remote was gone. Whatever happened, I'm fully unsure of."
Even after all that, Velma displayed a look of uncertainty. "How should we believe you?" she asked condescendingly.
"Ask the security guy. He should have the footage available," Daniel suggested pointing them to Quentin Beck whom they hadn't seen either. Even so, there seemed little reason to suspect him.
Later on, the gang met with Quentin Beck in his little security room at the NYC Arena as he had unlocked the door to allow them clearance into the room. "I don't know why this couldn't wait until morning, guys, but the best I can do is give you the angle of the security footage I caught before this all happened," Beck sighed as he opened the security room door.
"Thank you, Mr. Beck! We'll be quick, I promise," Fred assured him to which Beck then gave a quieting glance at the gang before leaning on the door to stand guard.
As the gang accessed the security monitor footage, searching endlessly for the right one until they found Daniel Prezette on the monitor. With her tech expertise, Velma played back the footage for everyone as the gang stood still to watch the events unfold on screen. Everything had played out just as Prezette described only this time they noticed something extra: Mysterio's hand appeared and disappeared swiping the remote and setting it back on the table where it came from. After Daniel picked it back up and struggled to access the mainframe, he fell to the ground as Mysterio stood behind him, having summoned a green storm cloud to zap both him and the camera with lightning as the video shut down.
With this knowledge in mind, Velma jiggled the battery cover of the remote, which she had brought with her. She managed to pry it open to find something crucial sitting behind the batteries and inside cover: a hacking device. "Jinkies! It all makes sense now. Prezette was telling the truth! And this remote's been tampered with."
"But then we still don't know who this Mysterio is or why he's doing this," Fred noted, anxious to find out who the Arcane wizard really was. "For now, however, we need a defensive strategy. We ought to keep a watchful eye on this remote so that, in case Mysterio shows up again tomorrow in Central Park, he won't be able to get his dirty hands on it and harm the band again."
"Love the enthusiasm, Fred!" Daphne complimented her dream boy crush hoping he would reciprocate. "Will you defend me as well?"
"You and all redheads, Daph!" he remarked, cleverly trying to include Mary Jane in all of this for some reason to which Daphne sighed, but didn't know why.
Rolling her eyes, she said, "Lovely, Fred," to try and mask her distaste.
Once the gang headed back out into the night in the Mystery Machine and returned to the hotel, Velma decided to contact somebody of significance she had yet to talk to via video chat: Gwen Stacy. Lying in her bed, she got very giddy as her fair face and blonde hair appeared on her laptop.
"Hey, best friend!" Gwen introduced herself as such.
"Hey there, Stacy!" Velma called her by last name before cutting to the chase. "You wouldn't happen to be going to the makeup concert in Central Park tomorrow would you?"
"You bet I'll be there!" Gwen raised a fist, excited to see the Hex Girls try again to perform in Manhattan. "Any reason why you asked?"
"Because there seems to be a lot of drama with the gang that I figured I would take a bit of a break and come mosh pit with you and Mary Jane. Sound good?" Velma quite knew what she was asking. While there was no visible drama amongst the gang to her knowledge - aside from maybe a few Fred and Daphne quarrels - the night they had figuring out the clues behind the Mysterio case seemed to take a toll on her intellect that she needed to take a breather as if on vacation. For a second, Gwen stopped and thought about her request as if getting ready to tell her some bad news.
"I'm definitely okay with that, but I reckon I'll talk with MJ and see what she thinks. Maybe meet us there or something?" Gwen asked out of concern for her friend, Harry's, opinion on the Mystery Gang. If only she knew their interactions with him to get him to calm down.
"I most certainly will!" Velma assured her. No doubt she would show up in her best Hex Girls apparel to match with them. As an observant young woman, Velma was more than capable of spotting a superfan in the crowd of a Hex Girls concert/signing. She was even able to pick out Peter Parker fleeing the scene when Mysterio showed up. Velma hoped this would come in handy for solving the mystery, much of which she shared with Gwen as they chatted away for an hour before both shut down and went to bed. Velma and the gang were confident that their defensive strategy would work for the moment no matter if Spider-Man would return to save the day - even though it seemed he always would.