Author's Note: Hello again, readers! For now, I am returning very briefly to this story to add a chapter in the middle of the action. This was a filler chapter idea slated by my good friend and fellow collaborator, mcknight93, who gave me the idea to add more character to the Hex Girls. The purpose of this chapter does just that. Having seen Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost in recent months, I was heavily inspired by it to make this chapter and it certainly shows here. Enjoy this little filler chapter while I prepare bigger and better stuff for future stories!
Also, shoutout to mcknight93! If you're reading this I want to say thanks for giving me this idea and for being an assistant in fixing the last few chapters of the story!
It was time for Thorn to perform her "ritual"; she stood at the penthouse kitchen counter surrounded by plants, herbs, and low lit candles. Her immediate area resembled a witch's workbench, which frankly fit her and her band's main aesthetic. Setting things right for the occasion, she mixed some ingredients into a mug sitting in front of her, poured in some weird green liquid, then lifted the mug, breathing in her "potion" deeply. After several days of using her voice to the max, she could hardly bear to let it go much longer without the peppermint and cloves drink she just made. In other words, she needed to soothe her vocal chords in order that she may put forth maximum effort at the concert the next day.
With a smack of her lips, she set the mug down with a soft thud.
"Nothing like a little peppermint and cloves to soothe my vocal chords," she commented stating the obvious. "Want some, girls?"
"No thanks," said Dusk. "Had my share before we went on tour."
"Honestly, girls, you really think this stuff's that easy?" Thorn asked as she walked over to the sofa to sit with them. Dusk and Luna were spread out on a comfy seat and the floor respectively, lounging around like the laziest people in the world. The concerts they had put themselves through wore them out big time after escaping from different foes several times that it was like something out of a dream for them to just lounge around without a care in the world.
"I like to think it's easiest for you," Luna chimed in. "You do it best out of all of us."
"Well now, if my name isn't Sally McKnight," Thorn said, using her real name for effect. "You make me sound like some singing goddess of sorts. Lemme tell ya, sister: the secret to singing lies deep within the soul. You just gotta find it within yourself."
"Yep, those are definitely the words of a goddess!" Dusk joked, fidgeting with her chopsticks.
"Hey, I don't see any big buff men trying to sit next to me day and night. Do you?"
"If it counts for something, Spider-Man seemed like he was pretty into you," Dusk puckered her lips and made kissy noises.
Thorn giggled soundly. She knew full well that Dusk was teasing. "Muffy St. James, you are the queen of all the jokes in this band if I've ever seen one!"
Dusk was rather taken aback by Thorn using her real name. Her name in particular couldn't have sounded more goth-like. "Thank you, I guess," she started. "In all seriousness, though, I feel like I could've easily saved myself without Spider-Man's help. I am grateful, but remember, I can handle anything!"
"Says you. I'm just glad he showed up to deliver us from that menace," Luna contradicted. "If there's ever a helping hand, you just ought to take it."
Thorn took another sip of her drink before rejoining the conversation. "Girls, I think we can all agree that spider guy was just as brave as the three of us combined, if not more so," Thorn stated humbly. "There's a certain charm to someone who is willing to go out of their way to save others."
"See, right there, you just admitted you like him!" Dusk pointed her chopstick at her in joking accusation.
To this, Thorn just chuckled. "Only as a hero, sister!" she responded. "Something about his charismatic image leaves a lasting impression on the average bystander."
Dusk pondered her words for a second. Suddenly, she couldn't think of a good comeback. "I guess you're right," she admitted. "I mean he seems to leave what we leave on our followers: an image they can stand and be inspired by."
Thinking of her mystery friends in that context, Thorn decided now was a good time to bring them into the conversation. "Which begs the question: what do our mystery friends have in that context?"
Dusk was just as confused by her words just as she was about herself unable to think of a decent remark. "What do they have to do with us much less Spider-Man?"
"Isn't it obvious, sister? The kids want answers on Mysterio and Spider-Man is obviously trying to take him down. They could easily benefit working together if they haven't already."
Hearing that statement alone, suddenly, Luna's thoughts snapped together. She had been thinking about the time they tried to get Mystery Incorporated more fans by simply bringing them along on their tour, though, based on the signings from the other day, such was not the case. Based on what Thorn said, though, her face signaled to everyone that she thought of a bright idea that involved the mystery guys. "Guys, you know, I just thought of something!" she sat up as she spoke.
"What's that?" Dusk turned her head to face her.
"Yeah?" Thorn asked simultaneous with Dusk.
"Well, you know how we decided to give the mystery kids their own booth, but they didn't get nearly as many fans as we did?" Luna started off with a rhetorical question. "What if they continued to work with Spider-Man? Think it could improve their image somehow?"
The girls stopped to think on Luna's idea for a moment. There was lots of potential for an improved image of Mystery Inc. if they were to find themselves allying with a big shot hero like Spider-Man. More publicity, potential for actual merch, more fans even. Working with the likes of him shouldn't have been so hard as it was the least they could think of to improve not only the lives of their friends, but their reputation as well. "Well, they are looking for at least someone to support them in the mystery-solving cause so I don't see why not," Thorn finally uttered after a few moments of openly thinking to herself.
Dusk simply giggled. "Kimberly Moss trying to persuade us again with her bright ideas," she stated sarcastically. "I don't suppose that also involves them unmasking Mysterio as some phony looking to make bank through illegal means?"
Luna folded her arms, fed up somewhat with her remark all while trying to keep a straight face. This wasn't the first time one of the band members called her by her real name - they did this in private quite frequently. "Mm-hmm, sure does, sister!" she said sternly. "Besides, when have Mystery Inc.'s cases involved actual supernatural stuff we see in TV and movies?"
"I guess… well, never," Dusk admitted. Just about none of the recent cases involved actual ghosts.
"Glad you're willing to admit it at least," Thorn chimed in. "Still, remember back when we first formed in high school? The kids were in middle school and just solved a case of the vampire haunting the graveyard. Everyone thought it was actually the supernatural vampire until they caught it and revealed him to actually be their local school bully wearing some silly mask. Still, the idea of the supernatural fascinated us girls that we eventually incorporated vampire fangs into our on stage personas. And thus the Hex Girls were born!"
"Gotta love my dad for being a dentist and making us fake fangs to wear in our shows," said Luna boasting about how nicely crafted her dad was able to make their dentures for them.
"At least your dad does good for us all. I still can't get over the publicity stunt my dad pulled to bring more visitors to the Autumn Fest back in Oakhaven," Thorn said, recalling their first ever time working with the gang.
It was just a year and a half ago when the gang took a field trip with their school to Oakhaven, a suburb of Salem, Massachusetts and the Hex Girls' hometown. It was lovely the time of year they went in the autumn, the rolling hills were covered with fading, colorful trees that made for scenic shots of the town when driving in. The gang had come to witness the town's annual Autumn Festival where the Hex Girls were set to attract all sorts of tourists with their Wiccan-inspired rock songs - an idea coined by the fact that Sally was one-sixteenth Wiccan blood on her mother's side. With everything set in place, the town was suddenly attacked by what appeared to be the infamous "witch's ghost" the town had feared to be real all because of some fabled legend that the witches of years past still haunted the town as spirits. After a traditional investigation consisting of Velma examining clues, Fred and Daphne spying on Thorn to make sure she wasn't a witch, and Scooby and Shaggy dining on two orders of everything at the local restaurant, the so-called "witch's ghost" was revealed to be a fabricated act set up by Joseph McKnight, Sally's father, of which he had gotten the residents of the town to help him with in order to attract more tourists to the Autumn Festival. The act was unsuccessful as it landed him twenty-five years in prison, a statement of which Sally never got over.
Still, her friends were more than willing to cheer her up in spite of this unfortunate event. "Hey now, that was the past," Luna assured her. "Let's focus our attention on the now so that we can figure out how to get the gang more attention and fans back home."
"She's right you know," Dusk responded. "Maybe the gang taking down and unmasking Mysterio is what they need to boost their reputation."
"Right, but still, what about us?" Luna asked turning the subject back onto themselves. "With a guy like him still at large, he's most easily a threat to our business and the way we roll."
"Don't be so sure he'll take us down so easy," Thorn reassured her girls. "If, in fact, he decides to show himself once more at the concert tomorrow, I promise you that I'll be the one to keep us protected at all costs!"
Dusk and Luna's faced perked up with hopeful expressions lining their faces. "I mean sure, yeah, I suppose that's the least we can do is protect each other from whatever happens next," Luna responded casually.
"Of course. Besides, Dusk here's a black belt who's always willing to fight us all out of a situation," Thorn continued, pointing to her best, and only drummer she ever had and knew she could rely on for physical combat purposes. There were plenty of instances in the past where Dusk's knowledge of Chinese Kenpo got them out of tough situations with the supposed "ghosts" that kept harassing them and, in Thorn's eyes, Dusk wasn't about to let them all down.
"It's true," Dusk followed. "If given the chance, I could easily shatter Mysterio's bubble brain with a swift kick to the head."
"You and what army, sister?" Luna asked jokingly. This was the part where they generally started ramping up the jokes despite the serious situation and their genuine concern for one another.
"Now, now, girls, let's remember why we're all trying to protect one another in the first place," Thorn stated, reeling the situation back to the point. "No matter what, the show must go on!"
"You're right, sister!" Dusk exclaimed, putting her hand out in the middle of everyone. "Hex Girls for life!"
Thorn giggled. "Hex Girls for life!" Thorn said, positioning her hand above her followed by Luna who joined them. In the style of a baseball team proclaiming their unity, they sealed the deal with a break as they launched their hands up into the air. Whether Spider-Man were to show up and save the day or not, the band always knew they would have each other's backs and nothing would stand in the way of that. They would always stay unbreakable until the very end.
Thanks again everyone for reading this shorter chapter that, while not adding much to the story, adds more to each Hex Girls' personality if I do say so myself! Don't say I didn't try my best with this being my first story and all! I hope you all enjoy what little more I may add here down the line!