"You were like, amazing, Christina," Shaggy reassured Christina as she returned to her little room.
"Shaggy, you need to listen to me,"
"What's wrong?"
"Van Hellscream is going to call you to the stand. When he does he's going to ask a bunch of yes or no questions and twist your answers. He's going to push your buttons on purpose and he wants you to transform on the stand-"
"What do I do?"
"Stay calm don't let him rile you,"
"I'll try,"
…...
Meanwhile, in the courtroom.
"The prosecution calls Elle Eedee to the stand,"
The newly-freed Elle happily made her way to the stand. After being the core of Van Hellscream's work for years she was all-too-happy to be able to do what she wanted for a change which meant getting to DJ along with Holt at all the recent celebrations. It also meant helping put Van Hellscream behind bars for good.
"Elle, it is my understanding that you aided Van Hellscream in his plot, is that true?"
"Yes,"
"Was it intentional?"
"No, ma'am,"
"Would you mind telling the court what happened?"
"I was abducted from my home in Boo York, deactivated for a while and when I came to scientists were wiring me to Van Hellscream's main-frame,"
"I see. Nothing further,"
It was time for Van Hellscream to question Elle something she had wished she was more prepared for.
"Miss Eedee, is it true you are capable of making your own choices despite being a robot?"
"Yes,"
"So, you can object to something right?"
"Yes,"
"Then why didn't you object to being part of the computer system? You admit you were wired in but isn't true you could've gotten out if you so desired?"
"No, I couldn't have gotten out. Despite being able to think for myself I am still as you pointed out a robot which means I can be deactivated or taken apart. Your team removed crucial parts of my inner workings so that I wasn't able to speak or move and re-wired me so that, against my will would do whatever they ordered me to,"
"Nothing further,"
…...
"Christina, you like, need to calm down," Shaggy commented.
For the past several minutes Christina had been wringing her hands, tapping her feet and tugging at her hair which was all signs she was stressed and full of nervous energy. Shaggy understood why but he also knew it would do no good for her to be so worked up. Shaggy grabbed her wrists and gently squeezed them.
"Listen to me. You are going to be fine. He's going to jail no matter what happens,"
"I'd rather he'd be reduced to ashes but that would prove his point,"
"Exactly, so, you need to stay calm,"
"I'm trying,"
"I know,"
"Like, Duncan's about to take the stand,"
"I see that,"
…...
Duncan gave his testimony about his imprisonment and the subsequent torture he endured. The very gruesome details made a certain Alpha want to rip Van Hellscream to shreds but that would do no good nor, was she allowed to leave her place with the council however, Duncan was brought over to join her at her request since she was so worked up. Together they watched as Van Hellscream's followers told their testimony's of all the monster attacks that had happened recently. Clawdeen couldn't help smirking when the prosecution brought up that there was no loss of human life or any lethal tactics used.
"The Defense calls Mystery Incorporated to the stand,"
Now, there was a name the gang hadn't heard in years. The gang filed in sheepishly. They seemed to clash, Fred in his prison jumpsuit, Daphne in her purple dress, Velma in her floral skirt having decided to forgo her normal orange attire in favor of something different and Shaggy in his neatly pressed clothes.
Shaggy would stay calm. He had to stay calm for Christina's sake.
He could do this.
The gang braced themselves as Van Hellscream began his line of questioning.
"Did you all join my organization after the passing of the Anti-Monster Bill because you believed in the cause? "
"Yes," said Fred.
"Yes," Daphne nodded.
"Yes," Velma agreed solemnly.
"No," Shaggy declared.
"Mr. Rogers, you were one of the most productive employees are you sure you aren't just saying that for your Fiancees benefit?"
"Yes,"
"Then why did you join?"
"My family. The day the bill was passed my mother and father seemed so happy and relieved that I wouldn't get hurt and they wanted me to join. They insisted. I did it solely to make them proud of me,"
Did you believe monsters are a threat to mankind?", Van Hellscream questioned.
"Yes," they all agreed.
"Mr. Rogers you seem to be contradicting yourself, why is that?"
"I faced zombies, were-cats, witches and one scary computer virus intent on hurting humans prior to the passing of the bill,"
"Nothing further,"
"Miss Dinkley, Mr. Rogers, it is my understanding that you left Van Hellscream's organization?"
"Yes, we did,"
"Why is that?"
"I was like, unhappy with my work,"
"As was I,"
"Mr, Rogers isn't there something you're forgetting?" Van Hellscream questioned.
"Huh?"
"You were cursed by Count Dracula were you not?"
"Yes, yes I was,"
"See you monsters are a threat! I bet the freak of nature wherever she is is already plotting-"
"ENOUGH," someone cried.
The entire courtroom gasped as Christina flew in and landed directly in front of Shaggy.
"Majesties, if you would allow me to do so I wish to show you something that might be important to this case,"
"Go ahead, Christina,"
Christina turned to Shaggy.
"Shaggy, they need to see what happened but to do that I need to show them your memories,"
"Go ahead, I trust you,"
"Very well,"
Christina lifted her wand and started to say the spell,
"Nunc terga manus. Ostendunt veritatem. transgressus iter nostrum fatum mihi intercessit. Ostende nobis dies mutatis. "
A warm glow filled the courtroom as they all watched that fateful day unfold.
…...
Shaggy was not having a good day. Fred was breathing down his neck slowly demanding more and mpre of him which caused Shaggy to work longer and longer shifts. Shaggy was irritated and tired and he really just wanted to go home and-
Shaggy stopped mid-thought as a flash of movement caught his eye. This could be his big break. He quickly leaped from the van and followed the monster who was trying so hard not to be seen. He studied his target. A female and judging by his readings a vampire. He knew how to subdue a vampire. Ever so slowly he lifted the chain of garlic from his pack. Sure enough, the monster in front of him started to get choked up the closer he got. Just as he was about to apprehend her she scaled a nearby building to get away. Ha, she wouldn't get away that easily. Dropping the garlic, Shaggy quickly followed behind her.
"Freeze," he ordered once he reached the roof.
"Please, I don't want to fight," she pleaded lifting the hood of her jacket to reveal a scarred face and tired brown eyes.
"Sure,"
Soon, they were locked in combat. However, the vampire continued to plead with him to stop and hear her out but Shaggy was so determined to win that he failed to notice how dangerously close he was getting to the roofs' edge until he fell. He was surely a goner until the very same vampire swooped down and grabbed him she set him back on the roof before taking off suspended by a pair of glittering wings that had been hidden by her jacket which now laid discarded on the roof beside his feet. Shaggy watched until his target was nothing more than a spot in the distance. He picked up the jacket she had left behind and returned to his van confused as to why he stood there like an imbecile and let her get away.
…...
The glow faded away as everything in the courtroom returned to normal.
"Like, ever since that day I was no longer satisfied with my line of work. How could I like, fight something that saved my life? If it weren't for Christina I'd be dead. True, I was like, cursed but Dracula was remorseful and even found the counter-spell to return me to normal. I speak for all of my friends when I say we are ashamed of getting involved with Van Hellscream we were all fed lies and twisted truths to keep us there. But I truly believe that we can all, like, redeem ourselves for that mistake, Majesties, by returning to what we do best: solve mysteries."
The council conferred with each other briefly.
"We, the Monster Council of Royals declare that Mystery Inc is hereby pardoned of any crimes," Clawdeen announced shortly before court was adjourned so that they could debate sentencing.
"I believe it would be best if we reduced them to ashes,"
"And make them heroes to their cause? No way,"
"Well, what shall we do then?"
"I don't know,"
…...
In the end, it was decided to exile Van Hellscream and his most loyal followers to another world where they would be deprived of technology and forced to live as transits. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the last of the hunters stepped through the portal.
"Christina, may I speak with you for a moment?" Ramses asked catching Christina and Shaggy before they left.
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
"Well, I've been thinking about this all day and well, due to what we've all been through and the fact that Tannis has no one to care for her not to mention, my daughters love for her I was considering adopting her?"
Christina was surprised but given the ordeal, they had all been through she understood where Ramses was coming from.
"I don't see a problem with it but maybe you should ask Tannis,"
"Yes, of course,"
…...
Tannis was adopted by Ramses much to Cleo's utter delight. Shaggy was able to reconcile with his parents who thankfully accepted Christina and most importantly of all the war on Monster-kind had ended. Monster High was soon rebuilt and opened its doors to both humans and monsters. Even though there was a long, long road of healing ahead everyone was at peace sure nothing like this could ever happen again.
THE END.
…...
IT'S FINISHED. IT'S DONE. OH, THANK GOODNESS, I thought I would never be done with this story. It was such a challenge to write and if it weren't for the help and support of DRAGONDAVE45this story would have been deleted a long, long long, time ago. So, let's all applaud him he's very deserving of it. I also highly recommend checking out his work which as I've said before id far better than my own. Anyway, please be kind and leave me a nice review and tell me what AU story you'd like to see next.
Oh and the spell Christina used translates to:
Turn back the hands of time. Show us the truth. show me the day our paths crossed and fate intervened. Show us all the day things changed.
