All in your mind
N.A: First of all: please listen to the song ¨All in your mind¨ from the movie ¨Pound Puppies and the legend of Big Paw¨ before reading this fanfic (it is HIGHLY recommended). Second: just so you know, I couldn't find the lyrics of this specific song anywhere…so I had to write them myself (ahhh, just like the old listening activities at my college). Although I'm very good at English, I have to admit that I couldn't quite catch or understand some little parts of the song, so if you see any sentences that doesn't make quite sense or have a weird structure…that's why, okay? In any case, I just hope you enjoy your reading~!
Disclaimer: Scooby-Doo! is property of Hanna-Barbera, I cannot and will not make lucrative funds using their work, I only use their characters for mine and your entertainment.
Velma still couldn't quite believe that she was here right now…sitting at a bar's table in a town that was renowned for being a ¨Monster Town¨, waiting for a musical show…just to get a chance to see him.
-Ahhh…-a heavy sigh left her lips.
What was she doing? She shouldn't be here…She shouldn't be looking for him after all this time. Everything has changed…and they all know things will never be the same again…not without him…
…But still…when that mystery showed up before her…something inside her just hit her and order her to come here…And so, here she was.
It was not difficult to find him, but still…she couldn't quite believe yet that he was living here, in a ¨spooky town¨ where monsters and scary things where the main attraction for tourism. Seriously: after all those years of running away from monsters…why did he choose to live in a city full of them? (Even if everybody knew that they were fake). Maybe he had finally get over his fear to monsters…Heh, what a time to do so, ah? Now that they were separated…now that he was no longer here…
Her expression became sadder by the memory. Her thoughts fought against her emotions just to end up with that feeling again…melancholy…Melancholy for those times…for those memories…for what had happened…for those feelings always hidden and always known…those feelings she thought were erased…but she was proven wrong…Mah, though…it's not like that matter anymore…
Darkness and the ring of a bell snapped her back to reality. Right…she came here for a reason and that was to find him and talk to him…everything else was just unnecessary. She told herself that she needed to focus on her mission…and along her words, the sound of fake thunders and a funky tune started to play. Along the music and notes of a (quite good) rhythmic guitar, explosions of smoke took the stage and one by one, two girls, one guy (all of them carrying instruments and dressed with peculiar matching outfits of black and white) and a Husky appeared on different parts of it.
Grrrrrrr
The sound of a growl filled the air and strangely, a chill sensation ran down all the audience's spine. While the thunders and music started to get more and more intense, a pair of shiny red eyes appeared inside the only dark spot on the stage now, surrounded by a heavy fog.
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
Along the groovy lyrics (and the punctual barks of the Husky), the fog slowly lifted just to disappeared completely when ¨the monster¨ took a step forward, made a spin and revealed himself as just a human, ending all his action with a wink and a devilish smile to the audience.
HOLY MOLY, IT WAS HIM! …And to say that Velma was surprisedwas putting too lightly: she was utterly shocked. Even though she knew beforehand that he was part of the show…she certainly didn't expect him to the leader of it, much less act so…assertive while doing so.
He looked so…different, well, not precisely different. His hair was just much longer and he only used a black jacket over his so known outfit…but still…something in the way he moved just made him looked so…different.
When is weird and dark and scary and strange
And you stand so still you forget your name
He sang while doing some ¨creepy¨ faces and putting his hands as if they were claws. His voice was…surprisingly charming and fitting for the song. She knew he was skilled (afterall, everybody in the gang was musically skilled in a way), but still…now that she thinks about it…this might be the first time she actually has seen him doing something else than playing a guitar.
One time or another I felt the same
The sound of hissing snakes ran across the room, scaring some of the audience yet again. Some people even jumped slightly from their seats…as if they had just felt the snakes moving between their feet. But before any true chaos could form, the tall man showed them a reassuring smile. With just that, everybody stayed calm and sat back in their seats…
Imagination is to blame
…just to get tense again when many, many creepy eyes appeared in the darkness, not only around the stage, but also around the whole room…and he just raised his arms to gesture around him like if he didn't see them or cared about their presence.
I tell you it's All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
More snake hisses resonated through the room, but now, some of them actually appeared on top of some tables. It is needless to say that this caused many, many screams and even some people ended up fainting…
All in your mind
…but as Shaggy kept singing and walking down the stage, all these snakes moved away from the tables and into the stage, just to reunite all over one of his hands and then disappeared with a ¨puff¨ once he closed it. Velma couldn't help but blink, once, twice, still…surprised for what she just saw. Was that a magic trick? Well, it seemed like so. Huh, I guess that was part of the show, but still…it felt…strangely real. And also, since when could he do such tricks!? (…Or maybe that was the staff's doing?)
It's All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
All in your mind
RARF!
Velma shook her head, trying to erased those silly thoughts from her mind and instead, returned all her attention to the stage. The musicians that played behind him looked…a bit younger than him (but really just a bit) and they were just as skilled and charismatic as he (…though, to be honest: none could really match his charisma…and the way that everybody looked at him was just enough proof of that). She also was impressed by how well trained that Husky dog was, ¨playing¨ its part on the song just when it was precisely needed and ¨moving¨ around with such an energy that it almost seemed like if it were dancing.
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
The Husky ran in circles around Shaggy for a moment and then sat and barked with excitement (again, just when it was its turn to ¨sing¨). He looked at it for a second, surprised to see it around him right now (maybe it was not meant to be there in the first place?), but soon, he showed a simple smile and patted his head…Velma felt her heart tighten by this scene.
…For everybody else, that was a very wholesome and cute image…but for her? …There was a bittersweet feeling that she just couldn't get rid of…and a name that would never be pronounced got stuck in her throat…
There's a little creepy noise that hurts your ears
It got you wishing it can disappear…
As the lyrics just said, a creepy noise resonated through the room, scaring a lot of people in the process, but specially a little kid who couldn't help but grab his mother's arm in fear and try to hide behind it while shivering. He was almost tearing up when suddenly, he felt a soft touch over his head. Curious (and maybe a bit confused), the kid slightly opened his eyes…and got surprised to see the star of the show just in front of him! H-How did that happen!? At a moment he was at the stage, then the spotlight where he was just turned off, and then by the next second he reappears under another spotlight in the middle of the tables!? HOW THE HECK does that work!?
Remember it's cool cause cool is right here!
He sang with a big reassuring smile on his face and pointed out to himself as if trying to tell him that nothing bad would happen while he is around, sealing his promise with a confident and friendly wink. The little kid looked at him for a sec and slowly let go of his mother's arm…just to end up smiling too. With only that, Shaggy's smile became wider and more shining and then…his spotlight got black again…
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE WORLD TO FEAR!
…and he reappeared under his spotlight over the stage, leaving the audience utterly amazed, not only for his (apparent) ¨tricks¨…but also for his powerful voice and performance.
…
…
….
…Then she understood it…why his words hit so hard.
…Even if the monsters where fake and the lyrics where just a silly story over a funky music…everything gained a real meaning because HE was the one saying it…because he gave them a meaning than none else could…
…And if the most coward person in the world tells you that there is nothing to fear…you just can't help but believe them, even if you initially don't think so.
I tell you it's All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
Now that she knew that, she could see why everybody stayed to see the show even when some people clearly weren't precisely fans of the spooky theme…Whether it was on purpose or not, it was clear that this was helping them, that HEwas helping them…and with that thought on her mind, Velma could no longer see this as just a show…
Feelings of proudness and a little sadness circled endlessly inside her as she stared at the stage…and tried not to cry. There was really no reason for her to cry, so…why? …Why she felt like crying so badly?
All in your mind
It's All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
All in your mind
…Ahh, maybe it had just hit her right now…How much they have changed…how long it has been since they all fell apart…
…
….
…and how long it has been since they all were just a pair of meddling kids…
…Fearless of the world around them…Bold and crazy enough to try and face everything that just came across their way…Pushing each other to the limits and learning quicker…
…
…Just to end up here…broken…yet still hoping for those old times, those good times…when things were simpler, easier…when they were all together…
…
….
…
…when he was still here…
RARF!
The loud bark of the Husky and the sudden turn of the lights made her come back once again to reality…just to get stunned after seeing what was happening now.
…The room was full with monsters and no, that was no kidding. Since they were not in the darkness anymore, everybody could see them perfectly. Vampires, werewolves, mummies, you name it! No matter what you looked for, you could probably find a monster of your liking if you looked just enough around the room. Obviously, this put a lot of people nervous and a lot more got really scared, but…
Duwah-duwah-duwa-uh-ah
…surprisingly for her, the panic and chaos never formed in the room (even when some of the monsters were surely creepy enough for that). Instead, an almost surreal scene came across her eyes…
…Monsters started to invite people to dance…and many people (even some that didn't seem too keen initially) agreed to it.
Duwah-duwah-duwa-uh-ah
Soon, the room was full of monsters and humans dancing together (except for the ones that preferred to stay in their seats, obviously). Although she wasn't really interested, Velma let one of the monsters (specifically, a werewolf) led her to the dancefloor as his dance partner.
Duwah-duwah-duwa-uh-ah
Along the groovy music, the monsters started to change their dance partners, keeping their vivid movements just enough controlled to do so without bumping into each other or missing the beat of the song.
Duwah-duwah-duwa-uh-ah
Velma couldn't help but get impressed by their good coordination while dancing, though if she had to be honest…after so many twirls and turns around…she was starting to feel kind of dizzy.
Duwah-duwah-duwa-uh-ah
Thankfully for her, the partner change finally ended. She was about to let out a short sigh of relief for that…until she noticed who was her partner now…
…
…
…It was Shaggy.
Duwah-duwah-duwa-uh-ah
To say that she was shocked right now was an understatement: she was speechless. ¨Why-!? When-!? How-!? ¨-every question in her head couldn't end properly because her own chaos and confusion about the situation didn't let them do it. Though the answer was really simple: he was dragged to the dancefloor too…she just didn't notice it until now.
Duwah-duwah-duwa-uh-ah
Well, luckily for her (or unluckily for her, depending on your perspective), he looked just as stunned as she. So much that, although he had taken her hands (during the partner change), neither of them had made a single move since then, making them the only pair that was not dancing.
They just stood there…in the middle of the room…holding hands and staring directly at each other…She, full of nervousness and fear…and he looking at her as if he had just seen a ghost.
Duwah-duwah-duwa-uh-ah!
After hearing the change of tone at the end of the lyric, Shaggy seemed to recover his sense of reality: it was his turn now. So…he quickly let go of her hand.
When you think and think in things that ain't for real
Velma almost could feel how everything inside her just crumbled to pieces as he turned around and left her behind…but she refused to show it, so…she slowly put down her hand…and returned to her seat as many other customers did.
You must too scared, how do swill
As the humans returned to their seats, the monsters gathered around Shaggy, looking at him with predatory red eyes just as scary as when they were hidden in the dark.
Remember I know just how you feel
He sang, determined and sure about his own words, still facing away from the audience and looking straight to the monsters that surrounded him. He could feel the insecurity and fear of the people behind him, who didn't know what to expect at this point after all the confusing acts of the monsters.
Don't be fool, it's not for real!
His words echoed with so much force around the room that some people unconsciously covered their ears (they were just SO loud!) and the monsters' expression changed from confident to hesitant and kind of tense.
I tell you it's All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
As Shaggy gestured to a group of monsters, they, one by one, disappeared with a ¨puff¨.
All in your mind
Frightened, the monsters started to run away from him.
It's All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
All in your mind
The monsters ran and tried to hide themselves in any place they could: behind curtains, under tables and even behind the customers…
RARF!
…but all their efforts were pointless, because as soon as the Husky barked, they all jumped scared from their hiding spots (…not that it was really necessary though).
Grrrrrrrrr
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
RARF!
Along the return of that scary growl and the strong bark of the Husky (who forced all the monsters to go near the stage again with some more light barks and a few ¨bumps¨), all the lights turned and shone against the ¨human¨ they so much feared.
Grrr
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
The monsters began to shiver as his shadow became bigger and bigger and covered them all, leaving them no place to run. The lights shone behind him, so they couldn't see his face quite well but…his shiny red eyes were just threat enough to make them froze in fear.
All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
It's All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
It's All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
RARF!
All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
It's All in your mind
Dooby-dooby-dooby-dooby (ARF-ARF!)
Still, some of the monsters tried to run again…but it was pointless. One by one, all the monsters which he pointed to disappeared with a ¨puff¨ and soon: there were no more monsters in the room. With his ¨mission¨ now completed, Shaggy gave the audience a last smile (a bold one, if so may be said) and returned to his ¨spot¨ on the stage just to start to be covered by a fog once again (now, along with his companions). As the music became softer and softer, the lights on the room faded more and more until all was back to darkness, and once the music ended completely…the lights turned on again…just to reveal a completely empty stage.
The audience stayed silent for a moment, still in awe of what they had just seen, but soon…the room erupted in claps and cheers. Velma looked around, trying to find them though she knew she probably wouldn't be able to. It took her less than a minute to confirm her suspicion: they were already backstage. She couldn't help but let out a sigh…I guess she still has to wait a bit more to properly see him after all.
-One hour later-
Convince the guard to let her pass to backstage was proving to be more difficult than she originally thought…but thankfully (or not really, if we are being honest) HE came to solve her problem. She didn't miss the particular judging look the guard gave them when he asked him to leave the two alone and let her enter to his dressing room…but she decide to shrug it off. Still, when he closed the door behind her and the realization that she was finally alone with him after who knows how long…her posture immediately became tense.
…Now what? What could she say!? Everything she planned beforehand just seemed to erase from her mind as she saw him lean against his desk and cross his arms, looking at her impassibly, waiting for her to start talking. She felt her throat dry as quickly as a drop on a desert…What on earth she was doing here?...
-…You know…I never expected you to do this kind of thing…-his sudden words made her lift her head and redirect her sight to him-…I always thought Daphne would be the one. Heck, I even imagined Fred doing it once…But I never thought you would be the one to actually come and search for me…
She was about to say something, but…
-…Why did you come here, Velma?
…as always: he was faster than her. His voice was simple yet serious and his words were cold, just…so cold…that she literally felt a stab when she heard them. She stayed silent and looked to a side…she had no bravery enough to speak…
He analyzed her with his eyes and soon (too damn soon for her), he understood what was going on.
-Don't tell me…you're actually coming here hoping to reunite us all again? …-his tone was harsh and slightly angry. He just couldn't believe she was really doing this.
Velma kept silent, but by the way she was holding her purse with much more force than before…he had no doubt that he was right. A sour laugh left his lips before he could even touch his forehead in disbelief.
-…Are you kidding me? –the cold yet calmed raged on his voice and expression startled her a bit-Seriously, after ALL this time…do you really think things could be the same again just because you want it?
She wanted to say no. She wanted to make him understand. She wasn't doing this just because! …Or was she?
…Now that she thought about it…why was she really here? …To ask him for help? …To reach to him after all these years? ...Or to try and find a glimpse of their broken bond? …She doesn't know…It could be all of them…and it could be none…Yet, here she is: trying and failing miserably when it is most needed…
-He's DEAD…and I'm alive…Do you have a clue of how does that make me feel? …-his words fall over her with a pressure heavier than the weight of the whole world…
…And it just then that she knows...there's no place for the past in someone who is living the present…there's no wounds to heal when all that's left are scars…and there's no feelings left for who destroyed them from the start…
The silence kills her just as much as his unchanging cold eyes…There's no excuse…There's no path…There's no more gang or memory in sight…They're just two strangers trapped in the same room in this night.
-…Leave-that's the last and only thing he says…and since there's no reason to not to…she simply obeys.
…
…
….
…..
…
…Once the door is closed and he is truly alone again, he falls to the floor with a heavy ¨thump¨ and loose his cold stare. Hurt and sadness fill his expression but relief fills him inside…This was the best option…They can't know…She can't know…She can't be where he is…
Silence and emptiness fills the room as he stays there, sitting at the floor, remembering all those times before…when everything was simple and bright…when his old pal and friends were still by his side…and he was just a meddling kid scared of monsters and the dark…
-…Everything alright? –the sound of Shawn's voice turned him back to reality…the reality that he was here right now, with the group waiting for him at the door of his dressing room…and with a mission to accomplish.
-…Yeah-he just replied, but still didn't lift his head.
Noticing the hurt and sad look on his face, the Husky walked over to him…and it transformed into a little girl with white and black hair. The werewolf girl sat by his side and whimpered as she looked sympathetically at him. Shaggy looked back at her and forced a reassuring smile.
-…Don't worry Eskie, I'm fine-he simply said and patted her head, messing her hair slightly in the process.
The Husky kid just closed her eyes and let herself enjoy his patting, leaning against his arm in an attempt to comfort him. Lance waited a moment until he finally asked him:
-…Are you sure you still want to patrol tonight?
Shaggy looked to the window and let himself get lost in its sight for a moment…It was a dark night and the moon just barely shone through the clouds.
-…Yeah-and with just that, he stood up.
He was the first to leave the room and as usual, he also was the first to open the next door. The room was busy as always and as expected after a show that had just ended. Really: just because there weren't monster costumes to wear, that didn't mean that the show was just easy to pull off (if you don't believe him, then ask the cleaning staff…they are the ones who have to clean all that monster fur and other things, afterall).
-Oh? –a tall man turned his head to them after hearing them entering-OOOOH ROGGIE! You're SOOO late! I almost thought you guys wouldn't go out tonight!
-Heh, sorry Armand-Shaggy simply apologized and gave him a light smile. Any other person (and even himself sometimes) probably couldn't do this so easily without feeling at least a bit nervous…because let's be honest: be face to face with an Arachne-man is certainly QUITE scary.
Still, his real ¨problem¨ with him laid elsewhere…
-Still…you know how I feel when you insist in calling me like that. Like, I'm Rogers not Roggie, man! -he repeated for the millionth time this week, feeling sheepish for such a silly nickname.
-Oh come on Roggie, you know it suits you! –Armand giggled and then, took out a dark blue robe from one of his desk's cabinets and happily gave it to him-Just as this little baby suits you~!
-GEEH, you know it's weird to hear you calling them that! So PLEASE stop it, Archrazy! –complained Shawn with a disgusted look on his face as he took another dark blue robe.
-SHAAWN, stop-intervened Lance before their tailor could (and would) give him a spank as usual, using a knowing yet simple warning tone as if he were talking to a kid.
Shawn sighed, frustrated, and that made Bell laugh, which made him get angry. Shaggy couldn't help but giggle slightly as he saw Lance and Debbie trying to calm Shawn down and Bell ¨running¨ to hide behind Eskie (who was now back to her ¨dog¨ form).
-By the way, Roggie…-the mentioned turned his head back to Armand-…Today's show was just A-MA-ZING! You really outdone yourself this time!
Then, it happened: the memory of they both standing still in the middle of the dancefloor hit him…again…but still, he success to show a simple smile.
-…Thanks Armand-he only replied as he put his robe on and let its shadow cover his face.
…The sign of the Nyx Guard shone on his back against the moonlight that came through the window and once again…he felt that heavy pressure over his shoulders…Things would never be the same…things could never be the same, but…still…he will do everything he can to protect what he still can…
…And with that thought in mind, he opened the door to the outside: tonight was monster searching time.
THE END
N.A: AAAAAAAND it's finally done! Uff, you don't know HOW hard it was for me to finish this! TT w TT Since I'm back to work and the electricity is still being a damn problem to work with, I just couldn't get enough time to finish this up sooner. I have always LOVED this song (since I was a kid), so I really wanted to use it in a fanfic…and what better series than Scooby Doo to fil the theme, huh? XD In any case, I hope you enjoyed your reading (although the situation was kind of confusing, but don't worry, the character here shown will be seen again in another of my fics OwO). And so, without anything left to say (…for the meantime), hope to see you soon~!