The deep rumble of rock music echoed through the dark forest, drawing the gang's attention.

"Scooby-Doo!" Shaggy exclaimed in alarm.

"Like, not again!" Shaggy groaned.

Daphne's curiosity piqued. "What is that noise?"

Velma, ever the investigator, nodded decisively. "Let's go see."

The group made their way through the forest, the music growing louder with each step. They emerged into a clearing and were met with an unexpected sight: the Hex Girls were performing on a makeshift stage, their energy electrifying the night.

"Hit it, sisters!" Thorn commanded with a dramatic flourish, her voice carrying a hint of a hissing undertone.

"Zoinks! It's the witches!" Shaggy exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear.

"Easy, guys. It's just the Hex Girls," Fred reassured them.

The Hex Girls launched into their performance:

[Lead Singer*

I'm gonna cast a spell on you.

You're gonna do what I want you to.

Mix it up here in my little bowl, say a few words and you lose control.

[Hex Girls*

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you.

I'm gonna put a spell on you.

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you.

Put a spell on you!

[Lead Singer*

You'll feel the fog as I cloud your mind.

You'll get dizzy when I make a sign.

You'll wake up in the dead of night, missing me when I'm out of sight.

[Hex Girls*

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you.

I'm gonna put a spell on you.

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you.

Oh yeah!

[Lead Singer*

With this little cobweb potion, you'll fall into dark devotion.

If you ever lose affection, I can change your whole direction.

[Hex Girls*

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you.

I'm gonna put a spell on you.

I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you.

We're gonna put a spell on all of you!

As the song ended, the gang clapped enthusiastically, despite their unease.

"Thanks! What are you doing here?" The lead singer asked, stepping off the stage. She had dark hair with red streaks.

"The concert's tomorrow," The drummer added.

"Hey, wait a minute," the third singer said, eyeing Ben with interest. "Aren't you Ben Ravencroft?"

Ben grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Why, yes, I am. Not planning to bite me, are you?"

"Cool," the lead singer said, extending a hand to shake Ben's. "I always wanted to meet you. You're like one of us."

"You understand what we're into," the others agreed, nodding.

Scooby and Shaggy exchanged nervous glances. The girls' gaze shifted to them, causing them to stiffen.

"Hi," the lead singer said, her tone friendly but with a hint of intrigue.

"Hello," Shaggy and Scooby stammered in unison, their voices trembling.

Fred took the opportunity to ask, "That's quite an act, Ms. uh…"

"Thorn," the lead singer now known as Thorn finished for him. "This is Dusk and Luna. We're eco-goths."

"Eco-goths?" Scooby and Shaggy repeated, bewildered.

"And we don't need your approval," Dusk added tersely.

Fred nodded thoughtfully. "Gee, all those explosions at the end were mystifying. Eh, Velma?"

Velma, still processing the performance, nodded. "Yeah, very mystifying."

Ben, trying to engage Velma, asked, "So, where are you girls from?"

Sally "Thorn" McNight smiled. "Oakhaven, but we won't be here for long. We're close to cutting our first CD. Well, it's been killer meeting ya."

Ben shook hands with Thorn, offering a warm smile. "Same here."

Thorn then glanced at her bandmates. "But we'd better get back to our rehearsal."

As the Hex Girls departed, Fred turned to Velma. "Those Hex Girls seem kinda suspicious."

"I'll say," Velma agreed, her expression thoughtful.

Fred nudged Daphne, who was standing close by. "Daph and I will keep an eye on them."

Velma, noticing the closeness between Fred and Daphne, teased lightly, "Gee! You two seem to be getting closer than usual, hmm?"

Daphne blushed, meeting Fred's eyes with a shy smile. Fred, caught off guard by the comment, stammered, "Uh, well, we sort of, kind of—" He trailed off, his cheeks turning pink.

Velma chuckled, her teasing tone softening. "Never mind. It's a good idea. You guys stay here. We want to take another look at where the ghost was seen."

Shaggy and Scooby exchanged nervous glances, their fear evident. "We will?" Shaggy asked, his voice trembling.

Velma nodded firmly. "Fine, you check the barn, and we'll follow the mayor."

Shaggy and Scooby, eyes wide with trepidation, quickly changed their minds. "On second thought, we'll take the mayor. He'll never know we're on his tail, right, Scoob?"

"Yeah!" Scooby agreed.

As they prepared to follow the mayor, Shaggy accidentally stepped on Scooby's tail. "Oops. Sorry, Scoob," he said, wincing.

Scooby shook his tail, giving a small, appreciative lick. "That's rokay."

Meanwhile, Velma and Ben were sneaking around the abandoned barn. Velma tried the lock but found it stubbornly closed.

"There's gotta be another way in," she said, frustration creeping into her voice.

Ben, following her closely, offered a comforting smile. "You know, Velma, I have a knack for finding solutions. If you trust me, I might be able to help."

Velma glanced at Ben, a flirtatious tone in her voice. "Oh? And what makes you think I should trust you?"

Ben's smile turned into a more flirtatious grin. "I guess you'll just have to take a leap of faith. I'm pretty good at solving mysteries."

Daphne turned to Fred, a hint of vulnerability in her voice. "That was awkward earlier, huh? I didn't even know what to say when Velma caught us off guard."

Fred nodded, his expression earnest. "Don't worry about it. I just thought we should talk things through. It's still new, and I don't want to put too much pressure on us because I really want this to work. I—" Fred stumbled over his words, clearly nervous, but his attempt was sincere.

Their moment was interrupted as the Hex Girls walked by. Fred and Daphne quickly ducked behind a tree.

Sally "Thorn" McNight was deep in conversation with her bandmates. "I think we'll have to perform our ritual, girls."

"Not tonight, Thorn. My powers are weak from rehearsing," Dusk said, clearly exhausted.

"Mine too. How about tomorrow, just before the concert?" Luna suggested.

"Never mind, I'll do it myself," Thorn decided. "See you in the morning. Bad dreams, sisters."

"Bad dreams, Sister Thorn," Dusk and Luna replied, heading their separate ways.

Fred, his expression resolute, turned to Daphne. "Did you hear that? Those girls have something to do with the ghost. I'm sure of it. Thorn seems like the leader. Let's follow her."

In the past, Daphne would've felt a twinge of jealously, similar to how she felt towards Lena back in Louisiana but since she and Fred had grown closer the jealousy seemed to have weakened. Daphne nodded in agreement. "Good idea, Freddie."

They moved quietly, blending into the shadows as they followed Thorn into the night, ready to uncover the secrets that lay ahead.