Scooby, Shaggy and Misty followed their friends out from the bottom of the stage and up onto the surface level, where the others were waiting for the princesses to gear up and perform their first song. “Hey, guys!” Sunny said enthusiastically. “I hope you guys are ready to hear what the princesses are made of.”
“Well, I sure am,” Fred said. “To say you can play music is one thing, but to actually do it is another. Oh, no offense, Pipp.”
“None taken, Freddy,” Pipp waved it off before she turned to the stage and cheered. “Come on, girls, let's do this!”
Topaz stepped up to the mic as the others began to cheer with Pipp, holding a guitar in her hooves. “This song we chose to perform first is not one of ours, but we wanted to remind every girl out there that you're beautiful inside and out, no matter what others say!”
Taking that as a cue, the sisters began to play their first number, Topaz singing the lead vocals.
Topaz: You're insecure
Don't know what for
You're turning heads when you walk through the door
Don't need makeup to cover up
Being the way that you are is enough
Rose: Everyone else in the room can see it
Everyone else but you
Gemstone Princesses: Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful, oh oh
That's what makes you beautiful
Everyone cheered at the top of their lungs and danced to the happy beat as the song continued.
Emerald: So come on, you got it wrong
To prove I'm right, I put it in a song
I don't know why you're being shy, yeah
And turn away when I look into your eye eye eyes
Sapphire: Everyone else in the room can see it
Everyone else but you
Gemstone Princesses: Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful, oh oh
That's what makes you beautiful
(Na na na na na na na)
(Na na na na na na na)
(Na na na na na na na)
(Na na na na na na na)
During the pause in between the choruses, Topaz held her hoof out to Pipp, who happily took it and climbed onstage to sing with the sisters.
Pipp: Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful
Pipp and Gemstone Princesses: Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful, oh oh
That's what makes you beautiful
Everyone cheered wildly as the performers took a bow at the end of their show. “That was amazing, you guys!” Sunny said. “With a performance like that, you're bound to win the crowd over tonight!”
“Aww, thanks, Sunny,” Sapphire smiled. “We still have some rehearsing to do with KISS for the show, but why don't you guys head to the security office to do some detective work?”
“Thanks,” Daphne smiled. “Come on, everyone, let's get to work.”
XXXXXXXXX
Velma brought up all their suspects on the base computer in the security office, and the gang and the ponies gathered around to see what she had. “I can't say we don't have enough suspects. The problem is finding a motive.”
“The only one who'd like the park to shut down is Chip,” Fred pointed out. “But, he doesn't seem smart enough.”
“Shandi seems smart enough,” Sunny said in thought. “And is the right body type for the witch costume.”
“I know, but she's way too cute to be a suspect,” Fred spoke, just as Shaggy delivered a theory. “Mr. Goldman and the security lady don't want the park to close. They'll lose their jobs.”
“That crosses them out of the picture. But what about the mystic lady?” Misty asked. “Chikara seems the most obsessed with the witch,” Zipp reasoned. “She talks as if she's really supernatural.”
“She's not?” Shaggy asked. “No, Shaggy,” said Velma, “she's not. No matter what you think you've seen, there has to be a rational explanation.”
“It's all centered on that rock you guys told us about,” Hitch said. “What was it called?”
“The so called Rock of Kissteria,” Velma rolled her eyes. “Which seems to be KISS's Detroit Rock.”
“You mean the one they sing about in that song Detroit Rock City?” Shaggy asked. “I always thought that stood for rock 'n' roll.”
“Huh...” Spaceman hummed as he and Starchild wandered in. “I never thought of that. I guess that works too.”
“Did you figure anything out?” Starchild asked. “Not yet,” Daphne answered. “But if we had that rock, we might be able to set a trap.”
“Then maybe it's time we hand it over to you, darling.”
XXXXXXXXX
Demon set a black, silver and purple box down on the table, a scowl on his face. “I do not like this.”
“It's gonna be fine,” Starchild assured. “How do you know?” Demon asked, but only groaned as Starchild pointed to his star marking. “Oy...”
“Come on, Demon,” Emerald pointed out, “if we don't stop the witch tonight, the park will go under.”
“So let's rock these kids already!” Spaceman agreed. So, three out of four KISS members put their hands on the sensors, triggering musical notes to play in harmony. Seeing he didn't have any other choice, Demon sighed. “All right...”
So, he put his hand on the final sensor, which opened the box and revealed a glorious black gem, hovering and twirling in mid air, and causing Izzy's eyes to widen as she gasped. “Sweet sauce horseshoe toss!”
“Jinkies...” Velma said in awe. “It's a black diamond!”
“The largest in the world,” Topaz said with a soft smile, and suddenly, the witch's motivations finally made sense to Daphne. “That explains why the Crimson Witch has turned this place upside down looking for it.”
“Now it's just a matter of setting a trap,” said Zipp, putting a hoof down on the floor. “Yeah,” Shaggy nodded. “So, like, who's gonna be the bait?”
“You are!” everyone seemed to shout, and Shaggy found himself growing exasperated. “Scoob, how is it that out of four ginormous superheroes, a group of ponies from Equestria and four gemstone princesses with magical headwear... you and I have to do the hard part?”
Scooby could only shrug. “Oh, just lucky I guess.”
“Come on,” Sapphire encouraged. “You can do it!”
“And you'll have me and Misty to help you!” Izzy smiled. “Yeah. We can't lure her out,” Catman reasoned. “Put yourselves in our shoes.”
But hearing that made Izzy get the perfect idea. “You know what? That might just help.”