A Werewolf In Under-Town

Shaggy gripped the wheel of their stolen car and tried to keep an eye on the drones in the sky. Levy had her hand out her window and was dealing with the cop cars that were chasing them, so they were fine there. He just worried the drones would try something. They were swooping in close occasionally as they drove out toward the Shadow League's territory.

"I could've hot-wired this thing, you know?" Shaggy growled as he swerved the car closer to an oncoming drone.

The drone quickly changed directions and zipped back into the sky. It joined its brethren hovering in the air and following them as they sped through traffic. The road wasn't exactly congested, but they were going to have a bad time if Shaggy stopped paying attention. Levy pulled her arm back into the car and turned to look at him.

"Dear, I gave you three chances. Anymore, and the cops would've been on us."

Shaggy glanced down at the mess of wires near his knee. "I swear it was the red one into the green."

"You keep saying that. But apparently it's not a universal rule. At least we remembered to rip out the car's guidance and safety beacon."

"Yeah, completely killing the car's hover capabilities."

Levy shrugged. "Meh, we didn't want to be flying, anyway."

"Maybe not. But it would be easier to find the damn neighborhood from above. How the hell did people navigate without GPS?"

"Really, Shaggy? You just head west! We were barely six blocks from it!"

"Oh shit, then we're pretty close. Hold on!"

Shaggy spun the wheel of their car to the right and started taking them northward. With the flying drones and the noisy cop cars, he had almost lost his place. It didn't help that the expressway marking their own turf wasn't elevated this far south. Instead, it was a massive six-lane road with multiple street lights. He'd blown through all of them, of course, which he knew meant they were getting closer.

"This is the police! You in the sedan! PULL OVER!"

"Why do they keep saying who they are? Like we can't tell?" Levy asked, sticking her hand back out the window.

A purple glow suffused her fingers before a large purple blast shot back toward the cop cars. The six cars chasing them swerved to the sides of the road to avoid the blast. Shaggy watched everything through the rear-view mirror and tsked in annoyance.

"Their getting better at dodging."

"Hmph!"

Levy evidently took that as an insult because the next several blasts were much faster and seemed to track the cops' cars down. Her magic slammed into several cars and sent them spinning toward the side of the road. Shaggy grinned, but shook his head at his wife's antics.

"Babe, we need a few to follow us."

"Yeah, about that. Do we know that the Shadow League is going to get in trouble with the cops? I mean, they didn't strike me as vigilantes."

"You never know. Besides, even if they aren't, the cops rolling through their jurisdiction has to cause a problem, right? Like when the state police step into federal territory or vice versa?"

Levy pulled her arm back in and sat in her chair. A contemplative look on her face. She mulled over his words for a few moments before she eventually shrugged. Shaggy could see she didn't much care either way. They'd handle the problem if it came up. Instead, she smiled at Shaggy, which made him grin wolfishly and step on the gas.

The drones were still in the air and hesitating to swoop down. That's when a loud boom rocked their car. The windows shook and Shaggy had to hold on to the wheel as the car almost careened off the road. He checked his mirrors and window, but he couldn't find the source of the sonic boom. Levy found it when she stuck her head out her window, though.

"Tsk, we've got a Super, love. Solo and in spandex. HLO communicator on his wrist. He looks like an asshole."

"Ha! And how does an asshole look?"

"Total boy-scout. Clean cut, square jaw, massive arms, tiny legs. I'm guessing an all-round strength-type with flying capabilities."

Shaggy took a second to glance back out his own window and smirked. His wife had been spot on with her assessment. The dude looked like a body-builder who had never even heard about leg day. He flew in the air behind in their car. Waiting for something.

"What's he waiting for?" Levy asked.

"Civs are clearing our way and the cops are backing off. I think he's going to try something."

Shaggy swerved around the cars that were stopping or pulling to the side of the road. Above them, another boom came from the air and the road ahead exploded. Shaggy jerked the wheel to the left and took a side street into what he was sure was League turf. Levy still had her head out her window and whistled.

"Wow! Perfect three-point hero landing. Not bad! So, sorry we didn't hang around to see it, Boy-Scout."

"He expected us to stop?"

"Looks like it… Oop, he's in the air again. You might want to get us out of this alley."

"Easier said than done, Love."

Shaggy kept his eyes peeled for a side road out of their current street. But there wasn't one for at least a block. The Supe was already in the air and the booming sound of him flying was shaking the car still. Shaggy preemptively stopped the car as the Supe made another crater in front of them.

"We're going on foot, Levy."

"Can't we kill the Supe first? The cops have backed off."

"But the drones are still in the air. They're going to ping both of us, and we don't want to lead them to our territory."

"Attention evil-doers! I am The Scout prepare to be apprehended…"

Levy ignored the Super as he continued to list their crimes and what he was going to do to take them into custody. Instead, she looked at Shaggy with a pleading look as she pointed at a nearby bit of road behind them.

"There was a man-hole over there. We can deal with the NPC and head into the sewers. Then all we have to do is take the long way around back to the deli."

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Shaggy looked at the still pontificating hero and then back at his wife. She clasped her hands in front of her face and stuck her lower lip out in a pout. Her eyes were playful, but Shaggy could see something else behind them.

"What are you playing at, Love?"

Levy's pout grew into an enormous smile. She pointed a finger at the both of them before she said. "Priestess and Champion of the Blood God."

She then pointed a finger at the Super who was describing the amount of jail time he expected they would get.

"Super Hero full of blood."

Shaggy quirked an eyebrow at that. "How are you going to carry his blood all the way back home?"

"I can deal with that later." Levy waved him off, opening her door and stepping out.

Shaggy sighed but joined her as the drones buzzed overhead. Over a dozen of the suckers were floating overhead, with their cameras pointed straight down at the action. Shaggy raised a middle finger at the crowd of drones before turning back to the Boy-Scout.

"…Which, IF you get parole, should be ample time to atone for your actions." The scout finished saying.

Shaggy rolled eyes and Levy didn't even bother with words as she summoned her staff and sent a spike of purple magic at the Super. Scout blurred out of the way and Shaggy paused when he noticed how fast the guy was. It wasn't Vlad or speedster fast, but he was going to be an issue if Shaggy didn't shift again. He checked his stores of energy and reached into a pocket.

Levy's spike kept going down the long alley road as Scout burst forth toward her. Shaggy unwrapped a chocolate bar as the loud pop from Scout's movement echoed in the street. It was quickly followed by a humongous crash as the Super hit Levy's purple shield and ricocheted off it into a nearby building.

The broad super crashed through the brick building and into its upper floors. Shaggy could hear screams and smell a bit of blood as whoever lived in that building was hurt. He tossed the candy wrapper onto the alley floor as Scout pulled himself free from the rubble of the building. The super looked around before glaring down at them again.

"Two counts of assaulting civilians AND littering!? Have you no shame?"

"Technically, you assaulted the civilians." Levy argued.

"Well, it could be argued that you assaulted them with him." Shaggy offered a counter-point.

His wife glared at him, making him raise his hands in surrender and start walking around the car. Levy's shield could take some damage, but they needed to get this done quick. Above them, Scout was going red in the face.

"You dare mock me!? You foul criminals!"

There was another pop as Scout disappeared from his position above them and swooped low toward Levy again. Shaggy shifted as soon as he heard the pop. There was another loud boom of Scout hitting Levy's purple dome of magic and bouncing off again. This time, he handled the ricochet better. But his face was growing even more red with aggravation.

By the time Shaggy was in his hybrid form, Scout had brushed himself off and was preparing to make another run. That's when several shuriken came flying out of nowhere. Their sharpened edges bit into Shaggy's skin and he winced slightly. His senses went into overdrive as Scout aborted his attack. The damn little throwing star stung a bit, but Shaggy's healing had already dealt with the wounds. Along with the little present that the throwing weapons were laced with.

He didn't know how, but it was like he could taste the poison the shurikens had been dipped in. it made Shaggy spit as Scout shouted into the darkness.

"Comrade! Show yourself and let us do battle with these ne'er-do-wells together!"

"Oh lord, he's a damn NPC." said a voice as a blue ninja came crawling out of a nearby shadow. "Just my luck."

Shaggy searched his memory for the blue ninja's name until he found it. A memory of Levy dismantling the poor boy came to mind and made him smile. The Player's face was covered, but he clearly looked annoyed as he saw Shaggy remembering their last encounter. It seemed that Levy was remembering too as she chortled at the newcomer in their midst.

"Your last ass beating wasn't enough, Ao?" she asked.

The blue ninja glared at Levy in a way that made Shaggy's wolf growl. The noise echoed off the brick walls of the alley, drawing looks from everyone. Except for Scout, that is. The Super was currently holding his arm up and using his HLO-branded communicator to scan the blue ninja. After the scan was done, Scout frowned and raised a massive palm.

"I'm sorry, citizen. I can't allow you to partake in the capture of these villains. It says here you do not have a contract for unscheduled criminals within your territory."

"Unscheduled?!" Shaggy and Ao asked at the same time.

"Yes," Scout nodded. "Any villain who does not originate within your own territory is under the jurisdiction of the HLO. As per your Super Group contract."

"Oh, that fucking bullshit Josh signed? I don't give a shit about that. I owe the bitch and the mutt for humiliating me. So they're going to get theirs. I'm just happy those fucking dumbass NPCs I sent didn't kill them first."

Scout glared at the blue ninja, his eyes going hard. In the silence, Shaggy could hear the sound of a small voice coming from Scout's ear. Someone was clearly feeding the Supe information. Ao took this opportunity to rush Levy, a white sword appearing in his hands. Shaggy dashed to his wife's side and batted the unsuspecting ninja with his massive paw. But something felt off as the blue ninja's body came into contact with Shaggy's furry hand.

There was a puff of white smoke, and Ao appeared just behind Levy with his sword raised. Levy's staff met the sword and clanged loudly. Ao tried to use his strength to overpower Levy, but she simply stepped away from the clash and aimed a kick at Ao's face. The ninja was caught off-guard again as Levy's back step made him over-extend himself. Levy's kick caught the Player right in his masked nose and he reeled as Shaggy pounced.

Shaggy's ability carried him over his wife and he landed with both of his claws deep in Ao's chest. But again, he felt something was wrong as his long nails dug deep in the Player's chest. A puff of smoke hit Shaggy in his eyes and Ao was gone again. Appearing over near where Scout was watching and waiting. The big super nodded to whoever was talking to him and addressed Ao again.

"Are you admitting to sending members of your Super Group into Downtown Austin to apprehend these two?"

Ao scoffed before he glared up at the taller Supe. "Apprehend? Fuck no! They were supposed to kill these fuckers! Shiro got all stupid about not wanting to upset a bigger organization. But fuck him! Ain't no bitch going to humiliate me. I would've kicked her ass if her damn tiny boy-toy didn't get in the way."

"I see…" Scout said, matching the Player's stare.

Shaggy could hear Scout's handler saying something. But he also felt the air go cold around his wife. There was a shimmer as her purple shield went away and Levy started marching toward the blue ninja.

"Dear?"

Shaggy chuffed in understanding. His wife wasn't going to take Ao's declaration lightly. Which meant he was on Scout detail. The other Player turned from his stare-down with Scout just in time to see Levy running at him, staff raised like a club.

Levy's swung her staff down upon Ao's head, but the ninja poofed away again, appearing behind Levy. Levy used the momentum of her swing to spin around and meet Ao's attack with her staff. Sword and staff clashed for a moment, but Levy kicked Ao's ankle out from under him, making the guy stumble. Levy took her hand off her staff and reached up to the back of Ao's ninja mask. Grabbing the fabric back there, she slammed his head into their stolen car several times. Ao flailed wildly before Levy let him go and then sent a wave of force at him from her staff. Her magic blew the poor guy past Shaggy and down the alley as Levy gave chase.

Scout was wide-eyed as Levy continued to chase the dumbass behind Shaggy. The sounds of the fighting filled the alley as Scout eventually turned his stare on Shaggy's hybrid form. Shaggy shrugged his furry shoulder and got into a fighting stance. Scout sighed and pressed a button on his communicator.

"Headquarters, both the criminals and the errant Super Group member are ignoring my authority. Moving to apprehend."

"Confirmed, Scout. Be advised, backup is ten minutes out." Said a mechanical voice from Scout's rest.

Shaggy felt his eyebrows shoot up at their timeline. He was sure he could handle the boy-scout in that amount of time. But he wasn't sure Levy was going to be done ripping Ao a new one at that point. Flexing his claws, Shaggy felt Levy was just going to have to be happy with what she got. As for Ao and Scout? Shaggy imagined they were both about to be very unhappy.