The trip back was long and mostly boring. After waiting out most of the drones, Shaggy and his pack followed the sewer tunnels as best they could. They had to stop a few times to get their bearings and hide a few times. While most of the drones had been recalled, a couple still roamed the sewers. It was only when they got beneath downtown that things became tricky.
Shaggy had expected the sewers pipes to shrink or contort in various ways. Preventing them from progressing. But instead, the mass of tunnels became a large maze of drainage and flowing pools of muck. The smell stung and Shaggy had to resort to plugging his nostrils with bits of Tom’s shirt. Not only did they have to take frequent stops to figure out what street they were under. They also had to be on the lookout for various traps and tripwires place in odd places throughout the sewer.
The traps weren’t anymore complicated than the ones the Kobolds had used. But they were more frequent and sized for humans. Which meant that whoever had made them was at least Shaggy’s height or taller. They disarmed all they could find as they moved, but every now and again, they missed a few. Fireballs, shooting daggers, poisoned arrows, even weird Tesla coil shooting lightning. All went off in the sewer tunnels occasionally. With Levy’s magic and Shaggy’s healing, it wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle. But Shaggy noticed his pack getting more and more melancholy as they walked. Finally, as they turned a corner of the sewer tunnels, he addressed it.
“Alright, what the hell is up?” He asked as he patted the fire out of his chest hair.
Levy helped put his hair out as Rita and the others all whispered among themselves. Eventually, the others pushed Rita forward and the older woman coughed. She straightened her armor and adjusted her sword before finally steeling herself and speaking.
“Sir, the pack is worried we aren’t pulling our weight anymore. The robots, these tunnels, the mission you did with the other leaders. You didn’t need us for any of it. If anything, we’re… just bodies you can put in the way.”
Shaggy quirked an eyebrow. “I didn’t need you for the robots? Y’all remember the damn thing tossed me THROUGH the stairs, right? As for the sewers, it makes sense for me to go first. I’ve got the best healing. Last, the last time I was up here, we needed a small group and we wanted to get away for a while. So none of that means I don’t need my pack, y’all are invaluable.”
Levy finally finished putting out the smalls sparks and fires on Shaggy’s body and stepped back. She cradled the still sleeping fairy in her hand as she watched the conversation. All of them kept an ear out for the ever-present drones. But for now, everything seemed quiet, save for the flowing sewage around them.
“Ahem, well boss, we all recognize some of those points. But…” Vick started.
“I wanna be a Werewolf!” Tom shouted, still trying to pull the tatters of his torn shirt below his stomach.
The others all took a few seconds before they nodded, along with Tom’s suggestion. Cekrass a few seconds behind everyone else. The big lizard was bigger and his scales were far shinier now that he was Henchman. Shaggy thought the others would comment on the changes, but they all remained silent. So he let it be. If the game’s systems would not point it out, he wouldn’t.
Instead, he studied everyone’s faces. He had told no one about his new ability except Levy. He figured it would be best to wait. The process was apparently very painful, and they still didn’t want to announce their presences down here. Shaggy scratched the back of his head as he tried to think of a way to say everything, but Rita snorted.
“Boss,” she said, dropping her respectful tone. “We can read your feelings, remember?”
She pointed a finger between her temple and his head. Shaggy put his head in his hands and groaned.
“Then you know why all of you have to wait, right?”
“YES!”
“No!”
The others turned to Tom. Sybil smacked the thin man’s shoulder hard. With that done, they all turned back to Shaggy and waited for more. When he simply shrugged his shoulders, Rita grumbled.
“You still should’ve told us. It’s what we’ve been waiting for since you marked us. We have waited a long time to become werewolves and some of us,” she glared at Tom. “Can wait a while longer.”
Shaggy nodded. “I get that. But after everything that’s happened, I didn’t want you guys to rush at a new source of power. You are my pack and you’ve been really helpful as you are. Once we were back and safe. I was going to explain everything and give all of you the option. Also, we could discuss who we wanted to bring into the pack.”
His entire pack froze in surprise and Shaggy slapped his forehead. Apparently, they didn’t know that part.
“We’re getting new pack members?” Sybil asked, sounding like a kid at Christmas.
“One’s Ephe, for sure, boss.” Rita said excitedly.
“What about C’eereni? He’s been complaining about missing out for a while now,” Vick asked.
Shaggy rubbed his forehead and let his pack speculate on who the new member would be. They debated until a sudden splash brought everyone’s attention back to the sewer tunnel. Levy whirled with a purple flame in her hand. Shaggy grew his claws and, behind him, he heard Rita’s sword leave its scabbard as Sybil and Vick cocked their guns. They all glared down the dark tunnel until a man’s voice pierced the darkness.
“Damn it, Tyler. I’ve told you to stop throwing rocks into the sewage.”
“Oh fuck you, Reggie. This place is boring. I gotta pass the time somehow. Also, who knows, I may get lucky and an enemy might spawn from all that muck.”
“You seriously want to fight a monster made of, or who lives in, sewage?” A third voice asked.
“It would break up the fucking monotony.” Tyler answered.
The voices grew closer and Shaggy shared a looked at his wife. Levy extinguished her flame and chuckled softly. Other players were in the tunnels. While his wife seemed to think that was no cause for alarm, Shaggy kept his claws out and waved his pack forward. Players were an aggressive bunch half the time, but bored players? They were downright dangerous.
Levy walked breezily down the tunnel as Shaggy and his pack moved carefully behind her. Shaggy stayed close in case he had to protect his wife. Sure, she could throw fire and brimstone. But she was still a mage, the squishiest of classes. Any gamer worth their salt knew you ganked the mage first. The arguing voices grew closer as the two groups approached one another. Shaggy grinned as he saw a bright orange glow being held aloft as their opposing group traveled through the sewers. The other group had a torch or light source. Which meant they couldn’t see well in the dark.
Soon the light grew closer, and the two groups were about to pass each other. Shaggy and his group were on the left-hand side of the tunnel. The other group of players was on the opposing side, still arguing. It wasn’t until the woman holding a large dungeon style torch held it aloft and gave a soft whistle that Tyler and Reggie stopped their bickering.
“Ho there!” The woman called, trying to get her torch’s light to carry further into the tunnel.
Shaggy was about to back away from the light, but Levy gripped his shoulder and urged him forward with her.
“No. Just a Drow and her husband. No Ho’s around here.” Levy called back.
Shaggy couldn’t help himself. He snorted. A sentiment that was returned from Tyler and Reggie. Both men chuckled as the torch-bearer grimaced.
“You’re players?”
“Some of us,” Levy called back, still moving forward.
Shaggy joined his wife in the torch’s soft orange glow, claws still out and ready. The three-person party looked like a dungeon diving crew from any fantasy game. One man was in leather armor, two daggers strapped to his hip. The other man was in a long purple robe that he held up and away from the muck of the sewer. The woman was in heavy tactical gear, complete with a bulletproof vest. But she also had a greatsword on her back. Shaggy tried to search her hips for a gun, but he didn’t see any.
Shaggy made sure his own weapons were on display before he stood by his wife. Levy seemed eager to chat, and he didn’t think his pack would have a problem with these players. Shaggy saw the other players take in their group and tense up noticeably. He had to fight a grin as he recognized them coming to the same conclusion he had.
“We aren’t looking for any trouble.” The woman said.
Levy smiled. “Neither are we. In fact, I was wondering if you could help with directions. We’ve just come off a job and had to use the sewers as an alternate exit.”
The man in the robe huffed, indignant. Shaggy recognized Tyler’s voice as the man sputtered.
“You guys are the ones that had the damn drones down here in droves, aren’t you? They made the entire sewer system unusable for hours!”
The rogue, Reggie, placed a hand on Tyler’s shoulder. “Calm down, Ty. Shit happens.”
“Yeah, we are sorry about that. We had to make a quick getaway and have been wandering down here for hours. We know we are in Downtown, but I fear we might’ve gotten turned around.”
The other group’s leader nodded. “Understandable. These tunnels can get pretty maze-y if you didn’t purchase or make a map.”
“Oh, they sell maps?” Levy asked as she started toward the other group.
Shaggy gripped his wife’s shoulder and stopped her from stepping into the flowing sewage that was passing between the two groups. He sent a mental link for Vick and Sybil to be ready and then lifted Levy onto his shoulder. Once she was seated, he jumped across the river of muck and landed a short distance away from the group of players. Levy hopped off his shoulder and pinched his cheek affectionately.
“Thanks, love.”
“Sure, Lev.”
Shaggy glared at the other players and watched for their reactions. The woman was hardly paying attention to him as she dug in her pockets for a map. Reggie looked impressed while Tyler was trying not to. Once the two women placed their heads together over the other woman’s map, Shaggy sauntered toward Tyler and Reggie. Diplomacy wasn’t Shaggy’s thing, but he could make small talk at least. And with his pack across the muck, covering. He was sure he was fine.
“So… Long day?” Shaggy asked.
Reggie and Tyler shared a glance before they both chuckled.
“You could say that,” Said Reggie.
“Yeah, Jett’s had us down here for days looking for this Cog character. It was fun at first, but now? This shits just boring.”
Shaggy nodded knowingly. “Yeah, and whose to say he’s even down here anymore? After he attacked Under-Town, we all figured he hit the road or something.”
Tyler snorted as Reggie seemed to get excited. “You’ve seen Under-Town!?”
Tyler tapped his friend on the shoulder and shook his head. “The dude’s fucking with you. Under-Town’s a myth. Made up by internet forum trolls and asshat players.”
Shaggy raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t been aware that Under-Town was such an urban legend. “Uhh, it’s real. I’ve been there for most of my playtime.”
“Sure dude.”
Shaggy shrugged and gripped Reggie by the shoulder. Whispering, he said. “Look Under-Town is real. There has to be pics on the forums or something, but if that ain’t enough. Then there’s an alleyway and a cemetery with entrances. If you ever get there, find a bar called the Viper’s Den. We’ll treat you right.”
Reggie nodded excitedly as Tyler just shook his head disbelievingly. Shaggy just shrugged and let the matter drop. Some people just didn’t want to believe what was right in front of them. Shaggy knew for a fact that Under-Town had several forum threads by different players, all about their adventures in the underground city. Under-Town had been proven real since the start of the game. But with fakers out there posting fake images and other nonsense as well, Shaggy got the skepticism. Which meant more room for Shaggy and the others to expand their own empire.
Levy and Jett put their heads together for several minutes. Levy wasn’t looking at the map anymore and, judging from both women’s stances, Shaggy guessed that they had entered negotiations. The conversation was quick, and soon Levy waved a hand over Jett’s paper map. Purple light filled the tunnel as a purple scroll of vellum appeared in Levy’s hand. She grinned as she nodded to Jett and turned toward Reggie and Tyler.
“She’s gonna bless our weapons and armor. Don’t freak out.”
“I could do that.” Tyler grumbled.
“No, you can’t.” Reggie said. “You’re a damn Evocation Wizard. All you do is damage.”
“Hey! I haven’t heard you complaining!”
“Then listen harder! Every damn time you blow one of us up with a damn fireball, I’ve been there. Complaining. You need to learn to AIM!”
“YOU need to learn to move!”
The age old argument echoed in Shaggy’s ears as Levy cast her spell, nodded thanks to Jett, and then climbed back on Shaggy’s shoulder. He grimaced at Jett apologetically before he launched himself across the muck and slid to a stop in front of his crew. As she got to her feet, Levy opened the scroll and grinned at the magical map she had created.
“We’re going to have to write this down as soon as possible. My power won’t hold it together for long. But I think I know where we are going.” Levy grinned.
“Well, let’s get there!” Tom shouted. “I want to be a werewolf!”
Shaggy grimaced and smacked his pack mate on the arm. Rita and Sybil shot the man withering looks as Vick and Cekrass kept an eye on the other group of players. They were still embroiled in another argument. Jett was busy trying to break it up. Shaggy nodded at Levy to lead the way. Keeping the purple map up, she started down the tunnel with Shaggy and the others following.
With the map, it was surprisingly easy to find their way. Shaggy checked around Levy’s arm a few times to see what the map looked like. But other than a mass of tunnels and pipes, he didn’t get it. Levy seemed able to read it though, so he spent most of the walk keeping an ear out for drones. They had to duck into various culverts and maintenance rooms along the way. But after another hour of walking, Levy stopped.
Shaggy watched as Levy checked up and down the tunnel before she rolled up the map and smiled at them.
“We’re here.”
Shaggy and the others stared skeptically at the drow woman. There were no ladders or tunnel exits anywhere. Shaggy would’ve said something, but with the way Levy was grinning, he knew she was playing at something. He would not be a victim to one of her pranks or tricks. Not again.
“There’s nothing here.” Tom said, unwittingly making himself Levy’s victim.
Levy waved a hand vaguely at a wall. “Yes, but that’s because my witches have hidden the entrance well. With an illusion spell. I have to tap this brick three times, then one of you has to run at that wall silently. That should break the spell long enough for the rest of us to go through.”
Shaggy did his best to clear his mind. He would not rob his wife of her fun. He just hoped his pack knew enough not to trust Levy with stuff like this. In a fight, she was as dependable as anyone. Out of a fight? All bets were off. Soon Tom stepped forward and Shaggy had to stifle a groan.
“So I just run at it?”
Levy nodded while tapping a brick. “Fast as you can.”
Tom grimaced but angled himself to run at the wall. As soon as Levy gave the go ahead, the thin man took off like a shot for the wall. Shaggy closed his eyes and waited for the crunch, but nothing happened. Opening his eyes, Shaggy saw the wall was still in place and Levy was grinning like a maniac. Shaggy sighed and looked questioningly at Levy.
“What? I told you it was an illusion. He’s perfectly…”
“AAAHHHHhhhhh!”
Tom’s scream interrupted Levy and sent her into fits of giggles. Shaggy groaned and waited for Levy to calm down enough to explain. She tried, but the hilarity of her own joke would catch up with her and she would start laughing again. Shaggy looked apologetically at his pack before he finally walked over and patted Levy’s back.
“Okay, love. Yes, it was hilarious. Now where’s Tom?”
Levy kept laughing until she finally gathered enough breath to say. “Hahaha! Whew… He’s… topside. HAHAHAHAHA!”
Levy raised a hand, palm downward, and raised it rapidly upward. Shaggy nodded as he got the implication.
“None of your people had anything to do with this. Did they?”
Levy shook her head as she covered her smile. Shaggy groaned and moved toward the wall. “But this will still lead back home, right?”
Levy nodded this time and Shaggy tried to find the brick she had been tapping. Soon Sybil joined him and quickly tapped a brick.
“I think it was this one, boss.” Shaggy nodded and waited for the third tap before he walked through the wall.
A freezing feeling went up his spine, but other than that, he was fine. He was in a short dirt tunnel that led to a circular room. Turning, Shaggy could see out of the wall to the others. They were all waiting patiently, so he spoke up.
“It’s all good, just a short hallway that Tom probably bolted through. I think there’s a platform or something just beyond. Once Levy collects herself, please follow. I’m going to check on Tom.”
“Got ya, boss.” Rita said with a two-fingered salute.
Shaggy shook his head at Levy. She was still grinning and clutching her stomach. Trying not to burst into laughter again. Shaggy just snorted and followed the short dirt tunnel to the circular room. He was barely a foot into it when the sides of the room lit up and his feet left the ground. It was a short and abrupt flight that made Shaggy’s ears pop. But once he blinked, he found himself back topside. The sun was out, and the air smelled clean. For the first time in hours, Shaggy unplugged his nose and took a deep breath. Nearby, Tom’s voice groaned.
Shaggy had to look around a bit before he found Tom laying next to a few turned over trash cans. Apparently, the guy had come out of the lifting spell still running and had slammed into a bunch of garbage. Moving to help, Shaggy heard a rush of air behind him and the sounds of the rest of his pack exclaiming in surprise. As he picked up a shaken Tom, Levy’s voice filled the air as she too appeared.
“And there we go. We are now topside and only a few blocks away from the apartment building.”
“Should we go back there?” Vick asked.
Shaggy shook his head. “No, the cops and the Bunch are watching the place. We need to circle around and get into that abandoned Deli that connects to the maintenance tunnels.”
“More tunnels!?” Tom groused, shooting a withering look at Levy.
“I like the tunnels.” Said Cekrass. “They are cool and very spacious.”
Shaggy’s pack fell into a discussion about living underground as Levy collected herself. Once done, she began walking toward the street, Shaggy close behind. It was sometime before noon; the sun hadn’t wasn’t straight above them yet. Shaggy couldn’t see any drones in the air. Cars of various shapes and sizes zoomed everywhere. Shaggy could hear still Levy chuckling to herself.
“It wasn’t that funny, Levy.”
Levy looked aghast at the comment. “How dare you! It was great. Do you know how hard it was not to prank you guys? I mean, sure, we’ve mostly been on missions. So I can’t do it there. But in the apartment? During our walks to and from crimes? I have restrained myself. But no more! Now we are all comfortable enough with each other for me to unleash Prankster Levy. Hehehehehe.”
Shaggy rubbed a hand down his face and grimaced. He wasn’t sure how well Prankster Levy was going to go down with the rest of the group. But so long as he stayed on his toes, maybe he would be spared.
“None shall be spared.” Levy grinned happily.
Shaggy had to at least try. “Maybe you should pull back the pranks. Just a little.”
Levy turned sharply toward him and looked wounded. “But who am I without my precious pranks?”
Shaggy groaned at her overacting. “T, you know where this usually goes. You prank our friends, they get angry, they prank you back. Next thing I know, there’s popcorn filling my car and cling-film on the toilet. None of this ends well.”
“Pssh, those were hilarious.” Levy said, waving him off.
Deciding that the streets looked safe, Shaggy and levy left the safety of the alley and continued the conversation. Rita and the others close behind.
“Fine. You are going to do what you want. I just want it known that I will not be running interference for anyone. I also won’t be taking part.”
“You always say that.” Levy grinned. “Then the first time someone gets you real good, you go all out. Need I remind you of the rotating hover-cars prank?”
Shaggy harrumphed. “Angela and Carl started that one.”
“Uh-huh,” Levy said, skipping happily down the road.
Rita and the others hid their weapons the best they could and kept a wary eye on the busy streets. While they drew a few looks, it wasn’t too bad. The biggest thing they had to worry about was the drones. Which sent them rushing into nearby stores a few times. But after a few quick turns, they found themselves only a block down from where the apartment building was. They had wrapped around and were now walking down a skinny street. The abandoned deli was on the corner ahead and Shaggy finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Finally. We’re home free.” Shaggy grinned.
Levy slapped her forehead and froze. “You just had to say it, didn’t you?”
“What?” Shaggy readied himself.
He checked around, but other than a few people hurrying down the sidewalks. The streets were empty. Shaggy straightened and looked at Levy. She was also looking around worriedly, and Shaggy realized she hadn’t seen anything. She was just superstitious about what he had said. Shaggy groaned and ignored his wife’s worry. They were home free.
Shaggy crossed the street and hopped on the opposing sidewalk. He felt his pack follow him, ever-alert for danger. But he could also feel their excitement. He was going to make them werewolves. Finally, he would have an actual wolf pack. Shaggy was so rushed to get into the deli that he didn’t notice the Perinadon standing in the doorway. Shaggy collided with the bare grey chest of the rhino-man and bounced off.
The large Alien grunted in surprise and caught themselves on the doorframe of the deli. Apparently the Perinadon hadn’t expected Shaggy’s density. It took them by surprise and when they righted themselves; they got pissed.
“Get the fuck out of here! This is Wild Bunch turf now.”
Shaggy rubbed his head and looked up. Through the windows of the deli he could see several half-animal, half-human people sitting around chatting and eating. He sighed and tried to ignore the rhythmic steps coming from behind him. He didn’t even need to look. Shaggy knew by heart the steps of Levy’s ‘I told you so’ dance. If anything, he wanted to hurry before she started singing the lyrics.
“Why the fuck is she dancing?!” The Perinadon asked, sounding confused.
Shaggy ignored the alien and grew his claws. Before anyone could blink, Shaggy swiped upward and cut the large grey alien from chest to face. Completing the swipe, Shaggy kicked the body as hard as he could. Sending the now dead Alien careening into the deli. Shaggy turned to his pack as they drew their weapons, his voice both hurried and worried.
“Quick! We have to finish this before she starts singing!”
The trip back was long and mostly boring. After waiting out most of the drones, Shaggy and his pack followed the sewer tunnels as best they could. They had to stop a few times to get their bearings and hide a few times. While most of the drones had been recalled, a couple still roamed the sewers. It was only when they got beneath downtown that things became tricky.
Shaggy had expected the sewers pipes to shrink or contort in various ways. Preventing them from progressing. But instead, the mass of tunnels became a large maze of drainage and flowing pools of muck. The smell stung and Shaggy had to resort to plugging his nostrils with bits of Tom’s shirt. Not only did they have to take frequent stops to figure out what street they were under. They also had to be on the lookout for various traps and tripwires place in odd places throughout the sewer.
The traps weren’t anymore complicated than the ones the Kobolds had used. But they were more frequent and sized for humans. Which meant that whoever had made them was at least Shaggy’s height or taller. They disarmed all they could find as they moved, but every now and again, they missed a few. Fireballs, shooting daggers, poisoned arrows, even weird Tesla coil shooting lightning. All went off in the sewer tunnels occasionally. With Levy’s magic and Shaggy’s healing, it wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle. But Shaggy noticed his pack getting more and more melancholy as they walked. Finally, as they turned a corner of the sewer tunnels, he addressed it.
“Alright, what the hell is up?” He asked as he patted the fire out of his chest hair.
Levy helped put his hair out as Rita and the others all whispered among themselves. Eventually, the others pushed Rita forward and the older woman coughed. She straightened her armor and adjusted her sword before finally steeling herself and speaking.
“Sir, the pack is worried we aren’t pulling our weight anymore. The robots, these tunnels, the mission you did with the other leaders. You didn’t need us for any of it. If anything, we’re… just bodies you can put in the way.”
Shaggy quirked an eyebrow. “I didn’t need you for the robots? Y’all remember the damn thing tossed me THROUGH the stairs, right? As for the sewers, it makes sense for me to go first. I’ve got the best healing. Last, the last time I was up here, we needed a small group and we wanted to get away for a while. So none of that means I don’t need my pack, y’all are invaluable.”
Levy finally finished putting out the smalls sparks and fires on Shaggy’s body and stepped back. She cradled the still sleeping fairy in her hand as she watched the conversation. All of them kept an ear out for the ever-present drones. But for now, everything seemed quiet, save for the flowing sewage around them.
“Ahem, well boss, we all recognize some of those points. But…” Vick started.
“I wanna be a Werewolf!” Tom shouted, still trying to pull the tatters of his torn shirt below his stomach.
The others all took a few seconds before they nodded, along with Tom’s suggestion. Cekrass a few seconds behind everyone else. The big lizard was bigger and his scales were far shinier now that he was Henchman. Shaggy thought the others would comment on the changes, but they all remained silent. So he let it be. If the game’s systems would not point it out, he wouldn’t.
Instead, he studied everyone’s faces. He had told no one about his new ability except Levy. He figured it would be best to wait. The process was apparently very painful, and they still didn’t want to announce their presences down here. Shaggy scratched the back of his head as he tried to think of a way to say everything, but Rita snorted.
“Boss,” she said, dropping her respectful tone. “We can read your feelings, remember?”
She pointed a finger between her temple and his head. Shaggy put his head in his hands and groaned.
“Then you know why all of you have to wait, right?”
“YES!”
“No!”
The others turned to Tom. Sybil smacked the thin man’s shoulder hard. With that done, they all turned back to Shaggy and waited for more. When he simply shrugged his shoulders, Rita grumbled.
“You still should’ve told us. It’s what we’ve been waiting for since you marked us. We have waited a long time to become werewolves and some of us,” she glared at Tom. “Can wait a while longer.”
Shaggy nodded. “I get that. But after everything that’s happened, I didn’t want you guys to rush at a new source of power. You are my pack and you’ve been really helpful as you are. Once we were back and safe. I was going to explain everything and give all of you the option. Also, we could discuss who we wanted to bring into the pack.”
His entire pack froze in surprise and Shaggy slapped his forehead. Apparently, they didn’t know that part.
“We’re getting new pack members?” Sybil asked, sounding like a kid at Christmas.
“One’s Ephe, for sure, boss.” Rita said excitedly.
“What about C’eereni? He’s been complaining about missing out for a while now,” Vick asked.
Shaggy rubbed his forehead and let his pack speculate on who the new member would be. They debated until a sudden splash brought everyone’s attention back to the sewer tunnel. Levy whirled with a purple flame in her hand. Shaggy grew his claws and, behind him, he heard Rita’s sword leave its scabbard as Sybil and Vick cocked their guns. They all glared down the dark tunnel until a man’s voice pierced the darkness.
“Damn it, Tyler. I’ve told you to stop throwing rocks into the sewage.”
“Oh fuck you, Reggie. This place is boring. I gotta pass the time somehow. Also, who knows, I may get lucky and an enemy might spawn from all that muck.”
“You seriously want to fight a monster made of, or who lives in, sewage?” A third voice asked.
“It would break up the fucking monotony.” Tyler answered.
The voices grew closer and Shaggy shared a looked at his wife. Levy extinguished her flame and chuckled softly. Other players were in the tunnels. While his wife seemed to think that was no cause for alarm, Shaggy kept his claws out and waved his pack forward. Players were an aggressive bunch half the time, but bored players? They were downright dangerous.
Levy walked breezily down the tunnel as Shaggy and his pack moved carefully behind her. Shaggy stayed close in case he had to protect his wife. Sure, she could throw fire and brimstone. But she was still a mage, the squishiest of classes. Any gamer worth their salt knew you ganked the mage first. The arguing voices grew closer as the two groups approached one another. Shaggy grinned as he saw a bright orange glow being held aloft as their opposing group traveled through the sewers. The other group had a torch or light source. Which meant they couldn’t see well in the dark.
Soon the light grew closer, and the two groups were about to pass each other. Shaggy and his group were on the left-hand side of the tunnel. The other group of players was on the opposing side, still arguing. It wasn’t until the woman holding a large dungeon style torch held it aloft and gave a soft whistle that Tyler and Reggie stopped their bickering.
“Ho there!” The woman called, trying to get her torch’s light to carry further into the tunnel.
Shaggy was about to back away from the light, but Levy gripped his shoulder and urged him forward with her.
“No. Just a Drow and her husband. No Ho’s around here.” Levy called back.
Shaggy couldn’t help himself. He snorted. A sentiment that was returned from Tyler and Reggie. Both men chuckled as the torch-bearer grimaced.
“You’re players?”
“Some of us,” Levy called back, still moving forward.
Shaggy joined his wife in the torch’s soft orange glow, claws still out and ready. The three-person party looked like a dungeon diving crew from any fantasy game. One man was in leather armor, two daggers strapped to his hip. The other man was in a long purple robe that he held up and away from the muck of the sewer. The woman was in heavy tactical gear, complete with a bulletproof vest. But she also had a greatsword on her back. Shaggy tried to search her hips for a gun, but he didn’t see any.
Shaggy made sure his own weapons were on display before he stood by his wife. Levy seemed eager to chat, and he didn’t think his pack would have a problem with these players. Shaggy saw the other players take in their group and tense up noticeably. He had to fight a grin as he recognized them coming to the same conclusion he had.
“We aren’t looking for any trouble.” The woman said.
Levy smiled. “Neither are we. In fact, I was wondering if you could help with directions. We’ve just come off a job and had to use the sewers as an alternate exit.”
The man in the robe huffed, indignant. Shaggy recognized Tyler’s voice as the man sputtered.
“You guys are the ones that had the damn drones down here in droves, aren’t you? They made the entire sewer system unusable for hours!”
The rogue, Reggie, placed a hand on Tyler’s shoulder. “Calm down, Ty. Shit happens.”
“Yeah, we are sorry about that. We had to make a quick getaway and have been wandering down here for hours. We know we are in Downtown, but I fear we might’ve gotten turned around.”
The other group’s leader nodded. “Understandable. These tunnels can get pretty maze-y if you didn’t purchase or make a map.”
“Oh, they sell maps?” Levy asked as she started toward the other group.
Shaggy gripped his wife’s shoulder and stopped her from stepping into the flowing sewage that was passing between the two groups. He sent a mental link for Vick and Sybil to be ready and then lifted Levy onto his shoulder. Once she was seated, he jumped across the river of muck and landed a short distance away from the group of players. Levy hopped off his shoulder and pinched his cheek affectionately.
“Thanks, love.”
“Sure, Lev.”
Shaggy glared at the other players and watched for their reactions. The woman was hardly paying attention to him as she dug in her pockets for a map. Reggie looked impressed while Tyler was trying not to. Once the two women placed their heads together over the other woman’s map, Shaggy sauntered toward Tyler and Reggie. Diplomacy wasn’t Shaggy’s thing, but he could make small talk at least. And with his pack across the muck, covering. He was sure he was fine.
“So… Long day?” Shaggy asked.
Reggie and Tyler shared a glance before they both chuckled.
“You could say that,” Said Reggie.
“Yeah, Jett’s had us down here for days looking for this Cog character. It was fun at first, but now? This shits just boring.”
Shaggy nodded knowingly. “Yeah, and whose to say he’s even down here anymore? After he attacked Under-Town, we all figured he hit the road or something.”
Tyler snorted as Reggie seemed to get excited. “You’ve seen Under-Town!?”
Tyler tapped his friend on the shoulder and shook his head. “The dude’s fucking with you. Under-Town’s a myth. Made up by internet forum trolls and asshat players.”
Shaggy raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t been aware that Under-Town was such an urban legend. “Uhh, it’s real. I’ve been there for most of my playtime.”
“Sure dude.”
Shaggy shrugged and gripped Reggie by the shoulder. Whispering, he said. “Look Under-Town is real. There has to be pics on the forums or something, but if that ain’t enough. Then there’s an alleyway and a cemetery with entrances. If you ever get there, find a bar called the Viper’s Den. We’ll treat you right.”
Reggie nodded excitedly as Tyler just shook his head disbelievingly. Shaggy just shrugged and let the matter drop. Some people just didn’t want to believe what was right in front of them. Shaggy knew for a fact that Under-Town had several forum threads by different players, all about their adventures in the underground city. Under-Town had been proven real since the start of the game. But with fakers out there posting fake images and other nonsense as well, Shaggy got the skepticism. Which meant more room for Shaggy and the others to expand their own empire.
Levy and Jett put their heads together for several minutes. Levy wasn’t looking at the map anymore and, judging from both women’s stances, Shaggy guessed that they had entered negotiations. The conversation was quick, and soon Levy waved a hand over Jett’s paper map. Purple light filled the tunnel as a purple scroll of vellum appeared in Levy’s hand. She grinned as she nodded to Jett and turned toward Reggie and Tyler.
“She’s gonna bless our weapons and armor. Don’t freak out.”
“I could do that.” Tyler grumbled.
“No, you can’t.” Reggie said. “You’re a damn Evocation Wizard. All you do is damage.”
“Hey! I haven’t heard you complaining!”
“Then listen harder! Every damn time you blow one of us up with a damn fireball, I’ve been there. Complaining. You need to learn to AIM!”
“YOU need to learn to move!”
The age old argument echoed in Shaggy’s ears as Levy cast her spell, nodded thanks to Jett, and then climbed back on Shaggy’s shoulder. He grimaced at Jett apologetically before he launched himself across the muck and slid to a stop in front of his crew. As she got to her feet, Levy opened the scroll and grinned at the magical map she had created.
“We’re going to have to write this down as soon as possible. My power won’t hold it together for long. But I think I know where we are going.” Levy grinned.
“Well, let’s get there!” Tom shouted. “I want to be a werewolf!”
Shaggy grimaced and smacked his pack mate on the arm. Rita and Sybil shot the man withering looks as Vick and Cekrass kept an eye on the other group of players. They were still embroiled in another argument. Jett was busy trying to break it up. Shaggy nodded at Levy to lead the way. Keeping the purple map up, she started down the tunnel with Shaggy and the others following.
With the map, it was surprisingly easy to find their way. Shaggy checked around Levy’s arm a few times to see what the map looked like. But other than a mass of tunnels and pipes, he didn’t get it. Levy seemed able to read it though, so he spent most of the walk keeping an ear out for drones. They had to duck into various culverts and maintenance rooms along the way. But after another hour of walking, Levy stopped.
Shaggy watched as Levy checked up and down the tunnel before she rolled up the map and smiled at them.
“We’re here.”
Shaggy and the others stared skeptically at the drow woman. There were no ladders or tunnel exits anywhere. Shaggy would’ve said something, but with the way Levy was grinning, he knew she was playing at something. He would not be a victim to one of her pranks or tricks. Not again.
“There’s nothing here.” Tom said, unwittingly making himself Levy’s victim.
Levy waved a hand vaguely at a wall. “Yes, but that’s because my witches have hidden the entrance well. With an illusion spell. I have to tap this brick three times, then one of you has to run at that wall silently. That should break the spell long enough for the rest of us to go through.”
Shaggy did his best to clear his mind. He would not rob his wife of her fun. He just hoped his pack knew enough not to trust Levy with stuff like this. In a fight, she was as dependable as anyone. Out of a fight? All bets were off. Soon Tom stepped forward and Shaggy had to stifle a groan.
“So I just run at it?”
Levy nodded while tapping a brick. “Fast as you can.”
Tom grimaced but angled himself to run at the wall. As soon as Levy gave the go ahead, the thin man took off like a shot for the wall. Shaggy closed his eyes and waited for the crunch, but nothing happened. Opening his eyes, Shaggy saw the wall was still in place and Levy was grinning like a maniac. Shaggy sighed and looked questioningly at Levy.
“What? I told you it was an illusion. He’s perfectly…”
“AAAHHHHhhhhh!”
Tom’s scream interrupted Levy and sent her into fits of giggles. Shaggy groaned and waited for Levy to calm down enough to explain. She tried, but the hilarity of her own joke would catch up with her and she would start laughing again. Shaggy looked apologetically at his pack before he finally walked over and patted Levy’s back.
“Okay, love. Yes, it was hilarious. Now where’s Tom?”
Levy kept laughing until she finally gathered enough breath to say. “Hahaha! Whew… He’s… topside. HAHAHAHAHA!”
Levy raised a hand, palm downward, and raised it rapidly upward. Shaggy nodded as he got the implication.
“None of your people had anything to do with this. Did they?”
Levy shook her head as she covered her smile. Shaggy groaned and moved toward the wall. “But this will still lead back home, right?”
Levy nodded this time and Shaggy tried to find the brick she had been tapping. Soon Sybil joined him and quickly tapped a brick.
“I think it was this one, boss.” Shaggy nodded and waited for the third tap before he walked through the wall.
A freezing feeling went up his spine, but other than that, he was fine. He was in a short dirt tunnel that led to a circular room. Turning, Shaggy could see out of the wall to the others. They were all waiting patiently, so he spoke up.
“It’s all good, just a short hallway that Tom probably bolted through. I think there’s a platform or something just beyond. Once Levy collects herself, please follow. I’m going to check on Tom.”
“Got ya, boss.” Rita said with a two-fingered salute.
Shaggy shook his head at Levy. She was still grinning and clutching her stomach. Trying not to burst into laughter again. Shaggy just snorted and followed the short dirt tunnel to the circular room. He was barely a foot into it when the sides of the room lit up and his feet left the ground. It was a short and abrupt flight that made Shaggy’s ears pop. But once he blinked, he found himself back topside. The sun was out, and the air smelled clean. For the first time in hours, Shaggy unplugged his nose and took a deep breath. Nearby, Tom’s voice groaned.
Shaggy had to look around a bit before he found Tom laying next to a few turned over trash cans. Apparently, the guy had come out of the lifting spell still running and had slammed into a bunch of garbage. Moving to help, Shaggy heard a rush of air behind him and the sounds of the rest of his pack exclaiming in surprise. As he picked up a shaken Tom, Levy’s voice filled the air as she too appeared.
“And there we go. We are now topside and only a few blocks away from the apartment building.”
“Should we go back there?” Vick asked.
Shaggy shook his head. “No, the cops and the Bunch are watching the place. We need to circle around and get into that abandoned Deli that connects to the maintenance tunnels.”
“More tunnels!?” Tom groused, shooting a withering look at Levy.
“I like the tunnels.” Said Cekrass. “They are cool and very spacious.”
Shaggy’s pack fell into a discussion about living underground as Levy collected herself. Once done, she began walking toward the street, Shaggy close behind. It was sometime before noon; the sun hadn’t wasn’t straight above them yet. Shaggy couldn’t see any drones in the air. Cars of various shapes and sizes zoomed everywhere. Shaggy could hear still Levy chuckling to herself.
“It wasn’t that funny, Levy.”
Levy looked aghast at the comment. “How dare you! It was great. Do you know how hard it was not to prank you guys? I mean, sure, we’ve mostly been on missions. So I can’t do it there. But in the apartment? During our walks to and from crimes? I have restrained myself. But no more! Now we are all comfortable enough with each other for me to unleash Prankster Levy. Hehehehehe.”
Shaggy rubbed a hand down his face and grimaced. He wasn’t sure how well Prankster Levy was going to go down with the rest of the group. But so long as he stayed on his toes, maybe he would be spared.
“None shall be spared.” Levy grinned happily.
Shaggy had to at least try. “Maybe you should pull back the pranks. Just a little.”
Levy turned sharply toward him and looked wounded. “But who am I without my precious pranks?”
Shaggy groaned at her overacting. “T, you know where this usually goes. You prank our friends, they get angry, they prank you back. Next thing I know, there’s popcorn filling my car and cling-film on the toilet. None of this ends well.”
“Pssh, those were hilarious.” Levy said, waving him off.
Deciding that the streets looked safe, Shaggy and levy left the safety of the alley and continued the conversation. Rita and the others close behind.
“Fine. You are going to do what you want. I just want it known that I will not be running interference for anyone. I also won’t be taking part.”
“You always say that.” Levy grinned. “Then the first time someone gets you real good, you go all out. Need I remind you of the rotating hover-cars prank?”
Shaggy harrumphed. “Angela and Carl started that one.”
“Uh-huh,” Levy said, skipping happily down the road.
Rita and the others hid their weapons the best they could and kept a wary eye on the busy streets. While they drew a few looks, it wasn’t too bad. The biggest thing they had to worry about was the drones. Which sent them rushing into nearby stores a few times. But after a few quick turns, they found themselves only a block down from where the apartment building was. They had wrapped around and were now walking down a skinny street. The abandoned deli was on the corner ahead and Shaggy finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Finally. We’re home free.” Shaggy grinned.
Levy slapped her forehead and froze. “You just had to say it, didn’t you?”
“What?” Shaggy readied himself.
He checked around, but other than a few people hurrying down the sidewalks. The streets were empty. Shaggy straightened and looked at Levy. She was also looking around worriedly, and Shaggy realized she hadn’t seen anything. She was just superstitious about what he had said. Shaggy groaned and ignored his wife’s worry. They were home free.
Shaggy crossed the street and hopped on the opposing sidewalk. He felt his pack follow him, ever-alert for danger. But he could also feel their excitement. He was going to make them werewolves. Finally, he would have an actual wolf pack. Shaggy was so rushed to get into the deli that he didn’t notice the Perinadon standing in the doorway. Shaggy collided with the bare grey chest of the rhino-man and bounced off.
The large Alien grunted in surprise and caught themselves on the doorframe of the deli. Apparently the Perinadon hadn’t expected Shaggy’s density. It took them by surprise and when they righted themselves; they got pissed.
“Get the fuck out of here! This is Wild Bunch turf now.”
Shaggy rubbed his head and looked up. Through the windows of the deli he could see several half-animal, half-human people sitting around chatting and eating. He sighed and tried to ignore the rhythmic steps coming from behind him. He didn’t even need to look. Shaggy knew by heart the steps of Levy’s ‘I told you so’ dance. If anything, he wanted to hurry before she started singing the lyrics.
“Why the fuck is she dancing?!” The Perinadon asked, sounding confused.
Shaggy ignored the alien and grew his claws. Before anyone could blink, Shaggy swiped upward and cut the large grey alien from chest to face. Completing the swipe, Shaggy kicked the body as hard as he could. Sending the now dead Alien careening into the deli. Shaggy turned to his pack as they drew their weapons, his voice both hurried and worried.
“Quick! We have to finish this before she starts singing!”
