*A/N: Hey all! This is my first Scooby-Doo fanfic ever:) I remember "shipping" Velma and Shaggy ever since I was a little a girl and decided to write a small fanfic on them! It's nothing too fancy but…well. :P Please read and review! I'd be honored to know how you liked it!
(Pst, I'm no criminal show writer, I know this is not a thrilling mystery, but it's just to get the plot moving. It's supposed to be a romance fanfic :P )*
COPYRIGHT INFRIGMENT NOT INTENDED, ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, HANNAH BARBERA AND THE REST. :P
CHAPTER ONE
Dealing with curious cases of freaks liking to dress up as monsters for a different reason each had been Velma's and her friends' reality for some years now. Riding on their Mystery Machine, traveling around the globe, they always, always, always managed to stumble upon some mystery to solve. Although Velma had never imagined her life to be like this, she was, weirdly, satisfied with the turn of events. She always expected to get a job in a lab and devote her life to research, but there was something very fulfilling in solving all these mysteries, and she had fun with her friends, even though she didn't like to admit it. Somewhere along all this time, she found herself being captivated by their different personalities, and especially a particular one.
Shaggy was fascinating for Velma. Not only because of how amazing his metabolism was- meaning, he could swallow a whole fridge every hour and still not gain a gram of fat-, but because his way of thinking was very different from the rest of them. Many people thought he was a stoner, high on something and Velma and the rest had a very good laugh every time Shaggy was confused for some sort of junkie. But truth is Shaggy had never even seen drugs. He was like that…naturally. A bit aloof, funny, goofy, chilled out and although people thought he was somewhat cowardly, for Velma, he had his own kind of courage. Whenever he and Scooby had to be bait, he never chickened out.
Lately though, Velma was very troubled of Fred's strategies of using baits. She was particularly worried, because she dreaded the day one of the lunatics they were chasing would finally cross the line, and then it'd be too late. Velma had tried repeatedly to tell him, but Freddie's mind was too busy thinking about Daphne's underpants and his meticulous hair-care.
Although Fred's masterpieces of plans usually involved Shaggy and Scooby being bait, this time it was different. They were investigating a very peculiar book thief, at a prestigious University. During the last two weeks, people claim to have seen a hooded creature roaming around the establishment, and rare editions of books have been reported missing. The Mystery team decided to take a look at the case. After watching the building overnight, they spotted the hooded creature and it managed to get away before they could catch it, or at least take a good look at it. They decided they need some information from 'inside', and Freddie said Velma should be the one to do it.
Velma's feelings were confusing. She felt like Fred made the right decision, as she was the one with the most knowledge on books than everyone on the team, but she couldn't help but feel a little bit frightened, thinking she could never really face the hooded creature all by herself. But in the end, she had to do it. Besides, it was just a little visit to the library, only to ask some things. Nothing too scary to start from.
"Okay, how do I look?" She asked, stepping outside the van.
"Like you always do, Velma." Daphne said. "Relax, it's no biggie."
Indeed, it wasn't, Velma tried to tell herself. She was in her usual cinnamon skirt, a safe beige turtleneck who might just compliment her full breast more than she liked, and a pair of brown ballerinas. She fixed her glasses and stepped inside the library, pushing the glass door.
The library was very spacious, filled with heavy wooden bookcases and wooden tables for studying. Many students were there, and it seemed like a very lively University to her. She looked around the walls for a second or two, when she heard someone clear his throat behind her, and she turned around. A tall man around her age stood there, looking at her. He had auburn curly hair, a pair of caramel eyes and wore big rectangular glasses. Velma thought he looked kind of…cute.
"Can I help you?" He asked. "I'm the librarian here."
"Um, I…"
"Firstly, my name's Maxwell. Yours?"
"I'm Velma."
"Welcome to our University, Velma. What brings you here? I haven't seen you around before."
"We are researching the book theft case."
"You and who else?"
"Um, my friends. They're not here now."
"Oh. And what do you want to know about it?"
"Can you tell me which books were taken?"
"I can show you." He said, smiling.
"I'd like that."
"Then follow me, please."
He started to move towards the back side of the library, and Velma was on his six, observing the shelves and the students, reading, chatting and some arguing. She remembered how it was when she was studying and smiled to herself.
Maxwell reached a small wooden door and unlocked it with a set of keys, allowing himself and Velma to enter the semi-lit room.
"Here are the rarest editions of books this University has. Some of them are old, some are not, but precious nonetheless."
"Yes, I figured it had something to do with money. No bookworm that respects himself or herself would steal books from a Uni." She laughed and he grinned at her.
"Come, I'll show where they were taken from."
He took her to some shelves with medicine handbooks from the 18th century, some philosophic text collections, dictionaries and other genres.
"And here's where the last book was taken from." He said, pointing in a gap among other books.
"Ancient Greek and Latin text copies! I must admit, the thief has a rather good taste."
"Yeah, I must agree on that one."
"So, there have been eight books stolen so far."
"Yes."
"Who has access in this section?"
"We keep it locked, of course. I have the keys to it, along with the Principles of the University-although I highly doubt they'd steal from their own library- and certain students. Professors can give some students the permission to use the spare set of keys we have at the Secretariat for studying, but they have to write down what books they take and their names. No books that students have borrowed have been reported missing, though."
"I guess someone could have easily made a copy of that key."
"Yes, I know. I told them they shouldn't be so easy in handing the students permission papers but who listens to a poor librarian, right?"
"I understand you. Can we head back now?"
"Of course. Go ahead and I'll lock up again."
Velma exited the room and went to wait for him in front of his librarian's desk, observing the wall behind it, full of degrees and seminar participation sheets.
"So, is there anything else I can do for you, Velma?"
"No, that's it for today. Thanks for sharing the information with me."
"Don't mention it."
"Bye, then."
She waved awkwardly and pulled the glass door, when Maxwell called up behind her.
"Velma!"
"Yes?"
"Um, I know this is probably sudden but, um, would you like to, um, grab some pizza tonight?"
"What? Me?"
"Well, I'm asking you, aren't I?"
"Oh, um, yes, why not?"
"Great. Should we meet up outside at eight o'clock?"
"Yes, eight's fine."
"See you, then."
"See you."
Velma left the University and went to find the rest of the team.
"So, what did you find out?" Fred asked.
"Eight books have been stolen so far, from the restricted section of the library. The librarian, the principles and some students have access to the room, but anybody could have made copies of the keys. Did you check the security footage?"
"Yes, the lady at the cameras was more than happy to help us out." Fred boasted, flashing them an all-too-confident smile. "They haven't caught a single shot of the man."
"How's that even possible?"
"Raybe re's a rhost!" Scooby rumbled, tugging Shaggy's loose shirt.
"No, it's not a ghost, pal." He said.
"It's for the money." Velma said. "The books are all very rare, they would sell for much in the black market."
"So, did you do anything interesting while in there?" Daphne asked, checking her nails.
"As a matter of fact, I did. The librarian asked me out on a date." She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin up.
"What? A date?"
"Why is it so hard for you to believe it?"
"Oh, no, it's just that you're not the dating type, that is all, sweetheart."
"Well, I said yes, so-"
"You said yes?" Shaggy said, to everyone's surprise. "But isn't he supposed to be a suspect?"
"Relax, Shaggy." Fred replied. "It's a good chance for Velma to find out more about the case."
"Yes, the case, it's always about the case…" Velma said in a low voice, looking down.
"But you must make sure you'll be very persuasive." Fred said, passing his hand over Velma's shoulders. "If you know what I mean…"
Velma slapped his hand off. "I'll be persuasive as I know how, and I don't need your advice on it."
"Okay, Velma. Chill. Why don't we go check around the block for any clues now?"
"RR-clues!" Scooby growled, starting to sniff the ground, and Fred and Shaggy started to follow him.
"I might need your advice, Daphne, though." Velma said.
"On what?"
"I don't know what to wear…"
"Oh, leave that on me!" The red-haired woman said happily, rubbing her hands together. "I have the perfect outfit in mind!"
Velma wasn't sure if asking Daphne was a good idea, after all…
*What do you think? Next chapter will be the date, and some more info on the "Crime". Please please please tell me how you found it! Thanks for reading! ^^*