"So, there's a guy you like." Cordelia said in her blunt way to Velma. "And your friend Daphne is a little oblivious to that fact. Which means one of two things. She likes him too and is just pretending to be oblivious or she considers him more like a brother and doesn't ever want to consider the idea of him and a girl getting, in Xander's words, frisky with each other. Am I close?"
"Yes. And since she's into Fred, I know she's not harboring any feelings for Shaggy. Which means you're probably right and she thinks of him kinda like a brother. I've been trying to get him to eat healthier, but it's not working."
"Are you trying to get him to eat healthier because there's a problem? Is he sick?"
"No, I just worry about him. He's not clever, like Fred or smart, like me, or able to take care of himself like Daphne can, now that's she's doing martial arts. He could get hurt."
"This sounds familiar. Xander had a friend named Willow, who worried constantly about him too. To the point where she tried to control his life. Because it never occured to her to wonder if he could be more then he appears to be. You're doing the same to Shaggy."
"I never said it was Shaggy I like." Velma protested.
"I'm not blind or stupid. And yes, you did. Trying to force Shaggy to do what you think is best is just going to make him resent you. You need to find out what he likes, what he's good at and what he'd like to improve about himself. Then you encourage, not force him, to try things and see what sticks. And if you're so worried he's going to get hurt, why haven't you encouraged him to take self defense classes? As a matter of fact, you all should. It'll help you stay ahead of the bad guys. They're not all brain dead morons, you know."
"That's actually pretty good advice. Shaggy's not stupid, he's actually come up with some clever things sometimes. I guess we've all kind of fallen into a niche. Which could make us predictable. The crabman might not have overheard anything, he might just have memorized our playbook."
As Cordelia and Velma were discussing guys, Xander and Shaggy, Scooby and Baby were finding a sea food vendor and chowing down on massive amounts of food.
"So why do you have a hyena?" Shaggy asked.
"We found the little guy all by himself. We couldn't just leave him there, he could have died. Then he became our baby. About the only annoying thing you can say about him is he chews my socks and pees on my boots. And don't piss him off. Like both Cordy and me, he's got himself a temper."
"Scooby and me, we don't lose our temper very much, but when we do. Well, people may not believe it without seeing it, but we are capable of being as scary as the bad guys."
"I believe you. It's always the ones people underestimate that either cause the most damage or come up with the surprising ways of helping. So, I feel the need ask, do you smoke pot?"
"Nobody's ever asked me that. I didn't think anybody noticed."
"Then they're stupid, because I can smell it on you. It's part of your problem, you know?"
"What problem?"
"The underestimating you problem. Whether they know you're smoking pot or not, they notice the effects. You come off as brain slow and a slacker. Sure, it's an easier life, but don't the looks people give you smart?"
Shaggy was silent for a moment and then he said. "Yes. No one expects anything of me. At first, that was great. It was freeing."
"And now it's suffocating." Xander said quietly.
"Yeah, I don't know how to change that."
"One step at a time. First, you try a hobby and then another and another, until you find one you like. Then you take a class or two until you find one there you like. And then one day, you realize, you've changed your own life. If your friend's aren't willing to help you, then they're not really your friends. You're just a mascot to them, but if they really love you, they'll tell you, you're doing a good job and they're proud of you. And reassure Scooby that he matters to you. Because he worries he's going to lose his family."
"He's my version of Baby. He belongs with me." Shaggy agreed.