The Destroyer's Successor - Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated Fanfic

1.3 - Beware The Beast From Below, Part Four

Xavier felt really lucky that his dad's job required him to be up really early sometimes, because the morning the janitor discovered the horrific scene in Prof. Raffalo's classroom, his dad had woken him up at 5:30 am in the morning. Despite the initial annoyance of the boy, once they got to school and noticed the police presence, Xavier felt really fortunate that his dad had gotten him up early.

"Looks like something bad must have happened.. and I'd be willing to bet it's related to that slime monster you saw yesterday, son.." his dad told him, as he dropped his son off. "..don't get into things you can't get out of, son. Be careful."

Xavier turned and smiled. "Don't worry, Dad. I won't.." he said, before turning back to Crystal Cove High School. He walked up to the Sheriff, who happened to be standing by the front doors. Needless to say, Bronson was rather surprised to see Xavier up this early, as it was only 6:00 am.

"Class doesn't start in like a hour and an half, kid" Bronson stated. "The heck you doing up ahead of literally everyone else?"

Xavier frowned. "My dad is one of those who has what adults like to call 'early-bird' jobs, so sometimes, since there's only one car, he drives my butt to school early in the morning like today" he responds, before taking a glance back at the cop cars. "Why the police presence?"

"Professor Raffalo was attacked last night, by the same slime monster that cocooned those construction workers you and those.. snoopers.." Bronson states, refusing to say the names of Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby. "..yesterday. Creature came in busting through the window. Poor man was cocooned himself. Although things got messy, it was obvious that he never stood a chance."

Xavier was rather shocked. It attacked the professor, why? Like why? He thought.

Bronson placed his hand on his shoulder. "Best not to think about it, kid.." he said rather sternly. "As much as monsters are exposed to be fake around here, which is bad for the town, they don't always come and go without inflicting damage and harm to others."

"No kidding.." Xavier replied. "How bad was it?"

"Pretty bad.. window glass broken.. random large rubber band found outside.. professor cocooned to the wall.. whole classroom looked like it had been trashed in a struggle.. professor put up a good one.. but alas, it didn't end well" responded Stone, before he yawned.

"Look.. I don't usually allow people to do this.. but since you seem to be someone who at least seems to be a good kid - don't take it personally, but most other kids in this school aside from them.." he was clearly referring to the Mystery Inc. crew "..have their own issues and that your dad had to bring you out here this early, I'll leave you free to take a look around at the scene outside. Just don't touch anything though."

Xavier was rather surprised. "T-Thanks, I guess.." he muttered, before Bronson pointed to the right side of the building. Xavier understood, and silently walked down the side of the building before turning left around the corner. There, less than half a football field ahead of him, was the shattered window from Raffalo's classroom, and the large rubber band laying in a rather odd position. Xavier walked toward the window and peered inside, staying at the edge of the debris field of glass shards as he did so.

He was startled for a moment upon seeing the cocooned body of Professor Raffalo near the door to the classroom, but shook it off and glanced downward and saw that something wasn't right. While there were some glass shards on the inside of the classroom, the majority of the debris he noticed was outside near where he was standing and where the rubber band lay.

So then what? Was the creature already in the classroom and then attacked Raffalo before breaking the glass from the inside and tossing the rubber band out after attacking the professor? Or is there something else I'm missing? It doesn't make sense, Xavier thought to himself. He spent a good few minutes studying the debris field and the trashed classroom before he noticed something. Two classroom desks with the desktops missing, while said parts of the desk were laid on top of each other on a counter on the hallway side of the classroom. He took another look back at the rubber band and thought again.

Creature must have already been inside the classroom and attacked the professor. Bugger made a slingshot to cocoon the poor man to the wall which then came apart after usage, breaking the glass.

Xavier felt he understood what had happened here now rather accurately. I still think there's something you're missing, 'N' now decided to say in his head.

Maybe, Xavier mentally replied, as he made his way back to the front entrance, not noticing Raffalo's eyes temporarily follow his movement as he disappeared before returning to glancing straight forward.

The only part in Xavier's head of what had happened in Raffalo's classroom was just why. Why spare him, Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby, but attack the construction workers and the poor professor? It made zero sense at all.

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News of the attack on the professor spread like wildfire throughout the student body. Needless to say, Xavier found a small bit of twisted satisfaction on how unnerved the other students were in the wake of the attack. That being said, there were still some who couldn't even take a break from being an asshole to others even when their sense of security from anything monster-related at school had just been shattered. No surprise was it then, that chief among them was Red Herring, who Xavier encountered later that day once again picking on Hog Dog Water.

Just like last time, and even more so since he was alone having just come from using the restroom in between classes, something inside of Xavier snapped. As Red was berating Marcie, he was suddenly yanked back by the back of his shirt and slammed up against a locker. "Hey.. what's the big.." he hollered, only to stop that sentence in its tracks when he found himself once again face to face with Xavier.

Red snarled. "I'm really sick of you ruining my fun, weenie protector.." he spat. Xavier wasn't even fazed. "Let me make things clear.." Xavier said in response. "Bullying people isn't funny, dumb fool. How do you not get that through that thick dense nit witted skull of yours?"

There was definitely fire in Xavier's eyes on this occasion, and Red could only gulp as he swore he saw flames dancing inside of Xavier's eyes. He shut up and starting flailing like a maniac, unable to speak but terrified out of his mind. Xavier dropped Red on his butt, and simply scoffed.

"There's a new sheriff in this school, Red.. and don't you forget it.. now if you will excuse me.. I have a monster to catch.." Xavier stated, and walked off, looking for the Mystery Inc. crew. Little did he realize, what had just gone down in the hallway in the aftermath of the attack on Prof. Raffalo would have massive implications further down the road.

But Xavier wasn't focused on Red right now.. what mattered to him was finding the Slime Mutant and stopping it before it could cocoon any more citizens of Crystal Cove. He knew full well that the answers to what he sought lay at Fruitmeir's. He only hoped that Velma had a bright idea at getting inside.

(A/N: Been a while, but have some more Scooby Doo!)