A/N: Okay, here's the REAL summary...

Ever since she little, Xathia Swamps wanted to work at Monsters, Inc. But since she was a reptilian monster, she was a lonely outsider, and no one believed in her...but now she's finally snagged a job as Randall Bogg's assistant, and feels a comfortable connection to him since they are both reptile-monsters, but it turns out that she and Randall have more in common then either of them realize...

Sound interesting? I hope you guys like it...this is my first Monsters, Inc. fan fiction, so please rate and review!! Okay, you don't have to rate, but I LOVE getting reviews...even a quick note on what you thought is GREATLY appreciated. Oh, and by the way, the title of this FF is subject to change!!!! I'm TERRIBLE at choosing titles on short notice...heh heh...and also, Xathia's name is pronounced ZAY-thee-uh.

And so begins the tale of Xathia Swamps...who knows where she'll end up! DIG IN!


Dark storm clouds filled the sky over Monstropolis, blocking out the usual morning of a golden sun and its background of baby blue sky. There was a soft rumble of thunder far off in the distance, as a light rain slipped through the clouds and whispered down in thin sheets. The small raindrops clinked softly against the drainpipes and hit the concrete road with a numb patter. But even on a dreary morning like this, there was one monster who was not to be discouraged. As most monsters were waking up groggily, stretching their tight muscles, rubbing sleep from their eyes, and groaning at the miserable weather, Xathia Swamps jumped out of bed, giddy with excitement, not giving a care in the world whether there was a bright morning or a hurricane outside.

The reptilian monster hurried through her small bedroom door and into her even smaller kitchen, where she devoured a quick breakfast before snatching her bag and umbrella from the chair by the door, and tearing out the door of her small apartment.

Though she denied it herself, Xathia was a beautiful monster...she had scales of a deep wine-red, and eyes of the most breathtaking shade of emerald; the plume-like tentacles on her head were tinged with a bright ruby.

Calling over a taxi that was driving by slowly, she shivered in the cold and wrapped a jacket around her scaly arms tightly, before stowing her bag and umbrella in the seat next to her.

"Monsters Incorporated, please," she said clearly and confidently. And with that, she took off for her first day of work at Monsters, Incorporated.

So many thoughts filled her head, and her stomach squirmed anxiously. She didn't know anybody at Monsters, Inc...in fact, she thought nervously. I hardly even remember the building! She said 'hardly' because when she was in 4th grade, her science class had taken a trip to Monsters, Inc. to learn how Scream (the energy source in Monstropolis) was collected. Ever since that trip, she had made up her mind that she would one day work for this brilliant company...she would be a Scarer, or a Scarer's assistant, even...she didn't care. If there was any way she could make her way up to being a Scarer, even if she had to start off as a janitor, or a Door-Shredder, she would do it. But fortunately for her, she had been accepted as an assistant for a monster named Randall Boggs. She hadn't met Randall yet, and she was very nervous, wondering what he would think of her.

As a lizard-monster like herself, she was hardly ever considered for serious jobs...which was complete rubbish, because not only was she a hard worker, but she usually cared about her work, and made sure she did it right. She didn't know which other idiotic reptile-monster had set this stereotype, but she was disgusted at how easily managers turned down monsters like her. But Waternoose seemed like a good manager; happy to take on a lizard-monster.

Suddenly, the car gave a little screech, and pulled to a stop. Xathia looked up, surprised...were they there already? No, she sighed, relieved. It was just a stoplight. She shivered again.

"Could you please turn on the heat?" she asked the driver.

"No can do, sweetie," he said roughly. "This car ain't had heat in over a month."

Xathia sighed. Well, it wouldn't be that much longer to Monsters, Inc, anyway; and they would certainly have heating.

As a child, Xathia was an outcast. She had no friends, and other monsters never talked to her. She was bullied almost constantly by incessant fools who thought they were better than she was. Well, she thought dejectedly. They probably were. Erg...don't talk like that! Not now...please not now...those memories will only upset you! But Xathia couldn't help herself. Those days are long gone...she hissed to herself. They're over. OVER. Look at you now! You're an assistant at Monsters, Inc! Who cares where those other jerks are now? Xathia let out a sigh. She told herself these things everyday since she got the job offer. But no matter what, it never seemed to help.

FLASHBACK.

"Where ya goin' Xylophone??"

"Yah, XYLOPHONE!!!"

"Going off to hide off in your cave?"

Xathia ignored the sneering taunts of the other children as she clutched her sack lunch tighter and turned a corner, slipping eerily into the shadows of a corner of the building. She held back a sad sigh...she had been putting up with this for almost four years...why did it still make her sad? She put the sack down and lowered down onto all eights. She turned in a circle and nestled down in a comfortable position, resting her head on the cold stone floor and curling her arms under her chest. She didn't even bother eating...she had lost her appetite. Again, she couldn't help adding silently to herself.

She didn't mind the teasing so much anymore; they did it so much now it was almost comical. Couldn't they get some new material? But it was the name...that awful, disgusting, insulting name that made her temper rise. Xylophone. Just because her name began with an 'X' the bullies thought it would be funny to come up with a nickname for her. But they couldn't think of anything else that people didn't have to look up in the dictionary to understand, so they settled on "Xylophone". It didn't even make sense. In fact, Xathia couldn't even figure out why it was insulting in the first place, but it still hurt, for reasons even Xathia herself couldn't explain. As for where she ate her lunch, that's what they referred to as "her cave". But at least they were too busy to seek her out here...

"Oy, Xylophone!!"

Or so she thought.

She jumped up abruptly, twisting her ankle. She looked up to see Jerry, the biggest bully in the school leering down at her, his two buddies Bramble and Nathan behind him. Xathia's stomach filled with fear as she imagined all of the horrible things they could do to her here, especially with no teachers around, not that they would be of any assistance now or ever. She knew that all bullies, especially Jerry were cowards, but that didn't stop their punches from hurting.

She recoiled slightly at their presence.

"What are you doing here?" she growled.

"I was about to ask you the same question, Xylophone!" he sneered. "You got yerself a little playground down here, don'cha?"

"Just leave me alone," grumbled Xathia, turning to leave, but Nathan grabbed her shoulder and twisted her around. Infuriated suddenly and unexpectedly, Xathia bared her knife-sharp teeth and bit down on his fingers...hard. He yelped in pain. Jerry grabbed her by the throat and threw her into the ground.

"Hey, Xylophone!" he jeered. She looked up at him through squinted eyes, massaging her throat.

"Say cheese!" he shrieked happily. She saw a purple fist flying towards her face, before darkness.

END FLASHBACK

"Oy!"

Xathia was shaken from her trance as she heard the taxi driver's voice calling out to her. She gave her head a little shake and looked over at him.

"Yes?" she replied, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Monsta's Inc, right?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said back hesitantly.

"We're here!" he said. She gulped as she peered out the window. A huge building stood in front of her. There it was. The place she had dreamed about since she was a little monster...and on the front of the building was a huge sign that said,

"Monsters, Inc."