((Author's Note: Just a heads up; if you haven't seen "Monster's University" yet, you might not want to read this due to some spoilers. Other than that… enjoy!))
The chameleon-like monster marched across the currently empty campus, pass the statues of famed intellects now departed from life and into the silent courtyard. His face, underneath the smeared layers of smashed chocolate cake and vanilla and strawberry frosting, was a darker shade of violet than the rest of his scaly skin due to his blush of embarrassment.
He had left his first college party early due to the disaster that led to this- getting smashed in the face with his own cupcakes. Right in front of a couple of girls he was trying to talk to no less! He never had a girlfriend throughout high school and now after this fiasco he doubted he'd have one through his college years. He was the laughing stock of the campus and he still wasn't exactly sure how it happened! One minute he's offering the girls to try his cupcakes and the next… splat! Something had rammed by him like a bullet and caused this mess. The inevitable laughter that followed still echoed in his skull.
So much for impressing the cool kids… he thought with dismay. To think he actually had thought that this was finally going to be his year. No more hiding in the background, no more failures, no more brainless bullies and thugs, but a fresh start. How wrong he had been. Oh, he had attention all right; just not the kind he wanted.
Upon reaching the courtyard, he knelt next to the wide stream and began cleaning himself up. His dorm was still a ways away and if there were others still up- which their no doubt were- he didn't want to make a fool of himself any more than he already had. The cool water first came as a shock to his system, especially with a breeze- as light as it was- blowing. However, he got used to it.
He looked at his blurry reflection and snarled; slapping the water is distaste with the back of one hand. It was only his second day at Monsters University and nothing was going right! He had made at least one friend, some one-eyed green monster named Mike Wazowski, but Mike was so wrapped up in his studies and the plans he had, he barely had time to hang out and just enjoy his newfound freedom as an adult. In other words, Mike didn't have much time for him, or perhaps any friends at all for that matter.
The reptile froze as he felt a ghost of a touch trace the tip of his tail. Gasping, he snapped his head around, but there was no one there. No like he could tell very easily though- he had to squint even more so in the darkness. It was times like this when he missed his glasses, which he had tossed aside due to the fact that they gave him away when he used his camouflage ability to turn himself invisible.
"Is… anyone there?" he questioned softly, eyes narrowed, darting back and forth across the dimly-lit area.
The touch returned, this time pressing against the side of his right cheek, wiping away part of the mashed cupcake and leaving a clean line in its place. This time when he spun around, he came face to face with a pair of bright bluish-green eyes blinking down at him. He startled back, turning the same shade as the ground underneath him- even though the frosting still gave him away- and crying out in surprise.
"Hmm… Not bad…" said the monster before him, as she popped her finger out of her mouth with a suction-cup sound and smacked her lips, "I prefer my cake, well, as a cake, but not bad at all. Watch it with the sugar though; it's too sweet. Tastes like a rainbow dipped in sparkles and chocolate."
The female monster was bipedal with a long, thin, pointed tail that was nearly the length of her entire body. To keep it out of the way for the most part, she wrapped it around one leg, leaving some slack so she could still walk or run with ease. Each of her hands and feet ended with four digits. Her body was covered in extremely tiny, fine scales of a light mint green that you had to touch to even really be able to tell that they were there at all. Many small frills, resembling both hair and blades of grass, covered the top of her head in a pixie cut. She wore a solid black turtleneck that stretched halfway down her calves. Her amused grin was lined with two rows of sharp teeth.
"Umm…" he shifted nervously on his feet as he quickly stood, cleared away what remained on his face, and revealed himself once more, returning back to his usual shade of purple. "I-I'm sorry… but who are you?" He had never seen this monster before on campus, and not only was it difficult for him to talk to girls, she was intimidating. Well, intimidating to him, at least.
"Name's Tanith Hartbrooke," she replied, "but call me Tani- everyone does. Well, actually, no one's ever called me that, but I like it. I'm a Scaring Major." She gruffly stuck out a hand to him. "You are?"
"Randy Boggs… Also, a Scaring Major," he answered shyly, trying hard to keep his voice level as he tentatively shook her hand. His voice grew softer and softer with the next thing he asked, as if it would set her off. "But… if you're studying scaring too… how come I didn't see you in class today?"
"Wasn't here," she shrugged, "I just flew into Monstropolis this afternoon because my first flight had to make a quick landing due to some sort of malfunction, and then the one for this morning got delayed. I've been running all over campus all day trying to get everything in order."
He kept quiet, not knowing what to say next. He had never been one to make easy conversation, or conversation at all actually.
"You don't say much, do you?" She smirked, placing her hands on her hips.
"S-sorry…" he stuttered, "I got to go… It's been a big day and all…" he began to back away.
"K then," she shrugged, "Then with that, I bid you…" Tani bowed before him dramatically, one arm swinging back, "A du!"
"Yeah… bye…" he started walking away. This day had just gone from thrilling, to frightening, to a full out nightmare, to weird. He just wanted to go to bed and forget about everything.
"See ya 'round Randy!" he heard her call out. She waved wildly at him.
"See ya…" he replied hesitantly, waving back, but with nowhere near as much confidence or craziness. He pondered for a moment why she was out this late on her own- it wasn't safe, but then he decided to push those thoughts aside. It wasn't his business and he didn't think he wanted it to be.
Finally reaching the dorm, he was surprised to discover that Mike wasn't there. He had told him he was going to be studying for the entire night for the end of the semester exam, with that being the reason why he refused to join him at the party. Randy's shoulders sagged disappointingly. Had Mike been lying to him? Maybe he wasn't good enough to be seen around. Maybe even Mike didn't like him.
Randy hated this, all of this. Why was it that he never managed to fit in anywhere he went?
He was about to turn in for the night when Mike burst into the dorm, positively fuming. Whether or not he had lied to him didn't stop Randy from being concerned, "Where were you? What happened?"
"I'll tell you what happened!" he yelled, throwing his cap on his desk, "That arrogant, fat pile of fuzz Sullivan, that's what happened!"
Randy remained silent as he waited for Mike to continue. James P. Sullivan was the son of Bill Sullivan, a famed scarer throughout the monster world. The success of his family left him cocky when it came to his own ability as a scarer. It was only the second day of college and anyone could tell that much. Yet still everyone admired and fawned over him. He wondered what the guy had done to set off his roommate.
"First he comes parading in here with that stupid pig… thing! Then has me chase it all over campus, and then says that I'm not cut out to be scarer! Can you believe it? I bet I work ten times harder in one hour than that moron has worked in his whole life!" He pauses, his one eye widening a bit, as a thought comes to him. "You think I've got a shot, right? I mean, I know I'm not the most terrifying monster around, but…"
The reptile frowned. While he wanted to be honest, he didn't want to hurt Mike either. And in all honesty, he wasn't very scary. In fact, he was probably the least frightening monster he'd seen. Did he have a chance? Randy gave him a soft, reassuring smile, "Sure. You work hard, you're confident… Heck, you already know most of the stuff the professor's teaching us. Look, you've got all semester. You'll show that guy." Looking away, he hoped he wouldn't come to regret those words.
"Thanks, Randy." Mike marked off the day on his calendar before plopping down on his own bed across from him. "Look, I'm sorry I snapped like that. You probably didn't want to hear it. I haven't even asked you yet; how did that party go? I figured you'd still be out."
"It was fine," he lied. "But I figured I'd turn in early. The whole day's left me drained, I guess."
"Oh come on! You're going to have to give me more than that, Buddy! What happened?"
"N-nothing happened! I walked in, dropped off the cupcakes, danced a bit, then walked out! I just told you; I'm exhausted!"
"Uh-huh…" Mike smirked at him smugly, "You met a girl, didn't you?"
"What?!"
"You did! I didn't think you were such a Casanova. She interested? Did you get her number?"
"Mike, I barely got her name, much less her number! No, we just talked for a second and then I left. Besides, she's not my type." Getting a strange look from his friend, he continued, "She's crazy."
"Says the guy who let a window of opportunity seal shut."
…
The next day, he and Mike sat together for lunch in the Commons Cafeteria, trading notes as they ate in order to piece together everything from today's lesson. Neither of them had been able to write down all that Professor Knight had swiftly lectured over. Both were considering getting tape recorders.
As Randy squinted down at the notes in one hand, holding a pencil in another and a blood orange slice in third, he heard a voice call out to him so suddenly and so loudly that it made him disappear.
"RRRRRRAAAND-EEEEH!"
His surprise at the voice also made him flinch; causing him to squeeze the orange slice he was holding, the juice squirting right into Mike's eye. The green, smaller monster cried out in pain, his hands flying up to his face.
It was too little too late for vanishing. The strange girl he had met last night had already spotted him in the crowd in the café and waltzed right up to the table. He didn't even have time to say sorry to Mike before she plopped down next to him. He felt mortified under the curious stares of other monsters. Meanwhile, it seemed that Tani didn't care in the least. What was wrong with her? Didn't she see how much of a fool she was making of herself? And not just herself, but him as well.
"Hi Tani…" he said exasperatingly with a hint of bashfulness, scratching the back of his head and refusing to look at her, "How are you?"
"Fine. Would've been better if my roommate hadn't changed my alarm this morning. Imagine- you set it for six thirty and instead you wake up at eight to the radio playing ghouls just wanna have fu-un!"
At this, he chuckled lightly, "I guess that would be kinda bad." He looked over to Mike sitting on the other side of him and gave him an apologetic look after seeing his now red eye. "Speaking of roomies, this is mine. Tani Hartbrooke, meet Mike Wazowski."
"Nice to meet ya, Mikey!" she took one of his hands to shake.
"Yeah… A pleasure," he glanced over at Randall, who pointed at Tani while she wasn't looking and then made a swirling motion with one finger by the side of his head. I told you she was crazy.
"So, what did ya guys think of the lesson today? I'll tell ya, I sounded like a dying mutt! I didn't think roaring could be this hard. I'm starting to think I'm more or a hiss or growl kind of gal."
"I don't think you're vocal cords might be suited for it, but remember that it comes from the diaphragm and the back of the throat."
"Yeah, well, I wish it came natural like it does for that Sullivan kid. James, right? Man, does he make it look easy." She rested one elbow on top of the table, cupping one cheek, and her forked tongue shot out to snap up a few of the fried flies she had on her tray.
At the mention of Sullivan, Mike scowled. Not wanting to risk this turning into an argument- not that he would blame her for saying something like that; this was technically her first day after all and he mostly pestered Mike alone- Randy decided to direct the conversation somewhere else. "So, Tani, you haven't told us who your roommate is yet."
"TANITH!" someone shrieked from the other side of the café.
Tani's face blanked and she quickly ducked down low. Pointing a figure, she answered, "That's my roommate…" It was a preppy, pink monster from the PNK sorority. "Do not tell her I'm here! That monster's insane!"
Mie rolled his eye, "Really? I would've guessed that you and she are best friends. You seem a lot alike."
"Are you kidding me?" she replied in a harsh whisper, "She's nothing like me! She's-"
"Tanith!" the pink monster squealed, spotting her and racing over, "I've been looking everywhere for you girl! Where have you been? It's like you disappeared right after class! You've just got to meet my sisters; they're such dolls and I know they'll adore you!" She raised a brow. "Why are you on the floor?"
"Um… Hey, Crystal!" Tani greeted with the most cheerful grin as she could muster, "I just, uh…" she quickly picked something up from the ground and pocketed it, "dropped a penny!"
"Oh! Well, anyways, I told you to meet me after class!"
"Guess I forgot…"
"No problem, but be careful not to let it slip your mind again, silly! If you want to be a sister, you've got to prioritize. So, I was thinking…" She pulled out a pink MU shirt with flowers on it out of a bag hanging on one of her arms, "We'd have a shopping spree downtown before we hit the house! We're going to get your scales dyed pink!" She squealed again, "Won't that be sweet?! You'll fit right in!"
Tani visibly cringed at the mention of dying her scales, but the other girl didn't catch it. "Oh… Gee, Crystal, that does sound… sweet, but I really can't go. I'm gonna be busy tonight…" She down at the floor, trying to come up with a good excuse, before her eyes widened as an idea came to mind. "I'm going on a date!" Her eyes quickly scanned the arena, before they fell on Randy and she pointed over at her fellow reptile, "With him!"
Hearing this, Randy choked on his cup of water. He was unable to speak as he was struck by a coughing fit.
"Crystal!" shrieked another member of the PNK sorority, waving over to her sister.
"Carrie! Hi!" she turned and shrieked back.
Finding this small window to get a word out secretly, Tani spun fast and gripped Randy by the shoulders, "Please play along! She wants to turn me into her clone!" By the time Crystal looked their way again, Tani had one arm around him and was smiling like a buffoon.
Crystal sighed and rolled her eyes, "Well… alright. I'll let you by this time, but later we're getting down to business!"
Once she was gone, Tani retook her seat and dropped her head on the table with a groan, "I've got to get a new roommate. And if I can't, I'm sleeping in the sewers for the rest of the semester… maybe for the rest of college."
"She'll just find you after class, you know," Mike stated with a grin.
"I can hide. I'm very good at hiding."