Winds of Change

by Dat Salvadorean Chic

Randall Boggs returns to Monstropolis with the goal to turn a new leaf, but after realizing that Monsters, Inc. is converted to a laugh factory, he seeks help and friendship from a young Loch Ness named Vanessie, who becomes his assistant, and soon helps her find her long lost mother Nessie, with life-or-death risks in the process...

1. Prologue

Winds of Change-A Monsters, Inc. fanfic

Prologue

It was a beautiful morning in Monstropolis; the birds were singing, the flowers turned with open petals facing the sun. Everything seemed all in place and at peace. Happy monsters were greeting each other with glee as if everyone knew each other all their lives. Not a single thing was out of place, except Randall Boggs.

See, he returned to the Monster World a few weeks ago, suffering from a deep gash close to his eye that was wasn't much cared for and skin irritated from living in the bayou for so long. He had to adapt to the Human World by scavenging for food and shelter, often taken away by predators like alligators and some birds of prey, suffering even more minor injuries from the fights he had with those animals in desperation.

It was as if the world was after him, or at least he thought that. But during that whole time, he was planning a way to go back home to get revenge on the fur rug and his one eyed friend. But failure after failure, he was determined to get out of this horrid place. However, the more he tried, the more the thought of revenge was fading away. Perhaps I do deserve it, he would often think to himself whenever a plan failed. As time passed slowly, the thought of having revenge seemed effortless. It didn't seem to matter anymore. He thought of all this as his fate, his punishment, his future of nothingness. It ached him to even think about it while he lay on the cold mud in a dark cave. But no matter the unfortunate thoughts, he kept trying. He even promised himself that he would make a change for himself if he does happen to return back. If he could survive and live from it all.

But it was only a matter of time, and he wasn't sure of it. But after many dangerous trials, he finally made it. He found a door leading straight to the Monster World. But he didn't want to create big news of his return, so he tried to hide out of sight to be invisible. He allowed himself to be seen by a few people, as if to show the world the terrible trials he lived through without fear, even though he was very much afraid on the inside, but that caused word out saying that he returned.

He should've known that hiding wouldn't do anything, but he was sure he'd get caught sometime. Soon enough, he had to go face to face with Sulley again, fighting away the hate that he used to have with him. They talked for a while and set aside their ways. There was a bit of an argument in-between, in which Randall would've expected this change being hard for him, but overall, he had a slightly better attitude than he used to, but he had a lot to work on.

This morning, however, he woke up in the wrong side of the bed… literally. Fortunately, he was able to obtain his apartment once he arrived but he had a lot of work to do when it came to tidying up the place. He did most of the cleaning, but some things were out of place due to lethargy and laziness.

Now he looked around the room in the still silence. The sun shone through the glass bringing in a gold-ish glow in his apartment that seemed warm and comforting. Particles of dust floating in beams of light were gliding everywhere. He felt calm. For the first time, he had a long, lingering sleep; something he lacked when he was part of Waternoose's scheme. Staying up late at work, trying to keep everything secret, growing to be very cold and nasty because of that. Here really needed a long sleep.

As he got up from his bed, he felt a stinging pain on his back. He's still sore from living in the bayou, but it was a softer pain than it used to be, which was good for him, at least. He stretched a little to relieve the pain. He took a few pain killers from his bedstand to help in the least, even though he knew that the pain will still be there later. Like a scar. Like the one on his face.

As if his lizard face was ugly enough.

After that, he walked over to the bathroom to check himself in the mirror. His scar is healing slowly, but not much changed. He touched it gently and remembered how dark and cruel it was in the lonely bayou.

"No," he whispered. "I will not be the same guy I was." He sighed, then continued, "This is my second chance and I'll take advantage of it…"