Timeline note: Set between Mike and Sulley's last minute training and the final event.
Genre: General/Humor
Characters: Art
It was still early enough. Classes would not start for at least another two hours, which gave Art the time to stroll through the neighborhood and soak in the morning air to clear his mind for the final event.
He knew it would be difficult, of course, but what was the point in fretting? They would either win or lose, and no amount of worrying in advance would change the outcome.
He took a deep breath as he went past a small kiosk, still closed at this unholy hour. Maybe he should wait until it opened and buy everyone a little treat for breakfast?
Huh. He wondered what Mrs. Squibbles had planned for breakfast.
He knew his focus was slipping, but for once he did not mind, because that was the point of this particular exercise. Quietly chuckling at himself, he resumed his course around the block.
A woman zoomed by on a bicycle, and he waved a cheerful hello to her, which must have confused her because he could hear a crash behind himself as he went on.
It had sounded a little like when Sulley had fallen with the stepladder during the second event. What if something went wrong this time, too? What if someone lost his cool and...
No. He needed to stop focusing. If he worried too much, then he would be the one to fail. Confidence. In that regard, what Mike kept saying overlapped with what his Philosophy professors had taught him. Believing and stuff.
He was almost home. He could already see the front porch, so he broke into a run, eager to wake someone and refrain from worrying together.
One misstep later, he found himself flat on his face. He had tripped over something. Getting up and turning around, he found that it was a book. Introductory Scare Techniques. The one that was used in first semester Scaring classes.
He owned one like that, too, but of course, he had not opened it in forever. All Scaring knowledge he acquired these days came from Mike. The last time Art had consulted this book had been a day or so before that exam he had failed.
Maybe this was a sign? That this would work out, and he would indeed be a Scare student again soon?
He picked it up and opened it. He faintly remembered enjoying the foreword, so he was about to reread it, until a scribbled note inside the book's spine drew his attention. It indicated that this book belonged to Mike.
Art blinked at it for a moment, then shrugged and went inside to return it. There was probably a good reason why Mike left his stuff lying around outside.
Note: You probably won't hear from me again for at least two weeks (both story-wise and PM-wise), maybe more, as NaNoWriMo is coming up. I'm gonna write Fragments next month. Wish me luck! :)