So, after a while (and some school finals), Chapter Three is finally here! This one took a while to do, since there are some scene additions here and there, and one of them, a fight scene, was edited drastically, mainly because it was a little too gruesome and violent for the tone of the overall story. Other than that, I think the chapter is ok; though I am a little worried about how Michael and Randy break their friendship (I don't know if it's too dramatic or too bland)

Hopefully readers here will enjoy this installment of the story.


Chapter Three: Judgement (aka Winter Finals)

The Fall Semester was spent by Michael Wazowski and James Sullivan in very different ways. One spent the time studying for every class; the other partied and could care less about studying. In the end, their lifestyles showed in their class performance results. The two occasionally crossed paths, with no hope of them setting aside their grudges anytime soon.

Michael took every opportunity possible to perfect his Energy Harvesting techniques and study. On some afternoons, he would sit by the trees and have Randy quiz him with flash cards in an attempt to memorize all kinds of fear techniques from heights to spiders and everything in between, including chopsticks.

"Seriously, whose afraid of chopsticks?" Michael asked.

"I have no idea," Randy chuckled, "I use them quite often."

Michael and Randy would study in various locations; their own dorm, the cafeteria, local restaurants, noodle shops, dessert buffets, out in the grassy areas, in the library, and so forth. While Michael was very excited and happy as he persevered with his studies, Randy grew a little distressed, seeing that Michael seemed more focused on endless reading and studying in order to upstage James than spending quality time to play some fun games in the dorm. At some point during the semester, Michael did honor his promise to Randy and sat at the kotatsu with him a few times, button-mashing game controllers while playing fantasy RPGs with colorful characters; including Randy's personal favorite, a PS3-exclusive futuristic adventure featuring a hyper and cutesy all-female cast battling evil cyborgs and monsters bent on total destruction. Michael would facepalm at Randy's squealing and cheering every time he scored points and blew up an enemy.

As for James, he spent his semester very unwisely. Having earned a cardinal/gold jacket from the gentlemen of Roar Omega Roar, he spent his time playing ping-pong, eating pizza, and going to wild and crazy frat parties. He did occasionally cross paths with Michael; one notable time being in the gym when they apparently tried to compete against each other to see who was better at the treadmill (which resulted in Michael losing his balance), and another time when they attended a football game, where transformed football players crushed each other as cheerleaders and a drum major sang and cheered happily with their pom-poms. James and his frat brothers cheered wildly and threw popcorn around the bleachers, which particularly angered Michael and Randy not just because it was rude and inconsiderate, but because one was trying to study, and the other was just trying to enjoy the game.

Eventually, as the class was repeatedly tested, Michael began to out-perform James with all his different techniques. James, however, even though he was intimidating enough, started to fall behind in the class.

"One scary face," began Professor Knight," Does not a good Energy Harvester make."


The end of the fall semester; the final exam had arrived. Michael and Randy had awakened, showered, had breakfast, and gotten themselves bundled up for the chilly weather as they headed out the dormitory and on the path to their class. Various students walked by them, reading their books last minute and drinking endless coffee.

"I'm really nervous about this," Randy shivered, wrapping his arms around himself even though he was wearing a peacoat and other winter accessories in addition to his normal attire.

"You'll do fine, Randy," Michael comforted Randy, putting an arm around him, "This is what we've studied all semester for."

Randy turned up a smile, playfully teasing Michael with his tail. The two set foot inside, changing their shoes as they walked into the class.


"I am a boy who is afraid of spiders and Santa Claus," began Professor Knight, "Which scare do I use?"

A large boy with spiky green hair stood in the simulator stage set up in the class. Abigail flew up to one of the supports on the ledge of the dome, watching with her wings displayed.

"Uh," the boy started, "The Seasonal Creep-n-Crawl?"

"Demonstrate," Professor Knight ordered.

The boy transformed into a large green monster with spike horns and a single eye. He snuck around the stage, and popped up growling, awakening a cybernetic mannequin of an Earth human child that screamed in response, filling up a simulation canister bar on the side of the stage to mid-point.

"Results will be posted outside the class," Professor Knight advised the student as he made his way off the stage.

Outside the large domed building, James was walking in to the class, when he was stopped by Johnny, Chet, and the other boys.

"We'll take that," Johnny took James' frat jacket.

"Hey, that's my jacket!?" James growled.

"Your grade point average isn't looking that great," Johnny reminded him, "You'll get this back, when and if you pass this class."

"I am gonna wipe the floor with that beach ball," James muttered to himself as he stormed into the building, putting on his blue/white letterman jacket.

Michael and Randy continued to read their books, when James passed by, knocking down all of Michael's supplies onto the floor. This careless behavior infuriated the green-haired boy.

"Do you even mind?!" Michael whispered loudly, leaping out of his seat.

"Shut up!" James whispered back.

Randy began to grow worried as he saw Michael walking towards James. This kind of behavior was not acceptable, especially during a test.

"Mike," Randy began, gathering his supplies, "I think we should move our seats."

Michael did not listen. As Randy moved to another seat, the green-haired kid began to growl at James, taunting him. Instead, James growled back, and the two continued their careless antics, until they hit the pedestal on which an energy canister was positioned, and knocked it down onto the floor. The canister, however, though it landed with a thud on the stone floor, was sent flying across the room, unleashing its loud scream. The can hit Michael on the side, causing him to topple over and fall onto James. The lighting began to fluctuate and flicker. Students all over ducked and covered, including Johnny and his boys. Abigail watched the canister on its flight; its scream evoking flashbacks of a girl screaming in her room as her own monstrous wings beats loudly. Once the broken canister landed on the floor, Michael and James looked up in shock as the terrifying dean flew down to the floor, her forceful landing causing the room to tremble. Fearful, Randy closed his eyes and vanished, watching from among the other students.

"My one souvenir from the Realm of the Sun, from a lifetime of Energy Harvesting," Abigail started, "Destroyed by the selfish, careless behavior of two unruly freshmen. You know what they say; accidents happen. The important thing is that no one got hurt."

Michael and James stood up from the floor, taking a deep breath.

"Since you want to be the center of attention," Abigail started, "I will give you the final exam myself. Henshin shite kudasai (変身してください; Please transform)."

Michael's and James' bodies became glowing white silhouettes; one enveloped in a green light, and the other in a blue glow with purple dots. The two emerged; Michael as a literal walking eyeball with a green skin covering, and James as a majestic and imposing beast covered with soft, polka dotted fur. Abigail approached Michael first.

"I am a boy from the state of Michigan with a fear of evil alien overlords from the planet Z," Abigail started, "Which scare do I use?"

"Oh!" Michael exclaimed, "That's a lightsaber-ignite/cybernetic iron lung breath of doom."

"Demo shite kudasai (デモしてください)," Abigail ordered, "That means demonstrate."

Michael inhaled as much breath as possible, but as he was about to perform his scare, Abigail cut him off, saying, "That's it. I've seen enough."

After Michael, Abigail made her way to James and started with, "I am a 2-year-old girl from Osaka prefecture—"

"ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!" James roared in Abigail's face, which unsurprisingly, did not disturb her concentration.

"Nobody studies scaring," James started, "I'm a natural, I don't need to know that stuff."

"That 'stuff'," began Abigail, "would have told you that this particular child is a 2-year old girl with a fear of snakes. A roar would not make her scream, but rather cry, therefore alerting the parents and thus exposing and endangering the kaiju and the Realm of the Moon."

At that moment, James' face fell as Abigail walked away from the two of them.

"I am sorry to say this," Abigail started solemnly, "But you two will not be continuing in the Energy Harvesting program. My decision is final."

As James walked away in sorrow, Abigail approached Michael more gently.

"What you lack," Abigail began, "is something that cannot be taught. You're not scary. I want the two of you to get out from my presence NOW!"

Michael felt his face boiling hot as he ran outside the room, James following behind him. The two did not look at each other at all, Michael ran to the library, and James to the cafeteria. As Johnny and his frat boys were about to leave and set fire to James's jacket, they heard Professor Knight call the next student. The decided to stay and watch the show.

"Boggs-san," Professor Knight called out, "It's your turn."

"Yes, Knight-sensei," Randy bowed, trembling nervously as walked up to the simulator. Slowly opening the door, he entered; the students watching him as a theater audience and the teacher making direct eye contact with him.

"I am a girl with a fear of undead acrobats," Professor Knight gave the information, "Which scare do I use?"

Randy closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, "The trapeze flight of a 1,000 ghosts," he answered boldly.

"Demonstrate," Professor Knight ordered.

Randy took another deep breath, and his body glowed white, surrounded by a purple light, finally emerging as a creature whose body was that of a tree monitor lizard/python with eight limbs that had the hands and feet of a gecko, fronds like an iguana's scutes, and once he leapt up to the wall and clung to it, his iridescent amethyst scales blended into the yellow floral wallpaper as a chameleon's scales would. The whole class was astounded; even Johnny and his boys were left with their eyes wide open. Back on the stage, Randy gracefully swung himself across the ceiling, re-appearing and vanishing several times, until he finally was within face distance of the child mannequin. At that second, he hissed and cackled loudly, sending the mannequin screaming until the mock-canister was filled to the top.

"Oh my," Professor Knight was blown away, "That was a beautiful performance."

Randy leapt off the stage, reverting back to his human form.

"Thank you, Sensei," Randy smiled.

The students clapped for Randy. Johnny and his fraternity brothers were still in shock, but highly impressed with his performance.


Winter break had passed, and a short winter session had begun. The trees were no longer filled with flowers or leaves of any sort. Students walked the paths and halls of the campus bundled up with their coats and other warm accessories.

Inside a small classroom sat Michael listening to a less-than-exciting lecture on Energy Canister design being narrated by a yellow fur-haired teacher with a clown nose and wearing a suit with a large bow tie. He looked out the window; his gaze set on the bare trees.

The trees are dead, like all my hopes and dreams, Michael pondered, The sky is dreary and gray, like my future. But then again, the seasons change, and soon spring will come, which means sakura blooming and hanami picnics to go with it.

Michael looked across the room, only to see an angry James staring at him, crushing a canister with his powerful hand.


After the class was dismissed, Michael walked with James continuing to stare him down. As they made their way down the steps, however, James tightened his hands into fists, and punched Michael down the steps, causing him to hit his head on the pavement, and his nose to bleed. Before the larger one could throw another punch, Michael stood up and kicked James, sending him falling backwards and stubbing his tail on the pavement. All the students gathered around, watching to see what would happen next.

And thus, Michael and James' rivalry had reached its breaking point; a physical fight between the two broke out. Randy came walking by, and caught sight of the scene. He could not let such a horrible thing happen to his friend; he had to do something. Thinking fast, the lacertilian humanoid turned invisible, blending in with the crowd as he shouted out, "Let him go!"

"Who said that?" James looked around, only to see that the students were just staring.

"Uh, I'm just watching," answered one student, "None of us even opened our mouths."

"I said, let him go!" the voice spoke again, Randy appearing before James' eyes. He stood there with his arms tightened, and his tail poised, glaring at the large boy sternly.

"Oh yeah, wimp?" James mocked, "How's a weakling like you going to take me down?! Oh, don't tell me; you're gonna tickle me with that tail of yours? You stupid, pathetic waste!"

Randy could feel himself growing tense at James' insults. "My tail has enough force to be used as a whip, and if I transform right now, my form will be able to constrict you as a python would. I do not wish to use my strength against you, but if you keep this up any longer, I will have to call faculty, because I cannot let you hurt anyone and I don't want to have to hurt you in order to save Mike. So please, I beg you, let him go."

As James continued to grip Michael forcefully, he could see Randy about to walk into the class building. At that moment, he released his grip on Michael, and Randy came running back to catch him.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Randy glared at James again.

James roared, and Randy hissed back as he left with Michael, helping him to at least walk.


"Thanks for saving me," Michael sighed, laying down on the beanbag chair, "But I'll never be an Energy Harvester now."

"There's always a way," Randy looked up from his textbook, trying to comfort Michael, "I know that Sullivan is bad news, and I don't want to be the 'I told you so' person, but you should have let it be, and if he doesn't apologize for knocking down your books, then it's his problem."

"He punched me down the steps," Michael interrupted.

Randy sighed, "You should have told a teacher, not fight back. I didn't even feel good about having to threaten him to save you. You can use words instead of fists to solve your problems."

"Well, that's the way life is!" Michael shouted, "You don't know because you've never really lived a real life, have you?! You're gonna have to get used to it; life's not all nice and rosy and picture perfect, you know."

Randy felt gut-punched for a moment. "Mike, are you insulting me?", he asked, trembling.

"I didn't mean it that way," Michael continued, "But you're gonna learn one day that—"

"Just because you've probably dealt with people punching and kicking you doesn't mean you're gonna fight their fire with your fire," Randy shot back, "You know, let's forget this and go for some lunch, okay?"

"You can go have lunch by yourself," Michael shot back, "I'm not hungry."

Randy felt like he was going to cry. He closed his eyes, and quietly left the room, whispering, "I'm sorry, Mike," as he put on his winter coat and mittens.

By the time Randy left, it was too late for Michael to apologize for his temper towards him.

Please come back soon, Randy. I'm sorry for snapping like that.

Michael sat on a cushion, and lay his head on the table of the kotatsu as he tucked his legs underneath the plush quilt. He took a book on Energy Canister Design, and started to read it.


"I save his life today, and he just snaps at me because he's out of the Energy Harvesting Program, and thinks I'm too soft. I wish he didn't have to think that fighting back will fix anything; I just avoid that Sullivan jerk altogether to save myself the trouble."

Randy was seated at a booth at the local fast food restaurant "Donburi Diner"; only an oyakodon bowl and a cup of hot cocoa to keep him company. As he ate his meal, five handsome and well-built young men with cardinal-colored sweaters and shirts that bore shimmering gold Greek letters approached him. Their towering appearance intimidated Randy at first, realizing who they were; Roar Omega Roar.

"You guys," Randy started, nervously, "What do you want?"

"We saw your performance during the final exam last semester," started Johnny, "And I just wanted to say, very impressive. And very original too."

Randy blushed out of the sudden flattery. "Why, thank you," he answered, smiling. Oh wow, elite fraternity boys like my scare talent!

"I was thinking," Johnny began, "The Scare Games are coming up, and we're a member short since that James failed so epically, so we were thinking that a man of your talent, skill, and grace could be a major help to us. And you could stand with us in glorious victory as we shine in First Place once more."

Randy could not believe his ears, "You really want me to be one of you guys?"

"Of course!" Chet exclaimed, "You'll go from a nobody to a somebody once you put on the cardinal sweater and bear our golden letters!"

"You will stand out," Johnny continued, "and blend in no more."

Randy was filled with excitement and wonder. His emerald eyes sparkled with his undying, untainted hope and dreams of popularity and friends.

"But, I'm not," Randy started off, "I'm not all big and strong and handsome as you gentlemen are...I'm small and always too nervous."

"That's because you have a much different appeal rather than brawn and muscle," explained Chet, "Some sorority girls may favor more cutesy, shy guys like you."

Randy chuckled, a red blush spread across his face, "You know, you guys are right. Speaking of which, I've actually befriended some already. Wait 'til they see me as Randy Boggs, Frat Boy in Training!"

The other young men chuckled along with him. "Well, hope to see you soon!" Johnny exclaimed, "But before we go..."

One of the other boys, Javier Rios, opened up a box with a cardigan-style sweater, and handed it to Randy. With eyes beaming with delight, Randy put on the cardigan and danced happily on the tiled restaurant floor.

"Glad you like it," Johnny remarked, rubbing Randy's shoulder, "We've got to get going now. See you at the RΩR house!"

Randy sighed blissfully. A goofy smile spread across his lavender-freckled face as he continued to eat his lunch bowl.

"Nerds," Chet laughed with the other boys as they left the restaurant, "The outcasts of the popularity ladder; and this one just has to be the most gullible I've ever met."

"In time, Boggs-san will know his place on campus," Johnny followed up, "because Roar Omega Roar is no place for a stupid nobody like him. For now, he is our main asset in winning the games once more."


Back in the dorm, Michael was now laying down in his bed as he bounced a rubber ball against the wall. A bored look spread across his face, which then changed into a look of shock when he accidentally bounced the ball wrong, and it knocked down his school calendar. When it fell, however, it revealed something that Michael forgot about long ago; the flyer he picked up at the beginning of the school year.

It was the flyer for the Scare Games. With a spark of hope, Michael took the flyer, and ran out of the room.


And so that was Chapter Three. Hopefully I can fix up Chapter Four soon. I actually have eight full chapters done and I am halfway through the ninth, but kinda stuck with it.

次回予告 (jikai yokoku; NEXT TIME):

Michael may have found his way back into the Energy Harvesting Program, but the laughing and mocking isn't helping. And the catch? Sounds like a NO WAY JOSE, but there might not be another way. Also, for all you RΩR fans, a fascinating look at a fraternity banquet to welcome new pledges.

See you all next time.