Sorry it's been so long since I last wrote anything! It's just, I've been so busy with schoolwork and stuff...the usual excuses, you know. And I'm sorry that this is a pretty short chapter- I organise my storyline into chapters before I write a single word of the real thing, and this is how it came out, so...there ya go!
Chapter 12- Deals
Once again, barely a customer had stepped foot into Storm in a Teacup that morning. Randall was sat on a stool, bored stiff, waiting for the inevitable- lunch. It was the only time, really, that he and Zephyr made any profit, and it was barely enough to keep them afloat. In some ways, though, this didn't bother Randall- he had lived in poverty several times in his life, for several different reasons, so he was, in a sense, used to it. Whether or not this made Randall even more desperate to earn some big money was a question that even he was unable to answer.
His eyes kept flickering from his favourite spot on the floor to the clock a metre or two above. He sighed. A train of thought hooted, travelling across his mind, interrupting his mission of keeping an eye out for customers. The driver of this train was, inevitably, Zephyr. There she was, smiling away, holding a gun towards Randall's heart and offering him a hug at the same time. Utterly confusing- that's what she was- and she revelled in it.
The little bell that was placed to alert the worryingly unsatisfied owners of Storm in a Teacup of any customers and that was slowly becoming covered in a thickening layer of dust tinkled. It looked shocked, as though this wasn't meant to happen. Randall's train of thought exploded, leaving him with his customer, and he tilted his head slightly, peering down an aisle. What he saw made him sit up in attention, and the intricate workings of his mind feverishly got back to business. This was certainly going to be interesting.
"Hello, Randall," Sulley said, looking left and right as though he were expecting several monsters in yellow, rubbery uniforms to jump out at him.
"Sullivan," Randall replied, almost dismissively. Definitely going to be interesting…
"I want to talk to you."
"Yeah, not as though you were ever gonna buy anything, huh?" An edge of frustration came through Randall's voice, and he thought to explain himself, mainly because Sullivan's inquisitive looks were beginning to annoy him. "Business has been slow lately."
"It's a new place, and the locals aren't usually too keen on new places, so I'm sure things'll pick up."
"Let's hope so. You wanted to talk?"
"Uh, yes." Sullivan seemed almost taken aback at Randall remembering the whole point of this seemingly pointless conversation, and so took a moment to compose himself. "I've heard rumours," he said in an undertone, almost whispering.
"Rumours? What about?"
"Randall, I'm not in the mood for this-"
"You're talking to me, you have to be in the mood for a bit of banter, otherwise you might as well get out when you can." The lizard-monster shrugged. "It's true."
"You haven't changed, have you?" This really made Randall's blood boil. Changed? Changed? He'd changed more than Sullivan or anyone else could ever believe. But he kept his temper on a leash (barely), knowing that he'd get his satisfaction soon enough- IF this little chat with Sullivan went according to plan.
"Just get on with it. Rumours, right? I don't mean to jump the gun, but you're talking about rumours that, apparently, I've been spreading about what exactly happened in my absence, and why I even had an absence, right? Hmm? Okay, well this can be sorted ever so easily- you let me help out at MI, I shut up." Sullivan blinked. He didn't know what to say- Randall had just taken the words of his mouth, and since he was SUCH a smooth talker…
"Umm…Yeah. You're…right. But we'll have to agree on terms-"
"I'll come Friday afternoons and all day Saturday- when I'm free; Zephyr'll be able to watch the shop. I won't bother anyone- I'll be a good little boy, keep myself to myself, just get on with the work, which I presume will mainly be construction…?"
"Randall…I just…I don't understand."
"What? What don't you understand?"
"This is a loose-loose situation for you- you have to stop sullying mine and Mike's names, and work at MI. Why would you want to do this?"
"I thought I made myself clear earlier- I…I miss MI. It's true. And having those idiots come every lunch, demanding that I talk till I loose my voice...not exactly great fun for me, huh?"
"But you said so yourself that business is slow- isn't having those guys come in a good thing?"
"What, you think they actually buy stuff? You gotta be kidding me!" Randall sighed. "Anyways, I need something else to…stimulate my mind. Need to keep busy. I've spent the better part of a couple of centuries thinking about MI- as a kid, I dreamed of being a Scarer, and as a Scarer, I tried friggin' hard to enjoy my job as best I could to forget being a kid. Worked for a while, but then Waternoose had to ruin things, huh?" A concerned look spread over Sulley's face. He was ever so slightly resentful towards Randall, but the overpowering feelings of guilt that he had been experiencing for such a long time now threatened to banish this resentment, as it were. He knew how hard it must be, therefore, for Randall to talk about people like Waternoose. He took a deep breath and held it as the seemingly unperturbed lizard-monster nonchalantly continued. "Can't blame it all on him, though. If I hadn't been so naïve…I was practically a kid, and I was desperate for the spotlight. Look where it got me- with a shop and girl of my own. Not bad, don'tcha think?"
"So you consider…what's her name?"
"Zephyr."
"You think of her as your girlfriend, then?" Eyes narrowed, Randall scoured Sulley's expression, eventually relaxing.
"I dunno yet," he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck slowly. "So…about me helping at MI…?"
"I can't see any problems with the idea- if you're willing to work hard."
"You know me, Sullivan; when aren't I willing to work hard?" Randall half-heartedly smiled, struggling to keep his relief contained. "I appreciate it."
"It's the least I can do. Now…" It was Sulley's turn to smile, and he broke out into an almost full-blown grin. "Let me have a little look around this shop and see if I can help bring you some profit."
"No need, Sullivan-" Sulley interrupted.
"I insist." As Sulley went around the corner, searching the shelves for something cheap, cheery and maybe even useful, Randall smiled to himself. The big, stupid furry had fallen for the act- the lizard-monster knew he had got him hook, line and sinker the second he had mentioned Waternoose and that look of guilt came across the CEO's face. Now all he had to do was get into MI and carry out the remainder of his plan. But a glimpse of doubt made its way into Randall's mind.
It had all been easy- maybe too easy…There was the possibility, Randall concluded, that Sullivan might've accepted his offer simply because he knew of what the lizard-monster planned and wanted to put a stop to it.
Nah…Randall's conscience said, shaking its head. He's too dumb to figure out anything like that. In that second, Randall was convinced- I mean, it wasn't as though it was Sullivan's BRAINS that had got him the position of CEO, was it? Nope, just pure luck.
Hell, if RANDALL had had the luck that Sullivan experienced…Boy, he'd be rolling in it! Life would be so easy…
But, of course, that wasn't the way it was. For Randall, life was probably the hardest thing he had ever had to put up with, and by far the longest- all of those people out there complaining that life is too short must be maniacs! Then again, if any of them managed to catch even half the amount of luck Sullivan did, their lives are probably very cushy.
Sullivan left the shop, having bought some weird wind-up hula monster thing, (only 4.99- buy one, get one free!) leaving Randall all by his lonesome once again. This wasn't to last long, though- Zephyr had peeped her head round the corner, grinning madly, and proceeded to prod Randall. He raised an eye-ridge.
"So mature." Zephyr giggled. Sometimes she loved the way Randall reacted to the most normal of things, prodding being a perfect example.
"I just got off the phone to my friend," she started, batting her eyelids. "Claudia- you remember her?"
"She's another make-up attacking handbag maniac, right?"
"But of course!" Randall had never been able to work it out- Zephyr could be a sombre, almost depressive individual at times, but the company she made seemed the exact opposite. However, it did provide an explanation as to why Zephyr had been so cheery lately. "She wants me to stay round at hers for the weekend, help her with packing all of her stuff up."
"Packing?"
"Yeah, she's moving house. It's this weekend. Oh, and I'm not asking permission from you; I'm telling you." Randall shrugged. If he and Zephyr were ever to make anything out of their relationship, at least he could practically guarantee that she wouldn't be what all men dread of their other halves- clingy.
"Sure, whatever." Zephyr nodded.
"Nice to know that you care."
"Always willing to put the effort in."
"So, I'll just go pack my bags."
"It's Wednesday, deary."
"It pays to be prepared."
"Sure." Zephyr ran up the stairs to their flat, trying to conceal her excitement but bounding up the steps nonetheless, leaving Randall to man the shop. He didn't really know what to make of this whole 'sleepover' thing, but it meant that he'd be able to work at M.I. that weekend without too much disturbance. It didn't really bother him that they'd have to shut up shop for a couple of days- the miniscule profit they would've made was of a lesser value than spreading his knowledge around M.I.
Randall was sure to enjoy this weekend.
