sorry the first chapter had such a long authors note, and im aware that probably no one read it khkjdhfj i'll try to keep them short from now on.i do tend to just write like REALLY long authors notes for the first chapters of all my stories, i just have a lot to say most of the time lmao. sorry as well for any mistakes there might be, i think i caught them all but i could have missed some lol
Also michaela wears crop tops and high waisted pants because i say so lol
EDIT: whats up guys! i havent edited the next chapter yet because i began working on a new fic for pokemon legends arceus because i have NO control over my life, but I'll try to post the next chapter for this story at some point in the future. until there's a ref for michaela up! you'll need to go to the ao3 version of this fic tho, sorry lmao. its under the same title and my name there is Potent_Dog_Enegergy. check the 2nd chapter for it :) i really wish fanfic would just let you post links or even pictures in chapters. oh well
i do think she might look somewhat wonky in the drawing, it could just be my imagination tho. also i drew her with an oozma kappa t-shirt instead of a hat because while she IS going to start off with a hat, she gets shirt later.
anyway i'll probably going to make 2 more refs for both sulley and randall, but until then you guys can go ahead and have that!
"Monsters University!" The driver called out as the bus squealed to a stop. "Anybody gettin' off?"
Two suitcases were thrown into the aisle, followed by a nearly full-grown Michaela with a backpack filled to bursting looped tightly around her shoulders and strapped over her chest, her entire body brimming with excitement as she beamed. She turned to the rest of the bus's occupants.
"Well everyone, I don't mean to get emotional, but everything in my life has led me to this moment." She began, picking up her suitcases as she slowly began backing down the aisle. "Let it not be just the beginning of my dream, but the beginning of all of our dreams."
"Gladys, promise me you'll keep auditioning! Marie, Mr. Right it is out there somewhere! Phil, just keep using the ointment until that thing goes away!" She reached the end of the aisle, dropping her suitcase to extend her arms toward everyone. "I wish you all the best, and thank you all so much!"
No one responded as the bus's seated patrons stared at her, Phil slowly turning beet red.
After a moment the driver leaned around her seat, looking at the girl from over her shoulder.
"I'm welling up with tears." She said flatly, "Now get off."
Unphased, Michaela took her suitcases back into her hands and hopped down the bus's steps. She stopped just before the footpath, taking a deep breath before resolutely stepping over the line between asphalt and the paved stone of the campus. Exhaling happily, she looked up at the iron gates of the school with unbridled happiness, passing underneath the iron words welded across the gate: Monsters University.
She strolled into the grounds of grand, ivy-covered classic architecture, walking through the expansive grassy quad where people of all shapes, sizes, and colors were mingling about beneath the abundant trees that stretched across the campus.
A student with multiple arms was stapling posters to a signpost, Michaela passing by him with a wave as she offered greetings to anyone who neared her. A boy on a skateboard whizzed by, doing a quick kick-flip over the walkway before continuing down the adjacent path. Another massive student with bright purple hair stepped gingerly over Michaela before continuing to chase after a colossal frisbee, catching it with a whoop before sending it flying back. The giant disc went sailing over Michaela's head, the girl laughing slightly as she held down her worn cap before it was blown from her hair.
She made her way over a long stone bridge, leaning over its edge to peer down into the clear water and catch a glimpse of the aquatic students swimming deeper into an underwater section of the campus.
Setting her suitcases down, she craned an arm back and unzipped her backpack with only minor difficulty, taking out a notepad with a neat script written across it.
She clicked her pen, "Okay, first thing on my list—Get registered!"
A boy with a T-shirt that had the words "Smile Squad" printed across the chest stepped up to her, leaning his head down to look her in the eyes with a bright smile on his face.
"Hey there, freshman!" He greeted, standing back up to his full height when he was sure he'd caught her attention, "I'm Jay the RA, and I'm here to say that registration is that way!
She smiled back at him twice as brightly, snatching her bags back up, "Okay, Jay!"
"Have a great first day!" He called after her as she took off in the direction he had pointed.
She approached the registration table overshadowed by a big blue banner attached to the brick building behind it that simply read "Registration."
A smiling girl greeted her, handing her a blue folder filled with papers, "Hey, I'm Kay! Here's our orientation packet!"
Michaela took the offered packet from her with her own smile.
"Thanks, Kay!"
"You can drop your bags off here and get your picture taken with Trey!" She said, motioning towards the building behind her.
Michaela set her bags to the side in the marked area for them to be transported to the dormitories before making her way into the building and entering a classroom with a paper taped to the door that read "Picture IDs".
She sat down over a chair in front of a camera, the resident assistant readying it.
"Say hooray!" He said.
"Hooray!" Michaela smiled broadly, the camera flashing.
She received her student ID outside the building as soon as it was printed, the girl looking it over in awe. The picture cut off at around the base of her chin.
"I can't believe it." She said, gazing down at the laminated card that showed her name, signature, and major. A beaming smile overtook her features, "I'm officially a college student!"
A student guide with deep blue hair and a mouth of sharp teeth passed by with a group of freshmen gathering around her.
"Okay, everyone! I'm Fay," She announced, "And I'll be giving you your orientation tour on this perfect day!"
Michaela quickly joined up with the assembling group as the student guide began to lead them across the campus.
She fell into an easy walk next to a lanky boy with purple hair and round glasses, a long lizard-like tail trailing behind him. Glancing up, she caught his eye after a few tries, smiling up at him.
"Hello!" She greeted.
He looked down at her, then around him before looking back at her once more and pointing at himself questioningly.
"Yes, you!" She confirmed with a short nod, "My name's Michaela. Michaela Wazowski."
"Oh, uh. Randall. Randall Boggs. But um, please just call me Randy." He awkwardly held out his hand for her to take, which she did, shaking it with gusto.
"This is so exciting, isn't it?" She said, taking a quick glance around the campus, "I mean, just being here."
"Oh, yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm more nervous than anything."
She gave him a questioning look. "I don't see any reason to be nervous."
"Well, the scaring program is supposed to be pretty hard—"
"You're a scaring major too?" She asked excitedly.
He stared down at her for a moment, "Are you?"
"Yeah!" She exclaimed brightly.
"Oh, uh. Imagine that." He attempted to smile at her.
They continued to talk at the back of the group as they approached the School of Engineering, the two quieting down when the group entered the building.
"This is where the students learn to design and build doors to the human world," The guide explained as they passed lab after lab. They came to a stop at the window of a dimly lit workshop, their guide peering into the room alongside them. "Looks like the professor is about to test a door!"
A nondescript figure in a white biohazard suit swiped a card over a scanner, pushing open the door to the lab as the group of freshmen stared into the sparsely lit room. The light above the door set in the station flickered red as the professor carefully turned the brass knob and creaked the door open. Michaela just barely caught a glimpse of a human child's moonlit bedroom before the door was shut within seconds of being open.
They exited the building after looking through a few more labs as well as some classrooms, trekking across the shaded campus and continuing down the stone path towards a large building of thick columns and a domed, tarnished copper roof.
"The campus offers a wide variety of majors, but the crowned jewel of MU," The student guide gestured to the building, "Is the scaring school."
Michaela shielded her eyes against the sun as she looked up at the building, the rest of the group following after the guide as she continued onwards while Michaela stood there for a moment in awe. Randall stepped up next to her, clearing his throat as he discreetly glanced down at her before looking back up at the building, floundering for something to say.
"So…"
"This is amazing." Michaela said, looking up at him, "Isn't it? I honestly can't believe that I'm even here."
"Yeah, I know the feeling." He rubbed at his arm a little, "I'm surprised I was accepted."
"Don't say that," Michaela scolded, shoving lightly at the taller boy, "I bet you have every right to be here as I do!"
"...Yeah." He finally said after a moment, though he didn't sound convinced.
"Come on, let's catch up with the group." She said, grabbing him by his purple sweater and pulling him along as he sputtered out protests, something about it being cashmere.
After the tour began to drag on, Michaela came to the decision that she'd seen enough of the campus for the moment, breaking off from the group and content with staying behind and perusing the colorful tables offering memberships for a variety of clubs. She waved goodbye to Randall, who waved back before heading off with the group of other freshmen.
She passed by the debate team manned by a girl with two heads arguing mercilessly with each other, walking by a deep purple table. She jumped nearly a foot in the air when a boy popped up from behind it.
"Hey there!" He exclaimed, "Keep your eye on the sky—At the astronomy club!"
She walked on, passing the art club table just as a boy with long shaggy hair dipped his curled locks into a bucket of pink paint, slapping the strands across an empty canvas. Michaela smiled at him nervously when he turned to look at her, hurriedly excusing herself.
She passed by more tables, taking her time as she looked over the booths, regardless if she found herself interested in any of the options she'd seen so far.
Making her way past the Greek Council table, she paid it no mind until the girl at the booth's bored voice rang out.
"MU's Greek council. We sponsor the annual Scare Games."
She paused, quickly backpedaling to the booth.
"Th-The scare what now?" She asked, taking a flier from a stack on the table and looking up at the two students manning the table.
"THE SCARE GAMES!" The boy yelled, slamming his fist over the table with explosive energy, "A super intense scaring competition!"
"They're crazy dangerous." The girl said, narrowing her eyes at her. "So anything could happen."
"A bunch of guys went to the hospital last year!" the boy cried into Michaela's face, who was looking between the two in growing excitement.
"You could totally die." The girl leaned over the table towards her.
"And it's WORTH IT!" The boy brought his arms down over the table hard, "You get a chance to prove that you are the best!"
Michaela looked down over the flyer.
"Cool…" She said under her breath, gingerly tucking the flyer into her orientation packet.
She looked around a while longer, enjoying the massive amount of variety there was for just one school before deciding she'd had her fill.
After getting turned around a few times trying to make her way across the sprawling campus, she eventually managed to find her way to the co-ed dormitories, meeting with the resident adviser at his desk. She gave him her name and showed her student ID before he turned to a wall of keys behind him, searching for a moment before selecting the correct one.
"Wazowski, room three-nineteen." He said, handing her the key. "According to my file, your neighbor's a scare major too! Right across from you!"
Michaela's smile lit up the entire hallway at that. Clutching her key, she located and grabbed her luggage from where it had been stacked up against a wall of other students' things that were awaiting pickup. She rushed down the hall, quickly climbing up the flight of stairs to the second floor as she silently repeated her dorm number to herself.
Tracking down her room, she unlocked the door with her key and stepped inside, glancing around the small space as she set her suitcases over the floor. She unbuckled the strap over her chest, and let her backpack fall from her shoulders with a thump. Looking around, there was a bare bed pressed against the left wall paired with a wooden desk and chair, on the opposite side an empty bookshelf and a short wooden dresser ready to be filled. Nodding to herself happily, she turned from her new room and approached the dorm opposite her, reaching up and knocking on its door.
She waited a moment in silence. When she didn't receive a reply, she tried again. Still no answer.
She shrugged to herself. They probably weren't there yet.
As she was turning back towards her dorm, ready to start unpacking, she heard a familiar voice.
"Michaela?"
She glanced down the hallway and spotted Randall approaching her, fingering the keyring in his hand.
"Randy!" She cried, holding her arms out in greeting.
"Looks like we're neighbors." He said, smiling down at her.
"Looks like it!" She agreed, punching his shoulder.
He laughed a little, rubbing at where her fist had collided with him.
"We should unpack. Wanna hang out after we're done?" She asked brightly, glancing back through her open door where her bags lay over the hardwood floor.
He nodded, "Sure. I—"
He promptly yelped as someone down the hall dropped a stack of boxes, the boy vanishing on the spot.
All Michaela could see were his clothes and glasses. Then, a moment later, he reappeared.
"You just disappeared." She noted dumbly.
"Yeah, sorry," He looked down, cheeks flushing pink to his ears, "If I do that in scaring class I'll be a joke."
"No! It's totally great!" Michaela said enthusiastically, "You gotta use that!"
"O-Oh, really?" He asked, pushing his glasses up his pointed nose.
"Yeah!" She urged, "Get some clothes that'll disappear with you, lose the glasses, and you'll be set."
Randall hesitated before taking off his thick glasses, looking around and squinting his reptilian eyes against the sudden blurriness.
After making her bed, hanging her collection of scaring posters up, tacking the Scare Games flyer to the wall, and stuffing her clothes into place in her new wardrobe, Michaela happily invited Randall into her dorm.
He entered the space warily like she'd booby-trapped it for him as she busied herself putting the last of her books away, the boy sitting down at her desk and watching as she reached into the open suitcase at her heels and retrieved her stuffed teddy, placing it on the shelf and silently declaring herself done. She walked over to the desk, leaning around Randall and taking her notebook, looking over her checklist as she jumped onto her bed and bounced on the mattress slightly.
"Okay, make bed? Check. Hang posters? Check. Unpack books? Check," She said, ticking off her list with a pen, "Now I need to ace my classes, graduate with honors, and become the greatest scarer ever!"
Randall spun from side to side in the chair at her desk as he regarded her for a moment, speaking after a short silence.
"Boy, I wish I had your confidence, Michaela. Aren't you even a little nervous?"
"Actually, no." She shook her head, "I've been waiting for this my entire life,"
She removed her cap from her head, looking down at the MU hat she'd gotten from the scarer all those years ago. Standing from her spot on the bed, she placed the hat on the sill of the window that looked out over the scaring school, the girl smiling to herself before glancing back at her new friend.
"I just can't wait to get started."
The next day Michaela woke up bright and early, snuggling into her duvet for a moment longer before arching her back in a long stretch, letting out a yawn she didn't bother to stifle.
She changed out of her pajamas and into a simple pair of high-waisted shorts and a cropped shirt, shrugging on an oversized cardigan that skimmed her thighs. Pulling her socks on followed by a pair of simple white shoes, she stuffed her canvas messenger bag with her needed course materials for scaring class. She set out her things for all her other courses over her bed and desk, intent on coming back between classes to collect what she would need so that there was no need for her to lug around each and every textbook she had.
Adjusting her bag's strap over her chest as she went over her schedule once more, she grabbed her student ID from her desk and exited her dorm, sliding it into her pant's pocket.
She took a few steps forwards and stopped in front of Randall's door, folding up her schedule and stashing it away along with her ID before reaching out and knocking.
"Randy!" She called. "You up?"
A loud thump was audible from inside the room, making Michaela lightly furrow her brows in mild concern as she listened to the sound of someone scrambling for the door before it wrenched open.
"Good morning!" She greeted. His hair was mussed and he was in his pajamas—If you called just boxer shorts pajamas.
"M-Michaela!" He stammered, "Hi! I didn't think you'd be up so early."
"I wanted to get a headstart on the day," She replied, "Wanna head to the cafeteria with me?"
"With... you?" He asked, sounding confused.
"Well, yeah." She shrugged, smile faltering a little, "That's not… a problem, is it?"
"What? Oh! No, no! Not at all!" He hurriedly said, "I just—I didn't—"
"Didn't what?" She slightly cocked her head up at him.
"Didn't… think you'd want to hang out with me… again." He finally said, hanging his head a little.
"Randy!" She scolded, voice an octave higher than usual as she reached out and slapped his shoulder.
"Ow—"
"Why wouldn't I want to hang out with you? We're scare major buddies!
He flushed a little, mumbling, "I don't know…"
"You go ahead and get dressed. I'll be waiting for you in the student lounge." She said, smiling up at him, "Also, you might want to close the door."
"Why?"
"You're in nothing but your boxers."
He let out a shriek as he slammed the door in her face, Michaela giving a short laugh.
Still snickering in amusement, she made her way down the hallway and towards the stairs, skipping down the steps two at a time and turning towards the lounge where she flopped down over a plush sofa, practically sinking into its cushions like quicksand.
She laced her fingers together and settled them over her lap, crossing one ankle over the other as she glanced up at the wall clock and watched the little hand slowly tick its way around the clock face.
She was jostled in her spot on the cushions when a hulking figure took a seat next to her, resting their arm behind her on the couch.
"Hey," A voice greeted. She turned to its owner, coming face to face with a boy with dark winding horns perched above his flaming red hair. His smile showed off rows of sharp teeth.
"Oh." She said, "Hi?"
"I'm Declan." He said casually. "What about you?"
"Michaela."
"Cool," He hummed as he nodded, "What's your major, 'Kayla?"
"Michaela." She corrected before letting a beaming smile overtake her face as she proudly announced, "And I'm a scaring major."
"No way. You?" He gave a hearty laugh, slapping a hand over her thigh a few times like she'd just told him a hilarious joke. "You're way too adorable to be with those guys!"
"I am not!" She protested, straightening her back defensively as she picked up the hand resting on her thigh and set it down far away from her.
"You are!" He reached out and pinched her cheek teasingly, "You're adorable!"
She swatted his hand away with a scowl.
"If this is how you attempt to make friends you need to rethink your technique ." She gave him a mild glare as she crossed her arms over one another.
"Oh come on," He said, nudging her shoulder, "Don't be so stuck up."
"I am not stuck up!" She argued, moving to stand, fully intent on just walking away. She yelped however when she was suddenly pulled back down, landing halfway in his lap.
"Why are you freshman girls always so prickly." He said, rolling his eyes, "I'm only trying to be friendly."
"Is your idea of being friendly really just being a general nuisance to people?" She attempted to pull away from him. "Because that's the most obnoxious thing ever."
"Babe, don't be like that—"
"Is there a, uh. Problem? Here?" A voice said. Michaela peered around her shoulder, eyes lighting up at the sight of Randall standing behind them, his purple tail flicking agitatedly.
"Randy!" She cried happily, finally yanking free of the other boy once and for all and skirting around the sofa to take her friend by the arm. If she noticed the way he stared intently down at where she had grabbed hold of him, she didn't mention it. "Come on, let's get out of here."
She led him away from the other boy who looked after them with a scoff.
"Did you—Did you know that guy?" Randall asked after a moment of them walking.
"Nah." She shook her head. "Just some annoying jerk."
"Oh. Okay," He said, "That's… good then."
They sat outside the cafeteria under the shade of a thick oak tree, Michaela attempting to go over the first chapter of their Scaring 101 textbook with Randall, but eventually giving up when she saw it was only making him increasingly nervous. He barely looked at the granola bar he'd been trying to eat despite Michaela's insistence that he needed to eat if he wanted his strength for class.
Throwing their garbage away, they sat back beneath the tree as they waited for it to grow closer to 8 AM. Crosschecking their schedules, they found they both had Scaring 101 as their first class of the day, Michaela immediately diving into every single scaring textbook that she'd packed with her in her messenger bag despite the class syllabus stating that they only needed the basics for the first day.
As it neared 8 AM they began their trek across the campus, coming upon the School of Scaring as Michaela eagerly dragged Randall along behind her, insisting that he was being too slow. As they approached the steps, the campus bell rang out the hour as students began hurrying to their classes.
She hopped up the steps, not once letting go of Randall as she dragged him along, passing through a wide hallway and filing into a large circular room with a steady stream of students.
She looked up in awe at the large domed ceiling above her. Portraits of famous scarers lined the walls, tilted downward ever so slightly as if to look over the students. Four scream canisters on pedestals accompanied by marble busts of scarers stood against the wall between the auditorium-like seating and the small stage that took the forefront of the lecture hall, a wheeled chalkboard rolled out in front of it.
Michaela and Randall took their seats at the front, boxed in by much larger and bulkier students. One of them looked down over Michaela, nudging his neighbor and motioning towards her with his head.
"You gotta be kidding me." He muttered.
"I'm so nervous," Randall whispered to the girl sitting at his side.
"Relax, it'll be fine," She assured, looking at him with a smile before taking out her Scaring 101 textbook again along with a blank notebook and a pencil.
The room quieted down as their professor entered the room. He was a thick-necked, no-nonsense looking man with a crown of short horns sprouting from his bald head and a pair of glasses balanced over his boxy nose.
"Good morning students," He greeted, writing his name out on the chalkboard followed by Scaring 101. He gazed around the room. "Welcome to scaring 101. I am Professor Knight. Now, I'm sure all of you were the scariest monsters in your town, but bad news. You're in my town now, and I do not scare easily—"
A shadow fell over the professor, making him jump and look to one of the high circular windows on the walkway above that the sun had been streaking in through, a woman perched there.
She abruptly flew in a downward arch and landed heavily on the floor.
The class watched as the lithe woman flexed her leathery wings before folding them back behind her and looking over the seated students, a stern frown on her thin lips.
"Dean Hardscrabble," Professor Knight acknowledged, "This is a pleasant surprise."
Michaela nudged at Randall excitedly with her elbow.
"She's a legend," She whispered feverishly, motioning to one of the scare cans on the pedestals, "She broke the all-time scare record with the scream in that very can!"
"I don't mean to interrupt," Dean Hardscrabble said, approaching her scream can and brushing away nonexistent dust from its metal surface, "I just thought I'd drop by to see the... terrifying faces joining my program."
"Well," Professor Knight began, "I'm sure my students would love to hear a few words of inspiration."
"Inspiration?" She questioned, "Very well."
She slowly turned to the class, looking them over a long moment before speaking.
"Scariness is the true measure of a monster. If you're not scary, what kind of monster are you?" She peered across the lecture hall's stair-like seating, "It's my job to make great students greater, not mediocre students less mediocre."
She continued on with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "That is why at the end of the semester, there will be a final exam. Fail that exam, and you are out of the Scaring Program."
A number of students shifted nervously in place.
"I hope you are all properly inspired," She concluded, spreading her wings and promptly soaring upwards out through the open window of the walkway above, disappearing.
Professor Knight stepped forward and quieted the class when they broke out in murmurs.
"Alright, alright," He said, glancing over the students. "Now, who can tell me the properties of an effective roar?"
The class was silent, no one moving a muscle as the students looked between each other. After a moment, an arm rose into the air.
"Yes?" The professor motioned to Michaela.
"There are actually, uh, five basic principles." She began a little nervously, counting off on her fingers. "Those include the roar's resonance, the duration of the roar, and—"
A roaring bellow suddenly shook the room and its occupants, Michaela jolting in surprise like she'd been stung.
The room turned to the class's entrance. A disheveled 6'5" boy with blue hair streaked with purple spots interrupted by two curved horns, and a similar shaggy tail with blunt spines along the top that trailed behind him stumbled into the classroom.
"Whoops, sorry." He said, running a hand through his hair as if he'd just woken up, "I heard someone say roar, so I just kinda went for it."
He began to nudge his way across a row of students, trying not to squish people as he went by, "'Scuse me, sorry."
Professor Knight calmly raised an eyebrow, "Very impressive, Mr…?"
"Sullivan! Jimmy Sullivan." He answered, still making his way to the single empty seat.
"Sullivan? Like, Bill Sullivan?" The professor asked, "The scarer?"
"Yeah. He's my dad." He shrugged with an easy grin.
"He's a Sullivan?" The student next to Michaela whispered as the rest of the class murmured amongst themselves.
"I should've known. I expect big things from you." Professor Knight said, giving the boy a nod.
"Well, you won't be disappointed." He said confidently, finally taking his seat.
"Uh, I'm sorry," Michaela spoke up, "Sh-Should I keep going?"
"No, no," Professor Knight waved her off, "Mr. Sullivan covered it."
Michaela sat down, disappointed. She glanced back at the boy, who shot two finger pistols at the professor accompanied by a wink.
Professor Knight gave an amused 'heh' before moving on, "Everyone take out your scaring textbooks and open them to chapter one."
The boy leaned over to the student in front of him, "Hey bub. Can I borrow a pencil? Forgot all my stuff."
Michaela shot him an annoyed look, turning away when their eyes caught.