Post by sgtyayap on Sept 7, 2009 16:12:56 GMT -5
I've PM'ed this story to another member, who felt I should give this a shot. Keep in mind: if you don't like slash, it is highly recommended NOT to read. Not that it's explicit, though. 
EDIT: Decided to remove the story. Theopilus Hatta's constructive criticism pretty much summarizes why, emphasis being on my writing technique combined with the odd ending. If any members still want to see it, I can PM them the story, as well as a similar oneshot.
EDIT#2: Oh, what the heck! Theophilus Hatta seemed to be okay with the story, as opposed to outright hating it, and I would like an idea for a more realistic ending, so I'm putting it back up!
EDIT#3: Made what I feel, and hopefully will be for the rest of you, is a better ending, including an extra chapter.
EDIT #4: Took it down again, for good now. Now that I think about it, it makes me seem embarrassing, especially regarding the pairing involved.
I can still PM the story, though, if anyone IS interested.
EDIT #5: I just can't make up my mind, can I?
I might keep it back up for the sake of anyone else who might be interested who are not members.
Remorse of Love
A Monsters, Inc. Fanfiction
Chapter One
It had been five years now. Five years since Sullivan first came across Boo. Five years since he began the conversion of Scare energy to Laugh energy.
Currently he was in his apartment with his roommate, Mike. It was 6:07 in the morning.
“Guess what good news there is!” Mike yelled in joy.
“The anniversary?” Sullivan asked.
“I’M ENGAGED!!” Mike screamed.
Sullivan’s grin slowly came off. He thought that Mike would have been caring regarding his feelings towards Boo. And then again, Mike did not show much love to her.
“Isn’t this great, Sulley!? I never thought I would get this far, but now-”
“Mike-”
“NOW I CAN HAVE KIDS!!”
“Mike, what happened to the anniversary?”
Mike actually looked confused. He quickly remembered, though.
“Oh, right. That.”
Sullivan gave a slightly cold look.
“Sulley, I’m happy about it! I especially loved kicking lizard boy’s butt!”
The moment Mike said ‘lizard boy,’ Sullivan remembered that as well. Slowly he walked to his room. He had just been grimly reminded about what he had done to an ex-coworker.
“Sulley?” Mike asked. “I’m being honest!!”
Sulley turned to him, “You don’t get it, do you, Mike!? We’re criminals!! We banished Randall when we should have given him to the authorities!”
Mike looked puzzled. “You make that sound as if it’s a bad thing.”
All Mike got in response was a slamming of the bedroom door.
Sullivan felt horrible as he collapsed onto his bed. He never thought he could feel grief so strong. He had committed a crime, even despite it was on another criminal. He now recalled Randall even begging him for mercy. And the worst part was that he could do nothing about it. The past could not be changed.
Unless...
Sullivan slowly rose his head out of the bed. Unless Randall was still alive.
Slowly a plan started forming in his head. He would rebuild the door of Randall’s prison, and try to find him.
Quickly he ran out of the apartment building.
“Sulley?” Mike asked.
“I need to be alone for a while,” Sullivan responded. He was never good at all-out lies, so he figured he’d be somewhat honest.
It seemed to take forever for him to drive to Monsters, Inc. Finally he pulled into his reserved parking space. Ignoring the monsters he accidentally bumped into, he headed over to Celia, the receptionist.
“I’d like an appointment with John Gruel.”
John Gruel was the manager of the factory’s Door Vault, the vault containing all of the portal doors into the human world.
Celia nodded. “I’ll get him right now,” she said, returning to the phone.
After a few minutes of waiting, Sullivan saw a blue amoeba monster.
“Mr. Gruel?” Sullivan asked.
The amoeba monster turned to him, “Yes?”
“I have a special project for your department,” Sullivan began, promising himself not to reveal too much.
********************
It took several days, much to the dismay of Sullivan, but a replica door was finally built.
Sullivan stared at the door, placed inside his office.
‘He might try to kill me in revenge,’ he thought.
He paused. This never occurred to him before. Randall was such an edgy person that it wouldn’t have surprised him now if the lizard monster did try to kill him.
For several minutes he stayed staring at the door in thought. Finally, he made his decision. Slowly he turned the doorknob and entered.
Chapter Two
Sullivan did not remember much about the place Randall was banished to, and his current surroundings reinforced that idea. He was in a trailer, which smelled really awful. He could faintly hear two humans snoring nearby.
Slowly he snuck outside. It was a swampland, most likely a part of Louisiana. It was night, fortunately, and yet he still didn’t feel right. He felt as if someone was watching him.
As soon as he realized this he was pinned down by an invisible force. Immediately he knew who it was.
“Hello, Randall,” he slowly said in a quiet voice.
A lizard monster appeared, wielding a knife, presumably stolen from the trailer.
“At least you can remember me,” Randall said, a cold look on his face.
“Randall-”
“SHUT UP!! I know why you’re here! You wanted to make sure I was dead!!”
Randall was about to slice Sullivan’s stomach, but the lights in the trailer turned on.
“MA!!” a boy’s voice yelled.
Randall and Sullivan stared at the door, knowing what was going to happen. Immediately Sullivan fled.
Shortly after he left, he hit himself. ‘What are you doing!!’ a voice yelled. ‘You’re here to prevent his death!’
A woman burst open the door of the trailer carrying a shovel. She spotted Randall on the ground.
“When will you just DIE already!!” the woman screamed in a very strong accent. She raised the shovel in the air, about to pummel Randall to death.
Only to be knocked out by Sullivan.
Randall turned to him, a look of confusion on his face.
“You DON’T know why I’m here,” Sullivan started.
Randall said nothing.
“I’m here to free you, Randall.”
Randall burst into laughter. “My own enemy, claiming he’s going to free me, despite he was the same one who banished me!?”
“I could have let her kill you, Randall.”
This shut Randall up for a while.
“Then why did you leave?”
Sullivan hesitated. “I wasn’t thinking.”
“Do you ever?” Randall asked.
The hairy monster glared at him, causing him to shut up again.
There was a pause of silence between them. Sullivan was hoping that Randall would believe him, that he was here to save him, and that he was welcome back to the Monster World.
As for Randall, he didn’t know how to interpret this. This furball had always been an enemy to him, and the fact that Sullivan was friends with a racist certainly didn’t help. Yet, Sullivan seemed sincere, and it looked like he was all by himself.
“Why should I believe you?” Randall asked.
“The door is wide open, and there’s no one expecting you.”
Randall headed inside the trailer, keeping himself invisible as he glanced at the closet door. Peering inside, he did not see anybody, even despite it was the CEO’s office.
Randall turned to Sullivan, who was right behind him. Reluctantly he uncloaked himself and entered the Monster World. Sullivan immediately followed.
To his surprise, nothing happened. No CDA agents coming, no Sullivan using a communication device, nothing at all.
Randall turned to Sullivan. “Why?” he asked. “Why did you free me?”
Sullivan did not realize he would have to explain this. Remorse would definitely not be a good enough explanation for this monster.
“I’ll talk about it later,” he said.
Randall’s look turned cold again. “Suit yourself.” Upon saying this, he turned invisible again and left.
Chapter Three
“Sulley?” Mike asked.
The hairy monster turned to his friend, a distracted look in his eyes.
“Yes?”
“The paycheck,” Celia explained.
Sullivan turned to his right to see an impatient waiter, hand outstretched. Immediately he remembered where he was, and gave a credit card to the monster.
“Sulley, you’ve been acting like this all day,” Mike complained.
Sullivan said nothing, for he knew his friend was right. He was thinking about his freeing Randall.
The worst part of it all was that he had betrayed his friend. He had freed Randall against Mike’s obvious wishes.
‘Why didn’t I tell Randall my reason?’ the monster asked himself. He could’ve told the lizard monster why he freed him and that would be it. Why would he hold it back?
Maybe...because that wasn’t the only reason...
“Sulley!” Mike snapped. “We can go, now!”
Sullivan immediately rushed out of the table upon the realization.
As they left the restaurant, Sullivan told Mike, “You two can drive home, together. I need time to collect my thoughts.”
Mike gave a weird look, but nonetheless agreed.
“By the way, congratulations, Celia,” Sullivan told the snake-haired woman.
“Thank you.” Celia blushed as she said this.
********************
It had definitely been over an hour since Sullivan had been walking, and it felt like longer. His legs were starting to ache, but he couldn’t give up. He had to find Randall’s apartment.
Finally, he found the building he was looking for: a run-down hotel business.
Reluctantly, he knocked on the apartment door.
“Who is it?” Randall’s voice angrily asked.
“James.” It was technically the truth: it was Sullivan’s first name.
Randall opened the door a crack, and he recognized the monster. “Why are you here?” he asked, slightly less hostile.
“I want to talk.”
Randall hesitated, but, after a while, he opened the door, and Sullivan walked in.
The inside absolutely horrified the CEO. Paint was peeling off the walls everywhere. Even the bed looked far from welcoming.
“I earned minimum wage,” Randall explained with a glare on his face. Sullivan knew who it was really targeted at, though.
Sullivan knew what to ask. “How much did Waternoose put you through?”
“A lot. That’s all you need to know.”
“Randall,” Sullivan sighed. “We’re friends, now.”
“How so?”
Randall looked at Sullivan, who still would not take off his look of concern. The lizard monster sighed.
“Fine,” he said, defeated. “I’ll talk.” He lay himself on his bed (it was very hard, apparently) and started his tale:
“You don’t know me that well at all. That machine you found out about at the last minute? I had been working on it for over two YEARS! Do you have any idea how much I had to endure to build it? That is the ONLY reason I tried to kill you: you ruined my chances for respect.”
Sullivan gave a confused look.
“Did it not occur to you, Sullivan? I’m a reptilian! Of course I don’t get respect from anyone! That was the ONLY reason I built the machine was Waternoose, aside from not wanting to get fired-”
“It was his idea?”
Randall gave a stupefied look, then continued. “As for the kid, I did not intend to kill her. What would you think happened if the parents found out that their children are disappearing?
“Yet, I...”
Sullivan looked at him, waiting for Randall to finish.
Chapter Four
“...I really respect you, Sullivan.”
Sullivan looked at Randall, confused.
“You did what was right, for all monsters as well as that kid. I was too scared to disobey him. Anyway, now that he seems to be gone, I’m hoping to start over.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea. It’s not like I’m going to get hired at Monsters, Inc. again, anyway, what with this apparent energy conversion.”
Sullivan sat down next to his former enemy. “I don’t know about that, Randall. I’m the new CEO.”
Randall turned to him. “Even if you DO want to hire me, the coworkers are going to remember! Especially your chum, Wazowski! Besides, I’m not funny!”
“You don’t have to be a Laugher. In fact, I read your profile once, and you have good skills as an engineer.”
Randall tried to remain cold, but he couldn’t suppress a sad look. “You didn’t answer me before. Why did you save me? And why do you care?”
Sullivan sighed. He realized he had to show his feelings, now. ALL of them.
“Randall...” Sullivan started. “I’m sorry for banishing you. I was so attached to the child that I wasn’t thinking, except where Mike was concerned.
“That’s not the only reason, though.” Sullivan sighed again, then continued. “I want you, Randall. I’ve realized that even enemies can become attached to someone, and you’re no different to me. But I don’t want us to be enemies.
“I...” Sullivan hesitated, then finished. “I love you, Randall.”
The hairy monster had truly expected Randall to lash out at him for becoming gay. But, to his surprise, Randall just stayed there, awed at what Sullivan said.
“I...” Randall started. “When you said ‘May the best monster win?’, did you mean that? Did you really mean us not to be enemies?”
It took a while for Sullivan to remember. But, soon enough, he nodded.
The next thing Sullivan knew, Randall was in his arms, crying his eyes out. This was the last thing Sullivan had expected, but he still wrapped his arm around the lizard monster in support.
Slowly Randall calmed down and explained to his former enemy: “I wasn’t sure whether you meant it or not. I’ve had to act like a tough jerk, because otherwise, I only get hurt. I was only playing safe when I declined. But, deep down, I wanted us to not be enemies, either.”
“At least it wasn’t too late, Randall,” Sullivan soothed. “I was able to save you in time.”
“And for that, I love you, too.”
Sullivan finally gave into his desire, and stroked one of Randall’s fronds. The lizard monster sighed in pleasure. In response, the two began a minute-long kiss, each trying to gain dominance over the other in the kiss. Finally, they broke apart, and Randall began to wrap around Sullivan’s body. Sullivan initially began to stumble under the weight, but, eventually, he was able to regain control.
Randall turned to Sullivan, their faces little more than an inch apart. “What about Wazowski?” Randall asked, a hint of fear in his voice.
Sullivan paused. He had just realized the problem of his ex-friend.
The hairy monster sighed. “I guess...I guess we’ll have to see.”
Then Sullivan remembered. “And I forgot. I need to head back. I’m really sorry.”
Randall let go of him and blocked off the door. “Please,” Randall begged, tears beginning to form again. “Please don’t go.”
Sullivan glanced at Randall, then at the door. Then he walked over to both of them. He kissed Randall again and said, “Very well.”
Randall gave a smile. Not a cold, rude one, but, after a long time, a warm, genuine one.
“Thank you, Sulley,” he whispered.
Chapter Five
The first thing that reminded Sullivan where he was in the morning was a hard surface he was sleeping on. It took him a while to remember it was Randall’s bed.
Then last night all flowed back into him: Randall and he revealing their love for each other.
He softly nudged the reptilian mass next to him.
“Wake up,” he cooed.
Randall slowly opened his eyes, an almost dreamy look in them.
“We should get to work,” Sullivan reminded him.
The dreamy look was gone. “Doesn’t Wazowski still work there?”
Reluctantly, Sullivan nodded. “He’s top Laugher, too.”
Immediately Randall clung to the hairy monster. “Then how is this going to work out!?”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Sullivan soothed. “I have a plan...”
********************
Mike was now very concerned. His friend was now missing for nearly twelve hours. He had no idea what was wrong, and he only hope that he would show up at work.
He entered the lobby with his fiance, to find him bickering with...
“RANDALL!?!?”
Sullivan mocked a defeated look in his eyes while Randall’s glare turned towards the eyeball for a monster.
“You...” Randall muttered.
“How did you get back here!?” Mike screamed. Celia gave a confused look.
“You’ve always underestimated me, Wazowski!” He then turned to Celia. “You want to know where I’ve been, Celia!? I got illegally banished by your boyfriend!!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!!” Mike lied.
“Lying has always been your thing, Wazowski! Too bad it’s not going to work THIS time!!”
“Enough!!” Sullivan yelled. “If two coworkers can’t act civil in the workplace, I’m going to have to fire someone!”
“TWO coworkers!?” Mike asked, stupefied.
Sullivan sighed. “Randall made me hire him,” he said.
“WHAT!? Have you forgotten what a big jerk he is!?”
“I HEARD THAT!!” Randall retorted.
“He’s shown occupational competence, Mike. And you won’t have to see him much; he’s not a Laugher.”
“But the fact that he still is here, Sulley!! Has it not occurred to you that he tried to KILL us!?”
“I don’t see how you banishing me is any better, Wazowski!” Randall yelled back.
“I SAID ENOUGH!!” Sullivan roared.
There was an awkward silence between the four of them.
“Mike, Celia, move on. I need to talk with this monster some more.”
Reluctantly, Mike agreed, taking Celia with him.
“Why didn’t you say I helped him out?” Sullivan asked, making sure the other couple left.
“That’s not what friends do, is it?” Randall winked.
Sullivan was tempted to kiss him, but then he remembered his plan: pretend to be enemies.
********************
“Googly-bear?” Celia asked, noting Mike passing by her desk later in the day.
“Yes, Schmoopsie-poo?”
“We need to talk.”
“About what?” Mike asked.
Celia looked around for anybody, then pulled him toward her. “Did you really banish him?”
“Me? Of course not!!” Mike lied. “Why would I do something illegal!?”
Celia raised one half of her eye.
Mike sighed. “Yes.”
“WHY!?” Celia screamed.
“Oh, my gosh! You actually LIKE that creep!?”
“I don’t like him, Michael! I’m angry because you committed a crime!!”
“Oh, come on!! Like the authorities wouldn’t do that to that scaly lizard-boy anyway!!”
Mike’s response was hissing from her snake hair.
“Michael Wazowski,” Celia began, “with that kind of racist comment, you can say goodbye to our engagement!” She then threw off her engagement ring. “Get out of my life!!”
Mike slowly walked away, rage starting to take over his mind. Banishing the lizard-boy apparently wasn’t enough.
Chapter Six
It had now been a few weeks since Randall began working at Monsters, Inc. again. He and Sullivan were now in his apartment, which was now fixed up a little bit.
“So, what so you think about the job?” Sullivan asked, sitting next to Randall in the bed.
“I think I’m starting to prefer this over scaring,” Randall confessed. “When I was an engineer before, I thought that Scarers had the life. Turned out....well, you already know the story.
“Anyway, this job seems to be different for the better. I’m not really worrying about having to come in contact with the CDA as much, and I just feel happier starting over with employees I haven’t talked with that much beforehand.”
“Glad you feel that way, Randall,” Sullivan responded, wrapping his arm around the lizard monster.
All this was interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Who is it?” Randall asked, resorting to his old, cold voice.
No answer.
Reluctantly, Randall went over to the door and opened it, invisible. Immediately CDA agents burst in, scanning with infa-red lights. Upon finding their target, they pulled Randall off of the wall and pinned him down on the floor.
“Randall Boggs,” one of the agents said in a cold voice, “you’re under arrest for the attempted murder of Michael Wazowski and James Sullivan, and for conspiracy to kidnap human children.”
“What are you talking about!?” Randall yelled. “Who would have told you-”
As Randall was being dragged to a CDA van, he saw Mike standing nearby, a psychotic grin on his face.
It finally clicked. Randall attempted to throw off the agents trapping him in order to get to Wazowski, but more agents just came in their place.
Sullivan exited the apartment door, looking at the horrific scene. As he watched Randall being driven away he realized Mike’s presence, who was now looking at him in astonishment.
“YOU!?” Mike asked incredulously. “I wondered why you REALLY hired him!!”
Sullivan stared in a mix of horror and rage. “Why did you do that, Mike!?”
Mike folded his arms. “I was just about to ask you the same thing!”
In retrospect, Sullivan did not know why he did it, but he did it anyway: he sighed in grief.
“You released him, didn’t you!?” Mike realized.
“Mike-”
“He never got out on his own!! You’ve been helping him out!! That’s why you’re not staying home any nights the past few weeks!!”
“Mike!”
“Are you completely nuts, Sullivan!?!”
Sullivan stared a cold look at Wazowski. “You’re the one who’s nuts,” he said.
“YOU are, Sulley!! He tried to KILL us!! K! I! L! L! What part of that can you not figure out!?! Besides, he got what he deserved!!”
Mike slowly walked over to him, trying to act as calm as he could. “Sulley, I’m giving you a choice, now. You can either get killed by that creep, or we can just forget about this.”
“No!”
“I’m not so sure about THAT, Sulley!! Even if he DOESN’T kill you, think of the reputation you’ll be getting!! Lovable boss befriending a pure evil creep!? I’m not the only one who thinks the way I do, Sulley, or else there wouldn’t be so much resistance against Lizard-boy Rights-”
“REPTILIAN Rights!!”
“LET ME FINISH!! The point I’m trying to make, Sulley, is that I’m not the only one you’ll betray. Think of all those monsters who you saved by converting to laugh energy. Imagine how much they’ll hate you when they find out you’re involved with a criminal.”
Sullivan slowly started being overcome with Mike’s doubts. The brutal truth about it was that some of what Mike said was true: Randall was involved with kidnapping children. If he went this far, he might lose his reputation, and possibly his job. After all, Sullivan’s involvement with Randall’s banishment might be exposed, especially since Mike had all the cards.
Sullivan turned to Mike, then at the marks left by the CDA truck. He was no longer certain what to do.
After several minutes of thought, he turned back to his friend. “I’d like to visit him, anyway.”
“What for?”
“To give evidence,” Sullivan grinned.
Mike slowly grinned back.
Chapter Seven
“C’mon!” Randall pleaded. “That was years ago, and I already got punished for it!!”
All Randall got in return was a smack from Agent #2.
“Any other excuses or lies you have to make!?” the agent threatened.
“Yes! I only complied because I didn’t want to get fired!!”
Agent #2 rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows that’s not a good enough reason, lizard-boy!” He smacked the lizard monster again.
********************
“Can I help you?” an agent asked Mike and Sullivan.
“We want to provide evidence against Randall Boggs,” Mike joyfully explained.
“May we see him?” Sullivan asked.
“Um, he’s being interrogated right now-” the agent started.
“It’s very crucial!”
The agent hesitated, then picked up his radio speaker. “Agent #25490 to Agent #2. Two monsters are requesting permission to see Randall Boggs.”
“Names?”
“James Sullivan and Michael Wazowski,” Mike dryly answered.
There was a pause on the other line. Then, “Bring them in.”
Entering the room made Sullivan realize what had happened to Randall since his arrest. The left side of his face was actually bleeding a little bit from so many strikes.
Sullivan sighed. Someone was going to be in for a surprise.
“What are you here for?” the agent asked, pretending nothing had happened.
Sullivan explained, “I’m here to give evidence for Randall.”
“IN YOUR FACE, LIZARD...evidence FOR Randall?” Mike asked, turning to Sullivan, who turned to him.
“Mike, I’ve been thinking about it. You’ve been using me for fame and nothing else!”
Mike was about to expose Sullivan’s banishing Randall, but then he remembered he was involved as well.
“Oh my gosh!! What happened to the Sullivan who was decent!?”
“If you mean decent as in being a cold-blooded murderer of a person under a lot of pressure, he’s gone for good!”
“Wait, wait,” Agent #2 interrupted. “What’s this about murder?”
Sullivan sighed. “Mike convinced me to banish Randall with the intent of killing him.”
Mike stood horrified. “SULLIVAN was the one who did the action!!” he retorted to the agent.
“I wasn’t thinking!! AND I brought him back in remorse!!”
Agent #2 looked at both of them, uncertain who to believe. Then he pointed to Mike.
“Get this guy out of here, #25490.”
As Mike was taken away, he started throwing insults to Sullivan. “You rug! You traitor! This isn’t over, Sullivan!!”
Agent #2 turned to Sullivan now. “What do you have?”
Sullivan started giving Randall’s confession from a few weeks ago.
********************
“I don’t know how you did that,” Randall said in a mild sense of joy and relief.
Having provided evidence for Randall’s involvement with the Scream Extractor and his reasons to attempt to kill Mike and Sulley, somehow Randall’s sentence became lightened from jail-time to a fine. Currently they were given the privilege of going home, and they were talking in the car.
“Still, I can’t afford $2000, Sulley. Not even right now.”
“I’m pretty sure I can give you a loan,” Sullivan winked.
After a few more minutes, Sullivan had to make his confession. “Randall, I temporarily was persuaded to let you stay there. Mike had raised a point to me in that your reputation is going to affect my own.”
Randall started to turn a pale blue color, but Sullivan laid a hand on one of his. “But I don’t care, anymore. Anyone can change, after all.”
To the lizard monster’s surprise, they pulled up to Sullivan’s apartment building.
“Aren’t you going to drop me off?” he asked in confusion.
“I’ve closed your reservations at that nightmare. I’m offering you to move in with me.”
Randall looked at Sullivan in utter joy. “I would love to! Anything to escape THAT part of Monstropolis!”
“Of course!” Sullivan agreed, kissing Randall.
As Randall and Sullivan went inside, they realized that their love was necessary. They had no one beforehand, and it never felt so good to love and be loved. They knew their years together would only get better.
End
EDIT: Decided to remove the story. Theopilus Hatta's constructive criticism pretty much summarizes why, emphasis being on my writing technique combined with the odd ending. If any members still want to see it, I can PM them the story, as well as a similar oneshot.
EDIT#2: Oh, what the heck! Theophilus Hatta seemed to be okay with the story, as opposed to outright hating it, and I would like an idea for a more realistic ending, so I'm putting it back up!
EDIT#3: Made what I feel, and hopefully will be for the rest of you, is a better ending, including an extra chapter.
EDIT #4: Took it down again, for good now. Now that I think about it, it makes me seem embarrassing, especially regarding the pairing involved.
I can still PM the story, though, if anyone IS interested.EDIT #5: I just can't make up my mind, can I?
I might keep it back up for the sake of anyone else who might be interested who are not members.Remorse of Love
A Monsters, Inc. Fanfiction
Chapter One
It had been five years now. Five years since Sullivan first came across Boo. Five years since he began the conversion of Scare energy to Laugh energy.
Currently he was in his apartment with his roommate, Mike. It was 6:07 in the morning.
“Guess what good news there is!” Mike yelled in joy.
“The anniversary?” Sullivan asked.
“I’M ENGAGED!!” Mike screamed.
Sullivan’s grin slowly came off. He thought that Mike would have been caring regarding his feelings towards Boo. And then again, Mike did not show much love to her.
“Isn’t this great, Sulley!? I never thought I would get this far, but now-”
“Mike-”
“NOW I CAN HAVE KIDS!!”
“Mike, what happened to the anniversary?”
Mike actually looked confused. He quickly remembered, though.
“Oh, right. That.”
Sullivan gave a slightly cold look.
“Sulley, I’m happy about it! I especially loved kicking lizard boy’s butt!”
The moment Mike said ‘lizard boy,’ Sullivan remembered that as well. Slowly he walked to his room. He had just been grimly reminded about what he had done to an ex-coworker.
“Sulley?” Mike asked. “I’m being honest!!”
Sulley turned to him, “You don’t get it, do you, Mike!? We’re criminals!! We banished Randall when we should have given him to the authorities!”
Mike looked puzzled. “You make that sound as if it’s a bad thing.”
All Mike got in response was a slamming of the bedroom door.
Sullivan felt horrible as he collapsed onto his bed. He never thought he could feel grief so strong. He had committed a crime, even despite it was on another criminal. He now recalled Randall even begging him for mercy. And the worst part was that he could do nothing about it. The past could not be changed.
Unless...
Sullivan slowly rose his head out of the bed. Unless Randall was still alive.
Slowly a plan started forming in his head. He would rebuild the door of Randall’s prison, and try to find him.
Quickly he ran out of the apartment building.
“Sulley?” Mike asked.
“I need to be alone for a while,” Sullivan responded. He was never good at all-out lies, so he figured he’d be somewhat honest.
It seemed to take forever for him to drive to Monsters, Inc. Finally he pulled into his reserved parking space. Ignoring the monsters he accidentally bumped into, he headed over to Celia, the receptionist.
“I’d like an appointment with John Gruel.”
John Gruel was the manager of the factory’s Door Vault, the vault containing all of the portal doors into the human world.
Celia nodded. “I’ll get him right now,” she said, returning to the phone.
After a few minutes of waiting, Sullivan saw a blue amoeba monster.
“Mr. Gruel?” Sullivan asked.
The amoeba monster turned to him, “Yes?”
“I have a special project for your department,” Sullivan began, promising himself not to reveal too much.
********************
It took several days, much to the dismay of Sullivan, but a replica door was finally built.
Sullivan stared at the door, placed inside his office.
‘He might try to kill me in revenge,’ he thought.
He paused. This never occurred to him before. Randall was such an edgy person that it wouldn’t have surprised him now if the lizard monster did try to kill him.
For several minutes he stayed staring at the door in thought. Finally, he made his decision. Slowly he turned the doorknob and entered.
Chapter Two
Sullivan did not remember much about the place Randall was banished to, and his current surroundings reinforced that idea. He was in a trailer, which smelled really awful. He could faintly hear two humans snoring nearby.
Slowly he snuck outside. It was a swampland, most likely a part of Louisiana. It was night, fortunately, and yet he still didn’t feel right. He felt as if someone was watching him.
As soon as he realized this he was pinned down by an invisible force. Immediately he knew who it was.
“Hello, Randall,” he slowly said in a quiet voice.
A lizard monster appeared, wielding a knife, presumably stolen from the trailer.
“At least you can remember me,” Randall said, a cold look on his face.
“Randall-”
“SHUT UP!! I know why you’re here! You wanted to make sure I was dead!!”
Randall was about to slice Sullivan’s stomach, but the lights in the trailer turned on.
“MA!!” a boy’s voice yelled.
Randall and Sullivan stared at the door, knowing what was going to happen. Immediately Sullivan fled.
Shortly after he left, he hit himself. ‘What are you doing!!’ a voice yelled. ‘You’re here to prevent his death!’
A woman burst open the door of the trailer carrying a shovel. She spotted Randall on the ground.
“When will you just DIE already!!” the woman screamed in a very strong accent. She raised the shovel in the air, about to pummel Randall to death.
Only to be knocked out by Sullivan.
Randall turned to him, a look of confusion on his face.
“You DON’T know why I’m here,” Sullivan started.
Randall said nothing.
“I’m here to free you, Randall.”
Randall burst into laughter. “My own enemy, claiming he’s going to free me, despite he was the same one who banished me!?”
“I could have let her kill you, Randall.”
This shut Randall up for a while.
“Then why did you leave?”
Sullivan hesitated. “I wasn’t thinking.”
“Do you ever?” Randall asked.
The hairy monster glared at him, causing him to shut up again.
There was a pause of silence between them. Sullivan was hoping that Randall would believe him, that he was here to save him, and that he was welcome back to the Monster World.
As for Randall, he didn’t know how to interpret this. This furball had always been an enemy to him, and the fact that Sullivan was friends with a racist certainly didn’t help. Yet, Sullivan seemed sincere, and it looked like he was all by himself.
“Why should I believe you?” Randall asked.
“The door is wide open, and there’s no one expecting you.”
Randall headed inside the trailer, keeping himself invisible as he glanced at the closet door. Peering inside, he did not see anybody, even despite it was the CEO’s office.
Randall turned to Sullivan, who was right behind him. Reluctantly he uncloaked himself and entered the Monster World. Sullivan immediately followed.
To his surprise, nothing happened. No CDA agents coming, no Sullivan using a communication device, nothing at all.
Randall turned to Sullivan. “Why?” he asked. “Why did you free me?”
Sullivan did not realize he would have to explain this. Remorse would definitely not be a good enough explanation for this monster.
“I’ll talk about it later,” he said.
Randall’s look turned cold again. “Suit yourself.” Upon saying this, he turned invisible again and left.
Chapter Three
“Sulley?” Mike asked.
The hairy monster turned to his friend, a distracted look in his eyes.
“Yes?”
“The paycheck,” Celia explained.
Sullivan turned to his right to see an impatient waiter, hand outstretched. Immediately he remembered where he was, and gave a credit card to the monster.
“Sulley, you’ve been acting like this all day,” Mike complained.
Sullivan said nothing, for he knew his friend was right. He was thinking about his freeing Randall.
The worst part of it all was that he had betrayed his friend. He had freed Randall against Mike’s obvious wishes.
‘Why didn’t I tell Randall my reason?’ the monster asked himself. He could’ve told the lizard monster why he freed him and that would be it. Why would he hold it back?
Maybe...because that wasn’t the only reason...
“Sulley!” Mike snapped. “We can go, now!”
Sullivan immediately rushed out of the table upon the realization.
As they left the restaurant, Sullivan told Mike, “You two can drive home, together. I need time to collect my thoughts.”
Mike gave a weird look, but nonetheless agreed.
“By the way, congratulations, Celia,” Sullivan told the snake-haired woman.
“Thank you.” Celia blushed as she said this.
********************
It had definitely been over an hour since Sullivan had been walking, and it felt like longer. His legs were starting to ache, but he couldn’t give up. He had to find Randall’s apartment.
Finally, he found the building he was looking for: a run-down hotel business.
Reluctantly, he knocked on the apartment door.
“Who is it?” Randall’s voice angrily asked.
“James.” It was technically the truth: it was Sullivan’s first name.
Randall opened the door a crack, and he recognized the monster. “Why are you here?” he asked, slightly less hostile.
“I want to talk.”
Randall hesitated, but, after a while, he opened the door, and Sullivan walked in.
The inside absolutely horrified the CEO. Paint was peeling off the walls everywhere. Even the bed looked far from welcoming.
“I earned minimum wage,” Randall explained with a glare on his face. Sullivan knew who it was really targeted at, though.
Sullivan knew what to ask. “How much did Waternoose put you through?”
“A lot. That’s all you need to know.”
“Randall,” Sullivan sighed. “We’re friends, now.”
“How so?”
Randall looked at Sullivan, who still would not take off his look of concern. The lizard monster sighed.
“Fine,” he said, defeated. “I’ll talk.” He lay himself on his bed (it was very hard, apparently) and started his tale:
“You don’t know me that well at all. That machine you found out about at the last minute? I had been working on it for over two YEARS! Do you have any idea how much I had to endure to build it? That is the ONLY reason I tried to kill you: you ruined my chances for respect.”
Sullivan gave a confused look.
“Did it not occur to you, Sullivan? I’m a reptilian! Of course I don’t get respect from anyone! That was the ONLY reason I built the machine was Waternoose, aside from not wanting to get fired-”
“It was his idea?”
Randall gave a stupefied look, then continued. “As for the kid, I did not intend to kill her. What would you think happened if the parents found out that their children are disappearing?
“Yet, I...”
Sullivan looked at him, waiting for Randall to finish.
Chapter Four
“...I really respect you, Sullivan.”
Sullivan looked at Randall, confused.
“You did what was right, for all monsters as well as that kid. I was too scared to disobey him. Anyway, now that he seems to be gone, I’m hoping to start over.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea. It’s not like I’m going to get hired at Monsters, Inc. again, anyway, what with this apparent energy conversion.”
Sullivan sat down next to his former enemy. “I don’t know about that, Randall. I’m the new CEO.”
Randall turned to him. “Even if you DO want to hire me, the coworkers are going to remember! Especially your chum, Wazowski! Besides, I’m not funny!”
“You don’t have to be a Laugher. In fact, I read your profile once, and you have good skills as an engineer.”
Randall tried to remain cold, but he couldn’t suppress a sad look. “You didn’t answer me before. Why did you save me? And why do you care?”
Sullivan sighed. He realized he had to show his feelings, now. ALL of them.
“Randall...” Sullivan started. “I’m sorry for banishing you. I was so attached to the child that I wasn’t thinking, except where Mike was concerned.
“That’s not the only reason, though.” Sullivan sighed again, then continued. “I want you, Randall. I’ve realized that even enemies can become attached to someone, and you’re no different to me. But I don’t want us to be enemies.
“I...” Sullivan hesitated, then finished. “I love you, Randall.”
The hairy monster had truly expected Randall to lash out at him for becoming gay. But, to his surprise, Randall just stayed there, awed at what Sullivan said.
“I...” Randall started. “When you said ‘May the best monster win?’, did you mean that? Did you really mean us not to be enemies?”
It took a while for Sullivan to remember. But, soon enough, he nodded.
The next thing Sullivan knew, Randall was in his arms, crying his eyes out. This was the last thing Sullivan had expected, but he still wrapped his arm around the lizard monster in support.
Slowly Randall calmed down and explained to his former enemy: “I wasn’t sure whether you meant it or not. I’ve had to act like a tough jerk, because otherwise, I only get hurt. I was only playing safe when I declined. But, deep down, I wanted us to not be enemies, either.”
“At least it wasn’t too late, Randall,” Sullivan soothed. “I was able to save you in time.”
“And for that, I love you, too.”
Sullivan finally gave into his desire, and stroked one of Randall’s fronds. The lizard monster sighed in pleasure. In response, the two began a minute-long kiss, each trying to gain dominance over the other in the kiss. Finally, they broke apart, and Randall began to wrap around Sullivan’s body. Sullivan initially began to stumble under the weight, but, eventually, he was able to regain control.
Randall turned to Sullivan, their faces little more than an inch apart. “What about Wazowski?” Randall asked, a hint of fear in his voice.
Sullivan paused. He had just realized the problem of his ex-friend.
The hairy monster sighed. “I guess...I guess we’ll have to see.”
Then Sullivan remembered. “And I forgot. I need to head back. I’m really sorry.”
Randall let go of him and blocked off the door. “Please,” Randall begged, tears beginning to form again. “Please don’t go.”
Sullivan glanced at Randall, then at the door. Then he walked over to both of them. He kissed Randall again and said, “Very well.”
Randall gave a smile. Not a cold, rude one, but, after a long time, a warm, genuine one.
“Thank you, Sulley,” he whispered.
Chapter Five
The first thing that reminded Sullivan where he was in the morning was a hard surface he was sleeping on. It took him a while to remember it was Randall’s bed.
Then last night all flowed back into him: Randall and he revealing their love for each other.
He softly nudged the reptilian mass next to him.
“Wake up,” he cooed.
Randall slowly opened his eyes, an almost dreamy look in them.
“We should get to work,” Sullivan reminded him.
The dreamy look was gone. “Doesn’t Wazowski still work there?”
Reluctantly, Sullivan nodded. “He’s top Laugher, too.”
Immediately Randall clung to the hairy monster. “Then how is this going to work out!?”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Sullivan soothed. “I have a plan...”
********************
Mike was now very concerned. His friend was now missing for nearly twelve hours. He had no idea what was wrong, and he only hope that he would show up at work.
He entered the lobby with his fiance, to find him bickering with...
“RANDALL!?!?”
Sullivan mocked a defeated look in his eyes while Randall’s glare turned towards the eyeball for a monster.
“You...” Randall muttered.
“How did you get back here!?” Mike screamed. Celia gave a confused look.
“You’ve always underestimated me, Wazowski!” He then turned to Celia. “You want to know where I’ve been, Celia!? I got illegally banished by your boyfriend!!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!!” Mike lied.
“Lying has always been your thing, Wazowski! Too bad it’s not going to work THIS time!!”
“Enough!!” Sullivan yelled. “If two coworkers can’t act civil in the workplace, I’m going to have to fire someone!”
“TWO coworkers!?” Mike asked, stupefied.
Sullivan sighed. “Randall made me hire him,” he said.
“WHAT!? Have you forgotten what a big jerk he is!?”
“I HEARD THAT!!” Randall retorted.
“He’s shown occupational competence, Mike. And you won’t have to see him much; he’s not a Laugher.”
“But the fact that he still is here, Sulley!! Has it not occurred to you that he tried to KILL us!?”
“I don’t see how you banishing me is any better, Wazowski!” Randall yelled back.
“I SAID ENOUGH!!” Sullivan roared.
There was an awkward silence between the four of them.
“Mike, Celia, move on. I need to talk with this monster some more.”
Reluctantly, Mike agreed, taking Celia with him.
“Why didn’t you say I helped him out?” Sullivan asked, making sure the other couple left.
“That’s not what friends do, is it?” Randall winked.
Sullivan was tempted to kiss him, but then he remembered his plan: pretend to be enemies.
********************
“Googly-bear?” Celia asked, noting Mike passing by her desk later in the day.
“Yes, Schmoopsie-poo?”
“We need to talk.”
“About what?” Mike asked.
Celia looked around for anybody, then pulled him toward her. “Did you really banish him?”
“Me? Of course not!!” Mike lied. “Why would I do something illegal!?”
Celia raised one half of her eye.
Mike sighed. “Yes.”
“WHY!?” Celia screamed.
“Oh, my gosh! You actually LIKE that creep!?”
“I don’t like him, Michael! I’m angry because you committed a crime!!”
“Oh, come on!! Like the authorities wouldn’t do that to that scaly lizard-boy anyway!!”
Mike’s response was hissing from her snake hair.
“Michael Wazowski,” Celia began, “with that kind of racist comment, you can say goodbye to our engagement!” She then threw off her engagement ring. “Get out of my life!!”
Mike slowly walked away, rage starting to take over his mind. Banishing the lizard-boy apparently wasn’t enough.
Chapter Six
It had now been a few weeks since Randall began working at Monsters, Inc. again. He and Sullivan were now in his apartment, which was now fixed up a little bit.
“So, what so you think about the job?” Sullivan asked, sitting next to Randall in the bed.
“I think I’m starting to prefer this over scaring,” Randall confessed. “When I was an engineer before, I thought that Scarers had the life. Turned out....well, you already know the story.
“Anyway, this job seems to be different for the better. I’m not really worrying about having to come in contact with the CDA as much, and I just feel happier starting over with employees I haven’t talked with that much beforehand.”
“Glad you feel that way, Randall,” Sullivan responded, wrapping his arm around the lizard monster.
All this was interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Who is it?” Randall asked, resorting to his old, cold voice.
No answer.
Reluctantly, Randall went over to the door and opened it, invisible. Immediately CDA agents burst in, scanning with infa-red lights. Upon finding their target, they pulled Randall off of the wall and pinned him down on the floor.
“Randall Boggs,” one of the agents said in a cold voice, “you’re under arrest for the attempted murder of Michael Wazowski and James Sullivan, and for conspiracy to kidnap human children.”
“What are you talking about!?” Randall yelled. “Who would have told you-”
As Randall was being dragged to a CDA van, he saw Mike standing nearby, a psychotic grin on his face.
It finally clicked. Randall attempted to throw off the agents trapping him in order to get to Wazowski, but more agents just came in their place.
Sullivan exited the apartment door, looking at the horrific scene. As he watched Randall being driven away he realized Mike’s presence, who was now looking at him in astonishment.
“YOU!?” Mike asked incredulously. “I wondered why you REALLY hired him!!”
Sullivan stared in a mix of horror and rage. “Why did you do that, Mike!?”
Mike folded his arms. “I was just about to ask you the same thing!”
In retrospect, Sullivan did not know why he did it, but he did it anyway: he sighed in grief.
“You released him, didn’t you!?” Mike realized.
“Mike-”
“He never got out on his own!! You’ve been helping him out!! That’s why you’re not staying home any nights the past few weeks!!”
“Mike!”
“Are you completely nuts, Sullivan!?!”
Sullivan stared a cold look at Wazowski. “You’re the one who’s nuts,” he said.
“YOU are, Sulley!! He tried to KILL us!! K! I! L! L! What part of that can you not figure out!?! Besides, he got what he deserved!!”
Mike slowly walked over to him, trying to act as calm as he could. “Sulley, I’m giving you a choice, now. You can either get killed by that creep, or we can just forget about this.”
“No!”
“I’m not so sure about THAT, Sulley!! Even if he DOESN’T kill you, think of the reputation you’ll be getting!! Lovable boss befriending a pure evil creep!? I’m not the only one who thinks the way I do, Sulley, or else there wouldn’t be so much resistance against Lizard-boy Rights-”
“REPTILIAN Rights!!”
“LET ME FINISH!! The point I’m trying to make, Sulley, is that I’m not the only one you’ll betray. Think of all those monsters who you saved by converting to laugh energy. Imagine how much they’ll hate you when they find out you’re involved with a criminal.”
Sullivan slowly started being overcome with Mike’s doubts. The brutal truth about it was that some of what Mike said was true: Randall was involved with kidnapping children. If he went this far, he might lose his reputation, and possibly his job. After all, Sullivan’s involvement with Randall’s banishment might be exposed, especially since Mike had all the cards.
Sullivan turned to Mike, then at the marks left by the CDA truck. He was no longer certain what to do.
After several minutes of thought, he turned back to his friend. “I’d like to visit him, anyway.”
“What for?”
“To give evidence,” Sullivan grinned.
Mike slowly grinned back.
Chapter Seven
“C’mon!” Randall pleaded. “That was years ago, and I already got punished for it!!”
All Randall got in return was a smack from Agent #2.
“Any other excuses or lies you have to make!?” the agent threatened.
“Yes! I only complied because I didn’t want to get fired!!”
Agent #2 rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows that’s not a good enough reason, lizard-boy!” He smacked the lizard monster again.
********************
“Can I help you?” an agent asked Mike and Sullivan.
“We want to provide evidence against Randall Boggs,” Mike joyfully explained.
“May we see him?” Sullivan asked.
“Um, he’s being interrogated right now-” the agent started.
“It’s very crucial!”
The agent hesitated, then picked up his radio speaker. “Agent #25490 to Agent #2. Two monsters are requesting permission to see Randall Boggs.”
“Names?”
“James Sullivan and Michael Wazowski,” Mike dryly answered.
There was a pause on the other line. Then, “Bring them in.”
Entering the room made Sullivan realize what had happened to Randall since his arrest. The left side of his face was actually bleeding a little bit from so many strikes.
Sullivan sighed. Someone was going to be in for a surprise.
“What are you here for?” the agent asked, pretending nothing had happened.
Sullivan explained, “I’m here to give evidence for Randall.”
“IN YOUR FACE, LIZARD...evidence FOR Randall?” Mike asked, turning to Sullivan, who turned to him.
“Mike, I’ve been thinking about it. You’ve been using me for fame and nothing else!”
Mike was about to expose Sullivan’s banishing Randall, but then he remembered he was involved as well.
“Oh my gosh!! What happened to the Sullivan who was decent!?”
“If you mean decent as in being a cold-blooded murderer of a person under a lot of pressure, he’s gone for good!”
“Wait, wait,” Agent #2 interrupted. “What’s this about murder?”
Sullivan sighed. “Mike convinced me to banish Randall with the intent of killing him.”
Mike stood horrified. “SULLIVAN was the one who did the action!!” he retorted to the agent.
“I wasn’t thinking!! AND I brought him back in remorse!!”
Agent #2 looked at both of them, uncertain who to believe. Then he pointed to Mike.
“Get this guy out of here, #25490.”
As Mike was taken away, he started throwing insults to Sullivan. “You rug! You traitor! This isn’t over, Sullivan!!”
Agent #2 turned to Sullivan now. “What do you have?”
Sullivan started giving Randall’s confession from a few weeks ago.
********************
“I don’t know how you did that,” Randall said in a mild sense of joy and relief.
Having provided evidence for Randall’s involvement with the Scream Extractor and his reasons to attempt to kill Mike and Sulley, somehow Randall’s sentence became lightened from jail-time to a fine. Currently they were given the privilege of going home, and they were talking in the car.
“Still, I can’t afford $2000, Sulley. Not even right now.”
“I’m pretty sure I can give you a loan,” Sullivan winked.
After a few more minutes, Sullivan had to make his confession. “Randall, I temporarily was persuaded to let you stay there. Mike had raised a point to me in that your reputation is going to affect my own.”
Randall started to turn a pale blue color, but Sullivan laid a hand on one of his. “But I don’t care, anymore. Anyone can change, after all.”
To the lizard monster’s surprise, they pulled up to Sullivan’s apartment building.
“Aren’t you going to drop me off?” he asked in confusion.
“I’ve closed your reservations at that nightmare. I’m offering you to move in with me.”
Randall looked at Sullivan in utter joy. “I would love to! Anything to escape THAT part of Monstropolis!”
“Of course!” Sullivan agreed, kissing Randall.
As Randall and Sullivan went inside, they realized that their love was necessary. They had no one beforehand, and it never felt so good to love and be loved. They knew their years together would only get better.
End
