Post by mentalguru on Mar 21, 2010 10:52:42 GMT -5
I'm making MUCH better progress on the next chapter. (For once). Plan to have it up by next week if things go to plan (during Zukaang week... typical). But until now, have this instead!
I'm not exactly sure WHERE this came from. In my story, the Henry Waternoose the third we know of is dead. Been dead a few years at least.
But what if he wasn't?
This is sort of an AU story, taking place a year or two after I plan to leave connections. Kind of creepy. It's kind of Boo's relentless belief in second chances meeting Waternoose and his ambitions and the like. Potential for some screwed up things happening there. A one-shot. And while if there were character filters, I'd put Boo and Waternoose as the characters, they are not shown to directly interact. Or at least not much. It's only referenced. Actually there's a bit of Randall, and he's mentioned too, but it's mostly Waternoose by himself and Sulley talking to Boo. Concerned and all. And Randall's annoyed (understatement of the year).
--
There had been a time when he had finally run out of patience. True this had been a failing to be sure, he knew that now. In truth Henry had felt he'd always been in long periods of stasis in the past, and inevitably, you would usually eventually tire of that. He'd been 142 when he'd finally become CEO, so he was used to the task of waiting, and he could do it when he felt called to do so. Most of the time. He just had never really liked it. To wait for what he wanted, for what he felt he deserved seemed like a chore.
His father had not been the same. For him it was almost a thrill, watching as his own work or the work produced through his own delegation, his own leadership coming to fruit. Granted, he was afforded a little impatience here and there, his son could not help but remember. But what man or woman is completely free of that?
Still, Waternoose had learned a lesson as it were even then in his old and extended life. Something which really could usually only truely sink in and become a mantra from your own mistakes. He'd learned that once again the hard way he realised, on his successor's last and final visit. And at first he'd scorned himself for not realsing it sooner.
When there was nothing immediately at your disposal, the best course of action was to wait for an opportunity to present itself. No matter how aggravating it may get.
And even when that opportunity arose, patience could still go a long way in making sure that opportunity did not disappear before you could gain a proper grip on it.
--
"He'll NEVER change! People like that never do." His first pair of arms were waving in the air as he walked away from her to the window, expressing his indignation, his lower set crossed.
Sulley held his breath as he glanced at the young girl.
"...you guys changed." No accusation in her voice. The words did not require them.
"-I'm going to have a long walk." Randall muttered. "Geez Sullivan would you talk some sense into this kid?"
The unspoken words hung at the end of that sentence. 'I just really need to clear my head and figure out a better way to get across why she is absolutely insane to even think about doing this. You keep up our side until I get back. Think you can handle that?'
Sulley however was more than happy to oblige, the undercurrent not withstanding. Not for the first time it seemed recently, he and Randall were in prefect agreement with one another.
Well okay, maybe not PERFECT. He wouldn't call Boo's wishes 'insane' as it were... merely uninformed of the severity or the entire ramifications of the situation she was placing herself in. Yes, that was a good way of putting it. Then again he was beginning to doubt that Boo was in a sense 'normal' in certain cases when it came to appropriate situations. She'd technically hidden Randall in her room for MONTHS.
He still had to talk to Boo about that. But that was a talk for another time. It really paled in light of the present issue they were now facing.
The eighteen year old simply sighed: "Please Sulley." she said. "I thought you'd understand."
"Boo, you know what I really don't, and you also really don't understand either." Sulley said gravely, "We're just trying to look out for you. You have to realise... this is hard on all of us. Especially..."
"Randall. And you. I know. I know the story. I know what happened."
"Yes, which is why you should really think this over."
"I did! And I decided the only fair thing would be to actually go and see him. Kind of rude to turn down an invitation anyway."
"Boo. This is serious. This is not the time for jokes."
"Who says I'm not serious about it?" she queried, "Just because I'm not 'doom and gloom' all the time doesn't mean I don't understand either. He did a bad thing, I know. A lot of bad things, to all of us and... especially Randall, but does that really mean I shouldn't talk to him? Hear his side? I mean I hate what he did but wouldn't that make me a hypocrite if I didn't try? I hate what you guys did to each other too."
"Boo. He tried to KILL you. He ordered you to be killed."
"You guys didn't think humans were... people. Not then. I understand that... NOW." she emphasised raising her shoulders and spreading her palms.
" He also wanted to kill me. And Mike. And looking back, he was really not above even selling Randall out. I really don't think-"
"Randall tried to kill you. And from what he told me, he wasn't too cut up over the idea at the time even if he was ordered to." she pointed out.
"...that's different." Sulley said, feeling mildly disturbed almost that he was defending this.
"He exiled you too." Boo continued "You exiled Randall. And you said you were smiling." she said folding her arms.
"...yes." Sulley sighed feeling like he was fighting a losing battle as time went on. Boo was once again, not sounding accusatory. She said it gently and carefully, almost neutrally stating what had happened, and to her credit, what she was saying WAS technically true.
Sulley knew it wasn't that she didn't care what had happened to them either, she did, deeply, it was just that she was willing to put those feelings aside to do what she thought might be the right thing. It's something which she said she'd have to do if she wanted to be a doctor anyway. You HAD to do it. You didn't choose who you helped or tried to help. Or you risked breaking the code. Sulley knew this as well as her points. It was old laundry in some ways, and he could see Boo didn't like the idea of dragging them up again, but felt he had pushed her hand to do so.
"Mr. Waternoose... Waternoose. It's just...He's..." Sulley trailed off. "I don't know how to explain it. He..." he scatched the back of his neck, wondering how best to put this. "He just... gets under your fur... or skin or something like that." he carefully considered. "He seems nice at first but then he, well he pulls the rug right from under you. And so it hurts, it can cause... so much more damage than I don't know someone who is at least upfront about it. I don't want to see that happen to you again."
"Sulley... I've learned a lot in the last few years. Or at least I like to think so. I've been tricked before by people like that too. But it doesn't mean I should give up on every case I hear about. I mean what if I miss out on someone who really needs it? What if he has changed? And... I hate to admit it, but I'm not a kid anymore either... legally speaking. I mean I can vote."
"That really has little if anything to do with this."
"I think it does, actually."
"No. I don't think it does." Sulley said stubbornly, only half lying. "It's better to not vote when you don't know for sure than support someone where you don't know where you stand. That's Waternoose... all over. Randall was twenty-two when... well. When 'it' started. Apparently, he was nice to Randall too. Once. I don't want you to make the same mistake with him. Do you think RANDALL wants you to?"
It was a blow, Sulley knew, and he felt bad as her brow began to crease up in thought. It was a sore point for her. That she didn't always think of such things through before jumping in to whatever she felt she had to do. She was better than she used to be, but occasionally she still needed reminding, rather like Sulley sometimes had to be reminded she wasn't little anymore, and Randall to bite his tongue. Better they were then they used to be, but they were not perfect, such was life.
"I'm not making Randall's mistakes." she said carefully, "If it is one. It'll be my own."
"Think Randall will see that?"
"...I'll help him see that. Somehow."
Sulley could see he had lost. He could hardly stop her. Neither could her parents come to that. Legally speaking, she was an adult. And it WAS her own decision. As much as he hated it. And she KNEW they both hated it. But it was a few weeks until the visit was scheduled, the political tape having been cut or at least rearranged for this unusual situation. They still had time. They could convince her otherwise. Maybe.
"At least let me come with you. Or something. I've been there before." he muttered, trying not to sound scathing when he recalled the memory, something he had told Randall, who had in kind used it in his argument as a suggestion on his behalf. Which hadn't worked. Apparently, perhaps something had happened in ten years that Sulley didn't know about. And while that was potentially true, he had severly doubted it in addition to Randall's yells that he would ever change.
"Sulley... you're banished. Technically speaking. You go back, you're facing life in PRISON."
"Well then maybe I'll bunk with him and make sure things ALWAYS go smoothly when you visit."
"Heh. I'll be talking to him behind bullet proof glass, not his cell."
"Huh. Is it Waternoose proof?"
"...Have you been taking snark classes from Jack and Randall again?" she almost sounded impressed.
Sulley sighed again. "What about Randall then? He'd go. Still can. Technically. He's got higher immunity. You could ask them anyway."
"...I know. But... would be comfortable with that? He'd go if I WANTED him to come, and I do, sort of. And also not. Uh."
Sulley gave her a puzzled look as she stumbled over these words.
"ANYWAY." she reamended." But what I mean is- would he really want to? I don't want him to go just because I ask."
"...Boo if you're going, he's going to want to go. Of course, he'd be happier if you didn't go AT ALL."
"He HATES that place though." Boo muttered. "The Monster World. I can't make him come. I can't make him feel like he has to. And he doesn't have to feel obligated to go for that guy either, he has a right to be angry with him. I know that. It was horrible. I hate it too. "
"Understatement... but the only way you can do that is by not going in the first place." Sulley said slowly.
"But... I have to!"
"No you don't."
"If I don't go I'll be a hypocrite, like I said. I know that sounds selfish, but I can't take the idea of giving this opportunity up because of that. He's not getting any younger either, you know. What if he really did change? Are you both SO sure that he can't anyway? Are you? Don't you doubt that, even just a LITTLE? I mean look at you and Randall! Look at Mike! Fungus! He changed too! People do all the time."
Sulley didn't say a word.
"I have to give him a chance, even if I hate what he did.... I wouldn't be me if I didn't."
--
And while he was slumped in a defeated position as she entered, internally, Waternoose smiled.
--
A/N: Creepy no? I kind of like those sort of arguments/debates in fiction though. Everyone has a point. Randall has a right to be angry, and both he and Sulley have a right to be worried. Boo kind of has her own ponts, even IF it turned into a big mistake. It would be hypocritical of her, if she didn't listen after all that had happened. She hates what Sulley and Randall did to each other as mentioned.
So what happens? Anything really. Boo is going to undergo some growth in connections, so she's not really as naive at this stage as she once was. She also knows of his past, what he was like etc. so she'd not completely unprepared. But still, Waternoose could possibly try and play her, tempt her with ideas you know? (Even if he doesn't have power as such).
But in the end, I like the idea of Boo having learned a lot about that sort of thing, from Randall's and Sulley's pasts and her own and she's just generally not that interested in that sort of thing. In the end, maybe even Waternoose would respect that with time.
Or perhaps not. Hard to say really. But honestly, throughout the movie, the direct opposites to one another are Boo and Waternoose (okay so Boo is only a little kid, but you can get my point right?). So a part of me is interested in the idea of them meeting in some form. Just a little bit.
Though I could see further arguments until it eventually happened.
But DAMN it would be creepy huh?
But hearing of anything to do with Randall, (if he did, which is a difficulty and plot hole surrounding this whole set up in fact), he could see her as someone who could get him 'out' as it were, having realised he'd pretty much blown it with Sulley LONG ago after some episode after Sulley visited him. Then he realised he;d blown off what he needed: A vouch. Or something, though I'm not sure if that would work. I'm not entirely sure of Waternoose's motives myself or what Boo's use could be, so I apologise for it not being clear. I just felt like I had to write something like this, for some reason.
In my own mind, Randall would probably end up telling her he was coming to and she'd have to lump it, and Sulley just shaking his head internally thinking: 'clueless' at the pair of them as things fall from there. So there would be SOME humour there. Just a little bit.
I'm not exactly sure WHERE this came from. In my story, the Henry Waternoose the third we know of is dead. Been dead a few years at least.
But what if he wasn't?
This is sort of an AU story, taking place a year or two after I plan to leave connections. Kind of creepy. It's kind of Boo's relentless belief in second chances meeting Waternoose and his ambitions and the like. Potential for some screwed up things happening there. A one-shot. And while if there were character filters, I'd put Boo and Waternoose as the characters, they are not shown to directly interact. Or at least not much. It's only referenced. Actually there's a bit of Randall, and he's mentioned too, but it's mostly Waternoose by himself and Sulley talking to Boo. Concerned and all. And Randall's annoyed (understatement of the year).
--
There had been a time when he had finally run out of patience. True this had been a failing to be sure, he knew that now. In truth Henry had felt he'd always been in long periods of stasis in the past, and inevitably, you would usually eventually tire of that. He'd been 142 when he'd finally become CEO, so he was used to the task of waiting, and he could do it when he felt called to do so. Most of the time. He just had never really liked it. To wait for what he wanted, for what he felt he deserved seemed like a chore.
His father had not been the same. For him it was almost a thrill, watching as his own work or the work produced through his own delegation, his own leadership coming to fruit. Granted, he was afforded a little impatience here and there, his son could not help but remember. But what man or woman is completely free of that?
Still, Waternoose had learned a lesson as it were even then in his old and extended life. Something which really could usually only truely sink in and become a mantra from your own mistakes. He'd learned that once again the hard way he realised, on his successor's last and final visit. And at first he'd scorned himself for not realsing it sooner.
When there was nothing immediately at your disposal, the best course of action was to wait for an opportunity to present itself. No matter how aggravating it may get.
And even when that opportunity arose, patience could still go a long way in making sure that opportunity did not disappear before you could gain a proper grip on it.
--
"He'll NEVER change! People like that never do." His first pair of arms were waving in the air as he walked away from her to the window, expressing his indignation, his lower set crossed.
Sulley held his breath as he glanced at the young girl.
"...you guys changed." No accusation in her voice. The words did not require them.
"-I'm going to have a long walk." Randall muttered. "Geez Sullivan would you talk some sense into this kid?"
The unspoken words hung at the end of that sentence. 'I just really need to clear my head and figure out a better way to get across why she is absolutely insane to even think about doing this. You keep up our side until I get back. Think you can handle that?'
Sulley however was more than happy to oblige, the undercurrent not withstanding. Not for the first time it seemed recently, he and Randall were in prefect agreement with one another.
Well okay, maybe not PERFECT. He wouldn't call Boo's wishes 'insane' as it were... merely uninformed of the severity or the entire ramifications of the situation she was placing herself in. Yes, that was a good way of putting it. Then again he was beginning to doubt that Boo was in a sense 'normal' in certain cases when it came to appropriate situations. She'd technically hidden Randall in her room for MONTHS.
He still had to talk to Boo about that. But that was a talk for another time. It really paled in light of the present issue they were now facing.
The eighteen year old simply sighed: "Please Sulley." she said. "I thought you'd understand."
"Boo, you know what I really don't, and you also really don't understand either." Sulley said gravely, "We're just trying to look out for you. You have to realise... this is hard on all of us. Especially..."
"Randall. And you. I know. I know the story. I know what happened."
"Yes, which is why you should really think this over."
"I did! And I decided the only fair thing would be to actually go and see him. Kind of rude to turn down an invitation anyway."
"Boo. This is serious. This is not the time for jokes."
"Who says I'm not serious about it?" she queried, "Just because I'm not 'doom and gloom' all the time doesn't mean I don't understand either. He did a bad thing, I know. A lot of bad things, to all of us and... especially Randall, but does that really mean I shouldn't talk to him? Hear his side? I mean I hate what he did but wouldn't that make me a hypocrite if I didn't try? I hate what you guys did to each other too."
"Boo. He tried to KILL you. He ordered you to be killed."
"You guys didn't think humans were... people. Not then. I understand that... NOW." she emphasised raising her shoulders and spreading her palms.
" He also wanted to kill me. And Mike. And looking back, he was really not above even selling Randall out. I really don't think-"
"Randall tried to kill you. And from what he told me, he wasn't too cut up over the idea at the time even if he was ordered to." she pointed out.
"...that's different." Sulley said, feeling mildly disturbed almost that he was defending this.
"He exiled you too." Boo continued "You exiled Randall. And you said you were smiling." she said folding her arms.
"...yes." Sulley sighed feeling like he was fighting a losing battle as time went on. Boo was once again, not sounding accusatory. She said it gently and carefully, almost neutrally stating what had happened, and to her credit, what she was saying WAS technically true.
Sulley knew it wasn't that she didn't care what had happened to them either, she did, deeply, it was just that she was willing to put those feelings aside to do what she thought might be the right thing. It's something which she said she'd have to do if she wanted to be a doctor anyway. You HAD to do it. You didn't choose who you helped or tried to help. Or you risked breaking the code. Sulley knew this as well as her points. It was old laundry in some ways, and he could see Boo didn't like the idea of dragging them up again, but felt he had pushed her hand to do so.
"Mr. Waternoose... Waternoose. It's just...He's..." Sulley trailed off. "I don't know how to explain it. He..." he scatched the back of his neck, wondering how best to put this. "He just... gets under your fur... or skin or something like that." he carefully considered. "He seems nice at first but then he, well he pulls the rug right from under you. And so it hurts, it can cause... so much more damage than I don't know someone who is at least upfront about it. I don't want to see that happen to you again."
"Sulley... I've learned a lot in the last few years. Or at least I like to think so. I've been tricked before by people like that too. But it doesn't mean I should give up on every case I hear about. I mean what if I miss out on someone who really needs it? What if he has changed? And... I hate to admit it, but I'm not a kid anymore either... legally speaking. I mean I can vote."
"That really has little if anything to do with this."
"I think it does, actually."
"No. I don't think it does." Sulley said stubbornly, only half lying. "It's better to not vote when you don't know for sure than support someone where you don't know where you stand. That's Waternoose... all over. Randall was twenty-two when... well. When 'it' started. Apparently, he was nice to Randall too. Once. I don't want you to make the same mistake with him. Do you think RANDALL wants you to?"
It was a blow, Sulley knew, and he felt bad as her brow began to crease up in thought. It was a sore point for her. That she didn't always think of such things through before jumping in to whatever she felt she had to do. She was better than she used to be, but occasionally she still needed reminding, rather like Sulley sometimes had to be reminded she wasn't little anymore, and Randall to bite his tongue. Better they were then they used to be, but they were not perfect, such was life.
"I'm not making Randall's mistakes." she said carefully, "If it is one. It'll be my own."
"Think Randall will see that?"
"...I'll help him see that. Somehow."
Sulley could see he had lost. He could hardly stop her. Neither could her parents come to that. Legally speaking, she was an adult. And it WAS her own decision. As much as he hated it. And she KNEW they both hated it. But it was a few weeks until the visit was scheduled, the political tape having been cut or at least rearranged for this unusual situation. They still had time. They could convince her otherwise. Maybe.
"At least let me come with you. Or something. I've been there before." he muttered, trying not to sound scathing when he recalled the memory, something he had told Randall, who had in kind used it in his argument as a suggestion on his behalf. Which hadn't worked. Apparently, perhaps something had happened in ten years that Sulley didn't know about. And while that was potentially true, he had severly doubted it in addition to Randall's yells that he would ever change.
"Sulley... you're banished. Technically speaking. You go back, you're facing life in PRISON."
"Well then maybe I'll bunk with him and make sure things ALWAYS go smoothly when you visit."
"Heh. I'll be talking to him behind bullet proof glass, not his cell."
"Huh. Is it Waternoose proof?"
"...Have you been taking snark classes from Jack and Randall again?" she almost sounded impressed.
Sulley sighed again. "What about Randall then? He'd go. Still can. Technically. He's got higher immunity. You could ask them anyway."
"...I know. But... would be comfortable with that? He'd go if I WANTED him to come, and I do, sort of. And also not. Uh."
Sulley gave her a puzzled look as she stumbled over these words.
"ANYWAY." she reamended." But what I mean is- would he really want to? I don't want him to go just because I ask."
"...Boo if you're going, he's going to want to go. Of course, he'd be happier if you didn't go AT ALL."
"He HATES that place though." Boo muttered. "The Monster World. I can't make him come. I can't make him feel like he has to. And he doesn't have to feel obligated to go for that guy either, he has a right to be angry with him. I know that. It was horrible. I hate it too. "
"Understatement... but the only way you can do that is by not going in the first place." Sulley said slowly.
"But... I have to!"
"No you don't."
"If I don't go I'll be a hypocrite, like I said. I know that sounds selfish, but I can't take the idea of giving this opportunity up because of that. He's not getting any younger either, you know. What if he really did change? Are you both SO sure that he can't anyway? Are you? Don't you doubt that, even just a LITTLE? I mean look at you and Randall! Look at Mike! Fungus! He changed too! People do all the time."
Sulley didn't say a word.
"I have to give him a chance, even if I hate what he did.... I wouldn't be me if I didn't."
--
And while he was slumped in a defeated position as she entered, internally, Waternoose smiled.
--
A/N: Creepy no? I kind of like those sort of arguments/debates in fiction though. Everyone has a point. Randall has a right to be angry, and both he and Sulley have a right to be worried. Boo kind of has her own ponts, even IF it turned into a big mistake. It would be hypocritical of her, if she didn't listen after all that had happened. She hates what Sulley and Randall did to each other as mentioned.
So what happens? Anything really. Boo is going to undergo some growth in connections, so she's not really as naive at this stage as she once was. She also knows of his past, what he was like etc. so she'd not completely unprepared. But still, Waternoose could possibly try and play her, tempt her with ideas you know? (Even if he doesn't have power as such).
But in the end, I like the idea of Boo having learned a lot about that sort of thing, from Randall's and Sulley's pasts and her own and she's just generally not that interested in that sort of thing. In the end, maybe even Waternoose would respect that with time.
Or perhaps not. Hard to say really. But honestly, throughout the movie, the direct opposites to one another are Boo and Waternoose (okay so Boo is only a little kid, but you can get my point right?). So a part of me is interested in the idea of them meeting in some form. Just a little bit.
Though I could see further arguments until it eventually happened.
But DAMN it would be creepy huh?
But hearing of anything to do with Randall, (if he did, which is a difficulty and plot hole surrounding this whole set up in fact), he could see her as someone who could get him 'out' as it were, having realised he'd pretty much blown it with Sulley LONG ago after some episode after Sulley visited him. Then he realised he;d blown off what he needed: A vouch. Or something, though I'm not sure if that would work. I'm not entirely sure of Waternoose's motives myself or what Boo's use could be, so I apologise for it not being clear. I just felt like I had to write something like this, for some reason.
In my own mind, Randall would probably end up telling her he was coming to and she'd have to lump it, and Sulley just shaking his head internally thinking: 'clueless' at the pair of them as things fall from there. So there would be SOME humour there. Just a little bit.
