Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Chapter 1: a monstrous departure

The bedroom was shrouded in total darkness, which was perfectly understandable, since it was the middle of the night, as was the fact that the child inside was sleeping soundly.

In fact, he was so sound asleep that he didn't notice that the door of the large wardrobe had opened slightly, allowing two vaguely shaped beings to tiptoe inside.

However, suddenly, the footsteps on the creaking floor had the effect of waking up the sleeping child, who, instinctively, sat up, pulling the covers up to his eyes, while the silhouettes of two monsters appeared out of nowhere. they stood imposingly in the darkness and…

“Double T, I told you we'd scare him that way!” a female voice protested in annoyance, immediately eliminating the atmosphere of terror in the room, so much so that the boy in pajamas with donuts drawn on them, astonished, turned on the light from the lamp on the bedside table, illuminating in a istant the room full of posters of tightrope walkers and two monsters: a female monster, certainly the one who had just spoken, who had a particular shape, with orange and red fur and two large blue eyes, while the other was male and was tall, large, purple in color, with long and impressive horn.

“Sorry, Val, it's force of habit... you know, as a former Scarer and King Scream…” the purple monster apologized, while the hairy one stopped him: “Yes, yes, but enough talking, Double T! The child is awake!”

After saying those words, Val turned to the little boy and said, with a big smile: “Nice to meet you, you're Larry, right? Six years old, lover of sweet things like donut and balancing acts, right?”

"Yes..." the little one nodded, a little surprised by that strange situation.

Even though he was only four years old, he found it decidedly strange to be faced with two monsters who appeared out of nowhere who not only knew his name, but were also aware of how old he was and what he liked!

It certainly wasn't something that happened every day… or nights, in this case.

“Good, Larry! Today is your lucky day!” Val continued, with a big smile “You are about to witness an incredible performance by me thanks to the help of my assistant Tylor Tuskmon!”

"Assistant? But aren't I your jokester partner?” the purple monster pointed out, while the orange one said, calmly: “It's just for show, Double T! In shows, an assistant is always needed! Smitty and Needleman told me!”

“The orderlies?”

“Yes, Needleman also advised me on what to say when the assistant intrudes on the conversation: 'Shut up! I'm the one talking! You're just a model!”

Larry laughed amusedly at both of their words.

Even though the situation was still very strange, almost bordering on the absurd, he had to admit that it was very funny.

“Anyway, Larry, have you noticed that my friend's horns are incredibly large? Sometimes I wonder how he manages to walk through a door without crashing into it at least once! And to think that his fingers are so small..." Val continued, while Tylor let out a sigh of resignation: "Val, please…"
“Sorry…so, I was saying that since his horns are so big, I'm going to try to fit these donuts into his horns now…ready?” continued the orange monster, taking some donuts from a package in his hand and then taking aim and throwing them... only for them to land straight in Tylor's face and body, completely missing the horns, making Larry burst out laughing loudly.

"Hey!" Tylor protested, while Val apologised, embarrassed: "Sorry... never had a good aim... once, during a volleyball match in elementary school, I hit the teacher in the face! They haven't let me play since then."

At that point, the two monsters turned towards Larry who was still laughing amusedly and greeted him: “Bye, bye, Larry! Thanks for your laughs and see you next time!”

Once out of the closet, the two monsters found themselves in a large hall full of monsters of all sizes and colors.

“Great job, Double T! A laugh-can filled and only with the first laugh!” the orange monster complimented, observing the cylinder connected to the door from which they had just exited fill under the gaze of a small dark gray hairy monster with small horns and sharp teeth, while the purple one with the long horns, commented, trying to remove the remains of the donuts from the body: “Great… please help me get these donuts off me before the next shift or we will make the child laugh by just having me lean out the door! Come on… two more days and then we're off... no work and, most importantly, no Duncan for a week..."

"So, ready for the super awesome and unforgettable MIFT vacation?"

"Sure, Val... you've been talking about it for a year... so, where have you decided to take us?"

"Oh, you'll love it, Double T, even if you don't know it yet... it's a little mountain town called Terror Town!"

"But I know it very well!"

"Really?"

"Sure, I used to go there every year for winter vacation... I have to admit, it's a wonderful idea to go there... you know, the mountains are beautiful this time of year... I'm surprised you chose such a quiet and isolated place for our annual vacation... I thought you'd take us, as usual, to a haunted castle or some mysterious creature sighting site..."

"Exactly."

"Huh?"

“Oh, come on… don’t tell me you’ve never heard of the legend of Raymond Crimson Cloak who lives hidden in Terror Mountain!”

“Val, I've spent I don't know how many winters up there, and I can assure you there's nothing abnormal up there! It's just another urban legend!”

“Instead, I'm sure there's something paranormal and mysterious up there… and this week I'll prove it! I already have my entire paranormal hunting arsenal ready, and Fritz and the others are ready to help me too!” Val declared proudly, before asking with a smile: “Oh, since you seem to know the area, could you tell me what hotels there are in the area? I've organized everything for our vacation, but not where we'll be staying…”

“Yes, mom… yes, I packed the socks… mom, Sulley and I are only going to Las Scaregas for a week, not to Terror Mountain!” the small green monster with a round shape, with one large single eye with a green iris, blurted out, exasperated, at the person who was on the other end of the yellow receiver, under the amused gaze of the large, thick, blue-haired monster with lilac polka dots with two blue eyes who was holding in his hands a frame containing a childish drawing of a large blue monster holding what looked like a little girl by the hand.

“Of course I'm sure, mom! Next Saturday in Las Scaregas there is the Creepes championship final, do you think I can miss it?! However, Las Scaregas is a big, bright, comfortable, safe city… we're not about to go to a jungle, so relax! We'll only be gone for a week, a week, understand?! Seven days! We leave at nine tonight by train... no, you and dad don't need to accompany us! We are grown up, vaccinated and I also have a new car... the twentieth or thirtieth, I don't remember... so, you can rest assured! No, mom, just me and Sulley will go as I've already explained to you a million times, maybe more than less... no, Celia won't come with us... MUM, I'LL DECIDE WHEN TO ASK HER TO MARRY ME! I know you want a grandchild, mum, believe me I know... but this is a personal and confidential matter, okay? Mom, you know she doesn't like baseball and then there's always something to do in the Laugh Floor... so, as I was saying, we will leave at nine in the evening by train and travel for three hours, then, we will arrive around midnight… no, I don't need the torch, mom! And not even a spotlight! Mom, it's impossible for us to miss the stop, it's the terminal! Yes, I swear! You can look at the ticket if you don't believe me! You don't even have to worry about my sleep-wake rhythm! As soon as we arrive, we'll take a taxi and go straight to the hotel, and then go straight to sleep! As for dinner, we will eat something at the station bar or on the train... MOM, I ASSURE YOU THAT I DON'T NEED YOUR SUPER PACKED LUNCH! I don't care if it's healthier and safer than what they serve at fast food restaurants, that's what I decided! So, I'm leaving tonight, I'll stay in Las Scaregas for a week to have fun, then on Saturday I'll watch the match at the stadium and on Sunday I'll go home, I promise! Okay, okay, okay... if it's so important to you, I'll call you often, I promise... but now, please, let me work, thanks! It's my last day at work before the holidays and I have a lot of things to do! HI!" concluded the little Cyclops, closing the call in a hurry, and then sinking into his desk chair, muttering: "Oh, finally... three hours of calling... I was starting to not be able to take it anymore..."

“Come on, Mike… your parents just hope that everything goes well and that you don't miss anything… Las Scaregas isn't near to Monstropolis…” the blue furry monster pointed out, while his friend replied, annoyed: “ Sulley, you know exactly what my parents are like! For them, going shopping at the store across the street is a threat to my safety! I can't tell you what a Herculean effort I had to make when I was eighteen to convince them to let me go to college on my own! They are anxious licensed conspirators! If I think I'll have to call him every night next week just to keep him from having a panic attack... ah, I'll watch TV!"

Mike took the remote control and pressed a button, while the image of two pinkish monsters appeared on the screen of the television placed in front of the desk, one male with gray hair, a small horn and fin-shaped moustaches, while the another was female with blond hair, one green eye, with glasses with a single lens and a horn in front.

Both were elegantly dressed and had the curious distinction of being united in the same centipede body.

“Good morning, Monstropolis! Welcome to ‘I Scream’…” the female side of the curious monster began, while the male side added: “U Scream!”

“The news debate show where we take on the issues of the day.”

“Head to head. I’m Jack.”

“I’m Jill. Today’s topic concerns a monster whose legendary exploits have been on everyone's lips in recent years: the famous thief of scare memorabilia known as The Collector!”

"Exactly! In fact, for a few years now, a thief has been wandering around with a real collecting obsession for the Scarers: first unobtainable scare cards stolen from antique shops, personal objects stolen from other collectors... last year this funny guy even stole the scream-cap that belonged to the famous Scarer Conrad Schmidt from room A113 at Monsters University! Maybe he would have even stolen the one with which Dean Abigail Hardscrabble broke the scare record if it hadn't been destroyed years ago..."

“Jack, do you know anything about the identity of this scoundrel?”

“If it was known, don't you think the police would have already arrested him, Jill?”

“Don't be funny, Jack! I know too that his identity is unknown, so much so that it was the police who called him The Collector! But if I remember correctly, we have an image of him…"

"Certainly." Jack nodded, as a grainy black and white image of a tall, skinny monster appeared on the screen, in front of a painting of a scary monster, but due to the darkness, you couldn't see or understand anything else about the monster, not even how many arms he had.

“This was taken a few months ago, while he was stealing paintings of famous Scarers from the Monstropolis Fear Museum. The photo is grainy because it was taken from a security camera and our thief is damn fast..." Jack continued, while his feminine extremity commented with a dreamy and flirtatious air: "A mysterious thief whose only thing we have on his account is a grainy photo... a nostalgic of the Scream Era... I can already imagine him... young, tall, beautiful... capable of breaking the hearts of all the monsters females of Mostropolis just with his appreciable dark knight charm…”

“I, on the other hand, cannot stand monsters who steal the public heritage of museums! When The Collector stole the Rookie Card of Abigail Hardscrabble from the Smellsonian last year, I didn't sleep all night!”

“And I can confirm it, given that that night I couldn't sleep because he was moving so much… usually it happens because he snores!”

“I don't snore!”

“Yes, of course… lucky you're not engaged, Jack… even if it's more than natural… not everyone can be as fascinating and mysterious as The Collector…”
“Jill, we don't know anything about this guy… it could be a female monster.”

“Oh, don't talk nonsense, Jack! Such a thing is not possible! But I can't blame you too much either, since the intelligence has all gone to my side!”

“Hey, Jill…!”

“The Collector's first theft dates back to about five years ago with the theft of a collection of Scare Cards kept in the bank belonging to Mrs. Marilyn…”

“Oh, I really hope they catch that criminal soon! Someone like that deserves to be thrown in prison for the rest of his days, plus throwing the key down the toilet!” Mike suddenly blurted out, with a furious look, while Sulley tried to reassure him: "Don't worry, Mike, they'll catch him sooner or later..."

“I really hope so, otherwise, I'll go look for it myself!”

“Sorry, Mike… but why is it so important to you that they capture him?”

“Did you hear what that cheap thief steals?”

“Of course, famous and rare Scare memorabilia…”

“Exactly… and even though I am a famous Jokester who has appeared in 24 magazines, 85 commercials and soon I will also get a veteran Laugh Card, no one even tries to steal my things! Damn, they even did an interview with me! Who does this guy think he is?!”

“A Scream Era nostalgic?”

“Why hasn't he tried to steal our Scarer Team of the Year Rookie Card yet?!”

“Maybe because we went from Scarers to Jokesters? And let's not forget that it is only because of us that the energy of scream has been replaced with that of laugh..."

“Ah, never mind… I know who that guy is anyway!”

"Really? And who is it?"

“But it's obvious, Sulley… it's Randall!”

"What?! And why would he steal scare memorabilia?”

“Maybe to get revenge due to the fact that, with the advent of the energy of laugh, the Scarers are no longer of any use… or maybe he was paid to do it, what do I know…”

“In that case, don't you think our things would be the first he would steal if he really was The Collector?”

“Well… he must have understood that the only way to bother me is to not take my things! And this is just the first step towards his revenge!”

“Mike, we haven't heard from him in at least six years, even though he's back in the Monster World… don't you think he's given up on his revenge plans by now?”

“Yeah, right… he'll be there waiting like a hawk, waiting for the best opportunity to pounce on us and take us out! But I'm here, ready to wait for him! If he comes across me, I'll give him a thumbs up, Sulley! My things are worth as much as that ridiculous junk of the Scarers, in fact, more! I'll show you what happens when you screw Mike Wazowski!” the little green monster blurted out angrily, turning off the television in annoyance, while his friend let out a sigh of resignation.

Just then there was a knock on the door and, immediately, Mike jumped, agitated: “Oh, no! Roze is here! Surely she will have come to get me to approve the paperwork once and for all before letting me leave for the holidays!”

“Wait… you postponed the approval of the paperwork again?!” asked the furry friend, while the Cyclops hurriedly hid under the desk, begging him in a low voice: "If it's her, tell her I'm not here!"

“But Mike… what if she asks me where did you end up?”

“Make up that I left early, that I went to the bar… whatever! If she finds me, she certainly won't let me leave before I've finished approving past, present and future practices and with everything I have to approve, I risk spending my holidays stuck in here!"

“Okay, okay… don't worry…” Sulley reassured him, before turning towards the door and saying: “Come in.”

“Surprise!!!" exclaimed a small group of peculiar-looking monsters, triumphantly entering the office with a big smile.

"Guys!" Sulley and Mike exclaimed at the same time, even though the one-eyed green monster, in an attempt to jump up, hit his head against the furniture, making him scream in pain.

“But Mike… what are you doing under the desk?!” asked, astonished, a small pink monster with five eyes and a tuft of brown hair hidden under a green cap, identical in color to that of the sweater he was wearing, while another with a very strange curved purple shape, all hairy and with only two eyes, he exclaimed, “So you live there now, Mike?”

“I categorically doubt it, Art.” declared, annoyed, a head of a curious yellow two-headed monster, with only one eye each, with four arms with tentacles that fit into the long green sweater he was wearing, which had the particularity of having two horns, unlike the another who had only one, who scolded him: “Come on, Terry, don't be so rude.”

“Hey guys, you're all right! Everything okay in the Laugh Floor?" Sulley greeted them, and an elderly monster with two tentacles for arms, glasses for eyes, a small horn for a nose, and a mustache and hair on the sides of his shaved head shaped like fins, wearing a green T-shirt, stepped forward with a big smile and explained, "Of course! Although it's still a little weird making kids laugh after scaring them for years..."

"Well, it seems like, despite the change, you're all still doing well..."

"Oh, yeah... even though I'm getting older... anyway, the ones who had the most success with the transaction were Terry and Terri. From being famous Scarers, they became famous Jesters!" the glasses-wearing monster revealed with a smile, pointing to the two-headed monster, whose head, which had been named Terry, muttered sarcastically, "Too much... we can't even leave the house without someone wanting to take a picture or an autograph!"

“It's the price of fame, Terry... and besides, I don't mind the fact that, despite everything, we're still famous and appreciated..." the other head reminded him, as Terry blurted out: "Well, I wish people would appreciate our privacy and let us rest for once, Terri! Everywhere we go, there's always some die-hard fan bothering us! Nowadays, even just going to get the mail has become a Herculean task!"

“Come on, Terry… the fact that we're so important despite being ridiculed and undervalued for years is something fantastic, isn't it?”

“It would be even more fantastic if I could just walk around the house in my pajamas without fear of someone taking my picture and then selling it to some celebrity magazine!”

“Anyway, we've come to invite you to the annual Oozma Kappa reunion we're having next weekend. Will you be there?” the bespectacled monster asked hopefully, and Sulley, embarrassed, admitted, “Thanks, guys… that's very kind of you… but unfortunately, we'll be out of town on vacation right then…”

“Oh, too bad… well, have fun,” said the bespectacled monster, while the pink five-eyed monster appeared behind him, startling both him and Mike, who was curious: “Where are you going, James?”

“Las Scaregas. We'll tour the city, try the local specialties…” Sulley began, but was interrupted by Mike, proudly holding up two tickets: “…And we're going to watch the baseball championship with the Creepes!”

“Cool! When will it be?” asked the other head of the two-headed monster, the one with only one horn. Mike replied with a triumphant smile, placing the tickets on his desk: “Saturday afternoon, the day before we leave for home.”

“We, on the other hand, will be at the Screaming Flower Festival in Terror Town that very day,” asked the other head, Terry, with the little green monster asking, astonished, “What is that?”

“It’s an annual festival where not only plants and flowers are celebrated, but also their meaning. Plus, there’s a competition for the most beautiful and special flower,” explained the oldest monster of the group, with Sulley saying, surprised, “Really? I’ve never heard of that…”

“Well, it's not really very well known... we only found out because Don has a friend who lives in Terror Town..." the five-eyed monster admitted, pointing to the monster with glasses and tentacles, who added, "Yes, we met through a correspondence program we both joined several years ago... his name is Colin Moon and he owns a Bed and Breakfast in Terror Town called The Lucky Rabbit. He's a very kind and friendly guy and it's always a pleasure to chat with him, even if it's just through correspondence... and one of the topics of our conversation was this festival."

"Yes... so we decided to go to this year's edition, especially since Charlie is going!" Art exclaimed proudly, while Sulley nodded: "Oh, great... and who's Charlie?"

“His plant,” Terry replied curtly, while his twin protested, “Terry, come on! A little gentleness, for heaven’s sake! It even has a name!”

“Gentleness?! Not even a flamethrower would be enough for that thing, Terri!”

“But you said it could win the race!”

“I said it would definitely leave its mark! When I think back on that… that vegetable gives me the shivers! I absolutely don’t want to know where Art found it, especially since, I bet you anything, it was illegal too!”

While the Siamese twins argued, Don continued, “We’re all leaving for Terror Town on Friday afternoon. Colin was kind enough to let us stay at his B&B for our reunion.”

“We’ll leave to return to Mostropolis on Sunday afternoon by train. Maybe we’ll meet at the station!” added the little five-eyed monster, suddenly butting in again, and Sulley said, “That would be fantastic, Squishy! Anyway, you guys have a full and exciting program too… I envy you a little… seriously, if we hadn't already planned this vacation to Las Scaregas, we would have come with you.”

“Yeah… well, maybe next year.”

“Yeah…”

“Well, guys, it was nice seeing you and hearing your plans for next week… but now Sulley and I have to get ready for Las Scaregas! I'll send you a postcard, I promise!”

“Bye, Mike! Bye, Sulley! Happy holidays! See you in a week!” the small group greeted them with big smiles as they walked out the door.

Once they closed the door, Sulley turned to his friend and asked, “Listen, Mike… what if we went to the Oozma Kappa reunion next year?”

“We'll see… we always have a lot of things to do…”

“Mike, you say it every year… after we helped them organize their first college party, we never even got together for a memorial dinner! They're our brothers… we've had so many experiences together, fun and not so fun… they've always been there for us and helped us… and we've also learned a lot from them…”

“Oh, all right… next year we’ll try to go to their reunion… but now, let me look at the list of things I’ll need in Las Scaregas again!” Mike blurted out, picking up a list and starting to mark the folders inside, reading: “So… train ticket? Got it. Creepes cap? Got it and already on my head. The great Stubby Lizzardo book? Got it. My two lucky boxing gloves? Got it. Sugar packets? Got it. Little Mikey? Got it. Game tickets? Got it. Alright, I think I’m ready!”

“Sorry, Mike… but shouldn’t we check out other things like specialties and monuments to visit in Las Scaregas?”

“Oh, don’t worry, Sulley… there’s time, there’s time… when we get there, we’ll definitely find something to do…”

“Basically, the only thing you care about in Las Scaregas is the Creepes game.”

“Exactly! And now, if you allow me, I'm going to… YAAAARGHHHH!!!!” Mike shrieked as he opened the office door and found himself faced with the figure of a hideous female monster with green skin, a snail-shaped lower half, two pairs of three-fingered arms, two half-closed eyes, and a shock of pink hair.

“Wazowski, you didn't approve the paperwork. No vacation for you until you approve it first.” the female monster declared, in a calm tone that still managed to radiate exasperation and fury from every pore, while the little cyclops monster stammered, “Y-yeah… I was a little suspicious, Roze… he was just about to start doing it…”

“Really?”
“Yes, you see, I… I intend to get this worry over with today, so tonight I'm a free monster and can have fun in Las Scaregas, without having to worry about a thing!”

“I'm almost touched, Wazowski…” “Thank you, thank you… why don't you go get me the paperwork to approve? So I can get started…” “Very well, Wazowski… here you go,” Roze declared, calmly dragging a red cart packed with paperwork into the office, much to Mike's horror, before adding, “All yours. If you start now, you might even make the nine o'clock train.”

“Do I have to approve all this paperwork?!” the little green monster asked, alarmed, while the other said, “The big one is at the entrance waiting just for you.”

Mike was silent for a moment, then asked Roze in a weak, yet slightly nervous, voice, “Are you really, really sure you’re not Roz?”

“We’re completely different, as I’ve explained to you at least a million times… if I were really my sister, I would have reported you by now,” was Roze’s curt reply.

“Quick, quick, Sulley! There’s less than five minutes until the train leaves!” Mike yelled, running and jumping like a cricket, despite carrying a huge backpack stuffed to the brim with stuff. He earned shocked looks from the various monsters present, with Sulley struggling to keep up.

“Which platform are we supposed to go to?” Sulley asked, tiredly, while the little cyclops monster replied, still running: “The 9th! Quick, quick! Oh, let it be there, let it be there…”

However, when he spotted the last platform of the train station, Mike exclaimed elatedly: “Yes, I’m safe! It’s still there! Quick, let’s move, Sulley! One last push! Only a minute to nine!”

Mike was the first to board, then whirled around to make sure Sulley had made it as well, although Sulley, however, was slightly behind.

“Sulley…” the green monster implored, while the other said: “I’m almost there, Mike…”

Just as a whistle blew, Sulley dived for the open door of the train and climbed inside, just as the doors slammed shut.

“We made it… for a moment I thought it was the end…” Sulley commented breathlessly as the train slowly began to move.

“Me too… it’s all Roze’s fault and her damn paperwork! She wouldn’t let us go anywhere until I approved all the paperwork…” Mike muttered, catching his breath, his friend pointing out, “Maybe this wouldn’t have happened if you’d approved the paperwork in time…”
“Yeah… well… now we’re on the train to Las Scaregas and a week of relaxation awaits us, away from work, paperwork, and, most of all, Roze! And let’s not forget the Creepes game! Come on, let’s go find our seats…” Mike shrugged, standing up and entering a compartment, followed by Sulley. “Ah… Las Scaregas, we’re coming!” exclaimed the little cyclop, sitting down on a seat, while the blue one, after taking a look around, pointed out: “Mike… am I wrong or is there no one in this compartment except us two?”

“So?”

“Don’t you find it a little strange that on a train to Las Scaregas there is no one in a compartment?”

“Sulley, we just left, of course there's no one here... and now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a nap... those damned practices of Roze's have literally killed me..." Mike yawned, before falling fast asleep in his seat, while Sulley, on the other hand, continued to look around, slightly doubtful.

Suddenly, he realized that there were, indeed, a couple of monsters in the compartment, but they were sitting in the corner of their seats, alone, staring out the window and minding their own business... but they looked decidedly strange and disturbing... almost sinister!

Suddenly, a large green monster turned toward him, glaring at him with such fury that he spun around, realizing everyone was glaring at him.

Okay, you get the idea... no more curious glances here and there.

After long minutes of pretending to stare at the window, the other passengers went back to staring out their windows, muttering, lost in their own thoughts, effectively ignoring both him and Mike.

Sulley also wanted to look out the window, mostly to have something to do, since Mike was too sleepy to talk, but it was so dark he couldn't see a thing!

The trip was so boring... and he was so tired... and it was so dark... maybe he could close his eyes and relax for a minute…

“Hey, sleepyheads, wake up! We’ve reached the end of the line! Get off your seats! We have to put this beauty away, and we can’t if you’re here snoring!” a rude male voice snapped at the two sleeping monsters.

Slowly, the two opened their eyes—two for the tall, fat, hairy blue monster and one for the small, green ball-shaped monster—dead tired, looking around with a confused expression.

Indeed, the train was stopped, and aside from the disturbingly small monster resembling a disturbingly whitish frog with bushy eyebrows and a big mustache, as well as small, curved horns and a toothpick between its pointed teeth, none of their questionable traveling companions were there…

“What time is it?” Mike muttered, while the monster muttered: “It’s half past midnight, dude.”

“What?! Oh dear, I slept the whole trip… actually, I’ve been asleep for a while now…”

“Well, it’s long past wake-up time around here! So, get up and get down once and for all!” the little monster snapped, jerking his thumb toward the door, then heading for it, blurting, “Look at this… even sleepyheads have to put up with it…”

“Hey, listen to this..." Mike began to protest, but stopped when the little monster stormed out, slamming the compartment door.

He continued angrily: "The railroad company will hear me! Treating Mike Wazowski like this! How audacious! Oh, if only I knew his name..."

"Mike, forget it. We're here to have fun, not to argue." Sulley immediately interrupted him, while Mike muttered, grabbing his things, "Okay, okay... but don't think it's over, Sulley! After the Creepes game, I'm going to call the railroad company and demand an apology, compliments, and a free forty-year season ticket with first-class service and a buffet for their terrible service! I'm going to give them a good telling off, a long telling off! What kind of employees they have!"

“Come on, forget it… now that we’ve arrived, let’s enjoy the unique and irreplaceable atmosphere of Las Scaregas!” the furry monster declared, opening the door, but stopping short as soon as he saw the outside of the train. The atmosphere was indeed unique and irreplaceable, but not in the way Sulley had expected or even imagined.

The station consisted of a single platform and was small, dirty, dilapidated, deserted, and, except for two lanterns, completely shrouded in darkness.

“Strange... I looked at the photos of the Las Scaregas station, but I could have sworn it looked a little different..." Mike stammered nervously, already hiding behind Sulley. "Maybe they set it up like this for a horror movie... and they did a great job... this place is creepy..."

"Excuse me, sir!" said the hairy monster, noticing the monster who had woken them earlier leap from the engineer's cabin. "Has the station always looked like this?"

“Of course! It's been like this for over fifty years, but it looks good, don't you think?” commented the little mustachioed monster, with Mike, still behind Sulley, muttering, “Yeah, sure… really wonderful… well, the only thing that matters to me is watching the Creepes game, to hell with everything else!”

“You want to watch something here? Ha ha ha ha… good luck, buddy! Even if there was a TV or even a half-functioning radio, no one would ever give it to you, not for all the gold in the world! They're too valuable! Where do you think you are, Las Scaregas?”

“Why? This isn't Las Scaregas?”

“Of course not, dude! This is Dirty Hole! The most infamous town in all of Monster World! A den of derelicts, wanted men, lunatics, and so on!”

“Dirty Hole?! Are you kidding me?! How did we end up here?!”

“Taking the train, right?”

“Y-yeah, but… the one on Platform 9 was supposed to be the train for…”

“Um… Mike…” Sulley suddenly and nervously interrupted, turning the little cyclops monster around, noticing that he was holding a train ticket in his hand. “I looked at the tickets and… well… actually, according to what was written… the platform was supposed to be Platform 6…”

For a moment, Mike remained in shocked silence, before shouting so loudly it could be heard throughout the small station and undoubtedly nearby: “WHAT?! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!”

“I’m afraid you were in such a rush and read the ticket backwards…” Sulley tried to explain, but was interrupted by yet another desperate scream from Mike: “ARE YOU JOKING?! ARE YOU TELLING ME WE CAME ON THE WRONG TRAIN AND ENDED UP WHO KNOWS WHERE?! OH, SHIT… WHAT THE HELL DO WE DO NOW?! I HAVE LESS THAN SIX DAYS TO GET TO LAS SCAREGAS!!!!!”

“Mike, calm down… we’ll just have to catch the next train… once we get there, we’ll find the stop that will get us closest to Las Scaregas and we’ll get there in time for the game.” his friend tried to calm him down, but the engineer interrupted, chuckling, clearly amused: “Yeah, right… you’re in trouble, buddy! The train to and from Mostropolis here, the only one there is, only runs once a month.”

“Once a month?! Are you kidding?! Why?!” Mike protested, and the mustachioed monster calmly replied: “Very simple, tennis ball: because usually no one ever comes here. You only come to this hole when you have nowhere else to go and you don't want to be found. People here don't know who you are and don't care. The best place to disappear. Here, it's as if you cease to exist. It's a world unto itself, where there are its own rules, new individuals, and you're detached from the Monster World!”

“Besides the train, is there a way back to the real world?”

“Sure! Cross the swamp surrounding Dirty Hole and you'll come to a town, I think… if you get there at all. The swamp can be even more… evanescent than Dirty Hole! Anyone who goes in there never comes out again, guaranteed! It vanishes completely! In fact, there's a rumor going around that there's a huge, terrifying creature with a powerful roar in there, and on full moon nights, just like tonight, it prowls around looking for unsuspecting prey to eat… well, good luck, you two… you're going to need it! Ha ha ha ha…” the monster cackled hoarsely, turning and walking away into the mist, disappearing shortly after, as if it had never existed, leaving the two monsters on the dock completely alone in the silence of the night.

“And now, Mike? What do we do?” Sulley asked, looking at Mike, and the other, after a moment of stunned silence, quickly regained his composure and declared, with a sudden confident tone, “You think so? We can get across that swamp and get to Las Scaregas before the game starts!”

“But did you hear what that monster said… anyone who goes in there is like they never come out again… not to mention that mysterious creature!”

“Sulley, please… those are old country fantasies, like that guy who hates laughter we have in the basement of Monsters Inc., Karloff the Skrieker! They're all nonsense, believe me!”

“And those scratches we found there that I absolutely didn't do, how do you explain them?”

“I… well… listen, Sulley: I have to get to Las Scaregas in time to see that blessed game, and it's not going to be a stupid swamp filled to the brim with water and mud or some stupid urban legend that's going to stop me! Let's go! The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can get to Las Scaregas and think of this as just an unexpected and unwelcome interlude!” Mike declared forcefully, marching out of the station, followed closely by Sulley.

However, once outside, Mike couldn't help but notice how dark and creepy the place was, with only a couple of obviously creepy-looking monsters nearby. They turned slightly to check on the newcomers, partly because it was late at night and the fog had just lifted between the reeds and dry shrubs in the middle of the water, creating an even more chilling effect than the one depicted at the station.

Mike glanced at the marshy landscape before him, then asked nervously, "Hey, I mean... we're not supposed to go in there, are we?"

"You're the one who said you weren't afraid of crossing a swamp just to watch the game…"

“Yes, but I didn't imagine it would be such a place… gloomy and disturbing… It's okay that we're monsters, but there's a limit to everything!” “So, what do you want to do? Just give up?” “Are you crazy?! I have no intention of spending a month in this damned dump, cut off from the entire world, and most importantly, missing the Creepes game! A swamp won't stop me, I assure you! I'll walk out of here with my head held high and get back to Las Scaregas in time for the finals!” “So, you'll have to go in there… but if you're scared…” “Me? Scared? Mph! You'd love that, Sulley! A swamp won't stop the great Mike Wazowski from missing the baseball championship, with the Creepes no less! We Creepes fans aren't afraid of the risks of the ford!” the little green monster did, with grit and boldness, taking off his enormous backpack and entering the murky water of the swamp, while Sulley said to him, only then noticing a sign near the shore: “Watch out for alligators, Mike.”

"Alligators? Which... YEEEEWWWW!!!!!" Mike exclaimed, before jumping into the air with something stuck to his butt.

"Help!!!" Mike said, starting to hop, while Sulley reassured him, looking at what was biting him: "Don't worry, Mike... it's just a baby alligator."

"Ouch! He may be a baby, but his fangs are already too developed! Ouch!" Mike exclaimed, as he waded back to shore, waving his arms, still holding the little green alligator, with sharp stegosaurus scales down his back to his tail and four eyes stuck to his butt. Judging by his amused smirk and mean expression, the little alligator was having a blast, unlike Mike.

“You little monster… now I’m going to…!” Mike hissed angrily, stopping short as he yanked the puppy by the tail and pulled it off his butt, giving it a glare of pure hatred and even shaking his fist, though the puppy wasn’t scared at all; in fact, he challenged him with an amused grin.

“Stop! Leave that puppy alone! Don’t bother the animals!” scolded a tall, skinny monster with tentacles and snail-like eyes who, judging by his jacket, must have been an animal control officer. Mike retorted, annoyed, “But he was the one who bothered me!”

Despite his protests, as soon as the monster was in front of Mike, he pulled out a clipboard and declared, annoyed, “You’re in violation! You owe me a hundred dollars!”

“No way! Get your little darling back!” the little cyclop monster snapped, annoyed, throwing the puppy at him, who immediately bit the other monster's rear end. The monster began screaming as he ran away like hell: “Aaaah! I'm your friend! Ungrateful!”

Once he was gone, Sulley turned to Mike and said, “I say we shouldn't walk in there.”

“So, should I give up the game?! Absolutely not! I'll give Roze and her sister a ride instead!” the little green monster snapped angrily, and his friend quickly explained, “I just meant that, if we want to avoid any more problems with the alligators, maybe we should get a boat.”

“Great idea, Sulley. But where do we find it?”

“Let's ask those guys over there… but make sure they don't know our true identities. That way, we don't let anyone get any weird ideas…”

“Pfui! I'm not afraid of anyone!”

“Excuse me…” Sulley said, approaching a small group of sinister-looking monsters, who turned to look at him darkly. “Where can we find a boat?”

“And what do you need one for?” asked a monster resembling a lime-green dinosaur, complete with a toothpick in its mouth, posing as the leader. Sulley explained with a nervous smile, “We’d like to cross the swamp.”

Immediately, the local monsters widened their eyes and opened their mouths slightly, staring at them as if they were crazy, and that was probably exactly what they really thought.

“You want to enter the swamp? Are you crazy? Aren’t you afraid of… vanishing?” asked the leader of the small gang, removing the toothpick from his mouth and looking at them seriously, and Mike replied arrogantly, “Of course not! I’m not afraid of anything or anyone! They just have to try to make me vanish!”

The little dinosaur stared at him in silence, then guessed: “You’re new around here, right?”

“Is it that noticeable?” Sulley asked, and the other chuckled: “It sure is! You better calm down before you go talk to Johnson!”

“And who is he?”

“Let’s say the boss of Dirty Hole… and the only one who owns a boat around here.”

“Well, then we’ll ask him to borrow it!”

“Johnson doesn’t lend his stuff… you either buy it for at least a billion or it’s nothing.”

“A billion?! Are you kidding me?! I’m the vice president of Monsters Inc., I don’t have to pay that much for a boat!” Mike immediately shouted, while Sulley immediately tried to calm him down: “Calm down, Mike… remember? It’s not worth making a spectacle out here…”

"If you want to find him, go to the 'Mad Monster' pub downtown... it's open all night. If he's not there, his men are definitely there," the villager added, and immediately, the little green monster marched off down the path that led to the village, blurting out, "Perfect! That guy better give me the boat for free, or at least for a reasonable price, or he'll hear me!"

"Mike, it's no good bragging about the leader of this community... he might get offended and make us pay," Sulley pointed out, catching up with him, but Mike, with an arrogant, tough look, blurted out, "Who, that? Ah! Small stuff, Sulley! The real danger around here is the baby alligators!"

The door creaked open, and the two monsters leaned out slightly, peeking inside the pub: it was very small, lit by red lights, with only a few tables on which were monsters of all ages, sizes, and colors, with music playing from an old jukebox.

A little nervous, the big, hairy blue monster and the little, one-eyed green monster with the enormous backpack entered the bar and headed to the bar, where a large, orange, female bear-like monster with shaggy fur, two brown eyes, large curved horns, and a red and black plaid shirt was wiping a mug with a handkerchief.

“Wrong train, darlings?” the owner giggled when the two were in front of her, and the hairy monster exclaimed, surprised, “How do you know?”

“Hmph… I’ve been running this place for years, young man… I’ve seen a lot of people set foot in here… and you two look too goody-goody to want to live in a dump like this and be forgotten!” the bartender revealed, setting her mug on the table, then said: “For the record, I’m Regina, owner of the ‘Mad Monster’. If you’re looking for a place to stay for the next month, I have a couple of rooms available… just give me a hand with the pub. You, big guy, can easily be a bouncer, and as for you, little guy… you could be a waiter, you look like the kind of guy who could talk for hours without stopping, thus fooling the customers into ordering more!”

“Hey, listen to this…!” Mike began, interrupted by Sulley: “Thank you for the offer, ma’am, but…”

“Ma’am? Oh! I told you you weren’t right for this place… I’ve been running this forgotten shack for twenty years, and this is the first time ever anyone’s made me feel important by calling me ma’am! Just call me Regina, like everyone else here.” Regina laughed, amused, then prepared two mugs of strangely colored water and placed them on the table, declaring with a broad smile: “Here, it’s on the house! Think of it as a welcome-to-town gift!”

Mike silently observed the brown liquid, then blurted out in disgust: “Disgusting… it looks like a mix of dirty and swamp water!”

“Mike…” Sulley whispered with an embarrassed smile, but the orange monster burst out laughing, amused. “Ha ha ha ha! You’re a sincere person, aren’t you? You remind me of an old friend of mine… he was always damn sincere, even in a place like this, that’s why I liked him! Every time he came here, he’d say my water was getting crappier and crappier, and yet, strangely enough, he’d drink it all!”

Mike was silent for a moment, then took a sip of his drink, though he almost immediately began spitting and coughing: “But it really is crappy!”

“Ha ha ha ha! He told me the same thing when he tried it for the first time! Maybe you and that friend of mine would have gotten along… of course, if I’d gotten out of his ordeal alive!” Regina commented, increasingly amused, while Sulley’s attention was drawn to a frame on the counter, right next to the bartender, who began to look at it curiously.

There was a photo of a small family of monsters: a rather skinny female with a sweet and kind expression, with violet skin, three green eyes, long straight dark purple hair, a long snake's tail, four pairs of arms, wearing a curious pyramid-shaped necklace and a deep red top that she held in her arms, with maternal sweetness, a small bundle with a small, white furry monster with long rabbit ears and two wings like, absurd as it may seem, those of a bird, next to a large and fat male monster, with a wolf's muzzle, with two large fangs that went downwards, with two red eyes, long tied black hair, two thin curved horns, two hands that looked like two large bear paws and gray fur, whose body was wrapped in a large red shawl and wearing a large, very damaged cowboy hat on its head that was smiling and stretching out a claw towards the little monster, who stretched out its two arms towards the monster.

“Nice family, isn't it?” Regina asked with a sweet smile, then added, pointing to the adult female monster: “This is Naira. She was the waitress at the pub for several years. Her mother was called Nahimana and was some kind of old witch, shaman, seer, healer, and so on, who lived isolated in the heart of the swamp, but she wasn't all that bad... she was also a fan of divination and often enjoyed predicting the future of others by reading tea leaves or tarot cards and other devilry…”

"Of course, there had to be a crazy old lady obsessed with magic and other such nonsense in a place like this... fortune-telling with tea leaves... how absurd... there's nothing more ridiculous than divination! It's such a confusing thing... more like a guess, if you really want to know my opinion!" Mike interjected sarcastically, while Regina giggled: "Then you're lucky, boy, not to have known her… she took it damn seriously! Once she even threw her staff at the head of a monster who dared to mock her while she was telling fortunes with runes, thinking she was playing with pieces of wood! When she was sixteen, her daughter Naira went to what we call the Real World to look for work and was gone for several years until one day she returned to this place with the man who would become her monster. Since they needed money, I took her on as a waitress. A lovely, kind girl with a passion for flowers and their properties… she deserved much better than living in this dump, indeed… The other one is Noah, my old friend I mentioned before and the monster she returned to the Dirty Hole with her. A colossal, sulky guy like no other who occasionally passed by… He was intimidating at first, but as soon as you got to know him better and, more importantly, if he liked you, you saw the best in him… I don't know how they met in the Real World, and I was careful not to ask. Their story caused a bit of a stir, partly because you don't see many furry monster marrying reptilian monster around here, and partly because of other issues... but imagine if a stubborn man like Noah would let someone else tell him what to do! It's just a shame that, shortly after the birth of their only daughter, Naira died... needless to say, her death devastated Noah…"

As Regina told the couple's story, Sulley stared intently at the male monster, whom Regina said was called Noah...

As absurd as it seemed, that monster seemed very familiar to him... but that wasn't possible... well, after all, if people came to Dirty Hole to be forgotten, there was a chance they'd seen him somewhere before... but where?

Certainly not at 'The Most Wanted'... someone this big and intimidating would be easy to remember, and he doubted he'd ever met that monster... or did he?

After all, the feeling of knowing him was nipping at his head incessantly, worse than a hammer!

“You know, she kind of looks like both of them…” the bartender admitted in a calm, even tone, causing Sulley to jump up and ask aloud, “What?”

“Physically, she looks a bit like Noah, even though she has blue fur and a different face… but, on the contrary, her kind, calm personality is very similar to Naira’s… funny… for that other one, it was the opposite!”

“What other one?”

“Well, you see…” Regina began, stopping when she heard the deafening roar of a motorcycle outside her bar, then muttered, exasperated, “Oh, goodness me… they’re here!”

“Who?” Sulley asked, surprised, as Regina quickly hid the framed photo under the counter, warning, “Keep your head down and don’t say a word, okay? Even if they torment you, just let them. Ignore them, okay?”

Just then, the pub door slammed open and two monsters entered the place: one was skinny, with tentacles, gray skin, a single eye with a brown iris and two thin, curved horns, with two large rodent-like teeth protruding from its mouth and a red handkerchief around its neck. The other was a large, red monster with only two pairs of arms and legs, two blue eyes, a set of small horns on its head that made it look like it had a crew cut, and two fangs protruding from its mouth.

"Ah... this place is getting more and more boring... nothing ever happens..." muttered the giant red monster, while the gray one nudged him, saying mischievously, while pointing to Sulley and Mike, still sitting at the bar: "You're wrong, Benedict... new entertainment today!"

The big red monster looked in the direction his friend was pointing and, as soon as he saw the two monsters, he sneered: "Where the hell did those two come from?! They look too good for this place!"

"They must have been stupid enough to get on the wrong train, I bet!"

"They sure do look like giant idiots, Gideon... especially the one-eyed green dwarf!"

"Hey!" Mike began, deeply offended, while Sulley reminded him in a low voice with an embarrassed smile: "Ignore them, ignore them..."

Benedict and Gideon approached Mike and Sulley and, after quickly glancing at the duo, the former commented: "They certainly don't look like criminals, these guys…"

“Yeah… for once, fresh meat!” Gideon chuckled, taking Mike’s mug and downing it in one gulp, belching loudly right in front of Mike’s furious face.

“Hey, listen!” the little green monster blurted out in exasperation, while the amused gray one asked, “What, newbie?”

“Look, I consider myself a very polite and patient person… but I don’t like it when people, especially a complete stranger in a ridiculous hoodlum outfit and with textbook rudeness, take my glass and drink it without asking permission or thanking me!” Mike declared defiantly, while Sulley tried to calm him down: “Mike… come on, calm down, nothing happened… forget it… and besides, you didn’t even like it…”

“Apologize right now, you rude boy!” the green Cyclops angrily shouted back at Gideon, who taunted him, amused: “What are you going to do to me, you little bloke? Call Mommy? Oooh… boo… Mommy, the ugly, bad monster drank my drink… boo… Daddy, could you beat him up for me? Boo…”

During the teasing, Mike’s expression grew increasingly furious until finally, enraged, he grabbed Sulley’s mug and, bluntly, dumped the contents on Gideon’s head.

Immediately, the pub fell silent, while everyone present, including Regina and Benedict, watched the scene, shocked.

“Since you like drinking so much, here you go! It’s on the house!” Mike taunted, angrily slamming his mug on the counter, ignoring Sulley's pleading with an embarrassed smile. "Mike... didn't we agree not to make a spectacle and, above all, to ignore the teasing?"

"You just signed your own death warrant, you tennis ball..." the octopus monster hissed, his expression so angry it made Mike realize he'd just gotten himself into serious trouble.

“Um… well… I…” the little monster stammered nervously, as Gideon’s friend Benedict angrily approached Mike, fists threatening, “This nice little dwarf obviously wants his features changed… or, quite simply, his big black eye!”

“Hey, don’t threaten Mike!” Sulley protested, blocking the big red monster’s path, to which the other replied, annoyed, “Apparently someone here wants a monument to the heroes… I’ll be happy to oblige!”

Benedict tried to punch Sulley, but the giant, hairy monster promptly ducked, sending the other crashing across the bar and into a couple of bottles, judging by the noise.

“Hey, don’t destroy my place, you idiots!” Regina protested, as the rest of the customers rushed out of the pub, both to avoid getting involved in the brawl and, above all, to take advantage of the chaotic situation to avoid paying. Indeed, a small monster first drank the entire contents of his mug before following the others out.

“You want to be smart, eh, you big guy? Then take this!” Benedict yelled, starting to throw everything he could get his paws on from the other side of the bar at the poor furry monster: mugs, bottles, and even the photograph of Noah and Naira.

Luckily, Sulley overturned a nearby table, creating a sort of shield against Benedict’s bullets.

Meanwhile, Gideon grabbed a nearby pool cue and hissed angrily, "All right, pool ball... you want to play hard? I'll be happy to oblige!"

The monster made to hit the little green monster in the head, but Mike, instinctively, grabbed a pool cue of his own and parried Gideon's with it, as if it were some kind of sword.

"Ah-ha!" Mike exclaimed elatedly, while Gideon commented, "Oh... we love swashbuckling movies, huh?"

"Pirate movies, to be precise."

"Actually, you're perfect for the role... you only have one eye and scurvy... all you need is a hook and a peg leg!"

"Hey, listen! I'm not sick!"

"I could have sworn I was, judging by how green you are... you don't eat much fruit, do you?"

“Who are you, my doctor?! He's already pestering me all day to follow what he claims is a healthy, balanced diet… yesterday he even threatened to drag me to a dietitian if I don't stop eating what he calls junk food full of fat, sugar, and everything else that's only bad for me!”

“Ah… I never thought I'd say something like that, but I feel sorry for that poor doctor of yours! Be careful, dude!”

The gray octopus monster began swinging his stick like a sword, but Mike promptly blocked it, though that didn't stop the stick from hitting a hunting trophy on the ceiling, knocking it brutally onto the counter, sending the pretzels spilling everywhere.

“What the hell did I just say?!” Regina screamed, quickly grabbing the cash register and tip jar, then ducking behind an overturned table to protect herself from all the commotion.

“What the hell is going on here?!” a male voice suddenly exclaimed in an angry tone, opening the door with a thud.

Immediately, their clashing stopped, and everyone turned toward the door to see who had just arrived.

Standing in the doorway was a gigantic monster, even larger and more imposing than Benedict, with thick green fur, two large curved horns, two dark eyes that gave off a cold, evil, and dangerous look, a mouth full of disturbing fangs, and a large, round red nose.

“Oh, great… there’s no limit to the worst…” Regina muttered, covering her eyes with one hand, while Benedict and Gideon quickly abandoned Mike and Sulley and joined the newcomer, saying nervously, “Boss, thank goodness he’s here! There’s been pandemonium here!”

“I noticed, you idiots! I knew something was up after seeing all the customers from the pub running out and hearing all the racket you were making in here! What the hell happened?!” the furry green monster snapped, and immediately his two accomplices revealed Mike and Sulley: “It’s those newcomers’ fault, boss! They had the audacity to stand up to us! Especially the one-eyed runt!”

“Hey!” Mike protested resentfully, while the gang leader, after taking a look at the two newcomers, asked annoyedly, “You clueless bunch! Did you let those two stand up to you?!”

“Excuse us, boss…” the two monsters muttered, mortified, while the newcomer approached them, prepared a fist, and commented, “Ah… as usual, it’s up to me to restore the pride and dignity of our gang! Step aside, you scumbags, and watch these two newcomers straighten up!”

However, the gigantic monster stopped when he stepped on what looked like a piece of paper.

“What the hell…?” the monster asked, looking down and discovering a photo of Noah and Naira under his foot. Sulley noticed, with surprise, that Regina had turned pale and was wearing a terrified expression.

Obviously, it wasn't a good thing for that guy to see the photo…

The leader of the two thugs, meanwhile, grabbed the photo in his claws and asked, in a threatening hiss: “Okay, listen carefully if you have any, people, because I have little patience and, therefore, I won't repeat myself twice… Whose photo is this? Who does it belong to?”

“It’s mine!” Sulley declared suddenly, to everyone’s amazement, jumping to his feet.

“Sulley, what…?!” Mike began, stunned, while the furry green monster stared at him curiously, repeating calmly, “Yours?”

“Yes, exactly!” Sulley declared, approaching the monster, who was slightly taller than him, taking the photo from the leader of the thugs, then said, “I… I was a co-worker of Noah’s! After he left, I tried to track him down, but to no avail… until one day I found this photo! It took me forever to figure out where it came from… and when I did, I took the first train to Dirty Hole with my friend Mike!”

The furry monster remained silent for a moment, which worried Sulley, as he feared the guy wouldn't believe him and would test him by asking about Noah's job, something he was completely unaware of. Then he gave a sadistic smile and said, in a tone so honeyed it was disturbing: "Really? What a coincidence... the three of us have known him very well ever since he moved here... We can easily tell you everything that happened to him, can't we, guys?"

“Of course we do… in fact, why don’t you go straight to his scarred friend? Or his abomination of a daughter? I’m sure they’re both dying to tell you what happened to him… if you can even find them!” Gideon laughed raucously, before his boss continued: “Did you know that your dear colleague had the audacity to take up with the young monster I had chosen as my future bride and even have a daughter with her? She should have been my wife because she was the most beautiful in these parts, and I even had to settle for that because she was a reptilian monster… and do you know what he had the nerve to do? He asked her if she wanted to marry me, and when she said no, he told me there was no point in arguing, since she had already made up her mind and that, therefore, I had to respect it!”

“Yeah… and when you tried to confront him, he even punched you in response, sending you flying across the room and crashing through the wall!” Gideon laughed, amused, but his boss didn't like the joke at all, glaring at him and hissing, “Gideon… need I remind you it's almost dinner time for someone?”

Immediately, the gray monster stopped laughing and began to tremble, visibly nervous, while his boss continued implacably, “Anyway, I'm telling you that in the end that dandy got what he deserved… I can't understand what Naira saw in someone like him… she was definitely crazy like her mother… after all, an old wreck is still an old wreck! He'll never get better!”

“Hey, listen, sir!” Mike interjected, approaching the big green monster defiantly. “Allow me to disagree… even a wreck can be fixed if you know where to look.”

“Oh… interesting… and who are you? A talent hunter?” the other commented, unimpressed, and Mike proudly declared, pointing with his thumb: “Sort of… for your information, I’m Mike Wazowski!”

“Never heard of that before!”

“Really? Weird… I had a feeling this place was a little remote, but not that much… never even heard of the Joksters?”

“Look, you slob… I don’t know who you think you are, but I’ve never met a more ridiculous guy than you… and if such a ridiculous profession actually existed, I’d consider it the most useless and ridiculous thing in the world… just like the people who practice it!”

“At least I don’t walk around with such a ridiculous and obvious fake nose!”

Once again, Mike’s words had the effect of chilling the entire room, with the furry green monster hissing angrily, “Fake nose?”

"It's definitely fake! I'd try to be more discreet with something like that, you know, as a Jester I'm used to dealing with fake noses... and yours is clearly fake! It's not even attached properly, look!" Mike declared proudly, taking the big red nose in his hands and starting to tug at it forcefully, under the shocked gaze of the two men of the hairy monster and Regina.

"Mike..." said Sulley, while his friend snapped, annoyed: "Not now, Sulley! This stupid nose is attached better than expected... they must have put some glue on it or something... but I'll take it off, you'll see!"

Suddenly, something grabbed Mike by his thin arms, and the little green monster found himself staring into the furious eyes of your furry friend. Your furry friend hissed angrily, “You know, scraggly, I know I’m not the most patient guy… but if there’s one thing that definitely makes me lose my temper… it’s when someone insults my nose!”

“Wait… are you saying that thing is real?!” Mike exclaimed, shocked, while the other blurted out, “Of course it’s real! Do you think I’d walk around with that thing on my face if I had no other choice?!”

“Well… the world is full of eccentrics…”

“Sure… but I’m Beau Johnson, the leader of this shitty community, so I have to have some decency, especially in a place where the worst criminals in the Monster World gather!”

“Wait… are you Johnson?!”

“That’s right! Were you looking for me, microbe?”

“Well… yeah… we heard you had a boat we could use to cross the swamp… but I guess after that, that deal fell through…”

“You’re right, billiard ball,” Johnson hissed, then added, amused, “On the other hand, I have some dear friends who would be thrilled to have you for breakfast…”

“Why do I have this strange feeling that I, on the contrary, won’t be at all thrilled to meet them?” Mike commented, as Sulley suddenly shouted, drawing the attention of everyone present: “Hey, Johnson! Before I meet your friends, I have someone else I’d love to introduce to you!”

The furry green monster looked in Sulley’s direction and saw with horror that he had effortlessly lifted a table and thrown it at him.

Johnson immediately let go of Mike and ran away, narrowly avoiding a collision.

“Sulley, there’s a back door over there! Quick, let’s get out of there!” Mike yelled, running away as fast as he could, while Johnson furiously shouted at Gideon and Benedict, “Don’t just stand there, you idiots! Stop them!”

“Now, boss!” the two monsters shouted, but almost immediately they slipped on the liquor that Benedict had spilled in an attempt to hit Sulley, which smeared all over the floor and slammed noisily against the wall.

“Incompetents!!!” their leader screamed furiously, while Regina, who had been hiding behind the table with her crate, leaned out and shouted, “I’ll take care of this, Johnson!”

The bartender leapt and tackled Sulley, who had started running toward the door, blocking him and declaring angrily, “I got you, you damned punk! This is going to teach you how to destroy my place!”

“But… Regina…” Sulley stammered nervously, before being interrupted by Regina herself, who whispered, “Tug yourself free and get to the back door. My personal speedboat is hidden under Pier 13. It’s big enough for both of us. Grab the photo of Noah and Naira, join your friend, and escape in the speedboat into the swamp.”

“Thank you, Regina!” Sulley thanked her sincerely and quietly, before doing as the female monster had ordered, causing her to scream, “You ugly…!”

Sulley came out the back door and, seeing Mike waiting for him, yelled, “Mike, Pier 13! Now!”

The two monsters began running along the pier until they reached it, which overlooked a lush, thick bush.

“Now what?” Mike asked, annoyed, and Sulley began moving the bushes aside, finding, within seconds, a small motorboat.

“Got it!” exclaimed the hairy monster, while the small one got behind the wheel and tried to turn the key: “Damn… it’s pretty rusty…”

“There they are! Let’s not let them get away!” A threatening voice sounded in the distance, and Sulley nervously pleaded with his friend, “Mike…”

“I’m almost there, just a second…” said the little monster, and just then, the key turned fully and they sped off into the swamp, with Mike cheering, over the moon: “We did it! What a team, what champions! No one can stop us! Creepes final, we’re coming!”