A/N: Omg, I am SOOO sorry that I haven't updated sooner...it's just I was working on SOO many House stories, and my Incredibles oneshot...oh never mind. JUST READ.

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The rain had passed, slowly but surely, over Monstropolis, and the blue sky and golden sun that greeted the monsters the next morning had never been brighter. They were all very happy to get out of bed and greet the day confidently.

But not Xathia.

She would have thought, as she had fallen asleep the night before, that she would be more than happy to get back to work at Monsters, Inc, especially with the knowledge of Randall being her long-lost brother. But the thought of seeing Randall made her stomach squirm. When they were just friends, if that, as Scarer and assistant, it was so much easier to just do her job and enjoy it for what it was. But now that they were brother and sister as Scarer and assistant, it would be awkward. What would Waternoose say when he found out? Would they still work together?

But, being new, punctuality every day for the next few months would be crucial to getting on Waternoose's good side, and her bad mood would not suffice as an excuse. So she hesitantly got out of bed, and yawned, rubbing her eyes furiously. Her sleep had been taunted relentlessly with dreams. Flashbacks, mostly, but they were always peppered with visions of Randall...she had barely slept a wink. When a thin sheet of sleep finally reached her, it was 4:00 in the morning, and she only had about three hours of sleep.

As she headed down the hall toward the kitchen, she noticed how warm it was inside. The curtains were thrust apart from the window, letting golden sunlight spill over the window sill and onto her carpet, warming the entire room. Though this may have pleased her the morning before, it only made her grumpier. She stomped over and yanked the curtains across the window, muttering grouchily under her breath.

She didn't have time for breakfast; she would grab some coffee and maybe a doughnut at work if she had time. But she did not want to enter the building along with the usual morning rush. Getting there on time and just getting her paperwork would avoid any pestering questions about her taciturn face and grumpy mood. She knew she couldn't avoid it after work started, but maybe she'd feel better by then.

She waved over a cab monotonously and barely noticed climbing inside. As they drove off down the road, the driver began to drum his fingers on the wheel rythmically, which was becoming more annoying every second.

"Please stop!" Xathia practically screeched. But he didn't listen, and kept drumming away.

"Hello?" she shouted. He reached up and pulled off a pair of headphones that Xathia hadn't seen.

"What?" he snapped, agitated.

"Stop. That," she growled.

"What? Listenin' to music?"

"No, that...drumming thing you're doing with your fingers on the wheel!" she hissed. But it didn't matter. They were at work.

"Already?" she whispered, out loud.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Nothing."

She stepped out cautiously and had to practically drag her feet out from under her up the stairs and to the front door. She peered inside, and, seeing that no one was there, slipped inside and headed for the locker rooms.

Once there, she opened up her locker and pulled out her hardhat and slammed the door shut again.

"Hello?" a small voice called from the other side of the row. Xathia paused, muscles clenched.

"Yes?" she called back tentatively.

"Oh, geez...I didn't know anyone would be here this early...I'm always the first one here. Bad morning?" the voice called knowingly. Xathia was slightly annoyed at how the monster would assume her bad mood so quickly, then admitted grudgingly that she WAS in a bad mood.

"Yeah," she grumbled hesitantly. "What's it to you?"

"Don't take that tone with me," the voice snapped back with more authority than Xathia had expected. "I've had my fair share of bad mornings, and I can assure you that this won't be the last of yours. I expect to be treated kindly!"

There was a ringing silence.

"Sorry," Xathia grumbled.

"Well, me too," sighed the voice. "I just don't take crap from anybody who's having a 'bad morning' if you will."

"Well don't let me intrude on your perfect morning," growled Xathia.

"Hey, what did I just say?"

"I don't give a crap! You're not my mom!"

"No, but I'm your co-worker, and I deserve-"

"You deserve NOTHING."

Xathia stomped the other direction and out the back door. She slammed the door shut and pressed her back against it. She breathed a sigh of relief. So much for some peace and quiet. But she turned to look at the door, and figured she should go an apologize. Though the voice did seem a bit bossy, she was right. Xathia sighed and pulled open the door.

"Come to apologize?" called the voice. Xathia was disgusted. Geez, have some humility! her head was screaming.

"No!" snapped Xathia, slamming the door shut again and heading the other direction, not looking back.

Xathia shivered as the hot drink poured down her throat.

She had finally reached the cafeteria and grabbed an early morning mug of coffee. She was glad that she had gotten away from the locker rooms, and now that she was alone, she had time alone with herself.

Who would she tell first? Probably Mike or Sulley...she thought. Mike seems like the kind of person to squeal...but I know him a little bit better than Sulley...how bout I just not tell anyone? That seems like such a simple thing...

She was very annoyed when a hot pink monster slid into the room. She had fangs that didn't even look remotely sharp, with claws and no feet...just a slug like tail that she slid around on. She squelched over to the cashier and purchased a doughnut...powdered with green goo. She came down to sit next to Xathia, and her expression was positively elated.

"Hi, my name's Mary. What's yours?" she asked, holding out her hand. Xathia gave her a scrutinizing look and shook her hand tentatively.

"Oh my gosh, so are you new?" asked Mary, clasping her hands together in front of her, preparing herself for a nice long monolouge, like Xathia's words were going to be some great story.

"Err...yeah," she said, taking another sip. Mary's perky attitude was annoying. Couldn't she just leave her be?

"That is so cool! I can teach you everything. Everything!" Xathia had to refrain from wincing.

"Oh, no...I'm fine thanks. I've got plenty of other friends and I know my way around pretty well by now," she fibbed.

"Oh, okay!" said Mary happily. "So-"

"You know, I'm not really in a 'talky' mood right now, sorry," said Xathia.

"Oh my gosh, I totally understand," said Mary quickly, giving a giggle that was a little too happy. There was a 10-second silence. Xathia knew exactly because she was couting. Oh yes, counting every single miserable second she had to sit there with this valley-girl excuse for a monster.

"Ugh, I just got back from the locker room. There was this real piece of work in there who thought she was the only one who had ever had a bad day..."

"That was me," snapped Xathia. Mary looked up.

"Oh..." she looked thoroughly embarrassed. "I think I'll...just...go...um...bye..." She scurried out the door of the cafeteria. Following Mary with her eyes out of the cafeteria led her eyes to wander over the clock, which had just clicked 8:15.

Time for monsters to start coming in.

She took a deep breath.

She was ready.

Or so she thought.

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A/N: Wow. I just reread that chapter and that had absolutely no point at all. I mean really. Sorry for that crappy excuse. I'll write something better I swear...heh heh

(dies)