The watch rings. April groans, lifting one of her hands up to the watch to shut it off, still sleepy. As she shut it off, she turns her body from a side position to looking up to the ceiling, with tired eyes. She slowly sits up, rubbing the back of her head lazily, groaning and moaning about. 

"I wished at least for a good night.", she growls starting to get up from her bed slowly and putting on her clothes, "What did I do to get nightmares and get agitated until the last two hours?...."

She looks at herself in the mirror.

"Oh well.... with that zombie face, at least I get a scary face....", she chuckles biased, rubbing her face with her hands, sighing. 

And then someone is shouting on the megaphone, outside.

"Good morning scarers! For those who want some chills and some terror, don't forget that tonight, the first round of the Scare Games have place in the Sewer Drain System on Campus! So be ready for this evening, because you are going to get some scare!", it's the Vice-president of the Greek council.

"And beware of this event, because this first one won't be easy.", the Greek council president adds next to him.

April, as she heard those voices, has looked down to her window to see them both walking around the court of the academy.

"Oh well.... I guess I'll have to eat dinner there. I really wonder how it will go for Randall and Mike.", she says, starting to pack her affairs for her lessons of the day and get ready.

As she did so, she rubs her eyes off tiredness and walks out of her dorm.

-

April has bought herself a burnt sausage hot dog with oil and garlic and a wasabi soda. With all of it, she marches to the Sewer Drain System and joins the public up to the up floor seats. Down there in the middle is the stage where the fraternities and sororities have to gather around. All there is need to do is to wait for all of them to come here. And as some of them has started to come over, the public starts cheering and getting excited. Most cheers went to the RORs, who came in as one of the first fraternities. April rolls her eyes, starting to eat her food and ignore these guys, except to Randall, whom she still wishes good luck. And then come in the Oozma Kappa. As every fraternities and sororities are gathered in the middle, the greek council president and vice-president, who are standing since the beginning on a stage in the middle against a wall, are introducing the first event.

"Welcome to your worst nightmare, THE SCARE GAMES!", the Vice-president exclaims, hearing all the excitement from the public and sharing this same feeling, "Yeees, yes, I love it! I love this energy! Okay, okay everybody!"

Mike glances up, noticing Hardscrabble peering in from on high.

"Let's hear it for the frats and sororities competing in this year's games! Jaws Theta Chi!", the president announces the teams to the crowd.

The JOX team, a collection of big, wide-shouldered jocks. Big Red, their leader, takes a board and breaks it over his head.

"Python Nu Kappa!"

The PNK team, a group of pretty and seemingly friendly female monsters.

"Slugma Slugma Kappa!", the vice-president continues the announcements.

The EEK Team, a collection of athletic female monsters. They cheer in a huddle.

"Roar Omega Roar!"

The ROR team, the top scarers, wealthy, privileged, with the largest fan base.

"Eta Hiss Hiss!", the president continues.

The HSS team, a collection of creepy Goth coeds.

"And finally... Oozma Kappa...", the vice-president ends.

The OK.... the guys that look small and pathetic. The crowd goes silent, a lone cheer accompanies the group. Mike looks over to see Ms. Squibbles calling down from a sewer grate.

"Woohoo!", cheers the mom.

"Hi Mom!", calls out Squishy.

"Smile!", Ms Squibbles says, snapping a picture.

Back on the Oozmas, Mike sighs.

"Let's begin the first competition: the toxicity challenge!", the vice-president says.

"Human children are TOXIC!", the president introduces, as she makes her way across the stage now to point to a drawing of children's toys, "And anything they touch is toxic."

"We don't have any human toys but thanks to MU's biology department, we've found a close second. The stinging glow urchin!", the vice-president exclaims, introducing the small object.

Some students bring in a crate stamped with the words "MU BIOLOGY DEPT." The president reaches into the crate with a metal claw and pulls out a beautiful, glowing, spikey orb. The crowd recoils in fear. The urchin glows and sparks menacingly.

"Trust me when I say you are not gonna wanna touch this bad boy!", the vice-president adds.

"I wanna touch it.", Art, from the Oozma Kappa, says to himself, smiling at the object.

"And you certainly don't wanna touch any of its friends.", the president adds too.

An entrance to a tunnel is revealed.... which is filled with hundreds of the toxic glow urchins scattered along the floor. The crowd is terrified. April cringes, almost choking out her soda.

"Ouch.", she whispers to herself, feeling bad for those who have to face this.

"Yeah, I wanna touch 'em.", Art says again, innocently.

 "This is the starting line. The light at the end of the tunnel is the finish line.", the vice-president points on it.

"And whoever comes in last is eliminated from the games.", the president adds.

April watches down to the fraternities and sororities. Mike seems to be talking to his own team, and she wonders how he is going to direct them and advise them. But she got a bad feeling with how he might interact with Sullivan, since last humiliation at their last scare lessons. Knowing also that the Oozma Kappa aren't the best reputed fraternity on campus, there has to be so many improvements to do if they want to pass though this event. There has to be a way. After  few moments, the fraternities and sororities get ready on the starting line. 

"Take your place at the starting line!", orders the greek council president.

We see the fraternities and sororities lined up along the starting line of the Scare Games course. Every one of these fraternities cheer themselves up and give themselves encouragements. Or that's how it seems to be for most. Mike and Sulley seem to show competition towards each other and forget the rest of the team. Which doesn't seem good on April's point of view.

"Attention teams, one last thing. Scarers work in the dark.", the president says, pulling a lever down.

With that, the floodlight is shut down, leaving the course entirely dark. In the darkness, the glow urchins become infinitely more terrifying, glowing and sparking dangerously.

"On your marks!", the vice-president exclaims, "Get set...."

"Good luck guys.", April whispers to herself, thinking about Mike with the Oozma Kappas and Randall.

"GO!! THE RACE BEGINS!", the vice-president finally shouts.

Everyone starts running off, disappearing inside the sewer tunnel. There are several shouts and screams that could be heard inside.... some are pain shouts and screams. April feels worried somehow. Then the president turns to the public. 

"As for you, a shortcut is prepared for you to join back the fraternities and sororities directly at the end line. Follow us all through here.", she shows to a tunnel who opens up as she pointed at it. 

The public starts getting off from their seats and places and follow the greek council and Dean Hardscrabble through the tunnel. While that, April has finished eating her food. Many other shouts and screams are heard from the tunnel the fraternities and the sororities are racing into. April crosses her fingers for her friends to be ok. As they finally reach the room with the end line, the crowd surrounds the end line, waiting for the fraternities to get to the line. Many other shouts and screams are heard from the distance from inside the big tunnel. The quick footsteps of the monsters racing are getting louder and louder. They are coming. The first team is arriving to the finish line. And this team is....

"OH! ROAR OMEGA ROAR wins!", the greek council vice-president exclaims.

The crowd cheers as the team arrived at the end of the race. April grunts against most of the ROR team, but is also happy for Randall. She sighs, knowing that there is still a chance for the Oozma Kappa to make it to the end line before getting last. Maybe there is to wait just a little bit and maybe they would-

Oh.... Mike and Sulley arrive at the end line, falling on ground, all swollen and inflated from all parts of their bodies.

"Yikes.", April exclaims internally, by the looks of both of them.

But there is something strange.... where is the rest of the team? They had to arrive together. Sulley and Mike are the only ones to have arrived, and yet they argue against each other and against the Roar Omega Roars. And then some other people arrive at the end line, intact. 

"Second place, Jaws Theta Chi....", the Vice President of the council exclaims.

Ok, maybe the rest of the team will come after them. It's not that bad to be third, right?

"Third place EEKs....Fourth place PNKs...."

Ouch, ok. But there's still a chance to be fifth huh? It's not last so maybe-

"Fifth place HSS...."

.... Oh.... 

"And in last place, Oozma Kappa!"

All the Oozma Kappa team was all swollen and inflated. Who knows how many of these urchins they may have touched. There would be great need of two or three nurses right now.

"Oh no....", April mumbles, knowing now what kind of future will attend the team, sadly.

"Oh shocker, Oozma Kappa has been eliminated!", the greek council president exclaims.

On the leader board, Oozma Kappa's name is removed. Down to the fraternities and sororities, April can see Dean Hardscrabble fly behind Mike. She has won their bet. April doesn't know nor hear what Hardscrabble is saying, but that might not be good. If there could be some miracle it would be so-

"Attention everyone! We have an announcement! Jaws Theta Chi has been disqualified.", the vice-president exclaims.

April's eyes widen.

"Huh?", she thinks in her mind.

"The use of illegal protective gel is cause for elimination.", the vice-president adds. 

The crowd boos against the fraternity. A referee wipes goop off George Sanderson's leg and pokes him with the urchin, which causes the leg to swell.

"Which means, Oozma Kappa is back in the games! It's a miracle!", the vice-president exclaims.

April sighs deeply, in relief that it's not finished yet for Mike. She rubs her forehead with an arm, feeling that she almost could have sweat because of this. Dean Hardscrabble has walked away from Mike, glaring. Who knows what she told in the end. The Oozma Kappa name is put back on the scoreboard.

"I think I'll try to say hi to Mike. He needs it and we have to talk.", April told herself. 

-

After the first event of the Scare Games, April is walking towards the nursery, where the Oozma Kappa fraternity has gone to after the race, to heal from all their swell they got from the urchins. She is a bit nervous, knowing that it has been a long time now that she hasn't talked to Mike, since.... you know. They were friends before that, and after this shock, Mike didn't really try to gain back contact with her. Maybe because of shame, who knows. Also, she wasn't that enthusiastic to get to see Sullivan again, since he is in the team too. After he had hurt her last day, even if she spared him the expulsion from the academy, she is still a bit angry about it. Oh well, he doesn't probably care.

April now enters inside, walking to the secretary's desk. The secretary notices her and greets her welcomingly.

"Welcome back, Miss Slyther. How can I help you?", she asks.

"I just came by to see one of the fraternities on the campus. I think they have come here not long ago now. The Oozma Kappa?", April demands.

"Oh, you are a friend of them?", the secretary asks curiously.

"Just a knowledge.", April answers, rubbing the back of her neck with her hands.

"They are just right behind this room.", the secretary points to a chamber door.

April nods gratefully. She walks to it, taking a deep breath before entering inside. There is a nurse, talking to each team mates as she had a pot with something in it. Everyone of the comrades are poured on some spots on their bodies with some paste.

"Just wait a few minutes and then you can go freely out of here with no problems.", the nurse told them, leaving them.

The nurse has walked past April to go out of the room. At this, Mike has noticed April's presence. She chuckled awkwardly, waving a hand up and grinning. 

"Hi, Mike. Long time no see.", she tells him, walking to him.

Mike shows up a smile. The others of the team are wondering who that monster is and what is the reason of her visit. Sulley on his side rolls his eyes and looks away, remembering their last unpleasant exchange.

"April. Sure it has been so long....", Mike starts, realising he hasn't contacted her since his expulsion from the scare program, "Oh, I'm sorry we haven't been much in contact lately. I wasn't really feeling motivated. If I knew I would have come to see you before the first event."

Mike wanted to add more when April interrupts him, waving her hands at him.

"No, no. It's fine. We all get a hard time at least one period in our life. It's nothing, really. I'm so glad you are ok.", she says before tilting her head on a side, an eyebrow raised up, "You are fine, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine.", he nods to her. 

"Hey, who's that lady over there Mike? Your girlfriend?", Terri and Terry said a phrase each of them, smirking and wriggling their eyelids (they don't have eyebrows so.... yup XD).

"What?!", both Mike and April shouted out, scandalised and highly shocked by that affirmation, "We're friends!"

"Shame. Could have been cooooooool.", Art says.

Mike and April stare at him with a cringed face for a few seconds. Then Mike clears his throat. 

"Ok, let's forget that awkward moment and let me introduce you all.", he says, pointing at the Oozma Kappas with his hands, "April, these are the Oozma Kappas. There's Squishy, Don Carlton, Terri and Terry, Art.... and you know already Sullivan. And guys, this is April.", Mike said, with a bored tone when he presented Sullivan.

"Hello there.", says Don Carlton.

"Well, I'm pleased to meet you....", April starts, before turning her head to Sullivan, "At least most of you.", she lastly mumbled.

Sulley scoffs, turning his back on her, annoyed. 

"Anyway, it really surprised me that you decided to guide this team through the Scare Games. That's incredible.", April says to Mike, turning back to him.

"Oh yeah, it's harder than I thought it would.", Mike answers, rubbing the back of his head, "But we will get through this, I know it. And in the end, I could get back into the scare program. Dean Hardscrabble doesn't know what she's going to get after this. She threw me away and I'll prove her wrong.", he says this confidently. 

"I count on you for that.", April chuckles. 

Then Squishy notices some light marks on her neck. They aren't so visible as yesterday anymore, but still not invisible. 

"Hey, did you get hurt over there?", he points at the marks.

April realizes and covers the marks with one of her hands. Sullivan hears out and knows that Squishy was talking about the marks he caused on her neck and panics internally. He doesn't know if she went to the nursery or has talked to anyone yet about it, so he might be in trouble if she told anyone or will tell his team. 

"Oh, it's nothing important.", she shushes off.

But Mike notices that and looks concerned to her.

"You sure?", he asks. 

"Yeah, yeah. No worries.", she says, forcing a smile, "So.... Oozma Kappa, huh?", she then changes the subject, turning to the team.

Sullivan is surprised she didn't say anything. And some doubts have come up in his mind. If she didn't try to tell Mike or the Oozma Kappas about her wounds, did she ever tell about this to anyone really? So far, she could have had the time to denounce him. Yet he wasn't told he was being punished for it in some sort of ways. It feels strange to him.

"Yep. That's us. We don't look that terrifying, but with Mike and Sullivan on our side now, we might have a chance.", Don Carlton says.

"Yeah, awesome right?", Art exclaims.

April laughs. 

-

For a few moments, April has talked with the whole team. The Oozma Kappa told her about many things of them, how they came to be part of the fraternity and more. April hasn't told her much, except for having a brother, being a scarer major and also some of her interests. Then the nurse comes back into the room they are in.

"Well, I see you are having a fun time here. I think you are dismissed now. From what I see you all look better now.", she announces. 

"Oh well, thanks.", Mike says. 

"Good day.", waves Don Carlton to the nurse.

"Bye.", says April, along with Squishy and Art.

And so, the fraternity leaves with April. In the meantime, Sullivan walks beside April, just to try to guess out what has she told and what has she not told about their fight. He whispers to her.

"Hey."

April looks up and notices Sulley. She avoids eye-contact, knowing how their relationship is since recently now. 

"Hey.", she still says, frowning looking down on her path.

"Why did you not tell them?", he asks.

April shrugs.

"I dunno. Maybe because they don't need to know?", she asks back.

Sullivan hesitates before trying to say something but he gets stopped by April.

"If you wish to know if you are in trouble, that's a no from me. Trust me, you can be tranquil now.", she says, still not looking at him and speeding up her march to get past him.

Sulley stops for a few seconds, confused, before speeding up too to reach her.

"Wait, what do you mean?", he stutters, still whispering.

"Look. I'm still angry at you, so I don't think we're going to be friends you and I. But whatever. You've already got what you deserved. You were thrown out of the scare program and that's enough punishment. So now, you better try to make sure you deserve that second chance by winning this game and get back in the program. And when you do, demonstrate that you are an exemplary student. Ok?", April finally looks at Sulley, without expecting an answer from him.

And indeed, he didn't know what to answer, dumbfounded and his jaw dropped. As April starts speeding up again, there was at least one single word that came out faintly from the big blue furred monster's mouth.

"Thanks."

April stops, before turning her head behind her to look at Sulley. She stares at his face for a while, before smiling at him, convinced.

"No problem.", she tells back.

And so she starts walking again. Sullivan holds up a light smile too, but not showing it to April. Now, everyone is walking on their sides. The Oozma Kappa to their fraternity home to rest, and April to her dorm. She waves at them, satisfied, and they wave back at her, wishing her good night. First thing the team has to do tomorrow is to review what happened that was wrong on this event, and how they have to progress. And for this, it is best if they take good rest after having been beaten up everywhere by the urchins.