Making Our Mark

Summary: Danica begins her freshman year at Monsters University, determined to not let the burden of upholding the Worthington name stop her from making her mark. Little did she know that the journey would involve capturing the attention of a monster from the campus' top fraternity and setting off a chain of events during which they both learn what it means to be their best selves.

Author's Note: This story takes place concurrently with the events of Monsters University.

Disclaimer: I do not own Monster's University, only the lovely Danica.

Chapter 1: Beginnings

Danica.

That was all I would say whenever a monster asked me what my name was.

I had a last name, but they didn't need to know what it was. I didn't want them to know what it was if I could help it.

That's not to say that I'm not proud of where I come from. In fact, I'm proud of my family; it has five generations of Scarers. My father is one of the top Scarers at Monsters Incorporated and my mother is an award-winning teacher. My older brother, as obnoxious as he can be at times, is quite the Scarer himself and studying to become one. One could say our family has quite the reputation for being so successful in what we do.

That reputation is precisely why I don't go around flaunting my family name. The minute other monsters learn about it, they automatically make assumptions, many of which are untrue and completely unflattering. Unfortunately, my brother flaunting the name to get the attention he wants certainly doesn't help matters and the last thing that I want is for monsters to find out my family name and then assume I'm just like my brother. While I like to think that my brother and I share some good qualities (we value the importance of hard work, for example), he does possess some unfavorable qualities that I would rather not be thought to have as well.

Fortunately, the friendly monster at the front desk of my residence building did not make any remarks about my family name, let alone mention it out loud, when he handed me my room key. I was able to pull away from the line of freshmen and head around the corner for the elevator without any of them giving me a second look. I didn't expect them to given that I take more after my mother while my brother takes more after our father. Aside from the lavender shade found in my dark ombre waves and the small mahogany horns protruding from the top of my head, I doubted that anyone would believe my brother and me to be siblings.

After arriving at the fifth floor of the building, I exited the elevator and headed down the hallway to the only door that had large cardboard boxes sitting around it. I was pleased that my brother was able to put his upper body strength to good use and transfer my packed belongings from my car to my dorm while I went to register and get my student card. Although he wasn't willing to at first, the promise of a free dinner easily got him to reconsider.

Hard work pays off, I thought to myself as I unlocked the door and proceeded to drag the boxes into the room that only had bare furniture. Having performed well academically throughout high school (and elementary school if anyone was nosy enough to check my records), I was given first preference regarding the style of the dorm in which I wanted to live. I decided that the privacy of my own dorm was much better than living with my brother. He offered me a room in his frat house, but considering he threw parties more often than he changed clothes, I politely declined.

I was oblivious to the time as I decorated the room to my liking. After stretching a clean bedsheet over the mattress on my bed, I draped a royal blue comfortable over it and rested four plump white pillows against the headboard. On the nightstand was where I placed three photo frames: one of me, one of my family, and one of me with my high school friends. I arranged my selection of novels and textbooks, including those that I just purchased from the campus bookstore for my courses, alphabetically on the tall mahogany bookshelf against one of the walls. Against the adjacent wall was a matching desk on which I plugged in a curvy lamp and added a rhinestone cup of pencils and pens. I attached a dry-erase calendar to the wall just above my bed. Although there was initially a giant empty space in the middle of the room, unrolling a kaleidoscopic rug filled that area up well. I hung up my various garments in the closet provided.

As soon as the boxes were empty, I began slicing the bottoms open with my claws, so I could flatten them. I had to commend my brother for working so diligently to bring my things over, especially given how much I packed. Although he was quite a pain in the tail at times, he was there whenever I needed him.

Speaking of the giant puffball, I thought with a glance at my wristwatch, which told me that it was almost six in the afternoon, the time that my brother and I agreed to leave for dinner.

Turning to the full-body mirror that I have hung on the back of the door, I took a quick look at my reflection. Aside from the purple eyes and tan-coloured skin staring back at me, I noted how well my purple knee-high maxi dress and black leather jacket seemed to reflect the shades of my hair. My two long legs resembled those of a horse and feet of a basilisk lizard. Both my legs and feet were black from the knees down, giving one the impression that I always wore boots, which was nice as it saved me money on any kind of legwear.

Deciding that I looked decent enough, I grabbed my purse hanging on a nearby hook and left, closing the door behind me. I took a quick elevator ride to the lobby of my dorm building and exited the front door. I paused the moment the cool air, as well as realization, hit me. Apparently, I was so occupied with getting registered and unpacking that I didn't bother to take a campus tour; thus, I had no idea how to get to Frat Row where my brother said his fraternity's house was.

Just then, a few monsters passed by, chuckling about whatever they were discussing and I noticed the white symbols printed on their sky-blue jackets: an omega sign and the letter H. I decided to follow them, hoping that they were en route to Frat Row. From there, I figured finding my brother's fraternity house would be easier.

Keeping a good distance from them, I followed them away from the residence buildings and around what looked like an amphitheater. As I made it around to the other side, I immediately spotted a long stretch of road ahead lit by lights that travelled in between two rows of houses. The closer I got to it, the more monsters I saw, including some sporting different varsity jackets with various Greek lettering on them. I smiled, knowing that I was in the right place.

Upon arriving at Frat Row, the group of monsters that I had followed had moved off to the side to greet a trio of what looked like sorority sisters. I wouldn't be surprised if the sisters were related biologically considering that they looked pretty much the same except from the colours of their skin, fur skirts, and perfectly-curled locks.

As I kept walking along the road, I passed two monsters wearing bright yellow jackets with red detailing. One of the two, the giant red one, had the nerve to whistle at me as I passed, so I hissed back menacingly in response.

"Jerks," I muttered under my breath. If it was one thing that I couldn't stand, it was monsters who thought I was simply in school as eye candy rather than because I had brains, which is something that I sensed those fraternity brothers in yellow lacked.

As the end of Frat Row came into view, so did a colossal red and white house complete with a long driveway, a couple of balconies, a smoking chimney, and a string of lights hanging along the front. I shook my head at how obnoxiously large it was; if it were not for the giant Rs and the equally as large omega symbol plastered on the front just above the front doors, I would think that I was staring at the mansion that my brother and I had grown up in.

I climbed up the steps and crossed the porch to the front doors. Curling my hand into a fist, I knocked a few times and waited patiently for the door to open.

When the door did open a few moments later, a crab-like monster in a cap stood before me, eyeing me skeptically. "Yeah?"

"Hi, I'm here to see Johnny," I told him. "We have dinner plans."

The crab nodded, but I could clearly see the skepticism written across his face. "Uh huh, a likely story."

I rolled my eyes. "More like the truth. Is he here or not?"

"He is," said the monster with narrowed eyes, "but last time I checked, he doesn't have a girlfriend, so try again."

I shuddered in disgust. "Like I would ever date Johnny."

The crab scoffed. "Yeah right. Every girl wants to date Johnny."

"Not me," I assured him, jabbing two thumbs towards myself, "so I suggest you let me in because I can only imagine what he would do to you if he found out that one of his frat brothers left me standing on the porch all night."

The crab huffed and scuttled back, holding the door open wide.

I stepped inside and gazed around at the spacious interior of the house, complete with a full leather living room set, an intricate glass coffee table, a television that gave new meaning to the term 'wide screen', a roaring fireplace (no pun intended), and a long RΩR banner draped above it. A few speakers and a set of strobe lights sat in a corner.

An open ping pong table nearby caught my attention, but not because it took up so much room. Narrowing my eyes in suspicion, I shouted, "Jonathan Worthington the Third!"

Heavy footsteps followed the scream and Johnny's head popped up at the top of the staircase. He knew that he was in deep trouble whenever someone went full name on him and, most of the time, I would be the one doing it. "Someone call for me?"

"Johnny, how many times have I told you not to take my books without asking?" I questioned, strolling over to grab the book supporting one of the table's legs.

Johnny shrugged. "Meh, I've lost count to be honest."

I shook my head; Johnny always had a tendency to 'borrow' my books to use for non-academic purposes and 'forget' to return them. Pointing my book at him, I snarled, "Well, next time you 'lose count', you will be losing an eye. Are we clear?"

"You know," said Johnny, descending the staircase, "you should be a little nicer to me, sis, since I did help you move your stuff in today."

I rolled her eyes for the second time since arriving. "I'm taking you to dinner, isn't that thank you enough?"

"What?" the crab-like monster piped up with a surprised look at Johnny. "She's your sister?"

"What gave it away, the horns or the attitude?" Johnny asked sarcastically. He waved a hand by means of introduction. "Chet, this is Danica."

"I'd say it's nice to meet you," I said to Chet, "but you did have a mind to leave me on the porch all night, so…hey."

"Is that so?" Johnny murmured, glaring intensely at Chet.

"Hey, hey," Chet protested, scuttling away from Johnny in fear, "I didn't know she was your sister!"

"Well, now you know, so next time she shows up, let her in," said Johnny, walking menacingly up to Chet, "or I will throw you out, are we clear?"

Chet squeaked affirmatively as Johnny whacked his cap off of his head.

I shook my head turned to Johnny expectantly. "Ready to go?"

Johnny grinned. "Do I get to pick the place?"

"Only if you're driving," I answered with a smirk.

"No worries, the place I want to go to is a little hole in the wall not too far off campus," Johnny explained, gesturing to the door. "We can walk there."

I nodded, stepping back outside with Johnny right behind me, leaving the little grumbling crab to collect his hat in peace.

This little hole in the wall, I soon learned, was called The Bronze Claw. Its wooden furniture, checkered tablecloths, and cheery music promoted a casual atmosphere. There was a good number of monsters seated, a few with fraternity jackets, which told me that this place must be very popular with the college community.

Once we arrived, a hostess kindly seated us in a booth and presented us with menus. Johnny thanked her, winking at her as he sat down, causing her to giggle. I didn't miss how her voice increased an octave when she told that our waitress would be along shortly and skipped off rather giddily.

"Do you flirt with everything that has a pulse?" I asked with a look of disdain.

"Not everything," Johnny answered as he picked up his menu, "I don't flirt with you."

"I sure hope you don't," I said, taking my own menu in my hands, "because that would be awkward as hell."

A blue slug-like monster slid up to our table, smiling brightly. "Good evening and welcome to the Bronze Claw! May I start you off with something to drink?"

"I'll have a Howliken," said Johnny, smiling charmingly at the waitress.

I rolled my eyes at Johnny's actions before saying, "I'll have a slimonade please."

"Certainly!" the waitress chirped, her cheeks tinged pink. "I'll be right back!"

Once the waitress slid off, Johnny turned to me and asked, "Did you get everything moved in okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, thanks for bringing my stuff over from the car."

Johnny shrugged. "It meant getting a free meal, so who am I to say no?"

"I can feel the love," I remarked sarcastically as I went back to reading my menu.

I heard Johnny chuckle. "Are you excited about MU?"

I shrugged. "I wouldn't say excited, but I'm happy to be here and to be starting classes tomorrow."

"I still can't believe you decided to double major," said Johnny. "No one in their right mind does that."

I glared up at him from behind my menu. "I assure you, dearest brother, I'm quite sane."

"I'm surprised Scaring isn't one of them," Johnny remarked, "because you know our family has generations of Scarers. You'd think Dad would have given you hell for deciding not to be one."

"He already has you following in his footsteps and upholding the family name," I pointed out, putting down my menu, "so I guess he doesn't mind what I do as long as I don't bring shame to the family."

"Well, you want to become a teacher like Mom," said Johnny, "so you'd still be upholding our family name by doing that."

I sighed. "I don't really care about living up to our family name, you know that. I'm not like you, Johnny, I don't go around flaunting it."

"Why not?" Johnny asked with a puzzled expression. "You know how much attention that gets you?"

"Trust me, I know exactly how much attention it gets me," I told him, "and with that attention comes expectations to be like the Worthingtons before us. I don't care about living up to anyone's expectations except my own. I'd rather do my thing without the extra pressure of being a Worthington."

Johnny nodded. "That hard, huh?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm proud to be a Worthington," I explained, "but not gonna lie, it can be a burden."

"Well, at least you're not the third person in our family to have the same name," Johnny reminded me, "so you can make your own mark as Danica Worthington the First, which I have no doubt you will do."

I smiled. "Yeah?"

"Sis, you're incredibly brilliant and tough as claws," said Johnny, smiling genuinely. "I almost feel sorry for anyone who tries to get in your way."

"Damn right," I agreed with a laugh. "I know that I can be successful and it will be because of hard work, not because of what my last name is."

Johnny grinned. "Don't coop yourself indoors all the time though. Get out, join a club, maybe come to a frat party or two."

I paused to consider the suggestions. "I might join a club, yeah, but not so sure about those frat parties, especially if you're hosting."

"Aw, come on, RΩR parties are to die for!" Johnny exclaimed proudly.

I nodded knowingly. "That would explain your story of some of your guests ending up in the hospital last year a bit better then."

"Hey, not my fault Jaws Theta Chi decided to spike the punch," Johnny protested with his hands up in mock surrender.

"Yeah, well, I would like to get through at least my first semester without having to have my stomach pumped, thank you," I said.

Johnny chuckled. "Look, one of the frats or sororities always throws a party for Rush Week. Other freshmen will probably be coming, so you can meet other monsters. Plus, I'll be there if you need anything."

I smiled. "I'll think about it, okay?"

Johnny nodded with a satisfied grin as our overly cheery waitress returned with our drinks.

After a delicious dinner (a double bacon cheeseburger with fries for Johnny and deep fried fish tacos with rice for me), I paid the bill and we left. On the way out, Johnny flashed another smile at the hostess, nearly causing her to swoon into a potted plant nearby and me to roll my eyes in exasperation.

As we walked back down the street and through the front gate of Monsters University, Johnny and I chatted about what we were looking most forward to during the fall semester. Naturally, he was excited to start recruiting members for his fraternity in preparation for the Scare Games, which was to be held during the second semester of the school year. His passionate explanation for the event took us all the way from the gate to just past the School of Scream Can Design. I had never seen Johnny scare before, so I was definitely interested in seeing him in his element when the time came.

I, meanwhile, was excited to start my classes in Spanish Studies and Education, which caused Johnny to roll his eyes and question my sanity once more. I reassured him that I could handle the workload that came with double majoring and added that I would also find the time to get involved with campus activities. When he asked if I would be interested in joining a sorority, I simply shrugged. While Greek life seemed to be Johnny's cup of tea, I didn't think it would be mine, but was optimistic at the idea of finding my sense of belonging somewhere on campus.

Johnny took hold of the conversation again as we crossed the troll bridge and passed the School of Aquatics. As we laughed over a funny story that he told about some monster named Omar from Jaws Theta Chi, I relished in the fun that I was having with Johnny. While we often bickered and teased each other mercilessly, as all siblings do, we cared about each other very much. Johnny, being the older one of us, was very protective of me and enjoyed threatening bodily harm to any monster who so much as exhaled in my direction. I, on the other hand, took on the role of Johnny's conscience and was often reminding him to rethink his ideas before doing something stupid. I was thankful to have the close bond that we had.

As we passed the School of Engineering, Johnny and I encountered a bug-like monster walking along the path towards us. He was quite tall, around the same height as Johnny, with four pink orbs for eyes, four arms with prickly claws, and two long legs. The red and gold cardigan with familiar Greek lettering that he had buttoned over his overlapping armour plating told me that Johnny knew him.

"Hey, amigo, where have you been all day?" Johnny hollered, causing the insect to shift his attention forward and grin.

"Hola, just got back not too long ago from a family vaca," the monster answered as he approached us. "Went to the RΩR house, but Chet told me you were out with a lovely señorita."

Johnny scoffed. "Nah, I was out with my sister."

"Ouch, Johnny, and here I thought you loved me," I said sarcastically, resting my hands on my hips.

"Sometimes I do," Johnny admitted, grinning at me. "Other times, I think you're a pain in the tail."

"The feeling's mutual," I quipped with a smirk.

Johnny chuckled and turned to the bug who appeared to be amused by our banter. "Javier, this is my sister, Danica. She's a freshman here."

"A pleasure," I said, holding my hand out politely. I knew from my talks with Johnny and with our dad that Roar Omega Roar was the most prestigious fraternity on campus and for me to meet a member of it was an honour.

"It can be if that's what you want, chica," Javier quipped with a devilish grin as he reached for my hand.

Recoiling my hand immediately, I glared at the bug whose eyes were shamelessly running up and down my body. "I'm nobody's chica."

Javier's grin turned into a smirk. "So what are you?"

"Uninterested," I shot back before turning back to Johnny and saying, "Thanks for walking me back, Johnny, but I can find my way back to my dorm from here."

"You sure?" Johnny asked, looking amused at the conversation that just transpired between his frat brother and me.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's just around that building over there."

Johnny nodded, "Okay, well, have an awesome first day. If you need anything, you know where to find me, yeah?"

"Yeah, goodnight," I said with a nodded, purposely ignoring his frat brother's presence. I turned on my heels, my back now facing the duo, and continued along the path, looking forward to crawling into bed and getting a good night's sleep before the first day of classes.

"It was nice meeting you, chica!"

I responded by giving the bug the finger as I walked, eliciting a chuckle from Johnny. As the distance grew between the guys and me, I could not help but smirk to myself. If the upcoming school year was anything like I imagined it would be – kicking ass in my classes, getting involved in campus activities, and shooting down monsters who hit on me – then I was in for one hell of a ride.