(You will regret making this thread now I'm here).
Hmm well I've had a post-mi story idea which would probably be way too long and complicated- heck I'm having trouble updating my current one.
But overall I noticed that in various post MI fics where the idea is getting Randall back it ends up being pretty easy to find him at the end of the day. I had an idea for a multi-chapter fic where instead it's actually pretty complicated and Sulley and Mike are really the main characters whom the story follows around. (Randall is more or less just shown through flash backs... if even that. Who even knows- I think it might be just a lot of people talking about him).
It would be mostly a Mystery/Adventure kind of deal where Sulley and Mike are set with the task of getting Randall back. Randall is needed in order for his own trial and also Waternoose's trial in the provision as a witness as Waternoose's lackey. The judge, kind of annoyed that Sulley and Mike have complicated the issue (and wants to send Waternoose down for a long time if she can) sets them with the task of getting him back.
It would either be after MI and when Boo is back or in-between- you know that year after the big day and before Sulley is reunited with Boo. I actually prefer the latter idea more or less for the prologue idea.
In the prologue planned out Sulley and Mike were talking to Fungus (who is serving a short prison sentence- about six months, and Sulley promises when they get back he'd have a job waiting for him, criminal record or not).
I even had various human OCs in this too (a cop who distrusts Randall and a vet, her friend, who doesn't- but she doesn't hate anyone much) and one monster OC who was officially banished. Though there is no romance save for canon. Even the family in the trailer play a role and they're not bad people at the end of the day, just a bit rough around the edges.
I've thought about this idea far too much but there are far too many gaps too to it for it to work. Also if I'm honest the female monster who was banished would probably be far too much like Koh from ATLA so far. She kind of scoffs because Randall messed things up badly and set the emntire swamp on edge. He killed a human hunter and it's up in the air if it was truly accidental or not.
Also the sister of the man he killed is hunting Randall down for revenge and it's all an utter mess.
So yeah there's a mix of ideas I like but I have no idea about how Sulley and Mike would get clues apart from randomly stumbling around and happening across things by pure and utter luck rather then any kind of skill.
Plus I don't have the time right now anyway.
Ah well.