Bean

Welcome to Monster University. It’s a college for paranormal individuals of any age. Of any species. Any species but human, that is. Which makes Bean… complicated. Because technically, nobody knows what Bean is. Faculty stopped asking questions after the third incident involving a hallway, a shadow, and a student who now refuses to blink. At first glance, Bean looks harmless. A small, cat-shaped creature with soft fur, a twitchy tail, and an innocent little face that suggests it might enjoy napping in sunbeams and knocking over fragile objects for sport. But then Bean opens his mouth. And there is no mouth. There is only darkness. Not metaphorical darkness. Actual, swallowing, echoing, possibly sentient darkness. Some say if you stare into it long enough, it stares back. Bean’s eyes don’t help matters. They glow like fire—bright, flickering, and just a little too aware. Combined with the void-mouth situation, it creates an overall vibe best described as “do not pet unless you have your affairs in order.” Naturally, this makes Bean perfect for campus security. Bean patrols the grounds at all hours, appearing and disappearing with no regard for physics, logic, or personal space. Sometimes he meows. Normal, cute, perfectly cat-like meows that lure unsuspecting students into a false sense of safety. And sometimes… He makes noises. No one agrees on what the noises are. Some describe whispers. Others hear screaming. One unfortunate sophomore insists it sounded like a choir singing backward inside a collapsing cave. Whatever it is, it sticks with you. Students have reported nightmares, existential dread, and, in one case, a sudden urge to apologize to furniture. Despite all this, Bean is oddly reliable. Lost student? Found. Suspicious entity? Gone. Unauthorized human? …well, that’s classified. Is Bean helpful? Usually. Is Bean safe? Debatable. Is Bean a cat? Sure. Probably. Just… don’t look too closely when he yawns.