Bizzyboys H.Q.

[carefulinspekshun]

The Bizzyboy's headquarters is, in truth, just Hector's house, but it's more than the apartment he'd run it out of before.

The main room of the home has been pulled apart from what was once a living room to a "base of operations," with a couple desks, a few filing cabinets, and a phone. Cabinets stand tall, filled with cluttered supplies, and most of the desks are presently empty, save for two: a particularly orderly one, and another covered in notes, doodles, and garbage. Dividing screens separate what appear to be the more resided in parts of the home, and they appear, at a glance, to be cluttered with the furniture that was moved out of the "main office."

Upon entering, a door chimes, from where a little bell was jury-rigged just above the edge. It doesn't take long for the leader of the Bizzyboys (or his first in command) to make an appearance from somewhere inside!

(Open to visits, calls, or any other manners of run-in!)

Comments

Meet your new apprentice!

[heartofadreemurr]

It's around lunch time on a Monday afternoon when a kid dressed in newcomer's clothes just sort of wanders placidly into Hector's office.

"Yo," they say helpfully.

[carefulinspekshun]

Wow, how did he miss the bell at the door ringing? He's been getting so engrossed in work recently, he feels like he's gotten deaf to the world around him. That's just what happens when it starts getting busy, he supposes.

"Oh, hey, kid!" He offers them a little grin, setting his pen aside. "Sorry, didn't hear any-won comin' in. What can I do for yew?"

[heartofadreemurr]

They kind of just stand there.

Menacingly.

"They said we could get apprenticeships, over at the dorm hall. I'm here to do that."

[carefulinspekshun]

Cripes, this kid is--- interesting. All types of worlds take all kinds, don't they?

Hector, trying not to visibly sweat under their gaze, rises to his feet. "Apprent-ice-ships! We ain't ever done those before, but--- I don't see why not! Could always use da extra hands on board, right? I guess since yew're just studyin', I don't gotta do an int-her-view, but..."

(Well, part of that is that they seem so cob damn certain about it. Like they've already got the job. But who is he to turn down a fresh face wanting to help?)

He gathers a few papers out of a folder, a pen, and waves Kris over to the chair across from his desk. "What's yewr name, kid? Mind fillin' out a couple'a forms for me, too, while we're talkin'?"

[heartofadreemurr]

"Okay." The unusual teenager finally actually comes into the room, sitting across from him.

"I'm Kris. " They take the pen, slide the form over, and begin working on it. Their handwriting is pretty neat. "I'm not a boy. But your poster says you don't have to be."

[carefulinspekshun]

"Kris, got it! And dat's right, it's all in tha name. Used 'ta be that we were just Boys, 'cause that's the only people who were joinin', but as long as yew wanna help, we won't turn ya away," Hector explains, a well-recited point he's shared many a time over the years. "I was thinkin' that it might take me a few days to get yew a coat, but honestly, yew're about Drainfolk sized, so I bet I can get ya somethin' figured out. Where ya from, by the way?"

[heartofadreemurr]

"Hometown," they answer simply. "It's in the US. It's mostly a monster-town. I'm the only human, but I'm adopted."

With a shrug, Kris plugs away at the form, taking their time. They aren't really sure they want a job, or to spend more of their time doing things for everyone else. Not that they're against helping, but it hasn't always been their choice. Something their Soul bid them to pursue. Maybe some time can be spent without the heroics.

(It's part time. It'll be fun.)

Will it, though? Or will it involve Kris throwing themself into more danger and wearing more clothes they didn't pick instead of having fun with Susie?

(It's so I can buy you things.)

Okay. Fine. Kris finishes the form, and turns it over to Hector.

If they really didn't want to help people, after all, they could have tried harder to resist.

"Do I get a little hat?"

[carefulinspekshun]

Monster town? That's interesting, Hector's never heard of anything like that. He's got half a mind to think that they're fucking with him. Human raised by monsters, kid raised by wolves, they sort of have the same ring to them. And they're from a place called Hometown? Then again, Drain sounds pretty far-fetched when you put it on paper, too, not to mention God Grove itself - he'll see if he can't pry a little more about it later.

For now, he takes the paper, skimming over it to make sure everything's in order, before flashing them a grin.

"'Course yew do, what kind'a show yew think I'm runnin' here?" Hector teases, standing and waving them along, to one of the closets in the main hall. He sifts through them, checking the little tags on each one and speaking as he does. "We got little French bow-rays. They help us stand out in a crowd! I think yew'll look real stylish in one, kid."

[heartofadreemurr]

"Sick," Kris praises, their approval subdued but genuine. A cute little hat is definitely something they could rock. Ralsei would be proud.

"You said a word earlier. Drainfolk. What's that mean?"

[carefulinspekshun]

"Oh--- dat's what I am!"

Hector does a silly little pose, swinging his tail out for emphasis and gesturing to his face. "Me, my partner in runnin' all'a dis, and one of your fellow Bizzies are all humans from a place called Drain back home! Blue, green, teal, fuzzy, kewt lil' noses, got tails like this, yew'll know us when yew see us. We're shorter 'den most folks around here, but that makes it real easy for us to keep extra jackets around for other shorties like us."

[heartofadreemurr]

"Huh." Kris tilts their head. "Back where I come from, 'human' specifically means a thing that looks like me. Everything else that is a person but not a human calls themselves 'monsters.' So you'd be considered a monster where I'm from. Which is fine. I like monsters better."

[carefulinspekshun]

Oh, that explains the "raised by monsters" thing.

"Huh... awfully broad cat-ee-gory, ain't it?" Hector hums thoughtfully, but plucks a coat out of the closet at last, having skimmed over a few tags on the hanging jackets while Kris explained. "Back where I come from, if it's a person, it's a human! Ain't no differences, just different looks. Certain folks from certain spots got different kinds'a chimerism - that's what I got! Just make sure yew don't call da folks that look like me monsters wifout any'a da context. It'll ruffle some fur. Buuuuut, dat aside..."

He offers the coat over, and pulls a beret from the closet. "Here ya go! Give that a try and lemme know if it fits, will ya?"

[heartofadreemurr]

"I kinda like your way better," Kris mutters.

Is that because they hate being different from all the monsters around them? Hate looking different, hate being called something different? Mostly. In truth, they'd much rather be a monster any day. But not having a whole separate word for their species might make it all hurt less.

They take the red coat. It's a good color. For a moment, they just sit there, holding it, examining the gold trim. Then they stand, putting it on over their linen shirt.

It's perfect.

[carefulinspekshun]

"Well, ain't too late to pick it up! Don't let nobody here try to tell yew different, neither," Hector adds, a bit playful. It isn't as though he hasn't gotten a few invasive questions, had a few ill-fitting names from this world placed incorrectly. He's never faltered in his own confidence, though - he looks different, but he's human, just the same.

It's strange, to see flickers of the opposite issue in Kris. He doesn't understand the depth of it, but there's something there that's palpable, even with how little they've said.

But that's not for him to try to pick at, not here, not now. For now, he's all warm smiles and delight at that perfect fit, stepping over to smooth out the shoulders and fix the collar just a bit.

"Ain't that serrie-dip-it-ous! Perfect fit, no tailorin' needed! Yew must be cut out for da job," he half-jokes, moving to grab a nametag. This one simply reads BIZZYBOY, but he passes it over nonetheless. "We'll get yew a tag with yewr name on it soon! Should have it tomorrow or da next day."

He pats their shoulder, flashing them a little grin.

"Real eggs-site-id to have yew on board--- Kris, right? If I get it mixed up, it ain't poisonal, my mind just ain't da steel trap it used to be."

[heartofadreemurr]

As Kris' uniform is completed, there's a sense of... pride, to this. Purpose. Their back straightens just a bit.

Okay fine maybe they're a little glad they did this. Hector is... nice. This is nice.

"Yeah," they reply. "Thanks for having me."

[carefulinspekshun]

"Of cawse! Never gonna turn anybuddy down who wants to help."

He gives them a fond pat to the shoulder, offering a grin, before he waves them along.

"Well, I was thinkin' about gettin' somethin' for lunchie. Yew want anything? I can give yew a lil' tour of all of yewr workin' spaces while we're at it! Probably gonna put ya in a team with someone for a while, anyways, but it's tra-dish-shun at this point. Yew join up, yew get da tour."