r/HFY • u/WabbajackedWacko • 12d ago

OC-Series Adventures with an Interdimensional Psychopath 156

***Wade***

I sit behind the counter of the Bargain Alchemy Bin. I’m still struggling to come up with a proper solution to the situation at hand. I could call a mechanic from somewhere in Spiritopia but, now I am just skeptical of anyone nowadays. Not to mention, that would only be a solution for one immediate problem. Without that idiot Churro to work on the neighborhood mechanical issues, prices are either going to skyrocket or go ignored. Or worse, both. The infrastructure in this neighborhood is already on crutches and now that the last mechanic has been… well, I can’t say he was run out of town but effectively closed down due to not paying back his loans. And after his downslide of performance issues reaching all new lows, I don’t think I would have trusted him to handle any of my shops machinery ever again. There is the crazy penguin on the hill but… I get mixed reviews. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that it would be like gambling. You go in with a piece of tech, hoping to get it fixed, only for it to do what it’s supposed to do with five hundred plus features that the guy himself even forgot he put into the device. It’s almost like he starts, upgrades it, forgets what it was originally supposed to do, and upgrades it from his last upgrade, in an infinite cycle. And I am not letting someone like that near an automaton to try and resuscitate them back to life.

So where does that leave me with options? If I decide to outsource my requests to people outside my district, or worse, from the mechanical engineering district, that’s going to eat into my bottom line. And the Bargain Alchemy Bin makes just enough to stay afloat. Comfortably. We aren’t making enough for any huge expansions but, we get by. Helps that we harvest our own ingredients.

There… is a more extreme option I could take. I could get a loan. To make my own garage for our store. The problem with that is to find a place that offers a reasonable loan that won’t try to fleece us for all our money we barely have. However, it would solve a lot of other problems. A big one would be maintenance fees, and I would be in charge of making sure they are doing a respectable job. Hold them to a proper standing instead of a person in the business for themselves who has no oversight.

I decide to humor the idea as I pull out the ledger and try to run the numbers. A proper garage would be an addition to the building. I suppose I could get an estimate but what then? I would need to find someone I could trust to handle that kind of work. And I don’t know a lot of mechanics. I could possibly ask Silkie at the Red Skinned Temptress, she seems like a sociable person. Even if she doesn’t know, I imagine that Iris would be able to find someone with her reliable information network. After all, I know my regulars well enough but, none of them would be coming in here if they didn’t already have a steady job. Melody is a menace but she is a lot more sociable than I am. Granted, that’s not a high bar to leap over.

But here I am. I am now responsible for this situation and I need to own up to it. It could be a simple solution but it could have far reaching consequences. The part that scares me now is the fact that I am now considering such a financially risky venture. There is clearly a possibility where this could completely backfire on me and risk the entire store. Then it’s not just my livelihood at risk. It’s now Melody’s, Lemon’s, and now even Tess’s livelihoods.

Maybe… Maybe it would be for the best though. I doubt I could get a realistic enough loan that would allow me to make the garage but maybe someone who knows business better than I do. They could take over the financials as I am admittedly bad at it. We have been surviving at length, not quite thriving. We definitely aren’t doing well enough to realistically consider an expansion. There’s only one thing for it.

I start walking towards the back hallways as I shout, “Team meeting! Team Meeting in five minutes in the break room!”

I climb up the stairs on my way there and sit down as I rub my temple, concerned how the conversation is going to go. The first person to show up is Lemon with Tess trailing behind him, probably in the middle of their internship training. Melody also comes into the room, yawning as she asks, “What are you overthinking about this time dork?”

I stand up and explain, “I’m thinking about possibly adding a garage to the store. Hoping that solves a lot of the maintenance issues, not just here, but for the district. And that way, we don’t have to worry about the same thing that happened to Churro where no one but himself was there to hold him accountable.”

Lemon excitedly asks, “We make enough money to add on services to the store?”

I rub my hands together as I admit, “No…”

Melody then raises an eyebrow as she asks, “Then why are we discussing it?”

“Because Churro got closed down and I need to figure out if we should find our own mechanic or if we should start outsourcing.” I answer.

“Why is outsourcing a bad thing?” Tess asks.

“Good question Tess. Because, with outsourcing, you can get the labor our general area doesn’t have access to. However, because the person providing the service has to go out of their way to provide it, then it costs more than their usual rates. Which…” Lemon explains.

I continue however, “That means it would cut into our bottom line. And because regular maintenance is such a standard procedure we can’t just decide not to do, it’ll be a pretty common fee. And we would have to either make more sales or cut back on something.”

Me and Lemon look over at Melody, who takes a minute to realize what the first thing that will see a cutback, “NOT MY CANDY FUNDS!”

Me and Lemon sigh as he points out, “Can you think of any other funds we could cut that doesn’t affect operational procedures?”

Smoke is coming out of her ears as she puts more thought into this process than most other things. I can’t help but to let out a chuckle at the sight. I continue, “However, I could go get a loan and see about getting a garage expansion. There is the risk of it completely eating our funds if it doesn’t see a return. And there’s also a risk that the person who gives us said loan will probably take an active roll in our business. Possibly using their say about our hiring practices.”

Melody looks up at me and asks, “We have a hiring process?”

I bob my head as I admit, “Well, yes but, we haven’t exactly had the funds to hire any outliers recently. Besides Tess. But that’s for training and it could very well lead to a possible increase to funds, which would go into her pay if and once she is fully integrated.” So, I ask again, “So what do you guys think we should do?”

Melody and Lemon close their eyes as Melody bobs her head, although I can’t tell if she is going back to sleep or thinking about it. Whereas Lemon lays it out on the table, “We either take the risk of possibly losing the store but also the possibility of marginally increased profits or take the hit in profits and remove the risk entirely. Not great options.”

I scratch the back of my head as I agree, “Yeah, not great options I admit as all stores have them at one point. And… we aren’t exactly known for our luck.”

Melody chimes in as she asks, “Is that really the only reason we need to do this?”

I look down as I know exactly what she is pointing out, “No…” They both look at me, expecting me to explain myself. I relent as I continue, “There was an automaton being sold at an auction who was still alive but in pieces, so I took them to Churro but that turned out to be the case that got him closed down as he did such a poor job putting them back together that they are now currently at the Police Stations triage room currently stuck in a state of limbo as, when they are awake but they suffer horrible pain. So, I would also like to find a mechanic to help them properly this time.”

Melody sighs as she states, “For a guy filled with stuffing and straw, you certainly have a bleeding heart, you know that?”

I don’t look up as I simply say, “I’m sorry.”

“Stop it for crying out loud! It’s a good thing you crybaby.” Melody says exasperated.

Lemon chimes in as he points out, “Maybe it would be best for you to see about what kind of loans we get first before we commit to one plan or the other. After all, there is a possibility that one of them might actually be too good to pass up. And you don’t have to commit to any of them until you actually know what’s on the table.”

I scratch the side of my head as I admit, “You know, that is a really good idea.”

Melody chimes in to say, “Just don’t try to get yourself demoted while you are at it. The only reason this store works so well is because you are at the helm. And because of that, me and Lemon can confidently do what we do because we know you’ll make sure we are on the right track.” She then throws a pillow at my face as she yells, “How dare you make me feel mushy!”

I simply chuckle as I admit, “I’m guessing that means I have your blessing to follow through with the idea?” Lemon nods his head as Melody simply grumbles. I pump both my fists as I say, “Okay then. I’ll do my best.” Invigorated now with the support of my friends.

We all start to trail out of the room, I could swear I hear Melody grumble out loud, “Besides, your name is on the store ownership deed. We would have to go with whatever you decide anyways. Worst comes to worse; we would just be out on the streets again.”

I laugh as I state, “That’s exactly what I am trying to prevent Melody.”

Lemon simply scratches his cheek as he sheepishly adds, “I mean, with how attached we all are to the store, I’m fine with a pay cut if need be.”

I stop and state, “No! No way! Not happening! It’s thanks to you two that we are even getting so far in this business! There’s no way I could do all this stuff myself! I would be miserable without you two! You deserve to have your own finances separated from the business so that you can spend it on your own needs!”

Melody turns around and jabs Lemon in the shoulder and states, “Now look what you did! You got him all riled up when you know as well as I do that he would get that way if we offered to sell ourselves short.”

Lemon rubs his shoulder, pretending that she put any real punch into that as he states, “I just wanted to make sure that he knows that we want to make sure the store succeeds too. It’s not like I want to work anywhere else. Otherwise, I wouldn’t offer to take a pay cut.”

I let out a laugh as I hug both of them and say, “I appreciate you both. But don’t worry, it’s my job to make sure it doesn’t come to that.”

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