Author Note: First Foster's story. I finished writing it completely before i decided to post it. Warning: There will be Human!Bloo and an OC. The story picks up near the end of the episode "Cookie Dough" because i felt the ending they gave it was just sort of tacked on and made very little sense. Really, a single oven would not have been able to create a pillar of flame that destroyed every roof on the building, bloo would not have been the type to do the baking himself anyway, he was selling lemonade at the end to pay for another new roof even though early on in the episode when he bought out Madame Foster's rights he gave her enough money to buy multiple roofs. I also wanted to explore some of the prejudice against Imaginary Friends that is seen in the show pretty low key, hidden in plain sight.
Also, I wanted Bloo to be the architect of his own misery instead of the standard being disciplined for his behavior and not really learning anything. Instead of trying to teach him a lesson by punishing him this story lets karma do its job to really drive the lesson home so he actually learns something.
Fired.
He had fired everybody. Everybody except his best friend anyway. Or, maybe he should say "best friend" since he up and quit on him too. That left Bloo standing in the Foster's kitchen alone, surrounded by half finished work. Bowls of cookie dough sat on counters with the stirring spoons still stuck in them, ingredients lay sprawled out across tables, there were even some sheets of dough that still had cookie cutters sitting on them and trays of cookies ready for the oven.
Oven…
The blue blob's eyes widened and he rushed over to the oven, still on and now leaking smoke, and hastily turned the dials to "off". He grabbed the oven door handled and flung it open to see if the cookies were ok and was met with a face full of smoke and soot rushing out at him. He stepped back, eyes closed and coughing into one of his arms while he waved the other out in front of him to clear the smoke away. Once completely out of the smoke, he stopped and wiped the soot on his face off on his arm, opening his eyes and glaring at the charred remains of the cookies that had been baking.
Bloo threw his head back and half screamed half groaned in frustration at this turn of events. He couldn't do this alone! But he had fired everybody…
'Serves them right…' he thought to himself. 'They were lousy at their jobs, always complaining about having to work. I didn't do anything wrong. It's their fault.' But now he needed somebody else to do their jobs. He had orders to fill and money to make. He still had Herriman at least, but that rabbit would be just as useless as he was in the kitchen. Who else can bake though…? Bloo lay back on the cold tile floor and stared at the ceiling, trying to think of how he could replace his workers. He had told Eduardo that they "had machines for that"… Hmm… There was an idea. Machines. But somebody would still have to operate those machines. He had exhausted his supply of imaginary friends and real friends. Clearly business and friendship were not a good mix, so all he had to do was find non-friends to do the job. There were plenty of people in the world that were not his friend, plenty he did not even know, granted they were all likely human. That might work out better though.
It was settled then. He was going to get a cookie factory and hire some humans. Bloo picked himself up off the tile and made his way out of the kitchen to Mr. Herriman's office. The bunny could take care of getting the details worked out. He was the idea man, the charismatic salesman that reeled in the customers, not the guy that does boring paperwork. The little blue blob pushed the door open and strode on into the office saying, "Herriman, my man. I've got a little something I need you to take care of. The guys here, they just weren't cutting it, so I fired them. They took it pretty hard, but that's business for ya. I've decided to move the operation out of the house to some place larger that can made more product so we can make more profit. What I need you to do for me is get us a factory, fully equipped, and hire a whole bunch of humans to do the work. Oh, and we need everything up and running by tonight. The cost isn't an issue. I'm sure the greatest chairmen in the history of chairmen can get the job done."
The giant rabbit in question had looked up from his desk when Bloo entered and now cleared his throat, straightening his overcoat and replying, "Certainly, Master Blooregard." Before setting to work on the task he had been given. A little bit of praise really went a long way and it was surprising how loyal Herriman had become to the "Company Founder" since this venture began, even to the point he had turned Mac away when the boy had come to him complaining about how Bloo was working the friends too hard. As far as Bloo was currently concerned the rabbit was the only decent friend he currently had, and that was saying a lot considering how often they were at odds before this little get rich quick scheme. One thing remained tried and true though: If anybody could complete such an assignment and get things in order in such a short amount of time it would be Mr. Herriman.
"Thanks Mr. H. Keep up the good work." Bloo told the imaginary rabbit man and gave him a thumbs up before leaving the office to go take care of one other issue he had to tend to. He had been receiving a lot of dirty looks on his way from the kitchen to the office and was receiving even more as he walked the halls. Really, he did not understand what their problems were. Firing them was nothing personal, just business, and as far as he was concerned there was nothing wrong with making them work when they were getting paid for it either. They were all over reacting and it was really starting to annoy him. Maybe they were just jealous of all the cool stuff he had? Selling the cookies had been his idea and he was the one that had gotten the recipe. He earned that stuff fair and square. So what if he didn't feel like sharing it? If they wanted to hate him, fine. He didn't need them anyway.
The blue imaginary friend punctuated this thought by picking up the phone and calling a realtor.
"Heeello. What mansions do you have available? One second though, just give me the biggest nicest one ya got." He started. The man on the other end of the line gave him some details after a bit of clicking could be heard, clearly sorting through his listings to find what the friend had requested, to which Bloo answered, "I'll take it."
Once the housing situation was dealt with the little blue blob called the movers and had them take his stuff, literally everything he considered his property, to his new far less humble abode, catching a ride with them there himself. It was just as he had always imagined it would be, an enormous mansion with grand pillars and excessive flourishing detail. As they were pulling up to the building, passing the gate, he could even see a huge fountain out front. It was like a dream come true, and all his. Then the truck stopped and the movers began bringing his things in and placing them at his directions of "Over there. A little to the left. No, your other left." And so forth.
With everything in place Bloo walked through the many many rooms in his new home, admiring it and declaring, "Its coming along nicely. Bloo, you have outdone yourself. Now, better call Herriman and see if my factory is ready."
It did not take long for Blooregard to find the phone and dial Foster's, lounging back in the chair in the room he had designated as his office. Mr. Herriman answered with his usual greeting and Bloo responded with, "Chill, Mr. H. It's me, Bloo. That factory up and running yet?"
"The workers are there and already have the first batch of cookies finished. We've gotten some offers from stores that want to carry our product." The rabbit assured his employer.
Bloo nodded, "Good. Good. Set up a meeting for tomorrow at my new place to discuss the details with them. We're moving up in the world, Mr. H. Go buy yourself some of that gourmet carrot juice. You deserve it."
Everything on track, he hung up the phone and lay back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the desk and lacing his non-existent fingers behind his head. Oh yeah, everything was coming up Bloo. He would show his "friends" that he could do this without them.
