After getting her and her bestie Angie out of a bullying situation at the Metabolica concert, upon meeting, Riley does something to Ozzy and Drix that NO ONE, in the ENTIRE body (Except perhaps Maria, her friend Noreen, and maybe those who are their allies, like The Mole.) has EVER done: She thanks them for their help. Smiling with genuine kindness and sincerity to boot! Ozzy was pretty surprised; After all, almost every cell in Hector, ESPECIALLY Mayor Spryman and Chief Gluteus, hated their guts. Pun intended too, lol! It wasn’t often he and Drix met someone with a good head on their shoulders and appreciated them for doing what’s right! After introductions, he calls up Maria to give them a safe police escort home. The energetic teen then takes note of Drix’s robotic arm gun, and grins in dorky excitement as she compliments it, flattering the pill. Despite Angie’s suspicious air about them, Riley agrees that getting a ride back home with their officer friend was much better than running into more creeps who’d pick on them for Riley’s appearance (Her green color makes her susceptible to being mistaken for/called a germ. The doctors proved otherwise too!!). Plus it would ease her aunt’s anxiety, if she’d discovered she snuck out after all! So reluctantly, Angie agrees, and thus, the friendship between them and Hector’s protectors began!
As time goes on, Ozzy discovers that Riley had a rough past quite similar to his; She had lost her family (Except her aunt!) when Hector had first been learning to skateboard. And for 5 years she endured bullying, patronization for her trying to imagine a better Hector, internal anxiety/depression she held back for a long time, and keeping herself together and composed to take care of her sweet and loving aunt, who is always worried for safety and concerned for her well-being.
Beneath that strength, there’s a whole lot of hurt. Hurt that Ozzy was very familiar with.
She was very close to her family, particularly her father and her older brother, and she still keeps her brother’s guitar to play when she feels lonely. As seen in Gas Of Doom, Ozzy seemed to play guitar himself, so he opens up to her after he learns of her history, and he furthers her guitar lessons himself, and shares his own experiences with her.
The start of a pretty tight bond.
I also have this idea where he and Drix could chaperone Riley’s first school dance while investigating some strange goings on there regarding a virus (Probably Scabies cuz Hector probably already had chicken pox. But what if one of the humanoid versions of it survived and was incognito as a student at her school?!), and after the virus was stopped and the chaos has subsided, the dance would be salvaged, and the father-daughter dance would be happening next! A slightly depressed Riley sits with Spryman (Who is promoting/funding/broadcasting about the dance with the media or what have you to try and get with Riley again, lol!) and says she’s going to sit it out, as her father is gone. Spryman looks at her sympathetically.
However, before he can make a move, Ozzy then cuts in and approaches, offering a hand to his friend with a smile.
Touched by the kind gesture, Riley takes his hand, and he pulls her in!
And he steps in for Riley’s dad, solidifying his role as Riley’s older brother and father figure.
Hope these ideas ain’t TOO sappy for ya! I got plenty more, but this is the general relationship between these two.
Hope y’all are having an awesome day, and thanks so much for all the signatures. We’re halfway in!