For the Sanity Left In Me:

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the burning feeling trailing down my side. I cracked open an eye and examined my surroundings. A brick wall stared me in the face, along with a few old upturned trashcans. Memories of the previous few months came crashing down on me. Somehow, despite the amount of time I had been here on the streets I still maintained the mind state that I was still living at home. I sighed as I craned my neck to see what was on my other side. I squinted slightly as my unfocused eyes quickly took in the sight of a too busy street. Townsville wasn't such a town after all. It wasn't a fairytale or a particularly nice place to be. There were some areas that were awful. In fact it was a divided city that was full of crap. The Mayor advertised it to be a nice safe place protected by the Powerpuff Girls. They couldn't see or catch everything obviously. I sat up and ran a hand along my ribs. I flinched and hissed in pain. My eyes immediately flickered down to inspect the damage.

Yesterday had been one of my worst days yet. I had to steal to survive so I swiped some food off a shelf in a small store some time past eleven at night. I had been eating the evidence when a couple of guys from a gang tried to mug me. I was immediately punched in the gut and when I doubled over someone pushed me the rest of the way to the ground. What did I have to give? I had been stealing to eat, showering in public restrooms, and wearing the few clothes that I carried in a pack. It was dark and I couldn't see too well so they had gotten me off guard. It seemed that they couldn't see to well either because when we wrestled our way under a street lamp the guy pinning me down gaped at me as if I were the strange one. Well, maybe I was.

They said they were from the gangreen gang. The weirdest thing about them was that they were quite literally green. There were only two at the time but one kept shouting at the other. One was real tall and thin with black hair and shades while the other was huge and had a crop of orange hair on top his head. Apparently, that one wasn't all that bright because when the shades guy got off of me and told him to back off he still knocked me so hard I saw stars. He kicked me in the ribs. I slammed into a wall and had to fight the black spots that appeared in front of my eyes.

Shades screamed at the other guy to get lost leaned down to me, his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose. His dark eyes stared at me in disbelief. My mind was swimming.

"You're a girl," he muttered surprise lacing his voice.

"No shit, dude," I managed to mutter lowly my head lolling to the side.

His eyebrows rose at my statement and then he grinned. He extended a hand to me, which I glared at. His smile widened. Creepy.

"Ohh, feisty little thing ain't ya? The name's Ace," he said confidently. I immediately got a feeling he was incredibly egotistical and childish with his pride.

I ignored him and tried to sit up but my side ached and my head throbbed. I suppressed the groan of pain that was caught in my throat. I took a sharp intake of breath instead. I managed to claw my way over to lean against the lamppost in my stupor of pain.

"You're supposed to introduce yourself, girlie." He said after a long pause. I kept on ignoring him, turning my back to him. Apparently, the child couldn't take it. Instead he got mad and stomped over to me.

"I'm talking to you, you y-you BRAT!" He leaned down and gripped my shirt, lifting me off the sidewalk. I whimpered in pain. He didn't seem to care as he continued to shake me and yell obscenities at me. He must have had some major anger issues.

I mumbled inaudibly and he stopped momentarily, narrowing his eyes, "What was that?"

I coughed and barely managed to croak. The angry fire returned to his eyes and he started shaking me again. My eyes rolled into the back of my skull. He stopped and dropped me to the ground. He stood over me and leered at me, sneering cruelly. I noticed the snaggle tooth that hung over his lip. Mean inside and out I thought before zoning out.

"Stupid brat."

…And he walked away.

It wasn't the last time I saw him, that's for sure. He was around when you least wanted him to be, like now for instance. He's using my special hiding place to keep dry in the rain. Not cool. Plus, he actually has the nerve to try and act all superior and whatnot. I was here first. He kept trying to make mindless conversation with me to pass the storm.

"What did you say your name was, again?"

"I didn't," I deadpanned.

"Well?"

"Well?"

"Please tell me," he gave me his "sweet talking face."

I sighed, "It's Jaime."

He smirked, "Jaime, Jaime, Jaime, I like it but it's too long for us."

"Wha-?" I started.

He scrunched his face in thought, "Jaime, let's see. Short for Jaime would be Jay, Jay like Blue Jay the bird. Ah ha! That's it from now on you'll be Birdy," he didn't ask. He stated.

"What's wrong with Jaime?"

"Nothin' it's just some of the guys will have issues you know, remembering that, it's too long. Birdy just works, kay?"

"You know you could do so much better then this, girlie," he rambled, "I mean with your face," he looked down and checked me out, "and your body you could get somewhere 'round here."

I grimaced in disgust and he just laughed, clapping a hand over my shoulder. I flinched in pain. He hit me in a sore spot from the fight before. I glared at him while I rubbed my sore shoulder. He rose an eyebrow at me before raising his hands in a mock surrender. A piece of his hair fell into his face and he blew it away, black inkiness and all. He puffed a breath and continued on his rant.

"I mean look around and smell the freakin' dying flowers."

He was getting to me now. I mean it's not like I don't know how shitty my life is right now… I have nothing I could do about it so he shouldn't torture me like this.

He looked around my alcove and openly showed his opinion, "I thought my life sucked," he grinned his signature snaggle tooth grin, "but your shit hole makes my dump look like the fucking Ritz Carlton." I gritted my teeth. He didn't know when to stop.

"Get lost Shades. I'm not in the mood for your crap." I whispered annoyed after another crude comment.

He only smirked, "Shades? Is that some type of cutesy nickname, Birdy?"

"Nah dude, it's a calling card. Who else wears sunglasses in December?" I drawled. He stayed quiet.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." I muttered.

"I like your spunk, Birdy," he grinned not missing a beat, "you'll fit right in." He added softly drumming his fingers on his chin.

"What?"

"Ain't nothin' you need to worry 'bout." He stood up patting me on the head and ran his fingers through my dark hair.

"I want you to be in my gang. I'll be sendin' someone to get ya soon. I gotta go, hun. See ya later." He pushed open the blanket door and left. He didn't even ask. Tch.