One more thing I should mention. In this fic, and in future GGG-centric fics, I will be writing the dialogue of the gang members similar to how they talk in the actual show. For example, Ace will be "talkin' like dis," and Arturo will have a bit of Spanish thrown into his sentences at times. I do this for characterization purposes, and I hope it doesn't bug anyone too much. I try to make it so that it's still legible...


"So dis is what the dumps look like..."

Standing before the Townsville Dump, clutching the chain link fence with uncertainty, was a little boy no more than eight years old. At first glance from behind, he seemed like a perfectly normal little boy; shaggy black hair that could use a trim, and ruffled, dirty clothing that may have been the result of a few scuffles. But upon closer inspection –especially from the front– it was clear the child was definitely the contrary.

The most striking feature was the sickly green complexion that covered his entire body. A tiny, juvenile fang poked out from the small frown on his face. Large, innocent eyes were tinged pink in the sclera, but they could not hide the torment that their owner had endured.

He peered up at the towering trash heaps. He had found it, the only place he knew would guarantee him sanctuary. Nobody ever came here. And if they did, it was only to get rid of unwanted junk, and then it would be empty again. It smelled really weird, but here he wouldn't have to deal with anymore hateful sneers or malicious bullying.

It was perfect.

Curiosity and hope now filling his spirit, the green-skinned youth slowly swung open one of the rusty chain link doors, which creaked in protest at being moved, and quietly slipped in between the two large gates.

Once he placed the noisy gate back where it was, all of the curiosity dissipated into that uneasy feeling again. The child looked around. He knew that this was supposed to be a safe haven for him, but he didn't really know what exactly lay ahead. Something may already be living here, like mean junkyard dogs, or some other homeless kids that were normal-skinned. They definitely wouldn't let him stay, then…

Well, I won't know 'til I look... the boy thought to himself. And with that, he mustered up the courage to begin walking into the maze of trash piles.

He marveled with odd curiosity at what he was seeing. Tons of tin cans with various labels –most of them empty- were strewn across the walkway and up and down the piles of junk. Said piles of junk contained everything from tattered toys to refrigerators, as well as some objects he didn't know the names to. Bits of broken glass dotted the area, the sun reflecting off of them and making everything glimmer and sparkle as he walked; it reminded the boy of a Christmas tree. And there were so many cool things just lying around! Bicycles and couches and...was that a car?!

"Hey kid."

The boy was so lost in awe, he was startled back into reality by the sudden voice. The stern undertone brought back the uneasiness with a vengeance; that tone was never a good sign. He cautiously turned around, anticipating the worst to come.

He saw a scrawny young girl...not quite was he was expecting. She appeared to be only a few years older than he was, and was sitting with one leg crossed over the other on a washing machine a few feet away, as if she were expecting the boy to show up. Resting on her shoulder was a bent up golf club that clearly has seen better days, the handle leisurely grasped in her hand. Her dark hair was short and choppy, as if she had cut it herself, and was adorned with a simple purple headband. Uneven bangs hung just above her eyes, which were scanning the boy as if he were a science experiment. However, none of these observations were what caught his attention.

"Well, ya gonna say somethin'?" she barked, making him flinch a bit.

"You…yous got green skin!" he finally exclaimed, pointing a finger towards her incredulously.

The girl's frown softened into a smirk. "Why're ya actin' like a normal person? Ya know your skin's green, too, right?" she retorted.

For some reason, the green boy felt embarrassed that this girl had to point that out for him. He didn't like that feeling.

"'Course I do!" he shot back, "I just thought I was the only one..." He shuffled his feet a bit, small clouds of dusty orange earth trailing across the surface with each movement.

For a split-second, her smile softened even more into something more comforting before slipping off the dingy old appliance and sauntering towards him. As she came closer, the boy got a better view of what she was wearing: a stitched up blue dress with a pink shirt underneath. In the center of the dress was a pocket with a heart patched onto it, which had been resewn down the center at some point. On her feet were a mismatched pair of tattered socks and scuffed up buckled shoes.

"Well it looks like ya got some learnin' to do," she said as she stopped just at arm's length before extending her hand out to him. "Name's Maria."

Being unfamiliar with such a gesture, he shook her hand weakly. "Ace. My name's Ace."

Maria smirked again. "'Course it is." Before Ace could defend the credibility of his own name, she asked, "Ya came here lookin' for a place to live, didn't ya?" There was the slightest hint of sympathy in her voice.

Ace was a bit taken aback at how quick she caught on. "Yeah, how'd ya know?"

"Another kid did the same thing; he had already made himself at home here when I got back from a food run," she replied matter-of-factly. "Speakin' of which, you should probably go meet the other two, since you'll be stayin' here and all. C'mon." she lightly motioned the golf club to signal to Ace to follow her.

As they walked further into the dump, Ace couldn't help but feel relieved. Sure, this Maria girl seemed kind of bossy, but at least she was green like him, and she was even letting him stay with her and those two...

It was then that Maria's last statement finally sunk in.

"Wait, there's others?"


Before anyone says anything, I also apologize in advance for potential OOC-ness. It seems weird now, but I have all the personalities for the characters planned out, and they will be explained in later chapters. But for any OOC-ness that I somehow don't explain...yeah, I apologize for that.