Author's Notes: Welcome to another Powerpuff Girls fanfic! This one admittedly is a little ridiculous, but I hope to mix the comedy with some drama as the story goes on. This first chapter is just silly comedy though. I hope you guys like reading it as much as I liked writing it, and please review, favorite, and/or follow if you want to see more :)
Chapter 1
Can I Keep It?
The city of Townsville! A city that is filled with action-packed adventure. A city with the most powerful of superheroes, the Powerpuff Girls, as well as the vilest, most evil, and cruel villains imaginable. There are mad scientists, beings of unspeakable cosmic horror, villains capable of brute force and seductive temptation. There are so many world-threatening colossal baddies in Townsville...and then there's the Gangreen Gang.
Yes, the Gangreen Gang, a group of ne'er-do well teenagers with green skin and bad attitudes. Their rap sheets include destruction of property, loitering, vandalism, more loitering, shoplifting, littering, public indecency, and of course we can't forget loitering. And where better to find the scum of the earth than the city dump?
Ace kicked back in the shack on their understuffed sofa while Snake, Arturo, and Grubber played cards around the industrial sized spool they had turned into a makeshift table. They had enough food in the shack so they didn't need to go out to rob anybody that day. It was just a typical boring day for the gang.
A set of lumbering footsteps could be heard coming toward the shack, and the rest of the gang knew that would be Big Billy coming in from exploring the new garbage hauled into the dump from the previous night. Billy kicked the door open and no one even bothered to look up to see what he wanted. They knew he'd tell them if he needed anything.
"Hey boss!" Billy shouted in an excited tone of voice, "Look what Billy found! Can I keep it?"
Ace lifted his head up just enough to see Billy was holding a struggling orange cat in his large meaty hands.
"Another cat?" Ace asked; unamused, "Billy, we can barely take care of ourselves. There's no way we can care for a mangy feline."
"But Billy love kitty!" Billy whined as he pushed the cat closer to Ace's face.
"Hey! Get that thing away from me!" Ace snapped, and Billy pulled the cat closer to his chest, "Look, if you wanna have some fun with it then we can shave it or cut off its tail or somethin'. Cats are good for a laugh and not much else."
"Dah...okay," Billy conceded, though he wasn't happy about it.
Billy went to hand the cat to Ace, but then it started scratching at Billy's hands and hissing up a storm. Billy lost his grip on the feral cat and it ran out of the shack, with the dejected teen looking forlorn as it ran away.
"Daw, why everything Billy love leave Billy? Waaaah!" Billy sobbed loudly.
"Hey, keep it down!" Arturo yelled, "We're trying to play cards!"
"Oh, crud," Snake muttered, "He'sss at it again."
Billy plopped down on the floor and continued to cry as loudly as possible. Ace covered his ears and sneered at the other gang members as if to demand they do something, but they just shrugged; unable to help.
"Dis is gettin' ridiculous," Ace said through gritted teeth, "Dat's the third animal Billy's brought home, and every time he ends up cryin'!"
"Well maybe if you didn't tell him he can't have a pet," Arturo pointed out, "You always say no to him."
"Because he'd either kill it or forget to feed it," Ace countered, "Animals are nothin' but flea-ridden nuisances. Good for tormentin' or eatin' but serve no other practical purpose."
"Um, Acce?" Snake piped up timidly, "Maybe we should lets Billy have a pet. After all, who caress if he killss it? At leasst he'll be happy for a few daysss."
Ace sighed heavily, realizing that Snake had a point. If it were any other member of the gang Ace would just hit them and tell them to quit being a pansy, but those tactics didn't work with Billy. For one thing Billy was incredibly strong, almost super human. He could kill Ace if he ever actually got mad at him. For another thing Billy was slow and more childlike than any other member of the gang. Ace calling him a baby wouldn't work because Billy didn't care if people knew he was sensitive.
With no other option, Ace whistled for Billy to stop crying and come over to the card table with the others.
"Billy, I can see this whole havin' a pet thing means a lot to you," Ace began with all the authority of a parent that knew they were about to cave, "The boys and I were talkin' and maybe...maybe it ain't such a bad idea. For you to get a pet, I mean."
"Really?" Billy asked, overjoyed, "Oh boy! Billy gonna get a pet!"
"Hold it, big guy!" Ace recalled Billy's attention before he stopped listening, "Now you can have a pet, but there are rules. First, whatever you bring home is your responsibility, and only yours. You have to feed it, clean it, walk it, love it, and pick up its mess. We ain't gonna help ya. Your pet is your problem. Second, if you bring home somethin' bigger than a cat then it has to live outside, preferably on a leash so it can't get away. Third, and I can't believe I even have to mention this one, but make sure you know where yer pet is at all times so you don't sit on it."
"Dah, okay," Billy nodded.
"Any questions?" Ace asked, knowing sometimes Billy only heard every other word.
"Uh, can I get it today?" Billy asked hopefully.
"Yeah, sure. Why not?" Ace shrugged.
"Oh boy! Oh boy, oh boy!" Billy cheered, "Anybody wanna come with me?"
"Nah, I got a good hand," Arturo replied nonchalantly.
"Pfft," Grubber likewise refused.
"Sssorry," Snake shrugged, "Good luck though."
"See ya," Ace replied carelessly as he lay back down on the couch.
Billy, full of hope and happiness, practically skipped out of the shack and toward Townsville, ready to find his perfect pet.
Billy went straight to the pet store, and immediately the few other patrons that were there got a good look at him and made certain to avoid the oversized gangster. While the entire gang was infamous for making trouble and harassing people, everyone knew Big Billy was the most dangerous of the group due to his physical strength and inability to know when he'd gone too far.
Big Billy didn't notice the stares and whispers around him however. He was too busy looking over all the animals in the pet store. There were colorful birds, little lizards that ran really fast, sleeping puppies, hopping bunnies, and more. Billy laughed with glee at every new animal he saw. There was even an orange kitten that looked similar to the one he found at the dump, and it seemed to want his attention. He poked his finger through the bars of its cage and it scratched him, but he didn't mind at all.
"Can I help you with anything?" The man at the cash register asked Billy.
"Uh, yeah," Billy nodded eagerly, "I'd like this kitty."
"An excellent choice, sir," The cashier replied with a professional smile, "That kitten is $45."
Billy's face fell the moment he heard that, and he checked his pockets for any money. He had forgotten that stores expect money for things since Ace usually knew how to get out of paying. Of course a smarter person would know that was just stealing, but Billy wasn't bright enough to know he could steal things without the rest of the gang around. He pulled out everything from his pockets, which was just a sticky red lollipop and some lint.
"Uh...Billy doesn't have any money," Billy admitted.
"Well then I can't sell you anything, now can I?" The salesman asked rhetorically.
"Uh...no," Billy answered dejected.
Billy then walked out of the store without a new furry little friend. He was trying to figure out what to do when he heard a noise coming from behind the pet store in the dumpster. That was when he remembered. Stores cost money, but stuff that was thrown away was free. Just like at the dump. If there was an animal in the dumpster, then Billy could have it!
He walked around to the dumpster and peered inside. Sure enough, something was alive in there and looking back up at him with big sad eyes. Billy smiled wide, and scooped up his new best friend.
Back at the shack, Ace had decided to join in for a few rounds of poker. They were running out of chips since every time Grubber won he ate them all. That wouldn't have been strange, except they weren't playing for potato chips but rather plastic poker chips.
They heard Billy's excited footsteps long before he managed to make it in the door, and judging from the fast pace of his step they all guessed that he found the new pet he was looking for.
"What do you guys think he got?" Ace asked the others.
"I hope it's a dog," Arturo replied, "Then we can teach it tricks!"
"Pfft bft!" Grubber suggested.
"Yeah, I guess a raccoon would be okay too," Arturo conceded.
"Knowing Billy it'sss probably a turtle," Snake scoffed.
"Yeah, or another stinkin' cat," Ace groused.
Billy kicked the door open, and when the boys saw what Billy had in his hands their eyes collectively went wide.
"Hi, guys! Meet my new pet!" Billy said proudly as he held up his find, "Isn't she beautiful?"
"You idiot!" Ace facepalmed.
"Pfft!" Grubber exclaimed frantically.
"Uh, what's wrong?" Billy asked obliviously.
"What'sss wrong!?" Snake snapped.
"Es una niña, stupid!" Arturo shouted.
"Huh?" Billy grunted uncomprehendingly.
Sure enough, in Billy's massive grip, glaring back at the gang with a most sour expression, was a little girl. She had brown puffy pigtails, dirty overalls, a lavender shirt, and a purple backpack.
"Well, she doesss kinda look like the Grumpy Cat," Snake joked.
At that the gang started laughing, and Billy laughed too even though he didn't get the joke. The kid's face grew redder with anger, but she made no attempt to escape. She had already tried once, and Billy's hands just squeezed tighter; cutting off air supply. It was best to just stay put for now.
"Billy, you can't keep her," Ace told him.
"But you said!" Billy argued.
"Billy, she's a kid, not a pet," Ace tried to explain, "Kids are for practicin' noogies and wedgies on, not for keepin' around like junkyard cats."
"But Billy found her in the trash!" Billy defended himself, "Stuff in the trash is free, just like you said. So, Billy can keep her."
"Maybe there's a reward for bringing her back to her family," Arturo suggested.
"Yeah, parentsss do that sssort of thing all the time," Snake added, "Maybe they'll be grateful enough to give uss money or sssomething."
"No! You can't sell Billy's new friend!" Billy pleaded as he pressed her closer to his chest, "Boss said Billy could have new pet!"
"Dis guy is hopeless..." Ace muttered under his breath, but then in a normal tone of voice said, "Billy, you know the rules."
"Yeah," Billy nodded, "She's bigger than a cat so Billy has to chain her outside."
Ace facepalmed again, for once not knowing how to deal with Billy's unique brand of logic. The kid meanwhile started blowing air out of her cheeks in an effort to express her discomfort. She hadn't said a word since showing up and it was starting to feel a little disconcerting for Ace.
"Hey, kid!" Ace finally addressed her, "Where are yer folks? You got anyone? I mean besides the jolly green doofus over here."
The kid didn't answer, and in fact made an effort to not make eye contact with Ace. She looked peeved, but Ace could tell she was nervous. Of course she would be, since the Gangreen Gang's main targets to torment were children about her age and size.
"So, can Billy keep her?" Billy asked with a pleading smile as he hugged the little girl.
Ace didn't know how to handle this. Finding the girl's parents could take a while, but if she stayed too long Billy would really start to think she was his pet. If they kicked her out then the problem would be gone, but Billy would be an inconsolable wreck. There weren't that many options.
"Okay boys, here's what we do," Ace finally said, "We keep the kid here for now, but we take a picture of her and post it around Townsville. If anyone's lost her, they'll come here and take her back."
"Shouldn't we go to the police?" Arturo asked.
"No way!" Ace shut that down, "We're still wanted for defacin' the mayor's statue outside city hall. Nope, we have to do this ourselves."
"So...if no one comes for little girl, then Billy can keep her?" Billy inquired.
Ace nodded, but he didn't really mean it. There was no way he wanted a little snot-nosed brat hanging around their clubhouse for longer than necessary. Besides, if Billy forgot to feed a dog or a cat it was negligence, but if he forgot to feed a child it was manslaughter. The gang would have to be very careful about how they handled this situation.