Getting off the bus with some of the others, all Kenny could think of was what he had to do after school. It wasn't like he was forced into it by anyone but himself, although it wasn't like there was much of an option either, not if he wanted to make sure that his sister ate. After his brother's suicide two years ago, his parents seemed even less likely to ever find a stable job, but at that point, they were too deep into the drug trade to even think about honest work, so it was a mute point. Striving to be a good older brother, he had helped his parents traffic the goods, and when he was old enough, he got a job working as a waiter in Denny's. But it still hadn't been enough...

Arriving at home, the blonde boy threw his stuff into the corner, greeting his father on the ratty old couch, where he was still nursing a hangover. His mother was laying unconscious on the floor. "Hey dad."

His father just grunted in reply. Taking that as a good sign, Kenny went to check on his mother, fetching the blanket from their bed to cover her with. Once they were attended to, he popped his head in to the kitchen, where Karen was crouched on the floor, doing her homework. Smiling down at her, he took a seat on the soiled tile, helping her with her school work. If there was time, he would do his later. If not, well...

"How was your day, Kenny?" About halfway through it, she looked over at her older brother. She had heard that there was a new guy in his grade, and that he had hit that asshole fat kid Kenny hung out with. Karen really didn't care for Cartman at all.

He shrugged as he thought of the day itself, "It was alright. We got a new guy. I guess he's ok." That was actually a bit of an understatement, because Kenny thought that Hunter was kind of cool. Seriously, what new kid would deck someone, hang out with them all day, and blow off detention? Plus, he was funny as hell. Although...

Karen pressed on, her point hovering near the surface. "I heard that the Cartman's got new neighbors, so that must have been one of them. We should introduce ourselves one of these nights."

Kenny was no more fond of leftover Denny's than she was by this point, so that was a really valid argument she had - not that he needed much convincing. And it was only a couple of houses down (after a descent walk), so it might look rude if he didn't invite Hunter to the neighborhood. "...OK, we can see about going over tomorrow night, since I don't have work."

[South Park]

After his shift had ended - arms ladened with Styrofoam boxes of unwanted scraps - Kenny returned home to give his sister her dinner for the night. While he had requested that she leave enough for their parents (who were now awake and "at work"), Kenny had never asked her to ration off some for him, but more often than not, he would come back home from his second job to find a small bit left in the back of the ice box used as a refrigerator. She was a good kid.

"Kenny," Karen inquired as he prepared to head back out, "Where's your second job?"

There was a sharp pain in his chest as he thought of what he did late at night. Being Mysterion, it wasn't right to fall to the very thing he loathed and swore to stop, but being Kenny McCormick, he had to look after his sister and provide for the family. Doing his best to bite back the conflict and hurt, Kenny just shook his head, a sad kind of smile on his face as he patted the top of Karen's head and stepped out of the door into the cold night.

That wasn't the first time Karen had asked him, and he had a hunch that she wouldn't stop asking him until she found out. But she never could find out. It was one thing if the guys had ever found out, but his sister never could learn the truth, that her dear older brother was doing whatever it took to earn a quick buck in North Park. He would have gone further away, were it not for him attempting to remain afloat in school.

Taking the bus so he couldn't be followed (he had caught Karen trying to tail him on two separate occasions), and to cut the time it cost to commute, Kenny didn't have to wait long in that dark and seedy ally for a costumer to find him. "You're late." His first costumer - a usual - stalked into the dismal ally mouth. Arms crossed as if angry, the elderly gentleman slipped a twenty dollar bill from inside his sleeve, "I don't know if you deserve this. I mean after all, you're pretty enough to earn back what I don't pay you from someone else. And if all else fails, you could always just come do this full time..."

Kenny would rather shot himself in the head and know that he wouldn't come back again than do this full-time. He hated himself for doing it even part time, but someone had to look out for Karen...

[South Park]

It was well into the wee hours of the morning by the time that Kenny threw himself into bed. There was still some time for him to do at least part of his homework, but he was bone-tired after a hard day's work, so he would just have to turn in nothing yet again. But what did it matter when his teachers were used to that kind of behavior? Kenny McCormick, the poor kid that couldn't even afford to do his own homework. He heard things like that all time, and not just from Cartman either - the teachers all said it, the students, and even the townsfolk weren't above reminding him of his situation.

But it didn't matter, not so long as Karen was looked after. He would take anything thrown his way, just to make sure it meant a better day for his sister. She didn't deserve this life, so it was his job as her big brother to make sure that it was happy as he could make it, that she wouldn't end up like Kevin...

After watching "The Poor Kid", I was moved by Kenny's love for his little sister Karen. Kenny was always my favorite part of the show, and now that I see just how incredible he is (not just because of this one episode), I can only marvel at how much more I love the entire show. Oh, and another thing I should point is that Kenny does do his homework when he's able (not that it's often), and it isn't that late into the year where he's screwed. And yes, he's still in school, so he can graduate and try to get a better job with more money for his little sister.

I do not own South Park, that's all on Matt and Trey, but I do own Hunter and Avery!

[Edit: 9/13/14 - Tinsy bit here and there.]