Author's Notes: While I'm still not satisfied with the genre I've placed this fic in, there is no category for surrealism so I'm not going to change it right now. Just know that at this point it's probably going to lean more into drama than comedy. Thank you to everyone who is reading this story, and I hope you like this current chapter :)

Chapter 8

Walking Into Trouble

It was nearly midnight when Ace returned home, his search fruitless. After leaving the park he stopped by the liquor store and swiped a bottle of vodka. The cashier saw him and knew what he was doing, but most cashiers knew one shoplifted item was cheaper to replace than the shelves of products Ace could break when he was angry. Yeah, his reputation was at least good for something.

The bottle was nearly empty by the time he reached the dump, and his thoughts were starting to run together. Marny, the gang, those stinking Powerpuff Girls, the cops…at this point he was just thinking about random people he had to worry about. He briefly wondered if any of the guys were home yet. Probably. Most of them likely wouldn't have spent as much time searching as he did.

He tripped on the makeshift rug in front of their shack's door and fought to catch himself. Stupid yoga mat…that had been Grubber's idea, right? Or was it Arturo's? Ace couldn't remember. He just knew he thought that thing looked stupid. He kicked it out of his way before yanking the door open to finally get to his sleeping spot. When he did, he saw Billy was already home and asleep on the floor.

"Wonder if the poor sap cried hisself to sleep…?" Ace slurred to no one.

Ace took a few deep breaths, trying to reorient himself after violently pulling open the door. He knew he should probably pass out already, but his mind was still awake. He still thought about all the bad things that could happen to that kid out there in the cold streets of Townsville. A soft weak little girl like her wasn't ready for that kind of stuff. She would probably end up on a police report or something.

Feeling a little melancholic, Ace stumbled over to the bassinet, thinking over the situation. Much to his surprise however, he found the little girl in there, sleeping like a baby.

"You!" Ace exclaimed, which caused the kid to stir.

Marny looked up to see Ace looking down at her, his sunglasses catching no light due to the angle she saw him from. Ace then pulled on her pigtail, which caused the poor girl to yelp in pain and Billy to wake up.

"You stupid brat!" Ace yelled at her, "What was you thinkin'? Goin' out there alone?"

Marny tried to pull herself free, but Ace refused to let go.

"You coulda ended up on a milk carton or somethin', you idiot!" Ace berated, "You wanna get shanked? 'Cause walkin' around Townsville alone at night is how you get shanked."

"Don't be mad at Fluffy, Boss," Billy pleaded, "She's really brave. Billy almost got eated by a house, but Fluffy saved Billy."

"Almost got…huh?" Ace tried to figure out what Billy just said, but then, "You know what? Never mind. I don't care. Just keep an eye on this brat from now on. I'm goin' to bed."

Ace walked away, and Billy's attention turned to Marny. She was shaking and had her fingers in her hair as if to make sure it was all still there. Billy picked up the girl then, and she buried herself into his shirt.

"I'm sorry, Fluffy," Billy cooed as he rocked her in his arms, "The boss don't mean no harm by that. He was just worried, like Billy was. Billy would be very sad if anything bad happened to Fluffy."

Marny didn't cry, but part of her wanted to. She was tired, she was in pain, and now she was scared. Ace seemed a lot less threatening when he ignored her. In her mind, it seemed like Ace was a lot more dangerous to those he wanted to keep around. He would hit members of the gang, and now she knew she wasn't safe either. Yet leaving seemed even less likely now than before. Ace was right, the world beyond this shack was worse than staying here.

Just as Marny started to relax in Billy's arms, the door opened again and she cringed. This time it was Snake, whose eyes drooped as his posture hung limp like a coat on a hanger.

"I am sssooo tired," Snake breathed, "Billy, did you-? Hey, you found the kid!"

Snake's whole demeanor changed then, and he smiled in relief. As he walked closer Marny surprisingly found she was happy to see him too.

"Where did you finds her?" Snake asked Billy.

"In ABC Land," Billy told him.

"Where'sss that?" Snake asked.

"Uh…" Billy struggled to remember which way he went, "…Outside."

"Uh huh," Snake grunted in amusement, knowing he wouldn't get a straight answer, "Whatever. At leassst she isssn't any worssse for wear. Did Accce com back yet?"

"Yeah, Boss is asleep," Billy replied.

"Good. Maybe I can finally get sssome sssleeep too," Snake snorted sardonically.

Snake's words seemed to indicate an inside joke Marny wasn't aware of, but she didn't dwell on it. Billy put her back in her bassinet, and she decided to just try to go back to sleep. She never thought she would feel comfortable with this gang in this putrid smelling shack, but at least it beat being alone.

"Goodnight, Fluffy," Billy said softly as he covered her up for the night.

Marny smiled up at him, and then snuggled into bed.

Billy turned away so he could go back to sleep too. He wondered if she knew how to say 'goodnight'. He felt like it was weird for a kid's first words to be "Watch out", but he didn't know what other explanation there could be. She didn't know how to talk before. So, she must have just learned how. He wondered if he could teach her any new words. Perhaps when they woke up he would try.

The next afternoon Billy looked out the window at some birds flying over the dump. Fluffy was coloring with her paint set over in the corner, Arturo joining her. It was warm out that day, so the dump smelled a little worse than usual. Billy didn't mind, but Ace would always complain when it was too hot. Billy was glad Ace went out to get food and cigarettes. Billy didn't like when his boss was upset.

Billy normally didn't think too hard or too much, since there was usually always something to do to keep things running around the shack. There was food and water to steal, toiletries to steal, trash to sift through, and booze to drink. For now though, there was nothing, and Billy for once had time to think.

His mind kept going back to ABC Land, to the search for Fluffy, and to his girl's first words. He wondered if he could train her to say more words. She was a little girl, right? Most little girls could learn to talk. After all, the mean dog that drove him to ABC Land knew how to talk. There must be a secret to unlocking speech in a pet that normally wouldn't know how.

Billy wracked his brain trying to figure out the answer. He was sure he did everything right for owning a pet. He fed her, gave her a place to sleep, cleaned up after her, kept her safe, and-

Like a lightbulb flickering over his head, Billy grasped at a new idea. Talking Dog was a dog, and dogs went out on walks. Maybe Fluffy ran away because she needed exercise. Billy pondered that perhaps he could expose her to places where lots of people talked, and she would learn how to speak just by listening to them. This would be the perfect time too, since Ace was gone and couldn't tell them no.

"Fluffy!" Billy called to her, "Fluffy, come here girl!"

Marny stopped painting and looked at him quizzically for a moment. So, it was back to this old routine again. She didn't really want to be an animal, but to be fair she never found anything on her journey to refute his belief. Sighing deeply, she stood up and plodded over to where Billy was sitting by the window.

"Come on, ese!" Arturo exclaimed in frustration, "We was painting a landscape! Well, not a landscape really. It was some fish in the ocean. But I still don't wanna finish this by myself!"

"Uh, Billy wants to take Fluffy for a walk," Billy explained.

"Right now?" Arturo asked irritably, "But we was doing such a good job, and Ace isn't back from…oh. You wanna go behind Ace's back."

Billy nodded his head 'yes'.

"Oy…" Arturo groaned, "Fine. I won't tell Ace. Just be back before dark. If you get lost or arrested you're on your own. Comprende?"

"Yeah," Billy replied, shamefaced.

Arturo just shook his head and went back to painting, and Billy felt bad for deceiving his boss. He didn't even know if he needed to or not, but after the way Ace acted last night toward Fluffy, Billy didn't want to risk another outburst.

Billy walked outside, and Marny followed him dutifully. She didn't really feel like walking anywhere, but she could tell that Billy wasn't going to drop the idea. She just hoped he didn't have a collar and leash or something. Billy could be, after all, a bit too literal-minded for his own good.

Billy and Marny had been walking for about 25 minutes when they made it to the Surplex Store. Marny remembered going shopping at this place before with her mom. Their toy aisle was amazing.

Billy knew this store was huge and always busy. That meant it would be a perfect place for Fluffy to learn to speak. She would just need to hear a lot of people at once, and he was sure that would be enough to help her learn.

Marny walked side by side with Billy so she wouldn't get lost. She had to take four or five steps for every one of his huge steps. Billy might have been big, but he was fast. Marny was starting to feel a little winded trying to keep up with him.

She looked around at all the people passing them by. She noticed the suspicious looks they gave Billy, with a few even walking further away so they wouldn't bump into him. She then looked up at Billy to make sure his feelings weren't hurt. If people shunned her like that she would feel bad.

When she glanced up at Billy she saw he stopped for a moment, just a moment, at the end of an aisle. He took a box of cookies, ripped it open, and shoved the individual packets into the pockets of his jeans.

At first Marny was surprised, but then realized she shouldn't have been. Last time they went somewhere together they stole food from a supply truck. It would only make sense for Billy to take yet another opportunity to steal something.

They continued moving from one part of the store to the next, with Billy thinking that his plan was surely working and Marny wondering where the bathroom was. After all, a real toilet sounded a lot better than the bucket in the closet system they had back at the shack.

As they made their way to the electronics aisle, Billy noticed that there was an entire wall with TVs on display. Each one played something different, and some of them were even unmuted. Billy smiled, not only because he could watch TV, but also because Fluffy could too. Surely TV people could teach her how to talk. After all, Blarney the Sea Serpent taught him how to talk when he was little.

Together they walked to the TVs so they could stand there and watch. Marny figured out this was the plan when they got there, and she definitely wasn't going to complain. She'd watch a few minutes with Billy, and then sneak off to the bathroom when he was distracted.

There were so many cool shows to choose from. There was a pretty lady in a bikini riding a jet ski, a sports show with a lot of men screaming at each other, and a new animated movie starring bees. Marny watched the bee one first, and she had a feeling Billy did too. A couple minutes later however, she heard a voice on one of the TVs that sounded scarily familiar.

Marny searched each screen, hoping she didn't actually hear the voice she thought she heard. She didn't hear the voice now, but finding a screen showing the local news told her everything she needed to know. There he was, sitting across from a woman; his face unreadable. Without even thinking about the world around her, she went up to the TV and turned up the volume.

"…and yet the search continues without results." The anchorwoman intoned, "Townsville has been shaken to its core regarding the mysterious disappearance of Marny Milford. Commissioner Milford, do the police have a lead on the possible whereabouts of your granddaughter?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss the case," The wizened police commissioner replied, "Just know that I will not rest until we find her. We can only hope that it isn't too late. After losing my daughter and grandson, she's all the family my wife and I have left. It would be a shame for her to slip through my fingers as well."

"Do you suspect foul play?" The reporter inquired.

"I am not at liberty to say," The commissioner repeated.

"What about the rumors around Townsville that she was kidnapped by The Gangreen Gang?"

"It was revealed to simply be a practical joke," The commissioner replied, his eye twitching, "I for one did not find it very amusing."

As Marny watched the scene unfold, her grandfather sitting there looking as poised and powerful as ever, her hand subconsciously went to the burn wound on her stomach. Her chest felt heavier, almost like someone was grabbing her heart, and her legs became weak. She wasn't sure she could stand much longer as she stared at the man that was using every resource in his arsenal to drag her back into darkness.

Before she could stop herself, Marny collapsed, and Billy heard the thud. A crowd of people, including Billy, rushed to the girl's aid. Marny was hyperventilating, staring in the direction of the crowd above her but not looking directly at any of them.

"Are you okay, little girl?" An employee asked her, "Where are your parents?"

Marny barely registered what the lady said, but for some reason she was getting worse. Was this a heart attack? Could kids her age even get heart attacks? Was she going to die here? Why wouldn't these people go away and let her breathe?

"She's my girl," Billy told the employee.

"A bit young to be her father, aren't you?" The employee asked skeptically, "Besides, I'm pretty sure you're one of those ugly green gang kids. Nice try."

"But she is mine," Billy tried to defend himself.

"Then I don't envy your child support," The employee quipped sarcastically, "Little girl? Hey, sweetie? Can you hear me? Just breathe in and out slowly, alright? Back up, everyone! I'm pretty sure she's having a panic attack."

The crowd dispersed, but many continued to watch the scene. Marny was grateful they weren't looming over her anymore, but her chest still felt tight. The lady smiled down at her reassuringly, but for some reason Billy was backing away like a kicked puppy. Marny realized she probably should have been paying closer attention, because she didn't know what was wrong with Billy.

"Hey, wasn't it the Gangreen Gang that kidnapped a little girl?" A man from the crowd observed, "This could be that kid!"

"Oh my…" The employee said nervously, "Don't worry, honey. We'll call the police. You'll be alright."

"Call the Powerpuff Girls!" An older woman shouted, "That green monster can't be stopped by normal cops!"

Uh oh. Marny definitely knew what that meant. Cops and Powerpuff Girls meant going back home to her grandparents. She couldn't let that happen. Billy was her friend. He wouldn't burn her with a hot pan or whip her with a belt or put out his cigars on her arm. She needed him, and part of her guessed that he needed her too. Why else would he work so hard to keep her around?

Marny managed to stand up despite how weak she felt, and ran up to Billy. She hugged his leg, and he bent down to pick her up. Some in the crowd gasped, and the employee walked closer to them.

"Now listen here, did you kidnap that child?" The employee asked heatedly.

"Dah…no," Billy replied, "Billy found her in the trash. Stuff in the trash is free."

Marny facepalmed, not believing how poorly this was going. Even she knew he should probably shut up at this point. After all, words were shovel strikes to dig your own grave.

"If you don't hand that poor child over right now, then we're calling the Powerpuff Girls on you," The employee threatened.

"But…but I love Fluffy," Billy whimpered, "Don't take Fluffy away from Billy!"

"I'm gonna count to three," The employee warned.

"But!"

"One!"

"Billy didn't mean t-"

"Two!"

Billy's lip quivered as he tried not to cry. He hugged Marny tighter, and Marny grabbed onto his shirt in hopes of avoiding this catastrophe.

"Don't make me say three," The employee said sternly.

Billy's shoulders sagged in defeat. In truth he was way stronger than this woman, but mentally he just couldn't handle the social pull of authority. Deep down, he knew Ace was right. Fluffy had a family, and even though Billy wanted to keep her forever he couldn't. Since all the grown ups said she had to go home, then she had to go home, and that was that.

Billy held out Marny for the Surplex employee to hold, and the woman looked visibly relieved that the situation didn't escalate. Marny, on the other hand, was anything but happy.

Marny kicked at the woman's face and struggled in her grip. The employee had trouble keeping hold of Marny as she squirmed and fought. With Marny in tow the woman ran for the Employees Only room, and Billy ran away from the scene; crying loudly all the way.