Beauty King Of New York
((Chapter 1 - Our Lovely Contestants))
**A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own the Newsies in the story. **tear** But I do own the idea and any original characters, like Mondie, yeah, that's definitely, definitely me. Okies? Okies.**
"La-la-la-LA-la-la-la," sang Davey, warming up his voice.
"Is dis bow tie on straight?" Racetrack asked Jack, tightening one of Denton's bow ties. (The striped one from the trial, in case you were wondering)
"Okay, Kimberly," Spot whispered to his cane, Kimberly. He squinted his eyes closed and rubbed the golden tip for luck. "Don' let me down now."
It was the afternoon of the Mr. Beauty King Of New York contest, and all of our favorite newsies were getting ready.
"Getreadygetreadygetready…" the stagehand said, all in one breath.
Suddenly music started onstage.
"EEEEEE!" screamed Kid Blink, grabbing ahold of Mush's arm. "I'm so noivous!"
The host, a beautiful goil named Mondie, began screeching the Mr. Beauty King Of New York song onstage, and the boys filed out behind her, doing choreographed pirouettes and tapdancing numbers. Mondie didn't have the best voice, but whatever she lacked in talent, she made up for in effort.
Ain't he gorgeous?
Oh, yes, remarkably so
Ain't he stunning?
With him, can I have a go? **Wink wink, nudge nudge**
He's beauty and brains
And of course brawn
He's the one I want to wake up
Next to in the dawn
I loooooooooooooooooooove him
He's Mr. Beauty King Of New York!
The audience, who were basically customers of Medda's who thought they were gonna be watching a Vaudeville act instead, half-heartedly applauded. Medda had agreed to let the pageant be held at Irving Hall, but had forgotten to mention it to her customers. Mondie had locked the door and not let anyone leave after they entered, because she herself had forgotten to advertise (OOPS).
As soon as they were done dancing, the boys ran back offstage.
"Let's meet the contestants!" Mondie cried, pretending to have to speak over the applause, even though it had died out almost immediately and people were checking their watches. "Standing at 4'0 even, he's the tough leader of Brooklyn who intimidates everyone! Meet… SPOT CONLON!"
"Hey! I ain't four foot! I'se four foot two!" Spot protested while coming out on the stage, waving Kimberly The Cane threatingly at Mondie, but then smiling largely as the spotlight turned on him. There was no way he was letting MANHATTAN win this contest. He struck a pretty pose, popping out one leg and sticking out his chest.
"And… the boy who'll use his prize money to go to Santa Fe! The cowboy-wannabe, and little Les's hero, JACK KELLY!"
Jack smiled so wide as the spotlight turned on him that his face cracked.
"Ew," said Mondie, as blood splashed all over the place. "Jack Kelly, you're disqualified. No Santa Fe for you!" She cackled loudly.
Jack burst into tears and ran from the stage.
Sarah Jacobs came out with a mop and bucket and began to clean up the blood. Mondie cackled at this, too. "Haha, I get to be the host of the beauty pageant, and SARAH HAS TO MOP!" she screamed.
Sarah grimaced and left as soon as she could.
"NOW… the boy who's already won MY heart," said Mondie, grinning, "the backflip wonder! The boy with the Brillo pad hair! Meet the hottest guy alive, MUSH MEYERS!"
Mush did a backflip and then blew a kiss to Mondie. Mondie blushed and nearly ran over and jumped him, before remembering she was the host and needed to introduce everyone else.
"Next up, we've got a sweet crippled optimist who always minds his manners! Everybody, clap for—"
"NO! WAIT!" Kid Blink yelled.
Mondie stopped. "What is it, Kid?"
"I'm supposed to be next."
"No, you're not. My cue cards say Crutchy is next."
"No! I'm always after Mush. It's in the rules of the Newsies Movie. If there is Mush in a shot, I'm in it too." The stagehand ran onstage holding a copy of the Rules Of The Newsies Movie book. Mondie read it in fifty-one seconds, then handed it back.
"It seems that Kid Blink is right, he *is* always after Mush."
Crutchy got mad and stormed off the stage.
"Everyone clap for… the kid who wears an eyepatch! KID BLINK!"
Kid Blink did a twirl and ended with his hands in the air, on one knee. No one clapped. One man screamed, but that could also have been because Jack, who was bitter about not getting to be in the show, was going around and bleeding on the audience members.
"And now," said Mondie, "The sweet crippled optimist who always minds his manners! CRUTCHY!"
"NO!" screamed Crutchy. "I HATE YOU ALL!"
"Okay," Mondie amended. "The angry crippled pessimist who says to shove manners! CRUTCHY!"
Crutchy thought about it and decided that was more reasonable, and came limping out on the stage. He smiled prettily.
"Next is The Walkin' Mouth! DAVEY JACOBS!" Davey came onto the stage, and everyone in the audience shrieked this time. That's because Davey had gotten surgery (or else fell into something biohazardous) since the first dance number and had become an actual walking mouth: he now consisted of only a mouth with legs.
"And, last contestant in our contest, he's a gambler with a heart as nice as his wit is quick! RACETRACK HIGGINS!" Racetrack came out on stage and smiled as wide as he could, considering he was next to a giant mouth with legs. He was glad he'd worn Denton's bow tie.
"Aren't they lovely?" asked Mondie. "Now we will take a five-hour break, so the contestants can beautify themselves for the evening-wear portion of tonight's program!"
The audience could only groan. Especially those covered in blood.