New Newsies

by Filly

A group of state schooler's and a group of Private schoolers meet up at a camp to produce the play 'newsies' with unexpectedresults.

Filly Feud

Rebecka Mahan walked into her high school at 11:00 am it was first recess and everyone was out eating lunch and playing sport or reading or just talking. Becka was wearing her dull grey formal sport uniform, and in her long dark red hair she wore to feathery black hair clips. Her bag matched her books and pens they were all black. The bag was a inflatable see through black bag and her books and pencils were covered in feathers.

Becka walked down the main path of the school with her see through black back pack. Trailing behind her was a Taxi driver carrying two large black suitcases, Becka turned and directed him to place the bags just inside the office doors and then paid her fair and gave him a large tip.

Once she had signed in with the office staff because of her late entry she headed out of the office and down to the oval terraces. Becka's gaze skipped the crowd as if she were looking for someone in particular.

Suddenly a loud voice shouted out excitedly, "Flame this way, over here you who, Hoy Flame." Becka smiled and looked over and waved at July the small Auburn haired, Aqua eyed beauty.

Sitting next to each other laughing hysterically at July was, Filly, the smallest girl in their group, that along with her long brown hair with red highlight's and pale features, gave her the look of a small china doll, and brought out everyone's protective instincts.

Filly's best friend was completely the opposite of her, Flex was a tall muscular brunette with a quick grin and a deep tan. It was the things that Flex could do with her body that got her, her nickname. She was the most flexible person in their group and probably the whole school. She was also a national competion level gymanist.

Flame made her way over to them and hugged everyone coming lastly to her best friend from kindergarden, Shady. She was by far the prettiest in the group, everyone knew it but Shady didn't make anything out of it. With her long blondey, browny, coppery hair and her sparkling brown eye's, her slender figure and her petite height of 5'2 Shady was never short of admirers.

Shady asked Flame in false acuzation, "Now where the hell were you this morning we thought you had left us at the mercy of the boy's for 2 weeks."

Flame grinned, "would I be so cruel? No the thing is my brother chucked a tantrum over something my parents said and it took me an hour to calm him down enough for him to drive me to school, but on the way here, the car broke down and Brad had to phone RACQ to come and get us.

"Then we had to wait another 1 hour for them to come and pick us up, that made it 10:00 then when we finally got to the garage Brad decided that it would be best if I got a Taxi to school so by the time I was picked up and driven here it was 11:00 so after I signed in I came down here." Flame said and grinned again.

"So speaking of the unholy terror's of the deep where are the boys? They are coming to the camp aren't they? Cause if they get out of it then so do we." Flame grinned.

"No there's no such luck. We are stuck going to camp AND we're stuck with the boys, and dentures." Flex grimaced at the mention of there history teacher. At just that moment the boys came up the steps off the oval in one rather large group of 11.

They were, Jack-cowboy-Kelley, Brooklyn-Spot-Conlon, Micheal-Mush-Ericsson, David-the mouth-Jacobs, Max-Racetrack-Cassella, Brandon-Boots-Adams, Micheal-Kid Blink-Allen, Joshua-Cutchy-Germaine, Skyes-Skittery-Antony, Jye-Specs-Baller, William, Randolf, Arthur-Dutchy-Windsor the III and finally pulling up the rear, Mexican exchange student, Enrico-Bumlets-Paloa.

Spot, so named because he hated his real name, smiled at Flame and said, "we thought you'd skinned out on us. The thought of 2 week's with guy's as gorgeous as us and old Dentures was just to much for you huh?"

Flame rolled her eye's at the girls and then smiled and said in a southern accent, "Well may good sir, I was afraid that I might swoon at your beastly attractiveness, but rarely I have got control of may emotions I'm quite sure."

"Besides," Flame said in her normal Australian twang, "when have I EVER been scared of you sorry little shrimps. You seem to have forgotten that until last year Nearly all of us girls towered over all of you, bar Bumlets" Flame said smirking, even though she had no idea why everyone called him Bumlets, it was some joke or something among the guys.

Cowboy, who had got his name from his love of horse's and station (ranch life), smirked and held his hands up as a sign of retreat, "whoa there girl, Stop the steam train before you hit some one." Flame pretended to glare at the cocky Manhattenite, "and just when did I give you perrimission to talk Jackey-Boy?" Flame said archly.

Cowboy looked at Flame in pretend indignation, "you give me perrimission? It is I that should be giving you perrimsion you fiery wench. Now come and apoligise." Flame looked at Cowboy for a moment before standing and then grinning and shaking her free red hair, "Not on your life old man."

"Old Man why come here you cheeky little brat." Cowboy roared loudly and chased after Flame as she headed off the oval and towards the libary. The rest of the group grinned and clambered after them.

Flame dodged and ducked people until Cowboy grabbed her around the waist, and swung her around before stopping and quickly putting her down but still keeping his arms around her waist ready to attack when Dentures left but at the moment Dentures stood looking down at the group that was gathering in front of him.

"Ahh you are just the people I was looking for. The problem that I had to take care of this morning had to do with the rest of the history class that is meant to be going to the camp with us. 4 of them have Debating finals that they must attend. Another 3 have come down with some virus and another 2, the twins, have had a family emergeny concerning their mother so, we will only have all 17 of you. Ohhh and the Delancey boy's will be coming as well." Dentures said of the 4 biggest brown nosers in the school.

" Plus we are meeting up with 10 girls from the nearby all girls school, and they shall bring a female chaperon for you 5 girls and their 10 girls. We will leave at12:00 o'clock midday sharp so don't be late I hope that you all brought your thing with you and you have the hour between now and then free, we won't need to go to 4th or 5th period. But I will only allow this if you promise not to disrupt the rest of the school. Do I have your word? Good then I'll be waiting at the front gate at 12:00 sharp." Mr-Dentures-Denton.

"Ohhh no a close all girls private school, damn it that has to be Saint Ursuala's. Man this camp was so close to being fun." Filly muttered to herself more then anyone else. Kid Blink, so named because of the patch he wore over his right eye, threw an arm around Filly and hugged her, "Filly girl don't worry about it. It'll still be fun, I mean Dentures may be ancient but he is fun, come on don't get down." Kid blink told Mushes twin sister.

Flame nodded in agreement, "Yeah if they're any trouble just remember that there is 17 of us and 6 of them, besides they will probably spend all their time drooling over theses guys. I know I know, drooling over these guy's by any girl is crazy but remember that these girls come from a school without guys of any kind." Flame teased the guys slyly.

July looked up at Flame and said quite loudly, " aren'y you forgetting that some us are going out with these guys?" July smiled up at her bespecticled boyfriend, Specs, he smiled back, kissed her nose and pulled her into his warm arms.

Flame grinned and shrugged her slim shoulders, "what can I say there is no accounting for taste." July looked frustratedly at her best friend then added slyly, "But you could be charged with the same crime girl, cause I remember not long ago you and a Mr Conlon were an item, quite a hot one at that."

Flame smiled, "I know I know, I'm the poster child for tempory insanity." She said noticing that Jacks arms was still around her waist. She smiled slighty then muttered something about getting some food and felt Jacks arm's fall away quickly.

"So what are we going to do for the hour before we go hmmmmmm?" The group muttered different things each heading off to do their own thing except for, Spot, Jack, Flex and Bumlets.

"Okay let's go get me some lunch then we can sit around and talk." Flame said smiling as she walked off towards the canteen. Jack grinned at Spot and Spot said in his fake flattery voice, "Man I love a woman that can take control. Why ever did we break up Flame?" Spot said wrapping an arm around her waist mockingly.

"That would be the blonde, then the burnette, then another blonde, a couple of Raven haired beauty's and another blonde." Flame grinned, Spot had never cheated on her exactly but he did have a lot of admirers and that had lead to a lot of trouble.

"Awwwww but you know I have a think for red heads, Flamey." Spot said.

"Ohhh really what a shame cause I don't know any red heads that have a crush on you? You must be really bummed out huh?" Flame teased.

"Ohhhh man your harsh girl." Spot said throwing the arm around her waist around her shoulders. "So what are you gonna get a pie, a sauage roll, what about a pack of greasy chips." Spot taunted the staunch vegetarian and health food freak.

"Arghhhhhh you are disgusting you kill helpless animals then prepare to kill yourself with all that fat and grease and bad stuff." Flame said in her age old fight against the boy's bad eating habits. Flame payed for her salad roll and then sat down on the picnic table near the canteen.

Flame looked over at Jack as he sat down across from her, she smiled quitely and then turned to Bumlets. "So Bumlets can you teach me some more spanish on the way to the camp?" Flames asked her unofficial Spanish tutor.

"Sure that'll be fine." Bumlets said shyly.

"Man it must be great to live in Mexico or America. You two are so lucky." Flame said to Bumlets and Jack. "Nah Australia is better it is nice and quite, and It has cute girls." Jack said looking at Flame pointedly.

Flex took the hint that the other 2 boy's didn't, "Hey Bumlets, Spot can you come with me I need to lift something heavy from near my locker." Flex said practically dragging them away from the picnic table and Flame and Jack.

Flame watched as Jack made his way to her side of the picnic table. "Hey Flame I gotta ask you something."

Flame smiled hopefully, she had been crushing on Jack for weeks. "Ya know you can ask me anything."

"Yeah but this is kinda harder then usual, you see I wanted to know if you would go out with me but if you would prefer to be friends then that's alright too." Jack put in quickly.

Flame smiled slightly and lent over and kissed him gently then said, "Of course I'll go out with you."

Jack beamed happily and kissed Flame again. "Wow this is great. Don't laugh but I've had a thing for you ever since I came here. But there was Kid and then Spot so I couldn't ask you out."

Flame looked confused, "What do you mean there was kid? Blink and I never went out ever. He is one of my best friends brother, that is a big no no." Flame smiled slightly. "I did have a crush on him though. In the 5 grade." Flame added giggling.

Jack looked at her in fake sterness, "you like teasing me don't you?"

Flame nodded shamelessly and continued as if he hadn't spoke, "He was so much taller then me and he had beautiful well one beuatiful blue eye. He was always happy nothing ever got him down. Actually he is still like that, oh no wait I have a crush on Blink I must have locked it in my sub-concious what a bummer. you must be pretty cut." Flame mocked and then squealed when he chased her.

Flame ran past July and Specs laughing hysterically, "Ohhh no those two are at it again shesh. They should go out with each other." July said jokingly then saw jack catch Flame and kiss her deeply. July and Specs looked at each other and raised opposite eyebrows. "maybe they are one step ahead of us my dear." Specs said and then dragged a gaping July away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

July and Specs were the first two out of the bus. Then the Delancey's Boy's, Oscar Morris, William, Joseph, then Kid Blink and Mush, then Spot and Race, then Boots and Bumlets, Shady and Crutchy, the back seat five, Filly, Flex, Skittery, Dutchy and Davy and the ones closest to the bus door but the last off were Flame and Jack.

Dentures was wearing a safari suit and a horrid bow tie. He adjusted his glasses and then headed off in the direction of the main office. The girls and guys grabbed their suitcases and headed for the cabin's. The five girls spilt from the guy's and headed to their half of the camp.

The camp was 2 large identical Queenslander, connected in the middle (you have to see to know it but basically wood built and large and open). The girls house was the left one. It was a large four bedroom home. The girls walked through the loungeroom and into one bedroom. The bedroom was large and spacious. Each room had four beds, one facing north, south, east, and west.

"This place is gorgeous." Flame said excitedly. Shady was silent in her awe. "Shady I know that you like houses but close your mouth, you might sallow a fly. Yuck." Filly shuddered and caused the girls to all burst out laughing.

"I wonder who each of us are rooming with? Dentures said that there was a list organized. Ohh well while we're waiting lets look around the house totally." Shady said finding it hard to contain her excitement.

July grinned and said, "It's not her fault she comes from a long line of arcitect's. Just keep saying that girls it'll be fine trust me." For that comment she recieved a punch in the shoulder.

The girls headed out in the the loungeroom it had 3 large couch's and 4 matching armchairs. "They are actual velvet girls look real velvet of my god." Filly said shocked.

"Wow look at this...." Flex said overcome by the beauty of what she was seeing. The other four girls headed out to the balcony that Flex was on. All stopped and caught their breath. "Ohhh it's gorgeous."

They each said in turn staring out over a huge rainforest. The long stems of the trees went up and up, and it crinked the girls next to look at the canopy of the forest. It was lush with green leaves and plumage. The Tree's were magnificent, they had strong trunks and gorgeous heads on them. There was animals scattered throught the tree's intent on collecting and gathering their own precious things.

They were in no way afraid of the five gawking humans. The seemed to eminate the feeling that they knew it was their forest and their domain, and they were doing the girls a favour by letting them observe it.

"Ohhh my god it's gorgeous, this must be one of the very few in all of Australia. This camp is great, beautiful room's, gorgeous lounge, and a view to die for. I'm in heaven." July said quitely causing Flame to wonder absently at the fact that this was probably the first time she had heard July use a soft voice.

Suddenly the door was thrown open and the girl went into the loungeroom to see a gorgeous blond woman with legs up to her neck enter the cabin, then she was followed by four prefectly dressed girls. Then 10 porter's and another 6 girls.

"Wow it looks like they're moving in." Filly muttered. The gorgeous blonde creature turned around and bestowed a dazzling smile on the five girls. "Hi you must be the five girls from Harristown, I am Medda, I am a sweddish exchange teacher. I'm also your chaperon.

"Let me introduce the girls, this is Indie, Dusk, Mooch, Dot, Patch, Coneflower, Clink, Owl, Copper, and Pixie." The 10 girls shook hands with the five girls in turn then crowded around in a little group behind Medda.

Flame asked nastily, "Is it just me or does someone else feel like they were just watching the nature channel?" The five girls broke into a mad fit of giggles. Medda looked at the girls strangely but smiled and asked, "And what are your names?"

Flame stepped forward and did the introductions, "I'm Flame this is July, Flex, Shady, and Filly."

"Yeah that looks right." one of the girls said derogatively. The five girls didn't know what that meant but the knew it was an insult so they glared at the other 10 girls.

"Well let's all get settled in shall we, I'll go and get the room roster and be right back." Please don't kill each other while I'm gone, Medda thought to herself fearfully.

"Look you don't belong here." One of the snobs said menacingly, Flame looked at them in shock. "Us we were planning on being here before we even knew that we had to suffer through your company." Flame snarled.

"Arghhhh well I was here long before you ever were, my daddy own's it." Flame groaned, that'd be right now she was going to play the my daddy will get you card. "Like I care. We payed to be here, so build a bridge," Flame said then after a pause added, with attitude, "Get over it."

"Mooch No don't!" another one of the girls said pulling the fiery red head back. "Leave it be, I don't want any more fighting. God can't we all just get along?" The quitest of the lot said in exasperation.

"Yeah that's really going to happen with you acting like snobs." July said angirly, if there was one thing she couldn't stand it was snobs.

"Oh Puhlease you judged us the moment we walked in, We hadn't said a word and you already teased us. We only gave back what we got. If you ask me you are the snobs."

The five state schoolers stood staring at the private schoolers in shock. They hadn't thought of it that way. They had just judged the private schooler's before they had a chance to judge them.

It was just then that Filly stepped forward, "I think we got off on the wrong foot, I'm Filly these are my best friends. I believe we will be sharing the cabin with you, welcome."

The other girls looked at Filly for a moment deciding wheather there was any mocking in teh gesture then decided that they were on the level and shock their hands, reintroducing themselves.

"Well that was another storm we managed to get through," the private schoolers teased their friend Mooch. " I was good I didn't say a word not one." The pretty red head said smiling. "Yeah that was because Clink, stopped you." The girl, Indie she thought, had said smiling.

"Well you all know that I work up quickly and let down just as quickly." Flex grinned and looked pointedly at Flame, "You aren't the only one with a quick temper and an equally quick deflation speed. Our Flamey doesn't get her name because of the colour of her hair."

Shady looked up and grinned, "Hey I don't agree, why do you think she has such a quick temper. It's that hair I tell you. She is as Irish as they come." Flame chose to ignore them all smiling at Mooch.

"It isn't our fault that we are quicker then everyone else is it?" Mooch nodded in agreement, "Yeah they just jealous." Dot scoffed and asked, "Jealous of what. The fact that you share one brain cell between you." Dot huffed into a room and put her suitcase in there.

The shy girl, Clink, looked after Dot then back to the state schoolers, "I'm really sorry about that Dot is in a bad mood today........."

Filly cut her off, "Don't worry we have one of those, we call him Skittery. It think I hear the boy's thumping down here now, so you'll get to meet him. Don't take anything he say's seriously."

"We find him a whole lot easier to take with Kid Blink. He's the one with the eye patch. If you want to talk about constantly happy that's Kid. He has been called up to take numerous drug test's cause the school can't believe that he is so happy all the time." July said grining.

Indie smiled and flicked a blonde girl's ringlets before saying, "That's the same as Dusk here, she is all ways happy. Hench the...." Indie cut off as the boy's stormed into the room and half were grinning like idiot's the other half were talking and doing there own things.

" Ahhh here the are now, the artilary." Flame grinned and ducked a lollipop that was thrown at her. "Us the artilary? You 5 could kill a nations finest solider with your constant talking," Kid Blink said laughingly.

Bumlets smiles at Flex and walks to her wrapping his arm's around her waist and kissing her cheek. Pixie looks over at Bumlets catching her breath at the good looking Mexican. He was gorgeous, just the type she liked. A pity she couldn't do anything to get him for her own, him having a girlfriend and all.

July smiled and said in her loud voice, "K let's do a little introducing, Indie, Patch, Dot, Coneflower, Clink, Copper, Pixie, Mooch, and Dusk, Girls this is..." July walked up to Kid Blink, "Kid Blink," she said of the gorgeous blond, with his eye patch.

Next she walked to, the brunette bean pole with a crutch under his right arm. "This is Crutchy, and this is Boot's," She said of the short black boy with a weird grin. Then she moved to her dark haired boyfriend and his gorgeous blond friend, "This is Spec's my boyfriend and his best friend Dutchy."

She then moved to a gorgeous guy with a muscle shirt on and a chiselled torso imprinted in the tight shirt, "This is Filly's twin Mush," Owl let out a low wolf whistle,and said, "Yeah baby, I feel like some mush for desert." Some of the less outgoing girls blushed in embarrassment some of the other's added other comment along the line's of Owl's.

Mush blushed slightly, he wasn't used to being the center of attention not with Spot around. Sure everyone in the group knew that he was the cutest physically, but Spot had something about him that sent the girls ga ga.

Then July turned to the Italian character who had lighted up a cigar, that he must have snuck into the camp, he flipped out his lucky dice key chain, that he had hanging from his belt thingy. "Double or nothing, that, Mush doesn't get one moment's peace from the girls over the camp. What's ya bet." Race track grinned and whispered to the guys, "That is Racetrack Higgin's the boy with a gambling problem."

Race looked slightly miffed, " i don't have a gambling problem, I bet ya a week's wages that I don't." July laughed wirily and moved on. Racetrack then realized what he had said and frowned in consternation, "That not what I meant. I bet you thought that I was betting with ya, but I wasn't it is totally against all the odds that I would be that stup....."

"Shad up, Race before you hurt yourself." Mush said slapping him on the side of the face jokingly. Davy the quite brunette looked at July, wanting her to introduce him but being to shy to do it himself. "This is Davy The walking mouth. Shy as anyone but a literal genius." Davy blushed and fell further back into the crowd.

July turned to Flex and Bumlets, "This is Bumlets, don't even ask about the name. He is a mexican exchange student, also he is Flex's boyfriend." July said, sending boy's into hysterics at the thougt of how he had gotten his name.

Skittery looked sourly at everyone, "So what the guy is from Mexico that's through him a party." July smiled and went over to Skittery and put an arm on his shoulder, "This ray of sunshine is Skittery Anthony." Cowboy snortted amicable at the reference to Skittery and ray of sunshine in the same sentence.

July turned to Flame and grinned evily she had been waiting all day to say this, "and this is Jack Cowboy, Kelley, Flamey's new boyfriend." Flame gasped how had she known. Cowboy looked at her as if to say, 'did you tell them?' Flame simply shook her head.

They both grinned and walked to each other, it wasn't like they were finding it in the first place they just hadn't realeased that anyone else knew about it. "So you found out, gosh darn it know I'll have to kill you all." Flame said and then raised her head as Jack went down to kiss her.

Just then Spot ran down the ramp yelling over his shoulder, "Sure Mr Dentur...Denton I'll tell them." Spot stood out side the door and shouted into the Room, "what's the big idea of leaving me to deal with Dentures, Jackey boy."

Jack shook his head and went out the door, "Sorry spot I totally.....arghhhh" Jack yelled as Spot hit him on the head with his golden cane. "yeah right ya lying sod." Spot said walking into the room and talking off his antiquainted 1890 hat.

The girls all gasped in shock, as locks of gorgeous blondy brown hair came tumbling out and his blue/green eye's sparkled with victory. "Nevah fear Brooklyn's here." Said his trade mark sentence.

At that precise moment Dusk walked out of the bathroom. Spot walked over to her and said "my name is Spot, What's yours?" "Dusk" she whispered. "Well I'm going over to the lake later on would you like to join me?" Spot said and turned to his friends and smiled a rather devilish smile.

Dusk nodded slowly and said, "I'll bring some food as well" "Sounds like a plan," Spot said, then winked at her and exited the room. Everyone else followed Spot. They left the private schoolers in the room by themselves.

By the time they reached the the double house junction Flex leaned against the railing and said, "5.....4....3.....2...1...0," they then heard an "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" emerge from the house. Bumlets stared at Flex in wonderment, "How did you know that?" Flex grinned and kissed, Bumlet's on the cheek, "Honey it's a girl thing."

Flame, July, Filly, Shady and Flex all smiled secretive grin's that had the boy's wondering what they had missed. The girls knew what kind of effect Spot Conlon had on girls, since they had all had the same feeling when they had met him.

"Ohhhhh my god he is soooooo cute. Did you see that, hair," "Don't worry about the hair did you see that smile." "NO NO NO girls you got it all wrong it's those gorgeous eye's. I could drown in those eye's." All the girl's squealed again in unison.

The girls outside thanked god that Spot couldn't here that, that would send his ego into overdrive. As the group of girls and boy's made there way up to the dining hall which was situated between the two dorm houses.

Spot headed off to get ready for a swim with Dusk. Flame couldn't help but feel something strange inside her stomach. What was she doing, she was going out with Jack now not Spot if he wanted to go out with Dusk that was fine with her. To prove it Flame went up to Jack and grabbed his hand in both of her's smiling up at him.

Shady whispered to Flame, " Hey Flame is Spot going to miss the orrintation meeting from Dentures or what?" Flame grinned and nodded, "I think so. He has something more important to concentrate on now." Flame said finding the grin strain across her face.

Shady watched for best friend, worriedly. If Flame was going out with Cowboy why was she so worried about Spot's new girlfriends. Shady shrugged her slim shoulders and looked once more at her friend before turning around and sitting back to back with Racetrack.

Flex and Bumlet were sitting together arms wrapped around each other. The Delancey's were up the front with note books and pen's ready to write down Dentures every instruction. Boot's, Crutchy, and Davy were is a little group with, Indie, Patch, Dot, Pixie and Mooch. Dutchy, July, Copper and Specs were sitting talking by themselves. The other girl's Coneflower, Owl, Clink and Copper were sitting with, Filly, Skittery, and Kid Blink.

Dentures headed up to the PC system, with Medda close behind him. Dentures had gotten out of his god awful Safari suit and was now wearing, a pair of brown trouser's and a old looking coat and shirt, and a strange hat.

Race looked up at Shady and laughed, "Look at him he looks like he just stepped out of the 1900's." Race laughed again.

Owl grinned at the girls and Skittery and said, "Wow is that guy meant to be here or a hundred year's in the past?" Everyone cracked up even Skittery and Shady explained, "That's Dentures, he is off his rocker but he make History fun, he dresses in like whatever time period it is we're studing to 'enhance the experience'" Shady quoted wirily.

Copper looked at Shady,Race, Skittery, Blink and Filly, disbelievingly, "Your not serious he actually dresses like that normally?" The five state schooler's smiled and nodded. Kid Blink wore his usually grin but it was tinted with a evil little smirk.

Clink looked at Blink analitacally, "What's that look for?" Blink looked at Skittery and they both started laughing hard. Causing Dentures speech to fade out. Filly glared jokingly at them both, "don't be mean you have to tell them now." Skittery still smirked but htis time at Kid Blink who had stopped laughing.

"Couldn't we just let Dentures spring it on them?" Filly shook her head seriously, "nope u have to tell them," Filly said firmly. Indie stuck her head over in the direction of the frowning Blink and asked, "Tell them what? Who's them?" Filly grinned and folded her hands across her chest, "go on Blink the longer you wait the more you have to tell."

Blink smiled slightly and shrugged his shoulders, "alright then, Dentures dresses in period costume all the time that's true. But the rumour around school is that he makes the student's he takes on Camp dress up and act out a script he writes on the time period. You might not have to do it but we probably will." Blink grinned and struck a pose of a English gentleman, "I say I say I do believe that I need a shoe shine." Filly burst out laughing and started rolling along the floor it fits of laughter at Blink's accent.

Filly closed her eye's as tears streamed down her face and she laughed so hard that it was just motions and no sound. When she opened her eye's again, Dentures was standing over her not looking amused.

"Ahhh Mr Denton sir I am.....I was....." Dentures sighed slightly and asked her resignedly, "What exactly was it that you were doing Miss Ingles?" Filly started to go red and said nothing, Skittery chuckled slightly. He thought it was cute when she got embarrassed. But Filly didn't so she scowled at him from under her lashes.

"No answer? No explanation? I'll take that as a 'I wasn't listening to you Mr Denton and I really want to go up and check the mail. Even though it's a long walk I'd love to do it.' Would I be right?" Filly didn't have a chose so she nodded and grumbled to herself as she stood and walked towards the gate they had arrived in.

"Miss Ingles, the mail box is that way." Dentures said pointing in the opposite direction. "Right that way, sure I knew that I was just going to take the scenic route." She said and headed off in the direction that Dentures was pointing.

Filly glared jokingly at Patches, "Your dad would have to own a bloody stadium wouldn't he?" Filly walked away gumbling about the size of the walk.

Coneflower who had been quite up until then suddenly spoke up, "I think that's a cool idea. You know dressing up and all that." The group turned to look at Coneflower strangely. Then they all started grinning and talking.

Boots sat quitely not saying much. Every so often he would nod or say a one syllable word. Davey finally noticed how quite he was, and asked him quitely, "what the matter Boots? You don't seem that with it."

Boots grimaced and said sorrowfully, " I miss West I'm worried about her mother." Davey nodded sagely and said, "yeah I can understand the feeling." He said and went back talking to the girls. Boots thought to himself 'great davey thanks for the support and help'.

Dentures suddenly started talking about his scrpit. "This script is for a total of 35 people. I'll need a Pulitzer, and a Warden Snyder, and a pair of boy's peferable who will be brothers, and they run the disturbition centre, where the newsies get they're papes. I have a Denton a journalist, I think I'll play that part, and for Miss Larkson I have a vaudeville singer that is friends with one of the strike leaders and a deep supporter of there, strike endevours."

The four Delancey brothers had immediately raised their hands at the prossition of being the main characters. Denton looked at the 4 boy's and nodded alright you may each be one of the parts I suggested. William why don't you be Pulitzer, Joseph why don't you be Warden Snyder. Oscar and Morris you 2 can be the distrubution officers, and they can be called, Oscar and Morris Delancey in honour of you both." The youngest two Delancey's smiled with pride.

"The rest of you will have character's assigned to you. Miss Larkson shall do the Females and I the males. I understand that some of you have nickname's and such, I suggest you use them, since many of the newsie that we will be emulating had nick name's and used them instead of there actual names. If you don't have a nick name then I suggest you make one up." Dentures said then went into discussion with Miss Larkson.

The state schoolers and Private schoolers looked at each other in confusion. "What the hell is the old man on about?" Mooch asked. "I really think he's lost it this time guys." Skittery said actually looking worried.

Suddenly Filly came racing into the dinner hall grinning from ear to ear, "You will never guess who is here, never never never." She jumped up and down in excitement. Mush looked at his twin and frowned, "Filly are you alright did the sun get to hot for you?" Filly grinned stupidly at her brother.

"No I'm serious, they just arrived." Filly squealed again and ran back out coming back in with 4 suitcase's.....well actually the were shoulder bags. "What about this are these a clue?" she asked and Mush stood up grinning and grabbed one, "This looks likes Ruby's." Filly jumped up and down nodding wildely, "We have a winner. Any one for the second bag?"

"That's Lily's I would know that bag anywhere." Cowboy said grinning. Filly nodded again and then turned to the third bag, "Okay what about the third one." Race looked at the bag and grinned slowly, and affectionately, "That's gotta be Ace's"

"Got it in one Race, now the third one this one is easy trust me." Filly said grinning from ear to ear.

All the kids looked at the bag and all came up with blanks. Filly sighed and walked up to Boot's shoving the bag right in his face, "Take a good look Boots!" She ordered him. "It looks like........." he stopped an arrested expression on his face as West breezed into the room grinning happily.

Boots jumped up and ran to West grinning idiotically hugging her tightly and spinning her around in circles, as she laughed. Filly wore a stupid grin as well, "Isn't this cool. the whole group is here now." Filly giggled into her hand that was covered by her long jumper.

Lily, Ace and Ruby both entered behind West, Lily looking at her sister and boyfriend, wirily and walked in to sit with Filly and Skittery and Kid Blink. Ace headed a little bit further and sat with Race, Dutchy walking over to sit with her. West sat down with boot's talking a mile a minute. and Ruby went to sit with Spec's and the rest.

Dentures frowned at the interruption to his orderly class. "Alright welcome Ruby, Lily, Ace, and West please be seated." They all nodded and sat, leaving Filly standing alone like a fool. "Was there any mail Filly?" Filly grinned and shock her head, "Male's no and I bet you didn't think there was going to be any mail mail cause we just got here but your wrong cause there was a letter see." Filly said pulling the slightly crumpled letter out of the sleeve of her jumper and handed it to Dentures.

Dentures quickly purused the letter and handed it hurriedly to Miss Larkson who read it quickly also and then Dentures said hurriedly, "Something had occured that we must see to right away, you may go out and spend time doing as you please but be back here at 5 o'clock by then we should have assigned you your characters."

He said then ushered himself and Medda quickly out of the dinning hall and into the main office. Slowly the crowd got up and went their seperate ways. All planning on doing different things and particulary activities that included members of the opposite sex.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Indie and Coneflower were both down at the pool. It was near the perimiter of the Camp grounds. Indie was wearing a nice two piece black and red swimsuit with boy legs while Coneflower was wear a pale pink swimlet (Singlet's made of lyric swimming material) and a matching pair of bottom's.

Cone was in the pool swimming laps, while Indie was sitting beside the pool in a deck chair with her rayban sunglasses on reading, something on the ancient greeks. Finally after getting all pruny Cone got out of the water and sat beside Indie sun baking.

Suddenly the quite serenity was interrupted by 3 figures sneaking over the large fence of the pool. Indie and Cone dashed over to the changing shed's watching the boy's look around before stripping off and jumping into the pool.

Indie looked shocked. She knew they weren't in the camp yet her they were swimming around like they owned the joint. Indie turned slowly to Cone whispering, "Who the hell are they?" Only to find Cone staring open mouthed at the tallest boy.

Indie looked at Cone for a moment before looking back at the boy's and then again to Cone. "What is it? Have you found your long lost twin?" Cone just shook her head and dashed out from teh changing room walking calmly along the pool.

The 3 boy's in the pool froze as they watched the girl make her way down to length of the pool towards the diving board. Cone stepped up on the board pointed her arms and dove smoothly into the water. Indie gaped at Cone. 'What the hell does she think she's doing?' she thought to herself.

Cone swam under the water until she emerged in the middle of the circle of frozen boys. "Hi I'm Cone," she introduced her self friendly. "You're not staying here at camp so where are you from?" Cone asked floating on her back slowly looking at the tallest boy.

"I'm Jake, this is Bingles and Pyro. We live in the town here, and we kinda thought that we'd cut class and come for a swim. Lot's of kids do it, we just didn't know that anyone was here." The tallest one replied defencively.

"Ohh nice to meet you all, like I said I'm Coneflower everyone calls me Cone, and that's my friend Indie. She's kinda shy." Cone added grinning and pointing up to Indie who could be seen behind the change room's if you were looking for someone, and the three boy's were.

"So tell me a bit about yourself, and Indie why don't you come in and meet Pyro, Bingles and Jake?" Cone hollered to Indie who had emerged from the change rooms, and sat down on her recliner again picking up teh book she had dropped and then taking her sunglasses off and turning to grin at Cone before walking to the edge of the pool and jumping in.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile,Race, Spot who had returned from the lake, Spec's, Davey, Dutchy and Flex were at the basketball courts playing a 3 on 3 game while Crutchy sat and was ref and scorer. Spot, Race, Dutchy were on one team and Flex, Spec's and Davey were on the other.

"The score is 10 - 24 for Flex, Davey and Specs." Crutchy said smiling. Spot huffed up to Race and said scowlingly, "If you spent less time placing bet's on the damn game and started playing we might actually win." Race just glared at Spot and threw the ball at his chest hard.

Just then Shady, July, Dusk and Clink walked into the courts wearing shorts and tight t-shirt all of them. The game stopped and the group got together before deciding to play five on five, Race, Spot, Dutchy, Dusk and July on one team, Flex, Davey, Spec's, Shady and Clink on the other.

The game progressed pretty much normally until Shady was dribbling the ball down the court and Race suddenly appeared and stole the ball accidently shove Shady, who went crashing to the ground with a hard thump.

Race threw the ball away and ran down to Shady, followed quickly be the rest of the group. After Flex checked to make sure nothing was broken, having gotten her first aid training when she had studied to become a Gymnist Instructor, once she passed Flex's thorough scrutiny Flex then order her up to the main office to get some ice, a bandage, and just to get the knee fixed up.

All the group was going to take her up but, Shady wouldn't let them not wanting to ruin their game. "I'll take her." Race said lifting her up easily. Shady started to protest but Race was adamant, "Nope I caused it I'll fix it." Shady looked down at Race nodding slowly and smiling at the gentlemanly behaviour. No wonder she had been crushing on him for the last year, he was just so perfect. So what if people thought he had a gambling problem. None of that mattered to her.

Race carried her up to the main office, looking around for any of the teachers but none of them were there. So Race did the only thing he could and rummaged around for all the stuff Flex had said Shady needed then coming back and preparing to fix her knee.

Race finished the job quickly and it looked almost professional. He was gentle and thorough. His touch making Shady tingle all over. When he stepped back and asked Shady what she thought of it she replied, "It's wonderful thanks you so much Race." Then on impulse Shady reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek.

She looked up to thank him again and saw something in his eye's before his bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. Shady felt her arm's creep up his strong biceps and then hook together around Race's neck loosely.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Filly was walking through the rain forest that was near her dorm's. She was fascinated by it all. She loved nature and animal's espically wild one's, that being part of the reason she had got her nick name, the other becuase she was jumping and skitterish like a new born foal.

Filly sat down gently on a stump of what looked as if it used to be a gum tree. As she sat there marvelling at the working's of the whole eco community like one well oiled machine, a tall figure snuck up behind her.

Skittery grinned evily and grabbed both of Filly's shoulder quickly making her jump up and spin around with her arm's in a postition that knocked Skittery's arms away and was about to step into an attack when she released who it was.

Filly stood steaming at Skittery. When she had calmed down enough to be able to use her vocal chords again she screamed and yelled at him, "You jerk. You moron, I can't believe that you could possible be that stupid. You scared me half to death you, you," Filly was at a lose for words so she said the first word that popped into her head, " You Diddledrop. I was afraid that you were some kind of criminal come to kill me or something."

Filly felt so mad she could have wrung his scrawny little neck easily. So being Filly she did the thing she always did when she was massively mad and burst into tears. Skittery looked at Filly in shock first she was yelling and now she was crying, he definately didn't get women, espically Filly.

Skittery akward pulled Filly into his arms hugging her, while she punched him weakly until she ws drained and inchorent, "I thought I was going to die that some one was going to hurt me," she gasped breathlessly.

Skittery wore a worried look as he rubbed her back gently, "don't worry Filly I won't let anyone hurt you ever. I promise." Filly looked up at him tiredly. He was a good friend, but she wanted more, something that he couldn't give her, and it was killing her to pretend but she did it anyway.

"Thanks Skittery that's real swell." Filly finished lamely just happy to be in his arms.

"Swell nuttin' I would go crazy if I lost you." Filly looked up at Skittery quickly. He had sounded so serious, like maybe he cared for her more then just a friend. Filly put her head down and rested it on Skittery's chest, trying to puzzle through her thoughts.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jack and Flame sat down by the lake both had their feet in the water and Flame was leaning against Cowboy. "This isn't actually that bad is it Flamey?" Cowboy asked as they looked around the quite little creek. Flame smiled slightly, "no dentures puts on a pretty good camp I guess." Flame said with a who-would-have-guessed shrug.

"Meanwhile what the hell is with Spot and that Dusk? I mean he walks in then walks out 5 minutes later Spot has a date with her, is he completely senseless? He's leading her on. She doesn't know that he is a womanizer and that he probably won't go out with her again. I should have stepped in." Flame muzed over her ex-boyfriend and new friends relationship.

Cowboy sat up and grinned, "Don't sweat it Flamey, it's Spot and Dusk's business not ours." Flame nodded slightly but couldn't stop worrying about it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Basketball game between Dutchy, Specs, Flex, Spot, Davey, Clink, Dusk, July had ended when Race and Shady had left. Specs and July had left hand in hand talking about the dance at the end of the 2 week.

Dutchy and Davey had challenged Clink to a table tennis game the winner play's the 3rd so all 3 had gone off to the hall along the side to play. That left Flex, Spot and July who were messing around on the courts. Soon Flex left to find Bumlets. Leaving Spot and Dusk chatting in the middle of the basketball court.

"So anyway that's pretty much me in an nut shell." Dusk said smiling. Spot grinned back at her. "Yeah well all us have been friends for ages so my life pretty much invovles them in some way or other. You have the prettiest nose." Spot sidetrack amazingly swiftly before leaning over and kissing her nose gently, before moving back then forwrd agian this time kissing her gentle on the mouth.

Spot just as impulsively pulled back and said, "Dusk would you go to the dance with me at the end of camp?" Dusk simply grinned nodding before kissing him herself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spec's and July sat together in a room in her side of the camp. They hadn't been assigned room's before so July had appointed herself one. They were both on the bed making out, when suddenly July pushed Spec's away and asked him curiously, "I wonder why FLame and Cowboy didn't tell us about them?"

Specs grinned and kissed her inquistive little nose before saying, "Don't worry July it is their life you know.No matter how much you poke and prodded, you will never know everything about everyone."

July pouted playfully, "But I can sure try." Specs grinned helplessly, "That's what I love about you Jul you don't give up and your definately not a quitter, but could we stopp talking about everyone else's love life and concentrate on ours?" Specs grinned pretending to beg her on his knee's.

July pretended to think a moment before regally nodding her assent and sticking out her slender arm for him to kiss, mockingly. Spec's just grinned and reached up to kiss her again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mush sat alone in his dorm room, reading one of his many books peacefully, when Flex wandered in and jumped up and sat on his top bunk. "Have you seen Bumlets around anywhere? I've looked everywhere and I can't find him."

Mush sat up and frowned, "I thought he was looking for you? He said that he was off to meet someone privately." Mush frowned harder, yet, very little wrinkles were coming to his face, " Whenever he goes anywhere privately it's always to meet you."

Flex looked down at her watch it was 4:50, "What time was this?" Mush though a moment before saying, "Pretty much as soon as Dentures dismissed us." Flex frowned that was strange, where on earth could he be. "Well don't worry you'll see him in ten minute's or so. So if you wait until I get dressed again I'll come with you."

Flex nodded as Mush jumped off the bed and sauntered over to his little camp sized foot locker type thing. It wasn't until Mush had mentioned it that Flex had noticed that he was only wearing a pair of boxers. In fact Flex noticed so much that when Mush turned around to acommpany her to the hall she was still staring with her mouth hanging from her face, almost on the ground.

Mush looked around wondering what the hell had happened when he questioned her about it she just grinned slightly embrrassed and muttered something about the end of the world before jumping off the bed and walking and talking away with Mush as they headed to the hall.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mr Dentures was yabbering on about the reason for the camp, the pretty blonde, swedish accented teacher was talking to a pretty German and Dakota was stuck here with Dentures. At least he had ..... to help him through this boring camp.

He couldn't believe it. He had travelled all the way to Australia as had ..... to have some fun and see the site now they were stuck here with a fossil and a gorgeous blonde teacher. He wanted to find some good looking Aussie girls, now he was stuck here where all the girls probably were Brains, and they were probably all carrying around lap tops and a spare pair of glasses.

"So now that you understand where we are heading in history and what we are doing at camp I'll now take you all down to the hall and indtroduce you to my history class, and Miss Larkson's group."

Dakota smiled weakly and followed Mr Denton down to the hall. On the way he whispered to Jewel"This is going to be a memorable 2 weeks. We get to do a play ohhh joy."

Jewel giggled and hit him lightly, "hey you never know it could be fun here. You're just sour 'cause you got a date with Misty 'cheerleader extrordinary' then got sent here. You know you didn't have to come, I would have been fine by myself."

Dakota grinend helplessly she was sooo pretty, caring nice, soo right, "Well it's true I had finally worked her around so that she would fall into my arms when the decided to pack us off a month early. Besides you know that Misty could never compare to you." Dakota said throwing an arm over her shoulder brotherly.

Strudel was walking a few steps behind the two American's. She was relieved that Miss Larkson, who insisted on being called Medda, was from Europe as well. It was also comforting to know that she was fluent in German so, it would be so much easier to talk to her. Of course Strudel knew the English language almost better then the English but speaking in her native language was so much easier.

As the small group of 2 teachers and 3 student made their way into the dining hall, the rest of the group were sitting in various places across the hall. Flame and Cowboy were sitting on the one table at the back of the room, Race and Shady were snuggled close together on the far right of the hall.

Specs, Dutchy, Davey, July, Flex, Mush, Boot's, Lily, Copper, Crutchy, Ace, Ruby, West, Indie, Dot, Copper, Conflower, Jake, Bingles, Owl and Pyro were in the middle of the dining hall. Cone rushed immedateiely up to Dentures, followed closely by Bingles, Jake, and Pyro, and told Dentures that the 3 village boy's were going to be part of the play as well. "So that way you can do scene's on locationa nd that's get us more invovled in the play right?" Cone explained.

Mooch, Patch and Kid blink were in a group just to the left talking seriously about something, while Bumlets and Pixie were on the far left side whispering quitely and laughing occasionally.

Spot, Dusk, Filly and skittery on the other hand were no where to be seen. Flex noticed belatedly the absence of her best friend and Skittery, "Hey Mush where's your sister?" Mush looked around him and frowned "I don't know probably with Skittery." he said grinning softly.

Just then Dusk and Spot ran breathelessly yet quietly up in to the hall sitting just by the door laughing quietly. Spot grabbed her hand in his smiling softly and then turning back to the front.

"Alright kid's I'd like you all to meet Dakota Jewel and Strudel, all three are exchange students. Strudel is from Germany, and Dakota and Jewel are both from America." He then motioned for Bumlet's to stand up which he did. "This is Enrico Palao he is from Mexico and is our other exchange student I'm sure that he won't mind introducing you around to all the people." Dentures said as if it was pre-organized and then sent them off in the direction of Bumlets.

Bumlets looked down and Pixie with a strange frown on his face, but he smiled at hte new kids and told them to have a seat as he sat down next to Pixie. Flex looked over at Bumlet's confused. Why was he sitting with Pixie? sure the didn't live in each other's pockets but he usually sat near her. Flex got a bad feeling but shrugged it off, she and Bumlets were good together it probably meant nothing.

"Alright now we have the list of characters and what part their playing. Like I said before we left I needed everyone nick name and particular's before we left. Well Miss Larkson and I both had a copy of the script before we came here and have decided to place each one of you in a place that we thing you would be able to carry off."

Dentures then seemed struck by something and added, "This is also a Drama camp for the Private schoolers, and a histroy class for my students so we decided that this would be best. As we call out your job come and get a description of your characters part, because most of the work we do will be improvistional. Alright boy's this way girls to Medda....huh hum.... Miss Larkson.""

The group got up with a collective groan and went to their designated spots. Dentures said, "I am going to call out your name and description I don't want any interruptions so please do it quietly then go and sit down again. alright here is the list,

Cowboy- leader of Manhatten newsies
Spot Conlon- Leader of Brooklyn newsies," for this Spot let out a whoop and then scowled at Dentures. He wanted to be leader sure, but that pun about Brooklyn, that being his name and all didn't rub him the right way.

"The walking mouth- the brains
Racetrack- the wisecracker
Kid Blink- The optimist
Boot's- The complainer
Dutchy- The sign-maker
Specs- The peace-maker
Mush- The sensitive one
Bumlets- Everyone's best friend
Crutchy- The invaild
Skittery- The pessismist.

and the new boy's I guess, can just be newsies and you can pretty much chose your own characteristics. As for Dakota, hmmmmm, I guess I'll put you as second in charge for Brooklyn, so you will spend a lot of time with Spot Conlon here. Alright all you boys have recieved your character descriptions. Ohhh wait all except Skittery, Skittery, Skittery where are you. has anyone seen skittery?" all the boy's looked around searching for Skittery, but he couldn't be found

Meanwhile over at the girls Medda was calling out the names,

"Flame- the leader of the Manhatten newgirls
Filly- the leader of the Brooklyn newsgirls.
Flex- the peace maker
Clink- The player one
Mooch- The fiesty one
Patches- The straight/honest one
Dusk- the singer
Ace- the gambler
West- The optimist
Lily- The Dreamer
July- The loud one
Shady- The joker
Pixie- The gentle one
Copper- the sweet one
Indie- The intellgent one
Coneflower- the quirky one
Dot- the speedy/quick one
Ruby- The girlie one
Owl- The Fighter
and the new girls's ............. and strudel you can be a newgirl of your own making and own characteristics. Where is dis' Filly does anyone know?" Medda said when no-one answering her description had risen." Flex spoke up, "I haven't seen her or skittery since earlier, I don't think the came in." Medda quickly ran to see Denton and then with worried looks on their faces the sent out groups of 2 to look for them. Pixie and Bumlet's getting assigned the rain forest.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Skittery pulled away confused what had just happened. He had know idea what had come over him. Hell who was he kidding he knew exactly what he had done it for. For had had a thing for Filly for a good year know, he thought a kiss was just inevitable.

Filly knew her pulse was racing but she liked it. She had wanted him to kiss her for so long. When he had it was everything she had hoped for and more. He was wonderful. She looked at him under her lashes, he seemed confused, so she told him with a goofy grin on her face, "that was nice, maybe we could do it again?" she said shyly.

Skittery looked up and shook his head vehermently. "No it can never happen again, I don't know why it happened in the first place I guess I was just wrapped up in the closeness or something like that."

Filly looked up at him expecting to see him smiling but he was deadly serious and it suddenly dawned on her that he meant it, he didn't like her at all. "Ohhh," was all she could manage.

"Besides what about Mush we're good friends it would totally mess everything up if I........if you...........if anything happened, right?" Filly nodded slowly.

"Right, sure I understand you don't have to explain. I just made a fool of myself hey what's new." Filly stood up quickly and started walking quickly away from Skittery. She heard him follow her and call out her name, and before she cried she started running away from him not caring where she was going she was just getting away.

Skittery sighed and hit his forehead, "Stupid very very stupid." Then he ran after her. He was slowly losing her he knew that, 'god damn it she can run,' he thought as she speed away from him turning this way and that sharply. No wonder she was cross country champion of the school.

Filly speed up looking behind her to see if Skittery was following her sighing in relieve she turned back around and ran smack bang into a large chest. Filly was knocked to the ground by the impact.

When she got up she saw 3 smart looking guys grinning strangely at her, "I'm sorry I wasn't looking where I was going," she stuttered out smiling slightly. "Ohh go try it on someone else we know that you planned it everyone is forever trying to meet us, so at least have the decency to admit it!" The one she had run into snarled the order at her.

Filly looked taken back, "Excuse me? Ummm I wasn't trying to run into you I was running from someone else. I don't even know who you are, and frankly I'm not sure I care to if that's the wa your behaved."

The three guys laughed, and Filly smiled slightly thinking they had been joking before one of them grabbed her roughly around the arm, tightening his grip painfully. "You wanted to meet us, and probably more so your gonna get it, you little tramp."

Filly was shocked senseless, 'what the hell is their problem?' she thought to herself, before kicking the one holding her in the shin's hard. "Look I didn't even want to know you exsisted I'm sure, so pull your head in you nut." She said firmly not sure wheather they were joking or not, because hell no one could be that concieted could they?

"Look now she's playing hard to get, make up your mind missy...." The snob's friend teased. As she was grabbed roughly and yanked off her feet, "You pyscho bitch. No-one and I mean no-one kick's me. For that I'm going to .........."

"Put her down!" Skittery ordered from behind Filly. She sighed in relieve. "What it to you?" Skittery walked up to the snob he was smaller then him but had a height advantage. "I don't believe the lady gave you permission to touch her so put her down. She's with me and I'll make sure she leave's with me." Skittery said impressing Filly even though she was scared rigid.

"Fine take her, she's know more then a gold digging little tramp." The guy holding Filly threw her at Skittery and laughed as the impact sent them both backwards yet luckily not knocking them over. Skittery put Filly to one side and shoed his sleeves up his arm's and started walking steely towards the jerks that were making fun of his Filly.

Before he could do anything he would regret Filly grabbed his arm and said, "No leave them they aren't worth it." Skittery nodded and went to walk away when they threw a derogative insult over at Filly, "That's it this time they die." Skittery said charging at the leader and smacking him fair and good in the jaw. Filly grabbed Skittery and pulled him away roughly shoving him in front of her and moving off quickly.

"Yeah run you coward, and next time keep your bitch on a leash." This cause Skittery to charge again but Filly was ready for him, "Back off Skittery now! Leave it alone." she said trying to control her own temper. "Ohh my god he's gonna do what she say's. What a wuss, I wonder he only fart's when she tells him. Damn two-bit whore and her mogrel pet dog," the leader again said. Before Skittery could move FIlly sprint to them jumping at them with one leg tucked under her and they other out hitting him so hard that the impact sent him sprawling to the ground.

No sooner had he hit the ground then Filly was on him pounding himwhile holding his shirt over his head so that he couldn't see. Skittery watched gleefully while the jerk got pounded, before dragging the kicking and screaming Filly off of the injured guy. "We ever ever say that to him or any of my friends I'll hit you so hard that your grandchildren will still be feeling it. You hear me you jerk?"

Skittery pulled her as she was still struggling away from teh trio who were trying to help up there friend. When Skittery was sure that they had got far enough away from them he smiled and put Filly he had by then subsided on the ground, looking her over quicly seeing a dark bruise starting to form on both her forearms.

Skittery frowned at the bruise's growing on her arm's. "You shouldn'ta hit them. Fil, they could 'ave really hurt ya," Fil was breathing heavily and she managed to gasp out, "Oh so I should have let you get your brains smashed in, when I knew that I could handle them? That's just stupid," Filly scorned.

Skittery huffed, offendedly and bad temperedly, "I coulda raken 'em no prob's. You shouldn'ta held me back, you shoulda let me hit 'em. They shouldna talked about ya like that Filly your nuttin' like they said." skittery looked aour.

Filly glared at him, they were starting to argue all over again, "Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda. None of it matter skittery, you have to chose your fights........." Skittery put a hand over Filly's mouth and shushed her mid sentence.

"Do you hear that?" Skittery whispered. Filly strained he ears until she heard it, there was giggling and whispering. skittery removed his hand and they both crept closer until they saw a little clearing housing Bumlets and Pixie.

Both Filly and Skittery's Jaw's dropped when they saw Bumlets pull Pixie to him and kissed her passionately. Filly looked fit to be tied that jerk was kissing someone other then her best friend.

Filly stomped her feet on the ground helplessly she was speechless the nerve of that jerk. Filly glared mutaniously at Bumlets. she huffed and went to charge at the giggleing couple when Skittery held her back.

Filly stormed up at him quietly, "don't you try to defend him you.........you........male," Filly steamed. Then Skittery pointed over the clearing quietly and Filly stopepd in horror.

Flex was standing stiffly on the edge of the clearing she was motionless except for the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Filly felt horrible and ran straight across the clearing alerting the couple to their presence. Flex noticed Filly and ran. She didn't want to see anyone or get any pity from someone.

Filly frowned and stopped wehre Flex had just vacated sheknew that Flex didn't wanna talk but she wasn't sure that was a good idea espically after what she had just witnessed.

Filly frowned her green eyes, darken to a almost black colour as she turned to face Bumlets, ignoring Pixie.

She stomped angirily over to Bumlet's and said quite calmly, "Please stand up." Bumlets looked at Filly for a moment sitting still, to shamed to move.

This blew Filly's temper out of control "stand up now you dirty rotten scabba!!!!!!" she hissed, causing him to jump up immedately. Once he was up Filly swung her arm back and pushed it through the air speedily.

Filly closed her eye's and waited for the stasifing smash of her fist into his jaw, but nothing came. Filly's eye's flew open and saw Skittery holding her arm and staring disgustedly at Bumlets.

Skittery pulled Filly away quickly saying softly, "remember choose your fights, and right now I think Flex needs you more then him," he spat the last word out. Filly turned, envolped in an anger unknown to her before, and ran around to look for Flex with Skittery in close pursuit.

Flex was sitting by the lake tucked up in a little ball with tears streaming down her face. It was late afternoon and Flex began to shiver but she didn't care. She soon drifted into her own little world.

That was why she didn't notice Mush walk up in a very large blanket. He walked up quietly and noticed that Flex was shivering. So he sat down besides her and put the blanket around the pair of them. "What's up?" he asked. Flex shook her head and said nothing. "No seriously what's the matter?" Flex just turned and faced him, buring her head on his shoulde rand cried. Mush moved closer and hugged her until she couldn't cry anymore.

Then with a deep breath and a shaky voice she explained the story to him, in all it's gory and painful details.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The group of students gathered for dinner in the dining hall. The class was buzzing with curiousity and rumours about what had happened earlier.

Everyone was waiting for Filly, Flex, Pixie, Bumlets or skittery to come to dinner, to learn more of what had happened, but not one of them turned up.

Filly, Flex, Skittery and Mush were all in the guy's dorms, while Bumlet's, Pixie and Owl were in the girls. Filly sent Mush out to get their dinner so that Flex nor Filly nor Skittery had to deal with the gossip, or Bumlet's and Pixie hanging all over each other. Bumlet's and Pixie had the same idea and that was why they confided in Owl and sent her for food.

Filly and Skittery were sitting on the back of the guy's couch, looking worriedly at Flex who was on Mush's bed curled in a tight little ball. No-one seemed to be able to get through to her, no-one except Mush that is.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mooch stared dreamily at Kid Blink sighing slightly, "he's gorgeous isn't he?" Patch said leaning next to Mooch. Mooch nodded, "he's wonderful. Yeah always so happy and he is gorgeous." patch giggled in agreement.

Shady and Race were sitting together. Well actually on each other. Shady was sititng on Race's lap her arms wrapped around his neck, kissing each other openly. Owl and Mush, both walked up to the food server's and got a tray piling it with food. Mush grinned slightly at Owl, "you hungry huh?"

Owl smiled back at the gorgeous guy and said softly, "yeah something like that." 'Ohh my god,' Owl thought to herself, 'I've gone shy'. Owl grabbed all the food and headed back to the girl's dorms, getting a few stares from, some of the student.

Mush grabbed his 2 tray's and headed back to the guy's dorms. Clink Looked shocked that he could eat so much. "Does he usually eat like that?" Clink asked Crutchy.

Crutchy grinned his crutchy-like-grin and shook his head, "I don't know I don't live wit' him. you'd have to............" Crutchy trailed off realizing that Mush was prolly going to where ever Filly, Flex and Skittery were.

July and Specs where holding hands and looking around, "July you wanna go down to the pool?" July smiled at her boyfriend and nodded, "Sure I'll just get my bather's." Specs nodded and went to get his tog's as well.

July walked into the Girl's dorm and stopped still seeing, Bumlet's, Pixie and Owl. "Hey I'm just passing through getting my two piece and all that." July said moving into her room and getting dressed.

Spec's waltzed into the dorm room whistling a cheery tune then noticed Flex, Filly, Skittery and Mush. "Ohh so your all hiding out here. That prolly means that the others' are in the girls."

Specs pulled out his boardie's and then stopped suddenly, "Ohh my god July is with Bumlets...... see ya." Specs said and dashed out of the room with his boardie's charging across the dining hall and toward the Girl's dorm.

Flex snarled slightly, "yeah run Spec's he'll prolly steal July as well.." She said crouching up tightier and getting misty eyed again. Filly couldn't take anymore of the tension and ran from the room. Skittery looked worriedly after her before jumping up and following her.

Meanwhile Specs skidded into the girl's room just in time to hear July ask Pixie and Bumlets, "So did you like kiss her after Filly punched you? Was Flex really mad, cause it's obvisious that Filly was." Specs sighed.

"July come on let's go now. The pool is waiting." July opened her mouth to protest and Spec's kissed her again. "Pool! Now!" July realized his meaning and walked obeadiantly out of the door.

Skittery touched Filly's shoulders gently, "It's alright Fil really." Filly turned around and cried into his chest. "I can't trust anyone any more." Skittery sighed and hugged her tightly. "You can always trust me."

"No I can't I told you I loved you and you rejected me. I can't trust you I can't trust anyone." Skittery looked shocked and pulled Filly away, "What did you just say?" Filly stared at Skittery worriedly what was a matter with him, Filly said nothing. Skittery shook her, "Tell me Filly."

"I said I loved ya." Skittery stood back in shock. "You never told me you loved me." Filly frowned, "sure I did." Skittery started to smile, "No you didn't but now I know and I have to tell you that I love you to." Filly smiled and Skittery bent down and kissed her sweetly.

Kid Blink was at his wit's end. Everyone was ready to kill each other out of curiousity. He suddenly came up with something that should at least make them forget for a little while, "Hey everyone let's play charades."

Everyone stared at him in surprise, "CHARADES?" They asked in surprise. "Yeah it'll be fun let's do it." Kid Blink fairly pleaded.

"Yeah alright that sounds cool. But maybe we could play Pictionary that's funnier." Patch spoke up trying to help Blink out.

"Sure yeah let's play Pictionary," Blink grinned at Patch and she almost died of excitement. "Since Patch thought of it she can be a captian and who wants to be the other?"

Flame piped up cheekily, "Brooklyn!" Spot grinned and nodded, "Sure I'll be captain. I'm chosing first, I choose Dusk." Dusk grinned and ran up behind Spot, "I choose Blink." Patch said. This went on until, everyone was on a team.

The team's were,

Spot
Dusk
Mooch
Shady
Race
Ruby
Ace
Dakota
Jewel
Dot
Copper
Dutchy

Kid Blink
Patch
Flame
Jack
Indie
West
Boots
Strudel
Cone
Lily
Crutchy
Clink

They played tweleve or so games, the last one with Flame doing the acting and her team the guessing. "Is it 'Swing kids?'" Jack called out. Flame grinned squealed and nodded, "Yes that's right. Yay Jack." Flame grinned and ran to jack sitting on his lap and kissing him quickly.

Indie looked away slightly but didn't say anything, while Spot on the other hand grinned evily, "Ohhh watch out Jack next thing you know you'll be going out with her." Flame looked up at Spot, from her place on Jack's lap, strangely, "But Spot we are going out, didn't you know?"

Spot stood back flabberghasted, "What, when, how long?" Spot fired question after question at them. Flame frowned, "you've been going out since just before the camp." Spot frowned and was silently looking brooding.

"I'm outta here, you come Dusk?" Spot spared her a smile then grabbed her hand and headed out of the dining hall fast. Flame was still frowning, "he left in a hurry I wonder why?" Jack looked after his friend worriedly something wasn't right.

Suddenly Skittery and Filly walked into the dining hall smiling at each other the hand joined together swinging between them. "Hey guy's what's going on?" Filly asked happily. "Where did you get to today Fil?Skit?" Dot asked quitely.

Filly looked at Skittery and then at the group. "We were int he rainforest, and guys we have a major problem." The group nodded knowing a little about the Bumlets, Flex thing. "Yeah tell us about it," Ruby said softly.

"So you know about the preppy snobs here?" Skittery asked surprised. The group looked confusicated, "The Prep's? Saint Ursula's isn't preppy," Dutchy put in quietly smiling pointedly at Ace.

"No we know that but there are Prepartory Student's here. You know from Eton Hall Prep. They are sharing the camp with us and they aren't friendly." Filly said. Patch nodded slowly, "Yeah Dad was saying that they were going to be here. But he said they would only be using the auditormium and the rest of the camp was ours, bar their dorms of course."

"Well I had a run in with them today and I think we have made some enemies. Not that they didn't deserve it, they called Skit's, a dog." Filly said her eye's blazing in rememberance. Skittery butt in and said in a deep voice that he only ever used when angry, "They called, Filly a slut, a whore a bitch and other things I wanted to kill them for, but Filly wouldn't let me. In the end Filly beat them up," Skittery actually looked like he was proud of his little hell cat.

"Ohhhh no this does not sound good at all." Boots sighed slowly. "So what are we gonna do 'bout it?" Jack said with his arms around Flame. "Maybe we could sneak into their dorm room's and paint their toe-nails a dark pink and make sure it won't come off, steal their fan's and air conditioners since it's the middle of summer, then lock all their door and window but first throw in some wallabies, and koalas?" Davey piped up.

Every one looked at David gasping in shock. "Ohhh my good golly Davey are you sick are you hurt?" Jewel asked in surprise. This shocked everyone even more since Jewel was knew they were surprised that she knew what a intelligent, quiet CALM person Davey was.

Davey smiled slightly, "I can be wicked just as much as the rest of you all. Just cause I don't do it that often don't mean anything." Filly glared straight at Coneflower jokingly, "Alright what did you do to him. I told you all she was a bad influence on our little Davey here."

Cone just smiled helplessly and shrugged, "Don't ask me I just live here," she then hooted with laughter. Being as catching as Cone's laugh was soon everyone was laughing. But they all stopped when Pixie and Bumlets walked in holding hands and looking uncomfortable.

Filly turned and noticed Bumlets and Pixie. Skittery squesed her hand lightly and whispered, "Just give him a chance to explain. I'm begging you."

Filly sighed and looked up into Skittery's deep brown eye's and nodded. "Alright for you."

Bumlets was unsure of his repection so he just stood there staring at his feet. Crutchy called out to him. "Hey Bumlets, Pixie over here we're playing chardes," Crutchy's voice broke.

Both people smiled and walked closer to the group staying away from a stoic Filly and an anxious SKitery.

West was the one to first breech the controversal subject by asking softly, "So are you two a couple now?"

Pixie nodded looking about ready to cry, (Ain't I a big meanie) again if her puffy eyes and red cheeks were any indication. Filly felt slightly bad 'but not as bad as they should' Filly thought to herself.

Filly asked loudly and clearly, "so what about Flex?" Bumlets looked at Pixie who went teary eyed, finally he spoke, "I never meant to hurt her, what you saw was.....well it was the first time we kissed and it kinda just happened. I would have told her Filly honest I would. I didn't want to hurt her," he repeated.

Filly frowned that wasn't what she had expected yet it still didn't make Flex feel any better and Filly said so. Race butted in, "come on Fil' the guy didn't do it on purpose."

FIlly sighed unhappy at hte whole turn of event's of the day. "Yeah he didn't mean it but Flex didn't mean to see it either," Filly said.

"You slimy bastard, you're just looking for an excuse you don't deserve her," Mush growled causing everyont to turn around.

Mush was glaring fiercely at Bumlet's and strangely Bumlets was glaring muderously vack at Mush. Filly wondered about hte tension imminating from her twin. she knew he was upset but this was strange even for him.

Indie tried to break the tension but saying loudly, "Guess what, Cone and I have boyfriends. Jake asked Cone out and Pyro asked me out, when they were leaving for there homes." Cone giggled and Indie smiled.

Jack frowned, "You have a boyfriend, Indie? But you never seem interested in guys. I mean I only met you but still, ain't you moving a little fast." Jack questioned, strangely.

Indie frowned as well, "your right Jack you only just met me, and no I don't hitnk I'm moving to fast," she said stiffly. "Sometimes all it takes is one glance and your hooked, maybe that's what happened to me. I'm sure it happened with you and Flame." Indie said slightly tartly,(not tartishly tartly=sour). jack continued to frown and Flame looked up from her own little world at the mention of her name.

"What?" Indie looked at Flame and shook her head, "nothing. I'm going to bed later guys." Other's mumbled things about leaving and going to bed. Finally all the girls and boys had gone to be. Flex and Pixie managing to avoid each other.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

TO BE CONTINUED

Blinks Blindness.

"The jacked up the price! Can you believe that Jack? 10 cents a hundred." Jack looked shocked, worried, angry, and strangely calm all at once. "This'll bust me." Skittery added from his postion on the steps walking down through the group and off to the sides. "And I'll be back to living off the street." Boots said sitting where he was in resignation. West Put her arms around Boot's to comfort him, "It's alright Boot's, it'll all work out alright." West said softly.

"They can't do this to me Jack," Kid Blink said furious. "They can do whatever they want it's their stinking paper," Race muttered in disgust. "Why would Pulitzer gauge us." Mush said in confusion. "Cause he's a tight wad." Race added. Shady knocked him upside the head jokingly, "but we haven't revealed our secret weapon, We're gonna send Skittery and Race into their office's and the won't stop complaining until they change the prices back." Race shook his head at her, "That ain't funny, Shady." Shady looked unruffled, "It's better then hanging around worrying."

Jack walked up the stairs to the disturbion office, "So what's with the jack up Morris?" He asked leaning on the counter. "It's a nice day. Why don't you ask Mr Pulitzer," he said with a sick looking grin.

Flame shook her head and walked up to Morris, smiling softly, playing with his collar and whispering softly, "Ohhh Morris couldn't ya jest tell me once? Please?" she purred in his ear and a goofy grin spread across his face as he replied, "Ohhhh but a really don't know why." Flame threw him away roughly.

"The Delancey's don't know." Flame sighed running a hand threw her long red hair. Jack sat on the step's taking the smoke offered by Kid Blink taking a drag and thinking. Race pulled a face and asked, "You done thinking yet, Jack?" "There's nuttin' we can do so let's get our lousy papes while they still got some." Mush said walking up one step and getting pushed back down.

"No no we ain't going anywhere, one things for sure if we don't sell papes nobody sell's papes," Jack said feeling harrassed. "What you mean like a strike?" Davey asked humourously. "Yeah like a strike." There was sighs and exclamation's at the remark, and Davey voiced their concerns, "Jack I was only joking. We can't go on strike we don't have a union." Davey tried to talk sense into him.

"Yeah..." Jack started thinking as he went, "IF we go on strike then we are a union right?" Davey shook his head vehermently, "no we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money. Maybe if we got all of New York......."

"Yeah well then we organize. Crutchy you take for collection," Jack ordered standing up "Sure thing Jack," Crutchy said enthuasitically holding out his hat for collection. Davey brushed past it, "Jack you can't just rush people into this?" Jack was quite for a moment before nodding, "Dave's right." he seemed to be talking more to himself.

"If you think that a bunch of street rats can make any difference then the choose has got to be yours! Are we going to take what they give us or are we going to strike?" Suddenly from one of the most unlikely sources, Ruby shouted, "Strike," Davey gave her a death glare as all the other newsies started agreeing and asking what they would do.

Finally the congreation of newsboys and girls had made it to the front door of Pulitzers office. "Alright now we need some, what are they called?" Davey who had lightened up smiled and suggested, "Ambassadors?" Jack grinned and nodded before shouting to teh group "Yeah yeah we need some Embassdard's to go to all the other parts, both the girl's and guy's quarters." There was some commontion before everyone chose there spots.

"Say, Jack, I'll take Harlem," Kid blink yelled. Then Mooch and Patch both agreed to take the Harlem girls, and the three set off for Harlem. "Yeah, I got Midtown." Race shouted dragging Shady along with him, Shady grabbed Cone and followed suit.
"We got the Battery, Jack." Mush and Flex ran off towards the Battery.
 "Hey, I'll take the Bronx." Crutchy said looking around for a volunteer to go to the girls, "I'll go wit ya," Jake said, and then Ruby and Ace volunteered as well and the 4 set off.
 "Alright, Bumlets, Specs, Skittery, Clink and July you take Queens. Pie Eater! Snoddy! Strudel! Copper! East Side! Snipeshooter, you go with 'em. So, what about Brooklyn? Come on, Spot Conlon's territory. What'sa matta? You scared of Brooklyn?"

"We ain't scared of Brooklyn Spot Conlon just makes us a little Nervious." Boots put in half heartedly. "Well he don't scare me so you and me Boots we'll go to Brooklyn, and Davey can keep us company. Now I guess you will be going to see Filly right Flame?" Flame nodded slowly.

"Alright as some as you take our demands to pulitzer," Davey told Jack.

"Me to Pulitzer? Well maybe the kid will soften him up." Jack added grabbing a little boy and going into Pulitzers office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The boy's leaned over the Brooklyn bridge and suddenly Flame jumped up and screamed over the top. Both Boot's and Jack followed suit and Davey just stared after them. Davey said softly, "I've never been to Brooklyn, have you?"

"I spent a month there on night." Davey nodded slowly then frowned, A month there one night? Ohhh well that was the least of his problems, "so, is this Spot Conlon really dangerous?" Jack, Boot's and Flame don't say anything just head off down the bridge.

Finally the little group reach Brooklyn. There are a lot of tough looking boys hanging around, they just happen to look a lot like, Blink, Mush, Race and the other's with different costumes on.

A Tough looking, dripping wet Brooklynite askes, Jack in a gravelly voice, "Going somewhere, Kelly?" Jack jaunted on past followed by a tenative boot's and definant Flame and a utterly confused Davey.

Suddenly a gorgeous blondy brown haired boy calls out, "Well, if it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick." Jack smiled slightly, "I see you moved up in the world, Spot. Got a river view and everything."

Then the boy's seem to observe some ritual by spitting in their hands and shaking each other's hand. Davey had to hide the look of digust that came over his features. Flame smiled and called to a girl wearing a pair of newsie pants and shirt, "Hey ya Filly. How is d'e ummmmmmmm thing going?" Flame asked Filly about what they had been previously talking about. Filly's crush. "Fine Flame yourself?" Flame just nodded, then suddenly slapped Spot who was looking her up and down.

Spot decided to change tact and spoke to Boots, "Heya Boots. How's it rollin'?" Boot's grinned and held out some marbles, "I got a couple of real good shooters."
Spot took the marbles and then took out his sling shot. Firing all three and hitting the 3 bottles on the wall, causing Davey to duck worried.
"Yeah. So, Jacky-boy. I've been hearing things from little biods. Things from Harlem, Queens, all over. They been chirpin' in my ear. Jacky-boy's newsies is playing like they're going on strike." Spot said looking at Jack assessingly.

"Yeah, well we are." Jack said firmly, Spot was good at imtimadation but Jack wasn't imtimadated and he wasn't gonna have Spot think that he was." Davey then opened his mouth and said the dumbest thing he could have, "We're not playing. We are going on strike."

Spot walked real close to Davey and barely stopped himself snarling at him, "Oh yeah? Yeah? What is this, Jacky-boy?" Filly piped up grinning evily, "is it some kind of walking mouth?

Jack looked at Filly and said seriously, "Yeah, it's a mouth. A mouth with a brain," he then looked at Spot adding vehermently, "and if you got half a one, you'll listen to what he's got to say."

"Well, we started the strike, but we can't do it alone. So, we're talking to newsies all around the city." Davey began. Spot settled down slightly when Filly laid a placating hand on his shoulder, "yeah, so they told me. But what'd they tell you?" Spot asked.
 Now was the time for Davey to do everything right,"they're waiting to see what Spot Conlon is doing, you're the key. That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York, and probably everywhere else. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they join and we'll be unstoppable. So you gotta join, I mean..well, you gotta!"

Spot grinned as his self-inflated ego, was given a large stroking,"you're right Jacky-boy, brains. But I got brains too, and more than just half a one. How do I know you punks won't run the first time some goon comes at ya with a club?" spot demonstrated by coming towards Jack with a cane, "How do I know you got what it takes to win?"

"Because I'm telling you, Spot." Jack said Toughly. Spot countered by saying, "That ain't good enough Jacky-boy. You gotta show me." Filly glared at the boy's complete ignorance of her roll as the Brooklyn girl's leader.

Jack turned to Filly, "Well we can count on you right Filly?" Flame fairly snorted, she would lose all respect for Filly if she said yes after they ignored her, "You gotta prove yourself to me Jackey boy, or no dice. Ohh say hi to Crutchy for me." Filly said before grabbing her boomerang (yes yes I did write boomerang. It was all I could think of, Spot has a sling shot so Filly carries a boomerang after all she is Australian) and storming off.

~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile at the Battery, Mush and Flex were trying to convince the second toughest part of Brooklyn to joint he strike. "But Lily we don't stand a chance without you." Flex tried to reason with her.

"Without Brooklyn you can count me out." Lily said quietly but firmly. 'But....." Mush said only to be cut off by a big goon, "she said no. Now beat it, Meyers." Mush sighed helplessly and Flex dragged him back to Newsies square.

Back at Newsies square Race asked Jack catiously, "Jack. So, where's Spot and Filly?" Jack frowned he was not looking forward to breaking the news. "He was concerned about us being serious. You imagine that?"

Race frowned adding slowly, "Well, Jack, maybe we ought to ease off a little. Without
Spot and the others, there ain't enough of us, Jack." Mush nodded with a sinking feeling in his stomach, "Maybe we're moving too soon. Maybe we ain't ready, you know?"

"I definitely think we should forget about it for a little while," Skittery mutered unhappily. Jack growled softly, "Oh, do ya?" Skittery was unmoved, "Yeah." Race added, "Yeah, I mean, without Brooklyn and the Battery… you know?"

"Spot was right, is this just a game to you guys?" Flame asked feeling, gutted suddenly,

"Open the gates and seize the day. Don't be afraid and don't delay. Nothing can break us. No one can make us. Give our rights away. Arise and seize the day!" Davey sung quietly suddenly, the other boy's and girl's joined in, "Now is the time to seize the day. Send out the call and join the fray," Davey solo'd agian, "Wrongs will be rightedif we're united

"Again the group chorused, let us seize the day! Friends of the friendless seize the dayRaise up the torch and light the way. Proud and defiant.We'll slay the giant. Let us seize the day. Neighbor to neighbor. Father to son. One for all and all for one!"

"Open the gates and seize the day. Don't be afraid and don't delay. Nothing can break us. No one can make us.Give our rights away. Neighbor to neighbor. Father to son! One for all and all for one!"

Jack yelled loudly, "Anybody hear that?" All the Newsies chorused, "No!" Jack was lifted and shouted again, "So what are we gonna do about it?" They all shouted joyously, "Soak 'em!'

The newsies and the scabbers stand off. Three scabs joined the newsies, A big scab then came up against Jack. He tried to get by, but couldn't. The newsies started soaking the scabs, who eventually ran away. They tore up the newspapers. Jack started making faces and blowing raspberries at Oscar and Morris through the distribution window.

"I'm gonna crack your dome!' Morris shouted. They continued to tear up the newspapers. A delivery cart was pushed onto it's side. Oscar called for the cops, who entered blowing whistles.

"Cheese it! Cheese it, it's the bulls!" Jack shouted. All the newsies ran, except Crutchy, who didn't notice them. Shady noticed Crutchy's oblivion to the bulls and screamed, "Crutchy! Scram! Scram!"

Crutchy started to leave, but was blocked in by cops. He turned to find the Delancey brothers behind him. They knocked his crutch aside and dragged him away. Denton had watched this and told the boys.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Okay that's it for now we will have lunch and come back to this is 3 hours. Jake, Bingles, Pyro you may all stay for lunch, and thank you for all the location help." Dentures added and walked into the office.

Medda went to supervise the cooking of lunch and the students milled around uncomfortable. Kid Blink couldn't stand the tension, surrounding the group so he smiled and threw a arm around Mooch and Patch, "what do you all say to having a pool party lunch won't be ready for like 2 hours?"

Mooch just nodded motionlessly and Patch grinned insanely, "Sure sounds great." Cone looked at Jake before dissolving into giggles and managing to gasp out, "count us in." Lily, Jewel, Strudel, Dakota, July, Specs, Dutchy, Boot's, Crutchy, Copper, Clink, Ace, West, Ruby, Shady and Race all agreed, along with Mush and Flex, Bumlet's and Pixie, and a reluctant Filly and Skittery.

Jack looked at Flame and nodded, "sure we're in." Spot snarled slightly, "ohhh great what a joy to behold, we get to spend 2 hours, watching Flame and jack drooling all over each other, Hell I'm going to do something that won't destroy my appetie," Spot snarled.

Turning to Dusk he had a quiet conversation before Dusk yelled at him and stormed off, "Spot I'm sick of this, it's over get an attitude change and maybe we can talk but until then you can bug off.' Dusk said roughly and went to her dorm room.

Crutchy frowned slighlty and hobbled after Dusk, "Dusk wait up I wanna talk to you." Flame glared at Spot before saying quietly, "Cowboy you go I have to talk to Spot." Spot shook his head, "No you don't go suck face with Cowboy there." Cowboy, stepped forward he was going to flatten Spot, he was in a bad mood for no reason he had been for the last 2 days.

Flame put a hand up stopping Jack, "yes I do come with me Conlon," Flame grabbed him by the ear and pulled him towards the lake angrily, not caring if she ripped his ear off. When they reached the lake Flame removed her hand in disgust, "what the hell is your problem? What did you do that to Dusk for you jerk."

Spot glared mutionously at Flame and crossed his arm's, "look you wouldn't understand so just keep your Cowboy loving nose out of it." Flame was ready to hit him but held back asking slowly, "what the hell do you have against Jack all of a sudden? You were best friends? Where the hell did this attitude come from. You've always had one but this is ridiculous."

"Ohhh god don't make me sick Flame, that cocky American has a ego bigger then mine." Spot sighed in disgust. Flame grinned slightly, "but that's why you were best friends cause you were both cursed with huge ego's. You are the same type of person, Jack's just taller and you're cuter."

Finally Spot's feelings exploded in a rush of anger, "well if I'm cuter why the hell are you going out with HIM." Flame blinked a moment before saying slowly not sure what was happening but damn certain she didn't want him to get crazy, "because we tried going out Spot, remember? It didn't work, and for the reason it didn't work the first time, it's not going to work ever again." Flame added catiously and winced as Spot shouted at her.

"That's the thing I don't know why we didn't work out. Why did you dump me? It was Valentines day and I was gonna show you the huge bunch of flowers I'd brought you and you come along and say casually, that you don't think it's working because.... I knew why and that we should just be friends. Well let me tell you Flame I never understood never I pretended to but I still don't understand.

Flame glared at Spot, "Ohhh no you don't Brooklyn don't go put it all on me, you know just as well as me that you were going to dump me, that day, Sarah told me that you were going out with her, and believe me I wouldn't have believed her if she didn't have prove." Flame yelled back at Spot furious that he was lying and trying to blame her.

"DUMP YOU!!!!!! I had planned a party for our anniversery in case you forgot we had been going out for 6 month, I thought that warranted a surprise but I guess you did to. What the hell kinda proof could you have any way, I wouldn't have gone at with that silly twat. I mean she's known as the town bike. She's slept with nearly everyone in the state of Queensland. Free and easy isn't my style." Spot said in disgust.

"Ha that's strange since you wrote her a letter saying Quote unquote "I love you and I think I a always have, I have some things that I need to do before I can finally showed you, but I'm asking you to wait for me please I love you believe me always Spot. I suppose that was just a mirage right?" Spot paled at the words of his letter spoken venomously each word meant as something wonderful spat out and disregarded. Ohh he had been so stupid.

Spot knew that he had only one thing to do, the rest was up to her. So he did it with as much emtional as she could handle. Flame felt strangely hypnotised as Spot pulled her gentle to him, kissing her softly yet powerfully. She could feel his molten desire wash over her again and again.

He was gentle and coaxing as he opened her mouth to explore her moist mouth slowly, with bone melting male need. This at least would never change, their bodies still desired each other in the same urgent way. Flame felt depraved and violated when he pulled back. She opened confused eye's to stare at him questionally,

"Flame I never said or wrote any of those things to the town bike. I wrote them to you and some how she found them I don't know how, but they were meant for you every word." Spot stared into her brown eye's, that was a sure sign that something had happened inside her, since her eye's were usually green, but that didn't mean it was what he had hoped had happened. He knew that she was confused so he left her alone with her thoughts.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile Indie was sitting on the table of the dining hall quietly. She didn't know why she was acting like this, it was just a crush. She didn't want to destroy a friendship, a new and slightly tentative one at that, other some guy.

Indie sighed aloud throwing her hands in the air. But he wasn't just some guy, he was wonderful, caring, sweet, sexy, everything including someone else's. Then with all the problems between Flex, Pixie, Bumlets and Mush she didn't want to even go there. Besides if another private schooler even attemped to take a state schooler's guy, she knew it would mean war and she didn't want to be blamed for starting it.

Why did she even has to meet him. he was so out of her league, she was a studious brainy type and he was the wild party loving type. She wouldn't be able to keep him even if she got him the were to different. 'Alright Indie you're over him now, keep saying that.' she thought and repeated it a few times.

Indie smiled slightly, she was actually over him, that was surprisingly easy. Indie smiled and prepared to brave the pool party. When suddenly Jack waved at her and called out, "hey there I was worried about you. You weren't down at the pool you alright?"

Indie sighed dismally, alright she was so infatuated with the guy she was imagining him right in front of her. "Yeah yeah I'm fine I was just thinking about some guy I like, but who doesn't like me." Indie smiled slightly insanely 'great let's talk to your apparetion's encourage your complete and utter insanity' Indie patronized herself fearlessly.

Jack frowned, "What a moron!" Indie's head flew up that was NOT what she was expecting that, "Pardon?" Jack looked slightly uncomfortable, he was suddenly wishing he hadn't said it. He didn't know why he had said it in the first place, he just knew that he meant it. "I said he was a moron if he didn't like you back."

Indie frowned realizing embarassedly that it actually was Cowboy, she blushed slighlty and brushed the compliment off, "no he has a girlfriend already so it's actually quiet alright and he defiantely isn't a moron." Jack grinned cheered by her response so he sat beside her smiling, "now that's no excuse, he should dump the other girl and go out with you immediately. She could only ever be second best in comparsion to you," Jack said, finding himself flirtingly outrageously. And liking it.

Indie shook her head and asked, "That's not fair I mean would you dump Flame to go out with me?" Jack actually had to stop himself saying yes. Flame was wonderful, he had liked her for so long, but he realized slowly they had never talked, just the 2 of them together. Not like Indie and he were right then, he liked talking to Indie and was upset that it wasn't in his relationship with Flame.

This was not helping her self esteem, jack wouldn't answer the question, even when she had meant it as a joke. She knew what his reaction would be if she really asked him. Indie shuddered at the thought.

Jack hestiated a moment before taking the plunge and asking Indie, "Can I ask your advice on something.......ahh........it's about Flame and me. I don't think we're working out?" Indie felt her heart jump joyously then silently berated herself, that wasn't very friendly.

"What makes you say that?" she asked catiously. "It's this whole Spot thing, she seems way to invovled in it. I mean I know they're friends and I don't want them not to be, but everytime he looks at another girl she get's all tense and upset. I don't know why I'm burdening you with this but, I ............think...........Flame still loves Spot.

"I know that they were, extremely close when they were going out, and I know that Spot hurt Flame and I don't think she ever got over it," Cowboy finished guiltily. He really hadn't meant to share all this with her, he just found it so easy to talk to her about it.

Indie sat quietly for a moment in shock. Not because of the Spot/Flame fiasco but the fact that Jack had told her about the Spot/Flame thing. It was like he trusted her more then well......Flame, seeing as though he couldn't tell her, but he could let Indie know everything.

Jack decided to change the subject and instead asked her about her boyfriend, "how's it going with your boy Pyro?" Indie was shocked into rememberance of her boyfriend. "ohh ummm you know alright." Indie shrugged it off indifferently.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

THAT NIGHT

BROOKLYN

"They have ter prove d'ey can handle d'emselves or I won't join. Neither will FIlly." Spot said cockly, to Dakota and Jewel the leaders of the cross. Filly sat craving and filing her Boomerang. "So Brooklyns out?" Jewel asked. "No!" Filly exclaimed quietly causing them all to look at her.

"The Brooklyn girls are in." Filly was still paying attention to her boomerang. Spot gasped at Filly, "what? After one fight?" FIlly shook her head and said quietly, "I'm not in it because I think they're amazing, I'm in it for revenge," Filly mutered quietly.

"Revege? Why revenge?" Dakota asked the Brooklyn girls leader quietly. "Revenge for Crutchy." again Filly didn't expand on her answer or explain her motives to any of the three leaders.

Jewel and Dakota looked at Filly then Spot, "well if the Brooklyn guy's join ttell us and we will too, otherwise count us out," Dakota, said dipolmatically feelign that there was going to be an explosion very soon, andhe was sure that neither Jewel nor he wanted to be around for the fireworks.

Once the Cross leaders had left Spot tried to overcome his shock. Filly almost always followed his lead, so what was different this time. "Filly tell me exactly why you're joining d'ey strike?"

"I told ya Crutchy." spot growled and tried to yank her boomerang away butjust got hit on the head for it. "What the hell does it have to do with Crutchy????" Spot Practically screamed.

"Damnit spot stop yelling! I'm going 'cause Crutchy was worked over by the Delancey's and I'm going ter destroy d'em fer it. No one and I mean no-one picks on Crutchy while I'm around and you know it Spot Conlon."

Spot cursed, "now isn't hte time for sentimentality Filly, this is real life." Filly nodded in acceptance of the statment. "I know Spot that's why it's so important. I'm not gonna leace him in the lurch and you can't make me."

Spot screamed irrately and stormed out of the meeting room of the lodging house slamming the door with a resounding thud. Filly shock her head in utter frustration, slamming the half worked Boomerang on the table in fury.

"Damn Spot, Damn the Delancey's, Damn Manhatten, and Damn Damn Damn the strike." Filly growled causing Jen who had popped her head in to see what happened to go scurring back out quickly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

THE NEXT DAY

Pulitzer, Oscar and Morris and Hearst are siting inside Pulitzer's office. "I don't think they're just going to go away, Pulitzer." Mr Hearst said annoyedly. Morris stepped forward, "Mr. Pulitzer, sir, just give me the means and I'll take care of them for ya."

Pulitzer nodded and smiled tightly, "I'll........I mean we'll give you whatever means you require. I want this nonsense down with once and for all." Pulitzer said encompassing Hearst in the paying part.

"Pulitzer…" Hearst put in anxiously. Pulitzer glared at him, "Shut you mouth, Hearst!" Hearst huffed and puffed in indignation and started to plan way's to kill Pulitzer and still make it look like an accident.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Nevah fear Brooklyn's here!" Filly and Spot hollered out together. spot and his boy's rapidly firing stones from their slingshots. Filly aimed her boomerang directly at Oscar Delancey, letting it fly out of her fingers and clipping his ear before it returned to her. Her girls were equipped with leg crackers and dart shooters.

Spot flew down on a flying fox, while FIlly and the rest of Brooklyn jumped from their postion's on the roof's (although some had to get close to the ground first.) Filly landed lightly on her feet next to Skittery grinning quickly before jumping on Morris Delancey's back putting him in a strangle hold.

Skittery who had being distracted from the fighting by Filly's half crazy grin suddenly got hit in the jaw, but he rose straight away and whacked the guy back on the jaw twice as hard.

Oscare was trying to pull Filly off Morris which caused Mooch to jump into action and king hit Oscar across the back of the skull. Oscar screamed in a spoilt fury spinning around and slamming the back of his hand into Mooch's tender cheek.

Mooch was knocked sideways, causing a furious Julty to charge at Oscar, but Kid Blink reached him first smashing a tightly clenched fist into Oscars jaw. "Don't you ever hit my goil again." Blink growled, hititng him again just because he didn't like him.

Spot opened the gates and the rest of the New York Newsies enter. Flame is standing on one of the newpaper wagon's shouting out warning to everyone. Clink was getting man handled by one of the bad guy's and Patch suddenly jumped out of nowhere from behind and caught the guy in a strangle hold, "Let 'er go or I'll hit you so hard that your grand children will feel it." The guy refused and Patch slammed him in the family jewels.

Meanwhile Cone was talking a hundred miles a hour at a guy that was trying to nail her with a club, but was unable to concentrate. Pixie, little tiny Pixie jumped at him from behind Cone with a rebel yell causing the guy to freak out like crazy.

Meanwhile Indie was slamming people with her history books, giving them paper cut's and stabbing them in the eye with the corner of the books viciously. Dot was in a corner surrounding by a few men, not sure what to do as she was waving a giant cactus in one hand and a venus fly trap in the other, and she had a crazed look in her eye's, as she laughed madly.

West and Ace were hanging onto the biggest guy in the group while Ace was beating him up with a deck of cards and West was hanging onto his leg and biting it then causing her jaw to lock tight.

Copper was causing a bunch of guy's to cry madly by telling them she was going to tell their wives and mothers what they were doing. Strudel was in the middle of the fray doing some wicked karate type moves. While Lily was sicking her 10 goon's on certain people that she didn't much like the look of.

They slowly pushed they bad guy's back to where they had come from, while Dentures......ahm Denton ran in with a camera focusing quickly before shouting at the newsies, "Flame! Jack! Boys! Girls! Freeze! Freeze!" Flame grinned and was grabbed around the waist by Spot as most all of the newsies that are in this story were crowded into the picture while Jack shouted, "Alright guys."

The students are all told to sit around the table's in the dining hall and Dentures, then put up a piece of pink cardboard with purple writing on it. Some of the private school girl's gagged and looked..... no glared at Medda who was smiling sweetly and admiring the sign, that had TIBBY'S writing across it.

Denton walks into the Tibby's and in holding a paper, "Hey fellas. Hey, hey! Big time." He greeted the guy's then realized that was utterly sexist and added, "Hey Goil.......ahhh I men girls." Denton said clearing his throat rushedly. He places a newpaper in front of Jack and Boot's asks excitedly, "What you got there Jack?"

Spot the self obessed little sod that he was almost knocked Jack over trying to get at the picture asking obnoxoiusly, "Where's me picture? Where's me picture?" West looked at the paper asking, "What's that? That all about us?"

Flame grinned and said mockingly to poor Jack, "Look at that Jackey-boy I'd almost think you were a human being." Mush grinned and added, "You look like a gentlemen," Jack was slightly miffed at that statement and said slightly nastily,"Will you get your fingers off me face?"

Spot having heard none of the above was going slowly insane and getting a major crink in his neck, "Where does it say my name? Where's my name?" Filly glared at Spot Conlon wondering what any girl could see in him and then clipped him over the head roughly, "Will you quit thinking about yourself?" Spot glared at Filly but couldn't keep it up he was overly happy.

David turned to Denton saying in wonderment, "You got us on the front page!" Denton replied easily, "You got yourselves on the front page. I just got to make sure you stay there."

Skittery who had spent the night at Brooklyn with Filly (hint hint) and had gotten very little sleep growled, "So what. You get your picture in the papes, so what's that get you, huh?" Mush glared at his friend, "What are you talkin' about?"

"Shut up, boy. You been in a bad mood all day!" Jack barked at Skittery annoyed. Skittery glared at Jack just as annoyedly, "I'm not in a bad mood!"

0Racetrack snickered and slapped Skittery across the side of the face. "Glum and dumb. What's the matta with you? You get your picture in the papes, your famous. Your famous, you get anything you want. That's what so great about New York!"

Suddenly the boys broke out in song and the girls rolled their eye's and headed just outside to talk quietly.

MUSH:A pair of new shoes with matching laces
RACETRACK:A permanent box at Sheepshed Races.
SPOT:A porcelain tub with boiling water
KID BLINK:A Saturday night with the mayor's daughter!
RACETRACK:Look at meI'm the King of New York!SuddenlyI'm respectableStaring right atchaLousy with stature
JACK:Nubbin' with all the muckety-mucksI'm blowin' my dough and goin' deluxe!
RACETRACK:And there I'll beAin't I pretty?
RACETRACK & JACK:It's my cityI'm the king of New York!
BOOTS:A corduroy suit with fitted knickers
LES:A mezzanine seat to see the flickers
SNIPESHOOTER:Havana cigars that cost a quarter
DAVID:An editor's desk for our star reporter!
NEWSIES:Tip your hatHe's the King of New York!
DENTON:How 'bout that?I'm the King of New York!
NEWSIES:In nothing flatHe'll be coveringBrooklyn to TrentonOur man Denton
KID BLINK:Making a headline out of a hunch
DENTON:Protecting the weak
RACETRACK:And paying for lunch
DENTON:When I'm at batStrong men crumble
RACETRACK:Proud yet humble
DENTON & RACETRACK:I'm/He's the King of New York
NEWSIES:I gotta be either dead or dreaming'Cuz look at that pape with my face beamingTomorrow they may wrap fishes in itBut I was a star for one whole minute!
Starting nowI'm the King of New York!
DENTON:Ain't you hear?I'm the King of New York!
NEWSIES:Holy cow!It's a miraclePulitzer's cryingWeasel? He's dying!Flashpots are shooting bright as the sunI'm one hifalutin' sonuva gun!Don't ask me howFortune found meFate just crowned meNow I'm King of New York!Look and seeOnce a pikerNow a strikerI'm the Kin of New York!Victory!Front page storyGuts and gloryI'm the King of New York!

The girls peek in and see that the boy's have finished their singing nonsense and are gathering around in a tight little group so the girls joined them. "So, let's have some ideas." Jack said almost regally.
 "Well, we gotta show people where we stand," Davey announced smartly. "Yeah, so we gotta stay in the papes." Jack added, and Denton said rather snottily, "My paper's the only one printing any strike news so far."

Jewel cleared her throat and stepped forward, "Us girls have decided to have a news goil rally, wit' all d'ey goils from 'round New Yoirk, we though ya might be interested."

Dakota grinned and grabbed a drink from the tray of drinks Denton had brought. "Sounds like a good idea," Suddenly the boy's get extremely excited and spoke a hundred miles a minute about it slapping each other on the shoudlers and congratulating each other profusely.

"Huh we would 'ave thought d'ey came up wit' d'ey idea," Lily said shrugging off one of her current boyfriends who was drooling all over her in a disgustingly adoring fashion.

Flex looked at her admiringly, "how do you get all those guys's all crazy 'bout ya? I wish I could, just get one let let alone all d'ey boy's in New Yoirk." Lily smiled knowingly, "You too can 'ave guys faning over ya if ya d'ey only goil leader of Newsies wit' out a boy leader. It's the power." Lily whispered smliing softly.

Meanwhile Jack and Flame seemed to be arguing about something, and Spot seemed to be deriving some sick pleasure from watching them. Indie however was going slightly green and shaking her head wordlessly.

Suddenly Shady, sick of their bickering yelled, "gawd are we gonna spend all day jest sitting 'round? Come on we'se got organizing ta do." Shady turned to Race for support and he just went gooey eye'd. Shady rolled her eye's and grabbed Race saying she'd talk to Medda about using Irving hall.

"Sure shady's right let's move. Dusk said giving a glare to spot before grabbing him by the ear and dragging him towards the Brooklyn docks. July bounced up and down on Spec's knee and said softly, "Let's go and pick a fight wit' the Delancey's so they can't wreck the rally."

Specs adjusted his glasses loking at his fiesty girlfriend in surprise. "You want to beat up the Delancey's before the rally instead of after?" July nodded softly grinning, "Ya know they is gonna cause trouble it's just d'eir way." July said and Mooch and Patch before looked at each other grinning widely and then a Kid Blink who was grinning as well and they all shook their heads in agreement, "Let's get 'em."

Just then Medda and Dentures called a end to the script for lunch. Patch and Blink dashed off quickly as Medda eyeballed them for lunch duty, meanwhile the crowd gathered into a small group.

"Oh give me a break Waldo!" Flame yelled at Jack. Jack yelled back, "Waldo? Did you just call me a Waldo? Miss Teenybopper." Flame gasped at him but he continued, "Indie at least pay's attention to me lately you don't give a flying fig what happens to me."

Flame glared at Jack, "Indie, Indie, Indie you're prolly going out with her, it wouldn't surprise me. One of the private schoolers already stole Bumlets why not take another one of us state school girls' guys."

"I wish I was going out wit' her." Jack yelled back. Owl Stepped forward fromt eh group and spoke softly to a anxious looking Indie. Meanwhile Flame continued to yell, "Fine! Go out with her, silly cow, cause you and I are through."

Jack was beyond control and then right in front of 4everyone he kissed indie long and good. Flames face grew murderous and Flex went to grab FLame but it was too late. Flame was ropeable and Indie was her target.

Before Flame got to indie, Cone stepped in front of them and Grabbed Flames wrist after blocking a punch thrown by Flame and twisted her arm up behind her back, grinning at her boyfriend Jake, who had taught her that move. "Indie didn't do anything to you so leave her alone and cool down," Cone blasted Flame.

Flame Hissed violently shrugging Cone off and storming off. Shady glared a death glar and Jack and Indie on behalf of her best friend and her and Flex followed Flame quickly.

July and specs who had been preoccupied with, well each other, felt the brush of Flame, Flex and Shady rushing off and turned to ask Copper, Clink, and Mooch what had just happened.

Clink, Copper and Mooch all started talking quickly at once explaining what had happened. When at last July was pretty sure she had got the full story. She turned her murderous gaze onto a cocky looking boy who was grinning of all thing then she raised her fist and yelled at him, "Conlon, you diddle drop!" Then she charged at him grabbing his golden tipped cane.

Spot shrieked and ran away from July. Filly and Skittery were standing off the side oblivous to everything but their tenth minute without coming up for air. Patch and Blink also looked rather friendly. Spot ran past, Jack, Cone, Indie, and Owl, chased quickly by a fuming July.

Medda and Dentures had resigned themselves to cooking and were heading into the kitchen when Spot streaked past and got about a meter away from the adults before he was coat hangered by July weilding Spot's large cane. Spot fell and July was on him in a instance glaring down at him.

"You broke Jack and Flame up didn't you Brooklyn?" July screeched slamming a couple of good punches into his chest. "You are so selfish, you.........you........mutt." July screeched.

Clink and Patch walked up with Kid Blink and Mooch following quickly behind. They all had grins on there face and July beat up the might Spot Conlon. "You Jerk you fool, YOU dinglehopper!" July screamed.

Spot looked around screaming to Specs, "Spec's get your crazy girlfriend off me. Specs!" Spot screamed. Specs was on the floor laughing like a kookaburra. Spot was starting to get scared, he thought that she was really going to kill him.

Denton walked quickly up too the 2 that were in the scuffle pulling July off Spot as she glared at him still holding his cane. Meanwhile Clink, Patch, Mooch and Kid blink had dropped to the floor as well laughing hysterically.

"July dear let's keep the beating up of Spot to a miminal shall we?" July just glared at Spot who was laying on the ground staring warily up at July and Denton. "Now give him back his cane thingy dear and go and get....something to eat." July suddenly grinned evily and through the cane at him, hitting him, were it hurts.

Spot grabbed himself in pain and groaned and suddenly everyone in the hall fell on the floor in laughter. July grinned and did the raise the roof thing with her hands laughing. Denton had to keep from bursting into laughter as well, smirking quickly, then returning to normal dour face.

July Glared at spot once more before turning and stomping off the the girls bunk room. in there she saw Flame, Flex and Shady. She couldn't help grinning at Spot's little injuries.

Automatically Flex asked, "What did you do Elizabeth?" July grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "You had to be there." Shady raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Flex grinned stupidly at July and Flame, burst into tears.

"Flame!" The girls gasped in unison. Flame continued to sob yet her voice was angry, "Stupid Conlon, why does he always ess things up for me? Finally I'd found I guy that made me forget him and he had to go and............" Flame cut herself off, and threw herself down on the bed.

Shady looked worriedly at her best friend, and July shouted out, half insanely, "I knew it was him. That, jerk that... Nigel that............that.........Scabba!" July shouted furiously, and was about to go after him agian when Filly walked in and held her back.

"July if you walk out that door I will personally decapitate you from the hair down I mean it Girl!" Filly warned steely. July looked up her adrenalin pumping she wanted blood, Spot Conlons preferably.

Finally July shrugged and walked back into Flame's room. Filly sighed in relieve she was hoping July wouldn't fight her on this. Filly knew that July could kick her into next week without even trying.

Filly walked into the room and shut the door door firmly looking it with the only key. "Alright girls it's time to talk. We have to work this out before I shoot myself in frustration alright?"

The girls looked at Filly rebelliously. Filly glared straight back at them all. "I didn't say I'd hear any arguments so shut up unless you want to agree with me!" Filly ordered. Flame went to protest, but Filly eye'd her with such a look that Flame for once shrank back from it.

"Now the girls from the private school are waiting outside and I'm going to let them in then we are all going to sit in the lounge room do you hear me?" Shady went to complain, but Filly raised her finger, "Are you going to agree with me? NO then shut up and move you're architectual butt into the living room. NOW!" she added when no-one moved.

July looked at Filly with a kind of new respect, she didn't no the small girl had it in her. Flex looked at her concerned, Flame looked at her, confused and Shady looked at her feeling slightly hurt.

Filly walked to the door opened it and shouted loudly, "Everyone in here NOW!" The private schoolers entered quickly looking at Filly in trepidation. Once everyone was in, and seated Filly looked the door and glared at everyone.

Filly stalked up and down as if addressing a group of army soliders. "Is it a whole moon that I wasn't told about? I mean arghh.... where is all this coming from? No shut up, I don't want an answer I just want you to listen with your traps shut."

Filly glared and continued, "What you all need is answers and by god, I don't know why but I'm going to give them to you are die trying. First and foremost lets get the major problem out of the way."

"Alright, Flame, Indie and Dusk, first off, Spot Conlon is the biggest jerk I've ever meet, for two reasons. One.... The way he treated Dusk was so wrong, I wanted to kill him. But thankfully July did that already." Filly said cracking a small grin. July sat on the lounge chair and gave her the thumbs up sign.

"Next he is a jerk for interferring with your love life Flame. But you are a moron as well." Filly said recieving a glare from Flame, "YOu know that you still love the blasted fool, and you knew that you were using Jack when you went out with him, no matter how sub concious it was. So for you 2 Dusk get off the jerk, and Flame go out with the jerk and put him out of his misery."

"As for you Indie, you have had a huge crush on Jack since you layed eye's on him and you know it. I know you didn't purposefully get in the way of Flame and Jack, but you did, because, Jack has feeligns for you, which he made obvious when he kissed you. So go for it girl and forget the rest."

"Know July, you're doing a great job keep doing it, Mooch and Patch, stop the drooling over Kid Blink, arghhh... This may hurt but Blink likes Patch it is so obvious, Mooch is a little to, fiesty for Blink, you would go much better with his twin brother Trey, he likes fiesty women. ALright.... Pixie and Flex."

"Alright lets get over this whole Bumlets thing. Pixie, and trust me it took me a while to convince myself of this... or more importantly it took Skittery forever to convince me that, Pixie never ment to do it on purpose, they just fell for each other. And Flex you know damn well that Mush loves you like mad. You like him too, but for some sick reason you keep him dangling. I may be your best friend but Mush is my brother my TWIN brother, and I'm sick of you messing him around sooooo go out with him ..... NOW!"

Flex looked at Filly in surprise, "Cone you keep on going out with Jake, cause it's obvious he is mad about you. Dot, and Ruby and West, living up a little, I know that we have a habit of dominating the conversation, but hell we are mad you guys, are smart so share you're wisdom please!!!!!!!."

"Jewel and strudel, you have the air of mystery that come's with exchange students flaunt it girls.... the men will come running. Ace get over your whole shy act and put poor Dutchy out of his misery. Shady, for gods sake put a leash on your boy. He looked about ready to bust through the roof everytime you walk into a room. Sheesh ohh yeah and I'm so glad that at least you 2 could get together without my help."

"Clink and Copper, you just keep teasing and making fun of everything, god know that we need a little entertainment around this place. Ohh yeah and Patch I love this place tell your dad that would you?" Filly finished with a flourish before walking into her room slamming the door and falling exhausted on her bed.

Mush looks at his girl smiling at her softly then turning trying not to worry Flex asking Jack. "So, whens the others coming, kid?" Jack looked depressedly "They ain't coming. Ain't gonna be nobody but us." Snitch frowned he hated this side of Jack."Come on, Jack." Specs added, "Have hope, Jack."

Ace walked away from the group, "When the circulation bell starts ringing, will we hear it?" Race smiled at her and said, "Nah.What if the Delancey's come out swinging, will we hear it?"

Ace shook her head vermently, "No!" Race smiled at him like he was his kid brother, "That a goil!" all the kids girls and boys started singing,
" When you've got a million voices singingWho can hear a lousy whistle blow?And the World will know!

Suddenly the group of kids came around the corner shouting, ":
The World will feel the fireand finally know!

Everyone cheered euphrocially "Strike! Strike! Strike!" Shady pointed to Seitz and a group of policeman, "Dear me. What have we here?" Jack and Davey head up too see Pulitzer. Jack grins cockily Extry, extry, Joe. Read all about it.

Pulitzer growled fiercly, "I promised that if you defied me, I'd break you. I'll keep that promise, boy. Now, I gave you a chance to be free. I don't understand. Anyone who doesn't act in their own self interest is a fool."

Davey finally got up enough guts to almost shout at him, "Then what does that make you?" Pulitzer started to go deaf, "What? " Jack took over, "Oh, this is my pal, Davey. The Walkin' mouth." Davey stepped forward he was insensed, "You talk about self interest, but since the strike, your circulation's been down 70%. Everyday you're losing thousands of dollars just to beat us out of one lousy tenth of a cent. Why?"

Jack again answered, "You see, it ain't about the money, Dave. It Joe gives in to nobodies like us, it means we got the power. And he can't do that, no matter what it costs. Am I right, Joe?"

Mr Pulitzer smiled smugly, "I sent for the police. They must be here by now. Send them in, Seitz,"

Jack glared at him throwing his hands up in frustration, "I'm not going back to jail, Joe. Look out here. Right out here is where the power is." Opening a window, causing Pulitzer to cover his ears and shout at Jack "I can't hear you , Joe! I don't hear ya!" he repeated then when Pulitzer shouted at him to listen he said, "Maybe you should listen!"

Pulitzer shouted again and Jack ignored him, "There's a lot of people out there and they ain't just gonna go away. They got voices now and they're goin' be listen to. Putting them in jail is not going to stop them! That's the power of the press, Joe." Jack finally closes the window. "So thanks for teaching me about it"

Spot saw Davey and Jack emerging and called everyone over, "Hey, fellas, they're over here!" Jack shouted loudly, "We beat 'em!" THe crowd cheered entuhistically, and slowly the curtain fell on the play.

The parents of the students applauded madly, the play had been such a success that they had taken it on tour of their largish town, area. Everyone loved the play and the kids enjoyed acting in it, since the camp the group of kids had sorted out there problems, and everyone was happy, everyone was with everyone Filly had told them to get with, except for Dusk who was dating a european royal, who she had meet when she had gone back to strudels home with her on the school vacation.

Filly smiled happily as all her friends merged off stage and she was left alone on stage and she picked up the mic and said softly, "We'd like to dedicate this to our teachers, Mr Denton, and...... miss Larkson.... Mrs Denton, who are currently on their honeymoon.

This was a wonderful experience for us all, and we have decided to do this again next year. Well the camp idea anyway, we are hoping to make it a tradition, so until next year, ciao." Filly put the microphone down and headed into the arms of her loving boyfriend, Skittery.


DIRECTED BY Bryan Denten
THE CAST
Cowboy........... Jack Kelly
The walking mouth..............David JacobsRacetrack..........Max Casella Crutchy............Joshua Germaine Mush............... Micheal Ericsson Kid Blink..........Micheal Allen Boots..............Brandon Addam's Spot Conlon........Brooklyn ConlonJake...............Joseph Conrad Specs.............. Jye Baller Dutchy.............William, Randolf, Arthur Windsor the III Skittery...........Skyes Antony Bumlets............ Enrico PaloaBryan Denton.......Bryan DentonMedda Larkson...... Medda Larkson Ten-Pin............ Brandon Addam's Teddy Roosevelt.... William Delancey Joseph Pulitzer.... Joseph Delancey Oscar Delancey.....Oscar Delancey Morris Delancey....Morris Delancey