A/N : Finally! MyRacetrack story! I had rewritten this story completely because I had gotten a better idea than before but maybe one day I'll write the original premise. I had gotten the idea while preparing for my audition for the school play before (yes I am practicing now because I really want the role of Lola in the play Damn Yankees at the school.) and the song I want to audition with is Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid which inspired this story which is based off the film and maybe a bit from the original story by the Grimm Brothers. There will be some songs but not all and I may have to change the lyrics to better fit my story. I loved the Little Mermaid as a kid and I hope I do it justice. I do not own The Little Mermaid or Newsies or the songs Part of Your World and Part of Your World ((reprise)). Please review and tell me how I'm doing and follow.
Chapter 1: Part of Your World.
Ariel Valentini is rich.
That much she knows. She has the sparkling jewels, the fine dresses, the lavish housing; she's even beautiful. She has fiery red hair that flows to her waist, big stunning electric blue eyes, and a glowing clear pale complexion. (A/N: If it helps, picture Sierra Boggess from the Little Mermaid on broadway.) This is a life everyone dreams of. Everyone except her.
All she's ever known is this; and she's miserable. The only thing that keeps her sane is her melodies. She enjoys playing little songs in her vast spare time.
Today, she has skipped her tutoring session because she would rather walk around the city of Manhattan humming a song she has stuck in her head.
She likes the hustle and bustle of the city instead of her quiet life inside her mansion of a house. The lives on the street fascinate her way more than learning manners. There's too much to remember while children and teens on the streets know two things. Work for your food and have adventures.
She smiles at all the little boys and girls playing while working; all she knows is working. Something her father constantly does. Not that she minds, now there's one less parent to sneak around.
Then she spots the most devilishly handsome boy she has ever laid eyes on.
He has rich dark brown hair greased back, white skin, slightly crooked teeth, dirty clothes, and a cigar in hand. He looks italian, just like herself. She watches him laugh and joke with his friends from a distance. Then he takes out his harmonica and begins playing; making Ariel fall for him even more. She loves music, singing and playing the piano. At first she was forced to play but now she forces everyone in her house to listen as she plays as much as she can. The instructor teaches her well known songs such as Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, and more. She enjoys their music but more often than most she can be playing something different and more modern.
She is about to go up to him when she sees him sell a paper to another rich girl and he doesn't seem too happy about it. He's glad to have the money but his upturned nose tells Ariel that he thinks all upper class people are bourgeois two-a-penny things. She realizes they maybe too different but it's too late. Ariel is in love, love at first sight.
"Ariel!" A familiar voice shouts. It's her favorite butler.
"Where have you been? You're late for your tutoring session." He says.
"Sebastian, please don't make me go. I hate it there, you know that. I don't want that life with manners and escorts. These people don't have to learn this stuff and they're doing just fine." She says with her voice like a bell.
"You always were too headstrong for your own good." Sebastian says with his Jamaican accent.
Even though he's her butler, Sebastian is Ariel's best friend. He's practically raised her.
"But come on, it's time to go." He says taking Ariel's hand and leading her away from the crazy streets and into her quaint house.
"Ariel! Where have you been? Out on the streets again?" Her mother asks her.
"Look I'm sorry, I just want adventure." Ariel responds unable to look at her mother. She looks at the fireplace that has never been lit. Ariel has never seen fire outside of books before. Her parents are afraid that it will burn the house down.
"What if you were mugged by street trash?"
"They're not street trash. They're human beings. I'm not a child anymore. I'm sixteen."
"You live under this roof, you will obey me. Now you kept Mister Carter waiting, that's very improper." Her mother yells at her. "I don't want you going out unless your father or I are with you. Is that clear?"
Ariel sighs and leaves without another word. She heads in her classroom. It's a room decorated to the nines but the only part of the room that Ariel believes is necessary is the grand piano in the corner.
"Hello, Carter." Ariel greets.
"Uh uh uh." Carter says waiting for her to correct her mistake.
"Oh, right. Good 'morrow Mister Carter." She correctly greets standing straighter then curtseying.
"Better." Carter says. Then he mutters to himself, "What is this girl's problem? She has all she could ever want."
Ariel hears this and knows it to be true. Her problem is that she feels like a fish out of water. Different than the rest. She's having trouble swimming along with the other spoiled fishes and she would rather be on sturdy land.
"I was wondering if we could start with the piano today. Oh, please."
"You were late. Because of this we can't play the piano today, we have more important things to study."
Ariel sighs and nods. Last time she argued she couldn't play for a week. Carter leaves at three, Ariel figures she can play something then.
The two go over standing and sitting with her shoulders back. Sitting ankles crossed. The proper way to sip tea, with a pinky out. The right fork to use. Things Ariel deems useless.
Soon he begin to teach her Latin and mathematics so she won't grow up to be an airhead; though her mother already considered her one.
Racetrack takes a long drag from his stolen cigar.
"Youse knows one of these days, the rich goils are gonna stop buyin' from youse. Yer too mean ta them." Jack says worried about his friend's financial means.
"They don't care. They'se all the same. They don't care 'bout nuttin'." Racetrack says voicing what he thinks of rich people.
"Yea but they pay good." Kid Blink says sitting beside Racetrack on the curb.
"They'se selfish an' that's that." Racetrack says taking another long drag from his cigar.
"I knows what this is 'bout." Bumlets says, "This is 'bout-"
"No it's not. Don't bring her up again. Look I gotta go sell the rest of these papes. See youse guys at the Lodgin' House latah." Racetrack says departing. He'd rather not bring up the last girl he dated. The last and only girl to break his heart.
After what seems like an eternity, Carter leaves as the clock strikes three.
Ariel heads over to her piano and begins to warm up by playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
She plays beautifully and she hums along to the song she knows so well.
Soon she begins to play around with the keys until the music is pleasant to one's ear.
All the staff enjoy working to her music but her mother does not. Her mother does love her, she loves her immensely so. She just wishes Ariel could be more like the other girls in her society.
"Maybe he's right. Maybe there is something the matter with me." She thinks to herself, she chuckles at the thought. "I just don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things, could be bad."
With the melody she had just played, she eventually sings out the words.
"Look at this stuff
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the girl
The girl who has everything?
Look at this trove
Treasures untold
How many wonders can one cavern hold?
Looking around here you think
Sure, she's got everything." She sings looking around her big study room filled to the brim with books, paintings, and more.
"I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
I've got whozits and whatzits galore
You want thingamabobs?
I've got twenty!
But who cares?
No big deal
I want more"
She heads out to her balcony and sees the love streets that fill her with inspiration.
"I wanna be where the people are
I wanna see, wanna see them dancin'
Walking around on those - what do you call 'em?
Oh - feet!
Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far
Legs are required for jumping, dancing
Strolling along down a - what's that word again?
Street
Out where they walk, up where they run
Out where they stay all day in the sun
Wanderin' free - wish I could be
Part of that world
What would I give if I could live out of these waters?
What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?
Bet'cha in streets they understand
That they don't reprimand their daughters
Proper women sick of swimmin'
Ready to stand
And ready to know what the people know
Ask 'em my questions and get some answers
What's a fire and why does it - what's the word?
Burn?
When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love, love to explore that world up above?
Out of the sea
Wish I could be
Part of that world." This is Ariel's favorite song. She heads back inside the room and then she scopes out the room and hallway to make sure no one is near.
Back inside her personal study, she opens up a secret passage way. That passage way leads directly to the outside streets, this is how Ariel manages to sneak out. She discovered it upon moving there from Italy about a year ago, she's lost her accent but she still has a little trouble with the English language.
She heads out to the city and wonders about hoping to stumble upon a certain newsie again.
She takes in all the sights that seem to sparkle in the last remaining hours of daylight.
She's snapped out of her dreamworld when she hears yelling and blows landing. She heads in the direction of the sounds, curiosity fueling her.
"Hey, Racetrack, you should learn to keep your mouth shut." One yells as he kicks the figure lying down on the ground.
"Stop it!" She shouts and heads in the alley. She won't let someone keep getting hurt while she's around.
"Who are you, girly?" One sneers, he has got the most ugly mustache.
"That doesn't matter, just leave that person alone." Ariel says calmly.
"I don't think so, this newsie will get what's coming to him." The other says picking said newsie up by his lapel, he's barely conscious. He has no idea what's going on.
"Now why don't you scurry your cute little backside outta here before we have to hurt you too. And I'd rather not mess up that pretty face." The one with the mustache says but Ariel doesn't step down.
That's when she recognizes him to be the newsie she saw earlier.
Fury fills her being as she closes her eyes and throws a punch at the boy who had just threatened her.
He falls to the ground and he's clenching his throat, that's where she hit him. She wants to kick him but her slightly poufy dress gets in the way.
Then she turns to the person holding the newsie, that Ariel now knows as Racetrack, and she says, "Unless you want a punch as well, I recommend you leave now."
He lets go of Racetrack and snorts, "You're lucky I don't hit girls." He says and helps the lad on the floor up before departing.
She heads to him and she sees he's breathing but he's unconscious. She kneels beside him and she caresses his face. He has a cut lip and a bruised cheek but Ariel still thinks he is the most handsome boy she has ever laid eyes on. She isn't sure how to handle this situation so she does what she does best. She sings for him. She remembers her tune from before and she knows what she wants to say.
"What would I give
To live where you are?
What would I pay
To stay here beside you?
What would I do to see you
Smiling at me?
Where would we walk?
Where would we run?
If we could stay all day in the sun?" She sings as Racetrack wakes up and sees a beautiful girl glowing in the sunset. He is too weak to say anything or make out specific details about the girl but he can make out the lovely voice. He places his hand on her arm just to make sure she's real. Ariel's heart soars as she continues.
"Just you and me
And I could be
Part of your world."
"Race! Is that youse? Youse okay?" A voice with a New York accent calls out and Ariel panics and hide behind the building; she can see them but they can't see her. She doesn't want the person to think she had hurt Racetrack.
"Are youse a'right?" He asks, he has brown hair, a faded red bandana, and a cowboy hat.
"The Delancy bruddas, they was attackin' me but I think I was saved by a goil, Jack. A beautiful goil an' she was singin'. She had a voice prettier than Medda's; I can't get it outta me head." Race says as Jack helps him up.
"I think they hit youse too hard, c'mon we should get youse back to the Lodging House." He says as he helps Race limp in the opposite direction of Ariel. Sh watches them go.
"I don't know when
I don't know how
But I know something's starting right now
Watch and you'll see
Some day I'll be
Part of your world." She sings as she heads back to her house to plan how she can get to know him. Ariel knows he isn't too keen on rich girls so she can't be with him while like this.
Once back at her house, Sebastian comes in and he has heard her happy tune.
"That song you were playing before was beautiful." He comments making Ariel blush.
"It seemed right." She says practically giggling.
"Your music is happier than it has been lately. And your music always reflects your mood."
"Oh, does it?" Ariel asks blushing from being the open book she is.
"Yes, so why the sudden change? What happened on the street today before I got there?" Sebastian asks intrigued as she sits beside Ariel.
"It was wondrous. I've never seen one so up close, one so handsome and carefree." Ariel answers not wanting mention that she had saved him not too long before. If her mother or father ever caught wind of this she would be killed.
"One what?" Sebastian asks confused.
"A street kid. A newsie."
"Your mother won't be pleased if she hears of this."
"Please don't tell her, I'm begging you. You're my only friend in this horrid world, please keep this our secret." Ariel begs.
"Okay, fine. Now come along dinner's ready."
Ariel nods and heads inside to eat and after dinner she begins to plot how she can meet Racetrack face to face without him judging her.
The following week, Ariel wakes up, it's a Sunday. Her family to church for a 9:30 service. She loves going to church because it's the only time her family lets her out on the streets but she's kept on a tight leash. She's also expected to be a perfect young lady. Afterwards, her mother invites families over to gossip bringing along a man named Keaton who she loathes. Plus, their families want them to marry each other but Ariel wants to marry someone for love.
Not money.
She gets up and her maid Maria helps her get her corset on. She has never minded corsets, since she has worn one everyday for as long as she can remember. It's easier to sit up straight with one on. Ariel picks out a pale pink colored dress with a little bell shaped bottom. She wears her hair as she normally does, half pinned back.
She then goes and eats a quiet breakfast with her family. Then they head off to church.
Ariel walks on by seeing many other newsies but none make the lasting impression that Racetrack did. They all have different characteristics. May it be an eyepatch, a crutch, a cowboy hat, a wooden sword. Ariel can't help but wonder if she truly would fit in with the lowers.
After the service, the Valentini's, the Ferguson's, and the Stanley's all head to the Valentini's mansion of a house for a Sunday get together.
While the families are gossiping about other families that aren't rich enough to be with them.
Ariel manages to sneak away from all the mindless chatter and heads to her personal study room. Her heels clack against the marble floors as she tries to get away from those people. She'll never understand how they can sit around doing nothing all the time and still have a lot to talk about.
She heads to the grand piano and begins to play as quietly as she possibly can.
She plays Mozart's Minuet in F and feels alone, until she hears clapping.
She turns and meets Keaton's laid back expression. That's one of the many reasons Ariel loathes him. He doesn't care about anything, he believes he'll get anything he wants because his father is rich and powerful. He smirks making the freckles that decorate his face dance. She looks into his caramel eyes and he runs his hand through his matching hair making it spike up.
"What do you want, Keaton?" She asks annoyed by his very presence.
"For you to play again. That was lovely. Was it Mozart?" He answers.
"I'm surprised you off all people would know that." She retorts.
"You aren't like the other girls out there you know that, right?" He says and Ariel scoffs.
"Yes, and I'm proud of it. Now can you please leave me alone?" Ariel asks.
"No, I came in here to ask why do you not wish to marry me? I'm rich, handsome, intelligent-"
"Egotistical, you have no imagination, and you're exactly like all the other upper class people, do you really want me to go on?"
"What's so bad about that third thing? Aren't you part of that class?"
"I don't want to be. Whenever I'm among those people, I feel like I'm under water."
"What do you mean?"
"Not so intelligent now are you? It's metaphor, I feel trapped and sluggish as if I was under water."
"And where would you rather be? Out there on the streets?"
"Yes, they have a wonderful life. They appreciate what they have because they worked for it, they have less than us financial wise but more than us when it comes to imagination or having adventures."
"That's a big mistake, going out there. Sure they work hard out there but slaving out in the sun all day or in the cold. Others work in factories where many bad accidents can happen. It's full of criminals where you can mugged or worse. Here it's better "under the sea" what more can you want?"
Ariel's anger boils as he criticizes her dreams and Racetrack's lifestyle. "How dare you say such things! I know for a fact that they aren't all criminals." She practically shouts.
"How?" Keaton retorts.
"Because I've met one and I've fallen in love with him." Ariel gasps and covers her mouth. She has just told one of her biggest enemies her biggest secret. He will surely tell know.
"Oh really?" Keaton says as a malicious smile passes over his face. He turns to leave and Ariel tries and fails to stop him.
"Darling, what's wrong?" His mother asks him. "Did you ask Ariel?"
"Yes and she shot me down."
"Please don't. Don't tell." Ariel pleads but is disregarded.
"Again?" Keaton's mother asks.
"Yes but I know why. She's been sneaking out onto the streets and wants to live there. She's fallen in love with a guttersnipe."
"He's not. You don't even know him!" Ariel yells.
"I don't care if I know him or not. He's of a lower class than you." Ariel's father says feeling betrayed.
"I don't care." Ariel says folding her arms over her chest.
"How did you two even meet?"
"I saved him from being beaten to death. I couldn't let him die."
"Why not? One less to worry about. They're all criminals. They steal and mug and rape."
"You don't belong together. You're too different." Ariel's mother says trying to talk some sense into her daughter.
"Sebastian, help me. You live out there and you're fine." Ariel begs as hot tears fill her eyes.
"I'm sorry sweetie." He says and Ariel runs back into the room.
She locks the door behind her and begins to sob not only because Keaton ratted her out or because her parents yelled at her and stopped her dream, but because Sebastian, the man who practically raised her and showed her love has turned her back on her.
"Ariel! Ariel, open up darling. You have to understand-" her mother starts but Ariel doesn't want to hear it.
She puts on a cloak, even though winter had passed, it's still cold. Ariel heads out through her secret exit and into the streets.
She doesn't plan on going back anytime soon. The only thing is Sebastian has a knack for finding Ariel. It isn't too hard, she's more beautiful than most of the people in New York. She has never taken advantage of this quality. She believes someone can be hideous on the outside but if they're beautiful on the inside, they shine brighter than anyone who is gorgeous on the outside but hideous on the inside.
"Hello there, pretty girl." A young boy says snapping Ariel out of her thoughts. She has never seen this boy before but isn't afraid.
"What's the matter? I can tell something's wrong. You were crying before I can see it."
"Well what's wrong is nothing you should trouble yourself with, goodbye." Ariel says turning to walk away but she runs into a different boy, who shares the same face as the other. They both have blond hair and gray eyes, lifeless, thin, and sickly pale.
"We won't hurt you, as a matter of fact, we can help you."
"I'm Jetsam, and that's Flotsam. He's my twin brother." Jetsam says.
"There's a woman we work for, she can help you, it's her job." Flotsam says.
"Who?" Ariel asks desperate to meet the newsie.
"Ursula." Flotsam says.
"Ursula? I've heard about her." Ariel says knowing that this can't be good. Ursula had gotten the reputation of a major bitch because she would create deals with people and then screw them over. She could work magic in people, making them more beautiful if they were considered ugly to help them find love, or teach them how to work their dream job but after a while, they were on their own.
Someone would pay her to help them with what they had always desired but Ursula would create a catch. Either they had to do it dressed as the opposite sex or such. Then if they didn't succeed, they owed Ursula something. Ursula never lost and she cheated to make sure of it. She enjoyed manipulating people's life's for the worse. For some reason it filled her up with glee.
"She's a changed person. Especially after her mother died, she has turned a new leaf." Flotsam says.
"At least meet with her." Jetsam says and his twin agrees with him.
Ariel goes inside the building against her better judgement.