Spot stood on the dock watching Duchess walk away toward the lodging house
with Bluejay. Every muscle in his body was clenched in anger, and the
newsies were starting to give him nervous looks. He realized this and
forced himself to relax. Taking a deep breath he forced his usual smirk to
his face. "Hey, what're you gawping at?" he asked in a show of good
nature, "We got papes to sell!" The newsies readily accepted his return to
normal, not realizing that inside he was still furious. Since he had
become leader of Brooklyn a year ago, very few people had tried to soak
him. None of them had been girls, and none of them had succeeded. He felt
it was tremendously generous of him to give the little upstart any chance
to stay at all.
Duchess, as she entered the lodging house, was thinking much the same thing. She knew she had made a serious tactical error by humbling her new leader on their first meeting, but he had called her leadership abilities into question. That was something no one ever did twice. She supposed she should break the habits she had developed to remain a leader for so long, but it wasn't exactly an overnight process, and just the day before she had been a respected leader. She considered Spot's challenge. It was difficult to be sure. Next to impossible, but not actually impossible. She'd have to do some careful pre-planning tonight, but she felt sure she could rise to the occasion. She was pulled from her thoughts, as Bluejay led her into the lodging house. "Duchess, I want you to meet everybody," he said, indicating the group of newsies that had not followed Spot. There were five girls in the room and six boys. Obviously most of the newsies were out selling papers at this time of day, but these few had apparently remained to meet the newest addition. The actual ratio of girls to boys was not represented either, as the guys felt more strongly about supporting Spot in his wounded pride than the girls did. Pointing to the guys, Bluejay began to introduce them. The boy with wet brown hair was Splash, who swam like a fish, apparently. The black boy who greeted her with a comfortingly familiar southern accent was Blues. Two boys with light brown hair and muddy hazel eyes were called Brains and Brawn. They would have been identical except that Brawn was slim and intelligent looking, while Brains was buff and vacant looking. Duchess rather thought they had gotten the names mixed up, but didn't remark on it. A tall boy, who didn't smile when he greeted her, and continued to not smile throughout the whole of the introductions, was Funny. A tall blonde haired boy was identified as Bell, "because he talked on a telephone once." A smaller black haired boy of about fifteen, with clear green eyes, was called Secrets. "We don't know nothing about him, but he knows everybody else's secrets," Bluejay confided. The last boy, who barely lifted his nose from a book of poetry to greet her, was Shakespeare. By way of greeting he said to her, "Good morrow fair Duchess. Our meeting is truly fortuitous." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Right . . . " Bluejay laughed, "Don't pay any attention to Shakespeare. Nobody but Books can make any sense outta half of what he says, but he's one heck of a newsie." The last guy was called Bell, "cause he talked on a telephone once," explained Bluejay. "Well, we gotta sell our papes," he said, "I'll leave the girls to introduce themselves." With that, he and the eight other guys trooped out of the room, hardly a word having been exchanged between them and the newest addition. Talkative bunch, Duchess mused sarcastically. Then she turned to face the five girls who'd been observing the introductions. She was much more worried about the reception the girls would give her. Guys tended to be pretty laid back and go with the flow, whereas girls formed very definite initial opinions. The oldest of the group, a girl with straight mousy brown hair, and striking eyes who looked about fifteen, approached her. "I'm Books," she said, extending her hand. Duchess shook with her. "I'm Duchess," she replied, smiling uncertainly. "Well, you certainly have an interesting way of greeting your new leader," Books said. Duchess blushed. "I didn't really mean for that to happen. I've got a bit of a temper, and nobody questions my leadership abilities." A girl with strawberry blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a half eaten licorice stick, giggled. "You sound just like Spot. I'm Candy by the way." Duchess shook with her as well. The other three girls took this as their cue to introduce themselves. The thirteen- year-old girl who looked eleven was Matches. She had curly chestnut hair and warm brown eyes. Her comment to Duchess was, "You're not thinking of challenging Spot for leadership are you?" Duchess shook her head emphatically. "No, I'm done with that." The girl with wavy light brown hair and grey eyes was called Pockets, "because I make a little extra profit from the customers pockets!" The last girl was a cute blonde of about fifteen, with slightly violet blue eyes. "I'm Emma," she said. "Don't you have a nickname?" Duchess inquired in a friendly tone. "That is my nickname." Emma explained that Books had named her after a character in a novel by Jane Austen. Duchess eyes lit up. "Oh, my mother used to read me Pride and Prejudice!" she exclaimed, remembering how her mother had wanted to expose her to western culture. Emma smiled. Most people's remark upon receiving that information was "Jane, who?"
"So, Duchess, it's too bad you won't be able to stay after tomorrow," said Matches. Duchess turned to her in surprise. "And why wouldn't I be able to stay?" she asked. "Well, nobody can sell a hundred papes in an hour."
"I can."
"So," Candy broke in brightly, "How about a game of poker? Do you play Duchess?" Duchess nodded her head enthusiastically, and the girls broke out the cards and started to play.
Hours later, when the guys returned, the game was still going on, and going very much in Duchess' favor. As Spot walked in the door, Duchess finished cleaning everybody out, and scraped the big pile of coins into her bag. "Hey, Spot!" Books said, "You should see Duchess play poker! The girls got skills." Spot gave a disgruntled snort. "The only skills of hers I care about are her pape selling skills, unless she wants to show me something more useful in my room," he said, smirking as he offered the suggestion. Duchess coolly looked him up and down. "In your dreams Casanova," she said, matching his smirk. Spot huffed up the stairs to his private room, clearly annoyed. This time Duchess didn't feel any guilt over annoying the cocky Brooklyn leader. It was his own fault for suggesting such a thing. "Well girls, it's been a pleasure relieving you of your money, but I have a challenge ahead of me tomorrow, and I need my rest," she remarked, getting up from the table. Books, and the others got up too, showing Duchess the way to the girls bunkroom. Once there, they let their anger at Spot show. He was a lady's man to be sure, but he usually wasn't vulgar, and didn't objectify girls. "I can't believe I'm related to that creep!" Books exclaimed. Duchess did a double take. "You're related to Spot?" Books looked surprised. "Sure, we're twins, didn't I mention it?" Duchess burst out laughing, and shook her head. Books looked chagrined. "Oops. Well anyway, it's not like I'm proud of it when he acts like that. You show him tomorrow, Duchess"
"Don't worry, I will"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN: Well, my author's notes at the beginnings of chapters have been singularly unsuccessful at getting reviews, so I decided to try the end. I feel I should say something at this point in the story, even though you've probably already noticed. Duchess is a Mary Sue. I admit this freely, but I also think she's a well developed character with a story. I just felt I should say, that's what she is. If you didn't notice that, you might want to have your powers of observations checked ;) Thanks to everybody for your reviews. Thanks especially to Half-Pint and Lyric to helping to inspire me :) Thanks also, to Killersabinx for taking the time to write a *long* review :) Umm . . . I may revise this chapter later, but It's been forever since I posted, and I really needed to just post it. Now, go push the little purple button. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!!! PUSH THE BUTTON! I'M NOT ENTIRELY STABLE, SO IF YOU DON"T DO WHAT I SAY WHO KNOWS WHAT I MIGHT DO!!!!!
Duchess, as she entered the lodging house, was thinking much the same thing. She knew she had made a serious tactical error by humbling her new leader on their first meeting, but he had called her leadership abilities into question. That was something no one ever did twice. She supposed she should break the habits she had developed to remain a leader for so long, but it wasn't exactly an overnight process, and just the day before she had been a respected leader. She considered Spot's challenge. It was difficult to be sure. Next to impossible, but not actually impossible. She'd have to do some careful pre-planning tonight, but she felt sure she could rise to the occasion. She was pulled from her thoughts, as Bluejay led her into the lodging house. "Duchess, I want you to meet everybody," he said, indicating the group of newsies that had not followed Spot. There were five girls in the room and six boys. Obviously most of the newsies were out selling papers at this time of day, but these few had apparently remained to meet the newest addition. The actual ratio of girls to boys was not represented either, as the guys felt more strongly about supporting Spot in his wounded pride than the girls did. Pointing to the guys, Bluejay began to introduce them. The boy with wet brown hair was Splash, who swam like a fish, apparently. The black boy who greeted her with a comfortingly familiar southern accent was Blues. Two boys with light brown hair and muddy hazel eyes were called Brains and Brawn. They would have been identical except that Brawn was slim and intelligent looking, while Brains was buff and vacant looking. Duchess rather thought they had gotten the names mixed up, but didn't remark on it. A tall boy, who didn't smile when he greeted her, and continued to not smile throughout the whole of the introductions, was Funny. A tall blonde haired boy was identified as Bell, "because he talked on a telephone once." A smaller black haired boy of about fifteen, with clear green eyes, was called Secrets. "We don't know nothing about him, but he knows everybody else's secrets," Bluejay confided. The last boy, who barely lifted his nose from a book of poetry to greet her, was Shakespeare. By way of greeting he said to her, "Good morrow fair Duchess. Our meeting is truly fortuitous." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Right . . . " Bluejay laughed, "Don't pay any attention to Shakespeare. Nobody but Books can make any sense outta half of what he says, but he's one heck of a newsie." The last guy was called Bell, "cause he talked on a telephone once," explained Bluejay. "Well, we gotta sell our papes," he said, "I'll leave the girls to introduce themselves." With that, he and the eight other guys trooped out of the room, hardly a word having been exchanged between them and the newest addition. Talkative bunch, Duchess mused sarcastically. Then she turned to face the five girls who'd been observing the introductions. She was much more worried about the reception the girls would give her. Guys tended to be pretty laid back and go with the flow, whereas girls formed very definite initial opinions. The oldest of the group, a girl with straight mousy brown hair, and striking eyes who looked about fifteen, approached her. "I'm Books," she said, extending her hand. Duchess shook with her. "I'm Duchess," she replied, smiling uncertainly. "Well, you certainly have an interesting way of greeting your new leader," Books said. Duchess blushed. "I didn't really mean for that to happen. I've got a bit of a temper, and nobody questions my leadership abilities." A girl with strawberry blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a half eaten licorice stick, giggled. "You sound just like Spot. I'm Candy by the way." Duchess shook with her as well. The other three girls took this as their cue to introduce themselves. The thirteen- year-old girl who looked eleven was Matches. She had curly chestnut hair and warm brown eyes. Her comment to Duchess was, "You're not thinking of challenging Spot for leadership are you?" Duchess shook her head emphatically. "No, I'm done with that." The girl with wavy light brown hair and grey eyes was called Pockets, "because I make a little extra profit from the customers pockets!" The last girl was a cute blonde of about fifteen, with slightly violet blue eyes. "I'm Emma," she said. "Don't you have a nickname?" Duchess inquired in a friendly tone. "That is my nickname." Emma explained that Books had named her after a character in a novel by Jane Austen. Duchess eyes lit up. "Oh, my mother used to read me Pride and Prejudice!" she exclaimed, remembering how her mother had wanted to expose her to western culture. Emma smiled. Most people's remark upon receiving that information was "Jane, who?"
"So, Duchess, it's too bad you won't be able to stay after tomorrow," said Matches. Duchess turned to her in surprise. "And why wouldn't I be able to stay?" she asked. "Well, nobody can sell a hundred papes in an hour."
"I can."
"So," Candy broke in brightly, "How about a game of poker? Do you play Duchess?" Duchess nodded her head enthusiastically, and the girls broke out the cards and started to play.
Hours later, when the guys returned, the game was still going on, and going very much in Duchess' favor. As Spot walked in the door, Duchess finished cleaning everybody out, and scraped the big pile of coins into her bag. "Hey, Spot!" Books said, "You should see Duchess play poker! The girls got skills." Spot gave a disgruntled snort. "The only skills of hers I care about are her pape selling skills, unless she wants to show me something more useful in my room," he said, smirking as he offered the suggestion. Duchess coolly looked him up and down. "In your dreams Casanova," she said, matching his smirk. Spot huffed up the stairs to his private room, clearly annoyed. This time Duchess didn't feel any guilt over annoying the cocky Brooklyn leader. It was his own fault for suggesting such a thing. "Well girls, it's been a pleasure relieving you of your money, but I have a challenge ahead of me tomorrow, and I need my rest," she remarked, getting up from the table. Books, and the others got up too, showing Duchess the way to the girls bunkroom. Once there, they let their anger at Spot show. He was a lady's man to be sure, but he usually wasn't vulgar, and didn't objectify girls. "I can't believe I'm related to that creep!" Books exclaimed. Duchess did a double take. "You're related to Spot?" Books looked surprised. "Sure, we're twins, didn't I mention it?" Duchess burst out laughing, and shook her head. Books looked chagrined. "Oops. Well anyway, it's not like I'm proud of it when he acts like that. You show him tomorrow, Duchess"
"Don't worry, I will"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN: Well, my author's notes at the beginnings of chapters have been singularly unsuccessful at getting reviews, so I decided to try the end. I feel I should say something at this point in the story, even though you've probably already noticed. Duchess is a Mary Sue. I admit this freely, but I also think she's a well developed character with a story. I just felt I should say, that's what she is. If you didn't notice that, you might want to have your powers of observations checked ;) Thanks to everybody for your reviews. Thanks especially to Half-Pint and Lyric to helping to inspire me :) Thanks also, to Killersabinx for taking the time to write a *long* review :) Umm . . . I may revise this chapter later, but It's been forever since I posted, and I really needed to just post it. Now, go push the little purple button. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!!! PUSH THE BUTTON! I'M NOT ENTIRELY STABLE, SO IF YOU DON"T DO WHAT I SAY WHO KNOWS WHAT I MIGHT DO!!!!!