3rd Person Perspective

Owl, Gypsy, and Pearl strolled on the streets of Manhattan. They had no clue where they were, where they were going, or anything.

Everyone else had disappeared, but the trio was only looking for Cone. The so-called leader ((because she got everyone there)) was no where to be found. Gypsy sat down on a curb frustrated, and started yapping like a puppy.

"We're never going to find Cone or anyone else from the list. It's like they disappeared. And, we can't find any newsie either to help us" she said, pouting.

Pearl sat down next to her, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find everyone. There just around here somewhere."

Owl snorted. "I can't believe they dropped us like a newborn giraffe. Ker-plop!" She, too, sat down on the curb, folding her arms. They were all quiet for a while till Owl got an idea, "Hey! You guys maybe we should ask for directions."

Pearl and Gypsy looked at her. "To where though?" they both asked.

Owl shrugged. "This is the movie set right?" They shook their heads. "Then, lets ask someone where Irving Hall is!"

"Good idea" Gypsy said.

Pearl nodded. "We can visit Medda."

"Yeah, now lets….." Owl cut off short when she saw the strangest sight, but it really wasn't that strange to her. She pointed across the street. "Isn't that a penguin?"

Gypsy and Pearl peered over there. They saw a police officer dragging a helpless looking penguin.

"That's not a penguin! That's Cone's pinkguin!" Pearl shouted, standing up. Owl and Gypsy stood up as well.

"He looks so sad. Maybe we should help him" Gypsy suggested, seeing the pitiful face Pinkguin was giving.

"C'mon, girls" Owl said, leading them over to the police officer. They stepped in front of him gallantly, and the officer came to a halt.

"Get out of my way, hoodlums!" he ordered, giving them an evil eye.

Owl stood her ground and crossed her arms. "I don't think so. Not until you let that pinkguin go."

The officer was getting angry with these kids. Who did they think they were? He thought. "If you don't move, I'll have to bring you in too."

"We're not leaving without that pinkguin," Owl pointed to Pinkguin, who was looking a little more hopeful now.

"That's it! I've had it!" The police officer was fixing to strike at the girls with his club when a boy ran up and caught the officer's arm in mid air.

"Get outta heah!" he shouted, trying his best to hold the bigger man down. The officer let go of Pinkguin. Pearl and Gypsy helped him get away while Owl stayed there to help this boy who she finally recognized as Pie Eater.

"Didn't I tell ya ta get outta heah!" he yelled at her. Owl just shrugged, than walked around the officer - oh so calmly - and kicked him in the back of the knee. The officer fell to the ground. Owl grinned at Pie, who was shaking his head.

"Well, aren't you comin'?" she asked him, ready to run off.

Pie Eater snapped back into reality, and ran off with Owl to the alleyway where Pearl, Gypsy, and Pinkguin were. They all leaned against the building, resting. Pie Eater looked over all who was present. He saw three girls and - a penguin? He shock his head - Ise seen strange, but not dat strange.

"Thanks for saving us, Pie" Owl said, slapping him on the back.

Pie looked at her dazed, and cocked his head. "How do ya know me name?"

Pearl and Gypsy throw Owl a look. She cringed. "Uh……I heard of ya." It sounded more like a question than a statement though.

Pie Eater just cocked his head, and wore an awkward expression. "Okay."

"Um…Pie…" Pearl said. "Can you show us to the Newsboys Lodging House, or Irving Hall, or someplace where we can find newsies?"

Pie thought it out for a moment - should I help them or not? He came to a conclusion that they must be new in town and working for some kind of circus. "Yeah, sure, why not? Follow me." He started walking off down the alleyway with the girls and Pinkguin following.

"Hey, thanks a lot, Pie!" Owl exclaimed, slapping him on the back again. He grimaced and shrugged it off. "Me names Owl, and this is Pearl, Gypsy, and Pinkguin."

"Pinkguin?" Pie asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, he belongs to…." Owl scratched her head. "…a friend a ours."

"Which we just happen to be looking for" Gypsy included, stepping up to the side of Pie.

Pearl did the same. "Yeah, she might be with Mush."

"Ya know Mush?" Pie asked, curious about who in the world these girls were.

"Uh……" Pearl stuttered. "We only know him through our friend."

Pie smiled. "Oh, all right." He suddenly stopped, and glanced up. "Here is da lodgin' house."

Cone's perspective

Me and Mush walked in silence for a while through Central Park. I noticed he keep glancing over at me, and every time he'd do that, I'd have to keep my giggles inside. But, he noticed my huge grin and said, "Why ya grinnin' so much?"

I just stared at him. "Uh…no reason. Can't I be happy for no reason?"

Mush shrugged. "Yeah, the guys say I'm happy all the time for no reason too."

"Whoa! That's weird!" I exclaimed, sounding like an idiot. Mush laughed. I didn't care though. I laughed right along with him.

We walked for a little while till Mush stopped near a bush. He stood there, staring at it. I was a little confused. "What's up?" I asked him.

He turned to me and took my hand. "This is where we first meet." ((What can I say? It was love at first sight!))

"Really?" I asked, surprised. "You can remember that?"

"Sure I can! You're just so…so…" Mush stopped, staring straight into my eyes. I was absolutely frozen. I don't remember what was going through my mind, because it shut down when he started bending down to kiss me.

"Hey Cone!" I heard someone yell my name. I slumped as Mush pulled away. I was an inch from kissing him!!!

"Drat!" I muttered, under my breath. I looked to see who I was fixing to kill. It was Clink and Shaker. "Perfect timing, Clinker!" I looked at her with a deadly expression.

Clink smirked and said, "Your welcome! What's up?"

I shrugged. "Nothing. Just stuff." I gestured a little at Mush, and Clink shook her head.

"So."

I was about to strangle her. "Have ya seen anyone else?" I asked.

"No. You?"

"No. It's like they all just disappeared." Well, actually they did disappear into the city of New York. "Where ya headed too?"

Shaker spoke up. "Wese lookin' fer Jake. Have youse two seen him?" Me and Mush shook our heads no.

"Oh! Shakes told me there's a zoo here. Well, I knew that already, but you know what I'm talking about Cone?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Gonna see the dingoes?"

"Uh huh!" Clink replied quickly, very excited. "That's why we're looking for Jake. He has to come with us!"

"Well, good luck findin' 'im" Mush said, taking my hand. "Wese goin' ta get something to eat. You two don't wanna come 'er anything?"

I know Mush was asking it just to be nice b/c he's such a nice person, but I was hoping he wouldn't ask that. I shook my head 'no', staring at Clink. She got the messege. "Uh…no. We'll see you two later."

"Bye youse two" Shaker said, as he was dragged off by Clink.

We watched them walk off, and Mush turned to me. "Ya ready to go?"

"Sure" I replied.

Just as me and Mush were walking off in what I assumed was the direction to Tibbys, we heard someone yell Mush's name.

"Heya Blink!" Mush shouted, when he saw his friend.

I looked as well, and saw me cuz with him. "Heya Kelly! I mean, Damsel."

"Hi Nina, I mean, Cone. What's up?" Damsel asked, as her and Blink walked up to us together.

"We're just goin' to get something to eat" I replied, shrugging. "Wow! We both found goils today" Blink remarked. "Dis strike thing is givin' us some well earned luck, huh Mush?" Him and Mush playfully punched each other. Me and Damsel just watched at how cute they looked, but got bored when they wouldn't stop.

I turned back to me cuz. "So, what have you and Blink been doing?" I asked, with a smirked.

Damsel blushed. "Nothing. Just walking and talking and that's all."

"Y'know, we should teach the guys the Topsy Turvy dance we made up. Mush could do flips and stuff and Blink can just be his spastic self."

"That would be SO cool! We should do that! Oh, and we could perform it at Medda's!" Damsel's face lit up.

"Great idea, Kell!"

"But wait, how will we do it with no music?"

I patted her on the shoulder. "Leave that up to me."

We turned our attention back to the boys. Their play fighting was coming to an end. They noticed we were staring, and joined us back at our sides.

"Ya ready to go, Cone?" Mush asked, slipping his hand in mine again.

I smiled. "Of course."

"Listen Mush, me and Damsel will catch up wit youse two, K?" Blink said, glancing at Damsel with his cute smile.

"Okay" Mush replied. "Bye."

"Bye, Blink. Bye, Kell." I waved.

"See ya later!" Damsel shouted, as they strolled away.

Me and Mush started walking again. I sighed out loud and received a glance from him. "I wonder who we're going to run into next?" I asked, sarcastically.

I should of keep my mouth shut, b/c just then, we heard someone call our names. I stomped, frustrated. Mush frowned, letting go of my hand, and turning to see who it was. I immediately wrapped myself around his arm. I was getting very tired of the interruptions. If I couldn't be alone with him, I was determined to at least hang onto him.

"Coneflower, dahling, there you are!" I saw Piper walk up with Snoddy. "Mushie-poo, you're here too!"

"Hey Piper" I said, not as enthrusiacstic as I always am.

"Snoddy-cakes, here, has been such a doll and showed me around Manhattan."

"Really! Me and Mush haven't gotten that far. We keep running into peeps we know." I think I was sounding a little angry at that time. For all that time no one showed up, everyone we knew was popping out of the woodworks! I noticed Mush was getting a little antsy as well.

"What have youse two been doin' all day?" Snoddy asked.

I cringed, and bit my tongue from what I wanted to say. "Just walking around with no privacy, and running into peeps we know."

"We was just goin' ta get something ta eat" Mush added.

"We'll join you!" Piper exclaimed.

I slumped. I don't think she was getting the hint. I glanced over at Snoddy. He seemed kinda down about joining our little convoy. I thought really hard for a moment. I thought so hard it was hurting my brain until I got an idea. A light bulb appeared above my head. I switched it off as fast as I could without anyone noticing. HOY! I should of never ordered that 'show your thoughts' thing.

Snoddy turned to Piper, stiffly. "Uh….Piper-dear?"

"Yeah, Snoddy-cakes."

"Uh…we just ate" he said, scratching the back of his head.

Piper cringed. "Meow….forgot. Okay, we'll see you two later." Piper walked off blowing kisses to us. "I love you. I love you." She shouted as Snoddy drug her away.

I turned to Mush, and smirked sarcastically. "Geez, if we went and hide in the North Pole, someone would still find us!" Mush stared at me listlessly. I don't think he understood, but who cares?! I grabbed his hand, and stalked off once again.

We finally made it to Tibbys. I peered in the window to see if anyone we knew was in there. "Coast is clear!" I yelled at Mush, who was somewhere - I don't remember. He ran up to me and opened the door. Awww….such a gentlemen. We took a table in the corner. I didn't want anyone to find us.

"Yay!" I screamed, sitting down - throwing my hands up in the air. "We made it here without anyone finding us!"

Mush grinned. "Yep! We was lucky, I guess."

I pulled him from his seat, and did a happy dance with him. The dancing waiter, Wally, joined in snapping his fingers and getting everyone else into it. But, sadly, our happy dance came to an end. Our stomachs were protesting to go on strike if we didn't feed 'em. So, Mush ordered for us. Our food came in a split second, and we ate just as fast.

I glanced over at Mush after taking the last bite of my hot dog. He was smiling at me. "Why the heck are you looking at me?" Why I asked that, I have no idea. It was a good thing for him to stare at me!

"No, reason" he replied. "Just this." Mush leaned over and wiped some mustard off my chin with a napkin. I blushed when I realized it. "Ya coulda attracted animals wit dat."

I giggled stupidly. It really wasn't funny, but being with Mush was giving me giggle fits. It wasn't good that I get giggle fits. I can't get rid of them. I noticed Mush was leaning closer to me. This was it - the big moment! I was going to kiss him! Well, the moment didn't happen. I spotted ((no puns attached ;)) someone who I particularly didn't like outside the window 'cause I was facin' the window. Mush stopped to see what I was looking at.

"Oh, look! There's Jake!" Mush told me, even though I already knew that. But, it wasn't Jake I was looking at. It was his companion - CoRny! Grrrrrr……

"See that girl?" I asked, pointing to her. Mush shook his head. "That's my evil twin, CoRny. She use to be in an institute, but she must have escaped."

"Is she a threat ta Jake 'er something?"

"You bet she is!" I belted out. "C'mon, we have to get Jake away from her." I grabbed Mush's hand again and took off outside where I stood face to face with CoRny. She throw me an evil grin. Jake was just stand there innocently - looking like the cuddling teddy bear he was. Mush was very…….confused. I was fixing to open my mouth when our little stand off was interrupted.

"Jake!" screamed Clink, running up to Jake and latching onto him. "We finally found ya!"

Jake tried to breathe. "Uh…do I know you?"

Shaker smiled. "No, but ya will."

Clink finally let go of him. "C'mon, we're goin' to the zoo!"

We watched as she loaded up on some pixi sticks and surge, and dragged Shaker and Jake away. I couldn't help but laugh. The startled expression on Jake's face was a classic! But, when I turned back around, CoRny was gone!

"Drat!" I growled, snapping my finger. "She's gone again."

Mush frowned. "Oh, well…maybe you'll see her later."

"Oh, I know I will! She's be lurking around. Just like on the list. At least we got Jake away from her evil clutches."

"Uh…okay." Mush stood there - pockets in hand - listening to me ramble. It was something I did offend. We walked to the lodging house in quiet. I was getting tired and I think Mush was too. The grip of his hand wasn't as tight as usual. Plus, it was getting dark out. He opened the door to the lodging house for me, and we walked in. The first thing I saw was Pinkguin. I winced then looked at the other surroundings. I saw

Owl, Pearl, and Gypsy sitting on Kloppman's desk with Pie Eater leaning against it. I could hear Kloppman grumbling something behind them. They must of told him that almost two dozen girls would be staying there. Good thing they had a second bunk room. *whispers* Mush kinda through that in on the way there.

"Heya guys…what's up?" I really didn't want to know, but I had too.