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Blue and Spot both made sure to avoid Manhattan. Spot was set against seeing Bright Eyes as was Blue. But what they didn't count on was Bright Eyes coming to THEM. One evening Blue came back to the Lodging House to a surprising scene. All the boys were in the 'parlor' surrounding Spot and talking earnestly. When Spot saw her, he waved the boys away and they left. He shuffled up to her and looked at the floor a moment, composing himself before speaking to her. "Blue, Bright came ta me dis aftanoon." A burning flame crept into her cheeks and her eyes slanted. "What?" She whispered. "She wanted me ta help her. I told her I would. Not very much Blue! Jest enough." He said quickly as her mouth dropped open. "You said you'd help her? HER?" She said in disbelief.
"I don't like dat tone yer usin' Blue! I kin do whateva I darn well please, an' I ain't 'bout ta let ya boss me on dat." He said firmly as Blue sank into a chair. "Yer helpin' her. Dis is unbelievable." She murmured. "Yer helpin' too." Spot said. Blue's head shot up and she jumped to her feet. "Oh no I ain't! You kin be soft an' help her but I ain't about ta!" She yelled. Spot pushed her against the wall quickly. "Look here. I ain't soft. We discussed dis. We've discussed dis thousands of times." He said angrily. "An' all those thousands of times of tawkin' 'bout it don't change da truth of da matta." She responded cooly. He released her and walked away. "She's woikin' fer Pulitza as a joinalest of some sort. She wants us an' da Manhattan boys ta pose a fight at da Distribution Office. Yer comin'." Spot said matter-of-factly. Blue rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't give me dat Blue. Yer doin' it. Dats all I'm gonna say on da subject." Spot said firmly as he walked away. "One good ting came outta it though." He said, turning around. Blue looked up at him. "Fish ain't dead." He said with a smile.
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The day after the fight, Blue leaned over the broken mirror and touched her eye gently. It was slightly black, but not bad. "Stupid Mush had ta git slap-happy did he? Oh well I'll show him what I'm like when I git slap-happy." She muttered as she touched it gently. She finally stood up and walked outside into the street and sat down on the steps. After a few moments, Spot walked past her, but seeing her on the steps he backtracked and stood in front of her. She looked up at him expectantly. Blue had never really forgiven Spot for helping Bright Eyes. In a sense he had betrayed her. It was him who had imprinted in her mind that Bright Eyes was worthless and should never be helped, and here he was doing the exact opposite of his words. It aggravated her terribly and the two hadn't been on great terms since.
"I'm goin' ta Manhattan. Ya wanna come?" He asked tentatively. She shook her head. His forehead furrowed. "Come anyway. Brooklyn says." He said, pulling her up. She shrugged and shuffled beside him, basically ignoring him. "Look, ya gotta tawk sometime. I know yer mad 'bout Bright Eyes. But ya jest gotta git ova it. I'm only doin' it fer Jacky boy. He wanted me ta." He interjected. Blue shrugged again. "I gave Jacky Brooklyn." He said. Blue looked at him in surprise then looked away. "I ain't gonna be surprised at nothin' no more Conlon." She muttered. "Look it ain't dat bad is it? I mean come on. I'm jest helpin' Cowboy." He protested. "No Conlon, yer helpin' Bright. He wants ya ta help Bright and ya are. Even afta all dose lessons ya tol' me, 'neva trust Bright Eyes', 'don't help Bright Eyes'. What am I supposed ta do Conlon? You went back on yer woid. Does dat mean I cain't trust Brooklyn no more?" She asked. Spot stared ahead. "If dats what ya gotta do Blue." He murmured as they crossed into Manhattan.
He stopped in front of the Lodging House door and looked down at her. "You sure ya ain't gonna come? It could git ugly." He prompted with a smile. She shook her head. "Go ahead an' have fun by yerself Conlon. I'll be here." She said, sitting down on the steps. Spot looked at her a moment more before walking into the Lodging House. A while later, she heard the happy chatter of Racetrack and another voice. A feminine voice. She ran and ducked behind the staircase as Bright Eyes and Racetrack came outside. "So Blue's been livin' in Brooklyn huh?" She heard Bright Eyes ask. "Yeah. Likes it too I reckon. She left 'bout da time when you left." Racetrack replied. "I'd love ta see her." Bright Eyes said reminicently. Blue scoffed as she watched them leave. "I dunno Bright. She's different dan she used ta be." Bright Eyes frowned. "Whaddya mean?" She asked. "Well, she' pretty much da way Spot is. Now I mean." He said. The look on Bright Eyes' face almost affected Blue, but she pushed the emotion away fiercely.
She stood up and looked at the door and Spot came out, an angry look on his face, a dismayed Red trailing behind him. "C'mon Blue. We're leavin'." He muttered, walking away towards Brooklyn. "What happened?" She whispered to Red. Red shook his head. "Dey was both goin' fer each udda's necks. Both of 'em. Slingshots an' everytin'. If me an' Race hadn't broken 'em up, well. I dunno what dey woulda done ta each udda." Red murmured. Blue raised her head to look at Spot, his determined stride taking him back home. She smiled slightly. So he hadn't changed. He still felt the same even though he had given Brooklyn as help to Manhattan. He hadn't broken his promise after all. And Blue knew that even though the two were united, he could break that unity with a simple word.
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"Heya Windy! How's it rollin'?" Blue asked as the boy approached. He grinned and threw his papes to the ground. "Good! How are ya Blue? Haven't seen much of ya lately." Blue grinned. "Dats 'cause ya've been in Manhattan every time I comes looking fer ya!" She laughed. Windy smiled and scratched his head. "Yeah I guess so. Actually dats kinda what I wanted ta tawk ta ya 'bout. Manhattan I mean. Bright wanted me ta spread da woid dat she wants us ta go to da Manhattan Lodgin' House tenight." Windy said. At the mention of Bright Eyes' name, Blue sucked in her breath. "Why?" She asked. Windy shrugged. "Dunno, but it's impointant I'll tell ya dat. I jest came from tellin' Spot." Windy said. "What did he say?" Blue asked. "Dat he'd be dere. You AN' him." Blue rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. "Okay Windy. If Brooklyn says we'll be dere dan we'll be dere." Windy grinned and spit-shook with her before running off. Blue sighed and yelled out the headlines, less energetically than before.
A while later she was shuffling alongside Spot Conlon, kicking all the available rocks that fell into her path. Spot was sober and quiet. "Good grief Blue! Kin ya stop kickin' da rocks! I'm already jumpy enough as it is!" He said suddenly. Blue shrugged and stopped kicking the rocks. "What's wit' you Blue? Alla sudden yer all, 'I cain't tawk no more'. I ain't been able ta tell ya what I tink of da goin's on in Brooklyn in fereva!" He said angrily. "Yeah well dats yer problem. Ya coulda said it." She remarked cooly. "Now don't go an' try ta make me da bad guy! I cain't tawk ta somebody if dey ain't gonna tawk back! Dats kinda what makes a conversation Miss Blue!" Spot said angrily. Blue shrugged. "Seein' Bright ain't high on my priorities Mista Spot. So fergive me if I'm a little quiet." She snapped. Spot shook his head and didn't say anymore.
They entered the Manhattan Lodging together, side by side, Blue's face unmistakably cool. She saw Bright Eyes out of the corner of her eye as she walked in, quickly she moved to Spot's other side and ignored her. Bright Eyes saw the action and her face became slightly pained. But she turned away, turned back from them and stood in front of the company. Then she told them everything. The reason for her unexpected leaving, the secrets behind the botched Newsboys Strike Reunion. Blue sat in her chair in shock, her hands clenching and unclenching. Spot had done more tonight for Bright Eyes than he had said he would. He had stopped the Newsboys for mobbing her after she told them that she was responsible for all the chaos, he had made them continue to listen to her plan and then had said that he would help. She watched him and Bright Eyes speaking and she saw his face, cool and composed, but she didn't care anymore. He could help Bright Eyes. But if he was going to, he was going to lose her. She stood up with a sigh, fed up with Spot and the world, when a strong hand grabbed her by the shoulder and whirled her around. She threw the hand off her shoulder and stopped as she saw the face. A brown eyepatch caught her eyes and she relaxed her fists.
"Heya Blink." She muttered. Kid Blink stared at her for a time. "So you've been wit' Brooklyn dis whole time?" He asked softly. She shrugged. "So? I'm fine. I tol' Race ta tell ya's not ta worry." She muttered. "Yeah, but I did worry! I mean, I ain't seen ya fereva! Ya jest up an' left!" He said in disbelief. "Oh yeah! Well dats jest 'bout da same as what you did ta me when I was a kid! You up an' left as you say, leavin' me alone wit' Mama, who could barely take care of herself, let alone her liddle kid! You said, 'oh yeah, I'll come back'. An' ya neva did! Neva! So don't get all offensive 'cause I'm followin' in yer footsteps." She said angrily, storming out the door. Bright Eyes watched her, her hands folded across her chest, a sad expression on her face. Spot looked at Bright Eyes a moment, then followed Blue out the door.
When he got outside, he saw Blue leaning up against the wall of the Lodging House smoking furiously, blowing the smoke in the air with harsh breaths. He lit his own cigarette, and calmly blew the smoke in the air. Finally Blue erupted, just as Spot had planned. "Would ya git outta here Conlon! I don't wanna tawk ta anyone! 'Specially you! Ya traita!" She burst out. To her surprise, Spot didn't counterattack her insult, merely glanced at her and puffed on his cigarette. She glared at him and threw her cigarette to the ground. "Well whaddya want?" She asked angrily. Spot looked at her casually. "Nothin'. I'm jest smokin' a cigarette." He said calmly. "No yer not. You want sometin'. What?" She asked suspiciously.
Spot shrugged. "Lets stawt wit' why ya called me a traita." He said smoothly, crushing his cigarette under his heel. Blue stared at him. "Well, you, you is helpin' Bright an', I dunno! Ya jest are!" She said, turning away from him. Spot watched her. "Well lemme tell ya sometin' Blue. Bright jest confessed. Ya heaid her wit' yer own ears right?" Blue didn't turn around, but simply shrugged. "Well, I gotta do tings dats in da best interest of me peoples. An' me boys wanna help Bright. So dats what we's gonna do. I ain't offered her me friendship." He explained. "Might as well have." Blue muttered. Spot stared at her and finally turned her around gently. "Listen Blue, afta dis here ting Bright wants us ta do, I'll leave her alone. I'll neva speak ta her again if'n ya don't want me to. Okay?" Blue laughed scornfully. "Yeah right! Afta all dis is ova, you'll fergive her an' you'll be da best o'buddies. I know how you are Spot Conlon." Spot stared at her before releasing her shoulders.
"Why cain't you fergive her?" He asked quietly. Blue scoffed. "Why cain't I fergive her?" Hmm, maybe because you pounded it in me head dat I shouldn't! How's dat fer an answa!?" She spat out. To her surprise, Spot looked away. "Yeah I did, didn't I?" He murmured. "What's wit' you Conlon? You've changed. You ain't da same guy dat I met." Blue said. Spot turned around to face her. "Meybe I ain't. I cain't not fergive her Blue. I once tought dat I neva would, but she an' I go way back. She was da only one I had fer a while." Blue laughed. "Da onliest one ya had. Dats rich. I'll help Bright, but afta dat I'm leavin'. I cain't stay wit' you no more. An' plus, ya jest proved a theory dat I've been tryin' ta git inta yer thick skull fereva an' here Bright helps me out fer once. You, are, SOFT." She spat out, whirling around and running off towards Brooklyn. Spot leaned up against the wall and stared out into the dark night, contemplating her words, and knowing that they were true.
Blue and Spot both made sure to avoid Manhattan. Spot was set against seeing Bright Eyes as was Blue. But what they didn't count on was Bright Eyes coming to THEM. One evening Blue came back to the Lodging House to a surprising scene. All the boys were in the 'parlor' surrounding Spot and talking earnestly. When Spot saw her, he waved the boys away and they left. He shuffled up to her and looked at the floor a moment, composing himself before speaking to her. "Blue, Bright came ta me dis aftanoon." A burning flame crept into her cheeks and her eyes slanted. "What?" She whispered. "She wanted me ta help her. I told her I would. Not very much Blue! Jest enough." He said quickly as her mouth dropped open. "You said you'd help her? HER?" She said in disbelief.
"I don't like dat tone yer usin' Blue! I kin do whateva I darn well please, an' I ain't 'bout ta let ya boss me on dat." He said firmly as Blue sank into a chair. "Yer helpin' her. Dis is unbelievable." She murmured. "Yer helpin' too." Spot said. Blue's head shot up and she jumped to her feet. "Oh no I ain't! You kin be soft an' help her but I ain't about ta!" She yelled. Spot pushed her against the wall quickly. "Look here. I ain't soft. We discussed dis. We've discussed dis thousands of times." He said angrily. "An' all those thousands of times of tawkin' 'bout it don't change da truth of da matta." She responded cooly. He released her and walked away. "She's woikin' fer Pulitza as a joinalest of some sort. She wants us an' da Manhattan boys ta pose a fight at da Distribution Office. Yer comin'." Spot said matter-of-factly. Blue rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't give me dat Blue. Yer doin' it. Dats all I'm gonna say on da subject." Spot said firmly as he walked away. "One good ting came outta it though." He said, turning around. Blue looked up at him. "Fish ain't dead." He said with a smile.
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The day after the fight, Blue leaned over the broken mirror and touched her eye gently. It was slightly black, but not bad. "Stupid Mush had ta git slap-happy did he? Oh well I'll show him what I'm like when I git slap-happy." She muttered as she touched it gently. She finally stood up and walked outside into the street and sat down on the steps. After a few moments, Spot walked past her, but seeing her on the steps he backtracked and stood in front of her. She looked up at him expectantly. Blue had never really forgiven Spot for helping Bright Eyes. In a sense he had betrayed her. It was him who had imprinted in her mind that Bright Eyes was worthless and should never be helped, and here he was doing the exact opposite of his words. It aggravated her terribly and the two hadn't been on great terms since.
"I'm goin' ta Manhattan. Ya wanna come?" He asked tentatively. She shook her head. His forehead furrowed. "Come anyway. Brooklyn says." He said, pulling her up. She shrugged and shuffled beside him, basically ignoring him. "Look, ya gotta tawk sometime. I know yer mad 'bout Bright Eyes. But ya jest gotta git ova it. I'm only doin' it fer Jacky boy. He wanted me ta." He interjected. Blue shrugged again. "I gave Jacky Brooklyn." He said. Blue looked at him in surprise then looked away. "I ain't gonna be surprised at nothin' no more Conlon." She muttered. "Look it ain't dat bad is it? I mean come on. I'm jest helpin' Cowboy." He protested. "No Conlon, yer helpin' Bright. He wants ya ta help Bright and ya are. Even afta all dose lessons ya tol' me, 'neva trust Bright Eyes', 'don't help Bright Eyes'. What am I supposed ta do Conlon? You went back on yer woid. Does dat mean I cain't trust Brooklyn no more?" She asked. Spot stared ahead. "If dats what ya gotta do Blue." He murmured as they crossed into Manhattan.
He stopped in front of the Lodging House door and looked down at her. "You sure ya ain't gonna come? It could git ugly." He prompted with a smile. She shook her head. "Go ahead an' have fun by yerself Conlon. I'll be here." She said, sitting down on the steps. Spot looked at her a moment more before walking into the Lodging House. A while later, she heard the happy chatter of Racetrack and another voice. A feminine voice. She ran and ducked behind the staircase as Bright Eyes and Racetrack came outside. "So Blue's been livin' in Brooklyn huh?" She heard Bright Eyes ask. "Yeah. Likes it too I reckon. She left 'bout da time when you left." Racetrack replied. "I'd love ta see her." Bright Eyes said reminicently. Blue scoffed as she watched them leave. "I dunno Bright. She's different dan she used ta be." Bright Eyes frowned. "Whaddya mean?" She asked. "Well, she' pretty much da way Spot is. Now I mean." He said. The look on Bright Eyes' face almost affected Blue, but she pushed the emotion away fiercely.
She stood up and looked at the door and Spot came out, an angry look on his face, a dismayed Red trailing behind him. "C'mon Blue. We're leavin'." He muttered, walking away towards Brooklyn. "What happened?" She whispered to Red. Red shook his head. "Dey was both goin' fer each udda's necks. Both of 'em. Slingshots an' everytin'. If me an' Race hadn't broken 'em up, well. I dunno what dey woulda done ta each udda." Red murmured. Blue raised her head to look at Spot, his determined stride taking him back home. She smiled slightly. So he hadn't changed. He still felt the same even though he had given Brooklyn as help to Manhattan. He hadn't broken his promise after all. And Blue knew that even though the two were united, he could break that unity with a simple word.
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"Heya Windy! How's it rollin'?" Blue asked as the boy approached. He grinned and threw his papes to the ground. "Good! How are ya Blue? Haven't seen much of ya lately." Blue grinned. "Dats 'cause ya've been in Manhattan every time I comes looking fer ya!" She laughed. Windy smiled and scratched his head. "Yeah I guess so. Actually dats kinda what I wanted ta tawk ta ya 'bout. Manhattan I mean. Bright wanted me ta spread da woid dat she wants us ta go to da Manhattan Lodgin' House tenight." Windy said. At the mention of Bright Eyes' name, Blue sucked in her breath. "Why?" She asked. Windy shrugged. "Dunno, but it's impointant I'll tell ya dat. I jest came from tellin' Spot." Windy said. "What did he say?" Blue asked. "Dat he'd be dere. You AN' him." Blue rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. "Okay Windy. If Brooklyn says we'll be dere dan we'll be dere." Windy grinned and spit-shook with her before running off. Blue sighed and yelled out the headlines, less energetically than before.
A while later she was shuffling alongside Spot Conlon, kicking all the available rocks that fell into her path. Spot was sober and quiet. "Good grief Blue! Kin ya stop kickin' da rocks! I'm already jumpy enough as it is!" He said suddenly. Blue shrugged and stopped kicking the rocks. "What's wit' you Blue? Alla sudden yer all, 'I cain't tawk no more'. I ain't been able ta tell ya what I tink of da goin's on in Brooklyn in fereva!" He said angrily. "Yeah well dats yer problem. Ya coulda said it." She remarked cooly. "Now don't go an' try ta make me da bad guy! I cain't tawk ta somebody if dey ain't gonna tawk back! Dats kinda what makes a conversation Miss Blue!" Spot said angrily. Blue shrugged. "Seein' Bright ain't high on my priorities Mista Spot. So fergive me if I'm a little quiet." She snapped. Spot shook his head and didn't say anymore.
They entered the Manhattan Lodging together, side by side, Blue's face unmistakably cool. She saw Bright Eyes out of the corner of her eye as she walked in, quickly she moved to Spot's other side and ignored her. Bright Eyes saw the action and her face became slightly pained. But she turned away, turned back from them and stood in front of the company. Then she told them everything. The reason for her unexpected leaving, the secrets behind the botched Newsboys Strike Reunion. Blue sat in her chair in shock, her hands clenching and unclenching. Spot had done more tonight for Bright Eyes than he had said he would. He had stopped the Newsboys for mobbing her after she told them that she was responsible for all the chaos, he had made them continue to listen to her plan and then had said that he would help. She watched him and Bright Eyes speaking and she saw his face, cool and composed, but she didn't care anymore. He could help Bright Eyes. But if he was going to, he was going to lose her. She stood up with a sigh, fed up with Spot and the world, when a strong hand grabbed her by the shoulder and whirled her around. She threw the hand off her shoulder and stopped as she saw the face. A brown eyepatch caught her eyes and she relaxed her fists.
"Heya Blink." She muttered. Kid Blink stared at her for a time. "So you've been wit' Brooklyn dis whole time?" He asked softly. She shrugged. "So? I'm fine. I tol' Race ta tell ya's not ta worry." She muttered. "Yeah, but I did worry! I mean, I ain't seen ya fereva! Ya jest up an' left!" He said in disbelief. "Oh yeah! Well dats jest 'bout da same as what you did ta me when I was a kid! You up an' left as you say, leavin' me alone wit' Mama, who could barely take care of herself, let alone her liddle kid! You said, 'oh yeah, I'll come back'. An' ya neva did! Neva! So don't get all offensive 'cause I'm followin' in yer footsteps." She said angrily, storming out the door. Bright Eyes watched her, her hands folded across her chest, a sad expression on her face. Spot looked at Bright Eyes a moment, then followed Blue out the door.
When he got outside, he saw Blue leaning up against the wall of the Lodging House smoking furiously, blowing the smoke in the air with harsh breaths. He lit his own cigarette, and calmly blew the smoke in the air. Finally Blue erupted, just as Spot had planned. "Would ya git outta here Conlon! I don't wanna tawk ta anyone! 'Specially you! Ya traita!" She burst out. To her surprise, Spot didn't counterattack her insult, merely glanced at her and puffed on his cigarette. She glared at him and threw her cigarette to the ground. "Well whaddya want?" She asked angrily. Spot looked at her casually. "Nothin'. I'm jest smokin' a cigarette." He said calmly. "No yer not. You want sometin'. What?" She asked suspiciously.
Spot shrugged. "Lets stawt wit' why ya called me a traita." He said smoothly, crushing his cigarette under his heel. Blue stared at him. "Well, you, you is helpin' Bright an', I dunno! Ya jest are!" She said, turning away from him. Spot watched her. "Well lemme tell ya sometin' Blue. Bright jest confessed. Ya heaid her wit' yer own ears right?" Blue didn't turn around, but simply shrugged. "Well, I gotta do tings dats in da best interest of me peoples. An' me boys wanna help Bright. So dats what we's gonna do. I ain't offered her me friendship." He explained. "Might as well have." Blue muttered. Spot stared at her and finally turned her around gently. "Listen Blue, afta dis here ting Bright wants us ta do, I'll leave her alone. I'll neva speak ta her again if'n ya don't want me to. Okay?" Blue laughed scornfully. "Yeah right! Afta all dis is ova, you'll fergive her an' you'll be da best o'buddies. I know how you are Spot Conlon." Spot stared at her before releasing her shoulders.
"Why cain't you fergive her?" He asked quietly. Blue scoffed. "Why cain't I fergive her?" Hmm, maybe because you pounded it in me head dat I shouldn't! How's dat fer an answa!?" She spat out. To her surprise, Spot looked away. "Yeah I did, didn't I?" He murmured. "What's wit' you Conlon? You've changed. You ain't da same guy dat I met." Blue said. Spot turned around to face her. "Meybe I ain't. I cain't not fergive her Blue. I once tought dat I neva would, but she an' I go way back. She was da only one I had fer a while." Blue laughed. "Da onliest one ya had. Dats rich. I'll help Bright, but afta dat I'm leavin'. I cain't stay wit' you no more. An' plus, ya jest proved a theory dat I've been tryin' ta git inta yer thick skull fereva an' here Bright helps me out fer once. You, are, SOFT." She spat out, whirling around and running off towards Brooklyn. Spot leaned up against the wall and stared out into the dark night, contemplating her words, and knowing that they were true.