Disclaimer: I don't own the Newsies. All I own is Stage. ToT/Slingshot owns herself.
Opening Comments: ^^ Whe~, we are such review junkies.
Shout Outs~
DxInsider and dreamcoat: Thank you!
Bam: Dontcha just love Dutchy? ^_^
Bluehag: ^^; 'Twasn't really a flashing. Stage was just in her undershirt that…showed certain things a little better than that overlarge button-down she usually wore. If you know what I mean. XD
Skitch: Sounds like you're friends, eh? You don't walk into apartment unannounced, do you? XD
Fastdancr: Talent? XD Thanks.
Title: Immigrants
Authors: Stage and ToT (partners in fic-writing crime!)
****
Jack waited at the distribution office, two stacks of a hundred papers in his arms. Blink waited beside Jack and the others behind him. It was almost time for the competition to begin and no signs of the competitors.
"Think theys chickened out?" Mush asked, elbowing Blink. Blink frowned and shrugged. Whispers passed through the crowd.
"That's them, ain't it?" Boots asked, pointing out two figures approaching the gates.
"Naw, those two are girls." Racetrack replied, lighting a cigar. "They must have decided against competing against you, Jack."
"No, that's them, Race." Jack replied, holding up a hand to block the morning sunshine. "Newsies showing their true colors."
"Heya, fellas." ToT greeted them, walking up in her feminine outfit. "What ya'll starin' at? Never seen a girl before?"
"They look like a bunch of dead fish." Stage said with a giggle. "Close your mouths, boys. You'll catch flies that way."
"Youse ready to go?" Jack asked. When the two nodded, he shoved their papers at them. "Good."
"Aw, awfully nice of you to buy our papes for us." ToT sneered.
"Whatever, just sell them. Racetrack's stayin' back here to wait for the winner." Jack told them. "Of course, we all know who'll it be."
A few Newsies snickered at Jack's comment. ToT and Stage scowled at him. Each boosted the newspapers to their shoulders and glared at the opposing competition.
"All right, sell!" Racetrack yelled, waving his arm. Blink and Jack took off. ToT and Stage watched the two boys running furiously to claim the best selling spots.
"Wow, lookit 'em go." Stage said, putting up a hand to block the sunlight from shining in her eyes.
"Too bad this ain't a race."
"Then we wouldn't have worn skirts, eh?"
"No, this is my best skirt."
"That's your only skirt."
"Yeah, so it's my best skirt. By default." ToT said with a shrug. Grinning, the two girls turned to the large crowd of Newsies.
"Who wants a pape?" ToT asked without her usual sarcasm. She strolled up to Mush. "Want one, Mush?"
"Uh…" Mush faltered. "But—its going against Jack and Blink. I dunno…"
"Please?"
"Yeah, all right." Mush gave in and paid her for the paper. Stage ducked her head to hide her laugh. She then approached Specs. He looked up nervously at her from his spot on the steps. Dutchy—who was sitting on his right—grinned.
"How 'bout you?" Stage asked, fluttering her eyelashes.
"I don't want a papah." He replied.
"Yes, you do." Dutchy said, elbowing him sharply.
"No, I don't."
"He's lying."
"Shut up, Dutchy." Specs hissed.
ToT came up behind Stage and whispered something in her ear. Stage set her papers down on Specs's left and frowned to keep a smile from spreading across her face. ToT walked away, smothering a snicker. Stage walked up a few of the steps and sat down on Specs's lap. He turned an interesting shade of bright red. Specs grew even redder when Dutchy howled with laughter and fell off the steps, drawing everyone else's attention. [1]
"You sure you don't want a paper, Specs?" Stage asked, putting her arms around his neck. Several wolf-whistles came from the other newsies. ToT and Mush were leaning on each other, ready to collapse from laughter.
"Fine, I'll buy a paper." Specs mumbled—his face a vivid scarlet—, pulling out the appropriate coin. Stage took it and handed him a paper from the stack. Dutchy had composed himself (finally) and gave Specs a whack on the back.
"That ain't the way to treat a lady, Specsie." He said as Stage stood up and smoothed the wrinkles in his skirt. "I'll take a pape, too."
Stage handed Dutchy a paper after he flipped her the penny. She stuck in her skirt pocket and turned to ToT who was making similar process through the crowd. Stage bit back a snicker as ToT sidled up next to Racetrack, her charming skills on.
"Hey, ToT…maybe we should actually go out there and make this a little more interesting, hm?" She asked, pulling a piece of lint off her long skirt. "I mean, those two are at a default, not having certain things…"
"Too bad Jackie-boy doesn't have those things, huh?" Mush replied. The roar of laughter was deafening after Mush's comment. After it had died down, ToT replied to Stage's question.
"Why not, let's plunge into that crowd over there." ToT said, pointing over to a small crowd in the town square.
****
[1] How many of you can so see Dutchy doing this? Say "I!"
Stage: I!
ToT: I!