Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue, me no own, so you no sue.
AN: Yay!!!!! I got three whole reviews!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!! *cries* I'm so happy!!!
Fast: spit-shakes. Hi!! I'm glad I finally got the nerve to write this, and I'm happy to be part of the club. Hope you keep liking my story!!
Flora, Pocket, and Duchess : I'm glad you liked my disclaimer!
Chapter Three
*Jade Da Professional Thief*
Night fell softly over the city of New York. Lights turned off in houses, mothers told bedtime stories, fathers counted their days earnings, and two small figures made their way to the Manhattan newsboys lodging house.
They made a comical pair. One was practically singing and the other was muttering incoherently, though the occasional curse could be heard, while dragging her feet.
"C'mon, Jade. It won't be dat bad," Angel said reassuringly.
"Dat's what youse tink," Jade whined, glaring at her twin.
Angel just rolled her eyes and opened the front door to the lodging house, stepping aside so Jade could walk in first.
Jade sent her grinning sister one more death glare and lightly stepped over the thresh hold into the LH's small front room.
Boldly she strode up to the graying old man standing behind the front desk.
"How much per night?" She demanded, purposely trying to look mean.
"The first night is free, and then it's five cents for every night after. But I assume you know that only newsies can stay here?" The man asked, obviously unperturbed by Jade's attitude.
"We'se know," Angel said softly, putting up her hand to cut off Jade from saying anything that would get them permanently kicked out.
"Alright, then," the man said kindly, smiling at Angel, "Let me get Jack for you and he'll find you two a bunk upstairs where you can sleep. And I'm sure he would be happy to get someone to show you the ropes tomorrow."
"Tanks, but no tanks-" Jade started.
"Dat would be very helpful, tanks," Angel said, cutting of Jade once again.
"By the way, I'm Kloppman," said the man before yelling up the stairs, "Jack! Got you a couple of new recruits down here!"
"Alright, alright, Ise hear ya," a voice called from upstairs, shortly followed by lots of footsteps, as some of the newsies wanted to see what all the yelling was about.
Jack made his way down the stairs and when he saw the girls he raised his eyebrows in surprise, but quickly regained his composure and the eyebrows went back down.
Jade, though, noticed his reaction and realized that her and Angel were probably the only two girl newsies.
"Hi. Ise Jack Kelly, but youse can also call me cowboy," Jack said extending his hand, thinking that the two girls probably wouldn't go for the whole spit-shake thing, all the while ignoring Jade's snort of controlled laughter at his nickname.
"'Ello. Ise Angel," said Angel warmly shaking with Jack, "Ise bought a pape from youse taday, but Ise don' know if youse remembah."
"An' how could I forget when such a pretty ting like yoahself buys a pape from me?" Jack said smiling.
Jade coughed and Jack faced her, "An' who is dis?" He asked.
"Jade da professional thief, at yoah soivice," Jade said sweeping her arm in a law dramatic bow.
"Yeah, well, stealin gets ya kicked outta da lodgin house, so make shoah yoah hands stay outta everyone elses pockets, doll face," Jack said sternly.
Jade, looking ready to kill Jack for calling her doll face, lunged forward about to punch him when Angel grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Jack raised his eyebrows again in shock and wondered what is wid dis goil?
"Youse evah call me doll face again an' ise'll soak ya 'til youse can' walk," Jade growled threateningly, struggling violently against Angel's grip.
A moment later, satisfied that Jade wouldn't attack Jack (AN: Attack Jack…rhyming is fun…) Angel let go of her arm and whispered in Jack's ear, "youse'll have ta excuse her, it's around dat time, if youse know what Ise mean."
Clearing his throat Jack said, "Yeah, Ise get ya," and, gesturing to the newsies behind him, "Dis heah is Kid Blink," the one with the patch over his eye smiled at Angel and sort of waved apprehensively at Jade, who was still fuming.
"An' Ise Mush," said, well, Mush, before Jack could introduce him.
"Da rest of da boys are upstairs, so come wid me an' Ise'll introduce ya," Jack said before turning and walking up the steps.
The girls followed behind the three boys and Angel swatted Jade in the arm saying, "Don' try an soak any of 'em dis time. I wan' ta make some friends, not enemies! An so far youse ain't bein very 'elpful!"
Jade glared at her in response. When the girls entered the bunkroom they were met with a few cat calls and a lot of friendly, if not over enthusiastic, greetings.
The noise, however, was silenced when Jack waved his hand in the air and called for everyone's attention.
"Alright, boys, dis heah is Angel," Jack started, motioning towards Angel, "An' dis 'is 'er friend Jade."
"Actually," Angel said tugging gently on Jack's arm, "We'se is twins."
About twenty mouths dropped open simultaneously.
"Youse is twins??!!" Those twenty mouths yelled in unison.
"Yeah, youse got a problem wid it?" Jade yelled at the boys. She started forward as if to charge at some of them but was stopped by Angel's arm.
"Nah, no one's got a problem wid it, okay?" Jack said, holding his hands out in front of him in a defensive manner.
"Yeah, whatevah," Jade grumbled, and was soon hit in the arm by Angel.
"Ise said be polite!" Angel whispered to her.
"Whenevah youse two are done talkin' Ise will introduce da rest a da guys to ya," Jack said, more to Angel than to Jade, whom he just didn't feel very comfortable standing near, much less talking to.
"Yeah, we'se is done," said Angel.
"Alright den. Dis is Racetrack, but everybody calls 'im Race, an' dere's Specs, Skittery, Snipeshooter, Bumlets, Dutchy, Crutchy, Boots, Snoddy, Swifty, Itey, Jake, Snitch, Pie Eater, Duck an' Goose, de're twins too, an' youse've already met Blink an' Mush," Jack said in one big breath. The boys all either nodded, smiled, or waved when Jack said their name.
Duck and Goose, the youngest members of the LH both waved at the same time so neither Jade nor Angel knew which was which, though it wouldn't have made much of a difference, considering they were identical.
"Dose will be yoah beds ovah dere," Jack said, pointing to a bunk that was next to Blink's. (AN: I know, I know, I think that was the bunk that Mush was in, but bear with me here. I'm not gonna go re-watch the entire movie just to figure out where some open bunks were.)
Jade and Angel made their way over to the beds and Jade quickly climbed on the top one, so she would get it before Angel.
Angel stuck her tongue out in response and Jade just smirked at her, her smile saying "I win, you lose, nyah nyah nyah nyah."
"Lights out in twenty minutes!" Kloppman yelled up the stairs. A few boys grumbled but most just resumed the conversations or poker games they had become engaged in after Jade and Angel had been introduced.
"Hey, ah, either a youse two play pokah?" Race asked, after he walked over beside where the girls were sitting on their beds.
He seemed to be mainly talking to Angel, a little afraid of getting punched if he tried to strike up a conversation with Jade.
"Ise happen ta be da queen a pokah, tank ya very much," Jade said smugly, while Angel rolled her eyes.
"Well, den would youse be up foah a little game?" Race questioned returning her look with one of his own.
"Ise would love ta," Jade said hopping down off her bed.
Oh well, thought Angel, At least she's bein' friendly.
Jade sat down next to Blink on the floor and race sat beside her. Mush was also playing in the game and he was sitting next to Blink and Race. (AN: Well, duh, cuz they're playing in a circle).
Race dealt the first hand. A little voice started calculating strategies in Jade's head.
Okay, she thought, 'e dealt five cards to each playah, so da game is five card draw. Ise 'ave two aces, two fives an' a seven. Get rid a da seven.
When Race put down three cents into the middle Jade said, "Ise'll see youse an raise ya two."
Race maintained his poker face but his eyebrows raised ever so slightly and Jade inwardly grinned.
"Alright," he said, putting in two more cents.
He was bluffing, and Jade could tell. He took too long in getting the pennies to add to the middle. To Jade at least it was obvious that he was trying to decide whether or not to fold.
'E chose wrong, Jade thought cockily, though nothing showed through in her expression or position.
Blink added five pennies into the middle and Mush folded with a sigh. "Ise nevah win," he said dejectedly.
Race put down three of his cards and picked up three more from the deck. After him Jade put down her seven and picked up one more. Trying hard not to smile, she kept her face a stony mask.
Blink put down four of his cards and picked up four more. Jade almost snickered when she saw his face fall a teeny bit.
These guys are so easy ta read! She thought excitedly.
Race, still trying to bluff his way out of losing, placed three more pennies into the pile. Jade, putting in three also, said, "Ise'll call."
Blink looked from Race to Jade and from Jade to Race before putting his cards face down and saying, "Ise'll fold."
"Alright, den," said Jade, "Lay down yoah hand."
"Youse don' have ta tell me what ta do," said Race putting his cards down face up. "Two pair," he said triumphantly.
"Aw, youse is good," Jade said pouting and Race's grin grew larger, "But," here Race's smile lessened considerably, "Youse ain't good enough."
Jade lay down her hand.
"Full house, tree aces an a pair of fives" she said in a gloating tone while she collected her winnings.
Race scowled and Jade said in a condescending voice, "Oh be a good sport."
Jade made her way over to her bed, and mindful that a lot of the boys were watching her, slowly took off her over shirt revealing her no sleeve black undershirt beneath it.
Lets just say that a couple of people *cough* any boy thirteen or above *cough* looked a little disappointed. Leaving her pants on Jade climbed into bed and promptly fell asleep.
Depositing the money that Jade had dumped into her lap into the stolen wallet, Angel reached up and put it beneath Jade's pillow.
Even though Jack had said stealing wasn't allowed, she still wanted to be careful, just in case, and she knew that Jade was a lighter sleeper than her.
Just as she was about to curl up and fall asleep, lights out was in five minutes anyway, Blink walked over to her bunk.
"Hey, Ise was jist wonderin' but, ah, how old are youse two?" He asked, hoping that Jade wasn't awake because he didn't want his head bitten off for asking a simple question.
"Fourteen an' a half," Angel answered, "How old are all a youse," she asked, sitting up in bed. She had left her over shirt on, much to the disappointment of many of the guys.
"Well, Ise is almost fifteen an' so are Race an' Mush, an' most a da othah guys, but Jack ovah dere toined fifteen a month or two ago," Blink replied, scratching his head.
"Oh," Angel said, about to lay back down when she noticed Blink's apprehensive glances toward Jade's bed.
"Don't worry about her," Angel said, "She jist takes some getting' used to. But aftah she's warmed up to ya she can be da greatest friend in da whole woild."
"Yeah, okay," Blink said smiling, and glancing again, but with a little less caution, toward Jade.
He turned around and climbed up to his bunk, taking off his over shirt and pants (AN: He was wearing long john thingies or whatever you want to call them so all you Blink fans stop drooling!!!), before crawling under the blanket just as Kloppman yelled lights out.
"Goodnight, Angel," he said.
"'Night, Blink," she replied sleepily, before yawning and falling into a deep slumber.
AN: Ha ha!!! I finished another chapter!! Aren't you all so proud? Now go on, push the little review button and tell me how proud you are, go on, it's not so hard. Please review!!! I'm begging you!!! And I'm rhyming too!!!
AN: Yay!!!!! I got three whole reviews!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!! *cries* I'm so happy!!!
Fast: spit-shakes. Hi!! I'm glad I finally got the nerve to write this, and I'm happy to be part of the club. Hope you keep liking my story!!
Flora, Pocket, and Duchess : I'm glad you liked my disclaimer!
Chapter Three
*Jade Da Professional Thief*
Night fell softly over the city of New York. Lights turned off in houses, mothers told bedtime stories, fathers counted their days earnings, and two small figures made their way to the Manhattan newsboys lodging house.
They made a comical pair. One was practically singing and the other was muttering incoherently, though the occasional curse could be heard, while dragging her feet.
"C'mon, Jade. It won't be dat bad," Angel said reassuringly.
"Dat's what youse tink," Jade whined, glaring at her twin.
Angel just rolled her eyes and opened the front door to the lodging house, stepping aside so Jade could walk in first.
Jade sent her grinning sister one more death glare and lightly stepped over the thresh hold into the LH's small front room.
Boldly she strode up to the graying old man standing behind the front desk.
"How much per night?" She demanded, purposely trying to look mean.
"The first night is free, and then it's five cents for every night after. But I assume you know that only newsies can stay here?" The man asked, obviously unperturbed by Jade's attitude.
"We'se know," Angel said softly, putting up her hand to cut off Jade from saying anything that would get them permanently kicked out.
"Alright, then," the man said kindly, smiling at Angel, "Let me get Jack for you and he'll find you two a bunk upstairs where you can sleep. And I'm sure he would be happy to get someone to show you the ropes tomorrow."
"Tanks, but no tanks-" Jade started.
"Dat would be very helpful, tanks," Angel said, cutting of Jade once again.
"By the way, I'm Kloppman," said the man before yelling up the stairs, "Jack! Got you a couple of new recruits down here!"
"Alright, alright, Ise hear ya," a voice called from upstairs, shortly followed by lots of footsteps, as some of the newsies wanted to see what all the yelling was about.
Jack made his way down the stairs and when he saw the girls he raised his eyebrows in surprise, but quickly regained his composure and the eyebrows went back down.
Jade, though, noticed his reaction and realized that her and Angel were probably the only two girl newsies.
"Hi. Ise Jack Kelly, but youse can also call me cowboy," Jack said extending his hand, thinking that the two girls probably wouldn't go for the whole spit-shake thing, all the while ignoring Jade's snort of controlled laughter at his nickname.
"'Ello. Ise Angel," said Angel warmly shaking with Jack, "Ise bought a pape from youse taday, but Ise don' know if youse remembah."
"An' how could I forget when such a pretty ting like yoahself buys a pape from me?" Jack said smiling.
Jade coughed and Jack faced her, "An' who is dis?" He asked.
"Jade da professional thief, at yoah soivice," Jade said sweeping her arm in a law dramatic bow.
"Yeah, well, stealin gets ya kicked outta da lodgin house, so make shoah yoah hands stay outta everyone elses pockets, doll face," Jack said sternly.
Jade, looking ready to kill Jack for calling her doll face, lunged forward about to punch him when Angel grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Jack raised his eyebrows again in shock and wondered what is wid dis goil?
"Youse evah call me doll face again an' ise'll soak ya 'til youse can' walk," Jade growled threateningly, struggling violently against Angel's grip.
A moment later, satisfied that Jade wouldn't attack Jack (AN: Attack Jack…rhyming is fun…) Angel let go of her arm and whispered in Jack's ear, "youse'll have ta excuse her, it's around dat time, if youse know what Ise mean."
Clearing his throat Jack said, "Yeah, Ise get ya," and, gesturing to the newsies behind him, "Dis heah is Kid Blink," the one with the patch over his eye smiled at Angel and sort of waved apprehensively at Jade, who was still fuming.
"An' Ise Mush," said, well, Mush, before Jack could introduce him.
"Da rest of da boys are upstairs, so come wid me an' Ise'll introduce ya," Jack said before turning and walking up the steps.
The girls followed behind the three boys and Angel swatted Jade in the arm saying, "Don' try an soak any of 'em dis time. I wan' ta make some friends, not enemies! An so far youse ain't bein very 'elpful!"
Jade glared at her in response. When the girls entered the bunkroom they were met with a few cat calls and a lot of friendly, if not over enthusiastic, greetings.
The noise, however, was silenced when Jack waved his hand in the air and called for everyone's attention.
"Alright, boys, dis heah is Angel," Jack started, motioning towards Angel, "An' dis 'is 'er friend Jade."
"Actually," Angel said tugging gently on Jack's arm, "We'se is twins."
About twenty mouths dropped open simultaneously.
"Youse is twins??!!" Those twenty mouths yelled in unison.
"Yeah, youse got a problem wid it?" Jade yelled at the boys. She started forward as if to charge at some of them but was stopped by Angel's arm.
"Nah, no one's got a problem wid it, okay?" Jack said, holding his hands out in front of him in a defensive manner.
"Yeah, whatevah," Jade grumbled, and was soon hit in the arm by Angel.
"Ise said be polite!" Angel whispered to her.
"Whenevah youse two are done talkin' Ise will introduce da rest a da guys to ya," Jack said, more to Angel than to Jade, whom he just didn't feel very comfortable standing near, much less talking to.
"Yeah, we'se is done," said Angel.
"Alright den. Dis is Racetrack, but everybody calls 'im Race, an' dere's Specs, Skittery, Snipeshooter, Bumlets, Dutchy, Crutchy, Boots, Snoddy, Swifty, Itey, Jake, Snitch, Pie Eater, Duck an' Goose, de're twins too, an' youse've already met Blink an' Mush," Jack said in one big breath. The boys all either nodded, smiled, or waved when Jack said their name.
Duck and Goose, the youngest members of the LH both waved at the same time so neither Jade nor Angel knew which was which, though it wouldn't have made much of a difference, considering they were identical.
"Dose will be yoah beds ovah dere," Jack said, pointing to a bunk that was next to Blink's. (AN: I know, I know, I think that was the bunk that Mush was in, but bear with me here. I'm not gonna go re-watch the entire movie just to figure out where some open bunks were.)
Jade and Angel made their way over to the beds and Jade quickly climbed on the top one, so she would get it before Angel.
Angel stuck her tongue out in response and Jade just smirked at her, her smile saying "I win, you lose, nyah nyah nyah nyah."
"Lights out in twenty minutes!" Kloppman yelled up the stairs. A few boys grumbled but most just resumed the conversations or poker games they had become engaged in after Jade and Angel had been introduced.
"Hey, ah, either a youse two play pokah?" Race asked, after he walked over beside where the girls were sitting on their beds.
He seemed to be mainly talking to Angel, a little afraid of getting punched if he tried to strike up a conversation with Jade.
"Ise happen ta be da queen a pokah, tank ya very much," Jade said smugly, while Angel rolled her eyes.
"Well, den would youse be up foah a little game?" Race questioned returning her look with one of his own.
"Ise would love ta," Jade said hopping down off her bed.
Oh well, thought Angel, At least she's bein' friendly.
Jade sat down next to Blink on the floor and race sat beside her. Mush was also playing in the game and he was sitting next to Blink and Race. (AN: Well, duh, cuz they're playing in a circle).
Race dealt the first hand. A little voice started calculating strategies in Jade's head.
Okay, she thought, 'e dealt five cards to each playah, so da game is five card draw. Ise 'ave two aces, two fives an' a seven. Get rid a da seven.
When Race put down three cents into the middle Jade said, "Ise'll see youse an raise ya two."
Race maintained his poker face but his eyebrows raised ever so slightly and Jade inwardly grinned.
"Alright," he said, putting in two more cents.
He was bluffing, and Jade could tell. He took too long in getting the pennies to add to the middle. To Jade at least it was obvious that he was trying to decide whether or not to fold.
'E chose wrong, Jade thought cockily, though nothing showed through in her expression or position.
Blink added five pennies into the middle and Mush folded with a sigh. "Ise nevah win," he said dejectedly.
Race put down three of his cards and picked up three more from the deck. After him Jade put down her seven and picked up one more. Trying hard not to smile, she kept her face a stony mask.
Blink put down four of his cards and picked up four more. Jade almost snickered when she saw his face fall a teeny bit.
These guys are so easy ta read! She thought excitedly.
Race, still trying to bluff his way out of losing, placed three more pennies into the pile. Jade, putting in three also, said, "Ise'll call."
Blink looked from Race to Jade and from Jade to Race before putting his cards face down and saying, "Ise'll fold."
"Alright, den," said Jade, "Lay down yoah hand."
"Youse don' have ta tell me what ta do," said Race putting his cards down face up. "Two pair," he said triumphantly.
"Aw, youse is good," Jade said pouting and Race's grin grew larger, "But," here Race's smile lessened considerably, "Youse ain't good enough."
Jade lay down her hand.
"Full house, tree aces an a pair of fives" she said in a gloating tone while she collected her winnings.
Race scowled and Jade said in a condescending voice, "Oh be a good sport."
Jade made her way over to her bed, and mindful that a lot of the boys were watching her, slowly took off her over shirt revealing her no sleeve black undershirt beneath it.
Lets just say that a couple of people *cough* any boy thirteen or above *cough* looked a little disappointed. Leaving her pants on Jade climbed into bed and promptly fell asleep.
Depositing the money that Jade had dumped into her lap into the stolen wallet, Angel reached up and put it beneath Jade's pillow.
Even though Jack had said stealing wasn't allowed, she still wanted to be careful, just in case, and she knew that Jade was a lighter sleeper than her.
Just as she was about to curl up and fall asleep, lights out was in five minutes anyway, Blink walked over to her bunk.
"Hey, Ise was jist wonderin' but, ah, how old are youse two?" He asked, hoping that Jade wasn't awake because he didn't want his head bitten off for asking a simple question.
"Fourteen an' a half," Angel answered, "How old are all a youse," she asked, sitting up in bed. She had left her over shirt on, much to the disappointment of many of the guys.
"Well, Ise is almost fifteen an' so are Race an' Mush, an' most a da othah guys, but Jack ovah dere toined fifteen a month or two ago," Blink replied, scratching his head.
"Oh," Angel said, about to lay back down when she noticed Blink's apprehensive glances toward Jade's bed.
"Don't worry about her," Angel said, "She jist takes some getting' used to. But aftah she's warmed up to ya she can be da greatest friend in da whole woild."
"Yeah, okay," Blink said smiling, and glancing again, but with a little less caution, toward Jade.
He turned around and climbed up to his bunk, taking off his over shirt and pants (AN: He was wearing long john thingies or whatever you want to call them so all you Blink fans stop drooling!!!), before crawling under the blanket just as Kloppman yelled lights out.
"Goodnight, Angel," he said.
"'Night, Blink," she replied sleepily, before yawning and falling into a deep slumber.
AN: Ha ha!!! I finished another chapter!! Aren't you all so proud? Now go on, push the little review button and tell me how proud you are, go on, it's not so hard. Please review!!! I'm begging you!!! And I'm rhyming too!!!