Note from Author: Okay, in one more way is the author reflective of the
title. So, here's the deal. I was going to take the chapters down and do
major surgery on them because there is a LOT of stuff that I cringe when I
read because it is so vague and I am a slave for detail. So, I will keep
all the original chapters up plus the new one that I am working on. But, I
am also working on another version of Becoming Fickle. Yeah, it will stick
to the same story line but some things will be changed to that the story
flows better and the drama is more intense and the love scenes are better
(I love writing love scenes!) Although, due to some regulations about
storied having the same titles, I can't post it here but it will be posted
at fandomination.net. Confused? I am. Wondering why I am writing a
different version? I don't know. I just think my writing has matured from
when I first began this story and I don't want to slash it to bits. If you
like this version, then you don't have to read the other. But if you are
curious, then be my guest.
Disclaimer: This here is my first ever published newsies fan fic. The only characters I own are Butterfly James/Sarah Sprites, Annie Murphy, Rylie and Horance Lyner, Jimmy Sprites, Skiddy Sniper, Ulf Uberstein, Jasper Johnson and anyone else that Disney does not own. Although I wish I could have them ::sigh:: Disney owns the newsies and I am not making any money off this whatsoever. So please read and review and review because I adore reviews (except flamers) so enjoy.
BECOMING FICKLE
PROLOGUE
Summer--1897
"Hey Spritzy!"
"Hey, what?"
"Why didn't da skel'tin cross da road?"
"I don't know, Skiddy, why didn't 'e?"
"Cause, 'e didn't have no guts, Spritzy! Git it? 'e didn't have no guts!"
"D'ya know dat you'se a jackass, Skiddy?"
"Comin' from you, Sarah Jean Louise Sprites, dat's a compliment."
The day was hot in muggy in Queens that particular day in August as Sarah Sprites and Skiddy Sniper pushed through the crowds of pedestrians that jaywalked the street. The tatterd, filthy shirts of the two Queens newsies clung to their bodies from perspiration. Skiddy took his derby hat off and started fanning it in front of his face.
"Jesus Christ, Spritzy, it shoah is a killer out tahday!" Skiddy cried, wiping his brow with his forearm.
Sarah stopped walking and stood glaring at the overheated newsboy.
"What?" Skiddy asked, holding her gaze.
"Ya know how I hate it when people take da Lord's name in vain, ya dumbass!" she growled.
Skiddy rolled his eyes as beads of sweat dripped down his brow. "So sahrry ta offend ya, Father Sprites! P'raps I shoahd rephrase da statement. Jimminy, Spritzy, it shoah is hot out tahday!"
A lopsided grin formed over Sarah's mouth as she swatted Skiddy's hat from his grasp. "Ya know I love ya anyhow, Skiddy Snipah. Not ev'ryone can be poifict like me."
"'ey, use ya own hat as a fan, Spritzy!" Skiddy whined.
Sarah giggled. "I have ta use me own hat ta keep me dratted hair off my own neck."
"Den cut it off. Keep da hat. I jist wanna git to da docks and have a well- desoived swim in the rivah," the newsie said.
"I'se with ya, Skiddy, I'se with ya."
Both newsies walked as fast as thier tired overheated bodies would allow them to the docks over looking the East River. Jimmy Sprites, leader of one of the two sections of Queens newsies, had planned for all his newsies to meet their after a long day of selling papes to swim in the chachoal grey waters.
Sarah and Skiddy finally reached the docks to see that the majority of Jimmy's newsies had arrived already. Sarah left Skiddy's side for a moment to look for her brother. She found him tottering near the edge of the dock, kicking off his shoes.
Sarah smiled and cupped her hands around her mouth. "HEY, SPRITES!"
Jimmy scanned the newsies to see who had called his name. Only one person could have. "HEY, BUTTAHFLY!"
Sarah's smile grew. "Awful wheathah we'se havin'! Too damn cold out!"
Jimmy grinned. "I'se ready ta toin inta a Eskimo!"
Jimmy turned and formed the position for a dive, but halted when one of his newsies cried, "What da we have here?"
Jimmy turned and what he saw cast a scowl on his face. His younger sister shared in this scowl as she crept closer to Skiddy. "What da 'ell are dey doin here?"
Skiddy shook his head, his gaze never leaving the intruders. "Looking foah a good ass-kickin', I'd wagah."
It was true that Jimmy Sprites was the leader of the Queens newsies, but only one section. Unfortunatlly, his newsies were forced to share Queens with the lowliest and ruthless newsies in Queens, maybe even New York, history, the Lyner newsies. The Lyner newsies were co-controlled by brothers Horance and Rylie Lyner. Rylie was the brians of the Lyner newsies, being wirey thin and Horance the force of them, being built big and strong. Jimmy's newsies and the Lyners' had been feuding even before anyone could remember. This wasn't the first spat they had had with each other.
Jimmy narrowed his eyes as Horance Lyner stood in front of him. "Ooh, whadda we have here?" he asked his newsies. "I t'ink dat da gorilla 'scaped from da zoo again. Nah, moicy me, it's just Horance Lynah!"
Laughter rippled throughout the newsies as Horance stood, his face burning. "I'se gonna kill ya!" he bellowed, pulling back his arm with the intention to knock Jimmy out, but his brother Rylie stepped in front of him, blocking the punch. "Not yet, Horance," Rylie said to his brother.
Rylie then turned to Jimmy. "Really, James Sprites, your wit astounds me."
Sarah felt her face heat up. She hated the confrontations between the dratted Lyners and her brothers newsies. And she hated Rylie Lyner above all because he thought that just becuase he had a brain on his head he was superior above all else.
Enough was enough. "And ya ugliness astounds me, Rylie Lynah!" she cried.
Rylie's face burnt crimson. "What did you say?"
"I said dat ya ugliness astounds me, Rylie Lynah! Want me ta repeat it?" Sarah screamed, her fury overtaking her.
Rylie's eyes popped. "Why...you...bitch!" he hissed as he sprung forward to tackle her.
Sarah screeched and sidestepped him.
"Leave my sistah alone, ya son of a bitch!" Jimmy yelled, pouncing on Rylie.
"Hornace!" Rylie yelped, begging his brother to come to his aid.
Horance growled and sprung over to his brother, socking Jimmy hard in the back of the head. Jimmy let out a groan and fell off Rylie, who immediatly stood up.
An eerie silence filled the air for a moment as the two sides just watched each other. It was Sarah that caused the chain reaction by screaming, "JIMMY!"
At that, the two sides charged each other and began slamming one another down on the ground.
Sarah ran over to her brother's side and knelt down. "Jimmy, get up!"
He let out a groan.
"Jimmy, please, please, get up!" Sarah cried.
"Quit your pleading, you insignificant little bitch!" Rylie Lyner hissed from behind Sarah. She craned her neck around and gasped. Rylie swatted her hat off her head, letting her long blonde hair fall down her back, which he grabbed, making Sarah emit a high-pitched cry. He let go and she fell down on the wooden planks of a dock with a thud.
She watched as Rylie loomed over Jimmy and gave him a swift kick in the stomach. Jimmy let out a load groan.
"No!" Sarah screamed, hoisting herself off the ground and pouncing on Rylie's back.
Rylie let out a cry of surprise as Sarah punched him hard in the left eye. But Rylie grapped hold of Sarah's upper arms, and flung her over his head, causing her to land on her back with a cry of agony.
Although his sister was taken out, Jimmy was able to get up. Fury coursed through is body like never before as he saw what had happened to his baby sister. He let out a cry and pounced as Rylie Lyner, knocking him to the ground. Jimmy strattled him and started punching his face mercilessly.
"Hor...ance!" Rylie gurggled through the blows.
Hornace Lyner stopped the beating of a newsie (it was actually Skiddy) to come to his brother's aid. In one quick motion, he had Jimmy in a strong headlock in his powerful arm. He brought Jimmy to his feet. Rylie slowly stood up, his eyes filled with hate as his gaze fell upon his rival.
"Whaddya want me ta do wit 'im, Ry?" Horance asked, making his grip on Jimmy tighter, causing the poor newsie's face to turn bright red from lack of air.
"This, dear James Sprites, has happened one too many times. Too many confrontations between your newsies and mine. Now, do you think this would happen if their weren't two of us...say one?" he softly spoke.
Jimmy's eyes widened as Rylie's hand slowly moved to the back pocket of his pants. He felt for the hilt of the knife and his grip tightened around it.
Sarah's eyes fluttered open and a sudden rush of nausea over took her. A pool of blood trickled down her shirt from either a split of the lip and bloody nose. She propped herself up on her elbow. She was forgotten for the moment. The newsies were still at battle. Her gaze fell on a certain trio of newsies: the Lyner brothers and her brother.
What happened next, although it took only a few quick seconds, would always be enblazoned in her mind.
It started when she saw Rylie Lyner, standing, bloody, reach around to his back pocket for something. He slowly pulled out a sharp knife, of which he held the hilt tightly. She saw he brother began to squirm and try to get out of Rylie's head lock. She heard his pleas. She saw some of the other newsies stop the fighting to only watch in awe. And she watched as Rylie Lyner drove the blade with one quick thrust into her brother's heart.
The docks sounds were shattered with Sarah's scream.
Jimmy felt loose in Horance's grip. The latter let go of Jimmy and he fell to his knees, a horriffic sight with blood sputtering from his wound. Rylie stepped back as Jimmy fell to his stomach.
"Noooo! Noooo! Nooooo!" Sarah screamed, trying to crawl over to her brother.
Cries erupted from Jimmy's newsies as they tried to rush to his side, but the Lyner newsies overpowered them and held them back. All burst out into sobs.
Sarah pulled herself to her brother's side. She got soaked in the puddle of blood that had collected under her now fallen brother. "No, no, no, no. Jimmy!" she cried.
She felt a strong arm slid under her stomach and hoist her up. She stood facing Rylie Lyner, his eyes shimmering with an evil, and held in a deathlock by Horance Lyner.
A smile crept over Rylie's face.
Sarah could only stand looking into those awful eyes before her cries erupted. "Ya bastard! Ya goddamn bastard! How could ya do dat! You killed him! YOU KILLED HIM! You MURDERAH! You are going to hell!"
A mocking smile spread over Rylie's lips. "Is that a promise, sweetheart?
Sarah spit on Rylie's shoes.
Rylie's face twisted in anger. "You bitch!"
Horance's grip became tighter. "How would ya like ta stay wit me, toots?"
Sarah squirmed out of his grap and kneeled him. Horance let out a string of oaths. But Rylie caught Sarah in his grasp. He knelt over and took the knife from Jimmy's corpse. Rylie put the knife to Sarah's throat.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you this very minute."
In response, Sarah bit down hard on his fingers.
"Ah!" Rylie howled in pain, clasping his injured finger.
Sarah saw this as her chance, raced to the end of the dock, and dove off it with a spash into the exceedingly warm East River.
She didn't look back as Rylie staggered to the end of the dock, battered and bruised, holding the very blade that killed her brother and shouted, the words ringing in her ears for years to come: "GOOD! SWIM AWAY, SARAH SPRITES! BUT IF YOU EVER COME BACK--EVER--I'LL KILL YOU IN A HEARTBEAT!"
Disclaimer: This here is my first ever published newsies fan fic. The only characters I own are Butterfly James/Sarah Sprites, Annie Murphy, Rylie and Horance Lyner, Jimmy Sprites, Skiddy Sniper, Ulf Uberstein, Jasper Johnson and anyone else that Disney does not own. Although I wish I could have them ::sigh:: Disney owns the newsies and I am not making any money off this whatsoever. So please read and review and review because I adore reviews (except flamers) so enjoy.
BECOMING FICKLE
PROLOGUE
Summer--1897
"Hey Spritzy!"
"Hey, what?"
"Why didn't da skel'tin cross da road?"
"I don't know, Skiddy, why didn't 'e?"
"Cause, 'e didn't have no guts, Spritzy! Git it? 'e didn't have no guts!"
"D'ya know dat you'se a jackass, Skiddy?"
"Comin' from you, Sarah Jean Louise Sprites, dat's a compliment."
The day was hot in muggy in Queens that particular day in August as Sarah Sprites and Skiddy Sniper pushed through the crowds of pedestrians that jaywalked the street. The tatterd, filthy shirts of the two Queens newsies clung to their bodies from perspiration. Skiddy took his derby hat off and started fanning it in front of his face.
"Jesus Christ, Spritzy, it shoah is a killer out tahday!" Skiddy cried, wiping his brow with his forearm.
Sarah stopped walking and stood glaring at the overheated newsboy.
"What?" Skiddy asked, holding her gaze.
"Ya know how I hate it when people take da Lord's name in vain, ya dumbass!" she growled.
Skiddy rolled his eyes as beads of sweat dripped down his brow. "So sahrry ta offend ya, Father Sprites! P'raps I shoahd rephrase da statement. Jimminy, Spritzy, it shoah is hot out tahday!"
A lopsided grin formed over Sarah's mouth as she swatted Skiddy's hat from his grasp. "Ya know I love ya anyhow, Skiddy Snipah. Not ev'ryone can be poifict like me."
"'ey, use ya own hat as a fan, Spritzy!" Skiddy whined.
Sarah giggled. "I have ta use me own hat ta keep me dratted hair off my own neck."
"Den cut it off. Keep da hat. I jist wanna git to da docks and have a well- desoived swim in the rivah," the newsie said.
"I'se with ya, Skiddy, I'se with ya."
Both newsies walked as fast as thier tired overheated bodies would allow them to the docks over looking the East River. Jimmy Sprites, leader of one of the two sections of Queens newsies, had planned for all his newsies to meet their after a long day of selling papes to swim in the chachoal grey waters.
Sarah and Skiddy finally reached the docks to see that the majority of Jimmy's newsies had arrived already. Sarah left Skiddy's side for a moment to look for her brother. She found him tottering near the edge of the dock, kicking off his shoes.
Sarah smiled and cupped her hands around her mouth. "HEY, SPRITES!"
Jimmy scanned the newsies to see who had called his name. Only one person could have. "HEY, BUTTAHFLY!"
Sarah's smile grew. "Awful wheathah we'se havin'! Too damn cold out!"
Jimmy grinned. "I'se ready ta toin inta a Eskimo!"
Jimmy turned and formed the position for a dive, but halted when one of his newsies cried, "What da we have here?"
Jimmy turned and what he saw cast a scowl on his face. His younger sister shared in this scowl as she crept closer to Skiddy. "What da 'ell are dey doin here?"
Skiddy shook his head, his gaze never leaving the intruders. "Looking foah a good ass-kickin', I'd wagah."
It was true that Jimmy Sprites was the leader of the Queens newsies, but only one section. Unfortunatlly, his newsies were forced to share Queens with the lowliest and ruthless newsies in Queens, maybe even New York, history, the Lyner newsies. The Lyner newsies were co-controlled by brothers Horance and Rylie Lyner. Rylie was the brians of the Lyner newsies, being wirey thin and Horance the force of them, being built big and strong. Jimmy's newsies and the Lyners' had been feuding even before anyone could remember. This wasn't the first spat they had had with each other.
Jimmy narrowed his eyes as Horance Lyner stood in front of him. "Ooh, whadda we have here?" he asked his newsies. "I t'ink dat da gorilla 'scaped from da zoo again. Nah, moicy me, it's just Horance Lynah!"
Laughter rippled throughout the newsies as Horance stood, his face burning. "I'se gonna kill ya!" he bellowed, pulling back his arm with the intention to knock Jimmy out, but his brother Rylie stepped in front of him, blocking the punch. "Not yet, Horance," Rylie said to his brother.
Rylie then turned to Jimmy. "Really, James Sprites, your wit astounds me."
Sarah felt her face heat up. She hated the confrontations between the dratted Lyners and her brothers newsies. And she hated Rylie Lyner above all because he thought that just becuase he had a brain on his head he was superior above all else.
Enough was enough. "And ya ugliness astounds me, Rylie Lynah!" she cried.
Rylie's face burnt crimson. "What did you say?"
"I said dat ya ugliness astounds me, Rylie Lynah! Want me ta repeat it?" Sarah screamed, her fury overtaking her.
Rylie's eyes popped. "Why...you...bitch!" he hissed as he sprung forward to tackle her.
Sarah screeched and sidestepped him.
"Leave my sistah alone, ya son of a bitch!" Jimmy yelled, pouncing on Rylie.
"Hornace!" Rylie yelped, begging his brother to come to his aid.
Horance growled and sprung over to his brother, socking Jimmy hard in the back of the head. Jimmy let out a groan and fell off Rylie, who immediatly stood up.
An eerie silence filled the air for a moment as the two sides just watched each other. It was Sarah that caused the chain reaction by screaming, "JIMMY!"
At that, the two sides charged each other and began slamming one another down on the ground.
Sarah ran over to her brother's side and knelt down. "Jimmy, get up!"
He let out a groan.
"Jimmy, please, please, get up!" Sarah cried.
"Quit your pleading, you insignificant little bitch!" Rylie Lyner hissed from behind Sarah. She craned her neck around and gasped. Rylie swatted her hat off her head, letting her long blonde hair fall down her back, which he grabbed, making Sarah emit a high-pitched cry. He let go and she fell down on the wooden planks of a dock with a thud.
She watched as Rylie loomed over Jimmy and gave him a swift kick in the stomach. Jimmy let out a load groan.
"No!" Sarah screamed, hoisting herself off the ground and pouncing on Rylie's back.
Rylie let out a cry of surprise as Sarah punched him hard in the left eye. But Rylie grapped hold of Sarah's upper arms, and flung her over his head, causing her to land on her back with a cry of agony.
Although his sister was taken out, Jimmy was able to get up. Fury coursed through is body like never before as he saw what had happened to his baby sister. He let out a cry and pounced as Rylie Lyner, knocking him to the ground. Jimmy strattled him and started punching his face mercilessly.
"Hor...ance!" Rylie gurggled through the blows.
Hornace Lyner stopped the beating of a newsie (it was actually Skiddy) to come to his brother's aid. In one quick motion, he had Jimmy in a strong headlock in his powerful arm. He brought Jimmy to his feet. Rylie slowly stood up, his eyes filled with hate as his gaze fell upon his rival.
"Whaddya want me ta do wit 'im, Ry?" Horance asked, making his grip on Jimmy tighter, causing the poor newsie's face to turn bright red from lack of air.
"This, dear James Sprites, has happened one too many times. Too many confrontations between your newsies and mine. Now, do you think this would happen if their weren't two of us...say one?" he softly spoke.
Jimmy's eyes widened as Rylie's hand slowly moved to the back pocket of his pants. He felt for the hilt of the knife and his grip tightened around it.
Sarah's eyes fluttered open and a sudden rush of nausea over took her. A pool of blood trickled down her shirt from either a split of the lip and bloody nose. She propped herself up on her elbow. She was forgotten for the moment. The newsies were still at battle. Her gaze fell on a certain trio of newsies: the Lyner brothers and her brother.
What happened next, although it took only a few quick seconds, would always be enblazoned in her mind.
It started when she saw Rylie Lyner, standing, bloody, reach around to his back pocket for something. He slowly pulled out a sharp knife, of which he held the hilt tightly. She saw he brother began to squirm and try to get out of Rylie's head lock. She heard his pleas. She saw some of the other newsies stop the fighting to only watch in awe. And she watched as Rylie Lyner drove the blade with one quick thrust into her brother's heart.
The docks sounds were shattered with Sarah's scream.
Jimmy felt loose in Horance's grip. The latter let go of Jimmy and he fell to his knees, a horriffic sight with blood sputtering from his wound. Rylie stepped back as Jimmy fell to his stomach.
"Noooo! Noooo! Nooooo!" Sarah screamed, trying to crawl over to her brother.
Cries erupted from Jimmy's newsies as they tried to rush to his side, but the Lyner newsies overpowered them and held them back. All burst out into sobs.
Sarah pulled herself to her brother's side. She got soaked in the puddle of blood that had collected under her now fallen brother. "No, no, no, no. Jimmy!" she cried.
She felt a strong arm slid under her stomach and hoist her up. She stood facing Rylie Lyner, his eyes shimmering with an evil, and held in a deathlock by Horance Lyner.
A smile crept over Rylie's face.
Sarah could only stand looking into those awful eyes before her cries erupted. "Ya bastard! Ya goddamn bastard! How could ya do dat! You killed him! YOU KILLED HIM! You MURDERAH! You are going to hell!"
A mocking smile spread over Rylie's lips. "Is that a promise, sweetheart?
Sarah spit on Rylie's shoes.
Rylie's face twisted in anger. "You bitch!"
Horance's grip became tighter. "How would ya like ta stay wit me, toots?"
Sarah squirmed out of his grap and kneeled him. Horance let out a string of oaths. But Rylie caught Sarah in his grasp. He knelt over and took the knife from Jimmy's corpse. Rylie put the knife to Sarah's throat.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you this very minute."
In response, Sarah bit down hard on his fingers.
"Ah!" Rylie howled in pain, clasping his injured finger.
Sarah saw this as her chance, raced to the end of the dock, and dove off it with a spash into the exceedingly warm East River.
She didn't look back as Rylie staggered to the end of the dock, battered and bruised, holding the very blade that killed her brother and shouted, the words ringing in her ears for years to come: "GOOD! SWIM AWAY, SARAH SPRITES! BUT IF YOU EVER COME BACK--EVER--I'LL KILL YOU IN A HEARTBEAT!"