Shoutouts!
Aunt Patty )( Look, you don't even have to leave a review and you get a shoutout! LOL. Thanks for reading some of my stories and for your comments. :D
littlewitch1899 )( Hey, let me know if/when you write your newsie-vamp story! I'd love to read it. :D Yay!
rumor )( No, Banks is annoying and he wears polo shirts which also annoy me. Hahaha! It's been a long time since I've seen Swing Kids as well. Is it out on DVD yet? That would be a fun one to have. I just watched American Psycho the other day… oh my lord! Jackie Boy, all grown up and running around naked with blood splattered over him while holding a chainsaw in a very strategic place… I couldn't stop laughing. The Discovery Channel is great, at least when they're not having on the scientific things… Oh, I totally love the History Channel. I thought about making the newsies go back to Ancient Rome time because I watched something on the ancient Roman emperors and I think one of them reminded me of Spot or something… that was a while ago. Anyhow. Thanks for the review!! :D
The Omniscient Bookseller )( I'm trying to bring back 20s lingo, but it's not working so well yet. And then I kinda forgot about it. But never fear, By jingo! It will come back, or my name isn't Mush's Lovah! **Mush nudges Mondie and shows her her birth certificate** Not now, sweetie-pie! **Mush shrugs and starts coloring on Mondie's birth certificate with a cerulean crayon** You'll find out sometime why Gem was reborn… actually, it's not that hard to figure out, but ah well. Sometimes I'm predictable. That's okay. Cuz other times I'm totally not. **Mondie laughs as she thinks of what's to come in this chapter** :D
Keza: Queen of Procrastination )( Yo, Keeeeeeeeeezah! Scream… hehe delightful movie. I perhaps enjoy I Know What You Did Last Summer more, because of Ryan I'm-The-Hottest-Guy-After-Aaron-Lohr-On-The-Planet Phillippe. Mmmmmmm. I love all of my future husbands. Did you ever find out who ate the last brownie? It might've been Mush. I noticed how he left my house at like 9:30 and came stumbling back in at 9:35, panting really hard, with chocolate smeared all over his face. **Mush pretends to be innocent and shrugs nonchalantly, as if he doesn't know WHAT Mondie is talking about** You, Miss Keeeeeeeeeeeezles, are gonna LOVE this chapter. Maybe. Yes, you will. I say so. :D My dad gets mad when I'm on the compie late at night too. He's grounded me for it before. **Mondie rolls eyes** Yes, I really do things OTHER than check my email and scrounge around ff.net. Please. I have no life! LOL! It's okay, Pie can teach you French. Yeah, there is much French in this story, and not for any reason other than I don't know any language but English and Spanish. Pie is French. Chalereux was French. Haha I'm sensing a theme. You'll find out soon what's gonna happen when they stop wandering around… I'm actually not really sure. Hmmm.
Falco Conlon )( Oh, Spot has big fashion plans, let me assure you. Broadway's making sure of it. LOL! She calls me and tells me exactly what he's going to wear in certain time eras. I find it funny. I wrote a story with you and Keeeeeeeeeeeeeezah in it, but my compie froze and then ate it up. I was angry. I don't know if it will get re-written or not. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. But thank you for the review! :D
Ali )( Don't worry, Misprint's all right with her Raceytracky. LOL! Your "Spot's got eternal Peter Pan syndrome!" CRACKED ME UP! I nearly fell over laughing so hard. Then I started imagining him flying around wearing green tights and talking to a little light and it made me giggle hysterically for nearly an entire day. I'd just imagine him suspended to the ceiling with a slingshot hanging out of his tights and… hahahahahahahahahaha! **Mondie falls over laughing** Still makes me chuckle. Thank you very much for the reviews, Ali!!!!! :D
Pegasus )( Hey, goilie! Where ya been??? Thanks so much! I know, I'm in love with the idea of newsies in the 20s as well… somehow, it fits, even though it really shouldn't. LOL! :D Miss you!
Shade of Temair )( I wasn't aware that broom closets had so much room in them! LOL you cracketh me-eth upeth Shaders! :D :D :D Did you know that erm I have nothing to say here? Interesting huh? Thought so. Thanks for the review, luffle you!
asp )( I've seen the movie Thoroughly Modern Millie, with Julie Andrews… I haven't seen the play. I've never been to New York or anywhere CLOSE to Broadway, so there ya go. I wish I could. I want to see Hairspray, the Producers, RENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, and WOW so many more… The Lion King would be sweet… ah well, I've got plenty of time when I'm older and can drag my husband to plays he doesn't want to see. LOL! Thanks for the review! :D
Atlantic )( Wow, thanks a lot! That's really sweet of you. Yeah, I'll be updating! I've got some obscure plans for this story. The newsie-vamps have yet to get in incredibly difficult trouble! Hahahaha! Thanks for the review! :D
Broadway )( Don't worry, you're still Broadway. LOL you crack me up. And don't worry, I'll get Spot to dance the Robot. Just you wait. I have big plans for you and Mr. Conlon. Really. **Mondie cackles a bit and tapdances around in her slippers** Yeeeee-haw! Hey, is the bball game rescheduled for tonight? I hope not. I don't wanna go. Sick. LOL thanks for the review hun! :D
Gemini Kelly )( LOL thanks! I wonder how many exclamation points ya stuck in that there review… quite a few! This is a quiet chapter for you at least, you're mentioned only once I believe, but I haven't written a Mushy chapter in a while and I WANTED TO. So there. Hahahahahaha! Thanks for the review, and I think in the next chapter we're gonna have some focusingage on you/Jackage and Mis/Raceage. It should be fun. Thanks Gem! :D
misprint )( That is a really strange story. But thank you for not dying after I told you not to in that review I left you. Phew. I wouldn't want your death on my conscience. LOLOLOL! I'M NOT PATRICK BATEMAN, I *DO* HAVE A CONSCIENCE! I just watched American Psycho the other day. It made me giggle incessantly. Kimi and I spent much of the movie when I watched it with her trying to figure out just WHAT was wrong with his face. Cuz in the interview section of the DVD, he looks normal and Christian-Bale-ish, but in the actual movie he looks quite strange. We figured out it's that his cheeks are too skinny, his lips are weird, and his eyebrows go up in a strange manner. LOL! I'm glad my story made you and Shade argue about whether redheads should wear yellow. I don't actually have an opinion on it, it was just something funny to show Spot's current immaturity. Hahaha! I used to be in show choir (before the choir director switched it to some horrible elite "vocal jazz ensemble") and we did the Charleston a few times… hehehe! I wish I lived in the time where organized dances (and NOT the Macarena and the Funky Chicken Dance and the Electric Slide) were way cool. Like in the Bandstand times. I **love love love love love** the show American Dreams on NBC (do you get NBC in Canada?) and on the next new episode they're gonna have the Beatles on! AHHH! I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!! Heh… never mind. Yes, guidance counselors are SO annoying. I'm glad that I won't have to put up with anything anymore. LOL! I just wish I had MONEY for college. Well, this SO is quite long, so I'm gonna leave ya now. Thanks Misi! I heart you! :D
brittany )( Hey, thanks! :D You're too kind. LoL!
Hottie5Star )( I love the 20s too! Total irresponsibility, freedom, not really caring what's going on anywhere because times are so good you don't HAVE to care! Big parties, beautiful outfits, fake smiles, and the gangly youth of an era that has no boundaries. How truly wonderful!!!!!! Wow, you're a great reviewer! Thanks for all your comments and such thus far. :D
Lisa )( Wow! Thanks so much! That's really so cool of you to do! :D I haven't done that in a while, taken a story and read the thing through many chapters. Kudos! :D
NDBT Chapter 8
Autumn, 1928
Mush stared with nothing but pure hatred in his eyes. The man standing directly in front of him blinked courageously, though his trembling hands betrayed his seemingly tough demeanor. "But what… what are you?" the man asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously to slits. He shuffled a few steps back, and when Mush said nothing in return, the man tried to communicate again. "What do you want?" His voice cracked, and he continued marching backwards, even though Mush wasn't stepping any closer. He ran into the rough bricks of the building behind him and looked about, panicked. No one was near. The hot midday sun of the fading summer had kept all of the wealthy aristocrats to live in this neighborhood well within their rooms. He and Mush were alone.
"I think you know," Mush answered, his accent softened noticeably by the passing time. Quick as light, he was at the man's throat. "I think you know full well, Mr. Stimmon."
Mr. Stimmon let out a squeak that seemed to echo off the walls of the alley. "But what do you want with me?" he managed to choke, the sweat dripping off his face and staining his starched collar.
"I watched you," Mush hissed, his eyes dangerously wide. "You killed that family in Queens two days ago. Three little girls, one baby boy, and their two parents. You thought that they were wealthy… but they weren't. Angered that the father had already lost his money, you killed them all. I must admit that you are slyer than the average criminal. I couldn't even catch up to you. You escaped my prowess. But not today."
"I—I had to do it, you know!" Mr. Stimmon said, trembling. "I have a family too! Five kids, and my wife's pregnant right now!"
"Liar," hissed Mush, his breath striking against Mr. Stimmon's throat.
Mr. Stimmon tried to back away further. "I just lost my job, mister. How am I supposed to feed my kids?"
Mush grabbed the lapel of his suit jacket and stepped backwards, before lurching forwards and slamming Mr. Stimmon against the wall so forcefully that his skull cracked. "You have no family. You once did, I can see that," he pondered, his thoughts probing the throbbing mind of his injured companion. "But… oh, how did this escape me? You killed them, too." Mush let out a screaming howl and plunged his fangs deep within the fleshy throat of the dying man.
After Mr. Stimmon had been left lying, a mere shell of a corpse, Mush walked calmly out of the alley. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve, pleased to see that he hadn't gotten blood all over himself. The vile taste of the murderer coursed through his body, and he couldn't help but give a shudder.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, next to the climax of finally cornering his latest murderer. He wandered from shop to shop, nodding politely as the owners showed him their newest and grandest acquirements yet. He purchased a few antique items around four in the afternoon, a hobby he'd only recently picked up. He knew that, with time, the antiques would pay themselves off. After he'd finished with this, he took them back to the apartment he held for his daytime purposes, and then walked to Central Park, trying his best to look like he fit in. It was always hardest to become "normal" on these hot days, because everyone he passed on the street had a beet-red face and was sweating extensively. His pale visage never took on the color of strawberries; he also never had a drop of perspiration grace his pure skin.
In Central Park, he picked a bench and sat upon it. His straight posture would have risen eyebrows in his rightful time period, particularly among his friends. Yet in this time, he could be whomever he wanted. He could pretend to be rich, pretend to be poor, pretend to be famous, pretend he wasn't even a vampire. The 20s were incredible.
With time, the sun finally began to set. Relieved of his boredom, Mush walked quickly to the dark little apartment on the West Side of Manhattan where his vampire friends were still fast asleep. They always awoke quickly after their sleep, but he did not feel any need to delay their feasting tonight. Generally he waited for them to find him; he was never hard to find. Tonight, something was different. There was a wild tone in the breeze.
The boys all got dressed in their finest suits, colored much like a pastel embodiment of springtime. Spot was scowling as he emerged in his light blue, because he hated the formality of the suits. He wouldn't be with everyone the whole night. Within the last year, he'd taken to giving them the slip more often and going off to roam by himself. Every now and then, Mush would get an urgent request in his mind, from Spot, asking if he could make a vampire of this person or that person, but Mush never granted him permission. Spot hated this thoroughly.
Misprint and Gemini got all fancied up as well, in their short skirts that rose above their knees and heeled slippers. Wordlessly, Mush led them to a nearby bar. He ignored the protests of the bartender, sent him calming messages inside his mind—Stay calm. Let us pass. We are good.—and opened a back door. Propped up inside it, hardly alive, were enough bandits for each of the vampire gang to have two. Their crimes were crudely marked in ink upon their bare stomachs. Mush always loved for their sins to be displayed to everyone, even – especially – when they were discovered, dead, perhaps the next morning.
The sight of the filth angering him, Mush walked back up to the room with the bar, leaving his minions and the two girls to feed. He sat down upon a bar stool and refused the drinks that the bartender wanted to give him.
"Hey. Do you have any money?" The voice sounded apologetic enough for Mush to turn and look at the figure beside him. "Because I've lost all of mine. Along with so much more…" His voice changed drastically with the last three spoken words, and his eyes narrowed and bore straight into Mush's soul.
Mush gave a start when he looked into the man's eyes. He could feel the blood of the murderer from noon, now stampeding through his veins, disturbed. The blood itself was agitated. He jumped back as his bar stool fell over from beneath him. "Impossible," he stuttered. "But you're—"
"Your worst nightmare." The man gave a large grin, his smile grotesquely inhuman with its missing teeth. "Whaddya say, …Mush…?"
Mush didn't bother to find why the man knew his name, and he rushed to the back room. He herded his friends outside, Racetrack complaining darkly and with harsh words. He always hated being interrupted when there was feeding he could be doing. Mush nudged them all into a spirited run, and soon they were outstripping the raspy wind of autumn nights.
Feeling quite frenzied, Mush sent out his thoughts to the man, reaching for any wisp of knowledge or insight. The thoughts were waiting for him. I don't want the others. Only you, Mush.
Mush swallowed thickly, then ducked down a different alley than his friends. He was faster than they were, anyway. He turned another corner, the streetlights having the effect of a single firefly as he raced past the short beams of light.
And there the man stood. Waiting.
His hair was on the long side, a deep color which was either black or very, very dark brown. The frame of his body was well shaped and defined, and he was taller than Mush. He wore a plain black suit with a flowing crimson velvet cape. His violet eyes, burning even at this distance, were what had stuck Mush as abnormal, and they shone through the night even now.
"Do you know who I am?" the voice of the man called mockingly, a smirk coming over his slight pink lips. "I know that you know what I am."
Mush shook his head wordlessly, in disbelief. He and his vampires had been roaming New York City for nearly thirty years, and not once—once—had the group found evidence of other vampires. The eyes couldn't lie, however. Vampire eyes held a prism, a kaleidoscope of brilliancy and reverberating beauty. This man, somehow, had gotten them. But if that were so, he'd have to be a vampire as well.
"What a shame," the vampire said, stalking closer. He walked as though upon a line, carefully stepping heel-to-toe. He stopped in front of Mush. "Perhaps I can jog your memory… mon frere."
The face of the vampire changed, years were stripped away, stage by stage. Mush was fascinated in spite of himself. Finally, enough time had gone by, and he knew who the man was.
"Pie Eater?" he asked softly, staring at the youthful, transfigured face upon the older body. It was a bit intoxicating, yet distracting and insufferable at the instant of decision.
With a snap, the devastating, older face of the vampire was back. "Of course it's me," Pie Eater answered. His eyebrows alone trembled as though with a secret. "It was always me. I always knew what I had to become. You weren't the first to meet Chalereux, Mush. I was the one to teach her English, translating her French. I was the one who told her who you were, I led her to you. I just knew that I would soon be a vampire, as irresistible as she was, when you created your minions. And yet, surprisingly enough, I awoke the next morning to find the four of you gone. And I was still human. Human! Mortal, flesh and blood!
"I moved to Chicago. Chicago is teeming with vampires, and yet it was still quite some time before I could convince anyone to make me one of them."
"What do you mean, 'Chicago is teeming with vampires'? We haven't met any here in New York," Mush protested, feeling more than a little foolish to admit such a fiasco to this vampire, made after himself, and yet seeming to be so much more knowledgeable on the subject of what they were.
"That's because they're keeping their distance. You, Mush, you will be our king! You alone are held in high reverence. But there is much distrust of your chosen minions in our vampire community. Not only do our kind not want to get on your bad side, but there is one among your chosen who is greatly feared as well. He stays loyal to you, but he is breaking loose. He has created the weak vampires who run through the cities, perhaps for a week, before dying. He's been doing so without your permission. And if he can rise above your mandate, how could mere vampires like us hope to hold our own against him? Fear of the two of you has kept New York City dry of all other vampires." Pie Eater stopped and stared at Mush, as though this should have been obvious.
"What do you want me to do?" Mush cried.
Pie Eater raised his eyebrows. "You have to bring the control back over your minion."
"But who is it?" Mush asked desperately. He was starting to second-guess the entirety of his being crowned the king of all of these beings who remained anonymous and invisible to him. For the first time since he drank Chalereux's blood, he felt weak and small.
"You already know."
Mush nodded. "But… but how will I do it? When can I possibly do it?" He began pacing, his face twisted in a sneer, disbelief that one of his minions…
Pie Eater grinned, but it was a jack-o-lantern of a real smile. "No day but today, Mush. No day but today."