Whoa! Two chappies in two days! This feels like summer! ;D Actually, we don't have school today, which is extremely odd, as there is no national holiday and the weather is fairly nice. It wasn't so the case yesterday. We had a HUMONGOUS storm, and tornados… perhaps you even heard about it on the news? The Today Show sent people out here… they stood in the movie cinemas that were trashed (which just got finished with construction a few months ago). Yeah, good old Van Wert, Ohio… we totally do not need this. Our economy is already sucky. And now we're losing even more jobs… and we had some people killed… and GAWD. It's horrible. So if you think about it, pray for the families here, please. Thanks.
On a happier note… thank you for all the reviews as well! Today's Reviewer Award goes to FALCO, because she read the whole story yesterday and left me TONS of reviews. Everybody, a round of applause for Falco, please.
Shoutouts!
The Omniscient Bookseller )( **Hands you tissues** This story IS getting quite sad… it's not nearly as sad in this chappy… except for one person… well… I'm not gonna give anything away ((CHOCOLATE ISN'T AS INNOCENT AS WE THOUGHT!)) Whoops… heh heh. Thanks for the review Omniiiiiiii!
ali )( Uh … thanks? Well… you probably won't read this, huh? Oh well… er…
falco )( :D :D :D Yeah, the first chappy IS cute… little Mushy and little Blinky… awwwwww… I'm glad you dressed in black for Trickster, Cali and Terrain… I love those three… actually, I love just about every single one of my created characters in this story… which is why I choose to use them in all my other stories now… haha! Naughty Mush? Oh, wait til we get to the end of this chapter… all images of pure and innocent Mush shall be driven out of everybody's head. WOW! Putting me up with Misprint's Bloodshot Streets???? I am completely in awe. Misprint is my hero. ((YA READ THAT, MIS????)) Yes, I love Freckles and Rudy too… I tend to forget them somehow though, in my list of favey-davey made-up characters from myself. I dunno. I remember Trickster and Chocolate and Cali much easier somehow. You're not really supposed to like Lucy. This is gonna set us up for laterness… ACK! I wish I could tell you all right now how it's gonna end up! Yay for Phantom, and yay for Spot… you write fun reviews falco!!! I wonder how many times you swore in your reviews… LOL sorry I made you so mad!!
Keza: Queen of Procrastination )( Haha I like how fickle you are towards Seraphim… and you might not end up liking Chocolate quite so much… erm… I swear, I don't know how I keep changing all these characters around to people they're not really supposed to be! Chocolate's supposed to be good and nice… ah well. Oh, the ends aren't gonna be tied up yet… not for a while at least… we got some twisting and shouting to do yet. Thanks hun!
Cards )( Ah, of course it's not the end! I still have Lucy and Chocolate out there being insane… and Mush and Sera have to reconcile (and then the next plot twist for them… ooooh!) And Blinky's gotta let us know what he thinks of Philly… and ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! This story is so much fun to write!!!
misprint )( Oh, you know I just threw in the word "yet" to make you boil. Racey's still here. Hahahahaha. In fact, he's the leader now that Blinky and Mushy are leaving. :D Yay Race! Your brother's friend loves Newsies now?!?!?! Wonderful! My brother's friends probably would never watch it… and if they did, they would not enjoy it… because my brother has odd friends like that. Hahaha. They enjoy violence, not singing and dancing. "Girl" was a good insult. **Mushy nods** ACK, Mis, you need to update something soon because I have the day off and no misprint stories to read!!!!!! Sera is news castery? What do you mean? Hehe I enjoyed how you gave her advice in your review… "Tell 'em Blink!" Haha, that reminded me of Blink yelling "TELL 'EM, JACK!" as he hung over the balcony… heh… I heart Blinky. Even though he's an asshole in this chappy… GRRRRRRRRRRRR! Poor Mushy… :( :( :( No, this is definitely not the big ending… **Mondie pictures Racetrack tapdancing wearing a pink sparkly dress and tappy Mary Janes** **Mondie shudders** That was too frightening for words… Haha, I don't know why Morris doesn't go away… cuz he's too stupid to? **Mondie shrugs** Yup, it's paraphrased Racey… let's see how long it takes ya to find it. **Mondie starts stopwatch**
kimimay85 )( Haha… thanks. And gah… our town is freaking falling apart!
Maniac Conlon )( Uh… Blinky *IS* leaving. Mushy convinced him to. Wahoo for Boy Meets World! I heart that show so much I can't even tell you. Thanks for the review Timby! And what's Magnet about?
Growth
Chapter 13
Rose gasped in surprise as she ran into Chocolate's arms. It had been so long since someone had called her Lucy… so long… She cried as she leaned into his chest.
"There, there," he said, in his velvety voice. "What's wrong, Luce?"
She tried to compose herself, but there was still a large part of her which wished to remain uncontrolled, which she chose to listen to. She clung to his sturdy frame, letting her tears soil his jacket.
"It'll be okay," he said, his hands calming her pinned curls. "You'll be fine."
The reassurances only brought more sobbing. "Did you see me out there?" she demanded, pulling away to look up at him. She swallowed guiltily, looking up into the eyes of a man who'd watched her grow from a baby.
"I watched the first half," he said tactfully, making himself smile. "Then I came back to your room to wait for you."
"But why not watch the whole act?" she asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
He pulled her back into a hug. "Ah, Lucy," he said, his voice sorrowful. "I saw the whole act yesterday."
Her cheeks flushed, and she felt embarrassed. "Why'd I choose this life?" she whispered, not expecting any answer from him.
He shrugged, and she felt his body shift through her gloved hands that cupped his back. "Some of us are just meant for it, Lucy. We do what our bodies tell us." To make her laugh, he pulled away and performed a tap-dancing number in the middle of the room, using his bowler hat as a prop. She tilted her head, an endearing grin flitting to the corners of her mouth, reminiscent of her past grins.
He came to a halt and, laughing, fell to his knees with his hands, fingers spread wide, held out to her. She applauded graciously, her curls bouncing with her own laughter.
"Are you really unhappy?" Chocolate asked, his eyes twinkling as he took a seat on the chair that went with the small table that held costumes.
Rose sank to the other seat in the room, uncomfortable in the shifting purple gown. "Chocolate, I left behind everyone I've ever called family, and hurt everyone in the process. And now… now my life is older men and I'm only twelve years old and I want to go home but no one would want me and I don't know what to do and anyway Martha would be angry if I left her act and all I really want to do is go home and see Mush but how can I do that? I hurt him beyond belief anyway, I didn't even tell him I was going and now it's too late and he's probably forgotten all about me anyhow. And what am I supposed to do?"
Chocolate was a bit startled at the outburst, because the Lucy he remembered had always been so precocious and sophisticated… to see her carrying on like a normal twelve-year old was a bit daunting to him. He saw the hurt that flashed in her eyes at her own mention of Mush, and was torn to tell her the heartache she'd caused him. But he knew that, deep down, she wanted to continue in the theatre, and if she had knowledge that she'd hurt Mush, she'd leave in an instant and never remember how electrifying it felt to be on the stage. To hear the applause… to know that people paid to see you. It was the only reason he'd kept on performing, even after Six Strings, his partner, had been crushed under a falling light. He was well aware, in fact, that Lucy wanted to perform. He'd seen it in her eyes when she'd looked at him in such awe after watching him perform that first night in Irving Hall.
"To be honest," he said softly, twisting the hat in his hands again, "I visited the lodging house a few years back. I asked where you were, because it seemed odd to me that the little girl who'd inhabited our space wasn't running around, and someone said they thought you'd run away about a month before. They'd… they'd pretty much forgotten about you, Luce. I'm sorry."
Rose stared at him and blinked a few times, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. Then she stood and turned to her mirror, taking down her hair as she spat towards it, "So that's how it is. I figured as much. They're boys, how much could they really have cared?" She turned back to look at him, and her usual look of distance and aloofness settled in her appearance. "And Mush?"
Chocolate shrugged. "I couldn't even find him, Lucy. I think he was off with a girl."
She snorted. "Typical," she said. "He was so heartbroken over little Seraphim. Seraphim this, Seraphim that. Please! The next instant, he'd moved on to another girl. Probably one of those whores who always hung off him." She picked up a brush and began yanking it through the curls, thoroughly ruining whatever hope her hair had of looking decent that evening. "And doesn't it just fit that he doesn't even care when the girl he thought of as his little sister leaves!"
"Now, now… Lucy…"
She glared at him in the mirror. "My name is now Rose. Rose Ringson."
"Rose." He sighed heavily. "I've got a proposition for you."
She peered at him, her expression softening. "And what would that be?"
Blink whistled as he looked up at the train. It was a bit rusty and worn, but its wheels still glinted in the sunlight, and as he shifted his suitcase from one hand to the other, he was amazed that such a large thing could hand him his freedom so easily.
Otter stood next to it, and Blink stood back from her. "Whaddya doin', Blink?" she called, laughing.
Blink smiled thoughtfully. He held his hand up, and made a mental note. "I'se jus' rememberin' dis moment, when you look like a beauty queen an' yer jus' so beautiful next ta dat train."
Otter struck a few poses, and laughed girlishly as Blink pretended to faint with each one. Then he bounded over and kissed her hand. "I loves you, Otteh," he said.
She smiled adoringly down on him. "I loves you more, Blink."
"A-a-a-a-all aboard!" the conductor yelled, a twinkle in his blue eyes that reminded Blink of childhood tales of Santa Claus.
"This is it," Otter breathed, and she grabbed his hand. Giggling, the duo scampered up the steps and into the passenger car. A few minutes passed, and then the train began to leave the station. The rocking motion picked up its pace to match the pounding in Kid Blink's heart. He was doing it. He was really leaving!
Mush stood on the end of the platform and watched the train pull away. He lifted up his hand to Blink, a painful tear ripping through his heart as he remembered the days when they were but six years old. Tears slid out of his eyes and mixed with the dust and dirt on his face. He searched the windows, hoping that Blink would look out and press his hand against the dirty glass, a farewell gesture, at least.
He searched in vain. Blink was leaned over Otter, admiring how low-cut her dress was rather than the leaving station with its raised wooden platform.
Long after the train had left, Mush finally turned and walked for home.
"Rose, you aren't happy here with Martha. But you don't want to go back home to New York, either." Chocolate's voice had a coaxing quality to it, but it was quiet, so the untrained ear would just think he was speaking to her as a friend to a friend. "One of the actresses in the troupe I'm in just left a few days ago. You could join us. And be your own act. You wouldn't have to do anything you didn't want to, and… we'd each have a friend. What do you say?"
Rose lowered her eyes. "I can't leave Martha," she answered slowly. "Martha saved me."
"Rose." She looked up at him. "You saved yourself."
Rose found herself smiling. "I guess I did, didn't I?" she reflected, and finally she gave a sigh and nodded. "I'll do it, Chocolate. I'll join your troupe."
Chocolate smiled to himself. Luckily, Rose had turned back to her mirror, and missed the smirking face as he rose to his feet. "Goodnight, Rose," he said softly. "I'll come see you tomorrow."
"Bye, Chocolate. And thank you."
Chocolate pressed his bowler hat firmly on his head, and let himself out of the room. It had gone better than he'd even hoped to plan.
The lodging house was always so quiet at night now, since Mush had moved out. The new leader was Racetrack, and he didn't feel comfortable taking over Mush's prayer. Mush had said it every day since he himself had been a newsie, and he knew that it had been going on for far longer than that. It just seemed wrong to steal Mush's tradition from him, even if he wasn't there anymore.
Spotchkey, for one, couldn't stand it, though. He missed hearing the lulling tones settling everyone down. He wished he could carry on the ritual for Mush, but feared he didn't know enough newsies' names. So starting that day, he began memorizing names of not only the other boys in the lodging house, but also the newsies who chose to carry the banner, sleeping on the streets.
He didn't know that Mush snuck up the fire escape one night to look in on his friends and followers, and smiled when he heard Spotchkey stumbling over the start of the prayer. He leaned back on the fire escape and sighed, wondering if this would bring the same elation—and the harmful consequences of knowing everyone more closely than anyone else—that it had brought him. He felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, that he had started such a thing for the lodging house. But he also felt sadness, hoping that Spotchkey would never have to feel the amount of pain that he himself did.
The next time Mush saw Seraphim, she was wearing another outfit current to the styles of the time; this one had a simple white bodice and a long, dark green skirt which flared at all the right spots on her. She looked as though she was searching for someone, but when her eyes landed on Mush, she seemed to forget all about her quest. "Mush? Is that you?" she asked incredulously.
Only a week had passed since he'd last seen her, and he'd made an incredible transformation. His hair was clean. His face was clean. He wore a pressed linen shirt, and long brown pants, with a matching vest under a matching jacket. His bow tie was also brown, and he stood against a building, lost in space. When he saw Seraphim, his face grew into a look of elation, and he bounded over to her. He kissed her softly on the cheek, and his eyes smiled at her. "I'se did it, Seraphim," he said quietly. "I'se got me a real job."
"What?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "Just like that?"
"Jus' like dat," Mush agreed. "I talked ta Denton. I get ta go along wit' 'im on 'is assignmen's now, an' some a' his colleagues' assignmen's as well, an' take da pictas fer 'em. It pays real good, too." He beamed with pride at himself.
Seraphim was literally in shock. She could only stare at him, before letting loose with a very loud, very improper squeal. She threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him on his mouth. A few of the people passing by gave them odd looks. "Uh… Sera?" asked Mush, confused at her own transformation.
"Mush, I love you," she said. "You did it. For me."
"And fer me," he corrected. "Fer both a' us."
"What about Blink?" she asked, as they fell into step, walking amiably side by side. "Was he mad when you told him you wanted to stop being a newsie?"
"Naw," Mush answered. "Ackchally, 'e was relieved. 'E wan'ed ta leave, too. But fer him, it was for Philadelphia…" He now grew silent, and looked down at his boots. They were still his newsie boots, because he hadn't saved up enough yet for a new pair. "I hope 'e writes me a letteh soon."
"I'm sorry, Mush," Seraphim said. "I know that you two were like brothers."
"We still are bruddahs, Sera," answered Mush.
"Okay." Seraphim decided to change the subject, and was in the middle of telling one of her hilariously cute school stories, when Mush burst back in.
"I'se can' believe 'e ackchally left!" he interrupted, nearly screaming. "Aftah all we's been t'rough. Couldn' 'e at least 'a stuck in da siddy? How could 'e leave Noo Yawk, huh? Dis is our town! Dis is wheah we belong, dammit!"
"Come here," Seraphim said seductively. He obeyed, looking more than a little put out. "Let's go find someplace private, and I'll make you forget all about the fact that Blink isn't here anymore."
Despite himself, Mush felt a smile grow. "I kin take ya to me apar'ment," he offered. "It ain' much, but it's all I'se could afford aftah savin' up fer all dose yeahs as a newsie…" He grabbed her hand, newly energized. "C'mon, it's real close by… it's righ' undehneath wheah Davey's fam'ly used ta live."
Halfway there, he suddenly thought of something. "Waidda minute! Why is we goin' ta my horrible liddle dump when you'se got a beautiful hotel room?"
Seraphim felt her cheeks burn, and wished she'd never tried to impress Mush by claiming that her residence. "It's all da way across town, Mush," she answered slyly. "I'se can't wait dat long."
Mush raised his eyebrows. "Really?"
She smiled. "Really."
"Well, whaddya know. Guess it's me lucky day," Mush smiled. He realized that the last time he'd seen Seraphim, he'd still been a virgin. God, how the other boys had teased him for that! And how embarrassing, that first time… his eyes widened with the horror of that particular mortifying moment. But now… Leading Seraphim into the building, he smiled supremely. There was no way she'd ever leave him once she was the recipient of his loving.
No girl ever could.