A/N: Sorry about the slow updating, I was in Ireland for a week and just
got back. I am going away again tonight, so I will try to update when I get
back from that trip. Okay here is the next chapter.
Naturally I didn't march into Brooklyn and take the territory all at once, I hadn't even planned on becoming leader when I arrived. For at that time my self-esteem was shot by the short comings of my life. Because of my post being taken in Manhattan, when I arrived I didn't think I was fit to lead. And at that time, I honestly don't think I was.
J became Junior, well to me first and then to most, because of his attachment to me. I started calling him it just as a pet name kind of, or maybe more like in a father-like way, because of my protection of him. The name was fitting for he was in fact my junior, he mimicked most things I did, which is why I had to be careful when fencing with danger, and naturally he looked up to me.
It was with Junior that I realized my leadership ability. How he looked up to me, how I could guide him, how I persuading and looked out for him all at once. It was through him that I developed my skills. He tested my patience and my strength, emotionally that is for no one could test my physical strength, but most importantly he allowed me to walk the fine line between parent and friend, falling close to the occupation of older brother. A feared older brother, and with time, this is what I would become to a group of boys that had lacked trust in figures of authority, a group that never had a father to love, never had someone watching their backs, essentially this is what I would become to all of Brooklyn. Not to undermine the previous leaders of Brooklyn, but an empire grows over time, and it wasn't until my reign that all the kinks were worked out, that Brooklyn was finally united, that everyone followed me, if not out of brother-ship, then out of fear.
When I arrived in Brooklyn it was the Great Schism of 1378 all over again. Upon my arrival at the warehouse with scattered beds I was greeted by a great number of kids, and then pulled into secretive corners for discussion, all of which eventually led to me making a decision. Two minutes in the door and they anted to know with whom my loyalties laid. I took no part in further discussions and told them that I was to take no part in the matter and pretty soon people left me alone. So in comparison to the Great Schism, there were two leaders both claiming Brooklyn as their territory. Which is fine, usually in such a case the two leaders fight, one loses and off he goes. Or the majority of the brooklynities stay loyal to one leader and chase the other away. But both were elected as leader, and both had cliam to the territory. Brooklyn was divided, and the agreement was that Brooklyn would split, one would remain Brooklyn and the other Red Bank. But neither leader agreed to take Red Bank, both insisted that they ought to be the ones to keep the territory.
Throughout the year there was constant fighting. I never got involved for I never agreed with either leader. And for that matter Junior never got involved either. The warehouse was split. On the left lay Cork's men and on the right lay Jeb's. In that respect it was like Avignon and Rome. Like I said Junior and I stayed clear away from the fighting and taking sides and what have you, it was then that I realized people started to follow me.
After a few months of mine staying neutral, people saw it more sensible to stay healthy than battered, and they withdrew from the constant battles. Soon people started asking me for advice, nothing really big or exciting, but I realized what I was becoming to them, and I realized that the brothership I shared with Junior could be developed with each of these boys as well. As I mentioned before my relationship with Junior tested me in many of the same ways that my boys were to test me. It was through him that I learned when to hold my tongue, and when to use my fist. I realized there was a balance needed in a person to watch out for another. This balance grew each time a new boy dropped from the Cork-Jeb conflict and joined the neutral state with me. It was good that I didn't take over Brooklyn all at once. I would have been overwhelmed. The slow increase in my followers was exhausting as it was, if I had tried to conquer Brooklyn in one night I would have surely failed.
Soon I had most of the Brooklyn group claiming me as their leader. I don't know whether it was because they believed me to be qualified, or if they got used to following me, or if they just got sick of fighting for Cork or Jeb, but whatever the reason I had their trust. And once most loyalties lay with me Cork and Jeb lost sight of what they were fighting over. Throughout all their battles and planning they didn't see the new group growing, they didn't see the new leader emerging. It was then that I claimed Brooklyn my own, at Cork and Jeb's weakest moment, at their revelation that neither of them won, that they both in fact lost by fault of their own. It was then that we kicked the two trouble-makers from Brooklyn by force, and it was then that I felt at home, among my brothers.
Naturally I didn't march into Brooklyn and take the territory all at once, I hadn't even planned on becoming leader when I arrived. For at that time my self-esteem was shot by the short comings of my life. Because of my post being taken in Manhattan, when I arrived I didn't think I was fit to lead. And at that time, I honestly don't think I was.
J became Junior, well to me first and then to most, because of his attachment to me. I started calling him it just as a pet name kind of, or maybe more like in a father-like way, because of my protection of him. The name was fitting for he was in fact my junior, he mimicked most things I did, which is why I had to be careful when fencing with danger, and naturally he looked up to me.
It was with Junior that I realized my leadership ability. How he looked up to me, how I could guide him, how I persuading and looked out for him all at once. It was through him that I developed my skills. He tested my patience and my strength, emotionally that is for no one could test my physical strength, but most importantly he allowed me to walk the fine line between parent and friend, falling close to the occupation of older brother. A feared older brother, and with time, this is what I would become to a group of boys that had lacked trust in figures of authority, a group that never had a father to love, never had someone watching their backs, essentially this is what I would become to all of Brooklyn. Not to undermine the previous leaders of Brooklyn, but an empire grows over time, and it wasn't until my reign that all the kinks were worked out, that Brooklyn was finally united, that everyone followed me, if not out of brother-ship, then out of fear.
When I arrived in Brooklyn it was the Great Schism of 1378 all over again. Upon my arrival at the warehouse with scattered beds I was greeted by a great number of kids, and then pulled into secretive corners for discussion, all of which eventually led to me making a decision. Two minutes in the door and they anted to know with whom my loyalties laid. I took no part in further discussions and told them that I was to take no part in the matter and pretty soon people left me alone. So in comparison to the Great Schism, there were two leaders both claiming Brooklyn as their territory. Which is fine, usually in such a case the two leaders fight, one loses and off he goes. Or the majority of the brooklynities stay loyal to one leader and chase the other away. But both were elected as leader, and both had cliam to the territory. Brooklyn was divided, and the agreement was that Brooklyn would split, one would remain Brooklyn and the other Red Bank. But neither leader agreed to take Red Bank, both insisted that they ought to be the ones to keep the territory.
Throughout the year there was constant fighting. I never got involved for I never agreed with either leader. And for that matter Junior never got involved either. The warehouse was split. On the left lay Cork's men and on the right lay Jeb's. In that respect it was like Avignon and Rome. Like I said Junior and I stayed clear away from the fighting and taking sides and what have you, it was then that I realized people started to follow me.
After a few months of mine staying neutral, people saw it more sensible to stay healthy than battered, and they withdrew from the constant battles. Soon people started asking me for advice, nothing really big or exciting, but I realized what I was becoming to them, and I realized that the brothership I shared with Junior could be developed with each of these boys as well. As I mentioned before my relationship with Junior tested me in many of the same ways that my boys were to test me. It was through him that I learned when to hold my tongue, and when to use my fist. I realized there was a balance needed in a person to watch out for another. This balance grew each time a new boy dropped from the Cork-Jeb conflict and joined the neutral state with me. It was good that I didn't take over Brooklyn all at once. I would have been overwhelmed. The slow increase in my followers was exhausting as it was, if I had tried to conquer Brooklyn in one night I would have surely failed.
Soon I had most of the Brooklyn group claiming me as their leader. I don't know whether it was because they believed me to be qualified, or if they got used to following me, or if they just got sick of fighting for Cork or Jeb, but whatever the reason I had their trust. And once most loyalties lay with me Cork and Jeb lost sight of what they were fighting over. Throughout all their battles and planning they didn't see the new group growing, they didn't see the new leader emerging. It was then that I claimed Brooklyn my own, at Cork and Jeb's weakest moment, at their revelation that neither of them won, that they both in fact lost by fault of their own. It was then that we kicked the two trouble-makers from Brooklyn by force, and it was then that I felt at home, among my brothers.
