Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, nor do I own Smartass, Ruin Bailey, Lute,
Raven, Books or Stage. I own Oracle though. And (groan) Kyle. That's all.
Very sad. Very pathetic.
Psycho Pie: yes. Very.
Quiet, boy!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I think you killed 'er."
"I didn't kill her, I just hurt her a little...WAKE UP!"
Something painful jabbed into my side.
"Oracle, you just broke a fucking glass on the back of her head. She really doesn't need to be squewered by a fork."
I groaned and brought my shaking hand to the back of my head.
"See?" Oracle's voice cut harshly through the air. "She's alive. Happy, Dutchy?"
"Estatic." her companion retorted.
I waited to open my eyes until I heard Oracle's footsteps retreating. "Who're you?"
"Dutchy. I'm a cook. You've been out of it for a while, kid."
"Cook, fun." I blinked. "Who's your twin?"
Dutchy arched a blond eyebrow. "You should go lie down."
"I am lying down...er I think." I looked around, trying to focus despite how wildly the room was spinning. "Yup, definitely lying down."
"I meant-" Dutchy was cut off by a loud bang echoing through the bar. He swore as everyone scrambled around, putting things in their place and changing to pleasant conversations. Dutchy yanked me to my feet and shoved me onto the bar stool, catching me again before I fell off the other side. I moaned in protest and he apologized quickly as Raven shoved him a drink and a door I never noticed before slammed open.
A fat old man with a look of contempt walked out, glaring at each of us in turn.
"Where's Oracle Donovan?" he growled.
"Did I do somethin', Mr. Weisel?" Oracle asked in a sugary voice.
"Don't play sweet, Oracle. Mr. Pulitzer sees everything that goes on in here." Mr. Weisel said threateningly.
A loud voice came from the gambling tabled. "That's not gonna have the effect you were lookin' for, Weasel, 'cause we saw you put up those security cameras last week."
"Shut up, Higgins."
"Stupid rodent." a voice came from the center of the room.
"Who said that?!" Weasel snapped.
No one answered, though I caught sight of Smartass and two other girls I couldn't identify from where I was sitting busy failing miserably at keeping straight faces. Weasel caught sight of them, too.
"Smartass! Raven! Wild Card! You're coming with us too!"
"Us? Who's us?" Oracle asked, confused.
"Me an' you." Weasel growled.
"Me? Since when am I going anywhere with you?"
"Since I came down here to get you."
"Why?"
"Because you threw a mug of beer at Kyle!"
"Oh, that!" Oracle laughed. "That wasn't me."
"Yes it was." Weasel growled, face slowly growing red.
"No, it was me!" Raven yelled, laughing.
"Or me!" Demon added.
"Me!" Dutchy yelled.
"No, it was my cat!" Jackal cried out. "The damn thing's high on too much catnip!"
"Sorry 'bout that." A guy put in, grinning maniacally.
"Not a problem, Pie."
"It was Oracle. I saw it on the tape."
"You sure you saw what you think you saw?" A guy I recognized as Spot said with quiet authority. I could see this guy being a mobster...totally a "Soprano' thing going on.
"Too much time locked up in that little room." He continued. "It's sure to go to your head."
"Weasel's a nutcase!" Oracle crowed.
Weasel growled, grabbed Oracle by the wrist and shoved them through the door ad up the stairs. As soon as the door shut, the room burst into laugher.
Dutchy stifled his laughter after a moment, and turned back to me.
"How ya doin'?"
"The room stopped spinning."
He shrugged. "Sounds like an improvement."
I just groaned and laid my head down at the bar.
Forty minutes. It's only been forty minutes.
I'm not gonna make it out of here alive. Forget my sanity being spared.
"Here. Have something to drink."
I raised my eyes to see a new bartender.
"You're not Raven."
"Nah." She shook her head, tossing her black curls. "I'm Juliet Haven."
"So you're not Raven." I said slowly.
"Just drink it, kid." She said, walking away.
I shrugged and drowned the glass. I shook my head slowly to clear it, muttering "My mother's probably rolling over in her grave."
"Your mother's dead? Your father dead, too?" Dutchy asked, suddenly curious.
"Yup."
He nodded slowly.. "So're mine. Died when I was seven. You?"
"Just last year. I've been wandering since then."
Dutchy nodded again. "Most of us were wanderers before we met each other. Some of us were wanderers until we found this place. MacKenna's. A strange sorta haven, isn't it?"
"Yeah. Strange." Haven? What the hell was this boy smoking? "'Ey, Dutchy?"
"Uh-huh?"
"How old are you? You don't seem old enough to work and drink at a bar."
Dutchy laughed, his eyes shining behind his glasses- the first time I've seen any eyes shining in this god-forsaken place.
"I'm older than you'd think."
"Like, what, twenty?"
He nodded. "Yeah, somewhere around there."
"What is it with you people and answering questions?" I rolled my eyes.
"Dutch."
A voice so quiet that I barely heard it said my companion's name quietly.
"Specs needs you back in the kitchen. Something about something burning."
"Ah, shit!" He exclaimed, leaping off his stool and racing to the kitchen.
A small girl leveled her blue eyes at me, then turned and walked away.
Another girl wearing a black fedora on her wavy, waist length hair plopped down in the seat Dutchy just vacated.
"Ruin Bailey." She said, nodding her head in the direction the girl had just run off in.
"I'm Stage." She added as an afterthought, extending her hand.
"You work here, too?"
"Nah, just a customer- hey, Jules, gimme a scotch."
"'Kay."
Jules quickly poured a shot of scotch. Stage drowned it, and smacked the glass back on the bar.
"Hey! Roll call, people, we have a newbie!"
"A newsie?" Jack asked, his attention snapping to listen to Stage.
"No, a newbie, you idiot."
"We don't wanna play school house, Stage." A voice said.
"FINE! I'll introduce you all." She said cheerily.
"Please don't."
"That-' Stage started. "Is Racetrack Higgins. Around the table is Nikola- er, Skittery, Pie Eater, Snitch and Books- Aren't you supposed to be working?"
Books shrugged. "Supposed ta." She muttered and turned her attention back to the game.
"Books! Get to work! We're missing three! You have to help out!" Lute barked, causing Books to leap to her feet and come running over to the bar to grab a tray.
"You met all the staff, right?" Stage asked.
"Yeah." I nodded. "At least, most of them."
"You, your head, you know, feeling better?"
"A bit."
"Good." She said, and continued pointing out guys around the room. "Jack Kelly, david Jacobs, Spot Conlon, Jake, Swifty-"
"I met most of those guys. 'Cept Jake."
'Yeah, well, don't expect him to come up and introduce himself."
"He stuck up?"
"Nah. Just shy." She said. "His friend's Itey, Bumlets is sitting at the table too, he's the Hispanic guy."
"Mush 'n Kid Blink are the security guards.Snoddy plays the piano, don't know where that boys is. And Specs and Dutchy are in the kitchen. They're ALWAYS in the kitchen. Er, I think that' sit." A sad tone overtook her cheery one. "There used to be more of us. Tabloid Guarrani. Obituary O'Ryan. Snipeshooter. Smalltalk Connors. Boots."
"Where are they?'
"Dead. All of them."
"All of them?"
"Every last one."
"God, everyone you know's dead, aren't they?"
Stage nodded. "Pretty much." She lowered her voice, looking around the room cautiously.
"You know Oracle?" She didn't wait for an answer. "She had a baby before. A little girl, named Renata or something like that- it meant 'rebirth', I remember. Anyway, she died a couple years back. Oracle wasn't so, er, for lack of a better word bitchy before, but."
"Kyle, you feeling better, kid?" Lute cuts into the conversation, sending a look at Stage, who stalks off guiltily.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Can you work?"
"Yeah."
"Then do it, Kid.'
I slid out off the stool, and grabbed a tray, then returned to work.
-------------
Three hours later, I was still serving. I had just delivered the drinks to Pie Eater, Snoddy and Swifty when Lute called my name
"Hey, Kyle!"
"Yeah?"
"Your shift's over. Congratulations. You're not dead."
"But not for lack of people trying." I muttered to myself.
"Finish up, then you can go to your room and rest, okay?"
"Alright."
Lute disappeared, grabbing Oracle's arm and dragging her out of the room.
I put the tray back and walked towards the stairs. Lute's and Oracle's voices stopped me though.
"What did Pulitzer say, Oracle?" I leaned against the door to hear better.
"He said I gotta be good, or else he'd kick me out."
"Oracle-"
"Relax, Lute, he can't kick me out. We can't-"
"Oracle, quiet!" Lute snapped, and they both lowered their voices.
"Watch yourself, kid, or else-" Lute stopped talking, and yanked the door open. I fell to the floor, and looked up cautiously to see a furious Lute and Oracle.
"Er, uh, this isn't the bathroom?" I stuttered. "Oh, well, then I'll just-"
"Goodnight, Kyle." Lute growled. Damn, I didn't know that girl had such a mean streak.
"'Night." I whimpered, and raced up the stairs.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
WOO! Guess what, I'm listening to The Lion King! "But as thick as you are, pay attention! My words are a matter of pride!" Woo! Fun fun! Just got back from speech camp Friday. I had this written, but I was putting off typing it. Lute and Raven made me, though.
It's nice to have people around to yell at you when you're lazy. Woo!
Shout outs:
Klover: Yup! She's just a bitch, ain't she? *pets Oracle's head, but yanks her hand away before she can hurt her* Don't worry, people are around. It's just that there's so MANY, it hard to mention everyone is a chapter without messing it up. And I wanna introduce people a little bit, ya know. You're gonna be big in the next chappie though.shhh, don't tell anyone I told you *shifty eyes*
Stage: Violence. Fun. Woo.
Demon: Suuuuure. We all know you're an angel, lol. Happy pills are uber- spiffy, aren't they?
Wild Card: Whoot. That was fun. The mug just goes Wheeeee! And conks her on the back of her head. Hehehehe.
Deanie: Pulitzer makes them dress funny cause he's a weirdo. Well, that's not entirey it, but eh, you'lll find out laaaaater. *evil grin*
Artemis-chan: A little rough. Eh, what can you do? Besides write it so that people are nice to her.hehehe that's rich. I crack myself up. I'm so mean.
Psycho Pie: yes. Very.
Quiet, boy!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I think you killed 'er."
"I didn't kill her, I just hurt her a little...WAKE UP!"
Something painful jabbed into my side.
"Oracle, you just broke a fucking glass on the back of her head. She really doesn't need to be squewered by a fork."
I groaned and brought my shaking hand to the back of my head.
"See?" Oracle's voice cut harshly through the air. "She's alive. Happy, Dutchy?"
"Estatic." her companion retorted.
I waited to open my eyes until I heard Oracle's footsteps retreating. "Who're you?"
"Dutchy. I'm a cook. You've been out of it for a while, kid."
"Cook, fun." I blinked. "Who's your twin?"
Dutchy arched a blond eyebrow. "You should go lie down."
"I am lying down...er I think." I looked around, trying to focus despite how wildly the room was spinning. "Yup, definitely lying down."
"I meant-" Dutchy was cut off by a loud bang echoing through the bar. He swore as everyone scrambled around, putting things in their place and changing to pleasant conversations. Dutchy yanked me to my feet and shoved me onto the bar stool, catching me again before I fell off the other side. I moaned in protest and he apologized quickly as Raven shoved him a drink and a door I never noticed before slammed open.
A fat old man with a look of contempt walked out, glaring at each of us in turn.
"Where's Oracle Donovan?" he growled.
"Did I do somethin', Mr. Weisel?" Oracle asked in a sugary voice.
"Don't play sweet, Oracle. Mr. Pulitzer sees everything that goes on in here." Mr. Weisel said threateningly.
A loud voice came from the gambling tabled. "That's not gonna have the effect you were lookin' for, Weasel, 'cause we saw you put up those security cameras last week."
"Shut up, Higgins."
"Stupid rodent." a voice came from the center of the room.
"Who said that?!" Weasel snapped.
No one answered, though I caught sight of Smartass and two other girls I couldn't identify from where I was sitting busy failing miserably at keeping straight faces. Weasel caught sight of them, too.
"Smartass! Raven! Wild Card! You're coming with us too!"
"Us? Who's us?" Oracle asked, confused.
"Me an' you." Weasel growled.
"Me? Since when am I going anywhere with you?"
"Since I came down here to get you."
"Why?"
"Because you threw a mug of beer at Kyle!"
"Oh, that!" Oracle laughed. "That wasn't me."
"Yes it was." Weasel growled, face slowly growing red.
"No, it was me!" Raven yelled, laughing.
"Or me!" Demon added.
"Me!" Dutchy yelled.
"No, it was my cat!" Jackal cried out. "The damn thing's high on too much catnip!"
"Sorry 'bout that." A guy put in, grinning maniacally.
"Not a problem, Pie."
"It was Oracle. I saw it on the tape."
"You sure you saw what you think you saw?" A guy I recognized as Spot said with quiet authority. I could see this guy being a mobster...totally a "Soprano' thing going on.
"Too much time locked up in that little room." He continued. "It's sure to go to your head."
"Weasel's a nutcase!" Oracle crowed.
Weasel growled, grabbed Oracle by the wrist and shoved them through the door ad up the stairs. As soon as the door shut, the room burst into laugher.
Dutchy stifled his laughter after a moment, and turned back to me.
"How ya doin'?"
"The room stopped spinning."
He shrugged. "Sounds like an improvement."
I just groaned and laid my head down at the bar.
Forty minutes. It's only been forty minutes.
I'm not gonna make it out of here alive. Forget my sanity being spared.
"Here. Have something to drink."
I raised my eyes to see a new bartender.
"You're not Raven."
"Nah." She shook her head, tossing her black curls. "I'm Juliet Haven."
"So you're not Raven." I said slowly.
"Just drink it, kid." She said, walking away.
I shrugged and drowned the glass. I shook my head slowly to clear it, muttering "My mother's probably rolling over in her grave."
"Your mother's dead? Your father dead, too?" Dutchy asked, suddenly curious.
"Yup."
He nodded slowly.. "So're mine. Died when I was seven. You?"
"Just last year. I've been wandering since then."
Dutchy nodded again. "Most of us were wanderers before we met each other. Some of us were wanderers until we found this place. MacKenna's. A strange sorta haven, isn't it?"
"Yeah. Strange." Haven? What the hell was this boy smoking? "'Ey, Dutchy?"
"Uh-huh?"
"How old are you? You don't seem old enough to work and drink at a bar."
Dutchy laughed, his eyes shining behind his glasses- the first time I've seen any eyes shining in this god-forsaken place.
"I'm older than you'd think."
"Like, what, twenty?"
He nodded. "Yeah, somewhere around there."
"What is it with you people and answering questions?" I rolled my eyes.
"Dutch."
A voice so quiet that I barely heard it said my companion's name quietly.
"Specs needs you back in the kitchen. Something about something burning."
"Ah, shit!" He exclaimed, leaping off his stool and racing to the kitchen.
A small girl leveled her blue eyes at me, then turned and walked away.
Another girl wearing a black fedora on her wavy, waist length hair plopped down in the seat Dutchy just vacated.
"Ruin Bailey." She said, nodding her head in the direction the girl had just run off in.
"I'm Stage." She added as an afterthought, extending her hand.
"You work here, too?"
"Nah, just a customer- hey, Jules, gimme a scotch."
"'Kay."
Jules quickly poured a shot of scotch. Stage drowned it, and smacked the glass back on the bar.
"Hey! Roll call, people, we have a newbie!"
"A newsie?" Jack asked, his attention snapping to listen to Stage.
"No, a newbie, you idiot."
"We don't wanna play school house, Stage." A voice said.
"FINE! I'll introduce you all." She said cheerily.
"Please don't."
"That-' Stage started. "Is Racetrack Higgins. Around the table is Nikola- er, Skittery, Pie Eater, Snitch and Books- Aren't you supposed to be working?"
Books shrugged. "Supposed ta." She muttered and turned her attention back to the game.
"Books! Get to work! We're missing three! You have to help out!" Lute barked, causing Books to leap to her feet and come running over to the bar to grab a tray.
"You met all the staff, right?" Stage asked.
"Yeah." I nodded. "At least, most of them."
"You, your head, you know, feeling better?"
"A bit."
"Good." She said, and continued pointing out guys around the room. "Jack Kelly, david Jacobs, Spot Conlon, Jake, Swifty-"
"I met most of those guys. 'Cept Jake."
'Yeah, well, don't expect him to come up and introduce himself."
"He stuck up?"
"Nah. Just shy." She said. "His friend's Itey, Bumlets is sitting at the table too, he's the Hispanic guy."
"Mush 'n Kid Blink are the security guards.Snoddy plays the piano, don't know where that boys is. And Specs and Dutchy are in the kitchen. They're ALWAYS in the kitchen. Er, I think that' sit." A sad tone overtook her cheery one. "There used to be more of us. Tabloid Guarrani. Obituary O'Ryan. Snipeshooter. Smalltalk Connors. Boots."
"Where are they?'
"Dead. All of them."
"All of them?"
"Every last one."
"God, everyone you know's dead, aren't they?"
Stage nodded. "Pretty much." She lowered her voice, looking around the room cautiously.
"You know Oracle?" She didn't wait for an answer. "She had a baby before. A little girl, named Renata or something like that- it meant 'rebirth', I remember. Anyway, she died a couple years back. Oracle wasn't so, er, for lack of a better word bitchy before, but."
"Kyle, you feeling better, kid?" Lute cuts into the conversation, sending a look at Stage, who stalks off guiltily.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Can you work?"
"Yeah."
"Then do it, Kid.'
I slid out off the stool, and grabbed a tray, then returned to work.
-------------
Three hours later, I was still serving. I had just delivered the drinks to Pie Eater, Snoddy and Swifty when Lute called my name
"Hey, Kyle!"
"Yeah?"
"Your shift's over. Congratulations. You're not dead."
"But not for lack of people trying." I muttered to myself.
"Finish up, then you can go to your room and rest, okay?"
"Alright."
Lute disappeared, grabbing Oracle's arm and dragging her out of the room.
I put the tray back and walked towards the stairs. Lute's and Oracle's voices stopped me though.
"What did Pulitzer say, Oracle?" I leaned against the door to hear better.
"He said I gotta be good, or else he'd kick me out."
"Oracle-"
"Relax, Lute, he can't kick me out. We can't-"
"Oracle, quiet!" Lute snapped, and they both lowered their voices.
"Watch yourself, kid, or else-" Lute stopped talking, and yanked the door open. I fell to the floor, and looked up cautiously to see a furious Lute and Oracle.
"Er, uh, this isn't the bathroom?" I stuttered. "Oh, well, then I'll just-"
"Goodnight, Kyle." Lute growled. Damn, I didn't know that girl had such a mean streak.
"'Night." I whimpered, and raced up the stairs.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
WOO! Guess what, I'm listening to The Lion King! "But as thick as you are, pay attention! My words are a matter of pride!" Woo! Fun fun! Just got back from speech camp Friday. I had this written, but I was putting off typing it. Lute and Raven made me, though.
It's nice to have people around to yell at you when you're lazy. Woo!
Shout outs:
Klover: Yup! She's just a bitch, ain't she? *pets Oracle's head, but yanks her hand away before she can hurt her* Don't worry, people are around. It's just that there's so MANY, it hard to mention everyone is a chapter without messing it up. And I wanna introduce people a little bit, ya know. You're gonna be big in the next chappie though.shhh, don't tell anyone I told you *shifty eyes*
Stage: Violence. Fun. Woo.
Demon: Suuuuure. We all know you're an angel, lol. Happy pills are uber- spiffy, aren't they?
Wild Card: Whoot. That was fun. The mug just goes Wheeeee! And conks her on the back of her head. Hehehehe.
Deanie: Pulitzer makes them dress funny cause he's a weirdo. Well, that's not entirey it, but eh, you'lll find out laaaaater. *evil grin*
Artemis-chan: A little rough. Eh, what can you do? Besides write it so that people are nice to her.hehehe that's rich. I crack myself up. I'm so mean.
