Chapter 1: Jack and Hot Shot
Disclaimer: I hate writing disclaimers. Everyone else has really smart, clever things to say in their disclaimers, but I can't think of any clever disclaimers. So I don't own Newsies and I can't write clever, funny disclaimers. Thanks a lot. Now you've made me depressed. But I do own John and the name he decides on. Now I feel better because I don't have to say I don't own him. POWER! OH YES! I! HAVE! POWER! BTW, Shoutouts are at the end of the chapter.
Special thanks to: My editor, Dacia, and to John, my victim in this story (I can never come up with good original characters; they always have to be closely based on people I know), who didn't strangle me even when I insisted on reading every single review to them; even the ones they wrote!
Aguachica's QUOTE!
Aguachica: You know what I like about England? There are lots of guys with English accents.
Friend: You know what I like about drinking fountains? They have water in them.
Aguachica: True. . .
~~~~
Voices rose from every direction, greeting Blink.
"Blink, where were you?"
"Hey, Kid, you'se been gone two days, we thought the scabbahs got you."
"Where ya been, Kid?"
"BLINK! You'se walked out on me and the oddahs wit'out tellin' us anything! For all we knowed, you coulda been drowned, or hoit, or killed, or. . . or. . . anythin'!"
The last comment, the speech, came from a boy who looked about Blink's age, but with honey colored skin and dark, curly hair. He had run up to Blink and practically thrown himself on him. "Is you'se hoit, Blink? Was you angry at me? Did I'se say somethin' stupid again?"
Blink laughed and restrained the boy. "I'se fine, Mush. Everything's fine. I found someone who wasn't, though."
John blushed and shot a look at Blink for putting him in the spotlight. Over twenty pairs of eyes stared at him for a split second before a torrent of questions and introductions washed him away.
Blink stood in front of him, pushing Newsies away. "Not now, not now. He's hoit a bit, and he has to get cleaned up and rest. He can answer all you'se in the morning or at Tibby's. Got that?"
A tall Newsie in a Cowboy hat still stood. "You're getting a little power hungry, ain't you, Louis?"
Blink's cheeks reddened. "That ain't me name anymore, Jack. And John here needs rest. The Delancey Bruddahs was beatin' him up in an alley."
Jack frowned. "One of our alleys?"
Blink nodded solemnly, and beside him Mush nodded eagerly to support his best friend's claim.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Mush, you'se wasn't even there! Go sit with Race."
Pouting slightly, Mush walked over and threw himself into a chair next to a black haired Newsie who was dealing out cards. Mush then proceeded to lose money rapidly to the gambling newsie.
"Now," continued Jack, prodding Blink hard in the chest, "you'se ain't been impressing the Mouth and me with the way you wanders off all the time. We never know where you is. And this kid, you'se found him with the scabs? How can you be sure he ain't one?"
John felt a rush of annoyance. "Listen, if I were a scab, which I am not, by the way, I don't think I would be standing here talking to you. From what I've seen, you are not on good terms and it would be very dangerous for a scab to walk into the den of a lion, so to speak."
Blink may have winked at him; it was very hard to tell when the winker only had one eye, but the smile he sent him was practically glowing.
Jack looked bewildered. "What's this, Blink? I ain't had this much trouble understandin' a fellow newsie since Davey came! When you'se rescue a newsie, you sure get a Hot Shot, don't you?" Jack grinned. "Okay, Hot Shot, bettah get your rest. Nice of Blink to offer his bunk to you for tonight, ain't it?"
Blink's mouth dropped open. "You know, as the leadah of the Manhattan Newsies, you could sacrifice your bed, you know!"
Jack patted Blink a little too hard on the shoulder, forcing him to stumble a ways before catching himself. "Yeah, I knows I could. . . but I ain't."
Blink pouted and showed John to a bunk. John, feeling rather guilty, offered to let Blink sleep there. After all, it was John that was intruding upon Blink's territory.
Blink flashed a smile and pointed to the bottom bunk bed. "That's where Mush sleeps. I'se can share with him tonight. He ain't paid me back the two bits I loaned him this morning." Blink leaned in a little. "Take some advice: never loan anything to Mush. He's the nicest, honestest, sweetest guy you'll ever meet, but his memory's terrible." Blink rolled his eye. "When we first named him Mush, it took him weeks before he could remember that was his name. It was horrible trying to find him in a crowd. We would yell for 'Mush' and nothin' would happen. People'd just look at us real weird."
John laughed and wearily lay in the bunk. Blink sauntered off, probably to con Mush into sharing his bunk for the night. That was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep.
THE MUSES SPEAK!
Blink!muse: Geez, Jack! You didn't have to be such a jerk.
Cowboy!muse: *smirks* Only doing my job. Besides, John used a lot of really big words! What was I supposed to call him? Dim-Witted?
John!muse: That wouldn't be very nice. . . Hey! I only agreed to be in the story? What am I doing in the author's notes? AGUACHICA!!!!
Aguachica: Is there a problem?
John!muse: I am not a muse! I don't want to be here! Get me out of this Author's note!
Aguachica: *amused* But how would you help the other muses answer the fan's reviews?
John!muse: But only muses do that! I AM NOT A MUSE!
Aguachica: You are now. . . I'm going to go watch Newsies. Enjoy answering reviews, guys! *leaves*
John!muse: AGUACHICA! COME BACK HERE!
Skitts!muse: *amused* Gee. You don't look too happy. Something wrong?
John!muse: . . .
Mush!muse: OMG! WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO ANSWER REVIEWS! OMG! *hyperventilates and passes out into John's arms*
John!muse: AGUACHICA! I'M GONNA KILL YOU WHEN I FINISH ANSWERING REVIEWS! *drops Mush*
~~~~SHOUTOUTS!!!!~~~~ *Aguachica bounds back in, coffee in one hand, Newsies DVD in the other, to answer her adoring fans*
TO DACIA:
Aguachica: Ems thinks Dacia needs serious mental help. *slaps Dacia back* By the way, readers, I actually know Dacia, so I don't go around insulting readers for no reason. I value you all too much for that!
Blink!muse: Yeah. She only insults her muses for the fun of it. That's all.
Mush!muse: Do I sense a kindred spirit here? OMG! I've never had a kindred spirit before! *hyperventilates and faints*
John!muse: I still can't believe Aguachica is making me do this. Slap her again during school, will you?
TO INQUISITIVE:
Aguachica: *beams and pops stick of gum in mouth*
Skitts!muse: Gee. I wonder where the other half went.
Aguachica: *continues chewing gum* Oh well. The probability they had rabies is very small.
Skitts!muse: *backs away slowly*
Blink!muse: Wow! A paperclip! The mind boggles!
Aguachica: *makes Blink hang paperclip on eye patch strap* Awwww! That looks so cute on you!
Blink!muse: HELP me.
John!muse: May I go now?
TO PIXI-GAV24601:
Aguachica: Hey, now you've got your name in twice! Way to go!
Blink!muse: *preens* Yes, I am wonderful at the start of this, aren't I?
Mush!muse: OMG! Pixie-Gav24601's got, like, the totally coolest newsies guild on neopets.com! It's called, like, "Carrin' the Banner" and you should TOTALLY join!
John!muse: Thanks. I know my torture makes a nice story, but I WANT OUT OF HERE, AGUACHICA!
Aguachica: Too bad. See you next chapter! Review and be nice, or you'll hurt John's feelings!
Disclaimer: I hate writing disclaimers. Everyone else has really smart, clever things to say in their disclaimers, but I can't think of any clever disclaimers. So I don't own Newsies and I can't write clever, funny disclaimers. Thanks a lot. Now you've made me depressed. But I do own John and the name he decides on. Now I feel better because I don't have to say I don't own him. POWER! OH YES! I! HAVE! POWER! BTW, Shoutouts are at the end of the chapter.
Special thanks to: My editor, Dacia, and to John, my victim in this story (I can never come up with good original characters; they always have to be closely based on people I know), who didn't strangle me even when I insisted on reading every single review to them; even the ones they wrote!
Aguachica's QUOTE!
Aguachica: You know what I like about England? There are lots of guys with English accents.
Friend: You know what I like about drinking fountains? They have water in them.
Aguachica: True. . .
~~~~
Voices rose from every direction, greeting Blink.
"Blink, where were you?"
"Hey, Kid, you'se been gone two days, we thought the scabbahs got you."
"Where ya been, Kid?"
"BLINK! You'se walked out on me and the oddahs wit'out tellin' us anything! For all we knowed, you coulda been drowned, or hoit, or killed, or. . . or. . . anythin'!"
The last comment, the speech, came from a boy who looked about Blink's age, but with honey colored skin and dark, curly hair. He had run up to Blink and practically thrown himself on him. "Is you'se hoit, Blink? Was you angry at me? Did I'se say somethin' stupid again?"
Blink laughed and restrained the boy. "I'se fine, Mush. Everything's fine. I found someone who wasn't, though."
John blushed and shot a look at Blink for putting him in the spotlight. Over twenty pairs of eyes stared at him for a split second before a torrent of questions and introductions washed him away.
Blink stood in front of him, pushing Newsies away. "Not now, not now. He's hoit a bit, and he has to get cleaned up and rest. He can answer all you'se in the morning or at Tibby's. Got that?"
A tall Newsie in a Cowboy hat still stood. "You're getting a little power hungry, ain't you, Louis?"
Blink's cheeks reddened. "That ain't me name anymore, Jack. And John here needs rest. The Delancey Bruddahs was beatin' him up in an alley."
Jack frowned. "One of our alleys?"
Blink nodded solemnly, and beside him Mush nodded eagerly to support his best friend's claim.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Mush, you'se wasn't even there! Go sit with Race."
Pouting slightly, Mush walked over and threw himself into a chair next to a black haired Newsie who was dealing out cards. Mush then proceeded to lose money rapidly to the gambling newsie.
"Now," continued Jack, prodding Blink hard in the chest, "you'se ain't been impressing the Mouth and me with the way you wanders off all the time. We never know where you is. And this kid, you'se found him with the scabs? How can you be sure he ain't one?"
John felt a rush of annoyance. "Listen, if I were a scab, which I am not, by the way, I don't think I would be standing here talking to you. From what I've seen, you are not on good terms and it would be very dangerous for a scab to walk into the den of a lion, so to speak."
Blink may have winked at him; it was very hard to tell when the winker only had one eye, but the smile he sent him was practically glowing.
Jack looked bewildered. "What's this, Blink? I ain't had this much trouble understandin' a fellow newsie since Davey came! When you'se rescue a newsie, you sure get a Hot Shot, don't you?" Jack grinned. "Okay, Hot Shot, bettah get your rest. Nice of Blink to offer his bunk to you for tonight, ain't it?"
Blink's mouth dropped open. "You know, as the leadah of the Manhattan Newsies, you could sacrifice your bed, you know!"
Jack patted Blink a little too hard on the shoulder, forcing him to stumble a ways before catching himself. "Yeah, I knows I could. . . but I ain't."
Blink pouted and showed John to a bunk. John, feeling rather guilty, offered to let Blink sleep there. After all, it was John that was intruding upon Blink's territory.
Blink flashed a smile and pointed to the bottom bunk bed. "That's where Mush sleeps. I'se can share with him tonight. He ain't paid me back the two bits I loaned him this morning." Blink leaned in a little. "Take some advice: never loan anything to Mush. He's the nicest, honestest, sweetest guy you'll ever meet, but his memory's terrible." Blink rolled his eye. "When we first named him Mush, it took him weeks before he could remember that was his name. It was horrible trying to find him in a crowd. We would yell for 'Mush' and nothin' would happen. People'd just look at us real weird."
John laughed and wearily lay in the bunk. Blink sauntered off, probably to con Mush into sharing his bunk for the night. That was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep.
THE MUSES SPEAK!
Blink!muse: Geez, Jack! You didn't have to be such a jerk.
Cowboy!muse: *smirks* Only doing my job. Besides, John used a lot of really big words! What was I supposed to call him? Dim-Witted?
John!muse: That wouldn't be very nice. . . Hey! I only agreed to be in the story? What am I doing in the author's notes? AGUACHICA!!!!
Aguachica: Is there a problem?
John!muse: I am not a muse! I don't want to be here! Get me out of this Author's note!
Aguachica: *amused* But how would you help the other muses answer the fan's reviews?
John!muse: But only muses do that! I AM NOT A MUSE!
Aguachica: You are now. . . I'm going to go watch Newsies. Enjoy answering reviews, guys! *leaves*
John!muse: AGUACHICA! COME BACK HERE!
Skitts!muse: *amused* Gee. You don't look too happy. Something wrong?
John!muse: . . .
Mush!muse: OMG! WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO ANSWER REVIEWS! OMG! *hyperventilates and passes out into John's arms*
John!muse: AGUACHICA! I'M GONNA KILL YOU WHEN I FINISH ANSWERING REVIEWS! *drops Mush*
~~~~SHOUTOUTS!!!!~~~~ *Aguachica bounds back in, coffee in one hand, Newsies DVD in the other, to answer her adoring fans*
TO DACIA:
Aguachica: Ems thinks Dacia needs serious mental help. *slaps Dacia back* By the way, readers, I actually know Dacia, so I don't go around insulting readers for no reason. I value you all too much for that!
Blink!muse: Yeah. She only insults her muses for the fun of it. That's all.
Mush!muse: Do I sense a kindred spirit here? OMG! I've never had a kindred spirit before! *hyperventilates and faints*
John!muse: I still can't believe Aguachica is making me do this. Slap her again during school, will you?
TO INQUISITIVE:
Aguachica: *beams and pops stick of gum in mouth*
Skitts!muse: Gee. I wonder where the other half went.
Aguachica: *continues chewing gum* Oh well. The probability they had rabies is very small.
Skitts!muse: *backs away slowly*
Blink!muse: Wow! A paperclip! The mind boggles!
Aguachica: *makes Blink hang paperclip on eye patch strap* Awwww! That looks so cute on you!
Blink!muse: HELP me.
John!muse: May I go now?
TO PIXI-GAV24601:
Aguachica: Hey, now you've got your name in twice! Way to go!
Blink!muse: *preens* Yes, I am wonderful at the start of this, aren't I?
Mush!muse: OMG! Pixie-Gav24601's got, like, the totally coolest newsies guild on neopets.com! It's called, like, "Carrin' the Banner" and you should TOTALLY join!
John!muse: Thanks. I know my torture makes a nice story, but I WANT OUT OF HERE, AGUACHICA!
Aguachica: Too bad. See you next chapter! Review and be nice, or you'll hurt John's feelings!