TNG9
Blink and Brawn
By Aguachica
John was sitting on his bunk in the Lodging House, thinking to himself. He looked up when someone sat down beside him.
"Hey, John." Kid Blink said, sweeping his blonde hair out of his eyes. "Hey, I'se really sorry about this morning. Mush talked to me, and he says I gave you quite a scare. I has a bit of a temper, sometimes. I didn't mean nothing."
John shrugged carefully, still careful not to make Blink angry again. That was a sight he hoped never to see again.
"So, have you decided on a Newsie Name yet?"
John sighed. That had been just what he had been thinking about. "No. There are so many good names. Everyone has been so helpful, suggesting names, and I really don't know what to choose. They are all so nice, and they all tell something about me. I just don't know what to choose."
John looked at Blink in desperation. "What do you think I should choose?
Blink laughed his insanely carefree laugh. "Actually, what I have to tell you won't help you very much. You'se a brave kid, and you'll be a fine Newsie. You'se strong, smart, and real schooled. The perfect Newsie. I'd even bet against Racetrack that you'se gonna be a Newsie leader sometime. Maybe even the next leader of Manhattan or even Brooklyn! I thinks Brawn would be a good name for a leader like you."
John was taken aback by this speech. A week ago, he had not even known what a Newsie was. Now, he was being told that he might become the next Newsie leader! And, even better, he had another name to choose from. He felt his head start to ache.
Blink looked at him in concern. "Hey John, are you all right?"
John nodded weakly. "Yeah, but I have a headache. And I feel it's going to stay until I choose the right name. So, Blink?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you really think I could be the next leader? How would I prove that?"
Blink shrugged. "Well, you'se have to prove that you'se stronger and smarter than the leader, and you has to get the Newsies to follow you instead of the leader. Then you'se the leader. You might have to fight, too. It's always been that way. It always will be, too."
John's interest was lit. "That sounds like a very good story. But I'll hear it another day. Now how would one go about getting all the Newsies to follow them?"
Blink started to really get into this topic. "Well, you'se have to be really, really good at selling papes. And you'se really good; I don't think even Jack Kelly himself got that much of a tip his first time selling. You'se got to get to be friends with a lot of the Newsies. You'se made friends real quick! And I can tell you'se strong! That's why I think you could be the next leader! Are you going to try?"
"Welll. . ." John wasn't quite sure. He wanted to be a leader, but if he couldn't even choose a Newsie name, how could he make really important decisions?
"Think about it, okay John? It's time we got a new leader. Cowboy's getting too old o sell papes with the boys. He's ready to settle down with his girl and get a real job. Have a family. We'se gonna need a good leader, and if you don't take it, I don't know who it'll go to if you don't take it."
John was starting to feel a little guilty now. "Blink, I promise I'll think about it tonight. I have a huge headache right now, and it just got worse. I think I need to sleep on it."
Blink nodded. "Sure. Think about it. G'night."
"G'night." John pulled his covers over his head. There was so much to think about! What name should he choose?
Should he choose Hot Shot, for his fiery wit and willingness to stand up to Jack Kelly?
What about Solitaire? He was very unique, and as Racetrack said, had no poker face at all.
And then there was Nickel. The name Mush gave him brought back fond memories of his first sale, and his tip.
A leader should be dignified. Gauche was a highly dignified sounding name. It was quite possible that only he and Specs would ever know what it meant.
But a leader should also be one of the crowd. Botch sounded casual, although his forehead throbbed even more at the mere memory of Skittery opening to door into his head.
Edgy was a good name. It reminded him to be on the alert for thieves like Snitch. It could serve him well in the future.
But Amigo could also serve him well. Amigo let the world know that he was bi-lingual, and that could draw Spanish Newsies, like Bumlets, to join him.
The history of a name was also important. If it was known that his name was suggested by the famous Spot Conlon himself, that could increase his popularity by quite a bit. Then Abide would be a good name.
But a leader had to be strong. Brawn was just the name to suggest strength. Blink was right; that name could help him a lot in his quest to become a leader.
John sighed and covered his eyes with his hands. Maybe the whole problem would just sort itself out by the morning. That last thought ran through his mind as he fell asleep, hoping a solution would come in his dreams.
THE MUSES SPEAK!
Blink!muse: Okay, all you readers out there have a special duty!
Aguachica: *winces* I wish you wouldn't say that. . . Every time my Pre- Calculus teacher says that, it means a project!
Blink!muse: Yeah, but they have a fun project! Everyone has to pick their favorite name and send it to Aguachica at "bobcat87@dc.rr.com" Please use Fanfiction as the subject. The last chapter will be posted on November 2nd, my 16th birthday. You may only vote once, and you must use one of these names!
Hot Shot
Solitaire
Nickel
Gauche
Botch
Edgy
Amigo
Abide
Brawn
Aguachica: Whew! That was a lot! Now for shoutouts!
SHOUTOUTS:
TO ENCHANTED-KAWAII:
Aguachica: I'm glad you liked it! I hope you come back to vote!
TO NAKAIA AIDAN-SUN:
Aguachica: Duct Tape would be a good name. . .
John!muse: Hey!
Aguachica: AND SOMETIMES I THINK INTERRUPTING MUSES DESERVE IT!!!
John!muse: *quietly* Eep!
Aguachica: But I'll let John live this time. But next time, I might not be so merciful.
TO INQUISITIVE INK:
Aguachica: Yes, the story is almost over, but after this I'm going to work on another one with John. Maybe he will be working on becoming the next Manhattan leader? I could never abandon him; he's way too much fun to torture!
John!muse: I feel used.
Aguachica: You should.
TO BROOKLYNGRL:
Aguachica: Poor you! I hope you are able to sneak on to read this. I hope your detention and grounding is swift and painless! Good luck!
*Aguachica sends Spot!muse to give Brooklyngrl a big good-luck smooch*
Blink and Brawn
By Aguachica
John was sitting on his bunk in the Lodging House, thinking to himself. He looked up when someone sat down beside him.
"Hey, John." Kid Blink said, sweeping his blonde hair out of his eyes. "Hey, I'se really sorry about this morning. Mush talked to me, and he says I gave you quite a scare. I has a bit of a temper, sometimes. I didn't mean nothing."
John shrugged carefully, still careful not to make Blink angry again. That was a sight he hoped never to see again.
"So, have you decided on a Newsie Name yet?"
John sighed. That had been just what he had been thinking about. "No. There are so many good names. Everyone has been so helpful, suggesting names, and I really don't know what to choose. They are all so nice, and they all tell something about me. I just don't know what to choose."
John looked at Blink in desperation. "What do you think I should choose?
Blink laughed his insanely carefree laugh. "Actually, what I have to tell you won't help you very much. You'se a brave kid, and you'll be a fine Newsie. You'se strong, smart, and real schooled. The perfect Newsie. I'd even bet against Racetrack that you'se gonna be a Newsie leader sometime. Maybe even the next leader of Manhattan or even Brooklyn! I thinks Brawn would be a good name for a leader like you."
John was taken aback by this speech. A week ago, he had not even known what a Newsie was. Now, he was being told that he might become the next Newsie leader! And, even better, he had another name to choose from. He felt his head start to ache.
Blink looked at him in concern. "Hey John, are you all right?"
John nodded weakly. "Yeah, but I have a headache. And I feel it's going to stay until I choose the right name. So, Blink?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you really think I could be the next leader? How would I prove that?"
Blink shrugged. "Well, you'se have to prove that you'se stronger and smarter than the leader, and you has to get the Newsies to follow you instead of the leader. Then you'se the leader. You might have to fight, too. It's always been that way. It always will be, too."
John's interest was lit. "That sounds like a very good story. But I'll hear it another day. Now how would one go about getting all the Newsies to follow them?"
Blink started to really get into this topic. "Well, you'se have to be really, really good at selling papes. And you'se really good; I don't think even Jack Kelly himself got that much of a tip his first time selling. You'se got to get to be friends with a lot of the Newsies. You'se made friends real quick! And I can tell you'se strong! That's why I think you could be the next leader! Are you going to try?"
"Welll. . ." John wasn't quite sure. He wanted to be a leader, but if he couldn't even choose a Newsie name, how could he make really important decisions?
"Think about it, okay John? It's time we got a new leader. Cowboy's getting too old o sell papes with the boys. He's ready to settle down with his girl and get a real job. Have a family. We'se gonna need a good leader, and if you don't take it, I don't know who it'll go to if you don't take it."
John was starting to feel a little guilty now. "Blink, I promise I'll think about it tonight. I have a huge headache right now, and it just got worse. I think I need to sleep on it."
Blink nodded. "Sure. Think about it. G'night."
"G'night." John pulled his covers over his head. There was so much to think about! What name should he choose?
Should he choose Hot Shot, for his fiery wit and willingness to stand up to Jack Kelly?
What about Solitaire? He was very unique, and as Racetrack said, had no poker face at all.
And then there was Nickel. The name Mush gave him brought back fond memories of his first sale, and his tip.
A leader should be dignified. Gauche was a highly dignified sounding name. It was quite possible that only he and Specs would ever know what it meant.
But a leader should also be one of the crowd. Botch sounded casual, although his forehead throbbed even more at the mere memory of Skittery opening to door into his head.
Edgy was a good name. It reminded him to be on the alert for thieves like Snitch. It could serve him well in the future.
But Amigo could also serve him well. Amigo let the world know that he was bi-lingual, and that could draw Spanish Newsies, like Bumlets, to join him.
The history of a name was also important. If it was known that his name was suggested by the famous Spot Conlon himself, that could increase his popularity by quite a bit. Then Abide would be a good name.
But a leader had to be strong. Brawn was just the name to suggest strength. Blink was right; that name could help him a lot in his quest to become a leader.
John sighed and covered his eyes with his hands. Maybe the whole problem would just sort itself out by the morning. That last thought ran through his mind as he fell asleep, hoping a solution would come in his dreams.
THE MUSES SPEAK!
Blink!muse: Okay, all you readers out there have a special duty!
Aguachica: *winces* I wish you wouldn't say that. . . Every time my Pre- Calculus teacher says that, it means a project!
Blink!muse: Yeah, but they have a fun project! Everyone has to pick their favorite name and send it to Aguachica at "bobcat87@dc.rr.com" Please use Fanfiction as the subject. The last chapter will be posted on November 2nd, my 16th birthday. You may only vote once, and you must use one of these names!
Hot Shot
Solitaire
Nickel
Gauche
Botch
Edgy
Amigo
Abide
Brawn
Aguachica: Whew! That was a lot! Now for shoutouts!
SHOUTOUTS:
TO ENCHANTED-KAWAII:
Aguachica: I'm glad you liked it! I hope you come back to vote!
TO NAKAIA AIDAN-SUN:
Aguachica: Duct Tape would be a good name. . .
John!muse: Hey!
Aguachica: AND SOMETIMES I THINK INTERRUPTING MUSES DESERVE IT!!!
John!muse: *quietly* Eep!
Aguachica: But I'll let John live this time. But next time, I might not be so merciful.
TO INQUISITIVE INK:
Aguachica: Yes, the story is almost over, but after this I'm going to work on another one with John. Maybe he will be working on becoming the next Manhattan leader? I could never abandon him; he's way too much fun to torture!
John!muse: I feel used.
Aguachica: You should.
TO BROOKLYNGRL:
Aguachica: Poor you! I hope you are able to sneak on to read this. I hope your detention and grounding is swift and painless! Good luck!
*Aguachica sends Spot!muse to give Brooklyngrl a big good-luck smooch*