A/N: *blink* *blinkblink* Wow! I am so incredibly excited right now, that I don't know what to do with myself. Maybe, I'll write more fanfiction. ^_^ I have never had such a great response from the general Newsies community from a story before. I'm glad you all like this, so here is some more! I'm really, really honored that you guys are reading my story, especially the Slashy Ladies. I love you guys! Oh, and as a short-quazi-apology... I know that other people have written straight-Skits and straight-Snitch... but it was more for the emphasis of Blink saying that there were only two people in the world that did it rather than the facts behind it. Please don't kill me! It was just an expression.
Disclaimer: I still do not own Newsies or any of the stories mentioned last chapter. I do not own Outkasts (how did I manage to forget that in my first disclaimer?) it belongs to Thumbsucker Snitch. That is finished, so I'm not ranting about it not being updated, but I really really like some of the characters such as Flaming-Crossdresser!Spot. ^_^ Obsessed wit' Aaron Lohr is mentioned as Chip in the future, because that name is just too long. ^_^ I do not own the Very Secret Diaries of the Lord of the Rings. (yes, you should be scared) Major Blink is owned once again by Funkiechick
WARNING: heh... this is a bit late... this story contains slash, light swearing and randomness. Hell, it's the world according to Gryffin- do you expect it to make sense?
Thank God for math classes! Without which, I would not have had time to write this story!
Shoutouts!
Lute: wow... I never... ever... ever expected you to read, let alone review my story. *blush* Thank you so much! And thanks for putting me as a link on your journal. ^_^ I miss band. Ever since I got into college, I decided I didn't want to be a band dork anymore... then found that I could barely watch our band and not be on the field with them. We never competed in high school, because our director didn't believe in it, but we had the best reputation in our area. We always got standing O's from the crowds. *sniff* At least I have Newsies-in-band stories to comfort me! luffle you!
Studentnumber24601: Wow! B! I love your stories! *huggles B's stories* I will be very happy if you update EYDW, but this will keep me entertained until then. Maybe if you tell me what general city you live in, then the Newsie-muses may find their way back to you themselves. ^_^ Ciao!
ShakesEE: I'm sure you'll find your life again soon. But until then, make sure you keep working on Beef Barn... because I am in the process of reading it and I would hate for it to magically stop with no real ending. I shall leave you a wonderful review whenever I catch up to you. ^_^
PButtercup: Yeah, I get the feeling that if they ever get to Sante Fe, Jack will never leave. I got lots of rabid plot bunnies for that though. ^_^ *ponders* hey, does anyone know where Sante Fe is? Like what state it is in? hmmmmmm... It's sad that I'm in college and I've never had a geography class isn't it? Thanks for reading! Much luv!
Thistle: Yeah, I like Denial!Skitts too. ^_^ he is cute, though he wouldn't admit to it. Maybe this will spark some updates sometime soon. Until then, here's another chapter!
Highland: Well, the Muses are going to Disneyland... but there is an awful lot of land between there and New York, and they may just cause some 'inspiration' along the way. ^_^ Enjoy!
Jen: Glad you like the story. Keep reading!
Braids: Don't worry, I'm not letting my muses get away from me. *evil grin*
Race: HELP US!
Skitts: Please?
Hey, how'dja get that gag off? Hmmmm... maybe you need some tighter knots. I knew I should have joined Boy Scouts. They don't teach you this kind of thing in Girl Scouts. ^_^ I don't know why everyone hasn't been updating... maybe it is just bad timing for all of them, but I needed something to amuse me. Luv yas!
Nakaia: Maybe it sounds like your sister's Itey muse because it is your sister's Itey muse. *ponders* ^_~ You are the second person who told me their Muses are obsessed with Monty Python. That'll have to come up in here somewhere. This summer, during one of our all camps, me, Artemis and a girl named Eeyore danced to Knights of the Round table for our campers. It was fun. Well... then again... we also had a group of our campers do Carrying the Banner where Arty and I were the Delancey's and they did King of New York, and we sang and danced on tables in the Trail's End unit shelter singing Newsies so loud that the campers and staff from Orchard came across the creek and partied with us. ^_^ Enough of that, and on with the story! Thanks so much!
Dakota: Thanks hon! ^_^ yay for updates! The Backyard Brawl is this weekend, so there will be mondo partying and fires in the streets of Morgantown. I am so excited that I finally have nothing that I NEED to do... all weekend long. Laziness is a wonderful thing. ^___^
Valentine: I'll see what goes on... maybe the Newsie!Muses will pay you a visit. Thanks for reading!
Gothic: Thanks!!! Hey, did you know that using multiple exclamation points and question marks is a sign of insanity? Yeah. ^_^ Guess it's official then!! Glad you like the story! Thanks for the review!
Maddie: You know... your name is entirely too long. ^_^ j/p. Nah, my muses aren't running away. I have them all bound and gagged and sitting on my bed ready for use whenever I please. XD I'm glad you find me funny, sweetheart, but frankly I'm scared of whatever ideas this story may have sparked in your confused little head. I'm sure I'll find out soon enough. Luv ya Mushly!
Legs: Of course I mentioned you! You have one of very few stories featuring a female counterpart for a Newsie who is not a Mary Sue. I wonder if Tanya will ever get to see the Lion King... by the way. ^_^ Yeah, my mind works in random spurts. If I don't make sense then... then... well then I guess I'm working normally. ^_^ Luv your story! Thanks for the review! I think some of the Muses are going to start acting like some of your muses soon... they are entertaining. Luv ya!
Falcon: *hugs falcon back* Wow! lol... am I really that inspiring? Spot!Muses are fun, because they are so interchangeable. They can be the tough, rough, heartless leader of Brooklyn or they can be a complete and total pansy and either way it is quite believable. ^_^ I love Spot!Muses... I'll have to get one of my own some day. Thanks!
Cassie: Yeah, I want to go to Disneyland too... I've never been there, so my version of Disneyland is going to be much like Disneyworld. I just didn't want them to go to Florida, because that only takes a day or so and you can't get very lost. Plus, I like the idea of Mush going to Anaheim. *cough* Mighty Ducks *coughcough* ^_~ Too bad that the Newsies are imaginary too, or else that would be the vacation of a lifetime. You know child, you really need to learn how to type. I still love you though!
Chip: ooh... Newsies on the beach... *thinks of random Snitch/Skits sunset scenes* mmmmmm Yes, I got a kick out of your Itey!Muse. ^_^ He makes me giggle.
Artemis: Yes, Artemis, your D&D Newsies spoof was hilarious. That CD is amusing in itself, but when you put the boys into it... wow. ^_^ I daresay that if me or any of my friends had their way several of them would be lost in Pittsburgh. *yum* Thank you so much for listening to me and telling me about the link. I love you Artemi! (yes, there should be multiple Artemis clones running around) You know... Boots never did get to borrow your bikini... ... ... XD
Sita: I love your Pantless!Blink Muse. He's so incredibly awesome. ^_^ Blink is another interchangeable character, like Spot. He can be tough and surley and mysterious or he can be the pretty-boy center of attention. I luffle Blink! Thanks you so much for the review! Here, have a boxer-shaped brownies. PS: Does Blink have special light up boxers for Christmas? XD Luv ya!
Taps: Thank you honey! Singing Itey Muse is courtesy of Chip, aka Obsessed wit' Aaron Lohr. I hope you don't forget about my story! I wish you would put more of what you write up on ff.net so I can read it too. See you over Thanksgiving!
Where have all the muses gone?
Chapter 1: I call Shotgun!
An hour or so later...
"So what does everyone got?" Jack asked, looking around at the assemblage of cars and people that filled Newsies Square. He stood in Horace Greeley's lap to be heard properly. The boys all started clamoring at once, each trying to drown out the next to be heard by Jack.
Camo-gear! Dutchy and Specs from But I'm a Prep climbed onto the base of the statue and attempted to silence the other boys by looking tough and intimidating. They failed miserably, but eventually everyone noticed the cowboy waving his arms around like an idiot and after a good long laugh at Jack's random flailing limbs, they quieted down.
"Thank you."
"Any time, Jacky-boy," Flaming!Spot from Outkasts said, looking up from his bright red nail polish. Jack shot the Brooklyn leader a dirty look. Spot blew him a kiss with lips stained cherry red. Jack ignored him.
"We'll go 'round dis way," Jack said, drawing an imaginary circle through the boys. "Blink, you start."
"I got around $2,000 from working at Redwing and my rich family in (story). I brought two cars too... my little yellow beetle from But I'm a Prep and Gryffin's 2003 yellow Cavalier from Newsies Meet Redwing."
"You drive yellow cars and you say you're not gay..." Race muttered.
"I changed my mind about that, didn't you hear? I'm a bisexual man-whore," Kid Blink said, looking quite pleased with himself. He leaned over and kissed Race on the cheek. He wiped it off, but Blink saw him smile. Everyone loved Blink's kisses. Jack loved Blink's kisses himself. Actually, Jack could really use one of Blink's kisses right now...
Jack shook his head and rolled his eyes at Blink's public display of affection.
"We'se not heah ta argue pirate-boy's sexuality!" Jack yelled, trying to regain the group's attention, while putting his own attention on something other than Blink's crotch.
"Who? Me?" Les asked, looking up from the wooden sword that he was coating in sticky, silvery stuff.
"No, the kid with the eye patch!" Jack said, exasperated at the attention span of his Newsies.
"Who? Me?" Orlando Bloom asked from behind Les's left shoulder.
"No!" Jack yelled. His voice cracked. "Who the hell are you? Wait, I don't want to know. I really don't care. You don' even have an eye patch. Get the hell out of my movie!"
Orlando Bloom pouted, causing all the Mary Sue's and some of the Slashy Ladies who were watching to sigh. He walked out of the square muttering, "I'm still the prettiest," under his breath.
"Jack! He was my friend!" Les cried.
"Jack! He was cute!" Spot whined.
"All of you shut up now or I'm turnin' dis car aroun' an' we'se goin' home."
*silence*
**chirp**
*more silence*
"Uh, Jack?" Mush said, his forehead wrinkled in concentration. "We ain't in a car."
*laughter*
Jack pounded his head on the statue. Repeatedly.
"Dude, you are so dense," Snitch said from his position on Skittery's hood. Skittery sighed. At least Snitch wasn't being as bad as Swifty. Swifty was posed like a bathing suit model on Race's hood. What was worse yet was Jake and Bumlets who were circling him with fake cameras taking fake pictures.
"Shut up, Snitch," Skittery said, sitting down.
"Make me."
Skittery shot Snitch a dirty look. Snitch smirked. Skittery couldn't decide whether to slap Snitch across the face or to kiss him. He settled for punching the boy in his arm and letting Snitch put his head on his shoulder.
"Hey Mush!" Blink called, sliding off the hood of one of his cars where he had been playing with the belt of Race's pants. "Maybe if you're good, Jack'll let you take a trip to the moon."
Mush smiled broadly like a child on Christmas, but then his face fell.
"I don't want to go to the moon. I want to go to Disneyland."
"You can go to the moon on the WAY to Disneyland," Jack said, caressing the growing lump on his forehead. Now his head was pounding where he had hit it and where it always pounded when he was frustrated.
"Really?" Mush asked.
"Of course. Go get your box."
Mush ran off toward his car of choice. It was a Mustang.
"Duct tape, it fixes everything," Blink said, smiling toothily. A roll of the stuff magically appeared in his hand just as Mush pulled his duct taped box from the trunk. The few Newsies around Blink gave him strange looks. After a moment, Blink began giving himself strange looks and wondered why the hell he had just said that.
'He really should sell toothpaste,' Race thought, making sure that his face was impassive.
"Anyways! Back ta da cars!" Jack yelled, seizing the opportunity when the boys were quiet. "Racetrack! What did you bring?"
Race, startled, looked away from the confused!Blink (who is adorable, by the way) and stared blankly for a moment at Cowboy before he seemed to comprehend the words coming out of his mouth.
"I got my car from Everything You've Done Wrong, and I got about $5,000 from my various rich Italian families."
"Dat's great!" Jack said. "You'se probably got da most rich families. Well, all of us gots some rich families out dere, but Race's are da best since dey's in da Mafia."
"SHHHHHHHHHHH!" Race yelled, looking frantically around the square. He whispered menacingly, a finger pointed at Jack. "Don't you ever say that again! That ain't true."
The square fell into silence. Itey watched Race tug at his suspenders and adjust his vest. That Italian temper was just so hot, especially since the guy wearing it was so small...
"Good. We'll skip Mush foah now... who else's got a cah?"
"I do," Skittery said, jingling his keys. His little black Honda, complete with key marks from Outkasts, sat behind him. Snitch was already inside fiddling with the radio.
"Tell me if you want me, Cause you think I'm sexy, come on baby let me know!" Itey started singing, complete with dance moves this time, aimed directly at Race. Race purposefully failed to look in the other boy's direction. Jack spoke over the annoying falsetto voice.
"Fine den. Dat's enough cars, an' we got nearly $10,000 total ta get 20 boys from NYC ta Cali an' back. God help us all... le's go."
"Awww!" Mush complained. "I just got my box though! I wanted to go to the moon!"
"Drive for a bit first," Dave said, placing a hand comfortingly on the confused boy's shoulder and fighting to keep control of himself as he touched that incredible chest. "You can go to the moon when we stop for the night."
"Really?" Mush's face lit up.
"Yeah, really. Get in."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
ring ring
"Yhello?"
"Hey Rhymes. This is Gryffin."
"Oh hey, Gryff. How's it goin?"
"Listen, why haven't you been updating recently?"
"I give up, Gryff. Why?"
"Pfeh. Nobody has updated. I don't know what to do with all my free time now."
"I don't know. My Race!Muse died though. I don't know where he is. I've started getting into Swing Kids stuff."
"What! You're going to leave your Newsies stories like they are?"
"I dunno. Maybe."
"Rhymes, you can't do that! You have to finish them."
"I'm not sure if I want to anymore. Sure the guys look hot and things but... I don't know the plot just isn't going anywhere."
"Traitor."
"Scab."
"I'm not the one writing fanfictions for another story and abandoning Newsies!"
"I'm not abandoning Newsies! If you want to complain about a lack of updates, write your own story!"
"Fine I will!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
*click*
Gryffin threw the phone down on her bed next to her body pillow. She sighed. Write a fanfiction worth reading? Her? Yeah right.
She looked over to the post-it notes that covered her desk. Maybe she should try it... maybe sometime when she could actually see her desk through her lists of things to do. She sighed and sat down, trying to work on developing a game for her Communications class, mind on something completely different.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After much more squabbling about who was going to sit where, they finally got the boys successfully split up into the four different cars and were on their way. Mush drove with Dave, Bumlets, Swifty and Boots. Spot, Jake, Snipeshooter, and Snoddy filled Race's convertible. Les, Itey and Pie Eater all crammed into the back of Skittery's Honda, as Snitch had already claimed the front seat. The rest- Specs, Dutchy, Crutchy and Jack- went in Blink's car.
The cars pulled out, the yellow Cavalier in the lead.
"I really wanted to go to the moon," Mush pouted.
"Don't worry. I promise, Mush, I'll take you anywhere you want to go tonight," Dave said, turning the map upside down.
"Really?"
"Yes. Anywhere."
Bumlets scoffed from the back seat. He looked around warily for a moment, as if expecting something to jump out and attack him, but he settled down after a moment. Boots pulled out a Gameboy and started to play a very loud and annoying game. This would be a long drive.
Meanwhile, in Kid Blink's car, the one eyed, pant-less driver bit his lip as he turned the wheel.
"Can't you put on some pants, Blink?" Crutchy asked from the backseat. He was such a back seat driver... Kid, open your eye, Kid, don't hit that squirrel, Kid, put on your pants... didn't he know that every time Kid Blink had driven a car with pants on he had wrecked it?
"No, Crutchy, not if you want to get to California in one piece."
The small boy made a face but kept his silence.
"Um.... Jack?" Blink asked tentatively. He didn't want Jack to start smacking his head off of something again. He had taken to beating himself with various objects when spoken to since Mush went to get his spaceship. Jack did not begin throwing himself at the window again though, so Blink took it as a good sign. "Which way are we going?"
"Sante Fe... I mean... er... Disneyland is South and West of heah. Pick a direction dat don' lead inta da ocean or inta some frozen wasteland wheah dey don' talk English an' go."
"Okay," Blink said, smiling cheerily. He took a drink of the Pepsi that was constantly stuffed in every extra crack or crevice in this car. He turned out of Newsies Square, glad to go a different direction after circling Horace Greeley for the past half hour. "What's South of here anyways?"
"Brooklyn," Dutchy squeaked between his giggles. Neither Jack or Blink really wanted to know why he was giggling.
"I mean further than that," Blink said, carefully repositioning his rear view mirror.
Dutchy shrugged. Specs completely ignored the fact that anyone else existed. Dutchy went back to their game. Appearently, it involved seeing how far one could stick their tounge down the other's throat and tickling each other at the same time. Crutchy tried to back himself into the corner farthest from the boys who kept randomly loosing pieces of their camo-clothing.
"New Jersey is south of here," the gimpy boy whispered.
"Watch out, New Jersey, because here we come!"
End One
A/N: Wow... the shoutouts are nearly as long as the chapter. Yeah, the ending isn't great, but I had to give this a bit of plot if you guys want me to continue it. Honestly, I didn't think anyone would read it and that it would stop at a chapter but... obviously you have all changed my mind. ^_^ I heart you! Please feel free to leave a review on your way out. (read: Gryffin is a review-whore, and reviews make her very very happy) Next chapter: Riding in cars with boys and a visit to Shot. ^_^ Have fun!