New York Royalty
By: PrinceOfNewYork
Chapter Eight: I Know a Guy Named Avalanche
Summary: In the world people are viewed in several different ways. Some are leaders, some are followers, some are somewhere in the middle, and some just get power through possessions. The concept of royalty can take on more than just one form.
Disclaimer: Most of these guys are mine, except for the few that ain't. And, if ya don't know which ones those are then you better go watch Newsies again.
A/N: Alright, this is my first shot at a Newsie fic, but I've been messin' with this character for over a year now, and it's about time she had her story put down (before I completely forget it all!) Thanks a bunch to all of ya who read this!
Once again, I borrowed the character of Collin "Red" Russiani from a fellow author of mine: AmbrLupin who has an account on this site under that name. So, if you're interested in this character go to her for info, and thanks to her for loaning him to me!
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Mary Ann walked for what felt like years. She watched the street signs and saw the numbers get higher until she reached 141st street. Great, now that she was here… she had to find Avalanche, who ever that was.
She started walking around looking for people with a hat that matched her own, newsboys. But Queens was huge, far bigger than Manhattan, so she had a lot of places to look, a lot of ground to cover, and a lot to learn.
She searched Queens all day, and asked people every so often if they knew anyone named Avalanche, but the people she asked didn't know anyone by that name. It would have been helpful to know Avalanche's real name. She started thinking, what if those Brooklyn boys sent her on a wile goose chase? What if there was no one named Avalanche? What if there was, but he wasn't a newsie? What if he was some back street gambler? What if he would kill her? She had a very active imagination.
She didn't find Avalanche that day. She settled down in yet another alley to sleep for the night. It was freezing outside, but it hadn't snowed recently, so she got lucky in that aspect. It was January after all. It wasn't summer, and winter in New York was cold, and for that reason she was glad she'd packed a blanket.
She woke up early to someone standing over her again, and she wondered if she'd been lucky enough to have a newsie find her again. No such luck. A man held her food bag in one hand as she opened her eyes to look at him. "HEY!" she said standing up. He took one look at her and ran. "Hey! You give that back!" she called. She picked up her bag with her belongings in it and her blanket and ran after him. "Hey someone stop him!" No one did. She wasn't used to running far, so fast, so her steps slowed and the man got away with her food.
"Perfect! Just perfect!"
"What's poifect?" a boy near by asked her.
"That man! He just took my food! Now I don't have a thing to eat!" she said with a sigh.
The boy looked her up and down once. "Well don't be so upset. I dun think you're gonna starve any time soon," he said sourly. He turned and walked away.
"Hey, wait," she said following after him. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean anything by it… umm… I just, it was a rude awakening."
"You think you're in a real rough spot I bet," he said to her stopping and glaring at her full on. "Look around. Dere are people everywhere who would kill for a bite of dat food. Starve for a week. See if youse wouldn't do da same," he said before he turned away from her again. She was too shocked to follow after him.
She sighed a bit, folded her blanket up neater and then walked the opposite direction the boy had gone.
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She didn't find Avalanche that day either. She'd seen a few newsies and had thought to ask them, but she couldn't get the boy from that morning out of her mind. She wanted to prove to him that she could make it out here, just like anyone else. But she forgot one thing, in order to make it she needed money, and that was one thing that she had forgotten to pack.
By that night she was hungry, far hungrier than she thought she could have been after only one day. That night when she went to sleep she held her bag close and huddled up under her blanket. To make matters worse, it snowed, so by the time morning came she was shivering under a blanket, and half covered in snow. She sighed and got herself up.
She didn't like the feeling of having an empty stomach like she did. A whole day without food, to her it was starving, but that was simply her point of view. She saw more newsies that day, but didn't speak to them either. Now she was simply being stupid. She still wanted to prove to that boy that she could make it, though he'd probably long forgotten about her.
She spent the day again looking for Avalanche, though she was hardly looking, and spent more time wandering around with an empty stomach. That evening it snowed once more, which made the cold even colder. And to think, she used to love snow. She sat down at the entrance of an ally. She held her bag close to her, and wrapped her blanket around her shoulders. The street was deserted.
Or it was until two boys ran by at top speed throwing snow balls at each other before continuing on. After the two boys came a taller boy walking slower with his hands in his pockets, but obviously keeping an eye on the younger ones. He had dark eyes but a kind face. He looked younger than he was, and his dark brown hair hung just a bit low around his ears. He was looking around and up at the sky and the snow falling. He was examining a building which was getting covered in snow when his eye's suddenly landed on Mary Ann.
He glanced back at the boys for a moment before he started walking over to her. "Hey… hey, you alright?"
"I'm fine," she said weakly, and not looking at him.
"Really? 'Cause you're white as a ghost, half frozen to the wall here, and ya stomach's growling… I can heah it," he said.
"I'm fine," she repeated again stronger this time, but still not looking at him.
"What's ya name?" apparently he wasn't taking her being fine for an answer.
"I'm Mary… Mary Ann."
"And might I ask what a Mary Ann is doin' out in dis neighborhood in da middle of da snowfall, at dis time of night?"
"She's freezing, half starved, and looking for someone," she answered curtly.
"And who's she lookin' for?"
"Avalanche."
"Oh? I know a guy named Avalanche."
Mary looked at him then. "You do?" she asked.
"He nodded. "Yeah, he's a real good friend of mine. But if ya wanna meet him youse gotta agree ta two things." She was a bit wary of what he was going to suggest. "One, ya come with me so youse can warm up. And two, ya gotta eat soemthin' when we get there."
This man, in her opinion was heaven sent. She nodded slowly. "Okay… I think I can manage that," she said smiling a bit.
He held out his hand to her to help her to her feet. She held onto the blanket, and she held onto her bag tighter.
"So, where are you from Mary Ann?"
"Manhattan."
"Youse ain't gotta home, do ya?" he asked her. She shook her head quickly. "Didn't think so. Why're you in Queens den Mary Ann?"
"Because I'm looking for that Avalanche person."
"Right, but why?"
"Red sent me," she said, remembering that Red had told her to say that.
"Oh! Well, can't go against Red now can we?"
"I dunno…"
"No, it's not common that people don't do what he says. After all… he's Brooklyn! Just like that boy he's training… that Spot Conlon kid. But don't tell Spot that I told you that. He don't know it yet." The boy turned, taking her with him. "Come on, just a couple more blocks, then you'll be all set."
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I would have waited until friday, but I'm not gonna be home for much of friday, it's close enough, and I'm tired and couldn't wait until midnight. That's this friday's chapter, and I will see you all come monday! If you gotta sec tell me what you think! All coments, criticisums and everything else is much appreciated. Have a good weekend.