New York Royalty

By: PrinceOfNewYork

Chapter Fifteen: A Long Story

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!

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"Whadaya mean?"

"Whadaya mean whada I mean. Whadaya think I mean?"

"I really hope ya don't mean what I think ya mean."

"What if I do mean what ya hope that I don't mean but I really do mean?"

"…what?"

"Do I have to spell it out for ya?" Dash said arguing with Avalanche. "Max is gone. I woke up dis morning, he wasn't in his bunk above mine like he usually is… he just wasn't there!"

"Where did he go?"

"I dunno! He ain't my bruddah!" Prince sighed as she watched the bickering boys. Max had apparently decided that he wasn't going to be his brother's slave, and flew the coop, completely! All of his stuff was gone, and he'd left no note, no warning, no nothing. For once… Prince was not upset about someone leaving. She actually kinda liked it.

Avalanche sighed. "If anyone sees Million will ya tell me?" The newsies gave a vague response that sounded something like a yes. "Thanks Dash."

"Yeah, no problem," Dash said as he walked towards the washroom.

Avalanche looked rather upset. Prince didn't know why, Million had been a demon! She was kinda glad he was gone! But, Prince also didn't know that much about Avalanche. Come to think of it, Avalanche didn't talk about himself much, and no one really ever asked.

Prince hopped off her bunk quietly and walked over to him. "Avie? Youse alright?"

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah, jus' fine Prince," he said with a smile. But one look in his eyes and you could tell instantly that he wasn't just fine. He was hiding something distinctly.

"Alright," she accepted the answer, and decided maybe she'd try again when there were less people around.

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Prince had half of her papers left, and Avalanche had the same number, but for him it was a fourth of his papers; both of them had 25. The streets of Queens were relatively quiet that morning. No one seemed in a hurry, and the papers were selling just fine. There was no doubt in either of their minds that it would only take them minutes to get rid of their last few.

"Avalanche, about your brother…"

Avalanche was quiet for a second as neither one spoke. "Yeah?"

"Uhhh… I dunno. I figured you'd tell me ta be quiet, or dat ya didn't wanna talk 'bout it or somethin'. I didn't think ya'd let me finish, so dat's kinda all I got."

Avalanche smiled at her. "Well, lemme help ya. Try sayin' dis: 'Avalanche,'" he said doing his best impersonation of Prince with her lower voice, "'about your brother, you two always seemed to get along, but he nevah really liked me.'"

Prince laughed. "Was it obvious?"

"Ooohhh yeah," Avalanche said laughing as well. "You two could barely stand lookin' at each oddah, let alone speakin' ta one anuddah. An' da fact dat he was gamblin' your safety with his free will was a bit of a give away too." Prince smiled. "So, why dun ya say what's on ya mind?"

Prince nodded and thought for a second about how to put it. "Ya know… ya so quiet. I think da newsies know less about youse den dey do me. Youse and Million nevah talked about ya pasts. I jus' wondered why?"

"Ya nevah asked."

Prince opened her mouth to protest that surely at some point she must have mentioned it, but realized… she hadn't. Not once had she ever wanted to know about Avalanche's history. "Well… den I'm askin'."

"What, my bruddah dissappeahs, and you want a complete biography? What is dis?"

"Dis is me wantin' ta know about youse. So… what's ya story Avalanche?"

He sighed a bit and leaned against a fence. "I'll warn ya, it's a long story."

"I got time."

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"You're it!" a young girl called.

"Hey! No fair! I wasn't playing."

"Come on Alex! You're no fun," she said giggling.

"Belinda… I'm not playing."

"You are now! She got you, you have to play!" a small boy said.

"Forget it, I don't wanna play, okay, Max?"

"Fine, we'll play. You're still it Lin!"

"Uh-uh!" Belinda called.

"Yes-huh! Because Alex is being stupid and isn't-"

"YOU'RE IT!" Alex called tagging his younger brother before running away.

"Hey! No fair! You cheat!" Max said before chasing after his siblings.

"Mom's base! Mom's base!" Belinda called holding onto her mother's hand. Her mother just smiled down at the young girl as the boys flew past them.

"I'm gonna get you, just wait Alex!" Max called as Alex turned the corner and stopped in the middle of the street, staring at something.

"Alex! Honey! Get out of the street!" his mother called before looking at the expression on her son's face. "Alex?" Belinda released her mother's hand and ran ahead to her brother while her mother's steps quickened as well to see what it was Alex was staring at.

Once they looked around the corner they saw it. Their house was in flames, as was everything inside of it. The fire was too strong, and going in now would be pointless. They heard sirens coming; someone must have called the fire department.

After a while of attempting to put out the fire the house was soon reduced to ash, and the flames were easy to put out, since they had little left to burn. The children's mother was in tears as was their sister. Max stood staring at the now empty space where his house used to stand and Alex, being barely 13 was acting old for his age was speaking with a fire fighter.

"Is there any idea what caused it?"

"Not that we can figure… mystery to us anyway."

He glanced over his shoulder at his mother. "We were coming from the park, and my father stayed home. Is there anyway to know whether he got out or not?"

The fireman sighed. "Son, I'd like to tell you that I know he's alright, but I'm not so certain. But… if your father were alive, don't you think he'd be here?"

Alex had thought of that, just hoped that the fireman wouldn't confirm his fears. More likely than not, his father was dead and gone with the rest of the house and assets.

The next day Alex said that he was quitting school. He couldn't go to school when he had a family to support. He and his mother got jobs, and Belinda took care of her younger brother most of the time. But their mother never did get over the loss of their father, and took dreadfully ill, and she had little hope of recovery, though the children tried to help. But now their mother was out of work as well, and Alex couldn't make enough money on just his job. He felt a failure. He took his little brother and left his mother and sister. They were just two more mouths to feed, and Belinda now had a steady job as a waitress. They left a note saying that when they had enough money they would come back.

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"I left 'em in Manhattan… a long with alotta my other regrets, and went to get a job. But I couldn't find one dat paid any bettah den da one dat I left. Da only thin' dat made bettah money was bein' a newsie. So, me an' my bruddah started woikin' like we is now an' we ain't nevah gone back. Now dat I've lost Max… I dunno what I'm gonna do."

Avalanche's eyes gave it away that he had just told Prince his entire life, and all she could do was stand there staring at him.

"But look, dun youse go feelin' sorry for me now. I've picked up a lotta jobs heah an' dere ovah da yeahs, an' dat fire was at least five yeahs ago. I got my own life now," he said putting up walls around himself to keep her out, and she could tell. "B'sides, I'll go back. I'da gone back a long time ago, if I'da got da money. But I will. One day all my sellin' an' savein'll be woith it. But right now I ain't makin' any progress standin' around heah livin' in da past. I still gots 25 papes ta sell, an' so do youse. Meet me at da café when ya done sellin'. I'll buy ya lunch," he said and with that, walked off.

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Heh, chapter's a little late in the day, but in before midnight (barely). I hope you liked it. I feel bad for poor Avalanche. But if I stayed here talking about that then... well I'd be in big trouble. Thanks to EVERYONE whose been reveiwing, it means a lot, and I absolutely adore reveiws! Send me one if you have a moment won't you? See you on friday!