New York Royalty
By: PrinceOfNewYork
Chapter Twenty-One: Ask a Lotta Questions
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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The beauty of autumn was a bit of a hassle to most residents of New York. For once the leaves turned their shades of red, yellow, orange and brown they fell off the trees, and onto lawns. This then meant raking, cleaning up the leaves, and then doing something with them. Common children also disliked this season, for it meant returning to school and the on going schedules of waking up early and going to bed early as well. It seemed there were very few in the city who enjoyed this holiday. That is… except for the newsies who delighted in the season and its colors.
It was mid afternoon, and a strong wind was blowing through the streets of the city. Prince was out and about on her own this afternoon, for Avalanche had some things to do. He went to go meet with the leaders of the other boroughs, and now that Engine was thinking that he would need to be leaving Manhattan soon they had new matters to discuss. Avalanche would have sent Dash with Prince; however Dash had left to see the country not long ago, at the end of summer. So, that was why Prince was on her own, for the current time.
And the winds were very strong! Prince could barely walk a block without nearly flying off her feet. She had to keep both hands on her hat to keep it from flying off her head. She finally was giving up and she ducked into an alley. The winds seemed calmer there, so she was allowed to release her hat. She leaned against the wall to catch her breath. The fact that she was traveling against the winds was not helpful by any means.
She sighed and put her hands on her head once more. "1…2…3!" she ran out of the alley and she did so just as a gust of wind came up and took her hat right out of her hands and at the same time right off of her head.
"Oh no!" her hair fell, but not down, it went backwards in the wind. That was, until she turned around to chase after her hat. Then the hair got into her face, and she was barely able to see. She ran down the street anyway after her hat.
Well, she was running, until she ran into something… or someone and the both of them fell right to the ground. "I'm sorry!" a boy's voice said.
Prince was frustrated. "My hat! Where'd it go?"
"I got it," the voice said again. "Come 'ere!" he helped her to her feet and pulled her into another alley and out of the wind.
Prince pulled her hair out of her face and back behind her shoulders. This was the first time she got a look at the boy. His hair was short and his eyes were brown. He had very fair skin, no freckles, no flaws, and he was smiling at her. He had a certain boyish charm and was fairly handsome for a boy his age. He was just as tall as her and appeared nice.
"This is yours?" he said handing the hat to Prince.
"Uhhh… thanks," she said taking the hat from him and placing the bill in her mouth, twisting her hair upwards and placing the hat on her head, a routine she does very simply.
"What do ya do dat for?" he asked.
"Do what?"
"Hide your hair. It's pretty… what cha hide it for?"
"B'cause… I jus do, alright?"
"Ya look like a boy when ya do dat," he said.
She looked at him just a little angry. "What place youse got askin' me 'bout what I do wit' my hair?"
"None… I guess…" he said with a shrug. "Sorry." He turned away from Prince and started down the alley.
Great, now she felt bad. "Hey, wait," she said calling after him. The boy stopped and turned back. "You… from 'round heah?"
He shrugged.
"You live in Queens?"
He shrugged again.
"Well what do ya know?"
"My name's Caleb."
She nodded, sounded like a start to her. "Friends call me Prince, some call me Mark."
"But you're a girl… why would they call you Mark?"
"You sure ask a lotta questions."
Caleb shrugged. "My friends always told me I always wanna have my wits about me, so I ask to learn."
"Have your wits aboucha?" she asked. "Okay…" she said shrugging. "So… who're ya friends?"
"The boys I woik with."
"Where ya woik?"
"Factory."
"Where ya live?"
"Wherevah."
"Don't sound like a real nice home ta me. And woikin' in a factory."
"I don't like it much, but I do get food!"
"Well… hey… I know a better place… you trust me?"
"You ask a lot of questions too, you know that?" he asked, and Prince only smiled. "Yeah, I trust you."
"Come on, I'll take ya ta meet my friends."
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"Ya dun look like a bad guy," Two-step said.
"That's good right?" Caleb asked. Prince nodded. "Thanks!"
"So… dun really know where ya come from, but ya used ta woik in a factory? Live… wherevah ya said." Avalanche wanted to make sure that he understood everything.
"Yeah," he said nodding.
"So…what ya think?" Prince asked hopefully.
"Prince, if youse wanna show dis boy da ropes, I'se cain't stop ya. Dat is, if ya wanna stay Caleb."
The boy nodded. "It's okay? You mean, I can stay heah?" he asked.
Avalanche nodded. "Sure, be a newsie like us! Get paid bettah, have more fun, an' got a roof ovah ya head, and a warm bed every night. Dat sound good?"
"Dat sounds great! How do I start?"
"With a name," Prince said. "And I think I have just the name for you."
"I already got a name, why do I need another one?"
"It's a nick name, all us newsies have one. I'm Prince, dat's Avalanche, Two-step… list goes on."
"So, what's my name?" Caleb asked.
"Well… I figure, if ya always gotta have ya wits aboutcha, or dat's what ya friends say anyway-"
"They do?" Avalanche interrupted.
"He told me dat earlier," Prince explained to Avalanche.
"Oh… continue!"
"Thank you." Prince rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I figure, for dat reason, we'll call ya Wit!"
"Wit?" Caleb said trying it out. "Yeah, I like it!
"Sounds good ta me," Avalanche said nodding in agreement with the nickname that'd been chosen for Caleb… or, Wit, as he'd be known now. "So, now dat we's got dat settled, youse hungry Wit?"
"Boy, am I ever!" he said. "Where we gonna eat?"
"Right here, if ya up for it."
"Sure!" Wit said in agreement as they started for the kitchen.
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That night in the bunk room Prince had already taken her hat off and tossed it on the bed post at the head of her bed. She was sitting on her top bunk and running a brush through her hair.
That was when Wit appeared at the foot of her bunk. "Hey," he called up to her with a wave.
"Hiya," she said back to him with a smile.
"You know, you never did tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"Why do you hide your hair, when it's so pretty? And why do people call you Mark when you're a girl?"
"Because… I ran away."
"Ran away from where?"
Prince got quiet, but Wit's gaze didn't leave her face, it was as though he would die if he didn't know.
Avalanche came up behind Wit. "There are some questions… dat shouldn't be answered, b'cause dey nevah shoulda been asked in da foist place."
Wit got the hint and nodded. He turned back to Prince. "Well, what I really meant was… Ran away? I bet where ever you're from they miss you."
Prince laughed a little. Not the most graceful recovery she'd ever seen, but she had to hand it to him, he had quite the sense of humor, and quite the wit… looks like his name fits more then one way.
"I doubt it," she said with a small smile. "Dere's a bunk above Avalanche's. You can sleep in it tonight. We'll getcha ya own bunk tomorrah. But right now dat bunk's warm, and made. Yours for da night," she said.
"Thanks." Wit turned away and then stopped. "Oh… and Prince?" he said turning back. Prince looked over to him. "It's real nice of you, trustin' me enough ta… do all dis for me. I owe ya."
Prince looked at him strangely. Owed her? For just… being nice… for doing what Avalanche had done for her… now almost two years ago? She smiled at him and said, "ya welcome."
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Well there you have it! Another one of the seemingly shorter ones, but just as important, I assure you. This all has a point in the end. But that's the chapter for this monday. Hope you enjoyed it! See ya for the next chapter come this friday!