New York Royalty

By: PrinceOfNewYork

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Whole Situation

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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Autumn didn't last much longer before it gave way to the icy chill of winter; a seasons that some newsies adored, and others simply tolerated. And December brought many events for the common newsie, and even more events for Prince! Though, she wasn't too fond of the season now. She preferred spring to winter, but, she wasn't going to complain.

The day of her birthday when she stepped out of the lodging house she ducked. Turns out that was a mistake. For the rest of the day any time a newsie saw her she either had to run, duck or just take the hit, because apparently they had waged a snow war on her for the day, but… she still kind of enjoyed it. That would make her 15 now… and still no sign of her father getting any closer to figuring out where she was.

However, a few days after her birthday, a few days before Christmas, somewhere in between there Avalanche started acting a bit strange.

"Avalanche?" Silence. "Avalanche?" Silence once more. "For goodness sakes Avalanche! It's a wall! It ain't changed since ya started starin' at it!" Silence. "Avalanche!"

"Huh? Oh… heh, sorry Prince."

"What's gotten inta youse?"

"Nothin'."

"Liah."

Avalanche just laughed at the girl's bluntness. "What's da headline taday?"

Prince looked at the front of the paper. "'People panic as 1800's come to a close. Future looks blight'."

"…it looks what?"

Prince looked confused. "What?"

"You said the future looks blight!"

"Dat's what it says."

Avalanche looked at one of his own papers. "BRIGHT. And… you read the whole sentence wrong! The article says 'Future DOESN'T look BRIGHT'."

"Show me where," Prince said leaning over him as Avalanche pointed to the article. He was right it did say that. "Well your paper's a misprint."

"A misprint?"

"Don't say dat on my papah," she said standing up and starting to walk away.

"Lemme see…"

"No! Your's is just a misprint!"

Avalanche rolled his eyes. "You're a misprint!"

"That don't make a lick of sense…!"

"More sense then a future lookin' BLIGHT ya little Misprint!"

Prince just stared at him and shook her head. "You're weird!"

"Ain't it the truth?" he said laughing. He slung an arm around her shoulders. "Let's get sellin' about the BLIGHT future, Misprint."

"Youse ain't gonna lemme forget dat are ya?"

"Never."

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Before much more time had gone by suddenly Christmas had come and gone too. December was flying by faster than a wild horse on an open prairie. And as for Avalanche's mood? It hadn't changed much.

"What's got you all distracted anyway?"

"Just… been thinkin' a lot recently."

"Don't do that," Two-step said shaking his head. "Ya think to much, your head starts to hurt… trust me I know! I've done it!"

Prince and Avalanche just sort of stared at the young newsie for a minute and he just smiled. They decided that… they were just going to keep talking.

"What have you been thinkin' about?"

"Ya startin' ta sound like Wit, askin' all dese questions."

"What? I heard my name… what cha want?" Wit called from across the room.

"Nothin'! Go back to ya book!" Prince replied. He shrugged, and did just that. Prince, however turned her attention back to Avalanche. "Youse know I could always tell when you was liein'. I dunno why ya tryin'."

"Hey that rhymed!"

"It did? Wadaya know… STOP THAT!" at her sudden outburst Avalanche just laughed like a kid who was distracting a teacher. "Quit tryin' ta change the subject."

"But it's funny," he said sitting there giggling like a nine-year-old.

"It's annoyin'."

"You'se'd be a good teachah Prince."

Prince glared at him. "Not now, not never. Now… where was we?"

"Talkin' about a misprint in the papah," he said laughing yet again.

Prince stared at the elder boy in disbelief. "What has gotten inta youse lately?"

"I dunno…" he said chuckling. "Well, maybe I do… but it ain't none of your business Misprint!" he said. Prince just rolled her eyes. "Tell ya what. I'll tell ya latah."

"Yeah, you bettah…"

"I will, I will… just wait 'til da time is right."

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For New Years they went back to the Brooklyn Bridge again to scream off of it at midnight, and say Happy New Year to all of New York.

And Prince, once again, found herself in conversation with the Ace and the Cowboy from Manhattan… who since Engine had left, had become leader of the newsboys in that area.

"Hey… talked wit' Avalanche the oddah day," Ace said.

"Oh ya did did ya?" Prince said leaning against the rail along side her friend. She kept the pitch of her voice low, since the rest of the newsies still thought she was a boy. "And what did he tell ya? Dat I changed my name ta Misprint?"

"…no… why did ya?"

"No… long story," she said shaking her head.

"Anyway, what you think of da whole situation?"

"What situation?"

"You know… he said he was gonna tell ya… uhhh… he ain't told ya has he?"

"Told me what?"

"Nothin'."

"Ace… you tell me what he told you."

"No way. Ain't my business what a leadah does and don't tell the kids he leads. But I'da figured he'd told you… if no one else."

"Told me what!?"

"Youse wanna know so bad go ask him yaself!"

Prince did… later… after midnight when they were all headed back towards the Lodging House.

She started the conversation with, "Had an interestin' talk wit' Ace taday."

"Oh? An' what did he tell ya? Dat he's gotta crush on youse?"

"No! He, an all da oddah newsie boys still think I'm a boy. If he had a crush on me I'd be worried…" Avalanche just laughed. "What we talked about was you."

"Oh? What about me?"

"Some… situation… that he thought you woulda at least told me…"

Avalanched sighed. "Looks like the 'right time' came sooner than I had thought… I should explain now then?"

"Unless you wanna stop breathin' for an hour or so… I would recommend it."

He smiled at the girl. Two years ago she never would have said such a thing. Now here she was threatening his life. He was both proud… and a little scared by that. He slowed his pace so that he and Prince were in the back of the group.

"I discussed it with the oddah leadahs, and dey all agree… I'se gettin' a bit old ta be a newsie."

"Dat can happen when ya toin about… 19, like youse are."

"I'm 20… Prince." She appeared a little shocked at this news. When had he stopped bein' a teenager? Suddenly he appeared like an adult to her, and she had never really trusted adults… except for this one. "Prince my… sellin' schemes, and how ta improve the truth… heck. I taught you everythin' you know! But… not everytin' I know," he said with a wink.

Prince wasn't going to argue with him, she knew it was true. Avalanche had taught her everything. "So… what's the situation?"

"Well… bein' my age… sellin' don't come so easy no more. Not as young, look almost too strong to be a newsie… so… I'm gonna hafta go find woik elsewhere… which means I won't be a newsie no more. Which means… I'm gonna hafta leave so that I can go make a name for myself."

Prince stared at him. Leave? Leave her? Just like her father did, and her mother.

"I'm sorry Prince. But… I know one thing. I want youse ta take ovah for me. B'come leadah in my place once I'm gone… an' I really think dat youse could handle da job."

Prince looked down at the ground for a moment. She nodded slowly. "Yeah… I'll take ovah for ya."

Avalanche then did something Prince never remembered him doing ever. He hugged her. She was a little shocked by it, but hugged him back. He'd been the best father she'd ever had. And here he was leaving her.

When he released her from the hug he held her at arms length. "But don't worry. I ain't leavin' until the end summer. I ain't gonna travel in this freezin' cold weathah. So, if anythin' major comes up b'tween now an' then I'll handle it." Prince nodded. That gave her some time to prepare anyway. "Now what's say we catch up wit' every body," he said putting an arm around her neck and putting the girl into a headlock, "eh Misprint?"

"Ow! Ow! Will ya lemme go?! Avalanche!"

"What?" he said innocently.

"Ya gonna knock my hat off!"

"Ain't no one around no more who dunno you're a goil. You'll be fine!"

"I'se gonna kill youse…"

"No ya won't," he said releasing her. "Ya like me too much," he said with a charming smile to her, to which she could only smile back. She knew it was true… and she couldn't imagine a life without him… come this summer, life was going to get hard. Very hard.

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Okay, so there's the chapter for this friday! I hope you enjoyed it! I'll be back on Monday to post another chapter. See you all then!