A/N: Yay! New chappie! Anyway, I worked on another chappie today to, and I was gonna try to get it up, but I also want to do yoga before I go to bed, and I'm currently exhausted, so I decided I'll just put it up tomorrow. Anyway, happy reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies, nor any of its characters, Disney –unfortunately- does. Also, Gip belongs to Gip, and Jittery to Jittery.

Chapter Twenty-Five: New Yawk Newsies

"Dat won't happen. Because yas not alone," the voice of Corsets rang out behind Race's head as the owner of the hand, a sheepishly grinning Alleyway, stepped into the room, followed by Corsets, Henna, and a gaggle of ten to fifteen Harlem boys.

She gave her brother a quick hug, and then sauntered over to her boy, Wicked, and stole a long, hard kiss in front of the whole of the Duane Street Lodging House. As he pulled back, she saw a slightly puzzled look in his eye, but a small smile was playing on his lips. A tad surprised, she found a huge smirk on her own face.

Something had changed in Alleyway as she'd watched Criss-Cross. She'd never exactly been timid, but suddenly she had the urge to do something completely outrageous, and totally flamboyant. She was sick of her own tendency to sit back and let the action pass her by. She was ready to do something to be noticed.

Glancing over at Corsets, she saw the Harlem girl smirking right back. Corsets gave her a nod of approval, and she turned her gaze to Kelly, saying, "Wells…? You'se not commentin'. Oh, an' Coils is out roundin' up da rest a da Hawlem boys."

Jack nodded, looking around at the Harlem kids gathered, not knowing what to say. Finally, after had deliberation, he spoke, "We's still out-numbahed, an' dey's still gots da bettah fightahs."

A boy next to Henna –who went by the name Revenge- snorted and laughed, and in a scoffing tone asked, "You'se callin' Hawlem an' Manhattan weak, Jack?"

"True as what yas said may be Mistah Kelly," Corsets said, "dere's one t'ing yas foigot. They got no reason ta fight, meanin' we'se got an advantage so ta speak."

Kelly smirked, what Corsets said was 100 true, but it was also a lot easier to come up with a rebuttal to. She's shoah pretty. But dat don' always come wit' brains, he thought, She's shoulda jus' left it wheah Revenge stopped…

"An' ouah reason is?" he asked.

"Dat's a good question, Jack," Alleyway answered. "But unfoitunately foah you'se, I'se got t'ree reasons s ta whys we's should figh'. Take yer pick at dem.

"Foist," she said, holding up her index finger, "Dere's da death a Spot Conlon. Spot was yer best friend, Cowboy, an' a leadah an' a protectahfoah us all. 'E took care a every one a ouah asses at one point in time, an' 'is death desoives ta be avenged!"

Murmurs and nods greeted this statement, but Alleyway wasn't anywhere near done yet. Holding up two fingers now, she continued, "Second, dere's da cur'nt an' fucha future pride a Manhattan an' Hawlem at risk heah. If yas don' fight, ya'll lose Manhattan an' Hawlem ta Triggah anyway! I'se nevah seen two proudah boroughs –'cept p'rhaps Brooklyn. An' t'ink about what'll happen tad a rest a New Yawk if one moah borough falls! Dey'll have no chance! New Yawk depends on Manhattan an' Hawlem! We's can' jus' let dem all down! Dey's need us!"

Cheers and shouts of approval greeted this reason, from all sides –Central Park, Harlem and Duane Street kids. Wicked was cheering especially hard, and he regarded Alleyway with a proud look as she turn to Jack, a smug smirk set firmly on her face.

Jack raised his hand, calling for silence, and once it came to the room full of newsies, he stepped up close to her, and looking down from his greater height, said, "I'se t'ought you'se said yas got t'ree reasons!"

Alleyway's smirk turned into a look of pity, the kind a person of high intelligence gives a simple village idiot. Then, she spoke. This time her words really impacted the kids who sat and listened, touching them each in their own way, but hitting them all hard with emotions.

"I'se do, Cowboy. My thoid reason is one dat effects all a us, 'specially you'se, Jack. Yas see, two weeks ago, when Spot got moidahed, I'se suddenly found out an' undahstood something; about me best friend in da woild, Criss-Cross. I'se loined dat she's Spot Conlon's lil sistah. A lot a you'se found dat out too.

"Now, you'se probley wondahin' what dis has ta do wit' goin' ta war. An' it's actually got everythin' ta do wit' it. Now den, most a you'se don' know dis, but Criss-Cross Kat Conlon came back ta New Yawk from Colahradah 'bout fouah days ago. Aftah hearin' 'bout her bruddah's death. She's hadn' had any time ta even grieve.

"An now', 'bout an houah ago, she's left Hawlem wit' two a Triggah's boys ta go ta Brooklyn, ta go an' save Manhattan, Hawlem, an' da rest a New Yawk. An' ta avenge her bruddah's death. Even at da risk a losin' her own life.

"Now she's all alone in Brooklyn, savin' yer sorry asses! One kid against t'ree boroughs! An' you'se won' even do nothin' ta help her! She's just a shoit goil facin' da fury a Triggah an' 'is awmy foah all a yas!

"Nows, you'se t'inkin' 'She's a Conlon d'ough!' An' a coise she is! But dat's not all she is! She's a New Yawk newsies, dnit! Jus' like all a yas! An' she ain' even lived in New Yawk foah months! But she's moah a one dan you'se! An' she's'll fight until she fkin' dies if it means she's goin' down foah New Yawk, an' like a New Yawk newsie! Proud! Strong! Tough! An' most a all loyal!

"She's goin' down in a hellish blaze a fiah an' flame! She's goin' down as every true New Yawk newsie should! Fightin' foah da rest a New Yawk! An' she's doin' it foah all a yas! She's walkin' inta dat blaze foah yas! An' she's probably won't make it out alive! But dat don' mattah ta her! An' it don' mattah ta me neiddah! Cuz I'se wanna go down foah New Yawk an' as a true New Yawk newsie wit' her!"

Cheers as loud as those from the Irving Hall rally during the strike sprung up all around the room at Alleyway's final shouted words. But above all the hubbub, Jack asked her, "She's really gone ta Brooklyn?"

Nodding solemnly, her triumphant grin suddenly disappearing, she replied, "She's did. But she's told me ta tell yas not ta go lookin' foah her, an' messin' up her plan an' getting' yerself killed. Cuz yer da last dat Manhattan's got. An' ta use da head she's knows yas gots. A'ight?"

He nodded as Henna stepped into the center where they stood, and shouted to the slowly ceasing cheers, "What d'ya say Manhattan!"

Wicked, Racetrack, Gip, and Jittery all shouted in unison, "I'se say we's vote already! An' get dis t'ing ovah wit'!"

A/N: So, what did you think? Please review and tell me! I'm too tired to do SOs. So I'll do double next time, okay? Criss-Cross

Spot: You'se so lazy…

Aw, I know…