For anyone who's wondering, Spot isn't one of the five friends (YET!)

Disclaimer: I own McRae, Salt, Pepper, Dawn, Athena, Wren, Fang, and Bengal. Everyone else belongs to Disney! But you know, if someone wants their charrie in, I'm still up for that. :)

Author's Note: I loved chreating these charries and writing this chapter. I can't wait for the next one, though! :D And really, please do send in your characters if you want them in this story.

Let me tell you one thing-Brooklyn isn't for the faint of heart.

In the course of two hours I have already been both knifed and socked in the eye. So what glorious wonders will this magical Lodging House possess? I followed Spot inside the LH and up the stairs, trying to look like I had a purpose. And failing miserably. Without a word, he swung open a creaky wood door and motioned me in. Shooting him a look, I pushed past into the bunkroom. Wow. This is… homey?

"Dis is da goil's bunkrooms. Da boys' is just down da hall. Da bathrooms are across da hall and we has breakfast down in da kitchen every moinin. Now dat you has a thorough map of da building… befriend." And with that, Spot shut the wooden door, locking me in a bunkroom with five undoubtedly rude girl newsies.

"Uuhhh… Hi," I said uncertainly, and four girls looked up from what they were doing. All except for one small, young brunette who was reading in the corner. The four who looked at me suddenly burst into friendly grins.

"Hey, I'm Athena! Spot brought you here, right?" a tall, dark-haired girl, 15 or 16, introduced. I shook her outstretched and hand smiled back.

"Yeah. He helped me out when I got knifed in an alley, and then he brought me here."

"Well, that's Spot for ya. He loves bein' heroic an' all. By the way, I'm Dawn. Nice t'meetcha," Dawn said with a smile. Well, Brooklyn girls are a lot friendlier than I imagined…

"And I'm Salt!" a blonde exclaimed.

"And I'm Pepper!" exclaimed the other blonde. Wait… Salt and Pepper look exactly alike, and oh…! SALT AND PEPPER ARE TWINS! SALT AND PEPPER ARE TWINS! I GET IT NOW!

"What, ya act like you've never seen twins before!" Pepper (Or was it Salt?) laughed.

"Well…" I replied hesitantly.

"Oh. I guess there's a first time for everything. This in the back is Wren, she doesn't talk much." Athena pointed to the reading girl I had noticed when I walked in. "She's one of Spot's mystical birdies, even though she's only thirteen," Athena explained.

Er?

"Birdies…?" I asked stupidly.

"Spies," was the answer from Dawn. "They go around the city and gather info for Spot. They also have this kind of whistle language. So if you're ever in trouble just let out a really loud whistle and someone's sure to come and help." Dawn sat down on her bed and went back to whatever it was that she was doing (picking at a splinter…?). This seemed to be a sign for the other people to do the same thing, and I found myself standing alone at the doorway dumbly, very confused.

"So… what do we do now?" I tried after a few more moments of standing.

"We sit," Athena didn't break her gaze on the wall, "And wait for Spot."

"And we are waiting for Spot… why?" I responded, slipping a knife out of my boot and aiming at a bedpost.

"Because he has to come get us for your welcoming party." Pepper explained.

Thunk. My knife lodged in the bedpost and I tried my hardest not to smile. A party! For… me? I am very very happy as of right now; parties were always so fun back in Ireland.

"What kind of a welcoming party?" I inquired (THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN!).

Thunk.

"Why don't youse come and see foah yisself?" Spot said, suddenly appearing in the doorway. I sighed deeply and turned to face him.

"All right then," I smarted, plucking my knife out of the post and tucking it into my boot.

"Lead the way," I added, motioning to the hall with a smirk on my face. He just gave me a long, hard stare before strolling out the door. I grinned and walked after him with Athena, Dawn, Salt, Pepper, and now Wren following me.

"Hey… what's your name?" Salt asked after a moment of following Spot.

"Well, as of right now, it's McRae. Or Addison." I answered truthfully.

"Anyway, McRae… Just a hint. Be careful. And whatever you do, don't fall into the water. It's wintertime out and if you fall in, you're pretty much gonna freeze. The only ones who can take the water this time of year are Spot, Dawn, and Fang." Wait, what the heck is she talking about?

"Fang…?" I accidentally slipped out. Wasn't that the guy who…

"Yeah. Again, Spot, Dawn and him are the tough ones."

"Ya know, Ise right heah," Spot pointed out, not even turning to look at us as he strode on. "But thanks foah da compliment, Salty."

I swore I could have seen Salt blush, which isn't really weird considering that Spot is so facially gifted.

"Awl right." Spot smirked as he opened the back door to the LH to reveal the docks. "A party youse want, a party youse gets."

I gaped in shock and horror at the scene before me. Surrounding the docks were at least thirty newsies, all hollering and shoving each other around. And in the middle of the pack? Fang.

I tried to let out some kind of squacking noise, but I couldn't even do that.

"G-g-guys? WHAT is going on?" I demanded to the five girls behind me.

"Well, see… Spot kinda has to break people into Brooklyn… Kinda like Baptism, you know? Like acceptance?" Dawn stuttered out.

"And…?" I motioned for her to continue.

"Well, he does that my making 'em get in a fight with some older, more experienced fighters. If they win, they're really accepted as a Brooklynite. But until they win, they're seen as sort of a temporary guest. Not part of the family."

"That's reassuring," I mumbled sarcastically.

"Just… try to do your best, kay? Remember, it's not all about brawn. Use your brain, too," Pepper encouraged.

"Yeah. That's how I won my fight," Athena pointed out.

Spot suddenly decided he was in this conversation.

"Just do yoah best, got it? Ise seen you fight, and fight well at dat. You'll be able ta beat most of my boys out deah. But keep in mind what Salt said. DON'T. Whatever you do. DON'T. Fall in da watah." Spot recoiled and continued down to the docks. We obediently followed.

"Awl right, everyone shut up!" Spot's second-in-command, Bengal, howled at the crowd of teenage boys. Instantly the crowd quited, and I knida felt some respect to Bengal for him being able to quiet a crowd of screaming teenage boys.

"Now, we has a new recruit today."

Applause.

"And as some of you may know, she's a goil.

Heartier applause.

"And she's gonna fight Fang."

Applause? Anyone? *Cricket. Cricket.*

A grumble of protest rippled through the crowd. "He'll kill her!" One boy called. "She can't fight him, he'll rip her to shreds!" cried another.

"Okay everybody, I know dat he's our best and she's a goil but we drew names from da hat, faih and square," Bengal continued.

Oh. Crap.

…Fang? I have to fight FANG?

Taking ONE punch from him was enough. How was I gonna fight an entire round?

I suddenly noticed that Spot looked very worried. VERY worried. As in, I-think-I'm-gonna-be-sick worried. Actually no, I'm exaggerating. He just looks a LITTLE worried. I also noticed as he grabbed Bengal's sleeve furiously, pulling him over to furiously whisper something in his ear. Spot pulled back and Bengal just shrugged and looked confused, which caused Spot to get REALLY mad and shove Bengal out of the way. Well, at least SOMEONE's worried that I'm gonna get the living daylights pounded out of me.

"You know da rules," Bengal spoke up again to the crowd. "No pushin' off da dock, no serious injuring unless necessary, stay inside the white circle; no hitting anywhere dat wouldn't be appropriate. And absolutely NO killing. We all good? Al right den."

Bengal ushered Fang and I to the white chalk fighting ring and we took position.

"Three," Bengal called, starting the countdown.

"You ready, babe?" Fang hissed through smirking teeth.

"Two,"

"One,"

"Bring it on," I replied, cracking my knuckles and grinning like a maniac.

"Go!"

OMG A CLIFFHANGER! (Sorta) Anyway, thank you for reading! I am so excited about the next chapter.

Review Shout-Outs!

Caroline Conlon: Yes, you may have McRae. XD lol, no really. And thanx for da cookie! nomnomnomnom yummeh!

Water vs. Fire: Lovely haveing another review from you! :) I'm so glad to have my enthusiastic reviewer back. :)

So what will happen? DUN DUN DUN! I'll bet you a choco-chip cookie you can't guess what happens ;)

Until next time, I LOVES YOU READERS!

Love, Clovey :)