From Maid to Newsie

by Maleficent-darkgoodwitch2416

When Anastasia and Drizella destroy her dress, Ella doesn't go to the garden and so she never meets her Fairy Godmother. Instead, Ella runs away to New York, and joins the Manhattan Newsies. When the strike begins, she is a key leader, but when Joe remarries Lady Tremaine, how will Ella react to having the Newsies' reporter, Katherine as her new stepsister?

8. Watch What Happens

Katherine's POV

That night, I began my article. I had to get some of a decent article started. I'd get the pictures tomorrow morning.

As with all my articles, I began talking to myself and planning it out. "Alright, what do those kids call themselves? Newsies. Hmm. First I need a headline. Newsies Stop the Presses? No. Newsies Stop the World? Newsies Stop the World! That's it! That's my headline! Now for the article. Ugh! Of all the times to have writer's block, Katherine! Write what you know, so they say—all I know is I don't know what to write or the right way to write it. This is big, lady, don't screw it up! This is not some little vaudeville I'm reviewing! Poor little kids versus rich greedy sourpusses! Ha! It's a cinch—it could practically write itself and let's pray it does 'cause as I may have mentioned I have no clue what I'm doing. Am I insane? This is what I've been waiting for! Well, that, plus the screaming of ten angry editors. 'A girl! It's a girl! How the hell—Is that even legal? Look! Just go and get her!' Plus there's the story behind the story—thousands of children exploited, speak up, take a stand, and there's someone to write about it—that's how things get better. Give life's little guys some ink and, when it dries, just watch what happens! Those kids will live and breathe right on the page and, once they're center stage, you watch what happens! And who's there with her camera and her pen as boys turn into men? They'll storm the gates and, when they do, just watch what happens! Picture a handsome, heroically charismatic, plainspoken, skirt-chasing, cocky little son of a—Lie down with dogs and you wake up with a raise and a promotion. So, he's a flirt—a complete egomaniac—the fact is he's also the face of the strike. What a face! Face the fact—that's a face that could save us all from sinking in the ocean. Like someone said, 'Power tends to corrupt and absolute power'—Wait! Wait!—'corrupts absolutely.' That is genius! But give me some time, I'll be twice as good as that six months from...never. Just look around at the world we're inheriting and think of the one we'll create. Their mistake is they got old. That is not a mistake we'll be making—no sir, we'll stay young forever! Give those kids and me the brand new century and watch what happens! It's David and Goliath, do or die—the fight is on and I can't watch what happens, but all I know is nothing happens if you just give in. It can't be any worse than how it's been and it just so happens that we just might win, so whatever happens let's begin!"