Stories For the Papes -Newsies Imagines and Drabbles (CLOSED!!!)

Brooklyn's Smarts

"Especially not this one." Smarts turns around, ready to throw a punch just like Spot showed her how when she sees who is talking to her.

"Oh, Pokes," Smarts says and pushes past him. She starts walking in the direction of Manhattan. Medda will be waiting for her and lately, she has been more picky about her performers making it to practice on time. An interaction with Pokes will make Smarts late and she hates to disappoint Miss Medda.

"So, when'd ya say the show was?" Pokes asks and Smarts rolls her eyes.

"Ask Spot. He was paying attention," She replies before running off to Manhattan. Smarts weaves her way through the streets until she makes it to the Brooklyn Bridge. Just as she crosses onto the Manhattan side of the bridge, Smarts is grabbed by two strong pairs of arms.

"Aww, look what we'se found.  A new addition to the Manhattan Newsies," The voice of Oscar Delancey croons and Smarts begins to struggle. Thankfully, her clothing choices hide her true identity until her newsboy cap falls off in the middle of the struggle.

"Oh! What a pretty addition!" Morris exclaims and Smarts tries to run but the two boys grab her around the waist.

"Let me go!" Smarts screams and she manages to kick one of the Delanceys in the shins. He howls in pain, but Smarts is still trapped. Smarts is so distracted that she does not notice when the other Delancey receives a punch to the face. Both Delanceys are holding various body parts and they glare at their attacker. A tall boy dressed like a Newsie stands before them. He drops his papers and stands in between Smarts and the Delanceys.

"If you touch her again, I'm not afraid to hurt you," the boy says and Smarts notices his lack of a Manhattan accent. The Delancey brothers sneer and one of them reaches for Smarts, but the boy's fist shoots out and clocks the Delancey brother right in the jaw. Oscar reels back to catch his brother and the two start to run. The tall boy turns to Smarts and helps her to her feet.

"Thanks for helping me," Smarts says and the boy tugs on his newsboy cap nervously.

"Your welcome," the boy says, "That wasn't bad fighting for a girl." Smarts crosses her arms and catches notice of a clock. She is going to be late for practice. Grabbing her newsboy cap off the ground, Smarts starts running towards Irving Hall.

"See you around!" She calls out as she runs towards the Bowery. Smarts turns corner after corner and makes it with two minutes to spare. Hank, one of the stage crew men, clucks his tongue disapprovingly when he sees smarts scurry in through the creaky metal back door.

"Cutting it a bit close today, aren't we, Smarts?" He asks and Smarts rolls her eyes.

"Yeah yeah, Hank. I'm already going to hear it from Medda. Don't think I need to hear it from you," Smarts replies as she hurries into the tiny storage room backstage for the musical instruments. Making sure that no one she knows is around, Smarts grabs her violin and quickly hurries to the pit. She jumps inside and moments later, Medda sweeps her way through the pit.

"Hello, Smarts! Play well!" She greets Smarts as she hurries up onto the stage to start rehearsal. Smarts sits in the first chair violin spot out of a decent number of violin players. She plays through the whole show with ease until at the very end of the show, Medda stops practice. "Our final act hasn't showed up today!" She exclaims. Smarts flips to a solo in one of the songs and plays it beautifully and Medda hears it. She pokes her head into the pit and smiles at Smarts. "Smarts, how would you like to perform in the final act?"

"I have an old solo that I learned quite awhile ago and I would love to play it tonight!" Smarts replies, but instantly she regrets it. None of the Brooklyn boys know that she plays the violin and that she is really good at it. Smarts has been playing the violin since she was young and has managed to keep it under wraps. She remembers telling the Brooklyn boys that she helps out the theatre, but she has never said how. Medda breaks into her thoughts,