Mid-July 1899
"Hey Feisty, up an' at 'em!" Race yelled as he banged at the door that caused the other boys to grumble in annoyance. Since Jack had spent the night on the rooftop (again) it was up to Race to get everyone moving in the morning. The fifteen year old girl grumbled. She didn't want to get up (as per usual) She was up late last night selling as many papers as she could.
While she'd usually sell out by mid-afternoon. But hasn't been lately with the trolley strike headline. Heck, that's all the headline was about. Yes, it made amazing news for the first few days. And apparently the people at The World thought it was such an amazing headline, they decided to make it that for the past two weeks! "Shut up an' let me sleep," the feisty news girl yelled back in annoyance.
"Get off yer lazy bum an' get a movin'!" Race yelled back before going to wake up the other boy. Feister only grumbled more as she rolled out of bed and started to get dressed. She buttoned her shirt, pulled her suspenders up. She grabbed her vest, and then laced up her boots, before quickly putting her hair into two braids and tucked them under her cap before heading out of her room.
Oddly enough when she walked out of her room she was one of the few newsies already out of bed. Which meant that she was going to get a good show. "Hey Albert! Elmer! Specs! You heard Jack. Get a move on," Race yelled while waking up said boys.
After a few moments Albert sat up and rubbed his eyes before getting out of the bed. "I was havin' the most beautiful dream," he said dreamily while putting on his vest, and cap "My lips is still tingling."
"Ohh, a pretty girl," Race teased while nudging Albert's upper arm.
"A leg, of lamb," the redhead replied. Feister only laughed and shook her head. Now with Albert that could go either way.
Race shook his head and rolled his eyes before buttoning up his shirt. His ever so precious cigar dangled from his lips. Until Albert snatched it and well..."Hey, that's my cigar," Race yelled, with a angry look on his face.
"You'll steal anudda," Albert replied with the roll of the eyes. By this point the other boys had woken up from their graves, and started getting ready for the morning.
"Hey look, it's bath time at the zoo," Specs said while gesturing to Henry, who had shaving cream all over his face.
"I'd thought that I'd surprise my mudda," Henry replied shrugging it off.
"If you can find her," Albert said in a matter of fact tone.
"WHo asked you!" all the newsies yelled while glaring at Albert. After a few moments Some of the other boys started to pull themselves out of bed, and headed over to the wash area that was on the other side of the bunk room, which just so happened to past Feister's room.
"So, how'd ya sleep, Feisty?" Mush asked playfully as he walked by, making said girl roll her eyes. He swore one day her eyes would roll right out of her head if she didn't stop.
"On my back, Mush," Feister replied in the most deadpanned voice ever.
"Hear that fellas?" Mush asked as the other boys walked by. "I asked Feisty, how she slept and she said "on my back, Mush"." he punched her arm which only annoyed her more.
"Put a lid on it." She snapped as she punched him back.
"Relax Feisty, I's just playin'," Mush said with a smirk.
"Yer an idiot. That's what ya are", Feister replied while crossing her arms before walking away. She went over to the sink and started washing her face. The cold water felt good on her skin. It had been a hot and sticky the night before.
"Do ya wanna know what I's smell?" Buttons asked as Feister she stood next to him at the sink. When she didn't answer he said, "Money. That's what I's smell."
"You smell foul," Sniper replied before splashing Buttons with some water. "Learn ta take a bath sometime will ya."
"Hey, did I's tell ya bout the goil I met last night?" Romeo asked changing the subject.
"Yes," the three older newsies replied. On the other side of the sink Ike and Mike were busy scrubbing away when Ike said, "Move yer elbow will ya."
"Only of ya pass the towel," Mike replied.
"For a buck I's might." Ike then splashed Mike, and then the two of them started chasing each other up and around the bunk room.
"Papes ain't moving like they used to, I think I need a new sellin' spot. Got any ideas?" Albert asked.
"From bottle alley to the harbor, there's easy pickings guaranteed," Race replied.
"Try any banker, bum, or barber, they's almost all knows how ta read," Finch added as he walked by. By this point Jack and Crutchie made their way into the bunk room through the window to see the same old same old.
Anyways, when the newsies finally finished getting ready for the morning they all headed down the stairs like a stampede of wild animals before heading out into the streets of New York. As they were all piling out of the Lodge a young lady who looked about Jack's age, with red hair dressed in light purple walked by, with a nicely dressed young man with glasses.
"What happens when ya take one pretty goil an' a bunch of teenage boys?" Feister asked in her mind. "Trouble," she replied to herself. And she was right. Because all the boys were making eyes at the girl. In fact, Feister almost felt sorry for the girl.
"This goil's pretty cute, huh?" Kid Blink asked while nudging Mush, who only gave a small shrug.
"Yeah, she's a little cute," Mush whispered quietly. Feister then acted like she didn't feel her heart drop, or that burning feeling in her stomach. But she did glared at the girl for a second before looking away. "But I's know someone who's way cuter," Mush added. As soon as she heard those words, Feister knew sooner or later she was going to lose Mush to some random girl. Again.
"Well hello, hello, hello, beautiful," Romeo said while putting on his best smile.
"Step aside Romeo, nothin' concerns you here," Jack said, pushing the small thirteen year old aside. "Mornin' Miss, can I interest you in the latest news?"
"The paper isn't out yet," the girl replied. She then tried to walk off, but that didn't happen. The boys watched at Jack's sorry attempt while Feister crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. Knowing Jack this could take awhile, that or he'll get rejected. After all, the girl was dressed very nicely and probably came from a good family. The boy who was with her seemed well off too, but the main focus was the girl.
"Here's a headline for you," the girl said while taking a step closer to Jack. "Cheeky boy gets nothing for his troubles," the girl said before walking away.
"Back ta the bench slugger," Romeo teased. "You struck out."
"I'm crushed," Jack joked.
"Hey Crutchie," Feister said while walking up to said boy. "What's yer leg say, gonna rain?" She asked changing the subject. Crutchie smiled, then started to shake his bum leg. "Um..no rain. Uh-uh oh partly cloudy clear by evening," he finally announced.
"They's gotta bottle this guy," Finch said as he slung an arm around Feister with a smile on his face. Feister smiled back as she nudged Finch's head to the side, while Mush acted like this wasn't happening. Yes, it was a simple arm slung around Feister, but it still sent a little anger through Mush's body.
"An' the limp sells fifty papes a week all by it self," Race added with a smirk.
"I's don't need the limp ta sell papes," Crutchie retorted "I's got personality," he said proudly. "It takes a smile that spreads like butter, the kind that turns a lady's head." he sent a quick wink to Feister, who waved her hand in a flirty way.
This was all in good fun of course. But Mush may or may not have taken that in the wrong way. Some of the boys started to noticed Mush and Feister's weird behavior. And all the boys were somewhere on the lines of being completely done with just how oblivious the Lovebirds are. It's more obvious than ever that they like each other. But still, neither one of them made a move.
"It takes an orphan with a stutter!" Race added while squeezing Buttons cheeks with one hand while Buttons pouted his face.
"Who's also blind," Kid Blink said in a sing song voice as he covered Buttons' eyes.
"And mute," Albert added while covering Buttons mouth.
"And dead!" Elmer exclaimed as he well...whacked Buttons on the head.
"Yer dead!" Buttons yelled before going after Elmer, who made a run for it. Anyways newsies all started doing who knows what. Some of them started to do a few flips through the streets as they walked to the Distribution Center, and others had a sword fight with some sticks they found while walking.
"Hey!" Feister yelled, jumping in the middle of the sidewalk, "What's the hold up? Waitin' makes me antsy, I's likes livin' chancey."
"Harlem to Delancey," Ike and Mike added, sanding at her sides, with an arm around the small girl. She smiled at them and put her arms around them as well. "Still it's a fine life, carryin' the banner through the slums," the three of them sang.
They walked and then got some slightly stale bread, and sometimes day old coffee from the Nuns. As the newsies were getting their breakfast a mother came by in hopes of finding her son. But when she couldn't find him she left. "Thanks for the grub sistah," Elmer said, raising his cup to one of the Nuns. "Elmer, when are we going to see you inside the Church?" A Nun with a Scottish accent asked.
Elmer shrugged. "I dunno sistah, but it's bound to rain sooner or later." Some of the boys laughed at Elmer's reply. Once they all finished eating it was off to the Distribution Center. The whole walk there the boys were running and jumping through the streets while talking about how they were going to improve the headlines. "Hey, how bout a crooked politician," Elmer suggested.
"Ya nitwit, that ain't news no more!" they all yelled, and some of the boys threw their caps at him.
"Hey Mush brains, how much you wanna bet the headline is gonna be bout the stupid trolley strike," Feister asked as she caught up to her best friend.
"Since when do ya gamble?" Mush asked while swinging the stick he found like a baseball bat.
"Cause there's nothin' else ta do!" she exclaimed while kicking up a small rock that ended up hitting Jojo in the back of the head. "Sorry Jojo," Feister quickly said when said boy glared at her. Mush snickered and Feister punched him in the shoulder so hard that Mush swore he could feel a bruise forming. When he gave her an annoyed look she just smirk teasingly.
"Hey look, they's puttin' up the headline!" Finch yelled excitedly as they all approached the gate. This caused everyone to run up to the gate to get a good look at the headline. Since the gate to The World Distribution Center was a little small, the newsies all at the squish together to take a look at the headline. The taller boys were mostly standing up, while the smaller ones were on the ground, and those who were in between were well...squished with the taller boys.
"I hope it's real bloody with a nice clear picture," Specs added. A bunch of "yeahs" filled the air as they waited for the headline to be relieved. It was an agonizing few seconds as the man at the chalkboard wrote the headline, when those few seconds were up the newsies saw in white chalk "Trolley Strike Enters 3d Week"
"The trolley strike?" Mush asked in disbelief. "Not again," he grumbled.
"Ha! told ya," Feister teased as she slapped him upside the head, which made his cap fall in front of his face. When he looked up and glared at her she went into a fit of giggles at his annoyed face.
While that was going on, the other boys kept complaining about the sorry excuse for a headline. "Three weeks of the same story!" Race exclaimed.
"They's killing us with that snoozer!" Finch added as he gestured his slingshot to the chalkboard.
"Ya know, I bet the idiot who wrote it must be workin' for The Sun," Henry yelled.
"I get better stories from the copper on the beat!" Crutchie said. The other newsies all looked at him with the most confused face ever. "What? There's a real nice copper who patrols where I's sell. He buys a pape every now an' then." the newsies weren't that shocked that Crutchie had made pals with a bull. But then again, Crutchie could make friends with people who are in jail for Pete sake!
"Hey, did ya hear bout the fire?" Kid Blink asked changing the subject. "I heard it killed old man Maguire."
"Yeah, an' I heard that the toll was even higher," Tommy boy replied.
"Why do I miss all the fun," Albert complained. While the newsies were all busy complaining about the headline two no goods, sorry excuses for humans came to unlock the gate. Race was the first to notice the no good duel come up, so he said, "Oh dear me, what is that unpleasant aroma?" which stopped the other newsies from complaining about the horrible headline. "I hear the sewers backed up during the night."
"Or boys," Feister started in a knowing tone. "It could be-"
"The Delancey bruddas," the boys finished as Oscar opened the gate.
"Hey Oscar," Finch said as he took a few steps towards said boy. "Word on the street is you an' yer brudda took money ta beat up strikin' trolley workers."
"So?" Oscar asked shrugged it off as if it was nothing. "It's honest work."
"Yer cracking heads of defenseless workers," Albert added in a obvious tone
"Take care of the guy who takes care of me," Oscar replied in a matter of fact tone.
"Ain't yer father one of the strikers?" Race asked before he stuck his cigar in his mouth and walked up to Oscar.
"Guess he didn't take care of me." Oscar then shoved Race, who was about to go at it. Morris seemed to get the idea so he turned to Crutchie and said, "Want some of that too ya lousy crip." he said before pushing Crutchie to the ground.
Just then Feister stepped in front of Crutchie, and looked Morris dead in the eyes as she said, "How bout ya pick on someone yer own size," she snapped. Ok so, Feister is way shorter than Morris, but that didn't stop her from giving him the stink eye. While Feister knew that Crutchie could take care of himself, she still didn't like seeing a nice boy like Crutchie get picked on. Plus she had some unfinished business with Morris and Oscar.
"Oh?" Morris asked. "Is that so?" he then shoved Feister's shoulders that sent her back a few steps. "What?" Morris asked when Feister didn't make a move. "Yer not gonna fight back?" no one answered. None of the boys made a move to intervene. "Or are ya gonna cry like the like the goil-" before Morris could finish Feister went after him and well...Jack yanked Feister by the back of her vest before things got ugly.
Jack then used all the strength he had in his arm as he yanked Feister before she did something she would regret. "Mush!" Jack yelled. Mush, (knowing what Jack wanted him to do) stepped out from where he was standing just in time to catch Feister when Jack let her go. Mush then wrapped his arms around the smaller girl so he could pick her up, and get her out so she he can calm her down.
Feister of course struggled to get out of his grip. But it wasn't much use, and the next thing she knew was that she was now in a small closed off alley. When Mush loosened his grip Feister was able to get out of his grip. She turned around and then shoved Mush by the shoulders as she yelled, "What was that for!?"
"Yer welcome!" Mush replied while carefully taking a step closer.
"For what?!" Feister yelled while throwing her hands in air. "For ruinin' the perfect moment ta slug Morris Delancey, an' then his no good brudda," she exclaimed while crossing her arms.
"For gettin' ya outta there fore ya earned a black eye, or a broken bone, or even both!" Mush yelled back.
"Nine years Meyers you'se should know by now that they's woulda been the ones with the black eyes an' broken bones," Feister replied sharply.
"Nine years Johnson you'se should know by now ta stop lookin' for trouble," Mush replied while crossing his arms. Feister huffed and rolled her eyes. She hated that he could play the last name card when things got out of hand.
"I wasn't lookin' for trouble," Feister replied while taking a step closer to Mush, so now they were eye and eye. "I's was finishin' trouble," she said seriously while lightly hitting his chest. She then turned on her heels and walked off.
"It ain't yer fault!" Mush yelled once he realized what Feister was talking about. He knew that she was still angry about what happened last year when her so called brother came back and messed everything up. Mush went to the Refuge that year, and he knew Feister blamed herself for that happening. But he didn't blame her at all. He's tried telling her that before, but, as usual, she never listens.
Feister stopped walking and took a deep breath. She's heard it all before, how it wasn't her fault, how she shouldn't blame herself anymore. But, truth was, she still did, it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for her. That's when she felt two soft hands gently turn her around. "It ain't yer fault," Mush said quietly. "I was the one who didn't get ya outta there in time."
"I's was the one who tried ta tell 'em off," Feister added quietly. "Look, how bout we's put this behind us?" She asked shyly. Truth be told, she did want to forget about it. Yet, the memories still lingered in her mind every now and then.
"I's already did," Mush replied with a small smile.
"Ok, ok," Feister said laughed. "I'll put it behind me. Or at least I'll try."
"C'mon, let's get ta work," Mush said as he slung an arm around Feister. She smiled and blushed a bit (but she would blame it on the heat if Mush asked) as they walked back inside. They took their places in line and waited until it was their turn to buy their papers.
"Have a lookie here, a new kid," Weasel said while at a tall boy with dark hair and somewhat nicer clothes than what any of the newsies were wearing.
"Hey! I'm new to!" a smaller version of the tall boy exclaimed.
"Hey, don't worry kid!" Feister yelled grabbing the new kids attention. "It rubs right off." the newsies started to laugh since it was true. This caused the tall boy's cheeks to flush red with embarrassment as he paid for his papers and moved along.
"Albert!" Weasel snapped making all the newsies stop laughing like the idiots they were. "Lemme see yer money."
"You have a very interesting face," Albert said. "Ever think bout gettin' into moving pictures?" the redhead asked as he leaned his arms on the black box that was in front of Weasel.
"You really think I could?" Weasel asked, actually thinking Albert was giving him a compliment.
"Sure, buy a ticket they'll let anyone in," the redhead joked, which made the others laugh louder than before.
"Um excuse me I paid for twenty but you gave me nineteen," the tall new kid said. Petty much all the newsies groaned since they could have their papers already and be on their way to their selling spot if it weren't for the new kid holding up the line.
Jack then walked up to new kid, snatched his papers and started counting them while Weasel blabbered on about something dumb. "Hey, new kid's right Weasel, you gave him nineteen, but I'm sure it's an honest mistake since Oscar can't count to 20 with his shoes on. The newsies started to laugh while Oscar was ready to soak Jack, but Weasel stopped him as he handed the new kid his missing paper as he said, "Here, now take a hike."
"Hey, give the new kid 50 more papes."
"I don't want more papes."
"What kinda newsie don't want more papes?" Jack asked while looking back at the boys, and Feister who were all mumbling in a agreement.
"I'm no charity case, I don't even know you," the new kid said while taking his papers from Jack before walking off.
"His name is Jack," the smaller kid said.
"This here is the famous Jack Kelly," Crutchie piped up as he walked up to Jack. "He once escaped jail on Teddy Roosevelt's carriage. It made all the papes."
"So, how old are ya kid?" Jack asked the little boy.
"I'm ten," he replied proudly. "Almost."
"Well if any one asks, yer seven. See younger sells more papes an' if we're goin' ta be partners-"
"Who said we want a partner?" the older brother asked.
"Hey kid," Feister called from the spot she was standing at. "This is Jack Kelly we's tawkin' bout. You'se learn from him, you'se learn from the best."
"Even though this one right here is pretty good at sellin too," Mush added while slapping Feister with a newspaper.
"An' this one is the last person ya wanna learn from," Feister added while punching Mush's upper arm. "Sides Elmer of course. He ain't the best at sellin'," Feister added as Elmer glared at her.
"This is my brother David, and I'm Les," Les said happily as if nothing else happened.
"Hey nice ta meet ya Davey," Jack replied. "Now my two bits come of the top and we split everything seventy, thirty."
"50 50, you wouldn't try to pull a fast one on a little kid."
"60 40, and that is my final offer." The brothers took the deal and then Jack asked, "Name of the game is volume Davey, you only took 50 papes, why?"
"Bad headline," Davey replied.
Jack laughed as if Davey just told him the funniest joke ever. "Headlines don't sell papes-"
"Newsies sell papes!" all the newsies coursed before Jack could finish.
"Without newsies nobody knows nothin'!" Feister exclaimed while stepping up onto the wagon. "Without us, this city would shut down in a heartbeat!" she added with a huge smile on her face as the boys all showed their agreement in loud cheers.
"Alright, alright," Jack said calming everyone down. "Newsies, hit the streets, the sun is up, the headline stinks, and this kid isn't gettin' any younger!"
"Carryin' the banner!" the newsies replied before going off to start another day's work
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I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, it was a little hard combining fanfic and the live movie, it took a few tries, but I finally got it right. Updates are still Monday/Fridays so keep a look out for those. Lastly I won't be active from the 26th to the 30th because I'm going away to this thing. I'm obviously not bringing my computer, and though I do have the app, I don't really know how to use the FanFiction.Net app and I want both sides to be posted at the same time. So you won't get Friday's chapter, BUT there will be one week where I update on Mon/Wed/and Friday. Thanks for reading and I'll see you again soon