Author's note: Alright, Jack and Blink belong to Disney, everyone else (Misty and Echo to be exact) are mine... actually, I'm mine and Misty is Misty's since we're real people... but we weren't around in 1899 and... you get the point, I'll shut up, on with the story!

Just a Swim in the River
By: Echo

A cold breeze blew my light brown hair in my face. I shivered as I looked down at the headline: Dog Hit by Mayor's Carriage.

I sighed. Bad headlines and bad weather, business wouldn't be good today. I couldn't help but smile as I thought of what Jack always said, "Headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes."

I started to walk down the almost empty street, looking for someone to sell a pape to, when out of nowhere, a girl came running by and knocked me down. I watched her dodge into an alley as I stood up and dusted myself off. A few seconds later, a policeman rounded the corner blowing his whistle and yelling. He looked around and when he didn't see anyone, turned to me. "Did you see a girl come running by here a few seconds ago?" He inquired.

I stared at him uncertainly. "I... uh... I uh... well, I, uh..."

"Well? Did ya or didn't ya? It's not dat hard ta answa'." He said impationtly.

I stared at him with a confused look on my face. "Did I what?"

"See her!" He said angrily.

I smiled and nodded like I understood. "Oh... see who?"

He looked up at the sky as if asking, "Why me?", and sighed. "The girl that just ran past here." (He was rather annoyed by now.)

"What about her?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Nevermind!" He yelled as he threw his hands up in the air and walked away.

"Wonder what he got so worked up about." I said to myself and laughed.

I heard a noise coming from the alley and saw the girl walking out. She had long brown hair and green eyes, not much shorter than my 5 feet and nine inches. "What were you doing in there?"

She jumped and whirled around to face me as I asked the questions. "What do ya think I was doin' in there?!" She spat out angrily.

I smiled and threw my hands up in the air. "Hey, I was kidding! I saw the police officer chasing you and I got him to leave. I got the impression he didn't like me much though... I can't imagine why." I said cheerfully, trying not to laugh.

She stared at me suspiciously. "Are you sure he's gone?"

"Absolu-" My sentence was cut short by the sound of a whistle and someone shooting, "Stop!", even though we weren't actually going anywhere. (Maybe someday they'll learn sneaking up on us is more effective than letting us know they're there and giving us a head start, but I doubt it.)

I grabbed the girl's arm and started running. "So, you're absolutely sure he's gone?" She said in an annoyed voice.

I groaned. "So maybe I was wrong! I thought he was gone. Just shut up and run, okay? Unless you're really desperate in which case I'll show you a place in Brooklyn where we can loose him."

"I'm desperate!"

I started to turn towards Brooklyn until I realized the problem with my plan. "Actually, I don't think-"

She glared at me. "I know you don't think! But that's not what you were doing, Brooklyn now!"

I sighed. "It was a stupid idea. It's the middle of January and-"

"Just take me there!" She yelled over the whistle still sounding a few feet behind us.

"Okay, okay... don't say I didn't warn you." I said as I started running to Brooklyn.

^^^^****^^^^
I stared at the shivering girl sitting across from me. "I don't get it. You won't say a word to me, won't even tell me your name. I know you're mad at me... but why?"

She glared at me coldly. "Gee, I wonder."

I sighed. "Right, the thing with the cop. Give me a break! You lost him, and I warned you."

"You didn't tell me you were going to throw me in the river!" She said icily.

I shrugged. "Minor detail, I didn't think it mattered. Why? Do you have something against the water?"

She glared at me indignantly. "Normally, no. But I prefer not to get pushed into freezing cold water in the middle of January!"

"You have a point, it was a little cold. But on the bright side, we got away from the bulls!" I said cheerfully.

She stared at me increduously. "A little cold? I could feel ice cubes forming in my hair! I should never have gone with you in the first place, I could have got hypothermia!"

I laughed. "You shouldn't have followed me? What was your first clue? It's not even my fault, I tried to tell you it was the river, you just wouldn't listen."

I smiled as some of the newsies walked in. "Hey Echo, who's yer friend?" Blink asked.

I rolled my eyes. "If you want to know who my 'friend' is, you'll have to ask her, because she won't tell me."

She glared at me. "Ever think the reason I won't tell ya is cause ya threw me in the river? Or did ya forget?"

Blink laughed. "Ya threw 'er in da riva'?!"

"She made me do it!" I said and pointed at her accusingly.

She stared at me in confusion. "I made you do it? Why would I make you throw me in a freezing cold river?"

Blink smiled and walked up the stairs as we talked. "I don't know! Maybe you were hot! Why did you listen to me in the first place? Do you need a sign that says 'Don't listen to this girl, she's an idiot'?"

She smiled. "That's not a bad idea... it might keep someone else from getting thrown in the river."

"It's not something I do everyday, you know." I snapped angrily.

"So you do it every other day? Or maybe just weekly?"

"Uh... Echo? Who's dat goil yer fightin' wit?" Jack asked, interupting us.

We stared at him for a few seconds until the girl cleared her throat and started talking to him ver politely, "Excuse me, I think we were in the middle of a fight. Would ya be so kind as to leave us alone before I-"

"Before you what?" I asked angrily.

"Was I talking to you?" She snapped.

Jack interrupted us again. "No, ya was talkin' ta me. Now will ya please tell me what yer name is?"

She stared at him deffiantly. "Fine, my name is Misty. Happy?"

He nodded. "Very. Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have ta get upstairs fer da poker game."

"You just have to ruin all the fun, don't you Jack?" I yelled as he walked up the stairs.

I heard him laugh and reply, "Yes!"

Misty glared at me and muttered under her breath, "Sarcastic asshole."

"Yep." I smiled apologetically. "Sorry I threw you in the river, it's really not a hobby... friends?"

She sighed. "What the hell... friends."

I smiled as she spit in her hand. "So, you gonna be a newsie?"

She shrugged. "Might as well, don't got nothing else to do."

^^^^****^^^^
(Note from Echo: Switching to Jack's point of view.)

I heard a thump from down below and a few seconds later, Echo burst through the door laughing. "Hey Jack. I've got a name for Misty."

I looked up. "Really? What?"

She laughed as Misty came bounding up the stairs after her. "Bouncy."

I stared at Misty, who was glaring at Echo like she was about to rip her apart. "Why?"

Echo smiled and laughed, dodging one of Misty's punches. "Because she doesn't."

_-~*The End*~-_


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