Note from Author: Clover (Aka: Page, Alethea), Oriana, Flicker, and Kalana belong to me. Dutchy and the other newsies belong to Disney. Yada-blah-yada-blah. Anyway, this is a Newsies fantasy thing I wrote for the heck of it. This is just a new series that has nothing to do with Brooklyn, Echo, and the others, or the parodies, or the time travel stories. The dates and stuff may be wrong but hey, it's fiction.

Unsung Hero

By: Echo

Summer of 1399

I walked silently through the forest until I came to a small river and looked around cautiously before kneeling to get a drink. A chattering squirrel ran up to me. I looked at it out of the corner of my eye and listened carefully as it warned that there were men nearby. I stood up and nimbly jumped over the river, galloping to safety,towards the center of the forest where a small cottage stood. I looked up as a dark haired girl named Oriana walked out, holding a black cat. She seemed concerned and stepped forward. "What's wrong Alethea?"

I tossed my mane back angrily. "Men have started coming into the forest. They are more persistent every day."

She nodded. "Yes, the magic of a unicorn's horn is enough to make any man greedy.You'll have to be careful, my friend. Kalana has told me men are hunting unicorns more and more as the tales spread over the land."

I blinked at the mention of the dragon's name. "Kalana is a fool for leaving her treasure to watch the humans. We unicorns are killed for our horns, but humans kill dragons out of fear, and observing human villages is a dangerous pasttime for any dragon."

The girl shrugged nonchalantly. "Even the dragons know it's too dangerous to stay here any longer."

I looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

She motioned toward the moutains in the west."The wizards have offered to help. Their magic, combined with the magic of the unicorns and dragons, will make it possible to create an alternate world. One where unicorns and dragons can stay without fear of the humans, Nochlaur."

I looked towards the mountains where the dragons made their lairs. "When are they going to create this world?"

"In a fortnight, at sunset. The gate to the world will open every five hundred years on midsummer's eve."

I stomped the ground in annoyance. "Hopefully I can manage to survive long enough to make it there."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two Weeks later

I galloped through the woods, trying to make it to the mountains on time. The sun was already starting to set, and I had to be at the valley before nightfall. I was too worried about being left behind to notice the trap that should have been obvious, and before I knew it, the humans had managed to get a rope around my neck. I tried to fight them, but I was caught, and I watched in horror as night fell and the humans made camp, putting me in a cage.

Oriana found the camp and managed to free me from the cage before daybreak, but it was too late, for I had been left behind. We ran until we reached her cottage. I trembled as I lay down on the floor. I looked up,desperate for ideas. "Have they left?"

She nodded. "Yes, a friend told me what happened and led me to the camp. But you were left behind."

I shook my head, not wanting to believe I was stuck here all alone. "But there must be a way to get to Nochlaur! I can't possibly survive on Earth for five hundred years on my own!"

Oriana smiled sympathetically. "There is no other way to get there, all you can do is wait."

I sighed in defeat. "I'll never be able to avoid the humans for five hundred years."

She stood up. "I think I can help you with that. With the help of a wizard I could make it possible for you to turn into a human when it is necessary. You can disguise yourself as a human until the time is up and you can go to your friends. When the five hundred years is up, as soon as you are in Nochlaur, you will no longer have the power and will be just another unicorn. But you mustn't stay on earth any longer than that, or the spell will become permanent and you will just be a normal human. Are you willing to risk that?"

I nodded. "It's the only way."

She smiled. "Then I'll have my friend come as soon as he can." She handed me a medalian. "This will take you there when the time comes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

February 24, 1899

My hands shook as I stepped off the boat and onto the ground for the first time since I had left Ireland. I hadn't been a unicorn for many years, life was safer as a human. I had wandered from place to place, never staying long. I went through the usual process people had to go through and then looked around slowly. Now that I was here, I didn't know where to go. "Mayor's Home Catches on Fire! Daughter almost killed!" I spun around at the sound of the voice and saw a teeneage boy in dusty clothes selling newspapers. He took off his hat and smiled at me. "Buy a pape miss?"

"No thank you." I said quietly and walked away in search of a place to stay. That night I was still looking for a place when two men cornered me in an alley. "Hey sweetface. Need some company?"

I glared at them, knowing they didn't mean it in a helpful way. "Go away."

The shorter one laughed. "Hear dat Morris? She wants us ta go away. Should we listen ta 'er?"

The one called Morris laughed. "Nah, it ain't safe fer a lady ta be all alone at night."

I looked around for help but didn't see any. I always felt helpless as a human, with no horn to protect me, but letting them know what I truelly was, was not an intelligent idea.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dutchy's POV

"You sit in silence in the shadows,
you don't complain or criticize..."

I was walking down the street with Blink and Bumlets when I heard a noise in a nearby alley, followed by laughter. We ran towards the sound, and saw Oscar and Morris standing near a white lump that must have been a person. We chased off the Delancey's and I kneeled beside the person. What I saw shocked me, when I realized the person was a girl. Even with the blood and bruises on her face, I could tell she was very beautiful, with delicately curled silvery blond hair, and before she passed out, I saw the most beautiful set of cornflower blue eyes ever. "Hey Dutchy, she all right?" Blink asked.

I picked her up carefully. "I dunno, she's out cold."

Bumlets nodded. "Kloppman'll know what ta do."

I sighed as we walked back to the Lodging House where Kloppman cleaned her cuts and made sure she would be okay. The next day I volunteered to stay and watch her just incase she woke up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And while the world may see me as a fool,
they're not looking through your eyes."

11:00 a.m.

I opened my eyes and looked around, finding myself in a large room, with many sets of beds. Then I saw a boy sitting beside the bed I was laying in. He wore glasses and had light blond hair. By what I knew of human standards, he was very handsome. He smiled when he realized I was concious. "Ya feelin' okay?"

I nodded slightly but eyed him cautiously. "Who are you?"

He smiled and held a hand out. "Da guys call me Dutchy."

I blinked. "Dutchy? What an unusual name."

He blushed a little. "It ain't me real name, just a nickname. Who're you?"

I smiled and shook with him, trying to remember the name I had made up. Although I loved the name Alethea, which meant Truth, I didn't think an Irish girl with a Greek name would sound quite right. "My name is Page."

He nodded. "So, are ya feelin' okay?"

I looked around slowly, taking in my surroundings. "I suppose. How did I get here?"

"We chased da Delancey's off an' brought ya heya so Kloppman could patch ya up."

I smiled at him. "Thank you for stopping those men... how can I repay you?"

He blushed a little. "Repay me? Helpin' ya was a reward in itself. Ya got a place ta stay?"

I looked away. "No, I was looking for somewhere when those boys found me."

He nodded a little. "I bet Kloppman wouldn't mind ya stayin' heya."

I shook my head. "Oh no, I've troubled you enough already."

He smiled. "Nah, it ain't no trouble. Anyway, dis is a newsboy lodgin' house."

"Newsboy?" I asked softly.

He nodded. "Yeah, but dere's a goil newsie heya too."

I smiled a little. "Do you think I would be able to be a newsie?"

He looked a little surprised. "Are ya sure?"

I nodded. "Yes, I need something to do until I can go home in the summer."

He seemed a little disappointed. "Yer not stayin'?"

I shook my head, trying to hide my surprise at him disappointment. I had always wandered from place to place, so no one would notice how slowly I aged, and no one had ever questioned my leaving before, or even cared. Now, on Midsummer Night, I would be going to Nochlaur, after five hundred years, and this boy, who had only known me a few minutes, seemed to be upset. I smiled a little. "My family left because they wanted to live in a better world, and I was left behind. I've been waiting a long time to meet them again."

He nodded in understanding. "I guess if I had dat chance, I'd take it in a second."

"Do you think we could get anything to eat?" I asked as my stomach growled.

He smiled. "Yeah, I'm kinda hungry too. Dere's a place not far from here where we usually go."

We went to a place called Tibby's and I met some of the newsies there. They seemed to be very polite, and many offered me a seat. I stopped when I saw the only girl in the building. She had long red hair and troubled green eyes that hid a pain not even the magic of a unicorn's horn could heal. She stared off into space until she felt my presense, and then she looked at me cooly, forgetting her original thoughts and motioned to the seat across from hers. "Have a seat."

I smiled gratefully and sat down. "Thank you. I'm Page." I said and offered a hand.

She stared at me for a few seconds in skeptical amusement before shaking with me. "Flicker." She said shortly.

I sighed and tried to think of something to say. "So, what's it like being the only girl newsie."

She shrugged. "I dunno. Wake up in da mornin', sell da papes, head back ta da Lodgin' House an' start all ova' again."

"Don't you ever talk to the boys?" I asked curiously.

She glared. "Sometimes. Why do ya wanna know?"

I looked away. "Just wondering."

"Yeah well... uh, da guys can be okay when dey wanna be." She said hesitantly.

I smiled. "They seem to be very nice."

She shrugged. "Just wait until ya've been around 'em a while. Dey tend ta get on yer nerves a little."

I frowned. "Oh, but they're delightful! At least... the boys I've talked to."

She raised an eyebrow. "Who've ya talked ta?"

I bit my lip and thought for a second. "Well, I've talked to Dutchy a little, and then I've met some of the guys in here..."

She rolled her eyes. "No wonda' dey seem nice, ya ain't said more'n two sentences ta anyone but Dutchy, an' he ain't mean ta nobody."

I blushed. "Well, they all seemed polite to me."

She laughed bitterly. "Just wait."

"No questions asked, you're there,
when I need you, with a love that inspires,
me to be, everything you deserve,
cause you're my unsung hero,
and I know it's not easy,
to walk in your shoes,
day after day, you continue to amaze me,
now I sing this sone of love, for you..."

I spent the next few months with the newsies, and I never did grow to dislike them. They seemed to be perfect gentlemen to me. Flicker reluctantly became a friend, and Dutchy was always someone I could confide in, he was wonderful... for a human. They never did give me a nickname, they just couldn't think of one, so I was always called Page. As Midsummer's Eve crept closer I became more anxious to go back to my friends.

A week before Midsummer's Eve I was walking back to the lodging house with Dutchy when he stopped me just before walking inside. "Page?"

I smiled at him. "Yes Dutchy?"

He hesitated before going on. "Yer gonna be goin' ta yer family soon, ain't ya?"

I nodded. "Yes, I can hardly wait."

He looked hurt and kicked at the ground. "Ya ain't gonna miss us?"

I bit my lip. "Well, I haven't thought of that, but you are all like family to me and I suppose I will."

He looked up boldly. "Den will ya stay?"

I stepped back. "What?"

He grabbed my hand. "Please Page, stay an be me goil."

I shook my head. "I can't Dutchy, I just can't."

He frowned. "I don't unda'stand. Don't ya care 'bout me?"

I held back tears. "Of course I do, I love you very much, but there's something you don't know about... I can't stay."

He looked into my eyes. "Ya can tell me, I'll understand."

I shook my head. "No, you wouldn't even believe me. Please Dutchy, please just forget this ever happened. I want my last week here to be happy."

He looked at the ground. "Yeah, I'll forget about it."

"While others long to steal the spotlight,
you work your magic quietly,
cause you're not headed for the glory,
the love you give comes naturally..."

I nodded and walked back upstairs to the bunkroom and went to sleep. The next week went almost like it always did, except Dutchy avoided me most of the time. When Midsummer Night finally came around the guys were having a party at Medda's. I left Dutchy a note on his bunk telling him to tell the guys good-bye for me, and that I'd miss them all before leaving.

When I got to the party I acted as if nothing was changing, I danced every dance I could and took in every detail, so I could remember it always. I left half an hour before sunset with the medalian in my hand.

I ran through the dirty New York streets until I found an abandonned alley. I clasped the medalian to my chest tightly and waited for sunset.

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Dutchy's POV

I stared at Jack as he stared at the crumpled piece of paper laying on the desk. "So, Page's leavin', huh?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she said she'd be leavin' in da summer but I didn't really think she would."

He stared at me before talking. "Ya love 'er, don't ya?"

I considered the thought for a second and stared at the table. "Yeah, I do. I really love 'er."

He rolled his eyes. "Den what're ya sittin' dere for?! She just left! Ya may not be able ta stop 'er from leavin', but ya can try! Go after 'er!"

I smiled gratefully. "Yer right, I'm gonna go find 'er!"

I ran out the door and managed to follow her into an alley. "Why don't ya tell 'em good-bye yourself?" I asked as I stopped.

She spun around and her eyes grew wide in surprise, but then she looked at the ground, ashamed. "I thought it would be easier this way."

"Easier for who? You?" I asked, surprised to find I sounded almost bitter.

Tears started to fill her sparkling blue eyes but she blinked them away. "Please don't be angry. I wish I wasn't leaving."

"Then stay!" I said desperately and before she could protest I kissed her.

She started to wrap her arms around my neck but we heard menacing laughter and pulled apart. I jumped in front of her protectively as the Delancey brothers started walking our way. Oscar laughed. "Were we interruptin' somethin'?"

I glared. "Go away."

Morris pushed me a little. "Oh, we're real scared four-eyes."

Oscar grabbed Page's arm and I glared at him. "Don't touch her."

He laughed and I decked him. Oscar reached up and wiped blood off of his mouth. "Oh, dat was a mistake." Morris said and they started throwing punches. Page tried to stop them but they pushed her away every time. I looked up in time to see Page charge at Oscar and I saw a flash of silver. Oscar knocked a knife away from her and picked it up himself. I felt fear stab at my heart and charged at him but he turned and I felt a pain in my stomach. I put my hand over a wet spot in my shirt and when I lifted it up it was red with blood. Page screamed and knelt beside me as Oscar cursed and ran out of the alley with Morris close behind. I looked at my hand again and winced. "That don't look good."

Page looked at a medalian lying at the end of the alley and at my cut. She seemed to be making a tough decision by the pained look on her face, and I guessed that if she helped me she would miss her chance to find her family. "Hey Page, ya betta' get goin' ya might miss yer ship, er' train, er' whatever it is yer takin'." I said jokingly and coughed.

A few teardrops fell from her eyes. I watched as she closed her eyes and a soft light filled the alley. 'God, am I dyin'?' I thought as my eyes darted around, searching for the source of the light. I gasped and my eyes widened as I looked at Page again... only, it wasn't Page. There was a horse there, a magnificant horse. It had fur that looked so soft it begged to be touched, but at the same time, it was so beautiful it brought tears to your eyes and even looking at it seemed like something forbiden, to touch it was something you just couldn't bring yourself to do. It was the purest color of white I had ever seen, it's long legs folded under it gracefully and it's head was held elegantly. It's main was long and flowing, it's hoves cloven like a deer's, and cornflower blue eyes that were deep and wise. The last thing I noticed was a long spiraling silver horn emerging from it's forehead. "You're a-you're a..." I blinked. "I gotta be seein' things."

"No, you're not seeing things, I am a unicorn." I heard a voice that sounded surprisingly like Page's say inside of my head.

I stared, wide-eyed, as the unicorn lowered its head. As the last rays of sun filled the sky, the horn pierced the skin above my heart, and the whole world seemed to light up for the few more seconds I was conscious.

Page's POV

"I may not have much, but what I have,
I give to you, and this song that I sing,
is my gift, and I swear that I mean every word,
cause you're my unsung hero,
and I know it's not easy,
to walk in your shoes,
day after day, you continue to amaze me,
now I sing this song of love for you."
(Unsung Hero, by Teri Clark)

I woke up the next day laying in a bunk. Dutchy sat next to me. "Is it true? Are you a unicorn?" He asked, amazed.

I nodded. "Yes, it's true. I am a unicorn. The last actually. Five hundred years ago we were being hunted for our horns and were in great peril so we went to another world, Nochlaur. I was left behind, and so a friend of mine gave me the power to turn into a human, so I could hide from unicorn hunters. She gave me a medalian that would take me to Nochlaur at sunset on Midsummer's Eve every five hundred years. She told me that if I missed the chance to get there, I would stay human forever, and last night was that chance... so here I am."

He stared at me. "What happened last night?"

I blushed. "Unicorns have the power to heal, so when I saw how badly you were hurt I healed you. It drained my energy and so I passed out after I finished."

He looked away. "You saved me instead of going to your family."

I nodded and squeezed his hand. "Yes, but I think it's what my heart wanted me to do all along."

He smiled. "I got a nickname for ya, Clover. Yer Irish, an' yer my four leaf clover, cause yer good luck."

I blushed a little. "Well, it seems I'm going ot be here for a while after all... so um... ya think I can change my answer about that question you asked a week ago?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I don't have any problem with that." He said and kissed me gently.

*The End*

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