2Chapter 3
A/N: Well this one is going to be set the day before everyone is leaving for Harrisburg and depending on how long it is when that day is done I might continue into the next. Ok enough of me blabbing because I still have to get on with other things before I start the story. Oh and idk if Tom Sawyer was even around in the time period of this story but if he wasn't too bad. Hm come to think of it I doubt running water was around either. Oh well. xD
D: Ah how many times must I say this; I DON'T OWN SPOT. I ALSO DON'T OWN JACK. OK? OK. Now that that one's over with I can say that I do own everything else but the cities. And it isn't the government. Inside joke sry
And here we go
I can't believe I'm about to see this race first hand. I know that Mouse mentioned it when she came back from visiting her cousin in Harrisburg but to actually get to see it first hand. That's something amazing. But I wonder how Angel's going to take it. From what I can tell she wasn't here for the last one. It should definitely be interesting.
"Yes Ferret bring your recipe books. We're in charge of dinner half of the days remember. No Rain put your poncho in your bag. You may need it. Devil put the siccors down. Angle did you finish packing?"
The little girl nodded and went back to looking at a book. Spot, who had been at the LH for a week and was feeling pretty comfortable there, jogged down the stairs and over to Flame.
"Calm down Flame. You're stressing over nothing."
"Nothing, you call this nothing. Not only are we taking a huge group of kids half way across the state but we are also the host's this time."
"Hosts?"
"Ya, you see we have to plan the exact root there for any kid that isn't racing and provide the transportation."
"Ok so I was wrong. You do have something to stress about."
Red stuck his head from around the corner.
"Hey Flame can you come up here a minute. I need your help with packing."
"Sure thing Red."
Flashing a smile at Spot she bounded up the stairs and went around the corner. Sighing Spot glanced around the room and noticed Angel sitting in a chair, book on her lap.
"Hey Angel what you reading?"
The girl held up the book.
"The adventures of Tom Sawyer. You like it?"
She lifted her shoulder in a shrug.
"Hm I remember reading that when I was 10. Great book."
No response. Spot didn't mind though. He had already gotten more responses then he usually did. Heading to the window he stared out at the dark city and sighed.
'Nothing like New York, but I like it.' He thought to himself.
Looking up at the night sky he saw meteors streaking through the sky.
"Oh wow." He breathed. "Angel come look at this."
Angel looked up from her book warily.
"Don't worry I won't hurt you."
Cautiously she got up from her seat and made her way to the older boy. Standing in front of him she looked up.
"Ok we're going to have to go outside. Come on."
Stepping around her he opened the door and stepped out, waiting for Angel to come out before closing it.
"Ok now look up."
With a quick glance at him she lifted her head and gasped.
"Awesome isn't it?"
She nodded.
"Back home we don't get to see these kinda things. It's even more crowded then here. So this is my first meteor shower and I'm 16. How about you? Is it your first one?"
Again she nodded, still enticed with the flaming rocks above her. Smiling Spot sat down on the porch and leaned back on his hands to watch the sky show.
"Ya know this kinda reminds me of when I was little. My mom, god rest her, took me onto the roof of our apartment when I was about your age and showed me a shooting star. I'll never forget it."
Angel turned to look at him and Spot could see a smile was on her face.
"Angel, Spot where are you guys."
Angel broke her gaze when Flame opened the door.
"There you are. What are you looking at?"
"Meteors."
Flame looked up.
"Oh wow. It's amazing."
Entranced the older girl stared at the sky for a moment before remembering her purpose for being outside.
"Angel it's time for you to go to bed. And Spot I suggest that if you want to be up on time you think about getting to bed to." She said as she picked Angel up
"Of course mother. Anything you say." Spot teased.
"That's right little man now give your mother a kiss on the cheek."
Smiling Spot did as he was told.
"Now off to bed with you."
Spot raced inside like he was being punished with Flame following, laughing quietly to herself.
"Spot where are you. Brooklyn's falling apart."
Spot shifted in his sleep.
"Spot stop goofing off and come back home. We need you."
Spot rolled over in his bed.
"Help us Spot, we need you."
He sat up in bed, eyes open from shock. The first two voices had been people in New York but the last one he couldn't place. It almost sounded like Devil's but he knew it wasn't. Laying back down the teen stared up at the bottom of the bunk above him, unable to fall back asleep.
'I know the first two belonged to Jack and Tiki but the last one I don't know who's it was, cept that they live right here in Pittsburgh.'
The thought kept him awake until early morning, when the rest of the LH started to stir. Pretending he had slept all night Spot climbed out of the bed and set his feet on the floor.
"Morning Spot."
"Morning Jet. Sleep alright?"
"Ya, you?"
"Good."
Nodding Spot grabbed the pair of cloths he hadn't packed from the end railing of his bed and headed to the showers. Claming one he stuck his cloths on the bench in the changing area outside the shower. Taking the cloths he slept in off Spot stepped behind the curtain that divided the two parts of the shower stall and turned the water on. Stepping under the stream he let the warm liquid rush over him for a minute before taking the bar of soap and rubbing it on his body. Five minutes later he was drying off and sticking on his cloths.
Walking back into the bunk room, Spot narrowly avoided getting hit in the head with a shoe.
"Oops, sorry Spot. It was meant for Rain."
"No problem Ice." Spot replied as he walked towards his bed.
Reaching it he pulled the brown suitcase out from under it.
"Hey Spot I see your ready to go."
"Yep, I left my shoes downstairs so I'll stick them on when I get there."
Red nodded.
"Hey I got a favor to ask you."
"Figures. Tell me what it is before I agree."
"Well I need a break from watching Devil and no one else will do it. Would you mind taking care of her on the train ride?"
"Sure. I take it Flame is watching Angel."
"Do I really need to answer?"
Spot grinned and made his way downstairs.
"Hey Jumper, what you doing?"
Jumper looked up from his book.
"Just reading Spot." The ten year old replied.
"That's nice, but are you already to go. Spirit said we were going to get breakfast on the train meaning we should be leaving in like 15 minutes to a half hour."
"Right I have to pack my toothbrush still and then bring my bag down….."
"Well what are you waiting for? Move." Spot said, cutting Jumper off.
Jumper grinned sheepishly before racing up the stairs, leaving Spot with a smirk on his face.
"Devil knock it off. We're in public."
"No."
"Devil I'm warning you if you don't knock it off….."
"Don't bother Spot. She don't listen to anyone when she's hyper. You just have to let her wear herself out."
"She just gets on my last nerves." Spot told Teeter.
Teeter smiled before heading towards Rain. Devil, not having worn herself out yet, ran after a cat she had seen going around the corner.
"Devil get back here."
The younger girl just looked over her shoulder.
"Catch me if you can."
Spot's temper flared. Ready to grab the girl and give her the slap she deserved he stopped.
'That's not how the leader of Brooklyn acts. Just cause you aren't at home doesn't mean anything. You still need to show some self control.' Spot reminded himself.
Closing his eyes the teen took a deep breath before putting his fingers to his mouth and letting out a piercing whistle. Immediately all movement stopped to find the source of the noise, including Devil. Spot calmly walked to the younger girl, all eyes on him.
"Devil did I or did I not tell you to come back."
"You did."
"I thought so. Now when I tell you to do something I expect it to be done, understand."
He hadn't realized it but Spot's voice had taken on the tone of an army general, the same on he used to control the boy's back home. This in it self made Devil nod her head but it wasn't the only thing that did. Spot's face was etched with seriousness, and she knew that one step out of line and she would get it.
"I'm sorry Devil but I want you to tell me you understand, not just nod your head."
"Yes Spot, I understand."
"Good now come on. We're going to be getting on the train soon and I have this game I want to teach you."
A grin spread across the young girls face as she followed Spot back to the LH group. Only when they reached it did all activity start up again. Most of the kids came over to say something on how Spot on how he handled the situation but Flame didn't. She stood a few feet away, watching Spot like a hawk.
'There's something about that tone but I can't put my figure on it' she thought.
Shrugging the teen made her way to the train with her friends.
"Alright well are you ready to learn the game?"
"Ya!" Devil said with excitement.
Spot smiled and pulled out a deck of cards from his back pocket. He had noticed in the week he had been here that no one played cards, especially poker. So he had picked a seat with a table and decided to teach Devil.
'Now do I teach her poker or something where you don't gamble? Better make it something where you don't gamble. Don't want to be yelled at.'
"Alright Devil do you know any card games."
"No."
Spot had seen that answer coming.
"Do you know any of the card names?"
"Nope."
Spot had anticipated that answer to. Taking the cards from there pack he told her what each of them was.
"Got it?" he asked after ten minutes of explaining.
"Yep."
"Alright then I'm going to teach you how to play go fish."
Spot pulled out the Jokers and started to shuffle.
"How do you do that?" Devil asked intrigued.
"Years of practice."
Cards shuffled the teen deled them out.
"Ok now pick up the five I gave you, but don't let me see them." He told her as he placed the remaining cards between them.
Devil picked them up, holding them as Spot did.
"Alright now I'll start. Do you have any 5's?"
"No."
"Ok so if you don't you have to tell me to go fish and I pick up from the middle pile."
Spot picked up a card.
"Ok now it's your turn. First off do you have any cards that are the same?"
"Nope."
"Alright that makes life easier. Now ask me if I have something that you do."
"Ok. Do you have any Jack's?"
"Yep." Spot handed his Jack over.
"Ok now you take the Jack you have and the one I just gave you and put them face up on the table."
Devil placed them down.
"Ok now you get to go again."
"Do you have any King's?"
"Go fish."
Devil picked up a card.
"Does the card you just picked up match any in your hand?"
Devil shook her head no.
"Ok then it's my turn."
An hour and a half, 10 games, and a winning score of 6 to 5 Spot packed up the cards.
"Ok Devil you now know how to play Go fish."
Devil smiled.
"So what else can you teach me?"
"Nothing that wouldn't get me in trouble."
Devil laughed.
"So what did we miss that was so funny?"
Spot and Devil looked up to see Flame, Red, and Angel standing at the table.
"Spot was teaching me to play Go Fish."
"He was, was he?" Red asked.
"Yep. It was fun."
Angel turned her head to look at Devil.
"Cuál es van los pescados?"
Spot, never hearing Angel speak before let alone Spanish, stared at the little girl.
"Es un juego de la tarjeta. Le lo enseñaré alguna vez si usted desea."
Angel smiled. Spot looked at the twins before looking a Flame and Red.
"What was that?"
"Right, you've never heard Angel talk before. Well she only talks to Devil and when she does it's in Spanish so no one but her sister can understand. Devil says she can speak English but we don't know why she doesn't"
"Well have you ever asked?"
"We really haven't felt the need to."
Spot nodded. Back home he knew a few of the boys could speak a little bit of Spanish but he didn't know anyone who could speak it fluently. And he certainly didn't know how to speak any of it.
"Alright well we just stopped by to see if everything's ok. We'll be off now."
Red said the last part in a false British accent that put smiles on everyone's faces. As soon as the trio had left Devil turned to Spot.
"So what are these games that you can't teach me?"
Spot smirked and pulled out the cards again.
"Ok well this one is called poker and if you tell anyone that I taught you this then you will get it."
Devil grinned from ear to ear.
"Alright everyone take a good look around you cause we're only here for two days."
Spot stepped off the train with a sleepy Devil by his side.
"You sure you gonna make it? We still have to walk 2 miles according to Flame."
Devil glared at Spot and stood up straighter.
"I ain't tired."
Spot smirked and ruffled the little girl's hair.
"I can see that Poker made you a little bit more sarcastic."
Devil smirked.
"You go that right."
Spot and Devil whipped around to see Red standing behind them.
"Did I hear you right when you said you taught a five year old to play poker or am I going deaf?"
"So I taught her poker. I knew how to play at her age."
"Yes but that's you. Devil doesn't need to know how to gamble."
"If she doesn't know how to then how the hell is she going to survive out on the streets when she's older?"
"When she's older she hopefully won't be on the streets. Now come on Devil."
Spot opened his mouth to retort but Flame had come up behind him and covered it.
"Not right now Spot. Let's get to LH before you continue arguing."
Spot nodded and turned to walk with the rest of the kids. In about 15 minutes they had all reached the building. Red walked up to the door and knocked, all eyes on him. They could hear feet pounding on a wooden floor and someone yelling. The door opened and a girl of 17 was standing there.
"Red how's it going."
"Jade it's good to see you. We're all good. You guys?" Red embraced the girl.
Jade returned it.
"Not bad. Nothing new has happened since we last saw you."
They broke apart.
"No new people?"
"Not a one. You?"
"We actually have three. Jade I'd like you to meet Angel and Devil, our twins that match their names, and Spot who actually only showed up a week ago."
Red gestured for them to step forward. Flame put Angel down and nodded for her to follow devil up the steps. Spot stepped up behind them.
"Well nice to meet you." Jade spit on her hand and held it out to the twins.
They eyed it wearily.
"You know very well that we don't approve of spit shaking Jade."
"Ya, ya." Jade answered before holding her hand out to Spot.
The teen spit on his hand and shook the girl's.
"Alright we have a pure blood street kid among these hooligans."
"Oh very funny Jade. Now come on lets head inside."
"Well I hope you're hungry 'cause Karp's been cooking for the past three of four hours and he's almost done."
Ferret steeped forward.
"Well does he need any help?"
"Actually he probably does. How about you go ahead and I'll take your bag Ferr."
"Thanks Jade." The girl said as she walked up the stairs and passed her suitcase to Jade before heading inside.
"Alright well the rest of you come on in and get settled."
Jade turned to walk in the building, everyone following behind.
"Karp that meal was excellent."
"Ya it was great."
"Well I owe some of that to Ferr here. She's the one who suggested I put more salt in the soup."
Everyone laughed. They were up on the roof seeing as they couldn't fit all of the kids inside. Spot looked at the site before him and sighed. This was nothing like how the kids in New York acted.
'In fact I think only Manhattan and Brooklyn could somewhat measure up to this.'
The thought of home put a frown on his face. He didn't know exactly what was going to happen or when he was going home but he did know that if it wasn't soon he would loose Brooklyn.
'I guess I could always win it back. Still I would like to not loose it at all.'
He was startled out of his thoughts by a hand slapping him on his back. A cough escaped his chest.
"Hey you're the new kid…." But the guy was cut off as Spot went into a coughing fit.
"Hare what did you do?" Flame asked as she made her way to Spot, a glass of water in her hand.
"Nothing I came up and clapped him on the back…"
"Hare he's got a cracked rib." The teen sighed and handed Spot the water.
By now everyone was watching the events unfold.
"Here Spot drink this." She held the glass out to him and he took it, drinking greedily.
"Sheesh Spot I didn't know, I'm really sorry."
Spot looked at Hare.
"No problem. Like you said, you didn't know."
'Wow where did that come form. I've never been that nice to anyone, even if it was an accident.'
But he didn't have time to maul over it because everyone was filing back into the LH. Standing he made to follow.
"Hey Spot are you sure you'll be all right?"
Spot turned to look at Flame."
"Ya, I'll be fine."
He flashed her a smile before heading inside. Flame smiled back. When he disappeared down the fire escape she turned to look at the sky.
'Well no meteors tonight.' She thought before she herself went inside.
Ok the translations for the Spanish I used in accordance to the stars.
Cuál es van los pescados: What's go fish?
Es un juego de la tarjeta. Le lo enseñaré alguna vez si usted desea: It's a card game. I'll teach it to you sometime if you want.
Now that that's over with I need you're opinions. Should I write about the race or should I just skip to after wards. FYI if I write about it you may have to wait longer for an update. Just telling you in advance. Oh and the whole Spot kissing Flame on the cheek thing well just to give it to you in a nut shell he's really comfortable with the kids in Pittsburg. There is nothing going on with them if thats what you thought.
Waiting for reviews,
Hawk