The Four Faces of Willy Wonka

A/N: This is a drabble I wrote after seeing the Tim Burton movie for the umpteenth time. It got me thinking: what if Willy Wonka was not as innocent and child-like as he appears to be…

Willy Wonka gazed out the window as the truck containing the last golden ticket drove off into the distance. The die was cast. He had especially hand-picked four lucky children – one who would serve as his heir. A child that he could train and mould in his image. All four children that he had picked possessed some particular characteristic or skill he felt made them a suitable candidate.

Augustus Gloop was utterly obsessed with chocolate and sweets – almost as obsessed as he was. Anyone who loved chocolate that much surely had a fine future as a chocolatier. His best feature was how utterly oblivious and innocent he looked. No one would ever expect any hidden agenda with him as the face of Wonka's chocolate. Then perhaps he could start on some of his more insidious schemes. Wonka smiled darkly at that thought.

Veruka Salt was as demanding as he was. From the investigating he had done he had discovered that she always got her own way. She happened to be particularly skilled at extortion. He admired that about her. She had absolutely no scruples (or morals) and while she would be sharp enough to be able to notice some of his schemes – not until she was older and better trained mind you! Even so he doubted she would object to anything too strenuously. Once she saw the profit margins - whatever conscience she had left would be silenced. Candy was after all a highly lucrative business.

Violet Beauregard was picked because she was highly competitive and utterly ruthless. It had taken some digging but he had found out the truth behind Thomas Gregor. The boy who had come close to breaking her gum chewing record. The poor sod couldn't look at gum without screaming. That mother of hers wouldn't be any hindrance at all. Stick her in a room full of trophies to polish and articles to clip – maybe parade Violet in front of the media every now and then she'd hardly care where Violet was the rest of the time.

Sebastian Valmont, the final of his chosen four - and Wonka's personal favourite. The boy was highly intelligent and very manipulative. He also happened to be incredibly good at hiding those qualities. Tearing people apart all the time being incredibly popular and appearing as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth! He would be an excellent spokesperson for the company, as well as increasing his market share by taking out those other chocolate pretenders – Cadburys! He shuddered. Never mind with Sebastian at the helm of his marketing department they would soon be out of business!

The final golden ticket he had added at the last minute. It was a very impulsive thing to do – almost out of character for a man as methodical as Willy Wonka. He finally decided to add it in as insurance. He had very carefully chosen his four, and thought out intricate plots to test them at their greatest weakness.

While it was good to have an heir with a passion for chocolate it would not do for his heir to consume all his profits. Likewise he needed to ensure that Veruka realised he was not like her father and could not be so indulgent. Violet had to learn her boundaries while it was good to strive to be the best she would never beat him. Sebastien would learn that he – Willy Wonka was the one who played mind games and he would be crushed if he attempted that nonsense on him. Just in case – and it was very small odds mind! If none of his four passed his tests he would have just one back-up.

The tickets were now gone. And would soon be waiting, for just the right child to buy. Now all he could do was wait. The tickets would arrive at their destinations ready to be discovered…

Thanks for taking the time to read. For any who may not know Sebastian Valmont is one of the main characters in the movie Cruel Intentions.