Hey people, This is my first Sweeney Todd fanfic, the first chapter is gonna be kinda short, but I promise, then next ones will be longer. So basically, what I got here is what happened in the beginning, nothing is different really, just a recap for those who don't remember the movie
Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street or any of the events/characters.
"I have sailed the world, beheld its wonders…" a young sailor boy sings, "From the Dardanelles, to the mountains of Peru." The young sailor looks from his ship to the dark, mysterious town that lied before him. "But there's no place like London!" Suddenly, a dark figure approached the young sailor, "No, there's no place like London…"
Anthony looks from the town to the figure that stood right next to him, "Mr. Todd?" Mr. Todd did not look away from London, though continues, "You are young…Life has been kind to you." Mr. Todd's eyes become dark and invisible in the darkness and he slowly sings, "You will learn." Mr. Todd walks towards the front of the ship, as if he was trying to capture every detail about the town that was ahead and memorize every little thing about it. "There's a hole in the world like a great black pit, and the vermin in the world inhabit it, and it's moral aren't worth what a pig could spit and it goes by the name of London." Mr. Todd didn't notice Anthony coming up from behind him; all he saw was the London that took away his life. "At the top of the hole sit the privileged few, making mock of the vermin in the lower zoo, turning beauty to filth and greed. I too have sailed the world and seen its wonders, for the cruelty of men is as wondrous as Peru," Suddenly the darkness in Sweeney's eyes turn into brutal anger and hatred, "but there's no place like London!" Anthony just stared at Mr. Todd and thought, "Poor Mr. Todd, He must have gone through so much…"
It was not too long before they finally reached land, all those aboard thought wonderful thoughts as they left, to see family, make riches, live dreams…only Mr. Todd and Anthony were the last ones left. "Is everything alright Mr. Todd?" Anthony asked. "I beg your indulgence Anthony; my mind is far from easy." Sweeney looked around the dark streets of London, the streets that brought chaos and anger into his body, "These once familiar streets…I feel shadows everywhere." Confused, Anthony asked, "Shadows?" Mr. Todd not turning to look at him, "Ghost…" Taking a few steps, he stopped and sang, "There was a barber and his wife, and she was beautiful. A foolish barber and his wife, she was his reason and his life, and she was beautiful, and she was virtuous, and he was…naïve." Sweeney was remembering those days, the days where he and his wife would take his beautiful child to the market streets, enjoying those wonderful days of just being together, as a family. "There was another man that saw, that she was beautiful. A pious vulture of the law, who with the gesture of his claw, remove the barber of his plate," Sweeney thought of the day where they arrested him for something he didn't do, right in front of his beautiful wife and the baby. "Then there was nothing but to wait! And she would fall, so soft! So young! So lost and oh, so beautiful!" He finished sounding like he was breaking.
Anthony looked up from the ground, gathered his courage, and asked him, "And the lady, sir? Did she succumb?"
"Oh that was many years ago," Mr. Todd answered, "I doubt if anyone would know…" Sweeney looked up from his thoughts and turned, facing Anthony, "I'd like to thank you Anthony, if you hadn't spotted me, I'd be lost on the ocean still."
Anthony took a step closer to Mr. Todd, "Will I ever see you again?"
"You might find me if you like," Mr. Todd replied bluntly, "around Fleet street I wouldn't wonder."
Anthony smiled his friendly-like smile and said, "Until then, my friend." He stuck his hand out to shake it, but Sweeney just walked away, on to London to try find what was lost, and what he would gain. But suddenly, an old beggar woman awkwardly stumbled over to him and sang, "Alms, alms, alms for the pitiful woman, alms!" Mr. Todd sneered at her and gave her what he could, just for her to get away from him. "Thank ye', alms!" Sweeney scoffed, he knew he was far from wrong, London, had become so pathetic. But, he started walking, towards him home, on Fleet Street.
He opened the door to Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shoppe, and inside, he saw a pale yet pretty woman at the counter, chopping up vegetables. She looked up and gasped, "Ah, a customer." She stabbed her chopping knife into her cutting board and sang, "Wait, Wot's ya' rush, wot's ya' hurry. Ya' gave me such a – Fright, I thought ya' was a ghost, Half a' minute, can'tcha sit! Sit ya' down, sit! All I meant to say is that I aven't seen a customer for weeks, did ya' come ere' for a pie sir?" She slickly walked back behind the counter to serve her first (and probably only) customer of the week. "-do forgive me if me heads a little vague—"she saw a bug, but she only threw it on the floor to stomp on it, "Ugh, Wot was that? But ya'd think we had the plague, from the way the people, keep avoiding—No ya' don't!" She just murdered another helpless bug on the counter and continued working, "Heaven knows I try, sir! But there's no one comes in even to inhale! Right ya' are, sir, would ya' like a drop of ale?" She politely asked as she gave Sweeney one of her infamous pies. "Mind ya' I could ardly' blame em', these are probably the worst pies in London! I know why nobody cares to take em', I should know, I make em', But good? No! The worst pies in London, Even that's polite! The worst pies in London, if ya' doubt it, take a bite!" Mr. Todd took a bite and almost gagged, she was right, she was. "Is that just disgusting? Ya' have to concede it! It's nothing but crusting! Here, drink this, ya'll need it! The worst pies in London..." Mrs. Lovett gave him a cup of ale, and went back to behind the counter to continue baking her pies, "And no wonder with the price of meat wot it is -- when ya' get it never -- thought I'd live to see the day, men'd think it was a treat findin' poor – animals wot are dyin' in the street!" She looks from her counter, out of her window; there was a shop that had a few good customers across the street. "Mrs. Mooney as' a pie shop. Does her business but I notice something weird, lately all her neighbor's cats ave' disappeared. Ave' to hand it to her -- Wot I calls, enterprise! Poppin' pussies into pies! Wouldn't do in my shop! Just the thought of it's enough to make ya' sick! And I'm tellin' ya', them pussycats is quick..." She finishes making the last of the batch and grabs her pie tray and puts them in her small, but good oven. "No denying times is hard, sir. Even harder than the worst pies in London! Only lard and nothing more -- Is that just revolting, all greasy and gritty? It looks like it's molting, and tastes like... Well, pity" Mr. Todd could STILL taste that disgusting pie taste taking over his mouth, he hesitantly took the ale Mrs. Lovett gave him and took a sip, hoping to rid of the taste that invades. "A woman alone…with limited wind, and the worst pies in London! Ah, sir, times is hard, times is hard...!" She finished off strong as she kills another bloody bug off the counter.
Mrs. Lovett looks at the poor man who just ate her dreaded pie, "Trust me deary, it's gonna take a lot more than ale to wash that out…" Mr. Todd lowered his cup and looked at her. "Come with me, I'll get you a nice cup of gin…" Mrs. Lovett wiped her hands on her dress as she walks towards her parlor, she motions Mr. Todd to follow her, and he does. But as he does, he looks at the stairs that lead to the second floor, where his life use to live. It may have been over, but maybe there was a new beginning, of something…something, different.
And that's it, yeah it's short, but like I said, I promise, It'll be longer and more creative the next couple of chapters!!