OK, so I stumbled upon this song called The Ticketman by Rachel Rose Mitchell and as I was reading it I swear all I could think off was our beloved Ticket-Keeper. The thought was so strong that I HAD to write a song-fic about it. So I sat down to write one, and it slowly developed from there. You can either take this as AU or not, it didn't really matter as I was writing it. Oh, and yes I did use Marc's name for Scorp's pre-Carny name, but I'm not saying that Marc IS Scorpion. I just used his name in loo of any immediate names.
P.S. the River of Love and Despair is a reference to The Forbidden Game by L.J. Smith.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE DEVIL'S CARNIVAL! That belongs to Terrance, Saar, and Darren, and I would never take THAT away from them.
River Ebbs and Flows
Ah, you're just in time for a story. And it's a good one to-for you see, we have a new recruit coming to the carnival. Well, not yet, first he needs to pass the test to see if he can rise above the rest of the pathetic herd and join our ranks…if not-well he'll make a nice amusement at least. And who better to test him than our very own Ticket-Keeper. So take your seats *chuckle* the shows about to begin.
…
The man approached the ticket booth hesitantly and handed over his ticket. The Ticket-Keeper watched him with mild interest. He didn't know how the boy died, but to be far that didn't matter. All that mattered was that the boss felt he was someone worth noticing, so it was Ticket-Keeper's job to see if he was going to join their twisted family or not. As the boy made his way through the Carnival-flirting with the girls he bumped into and picking up a razor-blade he found along the way the Ticket-Keeper began to sing.
I don't know just how you got here.
It doesn't really matter where you wanna be.
It's so hard to believe your eyes, but
what you get is what you see.
The boy wondered the Carnival not believing what he saw, how did he wind up here in this lame ass second-rate theme park? Last thing he remembered was getting in a fight with some dudes over some girls. They were mad that he'd been sleeping with their wives, girlfriends, daughters, etc. Like dude, take it up with them, not him: they're the ones who took off their tops. But anyway, he must have blacked out or something 'cause when he woke up he was in this back-water place.
Fortunately, we've got time
so if you listen, I will speak.
What's that? You say you cannot stand this?
You're welcome to take a seat!
He was irritated and impatient with the place. Granted, he found a wicked looking knife (almost like the one from his knife collection back home), and there were a lot of cute girls to flirt with, but he was ready to get out of here. Carnivals were really not his scene and he found that he couldn't stand there childish atmosphere. (Though he had to admit that this one seemed creepier than most.)
(We've got room to spare.)
That ticket guy had told him that there was more to the Carnival than just this-though he was finding it hard to believe. What was it the guy said? If you prove worthy you will move into a more comfortable position and enjoy the fruits of that privilege. (Whatever that means.) Marc wasn't interested in some Carny freaks idea of comfort-to be honest he wasn't interested in much other than girls, sex, and cutting things up.
Lucifer sat on his throne watching the story he was reading play out in amusement. Just as he suspected his newest guest wasn't taken in by the entrapping's of his lovely carnival. They had set up several traps a common sinner would have fallen into, and though he had amused himself with a few of them-for the most part he was uninterested in what was readily available. If he had fallen for their offerings they would have dismissed the boy as a candidate and just went on to torturing him like any other sinner, but no this boy showed promise-he wanted more. And Lucifer was only happy to oblige him, he began to sing:
I don't know what the ticketman told you,
but this journey's just begun.
The river ebbs and the river flows
and the river takes what the river wants.
Sticks and stones may break your bones
if you try to jump ship when all's not well.
You can bet your soul you'll be better off
spinning 'round and 'round on this carousel.
The Ticket-Keeper continued to watch the boy flit between carnival stall after carnival stall, rarely stopping despite the Carnies best attempts to entice him to their attraction (read: torture.) However, the few attractions he seemed interested in he became disappointed when he wasn't allowed to operate them (for example: he was annoyed when he found that he couldn't throw knives at the knife wheel, and instead was supposed to be strapped to it) and walked away in frustration.
It's a long trip, one way road.
Tell me, where is it you call home?
Or rather, 'was it'. It's long gone.
Don't worry, dear, you're far from alone.
You've already come this far,
it's far too late to look back now.
Pardon the pun, but look alive!
You'll flourish here, I know somehow.
The Ticket-Keeper was rather impressed, not many could resist the urge to fall back into their old habits. Normally, if you entice a sinner with his or her vice they fell to the trap like flies to honey, but this one was not going to take the bait. Nor was he ashamed of or shedding his sins. Instead he seemed content to revel in them with a psychotic delight that the 'Keeper found distasteful. Of course, the Ticket-Keeper wasn't here to approve of the boy's activities, but to see if he had the back-bone to thrive in the Devil's Carnival. And so far, he was passing with flying colors.
You're not the only one who's going
through those feelings in your heart.
Everyone says this feels like the end.
I promise this is just the start.
Soon the other Carnies became interested in the boy, as they noticed the same thing that Lucifer and the Ticket-Keeper had. They might have a new comrade in their ranks. And they began to sing along to the Ticket-Keeper's song:
Sooner or later, we're all navigating these waters.
Down here, we are all the same.
Ladies and gentlemen, take your seats!
Welcome to the fun and games!
At the bank of a stream in front of a broken down attraction called "the Tunnel of Love and Despair" Marc met a pretty girl who looked like a painted up broken doll. There was a web of cracks all over her face and arms and when she moved he could hear the cracking of her limbs. Marc winced in sympathy, what happened to make a girl look like this? But Doll didn't mind, she was watching him in fascination, she too had taken notice to him and found him intriguing. It had been so long since her own Fall from Grace, and he was the first person to come down that the boss had taken an interest in recruiting since her. And there was still a small spark of her that missed the light of Grace.
Tell me, did you see a light?
It's been so long. I don't remember what it's like.
She crooned imploringly at him, but when he just stared at her in blank confusion she sighed and gave up her wish to know of Heaven one last time. That was her old life, and this was her new-better-life. She eyed him slyly, and the best way to enjoy that life was to live it to the fullest, and she could start by helping this poor hapless gentleman make the right decision. She began to sing, and her voice and Lucifer's drifted into his mind-gently coaxing-one a seductive croon-the other a deep, husky purr.
I don't know what the ticketman told you,
but this journey's just begun.
The river ebbs and the river flows
and the river takes what the river wants.
Sticks and stones may break your bones
if you try to jump ship when all's not well.
You can bet your soul you'll be better off
spinning 'round and 'round on this carousel.
She took his hand and led him over to where Lucifer waited for his newest recruit. When they arrived Marc eyed the devil with nervous exasperation, "so you're the devil, huh?"
"Yes, I am." Lucifer informed him smugly, "and you my fine friend…" he glanced at the Ticket-Keeper who had just walked into the room. He gave Lucifer a slight, almost imperceptible nod, "…passed the test."
"What test?" Marc asked, and then tried to defuse the situation with a joke, "if I'd known there was a test I would have studied."
Lucifer chuckled, "It's not that kind of test. You've proven that you have worth inside you, something I can use. And as such I'm offering you a chance to work at my Carnival-where you can entice as many hapless fools into your games as much as you want."
Marc cocked an eyebrow, "And I'm guessing that if I refuse you're going to torture me for all eternity, right?"
Lucifer smirked, "You're quick, so what do you say, Scorpion?"
I don't know what the ticketman told you,
but this journey's just begun.
The river ebbs and the river flows
and the river takes what the river wants.
Styx and stones may break your bones
if you try to jump ship when all's not well.
You can bet your soul you'll be better off
spinning 'round and 'round on this carousel.
The scorpion smirked, "I say…where do I sign up?"