YAYAYAYAY! Ch. 12 is up! I apologize once more, for there will be a bit of sonfic in this one, but its still a very exciting chapter. Enjoy it
Disclaimer: I do not own any sweeney todd stuff, nor songs. I wish i did though.
Mrs. Lovett's pie shop had been hectic for the past few weeks.
Well lets just say things were happening that should not be revealed from outside the shop doors.
Mrs. Lovett didn't want to believe it at first but Sweeney Todd had murdered someone today. By the name of Signor Adolfo Pirelli, who was currently. She was shocked at first to find out that "Benjamin Barker" would ever do something like that to someone. Well, not exactly hard to believe, since he was so changed and all. She was relieved to find out he actually had a good reason to kill him. He was going to blackmail Sweeney, tell the Beadle and he'd be sent to jail; or he would work for Pirelli, half his earnings. She couldn't let that happen to him, now could she?
Strange man that Mr. Todd is, she thought. He was always so quiet, brooding all the time, always staring out his window. Probably thinking' about 'is sweet little Lucy, Mrs. Lovett thought. Strange thing was that she loved him even more than she did before. He showed no particular interest in her. Most of the time he ignored her, which made her heart break.
She wouldn't give up, she was going to win his love.
Sweeney almost sought revenge today earlier. The judge came by for a shave. He heard about it from the Beadle who meet Mr. Todd in St. Dunstan's Market. He almost had him when the bloody Anthony came bursting in about nonsense. Sweeney grew angry and had a bit of an "episode" when they left. Mrs. Lovett had to calm him down.
Poor dear, she thought once more. Mrs. Lovett almost had to carry Sweeney down the steps to get him in the shop. She sat him down "Wait here" she walked over into the living room. She found Toby, Pirelli's boy lying on the floor. Passed out with a bottle of gin. "Drinking up me house and home" she muttered and picked up the bottle of gin. She walked back over to Sweeney and poured him a shot glass. "'ere, drink it down" she told him. He did as he was told and drink half of it, feeling the gin burn down his throat. Mrs. Lovett sat down in the seat in front of him.
She cleared her throat. "So we gotta a body molderin' away upstairs" she said referring to Pirelli "what exactly do you intend we should do about that then?" she continued asking.
Sweeney Todd finally spoke, "Later on when its dark, we'll take it to some secret place and bury it." he said turning the glass in his hand. "Oh yeah… 'course we could do that." Mrs. Lovett said unimpressed. She stood up and walked over to the window and threw open the curtain.
"Don't supposed he's got any relatives gonna come poking around lookin' for 'im." She looked out the window and stared for a moment. She looked like she was thinking really hard.
She just had a grand idea and it had to deal with her meat pies…
"Seems a downright shame"
"Shame" Sweeney muttered.
"Seems an awful waste… such a nice plump frame, wot's his name has had, nor it can't be traced." She walked slowly over to the counter.
"Business needs a lift, debts to be erased. Think of it as thrift, as a gift… if you get my drift." She looked at him. "Seems an awful waste… I mean… with the price of meat what it is, when you get it, if you get it…" she picked up a spoonful of the disgusting meat that was in the bowl on the counter, looking at it disapprovingly.
"Hah!" Sweeney said, the idea just clicked in his mind.
"Good you got it." Mrs. Lovett paced around the room, back and forth. "Take for instance Mrs. Mooney and her pie shop, bus'ness never better using only pussycats and toast. And a pussy's good for maybe six or seven at the most. And im sure they can't compare as far as taste"
Sweeney Todd almost jumped out of his chair "Mrs. Lovett what a charming notion"
"Well it does seem a waste"
"Eminently practical and yet appropriate as always"
"Its an idea"
"Mrs. Lovett how I lived without you all these years I'll never know." He walked over to her, took her by the arms and waltz with her.
"How delectable, also undetectable! How choice! How rare!"
Mrs. Lovett said: "Think about it, lots of other gentlemen are simply coming for a shave. Won't they? Think of all them pies!" They both ran over to the window staring at each passer byer.
"For what's the sound of the world out there?"
"What Mr. Todd? What Mr. Todd? What is that sound?" Mrs. Lovett asked.
"Those crunching noises pervading the air!" he responded.
"Yes Mr. Todd! Yes Mr. Todd! Yes all around!"
"Its man devouring man my dear!"
"And who are we to deny it in her?" they both said. Mrs. Lovett walked away from the window and went over to her mini bake oven. Sweeney slowly turned around. "These are desperate times Mrs. Lovett and desperate measures are called for…" She took a little pie out of the oven and sat it on the counter. Very nice indeed, she thought.
"Here we are, hot, outta the oven." Sweeney looked at it with most distaste. "What is that?" he asked. Mrs. Lovett looked at him like he was bonkers.
"Its Priest, have a little priest." she offered him.
"Is it really good?"
"Sir its too good at least, then again they don't commit sins of the flesh, so its pretty fresh."
They both walked over to the window. They saw the town priest himself, Father Bentley greeting each person going into church. He was a chubby jolly man, always so good to everyone. "Awful lot of fat" Sweeney said looking at the man outside the window.
"Only where its sat" Mrs. Lovett replied.
"Haven't you got poet or something like that?" he asked now looking at a young poet leaning against a brick wall.
"No you see the trouble with poet is 'ow do you know its deceased? Try the priest!" The dark couple walked over to the next window staring at Mr. Burroughs, a lawyer.
"Lawyer is rather nice" Mrs. Lovett said.
"If its for a price" Sweeney thought.
"Order something' else though to follow since no one should twice"
"Anything that's lean?"
"Well than if you're British and loyal you might enjoy royal marine, anyway its clean, though of course, its tastes of wherever its been!"
"Is that squire? On the fire?" Sweeney asked.
"No see no sir look closer, you'll notice its grocer."
"Looks thicker! More like vicar!"
"No it has to be grocer its green!" Mrs. Lovett smiled at him. Sweeney put had around the back of Mrs. Lovett neck.
They both started walked over to the next window, plotting their demise.
"The history of the world my love!" he said.
"Save a lot of graves do a lot of relatives flavors"
"Is those below serving those up above!"
"Ev'rybody shaves so there should be plenty of flavors."
"Is gratifying for one to know."
"That those above will serve those down below!" They both cunningly smiled. Mrs. Lovett threw open the curtain. They both saw a man dressed in very fine clothing talking to two London harlots. His name was Stanley Polkiss. He used to come by Mrs. Lovett's shop and try to pick her up, as he did to other women.
"What is that?" Sweeney asked her. "Its fop, finest in the shop" she walked over to the counter looking at various meat pies. "Or we have some Sheppard's pie, peppered with actual Sheppard on top! And I've just begun, is the politician so oily, its served with a doily have one." she handed him a very runny pie.
"Put it on a bun" Sweeney looked with distaste as the pie started dripping. "Well, you'll never know if its going to run"
"Try the friar, fried its drier!" she showed Sweeney numerous pies on the counter.
"No! The clergy is really to coarse and to mealy!" Sweeney picked up a meat cleaver on the table looking at it admirably.
"Then actor! That's compacter!" said Mrs. Lovett. "Yes, and always arrives overdone."
Sweeney walked over to Mrs. Lovett and hooked his arm around her waist, pulling her to him, with the meat cleaver gently against her neck.
"I'll come again when you have judge on the menu" he said darkly.
Mrs. Lovett could only smile back as they waltz around the room with the rolling pin in her hand. Dancing with Mr. Todd never felt so wonderful, she thought.
"Have charity towards the world my pet!" he told her.
"Yes, yes I know my love!" she agreed.
"We'll take all the customers that we can get!"
"High-born and low my love"
"We'll not discriminate great from small." They both ran over to the window staring at the outside world.
"No, we'll serve anyone, meaning anyone, and to anyone…at all!" They both exclaimed. If only the people of London knew what was soon to happen inside the pie of shop of Mrs. Lovett and the tonsorial parlor of Sweeney Todd. Mrs. Lovett's idea of using people instead of pussycats was a grand idea in her mind. And it was. To her surprise everyone, those who didn't know the secret ingrediant in her pies, loved them.
"What's your secret dear?" Mrs. Jennings would ask Mrs. Lovett. "Umm, family secret, all to do with herbs." Was what she would say to them every time they would ask.
Mrs. She sold about, lets see, seventy pies a day. Of course always tired at the end of the day, Mrs. Lovett went to bed and dreamt beautiful dreams thinking about her and Sweeney's success. Everything was fine in her life except for one thing… Mr. Todd. Mrs. Lovett thought bringing business back would somehow get Sweeney to like her. But no, it didn't work at all. Of course he was pleased to find a way to get to his revenge, but Sweeney never even talked to Mrs. Lovett hardly.
He would stay up all day in her shop and I mean all day. The only time she ever saw him was when she brought his meals up to him.
He had definitely changed, but that made her want him even more. He just showed no particular interest.
Mrs. Lovett would just have to figure ways to win his love. She knew she was close at it. If he found about Lucy, he'd probably kill her.
But would he really want someone like Lucy now?
She would win his love, that's all she knew. She thought about this every night before she went to sleep.
Next afternoon dinner rush was horrible, though Mrs. Lovett enjoyed hearing all the wonderful compliments on her pies. It made her proud of herself, like she was something again. She was passing out a pie to Mr. Laker, a fisherman who came by breakfast, lunch and dinner to eat her pies.
"My dear these are just scrumptious, how do you do it?" he ate his pie happily.
"Family secret, Mr. Laker sir" she smiled.
"Well, whatever it is, you do it perfectly love." he finally finished his pie.
"Haha, well I'll get you another pie Mr. Laker." she said and walked away.
She almost opened the bakehouse door, when she felt something pull on her arm. She looked behind her and it was Toby.
He Mrs. Lovett's adopted son and was the boy Pirelli made him work for him. Mrs. Lovett was taking care of him and he offered to help her in the long run. "Oh 'ello Toby, didn't hear you walk behind me." she patted him on the head.
"Yes mum, but there's a lady here to see you. She's upstairs in the shop sitting in one of the booths."
"Thank you love, tell 'er I'll be up in a tick."
"Yes, mum." he ran quickly back up the steps. Such a good boy, she thought. Mrs. Lovett had to get a tray of a new batch of pies and then went upstairs to the shop.
Everyone else was outside, except for one woman.
She had fire-red hair and freckles, with a smirk on her face. "Well, well haven't seen you in awhile lovey." Mrs. Lovett almost dropped the tray of pies, but kept a firm grip on them. Only one name buzzed through her head. Mrs. Lillian Mooney. "Pussycat got your tongue Nellie?" she chuckled.
"You" Mrs. Lovett said darkly.
"Yes, yes, it's been so long hasn't it?" Mrs. Mooney said calmly
"Oh, yes it has, we'll have this chatter later Lillian, when I'm done with all the customers, who are enjoying all of the wonderful pies I've conjured up." With that Nellie walked away smiling, she could have sworn, she saw Mrs. Mooney's face fluster up with anger. Mrs. Lovett eagerly finished serving up the last of the pies, and even closed the shop up ten minutes early, or at least when everyone was done eating. "Toby, close up the shop will you?" he was drinking a glass of gin happily and agreed to her task. Mrs. Lovett walked back into the shop. Mrs. Mooney was patiently waiting with another conniving smirk.
"Well, now that the shop is closed, can I get you a pie?" Mrs. Lovett smiled kindly. 'Sure I would love to test out "the best pies in London'" she said sarcastically. Mrs. Lovett got her a pie. Mrs. Mooney looked at it with distaste and took a bite out of it. She didn't want to show it but, she thought these were some of the best meat pies she ever tasted. Better than my own, thought.
"So what do ya think?" Mrs. Lovett flashed a smile.
"I hate to say it Nel, but these are quite tasty, what's your secret?" she smirked.
Mrs. Lovett wondered whether or not she should tell her.
"Hmm, well if you really want to know, they're full of people." Mrs. Lovett smirked.
She knew she would never believe her, Mrs. Mooney may have been sly, but she was to ignorant and foolish. "Haha that's almost as bad as saying I make me own outta pussycats." Mrs. Mooney cackled.
"Of course, of course, well 'ow 'as the pie business been going for you Mrs. Mooney?" she asked with an eager smile.
"'O well, you know, times is hard… especially after with the this whole business splurge you've gotten yerself into. I mean I have no customers because of you." Lillian said darkly.
"Well Lillian you know what I've said before, Karma is like the bleedin' devil, is what me a husband Albert said. What goes around comes around."
"Hmm yes, that it is." she spat back. "You know, I've had the law on my tail for quite some time. It seems if as though they noticed the number of cats missing, and near my establishment. I've been so lucky to hide it all."
"Hmm, better watch yer back Lily." Mrs. Lovett chuckled.
They both jumped at the sound of the shop doors opening. There stood Sweeney Todd.
"Mrs. Lovett wheres my dinner?" he said in monotone.
Mrs. Lovett didn't realize, but she spent time talking to her old rival, she forgot to bring Mr. Todd his dinner. "Oh sorry Mr. T, it'll be up in a tick."
"It better be" he grunted as he walked out the door.
"Mr. Todd…" she heard herself sigh.
"Well, well Nellie I didn't realize you got married again. Congrats for your wonderful life, you 'ave a husband and a successful establishment." Mrs. Mooney said sarcastically.
"He's not me husband, just an old friend I'm helping' out." Mrs. Lovett turned to meet her eyes.
"Hmm, good thing too." Mrs. Mooney spoke.
"An' why do you say that?" Mrs. Lovett squinted at her.
"He's quite the catch isn't he?" Mrs. Mooney smiled cunningly.
Oh no, Mrs. Lovett thought, I hope she's not thinking what I'm thinking!
"Soo… he's not married you say Nel?" Mooney asked in surprised.
"No… he's not." said Mrs. Lovett, not wanting to tell her the truth.
"Well, well. Then I guess he won't mind meeting me then." Mrs. Mooney's green eyes shined brightly in the candlelight.
Just when Mrs. Lovett's life seems brilliant, she didn't think it could get any worse once more.
A/N: This chapter was a bit of a pain to write. Again, I apologize for the beginning songfic part. But then again, MRS. MOONEY IS BACK. Im sorry i didnt want her to come back, but she threatened me lol. Poor Mrs. Lovett, she now has the greatest competition ever. Plz review, i love feedback and comments. Hope you enjoyed, stay tuned for chapter 13.