AN: First off, I AM SO SORRY TO HAVE KEPT YOU ALL WAITING SO LONG. I honestly have no real excuse and I recognize that. I've been off updating my other fic every week and doing nothing with this one. SORRY! Please thank Ashley, as her review reminded me to do what I've been putting off for far too long, which is write this chapter. And I ended up starting the next chapter as well. Summer vacation's almost here, which means that I will have no escape from the writing of this story. I hope it satisfies the hunger I've left you guys with.

The Greatest Joy
Sequel to Ribbons and Bo's

Chapter Six: The Offer

Scipio was not surprised when he heard on a knock on his door the next morning. He and Carabella had been talking and at the sound, Carabella had pecked her husband on the cheek and left the room, positive it would be another customer, prepared to give Scipio another case to solve.

On the other side of the door stood a man and a woman, the same ones who had been tailing him invisibly the other day. Renzo and Morosina.

Scipio greeted them warmly, ushering them into the flat that doubled as his home and office. Sitting down at his desk and putting his professional face on, Scipio asked, "So, what is it that brings you here today? Looking for someone? Lost something?"

Renzo looked at his sister. "Well, yes. You could say it is both of those things, to some extent."

Scipio picked up a pen, ready to write the details of the case. "What is it you have lost?"

"Ourselves."

Scipio looked at them curiously. "Alright. And who are you looking for?"

"You," Morosina answered. "We are looking for you, or rather, who you used to be. Thief Lord."

He froze. No one had called Scipio the Thief Lord in years, and it scared him that these two strangers knew that piece of his past.

"I'm sorry," he said leaning forward, "but might I ask just who you are?"

Renzo and Morosina eyed each other. "A pity he doesn't remember, dear brother."

"A pity indeed, Morosina."

Scipio's finger tapped the pen against his lip. Why did that name sound so familiar?

"Either way, Thief Lord, you need not worry; we've only come to check on you."

"Renzo, do not forget our other purpose."

"Oh, yes, of course! We also have some delightful news to share with you."

The name uttered by the woman had jogged Scipio's memory and memories of his short childhood flashed through his brain.

"The Conte, am I right?" he asked at last. "And your sister, the Contessa?"

The pair nodded. "Yes. And we've come to tell you that it works. The merry-go-round is working again."

Scipio didn't think this should affect him at all. So what if the blasted merry-go-round was in operation again? He had ridden it forward, just as he'd intended, and found a wonderful woman that he otherwise never would have met and never have been able to be with. His life was working out fantastically and wouldn't change it for the world. The bloody merry-go-round could work all it wanted to, but that didn't mean he would jump back on it.

But that didn't mean he wasn't curious as to how the Conte and Contessa had gotten it working again. The lion's wing had been completely destroyed and the merry-go-round couldn't function properly without that crucial piece. So he asked, leaning across his desk.

"We found the Maker," Morosina began. "We found the man that made the carousel with its magic. He himself has barely aged a day since he made that merry-go-round and brought it here to Venice. And he has made so many other magical contraptions. He carved out a new wing, just for our merry-go-round."

"Fascinating," Scipio responded, resting his chin thoughtfully on his hands. "Now, why is it you came all the way back here to tell me this?"

"We felt it was only right to let you know, that way if you weren't satisfied with the direction your life had taken after you rode the merry-go-round forward, you could have the opportunity to change things," Renzo explained.

"Ah. And you two? Are you satisfied?"

"Very much so."

"Then why bother having it fixed?"

"Well you see, the Maker and his state gave us quite a magnificent idea: with the merry-go-round, we could become immortal."

"So you're after immortality?"

"Yes. And we offer you the same gift: the gift of eternal youth, the gift of the forever young and never-dying," Renzo said with rapture.

"So you just keep riding it backwards, correct? Every time your body begins to show signs of aging, you just ride it back a bit, not too young and not too old, for as long as you darn well please?" Scipio asked.

"Precisely. That is how the Maker has stayed alive all these years, hidden away in his workshop, harnessing magic," Morosina answered.

"I see. So you two believe that you could take this merry-go-round and use it to keep yourselves alive…forever? How do you even know this man is the real deal? He might be conning you for your money or some ridiculous thing like that."

"But he isn't!" Renzo insisted. "He is the Maker. We saw it for ourselves. After he gave us the new wing, we tested the merry-go-round out. I went a couple rounds forward and I was suddenly older than Morosina!"

Scipio bit his lip. Could they really believe this? Did Renzo and Morosina really think that a silly wooden merry-go-round would keep them alive forever?

Yes. Yes, they did.

"So, Thief Lord. Are you interested?"

His mouth opened and Scipio had been sure that his response would be automatic: no, no thank you. But he surprised himself when he said instead, "I'll think about it."

Scipio had conveniently failed to ever mention to Carabella the somewhat shady pieces of his past, as well as his midnight ride on the merry-go-round of the Merciful Sisters. This left him in somewhat of a peculiar position: tell his wife about it all so that they could make the decision together or to not say anything at all and to just forget Renzo and Morosina had ever come to his door.

The second option was sounding quite appealing.

But Scipio knew there were some people he would need to share this with: Prosper, Hornet, Bo, Mosca and Riccio. This would no doubt mean that Ida and Victor would find out as well, but he was prepared for those consequences.

It was just Carabella he feared to tell.

Nevertheless, if the merry-go-round was something he wished to seriously consider, he would have to tell her.

But first he would tell the others. It would only take a few simple words, and he wouldn't have to extensively explain anything. They all knew and remembered those days. He would just have to say it was working again.

And that it could be used to bring immortality.

AN: I know I probably have no right to ask for reviews after all this time but...review?