Songbird had adapted well to life in the Devil's Carnival. True, being a member of this mad circus hadn't exactly been what she'd had in mind when she imagined her afterlife, but this really wasn't half bad! Just as the Devil predicted, with enough time, she had become accustomed to this new life. Her main job was to punish those too possessed by worldly and material things. She punished the sinners unable to let go of petty obsessions and vices. Her attraction was simple. It was a ladder climb. All a guest had to do was reach the top of her attraction by way of a series of twisting ropes. What made the game difficult was the fact that the sinners who stumbled into this part of Songbird's attraction were often, by this point, stuffed with other things they'd received in earlier parts of the carnival. Some of these things were clearly unnecessary, such as jewelry or "awards" for other "achievements", while others appeared necessary but really weren't, such as weaponry or an extra layer of clothes or two, acting a bit like armor. To those unable to sacrifice these tools, a fall or strangulation within the ropes was next. To those who were willing to give up their things, the climb became much swifter and easier. It was not hard to reach the sky when one wasn't weighed down by petty things.

Despite this simple fact, however, the rate of success within this attraction was quite low. Songbird and her songbird, named Chromaggia now, would sing to the guests, warning them of the traps that lay within the ropes. They would offer up rules and suggestions in lyrical prose but a scarce few would ever listen. Despite their attempts, both Songbird and her companion, Chromaggia, lost scores of sinners to this simple task. Apparently, letting go of material things was harder than it sounded. But Songbird was so used to seeing such pathetic and selfish sights that losing another sinner was hardly cause for her pity anymore. It served them right for lacking that will to live. If they honestly valued their items over their lives, their blood was upon their own hands. She was only there to remind them that true humanity and value was not placed in objects or things but it was a lesson that fell upon deaf ears, though that was not her concern.

But at one point in time, Songbird found herself entirely alone. For once, her attraction was not being used. For once, she was not being used in a later performance. Instead, she was free to roam the carnival, not that there was much else to do. But it was a welcome change of scenery so she, with Chromaggia on her shoulder like always, left her maze of rope and moved outward towards the Midway.

The walk was actually quite nice, quiet and peaceful, but then the sound of shrieking laughter echoed the Midway and neither Songbird nor Chromaggia needed to turn around in order to know who was coming. It was the Woe-Maidens. All three of them were cavorting over and once they were all together, the Woe-Maidens piled on top of Songbird in a very messy hug. It was almost like a strangle-hold. They laughed madly as they complimented her on one of her previous performances.

"That was so much fun to watch!" they shrieked and cackled. "That idiot! Did you see the way the ropes choked her! And she was just twitching there! Hahahahahaha!" the trio continued to recount the performance while Songbird only gave them a weary smile, waiting for them to let her go from this death-hug. Chromaggia had since taken flight from Songbird's shoulder and was watching the proceedings in amusement from a safe distance above the hyena-like clown posse.

This chummy embrace from Hell's wildest carnies came to an end when a fourth clown girl made her way across the Midway, strutting slowly where the other three had pranced and danced.

"Alright, ladies, that's enough!" the fourth girl sighed. The Woe-Maidens obediently let Songbird go at once, but they were still stifling giggles. Songbird rubbed her neck in relief before turning to look at this new girl. As Songbird inspected the fourth clown, she couldn't help but be struck by the fact that something was oddly familiar about her...

"Ah! You're the newbie," the fourth girl sing-songed in a voice that was mocking, yet still held a hint of honest interest. She inspected Songbird as intensely as Songbird inspected her.

"I am," Songbird replied demurely.

"Well, pleased to meet ya! The name's Wick!" the fourth clown girl said, giving Songbird a lopsided grin and thrusting a gloved hand forward to shake. Songbird took the hand gingerly and Wick smiled at her, red lips seeming to stretch even wider than usual. "I don't think I've seen you around before, except for your performances, but I garner that you know who these are?" she asked, gesturing to her other three friends.

"Sort of," Songbird replied, turning back to the Woe-Maidens who had, for some reason, found this response funny and started to laugh yet again.

What followed was a short introduction, courtesy of Wick, wherein she explained who the three clown girls were and who she was in relation to them. Songbird listened intently, but there was still a vague sense of familiarity that she couldn't place. On top of listening to Wick talk about herself, Songbird was trying to put the pieces together as to who Wick reminded her of and she was trying to figure out if any part of Wick's carnival act might shed some light on this situation. So far, nothing had come up, and Songbird was totally stumped as to why Wick seemed so familiar, but at the same time, it wasn't just a petty sense of déjà vu. It was far too deep and real for her to ignore and she could only continue to think, fairest wheels turning, as Wick continued to speak.

What Songbird didn't know, however, was that she was not the only one feeling this strange sense of déjà vu. It was mutual, and Wick was feeling it as well. She had not intended upon speaking to Songbird for this long, if at all, but of course when the Woe-Maidens saw her walking out all by her lonesome in the carnival, they simply had to "cheer her up" with a good old-fashioned strangle-hug and then they were off before Wick could even protest the idea. This left her to sigh and follow after her merry little trio, like a parent after unruly and wild children, and then to reign them back in once they'd had their fun. It was at that moment, however, when Wick finally got to see Songbird up close and personal, that the first spark of remembrance entered her mind. Although she could not place it either, she was certain that she had known the Songbird once before...

After the introductions had died off, Wick and Songbird continued to stare intently at one another before Wick finally spoke up.

"Woe-Maidens, I just remembered that I must have a few important words with our newest addition to the acts, so if you will all be so kind as to leave us alone for a moment?" Wick tilted her head as her question trailed off.

"Awwww! Do we have to? We only just met her!" all three of the Woe-Maidens began to protest and plead that they be allowed to stay.

"Now, now, surely you can't think that this will be fun?" Wick sounded incredulous. Songbird seemed slightly offended by this remark, but she remained silent as Wick continued to speak to her girl posse. "Why don't you go play a prank on Magician, m'kay?" she asked. This seemed to brighten the Woe-Maidens' spirits at once because the last word of this command had barely left Wick's painted lips before the trio up and running towards Magician's tent, howling laughter echoing across the Midway even after they were out of sight.

As soon as Wick was sure they were out of earshot, however, she turned to address Songbird once more.

"It seems to me we may have met," she said, voice suddenly serious and polite, totally different from the almost gooey tone she used on her girls.

"I feel the same," Songbird replied honestly, understanding the significance of Wick's little shift in mannerism. "Yet I can't place it. Where have I seen you before? Do you remember me at all?"

"No. But maybe a walk around the carnival will bring something back to us?" Wick suggested and with nothing else in mind or on schedule, Songbird agreed and the two carnies began their little trip down Hell's Midway, just talking and trying to unravel the mystery...

"Mag?" Wick finally squeaked in awe, stopping in her tracks. After almost half an hour of recounting as much as they could, Songbird finally had given enough of her story for it to finally resonate with Wick. Songbird was a singer who had killed herself after declaring that she was no longer going to work for the company that employed her. Her reasons for leaving were never made public, but Songbird now confessed that it was because the man running the business was a monster in human form, no morals, respect or decency anywhere within him. She had left to escape him, and this was her one way out. The irony of that time as compared to now was not missed by either of them but Wick had come to a realization that overshadowed that irony. In the foggy remains of her memory, Wick was certain that she had known and idolized a singer who met her death at the hands of a well-planned murder as well. Finally, it clicked.

"Blind Mag!" Wick repeated herself, this time with more certainty.

"How do you know me?" Songbird asked in genuine surprise, wondering if this girl was an old fan of hers. How else would she have known that name? For Songbird, the name "Blind Mag" was a dead name, something never once spoken by anyone other than herself and Lucifer upon her very first day in Hell. After that, those words all but vanished from existence, so to hear them again with such awe and certainty was a little jarring. Songbird waited tensely for Wick's reply. Wick, meanwhile, inhaled deeply before giving a timid response.

"How do I put this? I'm your… Goddaughter."

"Shilo?" now it was Songbird's turn to reach that stunned realization, that impossible epiphany. Now it was Songbird who could only gasp and stare in disbelief, but at the same time, she knew it was true. Somehow, this girl, this insane little carnival clown, was her own goddaughter, Shilo Wallace, daughter of her late best friend, Marni Wallace. As Mag had yet to see Marni (or her husband, Shilo's father), she could only assume that the two of them had been good and pure enough to get to Heaven. Or perhaps they, too, were in Hell, but had yet to reunite with Shilo or Mag.

Either way, Mag was so genuinely stunned to see Shilo, and here of all places, that she could only reach out silently to touch her face. When words failed her and when she could hardly believe her eyes or ears, Mag resorted to touch and placed a gently palm on Shilo's painted face. Her face was warm and soft, smooth and small. Mag, at once, was reminded of something very fragile, yet also very powerful, paradoxical as that seemed. All Mag could do was stare in awe at this strange happenstance. And as she continued to touch her goddaughter, Shilo nuzzled into her hand and reciprocated gladly, caressing Mag's cheek and hand with her own. It was a very intense reunion despite how outwardly quiet it was. Then at last, the two were embracing, earnest arms wrapping around eager bodies. This was something they should've done many, many years ago.

There really were no words for the turmoil of emotions the two were experiencing, but no words were needed. Instead, as they embraced, they allowed the bittersweet pain of a reunion in Hell to wash over them. After 17 years and a lot of agony, the two friends who should have been were finally given their chance. They continued hug and caress, getting acquainted and reuniting at the same time. Chromaggia, meanwhile, watched the scene with something of a grin on its beak, hovering far enough away to give the old friends a chance at reunion, yet close enough to hear every exchange. From that point on, if a sinner ever wound up in Hell and managed to fall right into the silver talons of Songbird and Chromaggia, they might also find themselves facing a very special guest in the form of the Songbird's goddaughter, Wick.

AN: Going off of the last chapter where I do a Repo/TDC crossover inspired off of Mag's Fall vs After the Fall, I wanted a Mag and Shilo reunion, so here we go. Of course, I know how unrealistic this headcanon of Mag and Shilo both being carnies is, but it was still a fun idea, I think. In regard to Mag's specific job in Hell, as the story states, she punishes those unable to let go of worldly matters because it was something she struggled with herself for 17 years before finally opting to let go. You all know what I'm referring to. In addition, her job is loosely based upon the Aesop Fable "The Peacock and the Crane". In addition, as with the last chapter, I'm polishing it up. (Thanks again inquiete!)