Work Text:
(Jestro wanders toward Merlok’s library, depressed from his show.)
Jestro: (sung) Oh, why am I such a joke
Why can’t I be a thrill?
Why do I always have to choke
And make them sadder still?
My friends deserve the world and more
They hardly deserve me.
Every trick I had in store
Still wasn’t enough to see-
A show to make them laugh!
A show to make them sing!
A show to please the knights
and the princess and the queen
A show to make them smile
And to make their hearts race.
I couldn’t have looked sadder still
if I was flattened on my face.
(Realizes he was on his face.) Oh wait.
You don’t know how long I worked for this
To perform for the city
Instead of joy, instead of fun
I just welled up their pity!
But why am I such a failure,
Why can’t I be worthwhile?
Why can’t I make them merrier
Without taking cruel smiles!
Why do I always have to trip
And ruin all the fun?
Would I even be missed
if I gave them the slip
Laughed back and turned and run?
Every trick I had in store
Still wasn’t enough to see:
A show to make them laugh!
A show to make them sing!
A show to please my friends
and the king and the queen
A show to make them smile
And a show to make them laugh
I’ve never seen a difference between
Laughing with and laughing at.
(Growing loud as laughter echos in his head) Burning laughter rains so loud
I just wanted to make them-
Monstrox: (spoken) Psst! Joke-boy!