~Chapter Update!~
"El Carnaval de sangre"
Things seemed to have been progressing rather nicely for the most part in the carnival. The groups had split off as they had been instructed and went to the tents of their choosing. Although what they found inside was often more than they had bargained for. Such as finding what appeared to be an innocent boy in a cell, or a bunny that can seamlessly transform into whatever it's master wishes it to. That's not even getting into the others like the firebreather and the fortuneteller!
But all fun must eventually come to a grinding halt at some point however.
For as Monsieur Loyal was wandering the carnival's grounds, making sure everything was in tip top shape, the sight that awaited him was not a pleasant one.
"UGH! WHO DECIDED TO LEAVE THIS-THIS FILTH LAYING OUT WHERE ANYBODY COULD STUMBLE UPON IT! FREDERIKA! FREDERIIIIIIIKAAAAA-"
Holding her hands over her ears, the chief of the carnival's security made her way over, grimacing at the sight. It was her duty to make sure all of the participants in this carnival had a good time but it didn't make seeing stuff like this go down any easier.
"..Vhat should we do, Loyal? If ve vere to just let this go unaddressed and one of the other patrons were to stumble across it, who knows vhat might happen!"
"Don't you think I know that!? W-We'll have to get them all gathered up and show them all at once! It's better than listening to the wailing of one or a group of them finding it themselves, that's for bloody sure..."
Before Frederika and Loyal could go about this task however, they could have heard a skittering coming from nearby. Similar to that of a spider. As Frederika glanced around for any potential threats, she would have had to glance quite a ways down so that she could see the giggling sack boy standing at her feet.
"Heh heh.."
"Y-You! You're that sack headed..thing that showed up at the start of the carnival! Were you behind this?"
If Sam was intimidated by Loyal raising his hand to him, he certainly didn't let it show. The child simply shook his head from side to side and both Frederika and Loyal could have felt a powerful aura emitting from Sam and at Sam's feet instead of his usual shadow, there would have been a much larger adult-sized one that seemed to be adorned in a black robe. This was reflective of Sam's true form and a warning that Frederika and Loyal should keep their hands to themselves.
But if they wanted an explanation of Sam's whereabouts then he was more than eager to provide it! Pointing over to the Firebreather tent, words began to appear on the ground near Sam's feet courtesy of his power.
"What was I up to? I was looking for my dear friend Aika's dolly! Then I lost track of the bunny and ended up here! I teased the zombie boy and played around with the other child. But then I heard something and snuck out to go see it. I saw...Everything. I couldn't see who did it but that's okay. I had fun despite it. Can't say that they did though. 
"
"Hee hee.."
This revelation didn't shock Loyal because he already had a feeling something was odd with this boy even if Sam really
was one. Frederika however was more taken aback that the odd little boy she had spoken to earlier would be so joyful when addressing a murder of all things! Not to mention that he apparently watched the whole ordeal occur. Taking a step forward, Frederika glanced down at Sam.
"Sam..Did you do this? Vere you the one who ended this poor man's life?"
Sam stared up at the guard and no giggles came this time. But he did take a step forward with his lolipop in hand as he ran it across his neck.
"I didn't hurt this man. He didn't break any of my rules. I only punish rulebreakers."
Rules?
Did Sam mean the rules of the carnival? Or was he referring to his own cryptic set of rules? Frederika couldn't understand and Loyal was losing his patience. He didn't have any desire to get into some drawn out battle with Sam, least of all when he didn't know exactly what the boy was. But every second they kept talking to Sam, it was another second wasted figuring out who did this.
So raising a loudspeaker to his mouth, Loyal shouted into it.
"ALL ATTENDEES OF THE DEVIL'S CARNIVAL! REPORT BACK TO THE MAIN AREA! THE SAME GOES FOR THE CARNIES! I WANT EVERYONE PRESENT, NOW!"
His message made loud and clear, Loyal turned towards Sam and grit his teeth at the pagan spirit. Walking towards him, he sough to grip Sam by the collar of his costume and pull him off his feet.
"I don't know what you are behind this mask. But I know for certain that you're no innocent little boy. I don't know what you may have really seen but you'll be a cooperative little brat until we figure out exactly what happened. Am I understood?"
Displeased at this sudden physical provocation, Sam vanished from Loyal's grasp and hissed in his direction.
"I'll do what I want and say what I want. So long as it's not breaking any of your carnival's rules, Monsieur Loyal. "
***
The kid gripped the bars of his cell and threw a sour look Kuroko's way at the notion he was was an idiot of any sort.
"Hey, you don't understand, he's persuasive. How was I supposed to know a deal with some shady carnival guy would get me... hrm."He sighed and rubbed a hand across his face.
"Maybe I'm a bit of an idiot."
Cordis only looked bored. He paid the guest's discomfort little heed and physically waved off what was being said.
"The boy is just being held until I can think of what to do with him," he said, saying boy as if the kid wasn't even there to hear him.
"The real show lies further in."
Leonard's ears flattened at the conversation, though he tried his best to look cool in front of the disgruntled guests.
"Of course the real show lies further in! What do you take this carnival for? Cordis, it is rather unseemly to place the innocent ones at the entrance here... where is that grand mummy you said you had prepared?"
"Hm." The freak show operator shrugged.
"There were... complications, ones that I'm dealing with. Now, Leonard, if you have an issue with how I conduct my own tent, then I should remind you that you have been the one to interfere with my operation. The boy was given to me without warning and so I simply placed him where I had space. I am not the mind reader of this carnival. If that is insufficient for you, then I suggest you remove the child from my establishment yourself."
Leonard seethed slightly, baring his fanged teeth.
"Then maybe to avoid some needless hand wringing--"
Monsieur Loyal's voice cut through the conversation, feeding into the tent from a distant location outside. Leonard froze where he stood, blinking in confusion for a moment.
"Now, why would he..." He shook his head, his mood changing for the better now that he had an excuse to shuffle everyone out of here.
"Well then, may as well get this boy out of here as well. If you all want to keep the tickets I've so graciously awarded you, get going!"
Leonard produced a key ring from his pocket, moving to the cage and letting the kid free. The boy mumbled a thanks as he shuffled out to join the others leaving the tent. Rubbing at the back of his head in embarrassment, he said,
"I'm not sure if you did anything at all, but thanks anyway. Oh, hey, just so you know, my name's Dipper..."
He followed the others as they proceeded back to the main area of the carnival, per Loyal's orders.
***
"Hm? Now, I wonder what Loyal could want with us.."
Well, orders were orders and Loyal was his boss. He still hadn't seen Sam return but perhaps the strange child had wandered off to another tent of his own. As Houdini sat on his master's arm, the illusionist motioned for those present in his tent to follow him.
"I do apologize for the inconvenience, my dearest guests! Least of all after what we've just gone through! I'm sure this will take only but a moment!"
Presuming Arvid and all of the other carnies/guests in this fair carnival did as they were instructed and met back at the main area of the carnival, Loyal didn't look too happy as he continued to pace around in a circle, his eyes boring holes in the ground with his gaze. As soon as Frederika poked him on the shoulder, he noticed that everyone had been gathered and quickly cleared his throat to speak.
"Ah, took all of you long enough! What? Did you think just because this is a carnival you could lounge around to your heart's content? There are still responsibilities one carries even while they're supposed to be having fun! But, oh, ohhhh that's why we're here! Someone has their own brand of fun and they're not shy to let us all know! For those of you who are squeamish? I suggest you look away or man up! For what I'm about to show you is not for the faint of heart!"
Giving a brief look over the group to judge for reactions, Loyal stepped to the side and revealed none other than the
corpse of Michaelangelo "Spike" Scarlatti!
"That's right my lovely guests! A life has been snuffed out and now we're left to deduce who may done it! It could have been you, you, who knows! But what I do know is that unless we find out who did it, who's to say they'll refrain from snuffing out another potential light among our group? I know for certain that whoever this murderous entity may be, we've someone who's seen their carnage up close! Isn't that right, Samhain?"
"Heh, heh.."
Sam had said his piece as far as he was concerned. He hadn't killed this man himself for reasons known only to the spirit. But he had been a witness to this man's murder and if there was anything more to it than Sam wasn't saying. The other people here could feel free to ask him questions at their heart's content, perhaps even through physical force. But who knew what kind of results that would garner?
"Disturbing little whelp..IN ANY CASE, if what this boy says is true than he managed to see this man's murder! Not only did he see it but he didn't raise a finger to help! Question him at your leisure! That said, the last thing I want is for any of you to lose your heads! Refrain from panicking and think about this rationally! Otherwise who knows what could happen?! That is all!"
