Shawn: Later That Night...
Griffix shook his head in dismay, the shaggy crop of hair on his head moving back and forth.
"'Tis a terrible 'ting lad. A terrible 'ting."
"Cherrywinks cuts off children's noses. He cuts 'em right off n' then he puts one of them noses that the Master Maker created. Ya' see it? Ya' see it lad, don't ya?"
"That means each Clown ya' see is really just a kid. A dead kid ta' be sure lad, but a kid all the same underneath."
"If a nose like that gets takin' off, then the evil of the Clown goes away until the Circus opens again, which is basically 'til the proprietor decides he needs souls. Sometimes that could be as long as 50 years or more lad."
"Trust me lad. Yo donna-wanna put one of them Clown noses on. I seen back in 1894, Cherrywinks' nose somehow ended up in an atique store. Mind ya', a poor kid was playin' around and put it on.....that boy became Cherrywinks 'himself 'til the time when the Circus closed a year-plus later. Puttin' on a Clown nose is a certain way ta' become part o' the troupe. And an even more certain way ta' get your soul stolen'"
"Time was, when I first joined the Order, oh, about a hundred-plus years ago, Cherrywinks didn't take as kindly ta' this work the way he does now. People'd spot 'em lookn' sad at times. I meself caught 'em once: walkin' around all gloomy and such before the day would come when he'd get ta' cuttin' ta' bring the members of the Clown troupe back. Funny thing happened though: the more I been 'wit the Circus, the less n' less I see that side of Cherrywinks. I 'tink bein' forced ta' do that or maybe doin' it for so long changes a soul. Ya'd be surprised what ya' can get used ta' over time lad. Ya' do somethin' long enough, it don't seem bad so much after o' while."
"Some might say it ain't Cherrywinks' fault, because he's cursed. I me-self am cursed. I've got ta' eat too lad." Griffix patted his stomach. "I'm gettin' hungry. I can feel it. And I'm gonna need your help with it, soon-as this work with Gaggles is done. I'm gonna need your help feedin' me, so I can stay under control."
"But that's for later." Griffix added.