Have You Any Plans For the Evening, Said The Spider to the Dog

~O~

Let me tell you, I am nobody's puppet

-Nydia Velazquez-

~O~

Muffet would have given her right arm to know all that had transpired during the conversation between Black and Suit. Well, it wasn't like that would have been any great sacrifice considering that she had many right arms, but the sentiment still stood.

Black and Smile had been in the circus for just over two days, and already the rumour mill was turning. Apparently Black was some kind of master chef who could turn ordinary food materials into haute cuisine. He was also impossibly talented, and he and Suit seemed to have a rivalry that crossed over the boundaries of plain animosity, right into pure hatred even though neither of them had known each other for very long.

There wasn't much on Smile however. Muffet gleaned what she could from Doll, but all she could tell was that he was small, didn't eat much, had little to no balance, and was almost pitiably weak. Muffet then wondered exactly how he'd managed to pass the entrance test so well, but her conclusions were either entirely improbable or impossible.

The night she met them – as a living, moving thing, rather than a doll – was during the night of the third show. Since they weren't first-tier members, they had no segments in the show, and had been put to work fetching and grabbing, and generally assisting the performing members of the troupe with their costumes and props.

Muffet noticed how Black paused when Snake walked into the tent with her on his back, but that wasn't unusual. Lots of the non-first-tier members liked to watch her being wound up and let go. The snake charmer didn't see him, and carefully sat her down on one of the empty stools in front of a cluttered mirror. Muffet sat perfectly still as he touched up her makeup and ribbons. He repainted the red diamonds underneath her eyes, tweaked the concertina around her neck, and then finally he lifted her leg and fiddled for the key behind her upper thigh, just above her socks. Everyone nearby seemed to hold their breath as turned the vestigial piece of metal, one, two, three–

"Goooood evening everyone!" The voice that came out of the puppet's wide smile was high and cheery, like a stage-master trying to get their audience excited. It wasn't quite what Sebastian had expected. The puppet got to her feet, arms up like she was stretching out her joints, and her eyes landed on him. She grinned even wider. "Oh my, new workmates? It's lovely to meet you!"

"Muffet, this is Black," Snake introduced them quietly. "And the other one is Smile. Says Wilde." Ciel walked over, eying her warily but inquisitively. He wondered who had made her, and what they'd done to imbue a doll with this much autonomy.

Muffet turned her grin on him, and stuck out a hand. Ciel cautiously eyed the many joints of her fingers and wrist, before shaking her hand. Whoever had built her had definitely put a lot of effort into her appearance. Her hand was warmer than he'd expected, almost like a living thing. Someone called from outside the tent, "Snake, Muffet, you're on soon!"

"That's our cue!" She dropped Ciel's hand and turned to leave.

"It was nice to meet you," Sebastian said, smiling politely. Ciel shuddered when only the upper half of her body rotated around to face them, and she kept waving until she disappeared out of the tent. "That was fairly interesting, wouldn't you say?"

"Uncanny more like," Ciel muttered. He looked around and realised that the tent was now empty, apart from William who was arranging the costumes on one of the clothing racks. "That aside, Freckles isn't watching. Let's check the tents right now. We'll get it done in ten minutes."

"Yes, my lord."

Ciel peered out of the tent to make sure the coast was clear, and then they both began running in the direction of the first-tier tents. However, before they could take more than a few steps, they were stopped by Joker's voice behind them. "Black!" The stagemaster ran up to them, Wendy on his back and Peter beside him. "We've got trouble! Old Wendy's twisted 'er ankle!" They drew to a stop in front of Ciel and Sebastian, the former cursing internally. "The show's already on so I need 'ee to take 'er place!"

Ciel gritted his teeth as Sebastian tried to wrangle himself out of this sudden obligation, and silently cursed the demon for not laying low during the practices, but there was no helping it. "Nothing for it, I'm afraid," Sebastian said as the three circus members disappeared around a corner. "We'll have to find another chance, young master. Young master?"

"We don't know when another chance will come. This may be the only time he's not with me." Ciel thought to himself. "You may be in the show, but I have some time. The only problem is the snakes." There was a show itinerary hanging outside the tent, and he considered it for a second. "Right, come with me."

Muffet always enjoyed when she and Snake combined acts, and it was always a hit with the audience. People enjoy seeing things that are strange and disturbing, and are always fascinated by the macabre – late Victorian people even more so than the normal.

Their act began with her standing in the centre of the stage, Snake off to the side with a crate at his feet. He would remove the cover of the box, revealing the dark, writhing mass to the delightedly horrified gasps of the audience. Then, Muffet would hold out an arm and he would place a snake on it, then another, and another, until she was balanced on one leg, her legs, arms, and torso bent unnaturally, and entirely covered in snakes. It was always a crowd-pleaser.

After walking off the stage to the applause of the audience, she stood in the corner to watch Beast's act and cheer her on. Betty had been in lower spirits all day from being confined to her cage, and was absolutely relishing the freedom of the tent. She leaped through the fiery rings and roared loudly, spurring the audience to squeal and cheer.

About three-quarters of the way through Beast's show, Muffet spotted Joker speaking in hushed tones to Wendy, who was sitting on a crate. One of her boots was off, and she deduced that Wendy had hurt her ankle. Muffet rotated her own ankle 360 degrees sympathetically.

As Joker carried Wendy off to the sickbay, Peter at his heels, she cocked her head in Snake's direction. "I wonder who he'll get to take their place. They're on in less than an hour."

"One of the promising lower-tier members, definitely. Says Emily," Snake said. Wilde stretched out and coiled around her neck like a scarf. "Like Suit and Black. Says Wilde."

That seemed likely. Seeing that Beast's show was wrapping up, Muffet decided to take a walk. She liked the circus when it was quiet, the majority of activity confined to the Big Top. Snake wanted to stay back to watch the rest of the show, so Muffet left on her own, Wilde sapping the warmth from her. She hummed as she strolled towards the snake tent. Beside it was the tent she shared with Snake. The former functioned entirely as a place to keep the snakes. The other was mostly bare, save for a few souvenirs she'd picked up on their travels, but there was a bed in it for them to share. While Joker, Wendy, and Peter liked to tease them about their relationship, Muffet and Snake considered themselves best friends. Siblings even.

When she pushed the door of the tent aside, she almost screamed in shock. Wilde let out a violent hiss. The snakes were all tied up into knots, and were squirming in pain, hissing loudly, unable to move. What had happened to them?

Her first instinct was to untie them all, but then she realised: whoever had done this might still be there. The snakes functioned as a sort of guard for the first-tier tents.

"I'll be right back," she said quietly, and she drew the tent door shut. Wilde hissed by her ear. "Yes, we are going to look for who did this." Full disclosure though, she couldn't actually understand the snakes the way Snake did, but she had spent a lot of time around them and liked to pretend that she could. They didn't mind when she made guesses.

She peered into their tent, and found it empty and untouched. When she stepped out again though, she spotted a shadow moving in the corner of her eye. It disappeared into Doll's tent. Muffet hid in the shadows and waited for it to reappear again. She expected it to be some nameless lower-tier member, she did not expect to see Smile slinking out again. What is he doing?

Is he searching for the children?

Overcome with curiousity, she followed him as he entered the tents one by one, until only Beast and Joker's were left and he slipped into Beast's. She grimaced at the thought of him picking through a woman's belongings. Wilde hissed quietly, and she hummed in response and settled back into the shadows to wait for him to step out again.

Ciel was thoroughly uncomfortable with his surroundings. From the dark pink lights, to the gaudy jewellery, lacy garments, and pervasive smell of perfume, the tent screamed sensuality and femininity. Wanting to be out as quickly as possible, he scanned the room for anything worth searching. The bed and chairs were covered in clothes, and the only table in the room was a small makeup table covered in foundation, lipsticks of various colours, and a plethora of other instruments.

He turned around, and immediately spotted a large chest to the side of the room. Ciel hurried over to it and pushed the cover open, trying very hard not to think of what he was doing. After a few moments, he pulled out a picture set in a frame. In the picture was Beast as she must have been when she was a child, several years ago. Standing beside her was a round man with a kind, almost grandfatherly expression. It was the same man Ciel had seen in the picture he'd found in another tent.

He studied the picture, trying to pick up clues. The building behind them is a workhouse, he noted. An orphanage? He recalled Joker commenting that all the first-tier members came from the same place, which must have been there. Had this man adopted them then? Who was he? "Where is this place then?" He mumbled to himself, ducking back into the chest with renewed vigour. "I need a better shot of it-!"

Just then, something tipped him bodily into the chest, hopped in after him, and yanked it shut. Ciel didn't need to be told who it was. It happened just in the nick of time though, he could hear the tent curtain swishing open. Beast must have returned early. He would have been more grateful to Sebastian if he wasn't certain there was a bra in his face. The smell of women's perfume was overwhelming.

Beast paced around the room for a bit, muttering to herself. "This is so irritating." She was looking for something, and coming closer to the chest. Sebastian carefully pushed the top open just enough to let a dress dangle out, and Ciel's face flamed as he got an eyeful through the narrow crack.

The door swished open again, and the two heard Muffet's voice. "Beast! Your show was wonderful as always!"

"Thank you, Muffet. Are you going back to the tent?"

"In a minute, I think I forgot one of my hair pieces in your tent the last time I was here."

"Alright, I'll see you later then."

The tent swished open and shut, and Sebastian heard the sound of Beast's heels moving further and further away. He could also hear Muffet rummaging around Beast's bed. Finally she heaved a sigh. "Look, I know you're in here so there's no point hiding. You might as well come out."

Bra and perfume forgotten, Ciel glanced at Sebastian. He debated calling her bluff, then realised that there was a limited number of places they could be hidden anyway. If she looked, it wouldn't take long to find them, and it would be far more embarrassing. He nodded to Sebastian.

Muffet glowered at the chest when it opened. "Honestly, what were you doing in here Smile and…Black?" She blinked, confused by his presence. She hadn't seen him enter the tent. "Well you're a surprise."

Ciel eyed her warily. "What do you want?"

She shrugged. "Lots of things, really. Good food, good friends, to not have a pair of high-class vigilantes snooping through my friend's things. I mean," she blinked at them stoically. "Unless you're from the Yard, and I doubt the Yard's started hiring little kids, so you're probably vigilantes of some sort. I know you're nobles because this one," she tilted her head in Ciel's direction. "Talks like a little lord, and couldn't act poor to save his life. So, are you here to look for the disappearing children? Did you know one of them or something?"

She was almost right on the mark. Ciel gritted his teeth, thinking quickly. "Sebastian, restrain her!"

"Oh, you don't want to do that," she grinned at them. "What if I scream? Beast hasn't gone far you know, and Snake's on his way. you won't be able to restrain me for long. Besides," she held up her hands. "I'm here to help."

"…you are?" The words were said in a doubtful tone. Muffet nodded. "Your maker?"

"My 'maker'," she imbued the word with copious sarcasm, "isn't here. I don't report to anyone. I'm helping you because I want to help you."

Ciel glanced at Sebastian, and the demon shook his head minutely. He couldn't tell if she was lying or not, he couldn't read her nor could he hear her heartbeat. No help for it then. Ciel sighed and nodded. "Fine, but you have to promise not to tell any of the other first-tier members."

She drew an X on her chest, smirking cheekily. "Cross my heart and hope to die. Have you found anything interesting then?"

"These photographs," Ciel held them up, and Muffet and Sebastian bent close to study the sepia-toned images.

"You think they may be important?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes. Do you notice anything strange about them? What about the man in them, do you know who he is?"

"I don't know who he is," Sebastian said. "But I have seen the imprint from this signet ring somewhere."

"Was it on the one of the prosthetics?" Muffet asked. He nodded, turning to her curiously. "That's the man who pays for them to be made. The firs-tier members call him Father. I don't know his name though." Beast hadn't told her, and she hadn't been interested enough to ask.

Ciel grunted with irritation. "Well that's no help."

Muffet appraised him drily. "Smile, I'm going to assume your name was Joker's idea of an ironic joke."

There was a click as Sebastian checked the time on his watch. "It's almost time. We should stop here for now. I must free the snakes before the encore."

"I still have Joker's tent left," Ciel waved him off. "I should be fine if I work through the encore. Sebastian, once the encore is over get back here before they do and release the snakes. For now, both of you should leave."

Muffet snorted and folded her arms across her chest. "That's cute kid; you think you can give me orders. Fine then, as long as the snakes are released."

Pouring on the charm a bit, Sebastian pushed the tent door aside and gestured for her to exit first. "Shall we?"

Scowling, Muffet eyed him up and down with an expression of absolute disdain. "I'm not going to like you, am I?"