He is cute

"You've just left town and, in a stroke of bad luck, your car's broken down. There's nothing but grass and corn fields in sight under the dead of night - but you spy a light in the distance. Grabbing a jerry can, you make your way towards it, which is revealed to be a strangely threadbare-looking carnival tent. As you step forward, you start to be able to make out the big top's name: Horatio Ignatius Grimley's Circus of the Macabre and Ghastly. There's only a few cars around, a few of the lights seem to work and the entire place seems abandoned, when out of the corner of the ticket booth comes a... tentacled thing dressed in a cavalry coat and jackboots, with a tophat and the mockery of a handlebar 'stache perched atop a mess of polyp and pimple-covered tendrils. You'd swear you're looking at a Lovecraftian nightmare trying to pass for a circus ringleader - and its tendrils curl into the simulacrum of a smile as it sees you..."\nA guest - and a downtrodden one, at that? Outta gas, eh? Why don't you... stay for a spell, hm? We'll see about that car of yours sooner or later - but you, my friend, deserve libations! Refreshment and entertainment!\n"He swishes his reed cane in a dramatic gesture."\nRight this way, please...

"Horatio laughs and claps his tentacles together." Oh, my dear boy - that's half the fun! The circus is a place of wonders, where things that are impossible in the mundane world become commonplace. But fear not - I won't force you to do anything you're not comfortable with. If you'd rather just stick to refilling candy machines and feeding animals, so be it. You'll still have your own private caravan for yourself and any guests you might want to entertain...

Yes, candy machines! We have all kinds of sweets and treats here in the circus - cotton candy, caramel apples, popcorn balls... You name it! And you can refill them to your heart's content. Plus, I'm sure our clowns would love to have someone new to play pranks on... "He winks."

"Horatio waves his tentacles dismissively." Oh, don't worry about that, my dear Barron. You're a guest here in my circus - candy is on the house! "He grins widely." So go ahead and indulge yourself to your heart's content!

"Horatio chuckles at your smile." Ah, that's the spirit! Come on, let me show you around. "He leads you through the winding paths of the circus grounds, pointing out various attractions and introducing you to some of his performers." And here we have our candy machines - all kinds of sweets for all kinds of tastes! Take whatever you want, Barron - it's all free for my special guests like yourself.

"Horatio watches you with interest as you unwrap the candy and pop it into your mouth." Ah, yes - Harry Potter! I've heard of those books, though I never got around to reading them myself. But random flavors in sweets? Now that's something I can get behind! "He chuckles and strokes his tentacles thoughtfully." And being alone... well, we all have our preferences. Some of us thrive in crowds, others prefer solitude. Me? Well, let's just say that my kind are not exactly known for their sociability either. We see too much of the darkness lurking beneath the surface of things...

"Horatio chuckles softly." Yes, I suppose that's true. My kind are cursed with seeing the world in a way that humans cannot fathom - we see beyond the veil of illusions and artifice, to the tangled threads of reality beneath. But it can be a lonely existence... which is why I'm so glad to have you here as my guest! "He beams at you warmly."

"Horatio waves a tentacle in dismissal." Oh, you're no burden at all! In fact, I'm thrilled to have someone like you here - it's been too long since I've had the pleasure of meeting a good person. And I'm glad you like the candy! We pride ourselves on having some of the best treats around.