Chapter Text
“Mugsy? HEY! MUGSY!”
Mugman looked up from the scrap of paper he was doodling on as the rubber ball hit him on the nose. “Ow! Cuphead! What did you go and do that for?!”
His brother looked unrepentant. “It was the only way of getting your attention.”
“Well you sure got my attention now” Mugman grumbled, rubbing his nose.
“I was asking if you wanted to go to the fair tonight. There’s gonna be a big firework display and tickets are half price. Elder Kettle says we can go as long as we are back by 11PM.”
“Sure. That sounds great” Mugman mumbled.
“What’s wrong with you Mugsy? You’ve not been yourself lately.”
“I’m fine Cuphead.”
“You’re not fine. You’ve had your head in the clouds for the last few weeks since we beat the Devil. Are you sick?”
“I’m not sick! Okay, maybe I am a little bit sick but it’s not physical sickness. It’s…love sickness.”
Cuphead’s eyes widened, and a cheeky grin spread across his face. “You’re in love?”
Mugman went red in the face and nodded sheepishly.
“Who’s the lucky lady?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“Come on! I’m your brother! We shouldn’t keep secrets from each other.”
“You’ll laugh or freak out”
“No I won’t.”
“Yes, you will.”
Cuphead put his head over his heart. “I promise not to do either of those things.”
Mugman swallowed hard. “Okay. It’s…it’s…Cala Maria.”
Cuphead’s jaw hit the floor. “Cala Maria?! As in the Siren of the Seas?”
“That’s her.”
“The same Cala Maria who tried to kill us?”
“Well, we did provoke her trying to claim her soul contract.”
“The same Cala Maria who can destroy ships with one sweep of her arm?
“Yeah, but I don’t think she does that often.
“The same Cala Maria who devours sailors whole, digests their bones and burps out their ghosts?”
“Okay, this is why I wasn’t going to tell you.”
“Mugsy, are you nuts?! She’s a 50ft tall Mermaid!”
Mugman put his head in his hands. “I know! But she’s got eyes that sparkle like the ocean and the voice of an angel.”
“Which she uses to lure people to their deaths.”
“Cuphead, you’re not helping.”
“Alright, alright. I’m sorry. When did all this happen?”
“When we first laid eyes upon her during our battle in the ocean. We had our mission from the Devil so I thought it would be rude to say something…especially after we hit her in the face with missiles. But then I saw her again at the celebration party and I wanted to say something, but you know how I get. I freeze like a rabbit in the headlights, and I trip over my own tongue trying to get the words out. I just wish I could talk to her.”
Cuphead patted his brother on the back. “It’s alright bro. We all get nervous sometimes. But if you really want to talk with this girl, let’s work out a plan tomorrow. Have fun at the fair tonight and then I’ll help you reel in this extra-large catch.”
Mugman looked up. “You’ll help me?”
“Of course I will! I’m your brother remember. Besides, after all our recent adventures, courting a mermaid should be a piece of cake.”
The Devil was in a bad mood. A VERY bad mood.
Everything had been going perfectly. His casino had been attracting countless fools ready to gamble their very souls away, his name was respected and feared across all of Inkwell Isle, and he had been about to launch his autobiography- ‘Why I’m Better than Everyone Else’. But then two little cups had wrecked his business and humiliated him. He had lost all those precious souls and now everyone knew that he wasn’t an immortal, all-powerful being. People mocked him in the pub, little children sang rude songs about him, and the publisher of his autobiography had decided to take his business elsewhere. Everything ruined by those infernal brothers. Cuphead and Mugman. Just thinking about them made his blood boil. The only saving grace was that he hadn’t suffered as badly as King Dice had. His former right-hand man had been sentenced to life imprisonment for acting as his accomplice. But that did little to quell his anger. He leant back in his throne and ground his teeth together.
“Umm, sir?”
One of the lesser imps stood cowering at the bottom of the steps that led to the Devil’s throne. Since his humiliating defeat, his staff had wisely decided to keep their distance, but this particular individual had either something really important to say or had decided that he was tired of his existence. The Devil’s eyes swivelled down to glare at the trembling imp who was now visibly sweating.
“What is it?”
“Sorry to disturb you sir, but the boys just intercepted a message that you might be interested in.”
The Devil’s eyes narrowed. “What sort of message?”
“A wish, sir.”
The Devil’s eyes became slits and he reached for his trident. “Do I look like a genie to you?! I’m the Devil! His voice took on a deep echo and the imp began quivering in outright terror. “You have three seconds to get out of my sight before I blast you into oblivion!”
“The wish is from Mugman sir!” the imp squeaked.
The Devil raised an eyebrow. “The younger cup? What did it say?”
“He w-wishes to be able to talk to a g-girl.”
“How curious. Who is this mysterious lady of his dreams?”
“C-cala M-maria”
The Devil was silent for a moment. Then a wicked grin stretched across his face.
“The little brother has a thing for mermaids does he? This is perfect! I can exploit this love story and turn it into my grand masterpiece of revenge! When I’m finished, those two cups will be nothing but dust and everybody will fear me once again! They all think I’m done tormenting this little island but they’re wrong! Once I have the souls of Inkwell Isle’s heroes in my grasp, everyone will learn that the DEVIL ALWAYS WINS! MWHAHAHHAHHA!”
The cowering imp bowed and quietly left the room as the Devil continued laughing manically.
To be continued…