Chapter Text
It was a windy night. The stars were like bursting gems in the moonlight as Chalice stared out the window. Bandages were tightly tied all over her before she grabbed her jacket from one of her cabinets.
Today was another day, another tough chore. The Devil sent her to collect a few contracts and run away contracts. Her job was insufferable. Forced to chase after contractors till she would be bloody and bruised. Contractors that have no meaning. No thrill to her job. The Devil can’t take people tarnishing his reputation sometimes. But nonetheless, this place is her family. He is her family.
She shouldn’t worry about that right now. She has a date. Can you believe that? Seventeen years old and going on her first date. Listen. The Devil was an immortal man. Her father. The King of the Underworld.
But there is no way that the Devil would let her go without someone in sight. Earlier, that afternoon a boy would come every day to the bar to talk to Chalice. He would talk to her as she bled out on the casino carpet. Today, he invited her to dinner and a drink.
She was ecstatic. Someone to hang out with. An actual friend for the first time aside from her siblings. She turned to the window with hesitation as she laced her boots. If she gets caught, she will be yelled at, and grounded but her biggest fear is…
She was bleeding all over the ground as she saw black fur come closer to her. It was The Devil, he said something. Unfortunately, her ears heard nothing but static. Her vision swam as her blood loss was making her shut down. She was focused on that until someone stepped on her wound. She couldn’t see who but in return Chalice let out an agonizing shriek.
Chalice’s breath hitches and she shudders. A chill. She cannot leave any bread crumbs. She can’t risk it. Chalice stuffed her bed with clothes and put a blanket over it. She will be back before morning anyways but it’s in case. Chalice clicks the window open and slowly raises it to avoid noise as the breeze whooshes on her face. It’s refreshing. A part of her non-existent soul felt like she was betraying her boss and another part of her wanted to do this. For herself. Chalice looks down from the frightening height that her room is. She sits on the window stool, looking down at the towering height.
Her magic should allow her to survive the fall. No magic compared to her brothers but it will do. Chalice scooted to the edge, letting herself fall.
***
Cuphead was shaking Mugman to wake up. He wanted to go out to town… again. Listen, Cuphead was a simple man. He got up every morning, ate and did the Devil’s bidding but he wants to go see the rest of the city. The Devil controlled him and he wanted some bits of freedom that aren’t coldly calculated by him. He was The Strength, made to be strong and heal up quickly in a battle. While Mugman…
Mugman looks at Cuphead, tangled up in his blankets. “I am not going into the city.”
He was The Sight, able to look into other’s minds. Their thoughts, memories and sometimes emotions. Depends, really. Mugman was intelligent and manipulative occasionally. A lot like their boss.
“Mugs, please come with me,” Cuphead whines but Mugman turns to the wall, laying down.
“Why can’t you go on your own?” Mugman snaps as he turns to Cuphead with a face of anger.
His eyes illuminated a violent blood red. Cuphead shoves Mugman off the bed as he falls hard onto the ground. Cuphead gasps. Mugman lies there still. His icy eyes gave his brother the death stare. Cups does not know his own strength sometimes, honestly.
Mugman let out a controlled sigh. He could feel the anger being let out in that air. Mugman never let his anger get the best of him. He used to be a frail boy that cried a lot and avoided trouble. Eventually, he turned into a calm, serene and calculated person. Staying silent unless spoken to or needed to. Ready to strike at any minute.
“Fine.” Mugman said slowly getting up. “I’ll go with you… but.”
There it is.
“You have to buy me a new book.”
Cuphead grinned widely, revealing his sharp teeth. He grabbed a coat from the closet that he stole once and put it on. “Let me change first,” Mugman says in exhaustion, grabbing clothes and making his way to the bathroom.
Cuphead sighs happily. Hopefully, they don’t get caught. Chalice is probably sleeping right now. She was roughed up when she came into the casino earlier. Her magic was pretty straightforward. She has enhanced speed besides she is physically trained. She could run to the other side of Inkwell and bring home ice cream before it starts to melt.
Mugman comes out in trousers and a shirt. He pulled on a leather jacket.
“Come on. Since you wanna wake me up all the time for some bullshit.”
Cuphead turns to their window. The Devil didn’t give them and Chalice rooms with windows until they hit thirteen. Working for him 24/7. At his beck and call when he desperately wants them.
If he wants a man murdered and his head on a pike then he shall fulfill his wishes.
Does the Devil want to know the deepest secrets of his enemies? Mugman is at his call.
Everything is at his fingertips.
He opens up the window carefully
Click!
Mugman cringes at the sound as he gestures for him to get out. Cuphead sits on the window stool and allows himself to fall backward. He will be fine. He slams into the ground as blood leaks from his head. The cracks give him a headache but they start to regenerate little by little as soon as he gets up. But it’s slow. Oh well. Mugman lands next to him as he has a face of concern.
Cuphead raises an eyebrow “What’s wrong?“ turning to him.
Mugman spoke “The imps… where are they? They usually guard this place in hoards and Chalice’s window seems unlocked.”
Cuphead's face shifted to questioning him. Mugman was a strange brother, sometimes. he turned away and started to walk towards the city guided by lights. Mugman followed.
“Mugs, be honest with yourself. Chalice is skilled enough to defend herself even in…”
They stop.
“her sleep...”
An imp is lying dead on the ground, bleeding out. He seemed long gone. Cuphead stared as he looked up. There are tons of other imps lying on the ground with pools of blood. All dead for sure.
Cuphead spoke quietly “Do we go back and tell?”
Mugman looked at Cuphead before he said “Depends, do you still wanna go to the city?”
Cuphead looked confused by that statement. “What are you thinking?”
Mugman sighed as he said “Well if we go back and tell then we will probably get in trouble for being out at all in the middle of the night. We won’t have a window anymore and Chalice will probably suffer the consequences for this too. That is a possibility unless we are willing to take responsibility for being out or we could go to the city and act like we saw nothing happened. “
“…”
Cuphead smiled as he stepped over the imps.
“Avoiding the Devil’s wrath sounds good to me.” He says with pints of guilt and shame. Cuphead should trust the Devil… right? Yeah.
Mugman sighed as he followed. His eyes changed color to a light teal as he observed the area while walking behind him. He was using his sight to see if he could sense any other person still lingering.
Eventually, bright lights hit both of their eyes. People roamed the streets and chattered with one another in the depth of the night.
They finally can have some fun.