Chapter Text
*Late that fateful night, the Cup brothers are walking home from the party with the debtors, celebrating the fall of the Devil and his corrupt casino, laughing and chatting all the while. It’s been a long, LONG day, and they’re just excited to get home to their Elder Kettle. They never thought it was possible to miss someone so much after only a day. To be fair, they also didn’t know it was possible to die over a thousand times in one day either. It’s true you don’t know what you have until you nearly lose it. But they won’t dwell on that tonight. For now Cuphead chuckles as they recount the day’s events with vigor.*
Cup: - It was so awesome! I was all like, POW POW, then you swooped in and, and BAM, KNOCKOUT! It was the bees knees!
*Cuphead throws up his arms for emphasis, nearly losing his balance, before laughing. Suddenly he seems to remember something*
Cup: Oh, hey, ya reckon the Devil is still crying about losin’ t’ two kids?
Mug: Heh, probably.
*Mugman smiles before pausing*
Mug: Gee, did ya see the look on his face when we beat him? Him and King Dice sure ran off in a hurry afterwards. Wonder where they got off to?
Cup: Meh, I ain’t too worried about it. They’re probably finally getting what’s coming to them!
*Mugman chuckles nervously at this, looking slightly anxious. He can’t help but remember the axe headed fellow they met. ‘I wish someone would bust that King Dice one’. So many people harbor ill will towards the guy. Now that he’s been knocked down a peg who’s to say what they’ll do if they see him? And that’s not even mentioning the Devil himself. But Cuphead doesn’t seem to notice the mug’s concern. For the better. Cuphead would probably say it’s silly to be worried about the bad guys. Frankly, Cuphead thinks it’s silly to worry about anything. But as he’s about to shake it off and join in his brother’s jubilance, Mugman’s attention is grabbed by a distant yell.*
Voice: Git offa me, ya overgrown weeds! You’ll regret this!
*Mugman and Cuphead share a glance. They know that voice. Without hesitation they run towards the sound, into the forest clearing… Only to see a bunch of the forest folks ganging up on an injured King Dice. Needless to say nobody in Inkwell is exactly pleased with the fella, much as Mugman predicted. Dice growls as the various enemies surround him, knocking a few back with a tree branch when they lunge too close*
Dice: I said DON’T MESS WITH ME!
*Without warning, a green flash is sent out from the conman’s body, along with several cards. His magic is evidently weak from exhaustion, but it’s enough to throw the critters back and even dismember a few, them poofing out of existence soon after. But many remain. Dice let’s out a pained hiss as one lunges at him, knocking him back and knocking the branch from his grasp. He tries to push himself up but they hold him down, climbing all over him, and he’s too weak to overpower them. Of course he is, he’s severely injured, exhausted and outnumbered, still having yet to recover from the tussle with the cups. Even someone as powerful as him has his breaking point. He sighs and chuckles bitterly. He supposes he knew this was coming. One day all his misdeeds had to catch up with him. Oh well. It is what it is. So much for the infamous King Dice…*
Dice: Heh… See ya… in inkwell… hell…
*he squeezes his eyes shut in anticipation. But before his attackers can tear into him, something hits one of them, knocking them back off of him, causing his eyes to snap back open. Then another. And another. Are those… bullets? Dice doesn’t have to wait long for an answer to his internal questions however, as his unlikely rescuers run out of the brush, scaring off and firing after the stragglers.*
Cup: ‘Ey, SCRAM! Tha’s right, beat it, chumps!
Mug: Can’t ya see he’s hurt? Go pick on somebody else!
*As the violent creatures scramble away, Dice pushes himself weakly to one knee and looks in bewilderment at the boys, who had been his enemies mere hours ago, now defending him. Once the last of the forest dwellers are out of sight, the boys turn back to the defenseless King Dice, who’s still kneeling there, injured. What on earth are they doing? Why would they save him, after everything he’s done? But then it hits him. Dice tisks. He knows what must be going on. They wanted to finish him off themselves while he’s weakened. He’s powerless to stop them after all. He can’t say he blames them. He’s practically free experience. They’d have to be idiots not to take advantage of that. He probably would in their shoes. As Dice suspected, the red one glares through him. But to his surprise, the blue one runs up, looking concerned*
Mug: M-Mister King Dice! Are you ok?!
*Dice growls, not letting his guard down despite his confusion*
Dice: Like you’d care… what, you come to do me in y’rselves?… finish the job?… you do seem like th’… ghh… completionist types…
Mug: Wh-what?! No! We may have fought ya, b-but that was in self defense! We ain’t murderers!
Dice: So what?… You takin’ pity on me?… You’re a regular… couple o’ saints…
*Dice rolls his eyes as if trying to visibly emphasize his sarcasm.*
Cup: Ey, we jus’ saved your life! Least you could do is say thank you!
Dice: “Thank you”?! Why on earth would I… gah…
*Dice takes a deep breath and tries to keep his voice even and falsely cheery and polite, speaking through a strained grin.*
Dice: You’re th’ reason I’m hurt in tha first place!… Suppose… you also want a medal?…
Cup: We only hurt ya because you and your dumb boss tried to STEAL OUR SOULS!
Dice: YOU gambled away your souls-
*finally, Mugman steps between the bickering pair, pushing them apart*
Mug: ENOUGH FIGHTING! Don’t you two have any restraint?!
*Mugman then turns his attention primarily to his brother*
Mug: Cuphead, Mister Dice is hurt! And whether it was for the greater good or not, that’s OUR fault!
*Dice grins smugly at the pouty look on the cup child’s face as he’s scolded. But then the mug turns to face him*
Mug: And Mister Dice, you’re s’pposed ta be the adult here, so stop actin’ as childish as us! You may not like it, but we’re savin’ ya! You can at least cooperate!
*Cuphead snickers and sticks out his tongue. Dice growls, but to the brothers’ surprise, sighs in defeat, looking down at his bleeding side and wincing*
Dice: ‘S much as I hate t’ admit it, I s’ppose y’er right… I’m sure you boys understand why I might be a bit… defensive… but believe it or not, I have th’ d-dignity to acknowledge when I need help… I… I-I…
*He suddenly inhales sharply, clutching his side*
Dice: M-m… My rib, I… I think you b… I… think it’s broken… it hurt like the dickens after our fight… th-thought I could shake it off… thought my magic could… keep it at bay for a w-while… long enough to… fix… everything…
*Mugman gasps softly as he seems to look Dice over more thoroughly. Blood is seeping through his torn clothing. He has a nasty black eye along with cracks through his head. There are burn marks and gashes on his exposed porcelain skin where bullets had grazed him. He’s a sorry sight all around*
Dice: N-normally I’d rather die than ask for th’ help of the t-twerps who toppled our c-casino, but- g… given th’ circumstances, I… d-don’t think I’ve got much of a choice…
*Cuphead scoffs.*
Cup: Well isn’t that priceless! You’re askin’ us for help? Yeah right! As if we’d-
Mug: Cup!
*Cuphead looks at his brother, who nods to the side, silently calling a sidebar. Cup sighs and the boys turn away from dice, huddling together and whispering.*
Mug: Cuphead, he needs our help!
Cup: Y’ seem t’ be forgetting one teensy weensy detail: He’s completely evil! This is probably just an elaborate ploy for revenge! I wouldn’t be surprised if the Devil was somewhere around here waitin’ t’ snatch our souls!
*Cuphead looks over his shoulder, as if seeing if he can catch the fiends in the act.*
Mug: You could be right, but what’re we s’posed t’ do? Leave ‘m to die out here? Everything in Inkwell wants to kill ‘m!
Cup: For good reason!
Mug: Nobody deserves t’ die! If we let him get killed we ain’t no better than him! I know you, Cups! If you was that heartless ya wouldn’t have helped him in th’ first place.
*Cuphead groans. Finally the boys turn back to Dice*
Cup: Alright, Dice. You’s lucky my brotha’s such a goody-two-shoes. So here’s the deal: we’ll take ya home and help ya get healed up. But after that, you and y’re possy leave us alone for GOOD. Kapeesh?
*he huffs, looking rather proud of himself for handling the situation so responsibly. Dice sighs begrudgingly*
Dice: Kapeesh…
*Luckily for Dice, the cup seems satisfied with this*
Cuphead: Fine. Come on, then, get up, the cottage is just around the bend.
*Dice nods, but as he’s shakily standing up, a sudden surge of white hot pain shoots from his side, washing over his eyes. He cries out despite himself, fighting every urge to lose his lunch. He hears both boys cry out, but before he can do anything, he crumples in on himself… and everything goes dark*
***
*As consciousness returns to King Dice, so does the dull sting of pain. He slowly becomes aware of hushed voices around him. He opens his eyes groggily and tries his best to sit up, only wincing a bit at his now bandaged wounds. He looks down at the fresh bandages in bewilderment. He’s been patched up? Just then, his thoughts are interrupted by a familiar voice, making him jump.*
Mug: O-Oh! You’re awake! Gee, you scared us, Mister Dice, we thought you’d died! B-But Elder Kettle patched ya up real good!
*Dice exhales, loosening up a bit. It’s just the boys. He reckons if they wanted to hurt him they would’ve done it by now. Cuphead now seems less defensive, more impatient than anything, his childlike curiosity overriding his very temporary “newfound responsibility”. Dice ignores this however, thinking on the Mug’s words. “Elder kettle”? Isn’t that the old man always rambling warnings to stay away from the casino? Why would he help him? He assumes he’s related to the boys, perhaps he just did it to appease the blue one. But even so... Dice is snapped out of his thoughts when Mugman grabs a plate of food from the living room table, stammering slightly as he tries to hide his nerves. Is he really still scared of him after everything?*
Mug: H-He also prepared something for ya to eat to get your health back up! He says there’s nothing like a hearty snack to make ya feel fit as a fiddle! Heheh…
*Dice raises one eyebrow, but shrugs and gently takes the food, nodding in silent thanks. He doesn’t look at the boys as he eats, but he can feel them watching him. He doesn’t mind all that much, understanding their distrust. They sit in quiet for a while, even after he’s finished. But finally, Cuphead breaks the silence*
Cup: Ok, enough small talk! I gotta know! What was you doing all the way out in the woods?
*Dice hesitates, but eventually rolls his eyes, deciding the least he can do is humor the cups with an answer to their inevitably incessant questions*
Dice: Lookin’ for the Boss… I saw him run towards the forest in a frenzied rage after your fight.
Cup: You were looking for him? Even after he called you a good for nothing lackey?
*Dice pauses, his face darkening*
Dice: … yes…
Cuphead: You know the soul contracts were destroyed right? You don’t have t’ answer to that jerk anymore!
*Dice growls, letting out a subtle warning he’s beginning to lose his already very thin patience. One the boys don’t seem to pick up on*
Dice: I’m well aware.
Mugman: Then why do ya wanna go after him so bad?
*Finally dice has had enough of their prying and snaps*
Dice: Because I’m loyal to ‘im!! Contracts be darned! Everyone else has turned on him. He deserves at least one person ta have his back…
*Cuphead and Mugman exchange confused glances*
Cuphead: But isn’t the Devil, like, SUPER evil?
Mugman: He DID try to steal our souls. Steal EVERYONE’S souls
*Dice hesitates and sighs as his anger fizzles out slightly, pinching what would be the bridge of his nose*
Dice: Ok, y’know what… How’s about I put it like this…
*he sits upright, and the boys take this as a signal to sit down cris cross applesauce on the floor in front of dice, listening eagerly. They’re quite used to sitting this way when their elder has a story to tell or something wise and important to say. Seems Dice has a captive audience. He continues*
Dice: Y’ see, our Devil- Inkwell Isles’ Devil- isn’t necessarily the biblical Devil ya see in ancient tomes and texts. Y’know, embodiment of pure sin, all that. See, he’s built up a name f’r himself, become a stereotype, a caricature if you will… the horned, trident weildin’ fella y’ read about in storybooks, myths, legends, tales spun like yarn… He’s built quite the reputation, spread through word ‘o mouth… he’s a con man, then a tyrant, then a monster, a demon, then satan himself, until finally he became his own character. Next thing ya know, people go saying he’s red with bat wings ‘n such. Someone to point at and blame their evil nature on, to absolve them, so they can keep doing reckless things. “Oh, but the Devil MADE me do it” And the Boss uses that fact to his own ends, gives ‘em what they want. Tha big scary Devil. But that don’t mean he’s all as bad as he looks.
*The cups cock their heads at this, obviously intrigued. Dice take this as a signal to keep talking before he can be interrupted*
Dice: As ya probably know, in life there’s a certain… balance. Everyone knows it. Tale as old as time, light and dark, hero and villain, good and evil. The stuff fairytales is made of. Without one, the otha jus’ doesn’t work tha way it’s s’pposed ta. There’s a reason sin’s allowed to exist in our world. And that reason is a little something we like ta call “choice”. Without choice, life is just a meaningless series of events, with no stakes, no growth. Bein’ “good” wouldn’t mean nothin’ ‘cause we wouldn’t have a say in tha matter either way. Love wouldn’t hold value, because then it would be a given rather than a gift. So you see, a certain amount of evil must exist, at least in this short time we call life, for good ta mean anything. A necessary evil, if you will. But, this balance between necessary and excessive is a delicate thing. New sinners are born every day. People who are willin’ to do harm t’ others for their own pleasure. And something has to keep them in check. Keep the balance, keep justice, hold people accountable, however ya like t’ put it. And here in Inkwell, that’s th’ Boss. The very one they shift the blame to. Poetic, innit? Sure he may seem like just a shady mobster, runnin’ a shady casino and usin’ black magic to fund his cruel obsession with collecting poor suckers’ souls, and I’d be lyin’ to ya if I said that wasn’t at least somewhat the case. But he’s also a fair man. He tells the people who play his game exactly what they’re gettin’ into. And if they choose greed, if they agree to his terms… well, they get what’s comin’ to them… exactly what they agreed to… fair ‘n square… it’s just business… usin’ evil to keep evil in check… strange innit? So, no, I don’t think he’s all bad. In fact, I think deep down, beneath that rough exterior, he’s just like the rest of us… maybe, just maybe, he’s capable of things like kindness, love, and compassion too… at least I like to think so…
*Cuphead and his pal look at the casino’s manager in awe. Dice smirks almost fondly at the boys, before catching himself. No. He is NOT getting attached to the two twerps who knocked him and the boss off their throne. He scowls.*
Dice: What I’m tryna say, is the Boss didn’t MAKE you do squat when you gambled away your souls. That was all you. Y’ can’t go blamin’ some higher power for every mistake you make. Ya take responsibility, believe me, I learned that th’ hard way. Once ya stop blamin’ something else for y’er scummy actions, you can finally make the most of y’er sit’iation, ‘n start livin’. Just look at me, I pulled myself up by the straps of my boots and now I’m the manager of th’ biggest joint in th’ isles! Second only to the head honcho himself. And I’d say I’m doin’ a mighty fine job… or… I was… and I don’t intend on givin’ that up that easy.
*Dice stands and without warning begins to make his way to the door, pulling on his tattered suit jacket from the coatrack*
Dice: So if you’ll excuse me, I have to find my boss and make sure he hasn’t gotten himself hurt worse. No tellin’ what he’s done in the frenzy of being injured by ya. We’ll be lucky if he didn’t burn the forest down. He’s done far worse during his tantrums y’know. Man has my respect but he can act like an overgrown toddler sometimes.
*But as he’s reaching for the handle, the boys pipe up*
Mugman: Wait!!
*Dice sighs and looks over his shoulder, raising an impatient eyebrow at them quizzically*
Cuphead: We’re coming with you!
*Dice blinks. He can’t say he was expecting that. He plasters a fake grin on his face, hoping this will appease the boys*
Dice: Er, gee, I dunno, boys… I doubt the Boss’d take kindly t’ seein’ you two. Besides, your Elder Kettle probably wouldn’t be too pleased with me if I let ya come.
Cuphead: Nah, Kettle won’t mind! We get’s into trouble all the time, it’s par for the course at this point.
Mugman: We’ll be careful! We just… wanna help… please?
*Mugman looks away shyly, Cuphead tapping his foot eagerly. Dice rolls his eyes and sighs, relenting*
Dice: Fine. But only because I owe you one, and I’d rather not have t’ live with that on m’ record. Last thing I need is you brats holdin’ it over my head. But if you boys end up on fire, don’t say I didn’t warn ya.
Mug/Cup: Yessir!