Work Text:
When Mugsy woke up, she felt well-rested.
Her feeling of being happy and safe quickly vanished when she realised she was tied to a chair.
The room she was in was dark, and someone was moving around outside.
She was scared, terrified, who had taken her?
And why?
What was going to happen to her?
The door was suddenly opened and light flooded in.
“Ah, I see you’re awake,” the figure said.
Mugsy could recognise that voice anywhere.
“Ludwig!?”
…..
Chalice let herself into the cottage and made her way upstairs.
She had plans with her siblings today and these plans started first thing.
“Ding dongs!” She knocked on the bedroom door.
Usually they’d be up by now, but Chalice also knew Mugsy would have difficult nights so it made sense if they slept in a bit.
Cuphead suddenly opened the door, but just enough to pull her in and shut it again without saying a word.
“Hey! What’s going on with-“
“Mugsy’s been taken.”
As Cuphead started pacing the floor, Chalice looked around.
She noted the empty bed and open window, but then something on the windowsill caught her eye and she went over to it.
“Hey,” she got Cuphead’s attention and tossed the object to him.
A singular white glove.
Cuphead knew immediately who had kidnapped his baby sister.
“Chalice, we need to get Elder Kettle and head to the city. We’re gonna find Mugsy.”
……
Meanwhile, Mugsy couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
It had been Ludwig that had taken her?
“I suppose you must be wondering why you are here, Moogman,” Ludwig said.
Mugsy flinched at hearing the wrong name, the one that made her so uncomfortable.
The musician went on, “After you crushed me with that piano, I was going to exact my revenge once I had recovered. But then, I heard some very interesting news about you.”
He moved closer, standing right in front of the chair she was tied to.
“I heard the quite ridiculous news that you think you are a girl, Moogman.”
Mugsy said nothing, at this point she was trying not to cry.
“So, I am going to send you out in front of a large audience and you will admit to them that you are a boy. And if you refuse…well, you can feel what it’s like to be crushed with a piano. I’ll be back for you later.”
Ludwig left again, leaving her in that dark room all alone again.
Only then did Mugsy let herself cry.
‘Cuphead, Chalice, Elder Kettle, anyone…. Please, help me…’
……
After the Carn-Evil incident, Elder Kettle put a spare rifle in his car.
If he had to go after anyone else who had messed with his precious granddaughter, it was better to be prepared.
When Cuphead and Chalice told him what happened, he was glad he’d prepared.
The three got in the car and headed to the city.
Upon arriving, Chalice went into her ghost form and started going through every possible place Ludwig could have gone with Mugsy.
Everywhere she searched didn’t have either of them, and she was actually starting to worry her sister had been taken out of the city.
She worried that Mugsy could be anywhere in Inkwell, or maybe even somewhere away from the island completely.
Her imagination was running wild due to her worry, until she finally found Ludwig.
He was alone and speaking to a crowd, and it was what he said that caught Chalice’s attention.
“I have a little mug with me, and I do believe HE has something to say to you all!”
And Chalice felt anger like never before.
First this guy kidnaps her sister, then he has the audacity to misgender her?
(She hopes Elder Kettle kills him)
Chalice quickly searches the building for Mugsy, just to make sure she’s really there and finally finds her in the basement.
Her anger only increased at the sight: her baby sister being tied up and left in darkness, in tears and terrified for hours.
‘We’re coming, Mugsy, just hold on’
Chalice rushed back to Cuphead and Elder Kettle.
…..
Ludwig returned to the room.
“It is time for your announcement,” he said.
Mugsy really didn’t want to do this, but she had no choice.
Or at least, that’s what she thought.
Ludwig was knocked out by Elder Kettle, and Cuphead ran over with Chalice to untie her.
“Hey, we’re going home, it’s okay now, we got you.”
She was just relieved to be found and hugged her siblings tight.
“Let’s get outta here,” Cuphead said. “You coming, Elder Kettle?”
“You three go wait in the car, I’ll be right there.”
The old kettle waited until all three had left before he moved.
He quickly tied Ludwig to the chair as the musician started to come to.
Elder Kettle picked up his rifle. “Do you know what happened to the last guy who messed with my granddaughter?”
Ludwig gave no response.
“I killed him with this here rifle, and for what you did to her you deserve the same. I might end up regretting not killing you, but….”
He shot Ludwig in both of his legs, and he’d be lying if he said the resulting screams didn’t make him happy.
“If I see you around my cottage or anywhere near my granddaughter again, I will not hesitate to put a bullet in your head. The police will be here soon for you, and if they come for me I’ll say I acted in self defence and they will believe me. Confess your crimes because believe me when I say you’ll be a lot safer in prison than you will risking accidentally running into us again.”
The Kettle then left to take his kids home.
……
Chalice didn’t need sleep (due to being dead), so she moved in and stayed in Cuphead and Mugsy’s room as an all-night guard.
With the added bonus of the youngest now having both older siblings around during sleepless nights with bad dreams.
Their poor baby sister had been through so much.
At least she was home now.
They’d all make sure it stays that way now, they’ll keep her safe no matter what.