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It was a quiet evening in the Isle of Inkwell. The weather turned from a beautiful setting sun, to a quiet and relaxing night with gentle rains and winds. Everyone was snug in their homes and found relief in the coming cool weather. The forest would be beautiful come morning.
Elder kettle sighed, Watching the rain dance down the windows of the cottage. The boys had gone to bed rather early tonight. It seemed even reclaiming soul contracts was enough to wear down the little cups of boundless Energy. He only wished he was younger, maybe all this could have been avoided somehow.
Wistful thinking never helped anyone without action however. He did not regret how he had spent his youth, he only wished it had lasted a bit longer.
“Oh well, I suppose I better get to bed as well. The boys can’t get into any worse trouble as is.”
He’d still be keeping an ear out, even as he settled into his own room.
Tonight would show to be a restless one for all.
True to form, in the boy’s own room, neither one could sleep.
“Cups… Do you really think we can fight the Devil?” Mugman asked quietly, feeling unwell about what may lie tomorrow. “I mean, it’s the Devil...”
“I dunno Mugs. To be honest, I didn’t even think of it until Elder kettle said we could.” Cuphead said, going quiet for a moment. “... Do you think we stand a chance?” Cuphead asks quietly after what felt like a calm moment, a frown growing on his face.
“Maybe we could round up the people who’s soul contracts we got and see if they could help.”
“Would that really work? I mean, we did… sorta… beat them up? It doesn’t really seem fair to ask them to fight our battle for us.”
“Man screw that!” Cuphead says, standing up. “We’re saving their literal souls! I don’t see why they wouldn’t help! It’s their souls for Pete's sake!”
Mugman frowns, quietly thinking to himself. The calm rain from outside being the only noise in the room for quite some time.
“What if they are helping us though cups?” Mugman said, slipping out of his own bed.
“Mugs, please explain.” Cuphead said, sounding baffled at the idea that could be truthful at all. There was no way any of them had been helping. “All they’ve done so far is try and kill us before we can even speak to them, it’s really annoying honestly.”
“Well… we’re gonna be fighting the Devil right?”
“Yeaaaaaah, what's your point?” Cuphead asked, not getting where this was going.
“Well, wouldn’t we need some form of training to do that. I mean if it were easy anyone would have done it already, right? So many they’re helping in their own way. I mean-”
“Mugs?”
“Yes Cups?”
“I love you, you’re my brother, but that… doesn’t seem to be what's going on here. Granted no one really has had the same fighting style, and we’re learning to dodge better, and learning how to use our powers be- Oh my lord they’ve been helping us.” Cuphead looked boggled at the idea.
“Yuuuuup.”
“And you knew this?”
“I mean, kinda? Why else would we be given planes to fight someone?”
Cuphead just stood in Silence, quietly processing the events that today unfurled. They’d met Porkrind, and Chalice. They had fought so many people for their soul contracts. From ghostly trains, to a robot, to denizens of the Isles, but that wasn’t important to Cuphead at the moment.
Goopy seemed to go easy on them, as did the rootpack. Cagney seemed like he was going to be easy until the fight started. The hardest so far had been Hilda berg and that was because they had to learn how to fly. Not only was flying a plane for the first time extremely hard, they ended up crashing more than once… They learned fast however, they had to if they wanted to live.
It was… terrifying. But None of them ever made a move to kill them for good after they had crashed or had their soul’s knocked out. They’d just go back to where they were at the start and heal themselves up.
“Uh.. Cup?” Mugman said quietly, his hand gently landing on his brother’s shoulder. “Do you… wanna talk about whatever you’re thinking about?”
“....I, not really. But I know I gotta.” Cuphead said, not looking particularly excited for the talk about to happen.
“... How many people do you think will help us, if we fail? Is King Dice one, what if we find out Elder kettle has a contract and he’s the last battle we have before the devil, what’ll Happen if we fail?”
Mugs tried to give a supportive smile, it looked more like a sad grimace however. “I.. Honestly, I don't know Cup. Maybe we could ask one of the others about King Dice. One thing I will say is Elder Kettle would tell us if he had one. He’s the one who taught us how to shoot and jump after all.”
“I mean… I guess. I just don’t understand how we’re going to fight the Devil, or why no one else tried to.” Cuphead says, frustrated at the situation. ”Why us? I mean we’re just some Cup and Mug.”
“I... I’m not sure about that. There’s gotta be some reason why they haven’t. Maybe they end up losing their contracts if they get too close? Maybe it’s because they’re scared...”
“Maybe. Let’s just.... rest for now. Tomorrow’s a long day.” Both settled back into their beds. Nether went to sleep for hours to come however.
Morning came with harsh rains and crackling thunder. No one would be out and about today unless they had to. The boys would have a day to rest. Elder Kettle however still had his duties to attend to.
Mugman, Cuphead, I’m heading out for the day to get groceries. Today may not be ideal, but better now then later I suppose. I’ll be back later today. Try and Rest up and relax.
I love you both and am very proud of you both trying to make things right.
Love, Elder Kettle
With the note in a place where the boys would find it, he headed out. Not knowing it would be hours Until the boys found his note
Mugman was the first to wake up, although he was the last to go to sleep. It normally wouldn’t have bothered him so much, but he was so exhausted from Yesterday. They had gotten every contract in a single day, now it was just time to go back to the casino. But were they ready? Even with all that training the others gave them, Mugman still felt unsure. Chalice has said they were ready, Elder Kettle felt they were ready. That should be enough. It didn’t feel enough though.
It would have to be, if he wanted his family to feel safe again.
Mugman didn’t really notice when his brother came down. Cuphead wasn’t the quietest person, but it wasn’t odd for him to get the jump on someone. “Mugman?”
“O-oh! Hey Cuphead. How did you sleep?”
“Not good, I’m guessing you slept about just as well.”
“Yeah, I guess we had a really… really long day yesterday.”
“Yeah, No kidding. Do you want some tea Mugman? Elder kettle says it’s good for the soul and like… injuries and stuff.”
“That might be good actually. Something warm and calming in our heads would do us some good right about now. Just don’t overdo it okay?”
“Okay okay, relax, I won’t use the lysol to kick start the stove again. Besides, I don’t want to end up burning the tea kettle.”
After The water was heated and tea was poured, Mugman and Cuphead sat in Silence.
Cuphead took this time to think about what he wanted to say. So much had happened yesterday, but this had to be Perfect. “Mugs?” he asked quietly
“Yes Cuphead?”
“I’m… Sorry. I’m sorry for dragging you into this, I’m sorry I couldn’t do those fights on my own, and more importantly… I’m sorry I gambled your soul at all. I… Don’t know How I’ll make up for it, I won’t do it again for sure but… That’s not enough Mugs.”
“I dunked up big time.”
“Cuphead-”
“Good Brothers don’t bet their brother’s Soul just at a chance of owning a Casino Mugs! Good Bros also don’t make their brother fight their crushes!”
“Wait you knew!”
“Mugs, half the Isle knows, you look at Cala maria like she made the moon and Dr Kaul like he invented Air.”
“First off the Second person is Not Dr. Kaul, Second off Shuuush.” Mugman said, not really thinking of a better response. “Do you… think I’m mad at you Cuphead?
"Well yeah! I Gambled your literal soul away! Why wouldn’t you be mad?!”
“Cuphead, we were in Hell. It wouldn’t surprise me if it makes one's impulses crank up to a ten. Remember how much I drank?”
Cuphead frowned at that, now that He thought about it, Mugman did drink quite a lot, moreso than he’d ever seen him Drink. Winning felt good, he wanted to keep feeling good.
Son of a-
“That no good Son of a-”
“Cuphead Focus! I promise, I was mad at first, but the more I thought about it the more… Out of Character it seemed for you to do. It was like a complete 180.”
“Yeah… Yeah. now i’m mad I didn’t notice in the first place.”
“We’re Human Cuphead, or as human as we can be. Relax.” Mugman said, offering his Brother a cookie.
Cuphead took the cookie and looked out the Window, a look of Determination on his face. “Tomorrow we’re gonna fight the Devil, and Tomorrow we’re gonna win! No one gets to put My brother in Danger and gets away with it!”
“You mean it Cuphead? You really think we can win?”
“Hell yeah! Then you can Confess to your crushes on how you feel!”
“Cuphead don’t joke about That!” Mugman said, standing up.
“You knoooow, I could just tell them for you~”
“YOU ONLY KNOW ONE OF THEM!”
“AHA! SO YOU DO HAVE MORE THAN ONE CRUSH! IT WAS”
“CUPHEAAAAAD!”
Laughter and Running could be heard in the cottage, Brotherly teasing and speculation on who ether Brother liked.
And it was like that, even when Elder kettle came home
They’d rest tonight
And wait for Sunrise to come.
Come Sunrise, would be the final hours for The Devil, and His Casino.