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elm-writes-stories · 8 months

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Cuphead: Isle of Shadows (Rewrite)

*Hey guys! I'm back with another episode of Cuphead: Isle of Shadows Rewritten! This is published on August 11, 2023. If you guys like the episode, don't be afraid to heart it, reblog, and comment! That would be greatly appreciated! Warning: Body transformation, possession, and blood. Enjoy!*

Episode Ten: The Will of a Hunter

Something was there. Mugman knew it. He wasn’t crazy unless he could blink and wake up from this nightmare.

A stone statue of a brave cup in the deep underground of withering Sugarland had his eyes flickered between blue and red.

Blue and red.

Mugman was tossing and turning on the bottom bunk bed below Natalie. Cassidy was sleeping next to him. She didn’t seem disturb by his constant tossing and turning.

Mugman moaned in discomfort as his dream continued.

There was electricity and fire gripping on both sides of the stoned cup statue, getting brighter and brighter until the fire and electricity broke through. Both spread across the underground, engulfing everything and anything around the statue.

Mugman’s eyes shot opened, revealing his pupils to be bright blue. His veins became brighter blue while he could feel his insides being electrocuted. Everything started to hurt while he tried to clenched his teeth to not scream and wake the others up until he collapsed on the floor. He had no control over his body convulsing on the floor. He felt his teeth biting his tongue to the point where he could feel blood trickling up to his bottom lip.

Mugman could see something completely different though despite feeling pain. He could see stars above him with endless galaxies upon galaxies. He couldn’t count them all to calm himself down because he could lost souls roaming through the blue liquid plane, each of them lost.

“Calix Animi sumus.

a Altissimo sumus electi.

Altissimi tueri liberos vovemus.

Votum est pugnare cum angelis et daemones eicere.”

Mugman breathed heavily, trying to figure out why his vision suddenly changed into a beautiful heavenly place with luscious green forest, just as beautiful as the forest he used to live in. He could feel himself being pulled into the luscious forest with the smell of pine everywhere infiltrating his nose much more than it used to. It was then, he saw a small building of twelve objects gathered in a circle, speaking in a foreign language that Mugman couldn’t understand.

“Calix Animi sumus.

a Altissimo sumus electi.

Altissimi tueri liberos vovemus.

Votum est pugnare cum angelis et daemones eicere.”

Those words repeated themselves until Mugman heard more closely, translating into a language he could understand better.

“We are the Calix Animi.

We are chosen by the Most High.

We vow to protect the Most High’s children.

We vow to fight alongside with angels and cast out the demons.”

Mugman gasped in shock. What was going on here? Who was the Calix Animi? He saw a familiar cup stranger in the crowd…wait he looked like that stoned statue cup, but he couldn’t remember the name of his until—

The blue in Mugman’s vision faded away, causing him to gasp as if he hadn’t breathed in a while. He looked around to find that he was still in the bedroom and was surprised that his friends, his girlfriend, and his brother slept through all the commotion he was making unknowingly. Once Mugman sat up, blood started to leaked out from his mouth. He covered his mouth with a shocked gasp, realizing that he might have bit his tongue too hard.

He rushed out of the bedroom and hurried to find a bathroom two doors down from Natalie’s bedroom. He didn’t hesitate to enter the bathroom and shut the door, blood leaking out of his fingers. Mugman strode to the sink and uncovered his mouth, seeing blood falling out of his mouth. Luckily his tongue was okay, but it was bleeding.

Mugman washed his mouth and stroked his bleeding tongue, getting as much blood out as he could before grabbing a dry cloth and stuck it on his tongue. He breathed heavily, trying grasp of what he just saw in his vision. He took deep breaths to calm himself down, groaning. It was all probably just a stupid dream. But what happened back there? There had to be a reason why he was flapping around like a fish.

Did it had something to do with whatever orb there was down below Sugarland? Did Cuphead have the same dream? Will Cuphead have the same dream? Wait, was that why Cuphead could shape-shift suddenly? Was it the red part of whatever that orb was?

There were so many questions that he deserved to know. Mugman deserved to know what was going on with him and his brother. That would be the last time Cuphead and Mugman will ever touch anything.

Mugman looked up and saw his reflection, his eyes widened in shock. He could himself in the mirror, but he looked too different. His irises were red in his yellow eyes, sharp teeth grinning wickedly at him. His big blue nose wrinkled and darkened. The flames erupted from his ceramic head and his claws gripped the porcelain sink.

The mug breathed heavily as he could’ve sworn he saw his reflection leaping out of the mirror to get him. Mugman stumbled back with a gasp against the wall, but he blinked and the creature that looked so much like him disappeared without a trace. He could hear his little maniacal laugh.

“W-What is going on?!” Mugman screamed, not sure what he was seeing all around was real. It was sudden that he could feel the familiar pain in his head again. Oh no, not again. Mugman growled while clutching the side of his head.

“Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop,” Mugman groaned in pain, his hands gripping the sides of his ceramic head. “No, no, no, please—”

Mugman felt hairs coming out of his body like fur, his vision turning red around him like blood. He watched his hands transformed into paws with claws extended out of the tips of his fingers. Breathing heavily in panic, he looked to see the door unlocked. With the last bit of sanity he had left, he pushed through his pain and locked the door so that no one could come in and get harmed by him.

“S-Stop! Please…I don’t want this…I don’t want this…”

Mugman felt the tip of his tongue torn apart, making a forked tongue like a reptilian monster. He gasped in shock while feeling his conscious slip away. He could no longer control his body. He couldn’t control the laughter coming out of his mouth.

~.~

“NOOOO!!!” Mugman cried and fell through the darkness. He screamed all the way down, not sure what he was doing or what was going on. Someone else had taken hold of his body and he needed to get it back before he could hurt anyone by accident.

He collapsed on the floor with a groan in pain. He blinked his eyes open to realize…he was in the same place before. In the bathroom in the Ruth Mansion. Wait, was this all a stupid dream? What was going on?

“Hello, little animal.”

Mugman gasped and whirled around as he felt someone picking him up by the throat slamming him against the wall, losing the center part of his handle. It was that tiger stranger once again.

“WHO ARE YOU?!” Mugman cried while thrashing his feet. He watched his veins glowing orange at the tiger’s touch. “WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!”

“Aww, you haven’t figured out already? Your father was dumb enough to bring you into his little lab. You oughta know something.”

“I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!!! I WAS ONLY A BABY!!!” Mugman screamed in pain from the burn he felt in his veins. “STOP!!! STOP!!!”

“Well, if you can’t remember what I want you to remember, then maybe you could remember something so recent. How about where you are right now?”

“I’ll never tell you that!” Mugman growled, spitting at the tiger’s face.

“Oh, don’t worry, I have ways of getting you to tell me…whether you mean to or not.”

With that said, Mugman was thrown into the mirror, transporting him outside of Natalie’s house. He blinked open his eyes and gasped. He shook his head and looked, trying to prevent whoever was messing with his head to come near the house.

“No, I won’t! I won’t let you—!” Mugman felt his handle being grabbed by the tiger and the intensified burn throughout his veins. “LEAVE ME ALONE!!!”

He snapped his eyes open to see Natalie’s house in full view. Mugman screamed in pain, his body going limped from the pain.

“Good. Good. Don’t get too worried about it, you’ll be the only one left alive,” the tiger whispered cruelly into his ears.

“NO! NO! I WON’T LET YOU HURT THEM!!!”

“Oh, I won’t be the one to hurt them.”

Mugman blinked as he felt something damped on his gloves suddenly. He lifted his hands up to see…blood. Nothing but fresh blood. The tears started to edge out of the mug’s face, his head shaking in denial.

“NO! NO!!! I DON’T WANT TO HURT THEM!!!” Mugman cried, transporting back in the bathroom with the tiger holding him hostage.

“Mugman…Mugman, are you in there?!” Elder Kettle’s voice called from the other side of the door, panicked.

“No, Elder Kettle! Get away from me!!!” Mugman cried while struggling against the tiger’s grip.

“Mugman! Mugman, you okay in there?!” Cuphead’s voice echoed from the other side.

“I’ll go see what’s going on,” Chalice’s voice said with determination.

“NO! CHALICE! STAY AWAY!!!” Mugman screamed while sobbing uncontrollably.

“Wait, I can hear some weird maniacal laughter on the other side of the door,” Jerry’s quiet tone uttered.

“Yeah, I agree. Kettle, I think the potion was wearing off,” Porkrind’s gruff voice said in a timid manner.

“Mugman! Mugman! Are you okay?!” Cassidy’s sweet angelic voice soothed his ears a little.

“CASSI! CASSI!!!” Mugman cried.

“Your little family and friends won’t hear you scream. They’ll only hear your bloodlust laughs as you slaughtered them into pieces.”

“NOOOO!!!! GET AWAY!!!! GET AWAY!!!!” Mugman begged his family and friends.

“Don’t worry, Mugsy! We’ll help ya!” Cuphead shouted in determination.

“NOO!!! CUPHEAD!!! STAY AWAY!!!”

“Hold on, Mugman!” Cassidy encouraged.

“NOOO!!! I SAID STAY AWAY!!!” Mugman said as his veins went from orange to blue in an instant, confusing the tiger holding him until the electricity was shot out of his body. The tiger stumbled away while Mugman was dropped to the ground, watching electricity spreading across the bathroom and onto the door. He heard yelps in shock from the other side of the door, now happy that his family and friends had gotten the message.

“What the heck?!” Canteen’s voice shouted.

“Stay away from the door!” Natalie replied loudly at, if Mugman had to guess, Aurora.

Mugman heard someone else coming into the bathroom. He turned his head to find someone familiar and yet…not so familiar at the same time. It was a cup stranger, walking into the bathroom through the wall with the ball of electricity on one hand and red fire on the other hand. He charged towards the tiger and tackled him away from Mugman, who was dropped on the floor on his butt. He looked up to see the cup stranger pinning the tiger against the wall with his swords summoned on his hands magically.

“Who are you?! What are you?!” the tiger growled at the cup stranger.

Mugman looked up at the cup stranger with some sense of admiration.

“Let’s just say that I’m his protector,” the cup stranger replied with a smirk. With the telepathic force, he controlled the electric waves to electrocute the tiger.

The tiger screamed in pain and disappeared into thin air.

Mugman’s surroundings disappeared until it was black void. Before Mugman could question the identity of the cup stranger, his surroundings changed automatically. Now, Mugman was in someplace warm and familiar…in the living room of Elder Kettle’s house.

“You okay?”

Mugman looked up at the cup stranger, who held a hand up to help the little mug up on his feet.

Mugman nodded his head and took the stranger’s hand, standing up to his feet. “W-What just happened? Who are you?”

“You’re in the safe place now,” the stranger explained. “The name is Gabriel. Gabriel Arch-Cup.”

“Gabriel Arch-Cup—?” Mugman widened his eyes in shock. “Wait! You’re that stone statue in the caverns in Sugarland with the weird glowing orb thingy and-and—holy cow.”

“No one has come this far to touch the Eternal’s Orb,” Gabriel, the cup stranger, responded. “You two must have my blood to get the orb.”

Mugman blinked his eyes in shock. “Wait, wait, wait, you’re telling me that—Wait…this doesn’t make sense. You said you’re my protector.”

“Yes, as a member of the Calix Animi, I vow to protect anyone who absorbed the orb, and that would be you and your brother.”

“Calix Animi…what’s that?”

Gabriel frowned. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of us. If you are my descendant, how far into the future are you?”

“Future…? Do you mean right now as I’m living?”

“I guess that’s what I mean.”

“Uh…I don’t know.”

“Huh, okay. What year are you guys in?”

“Uuuuummm, maybe 1936.”

“Oh wow! Okay, I wasn’t expecting that.”

Mugman arched a brow. “Wasn’t expecting what?”

“Well, to be three centuries old…heh, I guess I’ve been living in the dark for too long.”

“Three centuries old?! Whoa! You’re really old! But…you don’t even look old.”

“I died a long time ago.”

“Oh…”

“What I should’ve said was that I’ve been trapped underground for three centuries. I’ve sworn myself to protect anyone who has my blood and absorbed the Eternal’s orb. You and your brother found me.”

“Does that mean you’ll protect Cuphead too?”

“Mhm.” Gabriel nodded his head. “Although, you’re brother is a little…”

“Annoying?”

“No.”

“Stupid?”

“No.”

“Weird?”

“Chaotic…Reckless.”

“Oh yeah, that’s typical for Cuphead.”

“So are you though.”

“I’m not that chaotic and reckless.”

“That’s debatable based on you and your brother’s memories.”

Mugman crossed his arm with a huff. “Well then—wait—! You looked through our memories?!”

“Yeah. Kind of. I kinda want to see who I’m protecting. That’s how I know that your safe place was at Elder Kettle’s house.”

They heard voices coming from the other side of the door. Mugman and Gabriel looked at the door.

“It’s time to wake up,” Gabriel said.

“Wait, what?”

Gabriel walked towards the door and opened it, revealing a bright light flashing before their eyes.

Mugman covered his face and glanced at Gabriel. “Wait, Gabriel!”

“Hm?”

“Will I see you again?” Mugman questioned.

“You’ll see me again. Maybe sooner than later,” Gabriel replied while stepping into the light.

Mugman could hear voices of his loved ones, calling to him to wake up finally. He clutched his chest and stepped through the light.

~.~

Mugman groaned in pain while fluttering his eyes open. He found himself laying on the bottom bunk bed with the morning blinding his eyes. His vision was no longer red and he didn’t feel claws digging through the mattress. He was back to normal…how? How did this happen?

Mugman flicked a gaze around him to find Cuphead by his bedside along with Cassidy, both smiling excitedly to see him awake.

“You okay, bud?” Cuphead asked softly.

Mugman sat up with a groan while rubbing his ceramic head. “Ugh, kind of…what-what just happened? D-Did I hurt anyone?”

“Nah, ya didn’t. BUT YOU BLEW OFF THE BATHROOM DOOR WITH SOME SUDDEN BURST OF ELECTRICITY!!!” Cuphead shouted excitedly. “THAT WAS SO COOL! HOW DID YOU DO THAT?! TELL ME! TELL ME! TELL ME!!”

He was swiftly interrupted by Elder Kettle picking Cuphead by the handle and pulling him away from his brother.

“Cuphead, give your brother some space. He’s still recovering,” Elder Kettle responded softly. He shifted his gaze at Mugman. “Are you okay, son?”

“Y-Yeah. Just a bit hurt in some areas,” Mugman uttered with a nervous smile. Then he widened his eyes in sudden realization. “We have to get out of here.”

“What?” Cuphead, Cassidy, and Elder Kettle questioned simultaneously.

Mugman got up from the bed, barely stumbling. “We got to get everyone out of here. We’re not safe!”

“Whoa, slow down, boy,” Elder Kettle said while helping Mugman up on his feet, which was noticed by Porkrind, Jerry, Chalice, Canteen, Natalie, and Aurora. “What’s going on?”

“We don’t have time. The-The Night Stalkers…they-they knew we’re here.”

“Are you sure it’s not just a nightmare?”

“It’s not! It’s-It’s real! All of it! We have to go now!”

“Hey, kid, don’t panic,” Porkrind stepped in.

There was a sudden knock at the door, causing everyone to froze in terror.

“Are the bad people here?” Aurora questioned, earning a quiet shush from Natalie.

Cassidy stood by Mugman, holding his hand. Chalice stepped in front of Canteen to protect him from incoming danger, earning a blush from the metal canteen.

The knock echoed through the house.

Porkrind hurried into a kitchen to grab a frying pan with Jerry taking out his cannon guns. Elder Kettle grabbed the sword from the mantel in the living room as the three adult men stood together in front of the door.

“You kids hide somewhere safe,” Porkrind instructed. “We’ll take care of this.”

“Dad—”

Cassidy watched her father and Jerry go with Elder Kettle to the front door. Elder Kettle motioned up to three with his fingers and opened the door.

“AHA!!” all three of them screamed, only for them to realize that Ribby and Croaks were standing at the porch with a shriek.

“WHOA! WHOA! We friendly here! We friendly here!” Ribby shouted with his hands raised up.

Captain Brineybeard appeared behind them, carrying Cala Maria in his arms. “Aye, we aren’t goin’ t’ hurt ye!”

“I could turn them into stone if we need to get inside,” Cala offered.

“No, that won’t be necessary,” Croaks responded.

“Ribby? Croaks?” Cassidy recognized excitedly while running up to them.

The frog brothers brightly smiled. “Cassi!!!” They lifted her up and hugged her with laughter and happiness.

Porkrind lowered his frying pan. “They’re not our enemies.”

Dice approached the group.

“HE IS!” Elder Kettle growled while pointing at the sword at King Dice.

“Whoa! Whoa!” The frog brothers shouted.

“He works for the Devil!” Elder Kettle shouted at the others.

“Oh, then he’s gotta go,” Jerry said while pointing his guns at Dice.

Porkrind tilted his head while aiming his frying pan at Dice. “You gotta a lot of nerve to show up here without your boss creepin’ around.”

“Look, I know you all don’t trust me, but believe me when I tell you that Big D and the Night Stalkers ain’t that far behind us,” King Dice alerted the rest of the group.

“Big D?!” Porkrind and Jerry gasped.

“Yeah…?” Dice uttered. “You know, the Devil.”

“Oh, I thought you were…talking about…down there…between your…you know what, nevermind,” Jerry said with a groan.

“Aye, he’s right! The Davy Jones ‘n his cult o’ killers are on thar way here right now!” Brineybeard agreed with King Dice.

The three men began lowering their guards down slightly.

“If we’re leaving, we’re leaving you behind,” Elder Kettle growled at King Dice, pointing his sword at him.

Dice widened his eyes. “Hey, the Devil wants to kill me too, you know!”

“Oh boo-hoo, Mr. Fancy Man. I’m sure he’ll welcome you back with open arms if you surrender yourself to him,” Elder Kettle snarled at the gambler.

“Kettle?”

Elder Kettle perked up at the familiar sword and looked over beside Dice, his weary eyes widening in shock to see Murray standing there with only one eye and a handle missing. A gasp escaped his lips while he dropped his sword.

Murray smiled a little to see Elder Kettle again. “It’s been a while, has it?”

Elder Kettle covered his mouth, trying not to cry in seeing Murray again. Cuphead and Mugman walked outside to see Elder Kettle in utter tears. They had never seen the old war-veteran and former arsonist almost breaking down crying.

“Is…everything alright—?” Mugman looked up at Murray along with Cuphead. Murray tried not to cry in front of his boys, smiling through the tears.

“Who are you?” Cuphead asked with more of an abrasive tone.

Elder Kettle managed to clear his throat first. “He’s your father, boys.”

Cuphead blinked in shock along with Mugman.

“Dad?” Mugman uttered in shock.

Murray nodded his head.

Mugman felt tears edging out of his eyes while running up to Murray and leaping into his father’s arms. Murray almost stumbled from Mugman jumping on him and knocking him down. He embraced his son, finally letting the tears fall from his eye.

Cuphead examined his father with the look of skepticism. Not that he didn’t believe that Elder Kettle would lie to them about who their father was…but he couldn’t believe he saw his father…after fifteen years. It was awkward to say the least. There was so much to catch up on. So much to even talk about. Where was his father in the past fifteen years? Why did he leave them? Why were they abandoned?

Murray noticed Cuphead not running into his arms. If Murray had to be honest, he wouldn’t blame Cuphead for being skeptical. He extended his hand out for Cuphead to join them in a hug. Cuphead looked at Murray’s hand with the look of confusion before shaking his hand with a friendly smile. Murray chuckled a bit at his son’s reaction and shook his hand too.

Murray broke away from Mugman and set him down. “I feel like I owe you boys a lot explanation, do I?”

Cuphead nodded his head while Mugman wiped the tears away and nodded.

“I-I remembered…” Mugman almost whimpered. “I remembered Mama and you and Cuphead…I-I remembered the tiger trying to kill us.”

“How could you remember all of that?” Murray asked with a curious tone.

“I-I don’t know.”

Murray frowned and sighed. “The tiger you remembered was named Hunter. Hunter Manson…he’s…not a good guy. It’s best if you stay away from him.”

“Will do!” Cuphead replied with a thumbs up.

“I-I can’t…” Mugman uttered tearfully.

Murray tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

Mugman started to tremble. “I-I—I keep seeing him…in my dreams…he-he was trying to—” The little mug started to weep, his small body trembling.

Elder Kettle clenched his teeth. “Mugman has Tremaine inside of him.”

“What?!” Murray gasped in shock and looked at Mugman.

Mugman started to cry. “He’s torturing me with it…”

“Wait, what? You never told us that,” Cuphead pointed out to Mugman.

“I-I didn’t want to worry you guys,” Mugman answered.

Everyone was dead silent.

Murray looked at Jerry. “Do you have extra guns?”

Jerry looked at Porkrind, who shrugged his shoulders, and then back at Murray. Jerry dug out one extra cannonball hand gun and handed it to Murray.

“Thanks,” Murray responded.

“Yeah…Hunter sent Bowlboy to inject Tremaine into Mugman,” King Dice said with clenched teeth.

“WHAT?!” the group gasped in shock.

“Okay, in the kid’s defense, he didn’t know what he was putting in Mugman…the kid likes to inject random weird stuff into people…which was mostly harmless until Tremaine happened,” King Dice responded.

“Look, as much as we like to catch up with each other and reunite, the Night Stalkers are right there,” Cala Maria said while pointing at the army of hooded figures coming towards them in the woods.

“Oh no, they’ve followed us!!” Croaks shouted in panic.

“You saying it’s my fault?!” Ribby barked with his fists clenched.

“So what if I did?!” Croaks snarled back. The imaginary bell rang as the two frogs were punching each other.

“Are ye serious right now? GET INSIDE NOW!!!” Brineybeard shouted at the frogs.

The frogs didn’t hesitate to hurry inside, carrying Cassidy inside while Porkrind and Jerry pulled Elder Kettle into the house. Murray picked up Cuphead and Mugman and hurried inside.

King Dice saw the Devil among the Night Stalkers with a glare at the house, breathing heavily in fear.

“Dice, get in!” Ribby shouted for Dice.

Brineybeard noticed Dice being frozen in terror at the sight of the Devil and stepped forward just to grab the gambler by the shoulder and yanked him inside of the house.

~.~

Natalie, who had been inside of the house the entire time with Chalice, Canteen, and Aurora, put a protective arm over her baby sister while Ribby and Croaks barricaded the door after Dice was pulled inside.

Brineybeard turned Dice to face him. “Listen t’ me, lad, he won’t listen t’ ye if ye try t’ explain the situation. He doesn’t care. He sees ye as someone who’s easily replaceable. Ye’re worth more than that, mate. Don’t forget that.”

Dice blinked in shock at the pirate’s words. Even Cala Maria was shocked from his words while sitting on his shoulder. She blushed a bit from even hearing those words, even though it wasn’t meant for her at the moment.

Brineybeard nodded his head and focused on what was going on outside of the house.

“Oh man, we’re going to die here,” Ribby uttered in fear. “We was doin’ just fine running a boat restaurant…now…we’re going to die.”

“I don’t wanna die,” Croaks sobbed. “I’m sorry we was always fightin’!”

“Me too. Me too.”

Brineybeard widened his eyes in shock. “Belay that! Ye ‘ave a boat?”

Ribby glanced at the pirate. “Uh…yeah.”

“It’s a ferry boat though,” Croaks uttered.

“That’s more than enough!” Brineybeard determined. “Come on, we got t’ get off o’ this island! Thar be an island across the way that could get us further from the Night Stalkers!”

Chalice brightly smiled at the idea. “Yeah, I know a friend from another island! He’ll be more than happy to help with this whole Tremaine situation!”

“I sure hope so,” Ribby muttered lowly as they heard more and more footsteps surrounding the place.

“Come on, we gotta get out of here!” Cuphead determined.

Natalie clenched her jaw. “Oh, Mom’s going to be so mad at me for leaving this house a mess.”

“I think you should consider more about you and your sister’s safety,” Porkrind pointed out to Natalie.

“We gotta go!” Jerry urged the group as they were on their way to the back door until they were met with more hooded assassins breaking down the door. They froze and looked to see the front door broken down.

Cuphead and Mugman gasped to see Devil among them.

“There, now I can kill all of you right where you stand!”

Cassidy growled with her ears pinned down on her head.

Brineybeard took out his sword along with Elder Kettle. Ribby and Croaks put up their gloved hands to ready to fight anyone coming near them. Cassidy extended her claws with her teeth clenched, standing by Porkrind and Jerry. Porkrind had his frying pan ready with Jerry taking out his pistol. Murray stood in front of Cuphead and Mugman and aimed the pistol he was given at any assassin who would dare come near them. Natalie hugged her little sister closer with heavy breaths in fear. Chalice stood in front of Canteen with a growl and her fists clenched.

“What are we waiting for? Kill them all!” Devil barked at the assassins.

Cassidy snarled at the assassins raising their guns at them.

Dice shook his head and stepped in between the group and the Devil and the cultists. “Wait! These cultists do not have your best interest, boss! They have an underground cell with your name on it!”

Devil widened his eyes.

“Hunter is going to stab you in the back and rule Hell! You gotta listen to me! He’s trying to take over the world by ruling Hell! You gotta believe me!” Dice shouted in a pleading tone.

“Aye, we heard it all, ain’t that right, lads?” Brineybeard asked Ribby, Croaks, and Cala Maria.

“Yeah! He’s also going to trap Dice underground too,” Ribby spoke out.

Croaks nodded his head in agreement.

“Look, you may hate us, but I heard their plan in the underground cell as well,” Cala Maria responded with her arms crossed and her eyes glowing red. “Believe us or not, your choice. But we won’t let you have our souls.”

“YEAH!” Ribby and Croaks shouted in determination.

The Devil arched a brow in confusion. “You’ve all hated me. How do you expect me to believe you?!”

“Please, listen to them! They were there with me!” Dice shouted at the Devil.

“He ain’t goin’ t’ listen t’ us, lad! We won’t convince ‘im otherwise!” Brineybeard reminded Dice.

“Kill them all!” Devil growled at the assassins. The assassins raised their guns at the same time Cala Maria shot laser beams out of her eyes, turning the assassins all around them into stone, including Devil.

The group stood in shock at the fact that they didn’t have to fight the assassins until they saw more coming towards them.

Dice looked down to notice the orange glow within the cracks of the stoned Devil. “It ain’t gonna hold long. We have to go!”

“Now ye’re talkin’! Come on!” Brineybeard said with a bright smile, hurrying to pick Natalie and Aurora up in his one strong arm while his other strong arm was holding Cala Maria on his shoulder.

Murray picked up the boys and rushed out the back door with Brineybeard, Cala, Natalie, and Aurora, followed by Elder Kettle, Porkrind, Cassidy, Jerry, Chalice, and Canteen.

Ribby and Croaks were the last to get out behind them, barricading the door with a nearby board leaned against the wall. Elder Kettle picked up his black goat just grazing outside in the backyard.

They hurried towards the town, being followed by the assassins, including Hunter.

Ribby and Croaks noticed their ferry parked on the shore a few blocks away from the coastal town.

Ribby looked at the gang. “Hey! We’ll meet youse guys over at the port!”

The gang nodded their heads in understanding when they saw the frogs taking off towards the ferry as fast as they could.

Hunter had the assassins split up to go after Ribby and Croaks while he stuck with the assassins chasing after the rest of the gang.

~.~

They hurried into the coastal town with the assassins chasing after them.

Cassidy realized they were hitting a dead end at the port. “Guys!”

Everyone widened their eyes in shock once they hit a dead end. They stood at the edge and watched Hunter approached them with his assassins behind him.

Mugman trembled watching the tiger who was in his dreams becoming real in front of him. “You.”

Cuphead heard his brother and then glared at Hunter. He raised his finger guns, clenching his teeth in anger. The tips of his fingers glowed blue. “Don’t you take another step or else I’ll shoot!”

Hunter smirked at the small cup. “How cute. Where was that need to protect your brother when you owed the Devil your soul?”

Cuphead growled, his eyes turned into red flames and the glow went from blue to red quickly. Hunter broadened his eyes at this sight before dodging when the fireballs fired at them by hanging on the side edge of the port.

The group widened their eyes in shock at Cuphead’s new abilities. Cuphead’s veins glowed red while he zoomed towards the rest of the assassins who dodged his fire attack. He punched one of them in the stomach, breaking his ribs with multiple cracks sound. He slammed his fist into another assassin’s jaw, completely broke it off of his mouth.

The group watched with more shock at Cuphead fighting the assassins violently. They looked at each other and got out their fists and weapons to join the fight. Cala Maria fell back into the ocean while Brineybeard put Aurora and Natalie down from his shoulders and led the charge towards the assassins, slashing his swords against the incoming assassins. Elder Kettle managed to swipe his sword at the assassin’s stomach causing him to bleed.

Murray put Mugman down and tackled the assassin coming towards them, getting into his memories with his eye glowing violet. Murray chose a memory to torture the assassin with and left him there to scream in agony. Then, he used his pistol Jerry gave him to shoot the assassin approaching him.

Mugman’s eyes suddenly turned blue. What was happening to him? His vision was blue, seeing skeletons fighting against each other. He couldn’t tell which were his friends and family and which were his family until he could feel a burst of electricity burst out of his hand, electrocuting the assassin, who was about to attack Murray. Murray turned around and watched his son’s body trembling at this newfound power he had inside of him. Murray loaded his gun and noticed the other assassin coming towards them, jumping in front of his son to defend him.

Jerry and Porkrind charged towards the assassins with the one-eyed pig struggling against the bigger assassin. He heard someone coming towards them and saw Cassidy climbing on the assassin, scratching his face up with an aggressive meow. The assassin felt a bullet on his shoulder, causing him to yelp in pain. Cassidy jumped back onto her father’s shoulder, holding onto his overall strap. They looked to find Jerry loading his pistol to fire the next shot.

Dice noticed Jerry fumbling to load his pistol and the assassin raising his rifle out of anger. He looked around people fighting while sighing heavily. It was then his eyes turned green as he took out his deck of cards and threw an ace of spades onto the tip of the assassin’s rifle, blocking the bullet from firing at Jerry. Instead, the bullet ricochet back inside of the rifle and exploded at the back, managing to get the assassin in the head. They looked to see Dice’s eyes turning green while all the cards surrounded him, ready to fight more than ever.

Canteen gasped in horror and watched three assassins coming towards him at the edge of the pier. He closed his eyes to accept his fate until one of the assassins turned around and shot two other assassins behind him. Canteen glanced up with eyes wide when he witnessed the assassin shooting himself after he shot the other assassins. Chalice’s ghost form popped out of the assassin once the assassin pulled the trigger and possessed the other assassin charging towards Natalie and Aurora and used him to shoot the incoming assassins.

Chalice phased out of the assassin once she made him shot himself and transformed back to her physical form with a sigh of relief. “Wonder when Ribby and Croaks were going to show up with the boat.”

She looked back and she noticed Canteen’s eyes dilated with a big blush across his face.

“Wow…” Canteen uttered.

“What?” Chalice questioned with a brow raised.

Canteen shook his head. “Nothing…uh, you…uh, you fight good as both ghost and mortal…I guess?”

Chalice gave him a flirty grin. “I could teach ya if you’re ever up for it.”

“That would be cool,” Canteen said, wiping off the sweat on his forehead.

“Get away from us!” Natalie shouted at the assassin, drawing both of Canteen’s and Chalice’s attention towards her and her sister.

The assassin raised his gun at them. Natalie hugged her sister, shielding her from the potential bullet. Before Chalice could turn into a ghost and defend Natalie and Aurora, everyone felt something shaking underneath the port. It was then that Cala Maria appeared, growing bigger than any skyscraper in Inkwell Isle City. She used her eyes to turned the assassin coming towards Natalie and Aurora into stone, which earned a look of admiration from Aurora.

“Ooh, big fishy!” Aurora called with a bright smile.

Cala Maria fired laser beams from her eyes with the ends of her hair turning into snakes hissing at the assassins coming towards them.

Hunter managed to recover and looked to find his assassins being out bested by the group. The tiger growled and looked to see Mugman with his eyes glowing blue. He smirked and put on the brown gloves with buttons on them, the same gloves Dice found in the secret room. He raised them up and pushed the buttons, managing to cause Mugman to stumble and groan in pain. Mugman breathed heavily while the blue in his eyes faded. He saw his veins turning from blue to orange. He gritted his teeth in pain and looked up to find Hunter torturing him from the side with those gloves.

Hunter chuckled lowly until he heard someone dashing towards him. He turned quickly and noticed Cuphead punching him in the chest, causing Hunter to lose control of Mugman and fall over into the water. The group saw more assassins coming towards them.

Finally Ribby and Croaks arrived with the ferry boat at the port.

“GET IN!!!” Ribby shouted for the group.

The red in Cuphead’s eyes faded, causing Cuphead to collapse. Murray picked Cuphead up along with Mugman, who almost fainted too. Murray carried both of his sons into the ferry boat, followed by Elder Kettle, Porkrind, Jerry, and Cassidy. Natalie picked Aurora up in her arms and hurried to the ferry with Chalice and Canteen.

Brineybeard picked up Canteen and Chalice and threw them up into the ferry. The buff pirate picked up Natalie and Aurora and placed them on his shoulders while climbing onto the deck of the ferry boat. Dice stayed behind and saw Devil approaching the scene with more assassins.

Dice clenched his teeth, feeling conflicted about his choices. Should he join the others and prolong his fate or should he accept his fate now? Dice looked up and saw Porkrind and Jerry watching this unfold from the deck.

Jerry and Porkrind exchanged glances while Jerry took out his gun and aimed it at the Devil, shooting the bullets at the Devil to temporarily slow him down. The Devil growled in pain as Dice watched in shock.

“Hey!”

Dice looked up and saw Porkrind’s hand extended to Dice.

“Are you gonna get on or what?!” Porkrind called.

Dice gasped in shock at the gesture and then looked back. He took a deep breath and finally made up his mind. He grasped Porkrind’s hand as the pig pulled him up into the ferry with Jerry helping them.

The ferry boat moved away from the port as fast as it could while Cala Maria gave them a boost with her tail splashing the water, causing a large wave to push the ferry away from the port. She glared back at the assassins and continued fighting them. Cala Maria felt a sting on her arm and she looked to see a huge syringe shot on her arm. She realized it was something that had knocked her out before as she started to breathe heavily, collapsing on the port.

Brineybeard saw all of this with tears welling up in his eyes. "CALA!!!"

The ferry moved forward, causing the pirate to breathed heavily at this sudden loss.

~.~

The ferry boat traveled in the middle of the ocean with Croaks driving it. Ribby looked ahead with his hand over his eyes to block the sun blinding him.

“How far is this other isle?” Ribby asked the group camping on the deck.

Chalice hopped on the railing, looking over at the ocean. “It should be that way. Hopefully, we’ll be safer there.”

“That was quite a fight you guys put up,” Ribby commented. “Is everyone alright?”

“Yeah, we're alright. We're alright. ,” Porkrind said while looking at the kids. Natalie was playing hopscotch with Aurora while Canteen used his binoculars to look around the ocean. Cassidy was frozen on the deck when surrounded by water, but Porkrind sat by her to let her know that he was here.

Brineybeard was still coping with Cala Maria not catching up with them and losing her again.

Porkrind sighed deeply and looked at Dice to see him looking back from where they came, processing what he was even doing on this ferry.

Jerry came up behind Dice and tilted his head. “Uh…are you doing okay?”

Dice turned to look at Jerry. “Oh, uh, I’m fine, thanks. Just deep in thought about something.”

Jerry nodded his head in understanding. “About what?”

“Oh. Just stuff and things.”

“Like Big…D…? You know, I’m calling him the Devil. That name didn’t sound appropriate to say in front of the children,” Jerry responded with a huff.

Dice chuckled at Jerry. “Yeah. Only his number one could call him that.” Dice frowned and sighed deeply. “What am I even doing? I mean, I wanna help in any way I can, but no matter what I tell him, he ain’t gonna listen to me.”

“He doesn’t listen to anyone,” Jerry cut in with his arms over the railing. “He’s the Devil for goodness sakes. You think he’s been around longer than everyone else and doesn’t listen to anyone all because his pride got the best of him. Such a shame really.”

Dice frowned. “Guess he’s gonna find out the hard way.”

“I think he knows,” Jerry replied.

“What makes you say that?”

Jerry glanced up at Dice. “First off, the Devil is a master of manipulation. If he can manipulate anyone, he can tell when he’s being manipulated pretty easily. Either he was dragging this longer to play or he’s waiting for Hunter to break the deal and get his soul. You’re probably ruining his fun by telling him something he already knew but didn’t want Hunter to know he already knew.”

Dice tilted his head. “Then why try to kill me?”

Jerry shrugged. “Maybe he thought you’re betraying him by joining our side.”

“I guess. But I wasn’t joining your side. I’m just…I…just…”

Jerry frowned to see Dice glancing down at the calm waters. “Just what?”

“I don’t know what I’m even doing. I got that guy out from the underground cell he’d been trapped in for years and helped him reunite with his boys and now I’m freeing all the prisoners and fighting by your side. I mean, I had no intention on doing any of this. I just want to be able to fight the Night Stalkers and Hunter. They were going to put me and Big D in those cells. And for what?! So that they could put Tremaine in us like they already did with Beppi and the Baroness in some sugar kingdom?! I refuse to be a part of their experiments! I can’t suffer like that. I don’t want to suffer like how Beppi suffered. Like how Mugman suffered. But I didn’t think I was fighting by your side.”

“Well, you did save my life back there at the port,” Jerry said with a small smile behind the scarf. “That I’m thankful for.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Well, it’s a life you saved. The Devil didn’t care about lives. He cares about collecting souls. You seem to care about lives…just a tad.”

Dice huffed an amused laugh. “Well, I care about my life.”

“Yeah, but you still saved mine,” Jerry responded.

“Let’s just say that it’s an one-time thing then.”

Jerry nodded his head. “Okay. Okay.” There was a pause as Jerry looked out into the calm seas. “I have a question. You say you’re the Devil’s number one, right?”

“Not anymore,” Dice said sadly.

“Are you doing all of this because someone else took that spot from you?”

“Psh, no!”

Jerry arched a brow at Dice, causing him to groan.

“Okay, maybe a little. Hunter had taken that spot actually. He had done everything Big D wanted, but I knew there was something off with him. What he offered Big D was too good to be true. I had to find out for myself if what I’m feeling or thinking was valid. Turned out it was. I thought that if I tell Big D about my ‘discoveries’, he could get me back into his number one spot. Guess that backfired, huh?”

“Either that or he thinks you’re rebelling against him by freeing the prisoners and fighting with us,” Jerry responded.

“But I didn’t do that to spite him! I did it to fight Hunter and his cult of maniacs!”

“That doesn’t matter to him. He sees that you freed the prisoners and if you think Hunter has that much influence over the Devil…which I highly doubt…the Devil might be inclined to believe Hunter more since Hunter probably did more things the Devil wanted than you did. I honestly don’t think he values you at all. He wouldn’t be so quick to shoot you if he does value you. When the time comes and if it were your life on the line or Hunter’s, he would choose Hunter since he’s done more ‘useful’ things than you have.”

“But I’ve delivered souls before and they’re just as subtle as how Hunter does it. And it has worked until those cups showed up,” King Dice grumbled. “Since then…I guess I got myself out of touch and I’m not even sure what I’m even doing.”

Jerry frowned and looked at the water. “You’ll figure it out. You’re the King Dice after all. I’m sure you’ll figure out something eventually.”

There was a brief silence while Dice smiled at the creature next to him.

“What’s your name? I didn’t catch it,” Dice asked Jerry.

“Jerry.”

“Thanks, Jerry.”

“No problem.”

Murray walked out onto the deck with Cuphead and Mugman barely gaining consciousness from using their powers earlier with Elder Kettle following them.

Cassidy noticed and smiled brightly to see Mugman. “Mugsy!”

Mugman lifted his head up just in time to see her jump into his arms. He nearly stumbled from her weight suddenly being pressed against him, but he embraced her anyway.

“Are you okay?” Cassidy replied while cupping his porcelain face.

“I’m fine now that you’re here,” Mugman responded with a love-sick smile. She smiled, blushed, and purred. She gave him kisses by licking his big blue nose. Mugman giggled. “C-Cassi, that tickles!” She rubbed her head against his with her purrs growing louder, making him giggle a little more.

The group smiled at them while hearing something booming from the sky.

Ribby looked up at the clouds. “Huh, I wonder what’s going on.”

“‘ave ye taken the ferry this far out into the ocean afore?” Brineybeard asked Ribby.

“Eh, not really,” Ribby responded.

“Guys…I think we’re approaching a storm,” Canteen uttered, pointing at the darkness ahead of them, lightened up by lightning strikes on the water to reveal turbulent waves up ahead.

Ribby widened his eyes. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”

“Wha’ do ye mean that everythin’ will be fine? Look at it! Thar’s goin’ t’ be a storm up ahead ‘n the ferry could only take so much water afore it sinks!” Brineybeard shouted at the frog.

“We should try to avoid the storm,” Elder Kettle suggested.

“Impossible. We can nah get around the storm. The rogue waves will consume us if we try t’ run from it,” Brineybeard responded.

“Guys…” Canteen uttered in fear.

Everyone looked to see their first rogue waves.

“EVERYBODY, TAKE COVER!” Ribby screamed for the others to go inside of the ferry. It was already too late as the first wave crashed into the ferry boat, knocking it back halfway before it would land right back into the water. Everyone sighed in relief except for Canteen and Brineybeard.

“LOOK OUT!!” Canteen screamed, watching the wave crashed ahead of them and rushing towards the small ferry. Luckily for them, the ferry was able to hobbled over it, rocking back and forth.

Dice glanced ahead and saw another wave towering over them. “WE’RE GOING TO SINK!!!”

“TAKE COVER!” Brineybeard yelled. Everyone held on for dear lives, closing their eyes to accept their fates. Cuphead brought Natalie and Aurora behind him to protect them while Mugman pulled Cassidy behind him and used himself as a shield, his hand reached out towards the water.

The water strangely bend to Mugman’s hand, letting the ferry ride over the wave and slid down into the water.

Ribby noticed with his brow raised. “WHAT THE—?!” They soon ran into another rogue wave, taller than the last. However, the tall wave soon let the ferry ride over it, crashing on the other side where it wouldn’t hit the ferry.

“The waters! They be nah crashin’ into us!” Brineybeard pointed out.

Ribby turned to ferry from the inside. “CROAKS! STEP ON IT!”

Croaks, steering the ferry, pushed onward through the storm.

Mugman fluttered his eyes opened and looked to see his hand glowing blue and the waters glowing blue, submitting to his control.

Cuphead noticed this with a bright smile. “WHOA, MUGSY!!! YOU’RE CONTROLLING THE WATER!”

“WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING, KEEP IT UP!!” Porkrind yelled for Mugman.

Mugman’s nose started to bleed from controlling the waves throughout the storm and Murray noticed this.

“Son, don’t hurt yourself!” Murray shouted.

Mugman didn’t listen as they got over to the other rogue wave, however it was a bit rocky and crashed down with them on top of the wave, shoving them forward.

Cassidy hanged onto Mugman when the water started to flood the deck.

Chalice fell off the ferry, but she was saved by Canteen grabbing her arm and pulling her up. He smiled at her with a blush.

“Now, we’re even!” Canteen said.

Chalice smirked at him.

Mugman breathed heavily until he collapsed on his knees.

“Mugman!” everyone called out as the last rogue wave crashed into them from the side, tearing the ferry apart wood by wood. Everyone was knocked out of the ferry by the huge rogue wave, drowning them in the ocean.

Everything went black.

To Be Continued...

#cuphead #cuphead: isle of shadows rewrite #mugman #ocs x canons #elder kettle #king dice #porkrind #cuphead jerry #cuphead devil #oc villain #tw body horror #tw blood #tw gun #oc parents #ms chalice #canteen hughes #ribby and croaks #captain brineybeard

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