Chapter 1
The Beginning
I've been wanting to do this story for a while. This is a re-telling of the story of Hades and Persephone. However, Cuphead has the role of Persephone and my psuedo-OC, Benny (a Rule 63 version of Bendy the Dancing Demon who, in most of my stuff on Deviantart, is Bendy's torn half from the Ink Machine) as Hades. It is both original, yet follows the myth to a certain degree.
So if you don't like a female Bendy, then best find another story. (Not being mean, here.)
I also have more stories brewing in my head along with bringing my old stories back. For those waiting on them, please be patient. There is only enough hours in the day.
I do not own Cuphead, Bendy, Disney, or any characters accept for Benny and any OCs unless I have permission to use someone else's. The story's title was inspired by Rachel Smythe's "Lore Olympus" Webtoon. (Which is AWESOME!)
Long ago, the world was ruled by a race of powerful beings known as Titans. These titans ruled over most everything on the young Earth from plants to the sky itself. They ruled as a council and governed the world as they saw fit. But one titan, the Devil, held a desire for more power that was so great that he plotted against the one titan who acted like a true leader. Alas, this titan's name was smudged from history when the Devil overthrew him.
But before he disappeared, the lost titan foretold that just as the Devil defeated him, he too would be overthrown by the lost titan's children, who were to be born in special flowers in the lost titan's secret garden. Of course, the Devil did not believe his foe and enjoyed centuries of chaos and fear amongst the mortals. Slowly, the other titans began to follow his creed, becoming more and more vile by the century.
One day, one of the flowers in the garden bloomed. Inside a purple and black flower was a black and white demon girl, whose head looked like a crescent moon and her eyes as black as night. Her cries alerted a passing titaness to the garden, where she discovered the child and took it to the Devil with joy.
But the Devil, remembering the lost titan's words, immediately saw this child as a threat. Not wanting to lose his power, the Devil decided to rectify the problem by swallowing the child whole. As soon as he did, the Devil demanded to know where the garden was. The titaness, horrified at what she had witnessed, returned to the garden to try and save the remaining two flowers.
When she returned, the second flower, a blue and black one, revealed a rabbit that held the same monochromatic coloring as his sister. The titaness, seeing the boy, realized that there was little time before the last flower, a red one, would bloom. So, to deceive the Devil, the titaness placed a stone inside the blue flower and closed it, bringing it and the rabbit reluctantly to the Devil.
After the titaness assured him that they were the only two flowers left in the garden, the Devil swallowed both the rabbit and the flower whole. Believing that he had defied fate, the Devil rejoiced, while the titaness snuck away, dug up the remaining flower, and took it to the realm of the mortals. There, she waited in a cave until the crimson flower finally bloomed, revealing a monochromatic mouse boy.
No longer caring for the ways of the Devil, the titaness secretly raised the mouse child, giving him the name "Mickey."
As Mickey grew up, his adoptive mother told him of his brother and sister and what became of them. But since immortals could not die the same way mortals could, the titaness assured Mickey that his siblings were alive. Upon hearing this, Mickey vowed to free his siblings and end the Devil's reign.
Over the years, Mickey grew and trained until he was ready to enact his long-awaited rescue mission.
Sneaking into the Devil's service, Mickey became the Royal Cupbearer, who was in charge of bringing the Devil his drink. During that time, he befriended the mistreated servants, including a living tea kettle named Elder Kettle and a beautiful young mouse named Minnie. Upon learning who Mickey really was, the servants agreed to aid him in his mission, wishing to be free themselves. They waited until he gained the Devil's trust before adding a mysterious herb in the chalice one day. The Devil, none the wiser, drank the wine without a care in the world.
But as soon as he drank it, the Devil began to feel violently ill. Mickey and the servants watched as the Devil regurgitated a young rabbit boy and a young demon girl. He also regurgitated the flower that held the stone inside.
Mickey, finally meeting his siblings for the first time, lead a mass escape of the servants and themselves out of the titans' domain. The Devil, realizing that he had been tricked and that his rule was in danger, declared war on the mouse and his companions.
Once they reached safety, Mickey introduced himself to the rabbit and demoness as their younger brother and gave them names. The rabbit was named Oswald. The demoness would be named Benjamina, but she would be called "Benny" for short.
With introductions at hand and the threat of war on the horizon, Elder Kettle advised the siblings to seek out the one-eyed cyclopes and the hundred-handed Hecatoncheires: the imprisoned siblings of the titans, to craft them items they would need to defeat the Devil and his cohorts.
Each sibling had their own unique talent when it came to freeing the giant beings. Benny, born with a deep connection to the earth, was able to sense that the giants were sealed in Tartarus; a living realm far below even the Underworld that was now used as a prison. Oswald, with his intellect, figured out how to remove the giants' chains while Mickey used his wit to distract the guardians of Tartarus until the cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires were free.
In gratitude for their selflessness, the giants crafted three gifts to the siblings.
For Mickey, he was granted powerful lightning bolts.
For Oswald, he received a trident that could control the seas and create earthquakes.
And for Benny, she was given a helmet that, when worn, would make her invisible as well as others as long as she touched them.
With their allies and their new gifts, the siblings fought against the Devil and the titans. The war, which would become known as the "Toontanomacy," lasted for ten years until finally Mickey, Oswald, and Benny overpowered the Devil, defeating him.
As punishment for their misdeeds, the Devil and the titans were locked away in Tartarus, which would be secured with the strongest chains and locks that could never be replicated.
After celebrating their victory, the three siblings drew lots to see who got to rule what part of the world. Mickey became the God of the Sky and the King of the Gods. Upon his ascension, he took his beloved Minnie, whom he developed an everlasting love for, as his queen as well as making her the Goddess of Marriage.
Oswald became the God of the Sea and also fell in love with a former servant of the titans named Ortensia. With Ortensia by his side, Oswald grew to love his role as the King of the Sea.
Benny, however, drew the lot that was dreaded the most: the Underworld. As the first to be swallowed by the Devil, Benny was traumatized and didn't want to be anywhere near Tartarus where one could still hear the Devil's screams of rage. Mickey and Oswald both offered to trade lots with her, but Benny, a compassionate soul, told them that trading their lots wouldn't be fair. So, she agreed to become the Goddess of the Underworld, judging the souls of mortals and send them to where they would need to go. She would also become the Goddess of Wealth, as her abilities to sense metals and gems helped the mortals and the gods to prosper.
With the three siblings in power, the Earth was once again ruled by benevolent beings. And while each had their own faults, they were still better than the titans that ruled over them before. The siblings still kept in touch, though as the mortal population grew, Benny became more and more busy. Eventually, she received a companion named Boris, who was to become the God of Death and would deliver recently departed souls to her.
But as much as Benny enjoyed the company of Boris and her family, she was still lonely.
That is…until one fateful day.
The Underworld…
Benny sighed as she sat on her black marble and onyx throne. Another day of judging souls. Leaning back on her throne, Benny peered at the day's list of new arrivals.
"*Sigh* Looks like another war list today. Seems only a few of them are going to Elysium. A couple to the Asphodel Meadows, and at least three to the Mourning Fields. Thankfully, no one's going to Tartarus today."
"So far," she thought bitterly.
There was always the one who would do something so bad that Benny wouldn't hesitate to throw into Tartarus despite the pain the place caused her.
The latest entry was a personal one for her. Boris, whom she had viewed like a younger brother for ages, had to go to fetch the soul of a king named Sisyphus, only for the mortal to trick him and sealed him inside a chest. Benny worried about Boris' disappearance and the fact that no one was dying added to it. Thankfully, the other gods found Boris and Benny was quick to punish Sisyphus with an impossible task in Tartarus.
Mickey and Oswald were a little concerned about Benny's reaction. Thankfully, they knew how much Benny cared for Boris. And upon learning of Sisyphus' crimes, they agreed that Benny made the right choice, though they did tell her that next time, she had to run it by them first.
The memory made Benny want to stretch her legs. She stood up, allowing her blueish-purple dress to smoothen out to the ground and her black veil to cascade down her body from her golden crown. She arched her back, feeling the knots from the day before. She was bored. She wanted to go do something. She wanted a change of scenery.
Luckily, today was the annual Mount Inkwell Summit. The Mount Inkwell Summit was a formal title for a party to celebrate the sealing of the titans and basically a god/family reunion. It was one of the rare days where she was free to leave the Underworld for herself rather than duty. Of course, there was a bit of duty involved. The summit was also a time where young gods are introduced to the pantheon and their special talents are revealed. She heard there were several new godlings to be introduced this year and she was curious about them.
Of course, she had to be quick with her work, first.
"Alright, Boris. Send them in. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we get to the summit."
Boris nodded, just as excited to attend the summit like his friend.
Thankfully, the Summit wouldn't start without the eldest of the Three Flowers there. After all, all three were the Masters of Ceremonies.
And who knows? Maybe one of the new godlings was destined to be a new friend to join the Underworld.
Meanwhile, on Earth…
Elder Kettle, now the God of Wisdom, was making last minute preparations. Every year, he attended the Mount Ink Summit, granting his wisdom to the godlings who sought it. But this year was very special to him. As soon as the last bit of preparations were in order, he called out to the upper level of the house.
"Cuphead! Mugman! Are you ready to go?"
"Coming, Elder Kettle!" A pair of male voices called out from above.
Elder Kettle waited patiently as two godlings ran down the stairs.
They were 19, the age required for godlings to be introduced to the other Gods of the Ink Pantheon. One had a teacup for a head with a red-and-white striped bendy straw while the other had a mug and his straw was a blue-and-white straight straw. They were dressed in red and blue chitons respectively and while the mug lad wore sandals, the cup lad was barefooted. Their pie-cut eyes focused on Elder Kettle once they reached the bottom of the stairs.
"We're ready, Elder Kettle." The mug-headed boy told him.
Elder Kettle smiled as he led the boys out the door.
"This is a very special day, boys. I'm quite curious about what your godly talents would be."
The cup grinned as he placed his fists on his waist.
"I bet I'll be a God of War! Or maybe the God of Adventure!" The mug rolled his eyes as he smirked at his brother.
"I don't know about Adventure, but we already have Popeye as the God of War."
The cup rolled his eyes.
"Pfft! Only when he eats spinach. Blech!"
"Even so, Cuphead, Popeye takes his role with responsibility. He doesn't start wars, but knows how to finish them." Elder Kettle reprimanded the cup as they continued.
This confused the mug.
"But if he finishes them, who starts them?"
Hearing the question, Elder Kettle sighed.
"Usually, mortals who desire power and territory, Mugman. But when it comes to certain troubles to start, I'd say Pete would be up to his old tricks."
Both Cuphead and Mugman narrowed their eyes at the mention of the name. Pete was the God of Thieves, Crooks, and Troublemakers; and was the patron of Bad Guys everywhere. If there was some trouble being made, it was usually Pete making trouble either to get rich, gain more followers, or just to, as Pete stated once, keep the status quo "balanced."
He was also a constant thorn in the Three Flowers' sides, often clashing with Mickey and Oswald. Though it seemed he didn't want to test his luck with the mysterious Purple Flower: Benny. Even more weird was that Pete was the father of one of the Cup Brothers' friends, P.J. A nice, if somewhat insecure and shy, guy who the boys met after another friend, Max introduced them to each other.
Needless to say, they prefer P.J.'s company over his father's. And that Pete was the least liked god in the entire pantheon.
Deciding to change the subject, Cuphead asked a new question.
"To get that jerk outta my head, you said every god and goddess will be attending the Summit? Right, Elder Kettle?"
Relieved at the new question, Elder Kettle nodded.
"Indeed, Cuphead. Every god, good or bad, weak or strong, will be there."
"Including all of the Three Flowers?"
Mugman raised an eyebrow at his brother in confusion.
"Of course, all three will be there, Cup. Mickey lives on Mount Inkwell, and all three are the Masters of Ceremonies for the event."
Elder Kettle noticed Mugman's confusion and was equally curious himself, though he did have a guess as to why Cuphead was asking.
"You're more curious about the Goddess of the Underworld, herself. Am I right, Cuphead?"
Cuphead scratched the back of his head, looking away sheepishly.
"I mean, we see Mickey and Oswald all the time. Heck, we practically live next door to Oswald and help babysit his kids sometimes. But none of us have ever seen Benny, herself. We don't even know what she's like other than she rules the Land of the Dead, that she's the eldest of the Three Flowers, and she was the best spy in the Toontanomacy. I mean, I can't help but be a little curious about her."
Hearing Cuphead voice his thoughts, Mugman realized he was right. None of them knew about the mysterious goddess other than her reputation and her sphere of influence. When Elder Kettle heard Cuphead's words, he softly laughed as he recollected his memories.
"Well, I can understand that. Benny's work in the Underworld often leaves her busy, especially in wartime. But I do know a few things about her from back in the Toontanomacy. For example, despite her reputation, Benny is, in fact, a very sweet girl. She represents death, yes, but she cares for the preservation of life. In fact, she had a hand in saving you two, once."
This caught the boys by surprise.
"She saved us?!" Cuphead cried out.
"How?!" Mugman responded in shock.
Elder Kettle nodded as he recounted that fateful night.
"It was 19 years ago on a rainy night. Pete made Mickey and Oswald angry again, so it was an absolute downpour. I was setting up the fire, drinking tea when I heard a knock on my door. When I opened it, I saw Benny, drenched in rain water, carrying a basket. She told me that she was checking out the damage brought on by the storm when she saw a basket that carried two babies. She saw no sign of the parents and decided to bring them to me, the only one close enough to help her with them. I prepared some milk while she dried and changed the babies. Despite having no knowledge of child care, she did a great job as she fed the baby with the red nose while I fed the one with the blue nose."
The Cup Brothers absorbed this information like sponges with amazement. The Goddess of the Underworld, known for tending to the dead, saved them and helped Elder Kettle take care of them? Why hadn't they heard this before? Why didn't they remember her?
"What happened next?" Cuphead asked, focused on the story despite his many questions.
"Once you boys were fed and dried off, Benny and I discussed what to do with you two. She felt that because of her duties in the Underworld, she couldn't take care of you. We thought about various mortals and gods who possibly could, but when Benny noticed how close you two were to me, she suggested that I'd be the one to take you in. I wasn't sure a first, but then she pointed out how the three of us were just the right fit. And I got to say, when I saw your smiling faces, my heart told me that she was right.
"So, I agreed. After the storm settled, Benny helped me settle your adoption by appealing to her brothers. Feeling bad about the storm that caused such a tragedy and the trouble they inadvertently caused for their sister, Mickey and Oswald both helped me set up the house while Benny, Minnie, and Ortensia took care of you two. Once we were finished, you became my charges. Benny took care of you two a couple more times before another war made her schedule completely full. I understood, though there were times I wished she was there to help. Still, whenever I have business with her or just visiting her, she would always ask how you two were."
Elder Kettle sighed sadly. "I'm afraid she misses you two on occasion."
The Cup Brothers looked at each other sadly. Benny was a bigger influence in their lives than they thought and they couldn't remember her. Granted, they were babies, but there should have had at least something to remind them of her. Breaking his thoughts, Cuphead looked to the slowly approaching Mount Inkwell, his mind not on the impending ceremony.
"That's it! I want to see her. I want to talk to her. I HAVE to talk to her! I want to at least thank her for what she did for us."
Breathing in the fresh air, Cuphead's face changed from saddened to determined. He had a mission, now.
"Well, we can say 'thanks' to her when we get there. If we're this slow, we'll never make it to the summit."
Hearing Cuphead, Mugman smiled as he kept up with his brother.
"You're right, Cup! She'll definitely be there! And I want to say 'thank you,' too!"
Elder Kettle smiled as his boys accelerated their pace. The bond they had with Benny was still there and he was looking forward to seeing how this would turn out. Who knows? Maybe something will happen between the three?
"Either way, this year's summit is going to be very interesting.
I hope you guys enjoyed this story and I hope to have another chapter done, soon. 3 Love you guys!