Kyler recieved the call just after she got back from her break. She was sitting at her computer sorting out a few stat orders when her phone suddenly buzzed. She looked at the screen and saw Elder Kettle's number flashing across it. It alarmed her a little, as he would never call her at work unless it was an emergency. She got up and walked over to where the head pharmacist was sitting. "Excuse me Dr. Hoot." she said.
Dr. Hoot, who was a short cartoon owl sitting on a pearch in front of a laptop, looked up and peered at her through the glasses that rested on his beak."Kyler, we've been collegues for a year now. I want you to call me by my first name." He smiled at her kindly.
Kyler smiled back. "I'm sorry Ollie. I've just gotten used to it, since I first started out as one of your technicians."
"Well, I do appreciate your respect for authority, but you are no longer a technician. You are my second in command. We are equals, even friends. Which reminds me, Mrs. Hoot and I want to know when you and your family will all be available together. We want to have you all over for dinner sometime."
"Thank you Dr. Hoot. I mean, Ollie. I really appreciate it. I'll let you two know once I figure out everyone's schedules."
Ollie nodded in delight. "Now, what can I do for you my dear?" He asked.
"Well, I just recieved a call from Elder Kettle. I didn't answer because I was working on some stat orders." Kyler said.
"Whooo?" Ollie responded in curiousity. "He never calls you at work. It must be very important."
Kyler shrugged. "It must be. I know I just came back from break, but I was wondering if I could call him back, just to make sure everything is all right."
Ollied nodded his head. "Of course. Don't worry about the stat orders. I will take care of them."
Kyler smiled at him in relief. "Thank you Ollie. I promise this won't take long."
"Oh, no. Take all the time you need." He felt it was only fair to offer Kyler that curtousy. She was after all, one of his best employees. Kyler excused herself and went to call Elder Kettle. She decided to go out to her car and call him in case they both needed privacy.
He answered the minute she dialed. "Kyler! Thank god I was able to reach you!"
Now Kyler was really worried. There was a panic in his voice that she never heard before. "Elder Kettle, what's wrong? Are you in danger?"
"No Kyler, I'm fine. It's...it's Cuphead and Mugman."
Kyler felt her blood run cold. "What happened? Are they hurt? Are they at home? Where are they?" She couldn't stop asking Elder Kettle questions. The whole scenario scared her.
"Kyler, I need you to take a deep breath and prepare yourself for what I'm about to tell you. Cuphead and Mugman had gone out to the city. That was a few days ago."
As Elder Kettle instructed, Kyler took a deep breath, but she was having difficulty keeping her voice from trembling. "They...they never came home?" She whispered, fearing the answer she was about to recieve.
"No, they didn't. They just seemed to disappear. I was hoping you may have seen them. I'm very worried about them."
Kyler took a couple more deep breaths as she tried to remain calm. "No, no I haven't. But I'll try to help as best I can. Did they ever tell you where they were going, or does anyone know where they were last seen?"
"They only told me that they were going to the city. They wouldn't tell me where exaclty they were going. However..." He trailed off.
"What? Tell me!" Kyler begged.
"Some of the folks I've spoken to said they saw them heading toward the casino."
Kyler almost dropped her phone. "They saw them heading where?!" Her voice was filled with both anger and fear.
"I know, Kyler. I'm just as angry as you are. Those boys promised you they would not do that. The thought of them breaking it makes my kettle boil." Elder Kettle assured her.
Kyler laid her head against the steering wheel. Tears were welling in her eyes, and she felt as if the world around her was spinning. After gathering her wits, she finally spoke. "I... I have to go get them."
"No Kyler! I can't ask you to do that! It's too dangerous!" Now Elder Kettle sounded like he was about to cry.
"I have to at least try. As far as I'm concerned, they're my brothers. I would do anything for them. Anything."
"I understand my dear." Elder Kettle said. "But what can you possibly do? This is the Devil's Casino we're talking about."
Kyler thought for a moment. Then an idea struck her. "King Dice." she murmered.
"I... I don't understand." Elder Kettle responded.
"King Dice. The casino's manager. He and I got along really well the night we met. He might be able to help me."
"Kyler, I really don't know about this. You might be putting yourself in harm's way."
"I don't care!" Kyler cried out. "Cuphead and Mugman are very precious to me! And I know you feel the same way about them. I'm going to go get them."
Elder Kettle was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "Is there anything I can say that will change your mind?"
"No." There was a steel determination in Kyler's voice.
He sighed. "All right. If you really want to go after Cuphead and Mugman, then I won't stop you. But Kyler?"
"Yes?"
"Be very, very careful. If anything happens to you, I will blame myself."
"This is my decision Elder Kettle. I can't expect you to accept responsibility for what happens to me." Kyler told him.
"You are very wise beyond your years my dear. Whatever happens, I know you will make the right choice, and make sure that your brothers return home safely."
Kyler nodded. "I will Elder Kettle. I love you...so much."
"I love you too Kyler. Take care, and good luck."
They hung up, and Kyler laid back against her car seat and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She knew what she was doing was risky, and she could be entering a dangerous situation. But if it meant saving Cuphead and Mugman, she was willing to do it. Nodding to herself with newfound determination, she got out of the car and headed back into the hospital, down the hall, up the elevator, and back to the pharmacist lab.
Ollie knew something was wrong the minute he saw Kyler's face. She was white as a sheet and looked as if she was about to pass out. He walked over to her (or rather, waddled) and reached up to place a wing on her shoulder. "Let's go to my office." He said. She nodded, and they both headed into the small room that was located in a corner of the lab. After closing the door, Kyler sat down in one of the chairs while Ollie hopped up on the pearch that was behind his desk.
"What's going on?" He asked. Kyler told him everything, how Cuphead and Mugman had gone missing a couple days ago, that locals last saw them heading for the casino, and what she planned to do. "I know it's very risky, but I don't think I have any other choice." She concluded.
Ollie was just as concerned as Elder Kettle, but he knew nothing he said would stop Kyler. "Whooo, I understand." He said. "You need to do what is best for your family. In fact, you should head over there right now."
"But I can't just leave in the middle of work." Kyler protested.
"Now, don't you concern yourself about that. I will find someone to cover for you. Technically, this is a family emergency."
Kyler gave Ollie a grateful smile. "Thank you so much. I really appreciate your understanding of the severity of the situation."
Ollie nodded. "Trust me, you're not the only one who has been affected by this casino. It's ruined so many lives and torn families apart. Hopefully, this is not one of those cases."
"I hope not either." Kyler said as she stood up. "I'll make sure to get back to you once I find them."
"Take as long as you need." Ollie said.
Kyler thanked him again and proceeded to walk out the office.
"And Kyler?" She stopped, her hand resting on the door knob. "Good luck."
Kyler nodded and took off. Ollie was hoping that he would see her smiling face again.
She didn't think it would be wise to go to the casino in her uniform, so Kyler stopped by the locker room to change her clothes. Then she walked out to the parking lot, got into her silver Lexus, and started driving toward the casino as quickly as possible
Hang on little brothers. I'm coming.
"No sir. For the last time, we do not refund patrons who did not win anything in the slot machines. That is why they are referred to as games of chance. You take the chance to win or lose money. Well, if it bothers you that much, then you can talk to my superior. Uh-huh. Yeah, didn't think so pal." Irritated, King Dice hung up the phone and went back to doing some paper work. He just couldn't get over how stupid some people could be. Just as he finished, there was a knock on his office door. "Come in." He said without looking up.
Rocco entered the office and walked over to King Dice's large cherry wood desk. "Hey Rocco. Need somethin'?" He frowned when he looked up and saw what appeared to be a smirk on Rocco's face. "What's with that grin?"
Rocco chuckled in a somewhat maschivious manner. "I don't need anything, but there's a certain dame out front who does. A silver-haired, purple-eyed someone, I might add."
King Dice's entire face immediately lit up. "You're kidding! You mean to tell me...?"
"That's right." Rocco said with a wink. "Kyler's here, and she's lookin' for ya."
Grinning from ear to ear, King Dice excitedly got out of his chair and put his tailcoat on. He then walked over to a nearby mirror, straitening his bow tie and smoothing his mustache. He even checked to make sure there was nothing stuck between his teeth.
Rocco laughed as he watched his boss fuss over himself. "You're really head over heels for that gal, arne't ya?"
"Who wouldn't be? She's a knockout! Don't tell me you don't find her the least bit attractive." Kind Dice said as he removed some lint from his shoulder.
Rocco looked thoughtful. "She's a cutie, but I'm more interested in her friend Leann. I've always had a thing for brunettes."
"Well, if she likes green-skinned guys with blue hair and red eyes, then you definetly will have a chance with her. In other words, you better hope she's into kinky stuff." He teased.
Rocco gave his boss the bird. King Dice never missed a chance to point out that Rocco was an alien from another planet.
"Yeah, same to you pal." King Dice said as he flipped Rocco off in return. "Anyway, how do I look?" He asked as he held out his arms to his sides.
Rocco whistled. "Like a suave guy that any girl would want to bang her."
King Dice rolled his eyes. "Guess I asked for that after giving you hell. So, where is she?"
"At the bar. I told her to wait there while I went to get you." Rocco said.
"Well, let's not make her wait any longer." King Dice closed the door to his office and eagerly started heading toward the bar, with Rocco following right behind him.
As Rocco had promised, Kyler was sitting at the bar, nervously drumming her nails against the sleek counter. Like before, she was wearing a white knee-length skirt, but this time, she was wearing a long-sleeved royal blue top with a modest v-neck. King Dice absolutely loved the color on her. It really complimented her eyes and hair. He was even more delighted when she looked in his direction and seemed eager to see him. She stood up from her seat, and like before, he took a hold of her hand and gave it a kiss.
"Kyler! It's so good to see your lovely face again!" He exclaimed.
She gave him a nervous smile. "It's good to see you too."
"So, have you come to try your luck again? Or would you care for another dance with me? I can put in a request with the band." King Dice was so excited to see her, he couldn't stop himself from going off.
Kyler shook her head.
"No? Then perhaps a drink? We can just sit and chat."
Once again, Kyler shook her head. She was about to speak, but King Dice spoke again before she had a chance.
"Then perhaps a show. The vaudeville dance girls here put on quite a performance. Wait, you might not be into that. The magic show is something to see. I've hired Inkwell's best magicians. Oh! Maybe you'd like to meet my stage manager and talk about that part-time job as a singer."
Finally, Kyler was able to cut in. "King Dice, I'm sorry, but I'm not here for pleasure. I actually came here to talk to you."
He stopped his yammering and gave her a polite smile. "Sorry. I didn't mean to talk your head off there. I'm just so happy to see you."
Kyler gave him a reassuring nod. "No, no. It's fine. I'm flattered that my being here makes you happy."
He smiled at her and chuckled "So, Rocco said you were looking for me. Something I can do for you?"
"Yes, there is. You see, my younger brothers went missing a few nights ago. Well, they're not actually my biological brothers. They're grandfather took me in when...um, well, they're like family to me. Anyway, some of the locals claimed they saw them heading here to the casino, and I was wondering if you might've seen them."
King Dice raised his eyebrows in interest. "Didn't know you had any siblings. Well, ones who you consider close enough to be your siblings. It's really nice to have people care about you that much." He had a faraway look in his eye that Kyler couldn't quite place. As quickly as it had happened, he shook his head and cleared his throat. "Ahem, anyway. We get a lot of patrons through here. Maybe if you gave me a description of them, I might be able to help."
Kyler nodded. "Okay. They're both toons, about yay high, and they'r names are Cuphead and wears red shorts, and Mugman wears blue ones. And they each have a cup for a head with straws in them."
King Dice couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kyler had just described the two mugs that were on a roll at the Craps table the other night. That's what they meant when they said I was making goo-goo eyes at their sister. He thought. They were talking about Kyler. He felt a sudden pang in his stomach. He had basically played a role in encouraging her brothers to bet their souls with the Devil. If he told her everything that had happened, she would be furious with him. He didn't want that.
He scratched his chin in thought. "Cuphead and Mugman...hmm. I'm sorry Kyler. I can't say I've seen any guys around here by those names."
"Oh." Kyler looked down in disappointment. Her downcast expression just about killed King Dice.
"But don't stop with me. My boss, the owner of this casino, might be able to help you. In fact, I'm confident he can."
Kyler immediately looked up at him in anticipation. "Really? He can?"
"Yup." King Dice nodded with a smile. "In fact, I can take you to him right now."
Kyler looked a little uncertain. "He won't mind if I bother him?"
"Not at all. In fact, I told him all about you, and he really wants to meet you."
"He...he does?" Now Kyler was a bit nervous. This was the Devil they were talking about, after all. Still, if it meant finding Cuphead and Mugman, then she knew it might be the best lead. "Well, all right then. If it's really okay. I really appreciate your help. It means a lot to me."
King Dice felt a mixture of happiness and guilt. He felt a little bad not being completely honest with her, but it wasn't like he was outright lying. It was true that he was expected to egg patrons on to the point where they will take the Devil's bets. But once they do, even King Dice didn't know what became of them afterwards. Sometimes they became the Devil's pawns, and other times their souls just wandered his domain in agony. He hoped that whatever happened to the two mugs, it wouldn't be anything too bad. "All right then. His office is back this way."
King Dice started to head toward the back of the casino, and Kyler followed him. After making their way through the main area where all the games were, he and Kyler took a right and walked down the hall, past the elevators that lead to the guest rooms, and to the end where there was a red door with a demonic goat on it. King Dice produced a set of keys from his coat pocket, found the right one, and unlocked the door. "Despite being the Devil, my boss really values his privacy, so he prefers his office to be in an area where only I have access." King Dice told Kyler when he saw the quizzical look on her face. He opened the door and gestered for her to follow him inside. She gulped and did just that.
The area they entered was another long hallway. There appeared to be a red glow emitting all over the place, and it was very warm. The walls were adorned with paintings of everything that would represent gambling, from Fabulous Las Vegas to showgirls wearing skimpy outfits. On each side of the long red carpet that adorned the hallway were gigantic black and white chess pieces. However, they weren't the traditional type of pieces one might normally see on a chess board. They appeared to be different types of demons. Kyler recognized Bile, an eons-old Celtic god of Hell, and Damballa, who was an evil voodoo serpent god. As they passed a chess piece that was in the form of Asmodeus, who happened to be an ancient Hebrew devil of sensuality, it's clawed hand suddenly reached out and grazed Kyler's breasts. She gave a startled shriek, and King Dice immediately pulled her away from the protruding hand.
"Get back you goddamn perv! Go on, get!" He snapped at the piece, and it placed its hand back into it's original position, once again still as stone. He looked down at Kyler, who was clinging to him and trembling like a leaf. "Are you okay? I'm sorry. I forgot to warn you that these things spring to life every now and then. That was my fault."
Kyler gave a shaky nod. "I'm...I'm fine. It just startled me, that's all."
King Dice gave her a concerned look. She was still clinging to him and trembling. "Do you wanna go back? You don't have to do this, you know."
She shook her head vigerously. "I...have to see your boss. He might be the only one who can help me find my brothers." She suddenly realized that she was not only clinging onto King Dice, but he was holding her as well. She immediately jumped away from him, her face terribly flushed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to grab onto you like that."
King Dice chuckled at her adorable reaction. He couldn't deny that he actually enjoyed that brief and somewhat intimate moment between them. "It's all right. You were scared, so I can understand. Anyway, do you want to continue?" She nodded, and they resumed their walk down the long hallway. Eventally, they arrived at a large black iron door that was adorned with human and toon faces that appeared to be in agony. Kyler felt her heart going a thousand miles a minute. She hoped those were not actual souls of individuals who lost their bets.
King Dice used the large door knocker to knock on the door. "Yeah, what is it Dice? I'm pretty busy right now." boomed a sinister voice that sent shivers down Kyler's spine.
"Sorry to bother you boss, but remember the beautiful gal from the other night I was telliing you about? She's here. And she wants to see you." King Dice responded.
An equally sinister chuckle emitted from the other side of the door. "That so? Well in that case, come right on in. Even I know it's rude to deny a lady her request."
The door slowly swung open, and King Dice stepped inside, with Kyler timidly following closely behind him. Once inside, she nervously took in her surroundings. The room they were in was very large and had the same red glow as the hallway, only it was dimmer and a bit more hot. The Devil himself was sitting in a large, cusioned, thrown-like chair behind an even larger shiny black desk. Behind him was a large vault that was where, Kyler figured, the casino's money was kept. All the walls were completely covered by large red drapes, and they seemed to fit around the vault perfectly, as if the Devil did not want anyone to see what they were hiding.
The Devil, who was holding a cigar in his hand, gave both Kyler and King Dice a wide grin. "Dice, you sneaky bastard. You didn't did tell me she was this gorgous."
King Dice smirked and gave a shrug. "I told you that words couldn't describe how beautiful she was."
The Devil chuckled, and his eyes fell on Kyler, who was standing closely behind King Dice and peeking around him in fear. "Aww, don't be shy little kitten. Why don't you come on out from behind my manager so I can see that pretty little face of yours?"
Kyler glanced anxiously at King Dice, who smiled gently and put his hand reassurangly on her shoulder. "It's okay sweetie." He said softly. She tentatively started walking toward the Devil, who was holding out his large, furry hand toward her.
"Atta girl. Come right on over. I won't bite." Eventually, Kyler made it to his desk and hesitently reached out to shake his hand. She gasped as he jerked her toward him so he could get a better look at her. He murmered in approval as he stroked her hand with his thumb. "It's nice to finally meet you. I was afraid Dice would try to keep you all to himself."
Kyler did her very best to sound confident, despite her shaky voice. "It's.. it's nice to meet you too s-sir." She tried to pull back from the Devil, but he kept a firm grasp on her hand, taking in every part of her with what appeared to be lust-filled eyes. She gulped. "Uh...um...would you mind...letting go of...?"
"Eh? Whoops, sorry." he laughed as he released his grip on her hand. "Guess I got a little distracted."
King Dice laughed along with his boss. "Don't be alarmed Kyler. He always acts that way around beautiful girls."
Kyler did her best to smile, but it was hard. She was really uncomfortable with the whole situation. "Th-thank you. That's very kind of you guys...uh... to say." She nervously rubbed her upper arm.
The Devil gave her a toothy grin and took a puff of his cigar. "So, what can I do for you sweet cheeks?"
Kyler swallowed hard before she spoke. "Um...well, you s-see sir. My two brothers were here a couple of nights ago, and...and they haven't been home since then. King Dice said you might know about their...their whereabouts." The Devil was so intimidating, she has having difficulty not stuttering.
The Devil was quiet for a moment, as if collecting his thoughts. "Your brothers, huh? Dice never mentioned you had any siblings."
"Oh! W-well, you see s-sir. I never told him. And...and they're not m-my biological brothers. I w-was taken in by their grandfather, and h-he raised me. S-so, we're like family..." she trailed off for a moment before continuing. "A-anyway. I j-just wanted to know if...if they were here."
Again, the Devil was quiet. Eventually, he spoke up. "They may have been here." he responed with a nod. And with that, he snapped his fingers, and Kyler jumped as a large, leather bound book appeared out of nowhere and landed with a heavy thud on the desk. King Dice jumped a little as well, but he managed to play it cool, so neither Kyler nor the Devil noticed. "Now, what are your brothers' names?" He asked her.
"Their names are Cuphead and Mugman." Kyler told him.
The Devil couldn't help but be surprised. Those little mugs are this gorgous gal's family? He thought. That explains why she indicated they weren't biological. No way that toony family could produce a sex kitten like her. He shrugged off the thought and flipped through the pages of the book. "Cuphead...Mugman..." He murmered to himself. "Ah, yes! Here we are. Yup, they visited the casino a few nights ago. In fact, they're still here."
Kyler felt her heart leap with joy. She gave King Dice a relieved look, who smiled back at her. "See? I knew my boss would be able to help you out."
She nodded and excitedly turned back to the Devil. "Well, are they staying here as guests? What's their room number?"
The Devil's grin did not falter as he took another puff of his cigar and manipulated the smoke to curl around his sharp teeth. "Unfortunately sweetheart, that's not the case."
The relief Kyler initially felt faded as quickly as it had come. "W-what do you mean by unfortunately?" She asked him in a trembling voice.
"It's quite simple. You see, your...ahem, brothers, as you call them, initially came here with the intent to win enough money to pay off your student loans and interest rates. They both got involved in a round at the Craps table and were doing quite well. Their streak caught my attention, so I made them a deal."
"A-a deal?" What Kyler feared the most had happened, and she really didn't want to here anymore. Despite herself, she allowed the Devil to continue.
"That' right." The Devil responded. "I told them that if they won just one more round, I would pay off all of your debt."
Kyler swallowed hard and nodded. "I heard...about your deals. I know how they work. You prey on those who are on a winning streak, and make them an offer they can't refuse. And...and if they l-lose against you. their souls..." She couldn't even finish. It was difficult to form the words around the lump that was rising in her throat.
The Devil leaned closer to Kyler. "You're just as observant as Dice said you were. I'm impressed. Well, as I was saying, they took the bet. Or rather, the one called Cuphead did. And sadly, they lost."
At this point, Kyler's bottom lip began to quiver, and tears were starting to form in her eyes, but she worked hard to stay strong and fought them back. "So...wh-where are they?" She chocked.
The Devil's grin grew wider, and his eyes started to glow red with anticipation. "You really wanna know? All right then. Don't say I didn't warn ya dollface." That being said, he snapped his fingers again, and a long, thick golden tasseled chord lowered from the high ceiling. Then he reached up, gave it a tug, and the thick, red drapes surrounding the walls parted.
To say Kyler was in shock at what she witnessed would be an understatement. Hidden behind the drapes were walls that were actually made of thick glass. Behind the glass were thousands upon thousands of disembodied and translucent, floating entities, all human and toon alike. They couldn't be heard, but words weren't needed to describe the agony in their faces. Whimpering, Kyler eventually turned her head to her left...and screamed.
Floating among the other entities were Cuphead and Mugman. They were in just as much agony as the others.
"Nooooooooooooooooooo!" Kyler ran over to the glass window where her brothers' souls were and started pounding on it in desperation. "Please god, no!" The tears that she had been trying to hold back began to flow, and she watched helplessly as they floated in a zombie-like state. Even if they could see Kyler, they probably wouldn't be able to recognize her. With one hand still on the glass, she covered her mouth with the other. This isn't really happening. It has to be a nightmare. She thought.
Distraught, she ran back to the Devil's desk. "Please. Please let them go." She begged him. "They-they didn't know what they were doing."
The Devil shook his head. "Sorry sweet cheeks. There ain't nothin' I can do. Once the bet is made, I always hold up my end of the deal."
Kyler did her best to continue talking as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "But-but there must be something you can do! You're the owner of this...this hell hole! You can do whatever you want! Please, I can't lose them! They're my family!"
Unfortunately, her pleas did not sway the Devil in the slightest. "Like I said, nothin' can be done. If I welched out of one bet, then I'd have to welch out of all of them. That just ain't how it works around here. Your brothers took the bet, and they have to hold up their end of the deal. I'm afraid they're stuck here for all eternity."
It was more than Kyler could take. Distraught with grief, she sunk to her knees with her face in her hands and sobbed.
During the whole episode, King Dice had been quietly observing from the side. It broke his heart to see Kyler in such a state, and he wanted to do everything in his power to make things better for her. He kneeled down next to her crying form and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Aw, boss. There must be something you can do. I mean, just look at her. Can't you make an exception just this once?"
The Devil stroked his chin in thought. "Hmmm...now that I really think about it, perhaps there is something I can do after all."
King Dice smiled and nodded in relief. "Hey, you hear that Kyler?" He said as he soothingly rubbed her arm. "My boss just said he might be able to help you after all."
Still crying, Kyler looked up at the Devil with red, puffy eyes. "R-really? You-you'll l-let them go?"
The Devil gave her the same sinister grin. "Well, in a sense. You and I need to discuss some terms first."
With King Dice's assistance, Kyler rose to her feet, and she approached his desk again. "Whatever needs to be done, I'll do it. I promise, I'll do anything."
"Good."With that last statement, the Devil gestered toward a large, cusioned chair across from him. "Now then, have a seat my dear."
King Dice led Kyler to the chair, and she slowly sat down.
"So, here's the deal. I will release your brothers' souls and they can return to their normal lives. In exchange, you have to give me something of equal value." The Devil explained to her.
Kyler's eyes widened. "Something...that is of equal value to their souls?"e two boys that she considered family? It couldn't be anything of monetary value. The Devil had plenty of that. And he probably had no use for jewelry or clothing. Think Kyler! Think really hard! she told herself.
The Devil nodded. "That is correct. If you really think about it, I'm sure you will come up with something."
Kyler wasn't sure what the Devil meant by that. What could she possibly have that could equate to the souls of thAnd then an idea hit her. It was crazy, but it was a possibility. After some consideration, she looked the Devil straight in the eye. "What if... I took their places?"
"Kyler!" King Dice was stunned. She couldn't possibly be thinking what he was afraid she was thinking.
The Devil was a little surprised himself. He frowned. "Am I hearing this correctly sweetheart? Are you actually considering exchanging your own soul for your brothers' freedom? Of your own free will?" He asked her with raised eyebrows.
Kyler took a shaky breath and nodded her head. "Yes. If it means my brothers can be spared, then I will do it. I will give you my soul."
The Devil tapped his finger against his desk in thought as Kyler's offer sunk in. Never in all his years of being on this planet did he ever, ever receive such an offer. She's either really brave or really stupid. He thought. He glanced at King Dice, who was shaking his head vigorously and mothing the word "no" over and over again.
Eventually, he smirked and finally spoke up, "I have to admit, even I'm shocked that you would make such an offer. And I could take it up in a snap. There's just one little problem."
"What? What more could you want? Nothing is worth more than the safety of my brothers, but that is probably the best I can do! What do I have to do to make you understand that?!" Kyler yelled as she slammed her small hand against the desk. At this point, she was not even trying to hide her frustration.
The Devil couldn't help but chuckle. She looked so cute when she was mad. He reached out and gently patted her hand. "Now, now my pet. Don't get excited. I only meant that I Iike ya, and taking your soul just so it wanders around in agony for all eternity...well, that's just a little too cruel. Even for me. So, instead of your soul, I'll be happy to release your brothers in exchange for something else."
"And what would that be?" Kyler asked him in a more calm, but still fear-filled voice.
The Devil gave her that all too familiear sinister grin. "Your freedom."
It felt asif her heart had stopped. "What do you mean by that?"
"Simple." The Devil said. "In exchange for your brothers' freedom, I will take yours. In short, you will work here at the casino under King Dice's management. How does that sound to you?" He asked his manager.
A wide grin spread across King Dice's face, and he nodded. He couldn't hide his enthusiasm. "I'm all for that idea boss." He turned to Kyler. "That job as a singer? I can convince my stage manager to make it full-time. And you will be making just as much as you did at your current job, probably even more."
Smiling nervously, Kyler nodded in agreement. "Okay." she said softly. "So I just have to work here at the casino. That's not so bad." She turned back to the Devil. "When do I start? And will my brother's be released right away?"
The Devil held up his hand. "Hold on kitten. I'm not quite finished yet."
Kyler's heart started to pound even harder than it was before. "Th-there's more?"
The Devil gave her a slow nod. "You know how this city is divided in half by those tracks? The ones the Phantom Train runs on?
Wordlessly, Kyler nodded.
"As one of my employees, you can go anywhere on this side of the tracks. Anywhere at all. But you cannot go beyond those tracks. And as for your family and friends...well, they'd probably try to interfere with your new lifestyle."
Kyler felt tears welling up in her eyes again. "You mean... I can't go home? I can never see my family or friends again?"
For the first time, the Devil looked at Kyler very, very seriously. "You got it. And consider what I'm about to tell you a warning. If you even set one foot beyond those tracks or try to get in contact with your family and friends, that is considered a breach of your contract, and I will reclaim your brothers' souls. You will never, ever be able to strike another deal with me to release them again. Do I make myself clear?"
The tears started to flow down her cheeks. Kyler knew she was really stuck. If she refused to take the Devil's offer, she would continue to live her life as normal and Cuphead and Mugman would be his prisoners forever. If she accepted it, Cuphead and Mugman would go free, but she would never be able to see them again. Or Elder Kettle. Or Leann and Arisa and Dr. Hoot and Mrs. Hoot.
She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked up at the Devil. "Is it..is it possible that I can see my friends and family if they came to visit me? Say, if they decided to come here to the casino or explore the city on the other side of the tracks? After all, they're not obligated to follow the terms of our agreement.
"Touche Kyler." King Dice complimented her with a wink.
"Shut up Dice." The Devil thought about what she said for a moment. "You sure do drive a hard bargain. My manager wasn't kidding what he said you were really intelligent. But if you promise to remain here as a loyal employee, no matter what your friends or family say.."
"Oh, I do! You have my word!" Kyler was so desperate, she would promise him anything.
The Devil gave her a toothy grin. "All right then. I accept your terms. You stay here as an employee and resident of Inkwell Hell, and I will not only release your brothers' souls, but I will allow your friends and family to visit you. However, I still stand by what I said about you never crossing the other side of those tracks. Do we have a deal?" he extended his hand.
Kyler was a little hesitant, but she took ahold of his large hand and shook it. "We have...a deal." she said in a shaky voice. Even though her family and friends could come and see her anytime they wanted, she would never be able to see them of her own free will. But it really was the best choice.
"Excellent!" Now then.." He took a long drag on his cigar and blew out a bunch of smoke. The smoke itself began to take shape of something. When the Devil reached up to grab it, the smoke materialized into a rolled up parchement. He unrolled it onto the desk, and Kyler could see unintelligable writing scrawled all over it, not doubting that it was some santanic language. At the very bottom was a line with a letter x next to it. She assumed that was where she had to sign.
"Is..is this my contract?" She asked the Devil nervously, and he nodded. "All right then. Um...I'm afraid I don't have a pen on me. Do you have one King Dice?"
"That won't be neccissary." Both Kyler and King Dice saw that the Devil had produced an old fasioned ink pen, the kind that was dipped in an ink pot and normally used for calligraphy. "So, which is your dominant hand?"
"Uh, I'm right handed. Do you have an ink pot?" She asked as she reached for the pen.
The Devil's eyes glowed red with glee. "Did I say it needed ink?" Without warning, he grabbed a hold of Kyler's wrist and jerked her toward him, nearly knocking her out of her chair.
She gave a startled gasp and squirmed in his grasp, but he held on to her tightly. "Ow! Wh-what are you doing?! Let me go!"
"It's okay Kyler. It's part of the process. Just stay calm. It'll be over in a second." King Dice assured her as he soothingly rubbed her back.
"Extend your index finger." The Devil commanded.
Kyler was trembling violently. "But-"
"DO IT!" His eyes flared an even brighter red.
Whimpering, Kyler did as she was told.
The bright glow in the Devil's eyes dimmed down as he smiled at her. "That's a good girl. As long as you do what you're told, everything will be fine. Now hold still. This is going to sting."Kyler cried out in pain as the Devil pressed the tip of the pen into her finger until a trickle of blood started to ooze out of it. "Press your finger against the line on the contract."
As tears rolled down her cheeks, Kyler pressed her bleeding finger against the parchment. The Devil released his grip on her, and when she immediately pulled back from him, her signiture appeared on the line in her own blood.
In an instant, the Devil rolled up the contract, and it disappeared into thin air. "Welcome aboard little kitten. We are pleased to have you as one of our very own."He said to her with a smug grin.
Kyler was in absolute shock. She could not believe what she had just done. Cuphead and Mugman were free, but she was now officially the Devil's prisoner. She was so distraught, that she didn't even notice that King Dice had taken ahold of her hand and placed her bleeding finger into his mouth. She jumped as she felt his tongue curl around the wound, and she pulled her hand back instinctivelly.
King Dice gave her a rather sheepish smile. "Sorry about that. I didn't like seeing you in pain, so I thought I could help make it better by stopping the blood flow."
Kyler didn't say anything. All she could do was look at him in disbalief. She really didn't like what he just did.
Enjoying the show that was taking place before him, the Devil leaned back in his chair. "Well, that takes care of just about everything. You're brothers are free to go, and y ou can start-"
"Where are they?!" Kyler stood up and was looking at the Devil with a desperate look in her eyes.
"Eh?"The Devil scowled and raised an eyebrow. He was somewhat annoyed that she interrupted him. "Oh, the little mugs? They're probably right by the train tracks. The Phantom Train will be taking them back to where they belong-" He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence. Kyler had made a dash for the office door and was already halfway down the hallway.
Irritated, the Devil sucked his teeth and took another puff of his cigar. "She's may be cute, but she's really impatient. You're going to have to help her improve on that."He said to his manager
"Y-yeah." King Dice was only half-listening to what his boss was saying. As much as he was excited about all the time he'd get to spend with Kyler, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about the situation. When he first met her, she seemed so calm and collected, despite her shyness. But after witnessing how she reacted to almost losing her close friends, he saw a fragility about her that left him concerned. Exactly how much did he care for her to worry this much?
His distant stance did not go unnoticed by the Devil. "Hey, you listening to me here? What's with you?"
King Dice shook his head and managed to give his boss his usual smug grin. "Nothing, nothing. Just thinking about how much fun it's going to be to have Kyler working here by my side."
The Devil gave his manager a sly smirk. "I bet you were. Though, if you find you are having difficulty...breaking her in, I'll be happy to help. If you know what I mean." He teased with a wink of his eye.
The last statement made King Dice uncomfortable, but he was able to hide it successfully. After all, it was part of his job to put on a poker face. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, I should probably go after her. Just to make sure she doesn't try anything crazy, ya know?"
The Devil nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she's pretty freaked out right now. Probably best not to leave her alone. In fact, why don't you take the rest of the evening off? You can help her get settled in."
King Dice gave his boss a polite bow, then he turned and left the office, closing the door behind him. The Devil leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs on his desk, and continued to enjoy his cigar. He had a feeling he and King Dice were going to really enjoy having this new girl around.
Kyler was in such a hurry to get to Cuphead and Mugman, that she actually tripped a few times on the way out. Back down the hallway, past the elevators, and through the front lobby and out the entrance she went. She had never run so fast in her life. All she wanted was a chance to see her brothers again before they left. She didn't even care that all the people and toons she had passed on the way were staring at her. Eventually, she made it to the cave entrance and burst out the other side of it. She came to a stop when she saw something that made her heart leap with joy.
There they were by the railroad tracks, as the Devil had promised. They looked very confused, but they were all right.
"Cuphead! Mugman!" Kyler yelled as she ran over to them.
"Kyler? Kyler!" The duo ran over to her as she dropped to her knees with her arms outstretched. All three of them hugged each other tightly as they cried tears of joy. "Oh Kyler, we're so sorry! We broke our promise! Please don't be mad at us for keeps!" Cuphead and Mugman begged as they sobbed on her shoulders.
"It's okay. I'm not mad. All that matters is that you two are safe." Kyler was just happy to be holding her brothers in her arms again.
After a few moments, Cuphead and Mugman broke away from Kyler, both of them sniffling like crazy. "We-we just wanted to win enough money to help you pay off your student loans." Mugman hiccuped.
"And then the Devil made a really good offer. and we took it-I mean, I took it. Mugman had nothing to do with it. It's my fault we got ourselves into this mess." Cuphead looked down in shame.
Mugman shook his head. "It's just as much my fault too. I encouraged Cuphead to keep playing."
Kyler put a finger on each of the brothers' mouths and smiled through her tears. "I know. The Devil explained everything." She told them softly. "But everything's all right now. He let you guys go."
Cuphead and Mugman exchanged looks. They don't know why the Devil released their souls, but they figured Kyler had a good explanation. And they knew that this wasn't the place to discuss it. They each took a hold of her hands and started to tug. "Come on Kyler. We need to get out of here. You can tell us everything back at the tree house." They started to walk, but stopped when Kyler didn't move. Their eyes widened when her eyes filled with tears again. Only this time, she wasn't smiling.
"Kyler? Hey, what's wrong?" Mugman asked her in a very concerned voice.
"Yeah, why're you crying? You said the Devil will let us go home." Cuphead added.
Kyler had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself before she could answer. "You guys can go home. But I can't."
Both brothers were sure they heard her wrong. "Wh-what do ya mean you can't go home with us? You can't stay here!" Cuphead exclaimed, and Mugman nodded in agreement.
Kyler took both their hands in hers and held them close to her heart. "Guys, I had to make a deal with the Devil."
Stunned, Cuphead and Mugman shook their heads in disbelief. "No..." They whispered.
"In exchange for your freedom, I had to sacrifice my own-." Kyler continued to explain to them.
"No." They said once again.
"I'm going to work here at the casino, and I cannot go beyond the tracks. I have to stay on this side of the city. If I don't, the Devil will reclaim your souls, and there will never be another chance to free you two again."
Cuphead and Mugman began to cry as they shook their heads vigerously.
Grief stricken, Kyler put both her hands on each brothers' cheek. "I know it sounds bad." She said in a shacky voice as she cried along with them. "But it really isn't. You guys can come visit me anytime you want. And Elder Kettle and Leann and Arisa and all our other friends too. It won't be any different than the life we had before."
"No, no, no!" Cuphead and Mugman both screamed in unison as they threw themselves on Kyler.
"You can't make yourself suffer because of a stupid mistake we made! That's not fair!" Cuphead whined.
"Yeah! You can't stay here Kyler! You just can't!" Mugman whined as well.
Kyler hugged her two brothers tightly. "I know. This is going to be hard for all of us. But I'll make it work. I promise."
At that very moment, both Cuphead and Mugman looked up and saw King Dice standing behind them. Neither they nor Kyler realized that he had been watching them the whole time.
"You.." Mugman said through gritted teeth. He ran up to King Dice with an angry look on his face, his little hands balled into fists. "You said something to her, didn't you?"
"Yeah!" Cuphead had joined his brother with the same rage-induced expression. "I'll bet you told her to make that deal!"
King Dice raised his hands in defense. "Woah, woah, woah." He said. "I had nothing to do with any of this."
"Like hell you didn't!" Both brothers were ready to jump him, but they stopped when Kyler laid a hand on each boys' shoulder.
"Guys, guys. King Dice is telling the truth. The decision was mine and mine alone. Don't blame him for any of this." She told them.
King Dice smiled at all three of them in relief. "There, you see? Your sister was the one who decided to take the Devil's offer. And I think she was very brave to do that. You should be proud of her. I know I would be."
Before either Cuphead and Mugman could respond, the Phantom Train had pulled up to the cave entrance and came to a screetching halt.
"Well, it looks like it's time for yout two little mugs to get going. And remember what Kyler said. You can come visit her anytime at all. Except when she's working, of course." King Dice said with a wink.
Mugmand and Cuphead gave him a dirty look before turning to their sister. "No Kyler! We're not gonna leave ya here!"
Kyler smiled at them sadly. "I'm afraid you'll have to for now. Here. I-I'll walk with you to the train." She took ahold of Cuphead and Mugman's hand and the three of them started heading for the Phantom Train. She was starting to lose her composure at this point, so she figured that the sooner they left, the less time she could keep herself together. She didn't want to fall apart in front of them. That would only make things worse.
Despite their reluctance, Cuphead and Mugman got on the train and immediately ran to the open window so they could hold Kyler's hands. "Please don't do this Kyler. We love you too much." They begged her through their tears.
Kyler did her best to give them a reassuring smile. "I love you guys too. With all my heart. And I love Elder Kettle, Leann, Arisa and all our friends. But I promise that everything is going to be all right. I want you guys to continue being the fun-loving boys that I grew up with. And I'll be counting down the days that you all will come and see me."
Wordlessly, Cuphead and Mugman nodded, their faces stained with tears.
"Could you do something for me when you get home?" Kyler asked them.
"Anything!" The duo said.
"Tell Elder Kettle and everyone else why I'm here, and that I am fine. You'll do that for me, won't you?" She said.
Cuphead nodded. "We will. We will!"
"And don't worry Kyler. We're gonna find a way to get you out of this mess we got you in." Mugman said, and Cuphead nodded in agreement.
It was at that exact moment that the train's whistle blew, indicating that it was ready to go.
Kyler wanted to speak, but she just couldn't. All she could do was squeeze their hands and give them each a kiss on the cheek. Finally, she managed to choke out the words as the train started to pull away. "I love you guys very much. Be good, all right?"
"We love you too!" The brothers called after her, and she felt their hands slip out of hers as the train picked up speed. She watched in despair as it rounded a corner, and she couldn't see Mugman and Cuphead anymore.
The silence that followed was deafening. Kyler wrapped her arms around herself as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She suddenly felt very cold and alone. The feeling was brief, however, as she felt King Dice's arm around her shoulders.
"Hey now. Don't be so sad. Here." He produced a handkerchief from his coat pocket and handed it to her. "It breaks my heart to see those beautiful eyes of yours filled with tears. Come on now honey. Dry those eyes. That's it."
Kyler dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief and finally spoke without making eye contact with him. "I'm sorry King Dice, but would mind not touching me right now? I really don't feel like being comforted."
King Dice nodded and removed his arm from her shoulder. "I understand. You've just been through a traumatic experience."
Kyler shrugged. "It's not my first one." She said.
He wasn't sure what she meant by that, but decided it was best not tp press her for details. She was already in a frail enough state. After a brief moment of silence, he cleared his throat. "Well, it looks like it's about to get dark soon, and I'm sure you're very tired. The Devil gave me the rest of the evening off, so I can take you back to my place and help you get settled in."
For the first time since Cuphead and Mugman left, Kyler looked at him with a confused expression. "Your place? But I thought..." she glanced anxiously at the cave entrance, and King Dice followd her gaze.
"Ah. Well, I thought about setting up a room for you, but the other guests? Well, they can be a bit unpredictable, and the last thing I want to do is put you in an unsafe situation."
Kyler felt a bit unsure, but decided she should trust King Dice on his decision, since he knew the casino so well. "Thank you. That's very considerate." She spoke in a polite tone, but was unable to smile. It felt as if all her happiness left with Cuphead and Mugman.
King Dice smiled at her. "Don't mention it. Anything to help you feel welcome."
Nodding, Kyler wiped away the new tears she felt forming in her eyes. It was difficult for her to stop crying. King Dice noticed this and gave her a sympathetic sigh. "I understand you have your car, but you seem too distraught to drive. I had one of my guys take it back to my place. It can be parked in one of my garages." He gave a shrill whistle, and once again, Max showed up on command.
"One of your garages?" Kyler inquired as King Dice opened the back door for her. She climbed in, with King Dice following close behind her.
"That's right. I have about four or five cars, so I need more than one garage to house them." King Dice said as he sat down next to her. As soon as he did, Kyler scooted as far away from him as possible. He noticed that she had her arms folded closely to her and was laying her head against the window. Normally, when a girl he liked acted like this, King Dice would take the opportunity to get her comfortable with him. However, he decided that was not what Kyler needed right now and decided to give her some space.
"Where to boss?" Max asked over the radio.
"My place." King Dice told him.
Both he and Kyler heard Max give a sly laugh. "Bringing that cute little number you're all over home, are ya?"
His comment made Kyler whimper. King Dice didn't like that. He picked up a nearby ashtray and angrily tossed it at the radio. "Shut your bumper and just concentrate on driving. And don't say a word to Kyler. She's been through enough."
Max could be heard sucking his teeth over the radio. "Well, ain't we all touchy?" He said as he started to drive.
After a few moments of silence between them, King Dice began conversting with Kyler. "So, I figured you will want the whole day tomorrow to recover. I have to work, but there's a lot to do at my place. I have my own home theatre, a pool and jacuzzi, a large garden and, just recently, I had an indoor butterfly attrium built. I will take you in the following day to meet my stage manager as well as the other performers, and we will discuss what kind of shows you can do. And since I'm off during the weekends, I can take you out to look for a place to live. The upper class actually live on this side of the tracks, so you'll be able to find the fanciest and best condos and homes Inkwell has to offer. As one of the top paid employees, you can expect only the best. I'll also show you the best places to dine and shop, and where all the entertainment can be found. Other than the casino, of course."
He stopped his yammering and noticed that Kyler did not say a word the entire time they were on the road. She didn't even look at him. She just continued staring out the window with a blank expression and kept her arms crossed. It actually saddened him to see her looking so distraugt and lost. He hoped that with time, things will improve for Kyler, and she will be the same happy, smiling and somewhat shy young woman that he had first met that night.
Eventually, Max pulled up to a gated driveway. King Dice produced a remote control from his coat pocket and pressed a button. The gates opened, and Max drove up the long driveway and pulled in front of King Dice's large mansion, where his butler was waiting to welcome him and Kyler. He opened the door for King Dice. "Welcome home sir." He said in a polite and soft tone as King Dice got out and stretched.
"Thanks." King Dice turned and peeked into the limo. Kyler hadn't moved from her spot. "Kyler? This is my butler, Terrance. He's got your room all set up for you."
Terrance, who was a tall toon grasshopper dressed in typical butler attire, peeked into the limo as well. King Dice had spoken quite fondly of the woman who was named Kyler. From what Terrance had heard, she was a shy, but sweet and cheerful person who was always smiling and was very modest. Instead, he saw a small and meek woman sitting as far away from him and his employer as possible. Although she was just as beautiful as King Dice had described, she looked like a frightened puppy who did not want to leave the comforts of its cage. He decided it was best to approach her as carefully as possible.
"Miss Sharmain? If you will allow me." He exteneded his hand to her and waited patiently. Kyler looked at him for a moment. His voice was very warm and gentle in a grandfatherly way.
He's like Elder Kettle. she thought. His approach was comforting, so Kyler allowed Terrance to take her hand and help her out of the limo. Once she was out, she was able to finally take in her surroundings. The mansion was very large and beautiful. It was surrounded by large trees, and just as King Dice had mentioned, there was a beautiful garden to the left, while to the right was a glass building connected to the mansion. Kyler guessed that that was the butterfly attrium he was talking about. In the middle of the curved driveway was a large, ornate white marble water fountain that was adorned with greek figures.
"Shall I escort Miss Sharmain to her room? Or perhaps she can join you in the sitting room for tea before supper?" Terrance asked King Dice.
"Well, that's up to her." King Dice smiled at Kyler. "What would you like to do baby?"
Kyler shrugged. She was still reeling from the shock of the sudden change to her life. King Dice's pet names for her didn't help her feel any better either.
King Dice sighed and glanced at Terrance. "Probably best for her to go to her room right now. She's been through quite a lot."
"Very good sir. If you will follow me madame." He turned toward the front entrance, and Kyler started to follow him up the wide marbled stairs.
Max snickered. "Hey, looks like meeting those little mugs worked out better for you than you thought boss. The Devil rewarded ya with this beautiful gal because you were able to trick them into playing a game with him. Ow!" He grimaced as King Dice kicked one of his front tires.
"Shut yer fucking' trap!" He hissed, but it was too late. King Dice looked up and realized that Kyler had heard what Max had just said. She stopped cold in her tracks and looked at him with an expression of betrayal and hurt on her face, her mouth hanging slightly open. She looked like she was about to cry again. King Dice felt his stomach twist into a knot, and he had to swallow before speaking. "Kyler..." he started to say, but he stopped when she turned to Terrance.
"I-I want to go to my room now." She whispered in a cracked voice. Terrance nodded, and he headed through the entrance of the door with Kyler following close behind.
King Dice turned to Max and kicked his front tire again, this time harder. "Ow! Quit that!" He snapped as he glared daggers at his boss.
"Ya got a big mouth, ya know that?" King Dice said angrily.
"Huh? What'd I do? It ain't my fault ya didn't tell her about that."
King Dice growled under his breath. "She wasn't supposed to know to begin with. Now thanks to you, she's proably pissed with me."
"Yeah, well. Maybe if ya told her to begin with, ya wouldn't be in this mess in the first place." Max grumbled as he rubbed his sore tire against the ground.
King Dice glared at him. "Are you just gonna stay there lecturing me, or are you going to do your job and get back to the casino where you belong?"
"Pfft! I'm outta here. I ain't staying around just so you can keep kicking me." Max cursed under his breath and immediately took off, leaving King Dice in a cloud of dust. He coughed as he waved the dust away before heading into his home.
"Welcome home sir. How was your evening?" A plump female bumblebee toon dressed in a maid outfit buzzed on over toward King Dice and proceeded to clean his shoulders with a feather duster.
He waved her away. "Not now Bumblette. Did Terrence get Kyler settled into her room?"
"I have just shown her to her sleeping quarters sir." King Dice nearly jumped out of his skin at Terrance's quiet voice.
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop sneaking up on me like that? It gives me the creeps." King Dice snapped at his butler.
Terrance gave King Dice a polite bow. "My apoligies sir. The young lady is currently getting settled in."
Regaining his composure, King Dice looked up at the red-carpeted grand staircase that stood before him. "I'm gonna go check on her. Just wanna make sure she's okay."
"If I may sir, it may be best to leave her be at the moment. She appears to be quite upset." Terrance advised.
"Well, of course she's upset. She just gave up her freedom to the Devil so that the two little mugs I told you guys about could be let go."
Bumblette's eyes widened in surprise. "She willingly gave the Devil her freedom in exchange for theirs'? They must really mean a lot to her."
King Dice sighed. "Apparently, the little mugs and their grandpa took her in when she was a kid and raised her. That's all I know."
"Aww, so they're like her family. And she gave up her freedom for them. How very noble and brave of her." Bubblette gushed.
King Dice gave his maid a tight-lipped smile. "It was. Anyway, how much longer until dinner is ready?" He asked her.
"It'll be another hour sir. I'm sorry it'll be that long. We didn't expect you to be home so early." Bumblette said nervously. To her surprise, Kind Dice did not seem the least bit perturbed.
"No, that's fine. It'll give Kyler some time to adjust before we eat." He started to head up the stairs. "I'm going to see her now. I'll bet I can at least convince her to let me give her a tour of the place."
"Sir..." Terrance started to speak, but King Dice waved him off as he walked up the stairs, took a right, and headed down the hallway toward Kyler's room. Terrance sighed and walked off to resume his duties.
Once he arrived at the guest room, King Dice gently knocked on the door. "Kyler? May I come in?" There was no answer. He turned the knob and was relieved to discover that it was unlocked. Then he slowly opened the door and stuck his head in. Kyler had her back to him and was standing in front of the large balcony window with her arms crossed, staring out of it silently. "Hey there. I'm not disturbing you, am I?" He stepped inside and slowly walked up to her. He stood next to her and looked out the window as well. An akward silence followed before he spoke. "You can go outside on the balcony, if you want. It's a beautiful night. Or I can give you a tour of the place. It'll be another hour before dinner is ready..."
He immediately stopped talking when Kyler finally turned her head toward him. There was no longer sadness in her eyes. Only anger. After another moment of silence, she spoke. "You lied to me." She whispered.
"I...uh..." For the first time in a long while, King Dice was speecheless. He really didn't know how to respond.
"You told me you didn't see my brothers at the casino. Yet the reason they caught the Devil's interest was because you kept encouraging them to play. You knew he was interested in obtaining their souls. And you helped him, didn't you? Didn't you?" Kyler's eyes snapped angry purple sparks. She felt her patience run out when King Dice still didn't speak. "Answer me!"
King Dice jumped a little at her sudden outburst. For someone so tiny, she looked a bit intimidating when she was angry. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Yes, I did see them there. And I did encourage them to continue. And I shouldn't have lied to you about it. That was wrong. But Kyler, you need to understand. It's my job to push those on a winning streak to make bets with my boss..."
"I don't want to hear your excuses!" Kyler turned, walked toward the bed, and sat down on it with her arms still crossed.
King Dice slowly started walking toward her, speaking as he did so. "Kyler, listen. If I didn't have to do that, I wouldn't. I may look like I enjoy egging people into betting their souls, but I really don't."
"You just can't stop lying, can you?" Kyler put her hands over her ears and shut her eyes tightly.
"I'm not lying to you. I promise." King Dice made sure to speak to her in a calm and collected voice. As much as he hated being called a lier, he knew it was important to not let the situation escalate. "I've just learned to put on a poker face. If you just let me explain why-"
"Out! Get out! Get out now!" Kyler screamed at him. His eyes widened as she glared daggers at him, angry tears spilling down her cheeks. No one had ever spoken to him in such a manner. And it had to be Kyler, of all people.
He decided now was the time to back off. "Okay, okay. I understand. I'll go ahead and leave you alone." He started to head toward the door and proceeded to open it.
"I HATE YOU!" Those were the last words King Dice heard Kyler scream as she grabbed one of the pillows off the bed and threw it at him. He closed the door and the pillow hit it with a soft thud.
The last thing he heard before he started heading back down the hallway were Kyler's sobs. Her last words felt like sharp little knives piercing his heart. Fuck, what've I done? He thought to himself.
After overseeing the final preparations for dinner and making sure the table was properly set, Terrance walked into the sitting room to retrieve King Dice. His employer always had a drink or cigar in that particular room before eating his supper. This time, however, he was staring blankly at his large sixty inch flat screen television while smoking a cigarette. He didn't even seem to notice which channel was on. Terrence knew King Dice had no reason to watch children's shows.
"I can see you are rather distressed sir." He said.
King Dice glanced at his butler. "Is it that obvious?"
Terrance gave a single nod. "It is indeed sir. Normally, you would partake in an alcoholic beverage or a cigar befor supper. That is something you do for pleasure. It seems that you have chosen to have a cigarette instead. In all my years I've known you, you only partake in cigarette smoking when you are stressed."
King Dice took a long drawl on his cigarette and blew out the smoke with a big sigh. "Yeah, I suppose I am. You were right about leaving Kyler alone."
"I assume your exchange with her earlier did not go very well?" Terrance inquired.
King Dice nodded. "She's mad at me. Really mad. She screamed at me and than she threw a pillow in my direction as I was leaving. Worst of all, she said she hated me." He put his head in his free hand, the one that wasn't holding the cigarette. "She hates me Terrance."
Terrance had never seen his employer so distarught. "Forgive me sir, but from what I understand, her anger is justified. After all, you did lie to her about your knowledge of her family members' whereabouts."
King Dice looked up at Terrance in surprise. "Wait, you know about that?"
"News travels everywhere around the island sir." Terrance replied.
King Dice groaned. "So all of Inkwell knows that I screwed my chances with Kyler? Fantastic. As if her hating me wasn't bad enough." He took another puff of his cigarette.
"Despite what Miss Sharmain had inquired, I don't quite think her disdain toward you is that strong." Terrance said.
King Dice raised his eyebrows. "What makes you say that?"
"From how you described her, she seems like a very kind and understanding young lady. It's quite possible she did not quite mean it when she said that she hated you. She's quite angry with you at the moment and is probably in an emotional state. After all, words spoken in anger are not words from the heart." Terrance explained.
King Dice looked thoughtful. "I don't know Terrance. What I did to her was pretty bad. I mean, I had a hand in the Devil taking those litle mugs' souls. And they're like her brothers." He took another drag on his cigarette. "Still, if what you said is true, about angry words not coming from the heart, I guess there is a chance that she'll forgive me."
"Precisely sir. In addition, occational visits from her family and friends will also aid in her recovery." Terrance said.
King Dice nearly chocked on his cigarette at Terrance's last statement. "Hold on. When I have told anyone about that?"
Terrance's blank expression did not faulter. "You haven't sir."
King DIce shook his head at his butler in amazement. "I'll never get how you manage to do things like that. Anyway, is dinner ready?"
"In a few moments sir. The dining table is prepared if you are ready to proceed."
King Dice took another drag on his cigarette before putting it out in a glass ashtray and standing up. "Yeah, I'm ready. Also...would you mind telling Kyler that dinner is ready? I'd do it myself, but well, you know..."
Again, Terrance gave a single nod. "Very good sir. I will retrieve her immediately."
King Dice smiled, albeit a somewhat sad one. "And if she doesnt want to eat with me, that's fine. I don't mind if we each sit on one end of the table. It's pretty long, and their are tall vases of flowers in the middle so she won't even have to see me."
"I will make sure to let her know of the arrangements sir." Terrance gave his employer a polite bow before leaving the sitting room and heading up the grand staircase.
Once he arrived at the guest room, he knocked on the door. "Miss Sharmain? It is Terrance. I have come to retrieve you for dinner." There was no answer. He knocked again. "Miss, are you prepared to join my employer?" When there was still no answer, Terrance became a little concerned. He decided to turn the knob to see if it was unlocked. It was, and he slowly opened the door.
"Miss Shairmain? Is everything all right?" Terrance asked as he peeked into the room. The lights were on, but Kyler was nowhere to be seen. Curious, he stepped into the room and looked around. Perhaps she is on the veranda. He thought. He walked over to the balcony and noticed that the glass doors were still closed. Peering out, he noticed that the veranda was empty. He then walked into the large bathroom and noticed that it was empty as well. At this point, he felt a slight pang of panic. He hoped she hadn't left the premises. It was too dangerous for a young woman to be out alone at this time of night. Just to make sure, he actually got down on his knees to check and see if she was hiding under the bed, as rediculous as it seemed. She wasn't there either.
He was thinking about heading back down and letting King Dice know that Kyler was missing when his eyes fell on the large wardrobe situated next to the bed. I wonder. He got to his feet and walked over to the wardrobe. Slowly, he reached out and opened the doors.
There she was, sitting on the floor of the wardrobe. She had her knees drawn to her chest and her head buried in her arms as she whimpered and rocked back and forth.
"Miss Sharmain?" Terrance said in a gentle voice.
Kyler didn't look up. "Go away! I told you to stay out!"
Terrance knelt down and continued to talk to her in the same gentle voice. "Miss Sharmain, it's Terrance. I'm Mr. Dice's butler, remember?"
"Huh?" Kyler looked up. her purple eyes locking with his brown ones. He could see that her face was red and puffy from crying, and she looked so scared. He couldn't help but feel bad for her.
He smiled warmly at her, something he rarely did. "That's right. Don't be frightened my dear. I won't hurt you. I've simply come to retrieve you. Mr. Dice has requested that you join him for dinner."
There was a glint of anger in Kyler's amythist orbs. "I don't want anything to do with him."
"You do not wish to acquiesce his request?" Terrance asked.
Kyler nodded.
"Very well miss. If you prefer, I will have your dinner brought up here to your room." Terrance said to her.
Kyler shook her head. "I'm sorry. I know you all worked really hard on the dinner you prepared. But I'm just not hungry right now."
Terrance nodded. "I understand miss. I can assure you I and the rest of the staff do not take any offence to you not partaking in dining at the moment."
For the first time since her brothers left, Kyler was able to give Terrance a small smile. His warm presence and understanding demeanor helped her feel a little better.
Terrance smiled back at her. "Is there anything else I can bring you in the meantime? Some tea perhaps? Hot cocoa? Coffee?"
"Do you..have any hot apple cider?" Kyler asked him meekly. "Elder Kettle, my adoptive grandfather, would always make me that whenever I was upset."
Terrance nodded. "It will be my pleasure to prepare a cup for you."
Kyler's smile grew a little bigger. "Thank you...Terrance."
He gave her the same warm smile and stood up. "Very well. I will return shortly, Would you prefer the doors remain closed?"
Kyler nodded, and Terrance gently shut the wardrobe doors. He figured she felt the most comfortable in there, so he decided it was best not to try to force her to come out. Then he headed down to the kitchen and started to prepar her cider.
As he did so, King Dice, who was growing impatient, appeared at the entrance and saw his butler preparing a tea tray. "Um, where's Kyler? She not coming down?"
"Ah, my apoligies sir, but she is still quite upset at the present moment and has taken to barricading herself in the wardrobe. For now, she just prefers a cup of hot apple cider." He placed the hot tea pot, cup, and saucer on the tray. Then he picked it up and was about to leave when King Dice grabbed ahold of his arm.
"Wait a minute! She's literally in the closet right now?" He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
Terrance nodded. "That is correct sir."
King Dice was flabbergasted. "What's she doing in there?"
His butler shrugged. "I' am not quite sure myself sir. I imagine doing so offers a source of comfort for her. Now, if you will please excuse me, I need to get this cider to her before it cools down." He shook himself free of his employer's grasp and began to head out the kitchen.
Shaking his head in disbalief, King Dice started to walk with Terrance. "Really? Sitting in a closet? That's just silly."
"If I may offer some advice sir, it would probably be best if you keep that thought to yourself. Insulting Miss Sharmain will not improve your current situation with her." Terrance warned King Dice.
"I'm not insulting her. It's just...different, that's all." As they continued to walk, he suddenly got an idea. "Say, why don't I bring that cider to her? It could be my way of giving her a peace offering."
Terrance raised an eyebrow at King Dice as they both stopped at Kyler's door. "I don't think that is a wise decision sir. She has made it quite clear that she doesn not want to be graced with your presence."
King Dice gave Terrance that cocky grin that he was all too familiar with. "Come on, I'm just offering her some cider. She can't still be that angry. What could happen?"
Terrance sighed and handed King Dice the tray. "Very well sir, if you are quite sure."
"Don't worry. It'll be fine." Taking the tray and holding his head high, King Dice opened the door and walked into the guest room. Setting the tray on the floor, he swung the wardrobe doors open with a flourish and knelt down.
"Hey there cutie pie!" He gushed at her. "Terrance told me you wanted some hot apple cider. I thought we could have a cup toge-"
SMACK!
"Ow! Son of a bitch!" King Dice reeled back and fell on his bottom as he put a hand to the cheek where Kyler had slapped him. She took ahold of the tray and gave him a dirty look before slamming the doors shut.
In the meantime, Terrance was waiting outside the room so as to give his employer and Kyler some space. When he looked up, he saw a rather disgruntled King Dice emerge from the room. Based on the hand-shaped red spot on the left side of his face, Terrance was able to conclude that his exchange with Kyler did not go very well. It would've been funny if the situation wasn't so serious.
King Dice gave his butler a rather sheepish look as he rubbed the sore spot on his cheek. "Yeah, maybe it's best for me to stay away from her for the moment."