Chapter 2: Flashbacks

A couple days had passed since Angel had arrived on Inkwell Isles and she had actually settled in well with Elder Kettle and the boys, the kind kettle giving her some new clothes as the ones she had been in when she arrived had been old and tattered. Wearing a yellow t-shirt over a long-sleeved purple shirt, purple jeans, and black sneakers, she gazed out the window to see the sun shining and she smiled as she watched Cuphead and Mugman playing soccer in the front yard. As she turned away, she paused, a memory coming to her.

She had been playing soccer with someone, but she couldn't figure out who the other person was. The memory then left and she shook her head. "What was that?" She asked herself before going to find Elder Kettle, smoothing down her light brown hair as it flowed down to the middle of her back.

Another memory hit her, making her pause again as she saw an old man laying in bed and he was looking at her. "You must go, my dear. Leave before it's too late," he said to her. "Don't let him find you. Your necklace will protect you. Never take it off."

As the memory ended, she gasped, now starting to get a bit frightened as the memories were confusing and she couldn't understand why she was getting them. She quickly moved to find Elder Kettle, who was washing the dishes and turned when Angel came rushing in, a look of fear on her face. "Angel, what's wrong?" He asked, drying his hands. "Are you alright?"

She looked at him. "I...I don't know," she said. "I...I can't understand why I'm seeing things."

Seeing she was distraught, Elder Kettle gently took her arm and guided her to the couch, gently pushing down on her shoulder so that she sat down and he sat down beside her. "What did you see?" He asked gently.

She looked at him. "When I was watching the boys play soccer, I saw myself playing soccer with someone who seems familiar, but I don't know," she said. "And then, when I was coming to find you, I saw an old man laying in bed and he was telling me I had to go. I have to leave before it was too late." She paused. "He then said 'Don't let him find you. Your necklace will protect you. Never take it off'."

Elder Kettle grew curious. "Your necklace?" He asked.

Angel reached for the chain that was around her neck, gently pulling the pendant out from its hiding spot. The kettle gazed at it with wonder. "A heart with a cross on it and the cross is made of gems," he said.

She nodded. "That night when I felt there was danger and I found the cave, I held this close to me and I felt safer," she said.

Elder Kettle examined it closely. "Hmm, I don't sense any magic infused with it or anything out of the ordinary," he said. "Do you know who gave it to you?"

She sat upright as another memory hit her and she took a sharp intake of breath. The kettle waited patiently until the girl blinked and shook her head before looking at him. "I think...I think it was the old man in the bed I saw earlier," she said. "I...I just saw him give me the necklace, but I was younger."

He nodded. "It sounds like you are having flashbacks," he said.

"Flashbacks?"

"Memories that come to your mind when you either see, hear, smell, taste, or feel something."

A knock at the door caught their attention and they got up to answer it, finding King Dice standing there and he held the boys in his arms while both were giggling. "Do these little ones belong to you?" The casino owner asked with a chuckle.

"Why yes, they do," Elder Kettle said, also chuckling.

Angel realized that the two were being playful and she smiled before looking at the boys and then at King Dice. "And what are you going to do about it?" She asked, feeling playful.

He smirked. "I'm thinking I might kidnap them," he said with a wink, making the boys giggle harder and Elder Kettle and Angel chuckle.

"Actually, I'm glad you're here, Dice," Elder Kettle said. "I had some questions for you."

"Of course, Elder," the casino owner said, setting the two giggling boys down and the two ran to Angel, who smiled and picked them up, hugging them as they hugged her.

"Angel, come play with us, please?" Mugman asked.

"We were about to play hide-and-seek," Cuphead said.

Angel smiled. "Now that's one game I remember how to play," she said. "Alright."

"Don't go beyond the backyard or front yard," Elder Kettle cautioned.

"We won't," Mugman promised.

As the three headed outside, Elder turned to King Dice. "Angel has been getting flashbacks," he said. "She says someone she knew gave her the necklace she wears and told her it would protect her."

The casino owner listened carefully. "Does it have magic infused with it?" He asked.

"I checked and it doesn't. It's a heart with a cross on it and the cross is made from gems. She said she felt safe when she got to the cave we found her in."

"A cross," King Dice repeated thoughtfully. "You know, the monster is hunting for her and he couldn't find her when she was in that cave. He actually walked right past it."

Elder Kettle sat up more. "Do you think the cross on her necklace has something to do with that?" He asked.

"The monster does hate crosses with a vengeance because it can not only hurt him, but can block him from getting to someone wearing them," the casino owner said. "Which is how he was able to make everyone go into debt with him. The only way he could find Angel or get near her is if she lets him."

"I doubt she would do that," the kettle said. "You saw how afraid she was when Specter coaxed her out of that cave."

"Yes, like she wasn't sure if we were dangerous or not."

Both fell quiet for a bit before King Dice took a deep breath. "I need to talk to Angel," he said. "It's possible she has something that the monster wants."

Both adults headed outside and found Angel on the ground laughing as Mugman and Cuphead were in her arms and both were laughing too. The two adults smiled at this and watched the eighteen-year-old girl get up and lift the boys up into her arms. "You two picked some good hiding spots," she said.

"And you're a good seeker," Cuphead said.

A gentle throat clearing made them look up to see King Dice and Elder Kettle coming up to them. "Angel, forgive me if this is rather blunt, but I have a feeling that if the monster is after you, you must have something he wants," the casino owner said to her.

Angel looked thoughtful before shrugging. "I don't know what I'd have that he'd want," she said. "I still have no memories, though I've been getting flashbacks lately."

King Dice nodded. "I think it might be best if someone stays by you at all times to protect you until we can figure this out," he said.

"Why would that monster come back after we kicked him off the Isles?" Mugman asked.

"I don't know, kiddo, but if he's after Angel, I beginning to wonder if he's the reason she ended up in the water when she first arrived here."

Angel looked horrified. "You mean...he might have caused an accident that gave me amnesia but I somehow got away?" She asked.

"That could be a possibility," the casino owner said with a nod, placing a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry, though. He won't get you with us around."

"True," Elder Kettle said. "Angel, I agree with Dice about someone staying by you until you're out of danger."

"I agree too," she said. "I feel safe here with you and the boys, Elder."

"And you're like one of the family to us," Cuphead said.

"Yeah," Mugman said before looking sheepish. "Cups and I just can't decide if you're like a sister or aunt to us."

Angel smiled at them before she stiffened, another flashback coming to her of someone calling her their aunt. She shook her head rapidly and it faded. "Angel, what is it?" King Dice asked in concern.

She looked confused before shrugging. "I...I had a flashback when Mugman said 'aunt'."

"Could it be you have nieces or nephews somewhere?" Elder Kettle asked.

"I don't know," Angel said before shaking her head. "No, I don't think so. I think...it was a child I knew. Maybe I was close to the family and their child saw me as an aunt."

"Maybe they're looking for you," Cuphead said.

"I don't know, Cuphead," she said before feeling sad and another flashback occurred and she saw a grave with a name on it, but she couldn't make it out. "No, I don't think they are. There's a grave. I can't see the name on it, but...I feel a deep loss."

Elder Kettle looked saddened. "That is sad," he said.

King Dice bowed his head in respect. "If you feel a deep loss at seeing that, it's possible that the grave belongs to someone you were very close to," he said gently.

The boys hugged Angel. "We're here," Mugman said to her in comfort.

She smiled gently at them and hugged them again before taking a deep breath. "Maybe one day these flashbacks will make sense," she said. "But until then, we need to stay alert."

The boys and the two men nodded in agreement as unseen by them, the cross on Angel's necklace flashed lightly.


Hmm, looks like Angel has more questions than answers, huh? Next up: Angel discovers a fear that she didn't know she had.

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GoldGuardian2418