Chapter 7: And The Winner Is...
Saltbaker laughed and began attacking, but Angel noticed something. Though he was big and no doubt powerful, she was smaller than him at the moment since he had grown to a giant size. I can use the size difference to my advantage, she thought to herself. A smaller opponent is generally a bit faster than a larger opponent and quicker on their feet.
She moved out of the way, dodging food-like projectiles and utensils. "I shall have what I seek!" The power-hungry chef said with a greedy grin.
"Aunty Angel! Look out!" Cuphead screamed as sacks of flour and sugar started to fall from the ceiling towards the young woman. She moved fast, dodging them and noticing how some of them hit the floor and caused cracks in the floor.
Are those falling hard enough to crack the very foundation of this place? She asked herself as she fought back, but she noticed that Saltbaker's own skin seemed to be cracking too, much like glass that was under pressure or being hit with a bat or something similar.
Just then, a roar sounded above them and someone fell through the roof of the bakery and through the floor above their heads. "Uncle Grim!" Mugman cried out in surprise, but also relief.
The dragon took one look at the scene before him and when he saw Cuphead's soul trapped and Saltbaker not fighting Angel fairly as she had fallen down and was trying to get up but couldn't as she was ducking projectiles, he let out a roar that not only shook the ground, but made the glass prison around Cuphead's soul crack. Saltbaker turned and looked angrily at the dragon.
"Don't you know it's rude to just drop in?!" He snarled.
"Do you know how angry you've made this dragon?!" Grim countered back, equally angry as he breathed out fire balls and columns of fire. "You tricked the boys, fighting the angel, and you've hurt my friends!"
Saltbaker's eyes widened and he began to sweat a bit as Grim breathed more fire. Just then, a barking sound filled the air and Saluki appeared. "Howling Aces! Take him down!" She commanded from her plane.
The spider mobster appeared. "Me and the gang got a score to settle with you, Saltbaker!" He snarled.
"Glumstone very unhappy!" The giant roared.
"That goes double for me," Mortimer said.
"Yee-haw! Time to round up the scoundrel!" Esther whooped.
Bulldog went up to Angel and battled away the projectiles, helping the young woman to her feet. "Fight beside us," he said. "Let us be the way for you to defeat Saltbaker."
She nodded before they heard a sharp whistle and to everyone's surprise, the King of Games stood there and beside him was his queen while in front of them were the pawns, the knight, the rook, and the bishop. The queen nodded. "Our loyal court, assist the angel!" She commanded.
"Charge!" The king commanded.
Angel, grateful to all of them, nodded. "Let's do this," she said.
Bulldog moved a bit away from her and kneeled down, cupping his hands in front of him with palms facing upwards. "Get a running start and jump," he said. "I'll give you a boost."
Nodding, she ran forward a few steps and jumped, her right foot landed squarely in Bulldog's hands and he stood up, throwing his hands upward, which propelled the young woman up into the air. Saluki flew her plane close and one paw reached out, catching Angel before setting her on the plane's head. "Fire away!" The female pilot called out.
Angel took a deep breath and drank the other potion Beppi had given her, feeling the power course through her before her hands light up, this time a gold color and she fired off quickshots and the like at Saltbaker, who was moving around and trying to knock Angel down, but the other inhabitants were making it difficult.
The King and Queen of the Games moved towards where Cuphead's soul was trapped and together, they smashed the glass, freeing him. "You better get to your body quickly, young man," the queen said.
"But what about Chalice?" He asked. "Saltbaker could grab her too."
"Not if we can help it," the king said. "You and your brother get the young lady and climb aboard the knight. He'll get you three to the castle and I'll send the rook to help protect you three."
He let out a whistle and the knight whinnied before going up to the king. "Gather the two brothers and the young lady, my faithful knight," he said.
The horse nodded and the queen beckoned the rook to come closer. "Our faithful rook, protect the brothers and the young lady," she said.
Both the knight and rook bowed and Mugman and Chalice came over, the latter switching places with Cuphead. "Oh, Cuphead! I'm so sorry!" Chalice sobbed, hugging him.
"It's okay, Chalice. It's not your fault," the cup said, hugging her back.
Mugman looked worriedly at his aunt. "We can't leave Aunt Angel!" He said.
"Don't you three worry your little heads now," Esther said as she had moved to a better vantage point to be ready for when she and Angel teamed up. "We'll stick with your aunt until Saltbaker is in custody."
Mortimer, who was nearby, nodded in agreement and the knight scooped up the brothers and Chalice in his arms, running quickly with the rook right behind him. "Miss Angel! The boys and Chalice are safe!" The icy wizard called out.
"NO!" Saltbaker yelled angrily.
When Angel heard the good news, she was relieved and now charged up an attack, running up Glumstone's arm before sky-surfing a snowflake Mortimer had made for her, throwing the attack at Saltbaker and making him scream as salt began to rain from the ceiling.
"You've almost got him!" Esther called out encouragingly she used her vacuum to help Angel stay afloat on the snowflake a bit longer. Saltbaker got sneaky then and threw a flaming-hot pepper at the snowflake, making it melt and Angel began to fall, angling her body to control her dive.
The anteater mobster stood tall and stuck his nose out long, allowing Angel to land feet first and slide down as if she was on roller skates. The spider mobster reached out and the young woman jumped, letting the spider catch her before he swung her as if they were dancing, but then flipped her up into the air, to which the snail used his megahorn and let out a shout that propelled Angel forward and she got ready, her eyes turning green and glowing as her right hand glowed too.
Saltbaker's eyes widened right before the young woman's fist landed a solid hit on his face, knocking him down and defeating him. But just as he fell, the walls around them began to shake as if an earthquake had struck.
"Everybody, climb up or grab on!" Saluki called out.
No one needed to be told twice as they quickly either jumped onto the plane or grabbed hold of it and each other as the leader of the Howling Aces flew them out of the collapsing bakery. Grim grabbed onto Saltbaker, who looked shocked, but the dragon gave him no time to ask questions as he flew them out of there seconds before the building fell to the ground, the very stone crumbling down to dust.
It was quiet for a bit before Angel looked up and saw the knight and rook climb down the ladder and come up to them, the cup brothers and Chalice safe. "Boys! Sister!" The young woman called out in relief as she ran towards them.
"Aunty Angel!" The boys called out, running towards her and jumping into her outstretched arms, hugging her tightly as she hugged them just as tightly, tears running down her face.
"I was so worried about you all," she admitted.
Chalice looked saddened. "I'm sorry, sis. This whole mess is my fault. I believed Saltbaker and didn't think he'd try to pull a fast one."
Angel motioned Chalice to come closer and the ghost did, only to receive a hug from the young woman. "It's okay, sis," she said. "I'm just glad you guys are okay."
"But Miss Chalice isn't going to have a body now," Mugman said sadly.
"We'll worry about that later," the ghost said gently. "For now, we have a certain chef to turn into the authorities."
"No worries," the spider mobster said. "The cops came and took him away. He's headed for trial soon."
Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other and sighed. "Guess we owe you all an apology," the former said.
"Yeah," the latter said. "Even if it was to help a friend, it still wasn't right."
The inhabitants looked a bit uncomfortable. "Well...I'm afraid we weren't exactly the nicest either," Mortimer admitted softly.
"So...guess we all owe you guys an apology too," Esther said.
Angel smiled. "How about we all chalk it up to a lesson learned?" She suggested. "Besides, you guys came to help me and my family. I'd say that qualifies as enough of an apology."
"I agree with Aunt Angel," Cuphead said. "But still...is there a way we can repay you guys?"
Saluki perked up. "There is," she said. "Testify against Saltbaker in court and we'll call it even."
Everyone else nodded and the boys agreed. One Yankee Yipper came up to Angel and looked at her. "Hey, your eyes aren't green anymore," he said.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Right before you landed that punch on the chef, your eyes turned green and glowed."
Angel blinked at the pup's reply. "You know, the youngin's right," Esther said. "I saw it too. Your eyes were a bright green, iris and all."
Mugman looked curious. "But...how is that possible?" He asked.
"Maybe one of her powers?" Cuphead said.
Bulldog shook his head. "Her eyes glowed before her hand lit up," he said. "It's something else."
"How about we look into that later?" Grim suggested. "Right now, I know of a certain kettle who is worried sick about his family."
Angel nodded in agreement and waving goodbye with promises of friendly future visits, the boys and Angel climbed onto Grim's back and Chalice flew beside them as they headed back for the main Isles.
But Angel's mind was on the discovery of her eyes turning green. She wondered what it meant as she had never known her eyes to glow when she was using her powers.
What could it be? She asked herself as they landed on the Isles with everyone greeting them with cheers and Elder Kettle was relieved to see his boys and granddaughter were safe and he hugged them all before King Dice came up and hugged the boys too, turning to Angel and pulling her into a hug too.
"Oh, Angel," he said, tears running down his face.
This confused her. "King Dice?" She asked.
Mugman noticed his uncle's eyes were bright green and he gasped. "Aunty Angel, your eyes glowed the same green as Uncle Dice's eyes," he said in realization.
"They did?" Elder Kettle said in surprise.
King Dice looked shocked too, but then he nodded. "I guess that makes sense," he said.
"What do you mean?" Angel asked in confusion.
The dice-headed man placed his hands gently on her shoulders and looked at her in the eye. "Angel...there's something you need to know," he said before taking a deep breath. "You are my daughter."
Whoa, what?! Bet you guys didn't see that coming, huh? :)
How is Angel the daughter of King Dice? The next chapter will reveal the answer.
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