The Devil's Casino: Two Months Ago

Had he made the wrong call?

It was a quiet morning in the Devil's Casino. Most of the casino's patrons had left, stumbling home drunkenly to go to work, planning to return the next night, the cycle repeating over and over.

The Devil was perched atop the casino's roof. Taking a long drag from his cigar, the demon sighed. His plan was going off without a hitch. Cuphead was showing signs of The Strength's awakening. Mugman was no longer on death's doorstep.

Everything was perfect, but still, the Devil felt uneasy.

It was that damned Ginette. She was far too smart for her own good. And too bold. How much longer would she remain submissive while he pushed her surrogate children to their limits?

Then tension between him and his star pupil was growing. He'd taught her everything she knew, but now, what if she used it against him? He'd planned to manipulate her into loving those boys from the very start, but now the Devil wondered if he'd made the wrong call.

Would she snap? Rebel against him? Would the boys rebel on her behalf? It was a possibility. In his thousands of years of living, he'd seen many irrational decisions made in the name of family and love.

Had he introduced an explosive variable to an already delicate balance?

No.

The Devil didn't make mistakes. Not ones that destructive, anyway. Ginette had to fall in love with them. What else could've kept her going during those sleepless nights as she fought to keep them within the balance of life and death? Without her love and care, they would've been good as dead.

All he needed was to reign her in, keep her under his thumb. That wouldn't be hard. He'd known her so long that influencing her came to him as second nature. He could use the boys to keep her down. Hurt them if she acted out. Or perhaps separate her from them -remind her of her place. In any case, the opportunities he had at his disposal were promising. When she slipped up, the Devil would most certainly enjoy watching her suffer. It'd been so long since he'd seen her writhing in agony. He missed it.

Feeling confident in himself once more, the Devil settled down, sitting on the edge of the roof. With a snap of his fingers, a glass of whiskey appeared in his hand. He smirked, downing the liquid in a single swig. It would take a lot more than a feeble mortal like Gin to scare him. After all, he had her soul. What else did he need?

He had everything he needed, right? For the first time in centuries, the Devil wasn't sure. He despised not knowing.

For so many years he'd been satisfied. Of course, there was his unquenchable thirst for mortal's souls, but besides that? He'd always had everything he'd ever needed or wanted.

But in recent times, a strange feeling had begun to come over him. A hole in his heart that ached whenever he saw Ginette with the Cup Brothers. He couldn't stand watching them be affectionate towards her.

Cuphead always at her side, talking at the speed of light. Leaning on her when he was tired.

Mugman in her arms when he was too weak to walk. Smiling at her with such love and trust.

It tantalized the Devil, filling his mind with questions: Why did they love her? What was she? Nothing. No power. No influence. She was just an ordinary, flawed, woman. But still, they loved her.

Why didn't they love him the same way?

- Chapter Fourteen: Mother Mine -

Ginette was not well versed in violence and she was quite keen to keep it that way. Being beaten within an inch of her life only once was more than enough for her, but the Devil had other plans.

He must've been waiting for her to slip up. The moment she saw the Devil after flinging Dice into that damned pillar, Ginette knew she was in for it. The demon had given her such a big smile. His yellow eyes boring into her. Eagerly anticipating her fear and suffering. And the Devil did not disappoint.

Every day brought new horrors, courtesy of the Devil's imps. Those little things were ruthless, testing out all kinds of weaponry on her. By the time they'd leave, Ginette would be on the cusp of death, her throat raw from screaming out in pain.

Her nights were filled with tossing and turning. She hadn't had a drink in so long, her withdrawals were kicking in.

Feverish dreams haunted her. One moment she was in her cell, alone. The next she could hear Cuphead calling out to her. Feel Mugman in her arms.

Then, she was in her bed, so far away in her childhood home. Ginette could see her brothers and sisters, all asleep in their bunks. Someone knocked at her window. A dark figure, smiling down at her with yellow eyes.

"Be quiet! You'll wake my brothers and sisters if you're not careful!"

"Ah, my apologies, Mistress Ginette. I promise you if I do wake them, with just the snap of my fingers they will fall asleep once again. No one will be any the wiser, I assure you."

Ginette grimaced, clutching her head. All she wanted was to sleep. Why the hell had she let herself become so dependent on booze? She knew this would happen one day, still, she drank, and if she were offered a glass this instant, she would happily drink again.

Time would pass, and Ginette would slowly recuperate, but it wouldn't last. Whenever Ginette would recover an ounce of her strength, the imps would return to beat her almost to the point of death once again.

She begged the imps for answers. Pleaded with them to let her speak to the Devil. She tried everything but had no luck. The imps never spoke, only gazing at her with unreadable eyes.

By the second week of her imprisonment, Ginette had given up on diplomacy. Not that she even could. Her throat was so raw she couldn't speak even if she tried.

In fact, she couldn't do much of anything.

Her arms and legs were chipped nearly to the point of snapping off. Moving about was practically impossible. No matter which way she'd shift her weight, one of her many injuries would flare up in pain.

And so, Ginette lay still. She didn't move. Didn't speak. Nothing. She stared up blankly at the ceiling, her mind spinning in endless circles.

She should've seen this coming. She'd become far too rebellious. Stood up to the Devil too many times. It had felt so liberating. If only it hadn't gotten her trapped down here...

Suddenly, an unexpected sound disturbed her ceaseless pondering.

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.

Ginette tensed up. It sounded like doors opening and slamming shut. Someone was in a hurry.

She could hear the imps scurrying around like mice. Strange. It didn't sound like they were coming toward her. What else could've caught their attention? Whatever was, it couldn't be good.

Summoning up all of her strength, Ginette pushed herself back into the corner of her cell. Best to keep herself in the shadows.

She kept quiet. Listening intently. The faint sound of raised voices echoed out through the dungeon's halls. Was that... The Devil? What was he doing down here?

The voices were getting louder. The Devil seemed to be barking out orders, as usual. Something had gotten him excited. Ginette's stomach churned at the thought. When the Devil got excited, he was twice as violent toward anyone in his way. Now was not the time to stick out.

Letting out a whimper in pain, Ginette curled up in the shadowy corner, pretending to be asleep. There wasn't anything else she could do to conceal herself. Breathing raggedly, she squeezed her eyes shut. Listening. Waiting for the voices to fade.

The imps seemed to be spreading out. Scurrying to every corner of the dungeon. Ginette waited with bated breath, hoping they would pass her by without even noticing her.

All was hushed for a moment. Then came a light. An unbearably bright one that suddenly illuminated Ginette's cell. Hurting her eyes.

Ginette involuntarily let out a small gasp, pressing herself against the wall. She quickly shut her eyes again. Pretending to be asleep. Maybe whatever this was, it wouldn't notice her.

No such luck.

The strange glowing thing approached. And then it spoke.

"Ginette?" Came a whispered voice. The voice of a girl. Young by the sound of it, a teenager at most.

Shit. This wasn't good. This thing knew her by name? Could the Devil be playing some cruel prank? Or was this another withdrawal hallucination?

Despite her growing fears, Ginette opened her eyes just a little. She couldn't stand not knowing.

Standing before her was a ghostly chalice. The girl that Ginette had caught sneaking about the lab some time ago. Before the injections. What did the Devil call her? The Legendary Chalice?

Ginette didn't speak, eyeing the girl up and down. The girl's face was full of concern, but Ginette didn't trust it.

They stared intently at one another. Sizing each other up. Waiting for the other to break the silence. But instead, the sound of footsteps broke the silence for them.

Ginette tensed up at the sound of the footfalls, curling back up into a sleeping position. "Get out of here." She croaked weakly. "The Devil will be here any second. If you get caught, we'll both pay the price."

The chalice's face tightened. "I know..." She looked as if she felt genuinely guilty for leaving Ginette here. How strange.

There was an odd portal behind the girl. It looked like a gateway to the night sky itself. The Legendary Chalice glanced at it, then looked back at Ginette. "I'll come back for you. I promise." She whispered with an optimistic smile.

Ginette didn't share her positive attitude. Any remnant of that had been beaten out of her these past few weeks. "Yeah. Sure. Just get out of here."

The Legendary Chalice nodded and did so.

Another terrible day. Moreso than most.

Cuphead was wandering the dungeon halls, struggling to stay awake. He'd been ordered to spend the night on patrol as punishment for his failure to help the Devil catch Chalice.

The moment the pair had gotten the summons, they'd taken off, sprinting as fast as they could, but they were still too late. To say the Devil was not pleased was a gross understatement.

When Cuphead heard the news that Chalice had been here, infiltrating Inkwell Hell, his heart had soared. She'd come to free them! There was still hope for them after all!

But, while her attempt to help was a step in the right direction, it came with a heavy price for those trapped under the Devil's control.

Cuphead and Mugman had never seen the Devil so upset. They'd hurried into the dungeons only to find imps being eviscerated right and left, and the Devil screaming at the top of his lungs. Chalice had escaped, and everyone else was going to pay the price.

Now, Cuphead was on guard duty. If Chalice came back, he was to catch her and bring her to the Devil immediately. Cuphead desperately hoped Chalice would be smart enough to not return. Or at least, not to get caught by him.

Running his hand along the dingy cobblestone walls, Cuphead continued his wandering. Peering into the Colosseum, Cuphead surveyed the area. Nothing out of the ordinary. Poor Djimmi and Bon Bon were still up in their cages, no ghosts floating about.

It was back to wandering the halls for Cuphead.

He wondered how long he'd been down here patrolling. In a place like the dungeons, there was no way to tell the time. At least up in the Devil's Casino, he could tell the time of day by the ebb and flow of patrons, but down here? Nothing.

What if the Devil had left him down here for days? Would he have any way of knowing? It certainly felt like days to the boy. Or, could it have been just a few hours? Cuphead hoped not. He kept telling himself that he was almost done. That the Devil would come for him soon. But he never did.

Cuphead had to have wandered up and down each and every hallway at least twenty times. He had to be almost done, right? His eyelids were droopy. His steps became clumsy. He was so tired.

But he couldn't sleep. Not because he'd been ordered to stay awake, even if he was lying in bed, sleep would still evade him.

Cuphead's mind refused to rest. There was just too much to do. Too much to worry about. He had to protect Mugman. Find Ginette and free her. Figure out a way out of here. Now Cuphead had to add Chalice to his list of worries. If she was caught, their chances of escaping this hell would go from slim to none.

Rubbing his eyes, Cuphead leaned up against the wall. His mind was drowning in worry. He couldn't think straight, let alone walk straight. How much longer was the Devil going to leave him down here?

Clunk!

Something hit the wall. Ginette's head shot up, looking around. Did that ghost actually come back? While endearing, that also would be very stupid, so Ginette hoped not.

If this 'Legendary Chalice' was smart, she would wait for things to cool down before she returned. In that hypothetical situation, Ginette would be more than happy to speak to that strange girl again.

She had so many questions for the ghost: What made her so different and special to the Devil? Why did he hunt her with such fervency? Ginette had to know.

The sound of footsteps caught her attention. The clunking sounds growing closer.

What now?

Groaning, Ginette crawled over to her cell door, peering out through the bars. Someone was coming. She could see the vague outline of the figure in the dim torchlight.

The figure appeared to be stumbling along and was quite small. That was odd. Did one of the imps find the Devil's private liquor reserves? Now that would make for a funny story.

The figure grew closer, leaning against the wall as it let out a long yawn.

That voice. It sounded familiar.

Ginette's heart stopped. No. Could it be? Cuphead?

Leaning forward, Ginette grabbed onto her cell's bars, pulling herself closer. She could just barely see. It was him.

The boy was stumbling along, walking past her cell, he looked like he was half asleep. Her body screamed out in pain, begging her to stop, but she reached out a hand. Trying to get his attention.

"...C-Cuphead." She croaked weakly, brushing his arm.

Cuphead yelped, stumbling back. "H-Hello? Who's there?" He stammered, rubbing his eyes. Was his mind playing tricks on him? No. It couldn't be. There was a hand clasping his arm.

"Cuphead, it's me... Ginette."

It felt as if someone had punched Cuphead in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He began to turn slowly, trying not to believe it. No. This couldn't be. He couldn't get his hopes up. This was just a cruel trick, a fever dream. It had to be.

Squinting, he could just barely see a figure reaching out to him from their cell. A familiar martini glass, but something in his mind refused to believe it was real. She looked so different, so strange. Her wrists were chained together. There was a large metal ball chained to her ankle. One of her eyes was swollen shut. Her glass body was covered in cracks. But, it was her. Ginette.

Cuphead tried to speak, but no words came to him. His mind was racing. He clutched her hand, tears in his eyes. Only one word came to his mind. For so many years, Cuphead thought he'd never say it. Thought he'd never have the chance to. But now, it was the only word in his mind.

"M-mama?"

Ginette had never seen Cuphead so emotionally unrestrained. With one swift movement, he ripped the cell door clean off its hinges and barreled into her arms, hugging her tightly.

Ginette was knocked onto her back by the sheer force of Cuphead diving into her arms. She couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Easy, easy..." She wheezed. "Are you alright..?"

Cuphead looked up at her, then burst into tears. "I-I thought you were dead." Cuphead sobbed, burying his face into her shoulder. "You've been gone for so long..."

"What?" Ginette gasped, her mind reeling. "Oh, Cuphead... I'm not dead, I'm right here." She continued, wrapping her arms around him. "And I'm not going anywhere. Okay?"

"You better not..." Cuphead sniffled, his face still buried in her shoulder. "Mugsy and I... We thought you were never comin' back."

"No, no. I-I am coming back, I promise." Ginette reassured him. "I... I just don't know when."

Cuphead glanced up, his eyes now red from crying. "You shouldn't even be here in the first place... I hate it." He reached out his hand, putting it on her cheek, now seeing the full extent of her injuries. "And you're hurt... Bad. How could they do this to you?"

Ginette attempted to shrug and winced in pain. "Oh, it's not that bad. It's just the Devil teaching me a lesson. I'm just glad it's me instead of you."

"But it's still ain't right. You didn't do anythin' wrong!" Cuphead insisted.

"Well, the Devil doesn't see it that way." Ginette sighed.

Cuphead scowled at the mention of the Devil, folding his arms. "I hate him. The Devil's done nothin' but get worse since you were taken away. He's tryin' to be our father or somethin' and he's gotten real pushy. And it's even worse nowadays."

"What do you mean?"

"Mugman's gift woke up. The Sight." Cuphead said, his eyes downcast.

Ginette tensed up.

"It was real bad. He accidentally got into a bunch of people's heads. It was like he possessed them or somethin'."

It was as if the whole world stopped turning. Ginette sat, frozen, her mind reeling. Possession?

Cuphead sighed at her petrified expression. "Yeah. It's terrible... And now I barely see him. The Devil's always got him up in the library trainin'. Then, when I do see him, he looks awful. Neither of us sleeps much. Poor Mugsy gets nightmares a lotta the time and he'll call out for you, so I stay awake and help him with the nightmares."

Ginette bit down hard on her lip to stop herself from bursting into tears. She had to stay strong for Cuphead. Deep down, she'd always known things would only get worse with her gone, but part of her had hoped it would stay relatively stable.

Now seeing Cuphead, it was obvious that things were only getting worse. Cuphead had heavy dark circles under his eyes and his once tough and peppy demeanor was gone. It was like he was a different person altogether.

Wiping his tears, Cuphead rested his head against Ginette's arm. She was so comfortable. It had been so long since he'd felt this safe.

"Do you think you'll come back soon? Mugsy would love for you to be there again. Me too..."

"I want to... I miss you boys so much." Ginette said. "It just depends on the Devil allowing me back. I have to convince him that I'm sorry enough for what I did or something like that."

"That's dumb." Cuphead scoffed. "I tell you what. When we get outta here, I ain't ever gonna let anyone do anythin' like this to you ever again. I'm always gonna protect you."

Ginette's face twitched. When they get out of here. If only she could have his same optimism.

"Just you wait. Chalice is gonna come in and save us." Cuphead continued, smiling weakly. "Then maybe you could come live with us? I'm sure Elder Kettle would be alright with you stayin' with us. Then you could be our mama! We could do fun things like run errands! Go see the picture shows. Stay up all night playin' games. But, that just if you wanna..."

"Oh, Cuphead... I would be honored to be your mother if you wanted me to be." Ginette said, tears in her eyes. She was getting all choked up now.

For a moment she closed her eyes, allowing herself to picture it. Being free. Walking her sons to school. Giving them a kiss goodbye. Getting them candy. Living free. A normal life.

"You already are our mama." Cuphead said, giving her a weary smile. He yawned. The poor thing looked exhausted. "At first I didn't want you to be. I thought the Devil was tryin' to trick us into likin' this place by usin' you. But... You really are the only good thing in this place. I ain't ever had anyone like you. I think when you were taken away, Mugsy and I realized that you were our real mama. And... If you were alright with it, we want you to always be our mama."

Ginette couldn't hold in her emotions any longer. She let out a small sob, holding him close, kissing the top of his head. "Thank you... Of course, I'll be your mother... I will be your mother till the day I die." She whispered. "You boys are the best thing to happen to me..."

As she held him, weeping profusely, she felt Cuphead slip off into sleep. He was so weary. He'd had to be strong for so long. But she made him feel safe, secure enough to fall asleep.

There they were. Mother and son. Fast asleep on the cobblestone floor. The prison cell door ripped off its hinges. Ginette was holding the boy protectively. Cuphead was curled up, asleep for the first time in days.

The Devil loomed over the pair, watching them sleep. His imps had made good on Ginette. She looked like hell. Each breath she took sounded like a death rattle. And yet, Cuphead still loved her. He trusted her.

Why didn't he trust the Devil like that?

The Devil had given him everything he could want and still, the boy hated him. Instead, he put his love and trust in her? A nobody?

It took all the self-control in him to stop himself from killing Ginette. While he'd gain immense satisfaction from her miserable existence being at an end, he'd forever lose the possibility of a relationship with the brothers, as well as lose the best scientist he'd ever had.

The Devil let out a long exhale. He'd just have to work with the hand given to him. This was far from an unsalvageable situation. What troubled him was something deeper that no magic nor manipulation could truly fix. He was jealous.

The way the boys looked at Ginette. The way they trusted her. It made him sick. One day they would give in. One day they would love him. But, how long would that take? The Devil was not in the mood to be patient.

Sure, he could force them to love him with the snap of his fingers, but that wasn't real. It was the cheap way out. One that could come back to haunt him if the spell were ever to be broken. He had to give it time, as much as he despised waiting.

Ginette stirred, catching the Devil's attention. She was waking up. She opened her eyes, groaning. Then she saw him. Ginette's eyes went wide and she clutched Cuphead protectively.

"Please, don't wake him." She whispered. Her newfound fear of the Devil was obvious. A pleasant change. "Do whatever you want to me, but please let him rest. I beg you."

The Devil smirked. "I wasn't planning on waking him. This is the first time he's slept in a few days. The boy needs his rest."

Ginette bowed her head respectfully. Best to stay on his good side. "Thank you." She croaked.

"God, you sound terrible, dear. My imps have been disciplining you well I see. I do hope you've learned your lesson." The Devil said, sitting on the floor beside Ginette and the sleeping Cuphead.

"What do you want?" Ginette said, flinching as the Devil reached out and touched her, examining her wounds.

"What? Am I not allowed to know where my son is?" The Devil quipped. "You might see yourself as his mother, but do not forget I love these children as if I were their father."

He paused for a moment, musing. "I suppose you and I are lucky that these boys are orphans, hm? No need to compete with biological parents for the children's love."

"That's one way to look at it." Ginette said, annoyance seeping into her tone. "We reap the benefits and the boys get to pay the price of growing up without their parents. Yay for us."

The Devil shot her a glare, raising his hand as if he was going to hit her. Ginette instantly flinched, bracing for impact.

"Watch. Your. Tone." The Devil hissed. "I could extend your stay down here if you'd like, perhaps even end your pathetic existence, or you can remember your place. I heavily suggest you do so if you would like to ever see your precious boys again."

Ginette's momentary boldness instantly withered. She lowered her head. "I'm sorry, sir."

"I certainly hope so." The Devil curtly replied, getting back up to his feet. He was bored of her already. "Bring Cuphead to the Colosseum when he wakes. I will be there waiting. Perhaps if your behavior impresses me then I'll consider letting you return to the surface within a week or so."

Ginette gasped, her eyes widening. "I-I." She stumbled over her words, trying to calculate the best possible response. "T-thank you, boss. I won't fail you. I promise."

"Prove it. All you've done in recent times is disappoint me. Show me that all the time I've poured into you wasn't for nothing." The Devil said, his eyes boring into her. "Do not forget what I've done for you, Ginette."

"I won't. I am forever in your debt."