Author's Note: Hello all! If you haven't heard, I'm starting to upload every other week. Still the same time (Sunday evening-ish) and the same place! If you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me a question on my Tumblr, Inkwell-Intrigues.
No trigger warnings for this chapter, so without further ado, here is Chapter Eighteen! Enjoy!
The sun was setting. Patrons were flooding into the casino. Sweet jazz music filled the air. The Devil smiled, listening to the cacophony of his casino, lounging atop his private balcony. The demon had been so busy in recent times that he'd decided to take part of the night off to relax. He was sure Dice could handle the casino by himself just fine.
With a snap of his fingers, the Devil summoned a cigar into his hand, lighting it with a spark of hellfire that emerged from the tip of his finger. With a small chuckle, the Devil put his feet up, exhaling out a ring of smoke. Thoroughly relaxed, the Devil reached down, picking up and thumbing through the latest issue of the newspaper, the Inkwell Blotter.
Nowadays, practically every article was about him, and the Devil loved it. His plans were coming along with excellent progress on all four of the Inkwell Isles. The Devil's power grew by the minute, with all other authorities on Inkwell surrendering to his influence. It was either that or certain death.
Soon, he would control the Inkwell Isles as if he were a puppeteer, pulling the strings of each and every citizen. After that, he'd turn his sights to islands beyond Inkwell, gaining all the power and adoration he'd so desperately craved.
Things were looking up for the King of the Underworld.
After his sudden and unceremonious fall from power, he'd risen up again, bigger and better than ever with a hunger for more. More power. More control. A bigger casino. A palace that touched the very heavens. More subjects. More souls. The Devil longed for the sounds of hundreds of thousands of voices praising him. Loving him. Adoring him. Sacrificing their souls to him, feeding him with their life source. There was nothing more beautiful in life than that. And he felt that he was so close to achieving this goal.
But, despite all of the Devil's success, it felt... Empty.
Nothing more than momentary satisfaction and then the inevitable craving for more. As much as the Devil tried to ignore this sense of nothingness, it grew and grew with every one of the Devil's victories. No matter what he accomplished, it felt too small. There was always something else that came after. What did the mortals call it? Oh, yes. A rat race.
And the Devil was most certainly no rat.
So, here he was, trying to relax, but finding himself focused on the emptiness that permeated his very essence.
Swearing, the Devil eviscerated his newspaper and pinched the bridge of his nose, attempting to focus on his breathing. This feeling of emptiness would pass. He was certain of that. And he knew just what he would use to fill this growing void in his heart. Leaning over the side of the balcony railing, the Devil peered down below at two children playing tag, scurrying about the casino floor.
They were the key to freeing him from his misery. That much was certain in the Devil's mind. All he needed was their love, something he was beyond determined to have. No matter who he had to kill or what he'd be forced to sacrifice. He'd have the boys' eternal love, devotion, and servitude.
Then, and only then, would the Devil be satisfied -with his two sons by his side.
- Chapter Eighteen: A Father's Gift -
"Focus on your breathing. Open your mind. Wait for your brother's signal."
Cuphead inhaled through his nose. A long exhale. His left foot shifted back into an attack stance. Preparing for whatever came next.
Today was like every other day. Training started at the crack of dawn. The Devil or Henchmen -the Devil's attendant imp- would fetch the boys and bring them to the Colosseum.
After training, the Devil and the boys would have breakfast together. Then Mugman was off to the casino floor to work with King Dice while Cuphead stayed by the Devil's side throughout the day.
"Study what I do closely, my boy." The Devil told him, lounging back on his throne. "While your brother studies the mind, you will study me. Watch how I speak to patrons, how I collect souls, all of it. One day, this place will be yours, so you must learn the intricacies of how I run it."
Cuphead shifted uncomfortably, sitting on his red cushion beside the throne. What did the Devil mean? This place would be his? A thought flitted through Cuphead's mind, but he quickly pushed it away. Surely the Devil didn't mean that.
But that was earlier in the day. Right now the boys and the Devil were back in the Colosseum. Cuphead and Mugman had been working on a new fighting technique for the past few days and the Devil wanted them to get in some extra practice before bed.
Cuphead, still in an attack stance, was standing in the center of the Colosseum. He was blindfolded, but he knew the Devil was at his side and Mugman was up in the Devil's glass viewing box -watching from above.
About twenty targets were circling Cuphead. All spinning around him at different speeds and in different directions. Cuphead and Mugman's task was to work together to break all twenty of the targets with one shot -while Cuphead was blindfolded.
As the Devil had told them over and over, "This is no normal test. You boys must work together if you hope to succeed. Trust one another and lean into your powers."
Meanwhile, Mugman was watching closely from his glass box up above, about thirty feet away, his eyes locked on the spinning targets, his mind calculating the optimal time to signal. The Devil glanced up, meeting the boy's eyes.
"Everything alright, dear?" Came the Devil's voice, echoing throughout Mugman's mind.
"Yes, boss. Just waitin' for the perfect moment." Mugman responded. His head hurt a little as he replied. Sure, he could enter minds, but it wasn't easy. The Devil had only taught him how to use his powers to send messages a few days ago and it took all of Mugman's energy to send even the shortest of messages.
Refocusing, Mugman's thoughts returned to the spinning targets. He began counting to himself, trying to get the timing absolutely right. He wasn't in the mood for another late-night training session. If they got this right on the first try, maybe they'd have enough time to visit Elder Kettle before bed. It had been so long since they'd last seen him.
But now was not the time for thinking things like that. The targets were nearing their optimal position. It was almost time. Mugman steeled himself. He would have to alert Cuphead at just the right time. No room for error.
Cuphead was locked in position, itching for action. Then he felt it, a pressure in the center of his head.
"Now!"
Cuphead didn't delay. The moment the pressure hit his head, he took the shot. The sound of smashing wood echoed out through the Colosseum, accompanied by the howls of the rabid Djimmi and Bon Bon watching from their cages.
Cuphead ripped off his blindfold. "Did I do it? Did I do it?"
He spun around, looking for a stray target that was still standing. There were none.
The Devil was grinning from ear to ear. "You did it."
"I did it!" Cuphead whooped, leaping about happily. He looked up at his brother in the glass box, waving with a huge grin on his face. "Great job, Mugsy! I couldn't have done it without ya!"
Mugman had a huge smile across his face. "Thank you." He said, his voice echoing out through Cuphead's mind.
"That was splendid, just splendid, my boys!" The Devil said, wrapping his arm around Cuphead. "Why I don't think I could've done it any better myself."
Cuphead let out a sheepish chuckle, trying not to grimace as the Devil kept his arm wrapped around the boy in a fatherly manner. "Awe gee. Thanks, boss."
"Of course. I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true." The Devil replied. "In fact, I am so proud of you both, how about this? What would you boys like? Please, ask me for anything and I'll gladly give it to you. Anything for my sons."
Cuphead's first reaction was to flinch at the Devil referring to them as sons. He despised that. But then, the meaning of his words hit Cuphead over the head like a sack of bricks. "Wait... You're sayin'- we can ask for anythin'?"
"Anything." The Devil repeated with a warm smile.
Cuphead's looked back up at Mugman. They shared a long stare from across the room.
Cuphead imagined running free, leaving Inkwell Hell behind. Mugman, Elder Kettle, and Ginette were at his side.
The very thought pained him. From the look on Mugman's face up above, he shared the sentiment. If only that was an option...
But, there was something else. Something very dear to both of them.
Perhaps the Devil would grant them this instead.
The idea from Cuphead wormed its way into Mugman's mind. The boy let out a small gasp. He quickly nodded, giving his brother an affirmative smile. Cuphead's idea was perfect.
"Have you boys decided on something?" The Devil said, lovingly squeezing Cuphead's shoulder.
"Yeah. We have." Cuphead replied, meeting the Devil's eyes. He took a deep breath, preparing for the Devil to say no. "We want our Mama back."
The warmth in the Devil's eyes vanished and his grip on Cuphead's shoulder ever so slightly tightened. "So, your wish is for Ginette to return?"
A spark of hope ignited in Cuphead's eyes, but he remained composed. "Yes. That's what me and Mugsy want."
The Devil's face twitched into a frown, but quickly turned into a wide smile once again. "Then it will be so."
Of course, it had to be her.
The Devil swore under his breath as he descended into the dungeons. Imps bowed deeply as he passed, thanking him for blessing them with his presence, but the Devil ignored them. He had something much more serious on his mind. With every passing day, it grew and grew into a bigger problem, tantalizing him.
Ginette.
His star pupil. Her intelligence was second to none, and yet- There was a growing possibility that the Devil would have to kill her. A part of him longed to snap her little neck, get rid of her once and for all, but...
A little girl ran, barreling into the Devil, giving him the biggest bear hug. "You came back!" She squealed in delight.
The Devil grinned, patting a young Ginette on the head. "Did you think I would forget my beloved pupil? Of course not. And, I brought you something."
He held out a large tome, which Ginette grabbed eagerly.
"This summer, I'll be teaching you something special." The Devil continued, sitting down on the forest floor, motioning for Ginette to join him. His grin widened, leaning in as he whispered, "Magic."
The Devil grimaced at the memory, attempting to drive it from his mind.
He missed that little girl. Sometimes he wondered if he should wipe Ginette's memory completely and turn her back into who she'd once been...
Unfortunately, doing that would only cause more problems than it would solve. Perhaps one day, if Ginette didn't force him to kill her -that is.
Despite the Devil's cruel and downright torturous treatment of Ginette, in truth, he didn't want to kill her. She meant something to him, a fact that he loathed admitting.
Then again, he supposed this is what happens when you've known someone for seventy-four years. It changes you.
Ginette's family had forgotten her twelfth birthday, but the Devil hadn't.
Ginette cried such tears of joy that day, so much so that she almost accepted his offer to leave her family behind and run off with him.
Almost.
"Ma's havin' another baby in the spring." Ginette had said, staring up at the stars, the Devil sitting at her side. "I gotta stay here and help out. After all, who's gonna take care of all the kids if I'm gone? My big brothers and sisters sure won't."
"That isn't your job, you know." The Devil replied, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"I know." Ginette sighed. "...But, if I don't do it, who will? And I don't mind it, really. My baby brothers and sisters are all I got, besides you, of course. They mean everythin' to me. I can't just run away and leave them here to get shredded to pieces by Ma and Pa and the rest."
"I see." The Devil said, trying not to show his disappointment.
He'd been so close to having her soul. Damn this girl's morals. He'd rid her of those nasty things someday.
Unfortunately for him, the Devil had never managed to purge Ginette of her morals completely. It was the reason they were stuck in such an unpleasant situation now.
It was as if they were at a crossroads. The Devil had chosen his path long ago, but Ginette? After all they'd been through, these boys were the last straw. Now she was beginning to take a different path. One that the Devil refused to follow.
It was the night the Devil had brought a paralyzed Cuphead to Ginette. He found her collapsed on the common's floor. Her eyes were bloodshot and she stunk of booze.
"How could you?" She whispered. "How could you do this to a child?"
"We always knew it would come to this." The Devil replied coldly. "And I remember in a not-so-distant past you being completely fine with the actions you knew I would take."
"Well, I was wrong, okay?" Ginette snapped drunkenly. "Everything I agreed to was sick and wrong. These experiments? The mind games? The torture? I shouldn't have agreed to any of it." She paused, clumsily wiping tears from her eyes. "And I'd take it all back if I had the chance."
The Devil rolled his eyes. He hated it when she was drunk, it made her so melodramatic.
"A truly inspiring speech, Ginette. I'm touched. And I'm sure that this habit of drinking yourself to death is all in service of your regrets, yes? Surely getting yourself piss drunk every night will right all of your past wrongs."
Ginette glared at him, but didn't bother disputing his point.
"Take my advice, dear. These morals you cling so desperately onto? Let them go. They'll do nothing but hold you back." The Devil said, sitting beside her.
"Think about it, Gin. You have everything you've ever wanted. No one to stop you from being a doctor, scientist, or whatever the hell you want to try your hand at next. You're free from the family who despised you, and in their place," The Devil gestured to the sleeping forms of Cuphead and Mugman. "you've found the children you've always wanted.
Are you going to throw that all away for some arbitrary morals? I certainly hope not."
If only she'd listened.
The Devil paused, taking a moment to light a cigar. He took a long drag, breathing deeply. He needed to relax. She would notice if he was on edge. That's all he needed, Ginette realizing just how close she was to the Devil ending her once and for all, and how much that pained the Devil.
Maybe one day he would modify her memories. The boys' memories as well if he had no other choice. He had such wonderful false lives planned out for them if it ever came to that... But, he didn't want to -not yet anyways- it was too easy of a win.
Of course, he could charm them into never wanting to leave with the simple snap of his fingers, but their love would be hollow. And the Devil despised sycophants. Not to mention, if a meddler such as Chalice ever broke the charm, he'd have quite the rebellion on his hands.
No, the Devil refused to resort to such low tactics. He'd win their love naturally. It would be a challenge, but a welcome one. After centuries of boredom, the Devil was ready for something a little dangerous.
Picking up the pace, the Devil reached Ginette's cell. She was asleep, her breathing ragged and sickly. She looked just as dejected as she'd been when they first met.
With a snap of his fingers, the chains binding Ginette disappeared. She stirred. Groaning. But the Devil didn't bother waiting for her to wake up. He grabbed her by the torso, swinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Ginette let out a weak cry of pain, feebly struggling, but the Devil ignored her.
His imps watched from afar, their mouths agape as they watched their master stroll through the dungeon's halls, a bleeding Ginette slung over his back. The guards had assumed he'd left her for dead, but here he was, showing her mercy.
She regained her consciousness slowly. The Devil could feel her trying to wriggle out of his grasp, but she was far too weak. Then, came a small gasp. She must've opened her eyes.
"Boss..? Is that you?" Ginette croaked. Goodness, she sounded terrible. It brought a small smile to the Devil's face. Maybe now she would think twice before trying to defy him.
"Yes, Gin. It's me."
He felt her tense up, trembling. She was frightened of him. Good.
"A-are you going to kill me?" She asked in a whisper.
The Devil didn't immediately reply. He waited, relishing in her fear. Then, "No." He said.
Ginette instinctively let out a sob of relief. "...Thank you."
"It would serve you well to not disobey me again." The Devil replied. "Then, we may never find ourselves in a situation like this ever again."
"Y-yes, boss." She said weakly. If the Devil had been able to see her face, he would've seen a shadow fall over her eyes as she spoke. "Nothing like this will ever happen again. I promise."
Neither of the boys could sleep. They'd gotten out of training early, gone to see Elder Kettle, and now they were lying in bed. After Cuphead had told the Devil their request, he'd left abruptly and hadn't returned.
"Do you think he's actually gonna bring Ma back?" Cuphead asked, staring up at the ceiling.
"I hope so..." Mugman replied. "I could try and send a message and ask, but I think he'd just get mad at me for botherin' him."
Cuphead groaned, burying his face into his pillow. "Why does he gotta make us wait like this? Can't he just bring her up here instantly?"
"Maybe he's tryin' to teach us patience."
Cuphead cringed at the very sound of the word. "Eugh. I hope not. I've done enough waitin'. She's been gone for a whole stinkin' month. Ain't that enough waitin'?"
"Maybe the Devil doesn't see it that way." Mugman replied sadly. He was halfheartedly fidgeting, his eyes fixed on their bedroom door.
He was just as impatient and nervous as Cuphead was, even though he was trying to hide it. And, much deeper down, there was another growing worry in Mugman's heart. What if this happened again?
He could tell the Devil was jealous of Ginette and Elder Kettle. It was plain as the nose on his face. The Devil wanted to be their father, but both Cuphead and Mugman hated him. And, despite everything, it seemed like the Devil couldn't understand why they hated him.
Now, with Ginette returning, what would come next? Mugman knew that letting the Devil's jealousy fester was a death sentence. If the Devil didn't get what he wanted, what would he do next in an attempt to force them to love him? Take Ginette away again? Or worse, kill her? Or Elder Kettle? Mugman didn't want to believe it, but it was a distinct possibility that the Sight would force into his mind on a daily basis.
If this possible future was so crucial that Mugman kept being reminded of it, he knew he had to do something about it.
Then the door swung open, snapping Mugman out of his thoughts. In an instant, both boys shot out of bed. There, standing in the doorway, silhouetted by the hallway lights, was the Devil. In his arms was a weak Ginette.
"Here she is. Just as promised." The Devil said, giving the boys an unreadable expression.
"Ma!" Cuphead scrambled out of bed, Mugman hot on his heels.
For a moment, Ginette looked like a corpse in the low light, but then she stirred, smiling at the boys. Too weak to speak, she simply reached out a hand, caressing their cheeks gently.
Cuphead was at a loss for words, overwhelmed with emotion. He began to tear up and quickly wiped his eyes. Mugman was about to cry as well, but- he couldn't allow himself to get distracted by his emotions just yet. There was something he had to do.
With a deep breath, Mugman forced himself to tear his eyes away from his mother, looking up at the Devil. "Thank you, boss..." He whispered. Then, he took a step back, kneeling at the Devil's feet. "How may I repay you?"
Both the Devil and Cuphead stopped dead. Staring at Mugman. The Devil's eyes were wide, watching closely. Meanwhile, it was taking everything in Cuphead's power to keep him from yanking Mugman back up to his feet. How could Mugman get on his knees and thank the monster who'd had Ginette locked away in the first place?
Cuphead understood having to thank the Devil for what he did, it was how you survived, but this? It felt different. Personal. Like Mugman actually cared for the Devil and wanted to thank him and serve him. It made Cuphead feel sick.
The Devil didn't speak, gazing down at Mugman in silence. Then, he knelt down beside Mugman, gently setting Ginette on the ground. Very slowly, he reached out his hand, placing it on Mugman's shoulder. "Please, there is no need to repay me." The Devil said softly. "Just... Call me Father."
Cuphead became incredibly tense, watching Mugman. No... He wouldn't do that, would he?
Mugman peered up at the Devil, reaching out and putting his hand on top of the Devil's. "Yes, Father."
Cuphead's heart stopped. He felt like he was going to throw up. He wanted to scream, to punch a hole in the wall, but instead, he stood still, doing nothing.
He watched as the Devil cupped Mugman's cheek, smiling lovingly down at him. Mugman nuzzled into the Devil's hand, closing his eyes. "Thank you for everything, Father."
On the inside, Mugman's heart was pounding. He wanted to scream and cry and run as far away from the Devil as he could. But instead, he forced himself to lean forward, embracing the Devil. He felt the demon's arms wrap tightly around him. Mugman felt sick to his stomach but he didn't pull away. He had to do this, for his family.
Cuphead couldn't watch. He turned away, looking at Ginette. She met his eyes, giving him a reassuring stare. Cuphead didn't return the kind look.
How could he? Cuphead mouthed, tears welling up in his eyes.
Easy. Ginette mouthed back, reaching out and taking his hand. She murmured something below her breath, and suddenly, words began to appear on the palm of her hand.
"It's not what you think. I'll explain soon. He's doing this for you."
Cuphead didn't look fully convinced, but nodded, turning back to the Devil and Mugman. He squeezed Ginette's hand tightly, then took a step forward.
"Thank you." He paused, everything inside him was screaming at him not to say it, but... Although he didn't understand why, he could sense that whatever Mugman was doing must be important. Ginette had given him this look of deep appreciation like Mugman was saving her. Despite what he wanted, Cuphead wasn't one to let his brother go into anything alone, even if that was acting like the Devil was their father.
"Thank you, Father," Cuphead said, trembling as the word 'father' left his lips.
The Devil's head shot up, eyes filled with shock and... Joy? Cuphead had never seen the Devil look this happy before.
"Cuphead..." He whispered, reaching out his free hand toward the boy.
Steeling himself, Cuphead took the Devil's hand, and let himself be pulled into the hug as well. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep himself calm, despite his panicking mind.
A slight pressure crossed his mind. It was Mugman, speaking to him through his mind. "For Mama and Elder Kettle."
Then, Cuphead understood.
He took Mugman's hand, forcing himself to lean into the hug. "For Mama and Elder Kettle."
The Devil leaned back, beaming at them. He lovingly kissed both of their foreheads, murmuring, "See? I told you that you would learn to love it here."