65 Years Ago…
The Devil was in a good mood tonight. Hundreds of souls were taken in one day, the sounds of screaming. And what better way to end the day than with some music playing on the pipe organ? He was playing one of his favorites. Toccata and fugue in d minor. His fingers moved swiftly along the keys and his eyes fixed to them.
He moves to the left then to the right... and then noticed a pair of small eyes next to the organ.
The Devil shrieked and fell backward.
He was so lost in his playing he didn't notice little Bendall had walked into the room. The little devil ran to his father's side.
"Daddy, daddy, you fell down," Bendall said.
"Thank you, son," The Devil said, his teeth never parted. He gets up on his feet, takes a breath, brushes his chest, and then speaks in a softer tone. "Bendall, what are you doing here? You should be asleep by now."
"I couldn't sleep," Bendy said. "I had bad dreams,"
"Oh, my little monster had nightmares," The Devil said.
Bendy nodded and rubbed his eye.
The Devil sat back on the piano stool. "Sit. Play with me," he said before patting a spot next to him.
Bendy smiled and went to his father but he struggled to get on the stool. The Devil pulls his son up and sets him down next to him. Unlike what he was playing previously, The Devil plays softer music. Bendy reached and pressed two keys at the same time with his shorter fingers. It was out of sync, but The Devil didn't care as long as his little devil was enjoying himself.
"You play good, Daddy," Bendall said.
"Thank you, son," The Devil said. "When you're a little bigger, I'll teach you how to play like this, wouldn't that be nice?"
"Mmhm," Bendy hummed.
Present Day...
Mugman is wearing a suit and a powdered wig. He is playing Chopin's "Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2" on a grand piano on a regal theater stage. Every seat was full and yet Mugman didn't freeze, he simply played with the mannerisms of a gentleman.
At the end of the song, the audience applauded and cheered. As Mugman bowed, roses were thrown on the stage. He picks up a rose and sniffs it. Tears of pride in his eyes.
Suddenly, the piano comes to life, it pants before licking Mugman's face with its large tongue.
The audience laughs while the mug groans.
Mugman groans before waking up. The concert had been a dream. In reality, the mug was lying in the hammock outside the cottage with a sandwich on his lap. The goat was licking his face, but Mugman soon pushed him away.
"Blech! Ugh! Get off of me, you stupid goat!" Mugman yelled before throwing his sandwich away and the goat chased after it.
Cuphead and Bendy were standing next to the hammock. The cup and kitten jump into the hammock.
"Careful, there's not a lot of room in this hammock," Mugman said.
"Yeah, yeah," Bendy said.
"You were having that piano dream again, weren't you?" Cuphead said.
"Piano dream?" Bendy asked.
"Yeah," Mugman said. "I dream of playing the piano on a grand stage."
"Really? You can play the piano?" Bendy asked.
"Well... not yet. But I'm getting there. I have a lesson today with the great Ludwig!"
"Ugh, that guy. The biggest Snooty Face in all of Inkwell." Cuphead said.
"No. Ludwig is a brilliant musical mind," Mugman said. "and he's inspiring me to appreciate the finer things, like music, culture, and lobster."
"Eh, lobsters overrated," Bendy said. "If you really want fine dining, eat a steak- oh! Or king crab,"
Suddenly the hammock spun over, and the mug and kitten fell to the ground. Cuphead helps Bendy back to his feet. He then grabs a bucket.
"Eh, who needs lobster or crab when there are free crawdads down at the crick?" Cuphead said before walking away.
Bendy follows Cuphead after he grabs some rope.
"You can keep your crawdads and your crick!" Mugman said.
"And you can keep your snooty piano instructor," Cuphead said. "He doesn't even say your name right."
"Well, now I wanna see this guy," Bendy said.
At that moment a horn honks Beethoven's "5th Symphony". Mugman gasps and then squeals with excitement.
"Here comes your chance," Cuphead said.
The boys watch as a really, really, REALLY long limo pulls up to the fence. A man with a gramophone for a head steps out of the limo. He's wearing a black suit and pants with yellow buttons, on the inside is a yellow and blue shirt with a white fluff and white gloves.
His head is playing Vivaldi's "Summer" before he pushes his button, and the music stops.
"Okay, I see what you mean now," Bendy said looking unimpressed. "Let's go,"
"Yeah, we got crawdads to catch. Have fun tickling the ivories, you weirdos." Cuphead said. He and Bendy walk away.
"Good morning, Ludwig!" Mugman greeted the instructor.
"Yes, good morning, Moog Maan." Ludwig said as he strides to the cottage. "What a lovely day is any day I get to see my favorite student, Moog Maan."
"Yep. That's my name!" Mugman said.
"No, it's not!" Cuphead shouted from across the way.
"Shh!" Mugman shushed. Then he follows Ludwig. "Uh, Ludwig, I was wondering—"
"A moment, Moog Maan!" Ludwig interjected and stopped striding. "I must remove my driving gloves."
Ludwig begins to carefully remove his gloves while Mugman waits quietly next to him.
"You were saying?" Ludwig said before resuming his stride to the cottage.
"Oh!" Mugman said. "I just remembered—"
"A moment, Moog Maan!" Ludwig interjected. again after he stepped on the front step. "I must put on my non-driving gloves."
Ludwig pulls out an identical pair of gloves from his pocket and then begins to carefully put the gloves on. Mugman waits quietly while rocking on his feet.
"There. Now, you were saying?" Ludwig asked.
"Oh, eh... Uh... I was wondering, uh... I forgot." Mugman said.
"Such is the power of watching a man remove and then put on various pairs of gloves." Ludwig then places a hand on the mug's shoulder. "Now, Moog Maan, there is something I must say, and it is this: I loathe you." His eyes turned red.
"What? Ludwig, no!" Mugman cried out.
Ludwig stands up and makes dramatic poses as he speaks.
"Yes, my dear boy, I loathe you, because I am jealous. Jealous that your musical adventure is at its dawn, while mine barely holds on to dusk. Why go on, you ask? Because I choose to nurture the next wave of talent, you! Moog Maan!"
"Ah!" Mugman exclaimed.
"His name is Mugman!" Cuphead shouted.
Not far from the Kettle cottage, there was a lovely creek with rocks, grass, and mud. It's also home to many critters such as rabbits, fish, snakes, and of course...
"Crawdads!" Cuphead said excitedly.
He and Bendy were sitting on a falling tree that acted as a bridge across the creek. They had dropped the bucket into the water with a rope tied to the handle. Crawdads were swimming and crawling into the bucket. Soon, Cuphead pulls the bucket up and smiles when he sees the many crawdads in the bucket. Bendy picks up one of the live crustations.
"So these are crawdads?" Bendy asked as he looked over the crawdad between his fingers.
"Yepp," Cuphead said. "So you really never had a crawdad before?"
"Nope," Bendy said.
"Oh, then you're in for a treat."
Cuphead inspects the crawdads in the bucket.
"So, Cuphead," Bendy said.
"Yeah?" Cuphead asked.
"How come you don't take piano lessons?"
"Eh, I ain't really into it."
"Too bad. The piano is great."
"You know how to play?"
"Hell yeah, but not just piano. I can play the organ, violin, guitar, trumpet, flute, drums, saxophone, and I'm currently learning how to play the xylophone."
Cuphead seemed taken aback.
"Huh? So you know how to play all that, yet you never had crawdads before?" Cuphead wondered.
"Playing musical instruments is more important to my dad than having me eat tiny river crustations," Bendy said.
"Your dad made you learn all that stuff? Your dad as in..." The cup points a finger down to the ground.
"Yeah him. You can also call him Mr. Scratch if you're nervous. Anyway, he loves the art of music... or the art of anything really."
"I never would've thought of that. And does he know how to play the piano and stuff?"
"Of course. He once said: Son, there's nothing in this world that is as attractive as a talent,"
"And you believe that?"
"Yeah, I do,"
Cuphead hummed and scratched his chin with a smile.
Back at the Kettle Cottage...
Mugman was playing the piano in the living room... rather poorly. He plays discordant notes.
"Rats!" Mugman yelled. He slams his fists on the keys. "There I go again messing up."
"Do not fret, young master," Ludwig said. "Just release the tension in your hands. Try to relax."
"Oh right! Thanks, Ludwig."
"Well, when I've got you as a student, it's... Godfrey Daniel!" Ludwig exclaimed.
Mugman screamed. "What is it?" he asked.
"Your posture. It is exquisite!" Ludwig said with a smile. "I see quite the improvement."
"Oh! Why, thank you, Ludwig." Mugman said.
"Now, I would like for you to grace the ivories with... "Chopsticks.""
"Rudimentary, but I'll go with it." Mugman said before playing "Chopsticks" ...out of tune.
The little goldfish in the fishbowl perched on the piano covers his ears.
"One-two-three, one-two-three Going the same rhythm ~ And it's sounding so lovely One-two-three ~ And you're going a bit faster One-two-three, one-two-three~" Ludwig sang.
A green scent wave reaches Mugman's nose, and the smell makes the mug mash the keys.
"Ugh! Crawdads?" Mugman said pinching his nose.
Cuphead and Bendy were now in the living room and the cup bit into a crawdad.
"I see what you're doing there, Mugsy," Cuphead said before throwing the tail away. He places the bucket down. "Eh, why not try a little something like this?"
Cuphead walks to the piano and plays "Chopsticks". Then he starts to play upbeat ragtime music perfectly. Ludwig, Bendy, and Elder Kettle watch the cup play with stunned expressions on their faces. The goldfish dances in his bowl to the music. By the end, everyone, including Mugman, stared at the cup. A faint blush on Bendy's cheeks.
"What are you weirdos looking at?" Cuphead asked. No one answered. "Eh, I got crawdads to eat." He backs away into the kitchen.
"Who was that brilliant boy?" Ludwig wondered.
Mugman sighs.
In the kitchen, Cuphead was sitting on a chair eating crawdads. A pile of tails on the table.
"Brother of Moog Maan, what you just did, how did you do it?" Ludwig asked.
"I 'dunno. I just played what felt right." Cuphead answered his eyes never leaving the bucket of crawdads.
Bendy walked up to Cuphead. "You just made that up on the spot?" he asked.
"Yeah," Cuphead answered handing his friend a crawdad.
"That was amazing! I'm impressed cup." The kitten said before biting the head off the crawdad.
Cuphead smiled and had a faint blush on his face.
"Your talent, it's so raw and alive!" Ludwig said.
"Mister, you're starting to creep me out," Cuphead said trying to keep his distance from the instructor.
"Listen, there's a piano competition..." Ludwig said.
"No, thank you," Cuphead said.
"Tomorrow at the Inkwell Theater!"
"Nope."
"You will enter as my pupil and dazzle all of the Inkwell Isles with your song."
"Pass!"
"Did I mention the grand prize is $10,000?"
Hearing about the money, dollar signs appeared in Cuphead's eyes.
"I'm in." the cup said.
Mugman suddenly steps in between Cuphead and Ludwig.
"Recital?" the mug said. "But that was my dream and my grand prize. You can't pick someone for the recital till you hear us both play." He pulls Ludwig to the living room and gets on the stool. "You think he's so great, just wait till you hear Moog Maan. Prepare to be dazzled."
Mugman plays one note before Ludwig places a hand on Mugman's.
"Stop!" Ludwig said. "Dear boy, the piano isn't for everyone. Perhaps, you should try, um... watercolors."
Mugman frowns upon hearing this.
"Anyway! Let us go, my boy." Ludwig said linking arms with Cuphead who brings Bendy along. "The high life awaits!"
"See ya Mugman!" Bendy said.
The door slams shut. The mug looks on, heartbroken.
"But that was supposed to be my dream, and my $10,000, and my lobster!" Mugman cried out. He started crying and mashed the keys.
"Well, there's always crawdads," Kettle said. He has the bucket now and eats a crawdad.
"I don't want crawdads!" Mugman shouted.
He mashed the keys.
"Stop that. You love crawdads." Kettle said.
"I said no!" Mugman yelled.
Mugman mashed the keys.
"Is this some kind of jealousy thing involving Cuphead?" Kettle asked.
Mugman sniffed and wiped away some tears.
"Probably," Mugman answered.
"Well, if it's so important to you, just put in the time," Kettle said. "You know the old saying. "Practice all day and you might get better, but don't practice and you certainly won't."
Mugman wipes his nose with his hand.
"Nobody says that." The mug said. He starts playing "Chopsticks" out of tune while Kettle backs away into the kitchen.
Kettle cringes when Mugman plays a discordant note but smiles, gives him two thumbs up, and keeps backing away.
Four hours later, Mugman is banging his head frustratingly against the keys. Kettle walks into the living room holding a pair of hedge trimmers.
"Ah... You know what? Maybe try watercolors?" Kettle suggested.
Mugman turns his slowly towards Kettle, a look of anger on his face.
"Maybe. Try. Watercolors!?" Mugman yelled, mashing the keys again.
"Well, hey," Kettle said with a shrug. "You may not have gotten better, but that doesn't mean Cuphead won't get worse."
Mugman gasped. "Elder Kettle, you're a genius. Cuphead can't play in the recital if he doesn't have any hands!"
He grabs the trimmers from Kettle, laughs maniacally, and then runs for the door. Kettle stops the mug by grabbing his handle and pulls him back.
"What have I told you about using my hedge trimmers to mutilate your brother?" Kettle said taking back the trimmers. "Now, go to your room!"
Mugman, with his head hung low, walks up the stairs to his room. The hours passed and soon it was dark outside. The mug was in his bed looking up at the ceiling sadly.
Just then Ludwig's laugh cuts through the air.
"Oh, yes!" Ludwig said.
"Shh! Keep it down, Ludwig. My brother's asleep." Came Cuphead's voice.
Mugman frowns before shaking in a jealous rage.
"Oh, and don't forget, the recital is tomorrow. I'll be over in the morning to pick you up." Ludwig said.
Bendy and Cuphead climb in through the window.
"Oh, and Coop Haad, I utterly loathe you!" Ludwig said.
"I loathe you too, Lud- Whoa!" Cuphead said before falling on the floor in his room.
Ludwig, Cuphead, and Bendy laugh.
Mugman sits up on his bed. Cuphead climbs up the ladder.
"Oh, hey Mugsy, I must have climbed into the wrong bed," Cuphead said.
Mugman pushes Cuphead away and he falls but Bendy manages to catch the cup before he hits the ground.
"Hey! What's your problem Mugman?" Bendy asked holding Cuphead bridal style.
"What's my problem? I'll tell ya! I got a brother that's double-crossed me!"
"Me? What did I do?" Cuphead asked.
"What did you do!? You knew I was excited about the piano, and then you completely showed me up! You stole my instructor, my chance for the recital, and now Ludwig loathes you!" Mugman starts sobbing. "I wanted Ludwig to loathe me!"
Bendy sets Cuphead back on his feet.
"Mugsy, I don't even care about the piano," Cuphead said. "You want me to give it up? Just say the word and I'll give it up."
Mugman stops crying and looks at Cuphead plainly. "Give it up." He said.
"What? No way!" Cuphead said. "You're just jealous because I'm better than you. I'm gonna win that $10,000, and tonight with Ludwig, I ate lobster."
"You ate lobster?!" Mugman yelled. He jumps out of bed and wails. "You're gonna see what happens when you mess with Moog Maan!" he slams the door as he leaves.
Mugman sneaks to the theater where the recital was to be held tomorrow. Wearing a towel around his shoulders like a cape, the mug laughs as he sets a trap for Cuphead. He paints a red 'X' on the stage, ties up a piano, hosts it up in the air, sets it right above where his brother will be and laughs maniacally.
The next morning, a tired Mugman chuckles on his way to the Kettle Cottage. But before he could open the fence-
"What did you do!?" came Bendy's voice.
The sudden appearance of the disguised devil nearly made the mug jump out of his skin, but it also woke him up.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Mugman asked clutching his chest.
"What did you do to Cuphead?" Bendy questioned.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mugman said.
"Really? I went to the recital and Ludwig was there without Cuphead and here I find you looking like you've been out all night,"
Mugman blinked in confusion before getting back on his feet.
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Mugman asked.
"Cuphead isn't at the theater and Ludwig said it was because Cuphead couldn't make it. I thought maybe you did something."
"What? How could you say that?"
"You're the one who vowed revenge against Cuphead."
"I didn't do anything to Cuphead,"
"Then where is he?"
Just as the two went silent they heard a light snoring. They looked around and over the fence and there, lying on a bench outside the cottage, was Cuphead... asleep? Bendy and Mugman open the fence door and run to the cup.
"Cuphead?" the mug and kitten said at the same time.
Cuphead woke up. "Oh, hey, fellas." He said.
"What are you doing here?" Mugman asked.
"You were supposed to be at the theater a while ago," Bendy said.
"Eh, Ludwig was a no-show." Cuphead said.
"But... Ludwig said you were a no-show," Bendy said.
"Oh gosh, that's awful," Mugman said. "I know what it's like to be abandoned."
"Eh, I'm over it," Cuphead said with a wave of his hand.
"Oh look at us, a couple of fellas with abandonment issues," Bendy said smiling with a chuckle. He wraps his arms around Cuphead and Mugman's shoulders and hugs them close. "But... why did Ludwig lie saying you were a no-show?"
Suddenly, the boys hear a familiar ragtime piano song on the radio in the cottage. Cuphead opens the door, and the boys enter the cottage.
"Hey! That's my song!" Cuphead shouted.
An audience applaud comes from Kettle's radio.
"And the winner of this year's piano competition is... Ludwig!" said the announcer.
The audience cheers.
"Ludwig!?" All three boys exclaimed.
"Tell us, Ludwig, how did you come up with this fantastic new piece?" The announcer asked.
"Oh, I'm so glad you asked that. I just play what feels right." Ludwig answered.
"Ooooh, okay that makes sense," Bendy said.
"What a phony!" Cuphead said. "Someone ought to teach that jerk a lesson."
"Yeah!" Mugman said.
The sound of a rope snaps on the radio before the crash of a piano. People scream.
"Oh dear! Ludwig has been crushed by a falling piano! Who would do such a—"
Mugman turns off the radio before the announcer can finish.
"So you were going to crush me with a piano, huh?" Cuphead questioned the mug.
Bendy's eyes narrowed at Mugman too.
"Just a little," Mugman answered nervously.
"Eh, don't sweat it," Cuphead said. "I would've done the same thing if I were you."
"Yeah, no judgment on revenge in this group," Bendy said.
"Exactly. Crawdad?" Cuphead suggested holding the bucket of crawdads.
"Hmm, don't mind if I do," Mugman said.
The three boys start snacking on crawdads.
"You know, bad as it is, it makes sense that Ludwig stole your song," Bendy said. "The guy is about as sharp as a C major,"
"As sharp as..." Mugman said before he started chuckling. "That's a good one,"
"I don't get it?" Cuphead said.
"Because a C Major is a key that has no sharps or flats," Mugman said.
"Well, Ludwig's probably flat now," Bendy said before laughing.
Cuphead and Mugman laugh too.