It was morning once again in the fourth isle of the Inkwell Isles and Gwen and her friends prepare themselves for the day. After breakfast, they head off into town deciding where to go next. Gwen looks at the map and tries to pick where to go next.
As Gwen was deciding, Cuphead was fiddling around with his bouncy ball. When Cuphead accidentally knocked the ball away, he chases after it.
"Cuphead!" Mugman and Ms. Chalice yelled and ran after him.
Gwen groaned in frustration as she along with Rose and Clarence ran after them. They follow the cups down a hill and come across a tunnel down into the ground.
"My ball! It fell down there!" Cuphead exclaimed.
"Nice going dumdum!" Mugman scolded.
"Who's gonna get the ball back?" Ms. Chalice asked.
Gwen sighed frustratingly.
"I'll go since I'm the one doing all these challenges. Wait here." Gwen said, losing patience.
Gwen started her way down the tunnel and walked down the stairs. As she went further down, the light from the surface world grew dimmer. Gwen kept walking down until she finally reached the bottom and finds herself in an underground city with anthropomorphic bugs living down there.
She stares in wonder as she had never seen an underground city inhabited by bugs. Just then, she noticed Cuphead's ball near a barrel and obtains it.
"Found it!" Gwen said to herself.
But before she leaves, she suddenly noticed muscular tough looking flies flying away from ant policemen. Gwen wonders what the commotion is about so she decided to get a closer look while keeping her distance.
She keeps watch from around a building and noticed the ant policemen firing pesticide guns at the flies. But the flies manage to dodge their pesticide puffs and fight off the ant cops, forcing them to retreat.
The flies laugh at the cops and celebrate their victory. Gwen could tell the flies were gangsters and prepared to leave. But before she could, she felt a hand grasp her shoulder, making her heartbeat fast. She slowly turned and noticed a large anthropomorphic spider looking down at her with an angry look on his face.
"Oh no…" Gwen said nervously.
The spider grabbed Gwen's shirt and lifted her up and carried her to the flies.
"Ay gents! Look what I caught pokin' its nose where it shouldn't!" The spider said.
The flies look at Gwen and gasp at the sight of her. One fly goon flew up to her and took a closer look.
"What is it?" The goon asked.
Another goon flew up and looked at Gwen.
"What a strange little bug!" The goon insulted.
Gwen managed to free herself from the spider's grasp.
"Enough!" Gwen exclaimed.
The mobsters look at her in shock.
"First off, I am not a bug! I am a human! Second, I am a woman!" Gwen snapped.
"Hey there! Them's fightin' words!" The spider warned.
"Who are you guys anyway?" Gwen asked.
"Who are we?!" The spider asked.
The spider and the fly goons all laugh at Gwen as she felt insulted.
"Look, human, I am Charlie Left Legs! You've already met my men!" Charlie introduced himself.
"I see you guys are mobsters." Gwen said, noticing their outfits and some of the goons smoking cigars.
"Why, thank you kid. Now, what are ya doin' down here?" Charlie asked.
"Look, I don't want any trouble. My friend accidentally dropped his ball down here, I was just getting it back, and I was just leaving." Gwen explained herself.
Gwen attempted to leave until a group of fly goons block her path.
"I think we better bring you to the boss and see what he plans to do with you." Charlie said.
The fly goons prepare to take Gwen away, but she was not prepared to go without a fight. She grabbed her ink pen and fired her cyan-beam attack at the goons. Charlie gasped in shock that she had powers. He tries to grab Gwen, but she blasted him away with her shooting star attack.
After fighting off the mobsters, Gwen makes a run for it back to the stairs to the surface world.
Charlie Left Legs gets up and whistled very loudly, summoning someone.
Meanwhile, Gwen escapes back to the city thinking she escaped the mobsters. She suddenly noticed citizens running inside their homes and locking their doors and windows.
"What are they afraid of?" Gwen asked herself.
Suddenly, without warning, she heard a loud crashing noise. She quickly turned around and noticed giant hands grasping a tall building and a giant anteater wearing a bowler hat emerged from behind the building. Gwen gasped in horror at the sight of the giant anteater as he looked down at her with an evil grin.
"I think I just got my answer." Gwen said fearfully.
The giant anteater shot out his long tongue at Gwen, but she barely dodges and makes a run for it. She tries firing her range of attacks at the giant anteater as she tries to reach for the stairs. Running out of options, Gwen fires her giant glove attack and punches the giant anteater in his face, knocking him down.
Gwen quickly makes a run for it up the stairs to the surface world. Meanwhile, Rose, Clarence and the cups wait for Gwen until they hear her yelling. Rose quickly looked down and noticed Gwen was quickly coming up the stairs.
"Gwen! What happened?" Rose called.
"There's a mob after me! And a giant anteater!" Gwen called.
Rose's eyes widened as Gwen drew closer. Rose reached her hand to Gwen to pull her up to safety. But when Gwen tried to reach for Rose's hand, she suddenly felt something stick on her back.
"Uh… Rose?" Gwen nervously asked.
Suddenly, she is pulled away from Rose as she noticed Gwen was snatched by the giant anteater's long tongue. The giant anteater sucked Gwen into his long trunk into his mouth, to Rose's horror.
"GWEN!" Rose shouted.
The giant anteater walks away as Rose quickly hops on Cerulean Bolt with the others and prepared to fly down to the underground city.
Meanwhile, Gwen grabbed her ink pen and made it light up. She realized she was inside the giant anteater's mouth.
"Oh no, not again…" Gwen said to herself.
After a while of traveling, Gwen feels herself being sucked up through the trunk again. She is suddenly spit out of the trunk into a new room. She tries to catch her breath as she noticed she was in an office.
"Where am I?" Gwen asked as she tried to wipe the spit off her.
Just then, the chair spins around, revealing an anthropomorphic snail in a nice outfit. Gwen knew right away she was in the presence of the mobster leader.
"Well, well, well. Look what the anteater dragged in." Snail Boss taunted.
Gwen felt insulted as she stood on her feet.
"Are you in charge here?" Gwen asked.
"Yes, young human child. I lead the Moonshine Mob." Snail Boss confirmed.
"What do you want?" Gwen asked.
"I should be asking you that. Why did my men catch you snoopin' around?" Snail Boss asked.
"Look, sir. This is all a big misunderstanding. I was just getting my friend's ball back when they captured me." Gwen explained.
"I see…" Snail Boss said.
Just then, a female anthropomorphic firefly entered the office and approached the Snail Boss.
"Boss! We got a problem!" The firefly exclaimed.
"What is it?! Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?!" The Snail Boss asked impatiently.
"There's too many cops out on patrol in the city! We can't smuggle the stuff to our client!" The firefly explained.
"Oh dear. That is a problem." Snail Boss said.
Just then, the firefly noticed Gwen's presence.
"Wait a minute!" The firefly said.
She took one look at Gwen and noticed the magic inkwell on her belt.
"You brought the human with the magic inkwell!" The firefly exclaimed.
"What? That human we heard about? Her?" Snail Boss asked.
"Uh… Yes?" Gwen nervously confirmed.
Snail Boss gets out of his seat and whistled. A fly goon grabbed his boss and flew him up to Gwen. The fly goon places the Snail Boss down and flies off. Snail Boss looked at Gwen and noticed the magic inkwell.
"Ah, so you are the human with the magic inkwell. Gwendolyn, right?" Snail Boss asked.
"Yes, sir. Just Gwen." Gwen answered.
"You recently faced the giant's challenge and succeeded yesterday. Am I right?" Snail Boss asked.
"How did you know that?" Gwen asked.
"I have eyes all over the isle." Snail Boss answered.
"Oh." Gwen said, figuring the fly goons might've heard about her victory.
"Now then, walk with me. I believe you can be of use to me." Snail Boss said.
Gwen wasn't sure since she knew snails were very slow, but she went with him anyway. Just then, the giant anteater approached and reached his clenched fist down to Gwen and the Snail Boss. He opened his hand and out fell Rose, Clarence, the cups and Cerulean Bolt.
"Look what I caught boss! More of those humans and little cups!" The giant anteater said.
"Guys! You came!" Gwen exclaimed.
"Gwen!" All three cups exclaimed and hugged Gwen.
Clarence hugged Gwen and kissed her. Rose joins them in their hug.
"We saw that giant anteater eat you and followed him down here! You're alive!" Rose exclaimed.
"I'm okay guys, I'm okay." Gwen assured them.
"Friends of yours I assume?" Snail Boss asked.
"Yes, sir. This is my fiancé, Clarence. My sister Rose. And my best friends Cuphead, Mugman and Ms. Chalice.
"Charmed. Now, as I was saying, you can be of use to me young human." Snail Boss said.
"Me? How?" Gwen asked.
"You see, we got a client who ordered our… goods. But we got a little problem. Too many cops are out on patrol, making the delivery much more difficult." Snail Boss explained.
"Oh." Gwen said.
"That is where you come in. I'd like for you to help my men smuggle the goods to my client without getting caught by the cops." Snail Boss finished.
"Hmm… I'd love to help you out… if there was something in it for me." Gwen said.
"Well, what do you want?" Snail Boss asked.
"I would like some of your… distillery dough." Gwen answered.
" You help my men smuggle the goods and some of the distillery dough is yours. Final offer." Snail Boss proposed.
"It's a deal." Gwen said and reached her hand.
Snail Boss and Gwen both shake on it.
"So, what do I have to do?" Gwen asked.
"First, you'll go meet with Charlie Left Legs and my goons. He'll fill you in on the mission." Snail Boss explained.
Gwen looks down and noticed a truck loading up with barrels of bootleg booze by the fly goons. Gwen goes down there to join them. Clarence attempts to go with her until the firefly stops him.
"Whoa there handsome. She's gotta do it herself." Firefly said.
Ms. Chalice approached Clarence.
"Easy there, lady. He's Gwen's man." Ms. Chalice warned.
"As for the rest of you, I could use some entertainment." Snail Boss said.
Cuphead thought for a moment until he gets an idea.
Meanwhile, Charlie Left Legs briefs Gwen on the mission and her role.
"So, you want me to magically disguise the barrels as whatever would be convincing if the cops pull us over and inspect us?" Gwen asked.
"Yeah, kid. Youse gotta make the goods look like somethin' else. Like soda or somethin'. I don't care." Charlie explained.
"Okay, I can do that." Gwen agreed.
"Good. Now, let's get goin'. We ain't got all day." Charlie ordered.
Gwen gets in the back of the truck with the other goons guarding the barrels as Charlie and a caterpillar get in the truck and start the truck and started driving away. Gwen looked in awe of the city as they drove through. One fly goon notices and pulled Gwen's attention away.
"Hey kid! This ain't no time for sight-seein'! We got a job to do!" The fly goon scolded.
"Sorry. It's just we don't have places like this back in the human world." Gwen apologized.
"I'm sure ya don't. Now, stay focused!" The fly goon scolded.
Gwen sighed and kept her attention on the barrels. Just then, they hear police sirens and notices a police wagon behind them as the truck pulls over.
"Okay kid, you're on! Work your magic!" The fly goon ordered.
Gwen got out her ink pen and discreetly used the inkwell to disguise the barrels as her friends favorite soda: Sweetbubble Soda. An ant cop comes up to the truck.
"All of you! Step out of the truck!" The ant cop ordered.
Two of the fly goons grab Gwen's upper arms and lift her up as they all flew out of the truck. Several ant cops opened the truck and started inspecting the barrels. They open one of the barrels and notices pink bubbly soda. An ant cop stuck his finger in the drink and tasted it. Gwen grew nervous for a bit until Charlie patted her shoulder.
"Stay calm, kid. Act normal." Charlie whispered.
Gwen nodded as the cops continued the inspection.
After inspecting the barrels an ant cop said,
"It's Bubblesweet Soda Bomb!"
The ant cops were shocked as Charlie patted Gwen's back for her trick. One ant cop approached Charlie.
"Goin' into soda business now, eh?" The cop asked suspiciously.
"Aye! So quit pokin' yer noses into our pink stuff!" Charlie answered gruffly.
"You got very lucky this time! Don't push it!" The cop argued back.
The ant cops leave in their wagon and drive away. The mobsters and Gwen all sigh of relief.
"Boy, that was a close one." Gwen said.
"Aye. Now, turn the stuff back into the booze!" Charlie ordered her.
Gwen got out her ink pen and magically transformed the soda back into the booze. Charlie takes a quick taste to be sure it was the same booze, which he nodded.
"Perfect! Now, let's get the goods delivered!" Charlie said.
Gwen sighed of relief, impressing the mobsters as two fly goons fly Gwen back up in the back of the truck. They resume driving until they finally reached an empty alleyway with a single door with an eye slide door. Charlie knocked five times rhythmically until the eye slide door opened with two angry eyes looking.
"Password?" The gruff voice asked.
"Bootlegger boogie." Charlie answered.
The eye slide door closed, and the door unlocked, and a large muscular beetle opened the door.
"Alright gents! Let's get barrels these unloaded!" Charlie ordered.
The large beetle looked at Gwen suspiciously, making her nervous.
"Hey! The kid's with us! She helped us get the stuff over here and we passed the inspection!" Charlie spoke up for Gwen.
"Hmm." The beetle said and led the mobsters and Gwen toward a secret door that led to the speakeasy.
Gwen helped the fly goons lift the barrels up on the shelves with her magic. Afterwards, they've finished the delivery and prepare to leave.
"Well, that should do it!" Charlie said.
"Pleasure doin' business with ya." The beetle said and shook hands with Charlie.
The beetle shook Gwen's hand too, thanking her for all her help. Before the Moonshine Mob and Gwen could leave together, they are suddenly ambushed by several insect gangsters and start shooting pesticide from their guns.
"It's the Bathtub Gin Bugs!" One fly goon yelled.
The fly goons get out their guns and started shooting at the rival gangsters.
"Kid! Get behind me!" Charlie said, arming himself.
Gwen quickly gets behind Charlie as he started shooting at the gangsters. But suddenly, Charlie gets hit by a green cloud of pesticide and falls to the ground choking.
"CHARLIE!" Gwen yelled as she tended to Charlie.
"Kid… go… save yourself." Charlie weakly said.
Feeling anger, she looked up at the Bathtub Gin Bugs who were preparing to kidnap her. She angrily stood up, grabbed her ink pen and fired her attacks at the rival gang. All members were shocked at Gwen and her powers.
Gwen continued firing her attacks at the gangsters until they were finally defeated and forced to retreat to the city. The mafia cheer for Gwen for saving them until she remembered Charlie and magically heals him. Charlie started breathing easier now as Gwen helped him on his six feet.
"Kid, you saved us. Thank you." Charlie thanked.
"Kid!" The beetle called.
Gwen looked as the beetle pointed at the damage and the broken barrels.
"No problem." Gwen said.
She grabbed her ink pen and magically restored the speakeasy and the barrels of booze. The beetle shook Gwen's hand, thanking her for her services. Gwen leaves with the Moonshine Mob in their truck and leave the speakeasy back to their headquarters.
They return to the headquarters and enter to be greeted, only for them to discover Clarence playing his ukulele, Rose playing piano, Ms. Chalice dancing and scatting with Cuphead and Mugman.
"What's going on here?" Gwen asked.
Snail Boss turned and saw that Gwen and his men have returned.
"Ah, you're back. So, was the delivery successful?" Snail Boss asked.
Charlie stepped forward.
"The Bathtub Gin Bugs attacked us when we were loadin', but the kid here saved me from dying from pesticide and fought off those jerks! So, yes boss. The delivery was successful." Charlie answered.
Snail Boss looked at Gwen in shock as she smiled. He gestures her to come over to him as Clarence, Rose and the cups rejoin Gwen.
"You have done me a great service Gwendolyn Mae Emmons. I shall reward you with the distillery dough and I have another special surprise for you." Snail Boss announced.
Snail Boss gives Gwen a kiss on each cheek, thus making her an equal with his mafia.
Later, a fancy dinner party was held in celebration of the successful delivery and Gwen's heroism. The fly goons and giant anteater feast together along with Charlie and Firefly. They are all served gourmet spaghetti with meatballs with breadsticks and Caesar salad. Gwen treated the cups to fancy glasses of Sweetbubble Soda Bomb while they are treated with champagne.
"Thank you for this wonderful dinner, sir." Gwen politely thanked.
"I should be thanking you for your aide with the delivery. May you find use for the distillery dough." Snail Boss thanked her.
"I have a question sir." Gwen said.
"What is that?" Snail Boss asked.
"Do you know about the astral plane?" Gwen asked.
Snail Boss's eyes widened.
"It is where all the souls reside no living body can travel there. It holds such power beyond our mortal imagination. But if it were to fall into evil hands, our worlds would be doomed." Snail Boss explained.
Gwen, Rose and Clarence's eyes widened.
"Well, we think someone is trying to obtain the cosmic powers of the astral plane. How do I stop them if that really happens?" Gwen asked.
Snail Boss hesitated to answer, making Rose and Clarence worry.
"If you really want to save the astral plane, you will need such great ultimate power. But it can be too dangerous, and it could possibly cost you your life." Snail Boss warned.
Gwen looked in horror.
"Well, I hope it doesn't come down to that. Thanks for the warning." Gwen thanked.
"You're welcome my child. Be careful out there." Snail Boss advised.
"Thank you, sir." Gwen thanked.
The group take the distillery dough and leave the underground tunnels on Cerulean Bolt.
"That went well this time." Gwen said as she checked off the ingredient list.
"Yeah. I'm glad you didn't get killed." Rose said.
"Hey, Gwen can handle anything." Cuphead said.
"That's two down and three to go!" Ms. Chalice added.
"Hey guys, Look!" Mugman said, pointing at something.
The group looked and noticed the same ladder from the other day drop in front of them from the sky up to the floating palace.
"We can just simply fly up there. The king doesn't need to do that." Clarence said.
"Fly us up there buddy. Let's see what he wants now." Gwen ordered her magic carpet.
Cerulean Bolt flies above the clouds and arrive at the floating palace. Gwen gets off and is once again greeted by the King of Games.
"Prithee, proceed to the next battle! Alas, mind thee well weapons and charms have nary an effect." King of Games announced.
Gwen notices a door opening, leading to the next hall. Gwen noticed this time a statue of a knight chess piece above the door just like a pawn statue above the first door, making her realize the Knight was her next opponent.
Gwen once again hands over the magic inkwell and ink pen and enters the hall of knights. She finds herself in another room with a knight symbol on a tapestry above a fireplace. Suddenly, she is greeted by an anthropomorphic horse chess piece in shining armor, armed with a sword and shield.
"Have at ye!" The Knight yelled as he prepared for battle.
"Oh boy." Gwen said worryingly.
Gwen posed for battle, trying to think of a plan. The Knight gestured Gwen to come at him. She hesitantly approached the Knight as he prepared to charge at her. He charges at her, but she quickly dodges in time. He gets tired and catches his breath, making Gwen act quickly and tries to punch his head, only to accidently his plume, making him yelp in pain.
This made Gwen realize she found his weak point, thus giving her an idea. Gwen backed away as the Knight prepared to strike again. Gwen bravely approaches him and this time, he thrusted his sword upward at her, forcing her to dodge again, tiring him out. She threw a couple of punches at his plume.
The Knight gets up and taunts Gwen. She approaches the Knight and for his next attack, he swung his sword, making her jump backwards, making him tired again. Gwen seizes her chance and once again punches his plume a few times. Finally, she delivered a final blow, thus making the Knight's helmet fall off and his sword and shield away.
Gwen caught her breath, knowing she once again had won the battle. She exits the floating palace door and meets the King of Games outside.
"You dispatched that champion in so few rounds, brave lady!" King of Games complimented her.
"Thanks." Gwen thanked.
"Thy reward? Wealth untold!" King of Games said as he rewards Gwen another bag of gold.
"Now, away with thee!" King of Games once bid her farewell.
Gwen rejoins her friends and leaves the floating palace back to the bakery. They enter the bakery as Gwen brought the distillery dough and placed it next to the gnome berries.
"Ah, welcome back my friends! You won another ingredient! You're doing so well my dear!" Chef Saltbaker congratulated.
"Thank you. Now, how about we celebrate with your favorite dessert?" Chef Saltbaker asked as he held up the red-velvet cake Gwen helped him bake the other night.
Chef Saltbaker sliced up the cake and gave each slice to Gwen and her friends and ate together. Afterwards, they all turn in for the night.
That night, when Rose was grabbing a glass of water, she noticed Chef Saltbaker walking off to his counter. She decided to do a little snooping and secretly followed him. She watched from the stairs as Chef Saltbaker he opens a secret passage below his counter and went down a secret staircase.
Rose is shocked, but gathered some courage and followed him down the staircase to what appeared to be a secret laboratory. She hid in the shadows as she saw Chef Saltbaker approach some strange laboratory equipment with cooking equipment and tools. Rose got closer as she remained hidden.
"Two down, three to go! I'm one step closer to getting all the ingredients! That kid's proving herself to be more useful than I thought!" Saltbaker said crazily.
Rose's eyes widened, making her realize Chef Saltbaker is using Gwen for a sinister plan.
"When she collects the other three ingredients, the Wondertart will be complete, and nothing will stop me! Not the kid, not even the magic inkwell itself!" Chef Saltbaker said and laughed evilly until he coughed a little.
Rose looked in horror, realizing her instincts were correct about Chef Saltbaker.
"Now, where did I put the salt?" Chef Saltbaker asked after calming down.
As he was searching, Rose quietly leaves the secret laboratory and back upstairs to her room with her glass of water. Rose is horrified at what she discovered and needed to warn Gwen somehow. Rose tries to calm herself as she crawled back into bed and dozed off to sleep hopefully with a plan.