It was a bright January day on the Inkwell Isle. The snow had melted away even though it was still winter. All in all, not bad weather.

Over at Porkrind's Emporium, all was quiet, which is the way Porkrind usually liked it. He was wiping away dust off his jar of eyeballs when the bell over his door rang.

RING

The pig doesn't need to turn around to see who it is because judging by the lack of sound, it could only be the shadiest customer he has. Jerry.

"You know, you could enter the store like a normal customer, Jerry," Porkrind said.

"Say, Porkrind," Jerry said. "I got a client, who needs a special delivery to the Fly Trap. You know, Ribby and Croaks' joint? It's for Ribby. It's gotta be delivered by sundown." The creep cackled.

"All right," Porkrind said after he turned around to face Jerry. "Put it on the counter next to the sack of money."

Jerry's eyes shifted as he looked around the counter.

"I don't see no sack of money." He said.

"Then I don't see no delivery by sundown," Porkrind said.

"Oh. Right." Jerry said before he dropped a sack of money on the counter. Then he pulled out a box wrapped with brown paper and a string from his coat. "This package is courtesy of—"

"Deh-deh-deh-deh. I don't care who it's courtesy of." Porkrind interjected.

"Inside this box is—"

"Deh-deh-deh-deh. Don't care what's in the box."

"Ain't you curious why it's tickin'?" Jerry asked.

TICK TICK TICK TICK

"No," Porkrind said firmly. "The less I know, the better."

"But don't you wanna know—?"

"What has to happen for you to shut your trap?"

Suddenly, a baseball flew in. It broke a window and hit Jerry right in his face. The hit rendered the creepy man unconscious, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

Porkrind was surprised but he shook it off after he picked up the ball and looked towards the broken window.

Outside the emporium, Cuphead, Mugman, Bendy, and Chalice sprung out of a bush and looked at the shattered window.

"Wow, Chalice! That was some hit." Cuphead said.

"Yeah, nice work toots," Bendy said.

"Guess I don't know my own strength," Chalice said.

"You boneheads do realize that was our only baseball?" Mugman said.

"Relax, Mugsy," Chalice said. "I'll just sneak in there and grab the ball. The pig won't even know what hit him."

The children flinched when they suddenly heard Porkrind clear his throat. The disgruntled store owner was now in plain sight from the window, and he looked right at the four children.

"The pig knows," Porkrind said.

The four children gulped before they entered the emporium and walked to the counter.

"Windows ain't free to break," Porkrind said. "You want the ball? You gotta work off the debt." He handed the ticking box to the mug. "Deliver this before sunset to Ribby over at the Fly Trap."

Cuphead and Mugman's eyes went wide and then they trembled with fear.

"We can't go to the Fly Trap!" Cuphead exclaimed.

"Ribby and Croaks wanna kill us!" Mugman exclaimed.

"I know how they feel," Porkrind said plainly. "Don't worry. I got just the thing." He said before he rummaged behind the counter.

Chalice lightly elbowed Bendy and gave him a questioning look.

"We kinda caused a scene on their boat and then it sank," Bendy whispered. "And we stole a couple of pounds of ice cream."

Chalice chuckled.

Cuphead stopped shaking when he the little devil and chalice girl whispering and laughing with each other. He felt a sudden erg to push the girl away. Porkrind's voice disrupted the cup's thoughts.

"Here you go," the pig said before he picked up a box marked 'lost and found' and dumped the contents inside the box onto Cuphead.

"Ooh, disguises!" Cuphead said excitedly. He grabbed a green Newsboy cap, a black jacket, and a grey shirt.

"You, you're Peter. Peter, the, uh, delivery boy." Porkrind said.

"That's it? I'm just a delivery boy?" Cuphead said.

"Uh, you're Patch-Eyed Pete, secret assassin," Porkrind said before he took out a pencil and drew an eyepatch over the cup's right eye.

"Wow! You hear that, Mugsy? I'm a secret assassin." Cuphead said.

"Hey, Porkrind," Mugman said. "Porkrind. Hey, hey, Porkrind. Who am I gonna be, Porkrind? Porkrind? Hey, hey. Who am I gonna be? Porkrind..."

Porkrind ignored the mug and turned his attention to Chalice. "And you, you're Biff Macintosh, a handyman." He said. He handed her a utility belt, a blue hat, and a fake mustache.

"And?" Chalice said.

Porkrind sighed. "And you're also a secret assassin." He said.

"Now you're talkin'," Chalice said.

"Aw, I wanna be someone," Mugman said. "Come on, Porkrind. Who am I, Porkrind?"

Porkrind ignored him again and looked at Bendy.

"You are Liam O'Haddock. Rookie cop." Porkrind said and gave the little devil a small police uniform, reflective sunglasses, and a fake mustache.

"Oh, a copper," Bendy said excitedly as he put on his uniform.

Porkrind rolled his eyes. "And I guess you can—"

"Deh-deh-deh-deh. I can pick my own secret criminal work, thank you." Bendy said. "I'm a secret arsonist."

"Whatever," Porkrind said.

"Hey, Hey Porkrind," Mugman said. "Who am I gonna be, huh? Jeez, Porkrind. Will you tell me who I am? What's my criminal work? Please, Porkrind. Tell me who I am!"

"You!... are Tallulah Piccolo." Porkrind said.

"Oh boy! Am I... Am I also a secret assassin? Or arsonist? Oh, maybe something light like a blackmailer or extortionist?"

Bendy snickered.

"No," Porkrind said. "You're a washed-up dancer." Then he gave the mug a turquoise-colored dress, long aero green gloves, and a silver headband with a pink feather.

Now that everyone had their disguises, Porkrind continued.

"All right. Be back by closing time, or I'm selling the ball," he said. Then he shouted. "Now get out!"

The children took the box and scrambled to the door. The three cups got stuck on the door, but the little devil quickly pushed them out. The four ran in the direction of the lake.

Porkrind stepped out of the emporium and shook his fist.

"And no peekin' in the package!" he yelled.

Once they were far enough away, Chalice stopped the group and took the box.

"Hey, wanna peek in the package?" she suggested.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!" the three boys said.

They ripped up the paper and untied the string before Cuphead opened the box.

"Huh?" they all said.

Inside the box was a small pair of sparkling ruby-red shoes.

"It's just a pair of sparkly shoes," Cuphead said before he picked up the shoes. "What a letdown."

"Ooh, sparkly," Chalice said in a mesmerized way.

"Hey, Mugsy, Chalice is all hypnotized by these dumb shoes," Cuphead said.

"Sparkly," Mugman said in a mesmerized way.

With curled fingers, Mugman and Chalice reached for the shoes. Bendy stepped in between them and swung his baton at them.

"Get back, both of you!" Bendy ordered.

"Wait where did you get the police stick?" Mugman asked.

"Doesn't matter. Just back away from the shoes." Bendy ordered.

Mugman and Chalice backed away.

"Thanks, Bendy," Cuphead said.

Bendy nodded at the cup. "These shoes are for Ribby and not you weridos," he said to Chalice and Mugman.

"Yeah, right. Like that puffy frog could ever fit into 'em." Chalice said.

"Oh, like you would with those clodhoppers of yours," Mugman said.

"Clodhoppers?" Chalice said in the offense. "Why, you—"

They were about to fight but Cuphead and Bendy stopped them.

"Hey, hey, hey! We got a job to do." Cuphead said. "Now let's go." Then he walked away.

Bendy gave Mugman and Chalice the 'I'm watching you' hand gesture before he caught up with Cuphead.

Mugman and Chalice gave each other one last glare before following the others.

"Thanks for the backup back there," Cuphead whispered.

The little devil lowered his sunglasses. "Anytime," he whispered back before he winked at the cup.

Cuphead's cheeks turned pink, and he chuckled.

Back in the emporium, Porkrind sat back on his chair behind the counter and was reading his race form when Jerry woke up.

The creeper stood up and rubbed his head while pain stars spun around him.

"Well, well. Look at that. Sleeping Beauty decided to wake up." Porkrind said.

Jerry groaned. "Sundown. Exploding shoes. The delivery." He said.

"Delivery's taken care of," Porkrind said.

"Oh. Phew." Jerry said as he wiped his brow. "In that case, I bid you a fond adieu." He started to walk away with a snicker.

"Wait," Porkrind said and he got up from his seat. "Did you say "exploding shoes"?"

"Yeah, in the box," Jerry said as he stood by the door. "Sparkly dancin' shoes. At sundown, they go...kaboom!" he shouted and then cackled. "Well, see you later." He said casually before he left the store.

RING

"Hm..." The pig hummed. 'Box goes kaboom at sundown. Those four kids are holding said box. Box goes kaboom, they go kaboom.' He thought. Then he shrugged. "Eh... not my problem." He said.

Ribby and Croaks stood by their establishment as insect customers walked into the ship.

"Come on in, folks. Two-for-one appetizers all afternoon!" Ribby said.

"Yeah!" Croaks said.

"Stay for dinner and get a free complimentary-type dessert!"

"What he said."

Behind two trees, the three cups and little devil hid and spied on the frogs.

"Ribby and Croaks!" Cuphead said.

"Okay, let's keep this simple."

"Right, Biff and O'Haddock will go up first and distract Croaks," Bendy said. "then Peter gives the box to Ribby."

"Bingo bongo, delivery done," Chalice said.

"Or..." Mugman said before he took the shoes from Cuphead. "we keep the shoes, and Tallulah uses them to dance her way back to the top!"

"Uh, yeah. We're gonna stick with the plan and get our baseball back." Cuphead said after he took the box back. He, Bendy, and Chalice walked toward the ship.

"But what about Tallulah?" Mugman asked.

"You can... hang back, relax, and stay washed up," Bendy suggested. He pushed Cuphead and Chalice forward while he muttered. "Let's just go. Go, go, go, go," When the cup turned his head, the little devil turned his head back. "Don't look back!" He ordered quietly.

Mugman narrowed his eyes.

"We'll see who's washed up." He said.

Back at the emporium, Porkrind was still reading his race forms while Jerry's words echoed in his head.

"At sundown, they go kaboom! Kaboom... kaboom..."

The pig grunted. A wave of worry washed over him. He tried to shake it off and turned on his radio.

"Coming down the track is Baby Go Boom! Followed by Flaming Limbs! And in third is Blown to Bits! Behind him is Horribly Disfigured! Charred Carcass is pulling up the rear!"

Porkrind cringed harder with every horse name he heard before he turned off the radio. He really started to feel worried for the children he endangered.

Back at the Fly Trap entrance, Bendy and Chalice approached Ribby and Croaks. The little devil cleared his throat.

"Good day to you, good fellas," Bendy said with an Irish accent. "Perchance would you two be Ribby and Croaks? The owners of this fine establishment."

"Yes," Ribby said.

"That's grand. I be Officer Liam O'Haddock, and this is Biff Macintosh, he's a handyman."

"Hey. How's it going?" Chalice said with a deeper, male-ish voice.

"Anyway, we be here because we've been receiving anonymous tips about some stolen goods that were hidden in random jukeboxes everywhere and we've come to inspect yours. And for a limited time only we are offering a hefty finder's compensation for anyone under the name, uh, Croaks,"

The two frogs looked at the children suspiciously before Croaks perked up.

"Hey, I'm Croaks!" the tallest frog said. "Right this way." he led Bendy and Chalice inside the boat.

"Huh? I didn't even know we had a jukebox." Ribby said.

"Good job, guys," Cuphead said after he watched the ruse. The package was in his hand. "Now Peter just has to deliver the package to Ribby." He looked back at his hand and noticed the box was gone. "Hey, where'd it go?" he wondered.

Mugman laughed in crazed triumphant and ran as he carried the box away in his hands.

"These sweet babies are Tallulah's ticket back to the top!" he said.

A tiny ant was crawling on the ground when he noticed the mug getting too close. The ant grinned mischievously before he stuck out his little leg.

Mugman didn't notice and tripped over the leg. He fell on his face and the box fell from his hand and bounced on the ground before it landed by Ribby's webbed feet.

"Whoo! Hey!" Ribby exclaimed before he picked up the box. "Who's the wise guy throwing trash around? I'm trying to run a high-class establishment here!"

Mugman walked over and cleared his throat. He spoke in a Southern accent and higher pitch.

"Hi. I'm Tallulah." He greeted the frog with a curtsy.

"So?" Ribby asked.

"I am a dancer, and I am—"

"Let me stop you right there," Ribby interjected. "We aren't taking any auditions. My brother and I handle all the entertainment here on this boat. Capisce?"

"Oh," Mugman said sadly. "Uh, well, in that case, could I have my box back, then?"

"Sure. Whatever." Ribby said as he held out the box.

Mugman giggled and was about to grab the box.

"No, no, no, no!" Cuphead exclaimed as he ran over. He grabbed the box from the frog and pushed the mug away with his foot. "This is for you, Ribby." He said. "It's a present."

"A present?" Ribby said before he took the box back. "Wow! I never get presents."

"Me neither," Mugman said before he snatched the box and ran away with a cackle.

"Hey! My present!" Ribby exclaimed before he ran after Mugman.

"Ah! Tallulah!" Cuphead grumbled.

One of the windows on the boat opened and Chalice stuck her head out.

"Psst. Fellas, make it snappy." Chalice said. "Croaks is about to realize they ain't got a jukebox. And I think Bendy's losing it."

She saw Cuphead chasing Mugman and Ribby chasing them.

"Hey! That's mine! Thief! Thief!" Ribby shouted.

"Thief!?" came Bendy's Irish voice. Then he opened another window and stuck his head out. "I'll get 'em! In the name of the law!" He lept out of the window... and into the lake.

Chalice watched the bubbles before they stopped, and she face-palmed. "Ugh!" she groaned. "Ding-dongs! The plan was working!" she exclaimed. Then she jumped off the boat and onto land before she ran after Mugman.

"They're mine! All mine!" Mugman exclaimed crazily.

"Give me that box!" Chalice exclaimed before she pounced on Mugman and started fighting him in a fight cloud.

The box flew out of the cloud and up in the air. The three cups started running around with their hands up.

"I got it, I got it, I got it!" Cuphead exclaimed.

"I got it, I got it, I got it!" Chalice exclaimed.

"I got it, I got it, I got it!" Mugman exclaimed.

Then all three exclaimed, "I got it, I got it— Oh!" before they crashed into each other and fell on their backs.

Ribby, who stood back and watched silently, held out his gloved hands and caught the box. He opened the box and held the shoes.

"Ooh, sparkly." The frog said.

TICK TICK TICK TICK

"Wait. Why's it tickin'?" Ribby wondered.

"Hey, we ain't even got no jukebox." Came Croak's voice. He stepped out of the boat and then smiled when he saw the shoes his brother was holding. "Ooh, I see you got the exploding shoes I sent ya." He said. But then he suddenly realized what he had said and tried to cover it. "I mean, uh... Nothin'."

Glaring at the taller frog, Ribby yelled. "Why would you send me exploding shoes?"

"'Cause youse tried to bury me alive that time, remember?" Croaks yelled.

Ribby chuckles. "Always tryin' to bump each other off." He said with a smile. "When did this become our thing, huh?"

"Come here, you." Croaks said with open arms.

"Aw." Both frogs said as they hugged.

"Aw." The three cups said.

"I guess this delivery was a success after all," Mugman said.

"Not quite," Ribby said as he handed the box to the cups. "Delivery not accepted."

Not seeing the point of fighting, Cuphead took the box back.

The frogs turned around and went into the boat before it started shoving off.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Chalice asked.

"I don't know," Cuphead said. "I guess we take it back to Porkrind."

"Then I guess we're not gettin' our ball back," Mugman said.

They looked down sadly.

A Few Minutes Later...

Back at the emporium, Porkrind groaned and shook. The worry was eating away at him from the inside.

"Ah!" the pig exclaimed before he hopped over the counter and ran to the door.

Porkrind was about to run for the Fly Trap but then he froze in place when he saw Cuphead, Mugman, and Chalice standing on the doorstep with the package.

"Hi, Porkrind." The three cups said.

"Give me that!" Porkrind yelled as he took the box. Then he handed Cuphead the baseball. "Take this and... get out of here!" he ordered loudly.

The three cups gasped happily. "Gee, thanks, Porkrind!" they said happily.

"I said git!" Porkrind yelled.

The three cups exclaimed before they ran away.

Porkrind went back into the emporium and slammed the door. He sighed.

"That was a close one." The pig said.

TICK TICK TICK... RING!

"Uh-oh," Porkrind said.

And then...

BOOM

The emporium was now a charred mess and Porkrind stood there covered in scratches and gunpowder residue.

"I hate those kids," Porkrind said before he lost consciousness and fell forward on his face.

Not noticing the explosion, the three cups walked merrily on the road.

"All's well that ends well, eh, fellas?" Chalice said.

"You said it," Cuphead said.

"And how!" Mugman said. "Although... I can't shake this feeling that we forgot something,"

The cups stopped walking and hummed as they thought.

"I can't think of anything," Chalice said. "Say, who was next to bat in our game?"

"Let's see, Bendy was first and then—!" Cuphead said before he gasped.

The others gasped too.

"We forgot Bendy!" Cuphead, Mugman, and Chalice exclaimed.

BOOM

Suddenly the ground shook after another explosion erupted followed by a loud splash. It sounded far though.

"That sounded like it came from the lake," Mugman said.

"Bendy!" Cuphead cried out before he ran to the lake.

Mugman and Chalice followed him.

A Few Minutes Earlier...

Down in the Underworld, The Devil was by himself in a conference room. He was staring at a large dart board with various pictures taped to it. With throwing knives in his hands, The Devil considered each picture.

"Hmm... Baroness Von Bon Bon," The Devil said. "Too greedy!" he threw a knife at the picture of the candy lady.

"Beppi the clown," The Devil said. "Dimwit!" he threw a knife at the clown picture.

"The Four Horsemen..." The Devil said. "No. They're loyal to Bendall too. AGH!" he yelled before he threw a knife at the picture.

"No! No! No!" The big devil as he threw one knife after another at various inkwell dwellers.

The last knife struck a wanted poster for the Butcher Gang.

"No matter who I send after the cup and his soul, Bendall would either overpower that person or they would endanger him!" The Devil exclaimed. "Of all the children in the world for my son to make friends with, why...Why did it have to be with the cup? WHY!?" He leaned back on the conference table and massaged his temples. "What I need is someone who Bendall would not hurt but who would also not hurt him."

Boom

The Devil heard the soft explosion and realized it came from above on the surface world. He huffed and turned to his side. Not in his world, not his problem.

"I need someone my little devil wouldn't suspect. But who could I use?"

But then...

BOOM

A piece of the ceiling crumbled above the big devil.

"Oh!" The Devil exclaimed.

The Devil managed to roll away and hide under the table before the rocks could hit him.

When the trembling stopped, The Devil stepped out from under the table.

"What is going on up there?" he asked.

The Devil pulled down his periscope to investigate. The top of the scope caught the source of the second explosion.

The Fly Trap ship was burning and sinking into the lake. People were screaming and splashing around.

"Who could've caused this?" the big devil wondered.

Then he heard singing.

"O Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling~"

The Devil followed the voice and soon spotted his son rowing in a lifeboat, singing with an Irish accent, and wearing a policeman's shirt.

"From glen to glen and down the mountainside~" Bendy sang.

"Mass destruction, theft, endangering innocent lives, and singing all the while." The Devil said. He was frowning before his lips quivered and he chuckled fondly. "Oh, my little pest. You make it so hard for me to stay mad at you," he said with a smile.

"Bendy!" came another voice.

The Devil turned the periscope and saw Cuphead, Mugman, and Chalice on the shore and waving to the little devil.

"Bendy!" Mugman exclaimed.

"Hey Kitty Cat!" Chalice exclaimed.

"Oh! Top of the morning to ya'!" Bendy said as he rowed the boat towards them. He threw an anchor into the water before he stepped onto land.

"Bendy!" Cuphead exclaimed before he hugged the little devil.

"What happened to ya?" Chalice asked.

"And what happened there?" Mugman asked as he pointed at the sinking ship.

"Well after I fell into the water, I sank," Bendy said. "Then I climbed onto the boat just before he shoved away. I looked over the side, but you guys were gone."

The three cups groaned awkwardly.

"The frogs found me but thought I was still a cop and offered me a free boat ride with ice cream after I threatened them saying I had incriminating information on them."

"What information?" Mugman asked.

"I don't know. It was a lie and it worked." Bendy said.

"And then what happened?" Cuphead asked.

Bendy switched back to his Irish accent. "What happened? Well, I'm Officer Liam O'Haddock, secret arsonist. What do you think happened?"

"Oh..." the three said with wide eyes.

"Yeah, anyway," Bendy said in his normal voice before he brought out a huge bowl of ice cream. "Who wants some?"

"Me! Me! Me!" the three cups exclaimed excitedly.

The four children started walking away from the lake.

"Gee, Bendy, I'm so glad we're friends," Chalice said.

"Me too, toots," Bendy said.

The Devil gasped. "Well, well, well. Ms. Chalice." He said before he raised the periscope. "Hmmm... Bendall did mention a Chalice before, but I didn't think much about it."

A bell sound rang in The Devil's head as an idea popped into his mind.

"Bendall is friends with Chalice and Chalice is friends with Bendall." The Devil said. "They wouldn't want to hurt the other." He shuddered. "Oh yes. This will come in very useful indeed." He said.

The Devil cackled lightly before it grew louder. Soon he was laughing loudly and evilly.