It was morning at the Ellis Island, New York and a boat arrived carrying new immigrants to the United States of America. People line up to go through immigration except for one young Muslim teenage girl who sneaks through the crowd to avoid being detected. Only for a guard to notice and chases down the woman. She quickly disappears to the mainland and heads into New York City. She comes across the train station headed south. She realizes the police were after her and quickly stows away on the train, making her getaway.

In downtown Boston, Agent Kai-Ming Cheng is working undercover as an old beggar woman on another case. She notices the young teenager fleeing from the train, realizing she was not a passenger. She follows the woman into the city and notices she takes cover in an alleyway. Kai-Ming holds a paper cup and uses an elderly voice and slouched.

"Spare change? Spare change?" Kai-Ming called out.

She enters the alleyway where the teenager is catching her breath.

"Oh, hello dearie. You have spare change?" Kai-Ming asked.

"No, I am sorry." The teenager answered.

"It's alright. Are you a beggar too?" Kai-Ming asked.

"No, I am a refugee. I just arrived in this town." The woman said.

"Where were you from dearie?" Kai-Ming asked.

"Damascus." The woman answered.

"Ah, you're from Syria? Very hot and dry place I've heard." Kai-Ming said, secretly shocked.

"Yes, but the American authorities are looking for me. But I just want to be free from the horrible life I lived with my parents who tried to marry me to this violent, abusive man to save us from poverty. Especially with the war and our horrible government. So, I decided to come here in America to start a new life in freedom. The problem was I didn't have any money or the paperwork. So, I slipped on the boat without being seen. But they want to catch me and send me back to Syria. I do not want to go back. They will execute me if I do." The teenager explained her story as tears rolled down her face.

Kai-Ming is shocked at her story and took pity on her.

"What is your name dearie?" Kai-Ming asked.

"Akilah Jassim." Akilah introduced herself.

"Well, there maybe someone who could possibly help you." Kai-Ming hesitantly said.

"Who? Who can possibly help me?" Akilah asked, now interested.

"Well, there's this young redhead girl with glasses who's known for helping people. She could take you to a place where you can be free." Kai-Ming said.

"Where?" Akilah asked.

"It is a discreet place called… the Inkwell Isles." Kai-Ming said.

"Inkwell Isles? Where is that?" Akilah asked.

"Shh! Only she knows where it is." Kai-Ming whispered.

Akilah thought for a moment, then she decided to trust Kai-Ming.

"Where can I find this girl?" Akilah asked.

"Her name is Gwendolyn Emmons. She is at the coffee house down the road having a coffee. Tell her 'Kai-Ming' sent you. She'll know what that means." Kai-Ming instructed.

"Gwendolyn Emmons. Kai-Ming sent me." Akilah said, trying to remember the instructions and names.

"Now, go. It'll be a matter of time before the authorities find you here." Kai-Ming said.

"Thank you so much ma'am! Mae alsalama!" Akilah said in Arabic as runs off to find the coffee house.

Kai-Ming resumes her assignment and leaves the alleyway.

At the coffee house, Gwen is alone having a coffee and a raspberry Danish. After finishing her pastry, she was about to leave until she is approached by Akilah.

"Uh, hello?" Gwen asked.

"Salam. Are you Gwendolyn Emmons?" Akilah asked.

"Who wants to know? Who are you?" Gwen asked, unsure about the stranger.

"Akilah Jassim. I was told you could help me. I need your help." Akilah said.

"With what?" Gwen asked, confused as she took one more sip of coffee.

"Someone said to ask you about… the Inkwell Isles." Akilah whispered.

Gwen choked on her coffee.

"Who sent you exactly?" Gwen asked suspiciously.

"The old lady said to tell you, 'Kai-Ming' sent me." Akilah answered nervously.

Gwen groaned, knowing Kai-Ming sent her a client for her to help.

"Kai-Ming, why?" Gwen grumbled.

Gwen looked at Akilah.

"Look, I don't know why she sent you to me, but I can't help you. Now, if you'll excuse me." Gwen said as she prepared to leave.

"Wait! Please!" Akilah begged.

"Sorry but I can't help you! Good day!" Gwen said.

Just then, the women heard police sirens. Akilah gasped and ran into the ladies restroom. Gwen realized something was wrong and follows Akilah into the bathroom. Gwen looked for Akilah and noticed she was hiding in the corner stall of the bathroom. She hears Akilah crying as Gwen drew closer. She opens the bathroom stall and sees Akilah sitting on the toilet crying with her head in her hands.

"Akilah? Who are you hiding from?" Gwen asked.

"From them." Akilah sadly answered.

"Why are they after you?" Gwen asked.

"I am not from this country. I just arrived here to America seeking asylum from my home country Syria. I didn't have any money or the paperwork to come here so I came by boat. Then, I used the train and came here to Boston, and I met this kind old beggar woman who told me to find you. She was really nice." Akilah finished her story.

Gwen was shocked that the woman is actually an illegal immigrant from Syria who just wants to live a free life. Gwen realizes she may've been a little too harsh with Akilah.

Just then, they hear footsteps arriving in the coffee shop. A man was asking a coffee shop employee if she'd seen a young Muslim woman.

"Please Gwendolyn. You're my only hope." Akilah begged.

"Just Gwen please." Gwen said.

Then, they hear the men approach the bathroom door and banged loudly as both women gasped.

"Open up in the name of the law!" A man called.

Gwen's heart started beating fast and looked at Akilah.

"If I take you with me to the Inkwell Isles, you promise to do exactly as I say?" Gwen asked.

"Yes! Please! I'll do anything!" Akilah begged.

Gwen took a deep breath, grabbed her ink pen and her inkwell started glowing.

"What are you doing?" Akilah asked.

"Trust me and don't freak out!" Gwen quietly instructed.

Gwen tapped the ink pen and both women disappeared just in time before the cops stormed in the bathroom. They couldn't find Akilah anywhere, leaving them baffled.

In the Inkwell Isles, both women appear in the forest not far from the cottage. Akilah gasped in shock at the cartoon world. She notices she is in a new cartoon appearance, and she was about to panic.

"I said don't freak out!" Gwen scolded.

Akilah tries to get a hold of herself and took a few breaths.

"What is this place? It looks like I'm in a painting." Akilah asked nervously.

Gwen sighed and said,

"Come on, I'll fill you in with this world."

Gwen takes Akilah down the dirt road and explained the Inkwell Isles, the inhabitants and how different it is compared to the human world.

"Wow, so this fantasy 'cartoon' world is real." Akilah said, trying to understand.

"When you put it that way, yes." Gwen said.

"So, what must I do now that I'm here?" Akilah asked.

"I'm figuring that out. In the meantime, I'll show you around." Gwen answered.

"Alright." Akilah complied.

Gwen takes Akilah to the outskirts of Inkwell City. Akilah stood in awe of the sight of the city.

"Wow, what city is this?" Akilah asked.

"Inkwell City." Gwen answered.

"Inkwell City." Akilah repeated.

"Yeah, follow me. I'll show you around." Gwen said.

They both walk into the city and Gwen showed her all the sights around including Inkwell Community Theater, Inkwell Movie Theater, Inkwell Pier, the docks, Clarence's radio show studio and the Inkwell Park.

They both head back to the forest, only for Akilah to notice the Devil's Casino.

"What is that place?" Akilah asked.

Gwen looked at the casino and realized she forgot to warn Akilah about the Devil.

"Uh listen, Akilah. You don't wanna go there." Gwen warned.

"Why not? Is it dangerous?" Akilah asked.

"Yes, my longtime hated enemy, the Devil works there." Gwen revealed.

Akilah looked confused.

"Devil?" She asked.

Gwen realized Akilah doesn't know who the Devil is in her religion.

"What I mean is the demon who rules the underworld who steals souls." Gwen explained.

Akilah's eyes widened.

"Wait. You mean Iblis? The ruler of the underworld? The accursed? The tempter?" Akilah asked nervously.

"In those words, yes. But here, we call him 'Devil'. But he's one and the same." Gwen answered.

"Alright, I will avoid the casino." Akilah agreed.

"Good. Your soul isn't worth the risk." Gwen said.

Both women continued into the forest and pass by Porkrind's Emporium, the Fly Trap and the Carnevil.

"Oh, the Devil also runs that carnival over there so stay away from that place too." Gwen warned.

"Alright. I will." Akilah agreed.

Just as they were about to leave, Gwen noticed her two best friends Cuphead and Mugman at the Carnevil. Cuphead was once again on a winning streak at the Soul Ball game.

"Oh no you ding-dongs!" Gwen groaned and facepalmed.

"What's wrong?" Akilah asked.

"My two best friends are at the carnival where they shouldn't be!" Gwen answered frustratingly.

"Oh no. What's going to happen to them?" Akilah asked.

"If my friend Cuphead loses at Soul Ball, his soul will be taken. Or anyone who loses any of the games will lose their souls!" Gwen answered.

"Oh no. That's not good!" Akilah exclaimed.

"Come on. Stay close to me, but don't touch anything!" Gwen warned.

"Okay." Akilah complied.

Both girls enter Carnevil and approach Cuphead and Mugman at Soul Ball.

"Mugman! What are you doing?!" Gwen scolded.

"I'm sorry Gweny! I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen! He wanted to taunt the Devil more!" Mugman fearfully explained.

Gwen groaned and approached Cuphead.

"Cuphead!" Gwen scolded.

"There you are Gwen! I'm on a major hot streak!" Cuphead bragged.

"Are you crazy?! Didn't you learn anything last time?!" Gwen asked angrily.

While Gwen was scolding Cuphead, Mugman notices Akilah.

"Oh, hi there ma'am. What's your name?" Mugman asked.

"Akilah. Akilah Jassim." Akilah introduced, staring at Mugman.

"That's a pretty name." Mugman complimented.

"Thank you. Uh, do cups have names?" Akilah asked.

"Of course, we do silly! I'm Mugman." Mugman introduced himself.

"Oh. Mugman." Akilah said.

"And my stupid brother over there with Gwen is Cuphead." Mugman said as he pointed.

"I see. Gwen said you both shouldn't be here. In case Iblis shows up." Akilah said.

"Iblis?" Mugman asked, confused.

"Oh, I mean the Devil. Where I used to be from in the human world, we call him 'Iblis'." Akilah explained her custom in Islam.

"Oh, interesting. Well, Gwen's right about that." Mugman agreed.

"Cuphead, we're going home now!" Gwen angrily said as she took the ball and placed it back.

"Aw!" Cuphead groaned as she took his hand and led him away.

Cuphead looked and noticed Mugman with Akilah as they prepared to join them.

"Wait, who's that human?" Cuphead asked.

"Oh, a new friend I just made. Akilah Jassim." Gwen answered.

Then, she turned her attention to Akilah.

"I see you and Mugman met huh?" Gwen asked.

"Oh, yes. He is a funny young boy." Akilah said.

"Why thank you Akilah." Mugman thanked.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the Devil appeared from a puff of smoke in front of the crowd.

"THE DEVIL!" An anthropomorphic elephant yelled.

Everyone screamed and ran for their lives.

"My fans love me as always." The Devil proudly said.

Gwen, Akilah and the cups notice the crowd running away, making Gwen realize a certain someone has arrived.

"Oh no…" Gwen groaned and facepalmed.

"What? What is it?" Akilah asked.

Both cups turned around and saw the Devil coming their way.

"Ah! The Devil!" Both cups yelled.

Akilah looked and saw the Devil himself approaching them. Gwen stepped in front of Akilah and grabbed her ink pen.

"Akilah! Hide! It's Iblis!" Gwen whispered.

Akilah gasped, then she ran into the woods and took cover in some bushes.

The Devil approached Gwen and the cups.

"Well, well, well. Back at my carnival taunting me, are we boys?" The Devil asked sternly.

Cuphead laughed nervously.

"We were just leaving! Now, leave us alone!" Gwen yelled as she took both cups' hands and attempted to leave.

But the Devil floated in front of them, stopping them from leaving.

"What's the rush my beautiful flower? Since you're already here, I might as well just take you away. Let's go." The Devil said.

"No!" Gwen yelled as she fired her cyan-beam attack at the Devil.

Akilah watched in shock at Gwen's powers.

"My, are we in a bad mood." The Devil taunted.

Just then, the Devil heard a twig snap behind him in the forest. He looked around but saw no one. The Devil looked at Gwen suspiciously.

"Did you come here alone Gwen?" The Devil asked.

"What do you mean? Of course, I did!" Gwen lied.

"That's strange. I could've sworn I saw you with… another human." The Devil said.

Gwen feared he was on to her for bringing Akilah to the cartoon world and tried to act like nothing was wrong.

"Where's your new friend?" The Devil asked.

Gwen stood her ground and prepared to fight.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Fine, then I'm gonna have to do this… the hard way." The Devil said, losing patience.

The Devil points his pitchfork at the forest and levitates Akilah out of the bushes. He brings her over to him as she screamed.

"No!" Gwen yelled.

The Devil drops Akilah to the ground flat down. He grabs the back of her white hijab and lifted her up to his face.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? Another young, beautiful human girl?" The Devil asked sinisterly with an evil grin.

Akilah gasped in horror, being in the presence of the Devil himself.

"Let her go!" Gwen yelled.

"Uh, uh, uh! I want to get acquainted with this human first." The Devil said.

"Iblis. You are real." Akilah called him.

"Hmm? Oh, right. That's the name you and your people call me in your culture." The Devil said, figuring out Akilah's culture.

"Henchman!" The Devil yelled as he placed Akilah down.

She backs away to Gwen as Henchman comes running in with a file.

"Duh, yes boss?" Henchman asked.

"File!" The Devil ordered.

"Oh!" Henchman exclaimed as he ran in front of his boss acting as a podium.

"Now, then. Let's take a look at your file shall we… Miss Jassim?" The Devil asked as he made reading glasses appear on his face and revealing he knows her name.

He opens the file and reads it.

"Ooh, what's this? You're a runaway from the country called Syria. You were to be arranged by your strict, unloving parents to marry an arrogant human. So, you ran away, snuck into America on a boat, then snuck into Boston on a train and met that nosy FBI agent Kai-Ming in disguise who told you to find Gwen to provide you asylum." The Devil revealed as he made the file disappear.

Akilah's eyes widened, realizing the Devil knows about her background. Then, she realized something.

"FBI agent? That old beggar woman?" Akilah asked, confused.

"Why yes, my dear. Didn't your new friend tell you? Except she's not an old woman, she's a young government agent pretending to be old and homeless for some undercover mission or something." The Devil revealed Kai-Ming.

"You have quite a tragic background… Akilah. And you're still on the run in the human world; not welcome anywhere. What a pity." The Devil said mockingly.

"Enough!" Gwen yelled as she fired her attack at the Devil.

Gwen took Akilah's hand, and both make a run for it with the cups following. The Devil sighed and said,

"Here we go again."

He levitates himself and flies after the group.

"Why is Iblis after you?" Akilah asked.

"He's trying to kidnap and marry me for my powers!" Gwen explained.

"Oh, my goodness! How awful!" Akilah said in shock.

"And he definitely hates us!" Cuphead added.

"Why?" Akilah asked.

"Because Cuphead here was one in debt with the Devil until he was finally cleared and is still after us!" Mugman explained.

"The point is, he's still after us and he'll never stop!" Gwen explained.

"Oh my!" Akilah said.

Just then, a fire blast was fired at them. Gwen thinks for a moment, then she used her ink pen to make some large trees come to life and squish the Devil like a handclap. The Devil groaned in pain and fell down to the ground like a dead bug.

"Ha ha! Sucker!" Cuphead taunted.

"Don't provoke him! It'll only make it worse!" Akilah warned.

"Eh, you'll get used to it." Cuphead said.

"She does have a point." Mugman said.

Just then, they hear the Devil roaring in agony. Before they knew it, the group was surrounded by a cloud of smoke, making Gwen realize they're being teleported and find themselves in strange new surroundings.

"What's happening?!" Akilah asked fearfully as she held Gwen fearfully.

"I think we're being teleported somewhere not good!" Gwen answered, also feeling scared.

They look around and realized they were in the Devil's Funhouse at the Carnevil.

"Oh no, not again!" Cuphead exclaimed.

"What again?" Gwen asked.

"The Devil's funhouse! It's loaded with booby traps!" Mugman answered.

"What?!" Gwen exclaimed.

Just then, buzzsaws appeared from the floor and chased after them.

"Look out!" Akilah cried out.

The group make a run for it until a trapdoor opened and they all fell down a tunnel. Gwen shot laser blasts at the spikes sticking out of the floor. They reach the bottom of the tunnel and avoid the swinging pendulums and arrows shooting out of the walls with Gwen's quick thinking of using the forcefield. Suddenly, the floor turned vertically, and they all fall down into a hall of mirrors. Their reflections turned ghoulish and reach out for them as they continued running.

They reach another tunnel and avoid getting crushed by metal sharp doors. They finally get out of the Funhouse and tried running for the exit. Suddenly the Devil in his giant bull form charged after the group. Gwen and Akilah run a different direction while the cups ran in another. The Devil runs after the cups, then he'll deal with the humans next. The girls find themselves at the carnival games where souls were collected.

Akilah remembered something and reached into her bag and pulled out a beautiful Arabic red cloth.

"Akilah, what are you doing?" Gwen asked.

"I got an idea. Trust me." Akilah said.

The Devil laughed evilly as he approached the cups in the corner of the carnival in his giant bull form, preparing to finish the cups off. The cups held each other, fearing there was no escape this time. Just as the Devil was about to crush the cups, he hears Akilah's voice yell out,

"Hey!"

The Devil turned around and saw Akilah bravely holding the large beautiful designed red cloth like a matador.

"What's this? You want to play a game of bullfighting? How cute." The Devil asked mockingly.

Akilah stood her ground as she waved the cloth.

"Come and get me… if you can!" Akilah said in a serious tone.

The Devil laughed then he prepared to charge at Akilah.

"Okay then. Let's play!" The Devil said with an evil grin.

The Devil charged at Akilah as Gwen stood on the side watching nervously. Akilah took a deep breath and prepared her next move. Just as the Devil was about to crush Akilah, she quickly swiped the red cloth and dodged his attack just in the nick of time, avoiding his giant hooves. The Devil realized his mistake too late and trampled the carnival games and the souls were all escaping the tubes.

"What the?! NO!"

The Devil yelled, halting to a stop, only to slide and crash into his rollercoasters and gets tangled up in the tracks. The Devil watched helplessly at all the escaped souls returning to their owners.

The Devil whined in agony, then growled furiously at Akilah. He shapeshifted into his giant form, freeing himself from the rollercoaster tracks and prepared to kill Akilah. She fearfully runs, but finds herself trapped in a circle of fire, preventing her from escaping. Akilah screamed and cowered down to the ground as the Devil snatches her in his giant fist and brought her up to his face.

"You will regret messing with me you hopeless, insignificant tiny human! Your soul will make an excellent addition to my soul vault… before I eat it!" The Devil boomed at Akilah.

He reaches his enormous fingers to pinch her soul out of her chest as Akilah screamed in terror. But before he could completely remove her soul, Gwen flies on her magic carpet Cerulean Bolt up to the Devil and blinds him with a new flash attack. Then, she finishes him off with her giant glove punch attack to the face, knocking him over and out thus releasing Akilah. Gwen catches Akilah and stuffed her soul back inside her body just in time.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Gwen asked nervously.

After taking deep breaths, Akilah answered,

"I'm fine. Thank you, Gwen."

"Please don't do that again! He could've killed you!" Gwen scolded.

Akilah felt guilty as Gwen instructed Cerulean Bolt to fly down.

The girls grab the cups and fly out of the carnival as fast as they could. They head back to Gwen's art studio for safety. They enter and relax on Gwen's soft, relaxing furniture.

"That was awesome! You were very brave Akilah!" Cuphead complimented.

"That matador trick was genius with that red cloth!" Mugman added.

"Thank you boys. I remember seeing this in a picture of a magazine in Syria once." Akilah said.

"I couldn't have planned it better myself. That was really brave what you did for the cups and me. Thank you." Gwen complimented.

"Well, I can't take all the credit. You saved my life, and you finished him off. I'll never forget that." Akilah said.

"You're welcome. Just please be careful next time. He could've killed you. He was gonna take your soul and eat it." Gwen reminded her.

"I will Gwen. I promise. I never want to go through that again." Akilah promised.

"Well, we better get back to the cottage, Elder Kettle's gonna wonder why we're not getting ready for bed." Mugman said, realizing the time.

"You guys go ahead. I'll be there in a minute." Gwen said.

The cups leave, leaving Gwen and Akilah alone.

"So, Akilah, do you want to stay here in the Inkwell Isles, or do you want to go back to the human world to be safe from the Devil? It's your choice." Gwen offered.

Akilah thought for a moment, then she made her choice.

"I want to stay here. If you let me stay, I'll do anything for you. I can work, clean, cook, keep your home or this art studio for you." Akilah offered.

Gwen thought for a moment and got another idea.

"You know, I've been meaning to hire an assistant to help keep my studio and help me run the business. Would you like the job? I even have living quarters in the floor above us like an apartment." Gwen offered.

"Really? You would do that for me?" Akilah asked.

"Yeah." Gwen said as she grabbed a paper from her desk and a pen.

She hands Akilah the paper and pen.

"That's your employment contract. You can read it, see if all these details will work. Then, sign your name and I'll put you to work." Gwen instructed.

Akilah reads the contract carefully, then she signs her name on the bottom. She hands the contract to Gwen.

"Here you are… boss." Akilah said politely.

Gwen smiled, shook her head and took the contract.

"Alright then, you're hired." Gwen announced.

Akilah had tears in her eyes and gives Gwen a hug.

"Shkran lak. You will not regret this." Akilah thanked in Arabic.

Gwen felt touched since she was helping someone like Elder Kettle and the cups helped her.

"If it's alright with you. I'd love to help the business. That cloth I used to trick the Devil; I made it myself. I have a dream to be a fashion designer, which my parents never approved of. Could I also make and sell clothes like you do for your art and cartoons?" Akilah asked.

Gwen thought for a moment, then she magically creates a new section of the studio with fashion making.

"Consider it done. You start first thing in the morning." Gwen said.

Akilah smiled and followed Gwen upstairs to her living quarters. Gwen helps Akilah settle into her new home, magically providing new clothes, food, supplies, bedding etc. Gwen says goodnight to Akilah and leaves the art studio to go home back to the cottage.

Akilah prepares for bed and sleeps peacefully, ready to start her new life in the Inkwell Isles.

The next morning, Gwen comes to the art studio to start work, only to find Akilah preparing to start work.

"Sabah alkhayr, boss." Akilah greeted in Arabic.

"Good morning, Akilah. You ready to start work?" Gwen greeted.

"Yes ma'am." Akilah answered.

Gwen goes over what duties Akilah needs to do every day and helps handle orders while planning her line of clothes. Gwen's art business goes smoothly, and Akilah's clothes start to get advertised around the Inkwell Isles. Later, she draws a line of customers interested in her clothing. Both Gwen and Akilah both start making money each from their own artwork of cartoons and fashion. Gwen pays Akilah fairly with the sales she's made with her clothing and from Gwen's artwork she sells.