It had been a while since Gwen's adventure in Ireland and befriending Darcy, a young violinist that she gifted with an enchanted violin. Gwen agreed to train Darcy how to use her magic discreetly for good purposes.
One day, in the depths of Hell, the Devil was doing his usual morning routine. Having his coffee and donut.
"Alright, that's enough of that." The Devil said after finishing his breakfast.
He grabbed his pitchfork and prepared to teleport until hears a familiar voice.
"Uh boss?" Henchman called.
The Devil quickly turned around and sees Henchman standing behind.
"What are ya doing?" Henchman asked.
"Oh. I was just… going to torture more souls." The Devil lied.
"By any chance, you're not thinking about trying to kidnap her again, are you?" Henchman asked suspiciously.
"Why, no Henchman. The thought hasn't crossed my mind." The Devil lied.
"Duh, alright boss." Henchman said and turned to leave.
The Devil sighed of relief and tapped his pitchfork and disappeared.
He appears outside the cottage. He prepares to enter the cottage when he noticed the door unlocked. He quickly took cover near the handle as Gwen exited the cottage. She looked around, making sure nobody was watching her, then she disappeared with her magic inkwell.
"Huh? What is that girl up to now?" The Devil asked.
He tapped his pitchfork and disappeared to where Gwen teleported. He appeared, only to discover he was in the country of Ireland in the human world. So, he quickly created a cloak to disguise himself. He noticed Gwen running off to Ennistymon Village.
"Ireland? What business does she have in the Green Isle?" The Devil asked.
He follows her discreetly into the village as he watched Gwen approach a cottage. Gwen knocked on the door and waited. The door opened and her new friend Darcy Flanagan answered.
"Gwen me darlin'!" Darcy exclaimed.
Darcy and Gwen embraced each other.
"So good to see you again Darcy." Gwen said.
"I'm ready for another lesson." Darcy said.
"Not here though." Gwen said.
Darcy grabbed her violin and both girls leave the cottage and head out to the outskirts of Ennistymon Village.
"Darcy? Another lesson?" The Devil asked.
The Devil follows both girls to the hills where no one could see them. Gwen got out her ink pen as Darcy got her violin ready by tuning it up.
"Alright. So, what've you done so far?" Gwen asked.
"Well, first I grew some beautiful flowers for the bees to collect pollen to make their sweet golden honey. Then, I got rid of that giant boulder that was comin' loose on the mountain, savin' the hikers. And finally, I made a fire in the tavern fireplace to warm everyone on a very cold day." Darcy explained.
"Wonderful. You're doing pretty well." Gwen complimented.
"I just want to earn my honor as a violinist like me granddad." Darcy said.
"Don't worry Darcy. You'll get your chance. You just have to wait for the right moment." Gwen assured her.
Darcy smiled, then got her violin and started playing a beautiful tune. Just then, her violin glowed and leaves on the trees started growing more leaves and the grass turned greener. After playing the song, Gwen applauded her.
"Beautiful." Gwen complimented.
"Thank you. I just gave the grass and the leaves more life." Darcy explained.
"I noticed. You put your heart and soul into it." Gwen said.
"Heart and soul?" Darcy asked.
"Yeah. Someone told me heart and soul is the key ingredient." Gwen explained.
Darcy thought as both girls sat together and practiced magic.
"Well, well, well. Another magic user huh? Quite the enchanted violin you have. Can't have that threatening to stop me from taking my beautiful flower, now, can we?" The Devil asked himself as he snickered.
"Wait. I need to see how powerful that violin is. Perhaps Gwen's little student needs a little… test." The Devil said evilly.
The Devil disappears and reappears on top of the hills. He pointed his pitchfork at the sky and swirled it, making dark grey storm clouds. Thundering noises started as Gwen and Darcy take notice of the strange weather.
"What the?" Gwen asked.
"A sudden storm be comin'?" Darcy asked.
Just then, the whole sky was covered by more storm clouds as it started to rain severely as the river started overflooding.
"Oh no! Flash flood! We gotta evacuate everyone!" Gwen exclaimed.
"Come on!" Darcy said as both girls leave the hills.
The Devil hides in the storm clouds to watch the girls save the villagers.
"Now, let's see what that little violinist will do now." The Devil said evilly as he watched.
Meanwhile, Gwen and Darcy help everyone evacuate to the hills where there was higher ground.
"Head to the hills! Get to higher ground!" Gwen called.
Darcy helped her grandfather Brian out of the cottage, joining the others. Once everyone was out safe and sound, Gwen and Darcy meet up.
"Darcy, you think you got this?" Gwen asked.
"I don't know Gwen. I haven't made storms go away yet." Darcy said nervously.
"Don't worry. Just remember what I told you. Heart and soul. You can do this." Gwen assured her.
Darcy took a deep breath.
"I can do this. I can do this." Darcy said to herself as she got her violin.
She started to play a gentle tune. Just then, the clouds started to disappear as the rain started slowing down. Then the clouds moved out away from the village as the sun started shining again. The flood water started to go down and back to the river, thus making the storm end.
After playing, Darcy looked and saw that the storm disappeared as the people started returning to their village to clean up.
Gwen patted Darcy's shoulder.
"I knew you could do it." Gwen complimented.
Darcy smiled and hugged Gwen.
"I have a wonderful teacher to thank for that." Darcy said.
From above the clouds, the Devil's mouth hung down and stared wide-eyed at Darcy's musical performance that made his storm disappear. He angrily disappeared back to Hell in fury.
Later, Gwen and Darcy assist with the cleanup until everything returned to normal for now.
"Well, I better get home. Keep practicing, we'll pick this up again tomorrow." Gwen said.
"Alright then. I be seein' ya tomorrow." Darcy said.
"Bye!" Gwen said and disappeared back to the Inkwell Isles.
Darcy returned to the Shamrock Tavern to resume her duties serving customers drinks.
Later that night, it was closing time at the tavern and Darcy was put in charge of finishing up cleaning and closing. When she finished cleaning the tables, she takes off her apron and prepares to leave for the night.
But just as she was about to leave, she notices a cloaked stranger sitting in the very back corner.
"Uh, hello? We're closed for the night!" Darcy called.
The stranger didn't budge. Darcy approached the table in the corner.
"Excuse me? We're closed! Get yerself outta here now!" Darcy ordered.
The stranger chuckled evilly, making Darcy worry.
"Who… who are ye?" Darcy asked nervously.
The stranger removed his hood, revealing himself as the Devil with an evil grin on his face. Darcy's eyes widened and gasped in horror.
"Hello…" The Devil greeted and waved his fingers.
"Goodness gracious! You're the… the… the…" Darcy struggled to speak.
"I believe the word you're looking for is… 'Devil'"? The Devil asked.
Darcy screamed and tried to run out of the tavern, only for her to be stopped by rising flames blocking the door. Darcy gasped in horror until she felt herself levitated and carried back to the table. She is lowered in a chair in front of the Devil.
"Please stay a while, won't you… lassie?" The Devil asked.
Just then, Henchman comes in with two drinks.
"Care for a drink?" The Devil asked.
Darcy shook her head in denial.
"Oh, come now, I insist." The Devil insisted.
Henchman hands one cup to his boss and the other to Darcy.
Darcy shook in fear, knowing she was in trouble.
"So, I suppose you're wondering what this is all about? Hmm?" The Devil asked as he took a sip.
Darcy just sat there in fear.
"Well, since you won't talk to me, I guess I'll have to tell you myself." The Devil said.
The Devil turned his attention to Henchman.
"File!" The Devil ordered.
"Oh!" Henchman exclaimed.
He lifts a file on the table.
"Alright then, let's take a look at your file, shall we… Miss Flanagan?" The Devil asked as he magically made reading glasses appear and opened the file.
"Ooh! What's this? You're an orphan raised by your grandparents until granny passed away and now it's just you and your fiddler 'granddad'. And you struggled to take care of him until you met a certain… American girl." The Devil read, figuring it out.
Darcy's eyes widened, figuring out he knows about her past and Gwen.
"Ooh, and you were kidnapped by leprechauns until she and her dimwitted friends saved you and took all their gold and you were gifted with an enchanted violin." The Devil continued.
Darcy was feeling more scared.
"I see my beautiful flower's given you a magical gift. You know, I'm a bit of a fiddler myself. Very impressive… Darcy." The Devil complimented.
"B-b-b-beautiful flower? Gwen? How do you know about her?" Darcy nervously asked.
"You mean she never told you? I thought you two were friends. She's the lucky human I'm going to marry and obtain her powers once I capture her." The Devil taunted.
"No. No! NO! NO!" Darcy exclaimed in horror.
"Oh yes. I've chosen her to be my wife. But she's tough fighter and keeps resisting me." The Devil said.
"What do ye want?" Darcy asked.
"I'm so glad you asked. I'd like to take that enchanted violin off your hands. So, if you could just hand it over, I'll be out of your way." The Devil calmly answered.
"I-I-I can't." Darcy hesitantly answered.
"You remember that flash flood storm that happened earlier today that I cast?" The Devil asked.
"Hold on. Tis you who brought the storm?!" Darcy asked fearfully.
"Why yes. I was testing you. And guess what? You passed!" The Devil revealed.
Darcy was shocked that the Devil was there the entire time she and Gwen were training.
"Now be a good girl and hand over your prized possession please." The Devil ordered calmly and reached out his hand.
Darcy shook her head, refusing his demands.
"Well, I'm afraid we're on a time crunch. So, let me speed things along." The Devil said as he magically set the tavern on fire.
"No! NO!" Darcy cried.
The flames grew bigger and started to burn everything.
"Tick tock…" The Devil warned.
With no choice, Darcy reluctantly hands over her enchanted violin to the Devil.
"That's a good girl." The Devil complimented as he doused the flames and restored the tavern back to normal.
Darcy gave the Devil a glare, feeling furious.
"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" The Devil taunted.
Just then, Henchman summons the elevator that emerged from the floor to Darcy's shock.
"Duh, alright boss, let's go." Henchman said.
"Gladly." The Devil agreed.
Just as the Devil and Henchman were about to leave, Darcy quietly grabbed a barstool and prepared to attack the Devil.
WHACK!
She struck the Devil on the head, knocking him to the ground with pain stars circling his head. Darcy quickly retrieves her violin and makes a run for it out of the tavern. Henchman desperately tries to help his boss recover from the attack.
"Duh boss! Wake up! She's getting away!" Henchman pleaded.
The Devil snaps out of it and is breathing heavily, feeling furious.
"That girl just made a really… BIG… MISTAKE!" The Devil yelled.
Meanwhile, Darcy was running back to her grandfather's cottage. She enters and finds Brian at the table waiting for her.
"Darcy! What's wrong lass?" Brian asked, knowing something was wrong.
"I… I was attacked! He… wanted my violin! He almost… burned the tavern!" Darcy fearfully answered.
"Who's doin' this to you?" Brian asked.
Just then, a wind started blowing in the house.
"Oh no…" Darcy said fearfully, knowing she was in big trouble.
"You've made a serious mistake my dear! Prepare to face the consequences!" The Devil's voice echoed.
Brian grabbed his rifle and tried to look for the voice.
"Who are ye?! Show yerself!" Brian yelled angrily.
Just then, he noticed suddenly Darcy disappeared. He hears the elevator ding and finds Darcy tied up in ropes. Henchman stood next to his boss holding her violin.
"Say goodbye to your granddaughter!" The Devil said evilly.
Darcy struggled to get away, but the Devil tightened his grip on her. The Devil laughed evilly as he closed the elevator door.
"GRANDDAD!" Darcy yelled as the elevator disappeared into the floor.
Brian stood in horror, having witnessed his granddaughter being taken away by the Devil.
"Darcy! No!" Brian exclaimed in shock as tears rolled down his face.
The next morning, Gwen arrives at the cottage, only to realize something was wrong. She noticed Irish authorities called the Garda Síochána were investigating inside. Gwen desperately looked around for Darcy, only to find Brian sitting in his chair crying.
"Brian! What happened? Where's Darcy?" Gwen asked.
"He… he… took her." Brian fearfully answered.
"He? Who? Where?" Gwen asked.
Brian pointed to the floor across the room. Gwen walked across and noticed familiar burn marks on the floor. Her eyes widened, realizing her enemy kidnapped Darcy for her violin.
"Oh no! He's taken Darcy!" Gwen exclaimed, realizing what happened.
Gwen groaned frustratingly and grew furious at the Devil.
"Easy there lass. This is a crime scene." A police officer said to Gwen.
Gwen caught her breath then walked back to Brian, knelt to him, and held his hands.
"I know who took her." Gwen said.
"Ye do? The blackhearted Devil himself?" Brian asked.
"Yes. I know where he's taken her." Gwen added.
"Could you… bring her home? She is all the family I have left since me wife, me son and me daughter-in-law died." Brian pleaded.
Gwen's heart sank, realizing Darcy is an orphan. Knowing what she must do, she stood up and took a deep breath.
"You'll look after the cottage?" Gwen asked.
"Aye lass. Please, bring her home." Brian answered.
Gwen angrily faced the door.
"I'll be back with her." Gwen said bravely.
Gwen exits the cottage and disappears back to the Inkwell Isles. She goes back home into her room, grabs the magic chalk from her drawer and goes back outside. She draws a large square in the ground.
"Surface world, I'll see you later. Down I go in this elevator." Gwen recited the incantation.
Just then, the elevator appeared from the ground and the door opened. Before Gwen entered the elevator, she hears her cup brothers calling.
"GWEN!"
She turned around and notices Cuphead and Mugman running towards her.
"Gwen! What are you doing?" Cuphead asked.
"Why did you summon the Devil's elevator?" Mugman asked.
"The Devil's kidnapped Darcy and has taken her violin. I have to get her back!" Gwen answered and attempted to leave.
But then she felt someone's hand grab her hand.
"Girlfriend! He's gonna be expecting you to rescue her!"
Gwen looked and noticed Ms. Chalice holding her hand, stopping her from leaving.
"Chalice, I've done this before. I once rescued Akilah from the Devil after he used her to make him on of her outfits. Besides, I put Darcy in danger, I owe it to her." Gwen said, feeling guilty.
"Gwen, don't blame yourself." Mugman said.
"Yeah, that great big jerk was pokin' his nose where he's not wanted." Cuphead added.
"True. It's not the first nor will it be the last time he does that." Gwen agreed.
"Let's go get Darcy back girlfriend." Ms. Chalice said.
Gwen smiled at her three best friends as they entered the elevator together. Gwen closed the door and pushed the down button and the elevator disappeared into the ground.
Later, they appear in Hell as the four friends step out into the throne room. They noticed the Devil wasn't at his throne.
"I have a good idea where he's taken her." Gwen said, figuring she may be in the dungeon.
The four sneak quietly to the dungeon. They notice some imps were coming and take cover behind some rocks. They overhear them talking.
"Did you hear the boss kidnapped that young violinist?" One imp asked.
"Yeah, he said he'll be expecting Gwen to come save her which is why he set up that trap for her at the dungeon door." The other imp revealed.
"Shh!" The other imp shushed.
"Oh right! Shh…" The imp said quietly as they both walked away.
"Thanks for the tip losers." Gwen whispered.
"What do we do now? He's expecting us and waiting to ambush us at the door!" Cuphead asked.
"We're not going to use the door." Gwen answered.
"How are we gonna get in?" Mugman asked.
"Through his office door in the lookout tower." Gwen answered, remembering her experience being in the lookout tower.
Gwen leads her friends another path until they reached the office door.
"Chalice, check if it's clear." Gwen ordered.
Ms. Chalice shapeshifted into her ghost form and passed above the door. She finds no one in the office and noticed the Devil and his guards at the dungeon door, waiting to ambush Gwen.
Ms. Chalice rejoined the group.
"Yep. The Big D and his ugly toothy guards are definitely at the main door waiting for us. But it's clear in the tower!" Ms. Chalice said.
"Okay, let's go." Gwen said.
They quietly enter the lookout tower. Gwen peeks out the window and notices Chalice was right about the ambush at the main door.
"Yep, those dumb imps were right." Cuphead whispered.
"Guys, we need to find Darcy. But where would he hold her?" Gwen whispered.
"We should look around." Mugman whispered.
"Let's go and stay close. And don't make any noise!" Gwen whispered.
The group quietly sneaks out of the lookout tower and make their way in the shadows out of sight of the guards and the prisoners. They search everywhere from the dungeon cells to the walls and cages with no luck.
Just then, Ms. Chalice noticed a glowing red at a tunnel.
"Guys! Look!" Ms. Chalice whispered.
The group look and notice the red glow too.
"Come on!" Gwen whispered.
The group quickly make their way down the tunnel. When they enter a chamber, they find themselves at a pool of lava and fire. Gwen and the cups feel the extreme heat from the lava.
"Woah! That is really hot!" Cuphead exclaimed.
"Darcy! Darcy?" Gwen whisper called.
"Gwen? Gwen, is that you?" Darcy whisper called.
"Where are you?" Gwen asked.
"Up here!" Darcy answered.
Gwen and the cups look up and find Darcy chained on the ceiling above the lava.
"Darcy! Thank goodness you're okay!" Gwen whispered.
"Gwen! The Devil's usin' me as bait to capture ye!" Darcy warned.
"I figured he'd pull something like this!" Gwen whispered.
Just then, Darcy's chains started lowering her down to the lava.
"Gwen!" Darcy cried.
"Hold on Darcy!" Gwen assured her.
She gets out her ink pen and magically breaks Darcy's chains and used telekinesis on her to safely bring her to the ground. Darcy caught her breath and quickly gave Gwen a hug.
"Gwen! I knew you would come!" Darcy said happily with tears rolling down her face.
"Of course I would. I put you in danger and now I have to fix this." Gwen answered.
"Gwen, stop blaming yourself." Mugman reminded her.
"How's Granddad?" Darcy asked.
"He's worried sick about you. I promised him I'd bring you home." Gwen answered.
"Thank ye Gwen." Darcy thanked.
"Don't thank me yet. We need to get out of here before the Devil's welcoming committee shows up." Gwen said.
"Wait! He's taken me violin and hid it in somewhere behind his throne!" Darcy just remembered.
"I know what's behind his throne, his piano!" Gwen said as she magically created a skeleton decoy in Darcy's place.
"Let's go!" Cuphead said.
"Gather around everyone." Gwen ordered.
The cups and Darcy gather around Gwen as she teleported out of the chamber and back into the throne room. Gwen and Darcy go up to the Devil's throne and move the curtain. They find the piano like Gwen remembered and find the enchanted violin placed on top of the piano.
"There it is!" Darcy exclaimed.
Gwen used telekinesis on the violin and bow stick and brings it to Darcy's hands.
"Thanks Gwen. I owe ye everything." Darcy thanked.
"Yeah. Now come on, we gotta hurry!" Gwen said.
Both girls rejoin the cups and Gwen teleports themselves out of Hell and back to Ennistymon Village at Brian's cottage. The group enter the cottage and find Brian still sitting on his chair.
"Granddad!" Darcy called.
"Darcy?" Brian asked as he got up, realizing Darcy was rescued.
Darcy ran up to Brian and hugged him.
"Darcy me darlin'! I thought I lost ye!" Brian exclaimed and started crying.
"It's okay! I'm home!" Darcy assured him.
Gwen and the cups smiled, feeling proud of another successful rescue mission.
Brian and Darcy looked at Gwen and the cups.
"I owe ye everything lass. Ye were true to yer promise." Brian said.
"Yeah." Gwen agreed.
Brian hugged Gwen and the cups.
"Thank ye. All of ye for bringin' Darcy home." Brian thanked.
"Aww." All three cups said.
Just then, they hear someone clapping slowly in the cottage. They look to see the Devil clapping at them smiling smugly at them.
"Well done my beautiful flower. It seems you outsmarted me… again." The Devil calmly said.
Gwen got out her ink pen and Darcy got her violin.
"Stop pokin' your nose in my business you monster!" Gwen yelled.
The Devil held up the skeleton decoy.
"Clever trick you pulled. I guess my ambush trick was too obvious." The Devil said as he destroyed the skeleton decoy.
"Your stupid imps couldn't keep their mouths shut!" Cuphead taunted.
The Devil growled furiously and aimed his pitchfork at the cups. Gwen used her cyan beam attack to stop the Devil while Darcy played her violin and made a stretch of earth rise from the floor and hit the pitchfork out of his hands.
"You know Darcy, this all could've been prevented if you would've just let me take your violin. But you just had to attack and run from me." The Devil said as he grabbed his pitchfork and aimed at Darcy.
Gwen prepared to attack again.
"You nearly killed my friend. Did you think I'd let you get away with that?" Gwen asked angrily.
"Gwen, you need to stop making new friends and gifting them magical items." The Devil scolded as he prepared to attack Darcy.
"I'll give you one last chance Darcy. Hand over your violin and no one gets hurt." The Devil demanded.
Darcy thought for a moment and got an idea.
"You may take me violin, but I still be the greatest fiddler in the Green Isle like me Granddad!" Darcy bravely said.
"What?! No! I'm the greatest fiddler!" The Devil argued.
"No, I am! Ye can't hold yer own with the likes of me!" Darcy argued back.
"Ugh! You know what? We're going to settle this!" The Devil impatiently said.
"What are ye jabberin' about?" Darcy asked.
"Darcy Flanagan, I challenge you to a fiddle contest!" The Devil answered.
Gwen and the cups gasped.
"Don't do it Darcy! It's a trick!" Gwen warned.
"Quiet you!" The Devil scolded.
"It's alright Gwen. Fine, I accept yer challenge. If I win, ye leave me, Gwen, the cup lads and lass and Granddad be in peace along with my violin. And give me my honor as a violinist." Darcy explained her conditions.
"Fine, if I win, I'll marry Gwen, take the cup's souls along with yours and grandpa's too." The Devil stated his conditions.
The Devil reached out his hand for a handshake.
"Deal?" The Devil asked.
Darcy took a deep breath, knowing the dangers of making a deal.
"Deal!" Darcy bravely said.
Both Darcy and the Devil shake on it.
"Darcy, you sure you know what you're doing?" Mugman asked.
"Yeah girl, you don't know what you're dealing with! I should know!" Ms. Chalice added.
"I know lass." Darcy said.
"So, where are we doin' this?" Gwen asked.
"Leave that to me." The Devil said.
He raised his pitchfork and tapped the ground, making the group disappear.
In Inkwell City, the sky began to turn grey clouds, blocking out the sun, making the citizens terrified. Suddenly an earthquake started rumbling and a large hellish performance hall emerged from below.
All the citizens are teleported into the audience seats including Brian, Gwen, and the cups. Finally, the Devil and Darcy appeared on the stage.
"THE DEVIL!" An anthropomorphic elephant yelled.
The audience gasp in horror and started screaming. The Devil smiled, enjoying the screams of his victims.
"Here we go again." Gwen said worryingly.
Just then, they noticed fire emerging from the ground and hear a familiar voice scatting to jazz music.
"Oh no, not him again." Gwen groaned frustratingly and facepalmed.
Her other hated enemy King Dice emerged from the ground with his playing card jazz band, to everyone's amazement and applauded him.
"Good evenin' folks! Prepare yourselves for a new showdown! There can only be one greatest fiddler of all time and you're about to decide who it is!" King Dice announced.
Everyone gasped and applauded.
"Whoever scores the most points based on their violin performance wins!" King Dice explained as he showed the scoreboard with the Devil and Darcy's names on it with hearts floating up and popping like bubbles as everybody cheered.
"She's servin' up drinks back home. But now she's here to serve you her musical performance all the way from Ennistymon, Ireland. Give it up for Darcy Flanagan!" King Dice announced as a spotlight shone on Darcy.
Darcy nervously waved to the audience as they applauded her.
"And now, you know him as the Lord of Underworld, but prepare for him as the Lord of Music. The Devil!" King Dice announced.
The Devil transformed his pitchfork into a golden violin with a golden bow stick.
"And now, the Devil will perform first! Here he is!" King Dice announced as the Devil stepped up to the microphone and prepared to play with his golden fiddle.
The Devil started playing the tune of 24 Caprices, No. 24 by Niccoló Paganini.
"Oh no." Brian said in the audience.
"What's wrong?" Gwen asked.
"That be the hardest song ever to play it make yer fingers bleedin'!" Brian answered.
"Uh oh!" Both cups exclaimed.
But the Devil's fingers didn't bleed as he kept playing his golden fiddle. After his performance, the audience applauded as the Devil took a bow and saw that he's earned 99 points with lots of hearts bubbling and popping.
He walks up to Darcy.
"Top that… lassie." The Devil taunted.
Darcy glared at him.
"Believe me, I will." Darcy angrily said under her breath.
"And now for the final performance, here is our final contestant: Darcy Flanagan! Darcy baby, would you please come up here?" King Dice announced and asked.
Darcy took a deep breath and stepped forward to the microphone and prepared to play.
"Don't call me baby." Darcy sternly said to King Dice.
She looked at Gwen used the inkwell to communicate with Darcy in her mind.
"Remember everything I taught you. You were not born to be perfect. You were born to be you." Gwen said in her mind.
Darcy nodded as Gwen gestured with her hands 'heart and soul.'
Darcy played the opening notes to the tune of The Last Rose of Summer by Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst. She played as roses started sprouting from the stage and blossomed into beautiful pink roses as more flowers started blossoming around the stage, amazing the audience.
"What's that song?" Cuphead whispered.
"That be The Last Rose of Summer. A very popular yet very difficult song to play to make yer fingers bleed." Brian answered.
"Ouch." Mugman said as he winced at the idea.
Darcy continued playing for the next 10 minutes until she finally finished despite her bleeding fingers. Everyone applauded and stood up from their seats as Darcy took her bow. She looked at the score board and noticed she scored 100 points with millions of hearts bubbling and popping.
"Oh! It looks like we have a clear winner folks! Give it up for Darcy Flanagan!" King Dice announced as a spotlight shone on her. Darcy bowed as she felt proud of herself.
Everyone cheered including Gwen, the cups and Brian.
The Devil gasped in horror at Darcy's victory.
"NO!" The Devil yelled and ran up to Darcy.
"How did you do that?!" The Devil asked.
"I don't need to be perfect unlike you." Darcy answered.
"Best two out of three!" The Devil begged.
"No!" Darcy refused as she winced from her fingers in pain.
Just then, Gwen, Brian and the cups join Darcy on stage.
"No! That's enough Devil!" Mugman yelled.
"A deal's a deal Devil! She gets to keep her violin; Gwen gets to keep her freedom and we get to keep our souls!" Cuphead added.
"Come on! Just one more song!" The Devil begged.
"No! Show's over! She won, you lost! We're done!" Mugman yelled.
Ms. Chalice smirked at the Devil for losing again and tap-danced away.
Gwen and Brian take Darcy away from the Devil as the cups followed.
"Oh, come on!" The Devil cried.
"Boss let's go. That human won fair and square." Henchman said.
The Devil groaned in defeat as he transformed his golden fiddle back into his pitchfork.
Henchman leads the Devil away to the elevator.
Just then, some of the spectators climb on the stage and lift Darcy up and cheer for her. Gwen felt proud of Darcy as Brian wrapped his arm around Gwen.
"Thank ye lass. You helped Darcy earn her honor." Brian thanked.
"Nah. I just taught her." Gwen said.
"Hey boss? How does a nice hot bath sound?" Henchman asked.
"With bubbles?" The Devil sadly asked.
"Yes boss." Henchman answered.
"Thank you, Henchman." The Devil thanked as they entered the elevator disappear back to Hell.
Gwen healed Darcy's injured hands from the performance then returned Darcy and Brian back to Ireland.
The next morning, Darcy takes Gwen and the cups to a local cemetery. She shows the group three tombstones of her parents and her grandmother.
"I'd like you all to meet me mother, father, and grandmama. My parents died long ago in a housefire until grandmama and granddad took me in. Then, grandmama got sick last year but she never got better." Darcy explained her tragic background as she played her violin, making flowers blossom on her parents and her grandmother's graves.
"I'm so sorry Darcy." Gwen said as she placed her hand on Darcy's shoulder.
Darcy looked at Gwen and hugged her.
"I'm so glad ye came to our village Gwen for St. Patrick's Day." Darcy thanked.
"Yeah. You know, I had ancestors who were from Ireland and wanted to explore. That's why I came in the first place." Gwen explained.
"Ye had family here?" Darcy asked.
"Yeah. My father said his grandfather, well my great-grandfather was originally from England and traveled to Ireland where he met his love, my great-grandmother. After they got married, times got tough, so they immigrated from Ireland to America to the state of Virginia where they settled, then my grandfather Earnest was born." Gwen explained her family history.
"Wow. Where were yer great-grandparents from?" Darcy asked.
"They actually came from Ennistymon Village just like you and your granddad." Gwen answered.
"What were their names? Your great-grandparents." Darcy asked.
"Ambrose and Bridget Emmons." Gwen answered.
"Amazing. Maybe you and I are related. Lots of Americans have ancestry here in Ireland." Darcy guessed.
"You think so?" Gwen asked.
"Aye. Even if it is distant, maybe we're family." Darcy guessed.
"That'd be nice." Gwen complimented.
Both girls hugged each other.
"Well, me and the guys better get home. I'll see you later Darcy." Gwen said.
"Ye too. Come back soon." Darcy said.
Gwen gathered her friends and teleported back to the Inkwell Isles. Darcy returned to the cottage with Brian for dinner.
"I'm so proud of ya Darcy. Ye make me so proud." Brian complimented.
"Thank ye granddad. I earned my honor as a violinist." Darcy said.
"No, the greatest honor isn't being a violinist. It's having you for a granddaughter." Brian said.
Darcy smiled at her grandfather.
"Yer parents would've been proud of ya. As my beloved wife would've been too." Brian said.
They both continued eating dinner together. Everything returned back to normal for now for both Gwen and Darcy as they continued to live their lives.