Cup and Chalice hiked the mountain while Mugman floated behind. He seemed to have a difficult time keeping up with his friends. But why was this hike so hard when he didn't even have a body? It still felt as if it were weighing him down. But then he realized it wasn't his body that was having trouble. It was Tsundere. The weight of the demon on his soul really seemed to drag him down. For it was like he was traversing the mountain with a heavy dumbbell on his chest. Mug thought it was himself panting loudly, but it was the parasite that was huffing and puffing louder than he. Being in this ghostly state seemed to put a strain on the demon. The young mug knew that he would be sweating profusely if his body was in a form to allow it.

I'll get her to swap with us soon. I promise. He told Tsundere with a heavy breath.

Sh-shove a cookie down her throat if you have to! The demon panted.

Maybe we can get them to stop for a break-

"There!" Mugman called and pointed as he saw a bush with orange berries growing on it. They sure looked like the same type of berries that Saltbaker had drawn a picture of on the list.

"Good job, Mugs." Cup praised as the group gathered around the bush. They started to pluck the seeded orange fruits and plop them into the appropriately labeled container. The mountain started to rumble underneath them. A large head poked itself over the mountain pass. It towered over them, looking unhappy that they were trespassing on his mountain. One might have overlooked the face at first. For it looked just like stone until it grimaced, breaking the rocks into a million pieces. The rubble rained down to his feet far below. The male giant gave a grumble, blowing a harsh wind over the land. Not to mention it was foul smelling as well. His long white beard draped over the land like a blanket of snow. The hair crawled up his face, covering most of it. Only his eyes, small ears, and bright red nose stuck out from the thick pelt of hair.

"If little cups want Gnome Berries, they have to go through Glumstone first!" The giant boomed.

"Fine by me." Chalice said, raring to go. "Let's go get 'em, Cuphead!"

"Right behind you!" The young cup then whispered over to his brother. "Keep picking the berries while we take care of this numskull."

"Sure thing." Mugman grumbled, hoping they would make this confrontation quick. As they fought the giant, Mug slowly picked the berries and watched as his brother and the female cup were working very well together. They seemed in sync with one another. As if they had been doing this for years now and it was nothing new to them. There was a churning in the mug child's ghostly stomach. He just assumed this was because their alliance was making him a bit jealous. It was like he was a third wheel now. Not Cuphead's first choice for a partner anymore.

As their battle with the giant came to a close, Mugman realized that feeling in his stomach had not gone away. That it was something more than just jealousy. A wave of nausea flowed over him. It became apparent that he needed to switch back with Ms. Chalice as soon as possible. His two friends approached him with their triumphant cups held high.

"Hey, I think I need my body back now, Ms. Chalice." Mug panted. "I'm getting a little queasy."

"Not so easy being a ghost, is it?" She teased him. They made the swap. Mug immediately felt that weight be taken off him. The wooziness didn't seem to go away though. He slowly trudged back down the mountain behind his friends. His footsteps were uncoordinated and could not keep a straight line. His mug seemed to droop low. Even his straw rolled around to the front of his head. Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, the young mug looked for a place to rest. He saw a large tree that would provide some shade.

"You two go on ahead. I need to rest for a moment. I'll take the first couple ingredients to Chef Saltbaker once I'm feeling better." He explained to them as he proceeded to sit down against the tree.

"All right, Mugs. Don't overdo it now." His brother said and bid him goodbye for the time being. "Hey, I've got this great idea for a new technique: at the signal, we'll switch back and forth…" Cuphead began to jabber as they disappeared from earshot of the mug child. Mugman, on the other hand, took some deep breaths and hugged his legs to his chest. His head rested back against the tree trunk, letting his eyes droop closed. He sat for a little while, hoping the nausea would go away.

How are you feeling? He asked the demon.

Okay….I guess. Just don't swap with the female again. Tsundere grumbled. I can't take being in that state for too long.

We won't. Mug assured the creature.

They sat there resting for about a half hour before Mugman announced that they better take the ingredients to Chef Saltbaker before returning to his friends. He put the jar of distillery dough into the open gnome berry box and carried it into town.

"Chef? Chef Saltbaker?" Mugman called as he opened the door with his back and spun himself around to face the shopfront. It was completely empty. Not a sound could be heard coming from the back. No pots and pans clanging, no mixers or appliances whirring, no running water.

"Guess he's not here right now." The young mug said as he set down the ingredients next to the case holding the pies and cakes. He almost wondered if Saltbaker would even notice if he took a small piece. For each and every one of them looked delicious. His brown boots went to turn around and leave the shop. Both he and Tsundere noticed that the footstep sounded different as they turned. Mug looked down to find a wooden door.

A trap door! The demon exclaimed as his host stepped off it. We should investigate!

Are you crazy? This isn't Elder Kettle's basement. We can't just go poking around with someone's private stuff! The young mug argued with him. Besides… it's probably just his wine cellar.

Only one way to find out! Tsundere made the boy's gloved hand reach down and open the door. It creaked a little as it reached its limits. Mug traipsed down the spiral staircase that led to the level below. They looked about the space. The walls were lined with bottles and bottles of wine.

"See? Just his wine cellar." He whispered to the parasite.

There's a door at the other end. The demon pointed out. Mugman tiptoed his way to the other end of the room. All the while he looked around. The atmosphere was dark and damp. Its floor and walls were completely made of stone and a few torches sat on perches and lit their surroundings. The farther they went down the room, the more it started to look and feel like a dungeon. It was an unwelcoming atmosphere that only seemed to intensify as they went further. Almost as if shadows tried to reach their fingers over the mug and his demon to keep them there. They were a mere few feet from the next door when a chill ran down Mug's spine.

I change my mind. Tsundere said tersely. Maybe we shouldn't go in there. I have a bad feeling about this….

We'll just take a quick peak and then leave. Mugman assured him. His porcelain body pressed up against the heavy door. The young mug opened it just enough to peer through the crack. He squinted an eye and looked in. The sound of music reached his cup. Toward the back (or what he thought was the back) he saw Saltbaker dancing to the music as he worked away on something.

Okay, let's get going then. Mug thought and began to turn around.

"Leaving so soon, my little guest?" Salbaker's voice boomed. The door got flung open and there stood the Chef with a mischievous smile on his face. Mugman stumbled back in surprise. He nervously fumbled his fingers over one another.

"Oh, Saltbaker!" His voiced wavered a bit. "I was just-"

"Little young to be taking a wine-tasting tour, aren't you?" The salt shaker teased, raising a glass brow.

"Oh, no, I wasn't-" The mug child shook his head and cleared his throat. "I, uh, just wanted to let you know that I left some of the ingredients by the counter up at the front." He said, trying to change the subject. His thumb pointed back in the direction from which he came.

"Mighty fine of you, son! Say, why don't you come in for a minute? You're just in time!" The chef said in a voice that was overly happy.

"Oh, no, I should really – whoa!" Mug yelped as Saltbaker grabbed his arm and pulled him into the backroom. He only got a quick look around before he was sat in a rickety wooden chair. There were shelves upon shelves, rows upon rows of ingredients and cooking utensils in that room. It almost looked like a supermarket. A maze that you would not want to get lost in.

"In time for what…exactly?" Mugman nervously asked, trying to take in the breadth of the environment. Behind him, Saltbaker tinkered away at large vats. Pulling levers and mixing up some sort of a drink. The young mug had remembered seeing similar things at the Devil's Casino. All of the vats there had beer and other forms of alcohols in them. Did these have alcohol too? Was Chef Saltbaker trying to get him to drink beer?

"In time to try out my new concoction!" He beamed and placed a hand over the beverage before giving it a hefty but brief shake. "I've been experimenting with ways to help your little friend get her body back….. or even be able to switch between the two realms at will. My latest attempt is in liquid form…. and tastes like green apple!" The chef boasted and shoved the drink into the mug child's hands. "Go ahead and give it a try!" He urged. Mug's gaze went down to the drink.

"I don't know about this…" The young mug muttered as he swirled the lime-green liquid around. It bubbled a bit at the top. A strong smell of apple came when the bubbles actually popped. The liquid reminded him of the soda pop he always liked to drink when he got his allowance.

"Come on. You wanna help your friend, don't cha?" Saltbakter urged and dramatically shrugged. "I'm doing this all for her. It's such a small dose that the effects won't be permanent. If successful, the transformation will only last a minute or two."

"Well, I guess if it's for Ms. Chalice…" Mug started to be swayed about trying it.

And what happens if it doesn't work? Tsundere tried to bring him back to reality.

"Think about it. If you help me, she won't have to keep switching places with you boys." The Chef persisted.

No more being a third wheel or suffering because I have to be a ghost when she wants a turn. Mugman had convinced himself that it was a good idea to try this concoction. A minute or two is a small price to pay if we never have to swap places with her again.

"When you put it that way…" The young mug lifted the drink to his mouth and took a swig.

Hey wait! The demon tried to stop him, but Mug completed that sip even faster than the parasite could get those two words out.

"Mmm. It does taste like green apple!" Mugman said, licking his lips. But then the young mug started to feel a little funny. He dropped the glass and clutched his stomach. For it gurgled and whined at this mysterious liquid. After a few seconds of feeling very uncomfortable, his physical form changed to the ghostly astral figure.

"Ha, ha! It worked!" The chef rejoiced. "Sometimes you have to break down the components to the very core particles and elements to see exactly what you are looking for."

"And what does that mean exactly?" Mug inquired.

"Why this drink has broken down your cells to their very basic structure. It's crucial to know exactly what makes up our DNA and if our species is compatible with controlling the astral plane." The salt shaker explained.

"How do you find that out?"

"A simple test can- oh, looks like you have something on your back." Saltbaker pointed out. Mugman looked over his ghostly shoulder to see a black mug with sharp fangs cautiously peer around him. It was like looking into a mirror that turned him into his mutated form and coated everything with an inky black color.

"Is that… a demon?" The chef asked in awe. The mug child looked between his parasite and the salt shaker, unsure of what the latter thought of Tsundere. Was this awe of being scared? Or an awe of excitement?

"Looks like you could use some help. Luckily, I've got just the thing." Saltbaker decided. He reached over and grabbed a thick oven mitt and began rummaging around with his utensils.

"No, no! We don't need any help! Really!" Mug insisted.

"Nonsense! Naturally you want to be separated from it."

"No, we can't be separated! He's embedded! It's impossible!" Both Mugman and Tsundere's fear escalated. They were very afraid that the chef was going to try something that would end up killing both of them. An embedded demon and its host had never been successfully separated before. The result had always been death for the both the parasite and its host.

Mug and his demon tried their best to escape the chef. But since their ghostly tails were tied together, it made movement very difficult. One tried to go one way and the other a different way. They bickered with one another, trying to agree on which way to go.

"Never say impossible." Saltbaker picked up a big meat cleaver knife and approached the tangled ghostly mess. He picked them up by the tangled tails and placed them down on a cleared space of the counter. Tsundere swung himself back around and bit down on the chef's gloved hand. The mitt was thick enough that the salt shaker barely felt those fangs reach his glass skin.

"This won't hurt a bit." Saltbaker said and lifted the knife above them. Now that the blade was closer, Mugman could see that the knife seemed to have a star-like glitter on the underside of it. It even tinted the blade a dark blue color like the night sky.

"No, no! Stop! Please! Aaaaahhh!" Mug screamed and covered his head with his hands. He closed his ghostly eyes and prepared for the worst as the blade came down at them. Instead of pain, a wave of relief washed over them. Both Mug and Tsundere's eyes popped wide. They weren't sure what just happened, but it was definitely not the painful feeling they had expected. Instead, it was as if a tight knot holding the two together had been undone. Mugman realized that he could freely wiggle his astral tail. He took his ghostly hands off his head and looked back to find their tails no longer attached.

"We're….separated?" The young mug said in awe, still wiggling the tail. He wasn't believing what he was seeing. "But….how?" This had to be a dream. There was no way they could really be separated, could they? Tsundere released his grip on the oven mitt and went to turn around to get back to Mug. Unfortunately, Saltbaker caught him and held firm.

"Thanks to my special astral blade!" The chef boasted. I invented it to cut holes into the astral plane. That way I can do everything I can to help Ms. Chalice obtain her goal. To understand is critical. Seems to be able to separate demons and mortals too, eh?" Not a second later, Mugman popped back to a physical form. Even Tsundere attained a physical form, growing a pair of inky black legs where his astral tail once was.

"How do you feel?" Chef Saltbaker asked the young mug.

"I feel….like a weight has been taken off my soul." Mug began to smile a little bit, realizing how light his body felt now. The demon had been inside for so long that he forgot how his body felt before all that. It felt good to not be weighed down by the demon if only for a minute. For the parasite added much more weight to a soul than one might expect. Tsundere saw Mugman smiling. Was he actually happy about this? Did the boy still secretly want to get rid of him? It was hard for the demon to believe since he had not sensed a hint of that in a very long time.

"That's because it has!" The chef insisted. "This little thing here will definitely add some weight to your soul." Saltbaker pointed at the demon with his finger. Tsundere didn't hesitate to try and take a chomp of the person's glass finger. The salt shaker quickly pulled it away before the creature could latch its fangs onto him.

"Hey, what are you doing to him?" Mugman asked as the chef walked off and went to place the demon into a large spice jar. It had small holes on the lid that let fresh air come in as he screwed it tight.

"This demon could prove useful in my research to understand the astral plane. From my understanding, demons are able to interact with that realm in a much different way than us since their own realm is supposed to be similar by principle….or so I've read." Saltbaker explained and took off the oven mitt. "You don't mind if I borrow him for a bit, do you? I mean, it's not like you want to let him back in again, right?"

"I….um." Mug stuttered. "I think you should ask him that."

"You act as if this thing can talk." The chef chuckled.

"He can!" Mugman insisted. They both watched as the demon skittered around in the jar like a caged animal and pounded on the casing, clearly trying to find a weak spot in his confinement. It made gargling and growling sounds all the while.

"Does that sound like talking to you?" Saltbaker asked the mug child, who approached the parasite's prison.

"Hey, are you okay in there?" Mugman asked Tsundere. The demon focused his attention on him and attempted to say something. But all that came out were more growls and unintelligible noises. "What?" Mug said in disbelief, unable to understand his demon any longer.

"See? It's just gibberish." The chef said.

"I don't need to understand you to know that you want out." The young mug whispered before reaching up for the lid.

"Whoa there!" Saltbaker caught the child's wrist. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Let him go! Keeping him in there is mean. He clearly wants out." Mug argued with the adult. "Tsundere is not an animal!"

"Oh, you've given him a name." Saltbaker chuckled. "Clearly you two have bonded over the time you were together. I understand your concern, but I promise you that I won't hurt him."

"I don't believe you…" Mugman narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice, making sure the chef knew that he was being serious. Saltbaker sighed as the mug child resisted both his requests and grip that was still holding strong.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but you leave me no choice but to make a deal with you."

"I'm not agreeing to anything!" Mug yelled at him. He struggled against the salt shaker's grip. For it was not letting go. "L-let me go!" He insisted. Saltbaker ended up letting go right as the young mug yanked, causing him to fall to his bottom.

"Bring me the rest of the ingredients and then I'll let him go completely unharmed. Sound good?"

"And why would I agree to that?" Mugman spat.

"Because I can't guarantee that you would be leaving here unharmed if you didn't." The chef pointed his glittering knife at the child. Mug gave a sharp gasp as the blade was pointed towards his chest. He looked between the butcher knife and Tsundere, knowing he didn't stand a chance against Saltbaker by himself.

"I'll come back for you. I promise." He said to the demon. The knife followed his movements as he got up and made for the door. Once the mug child was out of sight, Saltbaker turned to the demon.

"Now how about we see how far you can go in the astral realm." He sneered at the inky black creature that snarled back at him.

Mugman stumbled out the front door all frantic and confused. It all happened so fast. The young mug didn't know what to do first. Get the ingredients? Find his friends? Could he even beat their opponents now without the demon? He had relied on the parasite's power to increase his own for so long now. Would he even remember how to fight like Cuphead and Ms. Chalice did?

His thoughts were interrupted as a ladder unfurled before him. It seemed to float in the air in front of him, looking very unstable. His gaze followed the swaying rungs as they climbed high. Far, far up was a piece of land that hovered above the island. On it was a massive castle. His brother's cup poked over the side and waved to him.

"Hey, Mugs! Up here!" Cuphead called, his younger sibling barely hearing his voice over the vast distance and turbines that kept the castle aloft. Mug started the long climb up. At least he wouldn't have to search for his brother for hours now….