Cuphead: Cannikin's Deal with the Devil

Chapter One: Forgotten

[The image above is to help you get a general sense of this chapter's interior.]
Creator Notes:

WOO oh boy first chapter uhh ok
Again, not a professional writer
I'm jumping into this with absolutely NO PRIOR PLANS
ummmmm so yeah enjoy?? maybe?????

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The old kettle rocked back and forth in his chair gently, flipping through a tattered, cover-less book. He stares down at the pages with a warm smile- absorbed into each and every paragraph. His home is silent, aside from the gentle creaks of his mahogany rocking chair and the distant crickets chirping away during one of their nightly performances.

But then, another sound is added to the mix. The gentle tapping of shoes against hardwood echos in the stairwell. The tapping shoes round the corner- a young cup pokes his head around the edge of the wall. The youngster sports a pair of blue shoes, with a pair of knee-high shorts in the same color. His blue-striped straw pokes straight and high- sliding across the rim of his cup as it follows the tilt of his head.

"Elder Kettle?" The mug squeaks nervously, from his voice rolled a subtle Brooklyn accent. Elder Kettle lifts his head from his book, surprised. He looks towards the cup.

"Mugman? What are you doin' at this hour, son? Did you have another nightmare?" Kettle responds. Mugman shakes his head worryingly.

"No, it's not that. I just..." He pauses, looking to the floor. "I heard you talkin' to Cuphead earlier. About... about her."

Elder Kettle falls silent. He sighs quietly and shuts his book, leaning towards the coffee table and placing the book there. The kettle leans back into his chair and signals Mugman to hop up onto his knee.

"C'mere, sonny. You deserve to know."

Mugman follows his given orders, stepping towards his caregiver and sitting on his knee. Elder Kettle rests his hand on the boy's shoulder, as if comforting him before he's even said a word.

"Do you know her name?" Kettle asks.

Mugman shakes his head again.

"Well, her name is Cannikin. She's your older sister- by blood." Elder Kettle gently explains. "Is there anything you'd be interested in knowing about her?"

Mugman glances towards the ground in thought. "Do you remember what she was like?"

Kettle smiles. "Rambunctious, like your brother. A little troublemaker."

Mugman frowns. "Like Cuphead? Jeez, I can't believe you had to deal with two of him." The two laugh at their poke at the youngest child.

"No, no- Cannikin wasn't all like Cuphead. She was her own cup, and a unique one at that. Always had a certain kindness towards others that I'd wish we'd see more in the world. Though she got herself into a handful of fights, she would never hurt those who she knew weren't deserving of it." Elder Kettle reminisces with a bittersweet expression.
"Unfortunately, she had a tendency to roam around with the wrong groups of people..."

"Is that why we can't visit her?" Mugman asks. Elder Kettle's smile fades.

"I'm only doin' it to protect you kids. If she's wrapped up with the wrong people, there's a chance you could... get dragged into it."

"Are you saying she would drag us into danger?" Mugman questions.

Kettle thinks to himself, silently. After a moment, he forces back another smile and gently squeezes Mugman's shoulder. "Not on purpose, son. If there's anything I want you to know about Cannikin, it's that she's not evil."

Mugman's eyebrows furrow. The cup stares distantly with an expression of confusion and dismay. He adjusts in his seat before speaking again.

"Will we ever get to meet her? Maybe just once? I know you've shown me a couple baby pictures and such, but... I've been wonderin' how she is now."

"I can't give you a straight answer right now, son. I'm not sure how she is now, either. Maybe one day I'll take you boys up to where she lives and you can both say hello- but that won't be anytime soon."

Mugman lowers his head, disappointed. Elder Kettle rubs his back comfortingly. "Now, don't look so sad. I didn't say no, now did I?"

The two sit in silence for a moment, simply enjoying each others company as Elder Kettle comforts the disheartened mug. Finally, the silence is broken.

"We can continue this in the morning. Your old man's gettin' tired, and I know you are too."

Elder Kettle gently lifts the young mug off his knee. He stands up off of his rocking chair with a deep groan- cracking his back as he stands. He takes ahold of Mugman's tiny, cartoon-gloved hand and begins to guide him back upstairs. Mugman yawns, admittedly tired. The two ascend up the stairs, reaching the top and stepping down a dimly-lit hallway. Kettle gently pushes open the door to the cup's room- where Cuphead lays fast asleep on the bottom mattress of their bunk bed.

Mugman hand releases Elder Kettle's hand- stepping towards the bunk bed's ladder. "Goodnight, Elder Kettle." Mugman whispers to his caregiver.

"Goodnight, Mugman." Kettle whispers tenderly. "Sweet dreams."

As the mug climbs into bed, Elder Kettle steps out of the bedroom- shutting the door behind him. His hand falls of the doorknob and too his side. Kettle rubs his tired eyes, recollecting the conversation shared between him and Mugman. He looks onwards towards his bedroom. He zones-out momentarily before snapping back into reality