Under the Wraps (A Solarstories S Next Gen Fanfic)

Cuphead x Ms. Chalice

A couple of days have passed since the Solars lost their leader, Marnie, to Macaque.

Recently, Marnie had been hanging around with her neighbor, Macaque, ever since she sympathized with the shadow play the Solars saw. She hoped that she can help the shadow master with his problems and one day, they could be close as neighbors or even friends. However, many Solars hated Macaque except for Jim, and disagreed with her idealistic perspective. Most thought that trying to befriend Macaque was absurd or stupid though a few didn't like herself and Marnie's boyfriend, Mugman. They may not like Macaque, but they wouldn't shame Marns about what she thinks.

Before things got sour, the people that didn't ridicule Marnie for her beliefs on Macaque weren't ready to start a fight just yet. The few were willing to try to talk to their fellow Solars about the potential consequences of their actions, but some didn't listen and continued. So much for being "good" friends. If they didn't take the teasing too far, Marnie and the Solars wouldn't even be in this mess and Marnie would still be here.

Even though they heard that their leader confided in Macaque about her problems, the ones who mocked her still couldn't admit they're at fault, much to some people's fury like Ms. Chalice and Mugman. Without Marnie, things spiraled out of control; a blame game was made to find a scapegoat on who made Marnie evil, Solars tried to fight over being the substitute leader, friends turning on friends, and couples were breaking up as noted by Ms. Chalice and Red Son noticing some breakup notes from a mass breakup occuring with the Solars causing them to fear that their partners will break up with them, but to their relief, they didn't. The only pairings that remained as Chalice would remember were her and Cuphead, Kanna and Riko, MK and Red Son, Himawari and Inojin, and Jim and Cedar Wood.

Ms. Chalice, the substitute Solar leader, was on her way with her boyfriend to the cherry tree located at a hill near her school's running track despite school being out for the break. She thought up a plan for them to get to the tree and they succeeded thanks to her ghostly powers. Many girls at her school said that if a couple confessed and their confessions were accepted, they would stay together forever, but Chalice wasn't a believer of myths and neither was her sister, Marnie. She recalled how Marnie and Mugman confessed at the right time without needing the tree to bring them together; in fact, many couples she knew didn't use that tree, but Marnie loved that tree because of its pretty pink petals and the cherries it provided for jam every spring. Being there reminded her of her sister so she wanted her and Cuphead to spend time together at a place Marnie liked to remember her. Both agreed to have a small picnic there as well as talk about mundane things like how they used to before Marnie got into her "Macaque" phase.

Chalice and Cuphead brought some homemade food their parents made and sat down on a neat blanket where they complimented each other's foods and how their parents are wonderful cooks though Chalice got her's from the Happy Hotel thanks to her part time job there since it was a family business. However, Cuphead wanted to talk about what was going on in his perspective to Ms. Chalice since both already knew Chalice's perspective of the story.

"Chalice. Do you want to hear my perspective on this?" asked Cuphead.

His girlfriend nodded which gave Cuphead the signal to proceed.

"Like others, I noticed how Marnie and Macaque were quite the pair lately and I feared that she'll get hurt. I knew that Macaque wasn't a good person to be around but I never made fun of her. MK said that I didn't only because Mugsy would've punched me if I did so, but that wasn't the case. I genuinely liked Marnie, no obligations. She's a really cool girl to be around and I feel that you're lucky to have her as a sister. I knew that the kids' intentions were to protect Marnie but it seemed that they did more harm than good. It tired Marnie out and as much as I complained on Macaque, I didn't think that she was stupid or insane but when she turned to him, it shattered me because she was a really good friend. After dealing with Macaque after he impersonated her, me, MK, and Mugman were crying really hard on this because we missed her so much and I tried to comfort Mugman as much as I could but he couldn't stop thinking about her. And so the chaos happened quickly after this. I too noticed how things changed without Marnie around and I kept my decision on whether to stay with you or not a secret because it would make me feel worse considering what I had to see now but it's something that I shared with only you."

Chalice was moved by what she heard. Cuphead was often a mischievious person with a lot of luck by his side, but she, Mugman, Agnes, MK, and Marnie knew that he's had a softer side for his family. Whenever they were in danger, he would step in to make things right. That was what Chalice liked about him. He even showed a bit of concern whenever Chalice time travelled to the present with her sister even though most of the time, he acted like he didn't worry about it.

She went and hugged her boyfriend to comfort him about the emotional ride he had in the previous two days. She affirmed him that no matter what happened, she will never leave him and not even a feud between Solars will tear them apart.

"Hey Chalice. Hey Cuphead," a familiar voice said to them. That came from Mugman, Cuphead's brother. The two broke apart to listen to what he had to say.

"Hey Mugman," the couple both said.

"It's not very peaceful without Marnie, but I was going around and seeing all the stuff she likes. They remind me of her even if she's not here. Would you guys like to come?" asked Mugman.

" Lead the way Mugsy. I'm sure she would've liked it if we kept her cherished treasures in her place," Cuphead responded with excitement.