The Cuphead Show: Darkness Among Us

Trust and Truth

As the sun began to rise over forest and over the cottage, Cuphead and Mugman were awake and getting ready for the day ahead of them. "So Cuphead, did the crack on your chest finally heal up from that fireball a few days ago?" Mugman asked him. "It should be," Cuphead replied, "Let's take a look at it." "Okay." Mugman said with a smile. As Mugman carefully unwrapped the bandages around Cuphead's chest, he noticed that the cracks had finally healed up. "Good news, looks like you made a full recovery Cuphead." Mugman told his big brother. "That's great! Now I won't have to worry about it anymore!" Cuphead said. "Yeah, I won't need to worry about it either." Mugman said with relief. "Won't need to worry about what?" a friendly voice asked him and the cup bros turned to see Ms. Chalice in her ghost form. "Chalice?" the brothers asked. "Heya fellas. How are you two doing today?" she asked them with a smile as she changed into her living form. "We're doing fine," said Cuphead. "That's good to hear, but what were the bandages for?" she asked them while looking at the bandages on the ground. "For my chest. There were cracks on it due to being hit by the Devil while protecting Lucy," Cuphead said. "Whoa, that sounds like it hurt," she said with a shiver. "I did sting a bit, but at least I'm okay," said Cuphead. "Yep and I'm glad I saw that so I could help you out," Mugman told him with a smile. "Speaking of seeing, how would you two dingdongs like to come with me to the movies? They have a special show going on at noon and I'd figure we could check it out," she said to them with a smile. "We'd love that," said Mugman. "Great! Let's get going!" she said with excitement.

Suddenly, as she was about to leave first, she sensed something and gripped the rim of her chalice before kneeling on the ground. Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other with concerning looks on their faces before walking over to their friend. "Ms. Chalice? Are you feeling ok?" Cuphead asked her with some worry. "I'm fine fellas, just a small headache that's all," she told them, but the moment she stood up, she sensed something again and collapsed to her knees. "You don't look fine to me, Chalice," Mugman said, "Something has to be going on in your head." "Yeah, maybe Quadratus can help us figure out what's going on," Cuphead said with a smirk. "Come on fellas, there's no need to visit him." Ms. Chalice told her friends while gripping the side of her head as she tried to stand up on her feet... only to fall directly into Mugman's arms. "That settles it, we're going to see Quadratus," Mugman said as he carried Ms. Chalice bridal style out the door on the way to Quadratus's pond with Cuphead following behind him.

As the they was walking to Quadratus's pond, the Devil, Lucilia and Henchman bumped into them while walking along the same path. "Hey! Watch where you're going you jerks!" Cuphead exclaimed while rubbing his head. "Um, Cuphead? You might want to look at who's in front of us," Mugman said with a little fear. Cuphead looked in front of him and sees the Devil standing in front of him. "The Devil!!!" Cuphead exclaimed. "Whoa! Take it easy guys! He's not here to hurt anyone!" Lucilia told the group with her hands out in defense. "Then why's he here?" Cuphead asked while crossing his arms. "Listen, I know it might be a little hard for all of you to believe me, but I need your help," the Devil told the cup trio. "Do tell," Mugman said with an unimpressed look on his face. "Yesterday, my kingdom got taken from me along with my pitchfork by a dark queen named Delilah, and I need your help to get it back." he tells them, but as soon as he mentioned Delilah's name, Ms. Chalice clutched her head in pain. "Who the heck is Delilah?" Cuphead asked before retracing himself to the conversation he had with Lucilia about her, "Wait a minute, is she what Lucy told me about?" "Yep, the very same one Cuphead." Lucy says while crossing her arms. "Delilah is the queen of darkness and she's a powerful spellcaster along with a nasty crystal vision." Henchman told him nervously. "Wow she sounds pretty scary." Mugman said with a shiver. "No kidding, I really don't like the sound of her name," Cuphead told him with some fear. Lucilia then looked at Ms. Chalice who was clutching the sides of her head. "Is Ms. Chalice okay? She looks really sick," she said with some concern. "That's what we're gonna ask Quadratus about," said Mugman. "Do you mind if we come with you?" the Devil asked him with a smile. "Why should you come with us? Haven't you done enough?" Cuphead asked irritatingly. "Cuphead, he may have done bad things to us in the past, so he may have a change of heart now," said Mugman as he turned to the Devil with a suspicious look, "Have you learned anything from what you did to us?" "Yes, I've actually learned a lot from my more recent experiences and I've begun working Inkwell Underworld to a better future while following the rules. Plus I've been making a bit of an effort to try and connect with my niece more after I promised to allow her to live her own life," he said before kneeling down in front of Cuphead, "I'm also sorry about kidnapping you and trying to take your soul all those times in the past, even after the soul debt expired." "And don't forget that you kidnapped my brother after I found your pitchfork," reminded Cuphead, "That was a low blow." "I know and I'm very sorry about that," the Devil said with shame. "Don't apologize to me, apologize to Mugman since you did it to him," said Cuphead, "Well, out of revenge, that is." The Devil then walked over to Mugman and kneels in front of him. "I'm very sorry about kidnapping you just for the sake of revenge," he tells him in a sincere voice, "Can you ever forgive me for what I've done?" Mugman sighed and then replied, "I forgive you." Cuphead was shocked just by hearing this. "Mugsy, why are you forgiving him?!" he exclaimed, "Don't you realize how much torture he gave you after being kidnapped?!" "Listen Cuphead, of course the Devil is well known for doing evil deeds, but recently, he has a change of heart after Lucy told him what he needed to hear for the longest time," Mugman said in a stern manner, "Elder Kettle taught us to forgive those who have wronged us. So since I did it, I need you to do the same. Otherwise, you're gonna realize that he really has changed and regret it." "He's right and earlier this morning my uncle told me that he made changes for the good of all people in the Inkwell Underworld just for me and I'm proud of him for that," Lucilia told Cuphead in a stern manner as well. "See? This proves my point," Mugman said to Cuphead, "He's desperately asking us to help him reclaim his home, so are you willing to help him out with this situation, or are you gonna continue turning him down and leave him being homeless for the rest of his life?" Cuphead looked at the Devil with a glare before sighing in frustration. "Fine, I'll help you stop Delilah and get your kingdom back, but I still don't trust you," he told the Devil before walking to Quadratus's pond. Mugman and the others looked in the direction Cuphead went before looking at each other. "Don't worry Uncle D, Cuphead will come around to trust you and believe you," Lucilia said before hugging the Devil. The Devil looked at his niece with a smile and hugged her back. "Thank you Lucilia," he told her with Henchman smiling and wiping a tear from his eye. "Come on, I bet Cuphead's waiting for us at the pond by now," Mugman told the group and began walking down the path with the Devil, Lucilia and Henchman following him.