Right Hand Man (King Dice x Devil)

Chapter 23 : The First Strike

The Devil's POV

Something seemed off about Mike. He's acting like he's...hiding something. Whenever we bring up the Stranger-which is often-he gets all jumpy. No one seems to notice, but I for one find it more than a little suspicious.
It's time we spoke.

Mike himself was sitting between Cuphead and Mugman, as they discussed their plans.
"What if you distract him and I shoot him in the chest?" Cup suggested.
"That won't work, it has to be a concentrated attack so powerful that he'll fall to pieces. Besides, what would I even do to distract him?" Mug protested.
"I dunno, woo em'."
"What does 'woo em' mean?"
"Be attractive or something! How am I supposed to know!? I'm 10!" Cup threw his hands in the air.
"Boys," Mike interrupted. "What if, the two of you distract him from the front with small forwarding attacks, and I'll sneak up from behind. Then, one of you can shoot something behind him to get him to turn, and I'll strike his weak spot."
"Oh," The children said in union.
"That'll totally work!" Cup grinned.
Mug sighed,"I really wish we didn't have to fight him. Maybe we can talk to him?"
Mike chuckled sadly,"I'd rather talk too, but the Stranger doesn't have a good side to him to reason with. We have to kill him."
"Mike," I said. All three of them turned around.
"I'd like to have a word with you."
He nodded and stood. I gestured for him to follow, and he did. We walked through the casino-which was swarming with customers-and I lead him to my office. I sat at my desk, and he sat in a spare chair.
I frowned,"Alright, let's get to brass tacts. What is going on?"
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat,"I'm...not sure what you mean."
I slammed my hands on the desk causing him to jump. "Bull crap!" I snapped. "I don't know what game your playing at, but let it be known that I'm not falling for your lies!"
"What do you mean!? I don't understand!"  He defended himself.
"Why is it that every time someone says 'The Stranger', you-of all people-start acting weird. What is with that!? Are you in cahoots with him?"
He went pale,"No no no! You've got this all wrong! It's not like that!"
I glared, standing up, and walking around the desk,"Then what is it like? Who's to say you're not a spy amongst us?"
"I thought you trusted me now!"
"The truth is, I can't afford to trust you. There's too much at risk. I can't let you hurt my family again, you won't take them away from me. And sure, you may actually be the good guy you claim to be, and in that case, I will personally apologize. But until you can prove yourself; that you can be trusted, I will keep my eye on you."
I sat back down, never keeping my eyes off him. I saw shame in his eyes; shame and guilt. I asked him,"So, what's going on?"
He was reluctant to answer,"If I tell you, can you promise not to tell the others?"
"That depends, what is it?"
Mike sighed,"So, I might as well get to the point... I'm going to die."
My eyes widened,"Wait, what?"
"I mean it. When the Stranger dies, I'll die too. He was created by my hatred; we're connected. If I die, he dies, and vice versa," He explained.
I leaned back into my chair, suddenly feeling regretful. Great, just what I need. I've become the overprotective asshole.
"You're not overprotective, Dev," Mike told me, reading my thoughts. "Your the right amount of protective. So, stay that way."
He gave a quirky smile, and nodded,"All that's left is the 'asshole' part, am I right?"
I'm not going to lie, but at that moment, I felt like his friend again. I almost trusted him. Almost.
CRASH!
The two of us jumped out our seats.
"What was that!?" Mike gasped.
We heard hurried footsteps coming to the door. In an instant, King Dice kicked it open, sweating and panting.
"Dice! What the hell's happening!?" I said.
"The casino's being destroyed!" He answered, panicking.
"The Stranger!?"
"No! The customers!"

Cuphead's POV

"Mug! Watch out!" I shouted, as one of the chandeliers fell. He jumped onto mine, and grabbed the chain tightly.
The casino was a wreck! The customers were tearing the place apart. They threw pool tables across the room, ripped curtains from the walls. One of them even broke the bar in half, which was admittingly impressive. The customers tried to attack us, so Mug and I hid Elder Kettle, and distracting the customers. So, that's how we got stuck on a chandelier.
I was becoming frustrated with them. They were throwing drinks, chairs, and sometimes each other at my brother and I.
With a growl, I pointed my index finger at them. Before I could shoot, Mug grabbed my hand.
"No! We can't shoot them! Someone could get hurt!" He exclaimed.
"We could get hurt if we don't!" I grit my teeth.
"I don't think they can control themselves, Cup. Look! Their eyes are purple!"
He pointed to the mob. I looked. He was right. All of their eyes were purple.
I suddenly didn't feel good. My head pounded, my body ached, and my eyes burned like fire. I groaned, sitting away from the edge.
"Cup!? Are you okay!?" He knelt beside me. "Did something hit you!?"
"No... my eyes...." I tried to explain, but it hurt too much.
"What about your eyes?"
He took my eyes and pulled them away from my face. He suddenly gasped in horror.
"W-what...?" I asked, meekly.
"Your eyes are purple!" He replied, nearly screaming.
"They are!?" I gasped. "Urgh! Why do they still hurt!?"
"The Stranger's done something to you! We have to tell-" Mug began before we heard a snap.
We looked up. The chain broke.
The chandelier was coming down, and we were going down with it.
We screamed.
We couldn't do anything else.

Mike R. Phone's POV

"Oh, fuck!" The Devil gasped, as we ran outside.
Everything was being dismantled.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two oversized men trying to hurt Elder Kettle.
I clenched my fist and dashed to him. Before they even knew I was there, I knocked them out. Elder Kettle thanked me as I helped him up.
"That damn Stranger's behind this! I know it!" King Dice yelled.
"Wait! Where's Cup and Mug?" Elder Kettle asked, alarmed.
We got our answer. We heard them scream.
We immediately ran inside.

But we never made it to the door.

Someone brought a wrecking ball to the party. And before we could take one step, it slammed through the casino, demolishing everything.
Chunks of rubble flew everywhere. Big chunks.

We couldn't run.

We didn't even react.

We were buried alive.

(A/N)
Holly hell! Sorry for the long update; I didn't mean to leave you on a cliffhanger! I've been super busy, and-worst of all-I had writer's block. It was horrible, but I'm back, baby!
I hope it was worth the wait!

1/12/18