Skeleton Keys

The Past Hurts

No One's Pov:

Captain Cuphead, Bendy, First Mate Boris, Henry,Mickey, Joseph, and Shera sat in a circle on the deck of The Skeleton."You gave up having your brother back... For me... Why?" Bendy asked,looking upset. Cuphead shook his head. "Aye, I gave up me brother fer ye.Reason be, me brother would've killed me had I gave up another of importance tome fer him. I never would've forgiven meself fer it either. I like ye... Yernot like others, I'll give ye that. I see where yer brother got hisskills." Cuphead said, smiling. Bendy smiled back. "What had been hisname?" Boris asked. Cuphead's eyes glazed over as he looked into thedistance. "His name was Mugman... He was me little brother... We werealone since he was born... We were found by a pirate captain: Captain Kettle...He taught us all the piratin' skills we needed ta be who were. He was just aboy... Eighteen years... After we got our own ship, he me Fist Mate... CaptainLucifer launched a surprise attack in the night... He captured me and mebrother. 'Said he would kill the captain. He asked if it were me or me brotherwho was captian...And..." Cuphead's voice trailed off. "Mugman saidhe be captain, didn't he?" Shera asked. Cuphead nodded, then took a deepbreath. "Lucifer believed 'em... He challenged 'em to a sword's duel...Mugman accepted... He did so well, I was proud... Then, Lucifer did a trickattack and instead laid a low... Fatal... Blow to me brother. He pulled the swordfrom me brother and let 'em fall... He took all me gold, I didn't care... All Iwanted was me brother... He died in me arms... H-he was s-smilin', tellin' m-menot t-ta cry...I-I w-watched t-the l-light l-leave h-his e-eyes..."Suddenly, a hand came up to Cuphead's face. Cuphead looked down to see Bendysmiling gently. Bendy wiped a tear from Cuphead's face. "It'll be okay,Cuphead..." Bendy said quietly. Without a second thought, Captain Cupheadscooped Bendy in his arms and cried. Bendy hugged him, shushing him gently.Finally, Cuphead was able to get his emotions under control. "If any of yetell anyone 'bout this, yer walkin' the plank." Cuphead said, glaring atthe other four pirates who all nodded. Then, Felix came over. "Sorry ittook me so long to get over here... There were a lot of injured. Anyone hurtover here?" Felix asked. Everyone shook their heads. Felix nodded, thensat down. He winced and gripped his right side. "Felix, ye be okay? Yerhurt." Cuphead said, looking concerned. "I-I know... I just needed totend to the others before I got to myself. It's my job, after all." Felixresponded. He pulled his shirt off, revealing three large, deep scratches."That," Felix said, touching the scratches carefully. "Is gonnascar." Felix dumped some medicine on a cloth and pressed it to one of thescratches. "Agh!" Felix exclaimed in pain. He moved to the nextscratch and sucked air in. Felix tended to the other scratches, then placedbandages over them. "There... That should do it." Felix said, pullinghis shirt back on. "Are you sure you're okay, Felix?" Bendy asked.Felix nodded. "Hey, what be yer story? Ya never have talked 'bout yerpast." Cuphead said. Felix sighed. "It's not a happy one.... Oh,alright... I grew up on an ocean-side town, far east. When I was a boy, Idreamed of pirating. I learned every part of the ship, how to read the stars,everything. I grew up with my sister, Sheba... She said she'd join me if I evergot to be a pirate... Then, we had to grow up... Adventures of swashbucklingand raiding were kid's dreams. We were only teenagers when it happened..."Felix's voice trailed off. "When what happened?" Bendy asked. Felixshook his head, then continued. "One night, there were some men thatpounded into the tavern my family owned. They were very loud, big, and mean...My parents told them they'd give them each one drink, but then they'd have toleave. Those men weren't satisfied with one drink only. They grabbed my mom, Iraced to help her. I grabbed a chair and broke it over the head of the brutethat tried to hurt her. He grabbed me instead. The brute pinned me against thewall, then started slamming me against it.... My vision soon became blurred,so I'm not sure what had happened next... All I remember is the brutes drugSheba and me out near the ocean. Then, they threw me in. The last thing Iremember doing was yelling Sheba's name. She yelled mine, then I was swallowedby the ocean. Later, I woke up on a pirate ship. They made me be their servantboy for four years. I was nineteen when you attacked their ship and took me onas Healer." Felix said, looking at Cuphead. "Do ya have any cluewhere yer sister is now?" Boris asked. Felix shook his head. "Ididn't see them throw Sheba in... She could be dead for all I know.... When Idream of her, she's alive and laughing... In the day, I only imagine herdead.... Horrible, gruesome deaths..." "How old are ye now?"Joseph asked. Felix smiled at his kind attempt to keep his mind off suchthings. " I'm now 25." Felix answered. "Okay, this be a bit oddta me. I be 27, Bendy be 22, ye be 25." Cuphead said, shaking his head."Now I feel old. I be 32." Henry said. "Ye feel old? I be36!" Joseph said. "I'm only 29." Mickey said. "I'm20." Shera said. "I'm still the youngest! I'm sixteen!"Boris exclaimed. Bendy chuckled. "What be so funny, Bendy?" Cupheadasked. "It's just funny to think. The Captain be younger than most of hiscrew!" Bendy said. Cuphead laughed. "That be true 'nough... Bendy?Did me ears lie, or did ye just say 'the Captain be younger...'?" Cupheadasked, smirking. Bendy sat up and smiled. "Oh my god! You be right! There,again! Yer lessons seem to be workin!" Everyone laughed. "I've beenhere longer than you, and I don't talk pirate!" Felix said, still laughing.Everyone laughed harder. Finally, everyone ran out of breath and had to stop."A-alright, we best get some shut-eye. Ya hear that, ya vermin! Get to yerbeds!" Captain Cuphead yelled as he stood up.