The Curse of Imagination (English Version)

Dive into the Madness

I went home around 11 am. I put my backpack on the ground. I put myself on the computer. I pressed the start button, but the computer did not start.

Impossible.

I tried again and again. Suddenly, the computer turned on.

I felt a strange sensation, a mix of terror, amazement, and confusion.

It was weird, funny... but scary at the same time. I found myself in front of the Cuphead title screen... but instead of Cuphead and Mugman, there was Toby who simulated their movements, almost mockingly. When I was about to press enter, the screen went out.

The title "The Curse of Imagination" appeared and the game started. This time, there was not only Cuphead but also Mugman with him.

It was impossible... because no controller was connected to the computer. So ... who was the second player? Also, they did not smile. They were scared ... as if they were aware of what was happening. I began to move to the right, through the stage. There was no background music.

I found myself in front of a well, with a sign pointing towards the bottom. I jumped inside, Mugman followed me.

I found myself in a dark place. Question marks were etched in the background...and they multiplied more and more. Suddenly, I was in front of Toby. He moving up and down as usual and smiled at me.

Suddenly, without me doing anything ... he looked at me.

The faces of all the Cuphead bosses emerged from the sprawling mass. They were all together, against Cuphead and Mugman... or rather, against me.

As it turns out, it was not them that Toby wanted... he wanted me. Besides, I was the right one... he had already told me. I stretched my fingers and started hitting him.

I realized that only by hitting individual bosses could I inflict damage. I began to hit them as hard as I could, trying to avoid their attacks.

Each boss made a specific type of attack. For example, Goupie le Grande would have punched me, while Rumor Honeybottom would throw me some magic spheres.

Even the devil, who was among them, struck me.

But this time, he was not the final boss... because he, like all the others, was dominated by something deeper, more ancient and more obscure. Whether a monster or a cartoon, It makes no difference.

My goal was to defeat that creature, whatever it was. I continued to attack as hard as I can, the intensity of the enemy attacks increased more and more. I was surprised by the talent of Mugman, still convinced that he was guided by artificial intelligence. But what appeared before me was a completely independent animated character, as if he were a living creature. Even cup head manifested too fluid animations... too realistic to have been made by someone.

Suddenly. I felt a feeling of pressure on my chest, began to shake my legs. My sight started to blur.

The faces of the bosses withdrew.

I had done it, I had defeated him. I was exhausted, I could not feel my fingers anymore.

The sprawling mass disappeared into the darkness. Suddenly, a game over card appeared

It was Toby, he looked at me with that look of innocence. It was a simple question ... and when I read it, I shuddered. He just said: do you want to meet me?

As I stared at Toby, I noticed on the left side of the screen Cuphead and Mugman shaking ... facing me. It was like they wanted to tell me something, stop me from doing something.

Since we were children, we have always lived with animated cartoons... and amazing characters. Characters that became real or even inspirational models in childhood.

Funny and cheerful characters, characters joking with each other but in the end, they made peace.

Characters .. with a soul.

Weird...

I have the feeling that this moment might come, sooner or later come, that moment when the realm of imagination would burst into reality.

I looked at Cuphead and Mugman again and touched the screen.

Suddenly, they became sad. It was the demonstration that cartoons can have feelings... even more than human beings.

I'm sorry, but I have to find out the truth. I should have met him, face to face ... whatever it was.

I looked back at Toby, he gave me the impression of having a more cheerful expression.

...besides, he already knew my answer.