Souls (Cuphead)

Chapter 1

 Cuphead looked back at Mugman, grinning. "C'mon, Mugs," he called, bouncing from foot to foot. "We can get some more money and pay the bills and get some more food for Elder Kettle! C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"

 Mugman grinned and dashed after his brother. The two were always out and about in the Isles, causing trouble, being good friends and making money. Hardly anyone could believe they were Kettle's boys. 

 But they were. One hundred percent. Because everyone remembered the day Elder Kettle's daughter and son-in-law died, leaving the boys to the old man.

 Cuphead reached a cross in the paths. One said 'To Inkwell Isle 2', the other read 'To Inkwell Hell'.

 He grinned mischeviously. "Come on, Mug," he said, walking towards the Inkwell Hell path.

 "What!" Mugman cried, grabbing his brother's arm. "We can't go down there! Elder Kettle told us to stay on the - "

 "Mug, we can't be expected to stay here our whole lives!" Cuphead pointed out. "You're the one who wants to go to the mainland when he's older!"

 "Yeah, but that's different!"

 "It's just a scary version of Inkwell Isle. Now are you coming or not?"

 "I don't know - "

 "Please?!"

 "Okay, just as long as it's quick."

 Cuphead pumped his fists in joy. "Just don't tell Elder Kettle," he said. "He can be a little paranoid at times."

 "I know," Mugman said, following.

 Before long, the path turned to black gravel, crunching under their feet. The air turned smoky, suffocating even. The air was too hot, like both the dry desert heat in Djimmi's kingdom and the wet heat in Grim Matchstick's.

 They kept walking, the air getting more constricting as they did. They gasped and stumbled, leaning against each other for support. Mugman felt like he was going to pass out...

 Then they burst through clean air, right in front of a dazzling casino. The path was like a red carpet, lined with red, die-like bushes. On top of the building, a hairy devil sat, holding two poker chips, one in each hand, and chess pieces scattered around it, with playing cards fanning in front of their face.

 Cuphead grinned in glee, and rushed forward to open the gold doors, only to have them swing open, to reveal a tall, handsome man. He was six feet tall, with a pencil moustache and a dice for a head. His suit was dapper and his general aura was fancy and hard-to-get. His black eyes were shiny, so obviously he was using a Glamour to disguise his real eye colour for whatever reason. He smiled at Cuphead, and a more nervous Mugman.

 "Welcome to the Devil's Casino," he said. "We have Blackjack to the left, Poker at the front, and Craps to the right, but we also have others scattered around the place."

 "Craps table, please," Cuphead said. Mugman only just noticed how red his brother's face was. Must be the air.

 "Follow me," the man said, leading them to it. A bunch of skeletons sat around, waiting for a player. They cheered when they saw the boys. "Now, I'll have you know that I am an excellent Craps player. It'll be hard to beat me."

 "We'll see about that!" Cuphead said.

 The man grinned, and held out his hand, which Cuphead shook. "King Dice," he said.

 "Cuphead," Cuphead said. "Mr. King Dice, you're on!"

 Dice dabbed his brow with a napkin. The boys were winning. They were winning big-time. A lot of money was already in their back pocket, and now they were rolling again.

 It didn't help that the red cup happened to bend over slightly every time he rolled, unknowingly showing off his beautiful behind. And the way he kept winning was somehow cute to him. "Nice run, boys," a deep, gravely voice laughed. 

 The brothers turned and gasped. Dice bowed slightly in respect. It was the owner of the casino, the Devil. The real Devil. Who, Mugman couldn't help but notice, also had shiny eyes. The two men were Glamouring their eyes. "Now how about we raise the stakes?" the Devil suggested with a toothy grin.

 He held out his hand, and the die magically flew to it. He held them out like an offering, but his face was malicious. "Win one more roll, and all the loot in my casino is yours!" he said. "But if you lose, I'll have your souls. Deal?"

 Cuphead nodded, thinking how much this could help his family...and also how much it would impress that dice head. He grabbed it. Mugman stared at him in shock. "Good gosh, Cuphead, no!" he cried, too late.

 The dice rolled, spun and landed...on two ones. Snake eyes. They had lost.  "Snake eyes," laughed the Devil, slamming the floor with his trident. "You lose!" He loomed over them, taking in their fear as they trembled. "Now about those souls..."

 Cuphead got down on his knees, his face flush with embarrassment. What would Dice think of him now, groveling like this? Mugman got beside him, squeezing his brother's hand. "Th-there must be another w-way to repay you," he stammered.

 "Yes, p-please, mister," Cuphead begged.

 "Hmm, perhaps there is," the Devil hissed, and snapped his fingers. A scroll magically appeared in his hands, giving Cuphead a quick second to glance at Dice. He looked worried, and he was looking...right at him. He blushed and ducked his head. "I have here a list of my runaway debtors. Collect their souls, and I just might pardon you two mugs."

 Cuphead shakily took it, and felt a sharp claw grab the scurf of his neck. A yelp let him know Mugman was too. "Allow me, boss," a fruity voice said, and Cuphead was dropped to the ground, to be pulled up gently by King Dice.

 "Dice - " he whispered, but Dice just mouthed the words 'later'.

 "Now, get going," the Devil roared, flinging Mugman out rudely. Dice gently shoved Cuphead out the doors. "You have until midnight tomorrow to collect all those souls. Or I'll be the one collecting yours!"

 Cuphead pulled his brother up, looked back one last time at Dice, and began to run. "C'mon, Mug," he said. "Let's find Elder Kettle. He'll know what to do!"