Cuphead and Mugman in "Fate Will Find You"

A Shadow Emerges

It was cold. And yet there was no breeze. The air hung still around the young mug. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was. It was dark. Color seemed to be nonexistent in this place. Shades of gray surrounded the little mug, who was the only being in these colorless catacombs. A black sludge clung to the stone ceiling, walls, and pillars. Spider web shapes connected the sludge between columns. Mug saw a large glob of it oozing downward. He quickly stepped out of the way to avoid being smothered in the unknown substance. It silently hit the ground. The environment remained deathly quiet.

"Where am I?" Mugman wondered aloud. His voice echoed throughout the silent and still atmosphere. It bounced off the walls and came back at the young mug. Gloved hands reached up and covered his cup to protect himself from the loud echo. The sound slowly died down and eventually dissipated away. Mug removed his hands from his head. His eyes shifted left and right nervously.

"Hello there." Came a voice. It sounded like his own but with a demonic filter over it. The voice gargled and hissed out its words. Mugman frantically looked around, trying to find the source of the mysterious voice. No one was around except him.

"Who's there?" He cautiously called out. His voice bounced off the walls once again. The cup child stood in silence for a few seconds, expecting an answer. But it never came. His glass body tensed up as he continued to look around the catacombs for another living soul. Arms crossed in front of his chest in an attempt to lessen the uncomfortable level of vulnerability he felt.

"I'm scared...." The young mug muttered as quietly as he could to himself. Mugman started to violently shake in fear.

"You should be!" It hissed back. Mug swallowed hard and prepared to yell at the voice.

"Enough games! Show yourself!" He demanded, sounding much more confident than he actually was.

"Heh heh heh...." The voice laughed at the child.

"Okay, this is really freaking me out." Mug thought aloud. "I have to wake up!"

"You can't wake up from reality." It taunted the cup child. Mugman couldn't contain his fear anymore and let out an ear-piercing scream of terror. The child turned around and just started running. To where he did not know. He just hoped to get away from the voice that shook him to the core.

"You can't run from what's inside you...." The voice jeered. This only made poor Mug panic even more.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Mugman shouted to himself as he ran, slapping himself on the mug. Black sludge materialized into a spider web in thin air. It was not held up by anything but itself. Mug slowed himself to a halt as it blocked his path. Just as he put on the brakes, the sludge started to morph into a different shape. Two legs and two arms formed from a central blot. And at the very top, a large-fanged mug face took shape. Mugman came to a full stop where his mug was merely inches away from the demonic shadow figure. It bore the same awful smile that the possessed version of Mugman did. The jet-black eyes were almost more menacing than the glowing yellow of the real-life version. 

"Boo! The shadow hissed at the child. Mugman let out another scream of fear, this time closing his eyes.

A scream of terror engulfed the boys' bedroom, jolting Cuphead wide awake. The young cup immediately jumped out of bed and into the one next to him.

"Mugs! Are you okay? What's wrong?" He gently shook his little brother as the scream forced him awake. Mug slowly sat up, panting and breathing heavy. His glass body was caked with sweat. Despite the sweat, he still somehow managed to tremble in fear.

"It was just a nightmare..." Mugman realized and gave a sigh of relief. The back of his hand wiped some of the sweat off his head.

"Must have been a pretty bad one, buddy." Cup replied. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah." Mug said as his trembling died down. "I just hope it doesn't happen again. Cuz it was..." The young mug fell silent. He was at a loss for words.

"Scary as hell?" Cuphead suggested.

"Yeah."

"Hmm." The young cup came up with an idea that may help his brother. "Perhaps you should stay awake for a few to make sure the nightmare has gone away. I find that if I go back to sleep immediately after a nightmare, then I'm more likely to be sucked back into it."

"You're right. Thanks, Cuphead. That's good advice." Mugman felt much better hearing such encouragement from his older brother.

"I'll even stay awake until you get back to sleep. It's the least I can do for you, bro." He added.

"Thanks, Cuphead! You're the best!" The young mug happily replied. Mugman did just as Cup had suggested and was able to avoid entering the nightmare again.