Souls (Cuphead)

Chapter 7 (Ruse of an Ooze)

 After a brief break, the boys got up and continued on, walking past Mack and finding another forest beyond the one they had gone through. Everyone knew the kind medicine maker lived in there, collecting ingredients for famous medicines and remedies, and they knew she had a son, but the boys didn't know who they were going to be fighting.

 Secretly, Mugman hoped it wasn't going to be the medicine maker. She had donated money to them when Elder Kettle was badly sick, and it had saved his life. He didn't want to repay her by hurting her.

 The toon felt his brother grip his hand, and lead him inside the forest. It wasn't very far in that they had a wet flopping sound.

 Suck! Flop! Suck! Flop! Suck! Flop!

 Cuphead hesitated, just as a big, blue slimeball came into view, looking very similar to the Bothersome Blueberries, except without arms or legs visible. The thing didn't seem to notice at first, humming to himself and bouncing around.

 It was only when Cuphead cleared his throat that he looked up and smiled. "Hello there," he said. "You're new. That's fun! I like new people. Mummy says I'm good at meeting new people. I mean, hard to blame, with a face like mine!" He winked flirtatiously at Cuphead.

 This caused Cuphead to blush, glare and think of Dice at the same time.

 "What are your names?" the slime rushed on, not giving them a chance to answer. "I'm Goopy Le Grande. Did you know that means Goopy the Great in Italian? I really am a special guy."

 Cuphead looked down at the list. Sure enough, Goopy's name was displayed on it. Thinking about it, Cuphead didn't want to hurt the jolly, red-nosed blob.

 Just because he was the kind of 'person' who would be happy no matter where he was. No matter who he was with. He just would be.

 "Have you ever dealed with someone called the Devil?" he asked.

 Goopy's mood instantly changed from happy-go-lucky to completely destroyed. "I only did it because Daddy was disappointed in me," he said, looking down, tears trailing off his big, red nose. "He wanted me to be a boxer, so I became one. But I was never good enough. So I asked the Devil to make me good enough. I asked him to keep my name famous for all of time, hoping it would be enough. It wasn't. So now my father won't even talk to me and I'm running from everyone."

 "I'm so sorry," Mugman said.

 Goopy raised and lowered one eyebrow, in an of a shrug. "People usually are," he said. Instantly the sadness was gone and he was smiling once again. "But, it's fine. I can hide out all I want. So what brings you two here?"

 Cuphead glanced at Mugman. "We're collecting soul contracts for the Devil," he said. "You're on it."

 Goopy's face fell. He startled back, looking scared. "N-No..." he stammered.

 "I'm sorry," Cuphead said, stepping forward.

 Goopy looked at the ground, and then tipped off a hat neither brother realised was there. "Let's go," he said.

 Cuphead watched as Goopy suckered up to the ground and bounced, going high above their heads and coming down hard. So hard the ground shook slightly. He made a glop sound with his mouth when he hit the ground.

 Mugman looked at him and fired a shot. It hit with a wet SLAP sound. Goopy gritted his teeth, turned and bounced straight towards Mugman. He dodged just in time to avoid being flattened.

 Cuphead felt a wave of anger and shot at Goopy with the red bullets. It was obvious they were hurting him because he stumbled and grunted, pained.

 Mugman switched to his green bullet type and shot madly. Porkrind was right when he said required no aim. The bullets seemed to have a mind of their own; they twisted mid-air just to pierce Goopy's hide. His grunts of pain were less but still there nonetheless.

 Goopy bounced before hitting the ground, keeping his now visible 'feet' firmly planted whilst leaning his neck completely back so his weird skin-hat hit the ground, then thrust forward, cheeks swelling like balloons and eyes going as wide as basketballs. His body resembled a giant boxing glove, and he blew out air as he thrust forward.

 Cuphead was blown away as Goopy blew through parted lips. "I thought you were cute," Goopy said to him, as he landed on his ass. "I still think you are. You can stop this and we can try it out. I mean, with a face like mine is it a crime to be bouncing all the time?" He winked at Cuphead.

 "Sorry," Cuphead said, standing, and then lowering his voice so Mugman wouldn't hear. "I prefer men with real dicks. And besides, you're not my type." He shot.

 Goopy hissed through his teeth in pain, and started bouncing again, and yet his attacks were still aimed more towards Mugman than they were Cuphead. Cuphead frowned at the thought that rose, unaided in his head.

 Goopy suddenly paused for a moment, and a hand became visible. He flipped a coin straight into his mouth.

 There was a moment when his eyes went white, and his head turned into a question mark as Mugman parried two glowing pink '?' and Cuphead parried one.

 Then Goopy literally expanded. He grew larger, his teeth bigger and more obvious, and his eyebrows furrowed down in a frown. He had grown to double his original size!

 He began bouncing once again, only this time it was in smaller bursts due to his larger size. The brothers kept shooting, dodging his jumps with ease.

 Goopy stopped, and an arm came back into view. He pulled back, a boxing glove on his hand and punched at the two. It hit neither, only because they had gotten lucky and dodged in a matter of milliseconds before it would've collided.

 Goopy pulled back and continued bouncing.

 He bounced three hops before the arm appeared again and he punched. This time it did connect with the brothers. It hit Cuphead's arm. Instantly there was a spray of blood and Cuphead knew with one punch Goopy had burst open his skin, and punctured an artery. Somehow. He slammed a hand on the wound, blood welling between his fingers.

 "Mugman!" he cried in a hoarse voice. 

 Both Goopy and Mugman turned at the sound of his voice. Mugman's eyes widened, and he shoved Cuphead away. "Go," he snarled. 

 Cuphead didn't hesitate, and ran, stumbling slightly, little droplets of blood splattering the ground.

 It was at this point Goopy knew he'd messed up. Mugman turned to him with a fiery rage in his eyes and began to shoot with more force than before.

 Goopy tried and failed to fight back, and willingly died. Except he didn't. He turned into a gravestone with his face on it. He grinned and face-planted the ground, almost hitting Mugman.

 This continued for several minutes, until with one last shot Goopy split apart, dead.