Souls (Cuphead)

Chapter 8 (Clip Joint Calamity)

 Mugman was halfway home when he bumped into Cuphead. His wound was gone, wiped off from his arm as if it was never there. "I'm okay," he said before Mugman could say anything.

 "Who fixed it?" he asked.

 "Someone," Cuphead said, in a tone that suggested he wasn't going to tell. "He fixed it." He touched it gently.

 Mugman hugged him gently. He didn't know about the little kiss left on the newly healed wound that the healer had given.

 "I remembered seeing a boat down there," Mugman said, pointing at it.

 A small fly fluttered around it, her wings a blur in the air. She had a boa flung around her neck, and she grinned, before diving into the top of the boat, which was open.

 Cuphead didn't know whether to laugh or frown. "Let's go," he said.

 Inside, the air was clogged with smoke and ash. He coughed, and spotted a lady fly frown at him, the one outside.

 At the center was a frog and a toad. They seemed to be a team, because they were both ganging up on a salamander. They had red boxing gloves on, whilst the salamander had blue. The toad wore red pants and had a brown belt whereas the frog had white pants and a red belt.

 The toad punched the back of the salamander's head and the frog punched her stomach, and she fell, gasping. The fight had clearly been going on a while, and she was weakening. She collapsed, and the fight was done.

 They cheered.

 "That wasn't a fair fight," Mugman said in disgust. "Two against one? How is that fair?"

 "Maybe she was stronger," Cuphead said, hiding his own disgust.

 "Still not fair," Mugman grumbled.

 The two stepped forward. "Come to challenge us, little cup?" the frog laughed. "This'll be easy," he whispered in a loud voice.

 The crowd laughed, much to their embarrassment. "Sorry," Cuphead whispered, before lowering his voice. "How would these people feel if they knew you two made bets with the Devil?"

 Instantly their faces darkened, and the toad raised his fists. "Let's go, Ribby," he said, glaring at them.

 The green frog, Ribby, nodded, and stood beside him.

 The toad pulled in a big lungful of air, chest expanding, before spitting out not one, not two, but three flaming flies. They seemed relatively happy to be covered in flames, and crept closer to the two, before being obliterated. Ribby laughed. "We've had fighting souls since we were tadpoles, you cups," he snarled.

 He swelled his chest, before rolling his fists, sending flaming blue and pink punching gloves towards them. Cuphead parried the pink, and Mugman ducked. On the second pink glove, Cuphead cupped his hands and hoisted his brother up so he could parry it.

 They kept shooting, and when the toad shot his flies, they easily shot them.

 "You two are strong," Ribby said. "But Croaks and I are stronger."

 Croaks nodded eagerly, and Ribby rolled over to the left of the boys.

 Mugman put his back to Cuphead's and Cuphead took his hand gently. At this sign, the two amphibians paused, and instantly regretted it as Cuphead shot at Croaks and Mugman at Ribby.

 Ribby released massive bouncing glowing balls covered in rings, and Croaks spun so the wind pushed them towards it. The two boys remained holding hands whilst shooting and avoiding the powerful gusts of wind and glowing bouncing balls.

 It was over quicker than they realised. Croaks opened his mouth, and Ribby rolled into it. "Cannibal," Cuphead snarled, only to see Croaks twist, stretch and form into a slot machine.

 "This isn't over," he said. Well, they said. Neither brother could tell which voice was which. Their voices blended together in perfect symphony. It was as beautiful as it was frightening.

 They began spitting coins, whilst a boxing glove came down, pink. "Parry it, Mug," Cuphead shouted. When he did, they shot out flat disks that shot blue lasers up and down. Neither knew what to do except duck, dodge and jump to avoid being hit.

 It ended sooner than they assumed, and the coins spat out again, the machine's face peaceful. Mugman parried the glove when it came down and landed on frog. Several spiky green disks shot out of the belly in quick succession, and it was so fast Mugman didn't expect it and scratched his leg.

 "Mugs!" Cuphead ran to his brother and held him, hugging him. Ribby and Croaks machine saw and paused again, not realising they were doing it and Cuphead shot. Instantly they fell. Game over for them.

 "No one messes with my brother."