Souls (Cuphead)

Chapter 10: Threatenin' Zepplin'

 The planes were small, could probably only fit one person in each cockpit, but it was a miracle that Cuphead had even convinced Ron to give them one. "She's beautiful," Mugman said in awe, brushing his hands across the smooth metallic surface.

 "Isn't she?" Cuphead agreed. He tapped the plane front, spinning the blades. "I can't wait to try her. Thanks, Ron."

 "No problem, sweetness," Ron cooed. Cuphead smiled but as soon the guy left he shook his head with a disgusted look on his face.

 "Come on," he said, jerking his head at the plane, clearly not wanting to talk about it.

 He jumped in, his face still. Within a few short minutes of taking into the sky, above the cloud layer, singing could be heard. It was subtle at first; in the distance, barely audible, but as they flew closer to a formation of arrow-shaped clouds, it became clearer.

 The lyrics themselves were beautiful, full of joy and hope that few in the Isles had nowadays.

"The sky will forever hold you high,

The land will forever keep you down.

The sky red with dye,

Fit for the finest crown.

The clouds shelter I,

But the sun shelters you.

Tis what I wonder why,

Whilst the skies I flew.

My heart yearns for the skies,

But my feet find the ground.

My fate is a prize,

So now I earn thy eyes."

 Mugman glanced at his brother, whose mouth was open in awe. "It's beautiful," he whispered, and sat straighter.

 A figure came into view, her mouth open in song. She sang, twisting the clouds between her fingers. Mugman didn't know if she could see them coming, just as she turned her head and smiled at them.

 "Hello there," she said, her voice now a softer tone. "What can I do for you?"

 Cuphead flew forward, took her hand in his own and kissed the back of it. "My name is Cuphead," he said. She blushed. "And we're here to collect something. Your soul contract."

 She froze, and went rigid. "Maybe I'll give it to you," she said. "For a price."

 "Anything," Cuphead promised.

 "Spend the night at my place," she said.

 Now it was Cuphead's turn to go rigid. "Anything but that," he said.

 She shook her head, as did Cuphead. "Fine," she said. "Come and get it."

 She sucked in her cloud, and her body turned into a zeppelin. 

 A tiny purple thing appeared, its face splitting open to eject a round, shiny black bomb. The two brothers began shooting. She laughed, and something hit Mugman, something he saw for a split second as a black 'HA!'.

 Another purple thing came out of nowhere and shot a bomb at Cuphead, who barely dodged, and narrowly avoided Hilda Berg's next 'HA!'.

 "Shoot for the purple things!" Cuphead called, hitting Hilda with bullets. Mugman did as he was told, making them burst before they could eject a black bomb. Hilda Berg sucked in a breath, and went shooting towards them, a star sign left in the air.

 She came back, rolling backwards, wiggling her fingers. A puff of (smoke? clouds?) came out of nowhere and Hilda Berg was replaced with a star-eyed bull. Cuphead swore under his breath. 

 More purple things appeared, with Mugman directing his full attention on those while Cuphead focused on Hilda. The bull reared back, and thrust its head forward, horns ready to skewer them. "MUGS!" Cuphead cried, sighing in relief as his brother dodged.

 This went on, Cuphead whistling a warning to Mugman when the bull charged forward, Mugman barking a warning to Cuphead if he couldn't crack them open before they ejected a black bomb. 

 Another puff of smoke-clouds and Hilda was back, laughing manically. It returned to 'normal' until Hilda twirled her fingers, forming a grey mini hurricane and sending it straight at them. Mugman fought against the wind, and only broke free when Cuphead slammed him out of the way to take his place.

 A tiny green thing appeared, face splitting open to eject four bombs at a time! One hit Cuphead's tail. "Damn it," he muttered. "AIM FOR THE GREEN!"

 "ROGER!" Mugman yelled back.

 Hilda blew herself up again, and did what she did before, a different star sign marking her place. She rolled backwards, and in yet another puff of smoke-cloud, she was replaced with a buff man.

 A man with a solid-built chest, star eyes, no body past the waist, a bow and arrows, and a tail emitting from the cloud where his legs should have been. Cuphead blushed. 

 The man shot an arrow into the air, a blue star shooting forward for the brothers. He shot again, and Cuphead realised how annoying those stars would be. They were following them. He disappeared behind a smoke-cloud and Hilda returned, a hurricane at the ready.

 Dodging multiple 'HA!'s and the black bombs Mugman couldn't destroy, Hilda grasped her head and wiggled around, injured. She changed into a crescent moon with her face. Stars replaced the purple bombs, aiming for them.

 She made a face and stuck her head out, a whirl of machinery, with tiny spaceships flying out, yellow light emitting from the bottom. Mugman was hit by one, and his arm turned red, with blisters forming on the raw skin.

 She shrunk back in, grinning at their terror and failure. "Give up yet?" she yelled.

 "NEVER!" Cuphead shouted, furious at the pain she'd inflicted on his brother.

 Her head popped out again, and the UFOs were back, emitting their yellow lights, which Mugman gave a wide breath. 

 Cuphead slammed his hand on the bullet button, and it hit her.

 Her head shrank back in, her face a mask of pain and dazed confusion. She shrunk to her original form, collapsing to her cloud. Cuphead landed and approached her carefully. "I'm sorry, Hilda Berg," he said, helping her up. "We really don't want to, but we must."

 He hugged her injured body gently. "You will be avenged," he whispered into her ear.

 She looked at him in confusion, and saw his message.

 His eyes said, This is not your fault. None of this is your fault. The Devil did this. He will pay. The very first rebellious, defiant look for the Devil she'd ever seen.