Chapter Text
How did this happen? Felix looked over the ripped and bleeding stitches of the large, jagged scars on Mugman’s front and back. The wounds were fresh and swollen, it couldn’t have happened a long time ago. This boy was running around and fighting with these? He was as bad as Bendy!
“How did this happen?” he demanded again. Mugs winced and shrugged, the jerk of his shoulder causing him to flinch. “Don’t move!” Mugs had tried to brush it off, but Cuphead had snapped and grabbed his shirt. It took Bendy and Felix to stop him. Mugs had promised to take care of it if Cup backed off. Cup only calmed down when Felix promised he’d take care of the younger brother. Now, here the two of them were, back in the cave, Felix cleaning up Mugs’ wounds in the cave’s river.
“You know, you’re worrying everyone,” Felix said wringing out his cloth. It wasn’t a bad wound. There was just some light bleeding. Mugs ducked. “Why didn’t you say anything?” Bendy and Boris were trying to calm down Cuphead and Cala.
“I didn’t want to worry Cups. He has enough on his shoulders. We needed to move, right? I don’t want to hold anyone back,” Mugs said.
“Good intentions or not, Mugman, what if something had happened while we were fighting? While you were climbing down the rope? While you were ten feet under the water in the ocean?” Mugs sunk lower and lower. Felix sighed. “Look, Mugman. The reason we are angry is that we care about you that much.”
Mugman glanced up at him with wide eyes. “Boris and Bendy are your friends, Cuphead is your brother, Cala seems very fond of you, and I consider you a friend as well. If you don’t rely on us...Well, imagine if Cuphead had done this to you,” Felix explained.
Mugs paled and looked back down. “You don’t have to explain anything to me, but please rely on me. I want to help,” Felix said.
“Okay,” Mugs muttered. They sat in silence for a while. Felix sighed. He couldn’t force Mugman to talk. The wound appeared to be some kind of bullet wound. Whatever bullet could do this had to pack a punch. Just as Felix was bandaging it up, Mugs spoke. “It was an accident,” he said. “And Cup blames himself.”
Ah. That would explain his strong reaction. Poor brothers. Felix wanted to ask but felt he didn’t need to push. Mugs and Cup would talk if they wanted to. They proved themselves reliable. Felix wasn’t worried about their teamwork. These things, he really believed, would work out themselves. It was obvious how much they cared for each other. “But you don’t.”
“Of course not!” Mugs frowned.
“Then, remind him. How ever many times it takes. And let him know you care,” Felix said. Mugs blinked. “We’re on your side.” Mugs smiled.
“Thanks,” Mugs said and stood up. They came out to see the others sitting on the shore. Cala wasn’t there anymore. “Where did Cala go?” Mugs asked.
“She went to get us a ride! She said she could get us back to the city fast,” Boris answered. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. For some reason, it doesn’t really hurt,” Mugs said. “A sting once in a while, but that’s it.” Cup glanced at him, then glared at the waves. Oh dear. Mugs huffed and puffed out his cheeks. He lifted his nose in the air and went to sit by Boris. Oh, double dear. Bendy glanced at Felix. The cat adventurer shrugged. He understood the least out of everyone here on what was going on. At least Bendy seemed to be doing better. He wasn’t pale anymore, he was moving with the energy he had before. He could recover quickly, but it seemed that he couldn’t recall anything of his ‘episode.’ Why was that? Was it an ink illness problem or a demon situation?
Felix sat down next to said demon and ruffled his hair. Bendy smiled. Sadly, Felix didn’t know as much as he’d like about demon culture. Reliable sources were scarce on the Surface and often mingled with superstition. Ancient histories were just as obscure and mythical. The best history was in the angel’s archives in their city above the clouds, the Upper. Again, they had a bias, painting all demons as creatures not to be trusted. Felix couldn’t blame them. The Angel-Demon War, though ancient, was the biggest loss of angel life in known history. It was still a ‘sore spot’ for their people.
Felix looked at Bendy. He was trying to get Cup to talk to him with mixed results. It seemed that Jackpot was helping though, wanting to swat at Bendy’s tail spike and being playful. Cup smiled as Bendy teased the kitten with his tail.
Felix couldn’t see the records he had studied in the Upper being applicable to Bendy. He was raised on the Surface, which was odd. But according to angels, it was their very natures that were evil, not their culture. Bendy was proof of the contradiction. And yet…
That ‘other form,’ as the others have started to call it, was powerful. Bendy had been so strong that he fought the giant snakes of the mermaid with ease. He had been able to leap two stories in the air. He had even looked like he was having fun. And...it unnerved Felix, just a touch. Felix figured it was more due to natural instincts, though. With enough exposure and with Bendy still being Bendy regardless of how he looked, Felix was certain they could all adjust...if it ever happened again.
Felix felt his tail twitch. It was a mystery, and he ached to solve mysteries, especially ancient ones. Not that Bendy was some sort of old ruin lost in the jungles, he was a person. But Bendy could answer so many questions about his people. Questions that have been around for centuries.
“I’m back! And I found you a ride!” Cala splashed out of the surf and onto the rocky shore. “Mugman! Are you feeling better?” She lit up upon seeing him.
“Yeah, I’m good. Uh, what ride?” Mugman asked.
“Why, Bertha the Blue Whale, of course!” Cala grinned and waved a hand toward the ocean. A huge whale suddenly burst up and flipped half it’s huge body above the water gracefully before crashing back into the water. Felix believed everyone’s jaw dropped then.
“That’s our ride!” Boris exclaimed.
“She isn’t thrilled to take people with her after something that happened in a park or something, but I told her you saved me, so she’s making an exception,” Cala explained.
Felix blinked. A park?
“Alright, let’s go,” Bendy said like this was normal. Cuphead nodded. Bendy picked up the gear and the whale leveled out a few feet from the shore.
“That’s as close as she can get,” Cala said.
“Cuss, you’re saying I’m getting wet again,” Cuphead grumbled. Cala shrunk apologetically. Mugman frowned at Cuphead who scowled back at him darkly. Oh dear…
Bendy rolled his eyes and took a step forward before he suddenly dropped the gear with a hiss. Everyone jumped at the loud clang of the metal hitting the rock.
“Bendy!” Boris exclaimed worriedly. Bendy was hopping up and down.
“Ow! Ow! Ow! Burning! Burning!” he said and swatted at his side. “Hot! Hot!” Before any of them could say or do anything, Bendy threw himself into the water and, to Felix’ surprise, smoke rose from the demon. He sighed in relief.
“Bendy, what the hell is going on?” Cuphead demanded.
“I was burning!” Bendy growled and pulled up his shirt. He gingerly came back to the shore. Boris was there in an instant. Felix came closer to look. Sure enough, the demon’s side was burning, fur singed and a few blisters forming.
“What the cuss!” Cuphead hissed.
“I have no idea,” Bendy said.
“Are you okay?” Boris asked worriedly.
“Well, whatever that was has stopped now.” Bendy frowned.
“We better bandage that so it doesn’t get infected,” Felix said. What was going on? This was part of the illness? Was it from his change to that form? But that had been a while ago. Weren’t demon suppose to be immune to fire or was that just another rumor? It seemed to be a rumor.
“Do it on the whale. The bandage will just get wet,” Bendy said and gingerly went to get the gear again.
Cuphead passed him up and grabbed it. “Back off and just get on the fish! I got this.” He gave Bendy a challenging glare, daring the demon to fight him. Bendy frowned and returned the glare easily.
“C’mon Bendy,” Boris gently coaxed.
Bendy glanced over to him and then to Felix. The cat smiled and started to walk. Bendy sighed and followed. It was cold, salty, and the waves had gotten stronger. Felix had to admit he was a touch worried that Cup wouldn’t be able to swim with the large metal gear, but to his surprise, Cala helped him stay afloat. The mermaid had avoided the part ever since Mugman carried her out of the sea monster’s head. She seemed almost afraid of it. They reached the whale and managed to get on her rubbery back. Boris slipped twice and fell back into the water. The third time, Mugman and Bendy caught him and planted him in between the two of them. Felix and Cup worked on hoisting the gear up. They got it up without a problem. Cala took a sit on the other side of Mugman. Felix sat next to Bendy. That left a space for Cuphead between Cala and Felix. He eyed it for a weary second before sitting with a huff. The cog lay in the center of the circle. Cala patted the creature and with a shift, they started to move. The wind, freezing against wet skin and fur, quickly dried everyone. The whale kept her back up high enough from the water that the sea spray didn’t reach them.
They watched the cliffs disappeared from view for a few silent moments before Cala decided to speak up. “It’ll be a few hours. Bertha will swim you up to the city docks to drop you all off.”
“We can’t thank you enough, Cala.” Felix smiled. It was rare for a mermaid to help land folk. Actually, it was rare to see a mermaid, let alone get help from them.
She blushed. “It was no problem.”
“No, it’s a great help with Bendy and Mugs hurt,” Boris said. “I wouldn’t want them climbing the mountains like this.” Mugs frowned and Bendy scowled. Boris noticed and looked between them. “You’re both terrible! Red and Oddswell would be disappointed.” He shook a finger at Bendy. “And you remember that nurse.” He turned to Mugman. They both ducked and didn’t look the wolf in the eye.
“Yeah? Well, what about you? That’s a bit more than a scratch you got there,” Bendy muttered. “And Cup still has a busted eye. The guy would walk right off a cliff.” Cuphead raised a brow at being pulled into the conversation.
“Seems we all got a bit roughed up,” Felix admitted. “Better bandage you now, Bendy.” Felix reached into his bag. Bendy sighed but didn’t fight him.
“You’re one to talk,” Cuphead muttered. “You don’t have a scratch.”
Felix chuckled. “I think part of it was luck this time.” That mermaid would have been worse than the Fire Tiger if Felix had been alone.
“So, hey, what was with that transformation, Bendy? Why didn’t ya do that in New Orleans?” Mugman asked the demon. Bendy’s face twisted into a scowl.
“Not you too. What the hell are all of you talking about?” Bendy moved to cross his arms. Felix grabbed one to stop him and gave him a pointed look. “Sorry.” Bendy apologized and relaxed. Felix went back to wrapping his chest while he held onto his vest and shirt.
“You don’t remember?” Cuphead asked.
“No! And you all are creepin’ me out!” Bendy hissed. Mugman flinched. Boris’ ears dropped.
“You changed into a giant...fighting machine, Bendy,” Felix tried to explain. “You were about seven feet tall and you had huge claws and fangs.”
“Yeah, your eyes were all black and red,” Mugman said. “It was a little freaky lookin’ but awesome too.”
“You were also dripping ink, but it didn’t seem to bother you like it usually does. At least, not until the end,” Cuphead threw in. Bendy looked between them all, dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open a little. Felix finished the bandages and patted him on the shoulder. Bendy jumped. “You jumped on top of that sea monster like it was nothing and broken her arm off, man.”
“I-I did?” Bendy swallowed. “But I don’t remember any of that!”
“That’s what happened,” Cuphead said slowly. “Isn’t it normal for demons to change into something big and scary lookin’?”
“Yeah, I always thought so.” Mugman shrugged. Felix frowned and put a hand on his chin. Was it? They sure sounded certain of themselves.
“Bendy’s never done anything like that before,” Boris said and looked over at the demon. Bendy just pulled on his vest and glanced at the wolf. He shook his head, looking just as mystified as the wolf.
“I wish I could get some sure answers.” Bendy sighed. “I’m as clueless as all of you. I...wasn’t weird, was I?”
“Besides looking like you could be from under a kid’s bed? Nah, you were still the annoying pipsqueak we all know,” Cuphead said. Bendy scowled at him.
“Maybe there’s somethin’ at that fancy university?” Mugman suggested.
“And maybe cop pigs fly,” Bendy muttered.
“No kidding,” Cup muttered and crossed his arms. His jacket squirmed. “Oops, sorry Jackpot.” He opened the coat to reveal the little kitten tucked into a pocket. It stuck it’s head out and hissed. “What? It’s like the whale insulted your mother.” Cuphead chuckled.
“You’d think it’s ridden a whale before.” Mugman laughed.
“Yeah, and got seasick,” Cuphead agreed. The kitten dug itself deeper into Cuphead’s inner pocket and refused to move. “Fine, stay in there.”
“I never took you for an animal lover, Cups,” Bendy said and leaned back on his arms.
“Oh gee, he was terrible growing up! Every other week there was a bird or a squirrel or a rabbit that he was trying to bring in,” Mugman said with a smile.
“Shush you.” Cup scowled at Mugs.
“Oh no, please share!” Cala sudden spoke up. “We have the time. We might as well share stories.”
“Stories?” Cuphead asked.
“Y-yes? Like childhood stories?” Cala asked.
“I bet you two were real troublemakers,” Bendy smirked. “Ever spent the night in a jail cell?”
Cup smirked dangerously. “Yeah, once.” Bendy gestured for him to share.
Mugman groaned. “You don’t mean when we stole the honey.”
“Yep!” Cup chirped. Mugman smirked and rolled his eyes. “So, when we were kids, we ducked into the city once and snuck into the Queen Bee’s Hotel. She had a stash of her worker’s honey there, and everyone knew that it was the best honey on the planet.” Cuphead’s voice took on an excited hushed tone as he told his story.
“So Mugs here distracted the workers, and I snuck behind the the employee door and found the liquid gold.” Cup smirked. “I got as much as I could--”
“He even filled his head with it!” Mugman laughed.
“And then we booked it. The Queen Bee was so mad. It was hilarious until the cop bee caught us.” Cup chuckled.
“We had to wait in the cell to get picked up.” Mugman shook his head.
“And they wanted the honey in my head back too,” Cup said. “It took forever to explain I couldn’t give it back.”
“Why not?” Felix asked.
“It was already in his system by then,” Mugman said. Felix opened his mouth to ask what that meant, but Mugman kept talking. “And they tried a couple of things, like holding him upside down.”
“And that stick thing they use on honey.” Cup shuddered. “I fought when they went after me with it.” Mugman laughed. Cup scowled at him.
Bendy raised a brow. “I have a number of questions, but I have a feeling neither of you will answer me.”
The cup brothers smirked. Now, Felix was frowning too. It was that kind of attitude that left things unlearned, unsolved, and annoyingly mysterious. He felt his ear twitch.
“Well, what about you two? Did you fellas get into trouble growing up?” Mugman asked.
“Growing up? All the time,” Bendy said.
“Well, we shared a story.” Cuphead gestured to Bendy. Bendy scoffed.
“How about the time you burned the orphanage’s kitchen, Bendy?” Boris suggested.
“Or how about that Gideon kid?” Bendy said.
“Yeah! Oh, I remember Gideon. He was awful,” Boris said. “He was this huge kid we had to deal with the second to last time we went to the orphanage.”
“Orphans?” Cala muttered. Everyone glanced at her. Felix was actually with her. He hadn’t seen the trial but had heard bits and pieces about it from Sheba.
“Yeah, Bendy and I never had parents. We would get caught by the police once in a while and wind up in the local orphanage,” Boris explained.
“We didn’t stick around for long though,” Bendy said with a frown.
“Why not?” Felix asked.
“The people there weren’t nice to Bendy,” Boris said simply. Felix frowned. He wasn’t surprised, simply disappointed.
“So anyway, Gideon. This brat thought he was big stuff. He took over the place, and the other kids didn’t fight him,” Bendy said.
Boris nodded. “He was big and strong and an idiot.”
Mugs chuckled.
“So, when Boris and I showed up again most of the kids there knew how we worked. They could say whatever the cuss they wanted about me, but they had to leave Boris alone. Simple. They knew we’d get sick of the adults and slip away again in a month or so,” Bendy said with a shrug, like it was business as usual. How often had he and Boris done that? Was that the cycle of their lives until they got to this point? When they got work or when Bendy reached eighteen?
“But this brat had it in his head that since I had a rule, and all the other brats knew to follow that rule, I was a threat to his throne or whatever.” Bendy rolled his eyes. “So he had to test it.”
“He messed with me when we were outside and in class.” Boris shook his head. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“He threw a rock,” Bendy growled. He looked like he would still fight this person if he had a chance. “Anyway, I was determined to put an end to that nonsense real quick, but every time I was about to say or do anything, one of the two adults was there.”
“Ms. Sarah and Lady Tremaine,” Boris said. Both of them shuddered. “Bendy couldn’t approach the other kids without one of them saying something.”
Felix raised a brow. “How old were you two?”
They frowned and shared a look. Bendy took a deep breath. “You were what? About nine?”
“I think so, you were thirteen,” Boris said.
“And you weren't allowed to even walk up to other kids in that place?” Cup asked with a wrinkle of his nose.
“Nah.” Bendy shrugged. “They were afraid I’d try to do somethin’ to them.”
“Like what?” Mugman tilted his head, his straw moving with the action.
“Curse them? Possess them? Turn them into little monsters and take over the orphanage.” Bendy glanced at Boris and smirked.
“I don’t get it. What’s funny?” Cuphead asked.
Boris snorted. “They thought Bendy was doing all that junk to me.”
“Why?” Cala raised a concerned hand to her chin and deeping her head down.
“Because he was such a sweet little pup that they couldn’t understand why he didn’t want to be adopted,” Bendy said with a scoff.
“Both of the ladies of the orphanage and the adoptive parents would be fine with me, but I wouldn’t leave Bendy behind. I told them that it was both of us or neither,” Boris said. “Then, one time a fella tried to force me because his wife thought I’d be perfect.” Boris rolled his eyes.
“What’d you do?” Cup asked.
“Bit his hand when he grabbed my wrist,” Boris said. “Then, I promised to break everything in their house and run away if they tried to take me.”
Cup snorted a laugh.
“And that made them think Bendy turned you into some sorta demon follower or somethin’?” Mugman asked.
Boris shrugged. “Pretty much.”
Felix blinked. What kinda of place were these boys forced to deal with? “No one was willing to try and adopt Bendy?”
“I had kinda gotten a reputation around town of being a thief and a terror.” Bendy smirked, like he was proud of the fact. “Anyway, so this Gideon kid planned his attacks just before one of the ladies was about to show up, so I couldn’t touch him.”
“But that didn’t stop you,” Cuphead said.
“Well, it did until bed. We were all in this large room with cots lined up next to each other. Everyone had to be in bed when Ms. Sarah came to turn off the light. So, I come up to Gid and tell him to lay off Boris. He scoffed at me. Ya know, the whole ‘yeah then want chu gonna do about it?’ and all that junk.”
Cuphead was nodding along. Cala looked concerned.
Boris huffed. “I could’ve handled it.”
“Yeah, but then everyone woulda wanted to test ya,” Bendy said to him before turning back to the rest of them. “So, I tell him that if he doesn’t back off, he’ll regret it, and he laughs. I tell the schmuck that it’s his one and only warning. The other kids are all shocked and scared, lookin’ like it’s a big deal.”
Cup snorted.
“So, I think that’s it for the night. The fella tried to trip me, but that was an easy dodge,” Bendy said.
“Yeah, but just before Ms. Sarah came down the hall, Gideon came to my bed and pulled me out by my tail. I didn’t even see him until I was on the floor,” Boris said and winced. “That had hurt.”
“So, I snap,” Bendy said.
“Did ya thrash him?” Cup smirked.
“I cussing wanted to!” Bendy snapped. “I had just grabbed the starfallen idiot well Ms. Sarah opened the door. Kids were screaming, Gid was trying to push me away, but that wasn’t working out well for him. I was about to break the brat’s arm for doing that to Boris.”
“Bendy!” Felix gasped. With his strength, it probably wouldn’t have been hard.
“I didn’t,” Bendy said defensively. He crossed his arms and lifted his chin.
“So, Ms. Sarah caught him and ordered him to spend the night in the lock box.” Boris sighed.
“The lock box?” felix asked.
“Yeah, it was this big chest that they had in the front room. Bad kids were locked in it for a time as one of the punishments,” Boris said.
“How long?” Cala asked.
“Hours usually,” Bendy muttered. “It was practically my room there.” Felix frowned. It sounded like these women needed to be reported to him.
“You could lay flat and be fine. Most other kids were cramped and real sore after,” Boris explained. Bendy scowled. Cup and Mugs smirked.
“So, it was a full private room for him,” Cup teased.
“Watch it, strawhead.” Bendy pointed at him. Cuphead grinned.
“So, what happened after that, Bendy?” Mugman asked.
“Alright, while I’m being led away by Ms. Sarah, the brat has the gull to wink at me,” Bendy said. “And that was the moment I decided we were leaving. I signal for Boris to pack a bag and leave.”
“It was our shortest stay. Only three days,” Boris said. “And after that was the time they tried to seperate us by sending Bendy away. It was the last time we dealt with the orphanage.”
“One story at a time, bro,” Bendy said. “Ms. Sarah locked me in the box. I waited until everything was quiet, then I waited a bit longer. I think it was a hour or something. Then, I pushed on the lid until the dumb thing broke.”
“I slipped out and went back to the room. I woke Boris up and told him to head to our escape bush,” Bendy said in a staged whisper.
“Escape bush?” Cala asked.
“It was this bush that hid a hole in the fence that Bendy and I made,” Boris explained.
“As soon as he’s gone, I go to Gideon’s bed. The fella must have felt pretty smug, and I wanted to teach him a lesson before we left,” Bendy said. “I slipped under his bed and pushed up to wake him.”
Cup snickered.
“Then, I used my shadows to drag his blankets off him.” Bendy smirked.
Boris gasped. “You did? Why didn’t you ever tell me that?”
Bendy shrugged, looking embarrassed. “Didn’t think you’d be too happy with me,” he admitted.
“You’re right.” Boris frowned.
“Don’t stop! What did you do after that?” Mugman asked.
“Well, he’s a whimpering mess. Asking things like, ‘Fellas? Who’s doing that? It’s not funny!’ and so on,” Bendy said. “Then, I make this tall shadow appear at the end of his bed. I tried to make it look like a monster, but it was a little shapeless, just this really tall thing with shoulders, a thin neck and a beaky-like head and empty eyes.” Bendy shrugged. “It worked anyway. He started to cry and tell himself it was just a bad dream. I made it get bigger and lean over him, right over him. Then, I think he ducked under his pillow to hide.” Bendy snickered. Cup was grinning, Mugs was too. Boris was shaking his head, but he was smiling.
“So, I make the shadow disappear and wait. The bed moved, and I know the brat is looking around.” Bendy smirked. “I heard him sigh in relief and watched his hand appear to grab his blankets off the floor. He slipped out and right as his head hit his pillow again I turn my red eyes on him and whisper, ‘the demon demands a sacrifice’ with the creepiest grin I can manage,” Bendy said proudly.
“Bendy!” Boris admonished.
“What? The brat deserved it!” Bendy defended. Cuphead and Mugman were cackling with laughter. Felix was covering his smile.
“Stuff like that is the reason you had such a bad reputation!” Boris said.
“Eeeh.” Bendy waved him off. “I was gonna have a bad rep anyway, I figured I might as well have fun with it.”
“Y-you have to prank with me sometime!” Cuphead wheezed. “Stars! We have to!”
Oh dear. This could be bad.
“Wh-what happened next?” Mugman brushed a tear of mirth from his eye.
“So, the kid screamed and woke up the others. I darted out of there, trying not to laugh. I reach to bush, and Boris and I book it,” Bendy said. “We ducked the cops for three days before things calmed down a bit.”
“Heard later that Gideon had nightmares after that and couldn’t sleep with the lights off,” Boris said. “I knew you did something but, geez Bendy.” The wolf frowned.
Bendy smirked and shrugged, showing how unapologetic he was.
“Oh dear,” Cala said. She giggled. “Well, I can see why you did it.”
“Have you ever gotten in trouble, Cala?” Mugman asked.
“Me?” Cala asked. He nodded.
“Oh, well.” She brushed one of the tentacles away from her face. “My sister and I once ruined the king’s meal. We added sea slug to the stew,” she giggled. “And somehow it ended up stuck on the wall for two weeks.”
“The king?” Felix asked.
“Yes, King Triton. We were friends with his youngest daughter, so we would go to the castle to play when we were little.” Cala smiled. “We would get into a lot of mischief. Ariel was really adventurous.”
Something pricked at the back of Felix’ mind. “Then, how did you end up around those caverns?” Felix asked.
Cala startled. Her face paled. “I-I-I don’t really remember.” She ducked down. “I’m sorry.” Felix blinked. He didn’t really think she didn’t know, but why lie? Cuphead and Mugman shared a look that he didn’t understand.
“So, why do you have an octopus on your head?” Bendy asked with a raise of his brow.
“Hey pipsqueak, that could be rude!” Cup snapped.
“Don’t call me that!” Bendy snapped back. “And I was just asking!”
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” Cala smiled. “I’ve had him since I was a little guppy! Paul and I have a mutual symbiotic relationship.” She lifted a hand and tickled one of the tentacles.
“Paul?” Cup asked.
“What? Did you think his name was Otto?” Cala asked. Cuphead blinked.
“What does that mean?” Mugman tilted his head.
“It means that they live in a partnership where they both benefit,” Felix explained.
Cala nodded with a smile.
“I can see another beneficial relationship on the horizon.” Bendy winked. Boris grimaced. Cala blushed, her eyes widening. Mugs frowned and scooted an inch closer to her. It seems Bendy noticed, because his smirk changed, and he chuckled looking between Cala and Mugs. “A very interesting one.”
Cup snorted. “So, you and that guy are partners?”
“Yes, I protect him from his predators, feed him, and he protects me from parasites and sickness,” Cala said.
“Neat,” Mugman said.
“Yep, we are pretty much one and the same now,” Cala said.
“Huh,” Bendy muttered.
“So, what about you, Mr. Felix?” Boris suddenly asked. “Were you adventurous growing up?”
“Or a troublemaker?” Cuphead added with a smirk.
Felix blinked at suddenly being put on the spot. “Me? Oh well, no. Actually, I was a scaredy-cat growing up.”
Everyone’s face reflected their disbelief. “You, Mr. Felix?” Bendy asked. Felix laughed.
“Yes. Sheba stood up and fought for me more than I fought for myself.” Felix chuckled. “But then, she would turn around and bully me too. I was a small kitten back then, a real marshmallow. It wasn’t until I was thirteen or fourteen that I did something about it. I fought back, and she was just grinning when I pinned her for the first time.” Felix shook his head at the memory. She would push his face down into his food, trip him, mess up his fur with her noogies. “She said something like, ‘Finally! Now I don’t have to worry about you anymore!’ and then, we stayed on pretty equal footing until I went to college.”
“She was your friend but also a bully?” Mugman asked.
“She was trying to teach me to stick up for myself. I was as bad as a welcome mat back then. Anyone could walk all over me,” Felix admitted with a sweep of his arm.
“I just can’t see it,” Bendy said. Felix grinned.
“It was a good thing she did. I’ve had to fight some crazy fights since then,” Felix said. “Some were brawls but others were with arguments and facts. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without her help.” He smiled. “And Professor Wiseton.”
That brought Bendy and Boris up short. “You knew Wilson?”
Felix nodded. “He was the reason I got into archeology, and he convinced me to write my first book.”
“Small world,” Boris said.
Felix glanced around the circle. Everyone seemed lost in thought and even a little depressed. Had he said something wrong? “He was a great man. I’m happy that you were there for him, Bendy.”
The demon jumped and looked at Felix. Bendy’s eyes were large. It seemed like something was bothering him. Felix waited, but he just smiled. “It was nothing.”
They spent the rest of the ride sharing childhood stories and pranks. It was nice. Felix felt like everyone relaxed and were open with each other. That wasn’t saying that there weren’t still things that needed explanation: Cala having the gear, Mugman talking to his brother about his scars, Bendy’s transformation. They were all concerns, but for now, they just enjoyed the company. They enjoyed laughing and feeling the salty breeze and the shift of the great whale as they skimmed over the ocean, the sun warming them from the fall chill.
It was one of those moments that Felix was so grateful to be alive and experiencing the amazement and simpleness of the world around him, how the fantastical somehow was so awe inspiring and so peaceful.
It didn’t seem long before the shore appeared, seemingly from nowhere. Cala was telling a story about how her, Ariel, and Ebi, her sister, had their first run in with sharks that there hostile. “And then Ebi dove between these two corals, and the shark snapped at her tail and missed, barely. It got stuck in the coral,” Cala said. Felix looked up and suddenly, there was the city. It seemed to rear up out of sea itself.
“Seems we’re back,” Felix said.
“What? Already?” Bendy asked and turned.
“Golly, that was fast,” Mugs said. “It doesn’t feel like we were riding for that long.”
“I think we were on this whale for most of the day,” Cup muttered. Boris shrugged.
Bertha pulled up to the nearest dock. It didn’t seem like a crowded day at the docks. The cool weather had kept most away. Felix pulled out a rope from his bag and looped it over one of the dock pillars. He pulled it tight. Cup got up and climbed off first.He had a hard time seeing the rope and missed it the first time he reached for it. Seemed his eye was still bothering him, though he hadn’t said anything about it. He got up with little trouble after that.
Bendy hoisted the gear on his back. He winced. “You sure you got that, Bendy?” Boris asked.
“I’m fine,” Bendy said and reached for the rope. Cup helped him over the edge with the gear. Boris then climbed up with their bags. Mugs after that. Felix followed last with a smile toward Cala. The whale dipped under the water after the group was on the dock. Cala used her tail and jumped up on the dock from the water with a rather graceful splash.
“Bye Bertha! Thanks for the ride!” Boris waved to the disappearing whale.
“Yeah! Thanks!” Bendy shouted. Felix smiled and waved. Mugs joined.
“Man, I’m tired. What a day.” Cup sighed.
“It’s not over yet. We need to get this gear to Dr. Oddswell’s house and find a place to stash it,” Bendy said.
“But where are you gonna hide it? A closet?” Mugman asked.
“We’ll have to find somewhere.” Bendy shrugged. “Then, we can all take a break before the next part shows itself.”
“Do you have any idea when that might be?” Felix asked.
“No, the map seems to do it at random,” Boris said. That was a bother.
“What a pain,” Cuphead muttered, sticking his hand in his jacket pockets.
“How many more do we gotta find?” Mugman raised a finger to his chin.
“Three more...we think,” Boris said with an uncertain smile.
“And that starfallen machine itself.” Bendy sighed.
“You don’t know where it is?” Cup asked in surprise.
“No clue. You?” Bendy asked. Cup shook his head.
“So, you fellas are after a machine that you aren’t sure still exists?” Cuphead said.
“Well, the parts do, and they seem to still be chalk full of magic, so we’ll get to the machine when we get to the machine,” Bendy said like it was simple. Felix smiled. That was the right spirit to have.
“Berries.” Mugman smiled.
“Right,” Felix agreed.
“You two!” A female voice shouted. Everyone jumped and looked down the docks toward the shore. A curvy rabbit came marching up to their group. She had on a pair of dark glasses, a hat, and a tasteful dress that barely brushed her knees. There was a deep scowl on her face. “Just what do you numbskulls think you’re doing?” She marched past Boris, Bendy, Felix, and right up to Cuphead.
Cup and Mugs’ straws turned into exclamation points before Cup raised his hands in a placating manner. Mugs ducked behind him. “Nurse Fanny!” Mugman gasped. She knew them? Felix blinked. She was a nurse.
“Playing around in the ocean when you have stitches isn’t keeping them dry or clean. You’re going to get an infection!” She glared at Mugs from around Cuphead’s shoulder. “Why are you letting him do such insane things?” She turned the glare on Cuphead. “And you! What is that? A chip? Your eye is swollen!” Cup blushed and ducked when she lifted a hand to his face.
“B-back off lady,” Cup muttered.
“Where did you even come from?” Mug asked accusingly, like she was waiting for them.
“Shush, you two to the hospital!” She pointed behind her. Her other hand was on her hip. Two other women were coming up to the group. One was a little bird woman with a nervous energy. She came up beside Fanny.
“Fanny, we aren’t on duty,” she chirped.
“I don’t care! These idiots are proving they can’t take care of themselves,” Fanny said. “And I wouldn’t stand for my patients not recovering after I’ve taken care of them.” She somehow made it sound like a threat.
Bendy chuckled and winced when the gear shifted on his back.
The other girl gingerly approached Bendy and Boris while Fanny continued her assault on the Cup brothers. “Hi…” she said. She sounded dazed. She paused. “How was the trip?” Her attention was only half there, eyes staring in the direction of Fanny and the Cup brothers.
“Holly!” Their faces lit up. They must be friends with her then. She seemed familiar somehow.
“What are you doing here?” Bendy asked with a confused blink.
“Looking for something.”
“It was...well a trip, but we got the part!” Boris said with a toothy smile. His tail wagging.
Her head snapped towards them. “You did? That’s amazing!” They grinned at her praise. Cala, in the meantime, was watching this all with a mix of confusion and alarm. It seemed that in all this she and Felix had been forgotten. She looked to him for help. Felix shrugged. He was just as lost.
“And you, ” Fanny pointed at Bendy. He startled and looked over to her. She sashayed away from Cup and Mugs to stand in front of him. “Don’t think I missed that. You’re coming too!”
“Uh?” Bendy blinked. Suddenly her hands came down on either side of his torso. “ Ewwouch!” Bendy barked and jumped back like her hands were made of hot irons. “What’s your problem lady!”
“You’re also injured.” She stated it like it was the ultimate fact of their stupidity. She turned her hidden glare on Boris.
He paled and raised his hands like he was afraid she’d rush him. “I’m bandaged!”
“You too then!” she growled and looked at Felix. Golly, she was intimidating.
Felix smiled nervously. “I’m fine.” He scratched the back of his head, wondering if she was going to force him to come anyway.
She then looked to Cala. The mermaid shook her head so fast that swirls entered Paul’s eyes. She crossed her arms in front of her to make an ‘x.’ “Completely healthy!” she squeaked quickly.
Fanny scoffed. “Alright then. You injured idiots start marching!” she ordered.
“But we have to go to Oddswell’s.” Bendy frowned. Fanny turned a look on him that showed her opinion of that idea very clearly.
“I-I guess I’ll take it for you Bendy,” Felix offered.
“U-um, will I see you again soon, Mugman?” Cala asked a bit alarmed sounding.
“Uh? Oh, um, I-I don’t really know.” Mugs winced and turned away from Fanny to focus on the mermaid girl. He knelt to be eye level with her.
“Well, are you going to work near a beach or around the ocean?” Cala asked. “I could find you again after your trip to the hospital.”
“I don’t really know where we’ll end up next, Cala,” Mugs said. She frowned and dropped her head. “But I do wanna see you again.”
Her pout seemed to turn thoughtful. She reached behind her and pulled a pearl out. Felix had no idea where she had it hidden. Paul…? “When you want to find me, throw this pearl into the water. I’ll try and find a way onto land but until then this can work.”
Mugs blinked and took the beautiful jewel. “You don’t have to do that, Cala.”
Cala shook her head with a sad smile. “There really isn’t much left for me in the seas. I’d rather be on land with you.” Mugs blushed.
“W-w-well, if you really want to,” Mugs mumbled. Cala bit her lip and nodded. “So, until then I’ll see you later.”
Her eyes widened. “Y-yeah.” Mugs went to stand up. “ Oh and Mugman.” He stopped. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled his down. She kissed his cheek. “Be safe.” she said and jumped back. She fell back into the water with a wave. Mugs’ face darkened into a deep blush.
The bird nurse squealed. “That was so cute!”
“Gag me. Why does this happen with you two weirdos everytime I see you?” Fanny grumbled. “Okay, enough! Let’s go!” Fanny waved her hands. Cup had to pull Mugs back up. He seemed a little dazed, a hand against his cheek. Bendy elbowed his side playfully.
“Nice.” Bendy winked. Bendy passed the heavy gear off to Felix. “Will we see you at Oddswell’s place?” Bendy asked.
Felix thought. Sheba would be expecting him, but he didn’t need to rush. “Probably. If not, I think I’ll be at Sheba’s shop.”
Bendy nodded. “See you then, Mr. Felix.”
“Bye Mr. Felix!” Boris waved. Cups nodded to him. Mugs...Mugs was still gone. With that the rabbit nurse herded the rest of the questers away. The nerve bird by her side. Felix was left standing there was a rather large and heavy magical gear on the docks.
“Aren’t those two trying to kill them?” A rather dumbfounded voice spoke up from next to him. “What in Yen Sid’s name is going on?”
Felix blinked. Oh. He had forgotten about the Holly girl. Wait…“Kill them? What?”
She looked at him. “Is that...the item?” Her eyes had sparkles in them. Twinkling sparkles. She at least seemed informed. Maybe she could explain a few things to him.
“Let’s talk and walk. This thing is a little heavy,” Felix suggested. Hopefully things would be able to calm down now.
