Chapter Text
Mugs drove the plane toward the hanger. He hadn’t expected them on the runway. It was supposed to be dad and mom. What was Holly doing here? Wasn’t she coming in with Felix after some award thing? Either way, they were here. Wait, something was odd about dad.
The dish hopped out of the plane and stood on the wing. He pulled off the goggles and waved. Shock coursed through him. “Golly pop! What happened? Did you die again? Where’s mom?” He offered his hand to the second seat and helped Cala Maria up. She smiled at Mugs, an aviator hat on her head, googles pulled on top of it. She wore a leather jacket that complimented her curves.
Cannikin sputtered, staring at Cala with wide eyes and then Mugs.
“Holly! Dad!” Cala waved excitedly. “Did you see! Isn’t Mugs the best pilot?” She gushed as he helped her off the plane, her eyes glittering. Mugs hunched his shoulder a mix of pleasure and embarrassment darkening his cheeks.
“Dad?” Cannikin squeaked.
“ Cala?” Holly blinked.
Cala hurried up to them while Mugs hopped back into the plane. He needed to put his baby away then they could head to the house. Or help with whatever situation had apparently killed his father. “Hi Hol! Goodness it’s been so long! I’ve missed you something fierce.” Mugs heard Cala greet. Peeking over he saw his fiancé hugging the stunned Holly and moving to the ghost. She paused. “My goodness dad! What happened? Is mom okay?”
“Y-you,-you -dad?” Cannikin struggled to speak. Mugs drove the plane into the hanger.
“Is there something wrong? Do you not like me calling you that? Mugs said it was fine even before the wedding.” Cala asked nervously. She was still so nervous around his parents.
“Wedding!” Cannikin gasped. Mugs snorted and killed the engine completely. He hurried to the doors of the hanger and looked out.
Holly had a hand on Cannikin’s shoulder. “Let me stop you there.” She looked at the ghost with a strained smile. “This is Cala Maria, Mugs’ gir-fian-wife?” She gave Cala a confused look.
Cannikin blinked. He blinked again. His eyes got teary. “Wife?” And there he went. Pop did that once in a while. Cup had said it was because he had missed their childhoods.
“Oh no. Not again,” Cala giggled behind her hand, the tension in her shoulders relaxing.
“My baby boy gettin’ married.” Cannikin sniffed. Yep, there it was.
Cala held up her hand showing the ring with a round pearl in it. “You’ve known for six months and you react the same every time!” Mugs chuckled to himself before moving again.
Mugs hurried out of the building and joined them. “ Dad forgot we were getting married again, didn’t he?” Mugs chuckled upon seeing his father’s watery eyes. Cala nodded with amusement. Mugs walked up to Holly and hugged her. “Hey H, missed you.”
Holly stiffened in his arms. It took her a moment to wrap her arms around him. She buried her face in his flight jacket. Her arms grew tight. “I missed you too.” She mumbled into his coat. A flickered of worry sparked in him. Something had to have happened. Well, of course! Dad was dead again, and missing his soul. But it seemed to have shaken up Holly. What were they doing together in the first place?
Mugs tightened his hug a little more, trying to be reassuring. The moment lingered longer. Then Holly let go reluctantly.
Holly looked up at Mugman, clapped her hands down on his shoulders and stared at him with a conflicted expression.
Mugs smiled, but his brows knit together in worry. “So what happened? Why’s pop a ghost and mom’s missin’?” He tilted his head. “H, are you okay?”
She and Cannikin exchanged a look. That was close to the looks he and Cup exchanged when they had to deal with big problems. And again why was it Holly of all people? Not that she wasn’t a close dear friend, but she was closer with him and Cup than pops.
“And what’re you doin’ together?” Mugman asked in confusion.
Cannikin grimaced. “Ah. Right.” His excitement and shock drained away. “Son, we needa have a chat.” Uh-oh. That was his apologetic voice.
“That doesn’t sound good.” Cala gave a small frown.
“Sure pop,” Mugs said. He looked between Holly and Cannikin. This felt heavy. Something bad happened and they didn’t want to say. “Lemme hear it.” Mugs encouraged. Better to just get it over with. The ghost wavered in form for a second before solidifying again. He was nervous. Cannikin cleared his throat.
Holly opened her mouth and closed it. Neither of them seemed to know where to start. For a second Mugs wondered if Cup were here if he’d be dogdey or direct. If it were his brother Mugs would really be able to pin down how serious this was.
“Well Mugman, we’re in a bit of a situation. We need your help, and we came to help you too.” Cannikin took a deep breath. “And it’s not an easy situation either. So, you’re gonna have to trust us son.”
Cala scooted a touch closer to Mugs with a worried look on her face.
“Of course I trust ya, pops.” Mugs frowned. “Whatever ya need. So what’s up? Whadda need from me? What can I do ta help?” He raised a brow at the ghost expectantly. He was starting to feel a brush of irritation. Were they wasting time on some dire attack? What about the house? What about the others? Mom? Felix? What about Cuppy?
“Mugman, we need you to wake up from all of this.” Cannikin squared his shoulders. “The Labyrinth can’t be trusted with your happiness son. It’s not real.”
Mugs blinked. What? The Labyrinth? Mugs worried thoughts tripped to a confused stop. He tilted his head the other way, his straw sliding around his rim. “Uh? Huh, pops, we left the Labyrinth a while back. A year? Two?” Mugs frowned and glanced at Holly. She would back him up on that. They were able to get the Record, beat the monsters and come home.
“No Mugman. We didn’t,” she said softly. “None of this is real.”
The dish man’s frown deepened, now really confused. Holly-they didn’t? But he remembered it! He remembered leaving! And what about everything after? The last part, the machine, finding mom, saving dad, beating the boss. What about freeing the other debtors? What about his knighthood? And saving Bendy and all the other sick? Felix’ success, Holly’s achievements, Cup’s freedom, Bendy’s happiness, Boris’ relief? Mugs getting his family back together and finally being able to see Eler Kettle again.
He turned to Cala Maria as if she might have the answers. Was everything after fake? Their engagement? Their wedding? It couldn’t be! Right? This was a trick! “But we got the machine goin’ and found mom. Cala and I can get married! I just finished with . . . My pilotin’ license.” His brows furrowed further. Which was odd, wasn’t it? Everything had fallen into place so perfectly after the Labyrinth. Not easily, they still had to fight. Battling the Devil had been terrifying but they had gotten him back for everything he’d done to them. Their debts had been . . . had been . . . what had happened with their debts? “But how did we pay back . . .” He trailed off and watched Cala Maria. She looked up at him with the same confusion. This had to be a trick. But which part was the trick?
“Mugsy?” Cala asked quietly. His lovely sea pearl, the girl of his dreams, and it was all fake? Or were they the trick? The liars and the problem?
“Mugs, Cala is still waiting for you. Back in Toon Town. Thankfully, she’s one of the few not here,” Holly pressed, trying to be gentle. Not here. That sounded so wrong with him looking right at her! He tried to imagine it. Her sitting in an empty apartment with her sister still waiting for him to come back. If it were true, how long had she been waiting? He had left the Labyrinth over a year ago! Everything was perfect. Just how he had always wanted.
Mugman turned back to Holly. “But we’re heroes now, aren’t we? You got the university eatin’ outta the palm of your hand! You even co-wrote Felix’ book on us, didn’t ya H?” A part of him hoped she’d change her mind and agree with him. Say it was all a joke. A very cruel joke. But Holly wasn’t the type for cruel jokes.
Holly made a noise, her voice straining. “No . . . Mugs. I haven’t written a book. I haven’t even seen Felix in months,” she admitted. That wasn’t right.
Mugs turned to Cannikin. “A-and we found a way to save you! Afterward. Mom was able to-you both were excited for the wedding and-Kettle was . . .” Mugman’s quiet protest died as he looked at the sad ghost of his father. Cannikin didn’t say anything. The misery in his eyes was similar to the misery Mugs was too familiar with. A cruel reality. The regretful wake up call of tragedy. Mugman blinked, his light eyes searching the ghost’s expression. But it was going so well! Everyone was happy! The worst dangers were over! His heart twisted in his chest.
Cala took Mug’s hand gently. The dish turned to her with watery eyes. “Mugsy?” she asked and lifted a hand to his cheek. “Don’t cry Mugman.” He was crying? He was. When had he started to cry?
Mugs covered her cool, soft hand with his. She was always so gentle with him. So very kind and thoughtful. Their wedding was going to be perfect. It was all supposed to be. “It-it’s too perfect. That’s why . . . Because dad wasn’t supposed to leave. And you and I are . . . “ Mugs sniffed as the tears ran down his cheeks. “This-but I-I want it.” He wanted it so badly. So cussing badly it hurt. This was everything he ever asked for.
Cala started to weep sympathetically. “Oh Mugman.”
He squeezed her hand and shut his eyes. “It’s not real? This isn’t real?” Everything they’d been doing, everything to this day? How could that be? The Labyrinth had been so long ago! Why was this happening? He fought the urge to deny it, to get angry, to lash out somehow. Grief started to choke him.
“No Mugman,” Cannikin whispered. “I’m so sorry. It’s not. She’s an illusion. But the real girl is still out there. Waiting for you.” Mug’s shoulders fell, and he opened his eyes to look at the ghost. Said so gently, but still it hit like a punch. He waited to fight, but he didn’t want to fight his father or Holly. There was no one for him to direct his anger, his grief, his frustration on.
“I knew. Some little corner of me doubted because I thought it was too good to be true.” Mugs swallowed thickly. “Damnit.” His voice wavered.
“Mugs?” Cala asked. Now wasn’t the time for him to break. If he believed them, and he did, then he needed to act. There were too many holes and it was too perfect. When had anything gone this smoothly for Cuphead and himself? Never. Still. It had been so good.
He turned to the image of her, pulled her hands away, and held them up between them. He had loved this. He loved her. But he loved the real Cala, and this wasn’t her. “I swear, I’ll do everything I can out there to make this real. You’re not Cala. You’re the dream I want. But you’re a dream I’m gonna fight to have. Okay?”
Cala, still looking lost and sad, nodded.
That would have to be enough. It had to be. He wanted to kiss her, but he wanted the real her. He swore to himself that he’d free her and do whatever it took for them to plan their wedding for real. This was the life he wanted in the cruel world he wasn’t going to go back to. This horrible place handed it to him, now it was his turn to fight for it.
Mugs turned to Holly and Cannikin with a determined fire in his eyes. He stepped away from Cala and let her go. “You two are sayin’ we’re in the Labyrinth still? Whadda we need to do? I guessin’ we didn’t actually escape with the-?” Mugs paused. Cog Holly. They had been dealing with that dark version of her, but this Holly seemed fine. He turned to Holly and narrowed his eyes. “Uh.” She was fine, wasn’t she? And holy cuss! They had been left behind in that town! In Fairmont! They had thought they had died in that explosion for a while!
Cuss! If this was still the Labyrinth, were they really okay or were they illusions? Something else cussed up? No! He wasn’t going to spiral into paranoia. They came to save him, probably, so he just had to use his head.
He looked from Cannikin to Holly and back again. He scratched the back of his head. How did he ask this though? “So uh, you both are fine, right? Like, Fairmont really did blow up, and you’re okay?” He pursed his lips, as he eyed Holly. Well, that had been horrible. “And you ain’t all—uh.” He faltered and waved a vague hand at her. Cuss, Cup was so much better at questioning then he was. “Crazy magic uped evil Holly, right?” He winced at his question. “I really don’t wanna be turned into a mug again.” That had been so bad that if she wanted to, he almost wouldn’t blame her.
Holly smiled. “I never was--er.” Holly did a double-take. “Wait a second! Blew up?” Holly demanded unbelievingly. “What blew up? We’re still in Fairmont now!?! It can’t have blown up!”
Mugs opened and closed his mouth. Uh? “Y-you didn’t know? Leticia Bradley blew it to Kingdom Come!”
“That’s not possible Mugs!” Holly countered. “I’ve been in here the entire time! Since Alice and I tried to fight the Night Terror with Bigby’s men! I think I would have noticed if the place was going up in flames around me.” She blinked. “Wait. Wait-wait-wait.” She lifted her hands. “Leticia Bradley? Why would she blow the place up? How?”
“Oh, Leticia is a very dependable woman.” Cannikin said lightly.
Mugs stared at him. “You think?”
Cannikin blinked. “How did she do it?”
“Bags. She had anyone coming into the town bring bags and asked them to leave them around. Cuss! We did too! We thought it was like a graveyard ceremony thing for her husband!” Mugs waved his hands around.
“Language.” Cannikin frowned.
Holly nodded slowly. “Hmmm. Clever, but once again, why would she--” Holly froze. Bags. “ Wait, you don’t mean a bag like this bag do you?” Holly thrust a backpack she’d had slung over her shoulder at Mugman.
Mugs jumped. “How do you have that! Forget it! Throw it away!”
“I was hungry! It had food in it, not explosives!!!” Holly shouted back, dancing around and holding the bag by one strap like it was a dead rat. “And don’t tell me to throw it away!! If it has explosives it could explode!! Actually, why isn’t it blowing up now??? Oh, stars, could it blow up now??”
“I don’t know! It already should have! Don’t swing it around like that! Holy cuss Holly! Stop moving!” Mugs was not ready to see his dear friend go up in smoke. He needed to do something!
“Oh calm down, you two.” Cannikin waved at both of them to settle down. The two of them turned to gawk at the ghost, Holly with her arm up in midswing as she prepared to hurl the pack away. “If there’s a bomb I doubt the trigger will go off in here. It’s most likely separated from the source by the Labyrinth. You know, the time-space debacle that is this nightmare.” He scoffed. “No, I don’t think you have to really worry unless you cross some wires, but Leticia isn’t sloppy.” Dad hummed. “Maybe that shouldn’t leave the Labyrinth though. Then it might go off.”
“How the cuss are you this calm?” Mugs demanded.
Cannikin frowned. “Now son, language. And bombs are some of the more tame things I’ve had to deal with.”
“Tame!” Mugs squeaked.
Holly threw her arms up. “Okay! Fine! After being possessed by an inanimate object, watching someone get eaten, and being trapped in our own fake dream-worlds; I suppose you could call a simple bomb tame.”
“See?” Cannikin smiled like this was a minor inconvenience.
Mugs threw his hands up in exasperation. “Forget it! Can we just deal with this situation? I don’t want my friend totting around a bomb!”
“She’s been fine so far,” Dad pointed out.
Holly set the pack down and Mugman carefully pulled out all the things inside. He lifted the bag after it had been emptied, testing the weight. It still seemed bottom heavy. Mugs worked at the seems on the inside, pulling out the stitches. His eyes bulged as he looked at the secret bottom. It was packed from end to end with C4 and wires all neatly arranged.
Cannikin whistled. “Oh, that is definitely Leticia’s work.” He grinned. “She was always so organized. Mike was so proud of her.”
Mugs had to accept the fact that his dad’s friends were just as wild and crazy as Mugs’ and Cup’s. Stars help them all. “So what do we do with this! Can we just leave it here?” That didn’t feel responsible.
Cannikin frowned. “You take it and use it! Of course! That’s a weapon! There are plenty of dangers around that bomb can help with! By the ancients, it might be able to get us out of here!”
“That would be a gross misuse of resources,” Holly added, nodding with Cannikin. Now that she had regained her composure she seemed to be pretending she hadn’t had that miniature panic attack with him. Her hairs were still sticking out in a frizze halo though.
“Great, so we can count one bomb to our inventory.” Mugs muttered. Stars, he landed and all hell broke loose. “How about you tell me how you got this thing in the first place and I’ll tell you how Fairmont is a pile of bricks, yeah?”
The three of them continued to talk, Holly and Cannikin and Mugs taking turns to explain what had been going on to each other. Mugman listened attentively. It was a lot. A rollercoaster. Surprise making his straw jump up and make exclamation marks once in a while. He shared a bit about what he had gone through with Michael in the Labyrinth and what happened when they left. Holly listened with that spark of interest that gleamed in her eyes when she was curious. Mugs scowled when Holly told him about Mayhem, muttering some choice words. So there was another Holly? But the Labyrinth didn’t do doubles, so she was from somewhere else. It didn’t matter, but stars, did it twist his straw that she had been playing them all for fools for so cussing long. Then they got to Boris. He had put them all in here? Mugs didn’t remember anything like that. They had gone in to save Boris.
No. Those all had to be fake memories, like this dream and everything else. How confusing. Mugs felt like his head was spinning. “I don’t remember that.” Mugs admitted. “It gets fuzzy. I remember us beating the monsters and getting the Record. But that’s not right.” He sighed. “Stars. I can’t believe Boris is doin’ this!” That was the weirdest part. How could his bestie be behind all this? It didn’t sound right. He made him wonder if these two were the trick and Cala was real. Stars, what a headache!
Cannikin hummed. “Well he is unfortunately. Right now we need to save the others from their dreams.”
Mugs nodded. He’d know for sure the moment he got out of here. Then he couldn’t be tempted to deny it. He’d just have to be careful these two didn’t corner him or lead him into a trap until he could be a hundred percent sure. Still, Boris did this to him. Put him in here with his greatest dreams and just left him in this cage . . . okay, it was the greatest cage he had ever been in but still! If it wasn’t real, this was wrong! So wrong! He felt violated. “Definitely. This is cussed up! But uh . . . How do we get outta here? Do we needa climb a staircase or something?” That had worked before but he’d been up and down a lot of stairs and hadn’t disappeared anywhere. No doorway to some strange room. Everything was normal.
“Language.” Cannikin shook his head. “This isn’t like the old memories and nightmares. These dreams are strong and hidden.”
“We’re not quite sure,” Holly admitted. “We were following Boris’ memories around but then we found the door that led to your dream. I’m not sure where we need to go to find the next from here.”
“Mugman!” Not-Cala called.
Mugs grimaced. Stars, it hurt to think of her this way.
“What about taking the Calix Animi plane? That should get you anywhere,” she suggested.
Mugs frowned. “But where do you go in a dream?” And why was she helping? Guess Cala, real or fake, would always want to help him. His heart ached once again.
“Calix Animi plane?” Cannikin raised a brow curiously.
Mugs flushed. Oh no, he’d have to explain. This pops hadn’t been there. “Uh, in here you knighted me and the order gifted me a plane. I uh, I named it Freedom.”
Cannikin’s brows shot up in surprise. “Son, I would proudly knight you, if I could. Sadly, as a ghost, that’s not possible.” Pride and disappointment turned confusing in Mugs. He remembered his dad knighting him. It was nice to hear he would if he could. He didn’t like that if.
“Don’t worry about it dad,” Mugs shrugged, playing it off casually. Now wasn’t the time to get emotional. The others were in similar situations or worse. Stars knew what was going on in the Labyrinth now or outside of it. They couldn’t even be sure how much time had passed out there.
“Are you a good pilot?” Dad asked. There was a spark of excitement in his eyes.
“One of the best!” Cala gushed before he could speak. “He weaves through the air! Even as a kid I couldn’t touch him!”
Mugs’ blush grew worse. “Uh, Cala.” She had been trying to kill him. Mugs doubted his dad would be impressed with that fact.
“You should have seen him when he beat me! Oh, and when he saved me at the cliffs!”
“Cala,” Mugs covered his face. Why was he getting embarrassed?
“Oh. That’s right you’re that gorgon.” Cannikin frowned and tilted his head. Oh no.
Mugs dropped his hands. “Is that a problem?” A bubble of protectiveness swelled within.
“Hhm? Uh, well, how are we okay? Or I mean you two. I’m already-“ Cannikin grimaced. “Oh that was terrible. Sorry.” Good to see he wasn’t the only one that was bad with words sometimes. He had to remind himself that this ghost hadn’t ever met his fia-girlfriend. He wasn’t being rude or condensing, but concerned.
“You mean not turned to stone.” Mugs crossed his arms in front of him. His tone was defensive regardless.
Holly looked at Mugs. He could see an unspoken question in her eyes. She didn’t speak it. There was tension in the air.
Pop cleared his throat. “I didn’t mean to offend.”
Mugs sighed through his nose. “Yeah I know.” He dropped his arms and scratched his cheek. “Cala is very careful. She has a spell that allows her to look the way she does and shield the killing curse. It was a very pricy spell.” He explained.
“I never want to hurt anyone.” Not-Cala murmured behind him.
Cannikin looked from her to Mugs. He nodded. “As long as you are safe and happy.” A small ball of tension relaxed in Mugs.
“I am, or I will be.” Mugs corrected. Cannikin smiled that warm smile and Mugs knew that he was proud. It filled him with a bubbling warmth that was close to giddiness. His dad was proud of him.
“So how long have you been flying?” Pop asked curiously.
“Oh, off and on, ten years. Sort of. You could say I started with a crash course and never slowed down.” Mugs chuckled remembering Hilda. Stars that had been an insane way to finally have his dream of flying come true.
“But you were a kid!” Dad’s eyes widened.
Mugs grin turned sheepish. “I did a lotta stuff I don’t think kids normally did.”
Understanding and then sorrow flickered past his father’s face. The ghost sighed. “I dunno if your mother is gonna be proud or furious. Probably both.” Dad huffed a laugh through his nose. “Stars.”
Mugs smiled again. It was nice to see his father being reflective. To watch his eyes light up when he thought or talked about mom. They were a disgusting cute pair and unquestionably in love. Oh wait. He hadn’t met his real mom yet. He kept forgetting that. Which was really confusing because he remembered her.
“Well, it’s not like I didn’t still do some kid stuff. Cup and I fished a lot. We went out on the little boat by the dock sometimes. Oh! And Cup loved to stargaze. He had the whole thing memorized at one point.” Mugs smiled fondly at his memories. “And used to prank a bunch of people too. Like toothpaste chocolates, soap floors, doodles on faces.” He chuckled. Well, it had been Flug’s bag, but details.
Cannikin laughed. It was big and boisterous and easy to join in to his merriment. “Have you tried glue yet?”
Mugs eyes widened as a mischievous glint sparked in the ghost’s eyes. Cannikin shared a few prank ideas Mugs hadn’t ever dreamed of. His dad was a prankster, who knew? That was definitely different from the dad he’d gotten to know. Imagined getting to know. What a weird thought.
Holly cleared her throat.
“Hm? Oh right!” Cannikin jumped. “Leaving! We need to leave!”
Mugman blinked. “Um. How?”
“Well we came in right through-oh dear.” Dad turned to the wall of the hanger. Mugs raised a brow at the wall. “There was a door.”
Holly glanced back at where they had come. Mugs frowned. She didn’t seem surprised. “If leaving here will be anything like leaving my dream, it’s purely up to you, Mugs,” she said, turning back to him. “It’s about more than just realizing this place isn’t real.”
Mugs’ confusion only grew worse. It was up to him? “Whadda mean?” He tugged on his scarf.
She sighed. “It's your dream. So you have to shatter it. Like I said before. I’m not entirely sure how. I know I . . . recognized why reality was better.” She frowned. “But that’s not quite it. I realized that I had and could become so much more than I imagine.”
Mugs hummed and crossed his arms. It sounded complicated. Recognize why reality was better? He felt Cannikin and Holly watch him as he started to head toward the hanger. He went into the building. There Cala sat on the wing of the Flying Freedom. Glanced up and smiled at him sadly.
Why reality was better. Was reality better? He reflected on everything after the Labyrinth. His release from his contract that he couldn’t quite remember. The knighthood insignia on the plane he had always dreamed to have. The girl he’d crushed on since he was a kid.
He reflected on his promise to dream Cala, no, his promise to himself really. It wasn’t that he rejected this dream. No. He wanted to bring it with him. According to Holly that’s not how this worked. But what did he really have to look forward to out there? His debt, his lies, the ink illness and all the people depending on him. Was it better? He didn’t like to admit it but he was tempted to want to stay. There was so much uncertainty out there.
He rather have the real Cala though. He’d rather help his real brother and get to know his real parents. Cannikin had already surprised a number of times in the last half hour. This place wouldn’t have those surprises. The pleasant and the unpleasant because it would all just go how he wanted it to. That wasn’t really a life, right?
It was all too easy. He’d be unsatisfied in the end. Even more so now that he knew it wasn’t real. He had to get back to the people waiting for him. The idea of Cala waiting burned in his soul.
Mugman approached the plane and ran a hand lovingly over the crest on the side. He shrugged out of the jacket. Placed it with the goggles and cap in the pilot seat. It hurt, but it wouldn’t be worth it to stay. He’d grow to hate it. He knew he would. But how would he reject it?
“Mugman?”
He turned to see Cala staring at him with her big, beautiful eyes. No. Not Cala. His Cala, stars how long had it been since he’d seen his Cala Maria? His Cala was waiting. Probably worried out of her gills.
“I’ve been thinking,” Cala said slowly. “Aren’t you trusting them a bit too quickly Mugsy?”
Mugs brows shot up in surprise. Cala bit her lip. She continued in a whisper. “I just mean, they’re suspicious. Why would your dad’s ghost and Holly show up out of nowhere like this and tell you that your life is a lie? What if it’s a trick?”
“I thought of that, but if they wanted to take me somewhere, they’re doing a real poor job of it.” Mugs smiled sadly.
“But-”
“Don’t bother. It makes too much sense. Life’s been too good since I left the Labyrinth. This all bein’ a dream just puts the pieces into place. You’re not Cala Maria.” Mugs shook his head.
“Too good?” Cala frowned. “You deserve to have good things Mugman.”
Mugs nodded. “Sure, but this isn’t it. I have to take the good and be responsible for the bad too.”
Mugs turned to go, but Cala grabbed his arm. “Wait! If you go, this might never happen again! Mugman! We might never be able to be together!” Mugs looked back at her big eyes. “Are you really going to throw us away on a maybe?”
“You’re not the real Cala.” Mugs said.
“So what! I can make you happy here! You don’t have to make any more horrible decisions! People don’t have to be hurt by you doing or not doing something. Cuphead won’t have to cover for you anymore. It’s better for you, no, everyone if you stay here. With me.” Her fingers dug into his arm, eyes pleading with him to agree with her.
Her words cut him right to the heart. HIs doubt and fear wormed around his heart and plagued his mind. As it had a number of times before. Was it better for him to stay? Would he really lose his chance with Cala Maria? Was it only ever possible in a dream? He cussing felt like it. Would Cup be better off without him? He remembered the office and everything they had said. He remembered how angry he was when he found out Cup was in such a dire situation with Bendy and hadn’t said a thing. He thought about all the funny they had after, that wasn’t real. How happy Cup seemed.
“Son?” Dad called. He looked past her. To Cannikin and Holly. They watched him searchingly. Mugs pulled his arm free.
It was a risk. A horrible risk. He really could lose everything and everyone he cared about. But running away wasn’t a choice. This wasn’t Cala Maria and he refused to abandon her just because it’d be easier for him.
“C’mon,” he said thickly. “There’s nothin’ for me here.”
“Mugman!” Cala gasped. Mug’s jaw tightened. Holly was right. Dreams weren’t as good as reality. He headed to the other side of the hanger. Somehow he wasn’t surprised with the door there. “Mugman, don’t go. Please! We can work this out. Don’t abandon this! Please!”
Mugs shook his head. “You aren’t Cala. If I stayed it’d betray the real Cala.” He turned on her. “You can’t make me happy.” Cala flinched back. Tears came to her eyes.
“It’ll hurt out there. It’s better here. You’ll be safe! I-I can make you happy! You were happy before they showed up!” She pointed at Dad and Holly.
“I would have figured it out. Eventually.” Mugs argued. Cala’s tears spilled over but there was resentment in that look. A familiar resentment. “I'm done letting people down. I’m not going to hide behind others. I’m leaving. And if I lose everything, then at least I tried.”
Cala’s eyes widened, she opened her mouth to argue. Mugs opened the door and left the dream and the protests of the ghost of the girl he loved.
“Bendy,” Ms. Sarah called. “Come help me with laundry.” Holly blinked as they stepped into a new room. There was something . . . different about this place. They had been in the light all this time, following Boris and Bendy through memories. But the room they had stepped into had a dark aura to it. The light was dim. The room seemed dust, musty almost. Holly could see flecks drift through the air in the light from the small window across the room. Children sat in separate groups, beds lined the sides of the long room with chests at the end of each bed. Bendy and Boris had a small stack of blocks between them. A toy car with a missing wheel sat on the other side of Boris.
“But it’s Jonathan’s turn. I already did all of my chores.” Bendy frowned. He was short, squat. Well, shorter than usual. He seemed almost like a little gnome-child, and his fur was more mussed than she remembered. But the sassy unyielding stare was all Bendy. Beside him, Boris’ ears fell back. The wolf was small, but still half a head taller than Bendy already. What stood out to Holly was how thin they both were. Bendy’s head looked strange on his gaunt body. And Boris twiddled his fingers together nervously as he looked at Ms. Sarah over Bendy’s head.
“Are you talking back?” Ms. Sarah frowned. Her wrinkled face made her frown all the deep. Like chiseled lines in stone.
Bendy scowled, pulling back a little. He scuffed his shoe against the worn wood of the floor.“No ma’am.”
Holly didn’t like the start of this memory. Things were shaping up to be as cheerful as the rest. She’d never realized how many struggles and depressing experiences they had gone through. Especially for Boris. He’d always been cheerful, if but reserved.
Bendy gave Boris an apologetic look. The wolf forced a smile and shrugged. The demon got up and followed the woman out. Boris sighed, looking back down at the blocks.
“What is this? Boris?” Mugs blinked, looking around with surprise.
“It’s his memory. They can’t see or hear us.” Cannikin told him grimly. “We can only watch. Keep an eye out for anything that seems out of place.”
“Shhhh, I’m trying to listen,” Holly told them idly as she lingered to the side and watched.
“Hey! Demon pet!” Boris flinched at the voice. A boy twice as round as Boris and an inch taller lumbed from the back of the room. He had a squarish face with beady eyes. Two other boys stood on either side of him.
Holly frowned. The itch to grab a pair of lapels and shake hard was rising again. She had a bad feeling about this.
Boris scowled. “Go away Gideon.”
Gideon loomed over him with one of the other boys on each side. One was shorter, thin, and almost cute with large dark eyes and a splash of freckles across his cheeks. The other was tall and gangly, with an awkward hunch to his narrow shoulders and dusty hair that hung in his face. Boris didn’t look up at them, instead focusing on the building blocks on the floor. Gideon kicked them away. Holly drew in a slow breath and nibbled at her lip. The wolf sighed and looked up.
“You know why they keep that monster away from the rest of us?” Gideon sneered.
“You kicked my blocks.” Boris muttered dryly. Holly wondered idly how it would feel to kick a small child. No Holly, you’re better than that. Holly’s expression smeared across her face into a strained frown.
Gideon’s smug look fell but only for a second. He quickly reclaimed his smirk. “It’s because they don’t want that freak to infect the rest of us.” Boris sighed. He stood up and stepped around the bigger kid. “Hey!” Gideon snapped. “I’m talking to you stupid!”
Boris reached down and picked up a block. “I don’t care.” Boris gave them a deadpan look.
“You should!” The smaller boy snapped. “That demon is gonna eat us! Or you!”
Boris snorted and rolled his eyes. “You dummies wouldn’t even taste good, Taylor.” The small boy’s eyes widened and he shrunk back like he thought Boris would try for him then and there.
That caught Holly off guard. She let out a short sharp bark of laughter. It had been a while since she’d laughed. It felt good. It shouldn’t have been funny. After the Dark Circus, if really shouldn’t have been funny. But apparently she was developing a morbid sense of humor as a coping mechanism.
“Damn,” Mugs muttered, impressed.
“Language,” Cannikin whispered.
The tallest boy lunged forward and shoved him. Boris yelped and fell back landing on several blocks. “You’re gonna help him! You’re just as bad!” The kid’s voice cracked.
“Hey!” One of the other kids shouted. “Whadd-re you doing?”
“Boris started it!” The tallest said. Little liar. Her mother wouldn’t tolerate that sort of horsefeathers. Several other kids started to come over. Whispers and muttering filled the air.
Boris whimpered on the ground. He sat up slowly. “I didn’t do anything. Jonathan shoved me.” He sniffled, hugging his arm close.
“Liar! You are always mean and growl.” Taylor accused. “You’ll bite!”
Boris folded his ears back. “I’m not the mean one.”
Gideon pointed at him. “You or that freak try anything weird and we’ll make you sorry. Neither of you can scare us!”
“We aren’t trying to scare anyone!” Boris sniffed and wiped at his teary eyes again. “Just leave us alone!” He turned and ran out of the room.
“That’s right! Run away!” Gideon laughed behind him. Holly glared at the boy as she passed him to follow Boris.
The wolf raced down the stairs and slammed into somebody. “Boris!” Bendy startled. “Boris, what’s wrong?” He dropped the basket of clothes on the floor.
Boris blubbered and sobbed. “Wa-th-they-”
“Boris! Your arm’s bleeding!” Bendy gasped. He lifted Boris’ arm, showing a bloody cut.
“Jo-Jonathan! He shoved me, o-on the blo-blocks.” Boris gasped.
Bendy’s face hardened.
“What is going on?” Ms. Sarah’s voice called up.
Bendy raced around Boris. “You go to Ms. Sarah,” Bendy growled.
Boris sobbed. He hesitated for only a second before following Bendy. Holly had to step bad in order to keep from being in their way. She walked back into Mugs chest. He caught her by the shoulders and they exchanged a worried look.
“Can’t we help?” Mugs asked in a strained face. He grimaced as Boris followed Bendy.
Holly shook her head. “It’s a memory. It’s already happened,” she said quietly.
“Stars, this is stardust!” Mugs shook his head. His hands flexed, fingers curling and uncurling.
It was interesting to watch Mugs react this way. She’d become accustomed to having to stand by, unable to change things when she reviewed bad memories. It was a sort of a comfort to see that other people found it as difficult as she had.
“I’m sorry son,” Cannikin murmured softly.
Holly reached out to take his hand, hoping to give whatever comfort she could. He glanced at her, a distressed frown on his face before they went to follow the two.
“Hey!” Bendy barked. He raced in, kicking the blocks and other toys aside.
Taylor paled and ducked behind the other two. “It’s Bendy!” He squeaked in terror.
“Ooooh. You’re in trouble.” A bucked toothed girl with a braid said. Boris hovered in the doorway, hugging his arm and hiccuping quietly.
“Shut it, Marlleen.” Gideon huffed. He glared at Bendy and clenched his fists. “What do you want, freak?”
Bendy looked past Gideon and glared at Jonathan. “You pushed my brother. Apologize.”
Jonathan’s eyes widened. Gideon moved in front of him. “He doesn’t have ta say nothing to monsters.”
“Stay outta this Gideon! You apologize to Boris and leave him alone, Jonathan!” Bendy barked. He waved at hand in frustration.
“Or what!” Gideon barked back challengingly.
Taylor put a hand on Gideon’s shoulder. He could barely reach it. “H-hey, uh, G-Gideon, maybe we should just-”
Gideon jerked his arm away. “No! He can’t do nothin’ to us! He’ll get sent away! Because he’s a monster! Go on demon! Try! Whadda gonna do! You’ll be gone! And then we’ll get rid of the wolf! Like the stories! Heroes hunt wolves!” Gideon lifted his chin. He looked like he was being brave. Hands planted on either side of his hips.
Anger and cold fear ran through Holly at the same time. The image of someone hunting Boris made her feel sick. Her cheek twitched. It was in that moment that she very calmly promised herself that if she made it out of this place, she was going to find this little brat and teach him a lesson.
“He is askin’ for a whoopin’.” Mugs muttered.
Cannikin shook his head disapprovingly. “Where is that adult in all this?”
Bendy narrowed his eyes. His hot anger went icy calm. He relaxed his shoulders and arms. The little demon straightened up and took a deep breath. Had he given up?“I won’t touch you.”
Gideon smirked. Bendy looked to the side. He’s eyes landed on one of the beds. The room was lined in them. Every kid had their own with a chest at the foot of it. Each chest had their names on them on little name cards. The chests had their clothes, books, and personal toys and items. One of the only things that was theirs and only theirs.
Bendy stepped over to Jonathan’s chest. “Whadda you doing?” Taylor demanded.
“Bendy?” Boris muttered fearfully.
“What is going on up there?” Ms. Sarah’s voice called from further in the house.
Bendy gave Jonathan a glare. His eyes turned red for a moment. Boris stared wide-eyed. “If any of you touch Boris again, if you ever threaten him again-” Bendy lifted a hand and smashed the chest in half. Kids screamed as several things spilled out of the broken wood and leather. Glass bits, broken books, papers, and clothes. “I’ll break everything you own!”
“What is going on!” Ms. Sarah barked, her footsteps could be heard hurrying up the stairs. Gideon growled and rushed Bendy.
“Bendy!” Boris cried out.
Bendy grabbed Jonathan’s bed and flipped it, making a wall between Gideon and himself. The boy slammed into the bed, bouncing back and landing on his rump.
“Dang!” Mugs smirked.
“What are you doing!” Ms. Sarah slammed a hand on the doorframe. Several children ran to her, crying and screaming. Ms. Sarah slapped the doorframe loud enough to quiet them. “Bendy!”
“They hurt Boris!” Bendy barked indignantly.
“H-he the-threatened us Ms. Sarah!” Jonathan sobbed.
“The lock box!” Ms. Sarah roared.
“But I didn’t touch them!” Bendy argued.
“Now!” Ms. Sarah pointed out the door.
“That’s not fair! If anyone should be in the box, it’s them!” Bendy pointed at Gideon, Taylor, and Jonathan. “They’re a buncha bullies!”
“Not another word! Or you won’t be eating tonight!” Ms. Sarah threatened.
“Excuse me!” Cannikin gasped. “They’re already skin and bones!”
“B-Bendy!” Boris sobbed and pushed over to Bendy. “Please.”
Bendy scowled. His spiked tail lashed back and forth angrily. He hugged Boris and ran out of the room. All the kids scrambled to stay away from him.
Jonathan moved over to the chest, sobbing as he looked for things that hadn’t been crushed.
“We’ll get that replaced.” Ms. Sarah promised the boy. Jonathan sniffed and nodded.
“I’ll help you clean up.” Taylor offered. He went to right the bed with Gideon.
“Boris, come with me.” Ms. Sarah said. Boris rubbed at his runny nose. The woman took his arm gently and looked at it. “Let’s get this bandaged, okay?” He nodded mutely. She took his unhurt hand and led him out of the room. “Everyone get cleaned up! Make sure all your chores and lessons are done! Dinner’s in an hour.”
“Yes, Ms. Sarah,” the other children chimed. Several went back to what they had been doing before, but they eyed Boris and whispered to each other.
In the sickroom Ms. Sarah had Boris sit down. “I’m disappointed in you Boris,” Ms. Sarah sighed. Boris perked his ears and looked up. Holly bristled, frowning at Boris.
“In him!” Mugs gasped. “For what!”
“Shh!” Cannikin tapped a finger to his lips.
The old woman took out a bottle, cotton balls and a bandage. “You should have come to me or Mrs. Termaine. Not Bendy. Bendy got into trouble because of you.”
Boris folded his ears back and dipped his muzzle down. “Me?”
Ms. Sarah sat down and dabbed at the cut. Boris hissed and jerked his arm back. The old woman frowned and took it back. “Yes Boris. He got angry because of you. You need to be more responsible. Bendy isn’t an adult. I am.”
Boris muttered. “Bendy was just trying to help me.”
“And now Jonathan had his stuff destroyed.” Ms. Sarah said, raising her brows. “Next time, come to me. Not Bendy.”
Holly’s frown deepened. Actually . . . this woman was sort of right. It pained Holly to admit it, but going to an adult was what Boris should have done. She didn’t think this woman was right to blame Boris for that . . . but Bendy wasn’t an adult. He was barely an adult now.
Boris stayed quiet for a second. Ms. Sarah put the bandage on. “Why does being an adult change anything?”
“Because I’m in charge, Boris. I take care of all of you. I feed you and cloth you and give you all beds to sleep in. Mrs. Termaine and I teach you right from wrong and help you find happy families to go to,” Ms. Sarah said.
“But who decides what’s right and wrong?” Boris asked with a sniffle.
Ms. Sarah lowered the bandages into the box and stood. “Adults Boris. We decide what’s right and wrong and what’s fair.”
“That’s not true.” The words slipped out of Holly’s mouth before she could even think. She drew back, glancing at Mugman and Cannikin. It looked like she was with Mugman and his twin. They could start a Mugman army with these two. They both even had the same pained expressions.
“Then is hunting wolves good?” Boris asked.
Ms. Sarah blinked. She turned to Boris surprised. “What do you mean?”
“Gideon said heroes hunt wolves in the stories. Like fairy tales.” Boris’ ears folded back. “Is that good?”
Ms. Sarah grimaced. “That’s . . . complicated Boris.”
“Complicated!” Mugs huffed. “Cuss that!”
“Mugman!” Cannikin frowned at him.
“What! It’s stardust!” Mugs threw an arm in the old woman’s direction.
Holly turned to him. “It is complicated Mugs. The Big Bad Wolf made it that way. Not everything that is bad is always bad. And not everything that is good is always good. Lest you forget how things were when you first came to the house,” she reminded him. Mugs snapped his mouth shut. He didn’t look happy about it. “As much as we want to say that she’s horrible and wrong, one simply can’t ignore both sides of an issue just because you have a personal stake.”
“But he’s a kid.” Mugs argued. “And he was just told he should be hunted!”
“As much as I hate it, being a child doesn’t guarantee you protection and fairness. It should. I wish it did. But it doesn’t,” Holly replied stubbornly.
Mugs crossed his arms and dipped his chin in his scarf. He looked at the floor with a burning glare.
“Then does that mean Bendy and I really are bad?” Boris asked, his ears pinned down and eyes large and fearful.
Ms. Sarah sat back down and put her hands on his shoulders. “No Boris. It doesn’t mean that. You and Bendy are . . . special.” She hesitated on the last word.
Boris frowned. “Does that mean we’re good?” He didn’t sound hopeful, just confused.
“It means you’re unique and can be good.” The old woman said, sounding distracted. She looked away from the wolf, pulling her hands back. “Are you going to be alright?”
“Yes ma’am.” Boris stood up and left the room. He headed back to the stairs and paused. “Can be good.” He hopped up the stairs.
Holly found herself surprised by Ms. Sarah. From what she’d heard from Bendy and Boris, she’d expect the woman to be awful, but her answer was surprisingly honest. But at the same time, Holly’s heart ached for Boris in that moment. How confusing must that all have been at his age. How confusing it was even for her at her age. No wonder Boris had become so mistrustful, though well versed in hiding it.
This.
This was the true Boris right here. The one that had been hiding among them all along.
This was the person they were really trying to save.
Confused and hurt and scared and lost.
He needed help.