Cuphead and Mugman in "Fate Will Find You"

A Step In the Right Direction

"I'll be here..." The little mug muttered to himself as his brother disappeared from sight.

For a while, Mugman continued playing chess. He listened to the birds and insects chirping as he conducted solo games. But without Cuphead, the games were not nearly as interesting. There was no one to say "good move!" or mutter minor curses when he was backed into a corner. For Mugman would not say such things. But he found it amusing when his sibling did so.

"And checkmate.....again." The young mug said as he concluded his tenth solo game. A heavy sigh emitted from his body as he longed for something else to do. He folded up his legs and hugged them to his chest as his mug rested on his knees. Mug just stared at the board, letting his mind go numb.

Just then, he felt something small and fast bounce off his head. His glass body gave an exaggerated flinch.

"Hey!" He called out, looking down to find a small pebble sitting next to him. A gloved hand rubbed the spot that had just got shot. It didn't hurt, but the sudden impact had startled him nonetheless. His gaze swept along the tree line.

"Shh! Don't make it mad!" He heard a voice whisper. It seemed to come from behind a bush to his left.

"Who's there?" The little mug questioned as he stood up. Mugman was about to walk toward the bush when two heads barely poked above it. Green scaly skin surround two pairs of large, round eyes. Mug distinguished them as the nephews of Ribby and Croaks. Both were members of the prankster group. The young mug could only imagine that the spoon had told them to come back and play a prank on him. One of them readied the slingshot made from a stick and rubber band. It was pulled taught as another pebble was placed into the rubber bed. Mug put up a hand to block the small stone that was aimed for his head again. Just as planned, it bounced off his mitt and plummeted to the grass.

"Don't you two have anything better to do?" He questioned the young frogs.

"I say it endures another pebble before it goes crazy!" The stout one said.

"No way! It will take three more pebbles!" The other argued. Neither one of them addressed the little mug and just talked amongst themselves as if he wasn't there. Like the mug was an animal that didn't have the capacity to understand speech or emotions.

"You do realize I'm talking to you guys, right?" Mugman probed, hoping to get some sort of reaction from them. But the amphibians still ignored him and merely lobbed another stone his way. The young mug nonchalantly just stepped out of its path.

"Cut it out, would you?" He snapped at his peers. But they just laughed and continued to taunt and tease the cup child. "I don't want to hurt them, but it would be nice if they went away." Mug muttered to himself. "If only there was a way to just scare them off without hurting them...."

Well, why didn't you just say so in the first place? Boomed the demon's voice inside his head. It startled the young mug as his body gave another exaggerated flinch. How long had this thing been listening to the conversation?

"Wait! How are you talking right now?" Mugman shouted out in alarm. The mug child thought it could only speak when it came out and changed his appearance. Hearing this voice while he was still himself was a big shock.

I can talk anytime I like. It replied coolly. I just choose to remain silent unless you need me. I watch and wait in silence as you go about your life.

This made Mug uncomfortable to know that the demon watched everything that went on. That it knew all of his emotions and could see all of those who interacted with him. And more importantly, how he felt toward all of them.