Cuphead and Mugman in "Fate Will Find You"

A Splashing Revelation

A Splashing Revelation

Kiki's nose twitched as she caught the scent of the mug child's sweet and sticky liquid that rested in his head. She effortlessly jumped down from the genie's pack and started to follow the scent. The feline opened up her mouth to let in even more of the smell. She followed the trail carefully as if she were stalking prey. Her paw steps barely made any sound as they padded across the blanket-like grass that swayed in the gentle wind. She followed the scent as it seemed to go north. Kiki took notice of the river that snaked its way toward the town. Keeping it on her right, the cat kept going as the odor became stronger. Ultimately, she found the mug child curled up a few body lengths away from the rushing river. Kiki approached the boy without fear.

Mug had buried his head in his arms and folded his legs up to his chest. The feline's paw steps were so quiet that he didn't hear her approaching. Mugman only took notice when she squeezed herself under his legs and startled the child. The boy's glass body flinched as she came out the other side. He gasped but then let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh! It's only you..." Kiki sat down next to the sullen mug and stared up at him with her emerald eyes. Her tail wrapped around her paws as she sat up straight. A purr started to grow in her throat.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked her. Kiki just continued to stare. "You think I should go back?" She then gave him a sharp meow that sounded like she was saying "now".

"Why? No one trusts me anymore." Mugman looked away, trying to deter the little cat from persisting with her soothing purr and luxurious fur. Kiki got up and head-bumped his hand. She then proceeded to climb into the child's lap. The young mug relaxed his tense body as he felt a sense of comfort from her golden fur. He watched as the feline let her eyes fall into a slow blink. A smile came across Mugman's face as he realized that Kiki was saying that she was his friend and that she wouldn't give up on him either.

Her ears twitched as she heard a commotion coming from a little way upstream. She intended for the young mug to notice this too. Without another thought, Kiki climbed her way to the mug child's shoulder, bumping his head to the left.

"Ow!" He squealed as her claws dug into his shoulder. But then he noticed Spoonfred and his followers in a huddle farther up the river. Mug then grabbed the cat and pried her off his glass skin. He held her out so that he could look into her beautiful eyes.

"Well, what do you want me to do about them?" Kiki merely squirmed her way out of his hands and landed gracefully in the grass. She took a few steps in the other children's direction. Turning around, she waited for him to follow. Her stare was intense but warm. It seemed to be saying that Mugman could still make things right with his peers. Without a word, Mug stood up and began to follow the little feline.

"What are you doing back here, Spoonfred?" Spat the utensil's followers. After what they had heard and seen yesterday, the others were not too keen on hanging around with him anymore. The spoon's biggest secret had been spilled. They had all believed that Spoonfred was a tough individual. And the truth that he was essentially bullied by his own father caused his followers to lose all respect and admiration for him.

"I came looking for you guys. You're my friends after all." The little spoon responded, being more of himself than he had been for many years. He somehow hoped they would accept him for who he was instead of who he pretended to be.

"Friends? You really think we're your friends? You're just a scaredy like the mug!" Ribby's nephew croaked at him. The frog hopped closer to the utensil clenching his fists just like his boxing uncle would do. Spoonfred tried to back away from the seemingly hostile amphibian. He heard the roaring of the river water not too far behind him. Taking a quick glance over his shoulder, he stopped and looked back to his former friends with a pleading look.