(Start on DLC Island. CUPHEAD, MUGMAN, CHALICE, and CHINA are by the sea. CUPHEAD is holding the relic.)
Cuphead-I noticed something really strange before the timeline split. This relic started glowing.
Mugman-I told you this thing was bad news.
Cuphead-Well, what am I supposed to do with it now?
Chalice-Cast it into the sea! Destroy it!
Cuphead-I guess it's not doing me any favors.
(He throws the relic into the sea.)
Cuphead-Good riddance!
Chalice-But where do we go from here?
Mugman-Let's look at the recipe and see where we have left to go.
(He takes out the recipe, and all of them look over it.)
Mugman-It looks like the next ingredient to get is the Icy Sugar Cubes from Mortimer Freeze.
(CHALICE freezes [pun totally intended].)
Cuphead-What's wrong, Alice?
Chalice-You know in the saloon when Esther was talking about how I fought against an ice wizard?
Cuphead-Yeah.
Chalice-That's him.
(Flashback to 15 years earlier. CHALICE enters an icy coliseum with spectators made of snow. MORTIMER FREEZE sits at a throne in the back.)
Chalice-(narrating) The Calix Animi sent me to investigate an ice wizard who had formed a snow cult out of the reanimated bodies of those who had entered his turf. At that point, I was a strong fighter, but I was too scared to hurt anyone.
(The young CHALICE talks very animatedly to MORTIMER.)
Chalice-(narrating) I pled with him to stop his evil activities at once without any fighting...
(MORTIMER shakes his head.)
Chalice-(narrating) But he refused to listen to me.
(CHALICE draws her spear.)
Chalice-(narrating) Left with no other choice, I summoned my spear. It only took a few seconds for him to overpower me.
(MORTIMER raises his arms, sending a wall of snow towards CHALICE, covering the screen in white. Fade to the present.)
Chalice-He froze my body and added it to his numbers, leaving behind a soul that can pass into the mortal plane but can never truly escape the astral plane.
Cuphead-So that's how you became a ghost.
Chalice-Mugman, do you mind eating another astral cookie for me? If anyone's gonna face him, it has to be me.
China-I'm sorry. A what?
(MUGMAN takes out the box of astral cookies.)
Chalice-Chef Saltbaker made us these astral cookies. If Cuphead or Mugman eats one, they can take my place in the astral plane, and I can stay mortal for a short time.
China-It's nice to see ol' Salty is still up to his usual tricks. (remembering the last part) Wait, you're alright with Cuphead and Mugman turning into ghosts?
Mugman-She might have tricked me the first time, but now I'm totally cool with it. These cookies are delicious!
(He takes a bite of a cookie and switches out with CHALICE.)
Chalice-What do you say, Cuphead? Ready to negotiate with a deranged ice wizard?
Cuphead-Yeah, I'm ready to negotiate with him.
(He winks.)
Chalice-Cuphead, we're actually going to negotiate with him.
Cuphead-What? Why?
Chalice-The last time I talked to him, I was too scared to keep going and took out my spear. If we can get the sugar cubes without resorting to violence, that means I'm braver than I was before.
Cuphead-If you say so...
(They look up at the igloo in front of them.)
Chalice-This is where he lives. Let's go.
(She holds onto CUPHEAD's hand as they walk inside. Cut to inside the Col-ICE-eum. There are still snowmen filling the stands. MORTIMER sits on his throne.)
Mortimer-And then I said, "If you're just going to bite it, why even bother licking it three times?!"
(The snowmen laugh.)
Chalice-(offscreen) Mortimer!
(Everyone turns to see CHALICE and CUPHEAD standing in the entrance. MORTIMER leans forward to get a closer look.)
Mortimer-Alice!
Chalice-Mortimer!
Mortimer-Alice!
Chalice-Mortimer!
Mortimer-Alice?
Chalice-MORTIMER!
Cuphead-Oh sugar honey iced tea, can't we do what we came here for?
Mortimer-What makes you think you can enter my Col-ICE-eum? I thought I killed you the first time.
Chalice-Well, I'm back because of Chef Saltbaker's astral cookies!
Cuphead-My brother's ghost is waiting outside.
Chalice-We're just here for some of your Icy Sugar Cubes. We're making a Wondertart that'll make me real. Cuphead, show him the recipe.
(CUPHEAD holds up the recipe. MORTIMER takes out a magic wand and uses it to pull the recipe closer to him. He reads over it.)
Mortimer-No, you're not.
(He lets the recipe fall to the floor.)
Chalice-What? Yes, I am!
Mortimer-No, you're not. I know what you're doing. This is just a plot by the Calix Animi. They decided they still wanted me down after I dispatched the first of their noble warriors, so they sent you back with the pretense of this so-called "Wondertart," and just when my back was turned, that's when you'd strike! Now, I might be an old man, but I'm smarter than you think, and you, you're just a child. A scared little girl who can't hold her own in battle.
Chalice-I never wanted to fight! I was hoping we could settle this peacefully, but you wouldn't listen!
Mortimer-You thought I'd say yes to any of your ludicrous requests? I've had enough of you meddling cups. You said you were borrowing this body?
Chalice-Yes?
Mortimer-Well, it's time to see how they like being a ghost!
(CUPHEAD fires a Crack shot at him.)
Chalice-Cuphead! What was that for?
Cuphead-He threatened Mugman, and he isn't even here to defend himself! I can't let anything happen to him!
Mortimer-Cuphead? As in the Calix Cuphead? What, did you age backward a few decades?
Cuphead-Actually, I'm his nephew.
Mortimer-Then this'll be interesting.
(He flies off of his throne.)
Mortimer-Who's ready to see me make snowkids out of the Calix and the Calix's nephew?
(The snowmen cheer.)
Chalice-(whispering to CUPHEAD) Cuphead, this is all your fault.
Cuphead-(whispering back) Well, sorry for standing up for us.
(MORTIMER flies from side to side. He lifts his robe. Four icicles drop out.)
Cuphead-Alice, you get the little guys. I'll get the big guy.
(CHALICE nods and shoots out the icicles using Converge. CUPHEAD begins shooting MORTIMER with Crack shot.)
Cuphead-What was that?
Chalice-It's the Converge shot. Mugman got it for me.
Cuphead-Oh. I forgot about that. I was too busy with that dumb relic.
(MORTIMER takes an orange whale out of his hat and smashes CHALICE with it.)
Cuphead-Alice! Are you alright?
Chalice-(rubbing her head) Yeah. I think so. It's weird that he hasn't outright eliminated us like last time.
(MORTIMER takes out his crystal ball and summons tarot cards that fly towards them.)
Cuphead-That just means you're stronger than last time!
(He parries a pink card.)
Cuphead-And you've got me.
Chalice-No, not that. Fifteen years ago, he froze me in a wall of ice.
(She begins shooting away some more icicles.)
Chalice-It's almost like...he's having fun fighting us.
Mortimer-Of course I am! It's not every day you get to kill a Calix a second time!
Chalice-I didn't ask for your opinion.
Mortimer-I bet you didn't ask for this, either.
(He rings a bell. The snowmen raise their hands. A snow golem is lowered from the ceiling and wraps itself around MORTIMER. It drops to the floor.)
Cuphead-Ha! Yes! We beat him!
Chalice-No, we didn't. He's controlling that thing from the inside!
(The golem rolls across the floor. CHALICE is able to dodge-roll past it, but CUPHEAD comes up on the golem's stomach.)
Cuphead-Why do you get the invincible dodge roll and I don't?
Chalice-Less complain-y, more pain-y.
(She pulls CUPHEAD off by his foot. He gets back up.)
Cuphead-Nice to see you're in the spirit.
Chalice-Believe me, I don't want to be.
(The golem turns into a giant snowball that jumps over them.)
Cuphead-Hold on. I've got this.
(He fires an Energy Beam at the golem. It turns into a refrigerator that launches ice cubes at them.)
Chalice-I've got the little guys.
(She fires a Converge shot at an ice cube. Only one shot hits it, and it splits into two ice cubes.)
Chalice-Okay, that's not working.
Cuphead-(unloading on the fridge) Then change shots.
(CHALICE switches to Chaser and hits the ice cubes.)
Cuphead-Ah, the Chaser! Objectively the best shot, though Mugman would convince you--
(The golem prepares to roll at them again.)
Chalice-Cuphead, move!
(She shoves CUPHEAD out of the way and dodge-rolls past the golem. It slams its fists on the ground, sending a shockwave of snow. CHALICE screams and covers her face. A spike comes up, one of which hits CUPHEAD from below.)
Cuphead-Don't worry! The snow was just a distraction!
Chalice-Huh?
(Another spike comes up in front of her. She jumps backward.)
Chalice-Thanks for the heads-up.
(The snow golem explodes, and a spirit rises out of it.)
Cuphead-Okay, now are we done?
(Five ascending platforms of ice appear in the middle of the arena.)
Chalice-I dunno. I feel like we should see where these lead.
(They jump up the platforms until they reach five rotating ice platforms. A giant snowflake flies in beside them.)
Cuphead/Chalice-Uh oh...
(The snowflake takes out a rolling pin and rolls one eye out of its face. CUPHEAD jumps out of the way before firing a Charge shot.)
Cuphead-I wish we had a way to get rid of this thing quick.
Chalice-I do, too...
(She shows the Super Meter on her right arm. All five yellow chess pawns have been filled in.)
Chalice-But my Super Beam fires vertically.
Cuphead-Well, it's gotta get above us sometime.
(The snowflake catches the eye in its mouth. Then MORTIMER's spirit flies out and around them in a vertical loop.)
Cuphead-Alice, now!
(MORTIMER's spirit flies back into the mouth.)
Chalice-Sorry. I was too late.
Cuphead-Don't worry. We'll have another chance.
(Four ice cream cone projectiles fly towards them.)
Cuphead-What the--
(They jump out of the way.)
Cuphead-Oh, I get it. ICE cream!
Chalice-Cuphead, focus!
(The snowflake launches its eye at them again. CUPHEAD briefly jumps off his platform, fires a Charge shot, and lands on another platform.)
Chalice-Wait a minute. Lemme try something.
Cuphead-Like what?
(CHALICE double-jumps above the snowflake and fires a vertical Energy Beam. The snowflake changes sides. She lands on another platform.)
Chalice-At least I scared him off.
Cuphead-Since when can you double jump?
Chalice-Since I started training with the Calix Animi.
(CUPHEAD grumbles. The snowflake opens a little door beneath its face. MORTIMER's hands pop out and launch a bucket towards them. It hits CUPHEAD.)
Cuphead-Yep. This is a bucket.
(He keeps shooting at the snowflake with Charge. CHALICE parries a pink bucket and keeps shooting using Chaser.)
Cuphead-It's over for you, Mortimer. We're gonna take you down faster than you can say...
(The snowflake melts away, revealing a shivering MORTIMER inside.)
Cuphead-You know, I actually didn't know how I was going to finish that. That was really convenient.
(Cut to outside the igloo. CHINA and MUGMAN are waiting. CUPHEAD and CHALICE exit the igloo.)
Mugman-So did you get them?
(CUPHEAD reaches from behind his back and takes out a bucket of sugar cubes. CHINA and MUGMAN cheer.)
Mugman-You did it!
(CHALICE puts her hands on her knees and hangs her head down.)
Mugman-What's wrong?
Chalice-We had to fight him again to get them. I thought this time would be different, but I was wrong. Mortimer was right. I'm just a scared little kid.
Cuphead-Think about it this way: even after all these years, you're still looking for a body. If that isn't bravery, I don't know what is.
Chalice-You don't get it. I was only eight when I started my training and ten when I lost to Mortimer.
Cuphead/Mugman-Eight?!
Chalice-Don't be impressed. The Calix Animi normally start training recruits at age 18, but so many of their warriors fell in quick succession that in their desperation, they recruited an eight-year-old to refill the ranks. They were so impatient to get me battle-ready that they never taught me the Peashooter. Said it was unnecessary. Then they forced me to fight against an enemy I wasn't mentally prepared for.
(She switches back with MUGMAN.)
Chalice-And then this happened! Don't you get it? I never got to be a kid. I shouldn't be in this situation! I want my life back!
(She flies off.)
Cuphead-Alice, wait!
China-Not yet, Cuphead. She needs her alone time.
(CUPHEAD sighs as the screen fades to black.)