(Start on the first Inkwell Isle. MUGMAN is sitting by the water holding the list in hand as he narrates.)
Mugman-(voice only) After hours of kabitzing around the isle with Cuphead, I finally get some time to myself. He went off to the shop to see if he could find any "utilities" that might help us. Let's just hope he gets something useful.
(He looks down at the list.)
Mugman-I wonder what he's up to right now.
(Cut to somewhere else on the first isle. CUPHEAD is walking by himself singing a song made out of the debtors' names.)
Cuphead-(singing) Grim Matchstick, Dr. Kahl's Robot, Sally Stageplay, Baroness von Bon Bon, Hilda Berg, Rumor Honeybottoms, Cagney Carnation, and the Root Pack. Goopy le Grand, Djimmi the Great, Beppi the Clown, Ribby and Croaks, Phantom Express, Cala Maria, Wally Warbles, Werner Werman, and Captain Brineybeard.
(He chuckles.)
Cuphead-Finally! I have the names of all the debtors memorized. Now I never have to think about looking at that list again.
(He looks at the smoke bomb he's holding and the one clipped to his shorts.)
Cuphead-Mugman's going to love these smoke bombs. You can move out of the way in the blink of an eye.
(He begins dashing around, turning into a puff of smoke each time.)
Cuphead-Those debtors won't know what hit 'em!
(He dashes into CANDY CAMERA [Camera is pronounced "ca-mera"], a lithe young woman in her late teens with a blue beret, who was setting up a camera on a tripod before CUPHEAD knocked it over.)
Candy-Hey! What makes you think you can dash into my equipment like that?
Cuphead-Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there.
Candy-Well, I didn't see you coming, either! What do you have to say about that?
Cuphead-Uh...
(He holds up the smoke bomb in his hand.)
Cuphead-Smoke bomb?
(CANDY smacks it out of his hand, and it rolls off.)
Cuphead-Hey!
(He runs off to get it. He comes back.)
Cuphead-There was no need to do that. Let's settle this like adults.
Candy-Adults? I barely know you, but I'm lookin' at you, and I can tell you're not an adult.
Cuphead-You get the point. Let's settle this like civilized people.
Candy-Alright, fine. Say you're sorry.
Cuphead-Okay, I'm sorry for crashing into you.
Candy-I forgive you.
(She shakes his hand.)
Candy-What's your name, cup-head-boy?
Cuphead-Uh...you said it.
Candy-You're name's actually Cup-head-boy?
Cuphead-It's just Cuphead.
Candy-Cool. My name's Candy Camera.
Cuphead-Wait a second.
(He sings his debtor song quietly to himself.)
Cuphead-(whisper-singing) Grim Matchstick, Dr. Kahl's Robot, Sally Stageplay, Baroness von Bon Bon, Hilda Berg, Rumor Honeybottoms, Candy Ca...
(He looks back at CANDY.)
Cuphead-As a matter of fact, I think I need something from you.
(CANDY looks concerned.)
Candy-What is it?
Cuphead-Your soul.
Candy-My soul?
Cuphead-You heard me.
Candy-Why would a cup-head want my soul?
Cuphead-I don't want it. I'm actually here on behalf of the Devil.
(CANDY chuckles.)
Candy-That's hilarious. Like I'm going to believe that the Devil wants my soul! I didn't do anything wrong.
Cuphead-You clearly did because I have a list given to me by the Devil himself with the names of people whose souls he needs, and your name is on it.
Candy-Really? Where is this list?
(CUPHEAD puts his hands in his pockets. His eyes widen as he realizes he doesn't have the list.)
Cuphead-(to himself) Oh, no! I left it with Mugman! (to CANDY) Okay, I don't have the paper with me, but I have it all (points to his head) up here.
Candy-That's not good enough.
(CUPHEAD huffs.)
Cuphead-I've had enough of these shenanigans!
(He points his finger gun at CANDY.)
Cuphead-Hand over your soul contract!
Candy-Or what? You're gonna finger me to death?
(He shoots above both her shoulders.)
Candy-Look, I don't have any soul contract, and if I did, I certainly wouldn't give it to you!
Cuphead-Really? I can see it in your eyes. You have something to hide, and I intend to find out what it is-
(CANDY collapses her tripod and uses it to knock CUPHEAD over. She realizes what she just did and sets it up again.)
Candy-I really shouldn't do that. This is expensive equipment.
Cuphead-(getting back up) Fine. If that's how you're going to be, have at thee!
(He begins shooting her with the Chaser. CANDY leans into her camera, throws the cloth over her head, and presses the flash. There is a flash of white light, temporarily blinding CUPHEAD. When his sight comes back, everything is black and white.)
Cuphead-What the heck? There's no color!
(He keeps shooting. CANDY ejects a roll of film out of her camera. It flies towards CUPHEAD, but he dodges it. The color returns.)
Cuphead-Whew. Now, if that film was pink, I swear-
Candy-Pink? You mean like this?
(She ejects a roll of pink film from her camera. CUPHEAD parries it.)
Cuphead-Thanks for that. Now I can do this!
(He thrusts his fists forward, summoning a Chaser shield.)
Cuphead-Or that.
(He switches to Peashooter and charges toward CANDY.)
Cuphead-CUUUUUUUUPHEEEEEEEEEAD!
(CANDY hits him with her tripod again. Cut to MUGMAN.)
Mugman-How long can it possibly take to go shopping? I'm going to look for him.
(Meanwhile, CUPHEAD is still fighting CANDY. MUGMAN walks in on them.)
Mugman-Cuphead?! What is going on?
Cuphead-Mugman! Thank goodness you're here! I've been fighting one of the debtors.
Mugman-Really? Great! Which one?
Cuphead-Her name's Candy Camera.
(MUGMAN looks over the list.)
Mugman-There's no Candy Camera on here.
Cuphead-What? Lemme see that.
(He looks over the list, then to CANDY.)
Cuphead-I guess I was wrong. It turns out we don't need your soul. Sorry. Please don't hurt me.
Candy-I knew it. If I had any sort of soul contract, I would have known about it.
(CUPHEAD opens his mouth to speak, but MUGMAN grabs him by the hand and drags him away.)
Mugman-What were you thinking, starting a fight with a random person?
Cuphead-I really thought she was on the list!
Mugman-Well, never tell someone they're on the list unless you have checked the list and made sure.
Cuphead-I guess that's what happens when I try to memorize something. Can I see the list?
(MUGMAN hands him the list. He looks over it.)
Cuphead-Oh...I must have mistaken her for Cagney Carnation. Or maybe Baroness von Bon Bon 'cause her name's Candy. Get it? Bon Bon? Candy?
Mugman-Very well. What did you get?
(CUPHEAD shows MUGMAN the smoke bomb in his hand.)
Cuphead-Smoke bombs. They allow you to turn invisible when you dash.
(MUGMAN takes the smoke bomb and clips it to his shorts. They pass behind ANGEL, a female fish with a fishing pole.)
Angel-Begone, spirits!
(She almost smacks CUPHEAD but stops herself.)
Angel-Oh, wait. You're real. I was about to hit you with the ol' parry move. That's how you deal with ghosts 'round here. Only a nitwit tries shootin' someone who ain't really there. Speakin' of not bein' places, would you fellas mind movin' on? You're spookin' the fish.
Cuphead-It's a fish fishing for fish, which seems...incredibly sadistic.
(That's when they hear a female voice, that of the LEGENDARY CHALICE [referred to here as CHALICE] calling in the distance.)
Chalice-(voice only) Help!
Cuphead-What's this? A plaintive cry for help?
Mugman-We're debt collectors, not superheroes.
Cuphead-Quit raining on my parade. C'mon, Mugman. Someone needs our help!
(He runs toward the voice, MUGMAN following behind him. It leads them to a spooky-looking mausoleum.)
Mugman-A mausoleum? Cuphead, I don't think we should-
Cuphead-I think we should.
(He enters the mausoleum. MUGMAN sighs and follows. Cut to inside the mausoleum. There is an urn on a podium.)
Chalice-(from inside the urn) Help!
Cuphead-I'll save you!
(He runs up to the urn and throws off the lid.)
Cuphead-You can come out now!
Mugman-I don't think it's that easy. Look!
(He points to two pink ghosts floating towards the urn. CUPHEAD shoots at them.)
Cuphead-Begone, spirits!
Mugman-Cuphead!
(He parries both ghosts. They disappear.)
Mugman-That's not how you do it.
(Two more ghosts show up. MUGMAN parries them as well.)
Mugman-You have to parry them. Remember what the fish lady said: "Only a nitwit tries shootin' someone who isn't really there."
Cuphead-Oh, right!
(Several more ghosts come in. CUPHEAD and MUGMAN work together to parry them all.)
Cuphead-I guess you can say I'm parry good at parrying!
Mugman-Good one, Cuphead!
(They get back to parrying ghosts until they accidentally jump into each other.)
Mugman-Oops!
Cuphead-Okay, new game plan: (He points to the left.) You get all the ghosts on that side; (He points to the right.) I'll handle this side.
(They parry more ghosts on their respective sides until they stop coming. CUPHEAD sighs in relief.)
Cuphead-Whew! That was an awful lot of parrying!
(A blue ball of light floats out of the urn. It turns into CHALICE.)
Chalice-Gosh, I don't know how to thank you boys for saving me!
Cuphead-The pleasure's all mine-
Mugman-And mine!
Chalice-Where are my manners? I didn't even introduce myself! I am known as the Legendary Chalice. Pleased to meet you.
Mugman-Pleased to meet you, Legendary Chalice.
(CHALICE giggles.)
Chalice-Please, if the Legendary Chalice is too much, you can just call me Chalice.
Cuphead-Great. I was just about to ask about that.
Chalice-I was searching for magic and got trapped by those ghosts! Speaking of magic, please accept this gift. It should help.
(She summons a huge teacup with the Roman numeral I written on it and hands it to CUPHEAD and MUGMAN.)
Chalice-There are other mausoleums around the Inkwell Isles. I just wonder...
(Fade to outside the Mausoleum. CUPHEAD and MUGMAN walk out. The Mausoleum crumbles to the ground behind them. CUPHEAD and MUGMAN turn around.)
Cuphead-Well. I'm glad we got out when we did.
Mugman-Never mind that. Look at this.
(They look inside the teacup. It's filled with a swirling golden liquid.)
Mugman-You think it's some extra-special potion?
Cuphead-There's only one way to find out.
(He takes the teacup and drinks some of the potion before handing it to MUGMAN.)
Cuphead-Your turn, Mugs. It's now or never.
Mugman-Um...okay.
(He shrugs and takes the rest of the potion. Pink symbols flash on their arms. CUPHEAD has five diamonds lined up his left arm, and MUGMAN has five spades on his right. This will be referred to as the Super Meter. [If this is too hard to animate, it doesn't need to be included. I just thought it was a cool idea.])
Mugman-What was that?
Cuphead-I guess we'll find out. Now, what are we waiting for? Let's go get some more contracts.
(They begin walking.)
Mugman-Do you think it's like the Super Meter on our aeroplanes?
Cuphead-Like I said, we'll find out.
(CUPHEAD narrates.)
Cuphead-So we didn't get any contracts, but we did get this kind of suspicious-looking but still pretty cool potion by parrying a bunch of ghosts. Whoo, would that sound weird out of context! Anyway, I also learned not to assume someone's on the list because their name sounds vaguely familiar. I guess I should keep the list with me. Or have Mugman carry it and keep him with me.