Mugman and Elder Kettle made their way up the mountain yet again to begin another training session. Kettle was a few paces ahead of his boy as Mug took his time, kicking small pebbles around to occupy himself as he talked with his demon.
Today's going to be the day! The little mug beamed. We're going to show Elder Kettle just how far we've come!
If you're thinking of forcing me to embrace the kettle with affections, you're wrong! It grumbled to its host.
Oh, no he doesn't need to hug you or anything. I just want you to be okay with having him around and protect him if I say so.
Very well. Just as long as he doesn't try to shower me with any sappy affections. It's just weird...and unnatural to be given a hug from someone whom you've considered an adversary. The child ignored that last part. He hoped that it didn't see Elder Kettle like that anymore.
I think we can work with that. Mug silently replied as he hopped over a soccer ball sized rock. A large smile plastered on his face. Boy, I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees our teamwork!
Sh! The demon hushed him. I hear something.
The mug child stopped moving and attempted to listen through the ground like the parasitic creature had done before. He listened with his feet and picked up on a set of footsteps with a third and lighter tap in between the two vibrations of the feet.
That's just Elder Kettle. Mug said and prepared to keep moving.
Very good, Mugman! It praised. You do indeed learn quickly! But no, that's not what I'm hearing. It's not touching the ground.
The two voices stood in silence for a few seconds trying to pick up on what the whooshing sound was. What they did know was that it seemed to grow closer and closer with each sound it made.
It sounds like.....wings. Mug's dark creature concluded. Fear struck Mugman. He had just met someone new today that had wings. And it certainly didn't take kindly to the fact that he had rescued its meal.
"Wings!" The young mug shouted out. He was at a loss for any other words of warning. No sooner had he said that, the large black body swooped overhead, barely a few feet above his mug. The powerful gust of wind nearly knocked the child off his feet. His brown boots stumbled back and forth, trying desperately to keep himself standing. Elder Kettle was starting to turn around when he heard his boy let out the unusual cry. The bat went right past Mugman and opened its talons to grab the elderly person. A clawed foot grabbed the kettle's arm and attempted to lift the faded glass body off the ground. Mug saw this and wasted no time in unleashing an attack against it. A pulse of dark blue magic was punched forward. It exploded on the muscular hide of the black creature. Hexter dropped his prey and crashed to the ground with a yelp of pain. The mug child raced forward, determined to keep this dangerous creature away from his grandpa. A glowing blue fist winded up and aimed for the creature's dome-shaped head. The demon bat whipped around and saw this attack coming. Its winged hand caught the mug's arm and held it away from himself. Mug still struggled to try to bring it down upon the bat's head.
"You'll have to go through me if you want to hurt Elder Kettle!" Mugman hissed at the assassin. Hexter laughed at the child before responding with his acceptance of the duel.
"Works for me!" It hissed. The young mug brought a set of claws down on the creature's head while it was still laughing at him. It opened the bat's previous wound that started to bleed even more profusely than the first time. Hexter screeched in pain as his dome got torn open even further. The winged hand let go as he seized his head in an attempt to lessen the bleeding. Mug took this opportunity to blast it again with powerful magic. This time, the dark blue pulse hit it at close range. The black muscular body slid along the ground and didn't stop until his head made contact with a large boulder sitting on the mountain. It fell silent and motionless for the time being.
Mugman took this moment to run over and help his grandpa up. Kettle pressed down hard on his cane with one hand and held onto his boy with the other.
"You have to get out of here now!" Mug cried to his guardian. He heard the mutated bat grumble in pain as it picked its head up. It only took Hexter a few more seconds to heave the rest of his body up and lock back on its target.
"I'm not just going to leave you, Mugs!" The elderly kettle protested back. A bolt of panic went down the child's spine as the demon bat began to take flight, still coming toward them with increasing speed.
"Go now!" Mug shouted and pushed his grandpa away from the creature's line of sight. No sooner had he done so, a foot full of talons grabbed his arm and lifted him upward in a split second. Mugman could feel all his weight being dragged by that one limb. It sure put quite a strain on his arm. He almost thought it would pop off his body if the bat yanked him in a different direction.
"Little brat!" Hexter hissed at him. "It's time I returned the favor!" A sharp claw broke right through the spot he had sewn up and reopened his own wound. Mug screamed in pain. The opposite hand tried desperately to get the talon out of that spot where it seemed to just dig deeper and deeper. His warm liquid bubbled out around the claw.
We have to get down quick or this thing's gonna-!
Before the demon could finish its sentence, the mutated bat threw the mug child into the air, spinning just as fast as before.
....do that again.
Poor Mugman couldn't help but become a bit disoriented. It caught him by the arm again and tossed him a second him. Hexter then got a good hold on the child's torso when he came back down. The bat swooped toward the ground. He pulled up just before colliding with the rocky surface. It let the mug's back drag along the ground. Mug screamed as his backside felt like it was getting torn up. He could hear his shirt ripping in multiple places, exposing his skin to the rugged terrain. The demon bat eventually let go and let its prey slide a little further.
"Nnnnnngh!" The mug child groaned as his back seared with pain. For it felt like it was on fire it hurt so badly. Mugman lay there panting as he stared up into the orange-tinted evening sky. Hexter then came back down and pressed a foot tightly against the child's chest, pushing the air out of him. Gloved hands scrabbled against the thick-skinned toes, trying to get them off. Mug's eyes shifted to the right to see that a thick black claw dangled over his shoulder.
"I'm going to enjoy drinking your sweet life essence!" The bat sneered as it licked its fangs. For it could sense that the child's inner liquid was not a traditional blood, which only made it all the more excited. Adversely, it only made the child even more desperate to get the creature off him. Large white fangs bared as the mouth opened wide. It prepared to bite down on the mug's head. Elder Kettle, who still hadn't left despite Mugman's suggestion, trudged forward and was insistent on helping.
"Stay away from my boy!" He yelled and whacked the demon bat on the head with his cane. The open mouth closed in annoyance as its beady eyes averted elsewhere. A growl rumbled in its throat.
"Very well." It said to the elderly person. "You're the real target anyway!" A winged hand backhanded the kettle away from its smaller prey. Elder Kettle fell onto his rump as Hexter began to stalk toward him on all fours. His breaths became erratic from his fear. The glass legs shook as he struggled to his feet.
Mugman saw that his guardian was in trouble. He tried desperately to get up. His little glass body shakily sat up. Eyes were half closed from the burning pain on his backside.
You have to get up, Mugman! Faster! The demon tried to encourage its host without forcing it.
I'm trying....! Mug replied as his back still seared with pain. It seemed to weigh him down. But the mug child fought to overcome his wounds. Eventually he teetered back and forth on his brown boots.
Kettle flinched as his spout was seized by the assassin.
"Let's make this quick, shall we?" Hexter hissed at the elderly person. Large gleaming fangs opened wide and approached the glass body. He imagined the thrill he would feel when his teeth cracked and crushed the kettle's skin. Mugman saw the fear in his grandpa's eyes as the assassin attempted to end his life in one crunch. Anger set the child's heart ablaze. He ran forth as fast as he could, forcing the transformation on his own. What started as a battle cry turned into a roar as his eyes glowed yellow and fangs popped out. Clawed hands began to fester with dark blue magic. He leaped and landed on the mutated bat's back. The glowing hands grabbed the ears and violently yanked them back. It squealed in pain, releasing the kettle from its grip. Hexter stumbled backward with the child still hanging onto him. He forced a winged elbow backwards. It made contact with the mug's torso, causing him to slide off. With hands still glowing, Mugman tossed a punch forward. The bat whipped around and caught it within his. Mug went to strike with his other hand and was caught yet again.
The two creatures growled at one another, hand in hand. All it took was a swift movement of the bat's head to make it collide with its prey's. The jarring head-butt sent the child stumbling back. His mug swung back and forth, trying to recover from the strike. Hexter took this moment to jump into the air. His talons wrapped around the young mug's arm again. Mug felt his body lose contact with the ground. The large-fanged mug turned to the side and crunched down on the bat's meaty leg. Blood soaked its leg as it screamed in agony. He immediately let go of the child as his own body crashed to the ground. Landing on his boots, Mugman rushed toward the creature that still posed a danger to him and his grandpa. A gloved hand balled up and struck the demon bat square on the head as it began to turn around. Mug's demon took control of his arms to continually pummel the black body. It flinched each time a fist collided with its dome head. The mug child noticed its eyes lock onto his. He knew this meant it was about to lash out. The demon didn't seem to notice this – or didn't care – and kept assaulting the mutated bat.
Stop! He's going to attack! Mug yelled at his dark creature. He forced his body to cease the punishment. The little glass body leaped backwards just in time to avoid a powerful chomp. Its fangs loudly clanged together. This made Mugman realize just how close he had been to a fatal blow. If he hadn't moved, it could have crushed his head. Hexter realized that the boy stood there in shock for a moment. He took this opportunity to deliver a powerful punch to his prey's gut. Mug's eyes bulged big as his glass body got hurled across the terrain. It didn't stop until his already wounded back collided with a flat, wall-like stone upon the mountain. Mug drooped down, nearly sitting as he put his weight on the wall. The child almost felt his body slip into the darkness as even more shockwaves of pain shook his body like he was being electrified. He saw a blurry figure of Hexter scrambling toward him on all fours. The bat hoped to get in another attack while his prey was still stunned. Its jaws opened wide, ready to feel the mug child's skin crumble beneath them.
In a moment of panic, Mugman brought his right arm in front of his chest to protect his heart. And for good reason, too. The little mug screamed in pain as the teeth closed around his limb. To the bat and Elder Kettle, it actually sounded like a roar. But still a roar of pain, nonetheless. Terrible cracking noises traveled to each one of the people on the mountain. The fangs felt like knives cutting into his skin from the top and bottom, fighting to see which set could get through the fastest. The pain was so immense that it made it even more difficult for the child to escape the realm of unconsciousness. To Mugman, it looked like the bat had six eyes and four ears. His vision told him how close he was to losing control of his body. Tears streamed down his mug as he strained to keep himself awake. Hexter's tongue caught any of his life essence that escaped his arm. It was so sweet and sticky that it made the bat crave it even more. The liquid was so unique, the demon bat thought. Almost as if there were sugar in it. Such a small child would not provide much of a drink, especially not when this substance could not be found just anywhere. A deep gurgle of pleasure rose in his throat.
"Stay away from him!" Came Elder Kettle's voice. His cane viciously whacked at the creature's head, trying anything and everything to get it to let go. The demonic bat's eyes shifted to the side as it felt the object beat into his wound. Blood dripped onto the cane as the kettle continued to strike again and again. A winged hand gave Mugman a swift punch to the head before turning towards his intended target. The child collapsed to the ground, out cold for the moment. Elder Kettle immediately backed away upon the fangs getting bared in his direction. A hiss rose in the bat's throat that escalated back and forth between the hiss and a growl. Hexter slowly approached the elderly person, intending to increase the fear factor of his victim. Their blood just always tasted better when they were scared, or so he believed. Sweat rained off the tan glass body as he continued to back away.
Come on, kid! Get up! A voice rolled around in Mugman's head. You have to get up now! The child moaned in pain as it listened to the voice. He heard the urgency, but didn't know if he had the strength to actually do what it said or not. His yellow eyes began to flutter open. Your gramps is in trouble!
Mug's eyes then shot open. His blurry vision focused on the black body stalking away on all fours. Glass arms pressed against the ground to lift his upper body.
Ow! He silently screeched as he collapsed back onto the ground. Sharp teeth parted in an effort to screech in pain but nothing actually came out. The glass body flopped around like he was a fish out of water. It hurts! It hurts so badly!
What does? The demon asked, seeming unaware that wounds drained one's energy.
Everything! Mug yelled back as he writhed on the ground.
You can't worry about that right now, Mugman. If you want to be the hero your heart desires, then you must forget about pain.
You don't understand... The mug panted and started to calm his body. Without you, I'd be dead right now.I can't do this alone. I need your help! He tried desperately to get up again. With eyes squeezed shut and pain roaring through his body, his limbs shook and faltered. The mug child felt his body get dragged up as if it were being forced to, like strings on a puppet. A strong tug seemed to originate from his core.
Come on now. That's it. The parasitic creature cooed as it gave its host energy. Mug's legs still shook violently as he stood up. The pain was still very much there. He knew that he could not just simply forget the pain he was in, but he could certainly keep going with the help of the demon. Yellow eyes finally opened back up to see the muscles tense in the bat's legs.
No! Mugman silently yelled as he rushed forward. The child launched into the air the same time the mutated bat did. He barreled into its side and tackled it away from his guardian. Kettle fell on his rump from the surprise save he had just witnessed. He watched as the two creatures viciously fought one another. Teeth and claws flew in every direction as they tumbled along the mountain. His vision seemed to settle on his boy. The way he fought like an animal, a monster, shook him to the core. It awoke some deep-seated fear within the kettle's heart. And he could not take his eyes off the little mug that did not seem like such an innocent child anymore.
Mug's fangs eventually found their way to the bat's shoulder. It wailed in pain and thrashed about. Blood squirted out in all directions as his teeth went all the way to the bone. Before he could get in the shattering snap, Hexter scooped up the glass body in his own jaws. Mugman panicked in between the two powerful jawlines. This made the child let go of his devastating grip on a vital component to the creature's flight. Luckily, his body was slender enough that he could squeeze himself out of there before the teeth punctured into his skin.
I have to get away from the teeth!
Mug swung to the side as the jaws came crashing toward him again. The fangs crunched together as the young mug flung himself onto the mutated bat's backside. Claws dug into Hexter's scruff as he screeched in agony. The winged hands reached back and tossed his prey off him. Mugman quickly bounced back to his feet to prepare for its next strike. The hands came at him again. This time, he managed to catch them before they got too close. Hexter kept powering forward and pushed the mug to the ground. The child gave a squeal of pain as he was reminded of the searing sensation that consumed his back. His straw rattled back and forth against his brim and nearly fell out. Gleaming fangs came down at him, viciously snapping at his head and chest. A single brown boot lifted up to the demonic bat's chest. The exhausted limb barely kept the snarling beast away. Mug's demon forced the other leg up as they kicked the creature off them.
Both of the demonic creatures struggled to their feet. They stared at each other panting. Their energy was getting pretty low. And they realized that. Even the demon started to realize that a mortal's energy was not unlimited. That his energy was not endless either. Pain felt very different to him in his own realm. It had never weighed down his abilities before. For the first time, he realized how hard mortals had to work to win a fight and keep their lives. It was a new strategy to not brazenly lash out his opponent and expose himself.
Hexter began to back away from the child. This made Mugman wonder if it was giving up. But the demon saw the muscles in its legs tense up. He knew this meant it was going to launch itself into the air. If the mutated bat got too high up, they would not be able to reach him anymore. The parasitic creature pushed the child's body forward to stop the creature from doing so.
It's going to take flight! We can't let it-!
Just as he was explaining to his host about not letting it get too far, a foot full of talons came straight their way. Hexter had only gained enough height to put the young mug's throat in his claws. The thick black claws wrapped around the base of his mug. Poor Mug was instantly gagged and dragged to the ground. His eyes closed as his glass body collided with the ground yet again. Brown boots viciously slid across the ground, trying to get traction. His clawed hands frantically pushed at the foot, hoping to somehow release the hold on his windpipe. Yellow eyes looked up at the demon bat as his jaw opened in a silent scream. The large black creature sneered at the mug child in its grasp.
"Any last words?" It taunted.
....Yeah! I've got one for you! Mugman heard the demon panting himself. He could feel it preparing to unleash some powerful attack. A hot and boiling sensation traveled up his throat.
Hellfire! The parasitic creature roared as it forced a thick stream of blue hellfire between his host's teeth. The demon bat screeched in pain and immediately got off the child. Hexter could feel his head burning and bleeding profusely. It was a combination that yielded an excruciating result. The burning of the blood gave off an awful smell that both of them could smell, which was even worse for the thick-skinned hybrid since his sense of smell was so sensitive. Mugman took this opportunity to sit up, coughing as he did so. Sparks of flame flicked off his fangs as the residue fire died down. A gloved hand rubbed along the base of his mug as he tried to recover from that deathly painful grip. It took him a minute to feel like he could actually breathe again. He swallowed hard as his glass body shakily stood up. The bat, who was still throwing his tantrum, saw its prey ready to keep fighting. Not being one to give up easily, Hexter lunged himself forward with open jaws. Mugman acted quick and started pounding it with his glowing fists. Powerful punches struck its head and torso. The mutated bat started to back away, hoping his assailant would cease its fury. Little did he know that he was backing right towards the cliff that led down to the ocean. Mug heard some cracking noises when his fists made contact with the creature's muscle-bound abs. He was sure that sound meant he was cracking a few of its ribs. The child cringed at this sound while the demon found it satisfying.
"Stop! Stop!" It squealed, sounding desperate for any mercy the mutated mug had left. Mugman was able to slowly force its demon to stop pummeling the poor creature that was beat to a pulp. The cliff was merely a few feet away from the bat's location. Hexter seemed unaware of this truth and just stood there in pain. His body heaved in heavy and pained moans. Mug stared at the creature, breathing audibly himself. But then another noise began to rise in the demon bat's throat. It wasn't a scream nor plea for mercy, but in fact a hearty laugh. The black creature looked back into the mug's eyes. Blood dripped between its fangs and down to the ground.
"All of this to protect the kettle. And for what? He must have done something pretty terrible for my boss to want him dead." Hexter sneered evilly. This only made Mugman even more angry at the creature. Without stopping to think, the mutated mug roared and leapt at the bat once more. One hand grabbed his right ear and dragged the head down to the ground. The other promptly cut off its left ear. Mug stepped back to see the result of his attack. Hexter barely hoisted himself back up. A mere stub stood in place of the creature's ear, spilling even more blood down his face. In fact, the bat's head was so sodden with blood that it was a wonder it could even see anything. The mutated bat stood there panting as the red liquid rained down into his eyes, nostrils, and mouth. It did not seem responsive to anything. All that Hexter knew was blood now. It was all that he could see, hear, smell, and feel. The red substance transformed his world into a blur. Mugman thought by now it had definitely learned its lesson. But the demon knew that it still had to finish the job.
Time to end this! He hissed, forcing the child to summon dark blue magic in the form of a spear in his hands. The parasitic creature proceeded to drive the weapon through the bat's heart.
No! Stop! Mug protested and lurched the blue spear to a stop. The very end of it poked at the black bat's chest. A trickle of blood ran down its torso. He's had enough.
Yellow eyes focused on the weapon as he forced it to dissolve from his hand. He then peacefully returned his arm to his side. A growl emitted from his mug as the demon did not get what he wanted. Letting his enemies live was still a new concept to him that he didn't quite understand. For demons were creatures that were born to kill and destroy. Mercy was not a concept taught in Hell. But he listened to the little mug, knowing that his opinion wasn't the only one that mattered. Mugman turned around and began to walk away. Letting the demonic bat live with his wounds was punishment enough, he believed.
Hexter sensed that the mug child had turned its back to him. The assassin took one last desperate and blind leap at the young mug with his jaws open wide. Mug sensed this as well. A brown boot swung back around and delivered a swift kick to the muscular torso. The creature fell backwards, going limp. Glowing yellow eyes widened as he realized that the bat went clear over the edge.
No! Mugman silently cried, not having meant to kick it so hard. In a split second, a large bird came swooping by and grabbed the demonic bat in its talons. Both Mug and his demon stared in utter shock out at the ocean.
I...I didn't mean to kick him over the edge... The little mug confessed.
Don't worry about it, Mugman. I'm sure that bird will put it out of its misery. It responded. But that didn't make him feel any better. He was sure that the bird, named Wally, would eat it or give it to his children to eat. It only made him feel even more guilty that he had hand-delivered the bat to its death. The demon felt this guilt and tried to cheer up the mug child.
What's important is that we saved your kettle from an assassination attempt. Say, how is the old man anyway?
Elder Kettle! Mug gasped, nearly forgetting about him in the heat of their battle. The two voices looked over to where Kettle still stood in shock. His enlarged glass body started to walk towards the shaking and sweating one.
"Don't come any closer!" The elderly kettle panicked at the sight of his mutated boy and held out a hand for him to stop. Mugman immediately ceased movement and stared at him with sympathetic glowing eyes.
Elder Kettle, what's wrong? He did not understand what his grandpa could possibly be scared of now. The dangerous creature was no more.
It seems he's still in shock. The demon observed.
Certainly you recognize me, don't you, Elder Kettle?
He can't hear you, kid. It simply reminded the child of its limitations in that state.
He doesn't need to hear me to know that I'm here! Mug asserted. The kettle still shook in fear as he stared at his boy that still looked like a monster. It had fought like a beast out of Hell. That type of fighting made Elder Kettle think there was not much left of Mugman's will to control it.
The little mug slowly put a foot forward one after another. He wanted to show that he meant no harm to the elderly person. Mug put a set of claws away as he went to reach out to his grandpa.
Come on, Elder Kettle. We're not going to hurt you. Let us help you. He said silently, hoping that his body language would convey that message. Unfortunately for Mugman, all the kettle saw was the darkness taking him over.
"I said stay away from me, you monster!" The kettle bellowed and lashed out with his cane. A sturdy wooden object bounced off the mug's chest, sending him tumbling down. It wasn't a hard hit, but it was enough to knock down the already wounded child.
Ugh! Mug silently cried out. His body instinctively tried to curl up to protect itself from any further attacks. The mug child slowly lifted his head as his body was reverted to normal. Kettle's unexpected behavior put both Mugman and his demon into a state of shock. The elderly person's eyes softened as he saw the little mug's stare of fear look up at him.
"Wh-why? Why would you do that?" Poor Mug stuttered out. He was scared, confused, and sad all at the same time.
"I'm sorry, Mugman. I didn't realize...." Kettle began to say as he trailed off. The tan kettle's eyes squeezed shut as he turned away for a second to compose himself. "Here, let me help you." A gloved hand reached out for the child.
"No...!" The young mug gasped and tried to move away from him. As soon as he put weight on his injured arm, knife-like pains shot through his body like speeding darts that got caught on the inside of his body. Mugman winced and clutched his arm to his chest. Elder Kettle watched as his boy's body shook and writhed in pain as the little eyes squeezed shut. The kettle leaned down as best he could to look at the mug child's wounds. Mug flinched as he realized his guardian was not even three feet away from him now.
"Come on, now. Let me have a look." His grandpa urged.
"Y-you're not going to hit me again, are you?" The little mug asked, trying to keep his arm away from the kettle.
"No, Mugs. Not ever." He answered, sounding sincere. Mugman, however, had his doubts after what his guardian had just done. Kettle gently grabbed the mug's small hand. He then proceeded to pull the sleeve back to see the damage clearly.
"Mmmph!" Mug groaned in pain as even the slightest movement of cloth rubbed against the painful teeth wounds. Elder Kettle stared intently at the limb that was thoroughly ripped and torn. The white life essence nearly coated the whole arm. Looking at his wounds only seemed to cause even more pain for Mugman. The devastating gouges where the skin had broken were so disturbing to the child that he had to look away. He made another small noise of pain as the sleeve was put back over the wounds. It was a good idea to keep the puncture wounds as covered as possible. Even though he would get a Miracle Heal back at home, he still didn't want to risk the possibility of an infection finding its way into his body.
"Do you think you can make it home?" Kettle asked him.
"If I go slow, then I think so..."
Don't worry, Mugman. I'll help you. I'm not sure we can trust the kettle to keep his word. The demon explained. You know, I think I prefer a thank you. The ladies were at least appreciative of our efforts. The kettle is no damsel in distress, that's for sure.
With the help of the parasitic creature, Mug slowly but shakily made it to his feet. He shied away from the elderly person's touch when his guardian went to steady him as he wobbled back and forth. As soon as the child found his balance, the left hand pressed firmly against the puncture wound that seemed to hurt the worst.
I thought the kettle was supposed to be learning to trust me. It stated. But it seems that the opposite is happening.
Mugman realized that his guest was right. Elder Kettle was becoming more distant rather than trying to gain its trust. Never had the kettle acted this way toward his boys before. He seemed so jumpy, and even secretive, lately. Yet Mug wondered if he was actually scared of the demon or of himself. The little mug began to cry at the thought of being seen as a monster by his own grandpa. Kettle saw the child's tears and wondered why he began to cry.
"What's wrong, Mugman?" But little Mug didn't answer. He just stared silently at the elderly person. "You must be in a lot of pain. Let's get you home as soon as possible." The kettle answered himself and began to set off for home. Elder Kettle stopped when he realized that his boy was not following him. The tan body turned around to find his son still sobbing and staring at him.
"Do you really think I'm a monster?" The young mug barely choked out between his loud sobs.
"No, Mugman. I didn't mean any of that." Kettle said as he walked back towards him.
"Then why are you scared of me?" Mug took a step backwards, saying that he didn't want his guardian close to him at the moment.
"But I'm not scared of you. You're my boy."
The little mug just shook his head back and forth.
"Please...just stop lying to me. I don't understand why you would in the first place." Mugman began to walk home, not taking any notice of the kettle that stared at him with deep regret. His little glass legs shook with every step he took, never taking his hand off the wound for one second as he navigated the rocky environment.
The kettle is hiding something. The demon stated.
You really think so?
Think about it, the bat said its boss wanted him dead because of something he did. Who knows what other secrets he has? What do you know about the kettle's history?
Not much. Mug sniffed. All I know is that he's been with us for as long as I can remember.
That kettle has a dark secret and if we don't expose it, we could all be killed. We've gotta get him to spill somehow! The parasitic creature emphasized. Mugman panted heavily as his body began to droop. His blue and white straw began to bend over his brim. The child agreed with the dark creature but there was nothing he could do at the moment with such low energy and spirits. Every part of his body ached and moaned with pain. He desired more than anything to collapse onto his bed and be cured of the pain resonating throughout his body. Mug felt his body stand upright as the demon lent some of its energy over to him. The little mug wished the day would just end. That way he could forget about the terrible pain and, hopefully, learn something about Elder Kettle's past.
Mugman's pace had slowed to a mere stumble as he approached the front door of his house. He reluctantly let go of his wounded arm and weakly reached out for the door. On the inside, Cuphead heard the doorknob turn and sprinted himself over to the entryway. It slowly squeaked open toward him as the sight of his mangled brother greeted him. A look of horror came over the young cup's face. Mug couldn't take any more steps and let himself begin to fall forward. Cup rushed over and caught the mug child in his arms. His sibling's mug rested against his shoulder. The little mug panted loudly as he let his weight collapse onto Cuphead.
"Mugs! What happened? Are you okay?" Cup gasped and stared at the wounded child in his arms.
"Please....need....Miracle Heal!" Mugman barely stuttered out between his heavy breaths.
"Hang on, buddy! I'll fix you!" The red cup said as he scooped up the boy in his arms and rushed him over to the couch. After gently laying Mug on the sofa, he ran for a Miracle Heal. Cuphead snatched the bottle out of the cupboard, popped the cork off, and handed it over to his writhing brother. A shaky hand grabbed the vile and lifted it to his lips. The little mug tried to drink the whole jug in just one gulp. He hoped that if he got it all down at once, it would speed up the healing process. Mugman put the bottle down on the arm of the chair as he went to sit up. Cup could see it was a huge effort for the young mug to do such a simple action.
"Take it easy, Mugman." He said, placing a sympathetic hand on his brother's. "What happened?"
"I....saved Elder Kettle." Mug replied with his body still heaving. The Miracle Heal had not spread as fast as he had hoped.
"What? Someone attacked him? Who? And why?" Cuphead bombarded him with a million questions.
"I think those are questions for him." The mug child looked over toward his guardian who was just closing the front door. Cup followed his younger sibling's gaze as they both stared the kettle down. Elder Kettle turned around to find them both staring as if he were the prime suspect of a murder case. He stayed quiet, pretending that he didn't hear his boys.
"Well?" Cuphead probed.
"Who was that mutated bat and what did he want?" Mugman asked, making the question specific.
"I don't know the answer to either of those questions." The kettle replied tersely.
"Oh, come on! You must know something!" Cup urged even more, thinking that their guardian owed them an explanation. "I think you owe Mugman at least that after what he did for you! Didn't you even see his wounds?" The red cup lifted Mug's arm to reiterate how bad the child's wounds actually were. His brother winced as he did so. "Sorry!" He whispered over. Kettle took another look at his boy before responding.
"I really don't know who the bat was. Honest. I've never seen him before in my life."
Mug's eyes narrowed in disbelief.
Even if I did believe you about not knowing the bat, how could I trust that you didn't know the reason for him attacking you?
I don't believe him either. The demon agreed. Getting him to tell the truth may be harder than I thought.
"Please just think about it, Elder Kettle. Perhaps you've forgotten something. Let us know if you've thought of anything by morning." Cuphead let the old man off the hook for now, but asserted that they needed to know what was going on. All of their sakes depended on it. A secret like this meant danger to the whole family.
"I will." Kettle nodded. "You should feel better soon, Mugman. Just call for me if something comes up." He then headed off for bed
I'm not sure I will..... Mugman thought, referring to both the comment about feeling better and the possibility of calling for his grandpa.
"Do you feel any better?" Cup asked his brother.
"No." Mug said grimly. Sharp pains still shot throughout his body with every breath he took.
"Let me help you over to the shower so you can get washed up." The young cup offered, scooping up his brother in his arms again.
"Thanks, Cuphead." The mug child rested his head against the cup's shoulder again. He closed his eyes, feeling content in his sibling's embrace. The young cup plopped him down just outside the shower.
"Let me know if you need any help with anything."
Mug nodded as he proceeded to take off his clothes. Cuphead turned around as he heard pained noises coming from the little mug. He watched as Mugman struggled to get his shirt off himself. Mug bit down on his shirt, trying to keep himself from screeching loudly. The fabric rubbed against his wounds, making it extremely painful to take off his clothing. Cup watched as the shirt came off after almost a minute of struggling and muffled screams. The young cup's eyes went wide as he saw just how torn up the mug's back was too. This was no normal enemy, Cuphead thought. Whatever made these wounds sought to torture and kill. He could only imagine that Mugman had to have fought just as viciously to triumph over such an enemy.
Mug eventually crawled himself into bed after a nice warm shower. The little mug let himself face plant into the pillow.
"Are you okay, Mugs?" Cup called over.
"Mmmmmm." Was he only response he got. Cuphead moved himself over to his sibling's bed.
"Still in pain, huh? Those wounds looked pretty nasty." He gently felt along the young mug's back.
"Mmph!" Mug flinched and tensed up.
"Sorry, pal. These injuries are taking some time to heal." Cup apologized for his curiosity. "We will get answers. I promise. Good night, Mugman." The red cup cooed softly to his little brother as he left his side. Both of the cup brothers curled up in their beds feeling troubled. Mugman doing so much slower than his sibling. An uneasy feeling set into their minds as they drifted off into slumber.