By: CM

(Time Skip)

Cuphead watched as The Devil scanned the room before his opened the casino. Nothing but panic as he wondered the heck he was gonna do with him. His eyes landed on his thrown, grabbing Cuphead by the handle, placing him on the chair. "Stay here. Don't move or I'll tie you to a ceiling fan." he growled.

Cuphead gasped, looking down at the thrown, "Am I a queen now???" he asked, excitedly.

"What?? N- actually... okay~ Dice can be your king- what do you say, Dice~?" The Devil asked him as he wiped down a table.

"Hell no! Rylie can be his King!" Kind Dice groaned, making a: 'if I were his King I would die' face.

"Oh! Thank you for reminding me.... what's the mug's schedule today?"

"I asked him this morning, he completely ignored me." Kind Dice replied with a shrug, "I think he's at bar today."

"Rylie! Get your ass in here!!!" The Devil called, a mug stumbling into the room, hurrying over.

"Yes, Mr Devil Sir?" he asked, his hands behind his back.

"Keep an eye on the Cup. Don't let him move from that spot- if he gives you trouble don't hesitate to smack him upside the head." The Devil ordered, the mug walking over and standing guard in front of the throne.

"Yes, Sir."

"What?? I don't need a babysitter!"

"Why can't I believe you?" The Devil groaned before walking away- Dice and himself getting the casino ready.

"You don't have to watch me you know..." Cuphead whispered to the mug.

"Shut it, Cup." he snapped, not looking.

"Okay okay, sheesh- woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something--"

"Speak again- I will do more than smack you."

Cuphead kept quiet sitting back. Silence between them, Cuphead suddenly wondered something, "Hey... Rylie was it?"

"What?"

"Why didn't anyone hire you on Mug Island? Isn't it easy to get a job there?"

"I caused something that changed the future horribly. You wanna join your dead future?" Rylie asked, looking over his shoulder- clearly annoyed.

"N-No... I'm just wondering...."

Rylie looked forward again, his hands still behind his back. He turned around, pure anger in his eyes when a pebble hit him in the head. "I SWEAR!!! I WILL BREAK YOU MORTAL!!!!"

Cuphead screamed, laughing as Rylie cursed at how annoying he was. "I'm sorry!!!! I was trying to see how you would react!!!! Haha!!! Sorrryyy!!!"

(Time Skip)

Cuphead fell asleep on the throne, customers buzzing around the casino as Rylie stood there- keeping watch. He glanced over his shoulder, over at the purring fiend. A small smile on his face as Cuphead laid there, curled on with his arms tucked away. He turned back forward, his smirking. "He's such a weakling...." he thought, chuckling.

(Meanwhile)

Maurice walked down the trail leading away from Inkwell hell, his hands behind his back. He sighed, relieved he had finally gotten rid of the cup that put his son in danger. Or so he thought. As he walked back, he didn't realize he was about to come face to face with Elder Kettle and his friends. He stopped, Maurice stopping as well. "Mr Kettle?"

"Mr Fitzgeral- e-ehehe... ummm Hi..." Maurice replied, chuckling nervously.

"Wait... were you... coming out Inkwell Hell...? Why..?" Elder Kettle asked, suddenly suspicious of the fact that Maurice was literally coming back from there.

"I-I.... I was just... I just took... I was just taking a walk and I wandered in! Y-Yeah, ehehe..." Maurice replied, visually nervous.

"What. Did. You. Do." Elder Kettle muttered, his face turning dark.

"W-What?"

"What did you do!!!???" he exclaimed, lifting his sword to Maurice's throat.

He sighed, Karla, Marceline and Mugman running up behind the crowd. "Kids, no!!!" Karla exclaimed as they both ran over.

"I won't let you get away with this!!!" Mugman shouted, tackling Maurice- bringing him to the ground with a thud.

"Mugs- stop! You're making a fool out of yourself..." Maurice groaned as Mugman attempted to hit his father, Maurice holding him back by the face.

"You--- meanie! Y-You jerk!!! I hate you!!!" Mugman shouted, shoving Maurice's hand down. "What did you do with Cuphead????!!!" He shouted, shoving Maurice down, making him fall backward.

"Wait what???" Elder Kettle exclaimed, "Give me a reason why shouldn't just slice you in half." he growled, pointing his sword.

"E-Eh? Hehe... u-um... you're sorely mistaken.. I did nothing more than save Inkwell from a pest--"

"Cuphead is not a pest!" Hilda shouted.

"Yeah that ain't right..."

"You're a pest!"

"Cuphead is a Dear!" Cala exclaimed, just as infuriated as her fellow neighbors. "He's been nice to me, even when I first got here- everyone feared me, everyone wanted me gone, but he taught everyone I was also a friend!!!" she screamed, her tail lifting in the air. She swung it at Maurice, making him hit a rock nearby.

"Owww...." he muttered, wobbling to stand. 

"Now where is he???" Elder Kettle growled, "Or I swear, you'll regret it." he warned as everyone stepped forward. Karla blocked them from Maurice, horrified what might happen next.

"The fiend is with The Devil!!!!" she screamed everyone stopping.

"You gave the Cuphead to.... him?!" Mugman shouted.

Everyone turned ran past Maurice and Karla, Elder Kettle leading the way. "Let's get out Cuphead back!!!" he announced, everyone cheering.

Karla looked over at her husband, helping him. "Come on, Honey... we have to go with them so that they don't do anything rash." she muttered as Maurice sighed in pain, holding his arm.

"Yeah... let's catch up with them.." he mumbled as Karla helped him.

(At the Casino)

Rylie's eyes snapped open, making him look up at the casino doors. The customers buzzed about, but he could sense something coming. He shut his eyes again, trying to think. He opened his eyes again, turning towards Cuphead. "Hey. Wanna see something cool..?" he whispered.

Cuphead sat up, rubbing his eyes, "I'm down as long as I don't have to deal with sitting here for centuries." he groaned as Rylie glanced over at the door then back at Cuphead's large red eyes.

"Than come with me. Quiet now. And quickly." Rylie whispered, beckoning Cuphead behind a curtain in back of the throne.

He followed, taking Rylie's hand. He looked over his shoulder at the cup, a small smile on his face. He opened a door to the back of the casino- revealing a long building with a large sign ontop. In large bright lights, it read 'The Devil's Hotel'. In there, it's in one of the rooms~" Rylie told Cuphead as they walked over, Rylie staying back as Cuphead walked up to the door, looking up at the building in awe. A grin spread on Rylie's face as he turned around, hearing the commotion from the casino. "Move along now~" he whispered, Cuphead opening the door- Rylie shutting the door as they stepped in.

It looked like a normal hotel, dust coating every surface in the room. "I found out about this place when I first got hired... apparently it was abandoned.." Rylie whispered.

"Why are you whispering..?" Cuphead whispered back.

"If you make too much noise, a nearby hellion could hear us." he replied with a wink.

Cuphead gasped quietly before walking forward, running his hand over the wooden table, feeling the dust on his fingertips. "This place... how was it abandoned... the Devil could use this place. It has... potential." he told Rylie as he leaned against the door, his foot on the door as he crossed his arms.

"Yeah?"

"Of course." Cuphead said, walking down a hall, Rylie following. They walked past rooms, Cuphead not realizing Rylie was keeping him from someone. He fell back onto one of the room's beds. Sighing in relief. "I'm so glad to be able to leave that cigar smelling place. I swear I felt like I was gonna suffocate if I held my breath any longer. 

Rylie giggled, sitting next to Cuphead. He kept his attention away from Cuphead, focusing on the sounds outside of the hotel. "Yeah..."

"What did you wanna show me..?" Cuphead asked. He blushed immensely as Rylie hugged his arm, his orange eyes looking up at him.

"What? You don't want privacy~?"