Getting some time in while I have a chance to read the newest IM chapter [chapter 423]
Cup lunged over the counter and caught the man’s collar.
“The hard way it is! Mugs!” Cup shouted.
Mugs snapped his fingers and fired bright red bullets into the swarm of pens and books. Feathers and papers exploded above them.
I was just watching Lego Monkie Kid with some ppl and so I'm imagining this in a mix of the Cuphead game fight sequences and Flying Bark's animation. I'm thriving over here. So like I'm just imagining the insane camera angles and poses for this small moment
Now I'm imagining Flying Bark animating for Inky Mystery 🥺🥺 it would be so good
“P-please! I don’t know anything! Honest!” the man stammered.
“You think we’re born yesterday?” Cup sneered.
“No really! This market! If you want to stay in business, you don’t ask questions!” the man exclaimed. Cup’s grip tightened. Felix moved to stop Cup, and Bendy grabbed the cat. Felix looked at him, surprised. Bendy mouthed, ‘Wait’.
Idk how to describe how much I love this small interaction. Bendy letting them do what they have to do bc he trusts them but also, this is their field. They know what they're doing
But also Felix being uncertain and not trusting them, also the fact this guy is begging which would make Felix wanna help. Oof, this is such a good small interaction
“Not necessarily,” Mugs said. “No one saw us come in. A little magic to fix this place up and no one is the wiser.” The man shook his head quickly. “Look, we are goin’ after them. You won’t be havin’ anymore business with these people, but you will with us, ya get me? My brother and I always need a few papers.”
Bendy raised his brows. There was no cussing way that was going to work. They had just threatened the man! Mugs still had a bullet for star’s sake!
Good cop bad cop...... Also always a good chapter to see Mugs at work, imo
“Wait, hold on, how the cuss are you supposed to know if you’re giving the papers to the right person if you don’t remember what they look like?” Oswald demanded. “That’s fishy as hell since they’re illegal. What if you hand them over to the wrong person?”
The man looked offended. “I would never make such a mistake. Of course I remember my customer upon seeing them once again.”
Cup flipped up one of the IDs they had scattered on the counter next to the man. “Then you can remember looking at this, right? You want business with us, you’ll share what you know, and I’ll even pay for your cussed up stock as a thanks and show of goodwill.”
I wonder what Ozzy thinks of all of this. I know he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty but he also isn't exactly fond of the Cupbros [specifically Cuphead but meh]
Maybe he's still on edge from his ring?
Also again. Always a fun chapter to see the Cupbros at work. Not even in just the killing way, I just like seeing how they go about business in the underworld. It's fun. That and Bendy in the social politics in Hell, those are also always fun
The man sighed. “And that might as well be my retirement. No, I’d rather business with you. Then we are in agreement. I will inform you when they contact me again, in return my business has your protection.”
Cup smirked. He pocketed the card and pulled out his wallet. Cup thumbed out a few bills. “This is to get you started.” He pulled out a card. “And call this for the rest. Tell him DD sent you and you’ll be set for a good many years to come. Welcome to business with the Seven Rings.”
That's. A little depressing. The Devil's Dogs. Is that an official title? I'm assuming that's what it means
Oz pulled up on Boris’ other side. “Well, what else could he do, kid? He can’t call the cops; his business is illegal. He could run to that group, but they might make him disappear since he could be a link to them. The black market isn’t gonna work like regular society. It’s rougher than that. So be careful,” the rabbit said.
“I know that! I just mean . . . it was weird to see him change his mind so quick,” Boris said.
“I probably helped with that,” Mugs said. Bendy looked up. Mugs glanced back at them and looked over the street. “I can be convincin’ when I wanna be, and he was a smart fella that knew how to preserve his business.”
Ozzy showing his hand what he knows in illegal businesses? Honestly, Ozzy in this situation has been intriguing to me. I wonder how much of this is familiar and how much he's actually okay with. I know he's an assume first, ask questions later guy, but his history brings some questions
Also Mugs basically admitting he used his talent back there, which I figured. I really wanna see him and Boris talk about their talents one day. Idk if Boris would be more or less upset after that convo
Bendy went over what the fella had said. He’d been worried he couldn’t handle a fight with them but not their enemies. He felt like they were stuck on the back foot with these people, but maybe in terms of strength they actually had an advantage. Maybe it was just that these cussers had been a step ahead of them so far. What could they do to turn the tide?
Not very often we see Bendy strategizing against someone like this? I guess in terms of Bendy's enemies he hasn't usually had any understanding in what's actually happening and just being attacked. However, he's always given me the vibe he'd be a lot more on the strategic/tricky type then brute force in a situation like this. Based off the mechanics, dancing and height, that's just the vibe he gives me
Granted there isn't much it is literally just "What can we do to shift things to our favor?" but it is the start of that kinda thinking
“These are amazing,” Bendy said. He looked for runes he knew or a motor. To his surprise, there were few. What he found instead were vials of liquid and bones worked into the metal. What looked like pillars for one clock were metal fronts to carefully arranged bones of some small creature. The skull was fitted underneath the clock face, jaw open to show small sharp teeth. Bendy frowned and went to the alchemy device. The fire was burning above a circle and a dark stain of something. The Empire State Building clockwork turned thanks to what looked like a small crystal. “These things are powered by magical creatures.”
Boris poked one of the planes. It bobbed down then turned and rejoined the others. “What’s that, Bendy?” He asked distractedly.
“Some of these things are running on parts of magical creatures. Blood, bones, and other things.” Bendy pointed out. “It’s not like micco magic. The few runes here are a lot simpler. See? It’s more like directing the magic, and that is the power source.” Bendy pointed at the skull.
Absolutely in love with the magic systems in Inky Mystery, it's morbid but I'm dying to know how they know what parts of what monsters make things literally tick
I guess there's always been a similar presence with Idk dog hair being used for binding spells or something [I have no idea if this is true it's just an example]
I think it's mentioned witches Holly met were doing something similar?
“Please, you knew the moment I stepped away. Come look at this, tell me what you think,” Bendy waved Cuphead over.
“It’s a bunch of freaky science junk,” Cup stated plainly. He glared at the skull.
Bendy sighed. No imagination with this one. Stars help him. “Yes, good job. I meant the bones, blood and such.”
“What about it?” Cup asked.
“Any guess where they came from?” Bendy asked.
“Prolly this very market,” Cup said. Bendy scowled. Cup smirked. He was amused. Cusser was doing this on purpose.
Why is he glaring at the skull? Also lmao he doesn't wanna answer
Which. Might mean these three wouldn't like knowing the answer, honestly
Pov Bendy joins Holly in on shaking answers out of his man
“Nothing like this before, no,” Bendy said. “Do you mind explaining how it works?”
The man stared at Bendy. Bendy looked back. Had it been a weird question? He wasn’t asking for trade secrets, was he? When Bendy didn’t say anything else, he turned to Boris. “Is he serious?”
Today on people expecting Bendy to know more about magic on account of being a demon [which to be fair he probably would if he didn't live on the Surface]
“Aye,” the old man said. He looked between them like he couldn’t quite believe he had to explain this. He gently touched the skull on the clock. “Creatures what once held magic, still do in death. Witches and others know how to tap into it. Leeches out from the soul and into every hair and drop of blood. It’s much safer ta use some critters’ bones or blood than hope you got enough magic in yourself for every spell or potion tossed one way or another. They last longer and can be bigger if ye combined the two as well.” The old man explained. He dropped his hand and eyed them curiously. “I’d think you lot would know that considerin’.” He nodded at Boris.
Honestly hope we see more from other witches, they're so interesting to me
Holly seemed to be particularly interested in the watches. She picked up every single one and examined them before putting them down again.
Is this related to her current pocket watch?
“Makes our stuff look clunky, huh Bendy?” Boris asked over his shoulder. He was watching a pair of dancers twisting around a music box. Mirrors made it look like there were several dancers with the couple. The demon nodded in mute agreement. This strange man made his metal work almost breathe with life, but not in a way that was purely a spell. It was hard to see where the magic stopped, and the machinery started. It was all woven together so seamlessly it was like magic and metalwork was always meant to work this way. Perfectly blended.
This reminds me of. Something. Like people making animations of music boxes coming to life on YouTube back in the day or something. It was a long time ago
The old man hummed and gave a nod. Bendy and Boris quickly moved to pick up the clock.
Cup knelt to help them. “What the cuss are you doing?”
“Getting practice in,” Bendy shrugged.
“Practice!” Cup hissed.
Lol, Cup's danger radar is going off again rip that guy
The boys placed the machine on the table. The old man pushed a box of tools toward them. “Aye, well then you lot work, I’ll talk. So this here wolf has been touched by something dark. It lingers in him, or better put, it pressed itself into him and left an imprint.”
“An imprint?” Boris asked.
“How do we get rid of it?” Bendy asked at the same time. They looked at each other. Boris looked surprised. Bendy gave him a confused look in response.
Bendy being confused about Boris seemingly not caring about getting rid of it. Tbf Bendy has more of an issue with being a dark magic creature then Boris does, which is ironic. I wish Bendy understood that
Although tbf it also ties into the instrument
“Not sir. Garvin,” the old man said. “Now, I think I can ask a question meself. What kind of group are ye lot? And don’t just say adventurers. I’ve seen plenty, and you folks smell of something else.”
“Smell?” Mugs frowned and sniffed his scarf.
“Explorers then,” Cup smirked.
The old man, Garvin, scowled. “Fine then. Have it yer way.” He shoved a box toward Bendy. It was full of a mix of bones. “Pick out the one that wants ta work with the others.”
I wonder if Bendy struggles so much with magic because he avoids thinking about his own emotions, leaving him out of tune with how to sense and understand magic himself
Well then, if it’s going to be like this then I’m going to be blunt,” Garvin said. “You lot are trouble. Trouble is staring you in the face, and you don’t seem to see it. I’ll tell ya what’s what and then I want ye outta my shop for good.”
Oh cuss.
Craving to know what the witches are noticing about them that has them wary. The other witch Bendy spoke to said something similar too. I hope we see her again, I liked her
