Chapter 11: Our Future

Mugman was on Angel's shoulders as he looked out to the sea, watching for Brineybeard's boat. "Oh, I hope he gets here soon," he said.

Angel chuckled, gently poking her nephew's side to make him giggle. "Have patience, Mugs," she said gently. "He said he'd be here soon."

"He seemed really eager to have us meet him here," Cuphead said. "Like he had good news and wanted us to hear about it first."

"That could be the case," Angel said.

Just then, a splash caught their attention and they looked to see Cala Maria surface and she looked happy. "I just saw his boat!" She said eagerly. "He's on his way!"

The boys cheered and Angel smiled at the mermaid. "How are you doing, Maria?" She asked.

"I'm good, thank you," the mermaid said before carefully climbing up on the dock to sit down, panting a bit to catch her breath. Her stomach was quite round and Angel smiled.

"Did you tell him yet?" She asked.

"Not yet," Maria admitted. "I want to surprise him."

The mermaid and the captain had gotten married not long after the monster had been defeated and about four months ago, Brineybeard had gone to sea with a shipment of cargo for a friend, but the journey had taken longer, according to the letters he sent them. But now, he was coming home and Cala Maria couldn't wait for him to see that she was expecting and best of all, it was triplets, according to the doctor.

Angel and Specter were still dating and had officially become boyfriend and girlfriend a couple months after he had asked to court her and life had been peaceful for all of them with happiness abounding about being free at last of the monster. Another bit of happiness was also the upcoming wedding of King Dice and Pirouletta, the couple deciding to wait until Brineybeard had returned from sea before having the ceremony.

A whale's roar suddenly filled the air and they all perked up as the boat came around a giant rock and headed for them. "There he is!" Mugman said happily.

"Hooray!" Cuphead cheered.

Cala Maria looked pleased as punch with a giant smile on her face and Angel placed two fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. Specter and Cagney, who had been nearby, heard the whistle and went to the docks, smiling at seeing that their good friend was nearly home. "He's got quite the surprise waiting for him," Cagney said, placing a hand on Cala Maria's shoulder. "How are you doing, Maria?"

"I'm doing good," she said with a smile. "I'm just so glad my captain is returning home and in two months, the triplets will be born."

"That is exciting," Angel said. "Brineybeard will probably hit the deck when he realizes he's going to be a father."

"I wanted to tell him four months ago when I found out but then decided it would be a better surprise for him when he came home," the mermaid said as the boat came closer, nearly ready to dock. "Specter. Cagney, would you both be dears and stand in front of me to hide my husband's surprise?"

They did so, making Angel and the boys giggle as Brineybeard set down the gangplank and came down it, smiling happily. "Ah, this is quite a welcome," he said, seeing his wife was behind Cagney and Specter. "Why are you hiding behind those two, my love? Are you not happy to see me?"

She giggled. "I am, my captain," she said. "But I thought perhaps you'd like to tell Angel the good news first."

Angel blinked before looking at the mermaid and then the captain. "What good news?" She asked curiously.

Brineybeard smiled. "Well lass, when I docked at my destination, I made inquiries about your former foster family and a few of the other captains told me that the ones I sought were hanging around that port, checking the boats that came in to see if you were on them," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it gently when he saw she looked worried. "I found them and told them that I had heard wind of the monster being defeated by you and that you had found your true love and were looking to marry him quite soon."

The young woman blushed at that, as did Specter. "Um, thank you for doing that, Brineybeard," the ghost said. "Though, Angel and I are still a bit away from marrying just yet."

"True, but it took the wind right out of their sails," the captain said with a chuckle. "And the young man admitted that their contract with the monster had burned up too. I told him that he didn't deserve you, Angel, and if he and his family even tried to hunt you down, they'd have some very fierce protectors to face."

Angel smiled. "What did they say to that?" She asked.

Brineybeard chuckled again. "Well, about two seconds later, some policemen arrived with warrants for the family's arrest," he said. "With charges of abuse, false imprisonment, and tax evasion. I stayed to see what the judge's decision was and the entire family is now in prison for life." He gently squeezed Angel's shoulder again. "Which means you're free, lass. They'll never come after you again."

The young woman felt tears sting her eyes and she hugged him. "Thank you," she said softly as he hugged her back.

"You're welcome, lass," he said. "You're one of us and we'll gladly keep ye safe from any monsters."

Smiling, she nodded before looking at Cala Maria and winking. The mermaid winked back and cleared her throat. "And now...I have a surprise for you, Briney," she said with a smile.

He looked at her. "A hug and a kiss?" He asked with a goofy smile, making her laugh while the others chuckled.

"Well, that and something else."

Cagney and Specter moved to the side and the captain's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he saw his wife's stomach was rather large and rounded. He gazed up at her hopefully and saw her smile. "Maria, does this mean...?" He asked hopefully.

She nodded. "You're going to be a father, honey," she said. "It's triplets."

"Triplets," he breathed out before a big grin came to his face and he ran up to his wife, picking her up and kissing her soundly before throwing his head back and shouting joyfully. "I'M GOING TO BE A FATHER!"

Angel giggled as did the boys while Cagney and Specter chuckled in amusement. Brineybeard looked at his wife. "How soon, my love?" He asked.

"Two more months," she said with a smile. "I found out not long after you had left that I was pregnant and a week ago learned that it was triplets."

He smiled. "Now this is definitely a welcome home to remember," he said. "Our Angel is safe and we're going to have three little angels."

Cagney chuckled. "Be prepared for the whole island to throw you both a baby shower," he said.

"And Uncle Dice is going to marry Pirouletta soon," Mugman said.

"That's right," Specter said. "They wanted to wait until you had returned, Brineybeard."

"Well then, we have much to celebrate," the captain said before winking at Specter. "By the way, lad, didn't ye say ye wanted to take your girl on the Phantom Express for your date?"

Specter blushed and Angel giggled. "Is that what you've been so secretive about for the past week?" She asked him.

He blushed redder. "Yes," he admitted.

"Well, I saw Mad Train pulling up when I was sailing by," Brineybeard said. "You two best hurry if you want to catch him."

Angel smiled and looked at Specter, who smiled and went up to her. "Angel, do you trust me?" He asked.

She nodded and he picked her up bridal style before flying away with her holding onto him and waving to their friends before looking around to see the Phantom Express waiting at the train station and a skeleton in a conductor's hat was looking at a watch, looking anxious. "Who's that?" She asked her boyfriend.

"T-Bone, the conductor," he replied before they landed and the skeleton turned to glare at Specter before his glare softened at seeing Angel.

"So you're the girl that has my caboose manager daydreaming all the time," he said, a grin coming to his face.

Angel looked at Specter, who had the grace to look sheepish and she giggled. "Oh, honey," she said, kissing his cheek before looking at T-Bone. "Is it alright if Specter and I have our date on the Phantom Express? I've heard so many great things about it from the boys and I hear you are the best conductor ever, T-Bone."

The flattery tickled T-Bone's ego and he smiled before taking off his hat and bowing to them. "Welcome aboard the Phantom Express," he said, gesturing for them to hop aboard.

Specter led the way to the caboose and he turned to grin at Angel. "You have quite the silver tongue," he said with a chuckle.

"You know it," she said with a wink and a grin before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. He held her close and returned the kiss, humming in pleasure before they parted and he smiled at her.

"Ready for lunch? I reserved a table in the dining car," he said.

Nodding, she let him lead her to the dining car and they met the Blaze Brothers along the way. "Hey, it's the girl," one of them said.

The other wolf-whistled. "You caught a beauty, Specter!" He said.

Specter blushed a bright red while Angel giggled and hooked her arm around his. "That's right, boys," she said. "He hooked me, I'm his, and you can't have me."

The brothers laughed heartily. "I like her already," the first one said.

"She's a keeper, Specter," the second one said before they both headed out and a waiter came and took the couple's order. Angel giggled as she saw her boyfriend was blushing.

"Those two are quite a pair, huh?" She asked.

"Yeah," he said. "Though you took their teasing well."

"Oh, I knew they were only teasing," she said. "But I meant it about you hooking me, me being yours, and that they couldn't have me."

Specter laughed at that. "Man, I love you, Angel," he said with a smile as their food came and they enjoyed a wonderful meal before he took her on a tour of the train. As they were enjoying themselves, they came to the head of the train and Mad Train gave a few toots.

"Hello, Mad Train," Angel said with a smile.

Specter smiled. "You know, when T-Bone had first become the conductor, Mad Train was taking a few passengers around the Isles on a tour when he hit some bumpy tracks and caused T-Bone to fall to pieces quite literally," he said with a chuckle.

"No, I didn't!" T-Bone denied, but a red blush came to his cheekbones, which made Angel giggle.

"Don't worry, T-Bone. We know you're a great conductor," she said, reaching forward and running her fingers playfully over his ribcage, making him jump and laugh as he went to squirm away, but Specter caught the skeleton's arms and held them up over his head, keeping him from getting away.

"Get him good, Angel. T-Bone can't stand having his ribs tickled," he said with a chuckle.

Giggling, the young woman tickled the skeleton's ribs, making him squeal with laughter as she didn't miss a single spot before she let him up and Specter let him go. The skeleton gave them both a playful glare. "You just wait," he said with a chuckle. "I'll get you both back."

"Oh, we don't doubt that," Angel said before turning to Specter as he took her hands and it was then she heard some music playing. Seeing what he had in mind, she nodded and let him lead her into a slow dance before he kissed her. She sank into his arms, to which he leaned her back gently into a dancing dip, still kissing her.

T-Bone chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Lovebirds," he said with a smile before going to check on the rest of the train.

Specter was only focused on Angel at the moment and she was only focused on him as they kissed before they parted for air and he held her close. She smiled. "My handsome ghost, forever," she said softly.

"My angel, forever," he said just as softly before they kissed again, lost in love.

And that concludes "The Purest Angel". :) Thank you guys for reading and faving this story. :) If you want more Cuphead, check out my newest one: "Family Is The Key". :)

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