Jenna and Anonymous, two guest reviewers, asked for this one. Here you go, Amigos! Enjoy! :)

Cuphead belongs to Studio MDHR. I own nothing.

This story is the sequel to "A Bone To Pick With You", which can be found on my page.

Cheering Up The Conductor

Cuphead and Mugman giggled as they ran for the train station, arriving just as Mad Train pulled up. "Hi, Mad Train!" Mugman greeted happily.

Mad Train gave a few happy toots as he came to a stop and the boys climbed aboard, looking for Specter, who was waiting for them. "There he is!" Cuphead said happily as they raced over to where the blue ghost was.

Hearing them, the ghost chuckled and opened up his arms, catching the two boys in a hug. "Ah, there are my two favorite nephews," he said. "How are you boys?"

"We're good, Uncle Specter," Mugman said.

Cuphead noticed the train was rather empty. "Where is everyone?" He asked.

"They came on early and got off at their stops about two hours ago," Specter said. "Around this time of the year, most of the passengers go to visit family and friends for a while."

Mugman then saw T-Bone look at the seats and sigh, going back to the engine. "Is Uncle T-Bone okay?" He asked.

Specter looked a bit worried before sighing. "T-Bone...got into an argument with his family," he said quietly. "They wanted him to leave his post and come home to be a grave keeper."

"What's a grave keeper?" Cuphead said.

"Someone who watches over the graves in a cemetery to make sure they aren't broken or have been vandalized," the ghost explained. "They also make sure that it's well kept and that the flowers that loved ones plant at the graves get watered and that items left on the graves by loved ones are not touched."

"So, like a grounds keeper, but for a cemetery?" Mugman asked.

"Yes," Specter said with a nod. "T-Bone's whole family is in the grave keeping business, but he has always loved trains and to travel. At first, they said they were fine with him being a train conductor, but...after a few years, they changed their minds."

The boys were quiet for a moment. "Why did they change their minds?" Cuphead finally asked.

"Because his family believes that despite you working somewhere for a short time, you should always stick to the one job you've trained for since you were little," the blue ghost said sadly. "T-Bone helped his parents with the grave keeping business when he was little until he went into training to be a train conductor. I think his parents thought it would be temporary, but realize it's a permanent switch and they're not happy with him."

"So, he doesn't have anyone in his family that supports his decision to be a conductor?" Mugman asked. "That's not fair."

"No, it's not," Specter agreed. "And what's worse is that they do this every year to him. They come for a visit and argue with him and then leave when he refuses to step down from his conductor duties."

"But if he left, who would run the train?" Cuphead asked. "I mean, I know Mad Train can run himself, but every train needs a conductor and Uncle T-Bone is the best."

Mad Train, hearing that, gave two toots, making Specter smile. "Mad Train agrees with you, as do I," he said.

Mugman looked thoughtful before perking up. "I know! Maybe we can cheer up Uncle T-Bone!" He said.

"Hey, yeah! Great idea!" Cuphead said with a grin.

Specter smiled too. "I'm sure he'd love to see you two," he said, gently nudging them toward the front of the train. "Go on. Go show him he's the best conductor ever."

The brothers didn't need to be told twice and scampered up to the engine where T-Bone was.

The skeleton was sitting down and just gazing out the window, making sure Mad Train had enough coal to keep rolling. His conductor hat was on a hook beside him and he looked very upset. Mad Train gave a couple toots, but he didn't reply other than giving the wall beside him a light pat. The train schedule beside him told him they they'd reach the next station in an hour, but it was one stop he wasn't looking forward to because it was the same stop that his family would wait at and try to convince him that he shouldn't be a train conductor.

Sighing, he gazed out the window again before hearing a knock on the door. "Come in," he said, thinking it was Specter, turning to greet him. He then saw it was the two boys and though he hadn't been expecting them, he smiled at them. "Hello, boys."

"Hi, Uncle T-Bone," Mugman said before looking worried. "Are you okay?"

"Do you want us to take over as junior conductors for a bit while you rest?" Cuphead offered.

Though the offer was kind, T-Bone gently shook his head. "No, but thank you," he said. "Mad Train's got enough coal and our next stop isn't for about an hour."

Mugman climbed up into his lap. "Uncle T-Bone," he said. "Are you really okay?"

The skeleton had to give the kids kudos. They were too smart to not notice when something was off. "Not totally, but I'll be okay," he said, trying to sound reassuring, but he really just sounded down in the dumps.

Cuphead fell into thought and sighed before climbing up into T-Bone's lap too, gently grabbing onto the skeleton's rib cage to help him keep his balance. T-Bone jolted at that and a small chuckle escaped him. "Careful, Cuphead," he said, bringing a hand down to give the boy support.

"Sorry, Uncle T-Bone," the cup said contritely before moving his hand that was on the rib cage and again noticing that the skeleton jolted again and another chuckle left him. Now really curious, he wiggled the fingers of his free hand onto the rib that he was holding on to. T-Bone jumped up this time and his chuckles were a little louder.

"Easy now, Cuphead," he said. "My ribs are rather...uh...,"

He trailed off while the brothers grinned, realizing what had made him react to the touch on his rib. "Get him!" Mugman cheered, his fingers wiggling into the left side of T-Bone's ribcage while Cuphead got to work on the right side.

The ticklish sensation that hit the skeleton had him laughing and he couldn't stand up anymore as he kneeled down and was soon flat on the ground with the two boys tickling him all over his ribcage. "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! BOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOYS! STOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOP!" He pleaded.

"Not until you're cheered up, Uncle T!" Cuphead said gleefully.

"Plus, we have to get 'revenge' on you for tickling us last time!" Mugman said with a giggle as he remembered how T-Bone had tickled him and his brother sometime back.

T-Bone was now flat on his back, unable to move as the boy's tickle his ribs. Mad Train, hearing the conductor's laughter, gave off some more toots, sounding like he was laughing too.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The skeleton laughed out, getting a burst of energy and grabbing the two boys, who yelped before they gently grabbed onto a rib, still tickling as T-Bone tried to get them to let go, but was laughing too hard as they kept tickling him.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"We've got him, Cups!" Mugman said gleefully.

"We're really tickling his funny bone," Cuphead said with a grin, unable to resist a good pun.

Just then, both felt fingers wiggle into their underarms and they squeaked, stopping the tickle torture on the skeleton, who then sat up and grinned at the boys. "Let me see those yummy, little tummies!" He cooed, lifting up their shirts a little and blowing great big raspberries into the brothers' stomachs, making them squeal with giggles.

After a moment, T-Bone stopped, resting on the floor as the boys rested on his chest, both giggling happily. The skeleton chuckled in amusement. "You boys okay?" He asked, rubbing their heads fondly.

They nodded. "Do you feel better, Uncle T?" Mugman asked.

He nodded with a smile. "Uncle T? Is that short for Uncle T-Bone?" He asked.

"Yeah," Cuphead said. "Is...Is it okay?"

T-Bone chuckled and nodded, noting the two looked relieved at that. "By the way, what made you boys decide to come tickle me?" He asked. "I've got a feeling it wasn't just for revenge on me for the time I tickled you both."

The siblings giggled before looking at each other and looking at him. "Um...Uncle Specter...told us that you...had an argument with someone," Mugman said. "And...you were really sad afterwards."

T-Bone cringed, knowing that his family had been loud enough for half of the Isles to hear. "Yes," he said softly. "Did...Did he tell you what the argument was about?"

"Yeah," Cuphead said softly. "That your family...doesn't agree with you being a train conductor."

"That's putting it mildly," the skeleton said, seeing the boys were trying to help and not make him feel worse. "I love being a train conductor. I just wish they could see that." He sighed. "But no one in my family supports my decision to be a train conductor."

The siblings were quiet for a moment before Mugman perked up. "But you do have family that supports you being a train conductor," he said.

T-Bone looked at him curiously. "I do?" He asked. "Who?"

Cuphead smiled as he realized what his brother was saying. "You've got us, Uncle T," he said. "You're the best train conductor ever."

"And one of the best uncles ever too," Mugman said.

The skeleton was touched by their words and he chuckled. "How did I get so lucky to have two wonderful nephews?" He asked, pulling them into a warm hug, which they returned. "You boys really are something else."

Cuphead smiled. "You know, you've got us and your friends who care too, Uncle T," he said. "I bet they'd all be sad if you decided not to be a train conductor anymore."

"And Mad Train would miss you too," Mugman said.

Mad Train gave two toots at that, making T-Bone smile. "Alright, alright," he said, still smiling. "You kids keep buttering me up and I'll be a pile of mush."

The boys giggled at that and Specter came up to the engine, having noticed they had some visitors at the next stop and he knew who they were. "T-Bone, we've got company at the next stop," he said.

The skeleton sighed, but Cuphead had an idea. "Let me talk to them," he said. "Mugs, you stay here with Uncle Specter and Uncle T-Bone, okay?"

"Okay," the mug said.

Mad Train came to a stop and Cuphead got off, facing the three skeletons that were staring at him in surprise. "If you're going to make Uncle T-Bone upset again, then you'll answer to me," he said.

One skeleton laughed. "What can one little cup like you do?" He asked.

Grim Matchstick landed on the platform. "How about beating the monster that had us all trapped and kicking him off the Isles with his brother beside him and helping him to free us all?" He asked.

The three skeletons looked shocked and Specter came out. "I don't like it when someone makes my friends upset," he said. "And T-Bone is one of my dearest friends."

"So go back to wherever you came from and leave Uncle T alone," Cuphead said firmly. "Unless you've got an apology for him."

"Why, the nerve!" The lady skeleton said in horror.

"Yeah," said the third one. "Come on."

With that, the three left and T-Bone came out, looking at his nephews and two friends. "You...You all really meant that?" He asked.

"Of course, T-Bone," Grim said. "Friends stick together."

"And we care about you as our friend," Specter said with a smile.

"And we care about you as our uncle," Mugman said, hugging the skeleton.

"Yeah!" Cuphead said. "No one talks badly about any member of our family and gets away with it."

T-Bone gave them all a genuine smile. "Thank you," he said before smiled. "Grim, can I give you a lift?"

"Yes, thank you," the dragon said. "My niece is having a birthday and she told me she'd like to meet Mad Train, Specter, the Piston brothers, and you personally, T-Bone. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," the skeleton said, tickled pink to hear that a little dragon wanted to meet them all in person.

Grim smiled and looked at the two siblings. "You two are welcome to come too," he said. "I let Elder Kettle know and he said it was fine with him."

"Awesome!" Mugman cheered.

"Alright! Thanks, Grim!" Cuphead said with a smile.

Specter chuckled. "I believe there's some shops at the next train stop," he said. "We could see about gifts for the birthday girl. What does she like?"

"Anything that is plush, soft, or the color purple," Grim said with a smile.

T-Bone chuckled. "Then we best get going so that we're not late," he said with a smile. "Now, where are my junior conductors?"

"Here!" The siblings said in unison, making them all laugh as they got back onto the train and headed out. The skeleton gently rubbed both Mugman's and Cuphead's heads in affection.

"Thank you, boys," he said. "You not only stood by me, but cheered me up too."

"That's what we were aiming for," Cuphead admitted. "We love you, Uncle T."

Mugman echoed his brother's last statement and T-Bone smiled. "I love you boys too," he said fondly as the train sped on, giving off a few toots in happiness.

Wow! This one really made tracks on me! Get it? Because they're on Mad Train, so the story made tracks? XD

Please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418