Chapter Text
Mono, Six had decided, was not a trustworthy person.
He was plenty friendly, sure. He had helped her kill that terrible Hunter, and he helped her escape his cabin with no bribing or trickery involved at all. Which is why she didn't trust him. People in this world, she had learned, always had ulterior motives. They never, ever helped others, and if they did, it was seldom from the kindness of their hearts. She knew Mono, one way or another, would have his selfish reason for helping her. But for now, that could wait. For now, she could watch the lake in silence, floating along on the door they had pushed into it. The mist was cold against her skin, and she shivered. If only she had something more than the thin blue cardigan she was wearing. Better than nothing, at least.
Six turned her attention to the boy. He was sitting, curled up in on himself. His eyes were hidden by his arms, not that she could see them through the infinite darkness that hid his eyes. Another reason to be wary, she thought, people who hid their face for no reason were never good people. She stared at him, taking in his features. Brown coat that hid his arms. A drab brown undershirt. And brown pants. Six sighed under her breath, at least she knew why he was called Mono, because he seemed to have the most monochromatic fashion taste possible. Seriously, not even a splash of color? It was a practical outfit, but God, she felt depressed just looking at it. Tearing her thoughts from Mono's atrocious clothing choices, she instead focused on his skin. Rather long fingers, although shorter than hers, that were calloused and rough. She recalled how they felt. They were strong, and dexterous. Perfect for throttling her from behind, Six thought. She moved her attention away from his hands. His legs were long too. So were his toes. His pants didn't cover his legs fully, but fitting pants were a luxury few could afford. Except, it seems, for the monsters of this world, who in Six's humble opinion, deserved nothing but death. She hummed in satisfaction remembering the Hunter's death. He had it coming. She began to look away from Mono, but something caught her attention once again. It was- what even was it? A rash of some kind? It looked red and angry. But, it was too deliberate in shape to be a rash- was it a scar? She didn't know of anything that caused scars to look like leaves on a fern. Overtaken by curiosity, Six shook Mono's shoulder.
"What is it? Are we sinking?" Mono asked, his head jerking around. Six chuckled lowly at this. So panicky. She gestured at his leg.
"What? Is there something on my leg?" Six nodded. He turned away from her.
"It's probably nothing. Just forget about it, okay Six?" His voice has taken on an edge. Six reached for his pant leg, trying to pull up the fabric. Mono slapped her hand away, and she hissed.
"No means NO, Six. Quit trying to see them."
Them?
Before Six could ponder more on what he meant, she noticed a faint feeling in the air. A static buzzing. She looked around, trying to discern the source. And promptly, every thought of the marks on Mono's skin dissipated, as the looming building appeared in front of her, as well as a beach with white sand. She remembered white sand being a sign of tropical areas, she had read about them once. But this was anything less than tropical. It was cold, and the sand seemed bleached like bone. An unnatural color. The buildings leaned towards them, almost like the jaws of a ravenous beast. And Six knew, from the moment she stepped ashore, from the comfort of the cold and misty lake..
There was nothing good in this city.
Cold. It was extremely, numbingly cold. Six cursed her thin shirt for what must have been the tenth time in 1 minute. Sure, she was glad she and Mono had escaped that ugly Teacher and those annoying Bullies, but she would gladly go back through the now-broken vent and into the Teacher's piano room again if it meant she could get a warmer article of clothing. Just saying. Shivering, Six focused her attention elsewhere. Mono. It seems he was much more trustworthy than he let on. After all, he saved her from those porcelain pricks. She would still have to be cautious around him though. He still didn't take that empty-eyed bag off, which meant he was still hiding something. At least she knew he wouldn't attack her in the short-term. She ran up to him, and slid her hand into his. He turned around to face her.
"C-cold," she chattered out. Mono let out a soft "oh", and tugged her along more urgently now. He didn't want to have his best (and only) friend catching a disease and dying. In fact, Mono had quickly begun to see her as irreplaceable. She didn't show it, but he knew her. She trusted him. And he would trust her right back. Sure, she was skittish, and stayed her distance from him whenever possible, but it was a fair trade, considering they lived in a world of giant monsters and held hands almost constantly when running around. And yeah, she barely spoke to him at all, except to utter out urgent cries or single-syllabled complaints or observations. But still, he just knew that she would help him the same way he had helped her, so many times before.
Suddenly, a horrible gash in the ground appeared before them. A ravine. The pair crossed it quickly, but Mono looked across the great maw in the earth, observing the deep, misty depths, and feeling the cold air. It would be beautiful, if not so dangerous. Like Six, he thought. Mono shook his head. Where had that come from? He shook his head once again, and continued across the ravine. The pair then finished a simple puzzle involving a dumpster, and then it was a simple matter of moving forward. But something seemed to be delaying Six. Mono turned around, and saw her holding a yellow raincoat on the ground. How hadn't he seen it before? Six slipped it on, and immediately felt better. Warmer. She was still cold, but not as much. It was then that Six decided, she had enough for one day. Spending a couple of hours hanging from a rope wasn't exactly energizing. Huddling down in a corner between a stack of crates and a stack of packages, she began to fall asleep.
"Hey, we should really continue moving!" Mono whispered to her. Six glared at him and growled.
"Guess not," Mono muttered. He walked over and took a seat next to Six. She tensed up at first, but she relented, nestling into the crook of Mono's neck. It was warmer that way. Mono blushed, and looked away. This girl truly was a paradox. He had seen her mercilessly and brutally kill a Bully by smashing it's face into the floor, and here she was now, snuggled up against his side, letting out slow, whistling breaths. He never would have guessed it, but Six was doing this not out of feelings of companionship, but only because she was a survivor. She needed warmth, and Mono was warm, so it worked out. She felt bad for a moment, using Mono as nothing more than a tool, but she extinguishes these feelings as soon as they arrive. Survival of the fittest, and I'm not at my fittest. Closing her eyes, Six fell asleep to thoughts of survival, to thoughts of self-preservation. Mono fell asleep with one thought on his mind.
I'd do anything for her.
The next day, Mono woke up with Six staring directly into his face. And her hands were under his mask. Under my mask. She might see my face. Mono shrieked, and Six jumped back. Yanking his mask back downwards, Mono regarded Six with shock. "W-what.. What are you doing!?" He yelled at her. Embarrassingly, his voice was at least ten octaves higher than normal.
Six crossed her arms and snarled. "Let me see your face."
"No! Why do you need to see it!?"
"I can't trust you when you have that stupid thing on you!"
"You don't trust me?" Mono sounded hurt. Six only glared at him.
"How do I know you aren't a monster under there? And I can't tell what you're thinking. It's creepy." She hissed.
"The first time you talk to me in full sentences, and you insult me? Come on, Six!" Mono cried indignantly.
"NO! WHAT ARE YOU HIDING UNDER THERE?"
"NOTHING!"
Six was done. She growled, and tensed into a crouching position.
"W-what are you doing? Six? SIX!"
She pounced, grabbing at Mono's mask. To his credit, Mono fought well, throwing her around like some kind of small, rabid animal that attacked something much bigger than itself. Six, however was much more aggressive, scratching at his chest and face. Mono relented, and Six tore the mask off with animalistic glee. She hungrily looked over his features. He was not a monster. In fact, he was rather handsome, not that Six would tell him that. Straight brown hair (of course it'd be brown, she thought), slightly squinted eyes, but not as squinty as hers, and a sharp chin complemented by thin cheeks. But those wasn't his most defining features. What stuck out clearly on his skin, were red lines, angry like a rash, tracing along his skin in long, fern-like lines. They covered the left side of his face, avoiding his brown-colored eye, but reaching up to his eyebrow. Mono laid against the ground, shocked into stillness. Then he abruptly started to thrash around. Six leapt off him, and he dove towards his mask, jamming it back on his head. Then, he scrabbled as far away from Six as he could.
"W-why'd you do that? I thought we were friends, Six!" Six stared at him, and to her horror, she realized he was starting to cry. He let out chocked sobs, clutching at his face now hidden behind his mask. Six was a survivor. Cold, emotionless, a predator. But, now, she felt a foreign emotion creeping up on her. She recalled what it was. Guilt. No way she was feeling guilt over this. Everything she had done, and NOW, she feels guilty?? But as she watched Mono, seeing his hunched form cry in short, panicked bursts, she realized it was undeniable. She was definitely feeling guilt. She quietly moved over to Mono, and reached a shaking hand forward. It occurred to her now, that she was scared, scared for her... friend? How strange. She tentatively pat him on the back, then sat down next to him. She reached an arm around his shoulder. "Uh... there.. there..?"
Mono stopped crying, and giggled wetly, wrapping his hands around Six's midsection. She froze. "Th-thanks... Six *hic* I think that's the nicest thing you've said to me."
Six began to retort that she was plenty nice to him already, but stopped, once she realized that it really was the nicest thing she had said to him. She felt guilty again. Seriously? Curse Mono and his crybaby ass for making her feel this way.
She huffed, and continued to hug him. They stayed like that for a while, neither moving, both of them settling into the feeling of contentment that seemed to light up the room they were in. It had to end eventually, however. With a creaking of joints, Mono stood up. He reached his arms above his head, letting another series of cracks emit from his arms and back. Six shuddered.
"You know, I'd think you were another monster if I were a room away." Six grumbled.
"Oh come on Six. We've been sitting here for... I don't know how long. Long enough though, so it's perfectly natural."
Six rolled her eyes, but her interest was piqued once again, by the patterns. As he stretched, his pant legs hitched up, revealing the patterns were on both his legs, not just his left side.
"Mono, what are those rashes? Or scars?"
Mono jumped, which caused Six to jump in return, as a result of the unexpected movement. Mono stared at her, or Six thought he did. It was hard to tell, what with the darkness that covered his eyes.
He let out a breath. "Why do you wanna know?" Six stared back at him. Mono shifted. She continued to look. He tapped his feet against the floor. Still nothing.
"FINE! Just quit looking at me like that, it's... weird," he finished lamely. Six let out a giggle that sounded much too like the bully's. Mono sighed.
"If I'm being honest, I don't know what they are. They appear whenever I do that thing with TV's. You know the thing, right?" Six nodded.
"Well, whenever I do that thing, they appear. It kind of varies on how long they last, but it can change based on a lot of stuff. Like, the longer I spend tuning the transmission, the longer the scars stay."
Six nodded sagely. "Fucking lame."
"S-SIX! You can't say that!" Mono said, aghast.
"What? I'm right. You don't even know what the scars are, and why they're caused. It's lame."
"I don't mean that! I'm talking about.." -Mono's voice dropped to a whisper- "The f-word."
"The- you mean fuck?"
"YES! STOP SAYING IT!"
"Why? I used to travel with kids who said it all the time. They all got captured though, by some old-ass lady who lived in a swamp. Weirdo."
"Six, you can't say it because it's a bad word!"
"There are 'bad' words?" Mono sighed. This was going to take some time to explain. And based on Six's temperament, she likely wouldn't stop saying them either. Here goes nothing...
"This place is a fucking dump."
"SIX!"
An impish smile spread across Six's face. She knew she said she wouldn't trust Mono, but, riling him up prompted no violent reactions, so it was probably ok to trust him. However, just because she trusted her companion, didn't mean she trusted her surroundings. They had entered a dark and admittedly creepy hospital. And she was technically right, it WAS a fucking dump. In the room they were in right now, three mannequins were situated around a TV, in the very center of the room. Upon seeing the TV, Mono had started to grip his head in his hands. He slowly headed towards it, like a moth to a flame. The TV crackled with static. Six's smile faltered, then dropped totally.
"Mono? Hey, Mono! Quit it, you're acting fucking weird!" No reaction at her swearing. Something was definitely wrong. Before she could do anything, he pressed his hands against the screen of the TV, and all hell broke loose. A high-pitched whining began, and a blast sent Six flying back. The whining started to vary in pitch, and Six realized in a jolt of horror, Mono was tuning the transmission. Arcs of electricity sparked off of the TV, and Mono's veins physically glowed, a deep, rich blue. She pushed closer towards him, and a volt of electricity stung her, directly in the side. Gasping and convulsing from the shock, she reached her arms around Mono, and pulled with all her might. Mono flew free from the influence of the TV, and he let out a soft moan, holding his head in his hands. Mono looked at her, and let out a strangled cry.
"What?" she asked, and before she could say anything else, Mono chocked out an "I'm sorry," and bolted from the room.
"Mono? H-hey, don't leave me!" Six cried, and she ran after him. He ran through a series of doors, running past an elevator, an x-ray room, and a... children's playroom? Must be some sort of waiting area they were in. Mono began to toss the stuffed animals that were laying around at her.
"Mono, quit-ouch- quit throwing those-oof!- toys at me!"
"Shut up!" Mono sobbed. Six was taken aback. He never spoke like this to her. Another pang of a long-forgotten emotion. She remembered this one too, with some trouble. Worry, but not the usual, I'm-about-to-be-discovered-by-a-horrible-monster worry, but worry for her companion. Worry for a friend. Six breathed in deeply. "Mono, come on. Please just stop throwing things at me"
A second passed. The toys had ceased to be thrown at her. As soon as Six started to approach him, Mono scurried away. He curled up in the corner, and was overcome by another burst of emotion.
"Mono, hey, what's wrong?" Six extended her hand out to him. He slapped it away, just like the day prior. She pulled away.
"Don't.. don't come near me. I'm-I'm a monster Six. Just.. please leave me alone. For your own safety."
Six crouched down. "Mono, look at me. Mono." He turned around slowly, scooting on the floor. But as soon as he looked into Six's face, a fresh round of tears sprung into his eyes, and he turned towards the wall again.
"I'm the worst! Just go away Six! You're-you're safer without me around!" Mono wailed. "It always happens! I always try so hard to make friends, and I ruin it because I'm *hic* I'm a freak!"
"Mono."
"-and then, everyone leaves me because of it! I don't WANT to drive people away, they all just hate me!"
"MONO."
"The world hates me! The world hates me, Six!"
"MONO!" Six cried, and she smacked Mono upside the head. Mono turned around again, sniffling miserably. "Mono, I don't know what you're talking about, and you certainly aren't a monster. If you were, I would have killed you." Mono stared at her and sniffled again. "Probably not the best choice of words," she mused to herself. "But Mono, seriously, I don't hate you. Or whatever. So, uh, stop crying. And stuff." Then she awkwardly patted him on the back. Mono just stared at her. Then, he let out a soft giggle, which warmed Six's heart.
"You-you really suck at comforting people Six." Scratch that, she was as heartless as ever.
Mono sucked in a deep breath. "Thank you Six. I-I needed that." He wiped at his tears beneath his mask.
"So, wanna tell me what that huge meltdown was?" Six asked. Mono froze, then began to nervously play with his fingers. Wringing them, popping the joints, cracking the knuckles, anything to avoid looking at Six. To avoid looking at his friend, his perfect friend, who he ruined. Who he corrupted.
"I don't want to talk about it."
Six hummed. "Fine, but we should probably make some progress. I don't want to be stuck in this office anymore. Especially since we have our eyes off those creepy-ass mannequins. I feel like they'll start moving around or something." Mono laughed. "That's ridiculous, Six. Mannequins don't move." Six hummed again. "Maybe, but I don't want to meet the creep who made them." Mono shuddered. "You're right. Let's go Six." He grabbed her hand, and sent an unfamiliar jolt of warmth down her spine. What was this feeling? It made her feel warm, but... also nervous? What was with this coiled up feeling in her stomach? And why was it hotter in the room? As Six pondered this new feeling and it's strange effects, Mono stared at the ground. He tightened his free hand. He would never again allow himself to hurt Six. Never again allow himself to scar her like he did to himself. And with this, he set out. He and Six were going to make it out of this hospital, and then, they would escape this city.
Mono was terrified. Actually, he was more than terrified. When he said "mannequins don't move", he really, REALLY wished he had been right. "Go go go go go go go" he muttered to himself, the creaking of plastic limbs getting closer and closer. Mono shrieked. Elsewhere in the building, Six heard a shriek. Faint, but not human. Definitely not human. She shuddered.
A bathroom. They had found a bathroom. Oh thank god. Mono was sweaty, and hot, and scared. The mannequins had to be the worst thing he had seen in a while, and that was saying something. They had backtracked a little bit before heading into the new section they had opened up, which was a great idea. Because they had found a bathroom!! Not just any bathroom, a bathroom that was relatively untouched, and, to Mono and Six's great joy, had clean and running water!! Both of them knew that this was too good an opportunity to pass up, so they quickly began to fill the sinks with water, hoping to wash off their clothes, and hopefully some of the smell they had accumulated as a result of their unintentional dumpster diving, back when the Teacher chased them through the vent. However, Six had noticed that as time continued, Mono became more and more nervous. She didn't know why. And frankly, she didn't care. She was too absorbed at looking at herself in the mirror. If Six was being honest, she looked awful. Paper thin lips, chapped and cut. Numerous scratches on her face. Bags under her eyes, which were a plain shade of brown, just like Mono's. She groaned at this realization. Why did everything have to be brown? Her hair was nice at least. It was short, and covered her horrendously boring eyes for the most part. And it was a silky black color, like the shadows she so often found herself concealed in.
Mono covered his face in his hands. "Stop that."
"What?"
"You're horrified. I know. But you don't have to stare at them that long."
Six swished around to face him, offended. "Hey, I know I don't look super good or whatever, but you don't exactly look so hot yourself, bag head boy."
Mono flushed under his mask. "N-no! It's not that, but, have you seriously not noticed? It's.. God, I'm sorry Six." He sighed, and covered his eye-holes with his hands again.
Six turned towards the mirror, frowning, and looked at her face more closely. She gasped. Her right cheek was also covered in the scars Mono had. But, when had they even appeared? She recalled the arc of electricity that hit her when Mono was using his powers. Oh. OH. So that's why he was so devastated. That's what he meant by saying she was safer without him. She ghosted her hand over her cheek. They didn't hurt, they just, existed. It didn't change anything for Mono. He stood, shaking, watching as Six traced the lines with her fingers. He closed his eyes. She would hate him. She would hate him forever and it was all his fault.
"I look so fucking cool."
Mono snapped his head up. "Cool? I thought you would hate them."
Six shook her head. "They're weird, but... I still look cool."
Mono laughed dryly. "You know they'll disappear, right? They did for me."
Six grumbled. "That sucks. I look like, ten times cooler than I did before."
"It doesn't suck. I want mine to go away. They're awful."
Six looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. This was a sign to elaborate, he guessed.
"Well, I don't know, it's like they're a curse. They always appear after I use my powers, and they always remind me I'm different. I don't want to be. And, whenever I travel with people, I always end up driving them away. They don't like my powers, so they leave. They always leave." Mono whispered out that last part. Still, he continued. "And-and they're ugly. Red. They hurt too, in the beginning. I hate them. They-" he took a breath. "-They show that I'm hated. They remind me that everyone hates me. The mask makes it better, because I don't have to f-feel them. Or look at them. Or even think of them."
Six stared at him. She hopped over from the sink she was standing on, and crossed over to Mono. Then, she wrapped him in a hug. It was tight, it was uncomfortable, but nevertheless, Mono returned the hug, arms shaking.
"Mono, I don't care. Your powers are scary, but the scars don't do anything. Ok? I won't leave you. I won't leave you." Mono shook harder, and wept into Six's shoulder. She blushed.
"C-come on now, Mono. We still have baths to take. Besides, we probably smell like shit."
Mono released his grip around Six. "P-probably? Six, we do smell. You especially."
"Hey!"
He laughed. Six sighed, but hey, at least her friend was feeling better. She removed her raincoat, and quickly hopped into the sink. It was pleasantly warm, and she began to vigorously wash herself. Mono had averted his eyes, luckily enough for him. She would have gauged them out if he hadn't. As she washed herself, she realized something. The fern-like scars were not localized entirely to her cheek. They started from a small red dot on her hip, and spread down slightly. They then spread up her entire right side, and slightly down her arm, stopping at the bicep. She quietly took them in, and continued to wash. Mono didn't need anything else to stress him out. When she finished, the water was a slightly gross shade of brown. Ew.
"Mono, it's your turn."
"Great. Just, look away, ok?" She nodded.
She heard the ruffle of clothing being cast aside, and her face got hot again. What even was this feeling? She hated it. Mono continued to wash, humming to himself. And, as the melody continued, Six let her thoughts wander. What was he like, under that mask and long clothing? She had seen his face once before, but now, she was curious for another reason. Her scars reached down her body, so what would Mono's look like? She slowly moved her head, ever so slowly, so Mono wouldn't notice. And when she did turn around, what she saw shocked her. She gasped, and Mono whipped around, a terrified expression on his face. His scars were infinitely worse than hers. They stemmed from a point in his back, and they separated into four sections, leaving a small area unmarked. But, every other part of him was scarred. They spread across his back like the wings of a butterfly, and across his arms, which stopped in the middle of his forearms. They continued down to just a little bit beneath his knees, and covered the front and back of his legs too. They covered across his thin stomach, up to his face, which she had already seen. Six chocked back a cry. Mono, however, wasn't so contained. The waterworks started up again.
"Mono, hey, come on, s-stop crying. I'll start crying too, damn it." She bit back tears. There was just so much on him. He, sweet Mono, unassuming Mono, the boy who gave and expected nothing in return, shouldn't deserve what happened to him. A single tear slide down her face. She, the cold, ruthless, heartless, survivor Six, had shed a tear for someone else, for probably the first time in her short life.
Mono shook like a leaf. Ugly, horrendous, horrible, monster. She knew now, she knew. Knew the horrible, angry red lines that were etched into his skin, and she knew of his weakness. He cried harder.
"Mono... hey, Mono. Come on, quit it. Here, l-look. I've, I've got them too." Six whispered hoarsely. She lifted her blue shirt up, just above her stomach. And Mono was crushed by guilt. On her hip, the scars, much more than just the ones on her cheek. Horrible, angry, red lines. Mono clutched his head. "I'm sorry, so sorry, so sorry, I'm so sorry Six..." he rambled.
"Mono, don't... don't be sorry."
"But, I-I made you bad. Made you ugly. You should hate me. Why don't you? You never showed mercy to anything before, so why me? Why me?"
"Because you're my friend, Mono."
Mono glanced up again at this. She wasn't mad. She wasn't afraid. She was smiling?
"Why are you... why are you smiling?"
"Well, you say these scars make you ugly, right? If that's so, let's be ugly together, Mono. I.. this is hard to admit Mono, but your my best friend ever. My only friend. So, you can't drive me away so easy. I-I used to distrust you. But I know now, you wouldn't hurt me. Not willingly. So from now on, we can just forget about them. And if you do hurt me on purpose, I'll kill you. You're not that tough. Besides, I have more scars than just those."
She turned around, lifted her shirt up over her head, and revealed to Mono a back full of pale, white scratches. She smiled ruefully. "I was traveling with a pair of other kids. I liked them. They didn't like me. When I was sleeping, they tried to kill me. They didn't have any weapons, so they used their nails. I escaped them, but, they did a number on me." He regarded them with shock. He could never think of another person treating another like that, with such an intent to harm.
He traced his fingers over the long, vertical lines. Six sucked in a breath, and shivered at Mono's touch. "Let's go, Mono. We can forget about our scars for now. They're not bad. Just... signs we've survived the worst. It's all over now. So, let's just go." Six said quietly.
Mono let out a spidery thin breath. "Yeah, yeah... let's forget about it. Six. Thank you. For trusting me. And for telling me that." he swallowed thickly. "And-and they're called Lichtenberg Figures. The scars. I read about it, in the electrical chair room. Something about abnormal scarring". Six shot him a small smirk. "Pretty name. And no problem, Mono. You wanna ditch this shitty hospital already?"
Mono smiled thinly. "Let's get the fuck out of here."
Taken. That- it- he had taken her. Six. He had taken Six. The Thin Man had appeared from the screen, tall, menacing, unfurling himself like some sort of demented nightmare. He had pursued them, and Mono hid under a bed, Six underneath a table. He had known the Thin Man would see her, but it was too late. She scrambled at him at just the wrong time, desperate, clawing, like a frightened rat. The Thin Man lifted his hand, and stopped her. Then he pulled her towards him, and vanished. He was too late, he should have helped her. Now, Mono stood in the empty room, staring at the glitching remnants of where Six had been just a minute before. He remembered her scream, her fearful eyes, and how he just crouched there, doing nothing. It was all his fault. Mono trembled, and ran his hands over his face. It was hot, almost to the point where it was burning. He traced the burning feeling, and realized with horror, they formed the familiar pattern of the figures. At this point, it was too much for him. Mono clutched his head in his hands, fingers almost tearing through his scalp, and he screamed. His scream was filled with static, and the walls around him bent and contorted. The table, the accursed object that failed to hide Six, melted into an acrid pile of brown liquid. When Mono stopped screaming, he was changed. The figures remained on his body, now covering him head to toe. But his eyes, they had darkened, the previously white sclera now a flickering gray. And he now had two goals. Kill the Thin Man, and rescue Six. The remnants of static flickered around him, and with a final swish of his coat, he set out on a slow walk. He would succeed, or die trying.
Not unsurprisingly, the Thin Man proved hard to kill. He had a better grasp of his powers, and seemed to know exactly where Mono would go. There had been times where Mono had gotten close, but to no avail, as the Thin Man would always push back harder. Eventually, Mono decided he would run. He ran before, and he hated it, but for now, it seemed like his only option. He kept running and running. Until, of course, he could run no longer. The train had taken a lot out of him. The sudden stop had taken his breath away, and the climb up the ladder didn't help either. Mono opened the manhole, and clutched at his side, taking short, quick breaths. And then, the lights flickered. Mono took a few tentative steps forward, and they flickered again, before fizzing out. And there he stood, the Thin Man. His blackened silhouette straightened up, and the buildings around him swayed. Mono collapsed. Six... he just wanted Six here. Six would know what to do. Six would... Six would tell him to run. But, Mono couldn't run. He already knew it was useless.
So, he did the first thing he thought of. He set his paper bag down in the street, and watched it float away for a solitary second. He pulled his face up to meet the form of the Thin Man, and it was then that he knew what to do. His form crumpled in on itself, and back out again, he could feel himself, his scars, burning with the power he was outputting. And then, he held out a palm. And the battle commenced. The Thin Man was strong, constantly pushing against Mono's power, but Mono was determined. He wouldn't fail. He couldn't. He pushed back harder, and harder, watching the Thin Man fall away again and again, his legs stretching to unnatural positions, almost deflating, like an old balloon. Still, he came back, and pushed against Mono with a strength that made the building sway more violently than they ever had. Mono clenched his teeth. He remembered Six, the scars she had shown him. It was a breach in trust that caused her suffering, and he would make sure it would never happen again. Mono unleashed a blood-curdling yell, and let the full extent of his power loose. The Thin Man let forth a scream of his own, static-filled and scratchy. And it was when Mono had finally saw the Man's face. It was rather aged, but otherwise, the face was indistinguishable from Mono's. The eyes full of flickering gray particles, the sharp chin, thin cheeks, and most damningly, the same exact Lichtenberg figures that were an exact replica of his own.
Then, the Thin Man disintegrated into the wind, nothing more remaining of him. Mono stared at his hands. No doubt about it, the Thin Man's scars were the same as his own. So did that mean..? Mono felt tears begin to well up, but he forced them back down. No more crying. He had shed too many already. If.. if he really was the Thin Man, then he didn't want to think about it. But, the buildings, everything he saw, reminded Mono of what he would become. He raised his hands, and in another yell, straightened the buildings around him. Cured them of all the traces of the Thin Man. Mono chocked back bile. How could he ever become something so hateful? He swallowed thickly, and looked up. A door. He had unwittingly teleported forwards. He felt sick again, but he realized, maybe this is where Six is! He felt a surge of strength. He would amend for his mistakes, no matter what.
"I'm coming, Six."
He opened the door, and trudged forwards.
Six was happy. She had a wonderful nap in her room. The light from above was a pleasant magenta, and the air was a perfect mix of cold and hot. Six sighed in contentment. She never wanted this to end, her beautiful sanctuary. She looked around the room. Stunning paintings, more toys than she could ever ask for. Drawings she had made herself, most depicted her, but a couple were of a boy, in a brown coat and paper bag mask. He was often doing many different things, such as confidently holding an axe and defeating a horrible monster, holding hands with Six, and one of Six's personal favorites, hugging Six close to his body, missing his bag and a smile and a blush vibrantly playing across his pale skin. She giggled and leapt at this one, it always made her feel special.
A rumble of thunder sounded outside, and she saw the buildings swaying from a tiny window. She didn't care. She was safe in her wonderful world, all by herself. She gathered some crayons, and began to work on another drawing. She began to draw the paper bag boy. A smile crept across her face as she continued to work, but once she finished, she was... unsatisfied. The drawing was of her and paper bag boy holding hands, but something was just off. His face, she realized. It was his face. But what was missing? She racked her brain, and thought back. She was hugging the boy. He had tears on his face, and he was naked except for a pair of shorts. She blushed at that, how embarrassing! Although, she continued to search, and his body came into higher definition. She was missing his marks. How could she forget his marks? They covered his whole body, his back was patterned like a butterfly's wings because of them, of course! She even remembered the name, Lichtenberg figures, he had told her, once. She laughed, such a pretty name for something that made paper bag boy so sad. She set to work right away, covering his left half of his face with the scars, making them extend just a little bit past the eyebrow, and avoiding his eye. She laughed once more. Such a good picture, and she had drawn the figures so well! She walked over to her music box, her most treasured possession, and began to crank the handle. The simple melody played out, and Six instantly felt calmer. She continued to pull the crank, and sighed. This truly was a paradise. Her paradise.
Mono was utterly confused. This tower, it didn't make any sense at all! Doorways led to other doorways that he had already gone through, and there was the constant presence of that haunting melody. Wherever it was coming from, he knew he had to follow it. He had remembered the music box he had seen in Six's room back in the Hunter's basement, and this was almost the same exact melody. So he continued to follow the music.
"I'll find you, Six," he muttered to himself. And he did, although not in the way he expected.
He opened a door, and the music came through louder than ever. The music box! There it was, in the middle of the floor. He walked over to it, but paused when he heard loud and damp breathing. Then, he gasped and recoiled. It was Six, but... twisted. Long and broken limbs, fingers that slapped upon the floor and dragged her forwards. Her coat covered shaggy hair, and her face could not be seen. She let out breaths, deep breaths that shuddered and gasped. Mono felt tears spring to his eyes. No, I don't want to cry again. This... Monster Six grabbed her music box, and retreated back to her shadowy corner. And when Mono glanced to her hands again, he saw the scars. They went down to her fingers now. But... that would mean Mono had to have used his powers on her? Then, he realized. He had used his powers on her. The Thin Man had done this, he had twisted her, just like every other citizen in this cursed city. He let out a ragged breath. He had not only betrayed Six's trust, but turned her into this monster. In despair, he sat on the ground, and despite what he told himself, began to cry again. He truly was a monster. He didn't deserve love. He was so lost in his self-hatred, he didn't notice Six, who dragged herself to him. She looked down at him, and he stared back.
"What is this... thing? Boy? Looks familiar. Brown outfit. Figures. Red figures, fern-like figures. Marks, Marks? Mark.. Marko... Mono! This is Mono!!"
Six leapt up and clapped her monstrous hands. Mono! This is the boy she had drawn. Would he hug her? Hold her hand? Excited, she held it out, and he looked at her with astonishment.
"You.. you want me to.. hold your hand?" he asked.
She let out a quiet, rumbling laugh, and flexed her scarred fingers. He looked at her, and then closed his hand over one of her fingers. She could probably crush him with those things. He was hit by a wave of emotion. This was nice, but...
"Six, do you- do you remember me?"
Another rumbling laugh. She crawled to a drawing on the floor, and pointed at the figure she had made off of him. And then, she surprised him once again.
"M...MO..N...MONO..."
His name. She had said his name. He let out a sob, and the tears came out once again. He rushed at her, and she caught him in her hands. She made a quiet huffing noise, and moved her arms so he was now crying into her shoulder, in a familiar embrace.
"I love you Six, I'm so sorry, I love you, I love you, I shouldn't have let him caught you, I'm so sorry, I love you..." He mumbled. Six shuffled her feet in an embarrassed manner, and patted his back with one of her larger ones. She put him down after his tears began to dry.
Mono straightened himself, and looked around the room. There had to be something keeping her like this, but what? That's when it struck him. The music box. He had to destroy it. There was a hammer. A hammer in the back of the room. He drew in a deep breath, and placed his hand on Six's massive forehead.
"I'm sorry Six, I have to hurt you one last time, but after, I'll make sure you live happily. Forever and ever."
She sighed, almost understandingly. But when Mono hit the music box, the lights blew out, and Six recoiled.
This is for your own good.
Six woke up to a splitting headache. Memories flashed in her mind like lightning. Scars, crying, pain, a hammer, an axe, and then nothing. She looked around, and saw Mono. Mono. He began to wake up, and for some reason, Six felt like throttling him. My music box, he broke it, he betrayed us, time and time again, you should choke him out now and be done with it. But before she could think any more, he woke up, and the walls started to rumble. Flesh and eyes oozed out of the cracks, and they began to close in. She began to run, and so had Mono. She looked back at him. Same scars on his face, but he looked different. Older, somehow. It could wait, however. The entire signal tower was currently trying to absorb them in itself. Both her and Mono's footsteps thumped against the ground, and the flesh growled and quivered and stared at them, hatred emanating off of every eye. Before they knew it, they came to a bridge, and what seemed to be a TV screen flickered in front of them. That was their way out. Six had made it across, but Mono... she saw him, he was far behind, running, when the path crumbled away. He jumped, and before she could think on it, she caught him. The pair gasped at the sudden exertion. She couldn't hold him for long. Mono stared up at her.
"S-Six... it's you Six, it's really you..." he rasps out. She only stares.
"Si-Six? Hey..."
But she doesn't hear him. What she hears, is her music box, the hammer swinging down. She remembers the time he let her be captured by bullies, when he allowed her to be captured by the Thin Man. The Thin Man, and his scarred face. And now, that she was looking down at Mono, she realized something. Mono, he was him. The Thin Man and the Mono were one and the same. Their scars, their powers, they were exact replicas. And now, she held him in her grasp. Why should she help him, she wondered? He had taken her music box from her, distorted her into a horrible creature, and then took her music box away from her again. All he did was take. She stared blankly down at him. His scarred face. She moved her eyes to her hand. If she let go, it would be the end. No more Thin Man, no more Mono. But, something caught her attention. Scars, on her own hands. These scars, inflicted by the Thin Man when he took he through the TV, and made worse by when she was turned into that massive beast. It was a good time, but... not in an ideal form. And Mono had taken her out of that form. She looked back at him. She remembered the bathroom in the hospital. What she had said to him.
"They're not bad. Just... signs we've survived the worst. It's all over now. So, let's just go."
Signs... signs she had survived the worst. These scars were proof, proof she had survived. And Mono had helped her with that. She shook her head. What... what was she thinking? She couldn't drop Mono. He had broke her trust, but this, leaving him to the great walls of flesh that roiled below, was infinitely worse.
"I'm... I'm sorry Mono," she whispered.
Mono's eyes widened, as he felt her grip loosen. She... no, she wouldn't, would she? But, it would be fair. He hurt her so much, so it was fair. He closed his eyes, and resigned himself to his fate.
And his eyes snapped open again, when he felt her other hand wrap around his own, and yank him upwards.
Gasping, the pair lay on the floor. Mono looked Six over. Her figures had gotten worse, they now spread to fingers, just like in her monster form, and went down to her toes. The right side of her face still had the same minor scarring as it did before, at least. He grabbed her hand, and he whispered to her one thing.
"I'm sorry."
She stared at him, before pulling him into a tight embrace.
"Let's go, Mono."
"Yeah."
And with that, the pair walked away from the crumbling bridge, hand-in-hand, and exited the signal tower.
The signal tower was no longer there when they arrived outside. Instead, there was a massive, gaping hole in the ground, with the occasional piece of debris lying around.
And for a while, Mono and Six sat. They listened to the wind and rain, and for the first time upon setting foot in this city, they felt truly at peace.
"I... I wanted to drop you."
"I know."
"I didn't though."
Mono allowed a small smirk to play across his lips. "Apparently."
They sat again in silence. It was promptly interrupted by the both of them blurting out, "I'm sorry!"
"I shouldn't have let you be captured by Thin Man, I should have done something, I was just so scared-"
"Mono, I should never have thought about dropping you, you've done so much and I-"
They stopped, and collected their breath.
"Do you- do you wanna go first?" Mono asked.
"Not really," Six mumbled out.
They fell silent again. Six broke it.
"Listen. I'm just- I hate apologizing. So, can we just- be friends again?"
Mono laughed loudly. "And here I was thinking you were gonna give some grand apology!"
Six punched him in the arm. Hard.
"Ouch. Okay, no, seriously, we can be friends. Your the only person that matters to me. So, let's make a promise. We never betray each other again. We can separate, by choice or if we're forced, we just have to meet again one day, okay? So, let's stick together, for forever, or as long as possible." Mono outstretched his palm. "Deal?"
Six looked down at the scar covered hands, and then her own. She smiled. "Deal. But..."
"But..?" Mono paled.
"I want to be more than friends."
She pulled him in, and kissed him right on the mouth.
"SI-SIX!"
"I happen to remember you saying you loved me, back in my monster form! So now you have to deal with the consequences of me loving you back! THIS IS PAYBACK FOR MAKING ME LOVE YOU, MONO!!" she cackled.
"You little- GET BACK HERE, SIX!" A flustered and madly blushing Mono cried out.
The two children then ran off, away from the hole of the Signal Tower, away from the Pale City, away from danger. They would face many more dangers one day, and their peace would not last forever as it was now.
But for now, it was enough, to ignore the red marks on their skin, to forget about the atrocities, to simply chase and play through the outskirts of the Pale City.
It wouldn't last forever.
But it was enough.