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The Maw had stopped at Pale City to stock up on supplies, she would rather they stock up somewhere else, but Pale City was the closest and it would be a disaster if they ran out of supplies while looking for another place to stop at. So she had to make do with it, she’s just hoping that she wouldn’t have to meet him.
She looks around at her surroundings, to the right she could see that the Nomes are transporting the goods onto The Maw, and to the left she could see the vast beach and it’s shoreline that stretches into the horizon. She took a look at her right again and called a Nome.
“I’m going to take a quick stroll on the beach, once you are done transporting everything, come let me know.” She said, the Nome nodded its head and went back to work.
She started walking. It's been a long time since she’s been on land. She was always inside of The Maw, even when The Maw had to temporarily stop to stock up on supplies somewhere, she was always inside of The Maw. So why now? Of all places, why did she have to come out now? Where all those things had happened, where there’s him – She stopped thinking about it and continued walking.
Pale City is a gloomy place, as the name suggests. It’s void of life, and even when there is a bit of life thriving it would be ripped to pieces by the greedy hands of the inhabitants of this land. Such is the cruel world that they are living in. It’s either used or be used, you can’t show any weaknesses or else they’ll take advantage of it. Some would get used to living like this, and some would search for an escape out of this depressing hell hole that they are in.
She looks at her surroundings, she’s pretty far from The Maw far enough to only be able to see it’s silhouette. She takes in her surroundings; the white sand that she’s walking on, the gentle wind that’s blowing her hair, and the sound of the ocean waves. It’s quiet, it’s always been quiet. There’s not much noise in Pale City, not like in The Maw where it’s always bustling with hungry guests and busy workers, no. Pale City is the complete opposite of that, it’s eerily quiet, the only noise that you could hear is probably the static of the TVs that the residents are so obsessed with.
Speaking of TVs she couldn’t help but think of someone. She looks at the city, the buildings are bent and in the center of it is the Signal Tower where he resides. She couldn’t help but wonder what he’s up to. Probably trying to meaninglessly stop the cycle again. She thought.
She knows of the cycle, she had grown an awareness after the sixth cycle. At first she was desperate to stop it, just like he did. She built The Maw to distance herself from Pale City, from the Signal Tower. She trapped all the children that tried to board The Maw and turned them into Nomes, ripped them of their ambitions and identities so they wouldn’t think to disobey. Offer the guests a heavenly experience in exchange for being consumed to satiate her hunger. But all that effort was in vain because time and time again have the cycle repeated, she realized that she couldn’t stop this vicious cycle, and she grew tired of it. So she just let it happen, everyday she wonders when it would be her turn to rest, that is the brief moment when the cycle is repeated – Even if it’s only for a moment, she would relish that moment of naivety. The moment when she hadn’t known about the cycle, or about him.
She continued walking, trying to clear her mind of those thoughts. When a voice called out to her.
“Six..?”
Ah, how long has it been since she last heard someone called her by that name, not The Lady but Six. But she knows there’s only one person that would still call her that, her stomach’s churning just thinking about who might have called out to her.
She turned around, and there he was standing in front of her; Mono or what he is called now, Thin Man. She doesn’t really know what to call him, he called out to her with her real name, but should she also do the same? It’s not like they have made up after she betrayed him, so it would be awkward to just call him ‘Mono’ in a familiar tone like nothing had happened between them.
“Thin Man..” Six replied, she could see Mono frowning his brows, it seems like he didn’t like her response.
“It’s surprising that you came to see me, don’t you have things to do now that your past self has freed you, like for example kidnapping my past self and locking her up to stop the cycle. Or have you already done that?” There was bitterness in her sentence, Mono can sense that, he took a breath before replying to her.
“I didn't, not in this cycle at least.” He replied. It took a moment for six to process what Mono just said.
“Have you finally given up?” Six asked in a gentle voice.
“What cycle is this now? I stopped counting. No matter how many times I've tried, nothing seems to work. You would always betray me, and I would always end up becoming the Thin Man imprisoned in that tower waiting for the cycle to repeat.” Mono replied while looking at the ground.
“It would’ve worked, had you just killed my past self the cycle would stop.” Six said in a melancholic tone.
“What, no?! How- How could I do that!” Mono said in angrily.
Six didn’t look at Mono’s face when he said that, she was looking at the ocean. Then she looks at him, a brief moment of silence before she takes off her mask. Six’s action surprised Mono. What’s under that mask was something that Mono wasn’t expecting. He saw The Maw, And all the wealthy passengers that were on it. So he had thought that Six was living a joyful luxurious life, while he was rotting away waiting in that cursed tower.
But no, he must have mistaken. Because the person that's standing in front of him doesn't look like they have been living a joyful luxurious life like he thought they did. Six's face was thin; unhealthily thin, Her skin was dull and pale, her eyes were sunken, but what's even creepier was that hollow look in her eyes. There was no trace of her past self whatsoever, what happened to her?! Mono thought.
Six knew what Mono was thinking right now. “It’s not what you expected huh?” Six asked, but Mono didn’t reply.
“I stopped counting too, I’ve grown tired so I just let it happen. I wish we hadn’t met, I wish you hadn’t saved me. Maybe I could've died a long time ago and you probably wouldn’t be betrayed nor turned into who you are right now.” Six said, there was a pained look on her face.
Mono looked at Six’s face then sighs and sat down on the sand. He looked up at her like he was inviting her to sit down, and she did. They both looked at the ocean, the sun had long set and it was now nightfall. The ocean was pitch black, with a couple of stars and the moon to help illuminate it.
“Hey…” Six said
“Hm?” Mono replied
“Kill me.” Six said, Mono quickly turned his head to the person that was sitting next to him.
“What?” Mono asked
“Kill me? I’m sure you must have a lot of pent up anger after all those times that I betrayed you, so I'm giving you a chance to kill me.” Six said, looking at Mono.
Mono looks at Six with a confused and annoyed face.
“Ugh no it wasn’t supposed to be like this! I never wanted to kill you, that’s why I kept you in that room and didn’t kill you. It hurts how you betrayed me but you were my friend!”
Six gritted her teeth, “It would’ve been better if you had just killed me! I put up with you, facing against this shitty world together with you, I was grateful how you reached your hands to me when we first met. And I was also grateful for how you helped me when I turned into a monster, but I hate how you would just barge in, give me hope then destroy it. When I was captured by the Hunter, I was contempt with my death. I played the music box as a way to comfort myself because it was the only thing I had control over at that moment. But then you barged in and you gave me hope, so I followed you. But what happened? I was exposed to even more danger. And when I turned into a monster I played that music box again, because it was the only thing I had control over. It’s frustrating how I couldn’t do anything, and It’s frustrating how I always need someone to help me. ‘Why can’t I do this, why can’t I be stronger, why am I so weak!’ Those were the things that were always in my head whenever you saved me. I wasn’t hostile when you came into my room when I was a monster, I even showed you my music box, the one thing that gave me comfort and I showed it to you because I trusted you! I want to show that I also trusted you, but what did you do?! Destroy it! You destroyed it!”
Tears were streaming down Six’s face as she was screaming letting all of her pent up emotions out. When she finished screaming, there wasn’t a relieved expression on her face, it was frustration. Then she hides her face in her knees. Mono was frozen and shocked from what he just heard, when he tried to speak he was interrupted by Six.
“You’re a good person Mono, better than I am and probably better than I will ever be. But it hurts being unable to do anything and being a burden. I’m not making any sense, I know. In your eyes I’m probably just an ungrateful and backstabbing friend. I wish you hadn’t met me Mono, I’m sorry that I couldn’t be a good friend to you, I’m sorry for everything.” Six said, Mono didn’t say anything. Wanting her to just let out her emotions, Six probably knows this, that’s why she sobbed harder.
When she finally stops crying, she lifts her head from her knees. What she first saw was Mono looking at her with a gentle smile, maybe it was because of the moonlight, but Mono looks radiating. Just like the first time she had met him.
“Done crying?” Mono asked in a playful voice sounding almost mocking, Six blushed at the realization of what just happened. She was so swept by her emotions that she didn’t realize that she had just vent about her emotions to Mono. Flustered, she couldn’t make any comprehensive sentence to reply to Mono’s question.
“I didn’t realize that you felt that way, I never really asked about your opinion huh. I was always dragging you into danger without even thinking about how you might feel. And I’ve also locked you up just like how the Hunter did. I’m sorry.” Mono apologized.
The serious atmosphere was broken from the sound of Six’s laughter, Mono just looked at her confused.
“What’s so funny? I was being genuine!” Mono said in a raised voice.
“Haha- no, I know that you were being genuine you always have. It’s just that when you said you locked me up just like the Hunter did, I couldn’t help but think – man.. We turned out into the same shitty adults that tried to rip us apart huh.” Six said
“So what do we do now?” Six asked
“I don’t know, what about you?” Mono asked back
“I’ll probably continue being The Lady of The Maw.” Six said
“Hmm, then, I guess I’ll continue being the Thin Man.” Mono said
“Then are you going to continue doing what you’ve been doing? Y’know, that whole trying to warn your past self about my betrayal and imprisoning my past self?” Six asked
“No.. I’ll take responsibility, I’ll repair the city and try fixing the people. I’ll stop trying to put the burden on my past self to stop the cycle.” Mono said, Six was silent for a moment after he said that.
“Yeah, god I feel stupid now. All of these could’ve been solved had we just talked or taken responsibility. Why do our past selves have to carry the burden of stopping this god forsaken cycle when we could just be the ones to do it! Our past selves are just powerless children- well maybe not for you. But we’re not, we’re strong! Probably stronger than anyone! So Mono, I know that I may be asking much for all the things that you have done for me, but when I’m astray, could I count on you to set me back on the right path, I’ll do the same to you!” Six said, she had determination in her eyes.
“Of course, Six.” Mono said with a warm smile on his face
They were interrupted by a Nome that came to tell Six that they were ready to sail again. There was disappointment on both of the adults' faces.
“I guess this is farewell huh?” Six asked
“You could still come visit if the Maw is ever short on supplies.” Mono replied
He was the first to get back up, then he reached his hands to Six, which she gladly accepted. The wind is stronger at night in Pale City, Six couldn’t help but shiver. Even with all the layers of clothes under her kimono she somehow still feels chilly. She wonders how Mono wasn’t even fazed by this. Mono realizes that Six was getting cold, so he took his coat off and put it over her shoulders.
“Here, the wind gets stronger and colder at night, maybe it’s because I can bend reality but it doesn’t really bother me that much. Even if you had absorbed some of my power, your body’s like a twig, you should take care of yourself more if you want to visit me again.” Mono said
Her body was cold just a minute ago, but now she feels like she’s overheating because of how warm her face is getting. She puts her mask back on and tugged on Mono’s sleeve.
“I want to hold your hand while walking to The Maw!” Six demands, she knows that she’s acting very brazen but if she had to wait months to see Mono again, at least let her enjoy this moment before they would go their separate ways. Without even getting the chance to talk, Mono was dragged by the hand by Six, yet his body didn’t resist, he quietly complied with Six’s demand. Holding hands like this reminds Mono of the past. How he and Six would hold hands when they were in danger, so that they wouldn’t get separated from each other. Except it’s different now, because there is no more danger. They’ll make sure their younger self won't face any danger because they’re stronger now. Even if the cycle repeated, their younger self wouldn’t have to live in a world that is always coming after them. They’ll live in a world where they could just be kids.
The End