Summary: "Mono could feel the tension in the air, even if none of them were glaring at each other. When he looked over his shoulder, RK was gone." Sequel to Beneath The Surface. The Lady has been dealt with. Now the three children must get along with their newfound tensions as they leave the Maw once and for all. One-shot.
Corruption In The Depths
The others had remembered to grab Mono's paper bag before they began to move back up through the Maw.
They paused periodically, struggling to haul his semi-conscious form between them. They came across no monsters for a long time. Not even Nomes. It was unusually quiet in the depths of the Maw. Six and RK were on edge, but Mono didn't notice. He didn't really notice anything.
After a couple of hours, they came to a longer period of rest that baffled him. He considered asking, but changed his mind as Six answered his question when she wrapped up the calf of his leg with some worn bandages she had scavenged. He mumbled his thanks, still admittedly ashamed at how their last battle with the Lady had gone. He had nearly killed both Six and RK; he would have never forgiven himself if he had not been able to convince the Thin Man to change targets. He couldn't even blame Six for the chunk she had taken out of him, nor could he blame RK's cold demeanor towards the pair of them.
The girl in the yellow raincoat urged him to get some rest.
Mono slept.
He felt stronger when he awoke. It was easier to stay focused, and fear of slumping unconscious was no longer an issue. Though his injured leg shook, he led Six and RK onwards on their path up towards the upper levels of the Maw. They travelled much faster now that his friends no longer had to drag him along. They were able to take more shortcuts instead of the risky paths that would have normally had monsters on them. Mono could tell they felt a little safer now.
"I'm sorry that we didn't tell you sooner." He told RK as the small group slipped through a small, empty room. "It's just, you seemed hostile at the idea of it, so I decided it would be best not to say anything. I didn't mean for you to find out like that."
"I'm sure you didn't mean for me to know about it at all." The boy retorted. "But, if it's all the same to you, I appreciate that you didn't kill me back there."
"The Thin Man does have some morals, even if he wants Six to die." Mono assured him. Truth to be told, he hadn't been certain of it himself until the bitter monster had reluctantly obeyed him during the peak of the battle; he'd gotten lucky- they all had. "He has no quarrel with you. And hopefully he never will."
"What does he have against Six?"
"Umm…"
"That's none of your business." The girl hissed at the normal boy.
"It's okay." Mono told her, pausing to glance at RK through his paper bag. "The Thin Man exists because Six left me behind in the Signal Tower, in the Pale City. I...got angry, I guess. I was locked in a time loop, chasing after her and myself dozens of times. And it ended the same each time, until it didn't. And then I returned to myself and we left that place. The Thin Man still lurks, but I didn't realize he could be summoned. I guess I'll have to learn to tame it."
"You can't tame monsters." RK stated bluntly.
He shrugged. "Maybe not, but the Thin Man and I connected. He listened to me. I told him to leave you alone and to attack the Lady. He did. He even let me speak. I don't know why or how, but this is different. I'll learn how to control him. Maybe one day he can learn to see how I do, well, how he used to."
The boy eyed him dubiously, shaking his head as he pushed past him to continue their escape from the Maw. "That's naïve. The world doesn't work like that for anyone, not even you."
Six glared at RK's back, her eyes warning that she wanted to pounce on him for daring to talk like that to her friend.
Mono glanced at her as he started after the normal boy, hearing her footsteps following. He sighed in response to the words that he knew were more likely true than not. "Maybe. But only time will tell."
After that, as they travelled, the children were mostly silent. The few words they spoke were of their journey; of where they would go, of where the monsters had gone.
At one point, Six split off with a rumble of her stomach and the boys patiently waited for her to return with a belly full of whatever she had managed to find to devour. They didn't discuss the topic at all. Mono was certain that it would be better off that both him and RK didn't know what she ate; it probably wasn't anything very pleasant.
Mono could feel the tension in the air, even if none of them were glaring at each other. RK's emotions were still running high, and Six was as defensive as ever. And Mono himself was slightly worried that the two would clash in more than just words. He didn't wish to see Six lunge at the normal boy, probably one of the few non-monsters that remained on the planet.
But he feared that it would come down to something akin to that.
He was right.
He hated being right.
RK, in a fit of frustration, hurled his flashlight right at the girl in the raincoat. "We aren't getting anywhere! How about you monsters let me prove to you that-" The boy cut off, grasping at his throat as he struggled to breath.
As his friend began to sink to the floor, Mono noticed the shadows constricting the air around where RK's hands clawed. He frowned, puzzled. It didn't make sense. The Lady was dead. Six killed her.
Six.
Mono's gaze trailed over to the yellow raincoat that hung on the girl's frame, peering beneath the hood at her darkened face. Her eyes were dark pits, not unlike the Lady's.
No. There's no way this is happening.
Was Six stuck in a loop like him, doomed to become the Lady?
He hoped with all his heart that she had merely contracted the Governess's powers.
"Six." He managed to gather his courage enough to limp between her and the convulsing boy on the floor. Static crackled around him with his heightening emotions, distorting his voice ever so slightly. "He's going to die, Six. You need to stop."
His friend showed no sign of relenting.
Mono took a deep breath, allowing the power of the Transmission to flow through him. His hands shot outward, towards Six. He could see the air glitch as it responded to his will, the girl flying backward and hitting a wall. She fell still, in an unconscious heap on the floor.
He stared at his hands in horrified satisfaction for a moment, his voice a regretful murmur. "I'm sorry. I did what I had to do."
He hoped that she would understand and forgive him later.
RK loudly inhaled air as the shadows that surrounded him dispersed. Mono let out a breath of relief that the boy was still alive, and sat down beside him as he waited for his breathing to settle after the attack.
"T-thanks, Mono."
"You need to leave." Mono told him quietly. "I can help you, until she wakes up."
The boy blinked, his words steadier and his tone accusing once more. "Why? Because I'm not a monster like you? Does that make me a liability to you?"
"No. But you're not safe with us. Six and I are dangerous. You've been hurt enough because of us, and you're safer on your own. I don't want anything to happen to you, not at our hands."
"I thought I despised you...Now I don't know what to think."
"I don't want to know what you think of us. However you feel, we've given you reason enough to feel it. I don't blame you for whatever your opinions on us are." Mono replied. "But you need to leave."
RK nodded, allowing his companion's assistance in helping him to his feet.
Mono guided him towards the door in the direction the trio had been travelling in, taking most of the boy's weight. He hoped RK would be able to find a suitable hiding place to recover in, that he would eventually escape the Maw.
He all but dragged the boy up a set of stairs, releasing him at the top. He couldn't stray too far from Six.
"Good luck."
"You too. And, Mono...thank you."
Mono dipped his head to the other boy, turning to head back down the stairs to wait for Six to regain consciousness. When he looked over his shoulder, RK was gone.