The waves were shaky that day when the Ferryman arrived at the MAW. Almost as if the MAW itself was trying to reject him as he drew closer. The Ferryman braved the storm though knowing that it would be worth it. He found the girl despite her unconscious form compared to the other times. And unlike the other times there was a boy that appeared to have the ability to change the world around him. Perhaps this time it would be the boy who would take care of the Lady this time. He would have much to explain when he actually get inside. Rowing the boat inside and setting the mooring the Ferryman checked his pockets. Both children were asleep one content the other tossing and turning.
Poor girl perhaps he was right before, and this girl was too weak to face his mistress. The Ferryman knew the girl was strong though she would survive in the MAW longer than others. He shambled into the Prison picking one of the higher unoccupied areas of the annex. He entered the slightly dusty play area before entering one of the single child rooms. Gingerly he placed the little girl on the bed and let her sleep.
After exiting the small bedroom, the Ferryman went to another bedroom on the other side of the play area. Standing next to the bed the Ferryman picks up the sleeping boy from his pocket and then places him on the bed. He begins gently poking the boy in the back trying to rouse. He was startled a small bit when the boy quickly picked himself and grabbed his finger.
"STOP doing that. I was having a rather nice dream away from the unpleasantries of this world."
"I apologize but I believe it would have been better to talk with you than leave now and likely never you again."
Bleary-eyed Mono looks annoyed "What are you talking about? You said you care for the children, right? Why do you say you will likely never see me again?"
"My occupation here at the MAW is to bring children to satisfy the Guests. After I bring them here, I'm not typically allowed to see them again."
"And what is the purpose of the MAW? Why does this place exist? Is it some prison for children with powers like me?"
"I won't sugarcoat it boy. The MAW is a prison for both children and the Guests. Here the MAW is a food chain. The children or the Nomes are at the bottom, then the leeches and whatever groans from the metalwork, you have Roger the Janitor, and the Twin Chefs next, the Guests, and then finally the mistress of the MAW known only as the Lady."
Mono stands up in anger his palm already outstretched.
"You mean to tell me that you brought me here only to be FOOD FOR A MONSTER!? Tell me right now why I shouldn't kill you here and now."
"Because I need to make my report to the Lady about who I've brought on the ship. Besides, I've seen your power. If I were genuinely under the belief, you'd die here I wouldn't have brought you here. If the Lady doesn't see me, she'll know something is up and…" the Ferryman internally grinned at this lie knowing the truth, "… she would destroy you with the power she has."
Mono rises from his chair his power already flowing out saying the Ferryman tricked him.
"Do the other children know of this? That they're just food."
"They do, but they play with each other using comfort for one another. They rely on one another to keep them calm during the end."
Mono makes a face of disgust, "So they just wait to die? Sorry but I don't plan on laying in waiting for death. As soon as you leave, I'll probably try to get out of here as fast as I can."
The Ferryman puts up an act throwing up his hands, "Very well, the children all have their choice to run when they first get here. Some escape only to die later on. Some get captured and get shackled up for breaking the rules. I certainly wonder how you'll fare. I just ask that you leave the children free from you schemes."
"I don't make any promises old man. After all, you practically condemned me by bringing me here. As long as they stay out of my way, I won't lay a hand on them."
"Why do you hate children so much?" The Ferryman asks as he begins to leave the room standing in the doorway.
"Because children are ungrateful little brats that won't fend for themselves most of the time. The times that I've fought to help them stay alive and I'm the one who gets punished for it."
Mono snickers to himself a small bit.
"It's like a cruel joke that life plays with me. I'm Mono, I'm meant to be alone. It's time I accepted that. Anyone who gets in my way…"
Mono blasts a hole in the wall next to him.
"…will pay the price."
The Ferryman looks down on him, "Well I pity those who will do so, and I pity you for having that belief, Mono."
The Ferryman left the door slightly ajar leaving Mono to his thoughts. The small boy clenches his reminiscing before letting his hand relax. He stared at the bed before moving his gaze to the floor. The room itself was small furnished only with a chair and a few pieces of chalk. He looks along the walls of the previous tenant seeing a few drawings. Those of an eye looking down, of a couple of cone headed people, and a man with very long arms. Leaving those alone for now he turned to leave his room and enter the playroom.
It was clear that this room hadn't been cleaned in a while as he had the urge to sneeze every so often. It was clearly also in need of maintenance as some of the rope swings were broken. There weren't many toys, but Mono had no such need for them. There was one that caught his eye. He saw the handle and then picked it up. The memories flooding back as he saw the cylindrical shape. The screaming, the shrieks, the close misses, the impact of the axe, the clanging of metal, the eyes from above, and then the fall. A frown grew larger as he stared at this music box. He didn't bother to crank it he wanted it out of his way.
Seeing the door that lead out of there Mono charged his powers and then flung the music box toward it. The toy shattering on impact but also breaking the lock holding the door shut. It didn't take much for Mono to push the door open. Looking out he saw that he was on the fourth floor of a five-floor complex. Hearing footsteps below he peered over the edge. He remembered the drawing on the wall of the man. This creature seemed to fit the description. The Ferryman also mentioned a being known as the Janitor.
A man about the fourth of the Thin Man was wandering on the platforms of the annex. Mono sees that the thing has a bandage around his eyes. Although on looking closer he saw in reality it was its own skin peeled down. Or was it a mask? It didn't matter to Mono it was just another obstacle in the way. It seemed to know where everything was as it opened a door without any problems.
Seeing the movement of light Mono looked down to see a massive eye on the wall on the bottom floor. It just appeared to be emitting a light moving or scanning for something. Possibly a means to keep people from escaping. Mono heard something squish from behind him. He quickly whipped around to see a leech advancing toward. Using his powers, he grabbed it in the air and held it suspended over the air. Letting he go he watched fall and collapse on the floor. It appeared to screech for only a few seconds before the screech was cut off. Perhaps the light had petrification properties.
Mono turned back to his cell picking up a piece of chalk. He was going to get out of here but before doing so he would make sure he understood everything that, while unlikely, could be threat to him. His only accompaniment was an occasional sound that came from the vents. It was going to be a long night.
The Next Day
Six wakes up from the nightmares she has. They end with a woman turning around and staring her down before a static grip wrapped around and crushed her. She clutches her stomach hearing the small grumbles coming from her. The small piece of bread she found yesterday was not enough to sate her hunger. She looks around her to see that she's no longer in the city and is instead in a room on a bed. A small part of her glad she's away from there but her mind also filled with caution of a new environment.
Her heart sank with the possibility that she got separated from Mono. Despite what he said she couldn't shake him from her mind. As she thought of him her hunger grew a small bit becoming more demanding for food. Six was starting to wonder if it was guilt that was triggering her hunger.
"No, it's because of our separation that you're so hungry."
Six turns to see the static shadow of her just sitting in the chair watching her.
"W-who or w-what are y-you?"
The shadow looks at herself before answering that.
"I'm your soul. I was separated from you when the Thin Man first caught you. I am the culmination of your feelings, your fears, your desires, your love, and your hate. Our separation is the cause of that hunger."
"If that's the case then why do I still feel emotions if you've left me. How do we get rid of the hunger?"
"You feel emotions because I choose to linger around you. I could have left a long time ago, but you and I still have a life to live. As for how to get rid of the hunger we need Mono. Mono is the only one with the power to fix this."
"He won't do it he hates me for what I've done. Even if that's the case for all I know he's still back in the city."
"Mono is still near I can feel his presence. Do what you can to fix the gap. If he doesn't reach out his hand. Reach out yours even more. We need to be complete."
A buzzer sounds out notifying the children in the Prison that it's mealtime. Six turns to talk to her shadow again only to find it's disappeared into darkness again. Taking a few breaths, she leaves the room seeing the empty playroom. She wanders over to the door having to tread carefully over the broken scrap. She looks over the edge to see a trail of kids go single file in one direction. Six quickly hurries to join them hoping to find anything to fill the void in her stomach.
Mono opens his eyes allowing the light to adjust his eyes. He gets up from the bed after having a few stretches. A couple of significant pops later Mono admires his handiwork. Using the drawings that were already in place Mono went through a couple of ideas he had for some of his obstacles. He could decapitate the Janitor maybe by crushing his head with something large. He could see if the Janitor had resonance with the signal and tell him to jump off a ledge. Slicing the arms off was another idea. Implosion was a good thought seeing how well it work with the Citizen back in the city. Only problem with that one is that he would need to get close and that would only work if the Janitor were distracted or weakened.
The leeches were also something for concern, but Mono figured that if he were ascending to escape, he wouldn't run into much more of those. If he ran into one of them though maybe he could find bait or use one of the kids as bait while he ran away.
Last of his problems were the eyes. If need be, he could try bending the world to his will again and turning off the eye but that could grab unwanted attention.
He hears the buzzer as well and turns to leave after hearing the door of the playroom close. He goes to leave the door when one of the drawings catches his eye. A small drawing of two people holding hands. He scoffs and then goes to wipe it off the wall with his sleeve. He pities whatever hopeless child thinks that friends could ever exist in this world. Leaving the room, he sees the line of children going to the cafeteria finishing up. He quickly goes down there before all the food is eaten.
Entering the cafeteria, he has to wince as the endless chatter of so many fill his ears. It's just like he's back in the school with Bullies going crazy in the dining hall. Seeing a table of food, he sees that only has a few options of bread and meat.
Grabbing a piece of fish and bread he goes to try and find an empty table. The best he can find is an empty seat on the end of a table however it's surrounded by children. Not wanting to eat surrounded by children Mono goes to eat alongside a wall that is lined with bars. He takes little nibbles of the bread as he looks out the bars. Trying to gather as much information as possible, all escape routes, everything. He's taken out of his thoughts when something taps him on the shoulder.
Mono quickly grabs the thing that's touching him before staring sternly at a child scared at his reaction.
"Don't Touch Me. Leave Me Alone!"
Mono lets go before scarfing down the meat now wanting to get out of here now that he's bothered. The child that was trying to get his attention still standing there.
"There was no need for the rude greeting I was just going to ask you something."
"Questions are foolish unless they serve me a purpose. What do you want?"
The kid blinked at that, "I was just wondering what you are doing?"
Mono sighed in annoyance, "I'm looking for a way out of here. I found out I've been brought here to die yesterday. I'm not one to lie down and die, so I'm going to get out of here."
"How do you plan on getting out of here?"
Mono just glares at the kid for asking these meaningless questions.
"I plan to leave by going up. Closer and closer to the surface."
"But that'll lead you in the hands of the Janitor. You'll just get caught."
"Maybe if I was normal, kid. But I'm so much more than normal and that'll see me out of here."
The kid once again goes to grab Mono trying to shake him out of these ideas. Only for their hand to be violently grabbed with another palm at their chest.
"Back Off. I am not afraid of anything or anyone. I told you to leave me alone and I meant it."
"Look I'm sorry I just thought that. Because you're new to the Prison you might want to have a friend or-"
The kid was caught surprised as they suddenly flew backwards crashing into a table. All the kids in the Prison wide eyed looked back to the corner where the kid came from to see Mono with his palm outstretched. Looking out over the sea of children he looked with contempt. None of them willing to defend the kid that just fell. Looking back to where the kid made impact he began to walk. Contempt growing as none of them moved. The kid slowly got up face pale white as Mono got closer. Mono holding out his hand as the kid was summoned to him.
"DON'T EVER MENTION THAT WORD TO ME EVER AGAIN! I'm not nor will ever be anyone's friend. The last time I was someone's friend it didn't end well for me. Oh, if you ever met them, I highly recommend that y-"
Mono paused in his statement as he looked past the kid seeing the yellow raincoat again. Red eyes staring out into silver ones as Mono drops the kid. Mono looks down at the kid again.
"Pray to whatever you believe you don't meet me again. I've lost my interest as well as my appetite." And Mono goes out the door back into the annex silently questioning life if this is some cruel joke.
Six hears the whisper of the Shadow in her head telling her to follow. She finishes up her food and then follows him out the door. Hearing the footsteps going up the stairs Six follows. Trying to think of what the best thing to say to him was. Ever climbing she reaches the door to the playroom. She doesn't make it two steps in the room before hands grab her and pin her against the wall. She winces from the pain to see two silver eyes glaring into where her soul would be.
"Why did you follow me? I believe I made it very clear the last time I don't want to be anywhere near you."
"I… I wanted to apologize for what I did back in the Tower. I shouldn't have dropped you and I want to make things right between us."
"And what good does that do for me Six? Close companionship? A bond that'll never be broken? Did you expect us to become lovers after apologizing or some other stupid crap?"
She looks down at the floor when Mono makes fun of her for that.
"When will you get it through your head that I don't want anything to do with you? You're trouble not worth fighting for."
"I hadn't forgotten Mono, but that won't make me stop until I've made it up to you."
Mono looks like he's about to smack Six upside the head before pausing. A contemplative look crosses his face before he looks up in realization. Looking back at Six he smiles.
"Actually, there might be a few things you could."
Mono gestures back to his room beckoning for Six. Six enters only to see the walls are covered in scribbles like an insane asylum. Many drawings of figures being killed in all sorts of ways and eyes staring down the entire room.
"So, I've already been making a plan to escape the MAW after learning what this place does. It didn't take much to motivate me, but the moronic children were the final nail in the coffin. The problem is there's a few things I'm unsure of could do with some field research. I could use you for some fieldwork."
Six paused when he phrased that. "You mean use my help, right?"
"Yeah, that's what I said," Mono waved away her question looking at many of his scribbles. Trying to find good subjects.
"Let's see, there's a couple of things I could have you do. Have you seen the eye down at the bottom of the floor?"
Six shakes her head no.
"Well, it appears to only be on during the night which would also be the best time to get out of here. Problem is that they aren't just used as surveillance they're also used to stop people with some kind of energy. Now, I used a leech that was trying to eat me to test what would happen only to find that the light petrifies. Problem about that is the leech was immobilized so I don't know how much time it takes for a person to succumb. If you could test that for me that would be great."
Seeing Six's look he continued, "Alternatively on the subject of leeches I need to know where exactly where they live so that I know where to avoid. They have a way of making it into the Prison and I can't have that. I feel like if one lands on me, I'll die for sure. I believe they come from the lower levels. If you could find their points of access that could work."
Mono clicked his tongue before continuing. "Lastly, the kids have guard seemingly called the Janitor. He's big, terrifying, and kind of reminds me of you in some ways. One big thing about him is his eyes are covered all the time. He can't see he feels around for anything. If I had to guess he listens for any changes in the surroundings to catch kids. The thing is I don't know his range of hearing. If you can get close to him and see what he'll react to from different distances that'll help me know his range."
Mono turns around to see Six with an uneasy look on her face. "Any one of those will help make up for what you've done to me."
"Uh Mono, are you sure there isn't any other way for me to make it up to you? All of those seem like I could die very easily if I'm not careful."
"I know that's exactly why I wants you to do it. You're not much use to me other than a meat shield. If you come with me, you're more likely to get in the way. I don't have time to both escape and babysit a little brat who only ever thinks for herself. You're a parasite, a leech, and I don't have any use for either."
Six gets angry at Mono, "I thought we were friends Mono. I didn't want to make up like this so you could make me a puppet for your USE!"
Mono immediately uses his power to fling her against the wall and hold her there.
"You mean just like you USED me. I did everything for you just to make sure you were alive Six. I thought you were my friend, but you just left me to die. After everything I did for you."
Mono starts walking up to Six.
"The Hunter's cabin, I freed you and helped you escape."
He raises a palm right in front of her face charging static. Mono didn't notice as the static began flowing through his arm.
"The Bullies strung you up, but I fought my way through them and found you."
Mono looks her dead in the eye. The static spreading through his entire body as his anger built up.
"And, finally, when we could finally be free from the Tower...
…YOU dropped me."
Mono stops his powers allowing her to fall to the floor. Six looked up for a second seeing Mono's power shining him like a beacon. The harsh light of truth causing her to turn away.
Six looked downtrodden at her mistake. She shied away as sadness crossed her face.
"Why did you drop me?"
"You looked so much like him, like that thing, I was afraid for a second. I let go because I was afraid. Afraid that I was going to be dragged right back into all again."
Mono stood there shocked thinking about it. The similarities of them both the Thin Man and Mono. Similar appearances and powers the only conclusion he could come to was...
"So, I killed my father trying to save you. Or possibly my grandfather. I killed the only person who could have brought me comfort in this world to save YOU. I killed my only family because of YOU. YOU, a girl who couldn't get over a stupid music box. That man was trying to save me from YOU. Before the drop I thought we could've been friends. But now, Because of YOU..."
"YOU..."
"YOU...!"
Six looks up to see the scariest thing in her life as it reared his fist back. Static furiously whipping around his whole arm. Energy flying off his arm like feathers off a fallen angel. The air crackled around him like lightning. Six knew that then and there.
What she was looking at now was more terrifying than any monster she had or could have met.
"I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" he screamed out. His voice crackling out in static and screeching signal.
A heavy pain collided with Six's face that didn't last long as all turned to black.
Mono walked away from his bedroom toward an open vent shaft. He looked down at his hand and wiped the blood off of his knuckles.