The children lay limp in his hands as he wandered through the dark corners of the MAW. The continuous sound of water dripped through the halls as he wandered. It wasn't easy walking around with his hands full without blindly running into random pipes. He was thankful for the gift the Geisha had granted him although he wasn't thankful for the way he received it. He still remembered when his sides exploded, and it felt like his nails were pushed out. Pushing those grievous memories aside he continued forward feeling a shift in the floor indicating he just entered the elevator. If he remembered correctly there was a cage in here near one of the corners. Using his enclosed hands, he pressed against the wall feeling around. He shoved two of the children inside but faltered on the last one.
There was a feeling of nostalgia holding the last one. Pressing his thumb against the child's chest Roger could feel the small heartbeat. That wasn't the cause it was something else faintly radiating off the kid. A familiar feeling of static like from the TV he used to own before the thing exploded on him. He decided to keep this one close as he closed the door shut on the other two and then pressed the button to descend.
Roger sighed to himself. Before hunting the rats and finding the runaways instead he had just finished smashing up the clocks in his collection. He never understood the Geisha's reasoning behind it. Perhaps she had taken a turn for the worse and wanted all her servants to suffer as well. If he remembered correctly his mistress was still in the clock room when he left. Luckily, there was a means to communicate from his prep room. He could inform her of his captures and then get back to work of preparing the chefs' ingredients. The elevator door opened up and he could hear the small skittering of the little ones. Not children and not important right now Roger chose to ignore them dragging the cage along the floor. The anesthetic in their small bodies making sure they didn't stir from the noise.
Roger entered his standard work room having dragged the cage with relative ease. He pulls the cage off to the side before picking up and dialing a phone on the wall. It rang a few times before it clicked on. Roger had to flinch as the sound of glass shattering sounded off from the phone.
"What do you want Roger? I'm a little busy destroying what I ordered you to a while ago."
"I-i-I j-just w-wanted t-to inform you I found three children. Two of them seem to be normal while one of them I found I've taken a liking to."
The phone is silent for a few seconds. "Roger, why is it this child in particular that you've taken a liking to?"
"W-well t-this one reminds me of the TV."
"ROGER! You've made me the happiest woman. Lock up them all up and isolate them. After that go ahead and start the deliveries again. The Executioners have been getting antsy about not being able to kill."
The line shut off with a clack causing the Rakshasa to flinch. Just like he thought, ruthless as ever. The Rakshasa walked over to the cages finding two others that were empty. He gingerly placed the children inside the cages leaving one in the prep room to be wrapped and sent off as soon as he was done. He then placed the second on top of another hopefully dissuading this one from trying to escape. The last one the Geisha seemed interested in he placed up on a hook suspended over the floor. He then started wandering to his work room. He searched for the open cage he just placed the kid in. Only to find that all the cages were empty. The Rakshasa snarled a small bit before beginning to feel out the room. Not noticing that Kai was hiding in a cage parallel to his worktable very afraid of being found out.
Six blearily opened her eyes to find that she was locked up in a very similar fashion to when she was caught before. Before doing anything, she listened out for the Janitor's snarls to see if he was close. Then upon hearing nothing she set out to push against the cage wall. Over and over again until the cage tilted over, and she braced for impact. The top of the cage fell off with a clang and Six quickly scrambled out. Just to freeze as the sound of a surprised grunt come from the other room. Six quickly picked up one of the other bars from her cage. Just as the Rakshasa entered the room Six chucked it at the door leading to the Prison. It knocked on the door with a clang and the Rakshasa using his arms propelled himself at the sound. His claws now gleaming red as he furiously attacked the spot where the sound came from. Six quietly picked up another piece of metal. The Rakshasa feeling the wall around him was part of a door. He opened it up listening for any footsteps or sounds. Six chucked the other piece of metal through the Rakshasa's legs this time hitting the floor with a thud. The Rakshasa now annoyed that it missed its target ran through the door back into the prison.
Six quickly pulled an empty cage to the door as a means to barricade it. With that accomplished and some more time to explore she quickly looked around to see if she could find the others.
"Hey!"
Six turned around to see Kai walking up to her.
"Kai! It's good to see that you're okay. Did you happen to see where they took Mono?"
"It's good to see you're alright as well. As for Mono… I have no clue. I only recently woke up and hid from the Rakshasa. Speaking of which did you see that thing?! It had six arms that's not normal."
"Can you two keep it down? I've a massive headache."
Both Six and Kai looked up to see that Mono was held up in a cage.
"Mono! Are you okay?" Six asked worriedly.
"Aside from the headache and a desire to be freed. What even was that thing anyway?"
Kai answered, "The Rakshasa, I've only seen glimpses of it but never the whole thing. It collects children to be delivered somewhere. I don't know where or for what though."
Six interrupts, "We can worry about that later. Right now, Mono you're taking priority."
Six looked around for any means to get her boyfriend down. Seeing the cages, she started climbing up them. She attempted to reach up and grab the cage only to miss it by a good amount. She was very tempted to pull off the necklace just so she could be with him again. Instead, she turned to Kai beckoning him up.
"Can you give me a boost?"
Kai clambered up the cage Six having to stand on the other side of the cage to keep it from collapsing to the floor. When he finally did, he kneeled before her with his hands on his knee. Six took the hoist up and grabbed on to Mono.
"Alright Mono we're going to need to move together to do this. I need you to walk back and forth to each side of the cage. At the same time, I'm going to swing."
Mono agreed and in tandem they began to swing the cage from side to side. Kai seeing they weren't quite making it fall off the hook. Timing it, Kai grabbed onto Six's legs to help add some weight to the swing. A couple more swings and Mono's cage became free. Smiles were shared at their success until Mono's cage began to fall with a very loud crash. Kai and Six had let go quickly landing on the floor. Six looked at the door that was barricaded and could hear footsteps approaching. Mono still dazed from the impact clutched his head as ringing was all he could hear. Six quickly and quietly grabbed Mono dragging him along with Kai helping bring him along.
They entered the prep room and were about to stuff Mono in the cage to hide him from the Rakshasa when a very cold feeling entered the room. Six's face drained of color feeling this sensation meanwhile Kai just started shaking a small bit from this unknown fear. Six looked around the room for a better place to hide seeing a pile of cloth. Six gestured her head in the direction of the cloth and Kai started pulling Mono into the pile of cloth. Six quickly pulled over the sheet before giving Mono and Kai a finger over her lips. Meanwhile Mono couldn't help but shake the feeling of déjà vu. Six peeked through the small hole in cloth as the Geisha entered the room.
She saw the Geisha's mask's lower half was shattered and the Geisha's mouth was bleeding. Her shadow appeared to be moving or shimmering.
"ROGER!"
The door in the cage room finally pushed open and the Rakshasa quickly ran through only to be grabbed by the Geisha's shadows. They wrapped around him pulling him to her.
"WHERE IS THE BOY?!"
"I-I had him suspended up above all the other children. I had to go inspect when I realized one of the children I found had escaped."
The Geisha tossed the Rakshasa over to the side and then floated into the other room. Rage building inside her as there was no one to be seen other than two broken cages on the floor.
"ROGER! YOU FOOL! THEY ESCAPED!"
"M-my L-lady, they couldn't have gone f-far."
The Rakshasa couldn't say any more as the Geisha exploded in darkness. Blades of darkness stabbed everywhere shattering metal and breaking tiles on the floor. Small shadows flew out of the Geisha's larger shadow and flew around the room. The Rakshasa had to block as shrapnel flew towards him.
"WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY YOU AND I WILL BE SEARCHING EVERY CORNER IN THE ROOM OF THIS PLACE!"
The Geisha sped out of the room with Roger following quickly behind his arms outstretched sweeping every section of the hallway.
The three teens slipped out of the cloth getting as much air as they could after holding their breath for so long.
Kai spoke first "What *pant* who was that? They had very similar powers to yours."
Six stayed silent, "In a way, we are related. But make no mistake Kai, neither of us have any love for the other."
Six puts her arm around Mono with him pulling her close as well, "This guy right here though. Mono has all my love."
And Mono adds on, "And she has all mine."
Kai just looks very confused, "Oooookay, anyway we should continue on. I don't want to be found by them again."
Kai turns on the flashlight going into a very dark room. Mono and Six follow hand in hand with Six recognizing the room. The door was loud but if the Rakshasa had already left with the Geisha before so there shouldn't be much cause for concern. Kai looked around the room with the flashlight seeing the hatch on the floor then followed the pulley system to the crank. Mono approached the crank with hand outstretched. Only for a thread to land on his arm and then quickly pull him away from it. Six attempted to grab Mono as he was pulled away while was trying to get a light on whatever was pulling Mono away.
When the light touched Mono something in the darkness shrieked and Mono was dropped onto the floor. Mono quickly picking himself from the floor ran behind Kai. Six's eyes occupied the spot where the shriek came from slowly taking the lighter out of her pocket. Flicking the wheel a few times as another shriek sounded out. The wheel continued to spark as something flew out towards. The flame finally ignited just as the creature came too close now surrounded in the light. Everyone could see now what it looked like. It looked like a shadowy piece of cloth with a child's head with button eyes on top. Although they couldn't see it for long as it quickly disintegrated in the light.
Kai quickly started the light in all directions of the room making sure that the room was empty. Mono behind Kai quickly turned on his lighter keeping their backs safe from any threats. Six dashed for the crank and began to turn it pulling the door open. Shrieks sounded in the air as Kai decimated Shade after Shade their bodies disintegrating in the air. Six cranked the door open and all of them jumped inside. Kai held the light up to the open door ensuring none could follow them. Mono with his lighter lead the way forward through the ventilation.
Mono and Six were not looking forward to what was coming next. Six had already informed Mono of the shoe room and the monster that dwelled within it. Six had never seen what it actually looks like even as the Lady of the MAW. Mono was just reminded of their very recent time with the Granny being pulled into the depths. The thought just shook him to his core. So, when they finally left the ventilation and landed on the floor below. They were very surprised to see the shoe room was not filled with shoes.
It was filled with flesh, only this flesh didn't have eyes like the Tower did. Hundreds of gaping mouths opening and closing. The three of them shared uneasy looks. A clatter sounded from above and a small limp body fell from the pipes above. The body didn't last long as its bones were chomped and grinded before being swallowed. Both Mono and Six looking at each other deciding that this will be the first thing to go when they take over. Kai just added it as another reason to leave this place behind.
The three of them treaded lightly making sure to avoid any open mouths narrowly evading the shifting flesh below. With each other's help they leave the room behind not really wanting to comment on the room before.
Six enters a familiar room where she remembers being kidnapped for the first time. She also remembers this is the same room where the Janitor began chasing her.
"Guys, I'm pretty sure we're not alone down here. Be prepared to run." She whispered.
"How do you know?" Kai asks.
"Just trust her intuition, Kai. She's never been wrong."
The three of them began to sneak along the floor doing their best to avoid making any sound. Then Kai stepped on a loose piece of the flooring causing the metal to squeal under his foot. The three of them began to run as the Rakshasa pounced from the ceiling with his arms flailing. Scratching every single bit of the floor to ensure whatever made the sound would die. It stopped when it heard the sound of footsteps leaving and it quickly gave chase. Not allowing anything to get in its way as it tore down pipes and chucked them to the side. Mono was pushing Kai and Six forward as the hands drew closer and closer. The Rakshasa could sense the static from the child realizing this was the one his Geisha was after. Attempting grab the child he missed as Mono took a dive before getting back up to his feet. Kai and Six entered the elevator trying to find any means to distract the Rakshasa from getting Mono when fate intervened. A small Nome began running out towards the Rakshasa making noise as it ran right past it. The Rakshasa felt two presence with one of them also feeling like static. He began to follow the one that was running away thinking that the other one was already asleep. Mono quickly started backing up into the elevator and then pulled out the ball he grabbed from the playroom earlier and hit the button. The door closed and they ascended.
"That was WAY too close. I really owe the Nome the next time I see it." Mono taking a seat on the floor for a second.
Kai was a little curious. "That was a little weird. Most times Nomes just tend to avoid people. I wonder why it helped you out."
"Must have been that Nome from earlier before we entered the Prison. Perhaps a way of saying thanks for the light."
The elevator opened up allowing them to continue on. The elevator descended behind them as they walked in the more furnished rooms of the Rakshasa's hobbies. A room filled with broken dolls lay strewn about on the floor. What Mono found odd was that some of the broken dolls actually looked very close to the Porcelain Bullies back in the Pale City. Kai had a small semblance of sadness seeing the mannequins shattered on the floor. Meanwhile Six looked down at the broken dolls and had a feeling of nostalgia for the Toymaker. Such a nice old man, Six hoped he was doing well, wherever he was. Mono went to examine one of the dolls when he thought he saw something shimmer. He picked the dolls head up only to drop it immediately seeing the Void's eye staring back at him. A voice filled all three of their heads sending them into a panic.
"ꀤ ꌗꍟꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ!"
Suddenly all the dolls in the room were glowing with eyes as they all stared at the trio. Mono was the first to start climbing the chest of drawers seeing the only way out through there. Kai and Six were quick to follow as a woman's scream could be heard. Footsteps quickly approached as well when the Rakshasa entered the room. The three of them clambered their way into the vents again quickly running away as they heard the Geisha.
"WHERE ARE YOU MONOOOO?!"
Mono's heart is trembling knowing the Geisha is specifically after him. A fleeting thought is in his head thinking that if need be he would-
He's quickly distracted from his train of thought as he feels a hand grasp his own. He looks down to see Six's eyes looking at him in comfort.
Right, he's not alone, he shouldn't be scared. He, Six, and Kai will take care of her before anything happens to them.
Leaving the ventilation they enter a room that is furnished with all manner of clocks both grandfather and cuckoo. Kai walks forward very interested in the number right when he steps on something sharp.
"GAH!"
Looking down they all see a sea of glass below them and looking ahead they see clocks knocked over and upturned. Not wasting time Mono tears off two pieces of his cloak.
"What are you doing?" Kai asks.
"Your foot is bleeding, and we don't have time to clamber around on clocks avoiding noise. I'm going to wrap your feet up, so you have some protection against the glass."
It was a little unsteady at first but Kai got the hang of it. Seeing that Mono tugged on Kai's hand and ushered him through the glass. All three of them ran just as the clocks went off the sound covering their advance. The chimes however did not block out the angry shriek of the Geisha as she came barreling back in. She did not miss the retreating forms of three small children running away into a small crack in the door.
The three of them entered a large room with bookshelves inside. Mono looked up to see a piano suspended in the air. Six began climbing the bookshelves with the two of them following feeling the cold spirit of the Geisha quickly approaching. The door flies off its hinges as the Geisha enters the room. Not seeing the children but remembering as she made her way through the MAW herself she looked up to the piano. Extending her arms she let out a squad of shades to confirm her suspicions. She let out a sinister smile seeing the wave of a light disintegrating them. She once again let out her arms allowing an army to burst from her palms. Shades continuously bombarded the top of the piano as the trio leapt forward. Seeing Mono jump the Geisha let out one of her shadow snakes in an attempt to snatch him from the air. Narrowly missing him as he made it to the other side.
Lighters in one hand and flashlights in another's Mono and Kai kept the shades at bay while Six explained what needed to happen.
"So we're going to need to raise that piano up again in order to continue. The problem is with our luck the crank is most likely in the far back of this room and the Rakshasa is most likely in here as well. Does anyone have any ideas?"
Mono spoke up, "I have that music box from before I can crank out the tune distracting the Rakshasa while you two grab the crank we need to continue moving."
Kai speaks up, "I think that would as it seems to hate you most of all."
Mono just glared a Kai for a bit before sitting down and pulling out the music box. It started playing its tune and the Rakshasa began to reach out for the sound. Mono continually moving out of the way as it reached. It didn't take long for Kai and Six to reach the other side of the room. Six sees the TV shattered here as well.
Mono still cranking the music box wasn't prepared as the Rakshasa flung his arms forward and ripped the plank of wood holding Mono up down. The music box fell and shattered onto the floor. Kai and Six heard the wood splinter and the music box stop. Six quickly hands Kai the crank before kneeling down and pulling something out of her pocket.
"What are you doing?" Kai whispers.
"Something I don't want to do but we need a distraction." Six pulls out her music box and then begins to frantically crank up. This is a harsh farewell to an old friend for her as well. This wasn't just a music box to her. This was one that she shared memories with Mono with. Times of them growing up and having adventures together. She didn't want to lose but she didn't have much choice. Letting the crank she let it play her tune. They waited as the Rakshasa entered the room with them and picked the music box up. It seemed that the tune entranced anyone who heard it for the first time. Quickly running out in between all the shelves Six and Kai carried the hand crank out with Mono coming out of one shelf. They quickly plugged in the crank and wound it up. Kai bravely holding the flashlight out keeping the Shades at bay again. The piano rose up and all three of them leapt onto it.
Just for the piano to shudder with the Geisha using her powers to latch onto the piano dragging it down. Mono stared down at her for a second before turning to the other two.
"Go ahead and jump I've got a plan."
Six looked back at him, "Just don't anything too reckless."
They nodded running to the other side waiting for him. Mono climbed up the rope that was holding the piano up. Brandishing his claw, he looked down at the Geisha and shouted out.
"FACE THE MUSIC BITCH!"
With a swipe of his claw the rope snapped, and the piano fell. The Geisha's eyes widened before she leapt out of the way of the falling instrument. It fell with a massive slam on the ground and dust rose from the floor. When the Geisha finally managed to see up there again only to find the area up above was devoid of anyone she snarled. She ran through a door leading out the library further into the depths of the MAW.
Mono is seen catching up to the other two as they looked at him in awe.
Kai spoke first, "Okay, that, that was awesome."
Mono said, "That should buy us some time from one of our problems. As for the Rakshasa that might be a little bit different."
Mono turns to ask how Six feels about the situation when he sees her crying a small bit. Pulling her into a hug he asks.
"What's wrong, Six?"
She looks up to him, "I had to use the music box to distract the Rakshasa to escape. That music box meant so much to us and I just chucked it away."
"Hey hey hey Six, don't be sad about that. We still have our memories of those days and if need be."
Mono pulls Six close in a faux dance, "I can always hum it for you whenever you want."
"Can you two stop with the love stuff considering we just evaded danger?"
Kai begins walking ahead leaving the two in the dust behind them. Mono and Six holding that embrace for a few more seconds before following Kai hand in hand. They walked through ventilation with pipes poking from the ceiling. Six took the lead this time knowing what to expect seeing the two slits in the metal work. She put a finger to her lips and then beckoned them forward. The three of them snuck by the open holes.
Only for six hands to grab both open sides and tear open the metal. The Rakshasa quite furious threw his hands forward digging his claws into the opposing wall. Kai, Six, and Mono ducking down as the hands reached over them. Six began crawling forward with the other two follow as the Rakshasa continued their assault above them. Growing tired and feeling that there was no one there the Rakshasa grew impatient and crawled into the vent. The trio of teens then broke into a full sprint now being chased by the six-armed demon. Six then spied a familiar sight of an old cage underneath a closing door.
"GUYS I HAVE AN IDEA!" Six yelled as she ran inside. Mono and Kai following her under the door only to find her hands already wrapped around the bars of the cage.
"PULL!" she shouted just as four of the Rakshasa's arms poked inside. With all three of their might the cage shuddered for a second before collapsing. Kai let go immediately now realizing what the plan actually was now. Bile rising to his stomach he quickly took one of the corners and heaved up against it.
They just chopped the monster's arms off. He could still hear the screams of the Rakshasa behind the closed door. What kind of people were they? Kai even questioning himself after doing that act of violence. Kai turned around to ask the two what they were thinking when he looked down at the arms.
They were still moving. As if they were still alive and acting of their own accord. Kai watched as the claws turned from purple to vicious red. The arms reared back like snakes and then lashed forward their intended target to be Mono. Kai quickly ran forward pushing him out of the way as the arms stabbed into the wall.
Kai screamed out, "RUN!" and they all clambered into the ventilation again. Kai taking the lead with Six and Mono following close behind.
The arms now filled with vigor give chase by clambering into the vent. Each of them pushing one another aside as they jam themselves into the vent intent on getting their prey. The teen trio ran through the vents entering a pitch-black chamber with empty hooks moving forward. Kai looks back at the vent seeing the claws poking out and then jumps holding onto one of the hooks.
Six jumps onto one of the hooks as well her hand outstretched as Mono is quickly running out of room.
"YOU CAN JUMP MONO! DON'T WORRY IVE GOT YOU!" Six assures Mono with a worried look on her face.
Mono takes a deep breath before leaping off the edge of the chamber hand outstretched for Six's,
Just for a shadow snake to grab Mono in the air. Mono's face turns to one of sheer panic as well as Six's while color drains out of Kai's face.
The snake rears its head back and then spits Mono out into the abyss below before retracting back into the shadows.
"MONOOOOOOO!"