Six and Mono were walking through the hospital carefully and quietly as to not attract attention. They had already collected the fuses needed for the elevator and took it. They were on their way through the lower levels, and they had not seen the Doctor anywhere. While looking out for anything suspicious Six heard something coming increasingly closer.
Static and the slow footsteps that were all too familiar. Tugging on Mono's sleeve she gestured from where the sounds were coming from. Nodding he took Six's hand and led her into the morgue. There they opened one of the lockers and hid away inside. Steps got closer and closer. Six retreated into Mono's protective grasp as she did her best to stay silent. Unexpectedly, the door was ripped open from its hinges and a decayed hand reached deep inside. Mono pushing Six out of the way as the hand clasped around him. He screamed out for Six as he was taken back the way they had come. Six without any means of attack followed the Thin Man as carefully as she could. Hoping she could find some way to free Mono.
The Thin Man had walked back to the elevator and took it back up. Six following went back into the lobby only to find that the Thin Man was gone. Instead, the only source of life and light was the static TV and the huddled figure in front of it. Six looked in joy to see that it was Mono clutching his hand as it shimmered with fuzz. Turning around he saw Six and went to go embrace her.
Right when a red-hot chain encircled his chest and he pulled upwards. Higher and higher until Six saw his captor. A figure covered only in static and shadow as it pulled out a knife from its back. Drawing closer and closer, the knife curved in a smile across the figure's head. It was about to strike Mono in the face when something else had caught her attention. The sound of bones cracking, and plaster being stabbed through. She didn't have time to react when felt something massive stab her from behind and darkness fell upon her.
Mono had woken up after getting a good night's rest. Remembering that the previous night before he smiled. Six had also expressed her love to him and he felt complete. That he would do anything to protect her. He'd ensure that she would never cry again. Not by the Tower and certainly not himself. Taking a few stretches, he looked down to see Six's sleeping form only she was shaking and crying.
"Six?"
He knelt trying his best to comfort her. "Hey, it's okay I'm still here there's no need to worry." His words appeared not to reach her as she was effectively sobbing. Wracking his head for an idea he got one. He sat down next to her cradled her head in his lap, started to stroke her hair, and began humming the music box tune. It's sad, calming, eerie tune filling the suitcase shelter as he slowly held Six in his arms and legs. Her sobbing dwindling down in calm peaceful breathing as she opened her eyes.
Six was wandering around the hospital after seeing the horror that happened before her eyes. When that enormous creature had stabbed her something had fallen. Six looked down to see Mono's broken body weakly reached out to her. His face cut up repeatedly. His arms carved with the words FOOL, RAT, TOWER'S SERVANT, and FAILURE. His shirt had been torn off and his body was lined with burn marks of chains being pressed against his skin. Before Six could help him up to his feet the knife from before fell and plunged into his back ending him without delay. The last word that left his mouth enabled her.
"R-Run…"
He slumped over and Six just ran. Feeling a chill down her back she was being chased. A black mist chasing her down as the lights flickered whenever the mists drew close. Corridor after corridor she ran trying to find the exit. Then she heard it a soft hum leading her out of this place. Following it she saw it the exit of the hospital bathing her in a light. As mists descended upon her, she finally reached the exit and… she opened her eyes.
She was still in the shelter Mono had made for them the previous night.
'Mono!?'
She looked around the shelter not seeing him sleeping anywhere. Only then did she notice the pair of legs surrounding her. She felt her hair being smoothed out by coarse hands. Looking up she saw the man, currently boy, she loved. His warm smile down towards her as he was caught up in his humming. He had not noticed she had awoken so Six decided to lay there for a few more moments.
Basking in the moment Six thought about the previous night. About how Mono rescued her and carried her through the night to a place of safety. He carefully addressed her wounds and afterwards he was still concerned about the potential of him harming her. Six thought about she must be one of the luckiest people in the world to have ever met Mono.
'This is worth everything we've gone through.'
Deciding to make herself known she let out a massive yawn stretching her arms out signaling Mono that she had left her slumber.
"Good morning sunshine I hope you slept well." Mono said to Six.
Six got up to her feet walked over to Mono and gave him a hug. "I slept a lot better thanks to you." Giving him a small peck on the cheek she walked outside to view her surroundings. The Pale City was still as gloomy as it was but notably the city was in complete disarray. The buildings that had been part of the outer ring including the school had given way to gravity. Rubble filling the once empty streets. It was clear the Tower had lost a lot of influence when the school took that massive amount of flesh up in flames.
Mono soon followed her outside and began getting to undo the shelter he made.
"So how are you feeling compared to how you did last night?" Mono asked as he was still debating whether they continue moving onwards through hospital. Mainly being dependent on whether Six felt confident she was going to be okay in there. Six did a physical checkup of herself. Checking the makeshift bandage, she saw the wound completely hardened and no pain emitting from it. Same could be said for the bruises on her arms as they had completely faded. While her eye still had a dark ring around it, she could see perfectly fine.
"I'm fine Mono as long as we stick together, we should be fine." Mono looked down at her for a second before pulling out the fishhook he used to keep the chains from falling apart.
"Just in case Six I want you to have this just in case we run into a fight." Mono handed her the fishhook and she put the hook in her pocket with the handle sticking back out. Mono put his trench coat back on, pulled the chains off the suitcase and wrapped them around his shoulder and patted the pocket that had the box of matches. He hesitated before pulling out the matches and held them out to Six.
"We never know what the Tower has done to the mannequin puppets, so a little extra light never hurt anyone."
In agreement Six took the box of matches and placed those in her pockets. Both peeking at their little campground they left. Mono straightening his collar and Six pulling her hood back up they traveled to the Hospital. It was still the drab building appearance wise on the outside but inside? It was very much dark and very much trashed. It was clear the Tower had already been here for much longer than they thought. It didn't take long for Mono to notice why when he looked up and grabbed Six's attention. Panels in the ceiling had moved to make footholds and handgrips for a special someone.
"So, there's a good chance that the Doctor's also been taken and turned into an even greater monster? Well, that's just fantastic." Six said as she and Mono crept down the hallway Noting the bloodstains here and there as they reached the double doors. Although this time they didn't need to push as they were already open. Looking towards one another they began their ascent to the higher floor. Just as Six was about to take the last jump towards the fuse opened door Mono pulled her back. Wordlessly he put a finger to her lips and then pointed downwards. Looking down over the edge of the it was clear what Mono was so quiet about. Sticking from the wall, his back facing them, was the Doctor only he wasn't using his arms or his legs to climb the surface. It looked like he had something coming out of him stabbing the walls as the Doctor climbed down into the abyss below.
The message was clear STAY QUIET. Six then jumped up onto the hallway with Mono following suit. Mono then pulled the fuse out of the socket and began walking toward the other socket with the door. They heard a skittering sound coming from one of the hallways that was locked by a jail style door. Plugging the fuse into the socket Mono and Six wasted no time prying the vent open so that they wouldn't fall with the elevator.
Leaving the vent, they entered the darkened rooms of the hospital. Mono seeing an old friend walked over to the flashlight and picked it up. Seeing Six start to pull out a match he held a handout.
"It'll be better to wait in a moment of crisis rather than using them all at once." Mono halting her. Six nodded and put the matchbox back for now.
They entered the waiting room of the hospital when Six's stomach growled a bit. Mono having a small chuckle at that said, "Well it has been a while since we had some grub. Luckily for us though there is some food nearby."
He walked over to the vending machine and pulled on the lever a few times. The machine dispensing a couple of drinks and a bag of snacks. Mono walked over to a wall and slumped down patting the ground beside. Six beamed and sat down next to him leaning on him. He handed one can of drink over to her and opened the bag of snacks. They both sat there for a while taking a small break from the little marathon, they had run all over.
"So how much further do you think the Tower is going through with all this Mono?" "I'm not sure but if I'm honest I think its little plan was doomed from the start." "Why do you say that?" "Because to be honest I don't think it ever had to deal with rebellious people like us. It always had us going with the flow. So, I think without a doubt that the two of us will be leaving this city leaving it in shambles. After that I think I'll let you decide that Six. I trust you as much as I love you."
Six's face turned red after hearing that, but it was quickly replaced by a look of suspicion as she heard something. Mono heard it too turning around facing the doorway of the hallway. Sneaking closer and closer they saw it. The TV screen had turned on instead of white or pink static was now a harsh red. Still watching from a distance Six and Mono watched with abstract horror as a fist began slamming against the TV screen from inside. Sensing something strong Mono grabbed Six's arm and led her far away from the room. Right when the TV broke apart and turning the corner right behind was the Thin Man.
The Thin Man was much more horrifying than it was last time. They couldn't see his face as it covered by a mask resembling that of a red skinned Tengu. Portions of its body were devoid of flesh only bone remained. It looked half eaten yet somehow filled with vim and vigor. The amount of static rolled off him like waves of lava. This was the Thin Man that Mono left behind. Leaving behind only hatred for Six and in doing so made an immensely powerful enemy.
"Six RUN! I'll do my best to hold him off while you hide." "Mono I am not leaving you alone to do this!" "SIX PLEASE" he shouted at her.
"I SAID NO MONO!" she angrily screamed at him while the faintest of black smoke phased off her fingertips.
In that moment of pause the Thin Man held out his arm and then pulled in Mono. It turned and started walking away from Six. Six gave chase which was hard to do considering the slowed time the Thin Man had part in doing. She watched as the Thin Man walked over to the further elevator and chucked Mono in activating the elevator to go in descent. The Thin Man the glowered towards Six and started to stalk her. Before reaching her though the Thin Man clutched his head and suddenly the elevator came back up.
There he was Mono, his eyes crackling full of static thrust his hand activating his powers. The Thin Man in this moment of weakness unable to defend itself as it disappeared from the sheer awesomeness of Mono's power. Panting heavily Mono fell to one knee with Six rushing to his side.
"Mono are you okay?" "Yeah… yeah I'm fine. It turns out there were some of those hands down there. They… they took my jacket I lost the chains and the flashlight, so it looks like we're going to have to rely on those matches of yours." Six did take a quick look over and Mono did lose his trench coat. "What were the hands like?" "Well, the good Doctor has given them an upgrade. They are more armored, and they've been weaponized." He gestured to an open hole in his shirt. "One of them landed on top of me and I felt something metal stab the shirt and slide next to me." Finally catching his breath, he picked himself up.
"No sense on dwelling on the past you and I should work together on getting out of here, okay?" Six nodded in agreement.
"Just stay close."