Mono couldn't see anything past the dog for long as a giant blunt object struck him to the floor. The exhaustion from the past few days finally catching up to him. His eyes closed shut and consciousness slipped from his mind.

The dog's slobbering jaws reached down to quickly snap the child's neck and swallow the meal. Before it could though, the owner of the light gave a short growl deterring the dog. The hungry dog looked guiltily up at their master. The light reflecting of the tag of the dog's collar. A name could be seen etched into metal, Barksy. Barksy looked up to their master their tongue hanging out of their mouth. Their master chuckled as they patted the dog's head and then reached down into the hole. Pulling out the small ragtag boy pulling him up to his face.

They smelled Mono before pulling back in disgust. The boy absolutely reeked of all assortments of smells. He smelled of smoke, blood, burnt flesh, and dung. The Butcher would need to clean the boy before examining him any further. He placed the boy into his ragged pocket buttoning it closed. He then reset the trap by concealing it with new leaves and branches for the next unlucky kid to fall in. He then turned to his other kill of the day. A fox that Barksy so successfully managed to snag and snap.

It also helped that the Monster that lived in the same forest seemed to have disappeared. The Butcher not really caring because it just meant more food for him. A friendlier bark was given to Barksy as the Butcher nodded his head in the direction to home. Barksy following the Butcher as they made their way back to more familiar turf. The once feral and fierce canine calmed down knowing food would come its way soon enough.

The Butcher walked past the trees taking his recent catches through the woods. Barksy walking alongside panting ever so often. The Butcher looked down with a small smile on his face. Ever so happy to have his companion by his side. And then the road turned to a familiar sight as a wire fence came into view. Pausing at the gate he looked at the two main fenceposts for a couple of minutes. The two posts stood strong and firm unlike the rest which were slowly aging with time. The reason behind that being the two anchors carved into the wood keeping them resistant.

He thought to the past when he first traded for that. He remembered seeing the odd person with the massive face. He traded those two posts in exchange for his fresh capture that night. Why the strange man was so interested in the child the Butcher never knew. Still from what the strange man described the posts would do it seemed like a worthy investment. It paid off for the area was never affected by true monsters like the Monster whom he only met once. When the Monster stayed outside the fenced area for a week before realizing it couldn't get in. It had migrated onward, and the Butcher never saw hide nor hair of it again.

The Butcher taking one long deep sigh began walking into the fenced area. As he did though he appeared to struggle a small bit feeling a small bit of resistance around the pocket where the boy was. Looking into his pocket he checked to see if the food was moving again. When he saw it wasn't, he continued to his home. The pond next to his house reflected with moonlight and the water within a murky brown. Barksy looked at the Butcher one last time before walking over a doghouse that lay underneath a window. Barksy laid down on the ground, had a massive yawn, and then rested his eyes for a small bit. The Butcher pat Barksy's head before opening the door and getting ready to prepare the meat.

The Butcher flicks on a switch and turns on the lights in the kitchen. Meat of all types of all species lay in a mess in the room. He turned to his worktable with the carcass of the fox and the child in his pocket. He debated in his head which he should start with first. Since the fox was already dead and therefore couldn't run the Butcher turned their attention towards Mono.

Pulling the boy from out of his pocket he placed them on the table. Still unconscious, it didn't matter to him what the boy had gone through, meat was meat. He began to go grab a rag and bowl full of water. The Butcher would need to clean the boy to ensure that the meat would be at least cleaner than what it was now. Placing the water bowl and rag to the side he grabbed a small knife and then gingerly held above the child's clothes. Carefully making incisions the Butcher sliced the fabric of the boys' clothes and took them off. The foul fabric tossed into the fire. The boy left in nothing but a pair of undershorts the Butcher picked them up placed them into the water. Grabbing the rag began scrubbing all the dirt and grime from the boy's skin.

Once that was finished, he got a better look of the boy and saw a couple of things. For one this wasn't a normal child like the rest. Children don't usually have a massive claw in lieu of their hand. This is also a monster who has been walking for some time. Looking over the monster's feet he saw the blisters around their feet and the cuts on the bottoms. They would need to be tended to before they got infected. The Butcher did not want to waste meat. Grabbing a few bandages, he began to wrap them around the monster's feet hoping to keep the wounds covered to avoid any outside irritants. Noticing the monster's cut arm, the Butcher wrapped that up too. Just in case this monster was feral he didn't want the creature to kill his other captures. So, the Butcher took an old muzzle he used to place on smaller creatures and grabbed a hammer. A couple of swings and the muzzle was ready for a human face. The Butcher the placed and fastened it to Mono's face. If the creature didn't move their face too often, they would be left uncut. Satisfied with his work he picked the boy up and walked to another section of his house. Pulling out a key the Butcher unlocked the door and carried Mono in a room filled with a bunch of cages. Opening one near the locked window the Butcher dropped Mono onto the small rag on the floor of the cage.

A few hours later Mono wakes up to find himself in that cage. Sunlight filtered through the window as consciousness slowly filled Mono's body again. Groggily pulling himself to the floor he reaches up to rub his face. Only to be shocked when his hand came into the contact of metal instead skin. Panicking a small amount, he tugged at whatever that hunk of metal was around his face. Whimpering as the metal around his face cut into his skin. Floorboards creaked as Mono heard footsteps approaching. Crawling backward cowering in fear he heard the latch of the cage being opened. Mono dared to see who his captor was and looked.

The Butcher appeared to a man in his thirties. His faced lined in scar tissue from many different bite marks and scratches. He wore an apron with pockets filled with different knives each caked with blood. The Butcher reached a hand inside holding something. Turning his fist over he opened to drop a couple of bits of meat on the floor. The Butcher then reached for Mono and grabbed him. Mono not even struggling as the Butcher reached behind Mono's head and undid something. The muzzle falling to the floor with a couple of droplets of blood. The Butcher then took the muzzle and then gestured towards the food with nod.

Mono only stood there looking down at the food before slowly reaching down to take a small bite. The Butcher just standing there watching him as Mono raised the meat to his lips. Mono weakly biting down onto the dried piece of meat. Tearing off strand by strand as the salty meat went down his throat. Satisfied the Butcher went to leave his cage making his way to other cages in the room. Placing meat within those cages as well before leaving the room again and locking the room.

Mono sat there slowly chewing the meat. Mulling what happened in the past few days since he left Six. How he had broken his promise, his word, to never leave her side again for selfish reasons. About how his feet ached from the miles he walked, about how he slowly began to torture himself by reopening wounds, starving himself to death, and arguing with himself. Thinking he should just turn around and just rejoin Six while on the other hand a much stronger thought just telling him to keep going. The sad part? He couldn't make the excuse that it was the Tower telling him that. It was his own voice clear as day with no distortion. The thought brought a tear to his eye. He didn't want to leave Six, but he also felt he had no choice.

Finishing the rest of his food he begrudgingly rose to his feet. Pain flaring as his feet met the ground. Seeing how the Butcher left the cage door open Mono saw fit to leave and try to escape through the window. Of course, it was locked so Mono tried using his claw to tear a hole in the surface. His claws only screeching against the surface causing the Butcher in the other room to growl out. Mono considered using his powers to blast open the window only to realize…

'What's the point? He'll hear me and get me anyways.'

That along with the fact that the last time he used his powers they landed him in this mess. He was really starting to hate his powers. They were starting to feel more like a curse rather than just unavoidable. A necessary evil helped him while this was just slowly tearing him apart. Looking out to the window again he figured it may be better to wait it out for whatever sinister plot the Butcher had planned out for him.

"So, you're the new one here huh?"

Mono was torn out of his thoughts when the voice reached his ears. Slowly moving to the edge, he peered over to see five different children of different variety. One of them was skinny just like he was, two of the ones were looking healthier. The fourth was missing an arm whilst holding the fifth one's arm around his shoulder.

"Come on down, we don't bite." The skinny one paused for a second, "Well not us at least."

Mono carefully clambered down a cord attached to the windows to get a better look at these children. Some were older and some were younger. Mono also got a better look at that fifth child to see that the child was missing both a leg and an arm. One of the well-fed ones gestured at Mono's bandaged up feet.

"You're gonna want to rest those feet as much as possible otherwise the Butcher is just gonna cut off the wasted meat."

'Wasted meat?'

Mono said, "What do you mean by that?"

The small group of children scoffed as they threw him an old shirt and pair of pants to wear.

"The Butcher gathers children, not to save their lives, but to fatten us up and eat us later. He's very attentive to his food and cuts off the infected meat so he doesn't accidentally poison himself or his dog."

Mono hands at once rose to his stomach in shock. Did he just consume human flesh?!

The one with only an arm and leg saw this and chuckled, "Don't worry the Butcher wouldn't waste delectable meat by feeding it to delectable meat. The Butcher and his dog Barksy hunt other animals and feeds us the smaller portions."

"Have you ever tried to escape this place? Surely there's a better life compared to this?"

The skinny one angrily spat, "What life is out there for us? In case you haven't noticed there's a bloodthirsty monster out there. Everything out there is trying to kill you. There's a furious wind like creature out there as well that tears kids like us apart. And food is so sparse sometimes that we would eventually starve to death. For a world like that out there, what is a safe place for a kid?"

The one-armed kid patted the skinny on the back to calm him down before looking at Mono.

"At the very least we have a longer life if we stay here. We eventually die to the Butcher as food but at least we lived a life with warm shelter and full stomachs."

Mono just froze there in shock and then he started shaking. The group of kids watched as this new kid walked over to a corner and sat down clutching his head in his hands. The kids watched as Mono's right hand clawed small scratches in his head. Small drops of blood rolling down the side of his head. The two average kids ran forward to grab Mono by the arms restraining him from harming himself any further.

"WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH YOU!?" they screamed at him.

The Butcher let out another yell getting the kids to shut up. They went to examine Mono. He didn't scratch too much of his face, but he was bleeding a small amount. They continued to restrain him to ensure he didn't do that again.

"What's wrong you, kid? Why'd you just start scratching yourself like that?"

Mono just lay there slumped over, "You don't get it… I'm the reason you're in this situation."

Mono still looking down at the floor, "I'm the reason why the world is so screwed up."

The kids just looked over at each other, their faces scrunched in confusion before looking back at Mono.

"How can that be? We've never met you until today."

"Allow me to explain."

Mono started his story from the first time he awoke in the forest, where he traveled through tricks and traps, rescued a little girl, the two of them working through thick and thin, the mad hunter and his demise, the Pale City, the school with the Teacher and Bullies, the girl getting captured and Mono fighting to save her. Then they reached the part of the story where Six strangled the bully to death.

"Wait… and you willingly stayed with a girl that vicious, why?" the skinny one asked.

"Am I really so different? After all the Bullies' heads I smashed apart."

He continued the tale about how he and Six traveled through the hospital, where he had to evade reanimated hands, the Patients, and the Doctor. He then mentioned the part where he burned the Doctor alive and what Six did next.

"She warmed her hands by a burning corpse?! Surely you left her behind after that."

"Nope we were both dependent on each other. We had created a bond as friends and that level of trust."

Two of the kids shared a skeptical glance at one another before facing Mono again to continue the story.

The story went on to where Mono pulled Six from the rubble of a fallen building and not long after the release of the Thin Man.

"So, you're telling us that you just popped in and out a TV and then suddenly this incredibly tall thin man crawls out after you? You really expect us to believe that?"

"It gets even more bizarre, trust me."

The tale went on about Mono's trip through the Pale City avoiding both Viewer and Thin Man pursuing him. The confrontation between child and adult as Mono blasted away the Thin Man. Then came the Signal Tower and Six's fate. The battle for the music box, the chase, and what happened afterwards.

"So, you go there to save her life and she shows her appreciation by dropping you. Why?"

"There's a multitude of reasons why she let go of my hand. I'm getting to that."

Mono then told them of the time he spent as the Tower's servant, ever thinking of that fateful moment when Six let go, having seen the truth of what he became and what he decided to do next.

"So, you sent your mind back in time to the point where you awoke in the forest. What happened then?"

"The Tower wasn't exactly keen on letting me go that easily. It hunted me and Six using the flesh to transform and warp our previous into more wretched abominations."

"Why'd you forgive her so easily and why did you stick around her? Why not leave her like she did you?"

"Well at first I believed that it was because I cared for her as a friend, but it wasn't until I was separated from her in the school and almost choked to death that I realized I loved her."

The group of kids shared another look of confusion and disgust, "Wait a sec, hold up. How old are you?"

Mono looked a little confused at this change of topic, "Mentally I suppose I'm in my twenties or thirties while physically I'm ten."

The kids shared another look," Uh-huh… and how old is this Six?"

Mono still confused, "I'd say about the same both mentally and physically. We both had our minds and memories sent back in time. Our minds matured and our feeling towards one another developed as well."

The kid in the back with one arm shrugged, "Alright then. We just find it a little strange is all."

Mono continuing his story went on to detail the fight at the bridge and how that ended.

"Ok now I call bull. Did you just say you died?"

"Sadly yes, but I lived."

He went on to describe how Six saved his life and how he fought the barrier of life and death to get back to her. Afterwards he described the small journey through the woods, the encounter with the North Wind, the Revenant Town debacle, the fight with the Monster, and the reveal of his first life.

"You killed the Monster? That towering monstrosity is gone."

"Yep," Mono extended his right arm out to the side as he brandished his claws. "A permanent reminder if I ever kill a monster like that again."

The one arm and legged kid helped by the skinny kid stood in front of Mono, "and you believe that you're just like that first version of yourself that apparently caused the world to warp into this massive nightmare."

A tear spilled out of Mono's eye, "Yes."

The amputee smiled and said, "Well from what I've seen of you and from what you've told us. I don't believe that for a single second."

Mono's eyes looked up in shock.

One of the average kids said, "Wait a second, you actually BELIEVE the cock-and-bull story?"

The amputee looked back at the group of kids, "With the things I've witnessed I'll believe anything at this point."

They looked back at Mono, "and I also believe that you're a completely different person from the Tower or first Mono. Unlike them you told us you hate your powers while they embraced them to pursue their means. The Tower as you said is completely cruel, but you have regrets. You blame yourself for something that is not your fault."

Mono sank down to his knees as he became a shuddering mess as he realized how badly he screwed. He thought to himself, 'I'm such an idiot.'

"I have to get out of here, I need to find Six again."

The group of kids looked solemnly at Mono, "I'm afraid there really isn't a way out of here that easy. The door is always under lock with the Butcher usually keeping the key on his person. You could try the window but Barksy's house is right underneath it. It may be better to just live here. Here… at least you're well fed with a roof over your head."

"The risks don't matter to me as long a-"

The door slams open as the Butcher walks into the room. All the kids except Mono dash back inside of their cages. The Butcher reaches down and grabs Mono carrying him back into the kitchen. Mono looks out the window to see that his story took all day to tell as it is now night. The Butcher carefully places Mono onto a table with his arms and legs restrained. Mono looks afraid as the Butcher examines his blistered feet.

The Butcher looks down to see if the meat's feet are healing since yesterday. The blisters look to have faded but not quick enough to his liking. He then took another look at that clawed hand concluding that it would be wasted delicious meat.

Mono looked on as the Butcher reached down to open a drawer pulling out some string. The Butcher then went over to the fireplace in his kitchen and shoved a piece of metal into the flames. Walking back over to Mono he began tying string around Mono's wrist and ankles tightly. Mono could feel his limbs going numb from the blood circulation diminishing. The Butcher then pulled out a carving knife and set it down next to Mono before walking back to the fire. The Butcher then pulled out the red-hot piece of metal with a rag as to not burn himself. Holding the hot metal in his left hand the Butcher picked up the knife and then aligned it to chop right on top of Mono's right wrist.

He raised up the knife to get ready to chop his hand off, but before he could the Butcher was interrupted by the sound of Barksy barking at something off in the distance. Looking outside and back at the boy on the table he set down the knife on the countertop away from the boy. He then went ahead to dunk the hot piece of metal in water to cool it off. He then grabbed his hunting equipment and went outside to check what Barksy was complaining about.

Mono laid there in silence with his eyes shut wondering what was going on. And then he heard a small, "Oi."

His eyes blinked open to see a small figure standing right above him holding a switchblade unsheathed. It was Six, she managed to find him again.

"SIX! oh it's so good to see you. How'd you manage to find me again?"

Six just stood there with a neutral expression on her face as she held the knife. Her eyes cold staring down at him.

"Six?"

Six just rolled her eyes and then lowered the knife toward the ropes binding Mono to the table. Slowly cutting open the ropes as to not accidentally cut Mono instead. Mono only looked on in slight fear and hope as his love undid his binds. He slowly sat up from the table only for something to smack him in the face sending him sprawling to the ground.

He clutched his face in pain as he looked up to see that Six had slapped him in the face. Her face filled with anger as she looked down at him.

"Okay… maybe I deserved that."

"MAYBE!? MAYBE YOU DESERVED THAT!?" Six shouted at him angrily.

After chasing Mono as he was swept down the river Six realized that she also felt quite angry at the fact that Mono ditched her. There was sadness and hope to find him again, but there was also anger at this clear liar.

"You know this is twice you've broken something of mine." She said quietly.

Mono looked down guiltily as he knew what she was talking about. First the music box and then the promise.

"Six I know you want to talk about it, but can we get out of here first?"

She huffed before sheathing the knife and helping Mono to his feet. He winced as pressure was placed onto his feet as he walked. Both sneaking out of the house and making their way out of the fenced in area. Just as they walked out the door there was a loud bark in the distance. Mono gulped as he turned to look to see a pair of eyes staring out in the distance.

"RUN!" Mono shouted as he pushed Six forward. Growling out a small bit Six continued forward. Both running past the pond still a good distance away. Barksy's teeth shining in the moonlight as he drew closer and closer. Mono and Six's hearts pounding in their chest as they got closer and closer to the barbed fence. Seeing Barksy get too close Mono realized they weren't going to make it, so he chose differently. He pushed Six even further with Six looking back angrily only for the anger in her eyes to shift to concern and fear.

Dangling from his shirt Mono was shook furiously from side to side as Barksy snapped him up. Barksy also started jerking Mono against the ground. Mono crying out as his skin scraped against ground. His pain not lasting for long as Barksy let go and flung him into a tree trunk jutting out from the ground. He made an impact and lay there unmoving.

And then Barksy turned his attention towards Six, his teeth bared and dripping. Six realizing she couldn't use her powers pulled out the knife. Her fingers trembling with the knife as the dog drew closer and closer growling hungrily. Just as Barksy closed the distance between them as massive shape hurtled into Barksy and sent the dog tumbling.

Six looked up to see Jabali who just returned from distracting the Butcher and Barksy from earlier. Jabali just seeing his master flung like a toy and was about to devour his new friend wasn't having any of that. Jabali tackled Barksy as he glowered at the dog. Eyes trained on the foul creature and steam expelling from the boar's nostrils. Jabali pawed at the ground as he watched the dog get up from the ground. Barksy seeing the prey it was chasing earlier bared his fangs again.

They both started circling each other, prowling the ground looking for any weak area.

Waiting for the other to make the first move, the first attack.

Barksy charged intending to bite into Jabali's legs to hinder him. Jabali reared back his head in response and butted the dog away. The dog holding his ground still managed to latch onto Jabali's legs. Jabali responded by stomping the ground around in effort to shake the canine off. Barksy backs off as the boar kicks him off, but now he's tasted the pig and now wants more. Blood now dripping out of Barksy's mouth he charges again eager to taste some more.

Jabali doesn't waste any more time as he too charges Barksy his head lowered, and tusks extended. The two collide with Jabali's much larger size proving him to be the victor. Barksy once again tumbles onto the ground in a heap. Struggling to get up when a sharp yelp comes from the dog. For Jabali charged Barksy again this time running one of his tusks through Barksy's hind leg. The dog lays there as he waits the final blow. Jabali prepares to do so when he hears a roar of anger behind him.

Jabali turned around to see the Butcher off in the distance, cleaver in his hand and barreling towards Jabali. Six quickly ran up to Jabali climbing his back and patting him on the head. Signaling that it was time to leave now. Jabali huffed in agreement, ran over to Mono, picked him up with his teeth and then started running far away from the Butcher and his cabin in the woods.

The Boar disappeared from his sight and the Butcher lowered his cleaver. He quickly made his way over to Barksy who lay twitching on the ground. Barksy looked up at him pain flickering in his eyes. The Butcher slowly petting the dog to calm him down a small bit. Looking down at Barksy he remembered when he first met the small dog. Raising a hand to his face trailing the scars and bites from that day. When a pack of wolves attacked him while he was out on a hunt. The desperation he felt that day as he was torn apart. And then he heard another dog barking. And then he no longer felt teeth biting into and he heard feet running away. He remembered laying there as something wet met his face. Opening his eyes, he found himself looking into the eyes of a small bloodhound.

From that day forth both the Butcher and Barksy had lived together, bonded together, hunted, and ate together. He was not ready to lose his friend.

He pocketed the cleaver, forgot about the escaping boar, scooped the still whimpering Barksy into his arms, and went inside the house to bandage him up.

From the window inside his house the children watched as the boar disappeared into the night.

"Well, there they go. Off to take their chances in this cruel world." The skinny one said as he began to climb down the chain.

"What a bizarre boy, truly thinking he's the reason the world's like this." The one-armed boy said as he clambered into his cushioned cage.

"I don't think he does anymore," the amputee said as he lay on his good side. "I think he now also understands the absurdity of that being possible."

One of the average kids turned to investigate his cage, "Did you really believe that story of his?"

The amputee smiled and said, "I do despite being a small bit skeptical on parts of it."

The amputee then looked up to the window again and thought, 'Safe travels boy.'

After riding Jabali for a good long while she pats the Boar to slow him down. Asking to stop right near a trail and a small stream. Jabali relented and then lay down to lick his leg wound. Small tooth marks could be seen but it was nothing that could be considered fatal. Six then began setting up camp by gathering a small number of sticks before using her lighter to start a warm fire. Taking off her coat she began to warm the palms of her hands before turning to Mono.

Mono was still unconscious from the impact but from what she could tell he was just a little banged up. Nothing appeared to be broken and any part of his body that dragged against the ground was protected by the fabric. He was perfectly fine given the circumstances.

Although was a little concerned what would happen after tonight. If she fell asleep again, would he just disappear again no word and no trace? If he did what would she do? She couldn't keep chasing after him day after day to bring him back. Then she remembered that he still cared for her.

'He saved my life twice since he left.' The chase during the storm when that branch almost fell right on top of them and then he sacrificed himself to the dog so she wouldn't get chomped.

UGH. She was unsure on what exactly Mono felt in that moment or what he felt right now. So, she devised a small plan as she approached Mono with both coats in her hand.

Half an hour later Mono eyes slowly opened. Looking at his surroundings he noticed he wasn't in front of a snarling dog nor was he in Elysium again. Trying to move he realized he couldn't move his arms or legs. Looking down he saw the yellow raincoat Six usually wore tied around his ankles. He could feel his arms were also bound by something as well. Looking up he saw Six looking down at him his face neutral.

"Six? Why'd you mmph-" and then Six shoved something into his mouth preventing him from talking anymore.

"You finished? Good, now back to what I was saying before we were interrupted by our earlier situation. This is the second time you've broken something of mine Mono." Her hand gestured out towards a music box that lay in front of him playing its tune. "First you destroyed my music box which led to me dropping you which led to you restarting the cycle so we could be free. I trusted you, I believed in you, Mono. That you wouldn't harm me or emotionally hurt me. I LOVE YOU MONO! And you just walked away from ME!"

Mono looked downtrodden as he looked down at the ground.

"You made a promise to me Mono, that you would never leave me as long as we walked this world. Well, what happened a week ago Mono?! WHERE WERE YOU!?"

Mono started silently sobbing as the truth hit him hard. She was right he did break his promise, and he broke it for selfish reasons. He was sorry and Six could see that he regretted what he did.

"However, I do know that you did it to try and protect me because you believed you were a monster. That you didn't want to hurt because you don't see me as a monster either. The truth is Mono we're both monsters, but the difference between us and the rest of those living in world is that we actually have a conscience."

Mono looked back up at her his tear-streaked eyes lit up in realization.

"So, I'll leave the choice up to you Mono. When you break out of those bonds the choice is yours to make. You can either leave once again I left your supplies off to the side so you can take those with you. I'll never follow you again and you can walk this earth believing you're keeping me safe or…" and she walked back over to the campfire, "You can stay with me and see the evidence yourself that I'm happy staying with you. See the world together, live the world together, love each other forever, and never leaving each other's side". With that Six walked over to the now sleeping Jabali and laid down next to his sleeping head.

Mono just laid there fidgeting with his hands for an hour. Trying to use his claws to loosen the cloth around his wrists. Getting a small amount of egress as his hands slipped out to reveal his black trench coat had been the culprit. Slipping that back over himself he began to work on the raincoat tied around his ankles. Once he finished, he slowly stood to his feet as he felt irritation as he walked forward, standing in between the slowly burning campfire to his left and the open road to his right.

As he stood there, he looked out to the right seeing the open world before him he looked down to his right clawed hand. Looking back out there he remembered what the amputee kid and Six told him.

They were right he wasn't the Tower, and he would ensure he never turned into the Tower again. The first Mono became the way he was because he isolated himself after the traumatic experience. Isolation was not the key to his problem. The first Mono became a hate filled man and Mono was about to follow him. And then Mono acknowledged the real reason he couldn't do it again.

Six… he didn't want to leave her again. He remembered leaving her with the Boar the first time it tore him apart. Those past four days he mentally argued with himself to turn back while at the same time urging him to continue forward.

He remembered that fifth day when he stopped in the moose graveyard, he began slicing himself as a means of punishing himself, and then he heard Six and the Boar off in the distance. He panicked and ran further into the woods. And then he remembered when he used his powers to push her away and he hated himself even more

So instead of hating himself any longer he instead chose to do what he felt right. He picked up his lighter and knife from the ground and the turned back towards the campfire. Still holding the raincoat, he placed it over her sleeping form and then picked up the music box and paced it in his pocket.

He then laid down next to her making sure not to disturb her. Jabali nestled his head further in Mono's back pushing him forward into Six. Mono looked back to see Jabali looking down at him. A small shudder going through Jabali's body as Mono realized Jabali was snickering at him.

Mono turned back around letting sleep overcome him again. But not before one last turn of events as Six turned around facing Mono. Mono checked her face to see if she was just feigning sleep. Not seeing any evidence, he smiled softly and pulled Six closer to him as he fell asleep.

He didn't notice Six smiling one last time as she was awake waiting for him. One last thought passed through her mind as sleep took her too.

'Good to have you back, Mono.'