In a pitch-dark room of the MAW, we see a dozen beds lay in the room. Children lay sleeping tossing and turning. They all laid their arms and legs bound in chains with the occasional shifting of metal echoing throughout the room. Some lay peacefully enjoying the small respite they got from the treatment of their caretaker and their environment. The lucky few who slept like that got to enjoy more pleasant dreams. These few were wearing a necklace with the talisman in the shape of an anchor.
Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the majority of the room. Every other child was afraid for they dream of nightmares. Nightmares about their impending doom, of their executioner finally coming for them. They knew children would be spirited away grabbed by the only superior figure down in the Prison. Other times they dreamt of terror running from massive hands reaching out ever for them or a pit of squealing screeching worms hungry for blood. These were those selected for they wore a necklace of their own in the shape of an eye.
However, one bed draws attention out of all of them for this child suddenly awakes in sweat. He wipes his forehead of perspiration as he looks around. It's strange for this child to have nightmares intentionally for he does not appear to be wearing a necklace around his neck. He also doesn't appear to be making any sound as the chains wrapped around his arms and legs are snapped off. The chains while useful for restraint do weigh much. Not as much as the terror that fills RK's heart. Every night he has the same nightmare, and it always ends the same. RK clutches his stomach from the horror cursing the Ferryman in his mind. He wasn't safe even if he tried to be careful. He once saw what the Rakshasa does to children. The children weren't even rulebreakers it was simply their time.
This is no safe place for children.
This is just an extended sentence for the crime of existing.
Tonight, would be the night that RK would escape. He didn't care where he'd end up anywhere would be better than here. Careful not to wake the other children he slowly gets up and off the bed and sneaks out of the dorm he was made to stay in.
He must be careful the eyes are on in the rooms he needs to get out he dares not get in the light any more than he can manage after the last time. He clutches his stomach again fighting the urge to vomit. The sound of the children lying in bed are screaming out in pain, despair, anger, and therefore footsteps approach quickly and RK ducks down under one of the beds. The door slams open, and the eyes turn off. RK piles himself against the wall as the footsteps grow closer and closer. RK holds his breath not wanting to give away his location.
Not wanting to die so soon.
The Rakshasa stands right by the bed RK is under. Two long arms start feeling around the underside of the bed. Meanwhile RK hears the chains from above slowly come unlocked as the child, who was sleeping above, screams in terror. The wails quickly snuffed out as the echo of a scratch is heard. The Rakshasa satisfied leaves the room with a now limp child in his hand. RK leaves the underside of the bed now seeing it empty. The imprint of the child the only thing they left behind. RK turns to leave the room when he notices something. Another one of the beds was also empty.
Another child like him was trying to leave.
Entering another large annex, he looks down to see a way for him to climb down. He needs to be careful again the security eye is illuminating the room again moving much faster than it did last time. He sees the other escapee though. A little girl carrying a small black flashlight ducking down between piles of debris before finally leaving the room. RK quickly follows down before hearing an angry old man. The Rakshasa knew someone was trying to escape.
With haste RK took a chance and leapt for the other side of the room now that the eye was looking away. With only a leg poking out the light barely grazed him.
He screams out in terror as images flash through his mind.
A clawed hand.
A hungry mouth.
A lot of blood.
He clutches his stomach again as he quickly runs out of the room. He hears the monster behind him, but he doesn't hear them pursuing him. Instead, he hears objects being pulled along the floor. Grumblings and mutterings with the makings of a plan and utter nonsense.
RK pays it no more mind needing to leave the prison. He sees the flashlight girl again running through the bars of a turned off electrical gate. He runs through the play area seeing mis match of toys strewn about on the floor. RK sees one of the toys a music box lay on the floor.
Useless garbage, who could ever enjoy such a meaningless trinket.
He picks it up from the floor before chucking it towards a large red button. Hearing the ticking he quickly figures out how much time he has before the electricity turns back on. Repeating the steps again he quickly squirms through the bars himself and sees he's entered a restroom.
RK sees the flashlight girl tying the knots of sheets out an open window. She turns around and screams at him. Through the light illuminating her face RK sees every detail.
Bloodshot are her eyes. Red and puffy from the tears she has shed.
Her face flushed white from fear of what she's gone through since being here.
A metal necklace in the shape of an eye dangled from her neck.
She's terrified but from what? RK has no idea. He goes to quickly comfort her but seeing him approach only seems to make her want to leave. She quickly clambers down the makeshift rope she has made.
"Hey, Wait!"
His pleas are ignored as she continues her descent. RK adamant in not being alone for a few minutes quickly gives chase. She's a fast climber, she's already down the rope quickly running away. Afraid of RK but for what reason he's not quite sure. He climbs down on the platform below him. Looking out inti the distance seeing the light of the flashlight quickly disappear into darkness. He enters a room with an adjacent locked door. The only other exit being a drainpipe in the floor. Quite a long drop he couldn't see the bottom.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself he took the leap and jumped down into the darkness below.
He fell for what lasted ten seconds at least but during that time he heard a scream. Then he felt coldness all around him as he fell into a small pool of water. He clambers out as he takes a few more inhales of air. He wanders aimlessly for a few seconds pulling the bangs off his face covering his gray eyes. Opening only to be blinded by a light shone in his face.
He blinks out blindness from his eyes as he trips over something on the floor. Looking up the area around him is dark and expansive. It is a more rundown section of the MAW. Leaky pipes dripping water, rusted metal making up the floor. He needed light and he found it. The girl's flashlight from before managed to survive the fall and the water from before. No sign of the girl RK picked up the flashlight before looking around and quickly dropping it.
He found a sign of the girl… or at least what was left of her.
Two pairs of legs lay on the floor, both cut. Or slashed? Off at the knees. Small spurts of blood came out of the remaining stumps.
She was dead, he only lost sight of her not even for a minute. Killed by something clearly much larger than her. He went into a panic quickly shining the flashlight everywhere. Glints from slime were all over the ground. Something was dragged across the floor but before RK could investigate any further many small squeals could be heard. RK pointed the light at an opening in the wall covered in planks of wood. A wave of leeches poured through the door. The girl's blood attracting them forward now seeing a new snack. RK waited for leeches to surge forward towards him and then quickly bolted for the opening they came out of.
RK thanked the girl and hoped she was in a better place than in this hell before quickly entering a ventilation shaft. Crawling through he could hear the leeches hurry further and further. RK looked down to see a drop into a large, flooded room. He turns around to see the leeches still chasing after him but then something odd happened when they entered the threshold, he was near. They sniffed the air before squealing out and then quickly turning around.
RK lifted his arm and then sniffed himself. Did he fall in something from earlier that caused some sort of distaste. Thanking this small bit of luck, he continued forward landing on a small slope before descending into the water. Unfortunately, unlike the room before this room used to be much larger because RK had to swim across. He remembered another dream he had first arriving here in the MAW before they turned to THAT one.
He drowned in that one with something pulling him to the ocean floor.
Steeling himself he hopped into the murky brown water trying not to think of the possibility of drowning. He looked around the room seeing a few pieces of junk floating in the water. A couple of extremely tall dressers bobbed in the water. He had entered an old residential area of the MAW. He didn't think much on it only going the way forward. Clambering up to platform only slightly submerged he walked over to another part of the room. Before entering the water again, he looked around the room. Various pieces of junk could be seen floating in the water over in a corner. A busted washer blocking his view from seeing anymore. Jumping into the water again as he saw another platform.
He began swimming slowly as to not draw any more attention to himself. He had enough and was already to get out of there.
His focus quickly diverted as the sound of splashing caught his attention.
Something was behind him, but he dares not turn around to see it. Instead, he kept swimming faster and faster. He reached the other side and pulled himself up when he felt something graze his leg. Running to the wall he turned around his flashlight pointing at the water.
There's a large shape deep below the surface. He can only see the murky mass but nothing defining it. Then he sees something else in the water. Two other shapes in the water swimming beside the much larger mass. These two swimming up higher and higher breaking the surface of the water. RK quickly beginning to bolt as he saw two Eels leap up onto the platform RK was standing on.
He ran faster looking behind him to see that the Eels were giving chase. His heart sank when he saw in one of the Eels teeth was that metal necklace the girl wore from before. Caught up in his emotions he didn't notice he didn't have any more ground to stand on as he fell into a wide basin easily the size if his room. Clutching his shoulder in pain from the impact he quickly clambers up to his feet to climb back the basin. The slope's too steep he can't do it only to find himself sliding right back down onto the floor. His heart sank and his adrenaline rising as he saw the Eels clamber into the basement as well. Four heads looking at him in hunger as they slowly cornered him.
Panicked RK looked around with the flashlight to see a drain that was covered in leeches. Anything to provoke them might cause them to scatter. Picking up a piece of junk RK chucked it at the ball of leeches. They quickly plopped out of the drain looking to feed on their disturber not noticing the much larger predator right next to it. The Eels now seeing their usual prey in copious quantities ignored RK and began devouring these instead.
RK quickly enters the drain before the Eels decide he's the next meal. Running down the drain he enters a large room. This appears to be one of the high maintenance rooms controlling the level of water. Clambering up the grate he finds himself getting a chance to breath. He collapses onto the floor and begins crying to himself.
Why?
He starts mentally kicking himself for what he chose to do.
It would have been better to just wait for death. He never had to deal with witnessing death. Sure, he came close to death a few times on the outside world but never had he saw the death of another. It made him sick how this world worked. It was also why he could never get attached to anyone. The world was cruel and only those that kept to their own would survive. RK wished for attachment but knew the world would never truly grant him this.
Seeing that no monsters were coming after him he decided to move on and leave this submerged hell. Using the lever next to him he gave it a few tests at various positions. Going both up and down to see the effect the water level had on the room before deciding on a final setting.
Wiping tears from his he tells himself,
"You'll be fine you've gotten out of worse problems."
Feeling confident and determined he dives into the water and continues onto the next room. More junk could be seen floating about in the water. He remembered that figure from before not daring to rise above the water. He believed it necessary to use all the junk in the room to ensure he wouldn't be caught by that thing.
He continued swimming over to a faded red couch when he was suddenly pulled underwater by a massive hand. RK didn't have much time to get air as he was pulled into the depths. He struggles to get out of this thing's wrinkled grasp only to see what's holding him down.
A few strands of hair floated outward from a bald head. Gray and green skin covered this creature's whole body. Their eyes and nose sunken in as they looked at RK with hollow eyes. A gleeful grin could be seen with only a few teeth left in the gums. RK almost let his breath out seeing all of this at once. The grip around his hand loosens a small bit as he's brought closer to her mouth.
"Is this it? Is this how I die?"
The face prepares to swallow him whole when something massive and metal falls right on top of her. RK looks to see a vent shaft landed right on top of both. Hoping that the object killed the Granny RK looks down. The figure floats dazed for a second before quickly swimming away into the darkness clearly afraid of any more falling debris. RK thanking luck again quickly swims back up to the top seeing a more stable platform.
Back with Mono and Six next to the suitcase
It's cold dark and damp, water pools on the floor, and a brown suitcase lays open on the floor. Mono and Six are seen examining each to check for any bumps or scrapes from the ride down the vent. Finding none they then checked what little inventory they had. The lighters seem to have survived the crash and the cloaks they had on their back seem to be fine as well.
"Well aside from the small headache I have from the swaying I'm feeling alright. What about you Six, you feel alright too."
"I'm feeling a little lightheaded. I guess it's just the rush of emotions coming back to this place. I wouldn't call it nostalgia more just terror from being here before in this exact spot that cycle before. Although…"
And she looks back up to the open vent cover where they came in.
"Not exactly the way I came in last time. Last time the Ferryman just placed his suitcase in here and opened the lid. I was asleep during that time and that was the last I saw of him. I had a nightmare about the Lady finding me and then I woke up and traveled through the MAW."
"Speaking of which what's the plan now that the Ferryman's er sleeping with the fish now?"
Six just glowered at Mono for that one.
"Now's not really appropriate for jokes Mono seeing as he just died to save us."
Mono sighed, "You're right Six just trying to lighten the mood seeing as the Geisha seems to know we're here."
"Plan stays the same: travel through the MAW, avoid everything and anything that could be a threat to us, definitely avoid the Guests, and find the mirror I used to take down the Lady the first time. Anything I miss?"
"Just adapt I guess. We don't know exactly, nightmares despite, what awaits us on the MAW, for all we know this place could be loaded with death traps."
"This pace was already loaded with deathtraps being the way that it is. It's so run down I'm surprised it wasn't already a sinking ship. It will be one of the things we need to fix when we take over."
"About that Six…"
She turned to Mono fidgeting with his gloves. At first, she was concerned that Mono was seasick again before seeing he was avoiding her gaze.
"What's wrong?"
"Now that I know that the Tower and Lady were previous versions of us. Do you really feel alright with what is essentially killing yourself? Besides from what you told me, the last time you fought against the Lady you killed her by eating her throat. How do you plan on us doing it this time?"
"Well by that same logic Mono, you also know that our previous selves don't always act like we do now. For all we know the you during the fifth cycle could have either been a cute cinnamon roll or an outright bastard and the fifth me still dropped you. As for how we'll stop her this time…"
She flexes her hand the necklace is restricting her power, but Mono gets the point. He seems to accept that fact before examining.
"Although…"
Mono turns around to listen to Six again.
"I'd be lying if I said I felt ready to do all this again. Being the Lady of the MAW is one thing. Being small like this surrounded in a large world, being chased by large monsters here."
She clings onto her arms with small semblance of doubt.
"I'm afraid of the possibility that we fail and that's it. We broke the Cycle and if we fail here? That's it and everything we did together was for nothing. And…"
Tears start falling from her eyes.
"I don't want to lose you… not again."
"…Six"
Mono at once walks over to her and pulls her into a hug.
"I understand why you really wanted to come here Six. The haven and home are a nice plus, but I can tell, you just wanted to have some closure. You don't have to worry about that ever again Six. I've dealt with my nightmares and now it's time I helped lay your fears to rest. I'll be with there with you every step of the way if I can help it."
Six just pulls him closer leaning her head against his shoulder murmuring something he couldn't quite hear at first.
"What'd you say Six?"
She pulled away after some hesitation a faint blush dusting the top of her cheeks.
"I said, I don't deserve to be with someone like you."
Mono chuckled, "If it's any consolation Six then I definitely don't deserve to be with you myself."
With that Mono and Six venture into the darkness. Both pulling out a pair of lighters the small lights enabling them to see a few fight ahead of them. Six looked ahead to see Mono slightly tugging her along a small smile on his face.
Just like in the Pale City, Mono still took up the lead. She missed that kind of confidence in the face of mystery.
The face confidence quickly disappears as Mono's head quickly snaps back forward. Using his arm, he guides Six behind him brandishing his clawed hand forward.
"What is it Mo-"
"Shhh," and he puts a finger towards his ear.
Six listens closely to the area around them. She hears them, small footsteps out in the distance along with the sound of small chitters and rattles. Oh, wait a minute.
"Mono you can relax it's not a threat. It's just a Nome they're rather skittish creatures and won't do us any harm."
"Sorry, just a little on edge with this being all new for me."
"Maybe, it'll be better if I took the lead."
Taking up the front Six leads the two of them to the end of the hall where a small hatch can be seen. Six hands Mono her lighter as she begins to pry the door open. Mono with two lighters in hand spots a nearby lantern and lights it up. The small flame supplying some light as Mono shut the lighters off and helped open the vent. Both wiping their brows and begin crawling inside the vent.
Neither of them noticing the small threads slowly retreating from behind them. Unable to cross the light.
Crawling through the ventilation they hear something move from above. Although when they look up the vertical shaft neither of them sees anything that could cause the sound. For right now the two of them disregarded it as merely a mouse but at the same time keeping their guard up.
Leaving the vent, they enter a massive room. This one made to keep stability and structure of the MAW together. Evidenced by the massive chains that were connected wall to wall. Six begins the slim tall set of stairs only to look back and see Mono still ogling the view.
"Is it the most beautiful thing you've ever seen Mono?" Six joked.
Mono looked back with an amused smile on his face and a slightly flirty one as well.
"You know as well as I do that's not true at all. I see the most beautiful thing practically every day."
A blush topped both of their cheeks as he said that.
"It's just that this is a tremendous change of pace than what I'm normally used to. I get it small teen large world, but the architecture of this ship is incredible."
"You may as well get used to it Mono when we take over this is to be our home."
Ascending the stairs, they reach a nook with water dripping down over the side into the deep darkness below. Passing one of the cranny's though Six spies a relic of her past. One of many porcelain figures in the Lady's image. An urge passing over her she goes to pick up and shatter the stupid thing.
Her focus snapped out as she felt Mono's hand slip into hers pulling her back. An inquisitive look over her face wondering why until Mono picks up a loose screw on the floor. Chucking it over to the side Six looks to see what his actual target is.
A black shimmering slightly transparent thread was laying on the ground. The screw phased right through it but that was still enough to frighten whatever that thing was. The thread withdrew itself and with a whoosh the being in question disappeared into the ventilation.
"The Lady definitely knows we're here now. It wouldn't have sent whatever that thing was to try and capture us like that. We need to stay hidden and hurry."
Mono nodded and then following Six's example pulled up his hood over his head and followed her onwards into the darkness.
Reaching the end of the room with only a panel open in the wall Mono goes up first pulling himself over the grate with Six following after. The two of them look up to see a pair of legs dangling from the ceiling.
"Poor guy, guess he couldn't handle the stress of working on the MAW."
Six looks down to see the note on the floor. She never bothered to pick it up and read it last time. She was buried in her own guilt and feelings she couldn't bother to. Now? Curiosity got the better of her and she picked up the note and began to read. Mono began pulling the chair out from under the body and towards the door.
To my dear brother Charon,
I'm sorry, but I don't have the heart to do this any longer. To pull this kind of charade where I can condone or condemn the deaths of the innocent. I could understand what the fourth Lady was trying to do by bringing children here. We supported it you and I, a safe place for children while slowly killing out the monsters of the world. If it had to finally end with us, I would have allowed it. This world is far too poisonous for it to thrive again. Now, with the new Lady in charge I can no longer see a good future for the rest of the world. I cannot go against her; I may have gotten all the fighting spirit in the family, but I have no power. Meanwhile you were born with powers but no matter how I urge you don't want to fight. So, because I refuse to follow the orders of a psychopath and I cannot leave by normal means I perish here and now. By the time you have read this I have hung until dead.
Know this brother, I don't hate you for the choice you've made by serving her. I just hope in time you will come to a different approach than the one you've followed.
Till we meet again,
Daedalus Ship.
'So, this has happened before.'
Six wasn't exactly thinking of the Cycles when she thought that. The MAW being made a haven before for children. The monsters of this world dying out slowly killing themselves. Six decided for herself that there were some similarities in all the versions of her. Not just in physical means but mentally and emotionally. Did this deter her in her goals? Not a chance in hell but still, something to think one later.
Mono pulled the chair to the door before hesitating for the knob. He saw the symbol held on the door frame. That same accursed eye that taunted him, beckoned him forward back when he was a child lured by TVs. The same one that held his older self until he released him. The Eye on this door however was glowing a small bit.
'We're being watched right now.' He realized with growing dread. Quickly throwing his hand forward he pulls down with all his might and scratches the eye out. The now imperfect eye shifting back to the mahogany wood the glow slowly fading away. Shrugging of the jitters he pulled down on the handle and pushed the door open.
Beckoning Six forward they venture on into the darkness. Mono taking the lead wanting to get further and further away from the eye as much as possible. In his haste he wasn't prepared to be yanked back as Six suddenly stopped in place.
"Careful Mono last time I went through here a couple of floorboards snapped under me and I fell down into that lower area. Lot of leeches that's all I'm gonna say."
Slowly inching their way forwards, they heard the skitter of another Nome ahead of them.
"In fact, it was that little one that distracted me the first time I fell down. I chased after it and then I fell down."
"Why were you chasing it Six?"
"W-well, it turns out they get quite friendly when you hug them. I missed holding your hand back in the city and wanted some means of comfort. Hugging the little guys just made me feel better after being chased by a monster."
"You know… If you ever need hugs or really any kind of affection Six you can just come to me."
"You mean like right now?"
Both having passed the more dangerous terrain pulled each other close. Staying in warm embrace until they heard that chittering grows near. Both looked over to see a Nome slowly wander over to both.
"What does it want?"
The Nome seemed to tilt its head looking directly at the lighter in Mono's hand before tugging on his cloak.
"I think I know Mono, let's follow them for a bit."
The Nome wandered forward gesturing to a small crack in the wall. Back in the last cycle it took no effort for Six to get into the hole. Now that they were both a bit bigger it took some doing but they slid inside. Six pulled out her lighter and then began to light the lantern on the floor. The Nome clapped excitedly before putting their hands near the flame warming itself. It looked at the two of them seeing the claws in Mono's hand before turning back to Six. It walked over to her raising its arms upward. Six picked it up into a small hug and Mono could hear the small little critters like laughter.
Examining the small room Mono found one of the pipes in the room seem to lead the way forward.
"Thanks for the small break little guy but the two of us have to get going. Come on Six, this pipe is a straight path forward."
Six put down the little guy and watched as they lay down in front of the lantern light before falling asleep. It put a little weight on Six's heart knowing the Nome was a child stripped of their soul.
Six and Mono slid down the pipe landing on top of a grate with their feet. Again, another room this one as expansive as the vault with the chains. Only this one had a multitude of walkways and prison doors lining the walls. A few bridges could be seen leading to an inner sanctum of sorts with a light illuminating for the doorways.
"So, this is the Prison Mono, it's where all the children are kept until the higher ups decide it's to time for more delicacy meat to be sent upwards. This is where the Janitor comes into play. His job is to ensure the children stay in the Prison and when it's time for delivery he collects them while they sleep and send them to the kitchen."
"You've never told me what this thing actually looks like."
"Well, it looks li-"
Six was cut off as she heard a body hitting the floor. She quickly grabs Mono pulling him into the corner. They watch the shadows on the wall as figure is thrown onto one of the many bridges leading inside.
"YOU ABSOLUTE FOOLISH OLD MAN. YOU STILL HAVEN'T DESTROYED THOSE FORSAKEN CLOCKS OR GOTTEN RID OF YOUR LITTLE WIND-UP TOYS!?"
They watched as the one figure picked himself up using six different arms. One pair to push himself up from the floor, another to dust off his clothing, and another to grab his hat.
"B-but my Lady, the children l-love the t-toys. At l-least let t-them have s-some joy before they d-die."
Mono and Six looked in horror as the Geisha's shadow entered view.
"And I care why exactly? There's only one thing I care about right now. The Void has let me know that they had seen a child up in close on the loose in the MAW. It also let me know that this child in particular is the one I have been hunting for. I'm not taking any more chances. I'm not just going to wait in my quarters for the two children to come to me. I plan to nip this in the bud. You are coming with to help dismantle those little noisemakers."
"W-which ones the c-clocks or the c-children?"
The Geisha turned around to look at the Rakshasa.
"Both."
Mono and Six watched as the Geisha and Rakshasa slowly slinked away into the Prison. The Rakshasa noticeably limping out of view.
"That was close thanks for pulling me away like that Six."
He received no response only to look down and see that Six was sitting on the ground her head in her hands visibly shaking.
"She knows… everything."
"Six?"
"Don't you get it, Mono!? She knows everything. If she knows we're coming, then she most likely knows the path I was planning to take."
"Then we adapt Six both you and the Lady know the MAW like the back of your hand."
"Yeah, I knew the MAW. I knew the MAW I owned when I was the Lady. We're dealing with a Lady that is actively hunting us down she never came down here before."
"Then we deal with it either by running or fighting back. More than anything else we stay together."
They both moved on quickly and as quietly as possible. Leaving the large annex, they entered a small room with an open drainpipe and another open door.
"Okay so the last time I went through here the pipe wasn't open. It might be better to take a chance and go down a new path than risk being caught by the Geisha or the Janitor."
Mono picks up a piece of debris before dropping it in the hole. It takes a few seconds before they hear water below, but it also doesn't take long for them to hear the snarling of something down there as well.
"Nope, I'm sorry Six but I'm not risking that."
They continued see a bunch of tied up sheets leading up to a window. Just like back in the Pale City another rope leading upward and most definitely into trouble. Mono takes the lead this time just in case something's waiting for them on the upper floor. Both clamber up with ease but not before hearing footsteps. Six quickly pulls Mono to a corner of the room just as the Rakshasa enters the room. The giant keeping quiet as he listens out for any form of movement. His arms reaching out in all directions palpating every section of the room. His fingers get closer and closer to Six's feet as they sit huddled together. Right before they graze the duo he gives up as he feels the cages in front of him. In frustration the Rakshasa pulls the cages down possibly in the hopes of ensuring whomever the Geisha was looking for couldn't escape that way. Satisfied the Rakshasa hurries back to his workplace to aid his Lady in the regretful smashing of the clocks.
Passing through a play area Mono spies another music box and goes to pick it up.
"Leave it Mono it's not worth it right now."
"Says you, seems that guy listens for movement we could use this as a last-ditch distraction."
With that Mono pocketed the music box along with a small rubber ball in case of a button needed to be pressed. They left the play area entering a tall vertical room. Dozens of doors could be seen on the different floors of the room. Using the light Mono could see patches of blood on the floor. Six was wracking her mind trying to remember if there was anything important about the room.
When Mono walked forward trying see any other threats that could have caused the blood one of the panels, he stepped on clicked and the wall started to move.
Recollection quickly hit Six as she remembered the Eye on the wall. Quickly running forward Six attempted to shove Mono away from the light but it wasn't enough for either of them as the light bathed both of them in multicolored light.
Mono opened his eyes to see that he was perfectly fine. That despite being in the light like Six had said his body wasn't turning to stone. In fact, he didn't know what it was doing it just seemed that the Eye wasn't affecting him at all. Also, unlike what Six said this Eye wasn't shifting from side to side it was only looking down at the ground.
"Well, I guess you were wrong Six the Eye doesn't seem to be doing anything to me…Six?"
Mono turned around to Six fixed in the location she was standing before. She seemed to be looking around as if she didn't even hear Mono say anything.
What Six saw when the light hit her was that she was in darkness. She was standing on the cusp of a floating island. Nothing but dirt holding her up pitch black darkness everywhere else. The only source of she could was a massive eye staring down at her.
Then they started to appear, multiple shadows of Six.
"Why do you persist Six? You are meaningless in this story. Just another pawn to my little game."
Six looked around the crowd when she realized she was no longer in the MAW. She could use her powers to fight these things off. She flung out her hand trying to allow her powers to flow out.
"You have no power here."
She figured she must still be wearing the necklace, so she reached down to pull it off only to find.
It wasn't there.
Mono watched as Six still wildly looked around before trying her powers. He then looked as she looked down to her necklace and began reaching for it. Mono charged her grabbing her wrist so that she wouldn't blow their cover.
Six felt something grab her wrist.
"Perhaps I'm not being clear enough Six. To me and the vastness of the world you are nothing. Just a scared little girl who seeks affection and forgiveness for crimes she will never pay for."
Six begins fighting against the grip of this one shadow not believing a word it says. She doesn't care as the tears spill out of her eyes.
"You can pretend to think I don't know you but the truth of the matter is that I do. After during that last cycle I was deep inside you. I know every single area of your body as you traveled through the MAW the last time. You're a monster Six perhaps it's time you remembered that."
Then she feels the pain in her stomach.
Oh Elysium. Oh no.
Mono watches as Six furiously fighting against him punching him in the face and kicking him to the point where he lets go. As soon as he does that though Six at once hunches over like she's been starving. It's odd though he doesn't hear her stomach grumbling. He reaches out a hand to comfort her while she's in pain.
Six however hears her stomach growl like crazy. She feels as though she hasn't eaten for days. She watches as the crowd shifts to different people, different children. She tries to back up but the hunger is too strong for her.
She must eat.
She watches as one of the crowd reaches out for her. The first of many meals. She lunges out needing to survive needing to devour.
Mono screams out in pain as Six bites down on his arm. He tries to pull away from her seeing the feral look in her eyes. Trying to figure out a way to calm her down he looks to the light of the eye. If he can pull her out of the light's gaze, she'll go back to normal. Mono's screams intensify as Six pulls flesh of his arm. His blood soaking the sides of her face as she swallows the chunk of flesh. Mono looks down to his arm.
It's not so bad of a wound but if doesn't get covered up it could be—
He was torn from his thoughts as Six tackled him to the ground. He tries to fight back but realizes he doesn't want to actually harm her. He knows it not actually her doing this.
Six watches as she tackles the shadow to the floor. This one baring the same mark as the Void. She realizes she can end this here and now by killing this one. Her hunger taking over as she latches her teeth into the figures throat.
Mono screams out in choked pain as Six clamps her teeth into his throat. He feels the air getting harder and harder to breath. His vision beginning to fade out. Blood dripping out from his neck. Then his body falls limp and relaxed. His body exhaling one last bout of air.
Six stands to see that the Void has switched bodies with someone else. The treacherous thing betraying all those who follow. Six was surrounded by a group of people it's only a matter of time before the Void runs out of puppets and then she can truly end this.
Six takes one step out to the crowd before a massive pain rams her from behind pushing her off the floating island and into the darkness below. Frustrated she sees that puppet she thought she killed off. Only to see that it sacrificed itself to stop her.
Mono pushed Six out of the light. Feigning death, he quickly got up and rammed into Six getting her out of the affected area. The effect wasn't instantaneous as Six quickly got right back on top of him. Pinning him to the floor she punched him repeatedly.
The shade deserves it she thought as she pummeled it repeatedly. Flickers of shadow flying off the shadow puppet.
Flecks of blood flew off Mono's face from Six's unrelenting rage. His mouth ached full of blood and saliva, it felt like his nose cracked in unusual places, he could feel blood dripping from many open cuts, his eyes were swollen shut only seeing through small cracks of vision.
Six's vision flickered back and forth. From being inside the Void to inside the MAW. Getting a small headache, she quickly pushed the puppet away before clutching her head. Suddenly the headache was gone, and she opened her eyes. She was back in the MAW away from the light.
Drip
Drip
The sudden sound caught her attention and the urge to vomit occurred. She let loose of her guts over the floor. Panic rising within her as she saw bile the shade of red come out of her. Her hands slipped on her pants legs. Rising them up to her vision her fear worsened when she saw blood dripping off her hands.
No
She turned to see Mono laying crumpled on the floor. She could see a gash on his arm but his face was even worse. His throat had bite marks around but his face.
Nono
His face was massacred, he wasn't dead his chest slowly rising and falling being proof of that but if he didn't receive care now, he might die.
nonononononononononononononononono
Six not caring of the consequences right now tore of the necklace the Ferryman gave her and focused heavily and deeply.
"Please, please forgive me."
She prayed to all deities in existence doing her best to save him. Her powers wrapped around his body slowly repairing the damage around his arm.
"I'm not losing you again. Please forgive me."
The wounds on his face and neck began to close, his nose popped back into place, and eyes became normal. The gouge on his arm also regenerated and closed.
"I don't care if anything happens to me. Just don't take him yet."
His eyes blinked open as he gave Six a small grin.
"So, do I still taste terrible?"
Six just gave him a look of both anger and sadness. Before slowly breaking into a small smile.
"Yes, you still taste terrible… Mono I'm-"
"It's okay Six I knew you weren't in control of your actions just now. No one just goes feral for no reason it doesn't make any sense. Besides what kind of boyfriend would I be if I abandoned you to your problems. Six I know you wouldn't purposefully try to kill me and I'm not going to let what happened three years ago happen again."
"I mean what I said before I don't deserve you."
"And I don't deserve you eith-"
The tender moment ruined when the doorway they entered is filled by the Rakshasa and the Geisha right behind him. The Geisha tenses at once when she sees Mono.
"YOU!"
Mono tugs off the Ferryman's necklace before teleporting upward onto the higher floor. Both must duck as the Geisha using her powers slugs a cage in their direction hoping to crush them. Both Mono and Six catch the cage using their power deflect the cage back in her direction. The Geisha not expecting that tries to catch the cage with her powers. She slows the fall but not enough as the cage slams into her jaw breaking the lower half of the mask in the process.
The Geisha with a bloody snarl in flurry of rage sends multiple tendrils after the two of them. A group of shadowy snakes enters the prison dorm of the children. The shadows uncaring of the screams and cries of children dying as they pursue Mono and Six.
Six and Mono dive into a vent just as the snakes close on them. The snakes collide against the wall of the vent repeatedly. The constant shaking of the vent putting Mono and Six to their knees. The constant bludgeoning of the wall taking its toll on the vent as it loosens increasingly. Then suddenly with one more impact the shaft loosens completely, Mono and Six hold each other as the shaft begins falling to parts unknown. Mono and Six are in freefall with Mono holding Six tight.
"Don't worry Six, I don't care if it's monsters, our nightmares, or any danger. Know I will never intentionally leave you again."
Despite them falling down a small smile crossed her face knowing Mono forgave her for something she had no control over. The Void was wrong she could be forgiven. With that Six focused on using her glide to slow their fall allowing the vent shaft to pass over them.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Six."
Suddenly they interrupted by the cold sensation of water. Six quickly grabbing Mono's hand began swimming up to the surface. Six looked up to see someone holding out a shackled hand out to them. Taking it the person pulled them up before quickly letting go. Six didn't understand why until she looked up at them.
"….RK?"
"….Oh God not you two again."