Chaos of a Broken Cycle
Terrence Johnny Stanford- yes I very much appreciate the bag boy, can't say much for six though, but you know, she there I guess.
Mephilesthelight-Thank you ill try to keep it interesting,
AmethystPearl99-do it, bring your creation to life, we need more Mono-centric stories.
Fire- here it is
MR TTT-I present to you a story that is essentially a hodgepodge of Little Nightmare Theories I've come across. The story is actually merging 3 that I believe work together.
ToonArtist403-I do not understand, pls explain, but thank you, nonetheless.
Liris 714- It shall continue, for now.
Zaylo267- You will get answers, and also more questions.
I believe by now everyone is well aware of the Time Loop Theory, seeing as most current fanfics use this as a basis for their stories. However I have recently come across another theory that gets rid of it all together and it does have some proof to back it up. It this were to be the case then my hatred for Six has in fact grown to astronomical levels. Even if the Time Loop Theory were to be proven wrong, the other 2 that I use in the story can still stand strong. Because you know at the end of the day the lore of Little Nightmares doesn't really have much to go on.
Here a clue to the second theory I use: Gluttony
A timeline of Little Nightmares in my opinion
VLN-You see Six before the raincoat.
LN1- The true beginning of the story, some believe that LN2 is a prequel, but in LN1 we know that Six went to the Maw to satiate her Hunger
LN2-Six has satiated her Hunger and believes that she can be free again, only for her Hunger to return and she must return to the Maw. The Maw gives Six a false sense of freedom thinking that she can leave whenever she wants but she'll never really be gone for long. Her trips away will grow shorter and shorter till she can no longer leave.
What is wrong with me. I hate Six but I also ship her with Mono, help, im poisoning myself with angst
Also Mono I gonna grow in power exponentially. Don't worry he'll still be the same bag boy we all know and love, however you should know that power often has a mind of its own. Mono's power aligns with the second theory, take a guess at what im getting at.
Chapter 2: And Then There Was Mono
Turning around a street corner, the three came face to face with a crowd…..of adults? But it was weird, they had their eyes, no longer distorted, their skin was tan, white, brown and black. Colors that he had never seen before as he was entirely used to the pale grey deathlike skin tone.
"Everyone please remain calm. I am sure your all as confused as I am. I understand that most of you are missing your children. But first we need to establish a sense of order. We currently have no way to contact the outside world, or even contact with other cities on the island. Now first we need t-" the man suddenly stopped as he noticed a tall grey skinned old man in a suit and fedora, a TV with a figure and a child sitting upon the TV. The other people also took notice and turned around as well.
"Monster!" someone from the crowd yelled.
"And look, he's taken a child hostage." Someone else yelled.
"Let's get him, he's just one freak." Another disgruntled person said.
They approached the group of 3 slowly and menacingly.
"Now, now, everyone we can talk about this, I understand that my appearance may frighten you, but I assure you I come with the best intentions." The Thin Man said
"Shut it, you think we'll believe you. We've been trapped here for who knows how long. It feels like waking up from a dream, but everyone here still remembers your face. Now you're here to put us back under your spell and kidnapping that child." Someone else within the crowd said.
The crowd closed in surrounding the group.
"MONO!?" a lady's voice rang out.
The crowd gave way slightly to a lady who had a undeniably natural beauty. She had shining long black hair and blue eyes, wearing a white long skirt and blue blouse.
"My baby! Don't worry momma will save you, everything is gonna be fine." The lady said slowly approaching the three but watching Thin Man Mono for any sudden movements. You could see the fear in her eyes, but even that would not deter her.
Unfortunately, the words, momma, baby, and anything else that was related to a family were entirely foreign thoughts to the 3. Younger Mono grew confused and jumped on to Thin Man Mono climbing up to sit on his shoulder. Thin Man Mono and Tele-Mono also showed signs of visible confusion and distress. Feelings they didn't quite understand started to arise in them, that while it all seemed so foreign to them, they still felt some sort of connection, almost as if they knew this woman somehow.
"Please give me back my son, please don't hurt him, he's so young! If you need to take someone then please take me but please let my son go. He doesn't deserve any of this." The woman said begging on her knees as the crowd watched silently.
As angry as the crowd was, they were apprehensive of making a move, unsure of what magic the man might pull to escape or hurt the child in their eyes. Thin Man Mono and his younger self shared a look, before a resolute look showed on Thin Man's face.
"I suppose this is where you belong. This may be our last time seeing each other, make sure to make many friends, grow your hat collection, maybe even expand on your vocabulary a bit. Do all the things we dreamed of doing." Thin Man said slowly grabbing Mono as the crowd tensed. He clutched Mono and slowly reached out to hand him to the woman.
Closer and closer their hands came. One hoping for a better future and the other seeking to hold her son once again. However, they along with the whole crowd became shocked when a shot rang out from a gun. Everyone jumped and turned around. There stood 3 figures, 3 very recognizable figures. A teacher who looked worriedly at Mono, a pudgy Doctor looked on in fear, and a Hunter, reloading his shotgun, staring at Mono and Thin Man in rage.
"Any last words you little monster!" The Hunter yelled. Pointing his shotgun at the two.
"Wait! Please don't shoot, my son, he was just about to give me back my son." The woman said standing in front of Thin Man who clutched her son.
"Are you blind woman! What about the rest of you? Don't you see it, he is the monster! We see him every loop and every time I get shot. It was like a dream that kept repeating, watching myself but not being able to change anything. That little freak shoots me every time!" The Hunter growled
"Calm yourself hunter, things may not necessarily be what you believe. We need to assess the situation first." The Doctor said
"How are you both still here, and why have the Transmissions from the Signal Tower stopped?" The Teacher asked
Tele-Mono answered startling the surrounding people, causing the Hunter to point his shotgun at him.
"I'm sure I can answer most of your questions if you would allow me to do so." Tele-Mono said
"Your another one of them?" The Hunter growled
"Why yes I suppose that is true. But gather around ladies and gentlemen and left me show you exactly what dream, or nightmare I should say, that you have awoken from. We will begin from the beginning, my beginning to be precise, for not even I know when exactly these loops began." Tele-Mono said causing the TV to flicker and then the nightmare played before them all. They all watched the loop with wide and horrified eyes, wanting in every fiber of their being. People didn't take to well to being killed by Mono or Six however as they watched on, they slowly came to an understanding that none of this was his fault. Near the very end of the loop they saw, with bated breath and anticipation as the loop was almost broken. And yet as Mono and Six reached the exit, everyone saw, and everyone understood, why the loop persisted. They viewed his darkest moment, abandoned by the one he called friend. And then as he fell into the pit of flesh, trapped in a room with nothing but a chair and a television to watch his previous loops.
And so with one loop done, a recording of the next one began, slightly sped up, and then the next one, and the next one, and the next one, each time speeding up until the loops were going by so fast their eyes couldn't keep up with the images. Each outcome was unfortunately the same, some of the other adults looked away, others burst into tears, some ground their teeth in anger. The recording kept going, almost endlessly until a hand suddenly touched Tele-Mono's screen.
"Please just stop it, we've seen enough, please.!" His mother said
"I suppose we can skip to the end then." Tele-Mono said uncomfortably.
Once he did everyone paid closer attention. Waiting and watching as the curse finally became undone. Finally done the screen cut off back to Tele-Mono.
"As you can all see, the flesh monster is gone forever, and things have begun to come undone. But you shouldn't think we're all safe now. Things around the world are still the same, perhaps some places are even worse than here. Pale City can no longer send Guests to the Maw so I pray they do not take notice. The Pale City was only ever able to meet that quota due to the time loop. Now that things are normal again, I fear that far more dangerous creatures will make their way here if someone from The Maw were to ever notice a small decline in Guests. I do not know what is out there, but I can assure you that the world you knew no longer exists." Tele-Mono explained
"Dammit!" The Hunter said while waving his arms in the air in frustration and panic. The other survivors sharing that sentiment, because while they had some recollection of the loops that felt like a dream, it also felt like just the other day the world was normal for them.
"I understand that this wasn't your fault kid, you were just as much a victim as the rest of us, but where's the girl in the raincoat." The Hunter asked
"That is unknown, my knowledge extends only to the beginning of a loop and to the end. Once I am trapped in the room I stay there until my younger self frees me and the loop repeats itself. Any information I have regarding the outside world is extremely limited and vague. For example, the Maw, the Signal Tower was always instructing the Viewers to get fatter and once they did so they would be sent off in batches. I have no idea where The Maw is located nor its purpose, though I do have a few conjectures. Once Six left the Pale City she was outside my field of view so where she is I have not a clue." Tele-Mono explained
"Then we need to get everything back up and running again as soon as possible and we need to do so quickly, starting with the power grid and then the Signal Tower asap." The leader of the crowd earlier said with most agreeing with him.
Thin Man Mono then approached his mother awkwardly. Handing his younger self to her gently, who looked back, although Thin Man gave him a assuring look.
Thin Man opened his mouth to speak, but the only thing that came out was a gasp of breath as the words caught in his mouth, unsure of what to say, before finally settling for a short farewell.
"Good-bye." He said turning around while in the motion of tipping his hat.
Thin Man was preparing to cart away Tele-Mono before the voice of his mother came from behind him again.
"You can come home, with us." She spoke.
"I appreciate that mam bu- "Thin Man started before being cut off
"No matter what happened, even the way that you are now, your still my son. So please call me Mom, and please…come home." She spoke.
Words once again got in his throat along with a tightening in his gut. His face twitched as powerful emotions stirred within him. What this a mother's unconditional love?
"Then I will follow…. Mom." Thin Man said in an awkward tone. One because he had never uttered the word Mom before, and the other reason being that it felt weird considering he was older than her now due to the tower.
"Everyone go home and make any preparations that you see fit or if you just need to rest after processing the situation. We will have a town meeting tomorrow to delegate work groups." The supposed leader of the group said.
And with that people started to disperse, however some came up to Thin Man and his group and thanked him profusely for breaking everyone free. He accepted them awkwardly because freeing them was never the main intention, it was merely a bonus.
They walked down the stone streets until they reached the out skirts of what was once the Pale City.
They came upon a house that had a large front yard with colorful trees and flowers surrounded by stone wall and a large iron gate.
"Mom, Dad, Honey, I found Mono!" She yelled loud enough to hear throughout the entire house. It was by no means a big house. It was a 2 story, 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom house made primarily of wood and looked old in design but showed signs of being refurbished.
Very quickly one could hear the thumping of footsteps running across the wooden floor of the house. A man then rushed him grabbing on to the frame of the entrance while huffing in exertion. He wore a trench coat, exactly like younger Mono, except obviously better taken care of. It was light brown along with a fedora that matched and a white dress shirt underneath.
He then saw Mono in her arms and rushed to hug the both of them together. Next an elderly couple came shuffling in.
"Is it true, where is my grandson." Said a teary-eyed grandmother.
It was only the Grandfather that notice the other 2 out of place entities standing in the back.
"Who are these two?" The Grandfather asked
"Ah, well you see…" Their mother began explaining the entirety of events that had unfolded. Tele-Mono even having to show the event on the television once again.
Much to Thin Man and Tele-Mono's surprise they were extremely accepting of the two. After being in a nightmare for so long, being accepted so easily like this was like a dream.
Yet still a somber air hung around the room. Seeing such events happening over and over again to him.
"Oh, I'll go get Mono ready to take a bath, heavens know the boy needs it, I mean just smell him." His mother said.
"Well, I guess we should prepare a room for you." His father said.
"I thank you for the thought, but I assure you that will not be necessary." Thin Man Mono said.
"If this is about the whole age thing, I can tell you right now it doesn't matter, this place is your home now." His father assured.
"That is not why, however awkward it might be to discuss, me and the other Mono in the television will disappear in the coming hours. With the loop finally ended we will naturally disappear, there is no way to stop it." Thin Man said with finality.
"Oh, I see." His father said downtrodden by this information. Afterall, this older, paler, and unbelievably tall thin man, was at the end of the day still his son. Even if he had the younger son back with them, why wouldn't he feel depressed about losing Thin Man. He saw his struggle in each loop, trying so desperately to break free. What good parent wants to see their child tortured both physically and mentally while they can do nothing. To see them trudge on with barely any hope at all, to want peace so desperately and then once they succeeded, to only disappear.
Afterword's they talked about a multitude of things. As it turned out Mono's father was a Private Investigator, hence looking like a detective. His mother was a fashion designer, and a pretty well known one at that. His mother was from America, a place he is told existed far from the Pale City. His father lived here in the Pale City, the original name of the city being Sapporo in Japan. They had met when his mother had come to japan for a fashion exposition. His father had been embarrassed to say the exact way that they met but he assured that it was love at first sight.
His grandfather had from his mothers' side had recounted to him stories of his time as a soldier in WW2. His grandmother had also told him stories of her past as well. And things went on like this until it was time for food.
They had gone to the dinner room and Thin Man was sat down at the table. The entire table was set with so much food, Thin Man himself was startled. Seeing this much food in one place was amazing for someone that had lived like they had. Some fish, some rice, some barbecue, vegetables and bread.
Right before they began his mother brought his younger self in who looked cleaner than he ever had before. Still slightly uncomfortable with the entire situation, but who could blame him, he was still a child and was much more cautious given his previous ordeals.
He was sat down next to Thin Man. They both stared at the food while Tele-Mono watched after being place on the kitchen counter. There was silence as everyone stared at the two. It seemed to Thin Man that they were waiting for them, and so he tentatively grabbed a pair of chopsticks, seeing as everyone else had grabbed them, before attempting to grab a piece of food. However, he had never used them before so try as he might the food always fell. His younger self tried as well but it worked for him even less then Thin Man.
"You can use the other utensils by your plate you know, you don't have to copy us, we understand this is new to the 3 of you." Their mother said while everyone else nodded.
Thin Man reached for a fork and promptly began eating as did his younger self. They both had different reactions despite being the same person.
Thin Mans face twitched as soon as the flavor exploded in his mouth. His face showing great surprise before having another bite, he savored and appreciated every new flavor.
His Younger self's eyes grew bright as he too enjoyed the new flavors he was experiencing. However, being a child in the condition he had been in he scarfed down food with reckless abandon, trying two different foods at once, tasting, creating, and savoring each taste.
It was at this point that everyone burst out laughing at the younger Mono's behavior before everyone began to dig in.
To both Mono's at the table and the one on the counter, this was the first time a sense of belonging had ever been felt. To be wanted, to be loved, the taste of a home cooked meal in a dark world seemed like heaven on earth.
To finally be full, to not hunger, to not be repulsed by the food he ate. When they finally finished what was on their plates their grandmother rushed over and pushed more food onto their plates. Claiming that the two were much too thin. This welcomed cycle went on until the two could eat no more. Thin Man sitting back in his chair, stomach filled, while younger Mono was letting out heavy breathing while still trying to stuff his face with food in a futile attempt to consume more, of which he could not.
The day then went by in a blur. Showing all three Mono's in their mothers design studio, looking at new suits and even trying some on. The younger Mono trying on every hat no matter the size. As it turned out the small coat he always wore was made by his mother because he had wanted to look like his father. Of course, now that the coat was old and worn out, his mother presented him with another, with a matching hat as well. Thin Man tried on many suits as well, from white, black, grey, blue and brown. With Tele-Mono rating their clothing with nothing but thumbs up all the way.
From there we cut to his father's office, papers strewn about, filing cabinets open. He told stories of great mysteries that he had worked on. And while they might have been a tad bit exaggerated Mono's younger self soaked it all in.
And as the day came to an end so to did the journey of to happy but tired individuals.
Tele-Mono had a cloth draped over his screen, while Thin Man Mono and younger Mono both had blindfolds on. The room was dark, and the only shred of light was a dull glow, yet they still could not see, only tell that it was there. When the blindfold went off, there was a pastry there, covered in frosting that had their name on it.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Yells came from the room.
The 3 were incredibly startled, they had no clue what was going on. The cake as it had been called was made rather hastily, it was by no means perfect, but showed wither way the immense love the family felt regardless of bizarre situations.
Birthday hats were put on all three and as awkward as it looked, when the rest of their family began singing the happy birthday song, Thin Man's face couldn't help but twitch to a smile, Younger Mono eyed the pastry while smiling around at his family that smiled back, Tele-Mono showed a serene and happy smile basking in the event.
They all 3 blew. Younger Mono the hardest, Thin Man a gentle huff and Tele-Mono at least pretended to blow.
This single light marks the end of a journey and the beginning of a all-new one.
Thin Man's form flickered just a bit, as did Tele-Mono's on the screen. A look of understanding flashed across both their faces. Everyone else looked confused at first before finally realizing what was happening and looked down in sadness.
Younger Mono looked at the 2 in worry as their forms flickered again and again, mimicking static from a screen.
"I suppose this is really goodbye this time, so remember what I said earlier today. Make some friends, collect more hats for your collection, expand your vocabulary! But most importantly don't feel sad about me, you should be happy to finally be free, appreciate what you have done for yourself, whether knowingly or not." Thin Mono said as his form flickered even more violently.
"Thank you, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, although our time was short, I will cherish this moment, I love you all." He breathed out before one last flicker with a tip of his hat and his body burst into a small spark with static particles that floated towards Younger Mono who was now crying. Power flowed into him as did memories and even though he cried a sense of unmistaken happiness flowed thru him. He felt the happiness his older self had felt in the final moments.
Next was Tele-Mono.
"This isn't the ending I had hoped for. No, in fact it is much better than I could have ever imagined. Mono listen to me, the world may not yet be done with you, as chaotic as it is now it would be foolish of me to tell you otherwise. Your older selves had to change to get to this moment, but you don't have to. Always be yourself, I guess it wouldn't hurt to be a little cautious, but as long as you keep pressing on there will be nothing that can stop you. I wish I could give you answers, but I have none. All I can leave you is power, absorbed from your past selves. Practice it, explore it, use it in any way you see fit. Your future is now a blank slate, make…. Of…..it…what…..you will." Tele-Mono said before flickering off one last time. Smoke coming from the TV. However, unlike Thin Man sparks did not fly out. Rather a big ball floated out, it seemed like a ball of condensed TV static and suddenly flew into Mono's chest.
The Maw – 1 Year Later
A very familiar girl in a raincoat with black hair, red eyes and sharp teeth was currently in a vent, gnawing on a Gnome. Ever alert of sounds within the vent, everyday was just a fight to stay alive. But that's how it's always been, she didn't like it but how else would she survive.
Mouth covered in blood and viscera her eyes always darted from side to side until she was done with her meal before trudging onwards to some other section of the Maw. She knew the place like the back of her hand, after all she had been here once before going to the Pale City. She had come in search of food and power as the Ferryman said there was. The first time she had come her hunger had already started to gnaw at her innards and yet she persevered until she had consumed The Lady. She was full and she had gotten The Lady's power to suck the souls out of the living. And with that she left the Maw believing that her Hunger had finally been satiated.
It was during that time that she had gone to the Pale City and met Mono.
"What a stupid boy." She thought
People like him that were too kind for their own good. The way he always looked at her like she was his friend. Hoping for some recognition or acceptance.
It was always him that got them in dangerous situations, dragging her along to the Signal Tower for no reason. Needlessly involving her.
Once she had escaped, she would have simply left while he slept, he would die on his own anyway.
At least that is what she thought at first. When she had been captured by the Thin Man and put in the Signal Tower she had been in there for years in a room with nothing but a few toys and her music box. Her hatred for Mono grew then by ten folds. He had let her get captured and done nothing to save her. Years passed for her in that room but when Mono finally appeared what did he do? He smashed her music box, the only thing that brought her comfort, her hatred grew even further.
Six Flashback
Finally, the straw that broke the camels back was in the final moments at the Signal Tower. As Mono raced to reach the exit, Six watched as the bridge broke between them. Mono jumped and she begrudgingly caught him. It was at this moment that she REALLY looked at his face. She had seen something like this face once before. The face of the Thin Man. Thoughts quickly raced through her head. Was this part of his plan, would her betray her if she lifted him up.
While she thought, Mono stared at her at first in happiness that she had caught him, but as she stared longer and longer the smile dropped from his face. Then he began begging to be lifted up and at that moment Six was knocked out of her thoughts.
She had him all figured out, or so she believed. This was all his doing, a part of his plan. She stared down at him, her red eyes narrowing, and her mouth grew into a sneer as she stared on in disgust.
With a rough tug of her arm, she ripped her hand free of his grip and watched as he slowly fell into the black abyss, still grinning at his falling form. She had won, in her eyes and so she walked towards the exit before disappearing. Once she made her exit from the TV she felt her Hunger act up again.
A Hunger Bout racked her body, before Shadow Six appeared, pointing towards a poster of the Maw. The Maw was the only place that would ever be able to satiate her Hunger. She didn't realize it just yet, but just as the Signal Tower was Mono's prison, so too was the Maw hers.
Flashback Over
Unknown to her was that the Signal Tower was Mono prison because of her repeated acts of betrayal through every loop. He was casted there unwillingly with no choice, while she, regardless of how much she consumed or how much power she accumulated would always have to return to the Maw, like a beast to its master.
As she set out to the Maw, she turned back to look at the Signal Tower that was still working. She didn't know that Mono "killed" the Thin Man to save her. She thought he was the Thin Man himself the entire time, tricking her, and in a sense, she was not wrong. Thin Man was Mono, just not the one she knew, and in her ignorance perpetuated the cycle again.
She felt justified, she believed her actions to be right. She was the hero at least in her own mind.
Her Shadow Six had directed her to the Maw once more afterwards. And so here she was now. Eating a rat in a dingy vent.
Things had been business as usual; her days went on without worry. At most she had to run away from Guest or the Staff of the Maw, or even beat other children to eat.
However, she quickly began to notice some strange occurrences going on with her. Sometimes when she'd walk, she'd grasp and clench her empty hand, as if grabbing someone else's, she would catch herself unconsciously starting to play around when she used to not. Sometimes she'd turn around preparing to ask a question, but no one was there.
A sudden warmth that she missed, this carried on for days, days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months.
Soon doubt took root. She was right, right? Very soon a sinking feeling in her gut began to settle.
"The Signal Tower bent Time and Space so it was possible to see two people, but the Thin Man came out of the Signal Tower while I was with Mono. Maybe, maybe I was wrong, maybe Mono wasn't the Thin Man." She thought.
Suddenly her eyes popped open wide in realization. While she had been stretched and deformed in the tower, she did remember one thing that the Thin Man said in passing that she had wrote off as nothing. After she had been left in that room in the Signal Tower, she ran to the door immediately, but it wouldn't budge. But when she pressed herself against the door, she heard what sounded like the Thin Man talking.
"As bad as it sounds, I can't wait for her to drop him so he can take my place, I just want to disappear." Thin Man said, unknown to her that.
Thoughts raced through her head at that moment of realization, her heart dropped, and she began to sweat. Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. There's vomit on her raincoat already. She threw away the rat after throwing up as she could do nothing but heave.
Images flashed thru her head of the happy times that she had with Mono, the warmth and comfort that he provided. He may have not been perfect but then again who was.
Did she just damn the only person who had ever shown her any single act of kindness ever. To have him replace the previous Thin Man. She sat there in the darkness for who knows how long, eyes unblinking staring into the wall looking glazed. The only way one could tell she was alive was by the tears that fell to the vent floor and her shallow breathing.
She calmed herself and clenched her fist's while deciding then and there that she would go there and do everything in her power to save him. The thought crossed her him that he might not even still be alive, but she dared not linger on it. She got up resolute and trudged on deeper into the vents, disappearing into the darkness.
Chapter End
Chapter 3:Why Are You Here
