Chapter Text
Mono decided here and now that he hates water.
He had never liked water before but he never hated it either. Normally he'd approach it with a curious caution, wanting to understand it but knowing that something cruel and haunting could be lying underneath its dark surface.
In Mono and Seven's case it was far less haunting and far more real.
Things had started out okay, with Mono and Seven using what little strength they had to wade through the water. Slowly but surely the two small children began to make their way across the sunken depths; using suitcases and furniture that float amongst the still water for support and leverage.
It was as the two boys were hopping suitcase to suitcase, making their way over to a mold covered sofa they learned they were in fact not alone.
Thump.
The case his friend had been standing on suddenly jumped as if struck from below.
Seven stumbled, collapsing onto his hands and knees, knuckles white against the rims of the case as he looked at Mono in fright.
"What was that?" His voice was so very small.
Mono forced his eyesight to break away from the waters and focused solely on Seven, giving the boy the most reassuring smile he could muster.
He could not allow for Seven to see his panic. Could not allow for it to spread to the boy and make him falter.
He could let him notice the shadow down below the water's edge.
Not until he was safely across.
"I'm sure it was nothing," Mono extended his hand "come on now, I'll help you!"
Seven bites his lips and looks at him with fear swimming in his eyes "Mono, what was that?"
"Nothing-"
"You were trying to race me just a second ago and now you're trying to help me!" He shouts it like it's an accusation.
Mono grits his teeth.
"Mono-"
"I need you to trust me."
"Trust you?!" Seven cries as another thump hits his suitcase "I just met you!"
"I know but-"
"You can't trust anyone here!"
"Seven-!"
"You're going to get me killed!"
Slam!
Seven's shrill cry is broken as he tumbles off the case and into the water. As soon as he breaks through the dark surface something grabs him and yanks him down below.
"No!" Mono screams.
And without thinking he jumps in after his friend.
He will not freeze or hide away ever again.
The water is dark and murky and Mono is not the strongest swimmer but he still pushes through the biting waves and searches.
He fights against his own lungs, ignoring the intense pressure and his own instincts that scream at him to flee and run away.
As he swims blindly he collides with a bony arm with skin the texture of rotting meat.
Without another thought he latches his teeth onto the long and unnatural arm and yanks with all his might.
The meat falls off with ease and instincts force the adult to recoil in pain. Her involuntary reaction causing her to let go of what she had been holding. A little boy she had intended to drown.
With every last fiber of his waning strength Mono grabs the collar of Seven's blue hoodie and drags him back up, all while the adult howls in agony.
Once they breach the surface both boys gasp for breath and scramble over to the sofa.
Mono grabs at the cushions with a desperation he's only felt a few short times in his life. He hauls himself up, wasting not a moment of time before clawing at Seven's arm and dragging him aboard.
The two sit still and silent for a moment. Panting, shivering, sopping wet and terrified.
Then Seven's little voice speaks.
"You saved me."
Mono blinks, eyes still on the pool of water that traps their hunter.
"Of course I did," he huffs "You're my friend."
"I don't understand," Seven presses his back against the couch. "How could you risk your life like that?"
"Because you're my friend." Mono says again, like it explains everything.
"You make no sense," the young boy claws at his black hair. "You have a name, you have friends, you come from somewhere else, you have powers, and you're kind …how…how can you be so…kind?"
"I don't know." Mono says sadly "I've always been this way…everyone around me has always been so scared and I've always just wanted to make them feel better…no one believed that though…they all thought it was a trick…but that was before I met Six. She knew I wasn't a liar."
"All that kindness you carry will get you killed."
"Maybe," Mono stands and brushes himself off "but I'm still alive now, aren't I?"
He outstretches his hand and offers Seven a warm smile.
"So until I get myself killed, let me continue being kind."
Seven stares at him for a moment.
And then he laughs.
It's breathy and quiet but it is still there.
And then he takes his hand.
"It would be stupid of me not to accept your help now."
Mono pulls the boy onto his feet.
"Let's keep moving then, I can sense another T.V not far ahead."
"You can sense that?"
"Yes, the static makes my skin crawl."
He can also feel something tapping against the bottom of the chair they sit on.
"We better keep moving."
Seven nods hastily.
It's a delicate game of balance and speed.
The thing in the water can see them but they cannot see it underneath the blackness of stale water and shadows. It's best to avoid setting foot in the murky water at all, but they do not unfortunately have the option to always remain on the safety of land.
Yes this place is flooded and as such many suitcases and furniture float and work like stepping stones but the spacing is more often than not too great of a distance to leap and they must risk a swim.
At some points in their journey they are able to use the corpse of fish they find to distract the adult. Whoever this person once was, they have not been fed properly in a very long time, this woman is far greedier than any of the ones Mono encountered in the Pale City.
Their game of cat and mouse drags on and on, with each passing step making his skin tingle as the air grows thicker and thicker with the song of static.
They're almost there now.
Once they reach the television Mono can use it to static walk them out of here.
They're balancing on a suitcase that's barely big enough to hold both boys when Seven speaks up.
"There!" He points, "I can see the T.V!"
Mono follows his gaze, victory and relief nearly within reach.
And then he's cursing under his breath.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
The static isn't as strong as it should be.
"There's no power."
"What does that mean?"
"It means we have to turn it on." He speaks as he scans the surrounding walls.
"That's the breaker," it's Mono's turn to point "I have to flip that switch to restore power to the T.V before I can get us out of here"
Something slams against the bottom of their suitcase.
Both boys grab onto each other in order to steady themselves, narrowly avoiding tumbling into the blue.
"You go to the T.V and wait for me there," Mono orders "Once I've got the power on I'll make my way over to you and get us out of here!"
There's no point in Seven following him and remaining in danger longer then he has to.
"You want me to leave you?!"
"It's not far, it'll only take a second!"
"But-"
"Go!" He doesn't give his friend another moment to think.
He jumps into the water, catching the attention of the one waiting and giving enough time for his friend to escape to safety.
He reaches the worn wooden support pallet just before an old hand grabs his ankle.
He climbs fast, using his experience in the Pale City to aid him as he hurriedly makes his way up.
He doesn't have much else on his mind other than survival at this point.
That and getting back to Six
He grabs the breaker switch and pulls it down, the static in the air thickening and sparking with new life.
The adult below makes a grotesque gurgling sound as she breaks through the waves.
Mono gets his first good look at that which hunts them.
A woman with old and water eaten flesh.
A skeleton whose skin looks long dead and eyes that burn from the sea water.
She screams and grabs at the pallets that support the floor Mono stands on; the flesh of her right wrist is torn and hangs limp from where said boy had bitten her earlier.
She claws at the wooden beams and pulls them apart with a sharp sounding snap. The floor Mono stands on jolts and he falls backwards, barely catching himself with his wrist.
"Mono?!"
He hears Seven cry.
But he cannot answer.
He's too busy watching this gaunt woman destroy the only thing keeping her away from him.
"Did you need help?!"
Another support is ripped away and with it the flooring turns onto a sharp angle. Mono is forced to dig his nails into the wood to avoid falling right into the woman's grasp.
She makes another horrible noise, hand outreached and stretching unnaturally towards him.
And then the water is alive with static.
And the woman is jolting and frothing at the mouth.
Mono continues to stare as her body twists in agony, tightening into an unnatural ball and falling back into the water.
All is still for a moment.
"Sorry."
He hears Seven's voice.
"I think I broke your T.V."