The Long Sleep, Part 2
a story by Golett-anon
Dropping all pretense, I speak candidly to Jangles the Klefki, having finally come to terms with the dream having reached an end-point that won't progress further. "Oh. Well, alright. Maybe I'll figure out what 'something' is in another dream. This was fun, though, I never thought I'd get to experience what being a Pokémon is like. If I end up playing a game where I find a Klefki, I'll be sure to name it Jangles after you. It's a good name."
Jangles tilts her head, looking at me with a puzzled expression. "Huh? What do you mean, 'dream'~? You're... awake. You're the first of the Golett Army in history to wake up from The Long Sleep~" Something odd strikes me with her response, but I can't pinpoint what, exactly. Normally, referencing the fact that you're dreaming from within a dream forcefully ends the dream or starts a new one in my experience. But this dream seems to keep going.
"Oh. I guess I can explain, then, since you were so kind to do the same for me. See, I'm not actually a Golett... I'm a human. This isn't real, I went back to bed, trying to lucid dream and this is that dream. It's really vivid for a lucid dream, I'm kind of impressed with myself, but I guess my mind ran out of ideas for how to continue this story after that 'something' cliffhanger, so I'll be on my way."
An uncomfortable pause passes between the two of us, as Jangles looks me over, almost frantically as if she's looking for something that's not there.
"Any minute now. The last time I was in a lucid dream and I said that it wasn't real out loud, the dream collapsed in on itself and shoved me into a new dream, so I'm just kind of waiting for something like that to happen. Other times I punch myself and that wakes me up."
Jangles starts shaking with an emotion I can't really discern from her tiny keyhole-shaped face. "Waitwaitwaitwaitwait, what~? You're a h-human~? But- No, you're a Golett, unless... Oh no. Oh nonononononono, this isn't what was supposed to happen~! This wasn't supposed to happen at all~!" She starts floating back and forth, as if she's pacing, unsure of what to do. Her keys jingle in a tone unpleasant to my ears.
"Yeah. I'm a human. I woke up early this morning, and I used hypnotic suggestion to make myself lucid dream. Despite how I look, I'm not really a Golett. I have a name. A human name. My name is- My name is..." What- what is my name? I- I don't remember? What...?
In that moment, a hint of dread rushes into my mind, along with a bunch of other thoughts I've repressed since waking up within my 'lucid dream'. I notice that I haven't exactly drawn breath once since waking up. I try to do so manually and... nothing. I don't feel any lungs expand in my chest. When I blink, I don't feel the pressure in my eyes as my eyelids close. Instead, I see that the light gradually fades from my vision before coming fading back in as I 'open' my eyes again. I notice that as I've been speaking, I don't feel my tongue moving, my lips opening or closing, or the thrumming of my vocal chords.
"I- I don't- what? Haha. Hahahaha... alright, this is a fucked up trick to play on me, brain, but really, I want to wake up now. I'm serious. What, do you want me to say the magic phrase from the last time I did this? 'I know that this is a dream, because this place doesn't exist'..." A very uncomfortable pause hangs in the air, making me feel uneasy.
"Okay. That didn't work... I guess I'll hit myself." As I start winding up my stony arm to hit myself in the face in an attempt to wake myself up, Jangles' eyes widen as she notices my attempt at rash behavior, and acts quickly.
"H-hey, stop it~!" Her voice reverberates within the large chamber and my body suddenly seizes up. I'm unable to move. I grunt as I'm stuck in this uncomfortable position, processing how she was able to do that. "Ngh... h-how? Was that I-Imprison?! I can't move..."
Jangles floats in front of my stationary face, staring into my soul through the two eye-slots on my head. She speaks up, making herself loud and clear. "L-look, I don't know what's going on, but you need to listen to me right now, okay~? You're not dreaming~! Snap out of it, before you do something you seriously regret~!" With a large sigh, Jangles continues. "Yes, I used Imprison on you so you don't hurt yourself. I need you to be honest with me. Was all that stuff you just said true? Are you really a human~?"
Am I really a human, what kind of a question is that, of course I am... Am I? "Yes, I... I'm really a human! Would you please let me go? This is getting uncomfortable..."
Jangles hovers in closer to look me in the eyes with serious intent. "Promise me that you won't hurt yourself if I release you."
"A-alright, I promise! I won't try to punch my way out of this. I'll listen, just... let me go." The Klefki hangs on to my words for a little longer, as if she's assessing their weight, discerning my intent. Moments later, she finally releases me from her imprisonment. As my limbs succumb to gravity, my arms fall to my sides, and I feel strangely out of breath despite not needing to breathe. This only confuses me further as I stand there, panting with my hands on my knees.
Jangles starts stuttering as she speaks up again, her keys jittering as she slowly unfurls her keyring arms, rubbing them against each other. "I- I think... we should continue this c-conversation... outside. F-follow me." With that, she begins floating down the hallway alongside the wall, before turning back at me, beckoning me to follow her. "Come on, we don't have all day~!"
Without a word, I move my legs to catch up to her and follow her pace until we reach a tunnel leading upwards. What the hell is going on...?
"This tunnel will take us to the surface~" Jangles chimes at me.
"What about the other Golett?" I question as we start walking up the tunnel.
Jangles' tone shifts to a somber one. "I... I don't know. A lot of them were worn-down, and you were the first to wake up since going dormant... It's a hunch, but... I think you're a special case~" She turns around to face me as she floats backwards up the tunnel. "When my parents were around, I wasn't duty-bound to the chamber, so I spent some time learning of the world outside~ From what little I learned... though it's only told in legends, this world has been known to bring humans into its boughs, transformed into Pokémon."
My heart skips a beat as she conveys what had been plaguing my mind. "Wh-what?! Do you mean-"
She cuts me off, as light from the end of the tunnel comes into view. "Oh! There~! The exit is just up ahead~!" A burst of energy and excitement fills Jangles, as she floats faster towards the exit, leaving me to pick up the pace behind her. Entering a jog, I manage to catch up with her pace as the light pouring in from the surface envelops us, with our eyes adjusting to the change.
When our vision returns, we're graced with the beautiful mid-day scenery in the distance. Mountain ranges span across the middle of the region. To the northeast rests a veritable landmark, a giant rock formation with waterfalls cascading down its side, even taller than the cliff we're standing on. Looking to the west, the shimmering coastline glimmers and basks in the light of the sun, with a small mountain range hiding what seems like a town on the other side, judging from the outskirts that poke out from behind the cliffs. I'm... speechless. No dream could replicate scenery this vivid. Am I really in a world of Pokémon?
Jangles speaks up as we breathe in the view. "This is my first time seeing the surface in years... It's hasn't changed one bit, just as beautiful as before~" She turns to face me, snapping me out of my trance. "I know this is probably a lot to take in. Forgive me~ I just needed you to understand~"
"N-no, I- I get it... So, I'm really a Golett. Once human... now in a world of Pokémon." Well... It's not like I had a job to go to. Cynicism coming out to try and make light of things, but it's not enough to push the deeper thoughts away. I miss... my mom... and my pets... my friends and my games... the life I had. The life I wasted.
I feel like bawling my eye-slots out. Not that I could, if I tried. So many memories surfacing. Now distant, yet crashing into my heart in an overwhelming surge unlike anything I've suffered before. I don't... I don't have a choice, do I? Of course not. Like always, I try to bottle my emotions, before I slowly turn to face Jangles, almost afraid to look at her, to commit her presence to memory. "Okay... what now? We're both fish out of water, right? I'm not from here and... I don't think I can go back. At least not right now. And you haven't been to the surface in however long... what do we do?"
Jangles looks at me in my downtrodden state, before pondering to herself. She searches the scenery, getting her bearings. Eventually she spots the outskirts of civilization that I silently noticed earlier. "Ah, there~ I suppose I had a backup plan, of sorts, in case my vigil over the Golett Army ever went on too long... or if I couldn't find a successor. See the coastline to the west~?"
I follow her gaze to see the town outskirts again, spotting tiny silhouettes of what I assume are other Pokémon walking to and from the bustling settlement.
Jangles goes on. "That place is called Treasure Town. I had a trusted contact over there, some years back. If they're still around, they could help us out~ As for your current situation, you happen to be in the presence of none other than Jangles the Klefki~! Probably the world's number one historian regarding the legendary Pokémon Regirock and all his creations~ In other words, I could teach you how to be a Pokémon, more specifically, a Golett~!"
Jangles takes a deep breath and puts on her friendliest smile despite the sour mood, as her keys jingle in the breeze running through the cliff. "The journey will be long, but it would be a step forward for both of us~ What do you say... partner~?"
Partner... Partners? Is... that what we are? I can trust her, right? No, stop. She's been helpful. And I... I need all the help I can get.
I slowly start nodding my head to her, my mood visibly shifting towards the positive. "Yeah. That's a... good idea."
Jangles rings a pleasing tone with her keys as she notices my demeanor changing. "That's the spirit~ Come on, follow me. Let's get this show on the road~!" She leads me to a side path down the mountain, her keys jingling in the wind.
A strange feeling washes over me, but for once, it's not an unpleasant one. Quite the opposite, though it's unfamiliar. For once in my life, even when the future is uncertain, I feel at ease.
Like everything is going to be alright. That I don't have to worry. That I won't be alone.
That I'll actually... live a life for once.
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