The pokemon tumbles to the ground, its body rigid and cold from lack of use. Its eyes drift about, watching the trainers above pass by and ignore it. A foot lands close to its keys and pushes dust onto metal.
Klefki holds its body still in an attempt to get its bearings. Around are buildings painted vibrantly, windows shiny and reflective, the scent of vanilla and chocolate floating through the air. All around trainers and civilians rush around speaking to each other.
"I can't find my keys," someone says, their voice distant but worried.
Klefki shakes itself off and rises from the pavement. It drifts towards the voice.
"Has anybody seen my keys?" they ask, much closer now.
The pokemon drifts between feet and through handbag straps. Its eyes focus on what it thinks is the source of worry.
Suddenly a hand snatches the key pokemon from the ground. It holds tightly, letting no room for even an attempt to escape.
"I've got you," a different more menacing voice whispers.
"I can't find my keys. Please, look on the ground, anybody," the voice says again, almost inaudibly far. Within a brief second Klefki is sent from the delicious, bright outside world to a damp, stifling one. Light is completely absent save for a sliver from above.
Time passes leaving Klefki uncomfortably warm. Terror continues to grow within the pokemon's body. It pulls its keys close.
A door slams and a hand plunges down taking the pokemon harshly within its fingers. It forces the pokemon's keys at a lock, scraping the bits of metal and creating cries from Klefki.
"This stupid thing; I thought it was supposed to be magic," the voice says with a grunt. The hand throws the pokemon to the floor, breaking the fragile metal that held one of the keys on.
"Completely useless," it says, picking it back up. Holding it tight once more, the hand carries Klefki to a room grey and cold. It turns on a light and drops the pokemon onto a table. Beside it are other various keys and trinkets like magnets and gears.
Above stands a man with eyes menacing down. A thick, tangled beard covers the lower half of his face. Hair curls down just beneath his ears. His nose is red and cheeks are flushed. Bulky, calloused hands reach towards the key pokemon.
In moments the man begins an attempt to stretch and twist the pokemon; an attempt to retrieve the keys it holds. Klefki releases a cry of pain while slamming its eyes shut.
"Why can't I get this thing to open," he says between grunts. Several more moments of torture pass for the pokemon until the man gives up, "I'll have to try again in the morning." He walks away, leaving Klefki mangled and afraid.
The room is silent save for heavy footsteps fading away.
"Hi." The voice makes Klefki jump. "I know how to get out of here."
The metal pokemon spends a moment more in stillness and then rises just above the table top. Down below, next to the wall lies another pokemon.
"If you come down here I can help ya' out," it says.
Klefki floats to the voice, trusting its words.
"I'm Bronzor," it greets. The two pokemon take a moment to look at each other. "I've been here for awhile, and I know what kind of stuff he does to pokemon up there." Klefki shudders.
"I can help you escape, but it's gonna be a little difficult," Bronzor says. Klefki nods.
Bronzor shakes dust from itself and rises from the floor. The dark blue pokemon floats closer to Klefki, gives it a look up and down, and then nods.
"I think you'll be alright. I've seen guys much worse than you get out of here," it says. The key pokemon smiles; comforted by Bronzor's words.
Bronzor begins to float through the house, leading Klefki through several musty rooms. Lights within each vary but most are off or flickering. A thick haze inhabits the air inside each. Snores can be heard distantly.
"Okay, so gettin' over here was easy," Bronzor says, "but gettin' out is the hard part. Somehow we have to get this front door open but as you can probably tell, neither of us have hands or any appendages to do so. Normally I'd get the other pokemon to hop up on my belly and I'd float them up to the door knob and they would open it, but that probably won't work this time."
Klefki watches as Bronzor begins to approach the knob during its explanation. Bronzor nudges the door only to have nothing but a shallow thud result.
In the distance the snores stop and footsteps begin to approach.
"We need to hide," Bronzor whispers, quickly zipping away behind an armchair.
Klefki lets out a whimper and floats to a coat rack nearby. The footsteps get closer and grunts begin to drift through the air.
The pokemon begins forcing itself through layers of hanging fabric, eventually finding a pocket with enough room to hide in. Klefki wriggles inside a jacket allowing only its head to remain uncovered.
The man trudges through the room, grunts and burps flowing freely from his mouth. "What the-"
"Where did my keys go? I swear I left 'em right here," he says. The sounds of fists hitting a table shakes the air. Klefki shudders and looks to where Bronzor is hiding. The blue pokemon shakes its head quietly and retreats back behind the chair.
Moments later the man returns, stomping loudly towards Klefki. The pokemon dives into the pocket in an attempt to remain unseen.
"I swear if I have to go talk to the police again," the man mutters, thrusting a hand into the layers of fabric.
For a brief moment light shines bright into the pocket making Klefki burrow deeper within. The jacket gets pushed about beneath others more used, and eventually all is still. A door opens and then slams soon after.
"You can come out," Bronzor says, surprising Klefki once again. The key pokemon floats out from its hiding spot.
"While I was hiding I came up with an idea," it says, zooming towards the kitchen. Klefki follows quickly behind.
A dull yellow light illuminates the kitchen. The smell of smoke and cooked meat swirls through the air.
"I'm gonna pull this draw open and you're gonna grab the string inside, okay?" Bronzor asks. The pokemon nods and gets ready to dive in.
Bronzor wedges itself between the handle and the countertop, pushing off from the countertop to reveal a drawer full of various papers and knickknacks. Partially obscured beneath a book lies a length of string. Klefki lowers itself in and begins to tangle the string within its remaining keys.
"Great, now I just need to close this and I think you'll be out of here," Bronzor says, shutting the drawer after Klefki rises from within.
The two head towards the door, Klefki beaming with excitement and relief.
"Okay, I'll do most of this," Bronzor says. The pokemon leads Klefki to the door knob by the end of the string and begins to pull it from the keys, "Okay, I need you to float in circles, to wrap this knob." Klefki does just that.
The last bit of string falls from Klefki's keys and is taken by Bronzor.
"I'll pull the knob and open the door and then you're free to go," it says. Klefki looks to Bronzor, sadness in its eyes.
"I need to stay here, to help others," Bronzor says. The key pokemon nods understandingly and prepares to leave through the door.
Bronzor begins to pull and just as the string grows tight the door is thrown open revealing the man. He towers above the two of them, his hands clenched and teeth bared.
"I found them," he says, reaching for Klefki. The pokemon gasps and hurriedly rushes through the man's legs. The key pokemon floats out through the door and quickly into the air, well above where the man can reach.
"Get back here, I need my keys," he says, turning and reaching for Klefki. Behind the man Bronzor gives a nod and disappears further into the house.
Klefki floats away, remaining high in the air, leaving the man jumping and shouting upon his front step.
In the distance sits a familiar house with tiles lining the roof and bricks creating the walls. Outside sits a trainer, his face sullen.
Klefki drifts down onto the lap of the trainer, looking up at him.
"Klefki! I thought I had lost you," he says, pulling the pokemon close. The trainer holds the pokemon gently, examining the keys.
"Aw, I lost one of my keys," he says, "but that's okay, because I found you." Klefki smiles and moves closer into the palm of the trainer.
The trainer stands and the two go inside, both Klefki and the trainer full of relief.
A/N: Hey you guys. Here's my second post on this account, I hope you enjoyed it. I'm still working on building tension and describing better. Please leave reviews, I really enjoy them, especially if they have things I could improve on! Thanks so much for reading~
-CandiedMemories