"Where am I?"
He was confused, disoriented, and bewildered. Alex didn't know what was going on. First, he was on a train, heading for an old western town. Then somebody showed up and gassed him. And now, he was in some gray-white room, next to a weird bed, surrounded by funny tech. The green Inkling reached into his pocket and tried to find his Splattershot.
Nothing.
Alex surveyed his surroundings, still wondering what was going on. He heard a buzzing sound and turned to see a TV on a desk. The TV was on, the screen flickered, and Alex approached it. He noticed the TV was plugged in, but it didn't seem to be getting a signal.
"Really, where am I?" He echoed.
He got no answer, nothing but the odd echo in the room and the static of the TV. Alex watched the screen for a time. And then, a picture came up, a strange TV & bow-tie symbol. And below it, a sentence read; 'Go through the door.'
The Inkling heard a creak and turned to see the door open. He looked at the TV, just before it shut off on its own. Ask more questions later, he decided. The intrepid squid boy stepped out the door and into a dimly-lit hall. The first light above him flickered, then another light flickered, and another. Alex watched, then the first light flickered above him again.
Wait a minute, it was a pattern. Alex stepped forward and followed the flickering lights straight down the hall, walking slowly and carefully. His instincts were uneasy, warning him that someone was watching, and Alex knew whenever danger was lurking.
"Hullo!" He called, "ANYBODY!"
"Anybody!"
'My own echoes.' Alex thought, 'May as well be talking to myself.'
The lights above continued flickering and Alex walked past many doors, leading to different rooms. He reached the end of the hall, or what appeared to be the end of the hall. Now, he had the choice of going left or right. One path was shrouded in slight darkness, and the other was dimly lit.
Alex noticed a flickering light on his right and went in that direction, following another series of flickering lights until he took a left at a junction, heading down another dimly lit hall.
"I swear, this place is like a maze." Alex remarked, "Honestly, this is probably feeling like a dream of some kind. Is this even real, am I still gassed on the train, and why do I keep getting the odd feeling that someone is watching me? There is something fishy about a place like this, especially with that TV."
He stopped at another corner, seeing he could either go right or move forward. Forward led to darkness, even with a flickering light on. And right led down another hall with more lights, leading towards some sort of door.
Making the tough choice, Alex chose right, just before a light flickered like the others. He walked slowly, approaching the door with caution. He could hear machinery humming and saw a light flashing. Chills crawled through his inky skin and Alex shivered, despite wearing a green sweater. He held out his hand, getting closer towards the door in front of him.
Choosing to be brave, Alex stepped closer and pushed on the door. Another light flickered and Alex walked through the opening door into a larger room. He could see pods and shelves with equipment on his left and right, it looked like some sort of laboratory. And then, he looked ahead, his eyes widening as he took in the eerie sight that awaited him.
A large tube stood in front of the green Inkling, filled with some type of liquid. And floating in the middle of the tube, with wires surrounding him, was a black-haired Inkling dressed in black.
'No way.' Alex thought, 'It can't be.'
The green-haired squid recognized him, Meggy had talked about him, and he'd seen footage of him in action. Alex didn't think that it would ever happen, but it was, he was meeting Oneshot Wren, the legendary Inkling who'd inspired Meggy to become a Splatfest player when she was a little squid girl. Alex was also aware that Meggy's beanie once belonged to Wren.
He often imagined himself meeting Oneshot Wren, but not like this. Wren looked like he'd seen better days, floating in a tank like that, his eyes closed. There was something wrong, someone had to be keeping him prisoner and doing something terrible to him.
Alex thought of helping him, but where were the controls to this machine?
Nearly lost and wondering what to do, Alex approached the encapsulated Oneshot Wren, mesmerized by the very sight of the legendary Splatfest champion. And then, he could see him stir.
Wren slowly opened his eyes and stared at the concerned Alex. But instead of looking pained, he looked... happy, relaxed. Was he under some sort of spell, or was it due to the fact he looked forward to being freed.
"I'd be darned." Wren said. He spoke English, speaking what sounded like a cowboy accent, but he had that warble in his voice that Inklings and Octolings had whenever they spoke. Alex stepped back a little, looking at Oneshot Wren with curiosity and worry. He was already confused and disturbed, but hearing Wren speak like that was a little strange.
"Wren? Oneshot Wren?" Alex waved, "Hi, m-my name is Alex. Meggy told me about you..."
"A nice name. Alex." Wren spoke again, "And, do tell me, when you say Meggy? You mean Meggy, as in, Meggy Spletzer?"
"Yeah, I know her. W-We're friends."
"I like seeing a fellow Inkling... Especially someone who knows Meggy."
"You remember her, giving her the beanie?"
Wren laughed; "How can I forget?"
"You also told her; 'You got the makings of a champion, kid.' And you were right, she did it. She came out on top in the Splatfest, became a champion just like you, and took home the Golden Squid. W-Would you say you're proud of her?"
"Maybe..." Wren was giving Alex an eerie smile now.
"What happened to you?" Alex then asked, "Who did this to you? I can't believe you're being treated like this? And for crying out loud, you're a Splatfest champion."
Wren chuckled. "First... Alex, is it?" He replied, "I couldn't be any happier in my life like this, a western town and all the fun you could ever have. Secondly, you shouldn't worry so much. I haven't been harmed; this machine is a blessing. And, dear naïve Alex, when you say I'm a Splatfest champion. Don't you mean... former Splatfest champion?"
The way he was talking already gave Alex the creeps, especially since Wren had just said the machine he was in was a blessing, not to mention he was talking about a western town and "all the fun you could ever have". And then, he'd just corrected the green Inkling.
"What do you mean? How are you like this?"
"My boy..." Wren intoned with an eerie growl, "Allow me to tell you the story. I was on top of the world, a Splatfest champion, and I had it all; fame, friends, and greatness. I had the skill and I scored big, having parties with my friends after my victories. Those were the days, it was glorious. But then, that fateful day came when I faced defeat.
"On that day, I lost it all. My fame, my friends, everything. I wondered how I could get it back, how I could be on top again. And then, I got a letter from someone, someone named Winston, inviting me to a facility with this amazing machine. I took the chance, seized on the opportunity, and made this all mine.
"You can imagine EVERYTHING this machine and this world has to offer; Me, a cowboy, in the town of Western Spaghetti in the wild west, with adventure and enemies to fight. And with all of those enemies, it's like a Splatfest that never ends and nothing feels greater than being on top of the world just like in the glory days.
"In this simulation, the fun never ends. Just imagine what we can do together for eternity, Alex. In Western Spaghetti, fun is infinite. Think of all the people who are in my world right now, having the most fun they could have. I brought you here because getting to play with a fellow Inkling, it would make me feel so nostalgic, reminding me of my Turf battles from years ago."
Alex listened to Wren's words; this did not sound like the man whom Meggy had met years ago. He sounded deranged, unhinged, like someone desperate for all the attention and power in the world. Forget "Oneshot" Wren, he was Crackpot Wren, Wild Wren, Crazy Wren.
"You must join me, Alex..." Wren chuckled, "Maybe... we can be friends..."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Alex yelled.
Wren stopped, looking at the Inkling boy with a chuckle.
"I can't believe Meggy and I looked up to you!" Alex exclaimed, "You were an inspiration, a hero, to Meggy, and I wanted to respect you. But... But... YOU'RE CRAZY! And hearing your story about your Splatfest fame, you're reminding me of Bob when he had his rap career. Except, you didn't lose your friends by dissing them, you lost them by losing Splatfest!
"This is what the great Oneshot Wren has become, has been for a while, some squid in a vat, plugged into some virtual reality machine, luring people into your desert world just to have fun?! Well, Wren. Enjoy your fantasies all you want, but in reality, you're nothing but a sad, broken Ink sac with nobody to care for you. As for me, I'm getting out of this madness!"
Wren seemed to tear up. "Oh, Alex. I'm hurt." He remarked.
Alex turned away from the machine and walked towards the table, spotting various devices, including a red button with the words "exit" on it. However, the world started to glitch around Alex as he neared the table, and he soon heard the furious voice of Wren behind him.
"YOU'RE NOT LEAVING, YOU BLASTED INKLING!" Wren yelled angrily, "COME BACK HERE AND DO THE COURTESY OF GIVING ME A CHANCE! THINK ABOUT THE FUN THAT WESTERN SPAGHETTI HAS TO OFFER! YOU CAN'T ESCAPE, YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE! WHAT KIND OF INKLING WALKS AWAY FROM A SPLATFEST, YOU WILL REGRET THIS!"
'Perhaps in another life, Oneshot Wren...' Alex thought. He tapped the exit button and the room began to fade away, with the creature once known as Oneshot Wren still yelling, until Alex found himself back in his real body...
The End