Hello readers! I've been wanting to make a Splatoon fanfic for a while. I've always been unhappy at the fact that all humans are extict in the game's lore, so here's a story about one who has survived through all these years. Please give me your feedback to let me know if I should make more!
Chapter 0: Groundbreaking Discovery
The octoling mine is running smoothly. The giant mechanical drills are drilling, the miners are working tirelessly, and the Mine Advisory Units are intructing clearly. The entire facility is at work in search for another source of power for their cities and military, since the inklings have the majority of the zapfish's population. The sounds of machinery and metal against stone echo and clatter against the cave walls, the workers feeling like they may not be able to hear very well for the next couple of days after this. Meanwhile, the head MAU (Mine Advisory Unit) Anthia overlooks the field of work being done at the top of one of the underground equipment station, along side her co-adviser Renin, another octoling. Anthia is a female octoling with long blue tentacles, purple eyes, a bit taller than most octolings, and has long round ears. She is wearing her MAU uniform along with a utility belt for the mining electronics. Anthia is casually resting on the railing of the top floor balcony while Renin stands up straight, for he is the obedient soldier type of person. Renin has bright short red tenticles, red eyes, short ears, and is about average height. He too has his own MAU uniform and equipment.
"There hasn't been any signs of energy emitting from this damn mine. Nothing but metals and stone", Anthia says rather unhappily.
The military's general assigned the mining department to work extra time in the caves as a desperate search for another source of power, despite it being very rare to find any success.
"But Advisor Anthia, we have to have power for our families. This is our last resort for having power for our populus-"
Renin is cut off by Anthia's sharp reply. "Don't 'But Advisor' me, Renin. Finding an electricity source underground is like looking for gold in the clouds. Besides, stealing the zapfishes back is our real last resort."
"It's kind of hard to keep the zapfishes for long before the Agents up top do thier jobs. They always retrieve the zapfishes not long after we have them." Renin timidly says, looking down at his feet.
"Stingy inklings. They don't bother breeding the zapfish and sharing them?" The MAU pauses after these words, then sighs. "I'm just tired of watching these octarians work all day. No one is even getting paid overtime, including me and you."
Another moment of silence passes as the work continue below the two. Then, Renin speaks up again. "If you think about it, we are working for everyone's behalf. Our work determines the fate of all the other octarians and octolings."
"I guess you're correct, Renin. For an ex-military grunt, your head has a brain", Anthia says.
"Uh... Thanks?" Renin isn't sure to be offended or not. Most of his friends are military grunts, after all.
The two continue overseeing the workers mining below, until they both notice some commotion going on a ways back the working grounds. A group of octarians and octlings seem to be gathered together at a certain dig spot of the area, and not that many workers should be working in one place.
"What's going on down there? Don't they know they shouldn't waste time chatting around?" Anthia says, agitatedly.
"I'll go check to see what they are doing", says Renin, his eyes staring down the workyard.
"I'm coming too. They need a piece of my mind." Anthia replies.
The two leave the balcony to enter the building. They both take an industrial elevator to meet ground floor, then finally approach the commotion. Anthia and Renin notice a couple of workers looking down at their handheld mining devices while others are conversing. A high pitched beeping noise can be heard from these devices.
"What seems to be the holdup in work?" Anthia raises her voice towards the workers as they all jump from her sudden presence.
"U-uh, Advisor Anthia! Sorry to stop working, but...", The octoling worker shows the MAU his voltage reader. "all of our indicators read positive for nearby electrical currents. We may have found something!"
Both Anthia's and Renin's eyes light up from surprise. "Is there anything else that you found?" Renin asks.
"Yes", says another worker. "We've seemed to mine through a small vault of some sort."
"This is outstanding! Someone, report to Mr. Octavio!" Renin says eagerly
"No Renin, not yet. We have to know for sure what we have come across." Anthia turns to one of the octolings. "You, gather as much workers as you can and have them work on this vault!"
Anthia and Renin focused on what the workers were uncovering as they chip away at the stone, revealing more and more of the vault. Before, they only uncovered about a square foot of what was the vault, but after about an hour the entire vault was uncovered. It used to be made of white metal, but has been stained by time and by the underground earth. The vault is fairly big, with heavy duty hinges attached to an even larger wall, and a large hinge in the center. Directly above the wheel though are unfamiliar foreign symbols etched and painted onto the vault. The MAUs intruct the workers to stop once everything is uncovered enough. The workers back away a bit to examine in awe what they have discovered.
"This... is very strange", Anthia murmers. "What would a vault be doing secluded from the rest of the octarian undergrounds?"
"It doesn't look octarian to me", Renin replies. "We need to get this opened."
"Not without proper protection. Something dangerous might be on the other side." Anthia turns to the group of workers. "Everyone! Gather equipment suitable to enter this vault. You all, including Renin and I, will see what is on the other side."
The group of workers drop thier drills and scramble off to the equipment station for proper suits and tools. After a while they come back ready. Once they are, Anthia directs the workers to turn the hatch to open it. A select group approaches the hatch wheel and firmly attempts to turn it.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Renin asks Anthia as they watch the workers.
"You said this was our last resort, right?" Anthia gives a mocking smile to Renin.
"I suppose..." Renin replies.
After a couple of tugs, the workers finally manage to get the hatch turning. It screeches in protest against the vault openers, but continues to turn nonetheless. Soon enough the hatch has reached it's limit, and the vault is able to be opened. Anthia signals the workers to continue, and they reposition themselves to open the vault completely. Steam and fog hisses as the vault is cracked open. The hinges screech with age as a gust of wind escapes from the inside, fog leaving the vault and sinking to lay on ground. The vault is finally opened, and on the other side is something no was expecting to see. Something that has only ever been explained in their history books...
To be Continued.
Hello again readers! I'm already excited to begin writing the next chapter. All I ask of you is to give me some feedback on how I'm doing, and if I should continue. Until next time!!!