Decided to get off my butt and try to work on this more because the bunny is growing and I love this idea so much.
Consider the song "The Pretender" by Foo Fighters and "Angel of Doom" from Evangelion to be the theme songs for this fic. It fits wonderfully, in my opinion.
If anyone wishes to join in on this fic, I have an RP over on my Meowster Drose account that adds to this fic. You can join the fanmade team over there and see how the adventure goes…if the RP or fic don't die first. But yeah, there's that.
Everyone here belongs to me. No stealing!
Chapter 1
The Cold One returned from Floor 6, having gathered more supplies to bring back to Floor 0. He was flanked by a few of Floor 0's residents, all of them relieved to be home. He was grateful to be out of their presence. While helpful on Floor 0, they became terribly annoying with their stuttered complaints and fearful cries when you were stuck with them for several hours on a floor crawling with flesh-hungry beasts.
He was quick to drop off the newly-gained Floor 6 resources off at the trade station, leaving it to be sorted by Floor 0 residents. He took off after that, resuming his pointless wanderings of the busy underground floor.
It had been several months since he defeated Floor 5, leaving it as blank and empty as he had the four floors preceding it. Floor 6 was proving a challenge, though. Worst of all, he had yet to even catch a glimpse of its guardian. It was frustrating. He had to complete it, his sacred mission. He could not fail so soon after starting!
If only one of these Floor 0 residents would buck up and offer help. But all of them were cowardly, fear of the Pokémon above their heads driving them to stay close to Floor 0. They only ever ventured out if he left, only a few at a time. They never fought.
That was his job. He was the one who bothered using his weapon, his trusty sword. It was scratched up and not in the best shape, but it got him through the first five floors of the accursed tower. That was all he cared about.
He stopped by the well, staring into its depths. He was a tall man, looking in his late twenties in age, pale skinned with white hair that fanned out at the bottom, displaying the light blue underneath it. His bangs hid the upper half of his face, his eyes forever out of sight of others. He wore a long blue trench coat with white trim, a plain white shirt, dark blue pants, and black boots that reached mid-calf. Spiked guards adorned his shoulders, the straps keeping them in place forming an X across his torso. His sword was sheathed, its scabbard hung from his belt.
There had to be a solution to his problem. There had to be a way to defeat Floor 6. There had to be! Certainly someone in this pathetic place could stand their ground as he could! Surely someone shared in the goal of his sacred mission! He couldn't possibly be alone…could he?
He sighed, head ducking down in frustration. He wanted to break something. Kill something. How could this happen? Why?
He could sense them. Power. Not all of these Floor 0 residents were weak. Some held power. Power that could be used to help fight those beasts above off. Maybe even help him reach the top of the tower. But he held a reputation, a fearsome one. Just approaching one of those people at random and asking them for help would seem odd. The people here were so skittish.
There had to be a way to draw them out. Convince them of what their real destiny could be. Not staying down here forever to wither away into nothing.
As if in answer to his prayers, the world around him began to shake.
.o.o.o.o.
Panicked screams came from all around as stone fell from the ceiling. Something massive roared, each footstep bringing forth more destruction. People scattered. Houses were demolished by falling debris.
The Cold One stood firm by the well, watching as the smoke cleared to reveal the beast.
It was a massive bipedal rhinoceros with a long wrecking ball tail and a rocky hide. Its arms resembled cannons, shooting boulders at anything in the vicinity. A Rhyperior.
"How did it get in?"
The Cold One turned to see a woman standing across the square. She had dark green hair in a long braid, brilliant pink flowers woven into it. She wore a simple green dress and white apron. She held a hand to her mouth, eyes wide in shock.
"Someone help!"
"Do something!"
"Save us!"
The screams of the Floor 0 denizens made The Cold One grind his teeth. None of them were even trying to defend themselves. How stupid. How disgusting! He truly was alone.
The Rhyperior roared, something small and white smashing into the side of its head. Something peppered its right side, barely leaving marks but doing its job of attracting the beast's attention. The creature roared, searching for its attackers.
"Hey, ugly! Over here!"
"Come and get some, you filthy dino!"
Two men stood atop roofs across the square. One was a young man, maybe twenty years old, with short blonde hair. He had headphones around his neck and wore a red T-shirt, red fingerless gloves with white wrist cuffs, blue shorts with a white stripe down the side, and red and white sneakers. He had a baseball bat
The other was an older man, maybe in his early thirties, with short black hair and thick eyebrows. He wore a brown trilby hat, a thick brown leather vest with a pale yellow shirt underneath, brown pants, and black boots. He held a crossbow in front of him, loading another bolt. There was a rifle strapped across his back, along with a belt of bullets across his chest.
They were fighting back. Just the thought made The Cold One grin. He was not alone. There were others that would fight, even if it was just to defend Floor 0. If he could convince any of them to come with him to Floor 6…
The Rhyperior surged forward, crushing homes and tiny wooden buildings underfoot as it went. Both men abandoned the roofs, scattering down the streets.
"Now, Liam!" the boy with the baseball bat shouted.
An explosion of flames and various other fireworks erupted beneath the behemoth's feet. Perched atop the reservoir gate stood a young man wearing a flashy orange suit with a large collar and a white bowtie. He grinned widely, orange hair snapping in the wind, blue eyes shining maliciously behind large square-framed glasses.
"Light 'em up, Erik!" he called.
The boy and the sniper spun around and began attacking, firing bolts and baseballs at the Rhyperior. From the reservoir, bottle rockets screamed to the ceiling, raining flame and ash down on the beast, choking it.
The monster roared as a brown and red blur shot around its feet, punching away stone and leaving deep cracks and bloody wounds behind on its flesh. It was a giant of a man with deep brown skin and long spiky red hair, white torn top stretched tight across his muscled torso in contrast to his loose khaki pants.
The Cold One smiled. He was among combative allies at last.
Raising his hand, he drew his sword with the other. A burst of blue light flared from beneath his bangs. The man surged forward, leaping atop roofs to get height. Then he pounced, sword wreathed in blue flame as he swung it against the monster's chest. The Rhyperior roar as the wound poured blood, drenching the streets below.
The monster crashed to the ground, snarling as it bled to death. The Cold One landed safely on the ground nearby, flames on his sword dying. The light beneath his bangs disappeared too. Straightening and sheathing his blade, he turned to face the giant that approached him.
"So we finally meet, Cold One," the man rumbled.
"I wondered if anyone besides me would fight," The Cold One admitted, watching the others approach him.
"We can fight. Just don't see a point. We're safe here," the sniper huffed.
"At least, we were," the boy, Erik, pointed out as he nudged the massive corpse with his baseball bat.
"How did it get in?" the green-haired woman asked nervously. "The floors above us are clear."
"Perhaps something higher up saw fit to eliminate us," The Cold One shrugged. "It just gives me more reason to fight."
"That was pretty fun. Who thought those things would be so entertaining?" the orange-haired eccentric, Liam, chuckled crookedly.
"Nice to see one of us had fun," the sniper muttered. "I'm just glad it's over. Hopefully another doesn't show up."
"So you're The Cold One," Liam noted. "Happen to be taking apprentices? I might want to do this more."
"Dude!" Erik cried.
"What? I liked that. It's better than sitting around and doing nothing all day," Liam snorted. "Besides, the rest of these people are so boring…"
"I must agree. The monotony here is suffocating," the giant stated, eyeing the gathering residents mourning over the damage and cowering at the corpse.
"I've dealt with this for months, maybe years. Time doesn't seem to really pass noticeably here," The Cold One said. "You two would be willing to join me up on Floor 6?"
"…Guh! If Liam's going, then I'm in!" Erik groaned, bat swung over his shoulder. "But I don't like it. That thing was fucking ugly as sin!"
"None of these beasts are very pretty," The Cold One admitted, cracking a small smirk. "You know me…but I do not know you."
"I'm Erik and this is Liam," the blonde boy explained, arm around the orange-haired eccentric beside him. "We're buddies."
"I am called Hock," the giant introduced.
"Mac Fleetfoot," the sniper said with a sigh.
"I'm Miranda. Nice to meet you," the green-haired woman replied shyly.
"You three wish to help me?" The Cold One recalled, looking at Liam, Erik, and Hock.
"Yeah, I guess," Erik shrugged. "Look, I'm only going because Liam is. I'm not the greatest fighter 'round but hey, I'll help."
"This should be fun. You'll really let us come with you?" Liam asked eagerly.
"I'm not about to turn away offered help," The Cold One stated. "If anything, I likely need it on Floor 6."
"The guardian there is a hider," Hock guessed.
"Correct," The Cold One nodded. He looked at the other two that had joined them. "What of you?"
"Nah, I ain't interested. I'm not ready to throw my life away yet," Mac said, raising a hand. "I was just shootin' to defend. I ain't lookin' for a fight."
"I'm not much of a fighter…but I can help heal. But…I've heard terrible things about the floors above Floor 0. I'm not sure I could go," Miranda admitted fearfully.
"If you can't handle it, then do not go. Stay here. We'll carry on ourselves," The Cold One advised with a frown.
"Gladly. Sayonara," Mac said, walking away.
"Good luck," Miranda wished before darting after Mac.
"…And then there were three," Liam giggled.
"When will you all be ready to leave?" The Cold One asked.
"I'm cool whenever," Erik said.
"I'm ready," Liam chirped merrily.
"I am prepared to leave when you are," Hock agreed.
The Cold One smiled. "Then let's go. It's time to clear Floor 6."
.o.o.o.o.
"So there's nothing here?" Erik asked, pausing at the exit of Floor 0.
"Floor 6 is all we need to worry about. The others are cleared, so relax."
The Cold One headed up to Floor 1, Hock dutifully following. It was a steep incline to Floor 1 due to the digging that created Floor 0 so long ago.
Floor 1 was a big empty white room, as if someone had taken an eraser to it. There was no sign of life there. No rocks, no Pokémon, nothing at all. Just empty white space, yet there was a clearly defined floor and ceiling. At its center was a short flight of steps that pierced the ceiling. The Cold One headed for them, beginning to climb.
"See? Relax. Nothing can get you here," he said, glancing back at Erik mid-stride.
"How did you do this?" Liam asked, fingers brushing the smooth floor.
"Impressed? This is part of my sacred mission," The Cold One commented as they headed up through Floors 2 and 3. "Once the floor is clear, it ends up like that. The floor guardian and all the Pokémon disappear, making it safe to travel through. If I get to the top, everything will be better."
Each floor they passed through was identical to the first—white and barren. The Cold One stopped once he reached the stairs leading up to Floor 6. He looked back at his new companions.
"Once we enter the next floor, things will be different. We will be attacked relentlessly and without mercy. You may get hurt. You may even die. If we come across the floor guardian, expect a long and hard fight from them. Running is impossible. Are you sure you all want to do this?"
"Death is part of life. It is inevitable," Hock said simply. "I am unafraid of what fate may hand me. I will handle it as best I can and move forward until I am unable to."
"I'm not turning back now. This is too fun and interesting!" Liam smirked.
"I'm with Liam. Let's just…go," Erik shrugged awkwardly, clearly on edge.
The Cold One felt a grin cross his face. "Good."
Scaling the stairs, they soon came out in a gloomy-looking cavern. It didn't look like it belonged inside of a tower. It was just this massive dark tunnel of underground rock extending into the distance in front of and behind them. It was dark and cold. Worst of all was the noise. Living creatures slunk about in the darkness, hidden from view but definitely there someplace.
"Welcome to Floor 6," The Cold One said, blade drawn and held out by his side. "Let's get started."