Prologue

NOTE: This is my first fanfic so bear with me. I've read many Splatoon-based fanfics, unfortunately, many of them unfinished and pretty good. I'll try my best to finish this one and publish each chapter no longer than a monthly release. Hope you enjoy it.

My name is Blake Carter, me and my family have been witnessing the end of our world. Rising sea levels are threatening life on earth as we know it and many world leaders are deciding what to do. Shrinking landmasses pushes humanity into resource wars and battling over the shrinking landmasses. The wars cause world leaders to lose track on how to save mankind from the rising sea levels. A company known as the Kamabo Corporation funds a project known as the Ark Polaris a giant shuttle-like spacecraft intended to house a few hundred people that are fortunate to escape the rising seawaters, but in order for mankind to survive the voyage, the company orders the construction of cryostasis pods that will suspend the humans during the trip into space and to orbit around the earth for the humans to wait for seawaters to recede and the landmasses to reemerge for resettlement.

"Blake" I heard a voice call as I was sitting in my room watching the news. It was my father, his name is Dr. James Carter and he worked for a company known as the Kamabo Corporation.

"Yeah Dad," I said as I looked at my father in the doorway of my room.

"We'll be leaving soon, so do you have all your stuff packed up?" My father asked.

"Yeah, Dad'" I said. "Dad, When will we return?" I asked him.

"I don't know" he answered. He sat on the bed beside me watching the TV for a moment then turning towards me with a distressed look. "Son, I'm sorry about everything that's been going on in the world, but we have to pray for the best." my dad said and hugged me. He got up and started to walk out. "I'm going to go check on your mother and I hope your sister is back from visiting her boyfriend...for the last time." He said as he left out the door of my bedroom.

I looked down towards the floor, thoughts running through my mind. I turn and lay on my bed and sigh just hoping things get better. I soon close my eyes and doze off for a few hours. I wake up to my dad slightly shaking me. "wake up son, your sister's back and we're about to leave." he says.

"Okay dad," I said and get up, grabbing my suitcases as me and my family headed out the door. I look back as we leave in the car at my home. I had a gloomy look on my face, as we got further and further away from the house. I turn back around and look at the floor of the car.

My sister turns towards me and says "Blake, things aren't all bad, at least we'll be able to get away from all the flooding, but I'm very sorry for all the people who won't be to escape though."

I turn towards my sister with a distressed look, "Yeah, but I'll miss our home and all the things that we've done. I guess you're right sis, I hope things get better. It's going to be strange being on that giant spaceship in those cryo pod things that dad designed for that company he's working for." Blake says.

The family witnesses all the chaos ensuing as they make their way to the launch site of the Ark Polaris the spaceship designed to house and take what remnants of mankind it can hold from their flooding world.

The Ark Polaris was huge and many people were already loading on it. We arrived and were greeted by some of the crew of the project.

A representative of the Kamabo Corporation shook my dad's hand. "Dr. Carter, my name is director Steve Irons and I'm proud to meet you. I hope the cryostasis pods you designed holds up during our orbit around the earth. I a lot has been put into this and I want nothing to fail." The director says.

"I should hope not Mr. Irons" my dad answers. "I and my family are ready for the voyage" my dad continues.

"Everything is ready Dr. Carter, I hope you and your family will be content during the trip. You do remember the ship has a 2000 year orbital period and after that many of our systems will shut down and the Ark Polaris will descend down back towards the Earth. I hope the sea waters recede before then Dr. Carter." The director says.

"I hope so too director, but we must be prepared for anything" my dad responds. Me and my family make our way to the ramp that entered the spacecraft. My dad looks back at director Irons. The director waves with an ensuring look. My dad waves with a forced smile as he enters the ship.

The director's expression soon changes as my dad is out of sight. Director Irons narrows his eyes and says to himself "I'll ensure that mankind survives one way or another, no matter the costs." The director walks away preparing for the voyage.

The ship prepares for launch as it makes its way to the runway. I look out the window as I saw multiple crew members getting into places for the launch. I look back towards the front of my seat and then turn towards my family sitting beside me.

"Dad," I asked.

"Yes, son" he answered.

"Dad, how long will we be up there?" I asked again.

"I'm not so sure son, I pray the waters will go back down in time and we can return." He responded.

"I hope so, Dad. I already miss home." I said.

"Me too, son" My dad replied.

I lay back in my seat and slowly close my eyes and fall asleep. Hours pass, I slowly open my eyes and turn my head towards my family, but dad wasn't in his seat. My sister was beside me asleep with her head slouched over and my mom was reading a book on the other side of her.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Yes, son" my mom replies.

"Where's dad at?", I asked again.

"He was asked by one crew members to go with him to go talk with director Irons" she answered.

"How long has he been gone?" I asked.

"for nearly an hour now" she answered.

"well a lot has been running through my mind mom and I wanted to talk to him about some things," I said.

"Well son I don't know when he'll be back," she replied.

So I decided to go look for him. My mom looks at me and I look back. She says "well be careful son, we'll be getting in those cryostasis pods your father designed soon. Then we'll be orbiting around the earth." "I will mom" I answered back at her.

I continue walking away towards the crew's quarters. There is no one in sight and I progress further into the quarters. As I keep walking I hear loud voices coming from the far end of the corridor in another large room. I walk through the doorway and hide behind a computer console and raise my head. It was Director Irons and my Dad with two other suited men.

"I'm not asking, I'm telling you, Dr. Carter, to place the serum in the life support systems connected to the cryostasis pods you designed. Your the only one who knows how. Now I won't tell you again." demanded director Irons.

"I won't do it for the last time, I don't what the effects will cause to people aboard this ship. I have seen the effects it had on the sea life you tested it on." My dad responded.

"The test showed that the sea life had enhanced cognitive skills as well as increased intelligence. This is the only way to ensure survival. Predictions show that sea levels won't drop for well ahead of the 2000 year orbital period. We have to adapt to the new aquatic world that we'll have to face when the ship descends back to earth." The director says.

"Who came up with these predictions, we don't when the sea levels will drop back down. We can't go by "predictions". My dad asked rashly.

"The AI we installed on the ship codenamed: Tartar" explained the director.

"What? Tartar? An AI?" questioned my dad.

A giant computer screen came on beside the group. The screen glowed blue with grid lines. Soon circles and a horizontal line appeared making a face like appear. The screen talked as the horizontal line turned into a zigzagged line as it talked in a static-like voice. "This serum will ensure the survival of mankind by 90%. Knowledge of technology and history has been downloaded into the computer network to be passed down to the future generations to come." the AI tartar exclaimed.

Another man in a white lab coat appeared from the shadows along with a fat cat walking beside him.

Moments have passed since I watched the devious plot unfold in front of me, still hiding behind the console.

"I'm Professor Jones, I created this AI to help us survive the orbit while we are in the cryostasis pods and our resettlement on the earth."He explained. "Tartar is right, the sea levels will not recede during our orbit around the earth. The only thing to do is insert the serum in the life systems and adapt to the new watery world to come." The professor responded again.

"Do It!, Its the only way!" demanded the director.

"Never!" my dad yelled back. "I don't know what the serum will do to us!" my dad yelled again.

"We have no other options, we're all doomed with if we do nothing!" yelled the director.

"You're all going to put our lives in the hands of this AI or Tartar or whatever!?" my dad responded.

"You have no choice in the matter. Do it or I will abduct your family and hold them until you follow my commands". the director exclaimed.

"You wouldn't!" my dad jeered.

"Test me" the director responded as he gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes.

"Fine!, but if anything happens, especially to my family, I will hunt you down and kill you," my dad says in a commanding voice.

The director just smirked and turned away.

As I watched I was panicking, I wanted to do something. Just then the professor's cat meowed and slowly walked towards my direction.

"Who's there?!", the director demanded.

I was panicking more just then the cat came around the corner of the console and purred rubbing its head against my side.

"All right, come out!" yelled the director.

The two other men started closing in on my location getting ready to grab me. I raised my head up and slowly walked out.

"Son?!", my dad yelled.

"Get him!" the director commanded at the men. "He knows too much!" the director yells again.

"Son! Get out here! Warn everyone!" my dad commanded.

"Get the doctor out of here! He has a job to do." He commanded the professor.

I run through the door and down the corridor through the crew quarters only to be blocked by another man who attempts to capture me. I turn down another corridor narrowly escaping the man and enter the cryostasis pod housing area. I wait until a get out of sight of the men and get inside one of the pods and close the hatch. As the men run past the pod I was hiding and I waited for them to get away from the area.

My dad was put in a holding room by the professor. "professor Jones, I can't believe you would install the AI on this ship and I can't believe you would go along Iron's plans!" my dad commanded.

"That AI tartar is still flawed and you're unwilling to admit it professor" my dad exclaimed.

"And you're unwilling to see the big picture doctor. There is no guarantee of our survival unless we use the serum that I created, it's for the best" says the professor as he is picking up the obese cat.

The professor turns away towards a small cryostasis pod. The professor injects the cat with a syringe of an unknown liquid and places the cat in the pod. the cat looks at the professor with a questioned look and meows and paws at the professor's head. The professor chuckles and says "for the future, have a safe trip, my furry friend". The professor places the cat in the small cryostasis pod and shuts it. The cat slowly freezes into inanimate suspension. The saddened professor slowly gets up and turns towards my dad.

"You were attached to that cat professor, what did you inject him with? " my dad questioned.

"A modified version of the serum, similar to the stuff used on the sea life we conducted test on in the lab and then released." the professor answered.

"Wait...you released those sea creatures back into the ocean with that serum in them?" my dad says baffled.

"Yes doctor, We've also injected this version of the serum on a bear on board this ship." the professor exclaims.

"A bear?!, whats a bear doing on this ship! and why would you inject it with that serum" my dad says baffled again.

"To observe the effects of the serum on a powerful aggressive predator. I'm curious about what the serum would do to it." said the professor.

"professor Jones this has to stop. The serum is unpredictable and..." dad said as he was cut off.

The director walked in. "You will do this! did you forget about your family." the director said. "As soon my men find your son, we're going to..." the director said cut off.

"All right! I'll do it! But if you do anything to my son..." said Dr. Carter as he layed his head down and gave a long sigh. I'll...show you to the life support systems for the pods." said my dad in distress.

"I knew you'd see things my way. Now move!" demanded the director. My dad turned around and gave him a quick hateful glare and continued walking towards the life support systems with the professor and director in tow.

I was struggling to open the hatch on the cryostasis pod. It was dark and I almost couldn't see inside the pod. I looked to my right near the edge of the hatch. It was a red lever. I couldn't read what it was for but I pulled it back hoping it was the hatch release. Instead of opening a red light on the ceiling came on and a voice on the intercom came on. "Emergency escape release engaged. prepare for release." the intercom said. The pod was making a weird noise and started to vibrate. I held back in the seat and clinched as I tried to hold on to something. Soon the pod shot out of a tube and was jettisoned into space. "What's going on!", I yelled seeing nothing but stars and blackness out of the hatch window.

Meanwhile, on the main control deck, the crew notice a red light flashing on the dashboard of the ship's controls.

"What? One of the self-sustaining emergency cryo pods has been launched outside the ship. Get someone down to the cryo pod chambers immediately and see what's going on." said one of the crew members. "I want a headcount of all personnel ASAP.," said crew member again.

The pod was hovering outside the ship for minutes, but as the ship moved away and down its orbiting path the pod slowly started descending faster and faster. "Dad! Mom! Sis! NOOOO!" I yelled. "There's nothing I can do. I'm stuck in this pod!" I cried. The pod was falling faster and getting enveloped in flames from entering the atmosphere. I started getting nauseous and losing conscienceness.

I was fighting to keep my eyes open and throwing up. I could see the ocean getting closer and closer. SPLASH! the pod hit the water making me jump and hit my head on the ceiling of the pod. I laid in my seat dazed and shortly blackened out. I could only think of my family and if I was going to see them again. I mumbled and drifted into sleep. "Cryostasis begin. Occupant suspended for bzzzttt...error...2000 years until thawing process. Communication with computer systems disabled...unable to connect." said the pod's intercom voice.

Moments passed as the pod slowly sank down hitting and landing on a drifting underwater iceberg. I was frozen in time unsure about my fate I could only pray that the Ark Polaris sends someone back down to rescue me, but things were looking bleak and at that point, I knew I would never see my family again. The impact from the pod's ceiling caused me to slowly lose the memories of who I was and my family and the fun times we had before the floods and the chaos. Then my mind eventually went blank and there was nothing I could do.

The pod continued to ride the iceberg for some good time, until getting closer to the north pole or what was left of it. The pod froze over on the outside going through a cryostasis itself and freezing on the drifting iceberg. The pod was soon enveloped with ice and became a permanent part of the large ice mass. This carried on for years to come. In time water levels were slowly dropping to where some of the landmasses started to emerge out of the sea waters. The iceberg soon shrunk and eventually melted as it drifted back down to warmer waters. The pod was free and soon drifted on its own until it was pushed on a beach from the ocean waves.

2000 years of a long sleep have finally ended and the pod thawed out. Soon the thawing process was activated inside the pod. I was still out and my mind was slowly recovering. I started gaining my conscienceness, but my eyes refuse to open. I started gaining my senses again as I could hear the water hitting the side of the pod. where am I? What happened? were thoughts running through my head. I could hardly move my body and just laid there trying to piece everything together. Minutes passed, as I laid there I could hear footsteps, their running towards the beached pod.

Who is that? Is what I was thinking. The unknown person was tapping the side of the pod.

Another minute passes and the person climbed on the pod tapping on the glass window on the glass trying to wipe it off to look inside. Mumbling could be heard outside of the pod. I couldn't understand them, but it seems like they were trying to open the pod. I tried to open my eyes but everything was still blurry. I could slowly move my body around still curious about the person trying to open the pod.

Banging could be heard outside the hatch. Soon the hatch opened to my surprise. Sunlight beamed through the doorway of the pod and the silhouette of a figure slowly approached the doorway of the pod. The figure had a gargled voice that I couldn't understand. Maybe my senses haven't completely come back.

The figure waved in front of me to get my attention or see if I was awake or not. The figure spoke again in an unrecognized dialect. "what?" I said weakly. "Wu wy?" the figure responded back. I opened my eyes a little wider and when I finally gained my sight back I could make out the figure.

What? What's going on? What are you!? That was all I could think when I got a good look at the figure. My senses came back from the sudden fear and shock from the encounter. I jerked back and screamed "AAAHHHHH!". "WAAAAHHHH!" the strange figure yelled and jumped back and landed on its butt in the sand in front of the pod.

NOTE: I know in the Splatoon universe it's 12000 years that the earth flooded and humans went extinct before the inklings and octarians inhabited the land. I felt 12000 years was an unrealistic period of time for humans to have technology that sustains them during a long period like that, so I knocked down 10000 years. Seemed more reasonable.

NOTE: I'll try not put too long of a waiting period between the arcs and chapters. I'm new at this and different factors could cause hiccups. hope you enjoy it.