Splatfest was roaring with young customers hoping to get fresh and wear the newest swag that Cooler Heads and its corporation partners had to offer. The day was long for the store owner, making her grow more exhausted than the fish in her hair did. The tentacles on her head moved erracticly.
"HOW MUCH MONEY WE GET SO FAR?" Shouted the plump clownfish, Moe. "Looks like 120,000 coins.." Muttered Annie as she tirelessly looked through the exchange log. "I THOUGHT WE'D BE ROLLING IN DOUGH. WOW THESE KIDS ARE CHEAP" Annie's colorful eyes rolled and caught attention to a shining light reflecting off a wall from across the plaza. It mesmerized her with its dance of cool colors, entrancing her into a calmer mood that made her smile. "HEY ANNIE, I'M FRESHER THAN THIS PUNK RIGHT?" shattered the enjoyable atmosphere. Annie snapped back to reality, facing a teal inkling girl. They were obviously not enthused by Moe's attitude towards them being less than level 4. "Please come back when you have attended more battles.." Annie sighed. Her mind was on that shimmering light the next few hours.
Annie could not withstand the curiousity any longer. But she knew Moe wouldn't settle for her leaving during working hours either. This was a very vital decision. Should she risk the emotional abuse of her hair attendant? Her thick boots seemed to move on their own to the addicting light, making Moe fall onto the counter of the store. The anemone couldn't understand the little fish's shouting from across the plaza, she was too determined to observe the light that made her melt.
The shimmering colors were bright still, just as attractive as earlier. Her small hands reached up to the dancing hexagons, entrancing her once more into its fantasy inducing high. "What'cha doin', Love?" Another voice again shattered the vision. Annie blinked, then turned towards the plaza in search of the voice. "Over here." She turned towards the end of the alley, surprised by the dark lanky figure casually relaxing back here. "I-I'm sorry, did I disturb you?" She didn't know if he had been laughing at her reaction to the glimmering shine.
"Not'at all, mate. Seems you saw the light from these snails sitting here." Tapping his screwdriver on the psychadelic empty shell. "The name's Spyke. Yours?" Annie looked down, gently replying. "Annie. Fancy the name." Spyke looked at the shells, then the resulting light show."Ya' like 'em?" Annie nodded subtly. "I know what you'll also like. Come closer and take a look." Shuffling closer, Annie lightly gasped at the beautiful rainbow powder held in his hand. "Algae, I call it. Produces colors and visions only the mantis shrimp could experience. Wanna try?" Annie was hesitant, taking such a wonderous item from a stranger seems almost too good to be true. Then again, a dancing vision of unimaginable colors will be discovered! Annie was made for this, she doesn't have an aurora of fresh colors embedded on her for nothing. She cupped her hand and allowed Spyke to dust the powder onto her palm.
"All you gotta do is take a whiff, then ingest it." Annie's eyes widened from the sparkling scent, but looked at Spyke with obvious fear. "It won't kill you love, I promise." She took his word and sweeped it onto her tongue.
Spyke's face swirled together, and split into multiple organic shapes that jumped up and down around her. Her entrancement was peaking, making her have to sit beside Spyke as she twitched from the excitement and extreme fresh chills ebbing throughout her body.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annie opened her eyes slowly, seeing the pattern that she recognized from Spyke's poncho. Obviously she blacked out for a while, considering the sun was no longer out. Spyke came over to the bed she laid on, and offered her some water. "Told you it wouldn't kill you. Promise I didn't do anything to you either except bring you here." Annie couldn't find the voice to speak, and just smiled at the hospitality she was offered. She can't remember the whole experience, but she swears she saw at least nine more colors!