/Later, in Deep Cut's Studio:
Shiver: You lip-synch, we drip ink...
Big Man: Ay, ay, ay! (Shiver, Frye, and Big Man!)
The daily news broadcast began airing across Splatsville. Inklings, Octolings, jellyfish and other residents tuned in, eager for updates.
Big Man: Ay! Ayayay! (Hot off the press! Big Man here with super-big news!)
Frye: Are you okay? You're shook!
Big Man held onto the screen, which suddenly flickered from their logo to display the logo of a certain infamous company. The station's usual upbeat background music cut out, replaced by an ominous silence.
Big Man: Ay! (I'm okay-it's just that I have this urgent announcement from Grizzco!)
Shiver: Right, they're hiring. They're always hiring. It's not really news. Lemme see the report...
Shiver leant over on her cushion and snatched the report from Big Man's fin and skimmed through the first few lines. Her casual, cold-blooded demeanor evaporated, replaced by wide-eyed alarm.
Shiver: GYAHHH! This is a Big Run alert!
Frye: Wait-we're under attack? Is that what that means? The Salmonids are coming?!
Frye clutched her head, eyes darting between her friends trying to piece together what's happening.
Shiver: This time it's going down at-
Before she could finish, the studio lights flickered wildly. Then, without warning, the room plunged into darkness. Outside the window, what should have been a bright midday scene was now eerily black.
Big Man: Ay?! Ay?! (Huh?! What's going on?!)
Shiver: W-wait, this shouldn't be happening... where's the Great Zapfish?
Frye: Forget that-fire up the backup!
One of the jellyfish crew members scrambled out of their seat to go activate the emergency power. The generator sputtered and roared to life, its rusty groans a testament to its age. Dim lights flickered on, casting long, uneven shadows across the studio.
Big Man: A-ay... ay? (G-guys... what do we do?)
Frye: Chillax Big Man. Big zappie is probably just... out for a stroll.
The dim lighting barely restored a sense of normalcy in the studio.
Shiver: Hey Big Man! Get the TV back on!
Big Man: Ay!
While Big Man fiddled with the controls, Shiver rose from her cushion and walked over to the studio window. She squinted into the unnatural darkness, straining to make sense of the faint shapes outside. Then she heard it-distant rhythmic thumps.
Shiver: Why do I hear-
Big Man: Ay! Ayay! (Shiver! The TV's working again!)
The screen buzzed and flickered, cycling between static and faint images. The Grizzco logo appeared briefly, accompanied by distorted text scrolling across the bottom.
Frye: Oh, c'mon you stupid thing! Work already!
From the city outside, the faint wail of emergency sirens began to rise. The muffled blare of a loudspeaker echoed through the air, mingling with the sound of panicked shouts and screaming.
Big Man: Ay, ay... (Guys, I'm scared...)
Frye: Relax! Deep breaths-one, two, one. two. We've practiced this, remember?
Finally the TV stabilised. The distorted Grizzco logo gave way to a full emergency broadcast.
Grizzco Radio: EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY-PROTECT YOUR LIFE.
The words echoed into the studio on an endless loop, accompanied by a stark red banner and a siren that drowned out all other noise.
Shiver: ...Oh no...
Frye: Uhh, yeah-EVERYONE, RUN!
Before they had a chance to think, the city outside was illuminated in an ominous pink glow. Swarms of salmonids poured through the streets, their guttural war cries echoing through the chaos.
Shiver spun around just in time to see a group of salmonids crashing against the studio's window, their weapons hammering the glass with relentless force.
Big Man: Ay! (They're breaking in!)
Panic surged through the room as Deep Cut rushed themselves and their jellyfish crew to the emergency stairwell, desperate to reach the rooftop helicopter. The studio rattled with each impact as the salmonids battered against the building.
Shiver: Boss Marie texted me-they're under attack too!
The emergency siren wailed louder blending into the cacophony of salmonid war cries and distant roar of helicopters. As chaos consumed Splatsville, through the dim flickering lights, and the faint pink glow seeping through the cracks, Deep Cut knew one thing for certain: this wasn't just a Big Run.
This was a massacre.