Work Text:
A certain squidkid in splatsville, Cari, has a unique schedule. They work hard like crazy all week at Grizzco Industries for a weekend of even crazier spending. Of course, come Monday and they are back at Grizzco barely able to afford the cheap Mako Mart food they eat in the office. Cari achieves much of their success with their partner Coco, an octoling who much prefers high ranked battles and playful fighting with other kids but has been working at Grizzco more often since they found a teammate that makes shifts much more fun. While Coco changes into their uniform trying to decide between the calming blue or the sleek green.
"Coco want noodles? Spicy, sour or sweet?" Cari asked holding up three packets of instant noodles. Said octoling looked over with two helmets in hand "Blue or Green? How did you even get sour noodles? What does the broth taste like?" Cari pointed over to the green helmet since it fit their friend the best and then flipped over the noodle packet to read it in more detail. "Honestly, I have no idea what it's supposed to taste like, but every time I have them they are sour." Coco's expression shows both worry and confusion but it doesn't last long since the alarm inside Grizzco rings signaling the start of a new shift and hopefully the return of the previous shift kids.
Even from the helicopter, Cari felt something was off. The salmonids were a bit more aggressive and the tides were very wild. On the third wave the team barely manage to fill their quotas, but it was finally over. Both Cari and another inkkid in a white slopsuit weren't immediately jumping for joy, they could feel it. It, in turn, could smell them. "Cari, let's go home." Coco said grabbing Cari's sleeve. Just past Cari, out on the shoreline, Cohozuna emerged. The king's small eyes locked on to the kids and they too gave the king a wild stare. The fourth kid, finally aware of the extra wave smiled holding they hydra splatling high above their head. "Fish scales everyone! Let's aim for gold or silver." Given the OK by their boss through their comms and all having their weapons, the kids rushed over to defeat the king salmonid and the salmonids made one last dash inland.
Once defeated, it took notes in it's mind. A kid in green who smelled of spices, a kid in yellow who smelled like candy, one in white who wasn't very aggressive and one in pink who had their aim trained on the king. Cohozuna would remember this, remember them; so that when a similar smell was potent enough the king would come around again and protect the other salmonids.
"I really do think you've been eating expired noodles Cari."
"I'm telling you, there is a sour flavor!!"
"We didn't get a SINGLE gold scale?!"
"I think I left a boot over at the station, can we get it back really quickly?"