SplatDance: Spyke's New Groove

Prolouge

It was on the brink of midnight, and for the first time since the Great Zapfish returned to Inkopolis, the plaza was completely barren. Not a single inkling was seen scurrying about to fit in one last turf war before their drowsiness got hold of the best of them. Not a single light shone from the stores that stood adjacent to the lobby’s bright green tower. Even the two cousins that run Inkopolis news retired for the night. Only the significantly dimmer lights from the street lights and billboards were lit, guiding potential late night goers along their way.

It was like all aspects of time were halted in this state of serene silence, leaving the still moving in a state of complete solitude.

A state of solitude that Spyke didn't mind that feeling at all.

On these nights, he felt the most comfortable leaving his little corner of the alleyway; venturing out to the plaza. Most of the time, he'd stare up at the displays that the heart of the city advertised, occasionally moving up to the stars above if they ever dared to peek out from the harsh lights of the city; listening to the music that filtered out through his earbuds as he wandered by.

But there were these strange temptations that he held. There were times where he stared towards the very center of the plaza and felt the need to go over there and… dance.

He would always curse himself whenever those dumb thoughts came to mind, but the temptation would still remain in the back of his thoughts, much to his dismay.

Locking his gaze at the perfectly circular bevel in the pavement, he sighed; yanking the earbuds out of his phone, letting the speakers naturally fall out of his ears. He quickly wadded the cord-threaded speakers up and stoed them into the pocket of his khaki jeans. He tucked his phone into the remaining free pocket briefly as he removed his poncho, carefully trying to not knock it out of the flimsy pouch it resided in. Once done, he tossed the article of clothing over his shoulder, having it slightly graze his lower back as he approached the center of the plaza, retrieving the stoed phone once he stood inside the beveled round of pavement.

Letting the poncho slip through his grasp and off his shoulder, he hastily scrolled through his phone to find a song to 'dance’ to. He grumbled as he swiped each song by in his digital album, wondering how the hell he managed to cave under this stupid temptation. After a short while, he landed on one song that was sung by one of the squid sisters. His eyes scanned the title a few times before he sighed with a bittersweet contempt.

“Alright.” He spoke, his voice breaking the silence of the sleepy plaza. “I guess it’ll be this one then…” He looked around to see if someone or something slipped out of their slumber to see what was going before kicking his knitwear aside; kneeling down to re-adjust the poncho so he can prop his phone up shortly afterwards. He stared at the phone one last time before he pressed the play button, standing up as the familiar tune began to float pass his ears and out to the night sky.

One way or another, He knew he was probably going to regret doing this.

He stood up and trotted back to the very center of the plaza, trying to get a hold of the mellow rhythm; raising his arms above his head prior to the first brief pause in the song.

As the vocalist of the song, Marie, sang through the small but somehow impressively loud speakers, Spyke felt his muscles relax as if they weren't tense in the first place. His body flowed along with the girl’s soothing voice, allowing himself to lighten up the weight of his steps as he moved around the veil of music that surrounded him.