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Over in the Coral Commons district, an octopus lived a life free from the shackles of stress. He floated through the currents with a smile, his tentacles often wrapped around a calcified book or tweaking some small circuit board for pure pleasure. While many of his kind engaged in heated debates about the Chromajellies, he preferred the gentle hum of bioluminescent algae farms and the warm glow of communal spaces. Everyone knew him, waved to him—a calming presence amidst the neon chaos. He found himself in a sticky situation, though, when a wandering Chromajelly accidentally trespassed, drawn to the lights like a moth to a flame. Instead of calling in the guards, he offered a tentacle and a glow-beetle snack. They both floated there, suspended in understanding, for a rare moment of peace between divided worlds.