Adventures in an alternate dimension Book 2

Chapter 59 - Operation Mermaid Magic

Ashlynn's POV

The rhythmic gurgle of the centrifuge was the soundtrack to my focus. I peered into the tiny porthole, the orange glow of the LED light illuminating a world of crimson liquid swirling within. Tonight was the night. Months of research, meticulously measured compounds, and countless late nights were about to culminate. My experiment on bioluminescent algae – a potential source of sustainable, renewable energy – was on the verge of a breakthrough.

Just as I reached for my lab notebook to record the latest data point, a chorus of giggles erupted from the hallway, shattering the sterile silence of my lab. The doorknob jiggled, then came a determined rattle.

"Mommy! Mommy! Open up!" Grace's voice, laced with childish excitement, sliced through my concentration.

I sighed, the sound muffled by the surgical mask I wore. Leaning back from the centrifuge, I resigned myself to the interruption. "Alright, alright, I'm coming," I called out, pulling off the mask and running a hand through my already messy bun.

Throwing open the door, I was met with a vision of three sets of wide, hopeful eyes. Grace, my four-year-old firecracker, bounced on the balls of her feet, a mischievous glint in her hazel eyes. Flanking her were my younger sister, Bella's, daughters, Olivia and Lily. Olivia, the elder at eight, sported a determined set to her jaw, while Lily, five and full of boundless energy, bounced a bright pink ball against the wall, completely oblivious to the lab setting.

"Mommy, can we dye our hair?" Grace blurted out before I could even greet them.

"Dye your hair?" I repeated, blinking in surprise. This was entirely out of the blue. "Honey, it's almost dinner time. Why would you want to dye your hair?"

Olivia, ever the voice of reason (when it suited her), chimed in, "We saw a picture in a magazine, Auntie Ash. It had these cool streaks of blue and purple in the hair. We thought it would look awesome!"

Lily, finally stopping her ball-bouncing routine, piped up, "Yeah, and we can be like mermaids!"

Images of vibrant mermaid hair from a recent Disney movie flickered in my mind. "A mermaid, huh? That sounds... colorful." I glanced around my pristine lab, the very picture of scientific order. The thought of introducing three bottles of hair dye into this environment sent a shiver down my spine. But the hopeful looks on their faces, the unbridled enthusiasm in their eyes, was hard to resist.

"Alright," I finally conceded, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "Let's see what we can do. But first things first, we need to cover up. We don't want to stain our clothes, do we?"

The girls erupted in cheers, their excitement echoing through the sterile lab. As I helped them into lab coats a few sizes too big, the rhythmic hum of the centrifuge resumed its background melody. Tonight's breakthrough might have to wait, but the look on these three faces was a different kind of reward, a messy, colorful kind of scientific victory.

I rummaged through the cabinets under the sink, unearthing a box of disposable gloves in various neon colors. "Alright, fashionistas," I announced, holding up the gloves. "Pick your poison!"

Grace, ever the trendsetter, snatched a pair of bright pink gloves, the color practically glowing in the lab's cool lighting. Olivia, with a thoughtful frown, opted for a sensible pair of blue, while Lily, true to her boundless energy, grabbed a mismatch – one green, one orange.

"Alright," I said, clapping my hands together once they were all suited up, "now where did Bella put that hair dye kit?" My sister, bless her heart, had a tendency to stash beauty supplies in the most unexpected places.

A collective gasp arose from the three little scientists-in-training. "We don't have a kit, Auntie Ash," Olivia explained, her voice laced with disappointment. "We just have the dye."