At sunset in Key West, a young girl falls into the gulf and is swept out along a mysterious and shimmering golden path. She navigates her way through the beautiful entanglements and curious creatures of the coral reef (a clown fish, a sea turtle, a manatee, a dolphin, and an oyster) to make her way to the the luminous realm of Kwest.

In Kwest, the diverse citizens (human, animal, and mermaid) are devoted to creating each sunrise and sunset. As the newest arrival, she is chosen to judge a contest between the Day Crew, who paint the sunset, and the Night Crew, who paint the sunrise. Afterwards, she is offered a choice: to return to the surface and her old life, or remain forever in Kwest as a painter of sunsets.