It was a warm sunny day, not unlike any other in the Mimiga Village. Nobody really knew where the sunlight came from, but it didn't really matter because that was just how it had always been. Kanpachi had awoke bright and early that morning and headed down to his usual spot by the pond to go fishing. Kanpachi really liked fishing.
The sunless light flickered off the gently rippling waters, casting an ethereal shimmering glow on the low stone ceiling of the cavern. Kanpachi sat motionless, eyes closed, rod poised, awaiting the moment when fortune would descend upon him, when the line draws taut and the game begins. A visceral struggle between predator and prey, fisherman and catch, the fight to bring the two together that ends in the inevitable climactic victory of landing the fish. Indeed, there are few things in life more fulfilling than the thrill of the catch for Kanpachi.
But as of yet, all is still. The quiet gurgling of cool, clear water from some unseen spring lulls Kanpachi into reverie as his mind drifts idly on thoughts and dreams. He imagines sinking slowly into a cold black pool, deep as time itself. Weightless and free, he swims with grace and ease through the inky current, and as his vision adjusts to the darkness, a fantastic world of billowing reeds, forbidding trenches and towering stone mountains opens up. And all around, fish of every color dart to and fro, beckoning him with their shimmering scales. They swam around him in circles, sometimes brushing against his body with their smooth touch, sometimes lingering in front of him to give a friendly smile. Kanpachi really liked fish.
Somewhere in the swirling, living cloud of fish he imagines seeing something different, a familiar face with ears and fur like him, arm extended, reaching out to him...
A gentle tug in his paw interrupts the dream, and Kanpachi quickly snaps back to the glim of the cave around him. A second pull on the fishing rod and Kanpachi springs into action, setting the hook with a quick tug on the line and clasping the reel tightly in his paw. An excited grin creeps across his face as he applies tension to the line, slowly and carefully reeling in his frantic catch. The game is afoot, and the two competitors struggle with every muscle in their bodies to be the victor, the chinfish writhing frantically in the water, and Kanpachi on the shore, muscles taut and steady. Slowly though, the line inches backwards, closer and closer, until the chinfish is nearly at the edge of the dock. A bead of sweat forms on Kanpachi's furrowed brow as he reels in the last of the line, and with the speed of a puma deftly plunges his bucket into the pond, scooping out his quarry, victorious once again.
With a heavy gust of air, Kanpachi exhales, relaxing and dropping to the ground to sit alongside his prize. It is well known that there is only one fish in the entire pond, the Chinfish, but still the ritual continues every morning. A wide grin is spread across his face as he catches his breath, savoring the moment a little before turning to gaze into the bucket. The Chinfish floats, complacent, in the middle, hook and line still dangling from its mouth. Kanpachi reaches in to free the line, and Chinfish gazes back up at him with deep black eyes. Kanpachi stared back, feeling his blood rise as he eyed the lithe, supple form, the grace of its movements and beauty of its golden scales. Kanpachi really liked Chinfish.
He then waded into the shallow waters near the shore, round stones clacking dully beneath his padded feet. At about a foot or so deep, he emptied the bucket, and Chinfish swam freely in the waters around him once more. The perfection of his form, free in his element, never failed to take Kanpachi's breath away. Shortly, Chinfish returned to Kanpachi's side, looking up expectantly. He felt a surge of passion well up inside him as he thought of his smooth cool body, muscular and slimy, and gently lowered himself into the water.
It is early in the morning, and everyone else in the village remains nestled snug in their beds dreaming idle dreams of friends, food and laughter. In the dim morning light, Kanpachi lay motionless, eyes closed, rod poised, awaiting the moment when fortune would descend upon him.
