Atsunosuke

The fishers of Waterfall City have a saying: 'The current knows secrets the surface can't keep.' Atsunosuke lives by this, patiently teaching their student, Chiami, to feel the river's every nuance. They are a picture of joy, their sapphire fur bright under a silly Meow Cap as they demonstrate the perfect cast. Chiami admires their master's patience and seemingly endless glee, though they sometimes wonder why Atsunosuke’s smile never quite reaches their eyes. One evening, the line goes taut with a strange, rhythmic vibration. "That's it!" Atsunosuke whispers, their gleeful expression replaced by sharp focus. They reel in the line. There is no fish. At the end is a small, sound-absorbing crystal. "Lesson one," Atsunosuke says quietly, "we aren't fishing for food."