Hinagiku

Traders along the high-altitude river will tell you Hinagiku has the worst luck of any angler in the city. Right now, a small crowd agrees, watching as Hinagiku strains against their line, the freezing wind whipping their red poncho. With a final heave, the catch breaks the surface, scattering cherry blossom petals. It’s not a fish. It’s a tangled mess of metal and glowing wire. The crowd groans in sympathy, but Hinagiku’s eyes widen. They recognize the hum, the impossible curve of the metal—a piece of the sky-drifter technology Pinku showed them in secret. Hurriedly, they bundle the 'junk' under their poncho, avoiding pitying glances. Their bait was never for fish; it was for secrets falling from a hidden world.