Chapter Text
Kirari was a proud Turkish Angora with bright blue eyes, a floofy head, and an equally floofy white tail. She was often spotted at the highest perch above the Momobami mansion in between two jade dragon guardians while her identical twin Ririka lay next to her. While Ririka liked to play around the pond where hundreds of koi fishes of all ages swam around under the bamboo fountains, Kirari liked to explore beyond the mansion walls.
One day, Kirari caught sight of a purple firefish swimming upstream of a natural canal and away from its companions who were headed towards a natural pond basin just outside the walls of the Momobami manor. She observed the fish that desperately tried to battle the strong current leading into the basin. She wondered if the fish was trying to escape into the nearby river. Kirari leaped through the bushes further upwards of the small canal.
Although she didn't like to get her floofy rounded paws dirty, she waded into the water and began pushing rocks together, creating a tiny dam to slow the current. Then, she ran back to the bushes and waited. Soon, the purple firefish was able to swim upstream towards the dam she had built and it stopped and turned from left to right and right to left, trying to find a different route through the rocks.
Kirari, with soft steps, slowly went in the opposite direction down the stream and began pushing rocks to build another dam, effectively trapping the purple firefish into a generous amount of space to swim around. She then ran back towards the manor, her wet paws gathering dirt. Upon reaching the manor, she stole food that was meant for the koi pond. She brought the flake fish food and brine shrimp back to the miniature pond she had made for the purple firefish. Dropping its contents into the water, Kirari sat at the edge of the cat-made enclosure observing its behavior.
At first the firefish swam to the very edge of the pool. The food flakes drifted towards the center of the pond and still, the purple firefish kept its distance. Then, it began to swim in circles underneath, the motion creating a tiny current that pulled the fish flakes in its direction. Kirari sat proudly, watching how the strange fish was able to enjoy her tiny offering. Kirari spent the good amount of the afternoon getting to know the fish's distinct colors. Her dorsal fin was frayed and injured. Had this fish been bullied, she wondered. Had this fish seen other predators that tried to attack it?
Kirari walked towards the very edge of the tiny dam she had built and began to push rocks to make a tiny cove. For the top of the structure, Kirari had to find a much larger flat stone. Having found one, she picked it up in her jaws and placed it atop two larger stones. She then walked to the edge where the tiny firefish swam bunched up in a corner with her collection of fish food. Upon seeing Kirari coming close, she darted quickly and Kirari was able to herd her towards the tiny cave she had built. The fish, terrified, stayed in the cove and Kirari sat, getting her normally well-groomed floofy fur wet. They stayed like this for several minutes.
At first, the firefish had its back to her. Eventually, it turned around and Kirari was able to see its eyes. It looked to be deep black to human eyes but to Kirari's sharp feline irises, she could see a deep purple hue. What a strange and beautiful fish you are, she thought. It had a defiant and independent personality. Had it always been this way or was it because there were predators from among her fellow firefishes.
The next day, Kirari returned with more fish food that she had stolen from the koi feed sacks. And the next day, and the day after. For a week, Kirari had fed the fish until it had lost its shyness and began to greet her as soon as she arrived. Kirari's heart leaped with joy as she fed her purple pet. Its eyes looked at her, clearly reflecting the light coming gently through the thick forest trees. Were her eyes reflecting Kirari's own blue hues, the cat wondered. Still, her eyes were clear and bright to see her. And a name formed in her head. Sayaka. She would call this fish Sayaka.
Days passed and Kirari took joy in feeding Sayaka. The tiny fish seemed to swim in figure eights, as if to dance in front of Kirari happily. Kirari would playfully use her paws to splash water and the tiny fish would jump out and back of the water in response. At times, Kirari would roll on her back to show her belly, which was a very rare thing to do for a cat as proud as her. She timed her backrolls to Sayaka's playful leaps and bounds. Kirari thought long and hard how best to keep her fish in good spirits. She decided to go upstream and catch several different tiny shrimps in her jaws. Instead of eating them, she transferred them to the small enclosure she had built. Soon, the little home she had made for Sayaka was filled with tinier shrimps that Kirari had transferred as well as schools of dwarf goby she had herded into the enclosure. Tiny that they were, they were able to slip through some stones and Kirari added more stones to trap them all into Sayaka's space. With friends to spend the time with, Sayaka's spirits were in good cheer. Kirari and Sayaka passed many happy summer days together.
At the beginning of the rainy season, Kirari often spent it inside the mansion as she loathed to get her fur in a wet tangle. She and Ririka passed days together grooming each other's furs. The house servants, bored with the rain, took to playing with Kirari's fur after brushing her. Kirari's floofy long hairs were then styled with braids and tied in tiny black ribbons. Ririka loathed to have her fur fondled and would hiss and paw at the house servants who then had to leave her alone. After the rains had stopped, Kirari would proudly present herself to Sayaka who, entranced, swam in one spot admiring Kirari's hairstyle. Her dark purple eyes were aglow as Kirari blinked softly.
One fateful night, a typhoon had gone through the region. Kirari paced the household, unable to relax. Ririka tried to calm her twin down by grooming her but Kirari couldn't keep still. Kirari worried for Sayaka, so much that she wouldn't eat. When the typhoon had exhausted itself and dwindled to a regular rainstorm, Kirari braved the cold and the rain as she bounded towards the canal where she kept Sayaka. To her horror, all the stones she had taken the trouble to make a dam for were moved from the force of the water. The typhoon had created a much larger stream that would flow from the river to the canal and into the nearby pond basin. Frantic, Kirari searched everywhere for her tiny purple firefish that had a wounded dorsal fin.
There were several larger fishes that had washed up from the river to the stream and in her anxiety, Kirari caught them. One by one, she tore their bellies open with her teeth, trying to find if the larger fishes had swallowed up her tiny purple firefish. Soon, the canal shoreline was lined with dead fishes, their bellies gutted. Kirari's floofy head was a bloody mess. Her eyes were smoldering in bright blue. She had gone berserk in her fear and rage.
The rain poured, making a mess of her majestic pure white fur. It had turned greyish and cream and parts of her fur stuck together like it had been glued. The once proud and well-groomed Turkish Angora now looked like a common stray. She wouldn't return to the mansion until Ririka braved the outdoors to find her twin. She rubbed up against Kirari, back and forth, her tail swishing in the air and brushing Kirari's face. Yet, Kirari seemed to be frozen in grief, her blue eyes listless and grey. Ririka licked the blood off her twin's face until she was clean.
The two of them stood in their places up until the house help carrying umbrellas went out to find them. They were able to pick Ririka up with no problem but trying to get Kirari proved to be a huge task. Kirari hissed and growled, swatting their hands away with her claws outstretched. And when they wouldn't give up, Kirari took to climbing a tree. Eventually, the servants had to give up and bring Ririka back to the manor. The rain was still pelting in a good amount. Kirari spent the night in the woods. All the fishes she had caught had attracted predators with their blood. They were now being devoured by the wild dogs, rats, eagles, and raccoons.
Another day had passed and there was no sign of Sayaka. Had she swam back to the pond? Had the storm dragged her in an undercurrent towards the river? Did any of the larger fishes eat her?
What if she had willingly left and swam away?
Kirari hadn't slept in days. She caught fishes further upstream to feed herself then spent the day searching for Sayaka. She let out her mewling, hoping Sayaka would hear her sad cries. Each time the servants returned for Kirari, she would climb the trees, refusing to go back to the manor where she had a luxurious bed, warm milk, a fireplace, servants to groom her fur, and all the food she could ever eat.
It wasn't until a day later when an idea had struck her. What if Sayaka was caught under the rocks. Quickly, she bounded towards the stream. It had gone a bit higher because it was the rainy season. The water almost reached as high as her belly. But she frantically combed through a hill of small rocks. Relief washed over her features upon seeing that Sayaka had been trapped underneath that small pyramid of rocks. Kirari meowed and purred. Sayaka swam in figure eights happy to see Kirari. Kirari blinked her eyes for a lengthy period, which is not characteristic of a predatory animal that was always on the guard. With eyes closed, she dipped her nose into the water and Sayaka willingly approached her submerged parts to press her tiny fish lips against Kirari's wet nose.
The house servants came back for Kirari and upon seeing the cat standing guard over the purple firefish in a small circle of rocks, the servants understood. Why Kirari wouldn't willingly go with them. It was caring for a tiny purple firefish. They brought Kirari and Sayaka back to the manor and placed Sayaka in a round-shaped man-made pond of her own along with dozens of goby fish and water lilies where Kirari could sit to watch and feed her day after day. At night, Ririka happily watched her twin who stood guard over her favorite fish, staring into the pond while the lilies floated along with the schools of goby beneath its pads. And--beautiful that the moon was surrounded by all the twinkling stars reflected in those man-made pond waters--Kirari only had eyes for Sayaka.
above: art by @krclst (used with permission)
