DISCLAIMER: I don't own Shaman King. Hiroyuki Takei does.

Written for shamanhearts. Happy birthday~! :3 Sorry it's only really a drabble...

Fishing

The sun soared in a cloudless sky, warming the air as only it could. There was a steady, light breeze, keeping the temperature comfortable and airy. Birds called out to each other and flew across the blue expanse overhead, swirling and ascending and diving. One could say it was the perfect summer day.

A boy with long, brown hair sat on a curved bridge; the only visible clothing that he wore was a long poncho. Several feet below his dangling legs was a clear, shallow river that wound its way through the woods, and he could see the silvery flashes of scales as fish swam past. The boy watched the water animals with fascination, and he was also mesmerized by the light playing off of the surface of the water.

"Are you gonna fish or what, Mappa Douji?"

The boy-Mappa, apparently-looked up at the rabbit-yet-childlike demon beside him. "Oh-sorry, Ohachiyo. I got distracted."

Ohachiyo shrugged. He held out a stiff, broken branch to Mappa. A string was tied around one end of the branch, and at the end of the string was a shoddy hook that held a wriggling worm. Mappa stared at the creature for a moment before looking up to Ohachiyo. "I've never fished before. What do you do?"

Ohachiyo gave the boy a look before pushing the branch at him. "Are you gonna take this or what? Then I'll teach you."

Mappa blinked, and then accepted the branch, holding it in his hands at one end and looking at it curiously. "...Do I just lower it into the water, Ohachiyo?"

Ohachiyo sat down beside him, holding his own branch. "You can, but it's better to actually try to cast the worm out a bit. It's good to have a long string for that, but we don't have those. Here, just watch me, okay?"

Ohachiyo held the rod at one end and raised his hand above his head, taking care to point the opposite end of the branch behind him. He then swung his arm forward, flicking the rod with his wrist to cause the worm-weighted hook at the end of the string to arc through the air and fly up, over, and down, after which it fell into the water with a plop.

"See?" Ohachiyo asked as he shifted into a more comfortable position, making sure to keep both hands on the branch. "It's not that hard. You try."

"Okay."

Mappa lifted up his arm and carefully tipped the branch, trying to keep the dangling worm from touching his face. After a bit of wriggling on his part, he managed to keep the worm away from his head, and he held the branch parallel to the ground for a moment, trying to think ahead to how he would move his arm. He flicked his wrist and then moved his arm; quicker than he could comprehend, the hooked worm swung through the air and then suddenly hit him square between the eyes.

"Ew!" Mappa flailed and fell onto his back; he saw the worm swishing through the air, and he tossed the branch away.

"Hey! Be careful where you throw that thing, you almost hit me," Ohachiyo snapped. He grabbed Mappa's branch. "You want to destroy the humans; what's so bad about a worm?"

Mappa frowned as he sat up again. "It's just...slimy. I dunno."
Ohachiyo looked at the boy for a moment before holding the branch out to him once again. "Do it right this time. Don't flick your wrist so early."

After a slight hesitation, Mappa obediently took the branch and then held it up and behind his head. He took a breath, and then forcefully brought his hand forward, taking care to time the flick of his wrist. The worm showed no sign of flicking back into his face, and Mappa smiled, confident with his progress.

And then the branch slipped out of his grip, soared through the air, and splashed into the river.

Ohachiyo slapped a hand to his forehead. "...Go get it."