Story wrote:story ;; 
The hunt for Paradise "Onee-san, when are we going to get there?" Thatch complained as he slowly trotted behind his sister. They had been climbing the mountains for hours now, and Akira hadn't even slowed down. Akira looked over her shoulder at the younger Koi Koi Inu, and flicked her water tail at him, causing the young male to sneeze.
"We'll get there soon," She promised him, "But you've got to stop winning. That's the forth or fifth time you've asked in an hour."
"It's the sixth time." Thatch muttered, but he continued to follow his sister. It was gradually getting colder the farther they went up the mountains, and Thatch had to sake his tail to keep it from hurting his fish. "Onee-chan, my tail's going to freeze."
"Just keep shaking it," Akira advised him. "You don't want your koi to die."
"No," Thatch agreed. "I don't want cuddles to die."
"Cuddles?" Akira stopped walking and turned around to face her brother. He may have been childish, but she had never heard the word
cuddles out of his mouth in a long, long time.
"Yeah!" Thatch gave her a toothy grin, and waved his tail in her face, showing her the koi that was slowly swimming in it. "This is cuddles. He's my fish."
"I didn't know you named your fish," Akira blinked, but shrugged it off and continued walking.
Thatched laughed, seemingly forgetting that he was cold and bounded ahead of Akira. Akira just sighed and rolled her eyes, before calling out, "You don't even know where your going!"
"I'll find out!" Thatch didn't even pause. Slowly climbing the mountain by himself.
"He doesn't even know what he's looking for," Akira muttered to herself as her brother dashed out of her sight. She didn't want to lose her brother so she dashed after him, running through the bare cherry trees as she made her way to her brother.
Akira suddenly skidded to a stop right before she hit Thatch. He seemed to suddenly stop and it took a moment for Akira to realize that he had found the destination that she was leading him to all this time.
Thatch looked around, amazed at the sight in front of him. There were no more bare trees, instead full blooming cherry trees surrounded a small pond that seemed to glow in the setting sun. A koi or two jumped from the pond, and made a small splash as it re-entered.
"W-what is this place?" Thatch asked as he looked around in amazement.
"It's paridise, Thatch." Akira said as she took in her surroundings once again. "This is paradise."
Friendship from a Koi βParadise, Paradise, paradise.β Thatch muttered under his breath. He flicked his koi-less tail in annoyance as he treaded up the rock filled Mountains. It was a normal day for himβexploring the familiar mountains in hope that one day heβll find the place that he could call paradise. The young koi-koi inu didnβt even know what paradise means, yet he continued to search ruthlessly.
His bright orange and yellow eyes flicked to the bare cherry blossom trees that surrounded him on all sides. His body gave an involuntary shiver whenever the trees rustled.
βItβs scary out here.β He said to himself. Then, almost as an afterthought, he declared, βBut if Iβm going to achieve my dream, then Iβll have to get use to it.β
The bushes next to him rustled, and Thatch jumped to the side, splashing water all over. The young Koi Koi inu pouted at his loss of water, but continued on his journey.
Thatchβs eyes wandered to the setting sun and he frowned. Since when was the sun setting? Last time he checked, it was still early afternoon. Thatch shivered again, it was getting colder and that wasnβt good for his tail. It was too late to make it back home, so Thatch had to find shelter in the mountains soon.
He sniffed the air, catching the sent of Cherry Blossoms. His already worried frown deepened, why was there a cherry blossom scent? Shrugging it off, he ran towards the scent, carefully placing his paws so he didnβt slip. The last thing he needed was an injury while in the mountains with no one else.
By the time he reached the scent, the sun had set, leaving the mountain eerie quiet. Thatch hated everything so silent.
The young pup quickly dove into the bushes where the scent ended, and was met by a single pond. No cherry blossoms in sight. Thatch flicked his ears.
How odd.The air around him was warm and comfortable, and the pond reflected the moon, spreading light around him. The reflections seemed to dance and sing as he slowly approached the pond.
It was empty.
Thatch didnβt know what he expected it be inside, but he knew that he expected something. Not even a plant or a fish was in there.
Thatch sighed, and then flopped down next to the pond. He didnβt know how he was going to sleep with his adrenalin still pumping through his veins, but somehow he drifted off to sleep.
- - - - - - - -
Thatch woke up in the morning by a slap in the face, literally. He looked up groggily, thinking it was Akira. He was surprised to find a small pink Koi looking at him in the eyes.
βA koi?β His half-asleep mind tried to proses this new information. Since when was there a koi in the pond? Last night he checked, and nothing was in there. βSince when was there a koi in the pond?β
Iβve lived here all my life. The koi responded.
Thatch stood up and shook his fur, making water fly everywhere. The koi observed his movements, and then blinked before back flipping into the water. Thatch tilted his head to the side, and stuck his nose in the water, looking for the koi.
Your one of those water dogs arenβt you? The koiβs tone of voice didnβt really ask a question.
Thatched nodded and flopped down. βYeah, though I still donβt have a koi.β
Koi? The koi asked.
What do you need a koi for?βWeβre called Koi Koi Inuβs.β Thatch tried his best to explain, even though he sucked at it. βA koi usually lives in our tails and becomes our nakama. My sister has an awesome koi! Itβs all yellow-y and grey-ish. It likes to jump around a lot!β
Nakama? The koi asked, as if it was unfamiliar of the term.
βYeah nakama,β Thatch agreed happily. βYou know what a nakama is, donβt you?β
When the koi shook his head, Thatch frowned. βYouβve never had a nakama before?β
I grew up here alone. The koi answered simply.
βThatβs sad.β Thatch flicked his ears as an idea popped into his head. βI know! You should be my nakama!β
Your nakama? The koi said uncertainly.
But Iβve never had a real nakama.βNeither have I.β Thatch nodded his head. βBut it should be simple! All you have to do is get into my tail!β
The koi gave what seemed like a smile, before nodding and hopping into his new friendβs tail. Thatch shook it around happily, watching the pink koi getting use to his new home.
This is cool! The fish laughed, doing another backflip.
Thatch sniffed the koi, then frowned inn confusion. βYou know, you smell like Cherry blossoms.β He remembered the scent last night and grinned. βI think fate wanted us to meet!β
Thatched bonded down the mountain, forgetting all his troubles. He had a new friend! Then he suddenly stopped. Heβs been gone for a day, just what was his sister going to say?
