With the campsite established, Gustave decided against organizing structured activities. This wasn't some corporate team-building retreat filled with forced enthusiasm and awkward icebreakers - just friends gathering to enjoy nature together.
Once the tents were properly erected, everyone was free to pursue their own interests.
The children, naturally led by Shin-chan's boundless energy, quickly changed into swimming clothes and splashed into the crystal-clear stream.
"Ahhhh, this feels incredible!" Shin-chan exclaimed as he entered the cool water, his initial shiver giving way to obvious pleasure.
"That guy..." Kazama sighed, watching his friend's theatrical display with the long-suffering expression of someone who'd witnessed countless similar performances.
Hearing the exasperated tone, Shin-chan decided to escalate the situation by diving underwater and surfacing with a tremendous splash that sent water flying in all directions.
"Shin-chan, what are you doing?!" Kazama sputtered, temporarily blinded by the spray. When he finally cleared his eyes, he found himself face-to-face with Shin-chan's grinning expression at uncomfortably close range.
"Gah!" Startled, Kazama stumbled backward, tripped over a smooth river stone, and tumbled into the water with his own spectacular splash.
"Kazama, you're such a scaredy-cat," Shin-chan declared with the casual cruelty only children could manage.
That was the final straw. "Hmph!" Kazama stood up with as much dignity as he could muster, stalked back to their tent, and retrieved a small fishing rod. Without another word, he marched downstream to a quiet bend in the creek and began setting up for some peaceful angling.
Shin-chan, of course, couldn't leave well enough alone. He followed his friend downstream, chattering and attempting various forms of harassment designed to get a reaction. But Kazama had entered full cold-shoulder mode, ignoring every provocation with determined silence.
For perhaps the first time in his young life, Shin-chan found himself completely stymied by this wall of indifference. He moped for several minutes, then promptly forgot his troubles and announced: "I want to go fishing too!"
Unfortunately, Shin-chan's approach to fishing differed significantly from conventional methods. While Kazama sat patiently with his rod and proper bait, Shin-chan had neither equipment nor patience. Instead, he'd developed what he considered a brilliant alternative strategy.
"Fish! Fish! Come here, I've got something interesting for you!" he called out cheerfully.
The deeper section of the stream was home to several impressively large fish that normally avoided the shallows where the children played. One particularly substantial specimen, disturbed by the commotion, emerged cautiously from the aquatic vegetation to investigate the disturbance.
What happened next occurred with the swift inevitability of a nature documentary gone horribly wrong.
"AHHHHH! Help! It bit me!" Shin-chan's voice rose to panic pitch as he discovered that his unconventional fishing technique had succeeded beyond his wildest nightmares. "Kazama! KAZAMA!"
Looking over, Kazama immediately understood the situation and felt his stomach drop. "Shin-chan, don't move! I'll get help right now!"
He threw down his fishing rod and sprinted upstream toward the adult camp, falling twice in his haste but scrambling up each time.
"Help! Help! Shin-chan got bitten by a fish!" he shouted as he ran, his voice cracking with urgency.
Daigo, who was closest to the stream, immediately rushed over and helped the breathless boy to his feet. "What happened? Where's Shin-chan?"
"A big fish bit him! He's downstream!" Kazama gasped, pointing frantically.
With his pilot's exceptional eyesight, Daigo could just make out a small figure in distress near the water's edge. "Stay with Camearra," he instructed Kazama before sprinting toward the emergency.
The rest of the adults, alerted by Kazama's cries, came running to hear his explanation. When they learned what had happened, a concerned crowd immediately headed downstream.
Daigo reached the scene first to find Shin-chan in considerable discomfort, alternately pleading with and attempting to reason with his unwelcome companion.
"Please, Mr. Fish," Shin-chan was saying desperately, "I'm sorry I disturbed you! Could you please let go? It really hurts!"
The fish, understandably, was not receptive to diplomatic negotiations.
"Shin-chan, where exactly did it bite you?" Daigo called out as he waded into the stream.
"Big Brother Daigo! The fish grabbed my... my little elephant!" Shin-chan replied, his face scrunched with pain.
Understanding dawned on Daigo with horrifying clarity. As a fellow male, he could perfectly empathize with Shin-chan's predicament. "Hold on, buddy. I'll figure something out!"
Despite his experience battling monsters and aliens, this particular crisis was entirely outside his training manual.
Before he could formulate a plan, the cavalry arrived in the form of worried parents and friends.
"Shin-chan! Shin-chan! What happened to my baby?!" Misae cried as she reached the water's edge and saw her son's distressed condition.
"Mama, the fish is biting my little elephant and it won't let go!" Shin-chan wailed.
The moment Misae understood what her son meant, her world went dark and she collapsed into Hiroshi's arms.
"Misae! Misae!" Hiroshi caught his wife while staring helplessly at his son's unprecedented situation.
"Everyone, please step back. I can handle this," Gustave announced, pushing through the concerned crowd with calm authority.
Daigo immediately made room, though he felt compelled to warn: "Gustave, it's... it's in a very delicate location. Be careful."
"Don't worry, I've got this," Gustave assured him, studying the situation with professional assessment.
He approached the still-struggling fish and placed both hands on its substantial form. With precise control, he allowed just a tiny spark of electrical current to flow through his fingers - enough to render the fish unconscious without harming the boy.
The fish immediately went limp, its grip relaxing.
"There we go," Gustave said calmly as Daigo carefully helped extract Shin-chan from his predicament.
The moment he was free, Shin-chan scrambled to shore, protectively cradling his injured dignity. "Little elephant! Are you okay? I'm so sorry!"
Several of the older girls turned away with red faces, though Nene seemed to be peeking through her fingers with undisguised curiosity.
"Shin-chan, let me take a look," Loid offered professionally. "I'm a doctor - I need to make sure you're not seriously injured."
Hearing that medical expertise was available, Shin-chan reluctantly allowed the examination. Loid conducted a thorough but efficient assessment, checking for actual damage while asking about pain levels and sensitivity.
After a few tense minutes, he stood up with a reassuring smile. "Good news - Shin-chan is perfectly fine. Just some minor bruising that will heal quickly."
A collective sigh of relief rose from the gathered crowd.
"Did you hear that, Misae?" Hiroshi shook his unconscious wife gently. "Shin-chan's okay! He's going to be fine!"
As the immediate crisis passed and everyone began to relax, Gustave looked down at the unconscious fish that had caused all the commotion.
"Well," he said thoughtfully, "at least we know dinner's going to include some fresh fish tonight."
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