Shichika

Shichika tapped their carved cane against the stone path, a three-beat rhythm only they could hear. A year ago, that cane was just for balance on the high-altitude streets of The Great Panda City, leaning against the wall of a ramen shop while they argued about broth seasoning. Then came the meeting with Pinku, tucked away in an alley where the purple sky seemed darker. Pinku spoke not of spirits but of circuits, showing them a smooth stone that hummed with captured light from a hidden civilization. They taught Shichika how to see the world through it. The cane was hollowed out. For weeks, they practiced in secret, tracing glowing lines in the frigid air, learning a power the Panda Council wasn't ready for. They still slurp ramen, but the tapping is no longer random; it's a quiet mapping of the city's hidden pulse.