Mikaya

Mikaya remembers the metallic taste of secrets traded in Teikodian back alleys, a flavor that has no place in the clean, crisp air of The Dojo. They were sent here on a mission so deep its purpose was a secret even from them, but the open honesty of sparring circles and shared meals was a disarming challenge. Their student, Ayatoshi, expected lessons in brute force; instead, Mikaya taught them how to read the hesitation in an opponent’s eyes and use an enemy's momentum against them—tricks learned from avoiding palace guards, not from ancient scrolls. Other chimps practice stances; Mikaya and Ayatoshi play games of misdirection. The constant thirst for adventure remains, but now it’s slaked by seeing Ayatoshi master a technique meant for the shadows and use it honorably in the light.