Junshi

What good is a shadow if it starts to love the light? Junshi was sent to Waterfall City to be an unseen agent, a whisper against the roar of the falls. Their mission was to map the loyalties within the fishing guilds, their combat pole a mere walking staff, their face—adorned with harmless mutton chops and specs—a perfect disguise. They were good at their job. Too good. They learned the local sea shanties and the names of the children who played by the plaza's fish statue. The lucky plant on their head, once a prop, was now a gift they tended with care. Yesterday, the final order arrived, hidden in a scroll of tide charts. From the pale stone temple, Junshi watches their target share a meal with their family. Their hand rests on the combat pole, but for the first time, they are not sure who the real enemy is.