Junkichi

What good is a combat pole if its only battles are against falling acorns and over-enthusiastic children? This is the question Junkichi asks themself every morning in The Heart of the Forest, usually while polishing the well-worn wood. They arrived years ago, clad in tactical gear and expecting to defend the clearing from the rougher wilds beyond. But the forest's residents met them not with threats, but with song and plates of honey-drenched berries. The fiercest conflicts they found were debates over the best dancing tune. So Junkichi adapted. The combat pole became the official starting line for races, a limbo bar during festivals, and a tool for retrieving kites stuck in the amber-leaved trees. Their intense focus is now reserved for ensuring games are fair, and their grin is a permanent fixture. They are a guardian, not of borders, but of joy.