Inetarou

The taste of mist on the tongue is a constant companion on the city’s lower tiers, a flavour Inetarou knows better than any other. Down by the fishing boats, they are a familiar, if unsettling, sight. The captain's hat, the well-worn adventure sword, and the stark war paint across their face all tell a story of a grim and dangerous life. Most are wise enough not to pry. But the secret isn't what the paint shows, but what it hides. That primal energy they share with the likes of Yaban-hito didn't manifest as uncontrollable rage, but as a deep, untamable playfulness. They learned early that such joy is a liability in a world that respects only strength. The paint isn't a threat to others; it's a cage for their own irrepressible grin.