Toichi

Toichi never learned the old forest songs. Though they try, their voice always falters on the cheerful choruses celebrating the harvest. Their guardian, Koumyou, brought them to this amber-leaved clearing for a fresh start, away from the troubles of a past life. Toichi plays the part of the eager trainee well, their eyes wide and gleeful as they learn to weave and cook. They smile at the locals and wear the warm, wooly clothes. But the crimson cap they refuse to remove is a tell, a piece of another world, and their smile never quite hides their unease. The villagers see a devoted mentor guiding a lost soul. They don't know that this gentle life isn't a gift; it's a cage, and Koumyou is a very patient warden.