Sakugorou

Sakugorou unfurled their wings, blocking the spray from the upper falls as they stood on the plaza in Waterfall City. To the chimps haggling over fish below, they were a strange, solitary figure. But Sakugorou wasn't alone. They were shielding the shimmering, ethereal form of Genkei from the world, listening to the vengeful spirit's whispered plans. Before meeting the murdered princess, Sakugorou had been a simple guard, their life as steady as the stone temple they patrolled. Then Genkei appeared, a ghost bound to a quest for justice, and Sakugorou was the only one who didn't run. They offered their shield, their strength, their entire life to the cause, becoming an outcast in the process. Their poker face hides the vow, but their eyes carry a deep, humble embarrassment—the pain of loving someone they can protect from anything but the space between them.