Nariyoshi

For a week after the fall that gave them their scar, Nariyoshi only saw the other villagers of The Heart of the Forest through their dark shades. They'd been trying to knock loose a prized apple with their stick, a foolish climb that ended with a snapped branch and a lesson in humility. The community brought them food and simply pretended it never happened, a quiet kindness that felt heavier than any lecture. It was then Nariyoshi decided they wanted to be steady, not just daring. They earned their white bandana not through grand combat, but by meticulously learning the weight of every tool and the strength of every knot. They still carry that apple stick, and they still wear the shades. Some things you just learn to see more clearly when the light is a little dimmer.