Kanehiko

Kanehiko was the kindest soul to ever be exiled from The Great Panda City. The elders who sell steamed buns by the cherry blossoms still say so. They remember a chimp who knew every child's name, whose face was unadorned by the stark lines of war paint. But that was before they returned from a pilgrimage to the highest mountain peaks, eyes wide with forbidden knowledge. They spoke of sky drifters and their hidden civilization, insisting the city's cherished traditions were a beautiful cage. The Panda Council saw this as heresy. Now, they live on the outskirts, a lone figure who only speaks to Pinku, sharing secrets of the sky on whispered winds. The paint isn't a threat; it's a memorial for the home they can see but never return to.