Ayumiko

Every morning, Ayumiko draws their ancient sabre and holds the cold steel to their cheek. They aren't testing the blade, but the warmth of their own skin. It’s a ritual of reassurance. They were there when Hen’i-tai was warped by chaos energy, and while their own body seemed untouched, something else took root inside them. In the pristine order of The Great Panda City, they live in quiet terror of being discovered. The 'possessed' glimmer in their eyes is kept low, their uneasy expression a constant mask. They took the title of 'Explorer' just for the excuse to leave—to walk under open skies where they don't feel the Panda Council’s judgment in every cold gust of wind. The sabre is their only confidant, a silent witness to a transformation they can feel but cannot stop.