Houjirou

When the mists from the falls grew so thick they tasted of river stone, Houjirou arrived in Waterfall City seeking not fortune, but a cure for their sinuses. The thief mask was for pollen; the carved cane for slippery rocks. They were after one thing: the rare Whispering Orchid. Unfortunately, when they tapped their cane along the temple stairs, a guard saw a criminal testing the foundation. When they asked a fisher about water plants, the fisher heard an inquiry about patrol blind spots. Every calm, patient step was misinterpreted. They were finally surrounded by guards at the great fish statue, just as they leaned in to inspect a promising patch of moss. Houjirou sighed, preparing a lengthy explanation, and tripped over the *actual* jewel thief hiding in their shadow.