Minohiko

The small octopus draped over Minohiko's head has eight arms, but only one secret it keeps. It’s why they wear the stark kabuki paint, a performance of belonging in Waterfall City. For a time, the act was convincing. They traded stories with the frog merchants near the docks and offered a warm hand to anyone who stumbled on the rocky stairs. But their companion saw too much, remembered things from before the falls. A merchant heard it hum a tune only sung in the deepest trenches, and the illusion shattered. Now, Minohiko is an outcast. Their nurturing spirit is seen as a lure, their friendly smile a mask. They remain, determined, watching the currents from the plaza. The city they protect with their secret never looks them in the eye.