Shizue

Shizue remembered the exact sound the river made the day their partner suggested the fish stall. It wasn't a business plan; it was a joke. Two fishers with more patience than ambition, sitting on the cold banks of The Great Panda City, watching cherry blossoms fall. But then they started to listen. Merchants haggling became coded messages. Panda Council patrols discussing border incursions became vital intelligence. The ninja mask came later, a necessity after they relayed a whisper about the Cult of Kaze that proved dangerously true. Their partner works the front of the stall, a picture of geniality, while Shizue mends nets in the back, eyes intense behind the fabric. The information they gather finds its way to Kanshi-in. They never speak of the danger, only of the day's catch.