Chimper #599
Every day, Wanoka promises themself this will be the day they finally impress their master. They arrived in The Great Panda City clutching scrolls of poetry inspired by the travels of Shijin, dreaming of art and music. Instead, they found the biting, snowless wind and the hard reality of an apprenticeship sorting bamboo. They are always layered up, yet always cold. The only warmth comes from the ramen bowls they hide behind, a constant meal to quiet a troubled mind. The other trainees mock their upset eyes and clumsy hands, but they also gave Wanoka their name. It was earned not for cunning, but for their uncanny ability to vanish, slipping away from work to scribble verses by the river.
