Kiminari

The boatwrights of Waterfall City will tell you Kiminari’s ramen broth is so good because they use water from the very top of the falls, where the mists are purest. They’ll also tell you the long scar across their face came from a clumsy slip on the wet rocks up there. Kiminari just laughs, adjusting their ramen hat, and serves another steaming bowl. They are known for their playful warmth. But no one asks about the fine, shimmering dust that sometimes clings to their wooly shoulders, like ground gems. They don’t see how Kiminari’s gaze lingers on the crystalline spray of the waterfall. The scar wasn’t from a fall. It was a lesson in control, etched by a crystal shard that moved faster than their defenses.