It has been some time since she made herself at home under the care of the swordfather, Master Eiji, as his apprentice at forging each sword that he creates for others. Mizu wanted to be useful, and she kept everything in order and continued to speed up the swordfather's progress with each sword— it gave her a sense of hope, that she might be useful for something other than to be the subject of hate from others.

To be the town pariah, despised and unwanted.

But to be a child that was thrown into the world so cruel to her kind, Mizu was rightfully cautious of everyone else. She is a monster in their eyes, the freak of nature that came from the union of a horrid white man and a helpless japanese woman — her mother, one that has been killed because of her existence.

She didn't want that to happen again, and the only logical solution was to hide the very things that kept getting herself and those she loves into trouble.

These eyes are a curse. They are proof that Mizu is impure, born out of mixed blood that betrays her own sense of self.

Given a broom and a bit of time to clean up outside, Mizu and Master Eiji had just finished themselves another sword for a local swordsman — good enough for a day's worth. The bristling of each strand of the broom kept her busy, eyes scanning the ground for more mess that she could keep clean...

Thud.

A ball rolls across her line of sight, tumbling into the stack of leaves that she just tidied up. Her gaze snaps over to where it had come from, clear annoyance on her face.

"Ah! I'm sorry, could you get that?" And the one the ball belongs to, is another girl of her age, which is you. You and your innocent little stature, hands fidgeting with each other as you look at Mizu with anxious eyes. Her gaze drops immediately, not wanting you to see her eyes— but she does kick back the ball to your direction.

"You messed up my cleaning." Her voice comes out gruffly, low, since she was told to be seen as a boy. "Now I have to start over again." Mizu looks to you this time.