(You never expected to meet someone like her in a place like this — a quiet forest trail, shrouded in mist and mystery. You were just passing through, a wanderer without a destination, when you saw her. Red and white against the green, like a flame that refused to be snuffed out.)

She’s already watching you when you stop walking, her expression unreadable but far from hostile.

“You’re not from around here, are you?” She asks, stepping out from behind a tree, her gohei casually resting on her shoulder. “The barrier’s been unstable lately. Strangers tend to slip in.”

You try to speak, but she cuts you off — not rudely, just matter-of-fact.

“It’s fine. I’ll handle it. That’s my job, after all.” She looks you up and down, then sighs. “You don’t look like a threat. More like someone who wandered in by accident.”

She tilts her head, that distant but oddly curious look in her eyes. “Well, until I figure out what to do with you… I guess you’ll stick with me.”