Name: Ryuko (流虎)
Species: Shachihoko
Nicknames: None
Titles: Right Hand Man of Leaf Officer. Honorable Current of Bygone Era
Abilities: Directing Currents
Presumed Date of Birth: 8th of March
Age: 376 years (~38 years)
Height: 171 cm
Hobbies: Patrolling Outskirts
Apparent Likes: Catnip, Siestas
Apparent Dislikes: Nothing in particular
Beloved Person: Current President of the Ryuuguu
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Ah, renewal era, the time where honor stood above everything else. Ryuko was born under an influential family of noble court warriors, as such the first thing that became important to them. For some it was luxury, for others it was survival, for Ryuko it was honor. So they trained relentlessly to be worthy enough for the title of the court warrior. After all, their family was pretty influential
However once they got to that point... That era was gone and injustice and corruption became prevalent once again, and since Ryuko was raised by the notion that every man must be honest; they never questioned the authorities and did their work dutifully, with no trace of apathy to be found. They failed to see the blatant errors of their superiors. Even when their faith was shaken, it was only excused as "necessary evil"
While foolish, hopeful and obedient people like Ryuko were easy to control, in the eyes of higher-ups, they were still regarded as a massive threat to their order. Such people like Ryuko shouldn't be the exception to the rule. Even their adoption of Suiha was less of a genuine desire to change (something that Ryuko hoped), and more of a raise to their PR. But they couldn't outright betray Ryuko, because anything done against them directly will be their wake-up call, and despite their honest nature, they're still an incredibly strong opponent, they needed to be discrete about it.
"Ryuko, I know this is a case as cold as arctic, but I want you to take a look at these." An elderly Wani beckoned the Shachihoko. She pointed towards three abandoned cases. One was of a cannibalistic stingray which also had taken the liking into eating the human flesh.
The other was of an illusionary clam that claimed to be a dragon, which is considered a heresy in higher-up society.
And the last one was about a defector, who rallied against his clan and fled to the surface.
"That last one was supposed to be my husband, but he had different ideas." The Wani said bitterly "While the previous two aren't as necessary for completion, as in the end - they were mere low-lifes, but this one I expect you to complete it with flying colours. Bring that bastard back to our court and we'll promote you to the royal court warrior. You'll end up serving the emperor himself directly!"
"But what if that "bastard" is no longer alive? After all, going to the surface is considered a taboo for a reason... I doubt he is still alive to this very day."
"Oh please. He isn't a weakling. In fact, truth to be told, he IS from the surface; he knows it better than us sea-dwellers. And if you have any doubts, take a look at this." The Wani hands Ryuko a glistening pearl. It shines faintly, but it is oddly invigorating.
"This is a symbol of our pact. If it's glowing, that means both of us are still alive and well. It might not shine the brightest, but it's a sign that he is still alive. He is still somewhere. Somewhere where he thinks we can't reach him."
Ryuko looked at the artifact with curious eyes, but Wani quickly hid it away. "No, I won't let you have it. After all, this is the last thing I have of him."
"U-Um!... Of course! I apologise for my misconduct."
Wani sighed and envied the Shachi. How can someone this pure exist? She spat out a magatama and gave it to the Shachi, saying this will help them track down the nearby sea life once they exit the city's borders. They thanked the woman and hastily left. While Wani sent them on a suicide mission as a means of getting rid of them, something inside of her wishes the guard success. She loved that defector, and having at least some closure on that defector's fate, no matter how painful and disrespectful towards her is, it
will bring some peace in this "widow's" heart.
The Shachi approaches borders and sees the familiar faces. It's their once subordinate turned superior protégé and their recent lackey. Turns out, they have a different goal of catching an escapee; but they do cross with eachother. Feeling the responsibility for their protégé, like a parent to their young, they decided to accompany the group as a supervisor.
However, their naivety and honesty will be their downfall, as a sea-dweller, they don't have the full extent of how cruel, cunning and deceptive surface-dwellers can be.
What is an honor for a beast that thrives on cheating to survive?