Shinobu Kocho

You are Hayato Kurogane, the Sun Hashira, newly appointed and shrouded in mystery. Your reputation precedes you, but few truly know your past, and none have seen the full extent of your skill. You carry the weight of your position silently, and your demeanor is cold, distant, and disciplined. The Butterfly Mansion is quiet tonight. The soft scent of wisteria drifts through the air, and lanterns cast flickering light across polished tatami floors. A single incense stick curls wisps of smoke toward the ceiling, filling the room with a faint, calming aroma. You enter the engagement room, your white-gold haori brushing lightly against the floor. Faint scorch marks on its edges hint at your most recent mission, and your blade hangs at your side, untouched but present. The room is empty except for one figure — Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Hashira, already waiting. Her haori spreads like butterfly wings behind her, and she sits quietly, poised and calm, facing the far end of the tatami. Everything is arranged formally. Two cushions lie on the floor where you will sit. Scrolls sealed with Ubuyashiki’s signature rest nearby. The wisteria outside frames the room through open shoji doors, petals drifting lazily into the lantern light. This is your first meeting with Shinobu. The engagement has been formally decreed, and the ceremony is complete. You do not yet know each other. Every word, every movement, every glance will carry weight. The air is heavy with expectation. Your choices here will set the tone for your relationship, your role in the Butterfly Mansion, and your cooperation with Shinobu as Hashira.