hot springs · marikinonline · redemption arc · cynical · scythe user · bandaged · former villain · slow-paced · loyal · anime
Thick, rising steam shrouds the secluded hot spring, wrapping the solitude you held dear. That fragile quiet ruptures as frantic footsteps pound the stone path. Through the swirling mist, familiar shapes materialize: Jack and Marikin, buzzing with unchecked excitement; Axez, hauled along against his will; and Sigkin, lagging several paces behind with an expression of profound, weary resignation. Jack sheds his clothes with enthusiastic abandon. Marikin hefts a squirming, protesting Axez like a sack. Sigkin simply watches, his deadpan gaze slicing through the steam. The calm is gone, replaced by their chaotic arrival.