For twenty years, he had stood at the Wall, fighting the Shadowlands Horde. He'd seen wave upon wave of ogres, gibbering goblins numbering in the tens of thousands, unspeakable horrors drawn from the depths of Jingoku. After each battle, he had silently wept for the fallen.

Again and again.

But he was a Crab. He had no time for wallowing in misery or cowering in fear. Above all things, he had his duty. And he was fiercely proud of it.

But now, still stranger things have happened. Just when his portion of the Wall was about to fall, unexpected allies came.

Were it the Nezumi, he wouldn't have been so surprised. In fact, it would have been a welcome sight. But now, waving in the ill breeze with the Crab banner was another flag. It was green.

The banner of the Mantis.

It was near nightfall, and the change of guard must come soon. As Tsushima walked along the battlements, surveying the forces on the Wall, he saw a Mantis bushi staring off in the distance.

Maybe this common soldier could tell me more about what is going on, Tsushima thought. After all, how could he trust the words of Yoritomo Torakage, who has four score men ultimately loyal to him? After all, the Mantis are just a motley crew of mercenaries ...

With a grunt, he stood alongside the bushi and grumbled, "You! Tell me, how is it in the Empire?"

The bushi did not answer. He continued to stare in the distance.

Maybe the impertinent fool didn't hear me, Tsushima thought. One more time, then ...

"How is it in the Empire?"

The bushi finally tilted his face to look into directly Tsushima's eyes.

Tsushima stood, shocked. "Your eyes are green!!!" His hands involuntarily went to grasp his tetsubo. "Gaijin?!!!"

The bushi smiled, but did not flinch. "Yes, I am gaijin, but I am so much more. So much more."

"Did I surprise you, Tsushima-san? And, please put down your arms," the bushi asked Tsushima.

Still holding on to his tetsubo and eyeing the bushi warily, Tsushima replied, "I never thought that Yoritomo would recruit gaijin into his service. His hatred for foreigners is quite known ..."

"Ah, but I am the only gaijin in his service. I am alone. A lone foreigner. All I have is my duty to the Mantis Clan. For me it is enough."

Tshushima raised an eyebrow and snorted. He wasn't going to let go of his tetsubo. Prejudices die hard ...

"But why are you here in this wasteland, eh? This is not the place for men of weak hearts, nor for the minor clan of the Mantis who have no reason at all to be here! More so for ...

"Gaijin, Tsushima-san?"

Tsushima uttered an expletive before answering. "Yes, more so for gaijin. Explain yourself before I judge whether to really accept you as an ally ..."

The bushi interrupted, "Of course, my tale is free to be told. Sit down Tsushima-san ..."

"Not yet, gaijin. I'm keeping an eye on you. Speak first, then we'll see what would come of this conversation ...

The bushi sighed. "Very well."

"Twenty winters ago, when I was but a youth, our fleet was brought by wild currents to the edge of the Crab lands nearest the Shadowlands.

"The navigators were ready to implement a plan to use the current to bring us seaward again. All the fleet needed was a good wind.

"But disaster struck. A storm struck the fleet. One of the ships went under a great wave, while another splintered when it struck jagged reefs. Only our ship was able to beach itself, but it was too near the Shadowlands.

"When dawn came, the desolation of the land was too malevolent to bear. Some of the survivors huddled helplessly near the shore. A few brave souls, not knowing their danger, took their arms and elected to look for provisions, something to eat.

"They never returned. They were hunters. But in the Shadowlands, they were prey.

"Night came. All around us, the unearthly howls of the undead surrounded us. We lit a fire to ward off the bitter cold, but the fire served as a beacon for the hungry denizens of the dark.

"One by one, glittering eyes glowed luminescent just near the fringe of the light of the fire. The gnashing of teeth was heard. Gibbering noises pervaded the air. Insanity was a stone's throw away.

"In one massive wave, the bakemono struck. Our men fought bravely. Muskets and pistols - gaijin weapons - were fired. But it was not enough. They all fell.

"My mother was ripped into pieces by a ravening ogre. My father was felled by a misshapen creation that dripped corrosive venom from its fangs. My sister was swallowed alive by a hideous oni.

"All was about to be lost when shouts were heard. From the shadows, a small army of men armed with katanas and jade arrows converged on the pack and destroyed them all.

"Only I survived. I looked into the face of one of the warriors. He looked like a grizzled samurai, a veteran of many wars. Already, he was known in Rokugan, the Mantis mercenary - Masasue.

"He took me into his care and I went with him to the Islands. Hidden in one of the Mantis ships, he dyed my hair black, for the real color of my hair is like that of corn silk.

"Eventually, he entrusted me to the care of an aged couple who had no children. I grew up in their household, but I was always alone. I am a gaijin, and the people knew.

"When I reached my coming of age, I of course could not be given the honor of gempukku. So, I elected to live a vagabond's life. The life of a loner. Of a foreigner. Of a gaijin.

"I traveled many lands. I've passed by the Shinomen Forest. I've seen the towering palaces of the Dragon. I've seen Naga. But of the other provinces of Rokugan, I could not enter. Not the Crane lands, nor the Scorpion lands, not even the plains where the Unicorn chose to roam.

"The Islands were calling me back.

"I've learned how to survive by using my skills at the sword. People would continually taunt me and challenge me to a duel. I've always accepted. I had nothing to lose. If I died, then all my misery would end. But I lived. Again and again.

"When I came back, I was introduced to some of the Mantis samurai. They are noble men - Zube-san, Kupo-san, Katsume-san, Kaze-san, but my heart ached within to meet Masasue-sama again.

"And so we met. I was back home. I was with my family again."

"Eeh. A charming tale for the Nezumi." Tsushima spat the words at the bushi. His tetsubo was lowered, but only a bit. A little bit.

"But I believe you, for now. You have earned my trust, but it is only a temporary trust, gaijin. Remember that. Don't make me believe otherwise."

"I know," the bushi replied softly. "It has always been that way."

"So, tell me, vaunted gaijin, why did you choose to come to the Shadowlands, after all the horrors you've met?" Tsushima rumbled in a mocking tone.

The bushi looked into the distance before replying. It was already getting dark.

"The nightmares. I could not escape them. The Mantis here are indeed on a quest to rescue your champion Yakamo-san. But that is theirs. I have my own quest. To end these nightmares once and for all by fighting my black dreams - dreams of the Shadowlands destroying my family.

The bushi then shifted his gaze towards Tsushima. His eyes were narrowed, face fixed in a rictus of hate. His voice took on a deadly tone.

"Dreams of revenge. My honor demands it!"

The bushi pointed a menacing finger at Tsushima's rapidly reddening face.

"Isn't it why you are here, noble samurai of the Crab? To prove to all that the Crab still have honor? That they still know of their duty, never to leave their post on the Wall?

"Haven't you learned any humility after the Scorpion Clan Coup? What is it do you intend to do? Prove Kisada wrong?"

The bushi stalked away and started walking to his post at the far edge of the Wall.

Tsushima, incensed at the audacity of this gaijin bellowed, "Were we in another place and another time, I would have slain you without a thought!!!"

"You are but a gaijin!!! Food for the dogs!!!"

The bushi turned around and unsheathed his weapon and held it before him. It was not a katana, with a curved blade. He wielded a long straight-edged sword. A gaijin weapon. The last rays of Ameterasu's light glinted off its deadly edge.

The bushi sneered.

"I am Yoritomo Ajiajin. The Mantis Clan is my family, but I will always be alone. I can not be a samurai, only a bushi. But carrying the name of Yoritomo is enough."

Ajiajin turned his back on Tsushima, his sword hissing back in place at the scabbard by his side.

"Even a gaijin knows of honor, Tsushima-san. Remember that."

Tsushima railed curses into the night as Ajiajin melted into the darkness that was already enveloping the Wall.