A familiar voice came from the undergrowth. "You made the right choice, Issekigan."

Mukami stepped from the bushes, aiming a readied bow at Issekigan.

"Murder would not have been a fitting act for a Wasp. Had you loosed the arrow, I would have been honour bound to take your life."

"You are right again, Mukami-sama. Yet you know my feelings for Scorpions."

Mukami lowered the bow.

"Watch your tongue, Issekigan. Many of the Wasp carry Scorpion blood in their veins, including Lord Tsuruchi."

"Hai, and has he come out better off for it? Where is he, Mukami? Where is my mentor?"

"Only the Fortunes know the answer to that one, my friend." replied Mukami, shaking his head. "Let us return home. Our business on the Mantis Isles is concluded."

A week later, Issekigan stood in the throne room of Kyuden Ashinagabachi. Tearing his sorrowful gaze from the empty throne, he turned to Mukami.

"Where is he, Mukami? We must find him!"

"Calm yourself. There are people searching for him as we speak. The last word I received spoke of at least two courageous young Mantis samurai who had dared the terrors of Morikage to find our daimyo. He will be recovered."

"Why must we sit here while the Mantis rescue him for us?"

"Careful - do you speak against the Mantis?"

"Iie, Mukami-sama. I am as loyal to Yoritomo as the next Wasp."

"Don't think I don't see your sarcasm, Issekigan. It does not befit a samurai to be so free with his tongue. Yoritomo has protected our clan, and allowed us to grow. Were it not for his shelter, would not the Bayushi or the Matsu have tried to reclaim this land? They still bear grudges for Tsuruchi, and I would not see what he has built torn down. I am grateful to Yoritomo for preventing this, as is our clan. Am I clear?"

"Hai, Mukami-sama, but you are his yojimbo! How can you sit here, and worry over Yoritomo's plans for the Alliance, or when the black-hearted Scorpion will make their next move instead of scouring the Empire for him?"

"And who would take care of the clan in my absence? With Lord Tsuruchi absent, we must watch over his clan. Would you have me sacrifice what he holds dear to spend time on a quest already undertaken by others?"

"Iie, Mukami. I see the wisdom of your words."

"For your own sake, Issekigan, I pray that you do."

"But I must seek him myself, Mukami. I owe him that much for the years he has spent instructing me."

"You cannot. You are a Magistrate of the Emerald Champion, and you will see to your duties!"

"Do not do this, Mukami-sama. Do not make me choose between the Empire and my daimyo... my friend."

"Life is full of choices, Issekigan. Everyday we face new ones, and I am sorry to bring such a difficult one to you. But I must."

Issekigan turned away from Mukami. Sighing, he looked once more upon the empty throne. Then, his decision made, he tore the mon of the Emerald Champion from his shoulder, and handed it to Mukami. "Then I must resign my position as magistrate."

"Hai. I feared as much. I pray that you do not live to regret this decision."

"As do I, Mukami-sama."

The two samurai bowed to each other, and Mukami left to see to the Clan's affairs. Issekigan walked to stand before the throne, and fell to his knees. "Tsuruchi-sama. The Mantis search while the Wasp wait, and watch. But I will not shame you. I will prove myself worthy of the years you have spent instructing me, and I will find you."

"Lady Ryosei, I would talk with you over a matter of grave concern."

She replied as she walked between the desk in her study and a shelf of many scrolls, retrieving records of food production, and other logistical scrolls.

"Hai, Issekigan. Mukami requested permission for you to visit me, and I could not refuse the representative of Tsuruchi. I fear, however, that I have little time. These are uncertain days for the Fox clan, and I must look to the needs and future of my family. I would advise you to keep this conversation short."

She stopped behind her desk, and looked him in the eye.

"What is it you would speak with me about?"

Momentarily caught off guard by her sudden attention and piercing gaze, Issekigan quickly tried to composed himself once more.

"It is on Lord Tsuruchi's disappearance that I wish to speak. I have decided to search for him. I seek advice on the evils of Morikage. What little word came from the small forces that retrieved Otaku Kamoko and the Naga is of no use, and the Emperor has not recorded what transpired there during his absence. I thought perhaps a shugenja of your standing would have more useful information."

"What has possessed you to undertake this quest, Issekigan? Already samurai scour the areas searching for Tsuruchi. Shugenja from throughout the Empire from the Fox to the Imperial shugenja have been unable to locate him. The Emperor himself has not been able to locate Tsuruchi to reward him for his bravery, despite the resources open to him. And you think you can succeed?"

"I must, Lady. I will not stand by another day while my mentor is missing. I will find him, or die an honourable death trying."

"Death is far from the worst that could happen to you in Morikage, Issekigan."

"Then tell me of the dangers there, so I may be prepared."

"I cannot. It would take too much time to tell you what little knowledge of such matters I do possess."

"Then I shall brave the forest uninformed."

"Wait... if my memory does not fail me, you have friends amongst the Kitsuki."

"Hai."

"Talk to them. The Kitsuki have more information on this than anyone."

"Then why have they not come forth to aid in destroying this evil?"

"They have, Issekigan, but in their own way. That is all any of us can do."

But weighing heavily on his mind was the passage through the fringes of the Scorpion lands. Even with the Monkey Clan in residence, there was more Scorpion activity than anyone cared to admit. The Monkey were a nuisance to them, to be ignored until it went away, or was disposed of. Anyone he might meet there could be a Scorpion in hiding, even the peasants. There was no way to tell, until you felt their daggers in your back. The only alternative, was passage on a Mantis merchant vessel north to Otasan Uchi. Issekigan decided against this. He hated to be out of touch with the world around him, and days at sea would not give him any chance to see what was happening amongst the citizens of the Empire.

Hoisting his small pack of equipment onto his back, he set off toward the border.

The curse rang out across the open field. Issekigan stood above the body of a young Monkey Clan samurai. It looked like he must have angered the wrong people somehow, and was punished for his error. The one thing you had to admit about Scorpion punishments was that the person involved would never anger them again. Most victims of Scorpion justice were just like this young man - unable to make the mistake again.

Examining the body, Issekigan could find no major wounds. Looking closer still, he saw proof of his suspicions. A dart was lodged in the back of the young man's unprotected neck. He had apparently removed his helm to relax in the sun prior to his death. The Scorpion may have been exiled, but only a fool would believe that their ninja had left too.

There had been many rumours about ninja recently, with some of the common folk attributing Toturi's abduction to them, but Issekigan knew better. The ninja were the tools of the Scorpion. They were nothing more than men trained in the dishonourable ways of killing without being seen. And they had remained behind to watch the Empire for the Lady of Lies. No doubt they watched him even as he stood here.

Issekigan stood from examining the body, and shook his head. He would have to report this unacceptable behaviour to the Emerald Champion at the earliest opportunity. But the damage had been done - the body had been left here as a message to the Monkey clan, and no doubt they had realised the young man's mistake by now. Toku was in for more trouble than he bargained for when he assumed the title of daimyo of the Monkey.

That was but the first mistake on the journey.

Before he was fully aware of what was happening, a cord was looped around his neck and pulled taut. Issekigan reached behind him and tried to grasp hold of whoever was attacking him, but was unable to mount an effective resistance. As his vision faded, the last words he heard were "Hai. That's the one. That's the Wasp."

He awoke in a plain dark brown room. Shaking his head to clear his vision, he tried to stand up only to find himself bound to a chair. On one side of him were two figures dressed in simple grey clothing, wearing masks concealing all but their eyes. They had to be Scorpion.

"What do you want with me, Scorpion?" Issekigan asked.

They didn't respond, but instead whispered between themselves, too quietly for him to hear them.

"Why have you assaulted and kidnapped me, Scorpion?" he asked a little more angrily.

One of them turned to face him, and finally spoke to him. "A mutual friend of ours asked us to take a look at you. Now if you wish to live to see outside this room, I would advise you to be quiet, Wasp."

He pronounced the last word with obvious disgust and contempt. Issekigan, not knowing what else to do, simply sat and watched. As the two talked, he got a chance to observe them. One had some kind of tattoo down his right arm. No, the more he saw of it the less it looked like a tattoo. It seemed as if he had a black shadowy chain wrapped around his forearm. Puzzled by this, he failed to notice that the whispered conversation had stopped.

He looked up to see the two Scorpions looking at him.

"He seems to like your brand." the second said. "Well, he's sure to get a chance to have his own, if the Master has its way." chuckled the first. "We've seen what we need to. Time to go, Wasp."

He never saw the blow coming. Mercifully the world faded quickly.

He awoke at the northern edge of the woods. Still feeling a bit dazed, he sat up and dragged his pack close. Once satisfied that the Scorpions had not taken anything, he prepared to resume his journey. It seems like he'd made some enemies.

One phrase the Scorpion said came back to him: "A mutual friend of ours..."

Who could he have meant?

Scolding himself for standing here pondering Scorpion tricks and lies, Issekigan quickly set off to the north. The Kitsuki estates were a long way away and he had no time to spare for the Scorpion. He remembered an old saying a monk had once told him: "Even the longest of journeys begins with a single step."

That had been the strangest single step he had ever taken.

And the most important.