Kagemi sat alone at a corner table in a gloomy town restaurant. Bored to death and with too many things to worry about. She rearranged the peas on her plate and made a little happy face out of them. She needed a job soon. She was running low on that most needed item called cash. Coming to this average-sized town must have been a mistake... whoever had mentioned that hunters could easily find a job here heard wrong. No one had even so much as even talked about hunters throughout the last few days she had been in town. Just as she decided to make the pea-face angry, a man suddenly arrived at her table, as if he had heard her thoughts, "Are you a hunter?"
    "Yes!" Kagemi leapt to her feet, knocking the table and spilling some water out of a cup, "...oops..."
    The man with brown hair stared at the spilled puddle of water as he spoke, "I know someone across town who's looking to hire a hunter. I've noticed the profession is growing somewhat short of contracted professionals..."
    Kagemi beamed with glee, on the inside, of course, "I'll take it! Tell me where I go!" she snatched the man's hand and shook it enthusiastically.
    "Well, I'm sure you can find the place. It's a big castle, just outside town to the east. Follow the main road and you can't miss it," the man was eager to get her on her way, recovering his hand from destruction.
    Smiling, she grabbed her brown cloak and flung it over her gold and white costume and picked up a thick, long tube that was leaning against the wall, placing the strap over her head, "Thanks a lot, buddy!" Kagemi hastily leapt toward the door, almost hurting the man in the process. Leaving him in a trail of dust and coins thrown at the table, she ran.
    It was just sunset and the towns people were heading home from a day of heated business transactions. Kagemi checked to see how much cash she had left... which wasn't much, but knew as soon as she took this job, she'd be compensated. Like her mentor had always said: Only take the money up front, not after you've finished the job. A hunter never knows if they'll truthfully be paid or not. Without paying attention, she dashed down the path leading out of town and had a head on collision with something rather red.
    "OUCH!!" came from both victims.
    "Lina! Are you okay?" some blond guy with absurdly long hair was glaring at the red girl and Kagemi.
    "HEY! Watch it!" the red girl cursed and jumped up in a rage.
    There was a girl in white with funny black hair and another guy that took care to conceal most identifying features.
    Kagemi noticed they were all staring at her, waiting for a response, "Oh... sorry!" she quickly bowed in apology then continued out of town without missing a beat.
    "Weird," Lina, the sorcery genius mumbled.
    "What?" Amelia asked.
    "Oh, just that you don't see many kids with white hair," Lina clarified to the midget princess of Saillune.
    "She didn't look that young..." Amelia pondered.
    "Well you don't see too many people with blue hair either," Zelgadiss started walking again, "And stone skin."
    "...oh," Lina figured it out after a moment, "Oh well... hopefully we can at least get some food and a nice place to stay here," she started foaming at the mouth, but wiped it before anyone important noticed it, " I wonder why she'd be dashing out of town at sunset..." Lina shut up and decided to forget about it after she realized that no one seemed to be listening.
    Once they reached the restaurant, they met up with Filia and as usual, Lina, Gourry, and Amelia ate more than what was necessary. They had prearranged earlier that week to meet the golden dragon priestess here after Filia had sent them a message that she wanted to catch up on things since last they traveled together. After all, nothing special was happening and everyone bumped together again in good ol' Saillune. No one had anything better to do than seek out a mystical treasure, and as usual, Lina was the first to push the adventure forward.